'EVIL' TREE KILL LUSAKA WOMAN

LINDA SOKO TEMBO AND SANFROSSA MANYINDA writes

A woman of Lusaka’s Kaunda Square Stage 1 compound in Lusaka died on the spot when a branch from a tree fell and crashed her head.
Other traders at the scene set the `evil’ tree on fire but continued rains put out the fire.

The bizarre incident happened on Tuesday around 13:00 hours at Kaunda Square Stage 1 market.
According to an eye witness Michael Lungu, the woman identified as Tina Moonga, was selling her chickens under the tree slightly after a down pour when she met her fate.

Mr. Lungu said that the deceased was also carrying her 3 month old baby that survived unhurt and was rushed to the hospital.
He said that the deceased, who was selling chickens to earn a living at the point of her death, was believed to be new in the area.
He described her as a quiet and reserved person who never used to talk or fight with anyone at the market like other marketeers since the time she started selling at the premises.

“What has happened today is saddening especially that it is not the first time a death has occurred at the place. The only solution now is to burn down the tree to avoid more deaths,” Mr. Lungu said.
A check by the Sun team that rushed to the scene, found the tree burning with irate residents surrounding it awaiting for its destruction.
And one of the good Samaritans, who rushed the victim to Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital (LMGH), said the incident happened around 13:45.
The Good Samaritan, who withheld his identity, narrated that the woman was walking under the tree when a big branch from a tree fell on her head and smashed it.
“The lady who died used to help her sister-in-law to sale chickens at Kaunda Square market. And what happened was that as she was walking under the tree with her three months old baby, a big log fell on her head and she fell to the ground while trying to protect her baby,” said the Good Samaritan.
He added, “We quickly rushed her to hospital but she was pronounced dead when we reached the hospital, the health personal called me so see the woman and l found that her brain was out and she was bleeding everywhere. The bravest thing she did was to protect the baby”.

The man complained that the tree had been there for years and that it had killed many people adding that efforts by the residents to have it removed by the Lusaka City Council had failed.
He said the residents were angry and decided to burn down the tree so that no more life could be lost as a result of it but the tree was still standing as of yesterday.
The body of the deceased has been deposited at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital Mortuary.