A 10 year old boy from the Kyawama area has drowned in Solwezi River after he went swimming with his friends. Northwestern Province Police Commanding officer, Brighton Siwale confirmed the incident in a statement to the media in Solwezi today identifying the deceased as Ignitious…

A 10 year old boy from the Kyawama area has drowned in Solwezi River after he went swimming with his friends.

Northwestern Province Police Commanding officer, Brighton Siwale confirmed the incident in a statement to the media in Solwezi today identifying the deceased as Ignitious Mwendelema aged 10.

Mr Siwale said the incident occurred on November 1, 2026 at around 17:00 hours at Kafwaya Bridge in Kimasala area of Solwezi District.

He said the incident was reported on November 1, 2026 at 18:30 hours by the boy’s father, Muluku Mwendelema, aged 40 of Kimasala area that his son, Ignitious aged 10 of the same residence drowned in Solwezi River and that his body was still missing despite concerted efforts by the fire brigade team, the Police and members of the general public that conducted the search.

He said the brief facts of the matter are that Ignitious Mwendelema, now believed to be dead, was last seen on November 1, 2026 at around 15:00 hours in the company of his friends going to the  river to swim.

Mr Siwale said a few hours later, around 17:00 hours, he was reported missing by his friends who called his parents and the matter was officially reported to the Police.

“Upon receipt of the report, the Police officers called in the fire brigade emergency response team and moved to the scene at Kafwaya bridge,” he said.

He said a search was conducted on the river until it was dark but could not find the body.

“The mission was called off for safety reasons since it was dark. However, this morning, a search continued, and the body was retrieved from the river, and physical inspection by officers reviewed no injuries, hence no foul play suspected,” he said.

Mr Siwale said the body has since been deposited into Solwezi General Hospital Mortuary awaiting postmortem examination and burial.

In a related development another 34 year old man of Kasempa District of Northwestern Province has drowned in Lwamadamba stream.

North-Western Province commanding officer, Brighton Siwale confirmed the incident to ZANIS in a statement in Solwezi district today and identified the deceased as Mulyata Lumuna of Lwamadamba area.

Mr Siwale said the incident happened between 28th October, 2026 at 10:00 hours and October 1st 2026 at 08:50 hours in the Lwamandamba area situated four kilometers away from Kasempa Police Station.

He said the matter was reported on 1st October, 2026 at 09:20 hours at Kasempa police station by Timothy Mushili aged 52, a village headman of Lwamandamba that his nephew Mulyanta Lumuna aged 34 drowned in the nearby stream and his body was discovered floating in Lwamandamba stream.

Mr Siwale said the brief facts of the matter are that the deceased was last seen on 28th October, 2026 at 10:00 hours, and his body was discovered floating in a stream running down the village area.

“His disappearance was not reported to the Police by the relatives as he had a habitual tendency of going out to stay with friends for a few days before returning back home,” he said.

Mr Siwale said after disappearing from the village, villagers who were at the stream came across his body floating in the stream and informed others who identified it as that of Mulyanta Lumuna.

He added that it was at that point that the deceased’s uncle took up the responsibility and made the report to the Police.

“Upon receipt of the report, the officers visited the scene where they confirmed the incident, and the body was retrieved from the water with the help of the family and neighbors. Further, the officers conducted a physical inspection, and no visible marks of injuries were found,” Mr Siwale said.

He said police suspect no foul play and that the body was deposited into Mukinge Mission Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem examination and burial.