A STREET procession to mark New Year’s Eve turned fatal after two women were reportedly crushed to de@th in Tafara, Harare. While the exact cause of de@th of the two unidentified victims is yet to be established, preliminary indications are that the mass human traffic that came to witness the festivities crushed the duo thereby suffocating them.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating the circumstances in which two women d!ed at Kasi Kasi Bar in Tafara on January 1, 2024, at around 0010 hours while nearly 2000 people were celebrating New Year’s Eve. Initial reports indicate that the road leading to Kamunhu Shopping Centre and Tafara suburb was completely blocked by a crowd and haphazardly parked vehicles.
“The police were called in and tried to control the situation with difficulty due to poor lighting. At about 0300 hours, an informant alerted the Police about a crowd and three women lying within the vicinity of Kasi Kasi Bar and the main road that links Mabvuku and Tafara. The three women were taken to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where two were pronounced dead,” he said.
Nyathi appealed to the public and media to desist from speculation as police are conducting full-scale investigations into the incident.
“The police caution the public and media against rushing to conclusions as investigations unfold. The police are also awaiting a full post-mortem result on the possible cause of de@th of the victims.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police condemns the unruly behaviour exhibited by motorists and the general public during the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Mabvuku.
“We call upon liquor outlet operators to put in place measures to ensure there is adequate parking space for patrons to avoid chaos and stampede during the commemoration of major events. More details will be released in due course,” he said.
Source NewZimbabwe
