Dar es Salaam: The Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (COMSAM) has expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with the Missionary Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus (MCST) in Tanzania following the tragic road accident that claimed the lives of four of their members and a driver on September 15.
The deceased sisters include Sr. Lilian Gladson Kapongo, Superior General of the congregation, Sr. Maria Nerina De Simone, Secretary General, Sr. Damaris Matheka, Provincial Councillor for East Africa, and Sr. Stellamaris Kamene Muthin. The driver, Mr. Boniphace Msonola, also lost his life. Another sister, Sr. Paulina Crisante Mipata, survived but remains hospitalized in critical condition at Bugando Hospital in Mwanza.
The sisters were returning from the Diocese of Kahama after participating in the Perpetual Profession of three members of their congregation. After bidding farewell to the bishop in Kahama, they were traveling toward Mwanza when their vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to Bukumbi Girls Secondary School, collided head-on with a truck near Kaluluma-Bukumbi in Mwanza Metropolitan See.
Police investigations indicate that overspeeding and dangerous overtaking caused the accident, with the Land Cruiser veering into the wrong lane and crashing into an oncoming lorry. Four passengers died instantly, while the driver succumbed to injuries at Bukumbi Hospital.
Archbishop Renatus Leonard Nkwande of Mwanza confirmed the deaths and conveyed the sorrow of the Church in Tanzania. Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa’ichi of Dar es Salaam also expressed grief, calling the tragedy a heavy loss not only for the Carmelite Missionary Sisters but for the entire Catholic community in the country.
In a statement, COMSAM conveyed condolences to the MCST congregation, the Conference of Major Superiors of Tanzania, and the bereaved families. “We share in the grief of this painful loss and pray for the eternal rest of our beloved sisters and for the comfort of those left behind,” the message read.
Local authorities reported that the truck involved in the accident belonged to Nyanza Road Works Company, and its driver has been taken into custody for questioning. The bodies of the deceased are being preserved at Bugando Referral Hospital pending post-mortem examinations, while funeral arrangements are expected to be announced soon.
The loss of the Superior General and other top leaders of the congregation leaves a leadership vacuum that will require urgent attention by the Missionary Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. The tragedy has sparked fresh concerns about road safety in Tanzania, where overspeeding and reckless driving remain leading causes of fatal accidents.