ARUSHA, Tanzania, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen people died and 50 others were injured after a bus they were travelling on overturned in south-western Tanzania's region of Mbeya, police said Thursday.
Mbeya Regional Police Commander, Mussa Taibu said the driver and 12 soldiers of the Tanzania National Service were among those who died in the tragic accident.
He said that the accident happened at around 3 p.m. (local time) in Igodima area, about four kilometres from Mbeya City center. The bus, which had 63 people on board, was heading to Mbeya from western Tanzania's region of Tabora.
The official said that the injured people were rushed to the Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital.
According to the regional police chief, the bus which involved in the accident was among the three buses which were hired by the Tanzania National Service to transport soldiers from Tabora to Mbeya-based Itende training camp.
Taibu said reckless driving was one of the causes of the accident, as the driver failed to negotiate sharp corners in the area due to over speeding.
Mbeya Regional Commissioner, Amos Makalla, tasked the Tanzania police force to take action for all people who contributed to the accident, as preliminary investigation shows that the bus was road unworthy.
He said: "It was the first time for the bus to travel the Tabora-Mbeya road, the situation that shows that the driver was unaware of the road."
Makalla said: "It seems that the bus was not inspected before starting the journey, that's why I am tasking police force to work on it."
The accident came barely few days when ten people were killed and 28 others seriously injured after a bus they were traveling on hit a cargo train in western Tanzania's region of Kigoma.
Reports have it that reckless driving and poor road infrastructures as among the major factors fueling road accidents in east African countries including Tanzania.
