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One person has died on his way to St. Luke’s Mpanshya Mission Hospital while 17 others are battling for their lives in the hospital following a fatal road accident in Rufunsa District of Lusaka Province.
And Rufunsa District Community Medical Officer Musanda Siyolwe who coordinated the District Emergency Response Team has described the condition of the 17 as stable and out of danger .
Meanwhile, Rufunsa District Commissioner Paul Kasongo who rushed to the accident scene has implored motorists to observe basic traffic regulations in order to reduce road carnage.
The accident happened about 60 kilometres from Rufunsa District Administrative centre along the Great East Road in the accident prone Kanyongoloka area.
The accident happened around 08:00 hours today involving a Rufunsa bound public mini bus registration number ALL 1122 and a Mitsubishi Canter registration ALJ 7239.
ZANIS reports that according to an eyewitness Luckson Jere, the accident was caused by reckless driving by the mini bus driver who was heading to Rufunsa from Chongwe town.
Mr. Jere explained that earlier an unidentified truck hit into an oncoming car driven by a Zambian of Asian origin when the later tried to navigate a pothole and speeded off.
He further explained that villagers who live along the roadside and passengers in another mini bus that was also Rufunsa bound disembarked in a bid to remove the extensively damaged car from the road.
Mr. Jere said it was at this point that the Mini Bus Driver who thought his colleague was dropping passengers and decided to overtake hence hitting into an oncoming Mitsubishi Canter that was coming from western direction.
And speaking from his hospital bed, the Mitsubishi Canter Driver Charles Mumba,58, attributed the accident to over speeding on the part of the mini bus driver.
Mr. Mumba said the mini bus driver was careless and over speeding hence he lost control after hitting into a pothole and swerved in his direction thereby causing the accident.
Earlier, Dr. Siyolwe who treated the victims described the condition of the rest as stable and out of danger.
She however bemoaned lack of courteous by motorists to give way to ambulances and other emergency response vehicles.
And Rufunsa District Commissioner Paul Kasongo has cautioned motorists to observe basic traffic regulations in order to save lives.
Mr. Kasongo said government is concerned with the attitude of some motorists who have no regard for other road users.
He has since directed traffic officers to intensified motorised patrols to curb accidents especially during the long easter holiday.
By press time, the driver of the public mini bus had not yet been identified because he was believed to have fled the accident scene and gone to Chongwe District Hospital to seek treatment.
The body of an unidentified male is lying at Mpanshya’ St Luke Mission Hospital Mortuary.
The DC has since implored motorists using the Great East Road to take extra caution on the stretch from Luangwa Bridge to Nangwenya area as it has become a death trap.
