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Dr Gumbo

Freeman Razemba recently in Ngundu
Government has said more than 94 percent of all road traffic accidents recorded countrywide are attributed to speeding, as some drivers are tempted to exceed limits, especially on roads that were recently rehabilitated.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo said on Monday that 1 291 fatal accidents were recorded countrywide last year and the Harare-Plumtree Highway recorded the highest number at 367, followed by the Harare-Mutare Highway, which had 202 fatal accidents.

The two highways were rehabilitated recently by Government through the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration.

Dr Gumbo was speaking at a handover of a highway patrol ambulance worth over $70 000 that was donated to the Ministry of Health and Child Care by CBZ Holdings at Ngundu Clinic.

The ambulance, a Toyota Land Cruiser, which will be a patrol emergency rescue vehicle, will be used to attend to accident victims along the Harare-Beitbridge Highway and it would be stationed at Ngundu Clinic.

According to a Memorandum of Understanding of the tripartite partnership involving the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, the Ministry of Health and Child Care and CBZ Holdings, for each of the next four years, there will be a highway patrol ambulance dedicated to a designated route.

“(In fatal accidents last year) Harare-Beitbridge came third with 192 crashes, while Harare-Bindura was fourth with 128,” said Dr Gumbo in a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s permanent secretary Mr Munesu Munodawafa. “Therefore, the allocation of the CBZ Holdings patrol ambulances to highways shall be high-risk evidence-based.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you will be aware that my ministry recently rehabilitated the Harare-Plumtree highway. Unfortunately, it would appear that the better the roads, the greater the temptation by drivers to speed. In our view, the rehabilitation of the highway is one of the proven sustainable ways of improving the safety of our roads.”

Dr Gumbo said there was need for a comprehensive multi-sector road safety action plan, particularly to address rapid medical response during the critical first hour after a road accident occurred.

He said the Harare-Beitbridge Highway was one of the busiest in the SADC region, if not in Sub-Saharan Africa.

CBZ Holdings chief executive Mr Never Nyemudzo said the donation was a fulfilment of their commitment to give back to the communities that they operate in.

He said the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe estimated that the number of annual road fatalities in the country increased from about 1 037 in 2006 to about 2 000 in recent years.

“Apart from poor roads, it is believed that a number of accidents in Zimbabwe are being caused by human error, defective vehicles and poor driving habits, amongst other factors,” said Mr Nyemudzo.

“More over, despite the several road safety promotion initiatives by stakeholders such as the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, Vehicle Expectorate Department, etc, accidents continue to occur on our roads.”

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, who received the ambulance, said it will go a long way in assisting accident victims along the highway.

He urged the ambulance crew to put it to good use and avoid misusing the vehicle.