A horrific road accident in Ethiopia’s Sidama region has claimed the lives of at least 71 people, raising questions beyond the immediate tragedy of a truck plunging into a river.
The accident, which occurred on Sunday in the Bona district, initially reported a death toll of 60, but this figure tragically rose to 71, according to Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government.
“Five are in a critical condition and taking treatment at Bona General Hospital,” he confirmed on Monday.
The truck, carrying passengers many of whom were returning from a wedding ceremony, missed a bridge and plummeted into the river. Blurred images circulating on Facebook, shared by the state health bureau, depict the chaotic aftermath: rescuers attempting to pull the damaged vehicle from the water and rows of bodies, some covered in blue tarpaulin, lying on the ground. The Sidama Police Commission Traffic Prevention and Control Directorate confirmed the grim details: 68 men and 3 women perished.
Wosenyeleh Simion highlighted the overloaded nature of the lorry, a factor cited by regional traffic police as a likely cause of the accident. “Some families had lost multiple members,” he said, adding that the winding road also contributed to the tragedy. The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) corroborated accounts that the passengers were travelling from a wedding celebration.
This devastating incident is sadly not an isolated event. Deadly traffic accidents are tragically common in Ethiopia, where poor driving standards and badly maintained vehicles contribute to a high rate of road fatalities. Thousands perish annually in such accidents, often attributed to speeding and disregard for traffic laws. A similar tragedy occurred in 2018 when a bus carrying mostly students plunged into a ravine in the mountainous north, killing at least 38 people.
However, the context of this particular accident, occurring after a wedding celebration, has ignited speculation about the role of witchcraft, a belief deeply ingrained in many African communities. In numerous cultures, weddings, often lavish affairs, are considered vulnerable to malevolent forces.
Jealousy, it’s believed, can trigger spells of misfortune, manifesting as mysterious illnesses, deaths, or other inexplicable hardships. The sheer scale of this tragedy, with so many lives lost at once, has fuelled this speculation, casting a dark shadow over the already immense grief.
“It’s not a figment of my imagination that what I’m experiencing is Satanism inflicted upon me since my wedding,” she stated.
She described the food as unusual, including “rice and some queer meat I couldn’t identify.” Immediately after eating, she experienced inexplicable phenomena.
The following night, she began having disturbing dreams, “surrounded by naked men and women, bathing with me in water, with one of the men attempting to have sex with me.” She also recounts unsettling transformations at the wedding itself, “seeing people transforming into animals or snakes,” intensifying her belief that she was under attack.
Mrs Sithole’s ordeal extends beyond dreams; she hears voices whispering instructions, leading her to graveyards and even prompting her to travel to distant locations. These experiences have significantly impacted her life, her family, and her livelihood.
“My job is braiding women’s hair, but people don’t come anymore, and I’m afraid to go out in public,” she shared.
Seeking help, she has consulted various healers, but the unsettling events persist. Sangoma Gift Muzanenhamo, a prominent Zimbabwean traditional healer popularly known as Sekuru Tasvu, offered some insight, stating that “Hearing voices in one’s ears can be caused by ancestral spirits, witchcraft, or a genuine mental health issue. She should seek help from various sources.”
