By SYLVIA MWEETWA –
ABOUT 50 passengers were severely injured after the bus they were travelling in overturned in Chibombo.
As at 06:30 hours, 17 passengers had been evacuated to Lusaka’s University Teaching Hospital (UTH), while 33 others were admitted at  Liteta  District  Hospital.
The 75-seater Power Tools bus registration number ACX 7615 was travelling from Solwezi to Lusaka.
It careered off the road shortly after midnight near John Chinena area and overturned several times, injuring 50 passengers on board.
Many of the passengers suffered broken arms and legs, while others sustained deep cuts in various parts of the body.
More than 20 came out unscathed but had to be observed by medical personnel before being discharged.
Four ambulances were called in from Lusaka to evacuate the injured passengers to hospital.
Some survivors complained to Central Province Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale, who rushed to the scene, that the driver identified  as  Paul Chisenga  was  rude and was speeding.
They said effort s to ask him to reduce his speed fell on deaf ears.
The driver is also alleged to have dropped off two women shortly before the accident for raising concern over the manner he was driving.
Mary Lungu explained that after the two women were left behind, the passengers were scared to speak out.
Provincial medical officer  Rosemary Mwanza said  the  33 admitted to Liteta hospital were still  being observed but described their condition  as  stable.
Central Province police chief Lombe Kamukoshi said that the driver would be charged for careless driving.
Ms Mutale appealed to drivers to  exercise  caution on the road  to avoid  accidents.
“This  accident  could  have been avoided  if  the driver  was  careful  but complaints that he was speeding and was  not ready to listen to concerns are saddening,” he said.