A journey to a religious conference ended in tragedy Friday when a minibus carrying church members collided head-on with a haulage truck in central Zimbabwe, killing 27 people and injuring seven, police said Saturday.
The crash happened in the evening on the Harare-Masvingo Highway near Chivhu, roughly 130 kilometers (81 miles) south of the capital, Harare, police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.
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According to police, the truck, which was registered outside Zimbabwe, was overtaking another vehicle when it struck the minibus. The number of passengers aboard the two vehicles was not immediately known.
The minibus burst into flames following the collision, leaving behind a charred shell. Images and video published by Zimbabwean media showed debris spread across the highway, while the truck came to a stop on the opposite side of the road.
Police initially gave a lower death toll before confirming that 27 people had died. Seven injured passengers were taken to hospital for treatment, and the victims’ bodies were reportedly transported to the mortuary at Chivhu Hospital.
Nyathi confirmed the final toll on Saturday, saying police would release additional information as the investigation continued.
State broadcaster ZBC News reported that some victims died at the scene, while others died from their injuries after being taken to hospital.
Local media said the passengers were members of an indigenous African Christian denomination traveling to a religious conference. Police did not immediately identify the church group or provide further information about its members.
The collision is the latest in a series of fatal road crashes in Zimbabwe, where crowded minibuses, commonly known as kombis, are a central part of the public transport system.
Road safety has remained a major concern, with authorities frequently identifying dangerous driving, overloading and deteriorating road conditions as contributing factors. Zimbabwe’s road network has suffered years of underfunding and decay, including extensive potholes.
At least 18 people were killed in April when a minibus caught fire on a highway in southern Zimbabwe. Earlier that month, a woman and her five children died after their vehicle collided with a haulage truck on a highway linking Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Authorities have said human error accounts for about 94% of road crashes in Zimbabwe.
The accident also underscores the broader road safety emergency across Africa. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa estimates that about 300,000 people die in road crashes on the continent each year. Africa accounts for roughly a quarter of global road deaths despite having only about 3% of the world’s vehicles.
