Minister laments over ‘more deaths in the roads of Malawi’

Minister of Transport Francis Kasaila has bemoaned the high rate of road accidents in Malawi, saying it is one of the highest in the region.

“Malawi is among the countries where people continue to die on the roads,” lamented Kasaila in Blantyre when Lafarge, a cement company was launching a K50 million road safety initiative in a bid to curb the high rate of accidents in the country.

He paid tribute to Lafarge for the enormous multimillion road safety initiative which he said will go a long way in saving many lives.

“Some of the accidents are to do with the behaviour of road users both drivers and pedestrians. There is no respect on the roads,” he said.

The minister said quality of vehicles on the roads also take a share of blame for the high road accidents rate, which statics indicate killed over 1000 people last year.

Kasaila also said some roads are in bad conditions hence causing some of the accidents.

Road Traffic and Safety directorate public relations officer Chisomo Chibwana noted most accidents involve men because they are mist of the times on the road as read winners of their families and also they are not more cautious than women when on the road.