GWERU — Tension and anger gripped Gweru residents on Monday afternoon after a kombi ran over
a 65-year-old woman along 5th Street near Tanaka Flea in the Central Business District.
The kombi driver was trying to evade an approaching a municipal police officer after he had stopped
at an undesignated spot and suddenly reversed without checking whether all passengers who were
disembarking had finished.
Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko identified the deceased as Gogo Juniah
Ndangwa of Mkoba 17, Gweru.
“Persuade Zulu of Mkoba 15 in Gweru was dropping passengers from a Toyota Hiace at an
undesignated place. He noticed Gweru City Council Municipal Police approaching and suddenly
reversed his vehicle without checking whether all passengers who were disembarking had finished.
In the process Gogo Juniah Ndangwa who was still at the door was hit by the door and fell down and
the front left wheel of the vehicle went over her right foot. She was rushed to Gweru Provincial
Hospital where she died upon arrival.
Eyewitnesses shared harrowing accounts of the incident, sparking outrage among onlookers.
The driver was trying to drive away from a municipal police officer who reportedly wanted to throw
a spike and clamp the commuter omnibus. By-standers were not amused and blamed both the
officer and the driver for negligence.
They confronted the officer asking why he was using spikes which were banned by government and
had to make good his escape from the angry mob baying for his blood.
“The officers are seen daily throwing spikes on moving commuter omnibuses carrying people
causing drivers to flee at high speed crossing roads without checking for oncoming vehicles on
intersections which is very risky,” said Sekuru Tembo of Mtapa high density suburb.
The Zimbabwe republic police traffic department urged public commuter omnibuses to use
designated points when picking and dropping passengers for safety.
