The expected 12 last Zambian students from Ukraine arrived safely this morning aboard Qatar Airways at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka.
The 12 students were upon arrival received by government officials led by the Disaster management and Mitigation Unit( DMMU) Coordinator Gabriel Pollen .
Speaking to the students at the airport after their arrival, DMMU Coordinator Gabriel Pollen said the government is happy that it has relieved all the Students are back home safely.
“This also shows the comprehensive plan that government had put in place to evacuate the students, we had a chartered plane on the Polish side which brought the other students who arrived last week and we also had arrangements in place to evacuate the students to the Western side and put them on commercial flights to Zambia,” Mr Pollen said.
Mr Pollen said government made sure that there were people waiting to receive and guide the students at the border and also a platform was also created that provided instructions for them.
“As may you know the students were coming from Sumy this was an area that was encircled and cordoned off by the Russian defense forces ,so it took a bit of time, but we kept in constant contacts and ensured that ,we correctly assuring them that government is not going to leave them behind,” He noted .
Dr Pollen explained that it was extremely difficult to get the Zambian students out of Sumy , saying the Ambassador in Moscow did a good job in ensuring that we kept constant contact in trying to get a humanitarian corridor which happened .
He noted that it was a very difficult exercise to evacuate trying to work within the confines of a country that is besieged by a war.
Meanwhile, government has provided accommodation for the students for at least two nights and thereafter will be facilitated to their final destinations.
“They have all been pre -tested negative and as such they will only be required to undergo the regular screening of every ordinary traveler, on arrival in Lusaka. All parents and guardians who are able to, may pick their respective children from the airport upon arrival,” he said.
Dr Pollen expressed its gratitude to the parents and guardians of the nationals, and members of the public at large, for their patience during the delicate evacuation exercise and also thanked Zambians for the patience exhibited.
Speaking on behalf of the Parents and guardians, Mulenga Kabaso said it was very devastating for all the parents and not the level of anxiety was too much , but now they are happy that the children are back home and safe.
“As parents we are really thankful to the President Hakainde Hichilema for what has happened and the government especially the Ministry of foreign Affairs and everybody that has played a role in ensuring that the children are back in Zambia safely,” Mr Kabaso said.
Recently government assured the nation that the government remains committed to conclude all necessary arrangements for the evacuation of all the Students out of Ukraine.
This is good news and bravo to the team that was charged with the responsibility to make this task successful. My appeal to the affected families and to all Zambians is that we should have confidence in our Government. Let’s not force our officers to act under duress as they’re bound to make mistakes. It’s in difficult times that we’re required to excise maximum patience as despair usually affects decision making.
Not even 12 Ukrainian Refugees went to Zambia.
Tunye?
@ Kaizer, why ask that when you always have poo in your pants and mouth?
I would not be surprised if we start hearing that another 150 or so students are still in Ukraine and did not have the correct tribe to be evacuated.
Nothing is ever easy when things are left to the eleventh hour! But I’m glad all the students have now been evacuated. I just hope we won’t hear of another group coming home – when we were earlier informed everyone was out, except for those who opted to stay in Europe. Do we have concrete numbers, or, is this all speculative?
#plant a tree please!