A top Tanzanian journalist has died after a bicycle accident on Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.
Joachim Kapembe, 45, was among a group of journalists covering the reinstallation of the internet which was cut off after a month-long wildfire destroyed infrastructure and hundreds of hectares of land on the slopes of the mountain.
The Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation shared Kapembe’s picture online in a tribute message.
“Kapembe and many other journalists managed to reach the [mountain] rooftop. As we were moving down, we reached Kibo camp where we were given options of either walking down or using bicycle to Horombo hut which was the next stop along that mountain route,” government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa, who was part of the hiking group told reporters.
Kapembe was among those to chose to use a bicycle but had an accident that claimed his life, he said.
“We are so sad for his loss.”
Kibo Hut is a high mountain hut at an elevation of 4750m (15520ft), whereas Horombo hut is 3720m (11,160ft) above sea level.
The distance between the two points is 9.6km (6 miles) and the trekking time is between 5-7 hours.
Details of how the accident happened have not been shared.
Source: BBC
