Lilongwe residents excited with resumption of the railway service
* Following unknown adult male who died after being hit by a locomotive at Mgona in Lilongwe
* Thus warn the public to exercise caution when crossing or walking near railway lines
* While parents and guardians have been encouraged to warn children against playing on railway tracks
By Maryam Ibrahim, Malawi News Agency (MANA)
Following the death of unknown adult male who was hit by a train locomotive at Mgona in Lilongwe on September 18, 2026, Kanengo Police Station in Lilongwe has reminded the public that the railway line between Lilongwe and Mchinji remains fully operational.
Kanengo Police public relations officer, Sub Inspector Macfarlen Mseteka, thus advises people against selling commodities, playing, or loitering along the railway line — warning that such activities put people in danger.
He has also urged the public to exercise caution when crossing or walking near railway lines, while parents and guardians have been encouraged to warn children against playing on railway tracks.
Mseteka has also appealed to the public for assistance in identifying the dead unknown adult male, who is reported to have been lying on the railway line before being struck by the train and sustained severe injuries, resulting in his death on the spot.
Police detectives who visited the scene took the body to Kamuzu Central Hospital mortuary, where it is being kept pending identification and postmortem examination.
Police have appealed to anyone with a missing relative, or who knows someone who matches the deceased’s description, to report to the nearest police station or Kanengo Police Station to help with identification.
Meanwhile, after the fatal incident, the Ministry of Transport & Public Works spokesperson, Chikondi Chimala, told MANA that it will step up railway safety awareness using different media platforms to educate communities about railway safety, while village headmen will also help spread the message during community gatherings.
Chimala urged people to avoid conducting businesses on railway lines and to look both ways before crossing them.
He also warned people who have built houses or established businesses along railway lines that the Ministry will enforce relevant rules and may demolish such structures without compensation.
Chimala said people involved in train accidents will not receive compensation, urging communities to observe railway safety requirements.
He noted that railway transport can benefit communities by providing a cheap means of transporting goods.
Railway bridge at Shire North that provides access for pedestrians but are still warned not to cross when train approaches
Meanwhile, Area 50 resident Philip Selema observed that the return of train services after several years may pose a safety challenge to some residents who are unfamiliar with trains operating in their area.
Selema said some people had started building houses and conducting businesses along railway lines after train services stopped, believing that the trains would no longer operate.
He welcomed the planned awareness campaign, saying it would help communities understand the dangers associated with activities along railway lines and the consequences of failing to observe safety measures.
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On August 5, a train rammed into a lorry at the Area 51 Mtaba railway crossing in Lilongwe after the vehicle reportedly attempted to cross the tracks as the train approached.
The collision left no fatalities after occupants of the lorry reportedly jumped clear moments before impact, escaping serious injury.
Eyewitness Janet Banda said she saw the train approaching as the lorry appeared to be rushing to cross the railway line.
“People in the lorry were seen jumping out,” Banda said, adding that the lorry failed to clear the tracks in time before the train struck it and pushed it in the opposite direction.
The Ministry spokesperson Chimala thus urged motorists and other road users to exercise extreme caution at railway crossings.
He advised road users to look carefully for approaching trains before attempting to cross, saying such accidents could be avoided when safety measures are observed.
Chimala further cautioned road users against taking unnecessary risks at level crossings.—Editing by Maravi Express
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