The government has announced plans to hold a mass burial on Monday for the miners who lost their lives in the tragic accident at Senseli open pit mine in Chingola. Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo provided updates on the ongoing rescue mission, revealing that five additional bodies have been recovered, bringing the total number of fatalities to eleven, while one person has been found alive.
Matambo, in a media briefing, stated that President Hakainde Hichilema may be present for the burial ceremony, pending confirmation. The victims, aged between 21 and 35, will be laid to rest on Monday, with two of the deceased yet to be identified.
The Mines Minister, Paul Kabuswe, shared additional details, explaining that all the bodies retrieved so far were located in a single tunnel. The rescue team suspects that the number of retrieved bodies may represent the total count for that specific tunnel, indicating that the search efforts may soon conclude in that area.
Kabuswe emphasized that the government’s primary focus is on the retrieval of bodies, dismissing any political commentary surrounding the incident. The tragic accident has sparked discussions, with political commentators offering various perspectives on the situation.
In response to the unfolding events, UPND Copperbelt Youth Chairperson Warren Hinyama called for the non-politicization of the mine accident in Chingola. Hinyama emphasized the need for unity and collective mourning, urging individuals and groups to prioritize support for the affected families and communities over political considerations.
The mass burial is expected to be a somber occasion, drawing attention to the importance of prioritizing safety measures in mining operations to prevent future tragedies. The government’s commitment to the rescue mission and support for the affected families remains a focal point as the nation grapples with the aftermath of the mining accident.
In response to the unfolding events, UPND Copperbelt Youth Chairperson Warren Hinyama called for the non-politicization of the mine accident in Chingola. Hinyama emphasized the need for unity and collective mourning, urging individuals and groups to prioritize support for the affected families and communities over political considerations.o
ALREADY YOU HAVE POLITICIZED
You are not even talking about the owners of this mine. Why.
Because you know the owner is one of you. You cannot run forever. Time will catch up with you one day.
Chingola we cry again…….
We were the first to be gassed. Almost two years down the line the govt cannot find who gassed us. They cannot fine those who disturbed the classes and education carriculum. Our children died in the stamped. Today Chingola cries again as its children trying to find a way of living were covered in the mud and drowned in the caves . The jobs they were promised never came . They had no option but to go deep in the belly of mother earth. Unfortunately they never came back alive ….but came out corpses. What a life in Chingola. We also remember how our families were brutally evicted from Kasompe and there homes razed to the bare ground. What a life in Chingola!!
A huge sacrifice of deaths by upnd and hh. These people died because hh is more concerned with getting richer through illegal gold mining at the expense of poor Zambians. The souls of these poor people will haunt hh till his death
Who encouraged this illegal mining in the first place c0*kroach and company
Those of us that have supported UPND cannot keep being silent. Are these the job creation HH promised Zambians on his Inaugurations by giving mining licenses to his friends who are running illegal mines, sacrificing the youth. HH must take responsibility to a certain degree. Already, he has handed KCM to the crooks who defrauded Zambia for decades. I just returned from Zambia and the Copperbelt. I have 3 extended family members involved in UPND in Kitwe, Ndola and Chingola. They confessed to me that support for HH has evaporated heavily and PF is up. Without Copperbelt, HH has no pathway for the second term.
@ Mutafela
Its not only the Copperbelt. In the East and North people have turned against HH because he over applied his promises. You only hear about Catholics Priest in the Copperbelt, Eastern and Northern promise coming out things have gotten worse. You don’t hear Catholics in Western, Southern and Northwestern Provinces addressing these issues…. HH got to state house because the East & North gave him a chance, but he has squandered it because he is being told lies by these UPND Provincial Leaders….. If UPND Leaders tell him the truth, they know they will be fired for failing to increase support on the ground. The only person who is brave to tell the truth is – – Gilbert Liswaniso, The UPND Youth Chairperson and they now don’t like him for telling the truth.
That’s why he’s camping on the copperbelt. Good thing is everyone in Chingola know that Senseless mine is owned by a Upnd member or connected.
@Mainga: You speak as if this was the first time HH has won the presidential elections. You conveniently ignore the rigging of PF/MMD against UPND. In the 1991 elections, Chipuba won by hoodwinking Zambians. In 1996, he won by doing dirty against Kaunda. In 2001, UPND won but was swindled by MMD. In 2011, Michael Satan won by lying to the Lozi that he would restore the Barotse Agreement. In 2015, HH won and was cheated. In 2016, HH won and was cheated. In 2021 PF tried to cheat but were thwarted. HH did not win because some province did him any favours. Some of you speak as if democracy is a gift and a favour from your provinces. Dream on, HH is going to win in 2026 because the alternative is much worse.
Deja Vu, stop insulting the intelligence of people in Chingola. If every one in Chingola know that the Senseless mine is owned by a UPND member or connected, why dont you allow the people of Chingola to name the owner of this so called senseless mine?? Dont waste time feeding the nation with your hate for UPND by speaking on behalf of everyone in Chingola. Limit your lies to yourself!!
I’m a Chingola man so I affected unlike you who follows the the leader without questions.
For one if the owner had ties with PF it would make headlines everywhere ZNBC, toilet etc
Kapungwe, a UPND commander runs the pit on behalf of the UPND. All Chingola party officials are also mining in the pit including one known bishop.
@Ngoma Yamano… come down from that ivory tower. Habeenzu has said what I was holding back. If anyone else was involved by this time the ZP would have been busy rounding up all those involved in this tragedy.
@Habeenzu: Complete rubbish, when did characters from these other provinces give someone from Southern Province a copper mine? In 1991, Chipuba and his friends shared the copper mines and other government assets among their tribesmen and foreigners. The greedy buggers ignored safety procedures in order to maximise profits. The mines became dangerous. Furthermore, they mofos did not invest in security, with the result thieves were able to go in and do their private mining. Their dangerous mines, and illegal miners culminated in a mining disaster in which people died. As often happens when they f@ck up, they are crying to us for salvation, even trying to place the blame for their deeds on us. And you are Mulenga, not Habeenzu
We have a problem if ownership of mines in the country is always associated with belonging to a ruling party as happened under PF regime. Unfortunately even when UPND is not following the same approach, the PF cadres will continue suspecting whoever runs mining pits as running these on behalf of UPND. Soon people running business will be attacked by opposing party cadres!! Surely dont we have people who own and run their business without connection to a party or ruling party?? We are indeed damned if this is the case. Genuine people who want to run business in Zambia will be scared of being accused of connection to a ruling party. This is a load of destructive politics which wont develop the country.
@Ngoma Yamaano: We do not own anything in anyone else’s province. Our assets are from Kabwe to Livingstone, from Mumbwa to Mulamba to, Luangwa/Mpazangwe. We lay no claims on the property of another. We have to say this because we all know that when they say “UPND” they mean Tonga people, and we are tired of being punching bags of these people. I am sorry, this has nothing to do with us. This is their doing, and their fault. They are the ones who are in Lamba country, and ravaging Lamba land. Go to the Copperbelt and count the number of Tonga people there… You will have to use a magnifying glass to find us there. I am not saying we are completely absent; I am pointing out that we are very rare there.
Deja Vu, if Habeenzu is your criteria of valid evidence that is your opinion. I dont belong to any political party but I expect people belonging to any political party in a multi-party democracy to be treated equally when it comes to owning and running businesses in Zambia. So there is nothing wrong with a UPND member running a business. However if their business doesnt adhere to safety standards leading to deaths, your Habeenzu and yourself should take these people to face justice if you have valid evidence!!!
@Ngoma. Yamano… I knew the people behind but I didn’t want to mention them especially that jaribu man.
@Ngoma Yamaano: He is not Habeenzu. His real name is probably Chileshe or Mubanga, but in order to propagate his nonsense, it is useful project a Tonga identity, so that he can victimise Tonga people without betraying himsel to be the tribalist that he is. This is nothing but their continued manifestation for hatred of the Tonga people of Southern, Central and Lusaka Province.
Deja Vu, dont you think other people will have an opinion that he who cant mention people behind is afraid to mention the people as he has no valid evidence?? Anyway you are not addressing my comment above that all Zambian citizens who may belong to different political parties should have equal treatment when it comes to owning and running businesses. However should such business people violate safety standards and other regulations related to their business, then those with evidence should report them to LEAs to face justice!! If your so called Jaribu man has violated any business safety standards and other business regulations, report that Jaribu man to LEAs to face justice than just making noise on social media!!
Social Media? What are using for your defense propaganda? By the way why are you so keen on defending the owners. If I am lying it will be proved eventually.
Deja Vu, I am not using social media for just making noise and attracting attention which wont lead to justice. I am not defending owners. All I am saying is that if you have valid evidence of wrong doing by these owners, report them to LEAs in order for them to defend themselves and to face justice if they are guilt. The only way to prove if you are lying or not is by taking your evidence to LEAs and finally to courts of justice. Come back to social media once you have reported your suspects to LEAs and once the court of justice makes their verdict.
You not affected and your duty is to defend Upnd at any cost.
You have failed a simple test…. why is your government talking about investigating the tragedy?
Firstly, condolences to the deceased families. However
, if what im reading us true, then in zambia we deserve the suffering we endure. I cant believe that Zambians could turn to PF when PF are the cause of everything we are going through. All the corruption, embezzlement, violence by cadres, unchecked Chinese borrowing… list is endless. UPND may be failing but to even suggest PF are the answer, then we deserve to suffer – akin to jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Good luck to us with PF. they’ll suck us dry next time.
OMG this look like not mine o