ZAF TO BUILD HOUSE FOR 95 YEAR OLD CHIKANKANTA GRANDMA AFTER HER INITIAL HOUSE HAD ROOF BLOWN OFF BY ZAF CHOPPER

ZAF TO BUILD HOUSE FOR 95 YEAR OLD CHIKANKANTA GRANDMA AFTER HER INITIAL HOUSE HAD ROOF BLOWN OFF BY ZAF CHOPPER

THE Zambia Air Force (ZAF) has committed to building a three-roomed house for a 95-year old grandmother who resides deep in the the rolling hills and woodlands of Chikankata District in Southern Province.

The gesture is to compensate Esnart Haachintu Moonga for the partial destruction of her one-roomed house whose roofing sheets were blown off her humble structure and sent flying by a landing ZAF chopper on routine operation in Hamikoobo Village of Chief Naluwamba’s area.

While the incident caused pandemonium in the village sending panicky residents running for dear life, the old lady slept in the house thinking someone had come to attack her.

Joyce Mukuna, the victims only surviving daughter who has now taken her into her own hut said the incident was terrifying.

Joyce said although she was frightened initially, she now regards the incident as a  blessing in disguise.

In response to the incident, the Zambia Air Force has already gone on the ground and say they will work round the clock to build granny Esnart a new house within 14 days.

This afternoon, ZAF commander Lt General Oscar Nyoni dispatched ZAF Chief of Medical services, Brigadier General Simon Tembo to access the victim.

Brigadier General Tembo conducted a thorough medical check up of the old woman, after which he declared her uninjured and stable.

Accompanied by ZAF director public relations and foreign liason Colonel Mutale Kasoma, Brigadier Tembo handed over a bag of rice,  a bag of beans and chickens along with a sum of the K5,000 to the victim as a donation from the Force.

Upon learning that the old woman hardly walks, Brigadier Tembo said ZAF would also provide her a wheelchair.

After the visit, Col Mutale told journalists that Lt General Nyoni “was deeply saddened by the incident” pledging to do everything possible to alleviate the situation.

“I am pleased to announce that the foundation has already been started for a new house and will be completed in two weeks,” Col Kasoma announced.

“As you may be aware, the Zambia Air Force is involved in relief operations from time to time. So it’s quite unfortunate that this time around, we are here to offer support to someone who is inadvertently in a situation that was caused by our machine on a routine operation. But we are here and we will ensure that she gets everything she needs,” said Col Kasoma.

In the meantime, as Brigadier General Tembo and his men were attending to the woman, the sight of their waiting chopper had turned into an open air photo studio with men of the village bringing their wives, children, girlfriends, fiancees and baby mamas for a rare photo opportunity near a military air craft.

Kalemba .