A Zambia national who has been living a lone in Botswana has died. This is according to a statement released to the media by the First Secretary for Press at Zambian High Commission, Mr Kasabo Kalusa.
The statement named the deceased as Mr. Chileshe Patrick Chanda, a soil technologist by profession and resident in Gaborone.
The body the deceased lay unclaimed for two weeks at Princess Marina Hospital where he had died after an illness.
According to the statement, it has been established that at the time of death, Mr. Chanda had been living on his own and without any relations in Broadhurst industrial area.
Contact has been made with his next of kin in Lusaka and Mwense. The extended family has been unable to come and has indicated to Zambian and Botswana authorities of their intent to have Mr. Chanda interred in Botswana.
“Efforts are being made by Mission staff and the Zambian Community in Botswana to have Mr. Chanda given a dignified sendoff next week,” the statement concluded.
Why was he staying alone.that’s sad to live like that worse in a foreign land
Guys if you don’t have a spouse or children with you in the Diaspora, think of atleast entrusting 1 member of the family at home to manage your funeral. Really sorry.
OK now that it, 2 deaths before christmas is too much, never ever live alone.
It doesn’t mean to go out and marry, no no, even just a roommate.
Out for a better life… Zambia cannot provide.
This is what people overlook or do not care about when they mismanage the affairs of a nation. It is that simple.
May his soul rest in eternal peace… they will be more of us, a lot of well meaning Zambians are ambitious and make money the hard way as it should be. Work hard not steal Koswe mumpoto. Unfortunately some of us are succumbing to our own ambitions.
Unlike like most of you guys in Zambia, some people are trying to make it without stealing from others or constantly being pulled down by families and friends. Sometimes and mostly Zambian/African families are so useless that the only thing they know is to ask for money and other material stuff. They never ask how are you, what are your aspirations etc. Talking to them about any long term goals and possibilities is a waste of time because they are content with mediocrity. So one way is to try to exercise maximum discipline and go it alone. In a normal country leaders must be asking themselves the question, why are their country men and women leaving Zambia and choosing to live like this? In my opinion this is not a coincidence. It is a pattern which has an obvious root cause.
I am not suprised, for instance Mushota lives in scotland with no family.The only family she has got is lusakatimes.
I don’t know value of these professionals in Botswana or in many African economies, but honestly a soil technologist by profession should have been well remunerated over the years he worked. One thing i know for a fact in the USA and Canada, a good domain technologist Professional with >3 years of experience and Bachelors degree education makes >US$110,000/Year. May be the brother was making $45,000/year equivalent. Certainly he had some saving to take care of fate such as death. Guys if you don’t have a wife or children with you in the Diaspora, think of atleast entrusting 1 member of the family at home to manage your funeral. Really sorry.
Gosh ,it’s becoming a chain pattern is USA next? Rest in peace bwana Chanda.
@Enka, Kikikikiikiki is that the meaning of “Enka” = alone. Yaa its scary boyi.
First it was in Germany now PA Botswana….sure mwebantu chikanga lova(jobless) nkungulume,picks a friend to stay with what more you who is making money in the diaspora sure you choose to stay alone….this is total stinginess(ubutani)
This should be taken seriously and as well as an example to you Zambians living in the diaspora…..please when you so the illness is not responding to the treatment,pliz book a ticket and came back home…
Problem mulapontela family nga mwa winner and you fail to apologize when things gets out of hands…
Life abroad can be tough especially if one gets un employed. Often so called friends run away from you unless they are really genuine. Also when things do not work out we should be bold to go home even empty handed. People get trapped fearing that when they go home, relatives will laugh at them. Also being a church goer helps to bond with people who can act as brothers and sisters. Remember Jesus when relatives were looking for him, he pointed to his church goers as his brothers and sisters.
Why is his family not so keen on repartriating his body? Maybe he never bothered about them when he was making money. Many people have faced lonely deaths because they don’t feel the need of an extended family.
In my opinion that is not a good enough reason. It is just that we are petty and grievance driven society. They would rather buy talk time or a mobile phone instead.
It’s sad, where I work a Zambian student came I tried to befriend him but lo and behold things that came from his mouth startled me” I don’t want to be familiar with Zambians”wow! Just wow! You just came in the country I have been here 35yrs trying to give you advice you say you don’t want anything to do with Zambians well tough I said. So what do you do with such an one. MHSRIP
I don’t blame him, why would he want to befriend a weirdo like you.
get lost
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Most Zambians do not want to identify themselves with fellow Zambians while in the diaspora perhaps they think one wants to beg them…how ridiculous… Even Mushota above has since forgotten her relatives in Luapula or Northern province of Zambia…
Going by the above discussions, we are still a long way to go. People jump to blame without allowing their brain to follow fact not fiction approach to issues. We know families and diasporians are in constant struggle. People are trying to escape the dependence mentality, endemic corruption, pull him down syndrome and poor political leadership are at the center of the problem. You know it.
Next is “spaka like lilo”.too bad for my brother Chanda!!how i wish you got one of your nephews from Mwense to live with you there.its important to live with other people in our homes!!RIP my dear brother Chanda!!
I don’t know if Mr Robert Mataka is still the High Commissioner in Botswana, whoever is there should take full responsibility, the deceased was a Zambian national trying to make a decent living for himself. He didn’t die because of living alone as some bloggers seem to suggest. His family or relatives maybe just poor villagers like mine who may not know how to go about bringing the body to Zambia.
To Mr. Chileshe Patrick Chanda I say, Go siame rra, robala sentle rra
Comment:Vibantu vili abroad nivakaso bad vifunache kudya veka mwanya uzayamba kufa one by one sochabe navindalama vanu bazavidya ba Bank with no one to claim for them.rich fools learn to share with your families and others life is tough here ka.
” Zambian living alone in Botswana dies ” Lusaka Times, what type of article title is that? He lived in Botswana with fellow Africans. They looked out for him by contacting his embassy. We as Zambians need to start phrasing things a little differently. Making things sensational for all the wrong reasons.
I do agree with Nzelu. It just shows how far back we are as a country. There is nothing wrong in living in a foreign country, the world is ours to explore. Painting negative pictures by phrasing things about us people living in foreign countries I don’t understand why most of my fellow Zambia seems to come across bitter all the time I see any issues to do with us people living abroad. It is a shame, you can die alone even in your own country as far as I know not everyone has the same relations and circumstances as you have and you have to respect all people rather than judging when you know nothing about them
I agree with dundumwezi arise, butani ukwikala weka..it’s not our culture.
Ba Chanda mwaume, mwe mpalume! really you are gone. I mourn you my brother.