Maravi

Rupiah’s entourage crash-lands in Kasempa

Rupiah’s entourage crash-lands in Kasempa
By Misheck Wange in Kasempa
Sun 17 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT

A Zambia Air Force (ZAF) plane carrying three Cabinet ministers who were part of President Rupiah Banda’s entourage yesterday crash landed at Mkinge Airstrip in Kasempa.

Works and supply minister, Mike Mulongoti, who was on board the plane with finance minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane and community development minister Michael Kaingu, confirmed the plane accident.

The incident happened around 11:00 hours, but ZAF officials declined to comment on the matter, saying they were still investigating.
However, Mulongoti said it seemed the pilot miscalculated when he landed in the middle of the airstrip.

He said when the pilot observed that he would overrun the runway, he applied brakes and the plane went off course into a nearby bush where it stopped.
Mulongoti said the left wing of the plane and the wheels were damaged but all those on board escaped unhurt.

The three ministers were part of President Banda’s advance party to the Nsakwa yaba Kaonde traditional ceremony, which was held in Kasempa yesterday.

President Banda has this year made trips to several countries and towns within Zambia, shrugging off his critics’ demands for him to minimize on the travels to save taxpayers’ money.

In the last four days the President has made two trips to the Copperbelt and North Western provinces “to commission and inspect projects”.

President Banda traveled to the Copperbelt last Wednesday for a three-day working visit and traveled back to Lusaka on Friday to launch the National Census programme.

Yesterday, President Banda left for Kasempa, North Western Province to attend the Nsakwa yaba Kaonde traditional ceremony after which he will proceed to Mongu to commission the construction of the Mongu/Kalabo road in Western Province.

Labels: AIRPLANE CRASHES, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:51 AM