At least 931 people died in road accidents across Malawi in 2025, Inspector General of Police Richard Luhanga said on Wednesday night.
The figure represents a slight decline from the 958 deaths recorded in 2024 but remains a concern to observers.
Speaking at the National Police Headquarters in Lilongwe during an end-of-year ball for senior police officers, Luhanga said that despite the reduction, the death toll remained “unacceptably high”.
“This number is still way too high,” he said, reiterating that every life lost on the roads is one too many.
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Luhanga identified kabaza motorcyclists as a major concern, saying they contribute significantly to road accidents.
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“Due to odd operating hours, the cyclists have fallen prey to robbers which has led to murders in certain circumstances. We need to reverse this trend,” he said.
He admitted that most kabaza riders lack basic knowledge of safe road use in Malawi.
Abdul Osman, Executive Director of Roadnetic, a road safety and driver training consultancy firm, said reducing road accidents requires a shift in behaviour rather than infrastructure alone.
He said 99 percent of all accidents are caused by human error.
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“Frankly, our roads are full of drivers who have insufficient training. Driving is an art and unfortunately many drivers do not understand this art. Driving starts way before an engine starts, before a driver steps into a vehicle,” Osman said.
He called on the government to make defensive driving courses mandatory for all drivers, arguing that this would prevent poorly trained motorists from using public roads.
He also urged consistent and fair enforcement of traffic laws.
“Law enforcement needs to be visible, consistent and fair so that rules are obeyed out of respect not fear. This should not be selective either. All road users must be subjected to the same rules and regulations,” he said.
He further pointed out the need for early education on road safety.
“Road safety should be taught as a life skill not just a test to pass. Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike must learn that the road is a shared space not a battlefield. This can be incorporated in our curriculum in schools,” Osman said.
Road Safety Alert Foundation (Rosaf) Executive Director Joel Jere described the high number of fatalities as worrying and said human error remains the leading cause of accidents.
Jere cited speeding, overloading and other factors as major contributors and called for collaboration among all stakeholders to reduce deaths on the roads. Jere said targeted enforcement and training for kabaza operators could make a significant difference.
“On kabaza we have been saying now and again that enforcement and Highway Code training implemented in partnership with City Councils is a game changer,” he said.
He added that Rosaf runs a ‘Kabaza Safety Training and Licensing Programme’ that provides Highway Code training and licensing but said government support is needed to strengthen such initiatives.
Last month Minister of Transport and Public Works Feston Kaupa urged all road traffic and safety enforcement agencies to intensify their efforts if the country is to achieve the global goal of reducing road traffic accidents and fatalities by 50 percent by 2030.
Kaupa said despite ongoing enforcement and awareness activities, the number of accidents has not significantly decreased.
He attributed this to a lack of evidence-based approaches in current interventions.
Kaupa added that while kabaza remain among the leading causes of road accidents, other risks including long-distance passenger taxis also require serious attention.
During the New Year Ball Luhanga also revealed that recorded criminal cases nationwide fell by six percent in 2025, from 40,037 cases in 2024 to 37,790.
He said violent crimes showed notable declines, with murder cases dropping by three percent and robberies by nine percent.
Luhanga attributed the reduction to sustained police efforts to combat serious crime and commended officers for their dedication in investigation and prevention.
