Families of victims of the Green Line bus crash have appealed for faster DNA testing and government support, saying delays in identifying the dead have left them stranded in Morogoro as they wait to bury their loved ones.
Some relatives who travelled to Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital to provide DNA samples said they had yet to receive results, leaving them uncertain about when the remains of their loved ones would be released.
The complaints highlight the burden facing bereaved families following the October 8, 2026, crash at Mkambarani, Morogoro Region, in which passengers died after the bus caught fire.
Seventeen victims have so far been identified through DNA testing, with 16 bodies collected by relatives for burial, according to Morogoro Regional Medical Officer Dr Best Magoma.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, October 12, Dr Magoma said the identification of the remaining bodies was being conducted by the Office of the Chief Government Chemist in collaboration with other relevant authorities.
He said the process required scientific procedures and coordination among several institutions, adding that a comprehensive report would be issued after the exercise was completed.
“This identification exercise is being conducted scientifically and involves various institutions and authorities. Therefore, this is not the final report. We will provide a comprehensive update once the exercise is completed,” he said.
Dr Magoma also said all injured survivors had been discharged after their conditions improved, with the last patient leaving hospital on Monday morning.
For families still waiting for DNA results, however, the immediate concern is when they will be able to collect the remains and begin the burial process.
Raphael Mapambano, who travelled from Mbeya Region, said he arrived at the hospital on Saturday to identify the remains of two young women: his biological daughter, Neema Raphael, and his brother’s daughter, Dola Moses.
He said samples had been collected from him for DNA testing, but he had yet to receive the results by Monday, forcing him to remain around the hospital while waiting for information.
“My daughters were travelling from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya after completing their field training. One was my biological daughter, Neema Raphael, while the other was my brother’s daughter, Dola Moses,” he said.
Mapambano said the uncertainty had compounded the family’s grief, as he continued to wait for confirmation and the release of the remains for burial.
He also questioned the support provided by some bus operators after fatal accidents, particularly in meeting insurance obligations to injured passengers and bereaved families.
He urged the government to ensure transport companies fulfil their responsibilities, arguing that families should not be left to shoulder the financial consequences of such tragedies without adequate assistance.
The concerns extend beyond the families awaiting DNA results to those who have already received partial remains and are still uncertain whether more will be recovered.
Athuman Ndosi, the father of the late Silaji Athuman, who was driving the Green Line bus, said his family had received no meaningful assistance from the bus owner, who had employed his son.
“Since we arrived here, we have had no discussions with the bus owner. He does not even know where we eat or sleep. I came with my late son’s wife and children, but we have received no assistance,” he said.
Ndosi said the family received fragments of his son’s body on Sunday after DNA results became available and had already buried them at Kola Cemetery in Morogoro.
However, he said the family was later informed that additional remains, including the head and an arm, might still be recovered.
“As a family, we have had to bury him here in Morogoro, although we come from Arusha Region. Even if we receive additional remains, we will bury them in the same grave,” he said.
The family’s experience illustrates the difficult decisions relatives face when remains are recovered in fragments and identification is conducted progressively.
Meanwhile, Joyce Mwaisangu, a resident of Mbeya, said she had travelled to Morogoro in search of her daughter, a businesswoman she believed was among the victims.
She said her daughter had informed her before travelling that she was aboard the Green Line bus and was seated in number five.
Mwaisangu appealed to the government to assist bereaved families with transport costs to take the remains of their loved ones to their home regions for burial.
She said the crash had affected families from different parts of the country, some living far from Morogoro, making the transportation of remains expensive at a time when they were already dealing with grief and uncertainty.
As the identification exercise continues, families are seeking timely communication, clarity on when the remaining remains will be identified and released, and practical support to help them complete burial arrangements.
For those still waiting at the hospital, the delay is not simply an administrative matter. It is a prolonged period of uncertainty over the fate of loved ones and when they can finally lay them to rest.