. Katema

By CHILA NAMAIKO  –
TWENTY-SIX people, mostly pupils heading for independence celebrations, have drowned after the canoe they were in capsized on Lake Kariba.
The incident happened in the early hours of yesterday after a canoe with 34 people on board, capsized on the crocodile-infested lake in Gwembe District.
Chief Government spokesperson Joseph Katema expressed shock at the death of so many people, who included pupils and their teachers.
Eight people survived after swimming to the safety of the shores of the lake and only the body of a body had been retrieved so far.
The pupils and teachers were from Shenga Primary School and were heading to Kalilezye Primary School to join others in celebrating Zambia’s 50 years of independence.
Southern Province Police chief, Mary Chikwanda and Gwembe District Commissioner (DC) Alice Mwiinga confirmed the incident in separate interviews.
“What we are told is that the canoe was carrying people and it capsized,” Ms Chikwanda.
Ms Mwiinga, who described the incident as unfortunate, said it was a huge loss to the district especially that it was a day when all Zambians were celebrating 50 years of independence.
Chief Chipepo of Gwembe expressed shock at the incident and called for quicker action by police and other security wings to retrieve the bodies from the lake.
Dr Katema said Government has since dispatched Zambia Army and Zambia Police divers to Lake Kariba to help retrieve the bodies.
Dr Katema said Government is even more disturbed that the pupils and their teachers were travelling to be part of the jubilee celebrations at a school across the lake.
“The death of these pupils is disheartening more so that they were travelling for a noble and national cause. They are true heroes. Our thoughts as Government are with their families at this moment. Condolences to the bereaved families,”  Dr Katema said.
Dr Katema said the disaster management and mitigation unit under the office of the Vice-President has also dispatched officers to Gwembe.