A University of Zambia (UNZA) thrid year student has died on the spot after being ran over by a speeding vehicle on Great East Road. Manda Hill Police Post Officer in Charge Mubita confirmed the accident to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday saying the accident happened on Thursday night at the UNZA footbridge along Great East Road.

Mrs Mubita identified the deceased as Gwezani Thole, a third year student in the School of Education who was ran over by a mark II registration number AAX 63 and that the accident occured about 23 hours.

She said one passenger named Richard Witima who was on the vehicle that hit the student, sustained bruises on his hands and head, and was rushed to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

Mrs Mubital also disclosed that another passenger identified as Luyando Mulwanda has since been detained at Northmead Police Post to assist Police with investigations.

The driver of the vehicle has since bolted and police have launched a manhunt. Police said the deceased is believed to have been coming from a drinking spree in Kalundu residential area.

ZANIS

27 COMMENTS

Peter Ngosa June 4, 2011 At 2:54 pm

It is as sad as it is disturbing. We thought the footbridge had solved the problem on that stretch of the Great East Road.
nicki June 4, 2011 At 2:56 pm

That is very sad
Game Guard June 4, 2011 At 3:34 pm

Foot bridges are of no use or should I say human nature is the problem here. I have not seen any one use the foot bridge along Kafue road.
Distant Drums June 4, 2011 At 3:36 pm

It is irresponsible for the police to say that the deceased was coming from a drinking spree, what are they trying to prove? Ok Zambia police, you have not told us where the speeding driver was coming from.
KACHIGAMBA June 4, 2011 At 3:50 pm

SAD TO HEAR THE SAD NEWS. IF THE DECEASED HAD ONLY USED THE FOOT BRIDGE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN STILL ALIVE TODAY .PEOPLE OUGHT TO BE ADVISED TO USE THE BRIDGE. THE FOOT BRIDGE AT MANDA HILL AND DOWN TOWN ARE ALSO HARDLY USED BY THE PEDISTRIANS AND ITS BEEN SHEER WASTE OF MONEY BY THE LUSAKA COUNCIL BECAUSE ITS NOT SERVING THE PURPOSE.
John Chinena June 4, 2011 At 4:00 pm

Sad indeed!!!! That road in usually busy in the evening students need to be extra careful!!!!!!!!MHSRIP.
John Chinena June 4, 2011 At 4:04 pm

The foot bridge down town is under utilised. I hear there are some youths who camp there in the evening attacking people. Grabbing handbags from the women folk!!!!!!!!!!
ken Dollar June 4, 2011 At 4:06 pm

It’s very sad to every one,more especially to relatives.
Metero University June 4, 2011 At 4:25 pm

Our condolence to the bereaved family. Our students had revealed in their research that lives would be saved if the speed limit from Lusaka int airport round about and Cairo Road to 70 kmh since our zambian drivers don’t observe speed limit. The driver could have been driving at 90 kmh. Around 23 hrs, there would have not been too many cars on the road for the driver to fail to spot the pedestrian. The driver should be caught and locked up.
john zulu June 4, 2011 At 4:26 pm

Sad story. May the soul of departed student rest in eternal peace.
Max Mbizo June 4, 2011 At 4:38 pm

The footbridge was constructed at the instigation of the students themselves to prevent this type of accident. Unfortunately, I have observed that a lot of people, including those who are not students, avoid using the bridge for reasons best known to themselves. This is not the first accident involving a pedesrian since the construction of the bridge; there have been many others.I spoke to the taxi drivers who operate there the day after the accident. They told me that the victim and his friends had been drinking at the Kalundu market before the tragic event. I hope students will start using the bridge after this. May his soul rest in peace.
Fyompeboz June 4, 2011 At 4:40 pm

MHSRIP….. Its a sad story Monk hs departed. just like many bloggers have said, the foot bridge is not saving its purpose. A solution would be to increase the number of traffick lights on the roads of LSK, i think Windhoek even has more trafick lights than the whole of Zambia…….. Its so dissapointing to note that Livingstone only got its first traffick lights a few days ago…..
UBUWELEWELE MUCHALO! June 4, 2011 At 6:11 pm

They should also repair the barrier that prevents students from crossing the road but force them to use the footbridge!
Herdsboy June 4, 2011 At 6:14 pm

Sad. May his soul rest in ertenal piece. It teaches us that life is so fragile. I used to study from the UNZA library when I was studying for my CIMA qualification. Coming from Chelstone at that time I always made sure that I used the foot bridge. I wonder what happened to the barrier that was erected there as I have been away from Lusaka for the past three years.
THE OBSERVER June 4, 2011 At 10:14 pm

that is the saddest news for today.may his soul rest in peace.
Shi-Choolwe June 4, 2011 At 10:49 pm

What the heck was a student doing on the streets at 2300hrs? My condolences to his family!
Uncle PSK June 5, 2011 At 7:45 am

sad indeed. Even more that his judgement was impaired by alcohol and it cost him his life otherwise he would have used the foot bridge. I use it all the time i go to unza. MHSRIP
YABA June 5, 2011 At 9:15 am

There is a baricade and a foot bridge there constructed to avoid such things. Our poor brother wanted to use a shortcut. MHSRIP
Vincent Mwanza June 5, 2011 At 3:45 pm

My condolonces to the breaved family of the departed student. Only the Almighty knows what day and time we shall all leave this miserable place. If only we can STOP moving (and drinking) late at night (or is it morning?), we certainly shall have fewer lives being lost. My thoughts go to all who knew the student. MHSRIP.
KAPOCHE June 5, 2011 At 5:46 pm

GWEZANI or Bwezani? MHSRP and us UNZA students will make sure to revenge to you motorists along Great East Road
tribalist June 5, 2011 At 7:15 pm

Another bemba gone.
former Unza student from Ruins June 6, 2011 At 7:37 am

1.afumine Pamulus pa kalundu mukunwa chibuku.Drunk & his judgment was impaired .
2.Design of the foot bridge is a flow.Its too high and many people find it hard to ascend it.
Dosa,bring back chibuku pa workers canteen so students dont cross.
That bridge must be redesigned to make it more user friendly.
MHSRIP.
Pulamasaka June 6, 2011 At 9:15 am

iwe Gwezani..why didn’t you use the bridge and drinking like a fish..when will you guys ever learn?
Shimaini June 6, 2011 At 11:23 am

too bad, another young and promising citizen has vanished. wen we were in the UNZASU we fought hard for that footbridge to be erected and after it is done , the poor students do not want to use it…….?? we cant really say alcohol impared his jusgement really coz some of the students who died there were sober. but may be students should be encouraged to drink within campus to save such dear lives. MHSRIP and condelences to the family.
mwa June 6, 2011 At 4:05 pm

Its really a pity that people are scared to use the foot bridge at night because of those street kids, if only the government could be strict enough to put some of the police officers who do night shift to patrol those areas so people would feel protected. Condolences to the family.
vader June 7, 2011 At 11:37 am

the driver should be found and dealt with.
brother December 9, 2011 At 11:35 am

Foot bridge or no foot bridge,judgement was impaired -poor soul.Parents thought Gwezan was busy with books.Chaps we used to go to Beirut(Kalingalinga) those days,guess times have changed hence:REMEMBER YOUR GRADE 1 LESSON/SONG,IT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE:LOOK RIGHT, LOOK LEFT,LOOK RIGHT AGAIN again then cross the road please.Dont compete with those psyco motorists over the ZEBRA CROSSING! You lose, and he gets away with it after a few years behind bars if he ever gets jailed!! Throwing stones in revenge wont bring back Gwezan but at least you can take leaf from this incident and emulate Munali secondary pupils!!