The body of a Copperbelt University (CBU) student who drowned at Nsobe Game Camp in Mpongwe has been retrieved and transported to Mufulira.
Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Tembo and Copperbelt University Students’ Union president Oscar Mbewe confirmed this yesterday.
And Government is “deeply aggrieved” by the death of the CBU students.
Acting chief government spokesperson Fackson Shamenda said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that the death of the students has robbed the nation of promising intellectuals.
“The students would have contributed greatly to the development of the country. On behalf of the government, I convey heartfelt condolences to Copperbelt Province Minister Mwenya Musenge, and through him, to the bereaved families, COBUSU and the entire CBU staff and student fraternity, on this tragic and untimely loss of lives,” he said.
Shamenda said all companies and individuals engaged in water transport services should observe the highest standard of safety measures at all times to avoid loss of life.
And Ms Tembo said the two bodies are in the Malcom Watson Hospital mortuary in Mufulira.
On Saturday, two CBU second year students drowned in a river at Nsobe Game Camp in Mpongwe.
Mbewe said students are devastated by the tragic loss of their colleagues.
He said in Kitwe yesterday that the body of Francis Mulenga Bwalya was retrieved on Sunday afternoon and immediately transported to Mufulira together with that of Brindley Mpashi.
“A dark cloud hangs over CBU following the death of our friends… the student populace is deeply saddened because we have lost two vibrant students who could have contributed to the development of the institution and the nation… this is a big loss,” Mr Mbewe said.
Bwalya and Mr Mpashi were second year students in the school of mathematics and natural sciences.
Mbewe said COBUSU has written to Nsobe Game Camp and other pleasure resorts to put in place safety measures to prevent the loss of life.
He also advised students to follow the regulation which requires them to inform the dean of students and the COBUSU leadership 48 hours before taking a trip out of campus.
“We know that this was a private trip but regulations cover both private trips and official CBU trips,” Mr Mbewe said
The two students will be buried today in Mufulira and COBUSU and management have provided financial, material and moral support to the bereaved families.
Meanwhile, Mufulira district commissioner Beatrice Mithi has said one of the students was taking care of her incapacitated mother. “This is sad… one of the students was taking care of his mother who is in a wheelchair after suffering a stroke. We have lost future leaders.”
CBU public relations officer Grace Mikunga said Mr Bwalya and Mr Mpashi were part of a group of nine students at Nsobe Game Camp.
“Three students got on a canoe belonging to a private individual but unfortunately the vessel capsized as they were trying to return ashore. Only one student who was putting on a life jacket survived,” Ms Mikunga said.
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