By Kato Jamil
At least 16 Tanzanian legislators who were travelling to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) games in Mombasa have been involved in an accident.
The accident, which occurred on Friday morning, took place after the bus ferrying them reportedly lost control and rammed into an oncoming lorry in the Mbande area of Dodoma.
Speaking to Tanzanian news outlet Mwananchi, Dodoma Regional Police Commander George Katabazi revealed that the accident happened at around 2am.
Katanazi further revealed that the bus driver failed to heed the traffic alert but instead chose to overtake another vehicle along the narrow road, leading to the head-on collision.
He further confirmed that the driver of the bus has since been arrested. However, according to Katabazi, the victims of the accident are in stable condition after being rushed to the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital in Dodoma.
While addressing journalists, Katabazi urged drivers to be cautious while ferrying passengers, especially during this festive season, as such could lead to injuries and even deaths.
Commenting on the accident, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula confirmed that no deaths were reported from the accident. He, however, noted that some of the lawmakers sustained injuries.
Speaking to journalists at the Standard Guage Railways (SGR) Station in Nairobi, Wetangula informed the press that more details would be communicated once the whole team arrives in Mombasa.
Meanwhile, the 2024 East Africa Inter-Parliamentary Games are scheduled to kick off this Saturday, December 7, in the bustling coastal city of Mombasa.
Appraising stakeholders, the National Assembly Joint Planning Committee for the games led by Bunge Sports Club Co-Chairperson Vincent Kawaya disclosed that teams were already warming up and that fans had begun arriving ahead of the tournament.
Parliamentarians from eight East African Community (EAC) member states, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia, are set to compete in eight thrilling disciplines, including football, volleyball, golf, tug of war, basketball, netball, darts, and athletics.
“The tournament is running until December 18. It is much more than just a competition; it’s a celebration of the EAC’s 25-year journey of integration,” MP Vincent Mwala said.
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