Africa-Press – Zambia. Government says it is saddened by the loss of six members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church who drowned yesterday, Saturday, January 1, 2022 on Lake Kariba in Siavonga District of Southern Province.
The Office of the Vice President through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) has sent a message of condolences to the SDA church, the bereaved family and the Provincial Minister for Southern Mr. Cornelius Mweetwa as well as Lusaka Province Minister Sheal Mulyata and wished them God’s comfort and strength during this period of mourning.
DMMU National Coordinator Dr. Gabriel Pollen says losing lives of 6 young people at once is heartbreaking not only to the church and family but to the whole country as well.
The National Coordinator said Government through his Unit and the Provincial Administration will take up funeral expenses which include coffins, transport, food and other logistics that will be required at the funeral houses in Lusaka.
“It is really heartbreaking to lose 6 young people from the same church in unexplainable circumstances. To the bereaved family, please accept my government’s deepest condolences on the untimely death of your beloved children. As government, we will stand with you during this very difficult period,” Dr. Pollen stated.
Dr. Pollen has since Directed DMMU Southern Province Regional Coordinator to work with the District Commissioners for Siavonga and Lusaka to ensure that all the said logistics are delivered to the funeral house.
According to the Lusaka Conference of the Seventh Day Adventists Youth Communication Chairperson, Innocent Siachitoba, the six youth were part of the Youth camp meeting for the Five Mission Districts currently camping at Siavonga Secondary School. The six deceased youths met their fate when they jumped off a moving ridge which was being moved by the operator from the shore into the water body.
“The accident happened today (1st January,2022) around 16: 00 hours .They found a fishing ridge parked by the shores of the lake, then the youths jumped on it .As the operator of the same ridge started off into the lake, the youths started jumping off for safety, it was at that point when the accident happened,” Mr. Siachitoba explained.
The five Mission Districts that went for camping at Siavonga Secondary School for a Youth Alive program include Chawama, John Laing, Kanyama, Ridgeway and Shorthorn.
From the 6 deceased youths, 4 were from John Laing mission district while 2 were from Kanyama Mission District in Lusaka. This is according to a statement issued by DMMU senior Communications officer Mathews Msukwa-ZR
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