Another crash kills nine in Tanzania as road fatalities rise

Morogoro. Tanzania has recorded yet another deadly road accident, this time in Morogoro Region, where nine people were killed on the spot and 44 others injured in a head-on collision involving a passenger bus and a lorry.

The accident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Lugono Melala, along the Morogoro–Iringa highway, when a bus bearing Hai campaign branding collided head-on with a lorry carrying a consignment of sugar.

According to the acting chief medical officer at Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital, Dr Daniel Nkungu, the hospital received nine bodies—five men and four women.

“We have also received 44 injured individuals. Among them, 37 are adults and seven are children. Most sustained fractures and are undergoing emergency treatment,” he said.

Dr Nkungu added that four of the bodies have been identified by relatives through identification documents found on the deceased. The remaining five bodies are being preserved at the hospital mortuary as the identification process continues.

Meanwhile, Morogoro Regional Police Commander, Mr Alex Mkama is expected to brief the press later today on the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The tragedy comes just days after another fatal accident in Mbeya Region, where 27 people were killed instantly in a three-vehicle pile-up along the Iwambi downhill stretch.

One additional victim later died while receiving treatment at Ifisi Designated Hospital in Mbalizi Township, raising the death toll to 28.