Kambwili evacuated to South Africa for treatment

President Edgar Lungu on Friday night authorized the medical evacuation abroad of Roan Member of Parliament and former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Chishimba Kambwili.

Kambwili fell ill in police custody and had been receiving treatment at Lusaka’s Care for Business Medical Centre, one of the top private hospitals in the country.

The opposition NDC consultant, who has been charged with 39 counts of being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime and obtaining pecuniary advantage, had been denied police bond before he fell ill.

Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Emmanuel Mwamba Kambwili’s evacuation in a statement released by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria, Naomi Nyawali.

Mwamba disclosed that arrangements have since been made to send an air-ambulance to evacuate Mr Kambwili and ensured that he received specialist medical treatment in South Africa.

He said that arrangements such as authority from Ministry of Health has been granted in the night and the medical team in South Africa was waiting for a medical report, and a copy of Mr Chishimba Kambwili’s passports to activate the emergence evacuation.

Mwamba stated that life was sacred and that President Lungu had acted swiftly to ensure that a life was saved and that Kambwili who had suddenly fallen ill received the best treatment.

He also thanked Minister of Health, Dr Chitalu Chilufya and his team that worked deep in the night with their counterparts from South Africa to ensure that the evacuation of Kambwili was done.

He urged the family of Kambwili to immediately cooperate and receive this gesture from President Lungu as a measure to save a life above all considerations.

As at press time, arrangements were advanced to ensure that Mr Kambwili was in South Africa by the end of the day.

Issued by Naomi Nyawali,