By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
FAMILIES and church members of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement (SDARM) have praised the Government and in particular President Edgar Lungu for having come to their aid in covering funeral expenses of their beloved ones who died in a road traffic accident recently.
Seven people who were members of SDARM died following an accident last Saturday while returning from a church service in Luanshya.
The seven, among them four members of one family including a couple, were on board a Nissan Elgrand with 14 passengers, which overturned near Kamfinsa.
Government moved in and covered the funeral expenses including burial which took place this week on Tuesday and was preceded by a church service at Kitwe Playing Fields.
The family members together with SDARM  pastor Newton Kakonko yesterday paid a courtesy call on Kitwe District Commissioner, Chanda Kabwe to thank President Lungu and the Government for having come to their aid by footing the funeral expenses.
Pastor Kakonko, who spoke on behalf of the family members among them Dainess Kantalamba, a mother to two victims, and Emmanuel Muma, who lost four children in the accident, said they were grateful to the Government and Mr Lungu in particular for the assistance.
“The tragedy was a big burden to us and we didn’t expect that (help) but Government came through and catered for funeral expenses to which we are most grateful to President Lungu,” Pastor Kakonko said.
Meanwhile, Ms Kantalamba appealed to well-wishers for support to help with the upbringing of her one-year-four-month-old grandchild that survived  the accident and had both its parents killed in the same accident.