Martin Muleya.
Mutare, Zimbabwe. (News of The South) – The nineteen Miss Tourism Zimbabwe finalists who were set to battle it out for the national crown, were involved in an accident last night that saw nine of them injured while the rest escaped with minor injuries.
The nine are currently receiving treatment at Murambi Garden Clinic while the rest are hibernating at a local hotel in the city centre.
The MissTourism Finals were scheduled to take place at MontClair hotel in Nyanga this Saturday night with each ticket going for rtgs $400.
Miss Tourism Manicaland Licence Holder Caroline Buwu
Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the accudent and warned motorists to drive with caution when approaching some of the tourist attraction places in the province as they were in mountainous areas.
“I can confirm that on the 11th of December 2019 at around 2100hrs at the 18km peg along Mutare/Vumba road, an accident occured involving a Pswaraj bus AEU 7297 of Shelton Tours.
“The bus was being driven by Innocent Pundo (40) carrying 27 passengers on board. Upon approaching the 18km peg of the said road, Pundo lost control of the bus as it was descending on a steep gorge p, went out of the road and overturned once before landing on its left side. Nine people were injured and taken to Murambi Garden Clinic where they were admitted and are in stable condition,” said Insp Kakohwa.
The models who were drawn from the country’s ten provinces trooped in Manicaland province last weekend for the Sashing ceremony and were billed to tour some resort centres in the eastern border city as well as visiting the Cyclone Idai ravaged Chimanimani area to see first hand the damage caused by the Cyclone.
Miss Tourism Zimbabwe national licence holder Sarah Mpofu who was at a loss of words after the unfortunate escapade highlighted that the families of the nine injured models had been informed.
“The finalists were booked to spent the night in Vumba after they had aborted a trip to Chimanimani due to bad weather. There was a mechanical fault on the bus resulting in it veering off the road.
“The girls who are admitted are Maria Makelve and Michelle Mupasi (Midlands), Rutendo Tilda Mafuratidze (Manicaland), Rutendo Amanda Taruvinga and Grace Karimupfumbi (Masvingo), Monalisa Ellen Tafirenyika (Mat North), Maureen Gondwe and Wendy Maturi (Mash Central) and Pauline Marere (Mash West).
The girls are naturally in shock, but stable and recovering. In light of the above the Finals which were set for this Saturday have been postponed to a later date,”said Mpofu in a statement.
Last year’s Miss Tourism Zimbabwe finals that were held in Bulawayo was won by lawyer Tafadzwa Jaricha who walked away with a brand new Mercedes Benz C class and cash.
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