Africa-Press – Botswana. The absence of walkways on numerous roads and highways is a major contributor and often the cause of serious and fatal pedestrian accidents, says Francistown mayor Mr Gaone Majere.
He was speaking at the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA Fund) 2025 Safe Mobility Challenge in Francistown on Saturday. While acknowledging lack of walkways, Mr Majere said pedestrians retained the right to use the roadsides, and that drivers had a responsibility to respect that right.
He further proposed incorporating pedestrian safety awareness into the driver’s licence testing process to address the lack of respect for pedestrians among motorists. Mr Majere highlighted the challenge’s role in promoting active mobility, emphasising the importance of walking and cycling for personal health and road safety.
He further underscored the global significance of road safety, saying the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 2023 report indicated that 1.19 million lives were lost annually due to road traffic accidents globally, with vulnerable road users comprising 53 per cent of these fatalities.
MVA Fund chief executive officer, Mr Michael Tlhagwane noted a significant increase in pedestrian fatalities over the past five years, saying Botswana lost an average of 400 lives annually to road traffic accidents, with pedestrians accounting for 30 per cent of these deaths, a figure that had risen from 21 per cent in 2019 to 32 per cent in the present.
In 2024, she said Francistown recorded eight pedestrian fatalities, 17 serious injuries and 83 minor injuries. Additionally, he said one cyclist was killed and two others sustained injuries. These figures, he said, were alarming and preventable.
Meanwhile, Mr Tlhagwane explained that the Road Safety Challenge was a key initiative within the MVA Fund’s broader strategic objective to improve road safety through targeted interventions focused on road user behaviour. He said road safety was multifaceted, encompassing accident prevention and improved post-crash care.
The fund’s corporate and communications officer, Ms Ogomoditswe Mooketsi said MVA Fund continued to bear the immense financial burden of compensating victims of road accidents, fatalities, injuries, and property damage, amounting to millions of Pula annually. Ms Mooketsi stressed the profound human cost beyond the financial implications.
She emphasised the Fund’s commitment to preventative measures and community engagement noting that this year’s theme: Be Seen, Be Safe, Your Life Matters, underscored the importance of visibility and caution for all road users.
She said chosing Francistown to host this year’s event reflected the fund’s commitment to nationwide outreach, particularly given the concerning rise in accidents involving pedestrians in areas like such the blocks, Maipaafela, and the Francistown bus rank. Activities of the day included aerobics, cycling events (10km, 30km, and 60km) as well as running/walking options (5km, 10km, and 21km), all offered free of charge to encourage participation.
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