Last week, a head-on collision on a well-known highway section claimed the lives of a bridal delegation, ending a journey intended to celebrate love and tradition.

 

On December 23, Ngonidzashe Gift Simango, 25, was traveling from Nyanga to Ruwa in order to pay his roora and formally complete his fiancée’s marriage ceremonies. He was accompanied by his younger sister Caroline Simango, 22, his best friend Ngoni Mutsoka, 28, and his church deacon Taurai Kaseke, 30.

 

In the Mufusire Uphill area of Headlands, a haulage truck registered in Mozambique struck their Nissan Note. Caroline survived with serious injuries, but Simango, Kaseke, and Mutsoka perished instantly.

 

Days before Christmas, the tragedy sent the Nyangani Park community into mourning. Godwin Simango, a family spokesperson, described the emotional toll on the families and confirmed the l0ss.

 

“We lost our son, Gift Simango, who perished together with his church deacon and friend. We are deeply affected as a family to lose Gift and those who were accompanying him to marry in Ruwa. Their prospective in laws were already waiting for the delegation and were shocked to learn of the tragic accident.”

 

He added that Caroline was rushed from Marondera Provincial Hospital to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where she is receiving specialist care.

 

The driver of the haulage truck, Kenyan national Ibrahim Alibashire Adanw, 42, has been charged with three counts of culpable h0mic!de. He appeared before the Rusape Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty.

 

Prosecutor Faith Mutukwa told the court that the accused admitted to overtaking in front of an oncoming vehicle, travelling at excessive speed, failing to keep a proper lookout, and not taking action when the collision became imminent. The court heard that he encroached into the opposite lane, causing the fatal head on crash.

 

He is expected back in court on January 5, 2026, for sentencing. The funerals were held in quick succession, casting a shadow over the festive period. Gift Simango was buried in Nyanga on December 25, the same day Ngoni Mutsoka was laid to rest in Harare, while Taurai Kaseke was buried in Nyanga on December 26.

 

The tragedy comes amid a nationwide rise in road fatalities. The Zimbabwe Republic Police reported that at least 100 people d!ed in road accidents between December 15 and 26, 2025, compared to 77 during the same period in 2024, with excessive speed cited as a leading cause.