8 killed in Chikwawa road accident: Irate mob set minibus ablaze

Eight people have died while six others have sustained serious injuries in a fatal road accident involving a minibus which happened at Domasi area which is a few meters away from Kamuzu Bridge in Chikwawa, Officer in-charge for Chikwawa Police Station Davie Chingwalu confirmed and said the accident happened at around six o’clock in the evening.

This reporter witnessed on Monday morning scores of people rushing to Chikwawa District Hospital in disbelief of their lost loved ones and those injured.

People started converging in homes where deaths were announced while others discussed how the eight bodies will be buried later in the day.

According to reports, the minibus, a Toyota Hiace Registration number NU 8995 swerved and hit eight people by road side and killed them in the process while six others sustained injuries of various degrees Sunday evening.

Out of the dead, six are children aged 6 to 16.

Chikwawa Police Station Traffic Officer, Assistant Superintendent Cornelius Mpulanya believes the accident occurred because of speeding as the driver failed to control the minibus in his lane.

He said that soon after hitting the people, the driver escaped and abandoned the minibus.

“Later angry residents burnt down the minibus and as police were arriving at the scene, the minibus was up in flames,” Mpulanya explained.

As the dead bodies were being taken to the district’s mortuary there was worry on whether the small and old cold room would accommodate all the bodies.

But Chikwawa Health Services Administrator, Moses Jere is quoted to have said that all the bodies would be kept in the mortuary and accorded the dignity the departed souls deserve.

While advising people to stop loitering around the main road, Traditional Authority Mulilima has asked government to construct speed humps and extend the width of the M1 road at Domasi Trading Centre as one way of avoiding accidents.