Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe has pushed back against mounting criticism over the government’s handling of last week’s Seke Road crash that claimed 17 lives, insisting the Civil Protection Department acted “swiftly” in response to the disaster.
The fatal collision, involving a minibus and a haulage truck that veered into oncoming traffic, has sparked outrage across the country, with survivors and eyewitnesses claiming emergency services took too long to arrive — and lacked critical equipment, including a rescue crane.
Responding to questions in Parliament, Garwe said delays could not be blamed on the government alone, arguing that response time is often determined by how and when an incident is reported.
“We cannot say the Ministry failed to respond timeously,” Garwe told the National Assembly. “It depends on the time the accident was reported. I will have to check when the alert came in and how soon our teams were deployed.”
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that some of the victims may have survived if rescue equipment had been readily available — a concern Garwe acknowledged, but downplayed.
“The nature of the report matters. If the message communicated is simply that an accident occurred, without mentioning trapped passengers or vehicle types, then it becomes difficult to dispatch the appropriate machinery,” he added.
In a move that shifts the spotlight, Garwe blamed the Chitungwiza Municipality for what he described as a sluggish local response, despite the local authority having received government-issued fire tenders.
“The Department of Civil Protection arrived before anyone else. The fire engines from Harare were activated by the same department. We are questioning why the responsible local authority in Chitungwiza reacted so slowly when they have the capacity,” said Garwe.
The government has since faced criticism from opposition figures, including former legislator Nelson Chamisa, who questioned Zimbabwe’s preparedness to respond to major accidents.
Despite growing public anger, Garwe maintained that government emergency systems are functional.
“We have equipped all 92 local authorities with at least two fire tenders each. The Civil Protection Department is doing extremely well,” he said.
The Seke Road tragedy has once again exposed gaps in Zimbabwe’s emergency response infrastructure, prompting renewed calls for better coordination, equipment, and training for first responders.
