Police Reveal Preliminary Cause of Chivhu Crash That Killed 27

Police have released new details about the Chivhu road accident that killed 27 people, saying preliminary investigations indicate that a foreign-registered haulage truck was attempting to overtake another vehicle when it collided head-on with a commuter omnibus carrying African Apostolic Church (Mwazha) congregants.

The fatal crash occurred on Friday evening, August 28, 2026, along the Harare-Masvingo Highway near Chivhu. The congregants were travelling from Dema to Mvuma for a church conference when the Nissan commuter omnibus collided with the haulage truck. Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigators were focusing on the alleged overtaking manoeuvre as a possible cause of the collision.

“It is alleged that the foreign-registered truck was trying to overtake another vehicle when it collided head-on with the commuter omnibus,” Nyathi said.

He said investigations were continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the fatal Chivhu highway crash.

18 bodies identified after Chivhu accident

The scale of the tragedy has left families waiting for answers as authorities continue the identification process. Seven survivors were transferred to Chitungwiza General Hospital in critical condition, according to police. Meanwhile, relatives gathered at Chivhu General Hospital as efforts to identify the deceased continued.

By Saturday, August 29, 18 bodies had been identified by relatives, while three other victims could not immediately be identified because their remains had been severely burnt in the fire that followed the collision. Authorities are expected to use DNA testing to establish the identities of the victims whose remains cannot be identified through conventional methods.

Police said the names of those who died would be released once the identification process had been formally completed by their next of kin.

Police investigate possible overloading

There have also been reports that the commuter omnibus may have been carrying more passengers than legally permitted at the time of the crash. However, police had not officially confirmed the alleged overloading by the time of publication. The number of passengers aboard the vehicle and whether any other factors contributed to the collision remain part of the ongoing investigation.

The crash has renewed concerns about road safety in Zimbabwe, particularly dangerous overtaking, passenger transport compliance and the interaction between heavy haulage trucks and public transport vehicles on major highways. The accident is among the country's deadliest recent road crashes and has caused widespread grief within the African Apostolic Church community and beyond. Authorities are continuing investigations to establish the full sequence of events leading to the collision, while families await the completion of the identification process and further information about their loved ones.

Chivhu accident