12 suspects have been arrested at Mongu Central Police in Western Province for attempting to sell a 17 year old male living with albinism.

Western Province Police Commissioner, Fwambo Siame confirmed having the suspects in police custody to ZANIS in Mongu district in a phone interview.

And in a statement issued to the media by Zambia Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, Danny Mwale, he revealed that the 12 suspects include four teachers, a school matron aged 53, a nurse aged 33,a taxi driver, and two men who work in a barbershop in Sefula, Mongu district.

Danny Mwale revealed that police recovered 12 cellular phones which were used for communication by the suspects and some medicines which were labeled as ‘Diazepam’ which after interrogations the suspects disclosed that the medicine was intended to be given to the victim once he was captured.

He disclosed that The suspects were all picked on February 4th,2023 between 01:00 hours and 04:00 hours in Sefula, Mongu District.

Police investigations indicate that the plot to traffic the named albino pupil who is a learner at Sefula combined school for the blind in Mongu district of Western Province started in October 2022 and that a picture of the victim was sent to purported buyers in Lusaka.

Zambia police however said that investigations in this matter are still underway.

The Zambia Flying Doctor Services have evacuated the remains of the 14 year old Chinsali boy, Derick Mwamba who was suffering from a heart condition following his demise yesterday morning around 05: 00 hours in Lusaka where he went for further medical attention.

Zambia Flying Doctor Services Public Relations Manager, Nambula Sililo, says the Flying Doctor Services had to evacuate the patient for professional attention at the Lusaka Heart Hospital on 26th January, 2023 following an appeal through Chinsali ZANIS crew.

Ms Sililo described the death of Derick as unfortunate saying the Zambia Flying Doctor Services work does not only end at evacuating patients but follows up on patients till the end of medical process and take them back to their dwelling place.

” We do not leave our patients just at the hospitals once we evacuate them but we follow through all the medical procedures they are given and also support them in any way possible and bring them back home where we picked them yet others live, today we are witnessing Derrick’s bodies brought back home which is unfortunately,” She adds.

She says bringing back patients alive is a success for the Zambia Flying Doctor Services.

Ms Nambula further said as a way of cautioning the burden of diseased patient family, the Zambia Flying Doctor Services has donated a sum of K2, 500 towards the funeral expenses for the late Derrick.

Ms Sililo told the ZANIS upon arrival at the Chinsali air strip last evening, that it was evident that Derick needed urgent medical attention following a news item that was aired over his condition.

And Chinsali District Commissioner Samson Muchemwa who was at hand to receive the remains of Derick said government through the Zambia flying Doctor Services and other health professionals did all it could to ensure that the young man survived.

He said it is unfortunate that death has robbed his family a chance to be with them even after so much effort was done to make him well again.

“As government we are deeply saddened by the demise of Derrick whom we all thought could survive especially after being evacuated to Lusaka Heart Hospital due to his condition at that time,” he bemoaned.

The DC has since called for peace, love, unity and comfort from above to be among the diseased family.

Meanwhile, Family representative has thanked Government through the Zambia Flying Doctors Services for help rendered to the family during the sickness of their son.

Headman Chipande says the people of Chipande Village are grateful for the gesture saying this has never happened before.

“We appreciate ZANIS, the DC, the Zambia Flying Doctors services and all the health staff for what they did in a quest to ensure that Derrick gets better ,” he said.

The story of Derick Mwamba attracted attention from the Flying Doctor Services among others just a few minutes after it was broadcast on the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) TV and the Zambia National Broadcasting Services (ZNBC) channels on Tuesday evening 24th January, 2023.

47 houses have collapsed after recent heavy downpours in the Chilanga district of Lusaka Province.

Chilanga District Commissioner, David Sheleni says 3 houses first collapsed in Kasupe ward of Chilanga, then an additional 30 houses fell in the Chinyanja ward.

He confirmed the development to ZANIS in an interview in Chilanga today, saying an additional 14 houses later collapsed in Mwembeshi ward of Chilanga district.

He says the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in Lusaka has sent 30 tents, 9 by 50 kilogramme bags of Kapenta, Beans and 9 by 25Kg bags of mealie meal for the 30 affected families in Chinyanja ward.

He explains that officers from the DMMU were on the ground to ascertain how much damage has been done and find out what the affected families are in need of.

“Today we have plans to go back to Mwembeshi ward as the disaster team and check on the affected families and also see if the down pour over the weekend caused any further damage and to assess what the 14 affected households need so the DMMU can quickly intervene,” he explained.

Mr. Sheleni has advised people to construct proper houses made of bricks and cement instead of using mud which gets easily washed away when there are heavy rains.

The country has been receiving heavy rainfall in the recent past which has caused floods in various parts of the country.

The State has discontinued a case in which eight Croatian nationals were charged with attempted child trafficking on the Zambian territory after they allegedly adopted four juveniles from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last December.

Meanwhile, Zambian authorities have ordered the eight discharged Croatians to leave the country within 48 hours.

State advocate Mahape Libakeni, who made the application on Monday morning, stated that the matter was discontinued pursuant to section 88(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

“This matter was coming up for continued trial, however the people are discontinuing it,” he said in the Ndola Magistrates Court.

In response, lawyers from the Legal Aid Board representing the eight Croatian nationals did not object to the application from the state.

Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Dominic Makalicha in delivering his ruling on the application granted the application with an emphasis that a discharge was not an acquittal.

“I have heard what has been said, I have received the instructions, the matter is therefore discontinued. However, a reminder is that this is not an acquittal but a discharge,” Magistrate Makalicha said.

In this case, it was alleged that on December 7, last year, Damir Magic, an electrical technician and Nadic Magic, a chemical teacher, jointly and while acting together, attempted to traffic a child namely Beatrice Magic.

It was further heard that this was within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.

In count two, another couple namely, Subosic Zoran, a musician and Immovic Subosic, a Constitutional Court administrator, on the same date attempted to traffic a child namely Mariella Kalinde Immovic Subosic within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.

Further, Ladislav Persic, a veterinary doctor and Aleksandra Persic, a dog beauty stylist on December 7, this year allegedly attempted to traffic a child namely Jona Asnate within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.

It was also alleged that Noah Kraljevic, a human rights activist and Ivona Kraljevic, a proxy woman at that country’s national theater, were also alleged to have attempted to traffic a child namely Jean Val Kraljevic within the territorial boundaries of Zambia for the purpose of exploitation.

The Croatian nationals were on 23rd January, 2023 released on bail pending trial.

On 12th January, 2023, Magistrate Makalicha granted bail to eight (8) Croatian nationals charged with the offence of attempted trafficking in four children of Congolese origin on the Zambian territory.

On the first day of trial, Magistrate Makalicha granted bail of K20, 000 each to the eight suspects with two Ndola based traceable sureties.

Earlier on 23rd January, 2023 continued trial failed to take off as Magistrate Makalicha was not available.

Monday, 23rd January 2023, was supposed to be the second day of trial and more witnesses were scheduled to testify before Magistrate Makalicha.

Trial in this case started on January 12 in the Ndola Magistrate’s Court with three witnesses testifying during a three-hour long court session.

On 10th January, 2023, the eight suspects pleaded not guilty to the offence of attempted trafficking in four children of Congolese origin on the Zambian territory.

The Immigration Department early in December, 2022 in collaboration with police in Ndola stopped an alleged illegal adoption involving four Congolese children who were destined for Croatia.

The authorities stopped the four couples from leaving Zambia at the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport on 7th December, 2022.

The four children in question are being kept by the social welfare department at a facility in Ndola.

The youngest of the four juveniles is only 15 months old.

It is not yet clear what will happen to the children in question who are being kept by the Social Welfare Department at an unknown location.

Currently, 22 districts across Zambia are underwater due to climate change-induced flooding caused by above-average rains.

A recent report by the Zambia Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) projected that 78 districts in all the 10 provinces in Zambia are at a high risk of flooding even as the rains continue to fall, and rivers burst their banks.

In six districts where CARE works, there have been continuous rains that have led to flash floods.

Hundreds of hectares of planted fields and grazing lands are underwater.

Homes have been submerged as roads and bridges have been washed away, cutting off access by road to the affected communities.

At the same time, hundreds of children are unable to get to school due to rising flood waters.

Chikwe Mbweeda, CARE International in Zambia Country Director, said, “We are particularly concerned about the impact this will have on women and girls who end up being affected the most. The climate crisis has directly affected at least 1.5 million people – including an estimated 821,000 children. The current situation in Zambia will push the country back despite some of the strides that had been made. We need all the backing we can get to continue supporting those affected by the floods to get back on their feet.”

At the same time, the threat of waterborne diseases is looming as a cholera outbreak has already claimed the life of one person and several other cases are being investigated by the Ministry of Health in the Eastern Province. There has also been a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the country.

Dr. Gabriel Pollen, the DMMU National Coordinator said, “To immediately address this disaster, we need US$33 million to reach the more than 171,200 people affected across the districts touched by the floods. The primary focus will be relocating displaced households to temporary camps being set up and provision of foodstuffs and non-food items in the affected districts. Another US$8.5 million will be required for post-flooding and disaster recovery.”

Zambia is one of the most underreported crises in the world.

With more than half of the population living on less than $1.90 a day, poverty has negatively impacted the country even before the onset of the triple threat.

The malnutrition rate is high, with 48% of the people unable to meet their daily nutrition needs and one-third of the children being stunted, as reported by the World Food Program.

The new crisis occasioned by the floods risks being disastrous for the advancement of the country.

CARE Zambia has pre-positioned non-food items and cash in three districts in the Southern Province to support more than 2,700 individuals to help them address the immediate negative impacts of the floods.

We continue to coordinate with other NGOs and the humanitarian cluster system. In addition, CARE is actively coordinating with the government as well as local and International NGOs to support ongoing relief efforts.

President Hakainde Hichilema says the government will review the flood situation in the country and declare some areas as disasters.

President Hichilema says the government is concerned with the plight of the people and is doing everything possible to ensure that all displaced people are taken care of.

The President says he has since directed the security wings including the Zambia Army, Zambia National Service, and the police to be available 24/7 to ensure that the needs of flood victims are attended to in the shortest possible time.

The President was speaking today at Bweengwa School when he met traditional leaders and members of parliament who briefed him of the severity of the flood situation.

He also called for teamwork among the local authority, civic leaders, District and provincial administrations in addressing the needs of the affected families in Monze District.

“As commander-in- Chief I have commanded the Zambia Army, the Police, Zambia National Service to be available 24/7 to attend to the needs of flood victims as well as work on the damaged critical infrastructure across the country,” said President Hichilema.

“I have come here to console you over the tragedy that befell you and to tell you that your concerns are the concerns of the government, and this is why we are working around the clock to ensure that your challenges are addressed,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Hichilema says the government will table a policy before parliament that would change the design of bridges and roads to ensure that from now onwards the country starts to build road infrastructure that would withstand the flow of water and stand the test of time.

“This country was poorly managed because the roads and bridges were below par, and this is why most of them have collapsed and severely damaged. I have since tasked my colleagues at Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), state house and others to ensure that we bring to the table a policy that will change the design of bridges and roads to make them all weather road infrastructure,” said President Hichilema.

The President who was given a thunderous welcome by Bweengwa residents also thanked the DMMU for working tirelessly to ameliorate the suffering of the flood victims in the district.

President Hichilema further reiterated the government’s commitment to work and complete the Monze-Niko Road to ease the movement of people and goods between the two districts and enhance economic activities.

Chief Hamusonde thanked President Hichilema despite having a busy schedule for touring the area to appreciate the flood situation in the area further thanking the Head of state for prompt response to the aid of the flood victims.

Briefing the Head of State, Bweengwa Member of Parliament Michelo Kasauta said the people in the area would need relief food until April next year as over 4,000 people lost their homes, crops and livestock, and while more than 3,000 hectares of field crops were washed away.

He thanked the President for increasing the disaster funds under the CDF saying the funds have so far been used to buy 1500 bags of mealie meal, cooking oil, soya chunks among other items to help the flood victims.

“I want to thank Mr. President for increasing the disaster funds under the CDF as this has enabled us to buy food and other items for the affected families before DMMU came into full swing,” said Mr. Kasauta.

Moomba Area Member of Parliament, Fred Chaatila said about 500 households have had their maize crops washed away in his area and called on the Head of State to request the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to approve the sale of maize to farmers whose crops have been washed away in the area.

DMMU National Coordinator, Gabriel Pollen says the DMMU has worked closely with the traditional leaders in the affected chiefdoms and formed community-based disaster risk management to help the communities with basic needs and help them on the road to recovery.