—-An eight-year-old child has died while four adults are battling for their lives in Shiwang`andu District of Muchinga Province after they ate fish that was killed
using poisonous substance.
Both Shiwang`andu District Commissioner (DC), Moses Katebe, and Chamusenga Ward Counsellor, Cacious Chiti, confirmed the incident in separate interviews with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Shiwang`andu today.
Mr Chiti identified the deceased child as Richard Mwiche saying, the incident happened last week when three unidentified fishermen poisoned the fish in Lunsunge River in Chifofoma village.
He said the three fishermen fed on the fish and fell sick, but on their way back to their village they stopped by Meleki Village as they were too weak to move on.
A woman, Beatrice Mumba, mother of the deceased child of the named village, accommodated them and prepared nsima for them which they ate with the fish they got from Lunsunge River.
Mr. Chiti said two of the fishermen and Beatrice have been admitted to Mulanga Mission Hospital while one fisherman is admitted at Chinsali District Community Hospital.
The Counsellor said the poisonous substance that the fishermen used to kill the fish is not known yet known, but he described the substance as being in powdered form parked in a bottle.
He added that the poisonous substance was found in a pocket of one of the three fishermen’s cloths.
Mr Chiti has therefore, urged the department of Livestock and fisheries to embark on a massive sensitization programme to educate the community on the dangers of using poisonous substances to kill fish, adding that a lot of lives have been lost due to this venture.
Meanwhile, Shiwang’andu District Commissioner, Moses Katebe has described the incident as unfortunate, adding that other would-be offenders must learn from the incident.