MDF soldier dies in road accident in Ntcheu
A Malawi Defence Force(MDF) soldier has died while others were seriously injured when a vehicle they were travelling in overturned at Njereza village along Ntcheu-Balaka M1 road at around 3pm on Tuesday.
The soldier identified as Lance Corporal Morton Mhango, 35, of Kamuzu Barracks in Lilongwe, died on the spot. He hailed from Kamgwamba Village, Traditional Authority Chikulamayembe, Rumphi, died on spot due to head injuries.
The IVECO truck registration number MDF 1120 was being driven by Lance Corporal Kenani Silungwe, 35, of Chisenga village Traditional Authority Mwenewenya, Chitipa based at Chilumba Barracks in Karonga.
Ntcheu Police spokesperson Hastings Chigalu said two people namely; Chipiliro Dziziyo and Amin Issa, sustained multiple injuries and have been admitted to Ntcheu District Hospital while seven others sustained minor injuries and were treated as outpatients.
“He was driving from the direction of Ntcheu towards Balaka with ten passengers onboard and upon arrival at the said place, he tried to overtake a fuel Tanker registration number ZA 6248/ ZA 9646 belonging to Zagaf but in the process he hit the tanker as he was trying to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle. As a result, he lost control of the vehicle which overturned.”
Chigalu said that the Zagaf tanker was being driven by Trance Naziyaya 38, of Nanthoka village Traditional Authority Machinjiri, Blantyre.
He said the two people who sustain injuries are now in a stable condition and have been transferred to Kamuzu Central Hospital for further treatment. The injured were from the MDF vehicle which was extensively damaged.
In a related development, a 15-year-old girl has died in Chikwawa after being hit by a vehicle along the Blantyre-Chikwawa road.
The deceased, identified as Rhoda Dunga, was hit near Mthumba bridge in Maseya Village.
The spokesperson for Chikwawa Police Station Foster Benjamin said the accident occurred when a driver, identified as Humphreys Kabota, who was driving a Honda saloon, registration number ZA 4204, hit the victim who was cycling in the same direction.
“Following the impact, the victim sustained severe head injuries and was pronounced dead at Chikwawa District Hospital,” he said
The deceased hailed from Tomali Village in the area of Paramount Chief Lundu in Chikwawa while the driver comes from Kachinjika Village in the area of Traditional Authority Ganya in Ntcheu.
Police have since called on all road users to observe road safety and regulations to avoid such incidents.
