Death toll in Tanzania's road accident rises to 50

The number of people killed in a horror road accident in Tanzania's southern highlands region of Iringa on Wednesday has increased from 42 to 50, authorities said on Thursday.

A fresh count showed that six children were not counted as dead previously because their names were not in the travel manifest of the bus, the Iringa regional commissioner Amina Masenza said, adding that two more people died on Thursday while receiving treatment in hospital.

Among the dead there were five students from the University of Dar es Salaam and four students at Uyole Community Development Training Institute in Mbeya region.

Robert Salim, the Iringa regional medical officer, said four injured people were referred to Muhimbili National Hospital, the east African country's leading medical facility in Dar es Salaam.

On Wednesday, a bus with 60 passengers collided head-on with a lorry in Mufindi district when it was travelling from Mbeya region to Dar es Salaam, causing scores dead and more than 20 injured seriously.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete on Wednesday sent a condolence message to Iringa regional commissioner following the deadly road accident.

"This is a national disaster. The nation is in mourning," Kikwete said in his message to Masenza, the Iringa regional commissioner.

In his 2015 New Year message to the east African nation early this year, Kikwete said in 2014 there were 14,048 road accidents that caused 3,534 deaths and 16,166 injuries.

In September 2014, Tanzanian minister for Transport Harrison Mwakyembe announced the formation of a task force to look into a lasting solution to the east African nation's road accidents that are claiming thousands of lives. Endi