REMAINS OF ZAMBIAN WHO DIED ON THE BATTLE FRONT IN UKRAINE TO ARRIVE IN ZAMBIA ON SUNDAY
By Leah Ngoma
Government has disclosed that a 23-year-old Zambian student Lemekani Nyirenda who died on the battle front while fighting for Russia in Ukraine was conditionally pardoned on 23rd august 2022 in order to join the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
The Zambian Government had asked Russia to urgently provide information on how Mr. Nyirenda, a government sponsored nuclear engineering student at the Moscow engineering physics institute, who had been serving a prison sentence in Moscow after being convicted for drug related charges, had ended up on the battlefield in Ukraine.
In a ministerial statement in parliament this morning, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Stanley Kabuko explained that according to the response from his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during a telephone conversation on 24th November 2022, Russian law allows prisoners to be provided an opportunity for pardon in exchange for participation in special military operations but Mr. Nyirenda was unfortunately killed in September while participating in these activities.
Mr. Kakubo has however indicated that government through the Zambian mission in Moscow was not informed about Mr. Nyirenda`s enlistment for amnesty until the time of his demise.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kakubo has announced that the remains of Mr. Nyirenda will arrive in Lusaka on Sunday 11th December, 2022 accompanied by a representative from the Zambian embassy in Moscow.
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LEMEKHANI’S BODY WILL ARRIBE IN ZAMBIA NEXT WEEK
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT BY HON. STANLEY K. KAKUBO, M.P.,
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON THE DEMISE OF A ZAMBIAN NATIONAL IN UKRAINE
9th December, 2022
Madam Speaker,
I thank you for this opportunity to update this August House on the matter of Mr. Lemekhani Nathan Nyirenda, a Zambian National, who died at the battlefront of the on-going war between Russia and Ukraine.
Madam Speaker,
From the outset, As indicated in our Press Statement of Monday 14th November, 2022, I wish to affirm to the House that on 9th November, 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation was notified of the demise of Mr. Lemekhani Nathan Nyirenda, a 23-year-old Zambian Government sponsored student, who was pursuing Nuclear Engineering at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPHI) in the Russian Federation. The Ministry was informed that Lemekhani died at the battlefront of the on-going war between Russia and Ukraine.
Madam Speaker,
Through the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Moscow, the Ministry immediately proceeded to verify this information and it was established that Lemekhani indeed passed away on 22nd September, 2022, in Ukraine. The Embassy was further advised that Lemekhani’s remains had been transported to the Russian border town of Rostov in readiness for repatriation to Zambia.
Madam Speaker,
The Ministry wishes to further state that in April 2020, Lemekhani was found guilty of having contravened the laws of the Russian Federation and, as such, was subsequently convicted and sentenced to nine years and six months imprisonment. He was, therefore, serving his sentence at Tver Medium Security Prison on the outskirts of Moscow.
Madam Speaker,
The House may wish to note that the Russian Government permitted two Consular visits per year for the Zambian Embassy Staff to visit Lemekhani. As such, in March 2022, the Embassy Staff visited Lemekhani at the Tver Medium Security Prison and he was in good health. In September 2022, the Embassy made a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to pay a Consular visit to Lemekhani, for which they received no response. On 5th November 2022, the Embassy made a follow up on its September request for Consular access to Lemekhani, to no avail.
It was while awaiting a response that the news of Lemekhani’s death was brought to their attention.
Madam Speaker,
In view of this very unfortunate development, the Zambian Government immediately requested the Russian authorities to urgently provide information on the circumstances under which a Zambian citizen, serving a prison sentence in Tver, Russia, could have been enlisted to fight in Ukraine and as a consequence lose his life.
Madam Speaker,
The House may wish to note that I summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation accredited to the Republic of Zambia for a meeting on 12th November, 2022. During the meeting, the Ministry requested the Embassy of the Russian Federation to avail information on:
1. Why a Zambian National under the custody of the Russian Government as a convict was recruited as a combatant in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict; and
2. The full details surrounding the enlistment and subsequent death of Lemekhani.
In response, the Russian Envoy stated that he was yet to receive information from Moscow on the circumstances relating to the death of Lemekhani, but he would report back to my Ministry once informed. Our Embassy in Moscow equally received similar instructions to seek information from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the circumstances surrounding Lemekhani’s death.
Madam Speaker,
I wish to inform the House that on 24th November 2022, I held a telephone call conversation with His Excellency Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, where I pressed for information regarding the circumstances surrounding Lemekhani’s death.
During the call, I also sought clarification why, in the same manner the Zambian Government was informed of the incarceration, the Zambian Government was not officially informed of Lemekhani’s alleged amnesty in exchange for deployment to Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
I further requested details of the arrangements for the repatriation of the remains to Zambia by the Russian Government, considering he was killed in the service of the Russian Government and information on whether there would be compensation to Mr. Nyirenda’s family, from the Russian Government.
Madam Speaker,
The Russian Foreign Minister, while expressing condolences to the family of the deceased, confirmed that Lemekhani was pardoned on 23rd August, 2022 in order to join the military operation, in exchange for amnesty. The House may wish to note that in a Note Verbale to the Ministry from the Russian Embassy dated 5th December, 2022, we were informed that Russia allows for prisoners to be provided an opportunity for pardon in exchange for participation in the special military operation.
Unfortunately, Lemekhani was killed in September 2022, while participating in military activities.
Madam Speaker,
I wish to inform the House that, notwithstanding the telephone call with the Russian Foreign Minister, the Ministry immediately followed up with a request for official written responses from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Embassy in Lusaka, requesting key details, including
1. Official details on the recruitment of Lemekhani into the Russian military operations;
2. A request that a DNA test be conducted on the body, to ascertain the identity of Lemekhani;
3. Details of the arrangements for the repatriation of the remains to Zambia by the Russian Government; and
4. Compensation to Lemekhani’s family, from the Russian Government.
Madam Speaker,
I wish to report that, after several follow up action with the Russian authorities, on 5th December, 2022, the Ministry received confirmation that the remains of Lemekhani are in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Preparations for the repatriation of the body have been made by the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Moscow, in coordination with the Russian authorities.
I, hereby, wish to inform the House that the remains of Lemekhani arrived in Moscow from Rostov-on-Don today on 9th December, 2022. Arrangements are that the remains will be consigned on 10th December, 2022 and arrive in Lusaka on Sunday 11th December, 2022, accompanied by a representative of the Zambian Embassy.
The House may further wish to note that, following a request from the Nyirenda family, a DNA test was conducted on the body, to ascertain the identity of Lemekhani. The DNA samples have since been received by the family, for a cross match.
The Russian Embassy has also informed the Ministry that the gratuity owed to Lemekhani, together with all the documentation relating to his amnesty, recruitment and death, will be handed to the designated representative of the Zambian Embassy who will accompany the body.
Madam Speaker,
I wish to emphasize to the House that, at the core of this fact-finding mission is the Nyirenda family, who, in this time of great difficulty and sadness, must be accorded the decency and discretion that they deserve to mourn their beloved son and brother. The Ministry is extremely grateful to the Nyirenda family for the confidence they have placed in Government during this very trying time, to deal with the matter related to their son’s demise.
I, therefore, wish to assure the House, and the public as a whole, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation remains firmly seized with this unfortunate event. In that respect, my Ministry is in constant communication with the Russian Embassy in Lusaka as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Moscow to ensure that a detailed account of this tragic ordeal is availed, and the family is accorded all the support that it deserves.
Madam Speaker,
As Minister, I am deeply saddened by Lemekhani’s death and I have been personally in touch, and will maintain contact, with the family of the deceased in order to ensure that every last detail is provided, and the appropriate documentation is availed to the Government and, ultimately, the family.
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, while sensitive to the high levels of anxiety and concern regarding the circumstances of Lemekhani’s death, l wish to request Members of the House and our citizenry at large to exercise calm and patience while Government, through the Ministry, works tirelessly on this matter with the appropriate respect and privacy accorded to the family.
Madam Speaker,
I thank you.