To football lovers, Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre holds fond memories of victories and losses alike.
But for friends and family of 15 people who died in a bus crash in Zimbabwe the now banned football space will never be the same again. It is the place where they welcomed the lifeless bodies of their loved ones.
When the clock ticked 19:54 hours yesterday, the sound of a police escort vehicle siren heralded the arrival of 15 hearses in the stadium. It was a heartbreaking moment as bereaved families, government officials and other well-wishers all gazed in awe. It is not everyday that one sees 15 dead bodies in one place.
For nearly 20 minutes, wailing by the mourners took over from the sirens as police officers carried the coffins, one by one, from each of the hearses that had travelled from Harare in Zimbabwe.
The Malawi-bound bus, which was travelling from South Africa, claimed the lives of Malawians who Deputy Chief Secretary to the Government Stuart Ligomeka described as productive citizens because most of them were young.
The youngest victim was an eight-month-old child.
The deceased also include Unique Phiri Soko, 46, who was about seven months pregnant and was travelling home to give birth.
“Her husband is devastated. We have lost both the mother and the unborn child. She has also left behind four children, including seven-year-old twins,” her husband’s brother, James Gondwe, told The Nation.
Similarly, Gracious Banda from Thyolo lost his younger brother John Kanyenga aged 50. He was travelling from Cape Town to visit his family after four years.
Kanyenga is survived by a wife and children.
“This death has hit us hard. He was supporting our family, including our elderly mother,” said Banda.
Ligomeka, who represented President Peter Mutharika, thanked the Government of Zimbabwe for working closely with Malawi.
“Our embassy in Zimbabwe worked with the Zimbabwean government to ensure that both the deceased and the injured received the necessary assistance,” he said.
The bus involved in the accident was travelling from Cape Town, South Africa, with 63 people on board.
Six of the deceased were from Thyolo, four from Mzimba, two from Mangochi, two from Balaka and one from Mulanje.
Department of Disaster Management Affairs Commissioner Wilson Mollen said the deceased comprised six women, five men and four children.
He also noted that another accident occurred in South Africa on Thursday, killing eight people and injuring 40 others.
Survivors of the accident were brought home on Saturday.
Most of them were returning to Malawi while fleeing increasing xenophobic attacks in South Africa targeting foreigners, mostly Malawians, Nigerians, and Zimbabweans.
Meanwhile, the President has provided K500 000 to each of the bereaved families.
