Parliament has summoned Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona to explain the upsurge in road traffic accidents across the country, reported NewsDay.
Minister Mhona is also expected to to explain why proper procedures were not followed in handling the deceased’s remains, in the case of the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Highway accident which claimed 22 lives.
This development comes after more than 30 people were killed in just three road traffic accidents in recent days.
On Monday last week, six people were killed in a road accident in Mwenezi, and three others in Chipinge in similar circumstances.
Barely 24 hours later, 22 people were killed when a South Africa-bound Toyota Quantum minibus crashed head-on against a truck.
Raising the issue as a point of national interest in the National Assembly, Mberengwa West legislator Tafanana Zhou (ZANU PF) called on Mhona to issue a ministerial statement outlining the government’s plans to curb road traffic accidents. Said Zhou:
Mr Speaker Sir, road accidents are prevalent, and since we are approaching the festive season, I propose that we get a ministerial statement regarding what the government plans to do in order to curb road carnage during the festive season.
I also want to say that when an accident occurs, respect for the dead people should be observed by putting their remains in a body bag.
Therefore, I am requesting the minister to bring in a ministerial statement explaining why the deceased’s remains are not being put in a body bag.
The Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda requested the ZANU PF chief whip to take up the issue with Minister Mhona for the statement to be ready by 28 November.
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