Dar es Salaam – A burst tire on a cargo truck triggered a deadly head-on collision with a passenger bus in Chemba district Thursday, killing nine people and injuring several others, marking the fourth major road accident in just over a week that has claimed 26 lives across Tanzania.
The Babu Trans passenger bus was traveling from Itolwa village in Chemba district to Dodoma when it collided with a Fuso cargo truck at Kambi ya Nyasa village. Eyewitnesses reported that the truck’s tire burst, causing the driver to lose control before the fatal impact occurred.
Dodoma Regional Police Commander Galus Hyera confirmed that the truck driver survived and is receiving treatment at Dodoma Referral Hospital, while the bus driver died at the scene.
“This is clearly negligence that caused the accident,” Hyera told reporters. “Negligence has caused deaths, property has been destroyed, and others are continuing with treatment due to injuries they sustained. Without doubt, the responsible party must be brought to justice.”
Thursday’s tragedy follows a devastating week of road carnage that has shocked the nation. On Tuesday, five people including four Catholic nuns from Kenya and Italy died when their vehicle collided head-on with a truck in Mwanza region.
Just days earlier, on September 11, seven people returning from Dar es Salaam’s Simba Day festival were killed when their vehicle struck a broken-down truck in Rorya District.
The week’s toll also includes a Sunday accident that claimed five members of the Kaggi family traveling from Tanga to Dar es Salaam, leaving only the mother, Sophia Charles Makange, and one daughter as survivors.
These incidents underscore what experts are describing as an epidemic of preventable road deaths across Tanzania. The country’s roads have become synonymous with danger, claiming lives at an alarming rate that far exceeds global averages.
Tanzania’s road fatality statistics paint a sobering picture. While government records show over 1,300 deaths in 2023, the World Health Organization estimates the true toll could reach 10,000 annually. This massive underreporting suggests the problem is far worse than official figures indicate.
Recent data reveals that human error accounts for 97 per cent of all road accidents, with reckless driving alone responsible for nearly three-quarters of these preventable tragedies. The 2024 statistics show 1,735 accidents resulted in 1,715 deaths and 2,719 injuries.
READ MORE: Tragic Rorya Accident Claims Seven Lives, Highlighting Tanzania’s Ongoing Road Safety Crisis
Vehicle maintenance issues, like the tire burst that triggered Thursday’s crash, represent a significant but often overlooked aspect of road safety. Poor vehicle maintenance, inadequate inspection systems, and substandard parts contribute to mechanical failures that prove fatal on Tanzania’s highways.
The government has launched comprehensive reform efforts. Vice-President Philip Mpango’s introduction of a new 3-year Road Safety Plan in August 2024 represents the most ambitious attempt yet to address the crisis.
Developed with the International Road Assessment Programme, the plan adopts a Safe System Approach addressing infrastructure, vehicle safety, and human behavior.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, on the other hand, has emerged as a vocal advocate for stricter enforcement, directing police to implement a points-based licensing system replacing the current fine-based approach with meaningful consequences for traffic violations.
