Boy, 6, killed in Murambinda as buses race for passengers

A six-year-old boy died after being run over by a Phils and Pats bus near Murambinda last Tuesday.

The accident happened at around 5 am near Elephant Lodge, about 4km from Murambinda along the Chivhu-Nyazura Highway.

Irvine Muzerengwa had been waiting to board a Harare-bound bus with his uncle, Johna Chivhima, and two older girls.

According to Chivhima, who witnessed the accident, a Timboon bus had stopped to pick them up, and he was loading their luggage into the boot when a Phils and Pats bus pulled up behind it.

He said the Phils and Pats driver suddenly pulled off to the left of the stationary Timboon bus after spotting a second Timboon bus approaching from behind, in an apparent attempt to get ahead.

“After seeing another Timboon bus approaching from behind, the Phils and Pats driver suddenly took off to get ahead of it and drove to the left of the parked Timboon bus we were about to board. That is where the children were standing,” Chivhima told the Chipinge Times.

Chivhima said he moved towards the parked bus to avoid being hit and only realised Irvine had been run over after one of the girls alerted him.

The Phils and Pats bus continued on its journey and was only alerted to the accident about 3km later. It is believed the driver did not realise he had hit the boy.

Police attended the scene.

Chivhima said Irvine was not expected to travel to Harare but insisted on going after learning that his uncle and the two girls were travelling.

Buses on the Murambinda-Harare route via Chivhu routinely compete for passengers, with drivers racing to reach waiting passengers first.