The Zambia Police in Manyinga District, Northwestern Province, have launched an investigation and a manhunt following the alleged shooting and murder of 49-year-old Njongo Muwema by unidentified individuals.
Northwestern Province Police Commissioner Brighton Siwale confirmed the incident to ZANIS today saying the incident occurred on February 15, 2026, around 01:00 hours in Chongo area of Manyinga District.
Mr Siwale said the deceased was reportedly shot by an unknown person using an unidentified firearm after he went outside to check on his grass-thatched kitchen, which had been discovered on fire.
“Manyinga Police Station received a report of the murder from Hilda Machayi, aged 47, who stated that her husband was outside the main house when the incident occurred,” he said.
The brief facts of the matter are that on February 14, 2026, around 22:00 hours, the deceased, his wife and their family went to sleep, leaving the thatched kitchen intact. In the early hours of February 15, 2026, the family reportedly heard voices from unknown individuals outside and later discovered that the kitchen was on fire.
Mr Siwale said upon noticing the fire, the deceased and his wife rushed outside to assess the situation and possibly extinguish the flames, adding that while outside, the wife reportedly heard a gunshot and saw her husband fall to the ground bleeding heavily from the left side of his body, and she immediately raised an alarm to alert the children.
Mr Siwale said police rushed to the scene where the body of the deceased was found lying face-up in a pool of blood with projectiles lodged in it and that the type of firearm used has not yet been established.
The police chief said the motive for the killing remains unknown and no suspects have been apprehended so far, while the body was deposited at Loloma Mission Hospital Mortuary, awaiting postmortem examination and burial arrangements.
Mr Siwale further said investigations were ongoing and members of the public with any information were urged to come forward to assist the police in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
