* Most of them are caused by unlicensed riders, carrying passengers beyond capacity, speeding and riding while drunk
* We have trained them to carry passengers according to capacity, avoid over-speeding and ensure that their motorcycles are road worthy
By Manasse Nyirenda, MANA
Rumphi traffic police office, says about 61 people have been killed in motorcycle (kabaza) accidents in the district since January 2024.
Advertisement
Rumphi Police Station traffic officer, John Nyangulu disclosed this yesterday when police trained motorcyclists on accident prevention, while also civic educating them that most of the accidents are caused by unlicensed riders, carrying passengers beyond capacity, speeding and riding while drunk.
“We have trained them to carry passengers according to capacity, avoid over-speeding and ensure that their motorcycles are road worthy,” he said. “We have also tipped them to always wear long gloves, helmets and shoes to ensure their safety and that of passengers.”
Chairperson for Rumphi Motorcycle Taxis Association, Wellings Chirambo said they will establish ways to enforce safety which they have acquired.
Earlier in September, District Commissioner for Rumphi, Emmanuel Bulukutu sounded an SOS asking stakeholders to engage motorcyclists to tame increasing numbers of motorcycle accidents.
Police are expected to conduct the initiative in all major trading centers in the district.
On September 5, Traffic officer, Sub Inspector Cliff Kokha who was stationed at Namwera Police post in Mangochi died in a motorcycle collision at Sumaili Village along Bakili Muluzi Highway.
Late Sub Inspector Cliff Kokha
In her report, Mangochi Police public relations officer, Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi said Kokha (45) was riding a Yamaha DT motorcycle, which collided with another motorcycle, ridden by 51-year-old Meja Majidu.
She said Majidu was riding an unregistered Lifo motorcycle from Chiponde direction towards Namwera and reaching Sumaili Village he swerved onto the other side of road to a void rumble surface.
“He suddenly re-entered the main road without signaling Kokha who was travelling the same direction behind him,” she said.
Daudi added that the impact of the collision left Kokha with severe head injuries and fractured nose while Majidu also sustained head injuries and multiple fractures on his right arm.
Both were rushed to Namwera Health Center and later referred to Mangochi District Hospital where Kokha was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Advertisement
As cases of serious road accidents by the kabaza operators increase, the law enforcement agencies have thus become reactive by training them on safety and traffic law observance.
In Zomba, the Directorate of Road Traffic & Safety Services (DRTSS) has started confiscating motor cycles operating unlawfully, as a routine measure in ensuring that motorists adhere to the law.
The Directorates Regional Manager for Eastern Region, Innocent Sulani said told Malawi News Agency (MANA) that they are “confiscating motorcycles that are not registered, operators without helmets, carrying more people than prescribed and also lacking motor bike driving license”.
Last month, it was reported that in the first six months of last year, 2,627 road accidents were recorded of which 466 involved Kabazas while from January to June this year, 2,024 accidents were recorded, with 485 involving kabazas.
And although the overall number of accidents has decreased, motorcycle accidents are on the rise, which is troubling as said by Malawi Police Service, deputy public relations officer, Harry Namwaza.
He attributed the increase in motorcycle accidents to lack of proper training on the high way code among motorcyclists, saying: “They often just learn the basics, get on the road and pose a danger to themselves and other road users.”
At the launch of district road safety committee in Nkhata Bay last month — a system that is expected to help beef up human capital challenges in enforcement of road traffic issues at district level — DRTSS announced that Kabaza operators will be required to undergo proper training on use of public roads before being licensed and registered in Malawi Transport Information System (MalTIS).
According to the Directorate’s principal road transport officer, Charles Maluwa, this is to intensify measures to make sure that people’s safety is protected on the roads as most Kabaza operators do not adhere to traffic rules and in turn contributing towards high rate of accidents on the Malawian roads.
Thus, the Malawi Police Service publicist, Namwaza disclosed that while the total number of road accidents has decreased slightly compared to last year, the situation remains worrisome — and of all the accidents, particularly alarming was the rise in motorcycle-related accidents, which also pose a significant threat to pedestrians.—Edited by Maravi Express
Advertisement