The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) says the country should collectively find a lasting solution to the continued road carnage.
UPND Vice President Dr. Canisius Banda says there is need to seriously observe and enhance road safety measures in the country to make them in line with the World Health Organization [WHO] guidelines and recommendation.
Dr. Banda said it is imperative that the nation acts collectively in making road safety a priority so as to cut down on the road accident which is one of the main cause of death among youths in the country.
Dr. Banda further bemoaned the lack of appropriate lifesaving capacity for the required medical responses for Accidents and Emergency [A and E].
“This further highlights the nation’s need to seriously observe and enhance road safety measures in our country in line with the World Health Organization [WHO] guidelines and recommendation.
“Having been Zambia’s focal point person on road safety at one time, I find this tragedy and many similar others that continue to maim and kill citizens on our roads most calamitous, sad and touching.
“Note that road traffic accidents are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries like Zambia among youths ahead of malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS. Our nation must urgently, firmly and collectively respond to this brutal road use challenge.”
The opposition leader also condemned government’s lack of priorities.
“Yet it is a national priority above the unplanned creation of districts, bloating of cabinet and inducement of by-elections. Zambia lacks appropriate lifesaving capacity for the required medical responses for Accidents and Emergency [A and E] is very sad and annoying indeed.”
And Dr. Banda has expressed happiness that President Sata’s son Kazimu Sata has evacuated to South Africa for treatment.
The opposition leader however says there need to investigate claims that others who were also critically injured in the same accident have not been evacuated for treatment in South Africa as no life is more important than the other.
“However, we are happy to learn that President Sata’s son has been evacuated abroad for the safety of his life. We also pray and hope that this was purely a medical necessity and not a political decision.
“That family members of the others who were also critically injured in the same accident but have not been evacuated are complaining and feel neglected by the State makes us wonder. Their complaints require investigating, a thorough medical audit given that if their relative’s conditions are not better than that of Kazimu Sata, they also need to be evacuated immediately in order to save their lives.
“We in the UPND consider the lives of all citizens important, sacred and they all matter equally. But perhaps the bigger lesson to learn from this unfortunate incident, is that much as we have had high profile persons in this country that have had to be medically evacuated, we have still not made any attempt at investing in our health system.
This is an urgent matter that needs to be addressed by the PF so that those that are not privileged can equally access medical care of international acclaim.”
This is contained in a press statement released to the media by released by the party secretariate.
ya elyashi ili Mr Banda,speak for us the voiceless majority Zambians.not jst politicising everything,but sir can you av your beards and your air cut as leader u not potraying a gud picture to us followers.thank u sir
I totally agree with Canicius that there is urgent need to find a collective effort to end the road carnage.
Put up warning signs where there are potholes or even mark the actual potholed areas with reflective paint so that drivers are aware of the dangers ahead.
Revive the roads depts in the councils so that local roads can be worked on by councils instead of everything being done by RDA including simple things like road markings and signs
Invest in highway technology to catch speeders by installing cameras.
The pathetic attitude must change, in Zambia we are so casual with everything including our lives as long as its has not happened to me or my loved ones, then its ok. we are not proactive as we always wait for disaster before we can think of what to do next
We need good City planners not these fun ones…!!!
Meanwhile, 208 government workers in Western Province that were employed in 2013 to serve in the Michael Sata newly created districts have lost their jobs. This follows Govt’s failure to put them on government payroll due to over-employment and lack of funds. This is the same Govt that was boasting of creating over 2,000 jobs through creation of districts.
Here is one of the solutions: keep infrastructure in good maintainable state so that you can easily expand and modify them. As it is now we keep reconstructing what we have ruined due to neglect and begin to float such works as “development”. In the process we simply put back old structures instead of constructing robust, well thought out ones. And for heavens sake putting humps on highways is NOT road safety!! There are better measures we can resort to.
The only solution is to remove this pathetic govt in the next general elections.It’s do or die for Zambians.
This level of despiration is pathetic. If you did your homework you would have known that the other people involved in that accident have been disharged from hospital. How sad is this Banda ***** that he feels he can make political mileage from this? Zambians, is this the class of leadership you want for your next government?
Iwe, panyo pako iwe.
Iwe, mu.shindo wako
In addition to all these measures, there is need to enhance railway transport for abnormal and other heavy loads to help de-congest and conserve the roads. The road carrying capacity is choked and narow, road infrastructure should have more than one lane going one direction for free flow of trafic, slow & heavy vehicles in outer lane and ovoid contending with oncoming trafic when over taking. Police Check points to include random breathalysers to arest drunken driving
Very classy ba Nyoka YABA Lamba
Moderation nanomba!! Mano yabupuba aya ba LT
Nakabili:
Developed nations got there because they tasked such issues to Universities whose staff researched and came up with solutions that govt put to work. Right now as we speak an American inventor has come up with a substitute to macadamised roads. He is punting a road made out of toughened solar panels that wont need replacement once they are placed on the road. What are our scientists doing? ***