Ten people have died in three separate road accidents on Tuesday night and yesterday, more than triple the three deaths recorded during Mother’s Day holiday last year.
Malawi Police data indicate that three fatal accidents occurred between Thursday night and yesterday morning, claiming six lives in Dedza and four in Lilongwe.
In Dedza, the crash occurred on the Masasa-Golomoti Road at around 7am yesterday when a minibus heading towards Golomoti overturned several times.
Dedza District Hospital spokesperson Mwayi Liabunya said five female passengers were pronounced dead upon arrival at the facility while a child died during treatment.
“Seven others are still receiving treatment at the hospital and three have been referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe,” he said.
Dedza Police spokesperson Beatrice Jefita identified the deceased as two-year-old Billy Kampira, Wahilda Kampira, 33, Tawonga Makwasa, 25, Esimy Bamusi, 18, Chrissy Chinyama, 37 and Praise Anderson, 20.
Lilongwe Police recorded two accidents. The first occurred on Thursday night when a Ford Ranger travelling from Kasungu to Lilongwe with four passengers on board hit a stationary Scania truck at Kasiya junction along the Lilongwe-Santhe Road.
Central West Region Police spokesperson Foster Benjamin identified the casualties as a 13-year-old Kamuzu Academy student Malumbo Lungu, driver of the Ford Ranger Mustafa Mthiramanja and a passenger identified as Victoria Mazinyane aged 31. They were pronounced dead at Kabudula Community Hospital.
The second accident happened around 5am yesterday along the Lilongwe-Mchinji Road where a police officer based at Namitete Police Post was hit by a Scania truck while jogging.
Lilongwe Police spokesperson Hastings Chigalu said Sergeant Dumiciano Gumba, 25, was hit when the truck driver, Dave Phiri, 34, was overtaking another vehicle.
The officer was taken to St Gabriel Mission Hospital in Namitete where he was pronounced dead while receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, Chigalu has advised road users to follow road traffic rules and regulations to avoid such accidents.
In a separate interview, Road Safety Alert Foundation executive director Joel Jere said accidents caused by speeding or overtaking can be avoided through adequate planning of trips.
Checks conducted yesterday in Central-East, Northern, South-West and South-East police regions indicated that they had not recorded accidents by 5pm.
During last year’s Mother’s Day holiday, police recorded four accidents and three deaths. In 2023, there were 26 accidents resulting in 18 deaths, a 350 percent rise from the four deaths reported in 2022.
