THE helicopter accident involving Vice-President Mutale Nalumango and seven others in Nakonde was a frightening national moment. A crash occurring shortly after take-off can so easily end in death, permanent injury and unbearable grief for families and the country. We therefore join President Hakainde Hichilema, the government and citizens in thanking the heavens for preserving […]

THE helicopter accident involving Vice-President Mutale Nalumango and seven others in Nakonde was a frightening national moment. A crash occurring shortly after take-off can so easily end in death, permanent injury and unbearable grief for families and the country. We therefore join President Hakainde Hichilema, the government and citizens in thanking the heavens for preserving the lives of everyone who was aboard that aircraft. Whatever one’s political affiliation, this was not a moment for rivalry. It was a moment for gratitude, reflection and collective relief.

The images and accounts emerging from the incident are sobering. A helicopter does not need to fall from a great height for the consequences to be catastrophic. The force of impact, fire, structural damage and panic can turn a routine flight into tragedy within seconds. That all eight occupants, including the pilots and members of the Vice-President’s support team, survived and were found medically stable is extraordinary. We also commend the flight crew, emergency responders, medical personnel and residents of Nakonde who assisted swiftly after the accident.

Vice-President Nalumango’s composure deserves recognition. Shortly after the crash, she spoke publicly, assured citizens that everyone was safe and acknowledged that the cause of the accident was not yet known. She did not speculate. She did not point fingers. She did not attempt to manufacture political drama from a frightening experience. Instead, she expressed gratitude to God and encouraged Zambians, including those in opposition, to rejoice that life had been preserved.

We equally commend her office for swiftly rejecting claims that the accident was an assassination attempt. Africa is fertile ground for conspiracy theories, and election periods make the soil even richer. Every mechanical failure becomes sabotage. Every accident becomes a plot. Every unexplained incident is quickly assigned a political mastermind. Social media then carries speculation faster than investigators can establish facts. By the time an official explanation is given, some citizens have already accepted fiction as truth.

This habit is dangerous. Allegations of an arranged crash involving the Vice-President are not ordinary rumours. They can create suspicion between the President and his deputy, inflame political supporters and undermine national security institutions. In a tense election environment, reckless narratives can provoke hostility before any evidence is examined. Citizens, political parties, bloggers and media houses must therefore exercise restraint. We must not pour poison into the public space simply because a dramatic explanation attracts attention.

We must also remember that survival does not erase trauma. Those aboard the helicopter may appear physically well, yet the shock of such an incident can linger long after medical checks are completed. They should be given time, care and counselling before returning to demanding duties. Political schedules must never take precedence over recovery. The country needs them alive, healthy and prepared to continue serving.

Rejecting conspiracy theories, however, must not mean avoiding scrutiny. The government has correctly indicated that the relevant authorities will establish the circumstances of the incident. That inquiry must be thorough, professional and independent of political pressure. Because the aircraft belongs to the Zambia Air Force and was carrying the country’s Vice-President, this cannot be treated as an ordinary transport mishap. Questions about maintenance, flight readiness, crew decisions, weather, mechanical performance and operational procedures must be answered.

The Zambia Air Force should also understand that public confidence will not be fully restored by merely announcing that an investigation was conducted. Once the technical inquiry is completed, the findings should be made public, subject only to narrowly defined national security considerations. Zambians deserve to know what caused the helicopter to come down so soon after take-off, whether any system failed, whether human error was involved and what measures will be taken to prevent a recurrence.

Making the report public would not embarrass the military. On the contrary, transparency would demonstrate institutional confidence and professionalism. It would silence irresponsible speculation, protect innocent people from false accusations and show that lessons have been learned. Where failures are identified, accountability should follow. Where no wrongdoing is found, the public record should say so clearly.

For now, the dominant emotion must be gratitude. Zambia came dangerously close to a national tragedy. We thank God that Vice-President Nalumango, the crew and all passengers survived. We wish them full physical and emotional recovery. But gratitude must be followed by facts. Let investigators do their work, let citizens reject reckless conspiracy theories, and let the Zambia Air Force publish the final report. That is how a serious nation turns a near tragedy into lessons that protect lives.