One of the identified victims is Suwedi Spiki (28), a conductor on the ill-fated bus. His nephew, Athumani Mohamed, said he identified the body through marks on the feet and a pair of trousers the deceased was wearing, which were not completely burnt in the fire.
Morogoro. Authorities have resorted to DNA analysis to identify victims of a fatal road accident in Morogoro Region after only four of the 10 people who died were identified.
Most bodies were severely burnt following the Wednesday accident caused by head-on collision between a lorry and a bus.
The Medical Officer in Charge of Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital, Dr Joseph Kway, said a team of experts from the Government Chemist Laboratory Authority (GCLA) has arrived at the hospital to collect DNA samples from the unidentified bodies. The samples will be matched with those of relatives who are coming forward in search of their loved ones.
Speaking today January 2, 2026, Dr Kway said the four bodies were identified by relatives because some parts had not been extensively burnt.
The accident occurred on the evening of December 31, 2025, at Maseyu Village in Gwata Ward, along the Morogoro–Dar es Salaam highway.
According to a police statement, 10 people were killed and 23 others injured in the crash, which involved a Mitsubishi Fuso passenger bus owned by Bill Mawio Company and a Howo trailer truck belonging to Kikori Company. Both vehicles were engulfed in flames following the collision.
The bus, driven by Swalehe Adamzi, was travelling from Msamvu Bus Terminal in Morogoro to Tanga, while the truck, carrying a consignment of fertiliser, was en route from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya.
Dr Kway said that of the 10 fatalities, nine bodies were received at Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital, while one was kept at Mikese Health Centre. He said the body at Mikese was among those already identified and handed over to relatives for burial.
“In this accident, a total of 10 people lost their lives. At our hospital, we received nine bodies, while one was taken to Mikese Health Centre and has since been identified and collected by relatives for burial,” he said.
On the condition of the injured, Dr Kway said 17 patients remain admitted out of the 23 who were brought to the hospital, and their conditions are steadily improving.
He added that two patients were referred to the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) for specialised treatment, while three others were discharged after their conditions improved.
“I would like to urge residents of Morogoro and other regions who believe or suspect that their relatives travelled along the Morogoro–Dar es Salaam road on December 31 and are currently unreachable by phone or whose whereabouts are unknown, to come to the hospital to provide DNA samples. These will help establish whether the bodies here belong to their relatives,” Dr Kway said.
Nephew identifies uncle
One of the identified victims is Suwedi Spiki (28), a conductor on the ill-fated bus. His nephew, Athumani Mohamed, said he identified the body through marks on the feet and a pair of trousers the deceased was wearing, which were not completely burnt in the fire.
He said his uncle worked as a conductor on the Morogoro–Tanga route.
“After the accident, the family followed up at the hospital and managed to identify his body. We have now been handed over the body and are transporting it to Magole Dumila in Kilosa District for burial,” he said.
Cause of the accident
Morogoro Regional Police Commander Alex Mkama said preliminary investigations indicate that the accident was caused by negligence of the lorry driver, who attempted to overtake other vehicles without due care. The lorry collided head-on with the passenger bus, causing both vehicles to catch fire.
Morogoro Regional Commissioner Adam Malima visited the hospital on January 2, 2026, to check on the condition of the injured. He urged members of the public to come forward with information that could assist in identifying the bodies of those who died in the crash.
Meanwhile, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has conveyed her condolences to the Morogoro Regional Commissioner following the deaths.
In a statement issued yesterday by the Deputy Director of Presidential Communications at State House, Mr Shaaban Kissu, President Hassan expressed her sympathies to the bereaved families, prayed for the souls of the deceased to rest in peace, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
She also called on drivers and all road users to strictly observe traffic laws and road safety regulations to prevent such tragedies.
