Six people have died after sustaining injuries when two vehicles collided on Sunday night on the six-lane Saulos Klaus Chilima Highway in Lilongwe City.
Central West Region Police spokesperson Foster Benjamin identified two of the deceased as Gerald Gwangwala, 40, a Zimbabwean, and four-year-old Rolin Kamatenda. Three others, notably two women and a young boy,were yet to be identified.
He said the accident occurred when Wycliffe Liyati, 22, was driving a Ford Ranger double cabin pick-up registration MG 134 AR with five passengers from the direction of Parliament Roundabout towards Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) Interchange. At the Youth Drive Junction near the Nature Sanctuary, the vehicle collided with a Nissan X-Trail SUV driven by Gwangwala who was turning onto Youth Drive towards Kamuzu Institute of Sports.
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“Following the impact, Gwangwala, his three passengers and Rolin Kamatenda in the Ford Ranger died on the spot,” Benjamin said.
Later last evening, he said a boy from the Nissan X-Trail, who had sustained severe head injuries and was receiving treatment at KCH, also died.
The accident comes as a Malawi Police Service report shows Lilongwe had the highest number of road accidents in the first half of 2025, with 325 of 1 894 accidents nationwide and 33 of 464 deaths. Over-speeding was cited as the leading cause, accounting for 34 percent of accidents.
Overall, police records indicate a five-year decline in road accidents, from 10 801 in 2020 to 4 247 in 2024.
Road Safety Alert Foundation executive director Joel Jere said most accidents are preventable if road users follow traffic rules.
He said his foundation will conduct road safety awareness campaigns during the festive season targeting motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and passengers.
“One careful decision on the road can prevent a lifetime of loss,” Jere said, urging drivers to slow down, avoid impaired driving, signal clearly and ensure it is safe before turning.
The Saulos Klaus Chilima Highway and Youth Drive junction in question used to have traffic lights to regulate flow before the road was upgraded. However, traffic lights are yet to be installed at the site.
