Vice-President Mutale Nalumango will lead the funeral service today for nine men who tragically lost their lives when a large pile of gravel collapsed on them while they worked in a Chongwe quarry on Sunday.
Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Robert Kamalata announced that the government will cover all funeral expenses through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to alleviate the financial burden on the victims’ families.
Kamalata confirmed that Mrs. Nalumango will represent the government at the burial in Lubansa village, Chongwe. “The Vice-President will join the families in Lubansa village to offer condolences and support,” he said yesterday in Chongwe.
The workers were operating illegally and were in the process of loading gravel onto a truck when the incident occurred. The truck driver survived with injuries and has been hospitalized. Eight bodies were recovered on Sunday before the rescue operation was halted due to darkness, with the ninth body recovered on Monday.
This incident highlights ongoing safety concerns, as Zambia has experienced several fatal accidents involving illegal quarry and mining operations. The most severe case occurred in December when nearly 30 informal miners died in Chingola due to landslides triggered by heavy rains.
