A TOTAL of eight people, including seven refugees, lost their lives in a grisly road accident in Ngara District, Kagera Region when a convoy of buses was ferrying refugees to the border between Tanzania and Burundi.
“The UN Refugee Agency is deeply saddened to have learned today of a road accident in northwestern Tanzania that has left a number Burundian refugees dead and others injured, including staff from International Organisation for Migration (IOM) who were escorting the buses to the border with Burundi,” the UNHCR stated in its statement.
The UN refugee agency said it was working with the government through Ministry of Home Affairs, Refugee Services Department, the local authorities, IOM, UN World Food Programme and other NGO partners to evacuate the injured to Nyamiaga District Hospital.
The UN agency was also mobilising the needed resources required for the response, including medical, trauma counselling, food and other material aid. Details gathered by the ‘Daily News on Saturday’ at Nyamiaga and Murgwanda hospitals yesterday morning stated that plans were underway to transfer some injured refugees to Bugando Referral Hospital.
The Medical Officer-in- Charge for Murgwanza Designated District Hospital (DDH), Dr Remmy Andrew, told the ‘Daily News on Saturday’ in an interview that 65 patients arrived at the hospital out of whom 40 were treated and discharged while 25 others were admitted. According to Dr Andrew, three patients were in critical condition and efforts to have urgent operation were conducted, but two died in the theatre room. “Nine patients are today expected to be flown to Bugando Maedical Centre (BMC), in Mwanza City for further referral,” he said, adding that the rest were in stable condition.
The Medical Officer-in- Charge for Nyamiaga Hospital, Dr Hilary Nkonyagi, said that 31 patients were admitted to the hospital, adding that one of the patients, a male aged between 40-45 years died while receiving treatment. “Until this morning, there are 14 patients still admitted to the hospital including 8 males, two women and six children. Several patients were expected to be flown by helicopter by the UNHCR to BMC for further treatment,” he said.
Regional Police Commander (RPC), Augustine Ollomi confirmed the accident, saying two buses which were in the convoy carrying Burundi refugees from Nduta Refugees’ Camp, in Kibondo District, Kigoma Region were involved in a fatal mishap.
“The accident happened at around 5.30pm on Thursday at Kasharazi Village near Mlima K.9 along Benaco-Ngara road after the bus with registration number T331 DFV hit another bus with registration number T765 DLD from behind, causing it to swerve before knocking a cyclist who also died on the spot. The bus with registration number T331 DFV, on the other hand, overturned killing five people, including four refugees on the spot.
The cyclist was not immediately identified. Three other refugees died while undergoing treatment in the two hospitals of Nyamiaga and Murgwanza Designated District Hospital (DDH), where they were rushed for treatment.
According to RPC Ollomi, efforts were in progress to establish the cause of the accident and names of the deceased and those injured. Meanwhile, the Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), Major Gen (rtd) Salum Kijuu has appealed to Tanzanians to uphold existing peace and tranquility especially at this time when people celebrate Easter holidays. My appeal to all residents is to ensure that national interests prevail.
We must ensure that the prevailing peace and tranquility is sustained. Religion should not divide us because we are all sons/daughters of one God, he emphasised. Mr Kijuu has dispelled fears of insecurity during this festive season, saying government has laid concrete strategies to ensure peace prevails
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