By Chisomo Phiri
Grief engulfed Kamuzu Stadium (KS ) in Blantyre on Monday night as the remains of 15 Malawians who died in the May 5 bus accident in Zimbabwe were repatriated.
The tragic accident claimed the lives of 16 people,15 Malawians and one Zimbabwean driver.
Among the Malawians were two girls, two boys, five men and six women.
The bodies arrived at KS at around 8 p.m., where government officials held a solemn memorial ceremony before the remains were taken to their respective homes in Thyolo, Balaka, Mzimba, Mangochi and Mulanje for burial.
Speaking during the ceremony, Deputy Chief Secretary to Government Stuart Ligomeka conveyed a condolence message from President Peter Mutharika, saying the Head of State was deeply saddened by the loss.
“The President is saddened that we have lost our fellow citizens, including very young children who had promising futures ahead of them. As a country, we have suffered a huge loss,” said Ligomeka.
He also commended the Zimbabwean government for the support rendered following the accident.
“They stood with us and treated our departed loved ones with dignity and respect. That is why the repatriation process has been completed smoothly and without unnecessary delays,” he said.
Ligomeka further announced that President Mutharika has provided K500,000 to each bereaved family to assist with funeral expenses.
Representing the bereaved families, James Gondwe thanked the government for facilitating the return of the bodies.
“We are heartbroken by this tragedy, but we are grateful to the government for helping bring our relatives back home,” he said.
Among the officials who attended the ceremony were Chief Presidential Advisor on Religious Affairs Apostle Timothy Khoviwa, Blantyre City Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman, and Blantyre District Commissioner (DC) Alex Mdooko.
Meanwhile, another road accident involving Malawians occurred in Limpopo, South Africa, on Thursday, May 7, leaving eight people dead and 40 others injured.
