10 people perish as Mazhandu bus collides with truck

Nine people have died on the spot while another died at kapiri mposhi district hospital after a Higer bus heading to Kitwe collided with a truck on the Great North road near Lwanshimba between Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi this morning.

Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) head of public relations Fredrick Mubanga says the Higer bus registration number ALZ 3197 belonging to Mazhandu family bus services driven by Vincent Hangandu collided with a Freightliner truck registration number ACM 1160 belonging to Sandhu transport around 05:40 hours.

Mr Mubanga says of the nine people who died on the spot, seven were onboard the bus who include three females and four males, including the bus driver, while two people, the truck driver and a female passenger were onboard the truck.

Mr. Mubanga says Higer bus is alleged to have been over speeding and lost control thereby swaying into the opposite lane and collided with the south bound Freightliner truck.

He adds that the Mazhandu Family bus left Lusaka for Kitwe yesterday at 15L35 hours with 34 passengers, but had a road mishap earlier yesterday at around 19:00 hours.

Mr Mubanga says the driver however used the same bus and started off at around 05:00 hours this morning.

Mr Mubanga states that the Agency will advise the public will advise the public on the next course of action concerning the poor road safety profile for Mazhandu Family bus service.