Five killed in Mzuzu road fatality, dozens seriously injured
At least five people have been confirmed dead with dozens sustaining injuries after a 60 seater bus they travelling in fell into a ditch at Zolozolo in Mzuzu Tuesday afternoon.
The bus, registration number DA 4675 and belonging to OP Bus Services, was going towards Mpherembe in Mzimba with over 60 passengers on board.
According to eye witnesses, the bus was overloaded and this compeled the driver not to go through designated route to avoid traffic police officers’s check points near Mzuzu Technical College.
It is believed that the driver lost control of the bus and it is started reversing by itself until it fell into the ditch trapping the passengers with others dying due to suffocation.
Mzuzu Police publicist Martin Bwanali said rescue operations are continuing as it is believed some victims are still trapped.
On Saturday, eight people sustained serious injuries after a minibus they were traveling in plunged into the sides of the road near Jenda in Mzimba district.
The minibus, registration number BU 5569, was on its way to Jenda in the district.
On Thursday, the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) lost 21 cadets and soldiers, including their instructors in fatal accident that occured in the the district.
The cadets and the soldiers, who had just completed their training at Liwawa Forest in Mzimba, died after the vehicle they were travelling in overturned at Mapanjira within M1 road in Mzimba district.
Bus Depots should also have authorities who can enforce loading capacity. For example at Lilongwe main Bus Depot there is a police office but buses leave overloaded (what is their duty there, kugwira mavenda basi?) and you expect the bus to be checked somewhere after it has already left. A Malawi lets also use the free toll number 4040 to alert the Road Traffic Directorate of any traffic violations.
Aboma mutithandize chifukwa malamulo mumaikawa sagwira ntchito ndipo amaononga malamulo ndikuphetsa anthu mumisewumu ndi a polisi anu a traffif. Iwo amakhala busy ndi ziphuphu kumadutsitsa ma bus/minibus a overloaded ndi kandalama kochepa kamene amalandira kuchokera kwa ma conductor. Zimatimvetsa chisoni kuona mmene amalandilira ndalamazo. Ndiye poti osauka alibe mau basi tizingofa ngati nkhuku zachitopa choncho. Koma pano tizitenga ma video chifukwa tayamba kuyera mmaso pano ndipo auzeni ma traffic officerwo kuti achenjere polandira ndalamazi pano. Koma a President chitanipo kanthu ku traffic office. Munthu sungakhoze mayeso a traffic pano kuti akupatse licence without ndalama pano ayi. Ntaonankoni uku a president… Read more »
Bus are always overloaded. What’s more disappointing is that the police at road blocks such as Dunduzu and Lusangazi are sleeping on the job. Instead of enforcing traffic rules (e.g.) checking capacity of buses they are busy taking bribes.
Can government issue a directive that from now on, no bus will be overloaded? Any overloaded bus will be impounded. The same applies to mini buses. Govt must be serious.