By CLEVER ZULU  –

in Siavonga
THE 23 pupils who died in the Lake Kariba boat accident on Independence anniversary were yesterday put to rest in a mass burial ceremony held at Kalelehi Village in Gwembe District.
The pupils, a one-year- old baby and a community teacher died when the boat they were using to travel to Kalelehi for the independence football tournament capsised on Lake Kariba while 13 survived following rescue efforts from the villagers, an eye witness said.
The bodies were retrieved from the lake by the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under the office of the Vice President and flown to Lusaka for postmortem.
In a sorrowful procession, the coffins carrying the bodies were driven to Siavonga harbour where they were put on a big boat that transported the coffins to Kalelehi village.
Upon arrival at the village, grief- stricken villagers wept uncontrollably when the coffins were being removed from the boat for transportation to the mass grave site about 200 metres off shore
Officiating at the funeral Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe said Sino Hydro construction company had pledged to supply all schools along Lake Kariba with life jackets that can help save lives in case of a boat capsising.
“The Vice-President had a meeting with Sino Hydro who offered to supply all schools along Lake Kariba with life jackets,” he said.
Mr Munkombwe appealed to the bereaved families to take solace in the comforting word of God and thanked the Government for the support rendered to the families.
Others that attended the ceremony include Western Province Minister Richwell Siamunene, Gwembe MP Brian Ntundu, Siavonga DC Brave Mweetwa, Gwembe DC, chiefs, and other government and political party leaders.