GOVT REGRETS STUDENTS’ DEATHS

GOVERNMENT says it is deeply saddened by the drowning of two students in the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday June 3, this year.

Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya, who is acting Minister of Higher Education, confirmed the incident yesterday in Lusaka and identified the deceased as Kelvin Musanda, 19 and Innocent Kawilo Kangwa, 20.

This is contained in a statement issued to the Daily Nation by Ministry of Health, head of media relations Stanslous Ngosa.

Dr Chilufya said the deceased were students on the Zambia /Algeria Government Scholarships. Kelvin was a first year student in Material Science while Innocent was a first year student in Electrical Engineering.

“The deceased met their fate while in the company of a Zambian Community and other foreign students, based in Tlemcem, Algeria who had gone to the beach to celebrate the completion of the French Language instruction by the first year students.

“A strong wind swept Kelvin and in a bid to rescue his friend, Innocent, was also taken by the wave resulting in both students drowning,” Dr Chilufya said.

He disclosed that the Government, through the Zambian Embassy in Cairo, responsible for Algeria is doing everything possible to repatriate the remains of our students back to Zambia. The Education Attaché is being sent to Algeria to coordinate the process.