Six people died on Friday after a Freightliner heavy truck registration number CK 3103/ CK 4353 , when the driver failed to negotiate a corner due to overspeeding, causing the vehicle to swerve sideways and overturn at Luviri along Mzimba/Jenda M1 road and killing the pedestrians, police have confirmed.





Police said the truck – which was being driven by Christopher Chimbaula – had one passenger on board and was driving from Luwawa Forest carrying offcuts (Zigwagwa).

“Upon arrival at Luviri while descending a steep slope, at the same time negociating a curved road, he lost control of the vehicle due to excessive speed vehicle overturned sideways in the process the falling offcuts ended up hitting the pedestrians who were coming from Luviri CCAP Church to their various homes,” said Mzimba police spokesperson Peter Botha.

Botha identified the six who died on the spot as Love Mkandawire aged 13 years from Elia village, Mrs Esther Nkhata aged 22 of village Kaphang’ombe, Gracious Zimba one year old of village Kaphang’ombe and Magret Ndhlovu 58 from village Kasokola all under T/A Mzikubola in Mzimba.

The other two are Mrs Nelia Kachali 53 of village Khenjani and Mrs Kestina Chavula 28 of village Khenjani T/A Mzikubola in Mzimba.

“All died on the spot due to multiple fractures and head injuries,” Botha said.

He said their bodies were taken to Mzimba District Hospital mortuary.

However, the passenger in the truck suffered general body pains and is admitted at Mzimba District Hospital, while the driver is being hunted by the police as he is at large.

The truck got extensively damaged.

Botha urged all drivers to avoid over speeding to avoid similar accidents.

It has been a bad spell for Mzimba District with several accidents claiming many lives, including 22 Malawi Defence Force soldiers who died when a vehicle they were travelling in overturned at Mapanjira on November 1 last year