. Katongo

By JAMES KUNDA  and JAJAH COULIBALY –
NINETEEN people have been injured, three critically, after two passenger buses were involved in an accident as one of them was trying to elude traffic police.
Among the critically injured was a baby that is said to have suffered damage to the neck.
Police confirmed the incident, but denied any knowledge of involvement in the circumstances.
But witnesses interviewed at the scene by the Times said the driver of one of the buses involved, a Mitsubishi Rosa, appeared to have been trying to shake off a police officer chasing him on a motorbike.
They said the officer disappeared when the accident happened, with the bus ramming into the perimeter wall of the Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) offices in Lusaka’s Villa Elizabetha area.
Police said the Mitsubishi (ALF 7498) was being driven by Ivin Phiri, 47, while the man behind the wheel of the Toyota Hiace (ALZ 235) was named as Emmanuel Kawelele, whose age was unknown.
Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said in a statement that the accident happened at 11:30 hours at the Chishango-Nchoncho Road junction, with Mr Phiri sustaining serious injuries.
“The accident occurred when the driver of the Toyota Hiace failed to give way to the Mitsubishi Rosa which later hit into a wall fence of NGOCC damaging it partially. No one has died in the accident,” Ms
Katongo said.
She said there were no reports that traffic officers were chasing after either of the buses, but people with any such information should report the matter to Emmasdale Police station in Lusaka, where the matter was being handled.
Meanwhile, information obtained at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) revealed that three people, among them a baby who sustained a broken neck were in critical condition after the accident.
Meanwhile, Ms Katongo said three unidentified people – a male and two females –  died on the spot, while 10 others sustained serious injuries in an accident which occurred on Saturday in Central Province.
The incident occurred at about 12:15 hours, three kilometres south of Prospect Police station on the  Great North Road.
Ms Katongo said involved in the accident was a Toyota Hiace, registration number AHB 4321 driven by Darlington Mwanza, 35, of Mandevu Township in Lusaka.
The vehicle was travelling from Kabwe to Lusaka with 12 passengers on board.
“The accident happened when the driver lost control of the motor vehicle due to a rear right tyre burst and it overturned,” Ms Katongo said.
She said a Mr Mwanza and three juveniles were among the injured and admitted to Kabwe General Hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were lying in the mortuary awaiting identification and postmortem.