Malawi’s motorbike crisis: registered and insured bikes, but unlicensed riders
The growing number of unlicensed motorcycle riders operating in Malawi’s cities is raising serious concerns about road safety, regulatory enforcement and the responsibility of motorcycle owners.
Motorcycle taxis, commonly known as kabaza, have become an important part of urban transport in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu and Zomba, providing affordable mobility while supporting thousands of livelihoods.
However, the expansion of the sector has exposed a worrying gap between registering and insuring motorcycles and ensuring that the individuals operating them possess valid driving licences.
Under Malawi’s Road Traffic Act, registering a motorcycle and obtaining third-party insurance do not replace the legal requirement for its rider to hold an appropriate driving licence.
Research presented in 2025 by researchers affiliated with the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences found that 88.9 percent of motorcycle riders involved in the motorcycle-related accident cases examined at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital did not have valid driving licences.
The study also identified low helmet use and concerns about motorcycle roadworthiness, highlighting wider weaknesses in compliance with road safety requirements.
Police statistics further indicate that kabaza-related accidents increased from 200 cases in the first quarter of 2024 to 227 during the corresponding period in 2025, raising questions about rider training and enforcement.
The responsibility for addressing the problem extends beyond individual riders to motorcycle owners, transport associations, the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services and traffic police, all of whom have important roles in promoting compliance.
Authorities must strengthen roadside inspections, ensure that riders undergo recognised training and licensing procedures, and hold owners accountable when they knowingly allow unqualified individuals to operate their motorcycles.
Malawi must therefore move beyond counting registered and insured motorcycles and focus on ensuring that every rider is properly licensed, trained and accountable, because legal ownership and insurance cannot substitute for the competence required to protect lives on the road
Motorcycle taxis, commonly known as kabaza, have become an important part of urban transport in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu and Zomba, providing affordable mobility while supporting thousands of livelihoods.
However, the expansion of the sector has exposed a worrying gap between registering and insuring motorcycles and ensuring that the individuals operating them possess valid driving licences.
Under Malawi’s Road Traffic Act, registering a motorcycle and obtaining third-party insurance do not replace the legal requirement for its rider to hold an appropriate driving licence.
Research presented in 2025 by researchers affiliated with the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences found that 88.9 percent of motorcycle riders involved in the motorcycle-related accident cases examined at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital did not have valid driving licences.
The study also identified low helmet use and concerns about motorcycle roadworthiness, highlighting wider weaknesses in compliance with road safety requirements.
Police statistics further indicate that kabaza-related accidents increased from 200 cases in the first quarter of 2024 to 227 during the corresponding period in 2025, raising questions about rider training and enforcement.
The responsibility for addressing the problem extends beyond individual riders to motorcycle owners, transport associations, the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services and traffic police, all of whom have important roles in promoting compliance.
Authorities must strengthen roadside inspections, ensure that riders undergo recognised training and licensing procedures, and hold owners accountable when they knowingly allow unqualified individuals to operate their motorcycles.
Malawi must therefore move beyond counting registered and insured motorcycles and focus on ensuring that every rider is properly licensed, trained and accountable, because legal ownership and insurance cannot substitute for the competence required to protect lives on the road
