Heartbroken parents of pupils killed in school bus accident share their pain

Arusha. Grief and despair grip the families of Ghati Memorial Primary School pupils, who tragically lost their lives when their school bus veered into the flooded Sinoni gorge in the Dampo Area.

Seven pupils died in the accident, which occurred early Friday, April 12, 2024. A good Samaritan who bravely volunteered to join the rescue efforts also died.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday, April 13, 2024, some parents expressed grievances over the driver's negligence, as witnesses recounted warning him against driving through the area.

Mr Peter Shayo, who lost his two children, Abigail Peter, 11, and Abiabol Peter, 5, recounted being with them on the fateful day as their mother was away.

Initially planning to drive them to school himself, Mr Shayo changed his mind when the school bus driver offered to pick them up.

“I hesitated at first, thinking we might be running late. I later opted not to take them. The driver called, informing me he was nearby, so I should take the children to catch the bus,” shared Mr Shayo.

“When I got there, he had already left. I called him and asked if he could return to take them. I helped them board the bus, with the youngest sitting in the front," he added.

Mr Shayo said he told the driver to be careful given that it was raining and there was a possibility of flooding. According to him, the driver didn't respond but rather drove off, probably because he was in a hurry. “That's how I lost my two children,” he shared.

He said his eldest child was in Grade Five, while the youngest was supposed to start Grade One next year. Mr Shayo explained that a few minutes after the car left, everything he tried to do at home failed.

A few moments later, he received a call from a neighbour who wanted to know if his children had gone to school, and when he said yes, the neighbour told him that a school bus had been swept away by floodwater.

"I dropped what I was holding, grabbed the car keys, and ran to the scene. I didn't see the children because of the large number of people. Later on, my relatives went to the mortuary and confirmed to have seen my children's bodies," he sadly shared.

"Our children died a painful death. The driver had been warned, but he disregarded the warnings. The children are said to have been screaming, 'Uncle, we are dying; but he didn't listen,” he said, adding, “I don't have any other children; they are all gone. I'm left alone. It hurts so much."

Ms Elizabeth Mollel, who also lost her two children in the accident, appealed to the government to take strict measures to ensure that school bus drivers adhere to traffic laws and regulations to prevent avoidable accidents.

"This tragedy has deeply saddened me because it’s like my children were led to their demise. Several people had warned the driver against taking that route, yet he disregarded their warnings. He did so despite being cautioned by other drivers,” she sadly said.

"What happened is devastating; the loss of our children could have been prevented. It was a painful death. They told the driver they were dying. It is painful,” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

According to her, older children tried to save their younger siblings, but death caught up with them.

“It's painful; our children's dreams have been cut short. My heart bleeds for them. I've lost all my children. I’m left alone. The pain is unbearable," she said, overwhelmed by emotions.

Her husband, Mr Emanuel Mushi, named the deceased as Altrisha Emanuel and Morgan Emanuel, noting that the body of Altrisha hasn’t been found yet.

"We found the body of our younger child, but the older one's hasn't been found yet. I appeal to the citizens and the police to continue with the search for the bodies," he pleaded.

Mr Jonas Ernest, who lost his four-year-old daughter, Noela Ernest, appealed to the government to conduct a special operation in schools to inspect the drivers' compliance with road safety laws and regulations to reduce preventable accidents.

"The government, akin to its efforts in ensuring the safety of vehicles transporting children through inspections, must also scrutinise the drivers themselves. It's imperative to hire seasoned professionals with clean records," he asserted.

"A thorough operation should be conducted; while a young person might be at fault due to intoxication, ignoring the warnings of multiple people can lead to disastrous outcomes," he emphasised.

Sinoni Ward Councillor Michael Kivuyo provided an update, stating that they are still in the process of locating the body of a pupil who was aboard the school bus during the accident.

He said the bodies will be laid to rest at the Sinoni Secondary School cemetery tomorrow, noting that preparations are underway.

"This tragedy has taught us invaluable lessons, foremost among them the need for precautionary measures and the employment of vigilant drivers by school authorities to avert such avoidable disasters," he remarked.

"We implore the community to maintain their collaboration with the authorities in the ongoing search efforts for the child who remains unaccounted for," Mr Kivuyo said.