Government has declared a three-day period of national mourning in honour of the 53 people who died in a road accident in Chibombo on Thursday.
Acting secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska announced in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that President Michael Sata declared a three day national mourning period to commence on Monday, February 11, 2013.
“The National mourning will commence on Monday 11, February, 2013 at 06.00 hours and will end on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 18.00 hours. During this period, all flags will fly at half mast and programmes of entertainment in nature shall be suspended,” Dr Msiska
said.
And Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge has said the number is expected to increase as some bodies were yet to be identified.
“Thirty five people have so far been confirmed to be Ndola residents, however, the number might increase because we are still waiting for some bodies to be identified,” he said.
He said the Copperbelt Provincial Administration had earlier met with the Post Master General to discuss the possibility of a mass burial for the Ndola accident victims.
Mr Musenge also visited a number of funeral houses for the victims in the city today where he encouraged the families to seek God’s strength and encouragement.
“It’s not easy for anyone to lose a loved one and let’s pray for God’s guidance and encouragement in this trying time,” the minister, who also donated mealie meal bags and some cash to the bereaved families said.
Meanwhile, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has joined organisations, individuals and political parties that have sent messages of condolences to the bereaved families of the over 50 people who died in the road accident yesterday.
The former ruling party has called on the church to step in and pray for the nation so that the excessive spilling of blood in the country can be stopped.
In a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today, MMD President Nevers Mumba said the continued loss of lives through accidents is a spiritual battle between good and evil which he said must be stopped.
He noted that the church must pray to stop the evil which he said seems to be demanding for more blood.
Dr. Mumba wished the affected family members God’s strength during this period stating that any untimely loss of life is a subtraction from the commonwealth nations which he said leaves a great deficit.
“The MMD grieves with the families and all Zambians on the tragic death of fifty passengers on the Post bus which was headed for Lusaka this morning. Our prayers reach out to all affected family members, and wish them God’s strength during this difficult hour,”stated Dr. Mumba
Yesterday, a passenger post bus headed for Lusaka from Copperbelt was involved in an accident around Chibombo area where over 50 people died on the spot while several others sustained injuries.
ZANIS
Lovely ! We surely have a listening president.Thumbs up mwebuteko.
YOU SHOULD NOT HIDE.COME OUT AND SPEAK TO THE NATION.SATA ALL THESE ARE SIGNS THAT YOU ARE THE ONE BEHIND THESE DEATHS.YOU HAVE NO COURAGE TO FACE THE PIPO AND THE FAMILIES YOU HAVE DESTROYED.
You M. T and others insulted me yesterday, just because I faxed & demanded the King to learn to shed tears. Even that 3 days national mourning is not from State house, its from real mature people like Rowland Msiska, Chikwanda, & Guy Scott who are running the government.
If PF where mature, they could have used Msiska all along to represent the hiding King. Instead they send that ka bus conductor ka Chella to shout at citizens. What kind of sorrow, heartfelt message can George Chella can convey to the nation? honestly? Of all people, they send ka Mickey mouse? Atase…
Thank You Bashi Msiska, mwabombeni.
why can’t he address us directly??
It’s inescapable that ZAMPOST is government owned, the very same people who have a litany of unprofessional individuals working for them. Everyone is aware of the careless and crass individuals they employ to drive their buses. I dare say they aren’t regularly tested/monitored to ensure they obey speed limits as well as other traffic rules. Years ago I mentioned on other fora that they ought to have mandatory, alcohol and drug testing for drivers of commercial vehicles, have a 2 limit tolerance for accidents or reports of dangerous behaviour. Also every commercial vehicle must have a dedicated lane ( means we need at least dual carriage ways and have all commercial trucks/buses stick to one lane).They also need to have a mechanism that records speed (blackbox) as well as limits it
The people have spoken. Well done on this one ”only ” Mr President…!!
after being pressured then he says 3days of fwimfwimfwi, kutumpa pwela
Mungongo ! Nimwe bamutasha kali mwisaya.
His will be for one day only so that every Zambian confirms that he has been buried at Chitulika village
MTSRIP. That is what a national mourning is for, not umusungu from an unknown place dies in a light craft at 3 days! Abantu benu bafwa in numbers, you wait to be pressured.
May their souls rest in peace and may God grant grace to their families.
God strengthen the berieved families
Sad news
Batushe muchiboto
YAWN. This is becoming comical,
Seriously too many crocodiles tears
LT is filtered by trolls on this article and not people that really care.
How pathetic
Thanks
Nyamaza mkundu wa mamba wewe.
The whole Nation mourns with you, and I thank the President for allowing the pipo of this great country to unit during this trying moment. Thank you for listing, caring and declaring a National mourning. May the souls of our beloved ones rest in peace and may God grant us grace to pull through this. God bless our great Nation.
To the berieved family,I wish to join u you all in this grief-striking situation.may God alone strength you in this trying time.may souls rest in true Godly peace.
This useless boer farmer that caused this accident must be jailed for life at guantanamo bay, let him share the same cell with KSM.
Whitemen plus these economic refugees (indians,lebanese,coloureds) ve no respect for other road users. They simply ve no regard for indigenous zambians. Hope police ll not play games and let murderer go scot free.
You are being racist – white people this, Indians that, Arabs chakuti. Oh anyone who is different from you has a label – right? How foolish and myopic!
MTSRIP
Good move by govt so that we mourn as a family country. Lusaka times i like your reporting not the upnd watch dog always potraying hh like jesus to turn zambia into heaven. It has even taken advantage reporting that this accident is a sacrifice & the PF is satanic.We shall see with their reporting if hh will be blessed.People these are the last days let us pray for one another & just praising a human being.
Iwe weuita ati Adamson Mushala nabasula banobe abaku watchdog mwalitipwa mwebashetani mwe. Bushe imwe tamumwene ubulanda nokumfwe nkumbu pali aka kayofi kachitika mucalo cesu? From your comments it shows you are satanists and sadists mwemafi mwe. Long live Sata.
UMUBEMBA INKONKO,THAT IS THE TAG YOUR god SATA HAS.NGATEULEIPAYA ABANTU,ALEKE UKWENDA NA NGANGA.STRANGE DEATHS AROUND THE NATION SINCE ICILWANI CI CILETEKA
SO no production? Three days is too much
Thanks
My heartfelt condolences go out to the many bereaved families.I can only imagine the pain they’re going thru from this tragedy.May God be with you all and to the departed ones R.I.P.
ulemona,, ulemona ificitika pamusebo. Indians and the likes behave like small gods, what are you talking about.
YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING ZAMBIANS!!!!!FOR HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE TALKING? JUST SHUT YOUR STINKING MOUTHS.THE SOONER WE CONFESS THAT WE ARE A LAZY NATION FULL OF DRUNKS, HYPOCRITES, DEFILERS,THIEVES AND CLEVER CHEATS THE BETTER FOR MOTHER ZAMBIA.
YOU WILL KEEP ON TALKING UNTIL JESUS COMES, YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING CITIZENS!!!!
Thank u 2 the government…..
I lost a good ex, friend and companion out of that accident.
Rest in peace George, my heartfelt condolences 2o the atha families tht lost their friends n relatives in there too.
God alone allowed it 2happen and even tho it was extremely bad, it ws 4a reason.
I am hurting alot bt I wil continue trusting in him n believing tht he wil console us all.*Tears*
Drivers on our roads need to mature and have courtesy when driving, am sorry to say that some of these drivers are so immature! I have noticed that sometimes when you want to overtake the fool you want to over take increases speed! What kind of stupidity is that? The other thing about the so called time buses, the over speed forgetting that they are carrying many passengers, am not saying the bus in question was speeding don’t get me wrong but my general observation is that these buses when they over take you,it is like a car on supersonic speed and yet it is a big bus? Time buses indeed, I cant blame my grandmother who always wants to get on something like a Tata bus! Please give each other chance, remember we have only a life to live.
constructing of dual carriage ways should be made law. my condolences to the bereaved families. have heart and take courage.
Its a great relief and comforting to have a three days national mourning in honour of the the loss of over 53 lives thru tragic accident by Postbus at Chilembo.
We are Praying for God’s guidance and comfort to the bereaved families during this trying moment.
I personally thank the Government for positively responding to this call, to have three days national mourning in honour of our departed and beloved sons and daughters of mother Zambia.
you chaps killed our people..you sacrificed them..
When a country is faced with tragedy after tragedy, we must ask ourselves the question? Are we really a Christain nation? Are our clergy really corrupt free, and holy in the sight of God? Are our morals as a nation at the lowest? Are our leaders upright standing? This country needs to repent of its sins and return to God. Observe the level of drunkeness among the youth, despondency and no hope for the future. Observe the levels of political bickering and violence. Observe the levels of intolerance and hate. God is watching Zambia. Unless this country comes to its knees, the judgement of God shall fall upon this country in a mighty way. If you are a Christian reading this post, I urge to pause a moment and pray for Gods mercy upon this country.
Zambian , lets pray for our president, remember what he used to say about mwanawasa, i keep on saying that if our president and any one who joined mr sata in ridicuing the late president,will pay just like mr sata is paying, it is happening in his age -life.He called him names thinking he was the best man to rule zambia, he used to say he mwanawasa is sick, he thinks afetrwards, his brains were assembled on the tar marc, he was taken fronm sleep , he had no plan for the counrty.Zambians believe me, if he does not public ask for forgiveness from GOd the way he used say the words publicly, he will face judgement in humiliation.As much as he would hide the sickness, it will be made public.Please mr sata , come out , im crying for you.Do not fear people , fear GOd who can destroy both your