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Man loses four relatives, six tenants in Kilimanjaro bus crash
The charred wreckages of the buses that collided and burst into flames on Saturday near Same in Kilimanjaro Region. The accident left 38 people dead and 29 others injured. PHOTO | CORRESPONDENT
What you need to know:
- The victims were travelling to Moshi to attend a family wedding when their minibus collided head-on with a bus near Same Town
Moshi. Grief has engulfed the family of Mzee Kiluvia in Ngusero, Same Urban, Kilimanjaro Region, after his four relatives and six tenants were confirmed dead in a tragic road accident that claimed 38 lives on Saturday.
The victims were travelling to Moshi to attend a family wedding when their minibus collided head-on with a Channel One passenger coach at Sabasaba in Same town. Both vehicles burst into flames, killing dozens and injuring 29 others.
Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner Nurdin Babu said the injured were taken to Same District Hospital, Mawenzi Regional Hospital, and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC). “Among the 29 injured, 24 were admitted to Same District Hospital and five referred to regional and specialised hospitals,” he said.
Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander Simon Maigwa said the accident was caused by a tyre burst on the Channel One coach, which led to a head-on collision with the minibus.
Family members in mourning
Speaking to The Citizen, Mr Abdallah Kiluvia said most of the victims in the smaller bus were burnt beyond recognition. “Ninety-eight percent of the bodies are unidentifiable. We are now preparing to conduct DNA tests at KCMC to preserve and identify what remains,” he said.
Mr Ramadhani Kiluvia, who lost his mother and younger sibling, said he was already in Moshi preparing for the wedding when he received news of the crash. “Everyone who was in that vehicle was family. I called my mother, but there was no answer,” he recounted, breaking into tears.
Ms Gloria Nehemiah, who lost her mother in the crash, said her family had travelled ahead in a separate vehicle. “After learning about the crash, I tried to reach her. The phone went unanswered. She and the others were all my mothers,” she said.
Survivors speak
Mr Mudin Waziri, a survivor from the Channel One bus, said he was seated at the back when the crash occurred. “Suddenly, there was a violent impact. I was thrown forward. As the bus caught fire, everyone scrambled to escape,” he said.
Another survivor, Mr Miliad Mndeme, said the left tyre burst before the collision. “The coach collided with the minibus and caught fire. Luckily, some of us were rescued,” he said.
Same District Medical Officer Lwitiko Mwalukumba said 22 of the 24 patients at Same District Hospital had been discharged. “Two remain under care—one will be referred to KCMC, while the other is recovering steadily,” he said.
Same District Commissioner Kasilda Mgeni said 33 charred bodies had been sent to KCMC for DNA analysis. “Only five have been identified so far. The rest were burnt beyond recognition. This is a painful moment for Same District,” she said.
