The accident occurred on the night of Saturday, March 24 at Kitonga Village, Mkuranga district.
At least 26 people have died and other 10 injured after a passenger Toyota Hiace and a truck carrying salt from southern regions of the country were involved in a head-on collision.
The accident occurred on the night of Saturday, March 24 at Kitonga Village, Mkuranga district.
Eye witnesses said most of the people who died were returning from Dar es Salaam’s Mbagala area to Mkuranga when the accident occurred.
“There were too many passengers in the Hiace…Most of those died were either standing or sitting on front seats of the vehicle,” said a resident of Kitonga, Mr Sudi Saleni who arrived on a scene immediately after an accident.
The Regional Commissioner for Coast, Mr Evarist Ndikilo arrived at Mkuranga district hospital to console the families and directed police to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and bring perpetrators to book.
The medical officer in-charge at Mkuranga district hospital, Mr Stephen Mwandambo told relatives of the deceased – who had gathered at the hospital to identify the bodies - that they received a total of 25 bodies.
Out of the number 15 had been identified by press time yesterday. It also received ten people who had been injured.
“Ten accident victims were given first aid and referred to the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH),” he said, noting that one of the ten died on the way to the MNH.
The acting commander for the Kibiti Special Police Special Zone, Mr Mohamed Likwata said the preliminary investigations have established that the magnitude of the collision was huge so much that most of the bodies of the deceased were seriously damaged.
"We immediately rushed to the scene after reports had reached us. We found 24 people (11 females, seven males and six children) dead,” he said noting that police immediately managed to identify that one of the dead was the driver for the Hiace and a Form One student from Saint Getrude Secondary School.
From the identity cards, police were also able to know that those who died included a teacher employed by the Rufuji District Council and a Standard One pupil from Tungi Primary School in Kigamboni Dar es Salaam.”
President John Magufuli sent a message of condolences to Coast Regional Commissioner, Mr Evarist Ndikilo following the deaths of the 26 people, saying the country has lost its manpower.
“I have been grief-stricken by the loss of 26 people who died in an accident at Mkuranga, Coast Region. We have lost a huge number of fellow Tanzanians who were part of the country’s manpower,” the statement issued by Director of Communication Unit, State House said.
