Stampede at prayer meeting leaves 8 dead, 28 injured

Stampede at prayer meeting leaves 8 dead, 28 injured

LUSAKA, Zambia — At least eight people died and 28 were injured in a stampede for free food at a Church of Christ prayer meeting March 5 in Lusaka, Zambia.

The meeting, which attracted 35,000 people, was organized by Lesedi Seven, a group associated with the Church of Christ. It had advertised on Facebook that it would be giving away free food parcels, according to The Christian Post.

Among the dead were six girls, an adult male and a young boy. Five of them died at the scene, with the others dying later at the hospital. Some of them died still clutching the food they had grabbed after arriving early for the event, local activist Mwansa Chama said.

According to the World Food Programme, the nation is landlocked and has serious problems with food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty. (TAB)