President Edgar Lungu is saddened by the death of five people who perished in a boat accident on Lake Bangweulu in Chilubi district.
President Lungu said he learned of the tragic accident with deep shock and sorrow.
The Head of State said this in a message of condolences delivered by Chilubi Member of Parliament Mulenga Fube during the burial of the five accident victims.
And Mr. Fube has thanked President Lungu for the logistical support rendered towards the retrieving of bodies and subsequent burial.
Meanwhile, the Chilubi lawmaker has expressed concern over the increased reports of accidents on Lake Bangweulu which has resulted in a total of nine deaths in the recent days.
He has since advised boat operators to be cautious and prioritize the safety of passengers to avoid accidents.
Mr. Fube also emphasized the need for residents of Chilubi to consider using safer water vessels in view of the increased water levels and unpredictable weather conditions.
He added that both passengers and operators should guard against overloading the boats because it was highly risky.
Mr. Fube said government remains committed to the provision of safe water transport for the people of Chilubi district and the surrounding areas.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Transport through his office and the district administration was already working on modalities to ensure that the 120 seater Luchele Ng’anga water bus begins to service Santa Maria and Chaba routes.
Five people died while three others survived after the banana boat they were in capsized on Lake Bangweulu on Saturday.
Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu has donated K10, 000 for the renovation of the Sokontwe palace in Milenge district in Luapula province.
Chief Sokontwe of the Ushi people in Milenge district, who was installed in January 2020, has not yet moved into the palace because it is in a deplorable state.
ZANIS reports that Milenge Town Council Chairperson, Chanda Masheke, has handed over an initial K5, 000 to the chief on behalf President Lungu.
And Mr. Masheke has donated two containers of paint to chief Sokontwe.
He said government will continue to collaborate with traditional leaders to foster development in rural areas.
And chief Sokontwe has thanked President Lungu for the donation noting that running the affairs of the chiefdom away from the palace has been a huge challenge for him.
Meanwhile, chief Sokontwe said he has intensified his campaign against early marriages in his chiefdoms.
He said he was working with stakeholders to ensure that the community is sensitized on the negative effects of early marriages and the importance of education.
This campaign message is a mess. 4 stories in 1.
May their departed souls rest in peace
I learned of this unfortunate incident recently and was on the phone to his excellency. I could tell the president was very emotionally affected by this. It is a sad day when zambian lives are lost. Remember these are parents, children and Bread winners. Rip. May the lord bless you
Specialising eulogies and attracting self pity after disasters of Zambian loss of life to show as a concerned president. Just a few weeks ago you cheated the people of Chilubi good life including safer boat ways of travelling in exchange for votes. To day you shed crocodile tears. Government is supposed to support and care for our traditional leaders and this song has been sung time without number. Today, you donate a mare K10,000 as if chief Sokontwe does not deserve the support, coming from president Lungu’s pocket as donation. This is a language of thieves who want to be seen as kind, compassionate and caring. NO, that’s government resources meant to help all chiefs in Zambia who are in need, it could have been delivered by minister of chiefs, or provincial minister as per duty of…
as per duty of government to build palaces for chiefs. Lungu’s DONATION. Chiefs as beggars and citizens feel pity on them and begin to donate paint for ramshackle palaces. That demonstrates deficiencies in governance holistically.
All this lazy corrupt thing does is throw money at everything …how can you donate cash when you have ZNS civil engineers and foremen sitting at their base. He is using the same money the Chinks give him to bribe others…
He is not accountable that’s why he gives a Chief K10,000 to renovate his own house…irresponsible moron!!
For decades now we have had accidents on that lake. Most of them have the same anatomy of unsafe vessels faced with unstable seas due to storms and other water disturbances. If we were any other people some research into making either the vessels safe or charting safe areas on the lake would have been done by now. It is almost a ritual to express shock and sorrow ifyo finé… Soon this will be forgotten until the next accident.