ROAD ACCIDENTS IN MALAWI - A threat to life

On the morning of Saturday the 5th of September, the nation learnt with shock the death of 22 people in Rumphi District near Mchenga coal mine when the bus they were travelling in from Mzuzu to Karonga was involved in an accident. Several others were wounded and were rushed to Mzuzu Central Hospital while others were admitted at Rumphi District Hospital.

It is a fact that road accidents have become one of the major killers in the country apart from AIDS and Malaria. Road safety experts claim that road accidents in the country claim four lives daily. It is also reported that Malawi has the worst record of road accidents in the Sub-Saharan region.

It is painful and shocking to loose people who could have helped in the development of the country in these road accidents. Many others have been crippled and incapacitated by these accidents some of which are preventable. Much as I applaud the efforts being made to deal with these accidents, i think there is need to also concentrate on those that are affected by these accidents.

Every time an accidents occurs, their is much publicity in our press but very little is done afterwards. Apart from a few condolences that the affected families are given and the prosecution of those behind the accidents, nothing is done. But it should be understood that any life that is lost brings problems to the affected families. Bread winners, guardians, parents, wives, husbands and various important relations are lost leaving the bereaved families incapacitated.

At a workshop aimed at finding solutions to these accidents, it was suggested that a fund be setup to compensate familes who loose their loved ones and those who are injured in road accidents. Participants went further to suggest that a certain amount be added to the bus fares to cater for this fund. This is a welcome development and it will help lots of people who are affected by this accidents. But just like many other policies, this will take time to be implemented whereas road accidents will continue to take people's lives.

I know people whose lives have completely changed after being involved in road accidents. Some are completely crippled that they can no longer do their normal work. It is sad to learn that they have not received anything from the owners of the cars that were involved in accidents.

Recently families of two women who were killed in a road accident in Bangwe cried foul after the court ruled that they be paid a meagre amount in compesation. these are familes who lost bread winners in an accident caused by reckless driving.

I urge all the concern parties from the government to the passengers to do all they can to prevent these road accidents. Otherwise the ugly scenes of accidents we see in our televisions and newspapers are will continue to be part of us.

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IF I HAD TIME…

I could have written of the by-elections that the ruling party in Malawi lost. Yes I could have said of how a seat previously held by the Veep of the country was lost to an independent candidate. I mean if I came close to this blog, I could not have resisted the temptation of informing you how a party which won the elections with an overwhelming majority a few months ago failed to convince people from two important constituencies.

Only that I was busy doing some other things. This also prevented me of telling the end of the ‘resurrected man’ saga. I wanted to write of how the Police ended up arresting the witch doctor and the ‘resurrected man’s mother. People of a village in Nsanje identified Moses Levison as a madman from their village and not the ‘resurrected person” as we were made to believe. Since I was busy,I failed to tell you that he has since been sent to the Mental hospital in Zomba.

IF I HAD TIME…..

I could have written of an incident in Bangwe which prompted residents to turn violent for the second time in less than a month. I could have said of the Mozambican who made a mistake of performing a ritual at the same place another person was beaten by angry residents. His car and that of a sympathiser were smashed to pieces by these people believing that he is behind the various road accidents.

I really wanted to write of the recent bill that the Malawi Parliament passed and has prompted debate and accusations from various quarters. The Marriage bill which was passed in two hours has ‘improved’ the recommended age for girls to be married from 15 yrs to 16 yrs and with consent from parents. Of the over 190 Parliamentarians only one had the guts to vote against the bill.

I was very busy in the past week that I failed to write of the reactions from the civil society organisations, chiefs and many other NGO’s on this bill dubbed, Chidyamakanda bill. The last time we had this kind of reaction was when Madonna wanted to adopt Mercy James. Every NGO, registered or not, active or passive, issued a press release, statement or wrote a petition against Madonna.

Time prevented me from telling you of the Chiefs who are granted interviews by various radio stations and newspapers to speak against the marriage bill when they have lots of girls in their villages who are married and are as young as 15 years.

IF I HAD TIME…..

I could have informed you that there is still no progress in cotton prices saga. It seems farmers should forget of selling their cotton at the government set price. Time is running out and buyers are not relenting and some are buying cotton at a very cheap price. And nobody seems to care whether the farmers are benefitting or not.

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ARE MALAWIANS MORE SUPERSTITIOUS?

The past three weeks have seen lots of stories about witchcraft making it to the front pages of the local dairies. From here in Mulanje where Agness Musolo delivered a 'stone' to Blantyre where a dead man 'resurrected' through Chileka where a man 'locked' his wife's private parts.

Various commentators have voiced out their views on all these strange happenings which have even prompted reputable geologists, psychologists,and specialist doctors in various fields to conduct experiments.

We all know that witchcraft exists and it is widely practiced in Malawi and many parts of the world (don't ask me how i came to this conclusion). But to find that all of a sudden these news are making headlines and are receiving positive comments keeps one wondering as to whether Malawians are becoming more superstitious.

A lot of property was damaged and people were injured in Bangwe because of chicken believed to be behind the road accidents (superstition). This is no simple matter and is likely to happen another day at another place where lots of accidents happen. A few days later a girl was thrown out on a witchcraft plane in the same area, Bangwe. In Mulanje everyone believes that the spirits in the mountain are behind the disappearance of Gabriel Bushman. From the village headman to those who organised the rescue operation all believe that the spirits are behind this. (More superstition).

The man who 'resurrected' in Blantyre is happily coming back to terms with his family after spending 6 months in the 'grave'. Instead of the authorities who are responsible for our health, safety and welfare, the 'resurrected man', Moses Levison is in the protection of a witch doctor (so these doctors are witches!!) More superstition.

When the scientists concluded that Agness Musolo did not give birth to the 'stone' but rather inserted it to the birth passage, more voices were against these finding choosing to believe the work of magic. (Superstition) I thought these are respected, learned professionals who are supposed to guide us in issues they know better than us.

Some thing ought to be done fast before we are all brainwashed to believe in witchcraft. I don't know what has to be done to deal with this (is it to adopt the witchcraft law or invest more time in prayer).

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