By PEZO SIABASIMBI –
ZAMBIA Association for Motorists (ZAM) president Haggai Mambwe has called on the Government to convene an emergency meeting to find a solution to increased road traffic accidents.
Several Zambians have died in road accidents with the latest tragedy claiming 14 people on the Ndola-Kitwe Dual Carriageway.
The fatal accidents are happening despite various campaigns and sensitisation on road safety and Mr Mambwe feels more should be done.
“The Government should call on the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to convene an emergency meeting with all stakeholders in the transport sector,” he said.
“The meeting would help in finding the causes of road accidents and find out lasting solutions to prevent more deaths.”
He said that the number of accidents on Zambian roads had increased despite the traffic police and RTSA officers employing various measures.
Mr Mambwe said there was need for bus operators to employ bus drivers who were qualified and monitor them rather than just expecting profit.
He said some accidents were as a result of speeding and having inexperienced drivers, adding that most of them did not have driver’s licences.
As an auto-mechanical engineer who has worked in the transport sector for more than 45 years, Mr Mambwe said the entire transport system in the country had broken down.
Therefore, there is need for the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications to task RTSA to find a lasting solution to the problem through the involvement of other interest groups.
Mr Mambwe said the accident that claimed 12 lives involving a truck and a bus would have been avoided if preventive measures had been put in place.
“See, accidents of a bus and truck where 12 people died losing, a big number of people in road accidents. Accidents can be avoided if we put systems in place for people to understand,” he said.