Chama man dies while digging a well

-A 27-year-old man of Kaozi Resettlement Scheme in Chama district of Muchinga Province has died after suffocating inside a 27-metre deep well he was digging.

Kaozi Resettlement Scheme chairperson, Jones Mkandawire, has confirmed the incident in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chama today.

Mr Mkandawire said the incident happened on August 1, 2014 in the farm block when the deceased, who has been identified as David Nkhowani together with his friend, were digging a well.

He said David suffocated and died inside the well before Fire Brigade officers from Lundazi in the Eastern Province could arrive at the scene.

Mr Mkandawire said sources of adequate and clean water supply were the biggest challenge his area was facing and is happy that the Government has in the last few days answered the cries of the people by drilling boreholes in strategic places.

And Muchinga Principal Land Resettlement Officer, Joshua Banda, has disclosed that Government has spent over K200 million in drilling and equipping boreholes in Kaozi Resettlement Scheme so as to avert the critical water shortage.

Mr Banda told ZANIS in Chama today that a team from the water affairs in Chinsali is currently in the area equipping the boreholes that were drilled last week.

He said Kaozi Resettlement Scheme is a very productive area that the Government wants to revamp and enable the settlers to produce more crops.