Zambia Road Safety Trust
ZRST calls for a costed road safety response under presidential coordination
File photo: Daniel Mwamba, CEO/Executive Director, Zambia Road Safety Trust. Source: ZRST media archive.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LUSAKA, 12 November 2026: The Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST) is calling for the designation of a senior coordinating official to secure a costed road safety response, with named institutional leads and public reporting.
The request is set out in a letter addressed to President Hakainde Hichilema, dated 23 October 2026, from Daniel Mwamba, CEO/Executive Director, Zambia Road Safety Trust. It proposes coordination through Cabinet Office and the responsible Permanent Secretaries.
The letter is copied to the Secretary to the Cabinet; Permanent Secretaries for Transport & Logistics, Home Affairs, Infrastructure, Local Government, Health and Finance; the Director and Chief Executive Officer of RTSA; the Inspector General of Police; and the Director and Chief Executive Officer of RDA.
ZRST’s compilation of police quarterly figures shows 2,286 reported road deaths between January and September 2026, compared with 1,893 in the corresponding period of 2025. The increase is 393 deaths, approximately 21 per cent. The figures refer to people killed and cover nine months.
The Trust proposes four priorities:
- A costed action schedule, identifying institutional leads, milestones, available funds and financing gaps.
- A targeted enforcement plan, covering priority locations and times, including the festive season, with reporting on speed compliance, alcohol testing, restraint use and serious casualties.
- Safer school routes and high-risk road sections, supported by published designs, costs and maintenance responsibilities, followed by approved and funded crossings, footpaths and appropriate 30 km/h school-zone measures.
- Targeted commercial transport and emergency response measures, addressing vehicle condition, driver fatigue, operator compliance and emergency referral gaps on selected routes.
On enforcement, the letter states: “offence totals and fine revenue alone cannot demonstrate safer roads.”
The letter asks for quarterly public reporting against deaths and serious injuries. It also distinguishes funded work from proposals requiring further approval or procurement.
ZRST has requested a written response identifying a coordinating official and a proposed meeting date. The Trust offers community and school-route evidence; any commissioned services would require a separate agreement and applicable approvals.
Download the letter
Download ZRST’s letter to the President dated 23 October 2026 (PDF)
ENDS
Media contact
Daniel Mwamba
CEO/Executive Director, Zambia Road Safety Trust
Email: info@zambianroadsafety.org
Telephone: +260 961 475 610
Website: www.zambianroadsafety.org
About ZRST
The Zambia Road Safety Trust is a Zambian non-governmental organisation working on child road safety, safer school routes, pedestrian and cyclist safety, speed management, research and driver training.