Lions Hospital management has disclosed that at least 50 percent of riders admitted to the Lilongwe facility following Kabaza [bicycle taxi]-related road accidents do not possess valid riders’ licences, raising serious concerns about road safety compliance and enforcement.
Medical director Boston Munthali disclosed this during a visit by the Minister of State Alfred Gangata and Kabaza Association representatives to the hospital’s accident ward as part of activities marking Kabaza Day.
Hospital officials revealed that Kabaza-related crashes account for about half of all road traffic accidents recorded around the busy Lions junction, placing immense pressure on emergency and surgical services at the referral facility.
“On Sunday alone, the hospital received 16 emergency patients with severe injuries linked to Kabaza accidents,” said one senior official.
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Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), which receives referrals from Lions Hospital, is also struggling to cope with the surge in accident-related admissions from the Kabaza–Lions junction corridor.
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The accident ward at KCH, originally designed to accommodate 72 patients, is now handling about 130 patients daily, largely due to road traffic accidents involving motorcycles.
Hospital statistics further indicate that admissions linked to Kabaza accidents account for about 233 percent of the expected patient load.
“The volume of patients we are receiving is far beyond what the infrastructure was designed to handle,” said a senior KCH official during a tour of the ward. “This is seriously affecting service delivery, especially for surgical cases.”
KCH operates five theatres but officials say the facilities are still insufficient to meet the growing demand for operations, particularly for accident victims who often require urgent and complex surgical interventions.
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As a result, the hospital has been forced to rely on donations to conduct some medical and surgical procedures, a situation management describes as unsustainable.
In a bid to ease congestion, KCH has announced plans to construct a separate ward for women, which is expected to decongest existing wards and improve patient management.
Meanwhile, Director of Road Traffic Services Madalitso Kuyera has called on the Kabaza leadership to urgently enforce road safety regulations, particularly in business hotspots such as the Kabaza-Lions junction.
“They can do their business but they must follow road rules and regulations. We do not want them to be on the road and at the same time lose their lives,” Kuyera said.
Kabaza Association Chairperson Moses Mwalabu admitted that most motorcycle taxis have been identified as one of the major contributors to fatal road accidents in the country.
“We acknowledge the problem, and we will ensure that everyone doing this business has a valid rider’s licence. From January 2026, we will be enforcing this,” Mwalabu said.
