Jackson Mwansa
As the battle to join the job market intensifies in Zambia, some job-seekers are said to have suffered serious injuries while jostling to be part of the long queues in the North-west of the southern African nation.
Zambia Police puts the number of those injured at 13 people, among them two juveniles aged 18 and three adult juveniles aged 20 who had gone to attend oral interviews at Solwezi town center road office opposite the civic center at around 06:00 hours.
Police Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga, says the incident happened when about 300 candidates who had applied for Zambia Correctional Service employment forced their way inside the interview room after complaining of the process being slow.
Those injured have been identified as:
1. Chimba Russell aged 24 of Mwinilunga who sustained a painful left leg
2. Ethel Malwayi aged 22 sustained general body pains
3. Petronela Chinyembo aged 25 of Solwezi sustained painful chest
4. Makayi Luwi aged 23 sustained painful right leg
5. Jonas Sapiliana 24 of Manyinga who sustained a painful right knee
6. Emmanuel Sapiliana aged 22 of Manyinga who sustained painful left hand
7. Josephine Josayi aged 22 of Zambezi who sustained a head injury
8. Cornelius Mupupe aged 22 of Solwezi sustained general body pains.
All the injured were rushed to Solwezi General Hospital for treatment.
The stampede occured in the copper-rich mining district of Solwezi in which a number of people got injured at the congested Zambia Correctional Service Regional Office.
According to authorities, one person is admitted in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Solwezi General Hospital. This is contained in a report published by PRIME TV.