By Chisomo Phiri
Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara, has warned enforcers of traffic rules and regulations to stop being lenient towards those who fail to comply with laws on the country’s roads.
Speaking at Gymkhana Ground in Zomba on Sunday during the commemoration of Africa Road Safety Day, Hara expressed concern over the behavior of some law enforcers.
Said Hara:”Why give someone a General Receipt (GR) and allow them to commit multiple crimes on the road at the expense of people’s lives?.This has to end forthwith.”
The minister underscored the government’s commitment to meeting Malawi 2063, to reduce fatal accidents by 50 percent by 2030.
Mayor for Zomba City, Councilor Christopher Jana, lamented the lack of seriousness in enforcing the law on the roads of Malawi.
“The operators are overloading, using unworthy vehicles, and other shortcuts to beat the law, to satisfy the employer,” said Jana.
The Director of Road Traffic and Safety Services(DRTSS), Andrew Sandula, said that if all stakeholders join hands, accidents could be reduced to minimal levels.
In Malawi,50 percent of the road accidents are caused by kabaza operators, according to the DRTSS.
The African Road Safety Day was commemorated under the theme: Voluntary compliance with road traffic rules saves lives, non-compliance is fatal.
