Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Government to cover funeral cost in Nakonde accident tragedy

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Government says the authority will cover funeral expenses for all the people who died in an accident involving a Nakonde bound bus and a Tanzanian registered Scania Truck yesterday.

Six people died on the spot while forty others including a bus driver escaped with serious injuries, in a road traffic accident that happened at Kanakashi village about 45 kilometers north of Shiwang’andu district along Great North Road.

Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator Chanda Kabwe announced that the government will provide coffins and other logistical support, to the affected families, in order to ease their burden.

Mr Kabwe has since directed Muchinga Province DMMU Regional Coordinator and Shiwang’andu District Commissioner Evelyn Kangwa who is also the District Disaster Management Committee Chairperson, to collaborate and quickly submit the budget to his office, indicating all the funeral expenses.

The National Coordinator has further directed the Regional Coordinator and Chinsali District Commissioner Mary Chifuna to work with the District Health Director to ensure that survivors of the accident who may require evacuation are helped.

He said the regional office should also provide food to Chinsali General Hospital, to help cater for all the relatives of the survivors who are looking after them at the hospital.

And Mr Kabwe has sympathized with the deceased families over the loss of lives and wished them God’s comfort during this difficult time.

He said the government is concerned with the increased number of road traffic accidents that have continued to claim the lives of people.

The DMMU National Coordinator explained that the government through his unit has taken up the funeral expenses for the Nakonde bound bus accident as it falls in the category of what could be considered as a disaster.

“To all the bereaved families, please accept my government’s deepest condolences for the untimely death of your beloved ones. As a government, we sympathize with you and we will ensure that all the funeral expenses are taken care of,” Mr Kabwe stated.

Mr Kabwe has since cautioned motorists, especially public transport drivers and truck drivers to be vigilant on the road, in order to avoid causing accidents that have continued to claim precious lives of people.

He said the government has continued to do its part to reduce road traffic accidents by upgrading and expanding roads across the country.

This is according to a press statement issued to ZANIS by DMMU Senior Communications Officer Mathews Musukwa in Lusaka today.

12 COMMENTS

  1. Instead of improving laws and safety for passengers on PSVs this govt has been paying for funerals of accident victims for the last 10 years. Why don’t they introduce speed delimiters on buses capped at 120km/hrs.?

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  2. Yes, why not prevent the deaths in the first place? By the way, is 6 people dying in an accident going to be the threshold for funeral assistance? In other words, government will now have to do the same for every accident that involves the loss of 6 lives or more won’t it? Or has it always been a policy of the DMMU?

  3. PF GOVT IS VERY QUICK IN PAYING FUNERAL EXPENSES FOR ACCIDENT VICTIMS WHICH IS OKAY. FOR SUCH RESPONSES TO BE GOOD ENOUGH, THE GOVT MUST FIND THE ROOT CAUSES OF THESE ACCIDENTS.

  4. Which Zambian bus company was involved??? Other companies you immediately mention the name. Why the secrecy? Is the owner PF affiliated…

    Iam voting for HH

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  5. The next government must enact a law in which all bus companies insure their passengers. Those that are prone to accidents should pay higher premiums. Hospital bills and funeral expenses will be paid from insurance claims.

  6. A government for the people. We thank you so much. Pf government is the most generous government in the world. Vote for upnd if you want an evil hearted m0nkey like hh rule. Remember how his own mother in law’s village looks like. Not even a proper toilet yet he stole billions from privatisation.

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  7. Who audits this department Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU)…there is so much money and goods dished out all over the country by this Chanda Kabwe

  8. Kaizar Nyirenda Zulu of cadre who is so full of hatred and only Vernon comes from his mouth. I would love to meet his mum and dad. You know what because you talk this bad about HH that’s why me and my family are voting for him. Your friends will have to account for all the billions they have stolen and people they have killed. 9 more days Lusaka times will drown with your boat ?

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