In a very sad turn of events, two families lost 14 family members, after 18 people died in a horror crash along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway on Sunday.
The horrific accident occured when an Isuzu KB double cab truck collided head-on with a BMW near the Mutoko Business Centre. 14 people died on the spot while 4 others died from their injuries at Mutoko Hospital.
iHarare has learned that 8 of the deceased were from the Rutsito family while 6 of the deceased were from the Chitimbe family. The other 4 were yet to be identified at the time of publishing. Both the Rutsito and the Chitimbe families are from Mutoko.
The Herald reports that when the accident occured, the Rutsito family was travelling in the Isuzu KB double cab truck. The Chitimbe family was in a BMW which they had boarded when looking for lifts.
Munyaradzi Kabasa, a member of the Rutsito family, told the Herald how 8 family members had died in the crash.
“We are pained by this unexpected death which took away eight people from our family. Masimba Rutsito was my brother and was aged 39. He and his family had come home to visit from Harare. On their way back, that is when they met their fate.
“He was driving the Isuzu double cab and in the car were 12 people who included his wife Audrey Mavhunga, his children — Malcolm, Naishe and Makomborero. Also in the car was our uncle, Simbarashe Mapuranga and his wife Grace Madzinga together with their child, Samuel. All these perished in the accident.
“Those who were injured are Kupakwashe and Maxwell Rutsito, Patricia Mapuranga and one Gamuchirai who was a maid to Masimba’s family.
“They have been transferred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and they are critical. They need our prayers. We are in great pain.”
The Rutsito family is yet to make burial arrangements.