Allexer Namundjembo
The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has blamed the government’s delay in passing the Public Passenger Road Transport Bill for continued road deaths.
This comes after a fatal accident near Oniimbwele village in Oshikoto on Monday, which left nine people dead and ten others injured.
IPC’s shadow minister of works and transport, Nelson Tuhafeni Kalangula, said the lack of updated road safety laws and poor road maintenance continue to cost lives.
He said the crash should serve as a wake-up call for authorities to fix Namibia’s unsafe roads.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and extend our most profound sympathies to the affected families. This tragedy must not be treated as an isolated incident but as a clear signal that our roads are unsafe and our systems need urgent reform,” Kalangula said.
According to police reports, the crash happened when an Iveco bus travelling from Ondangwa collided head-on with a tipper truck along the B1 road near Oniimbwele.
Several passengers sustained serious injuries and were taken to Onandjokwe Hospital for treatment.
Kalangula urged the government to speed up the bill’s tabling and improve infrastructure along high-risk routes such as the B1 highway.
He also appealed to motorists to drive carefully during the school holidays and festive season and called on the public to avoid sharing graphic images of the crash.
“The time for condolences alone is over. We need decisive action to ensure safer roads and stricter law enforcement,” he said.
The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund also extended condolences to the families of the victims.
MVA Fund chief executive officer Rosalia Martins-Hausiku described the incident as a painful reminder of the fragility of life and urged motorists to remain alert and cautious.
She said the MVA Fund will assist affected families with funeral grants and ensure the injured receive medical care.
“The MVA Fund calls on all road users to remain alert, cautious, and considerate on the roads. Every moment of vigilance can save lives,” the Fund said.
Martins-Hausiku also revealed that the fund reported that 67 road crashes occurred nationwide in the past week alone.
She said between January and 19 October 2025, Namibia recorded 2 606 crashes, 4 216 injuries and 401 fatalities.
Martins-Hausiku asserted that responsible driving and adherence to traffic laws can prevent many crashes.
