Africa-Press – Ethiopia. October 15, 2025—a day meant to honor and celebrate mothers across Malawi—has once again turned into a day of mourning for too many families. This morning, a minibus carrying passengers to Mangochi for Mother’s Day festivities veered off Khwekhwelele Road in Dedza.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos: twisted metal, cries of pain, and families scrambling to rescue their loved ones as emergency responders worked tirelessly to provide aid. Multiple lives were lost, and several others were injured, leaving the nation in shock.
This tragic accident is far from an isolated event.
Malawi has seen a troubling rise in road accidents during Mother’s Day celebrations over the years. In 2023, at least 18 people died in road accidents over the same holiday period—a 350 percent increase from the four deaths reported the previous year.
The Malawi Police Service identified speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol as leading causes. Over three days, authorities arrested 350 people for excessive speeding and 98 for drunk driving, recording a total of 4,189 traffic offenses nationwide.
Among the victims in previous years were families returning from Mother’s Day retreats. In 2023, eight people from Illovo Sugar (Malawi) plc Dwangwa Estate died when their vehicle plunged into the Kapeska River in Nkhata Bay after failing to negotiate a sharp bend. Such incidents reveal a pattern: fatigue, recklessness, and poorly maintained vehicles often converge with the festive rush of holiday travel, turning roads into danger zones.
The risk is not limited to roads.
Lakes, rivers, and other water bodies become deadly playgrounds during Mother’s Day. As many Malawians flock to beaches and resorts along Lake Malawi, drowning incidents spike. In 2025, police in Salima expressed concern after 18 people had drowned in Lake Malawi since January, issuing warnings about unsafe boating and swimming under the influence of alcohol.
In 2021, two young men drowned at Senga Bay during Mother’s Day celebrations. Civil society groups like the Road Safety Alert Foundation (Rosaf) warn that unless stronger measures are taken, these tragedies will continue to claim lives and hinder national development.
Experts emphasize that these accidents are largely preventable.
Road safety consultant Chifwede Hara points to fatigue, alcohol, speeding, and vehicles that are not roadworthy as major contributors. “It is government’s responsibility, but drivers and passengers also have a duty to be cautious,” Hara said. “Losing 18 lives over a single holiday is too much for a small country like ours.”
The recurring tragedies raise difficult, unanswered questions. Why does a day dedicated to celebrating life and love so often become a day of grief? Why do warnings from authorities, repeated arrests, and public campaigns fail to prevent such loss? And how can families be encouraged to travel safely while still honoring the significance of this holiday?
Mother’s Day in Malawi is supposed to be about gratitude, reflection, and joy. Yet, year after year, families bear the heavy cost of accidents, alcohol, fatigue, and lack of preparedness.
The challenge for Malawi is clear: celebration must be paired with vigilance, awareness, and shared responsibility. Only then can the country hope to turn sorrow into safety—and ensure that honoring mothers does not come with heartbreak.
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