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Herald Reporters

At least five people were killed, while  25 others were seriously injured on Sunday when a Mitsubishi lorry they were travelling on veered of the road and overturned several times at the 54-kilometre peg along Mutare-Burma Valley Road.

The Mutare-bound lorry had 29 passengers on board when the accident occurred.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the accident.

“The accident occurred around 10:30am on Sunday at the 54-km peg along Mutare-Burma Road and five people perished,” he said.

“A Mitsubishi lorry, which was bound for Mutare had 30 people aboard, including the driver.

“On approaching the 54-km peg, the driver lost control of the vehicle while descending a steep slope, which resulted in it veering off the road and overturning several times before it landed on its wheels, killing five people on the spot and injuring 25 others.

“The lorry was carrying people who were coming from a memorial service near the Mozambican border.”

Asst Comm Nyathi said the injured were rushed to Mutare Provincial Hospital where 17 of them were treated and discharged. He said bodies of the deceased — Phillip Marondo (50), Pepeginas Chaipa, Sinikiwe Zingara, Irene Antonio and Brenda Maringise — were taken to Mutare Provincial Hospital mortuary.  Asst Comm Nyathi appealed to motorists to adhere to road rules to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.

“It is unfortunate that we continue to lose precious lives due to road accidents,” he said.

“We urge our drivers to observe speed limits and terrain when embarking on journeys. We reiterate that drivers must be observant and always adhere to road rules and regulations to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.”