President Hage Geingob on Sunday sent a message of condolences to the families of the 15 people who died in a gruesome road accident on Friday morning between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo.

In his message shared with the media on Sunday, Geingob said: “I am saddened by the news of the accident in which 15 people are reported dead, this devastating incident happened at a time when Namibia is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically the new variant Omicron. It is therefore saddening for our nation to be confronted with such news of lives lost in preventable road accidents, especially during this time of the year when people are travelling for holidays and to reunite with their loved ones whom they have not seen in a long time.”

The president urged for greater vigilance and called on all drivers on the roads to observe and respect rules for road users by ensuring among others, that they don’t drink and drive, drive within the speed limit, take due diligence when overtaking, do not overload and that vehicles are in roadworthy condition.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Namibia, I extend heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of this horrific accident and others during the long weekend. May their souls rest in eternal peace,” said Geingob.

He also requested the safety and security cluster to ensure that all necessary measures are put in place to ensure that road fatalities are kept to a minimum through among others better controls at roadblocks as the country heads into the festive season.

On Friday morning between 03h00 and 04h00, 15 people including a baby died in the 16-seater passenger bus they were travelling in after it collided with a Volkswagen sedan at 14 kilometres north of Okahandja.

According to a police report it is alleged that the sedan first hit a wild animal, and this allegedly caused the driver to lose control over the vehicle, colliding head-on with the oncoming bus. Both vehicles burst into flames due to the severe impact.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency