Soccer frenzy claim six lives

SIX people have died following 32 road and other accidents recorded countrywide after the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi final match between Zambia and the black stars of Ghana on Wednesday evening. Zambia beat the star-studied Ghanian side via a 1 nil bashing which sparked wide celebrations across the country resulting into injuries and deaths. Police spokesperson, Elizabeth Kanjela, who confirmed the development in a statement in Lusaka yesterday said four of the accidents recorded were fatal while 31 were seriously injured from a the total 12 accidents.

The game, played at Estadio de Bata in Gabon where the entire Zambia National Soccer team perished in a plane crash in 1993, sets a mouth-watering encounter in the final with Ivory Coast this Sunday to be watched by vice president Guy Scott, minister of sports Chishimba Kambwili and Labour minister Fackson Shamenda. Ms Kanjela said seven were slight accidents in which 16 people were slightly injured while 16 were damages to property. Ms Kanjela said the accidents were recorded between February 8 around 06:00 hours and February 9, 2012 around 07:30 hours in Lusaka, Central, Southern and Copperbelt provinces. In Lusaka, one juvenile aged between 11 and 12 died on the spot around 20:00 hours after falling off a moving Toyota Hilux vehicle along Los Angeles road near Saladi House in Kanyama Township. The vehicle sped off to evade identification. This fatal accident was among the 20 accidents recorded in the province. On the Copperbelt, a pedestrian aged between 40 and 45 years died on the spot following a hit-and-run accident along the Kitwe-Chingola road around 21:45 hours. The body of the deceased is lying in the Kitwe Central Hospital mortuary. The accident was among the nine recorded in the province. In Southern Province, Ms Kanjela said three people died on the spot while 28 others escaped as they celebrated the Zambian National Team victory over the much fancied Ghana. The accident occurred near the Golf Club in Mazabuka on Wednesday around 20:30 hours. Ms Kanjela said the accident happened when two vehicles, an unregistered Golf driven by Gregory Ngosa, 24 and an Ipsum registration no. ALE 1288 driven by Lazarous Singogo also aged 24 hit into a jubilant crowd. “The two vehicles were racing and rammed into a crowd of people that were celebrating the victory of the Zambian National Team. Three children aged between 13 and 17 died on the spot while 28 other people escaped death,” Ms Kanjela said. She added that among the Mazabuka victims, 21 people were still admitted in Mazabuka Hospital. She identified them as Evelyn Kalaba, 20, of Nakambala compound, Aresa Simwanza, 21, of Mulenga extension and Austin Mungala also aged 21 of West Villa. The rest are children aged between six and 18. Ms Kanjela said further that four other children aged between 13 and 14 had been evacuated to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) while others were treated and discharged. “The bodies of the three are lying in Mazabuka Hosptial mortuary while two drivers have been arrested and charged with three counts of Causing Death by Dangerous Driving contrary to section 161 of the Road Traffic Act 11 of the Laws of Zambia and driving unlicensed vehicles contrary to section 56 subsection 1 of the Road Traffic Act No 11 of 2002 and uninsured vehicles,” she said. In Central Province, particularly Kapiri Mposhi, Ms Kanjela disclosed that one child aged 12 died on the spot after being hit by an unknown person in another hit and run accident along Great North road opposite Soster Lodge. The accident happened around 20:30 hours when the deceased, among several other people, was celebrating the Zambia National Soccer Team’s qualification to the AFCON finals. Ms Kanjela has since reminded members of the public to be cautious as they celebrated the Chipolopolo Boys’ victory. Meanwhile, Levy Mwnawasa general hospital has recorded five accidents and 9 assaults resulting during the celebrations. Public relations manager, Mwenya Mulenga said the victims that included a female student from the University of Zambia (UNZA) were brought to the hospital around midnight and were immediately. He said among the accident victims is a 12 year old Emmanuel Chishiba of Handsworth area near who sustained head injuries after he fell from a moving car in celebration of Zambia’s victory over Ghana. Chishiba fell from a moving motor vehicle and sustained head injuries. And Mr Mulenga said an unidentified body of the woman aged about 50 years was dumped at the hospital in the night the same day and her body was lying in the mortuary.