Zambia: A road traffic accident in Kasama District has claimed the lives of four people while 22 others are nursing serious injuries. The victims of the accident have been identified as mobile market operators locally known as Munada traders.
The accident happened in the afternoon hours of Sunday, in Mumana Lupando area. The police force has clarified that the location is 80 km from Kasama town along the Luwingu-Kasama road.
The Police force who are investigating the incident, informed the media that in the afternoon hours of Sunday, a Toyota Sprinter which was in front of the truck reduced speed abruptly while trying to turn off the road.
Due to the suddenness of the movement, one of the trucks which was behind the Toyota Vehicle hit another truck in the path. Meanwhile, the truck ended up colliding with the Toyota Sprinter which was changing its course.
At this point, the Toyota hit two pedestrians who came in its path, after it had been hit and derailed from its initial path. The two pedestrians who were hit by the Toyota Sprinter died on the spot.
Meanwhile, two other persons who were sitting on the loaded trucks died as a result of the collision. The Northern Province Police Commanding Officer Lucky Munkondya disclosed the details of the incident with the media.
She shared the details of the accident with the media through a police statement. Commanding officer Munkhondya said two of the deceased are traders who were on the truck while two others were pedestrians.
She stated that the accident happened when the Toyota Sprinter which was in front of the truck reduced speed while trying to turn off the road. This further resulted in one truck hitting into the other due to over speeding causing the second truck to hit into the Toyota Sprinter.
Meanwhile, Munkondya said the two other passengers who died were in the last truck which hit the first truck, triggering the accident.
The Commanding Officer has since called on munada traders to abide by traffic regulations to avoid such accidents.
Munada traders are synonymous with sitting on top of trucks that are loaded with merchandise which they take to the market.