Mozambique: At least 14 more people killed in two days of election protests
Mozambique elections: Songo survivors tell how fatal crash happened – By Joseph Hanlon
10:35 CAT | 24 Sep 2019
Photo: RM
Amado Mateus, 18, is a 12th grade student at Magoe Secondary School. He is a resident of the 1st District of Daque, Magoe, about 120 km from the scene of the fatal accident on Mount Mbonga in Songo.
On Sunday morning, 22 September, Amado and dozens of other young people from his district were transported by cargo truck to Songo, where they attended the rally of Frelimo presidential candidate Filipe Nyusi. At least 7 of the truck’s occupants died on this trip. Mateus survived but with physical and psychological scars.
“The truck lost control and then overturned. Many people were injured and others died there,” says Amado Mateus. He sustained minor injuries to his arm and is already at his home in Magoe after receiving medical care at Songo Rural Hospital.
In the accident some acquaintances of Amado died, all from Magoe: “Paulo, Stelio, Tate, Elias, Senhor Vicente and Sandra”, says the survivor.
The truck is from a Magoe businessman named Aireque Saize. He transported Frelimo supporters 140 km to Songo free of charge. There they attended the popular rally of Filipe Nyusi, presidential candidate of Frelimo and current president of the Republic.
The crash happened on the way back at the end of the day. The Frelimo party confirmed in a press release the death of four people in the accident but survivors and our correspondents say there are more dead.
“The car started to shake, we got scared and the car sped up. The driver could not brake, tried to turn and failed until the car overturned and we crashed,” Banda Inacio, one of the survivors of the tragedy, told the Bulletin. “Three people died on the spot,” he recalled.
There is disparity in the death toll. People who came to the rescue of the victims speak of 10 dead but other sources claim that part of the 10 deaths were only unconscious after the accident and were revived at the hospital.
After the accident, some injured were evacuated to Songo Rural Hospital (HRS) and others were sent to Tete Provincial Hospital. At HRS, medical staff declined to speak to CIP correspondents.
Our correspondents in the district of Magoe recorded 7 confirmed deaths in the district in connection with the accident, including a brother and sister. Six have been named: Paulo Tiodoze, Sandra Juga, Tate Juga, Tinai Domingos, Vicente Pacassa, Stelio Ostani.
By Joseph Hanlon
Source: 2019 General Elections - Mozambique Political Process Bulletin
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