Zimpapers Logo

Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter
KING Lion Bus Service (Pvt) Ltd, the firm which owns a cross-border coach that was involved in an accident killing 43 people and injuring 40 along the Harare-Chirundu Highway last year, has been slapped with a $703 865 lawsuit by a relative to one of the deceased.

Mr Takawira Nzuma is suing for damages in his capacity as the surviving spouse of Mrs Maggie Nzuma, who died in the Nyamakate bus disaster which occurred on June 7 last year.

King Lion is being jointly sued with an insurance company, Nicoz Diamond Insurance Company.

Having lost a wife, Mr Nzuma is now claiming $594 459 being special damages for loss of possible future earnings plus $17 000 for wrongful loss of expectation of life.

Mr Nzuma also claims an amount of $92 406 for loss of expected financial support.

The widower is also seeking an order for costs of suit plus interest.

The late Mrs Nzuma, who was travelling to Lusaka, was among the 43 who died in the accident due to the negligence on the part of the driver, Jimson Ruzvidzo, who is now late.

Ruzvidzo reportedly failed to negotiate a curve and the bus ended up hitting a tree, resulting in a heavy impact.

Mrs Nzuma, who was a mechanical engineering graduate, was at the time a teaching assistant at the University of Zimbabwe.

She was studying towards her master’s degree in that field in order for her to be promoted to a full lecturer.

Mr Nzuma, in his court papers, argued that the accident was due to gross negligence on the part of the driver.

He stated in the papers that the bus was overloaded.

The bus, with a carrying capacity of 65 passengers, had 90 people on board.

The driver, according to Mr Nzuma, continued driving despite tyres being under-inflated.

Ruzvidzo, the court heard, was speeding to the extent of failing to negotiate a curve.

Since Ruzvidzo was driving the bus in the course of his employment, the court papers read, the bus company was vicariously liable.