By Veronica Mwale cic Private Reporter.
COPPERBELT~Kitwe.
UPND VICE PROVINCIAL YOUTH CHAIRPERSON MR GERALD TEDDY NGOMA FINALLY PUT TO REST IN KITWE TODAY.
It was a colorful send off of the UPND vice youth Chairperson Mr Gerald Ngoma Teddy who died in Ndola after failing to negotiate the recovery in ICU from the accident that happens 2 weeks ago.
The flavor was hyper when the police tried to stop and divert the vehicles or control how UPND members should move such as all of them being in vehicles as others opted to walk however the members refused saying they have the right to either walk on foot or get in cars of they so wish because it was their funeral however the police could not go against such and allowed the mourners to proceed in peace as no fracas where recorded.
Mr Gerald Ngoma born in 1983 died on Saturday last week at Ndola Teaching Hospital after being so critical and failing to improve. Mr Ngoma joins his senior Mr Manenga who died on the spot as they where travelling from Kitwe to Ndola for the party meeting.
On their way they had an accident that claimed the life of the top provincial youth chair and landed Mr Gerald Ngoma in Hospital. The rest who where in the car Mr Spax Kalenga and Martha Mukupa survived with minor pains but it was bad news to Mr Gerald Ngoma who ended up in ICU at NTH in Ndola.
Time flew by, people prayed, cried and did all they could unfortunately he could not improve or stabilize his condition. He was pronounced dead on Saturday 16th January 2021.
In a spate of a week another funeral hit UPND on the Copperbelt drawing the attention and attendance of all party members across the country. UPND Secretary General Hon Steven Katuka represented the president of the party Mr Hakainde Hichilema who was scheduled to attend the burial and was caught up with another prominent funeral in Lusaka involving a senior party official who died yesterday.
Hon Katuka speaking at the funeral said that the Copperbelt has been hit by unfortunate demise of two influential leaders a week apart making it a blow not only to Copperbelt but to the nation. He described Late Gerald Ngoma as a pioneer and a strong pillar that took the party at a great height together with his senior Mr Manenga (late). Hon Katuka assured the support of the party to the families and the continuation of the journey the two fallen heroes stood for.
And Copperbelt Provincial Chairperson Mr Elisha Matambo thanked the party president for the support rendered to both funerals and the family saying as the Provincial leader he has been robbed by death two pillars at a time their services where highly needed.
Mr Matambo said the two youths where on a very good mission of collecting submissions of social contract which was accented into a national document by the president in Lusaka and wished that the document be drafted as it was proposed to honor the spirit of the Fallen heroes. He also appealed to the president that after taking over government if there is any position he would receive he would decline it until both late Manenga and Late Ngoma be honoured such.
The family thanked the party and said it will be hard to forget that Gerald is gone and gone forever but it’s the will of God no one can question they further asked the UPND to stand firm and fight harder to form government as that was the zeal of late Gerald Ngoma day in and day out.
National youth chairperson Hon Likando Mufalali flanked by his two deputies namely Mr Gilbert Liswaniso and Ms Subeta Mutelo with other provincial youth leaders across the country said that it’s shocking losing two gallant youth leaders from his wing who where so instrumental in the party.
Hon Mufalali has called for unity and promised continuity of the journey both Gerald Ngoma and Manenga has left. He described late Gerald Ngoma as a very calm and composed person who was a good listener and very intelligent saying his wing and the party at large has been lost.
Mr Chitalu speaking on behalf of the Copperbelt Provincial Youth chairperson in charge of Administration Mr Inyama said that the Provincial youth wing of Coperbelt was very thankful for the support rendered to the Mr Gerald Ngoma and appealed for the same spirit to continue in unity.
Coperbelt Coordinator Mr Daka who also happened to be the chairperson for the funeral thanked everyone who helped during the time the late Gerald Ngoma was in Hospital and during the funeral.
