One person killed in Kabila motorcade accident
DRC President Joseph Kabila in New York on September 23, 2017. His motorcade was involve in an accident in Zambia on February 18, 2018 in which one person was killed and another injured. PHOTO | BRYAN R. SMITH | AFP
What you need to know:
- On Sunday, during a trip in Zambia, a car in DRC President Joseph Kabila's motorcade collided head-on with another car.
- One person was killed and another seriously injured.
- Last Wednesday in DRC, as Kabila was travelling back to the capital Kinshasa, a car in his motorcade collided with a cement truck. Five people, including three soldiers, were killed.
LUSAKA
One person was killed and another seriously injured in a road accident in Zambia involving Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila’s motorcade.
Zambia police said “there was a serious road traffic accident in which one person died”, on Sunday.
CRASH
It was the second time in less than a week that President Kabila's motorcade was involved in a road accident.
Last Wednesday, five people were killed following an accident involving a cement truck and President Kabila's motorcade, about 220km south of Kinshasa.
The three soldiers and two civilians died as President Kabila was returning to the capital.
A presidential spokesman said the accident was caused by "heavy rain", although early reports suggested speed was a factor.
COLLISION
On Sunday in Zambia, local media reported a head-on collision between a Toyota Dyna and one of President Kabila's escort cars.
“The accident happened when the Mazda, which was being driven by an inspector who was part of the presidential escort, collided with a Toyota Dyna which failed to give way,” Zambia police spokesperson Esther Katongo said in a statement.
“The government vehicle spinned and hit a police officer at his point of duty on route lining. The officer sustained injuries on his left leg.”
The driver of the Toyota Dyna died while in hospital, Zambian media reported.
Police did not say if President Kabila’s vehicle was affected in the accident.
He was travelling with Zambia’s Foreign minister Joe Malanji.
VISIT
President Kabila was in Zambia for what he termed “enforcing the existing bilateral relations between the two neighbouring states”.
Government sources said President Kabila was in Zambia to discuss the “matter of controversial elections in the DR Congo and refugees who have been trekking to Zambia following instability in bordering towns.”
Zambian President Edgar Lungu pledged to help resolve the political impasse in the DRC.
President Kabila visited the country’s Presidential burial site, held talks with his counterpart and later met with first president Kenneth Kaunda.
Opposition political parties have been demanding that Mr Kabila step down and call elections.
