Thursday, March 28, 2024

Two pupils die, 41 injured in Mporokoso accident

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Two pupils from Mporokoso High School in Northern Province have died while 41 others sustained serious injuries when the truck they were travelling in overturned along the Mporokoso-Kaputa road.

Northern Province Police Chief Charles Lungu confirmed the accident, which happened yesterday around 12:30hrs, to ZANIS in Kasama today.

Mr Lungu said one of the pupils died on the spot while the other died in the early hours of today at Mporokoso District Hospital where he was receiving treatment.
He described the condition of the 41 pupils who are still admitted to the hospital as stable.

Mr Lungu revealed that the deceased pupils who are both male were in grade 11 and 12 respectively.
He added that police have since arrested the named 22-year old driver and charged him with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

He explained that due to the absence of buses to service the Mporokoso-Kaputa route, the pupils had boarded the Hino truck, registration number ABK 6393, to take them back to Kaputa following the closure of schools.

The Police Chief, who attributed the accident to over speeding, said the driver was trying to overtake another vehicle at a slope when he lost control of the lorry before overturning.

The bodies of the two pupils are still lying in Mporokoso district mortuary awaiting postmortem.

ZANIS/ENDS/HM/EB

23 COMMENTS

  1. A solution has to be found to this problem. Last time we lost so many pupils from Kawambwa, i thought we had learnt our lesson. School managers please ensure only reliable buses fery pupils when they close

  2. After the Kawambwa tragedy, there was a resolution passed (at least in Eastern province), that each school acquires a bus for transporting students, and never allowed any “truck” transportaion. This is not to suggest that Buses will never be involved in accidents, but I thought it was a reasonable move. Condolences to the bereaved families, and may the souls of the two pupils rest in peace.

  3. May the souls of the two who died rest in peace while I wish those 41 that are injured a quick recovery. Condolences also to the bereaved families.

  4. Wny postmortem on the bodies of the two deceased when it is clear that the accident caused their deaths? Isn’t such a waste of time and resources?

    On “Mr Lungu revealed that the deceased pupils who are both male were in grade 11 and 12 respectively. He added that police have since arrested the named 22-year old driver and charged him with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.”, I would like to ask the police and traffic personnel to look into the issue of confiscating Drivers’ Licences for ever from culprits found wanting on negligence.

    Also, let the GRZ pass a law to classify what vehicles can be used only for ferrying people in large numbers. The GRZ must look into contracting private companies to offer public transport like UBZ operated.

  5. A caring govt shud start sending buses 2 such schools on closing day 2help out in transport.We cant be losing our future leaders like this

  6. Sad indeed! Why can’t we learn from experience. I thought we learnt a hard lesson from the Kawamba accident and had put corrective measures in place. What are our country’s managers doing kanshi??

  7. It is sad development which needs a lasting solution.If the roads are worked on properly and government can provide buses on loan to boarding schools or buy buses to operate routes which private operators are avoiding then this problem will be part of Zambia’s Era of pupil deaths.

    My condolences to the two families.
    YABA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. CORRECTION/MEANING
    “THEN THIS PROBLEM WILL ONLY BE REMEMBERED IN ZAMBIA’S HISTORY AS THE ERA OF PUPILS DEATHS DUE TO ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY OPEN TRUCKS IN BOARDING SCHOOLS”

  9. SOMEONE MUST ACT
    PLEASE
    NAPAPATA
    I FEAR FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS IN BOARDING SCHOOLS.
    i went to one some years back but we did not have such high rate of accidents

    Twapapata sana mwe buteko lolekeshenipo umweo ni muku fye umo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Twalomba noba leli kamufwambana mu tugwasye!!
    Lwa lapela muso ulutuse sha!!!!!!!
    tipempa asogoleli a dziko muti tandhize.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. How much experience can a 22 year old have? At that age they are full of excitment and would want to show off that over speeding is good.

  11. Unfortunately these tragedies will continue to take place until the Government starts to enforce its own traffic laws with some seriousness. There is no guarantee that these pupils would have been spared had they been traveling on a bus. One only has to look at the standards of the official minibuses that running through Lusaka to appreciate the lack of any credible standards for passenger and road safety in the country. Apart from terrible road surfaces, people are literally traveling in vehicles that should have been consigned to metal recycling years ago. The fact that they have road worthiness certificates is testament to how rotten the whole system has become. If we value the lives our people, we should at least make an attempt to look after their health by enforcing the existing laws

  12. In a country where development means very little this is the end result, uncalled for accidents. Poor drivers, substandard vehicles, poor roads and corrupt traffic agency. Will prosection follow? or is this just another case swept under the carpet?

  13. STUDENTS TRAVELLING IN A TRUCK IN THESE AGE, AND THE SILLY GOVT LOOKS ON!!! AND FOR HOW LONG HAVE THE TRUCKS BEEN KILLING STUDENTS IN THE SAME WAY?

  14. Sad reading……Minister of Transport and Communication together with your counterpart at Works and Supply please this should have been your priority area ,not fighting for the seat next to RB…..shame Dora and Mike

  15. Zambia mother Zambia
    Kano nga bana babo
    who care wen there children are breathing fresh air in london
    God Alghmighty save us from our own fathers wickedness of not caring their children
    May the souls of the pupils rest in eternal peace in Jesus’ name

  16. GRZfix the roads so that marcopolo’s can start going there,other ways people will keep on dieying like this,our poor road network is also contributing to these accidents,MULONGOTI,DO SOME THING ABOUT THESE ROADS,SOME HAS NEVER BEEN ATTENDED TO FOR SO MANY YEARS NOW,ALSO CHECK ON THIS ROADS BEING CONSTRUCTED,THEY CAN EVEN LAST FOR A YEAR WHAT SORT OF NOSENSE IS THIS TO CONTRACTORS,CHECK ON THIS ROADS,CHINGOLA SOLWEZI ROAD,MASANGANO TURNOFF TO LUANSHYA TURNOFF, THEY ARE DAMAGED ALREADY,DONT SAY ITS THE TRUCKS,DAMAGING THESE ROADS NO,WE HAVE A WEIGH BRIDGE AT KAPIRI,SO NO EXCUSE,MAKE SURE THESE CONTRACTORS CONSTRUCT QUALITY ROADS THAT CAN WITH STAND THE LOADS PERMITED ,TAKE A LOOK AT THE OTHER ONE BEING CONSTRUCTED IN LUANSHYA, FROM TOWN TO MPATAMATO, MULONGOTI COME AND HAVE A LOOK,TIRED…

  17. EVERYDAY TRAFFIC POLICE ARE ON THE ROADS IMPOUNDING VEHICLES,WHY CANT THEY USE THE SAME FINES TO RECONSTRUCT THE ROADS?PLEASE ROAD SAFETY STARTS WITH GOOD ROADS,HOW MANY LVES HAVE WE LOST THESE BAD ROADS PLEASE SPARE US FROM THIS.

  18. Muleke satanism ku Mporokoso naku Kaputa, why all the time school children in luapula province dying? Goverment , please do some thing on this for the school pupils. During our time govt used to send buses to our schools to pick us from their when schools are closed.

  19. May the all two pupils rest in peace God protect them from evil until we meet again in paradise i ask your holy sprit come to us!!! Also apupil at mpolokoso a’l in this year 2014 NOVEMBER Mr Bambala we love u sir

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