Marymount bus accident death toll reaches 2

The death toll from a bus accident involving Marymount Catholic Secondary School students has risen to two.

This follows the death of a Form Three student on Wednesday at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe.

The girl was among 21 injured students, during the accident on Monday at Luviri in Mzimba District, who were rushed to Mzimba District Hospital. She was later referred to KCH.

In an interview on Wednesday, KCH spokesperson Winnie Yonamu said 14-year-old Thanthwe M’manjamwada succumbed to severe traumatic brain injury in the early hours of Wednesday.

The other victim, 14-year-old Ruth Tembo, was laid to rest on Wednesday at Mbuluma Village in Madisi, Dowa District.

On the other hand, M’manjamwada will be laid to rest today at Area 18 Cemetery in Lilongwe, according to Mzuzu Diocese education coordinator Remmie Kamanga.

“It is devastating, but the church has played a crucial role in giving moral support and comforting word to the family,” he said.

Kamanga said the school has since engaged St John of God Hospitaller Services in Mzuzu to offer psychological support to students and teachers at the school.

The Scania Iriza bus, registration SA 10038 belonging to Paniche Logistics, had 58 students on board from Lilongwe to Mzuzu.

Meanwhile, Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara has said government has given bus owners up to March 1, this year to install global positioning service (GPS) trackers in their buses to adhere to speed limits.

He said this on Tuesday when he cheered one of the injured students admitted to Mzuzu Central Hospital.

“This accident has hit us really hard and as a ministry we are reviewing issuing of licences for bus and minibus drivers. And as a policy shift, we will give bus owners an allowance of two months to install GPS system in buses,” said Hara.

Malawi Police Service said it recorded 20 road accidents on New Year’s Day where nine people died and 36 others sustained injuries.