The Mozambican president appealed to drivers to avoid night driving, especially on long-distance trips, and also asked them not to exceed speed limits. These statements were made by Chapo during a rally held in Matola, following a three-day visit to Maputo province.
The head of state referred to an accident that occurred on Thursday night in the locality of Helene, belonging to the Zavala district. The incident involved a passenger transport van colliding head-on with a truck belonging to the Armed Forces for National Defence of Mozambique, around 11:00 PM (or 10:00 PM in Lisbon).
Chapo expressed regret over the loss of life in one of the most serious accidents of the year in the country and advocated for the need to adopt measures that help reduce the rate of road accidents, calling for greater caution on the roads.
Police authorities and other teams are at the scene to investigate the causes of this serious accident and determine responsibility, although Chapo did not indicate any specific reason for the collision.
Of the twenty-four fatalities, all passengers of the bus, seventeen died immediately at the scene, while the rest were on their way to the local hospital.
The Minister of National Defence, Cristóvão Chume, confirmed that the accident involved a vehicle of the Armed Forces for National Defence of Mozambique, which was traveling south-north, and a bus traveling in the opposite direction. Chume assured that, in collaboration with other entities, including the police, the circumstances of the event are being investigated.
Omar Saranga, spokesperson for the Armed Forces for National Defence of Mozambique, informed that the military vehicle was part of a logistics column destined for the Armed Forces Day celebrations on September 25. He added that the circumstances of the collision are still under investigation, as military and defense teams are working hard to discover what caused the accident.
Road safety remains one of the main causes of mortality in Mozambique. Data released by police authorities on Thursday revealed that, in the first half of the current year alone, there were at least 239 deaths and 1,112 injured in 169 traffic accidents in the country.
Other official data indicates that Mozambique recorded 611 road accidents in 2025, resulting in 830 deaths. This scenario motivated the Government to initiate the revision of the Highway Code. In June, the Council of Ministers approved authorization for this revision, proposing the implementation of a points-based driver's license system and the use of video surveillance cameras to strengthen road enforcement.
The revision proposal also includes strengthening the mechanisms for controlling and monitoring road infractions, in addition to adapting the rules of the Highway Code to national penal legislation.