Another crash on Monufiya ring road kills 10, Sisi orders govt to ‘study’ road closure

A crash on the Regional Ring Road in Monufiya killed 10 people on Saturday, marking the second incident of its kind in under 10 days.

The traffic collision has driven another wave of public anger over the government’s management of road maintenance and development works.

The victims, most of whom were from the Ashmon area of Monufiya and heading to Sadat City, were killed after two microbuses collided near the Manshiyet al-Qanater area in Giza Governorate.

The part of the road passing through the governorate was the site of another deadly collision on June 27 that killed 19 people, including minors.

According to initial media reports, Saturday’s crash occurred when two microbuses collided after one driver lost control of his vehicle at high speed in the absence of road signs and traffic control.

Nine of the victims were killed immediately, while 11 others were injured and transferred to Bagour General Hospital, according to the Health Ministry. One of the injured died on Sunday.

In response, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the government to consider “taking the necessary measures to close the road in areas undergoing renovation and maintenance work,” and develop safe alternatives. He also instructed the Interior Ministry to intensify law enforcement against traffic violations.

A Cabinet statement later announced LE300,000 in compensation per victim’s family from the labor and social solidarity ministries.

Labor Minister Mohamed Gobran directed the Central Administration for Irregular Employment Affairs and the Monufiya Labor Directorate to investigate whether the victims are eligible to receive compensation offered to irregular workers.

Among those decrying the lack of official action to ensure the road’s safety was Egyptian Social Democratic Party MP Freddy al-Bayady, who spoke out against the “constant and frivolous bleeding out of Egyptian lives.”

In a request published in domestic news outlets for the transport and interior ministers to appear before the House of Representatives for questioning, Bayady asked, “When will the road be closed?” and pressed for the resignation of responsible officials. “Are you waiting for the road to become an open grave?”

Last week’s incident on the same road prompted heavy criticism in the media, civil society and the House, with calls for Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir to resign and condemnation of the neglect of major highway projects constructed during his long tenure.

Wazir lashed out at critics, rejecting any comments against himself or his ministry’s performance, and placed the blame entirely on one of the drivers implicated in last week’s crash. 

Critics also decried the government’s initial half-hearted response to the incident at the time, as well as the absence of labor regulations to protect workers and provide them with safe transportation.