Transport and Communications Minister Hon Mutotwe Kafwaya has called on the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to ensure that there is sanity on the roads.
The Minister made this call after visiting funeral houses for the ten people who died during the Buseko Market accident last week.
The accident happened on 25th October 2019 when a truck belonging to BHL driven by Elias Chikwenda lost control due to excessive speed as he was trying to avoid a truck that was reversing into Lumumba road at Puma filling near Buseko market.
The driver, later on, went to hit into a parked Corolla, Zesco Pole and finally into a Tavern where the deceased ware watching a football match which is about 30 meters away from the road.
Ten people died in the accident.
Hon Kafwaya said the onus is on the road users to ensure that they are cautious and avoid what he termed as ‘human-made accidents’.
“This government of His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu is committed to ensuring that there is sanity on the roads. We are always at pains to see the loss of life on our roads,” he said.
He also appealed to the passengers to always ensure that they report to RTSA drivers who are not observing the road traffic rules.
“This calls for sanity. We need to bring sanity on the roads. Let’s also think about other road users. The problem we are attending to today (helping the families) is man-made and the government has to use resources in order to help the families which can be used on other equally important matters,” he said.
“His Excellency called for sanity on the roads recently, he meant well. When we call for sanity, we know where we stand in terms of protecting the lives of our people.”
Hon Kafwaya said the people have appreciated the gesture by President Lungu to direct relevant institutions to ensure that they take over the funeral costs.
And the families visited thanked the government for coming to their aid saying they could not have afforded to take all the funeral costs.
Policing the roads and handing fines to erring drivers may help but you are trying to solve a problem by tackling the symptoms. The problem with Zambia’s road carnage is more diverse than you think. At the heart of it is our Culture. Many Zambians just do not think road accidents are preventable. They tend to think it’s God’s will. When it’s in the hands of a deity, we mortals are powerless. Rather we should take responsibility. A Pastor prays inside a bus before it departs, to bind it in Jesus’s name. The bus is then driven at neck-break speed. An accident that occurs is attributed to $atan$ collecting bl00d for rituals. We often use Traveling mercies to imply Jesus is capable of protecting us regardless. God told Man to go and dominate the earth, so it is up to us to make our roads…
… safe starting with the right thinking. Get the driver training to a great start and reduce corruption not just on roads by from society as a whole. I think that is the Christain way.
Bululu they need to revolutionalize the roads, invest in modern ways to avoid accidents. Stop people from encroaching on to the roads. The builders of these homes and structures are becoming reckless, building everywhere with no room for a bigger road. You can also install robots or utilize camera to charge people for violations. We are in the era of automation, RTSA people can only do so much.
When will we learn to do the right thing in this country? It’s not pleasing to have elected officials pretending they don’t know what is happening in the country with regards to traffic. Either they have been victims or their relatives or friends of corruption. Defective vehicles or over loading or excessive speeding only attract unofficial charge and it is allowed to proceed in the same manner. Why give directives to those that already it is their job? What will change? It’s the same thing on political violence, directives after directives and no one follows through, and when they do they face consequences. The jury is out on the people giving directives
Govt through RDA needs to look at quality of the new roads,for example Kitwe- Chingola dual carriage way is far from completion. The new road is patched all the time,with many detours. If this was completed this year,road accidents could have been minimized. We will soon enter the rain season with roads becoming slippery.
I agree with China & Mwansa. It all starts from the ministers themselves. How many meters are structures supposed to be from main road or railway? Go check what is happening along the railway line from John Howard to Lilayi. Cadres have allocated plots just a few meters from railway. Ring road, people were paid to create room for road, but have since gone back there. Our roads are another death traps – very narrow, full of ridges & potholes. Its a serious nightmare to overtake on Ndola Lusaka road. with the toll gates money, one would expect contractors to be on site. Instead of working on these critical roads, people are busy working on roads leading to their houses / properties.
As a citizen of the country be mindful about the words you use to the Government. If it wasn`t for the Government of today making sure this country is okay, you would have been misarable by now. Learn to appreciate. Because in other countries there is no peace but always fighting and they don`t even care. They admire this country and say Zambia is a real Christian Nation.