Two cases of arson have occurred in Chieftainess Mpanshya’s area in Rufunsa district of Lusaka province where a seven year old boy has been burnt to death.
Rufunsa District Commissioner (DC), Judith Chama confirmed this to ZANIS yesterday. Mrs Chama said the two cases happened last night and in the early hours of yesterday.
She said a seven year old boy, Moses Biemba of Steven village was burnt to death after the house he was sleeping in with two other friends caught fire at around 22:00 hours.
Mrs Chama said the other case involved a make shift market at Mpanshya Mission Hospital turn off near Manenekela on the Great East Road which happened in the early hours of today.
She said the causes of fire are not known and investigations have been instituted and that burial for Moses is being arranged by relatives.
The DC also said that no goods or life was lost at the burnt make shift market.
And a check by ZANIS at the burnt house found the fire still burning inside.
The friend of the deceased Benard Matale, aged 12 said they were three in the house and at around 22:00 hours they just saw a fire enter through the door and dropped where Moses was sleeping and he started burning.
Mutale said they shouted for help and by the time people came and broke the mud house walls, Moses was burning.
Meanwhile, Father to the deceased, Bosco Biemba said he was at his house at the resettlement scheme when he was called and rushed to where Moses was staying and found that his son had been burnt to death.
Mr Biemba said the body of Moses will be put to rest immediately because they do not have the capacity to take the body to either Chongwe or Lusaka where there are mortuary facilities, as the mortuary at Mpanshya’s St. Luke’s Mission Hospital is not functioning due to lack of power.
sad news.
This is very sad news, may the young boy find a better place in the after life than the hardships he went through even as a young soul in this life. Life is truelly not fair. Mortuary is not working and yet some senior govt officer is busy driving around in a luxury SUV filling its vehicle on full tank, driving in convoys of 5 or more govt vehicles to officiate and open facilities like this hospital where the mortuary is not working. Could those funds spent on luxury SUVs and driving around in convoys to officiate an opening not be better used on repairing the mortuary and having more ambulances? Heaven help us!