Another person has died from a crocodile attack on the shores of Lake Kariba, adding to the ever increasing deaths occasioning from crocodile attacks in areas along the lake shores in Gwembe district.
Noriah Mudyamba 54, a wife and mother of Luumuno village in Chief Chipepo’s area was snatched by a crocodile yesterday evening as she bent to draw water from the lake.
Kota-kota Ward Councillor Friday Samutenta confirmed the matter to ZANIS over the weekend.
Mr Samutenta said her screams for help alerted people who rushed to rescue her from the firm grip of the reptile.
He said by the time the deceased was ripped away from the jaws of the reptile, Mudyamba was already dead.
Samutenta has expressed worry at the increasing number of crocodile victims in the area and called on the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to consider heeding to the constant cries of people in Gwembe and reduce the number of crocodiles that have infested the lake.
Asked why people have continued to draw water from the lake when government through its cooperating partners has sunk boreholes to provide safe and clean drinking water in the area, Mr Samutenta said there are only four water points in the area and that the lake remains the nearest source of domestic water for both people and livestock.
[pullquote]Asked why people have continued to draw water from the lake when government through its cooperating partners has sunk boreholes to provide safe and clean drinking water in the area, Mr Samutenta said there are only four water points in the area [/pullquote]
The area Councillor has since appealed for the sinking of more boreholes across the area to enable the community access clean and safe drinking water.
Earlier this month, a concerned Gwembe resident appealed to the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to consider cropping crocodiles that he said had continued to attack both humans and livestock on Lake Kariba.
Charles Musunga told the media that over 10 heads of cattle were reported dead in two weeks in villages surrounding the lake shores in Sinafala area.
Areas such as Chifumpu and Madonda villages have suffered loss following crocodiles attack on livestock.
Mr Musunga said during the dry season, animals are forced to graze and drink water from the crocodile infested lake, resulting in livestock attack.
This has continued to worry livestock owners who have continued to lose their animals to the over-populated reptiles.
Cattle have from time immemorial, been the wealth of the valley Tonga people owing to poor arable areas and animals are chiefly used as draught power and a source of income.
Mr Musunga has appealed to government to consider empowering ZAWA with ammunition to enable them reduce the crocodile population that has continued to be life-threatening to both human beings and livestock.
whats with Zambian media and the word URGED??????.. I hate it
we URGE you to continue URGING the Zambian media to refrain from using the word URGE. :)>-
I also hate their writing, its full of school boy mistakes. Journalists used to be smart, not the crap that we see these days.
if you have no better issues to report on..keep quiet chaps..
Getting caught by crocs in this day and age means people are still living in the dark ages, the govt just doesnt care about these villagers , shame.
How did they manage to carry out this procedure “the deceased was ripped away from the jaws of the reptile” did the tell the croc to say cheese?? These young writers of today they miss the juicy bits as they are not passionate about their work.
The deceased is to blame how do you draw water from a croc infested river…crocs are opportunistic hunters and they will not turn down a free lunch. Noriah Mudyamba  MHSRIP!!!
Crox were meant to live in the water. Who followed who? Its like saying reduce the level of water in the stream because people are drowning too much. They have a right to live live in water coz its their God given habitat. It can only be wrong if they started terrorising people on the banks of the rivers.Â
This is not a good plan at all because the crocodiles are the natural habitats of the Kariba Dam.The broad base plan should be for the government to build a water treatment plant that could pump water from the lake as it were to the taps of every household in the town.Leave the crocodile as a tourist attraction for the town and also a source of revenue for the poor district.
I hear they make for good meat, how about a seasonal (licensed of course) addition to the menu’s of some resorts, hotels in the area. Damn, now I want some alligator meat as a substitute.