Nelson Chamisa has spoken out following the tragic road traffic accident that claimed multiple lives in Chitungwiza on July 22, 2025, calling it a sobering symbol of national collapse and systemic failure.
In a heartfelt statement shared on social media, Chamisa said his team had received an intelligence report on the incident that took place along Seke Road, which left the nation in mourning. He urged that the tragedy should not be reduced to just another headline, but instead serve as a critical turning point for Zimbabwe.
“What we have witnessed are not just human errors, man-made mistakes or technical failures, but also personal tragedies rooted in deep leadership failure, national dysfunction, and collapsing infrastructure,” Chamisa stated.
He shared emotional anecdotes that emerged from the crash including the story of a young couple and their child who died while making a simple trip to register a birth certificate in Harare.
“Why must families travel across towns and cities to access such basic services?” Chamisa asked. “Why are such services not decentralised to local access points?”
Another case involved an elderly woman and her young relative making a long journey from Murehwa to Chitungwiza to collect groceries a journey that ended in devastation.
“These are the lived realities of a broken economy,” Chamisa lamented. “Millions of Zimbabweans are forced to travel long distances just to meet the most basic needs.”
Lack of Emergency Response Under Scrutiny
Chamisa heavily criticised Zimbabwe’s lack of disaster preparedness and emergency readiness. He described the absence of rescue cranes and cutters at the accident scene as “appalling,” noting that citizens had to resort to social media to beg for assistance from a privately owned crane.
“People were crying in pain under the truck before the crane arrived,” he said. “In such tragedies, time is of the essence. We must fix this.”
He warned that the haunting cries of the victims injured, trapped, and dying without adequate help would remain etched on the nation’s conscience for years.
A Failing System Exposed:
Chamisa pointed to broader structural issues that contributed to the tragedy, The deteriorated condition of the Seke Road corridor, which he called unfit for modern transportation.
A lack of consistent enforcement and accountability in road safety.
Severely under-resourced emergency services that are unable to respond effectively.
“This is the Zimbabwe we are living in,” Chamisa declared. “These moments must cause us to sober up, reflect deeply, and accept this truth: things cannot go on like this.”
He concluded his statement with a call for national reflection and transformation, urging Zimbabweans not to continue normalising dysfunction, pain, and loss.
“We must emerge from this reality stronger and fortified, God guiding us through it all,” he said.
