ONE child has died, while two others are battling for their lives in Choma general hospital after eating suspected poisonous wild roots.
District commissioner, Laiven Apuleni, who confirmed this to ZANIS in Choma today has, however, described the condition of the two minors admitted to hospital as stable.
Mr Apuleni said all the three minors of chief Singani’s area in the dsitrict are from one family. He could not, however, indicate the ages of the victims.
He explained that the incident occured when the mother, who had been boiling the wild roots, left the children to go and fetch water.
He said the roots in question are extremely poisonous and need to be boiled for at least 12 hours and allowed to cool before consumption.
He said people from chief Singani’s area yesterday stormed his office demanding that government intervenes following the death of the minor.
He said the hunger situation in the area has gone out of hand as people have now resorted to eating wild roots and fruits, some of them dangerous.
The district commissioner said his office is under serious pressure from villagers, who are demanding relief food.
ZANIS/ENDS/CM/SJK
# 1
Please subsidise agriculture like in other countries so that people can grow food cheaply.
this is very bad, zambia has a lot of land to grow food on. GVT pliz subsidise agriculture imputs for our famers we dont have to suffer like this 😕
Condolences.
%-(
Very sad development indeed. It is very unfortunate that some government officials even make jokes about the consumption of these poisonous roots. In less than 24hours of the joke, a life has been lost while others have been declared stable. We all know what STABLE means. No! No![-x
Its such a shame. We have abundant land, water and human resources that could be used to unlock the country’s potential as a major agricultural producer. What will it take for us to prioritise agriculture?
Sad news for the two minors. Now what is the office of the vice president still waiting for? They should have delivered relief food a long time a go and now we have started losing lives.
Number 8
Government please do some thing b4 tabalatufwila, beside ama suku ekoyacili nishi ka shi?
WE NEED A VERY SERIOUS APPROACH TO THIS PROBLEM. NOT THE GUSTON SICHILIMA WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS, THAT TUBERS HAVE BEEN EATEN FROM TIME IMMEMORAIL AS SUCH COMPLAINING THAT THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE SURVIVING ON IS BLOWING THE ISSUE OUT OF PROPORTION. WHAT AN INSULT. GUSTON SHOULD REALISE THAT HE IS SURVIVING ON OUR HARD EARNED MONEY AND SHOULD LEARN TO BE SERIOUS. RB FIRE SOME OF THIS BASTARDS WHO DON’T KNOW HOW TO TACKLE OR TALK ABOUT ISSUES.
#6. Biggie Jim. The minister you are referring to was a mechanic before he joined politics (no disrespect meant to mechanics in general). He is now the minister in charge of the Disaster Management Unit and should be in the forefront addressing the situation. How could he make a joke out of such tragedy and still keep his job? That is a reflection of the calibre of our leadership.
#12, Rogue Tader,
Seriously speaking, he should have been fired immediately after making such thoughtless statements. I’m very disturbed and upset with the current happenings pa zed.:o
BAD SIGN FOR OUR BELOVED COUNTRY PLIZ BA GOVERNMENT DO SOMETHING ASAP.WE DONT WANT TO BE A LAUGHING STOCK AS ACOUNTRY.RB AND YOUR GOVERNMENT WAKE UP!
Few days ago we had donation from Nigeria,Cant that food be given to those eating poisonous wild roots.We really need a very serious approach to this problem.Zambia where are we going or what has gone wrong in our coutry? It is very unfortunate that our government finds comfort in sleeping & talking(ukubwantaila sana) instead of working and see how we can move forward as a country.Oh God please come to our aid,you are the only hope that we have for your love endures forever…
#13. Biggie Jim. One of our major faults is that we don’t hold our leaders accountable. In more serious societies, his ill conceived joke would have cost him his political career. The politics of patronage that we practice causes leaders to forget that they are public servants.
When the late Levy Mwanawasa said Zambians have short memories people were up in arms saying that was not the case. But it is indeed the case when one looks at how our so called ministers insult our intelligence without any negative consequencies. Everyone seems to have conviniently forgotten the electoral promises made to our perennially starving people.
#15. Jelita. The said donation has already resulted in George Kunda claiming that Nigeria is Zambia’s closest ally.
Its really sad but remember that Zambia is a peaceful country. Cant this rich man HH do something, maybe a small donation so that they can buy relief food? This is just the beginning there is more to come so just prepare yourselves. ^:)^
#16,Rogue Trader,
In your earlier submission (#7) you raised a very important question as to when we are going to prioritise agriculture. I’m not an economist but wisdom tells me food security should be top of the agenda of any serious government. Once the issue of food is sorted out, all these other things like health, education, science and technology etc they just fall in place. I’m yet to see any signs of commitment on the part of government to issues of agriculture. Foreign Direct Investment and copper should not be in the driving seat, Or rather is it borrowing that drives our economy. I’m wondering, @-)
in cretain countries here on earth not on mars such news and happenings can bring down an entire govt.at the very least some minister some where would resign but here in zambia, a minister has the audacity to even make fun of the poor and hungry who also happens to be the majority.my heart goes out to the 2 kids God help us and pliz speed the day.
GASTON SICHILIMA IS NOT A SERIOUS PERSON THOSE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO MADE THEM WIN THE ELECTIONS. WHAT A WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU. =d>:o:o
SICHILIMA MUST BE FIRED
#19. Biggie Jim
You are right about food security. An increased emphasis on commercially viable agricultural production would solve a lot of the country’s ills. Producing enough food for local consumption would have a positive impact on our balance of payments as we would not need to import basic foodstuffs. It would also help to tackle the issue of unemployment.
We need to embark on serious activities where we have a competitive advantage. 40% of the rivers in the SADC region flow through Zambia. We have massive hydro-electricity generating potential. Vast tracks of arable land and a large army of unemployed youths.
Guston come from the mountains like a monkey.Thats why he has no feelings and makes a joke out of one’s death. You can tell that RB and his group are not serious but chancers without vision.Let them provide for all the pipo so that we avoid mre deaths.
sad indeed 🙁
The answer is to subsidies the agriculture inputs and empower the people.
So sad that we are now losing lives from hunger. I can imagine how many hungers deaths go unrecorded. But don’t you think now is the time when our so much revered TYCOON Comrade Hakainde Hichilema should at least do some charity work or mobilize his billionaire colleagues both home and abroad to assist the people of Choma, which is part of his strong hold. I guess he can afford some charity work for a genuine cause such as this one.
[-(
#27. Mukelabai,
You do not have to call for TYCOONS to help in this situation. He that has two shirts, let him share with he that has non (Sata inclusive). **==
[-( yangu tata Lesa mwee….8-> amen[-o<
29…You are right.
I thought there was a bumber harvest in Eastern Province. Does this mean other areas didn’t do so well or maybe the maize was exported.
Late LPM and Mr. Sikatana when he was Minister of Agriculture suggested that we look at other forms of meal. Sorghum, millet, cassava. Does this mean that nothing like this has been grown? You know even here in the UK, the recession has actually made people rent tuma munda/ allotments to grow their own vegetables. Some, like myself when in Zambia do not use fertilizer on my crops because of links to cancer and other ailments and there are natural alternatives, e.g. manure & compost that are free. Maybe I’m being naive here but there are solutions.
# 20 aka kat. That is absolutely correct. Some government thrive on honesty and goodwill in their serice to their people. That is why they would resign. In some of our african countries it is about survival of the minister or politicians. If he resigns what will he himself eat. They have no shame but the least they should try to do is take care of the poorest of the poor. Zambia being a peaceful nation should not only mean peace = no war but instead mean no war and then food for the poorest of the poor.
Shame on the minister who made a joke about the whole thing.
It is very sad indeed. and as a mother, I feel so sorry for that poor mother who was doing everything posible to make sure that her children had something to eat. Mr Kunda please look into this as a matter of urgency. As for Mr Sichilima please don’t just:-@ do something. our relatives are dying.
Which Minsiter was this? Can someone tell me? Well remember what the Shakafuswa man said about prostitutes and abusing Parliament Motel when another MP warned that the motel was being turned into a brothel/ place of disrepute? Utter cods wallop
This gvt shld b real,the cost of seed is K200,000/10kgs & a hector needs 25kgs,fertiliser is K250,000 and a hector nids 8 bags,diesel is K200,000/20Lt and a hector nids 40Ltres and otha cost oil an grease,spare parts,weeding and the cost of waiting for 5 months b4 harvest.After selling the harvest, a hector realise K3,000,000 only,no pay back at all.plz gvt subsidise agric inputs otherwise nxt year will b worse than this,NCC can b held at the moment and chanel these billions being enjoyed by few selfish individuals to save as from experiencing further deaths.How i wish we had a listening gvt.
Sad for the kid, where is the provincial minister? Is he aware about the situation? What is he doing about it? Why a disaster be the reminder? My condolences.
hunger is the reason why people are leaving villages and come to flood the capital city. why don’t our leader take steps towards empowering villagers. instead of having workshops for government official, have workshops for farmers and villagers and teach them other family methods and empower them with loans and other things that will help them.
#35.EN
The name of the person you are asking about is mentioned in #11
#38 I meant farming methods
This is really sad.
“…described the condition of the two minors admitted to hospital as STABLE” [-([-([-(
Its a shame that 44 years after independence Zambia should report cases of people dying as a result of eating poisonous wild food. What do we have show for our so called independence? This has touched me
It is really disgusting to hear that some people have started dying because of hunger. Where is the office of the vice president. Instead of addressing the real issues they are passing jokes. Jokes wont solve the hunger situation in our beloved country. Please leaders, be serious with such issues and prove your selves that you can serve Zambians delingently. :d
In Zambia imiti ikuka te mpanga anymore, eyo bucelako amalasha. Shame so sad for the life that has been lost. This leadership is going to be answerable to God very soon. There is a God in heaven who sees and hears and one day it shall be show up. Check exodus 3 and ask pharoa what happeneds when HE SHOWS UP
WE WANT TO SEE DONATIONS LIKE THOSE IN KETETE PRIOR TO THE OCTOBER ELECTION! WERE THEY JUST MEANT FOR ELECTIONS OR WHAT? STOP SLEEPING PEOPLE ARE DYING. 😮
What is the history of food security in Zambia. Have we always suffered periods of hunder? What brought them about – human or natural circumstances?
KK pursued a socialist philosphy. We had state farms, Namboard. Lima bank, cooperative unions in each province, agric extension officers, agricultural colleges etc with massive support from Finland.
Would anyone know whether we had better food security in Zambia under KK than we’ve had under FTJ et al, having moved from socialism to capitalism? Experts and historians please advise us.
Yaba
This is a sad reading in Zed just recently we had another unbelievable case of a baby eaten by rats(as if it was in a makeshift hospital or clinic).My sincere condolences to the family.
Bwezani should not just sleep but atleast direct his vice to quickly
distribute the relief food.And bytheway what kind of this wild roots
which takes 12hrs to cook?
iye how can a child die from hunger? when Banda has been put in power, from the villages this means there is no measures taken to rule the people elected him mp mulikwi? councillors mayor iye kwena bwafya zambia twasebana
not good
Zambia the real Africa. The Zambian politicians luck compassion that’s why people will continue dying from poverty.
44 years of peace! Peace my ass.
There’s no peace to brag about in Zambia when 80% of the Zambian population live in poverty. Hundreds if not thousands people die each year from poverty. Our politicians live in luxuries life styles on the expense of the poverty striken people without shame.
Very sad indeed!Was Sichilima saying that “rubbish”because the incidence of people eating roots come from opposition stronghold? HH has no mandate to feed the people because he does not control the national treasury.The people of Choma have the right tobenefit from the national cake.This is entirely the responsiblity of the governmentto feed its citizens not HH.
You see gentlemen our government is not seriuos this hunger we are talking about can be avoided if we had planners in the ministry of agric.The bastard nyama soya is just shown dancing without solving any problem.If the fundraising which was held last wk could go to solve these problems it can make sense.all donations which were made by some comp.shud go to solve hunger problems.
l hope something will be done soon,before we lose more lives. :-w:-w
George Kunda drives around in a $150,000 Merc while he’s subjects are forced to eat roots..WHERE IS THE JUSTICE????
Tax the rich and redistribute the money to the poor. Anyone getting more than K5,000,000 should be pay tax and the money should be given as benefits to the poor.
Ho Ho Ho. Very sad!
lord have mercy on us,please forgive MMD for forcing itself into poor just to start killing innocent lives
lord have mercy on us,please forgive MMD for forcing itself into power just to start killing innocent lives
#55 ulishani
Jesus save our country. Very sad situation. People let’s empower ourselves and our brothers and sisters in the rural areas with our civis rights. No one should be taken advantage of Zambians. Zambia is a rich country with resources yet we have not seen this wealth trickling to the grass roots. Such things should not be happening in Zambia. As for me i am believing God for every ngwee and Kwacha that has been missappropriated in Zambia since independence to be restored. This money is what is supposed to have brought a lot of development to Zambia and been shared equally. I am praying for a very strong conviction for all the money and opportunities to be returned to the ordinary Zambian.
contd, There is a God in heaven and he has seen the afflictions and cries of the ordinary Zambian citizens, he will come through for our country and deliver us from all form of oppression. He has seen people die of hunger, die of treatable illnesses etc and yet he has given us all the resources for all Zambians to enjoy. There is a parable in the bible of a master who ill treated his servants and never gave them food at their proper time and Fod punished this master. God will come through for our nation. Enough is enough.
contd, There is a God in heaven and he has seen the afflictions and cries of the ordinary Zambian citizens, he will come through for our country and deliver us from all form of oppression. He has seen people die of hunger, die of treatable illnesses etc and yet he has given us all the resources for all Zambians to enjoy. There is a parable in the bible of a master who ill treated his servants and never gave them food at their proper time and God punished this master. God will come through for our nation. Enough is enough.
If there was a Go:-)D in heaven, how can He let things get out of hand like this on our blue planet, Ey? If I were the Almighty I would make sure that Zambians no, everyone would have enough to eat, no diseases, no war, no discrimination, no poverty, no global warming, and no fake pastors and churches:-?
RB please!!!!!work up we will finish