National News

69 die in road accidents in Eastern Region

Sixty-nine people in Eastern Region of Malawi died in a recorded 109 road accidents in the past five months, the Police have said.

In the same period last year, the Eastern Region police registered 136 road accidents and 55 deaths, representing a decrease of 19.9 percent on road accidents but an increase of 25.5 percent on the number of people who died due to road accidents.

In a report released Monday, the Eastern Region Police attributed most of the accidents to speeding or negligence by drivers.

One of the accidents this year

Traffic Police in-charge for the Eastern Region Stanley Mumba has since appealed to passengers to take a leading role in the fight against road accidents by cautioning drivers when they are driving carelessly or report to Police or Road Traffic Department.

Mumba also advised passengers and vehicle owners to observe seating capacity adding that his department is intensifying its operations in the region.

“As police, we are intensifying all efforts aimed at reducing accidents in the region. Time is over for lawbreakers and all motorists using un-roadworthy vehicles on the roads of Malawi,” Mumba said.

The National Police spokesperson, James Kadadzera, last week confirmed receiving reports that 13 people had died and ten people sustained serious injuries in four accidents at Rivirivi Bridge, Nkando, Magalasi and Chikangawa early this month.
He expressed concern that over-speeding was the common cause of the accidents.
Last Sunday, Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development Cecilia Chazama’s driver and bodyguard died in a road accident at Kaphikamtama Village along the Blantyre-Zalewa road in Blantyre.
Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango recently said the government is determined to get to the bottom of these accidents and to effectively curb the frequent accidents.

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