Bishop Stima in ICU after car accident

Blantyre Catholic Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop Montfort Stima is in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mwaiwathu Private Hospital in Blantyre after being involved in a car accident near Zalewa Bridge on Saturday night.

His secretary, Father Gervasio Namba, who was travelling with him from a function at Katete Parish in Mzimba under Mzuzu Catholic Diocese, is admitted to the same hospital but in Kabula Ward with minor injuries.

Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) secretary Father George Buleya said in an interview the two were driving in a ToyotaHilux and that soon after crossing Zalewa Bridge heading towards Blantyre, they collided with a vehicle belonging to Mota-Engil, a construction company.

Buleya said the duo was rushed to a clinic at the Mota-Engil camp site at Zalewa in Neno District before being moved toMwaiwathu in Blantyre.

Said Buleya: “Bishop Stima is in critical, but stable condition in ICU. I was at Mwaiwathu when they were brought in. Both were conscious. Father Namba has bruises on his face and he looks more seriously injured than Bishop Stima. It could be possible that the bishop has internal injuries.”

A Catholic faithful who visited the two yesterday morning said Stima was talking but had difficulties in breathing and complained of chest pains.

Said the source: “Father Namba’s condition is good, though with bruises to his face that have also affected his eye. He told me that after the accident, some people broke the windscreen and stole some property including cash. He said broken pieces of glass from the windscreen injured his eye in the process.”

The source said it was Stima, the newly appointed diocesan administrator for Blantyre Catholic Archdiocese following the transfer to Lilongwe Archdiocese of former Archbishop Tarsizio Ziyaye, who was driving and the accident happened around 9pm.

A police source said a Portuguese national who was driving theMota-Engil vehicle was also seriously injured and is in ICU at the Blantyre Adventist Hospital in Blantyre.