LCC REBURIES BODIES EXPOSED BY FLOODS AT CHINGWERE

Lusaka ~ Fri, 15 Jan 2021

By Brightwell Chabusha

The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has started reburying 20 exposed bodies at Lusaka’s Chingwere cemetery which were exposed by floods following heavy rains experienced in the recent past.

LCC Public Relations Manager George Sichimba said in a statement that the exercise is supposed to complete by the end of the week.

Sichimba further disclosed that the Council identified a performance contractor to be clearing the drain for smooth passage of water to prevent similar occurrences.

“The human remains were exposed by storm water following heavy rains experienced in the recent past,” he said.

“The storm water caused erosion of the banks of the drain that passes through the cemetery thereby affecting some old graves which are closer to it. The Council has since identified a performance contractor to be clearing the drain for smooth passage of water to prevent similar occurrences.”

Meanwhile, Mr Sichimba said the Council will for the first time in 2021 bury 45 unclaimed bodies at the same cemetery LCC in the next 14 days.

He added that the impending burial is in view of the request received from the University Teaching Hospital to bury 45 unclaimed bodies.

“According to the letter, the 45 unclaimed bodies have been laying in the mortuary for a while, giving rise to an unpleasant mortuary environment contrary to the Public Health Act Cap 295 of the Laws of Zambia,” he said.

“Consequently, LCC has caused a public notice in the press about its intention to bury the bodies. This is in accordance with the provisions of Section 16 (2),Paragraph 7, Sub-paragraph (b) of the First Schedule of the Local Government Act No. 2 of 2019 of Laws of Zambia. In accordance with the law, 14 days have been assigned in the notice for members of the general public to claim/identify any of the bodies and conduct burial.”

He advised members of the public who may be missing their relatives or friends to engage UTH management for possible identification of the body.

Last year, the Council buried a total of 127 unclaimed bodies.