Elephant kills man (Livingstone, Zambia)

An elephant has killed a United Air Charter Zambia Limited security guard in the Mosi-o-Tunya national park in Livingstone.

The man identified as Mulyata Nyumbu aged between fifty and fifty-five was killed by the elephant as he was cycling to work at about 17:00 hours yesterday.

An eye witness, also security guard, told a ZNBC news crew that rushed to the scene that Nyumbu was meters ahead of him cycling when the elephant charged.

Linus Mponda says Nyumbu saw the animal at close range and dropped from the bicycle and ran into the bush but the elephant caught up with him and thereafter Mponda only saw a cloud of dust as the elephant tossed the man in the air several times.

And Department of National Parks and Wildlife Senior Area Warden Lewis Daka who was found at the scene of the attack expressed sadness at the loss of life.

He has however advised companies within the vicinity of the national park to provide suitable transport for their employees to avoid such incidents.

Mr. Daka said walking or cycling in the park especially at this time of the year when the Mosi-o-Tunya national park has a lot of elephants is risky.

But Ronald Mwiinga, a manager at United Air Charter Zambia Limited where Nyumbu used to work said the company provides transport but some employees prefer to cycle to work.

Mr. Mwiinga said the company will with immediate effect ban employees walking or cycling to work through the park to avoid a repeat of the misfortune.

Source: Elephant kills man (Livingstone, Zambia) [03/11/17]