On May 12, 2025, Zambia Road Safety Trust joined the global community in marking the 8th United Nations Global Road Safety Week, held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre under the theme, “Streets for Life – #MakeWalkingSafe#MakeCyclingSafe.” The event brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, development partners, and local communities, all united in the call to address the growing crisis of pedestrian and cyclist safety in the country.
With nearly 48% of road traffic fatalities in Zambia involving pedestrians and cyclists, and 60% of urban trips made on foot or by bicycle, the need for urgent reforms was clear. Chanda, a 19-year-old university student tragically killed by a speeding minibus, became a symbol of the countless lives lost on Zambia’s roads. Her story was shared as a reminder that behind every statistic are real people, families, and futures forever altered.
Amon Mweemba, CEO of the Road Transport and Safety Agency (Ask RTSA), officially launched the week’s activities, emphasizing that road safety is a shared responsibility. He called for the urgent development of a new National Road Safety Strategy (2025–2030) and stressed the importance of partnerships across sectors to protect vulnerable road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists.
During his address, Allen Mate, Chairperson of the RTSA Board, shared the story of Chanda, pointing to the stark reality that Zambia’s road fatalities are at crisis levels. He highlighted that 51 children have died in traffic accidents in 2025 alone, underscoring the importance of safe infrastructure. Mr. Mate also proposed concrete solutions, including the allocation of 10% of Constituency Development Funds (CDFs) to local road safety initiatives and the launch of the Honorary Inspector Program within 30 days.
In his remarks, Laurent Rudasingwa, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Zambia), warned that Zambia could lose more than 150,000 citizens in the next 30 years if reforms are not implemented immediately. He called on Zambia to develop a comprehensive national road safety strategy in alignment with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030).
Innovative solutions were also showcased by the Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST), which presented the Walkability App and Risk Mapping, low-cost tools aimed at improving pedestrian infrastructure and safety. O’Brien Chilekwa, Project Implementation Manager, called for a radical shift away from car-centric infrastructure and emphasized the need for a more inclusive, people-focused approach to road design.
Hon. Frank Tayali, Minister of Transport and Logistics, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving road safety. He called for stronger collaboration across ministries and stakeholders, and stressed the need for investment in pedestrian lanes and cyclist paths, as well as enforcement against reckless driving and corruption in driving schools.
The event concluded with a clear call for immediate action to address the road safety crisis in Zambia. Key recommendations include:
Development of the National Road Safety Strategy (2025-2030)
Allocation of 10% of CDFs to local road safety projects
Launch of the Honorary Inspector Program
Increased investment in pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure and
Increased investment in pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure and a nationwide crackdown on reckless driving, illegal vending, and corruption in driving schools