Passenger recounts loss of leg in bus accident

Speaking from her hospital bed at Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital on March 4, 2025, Ms Rajabu recounts that she had fallen asleep when the accident occurred.

She awoke to the sound of her fellow passengers screaming.

However, when she tried to move, she realized that she couldn’t because her legs were trapped.

“I was pinned down, with a one-year-and-seven-month-old baby in my lap. The child was already covered by the seat, and I had to struggle to free myself, as no bystanders had arrived to help,” she says.

As she struggled to free herself, she found that one of her legs was stuck in the seat.

“I had to bend down and pull myself, and in the process, I was left with only one leg. I grabbed my baby and managed to free him. However, the child was unconscious, with blood all over his head,” she explains.

Once help arrived, Ms Rajabu pleaded for them to prioritise her child’s treatment.

“I had already accepted that I had lost my leg, but I insisted that they save my child’s life. Fortunately, despite the head injury, the child was unharmed,” she adds.

Ms Rajabu, who was travelling to Kigoma to visit her husband, recalls losing consciousness after the crash, only to regain awareness in the hospital the following morning.

She says her condition has improved since receiving urgent medical care.

Student’s narration

A third-year Law student at Moshi Cooperative University Oda Bagwanya, describes the tense atmosphere before the journey even began.

He says the bus, which was scheduled to depart Dodoma at 7:00 p.m., was delayed as the driver and conductor, both Muslim, took time to break their fast.

“The delay stretched longer, with us being told the bus was going to a car wash. Later, we were informed that the vehicle had mixed diesel and petrol, so another bus was coming from Kigoma,” Bagwanya explains.

Despite the delays, he notes that the bus was overcrowded, with passengers exceeding its capacity.

Tensions rose as the journey finally began at around 9:40 p.m, but just 20 minutes later, the bus collided with a lorry ahead of it.

 Death toll climbs

Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital chief nurse, Mr Stanley Mahundo, confirms that the hospital had received 55 victims by 11:00 p.m. on March 3, 2025.

By March 4, the death toll had risen to eight, with a male and female among the deceased.

“The injuries were severe, and despite our best efforts, we could not save them. However, 24 patients are steadily recovering and receiving treatment,” says Mr Mahundo.

He adds that many injuries involved fractures of limbs from the crushing force of the bus as it overturned, thanks to rapid medical intervention, 25 patients were discharged after successful surgeries.

The bodies of four victims namely: Peter Demeye, Jenipher Tinda, Edither Leonard, and Edward John have been identified and handed over to families as efforts are underway to identify the remaining deceased.

Police statement

Acting Dodoma Regional Police Commander (RPC) Anania Amo says the bus attempted to overtake a lorry when it collided with another vehicle and lost control.

“The bus, which departed Dodoma for Kigoma, struck a lorry at the Chigongwe area. The driver lost control, overturned, and killed six on the spot,” he says.

The regional police chief says of the five killed people, three were men and two women, while 49 others were injured.

The injured were taken to Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital, with one transferred to Benjamin Mkapa Hospital for specialised treatment.

Traffic-related deaths decrease

Data from the Traffic Police Unit shows that between July and September 2024, about 453 people died in road accidents, a slight decrease from 477 deaths in the same period of 2023.

During this period, 835 people were injured, up from 782 in 2023.

The main causes of accidents, the police say, are speeding, alcohol use, poor infrastructure, disregard for traffic laws, technical failures, and driver negligence.