Road accidents claim five lives on New Year’s eve
Police have said they recorded four major road accidents that claimed five lives across the country from the midnight of December 31 2015 to the midnight of January 1 2016.
Based on police records, this means 16 people died during the festive season as 11 people died over Christmas. 
In an interview, National Police spokesperson Nicholas Gondwa said two accidents took place in the eastern region, one in the north and another in the central. The southern region did not report any accident.
Gondwa attributed the increase in accidents to increased number of vehicles and people driving while drunk.
According to Gondwa, no accident or death was recorded on the eve of 2015.
On criminal offences, Gondwa said only one case of murder as recorded in Bangwe Township in Blantyre.
Minister of Health Peter Kumpalume is quoted in the media as saying the increase in the number of road accidents has resulted to a subsequent increase in the cost of health care in the country as those injured require special treatment to get back to their feet.
