By BRIAN HATYOKA –
A STRAY elephant has killed a security guard within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Livingstone.
Mulyata Nyumbu, aged between 50 and 55, who worked for United Air Charter Zambia Limited met his fate as he was cycling to his workplace on Thursday between 17:00 and 18:00 hours.
An eye witness, Linos Mponda, said Nyumbu seemed to not have noticed the elephant was in his way – perhaps due to poor light, the long shadows and the animal’s dark colour.
As he turned to escape using his bicycle the elephant charged him down and left him with a badly mangled body.
“When Mr Nyumbu started to get away from the elephant, I saw a lot of dust and heard him scream just once,” Mr Mponda said.
Department of National Parks and Wildlife senior area warden Lewis Daka, confirmed the incident.
Mr Daka said it was dangerous for people to cycle or walk in the national park, especially at night when visibility was poor.
“There is a trend by cyclists who sell their goods in Zimbabwe to pass through the park in the night or early in the day. There are many elephants in the park this time around and so it is important for the public to take note.”
He urged tour operators and other entities operating within the national park to provide suitable transport to their employees to avoid the risk of their workers being attacked by elephants.
United Air Chamber Zambia Limited manager Ronald Mweetwa said his organisation regretted the loss of Mr Nyumbu.
Mr Mweetwa said his entity would put measures in place to ensure that all employees used transport which provided by the company.
Meanwhile, a four-year-old pedestrian has been hit and killed in Zimba District of Southern Province.
Southern Province Commissioner of  Police Bonny Kapeso said Gift Mapulanga of Mawaya Camp in Zimba was hit by a Toyota Hilux ALP 6212 driven by a Chinese national Shang Bin, aged 30.
Mr Kapeso said in a statement yesterday that the accident occurred on November 2, 2017 at 12:25 hours on the Great North Road.