A senior government official in Northern province has described the death of 27 people in a road traffic accident in Mbala district as a tragedy.
Northern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Borniface Mbuzi said government was extremely saddened by the loss of 27 lives barely two months after nine other people died in a similar incident in the district.
Mr. Mbuzi, who was flanked by assistant secretary, Royd Tembo and Northern Division Police Commissioner, Charity Katanga, said this when he met members of the district disaster management committee in the council chamber yesterday.
The meeting was called to arrange for the burial of the 27 people and also provide support to the 71 surviving victims who were currently admitted to Mbala general hospital.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mbuzi announced that government will meet all the funeral expenses by providing coffins and food during the mourning period.
And the district disaster management committee, in consultation with Lapisha ward councilor, Vincent Zombe, resolved to bury all the 27 people at a central place at Kamutozo.
On Saturday, 27 people, who included 10 babies, died in the road traffic accident when the Fuso truck registration number ACX 5816, which was being driven by Vicious Sichilima, veered off the road and overturned on the Mbala-Nakonde road.
The truck was carrying 98 people who were coming from harvesting caterpillars commonly known as “fishimu” from Moses area in Senga Hill.
The people were going to surrounding villages in senior chief Nsokolo’s area.
We should ban the transportation of people in open vans and trucks…my Lord 98 people loaded like that just isn’t on…
Just because you are in Norway where this trend illegal does not mean, it can also be done the same way in Zambia where there are no alternatives in Place. What should be focussed on is over loading.
Fixing roads and making sure public transportation is road worthy with properly licensed drivers will be the better move.
WHAT A TRUCK CARRYING 98 PIPO, NOT EVEN A MARCOPOLO WILL CARRY THAT KIND NUMBER OF PIPO PLZ BURN OR LIMIT LOADING CAPACITY, THE TRUCK VEERED OFF DUE TO OVER LOAD NEWTON LAW NUMBER 1. PLZ can we be more strict on load safety ama driving licences yabufi
It is well the gov’t pays for the funerals. God look upon them and their families at thus time.
This is a failure of gov’ts in Zambia to provide a proper transport sector to cater for internal travel.
Along with the driver, the gov’t, and transport police should be in the docks on this case. They are all culpable for allowing these tragedies.
Prayers for all their families and their souls as we lift them up to Christ Redeemer.
May our gov’ts provide for us adequately.
It’s good government is stepping in. Did government meet the costs of funerals of the children and their teachers who drowned in Kariba while trying to go the independence jubilee?
I still cannot believe that we still allow people to be carried like logs of wood. Like someone already suggested, there must be a ban on open vans and trucks from carrying people. Why do we continue disrespecting humanity in Zambia even in this era, I wonder who regulates the transport systems in the country and if they have any morals and consciousness.
Why do the Government rush to sort out funeral expenses instead of sorting out the root cause of these fatal accidents?WHY?
One may agree that something is wrong with our government?it is satanism or what?27 PEOPLE IS TOO MUCH.This government is not caring at all.How many people have we lost through careless driving this year?All they do is rush to meet funeral expenses it is like they delight to see these things happen.Uncaring government.THE ROOT CAUSE IS CORRUPTION POLICE ARE CORRUPT ALLOWING UNWORTHY VEHICLE TO BE ON THE ROAD.
A truck carrying 98 people?!!! What insanity is this?
The govt is working on roads to attract modern buses to rural areas. lets learn to appreciate PF has tried to touch all areas of life. Hope lungu will continue
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