Seven people some of them fish traders, have died while 11 others have sustained serious injuries after a canter light truck they were in collided with a heavy-duty truck along Batoka Maamba road.

4 women died on the spot while, 3 others including the driver of the light truck died of injuries at Choma general hospital where they were rushed to.

Southern Province Police Commissioner Diamond Likashi, has confirmed the accident to ZANIS in Choma yesterday.

Mr Likashi said the victims met their fate when they were traveling from Chiyabi area in Sinazongwe, in Canter light truck that was carrying fresh and dry fish as well as several bags of dry Kapenta destined for Choma district.

Mr Likashi added that after the collision, both vehicles were thrown into a deep ditch along with the occupants.

The Police Commissioner said all the 7 bodies have been deposited at Choma General Hospital Mortuary.

And Southern Province Permanent Secretary Mwangala Liomba, who rushed to the accident scene wondered how the canter light truck could have been traveling in the night when the law prohibits doing so.

Mr Liomba has however, said government will do everything possible to assist the accident victims through the Disaster management and mitigation unit (DMMU)

By press time, officers from the Zambia Police traffic section and the Road Transport and safety agency (RTSA), were still struggling to retrieve the wreckage of a Canter light truck that had plunged into a ditch.

The rescue team were awaiting a crane from Maamba collieries to pullout the wreckage from the ditch.

Over 1,000 houses in various parts of Mushindamo district have collapsed due to heavy rains being experienced in the area.

District Commissioner, Emmanuel Chihili who was accompanied by other government officials visited some of the areas to assess the extent of the damage.

Mr Chipili said the situation needs urgent attention as the sanitation conditions in the area have been compromised by the flash floods and collapsing of toilets and houses leading to people seeking for shelter at nearby churches.

He said in the wake of the coronavirus it is important that high sanitation conditions are maintained and avoid large crowds of people confined in one area.

ZANIS reports that Mr Chipili has since called on the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit to come to the aid of the affected families.

And Mushindamo Town Council Director of Works, Libombela Mulala has advised those who are still living in the houses that were affected by the rains to vacate and find alternative accommodation to avoid accidents.

Mr Mulala said it is not safe for people to live in houses which have partly collapsed or with cracked walls as they may collapse at any time and cause injuries to them.

He further bemoaned the manner in which the local people are constructing their houses which he said have no strong foundation.

Mr Mulala noted that even in villages people can still construct their houses with a strong foundation which can stand a taste of time.

Meanwhile, Kalilele Ward Councilor, Brenda Jatwa has called on government to assist the affected families with tents and food as the rains have destroyed their property, food and houses.

The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) has cancelled the 2020 Kuomboka traditional ceremony of the Lozi speaking people as a safety precaution against the deadly COVID-19 spreading across the globe.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Kuta today, BRE Prime Minister (Ngambela) Manyando Mukela announced that it will not be safe for people to gather for the period of ceremony.

“The BRE has therefore, come to the painful decision that the prestigious Kuomboka 2020 should be cancelled”, He disclosed.

He said the BRE has been closely monitoring the spread of the deadly and highly infectious COVID-19, thus the establishment is concerned with the welfare of the visitors and nationals that would attend.

The Prime Minister said the BRE has been in consultations with the Provincial Health Office and the briefings on the status of the virus and measures in place to prevent and curb it.

The Ngambela said the 2020 Kuomboka was highly anticipated, because it was extraordinary as it was to mark the 20 years of reign by his majesty the Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II.

Mr Mukela said following the announcement that the Kuomboka will take place on April 4th, 2020, organising committees home and on the line of the rail, swung into action to prepare.

The Prime Minister also disclosed that accommodation in Mongu, Kalabo, Limulunga and Senanga were fully booked for the ceremony.

Mr Mukela expressed gratitude to everyone who planned to attend and urged people with pledges to reserve them for next year.

Western Province last held the Kuomboka traditional ceremony in 2018 and cancelled the 2019 event owing to low water levels in the Barotse plains.

The official commissioning ceremony of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Training Centre in Lusaka has been canceled in line with the directive by the government to suspend public gatherings in view of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Lusaka Mayor, Miles Sampa told journalists that the cancellation of the event was in line with the government’s pronouncements to stop all public gatherings.

Mr Sampa said the local authority is on the ground to implement the measures the government has announced which include the suspension of public gatherings.

He noted that despite the organizers of the event putting in place public measures to ensure all people attending the event are sanitized, it was necessary to put off the event because there was no guarantee that everyone would adhere to strict instructions.

Mr Sampa said the council is also working hard to ensure all public facilities including markets have water points and sanitizers where people can clean themselves regularly.

He said the council will also ensure that the venue where the ruling Patriotic Front is due to hold its party conference is sanitized and all attendants given masks to prevent the coronavirus.

The mayor who could not confirm whether the party conference will go on or not said the organizers of the event will be advised to ensure they follow measures announced by the government to prevent the disease.

Mr Sampa has since appealed to stakeholders and cooperating partners to come on board to help the council secure masks, water buckets and sanitizers for the public.

He said the council has only managed to buy water buckets which will be distributed in public places that include markets.

The event which was supposed to be officiated by President Edgar Lungu was cancelled after people had already gathered in readiness for the commissioning.

Ministry of Heath announced the suspension of all public gatherings and travels coupled with heightened screening exercise at all border entry points in view of the deadly disease.

Coronavirus which first broke out in China, has so far spread to about 162 countries in the world.

And The National Action for Quality Education in Zambia [NAQEZ] has welcomed the decision by government to close all learning institutions in the country in view of the Coronavirus.

NAQEZ Executive Director, Aaron Chansa said the stance taken by government to have all institutions of learning close is a step in the right direction in order to curb the spread of the deadly disease.

Mr Chansa said despite that the move will disrupt the Zambian academic calendar, the decision is inevitable.

He said his institution widely considered the view of government’s decision which was aimed at protecting children and the nation as a whole.

Mr Chansa noted that Zambia being a land linked country, it was at high transmission risk; and drastic measures to prevent its spread were much needed.

He observed that social distancing was the best way of preventing the contraction of the coronavirus.

Government announced that schools, colleges and universities will close this Friday, April 20 in view of the deadly Coronavirus that has become a global pandemic.