Tafadzwa Goliati, PAZ National Coordinator
By Wallace Mawire
The Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) says it is saddened by the tragic road traffic accident that occurred along Masvingo Road in Chivhu on 28 August,2026 involving a head-on collision between a commuter omnibus and a truck which resulted in a kombi catching fire and is calling for national intensified road safety measures and interventions to tame rising carnages.
Tafadzwa Goliati, National Coordinator said as the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe, they express their deepest condolences to the families of the accident victims who perished in the unfortunate incident. He said their thoughts and prayers are with those injured and wish them a speedy recovery.
PAZ said it notes that sometimes it is difficult to apportion blame to everyone involved in an accident because they do not know the cause. PAZ urged members of the public to wait for the outcome of the police investigations before drawing conclusions.
Goliati said initial reports suggesting that bottled gas caused the accident and are yet to be confirmed. He said from their preliminary assessment, the fire may have resulted from the impact and heat generated by the engine.
Goliati however said that they await the official findings from the relevant authorities.
He said the tragedy once again highlights the urgent need to strengthen road safety in the country. He added that road safety measures must be put in place to prevent such disasters.
According to Goliati, the measures include widening of roads to reduce congestion and head-on collisions, introducing 24-hour highway patrols by traffic police to monitor driver conduct and making night driving lessons compulsory for all commercial drivers.
PAZ said it is also concerned that continued harassment and arbitrary arrests of innocent passengers and transport crews at bus terminals are pushing commuters to use illegal pick-up points, commonly known as _mushika-shika.
He said when passengers are arrested at ranks for no crime committed, they avoid formal bus stations and opt for mushika-shika_ where they are not harassed. He said this compromises safety and accountability.
PAZ has therefore called upon law enforcement agents to execute their duties professionally and to focus on genuine offenders, not innocent travellers and crews who are simply trying to earn a living and commute safely.
PAZ said it remains committed to advocating for safer, affordable and dignified public transport for all Zimbabweans.