Human rights activists in Chitipa and Karonga have blamed traffic police officers for fatal road accidents in the two districts.

The accusation comes against the background of two people who died in a road accident on Chitipa-Karonga Road.

The accident involved a Toyota Sienta registration CP 7672 which reportedly had more than 10 passengers on board.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, civic educator Freency Mapanga blamed traffic police officers for not enforcing capacity of small vehicles operating in the districts.

She said: “Karonga and Chitipa districts are the only places Sientas can carry up to 17 passengers and luggage without being cautioned by traffic police officers manning roadblocks.

“The front seat can have up to four passengers and pass traffic police officers. This is dangerous as drivers cannot control a car in case of emergency.”

Mapanga said overloading damages roads and bridges which is costly to tax payers.

“Therefore, I appeal to law enforcers from the two districts to do something to save lives of innocent people,” she said.

Karonga-based social governance commentator Louis Nkhata also asked law enforcement agents to step up efforts of checking vehicles’ road worthiness and capacity of passengers.

He said: “Police have a huge role to play to reduce road accidents. They should ensure that road users adhere to rules and regulations.

“Again, police should desist from receiving bribes from drivers who break rules such as over speeding and exceeding capacity of passengers.”

But Karonga Police Station spokesperson George Mulewa said the responsibility to end road accidents lies with passengers and drivers.

“When we talk of issues of controlling road accidents we should not spare individual responsibility because the capacity of each vehicle is indicated on the insurance disc for everyone to check and comply before police officers come in,” he said.

Chitipa Police Station spokesperson Gladson Simwaka also said safety should start with an individual passenger.

“Passengers should take responsibility of avoiding boarding vehicles that have exceeded seating capacity,” he said.

However, Karonga District Taxi Operators Association chairperson Zondiwe Nkhonjera said his association does not condone exceeding capacity, saying drivers who do so do not belong to the association.

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