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Seventeen children in Lusaka’s Mazyopa Compound have been hospitalized after allegedly consuming contaminated leftover food sold by a local woman, police have confirmed.
Zambia Police Service Spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga, said the incident, classified as a case of sale of noxious food, was reported to Mandevu Police Post on October 27, 2025, around 14:30 hours by Sarah Phiri, aged 49, of Mazyopa Compound.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Esther Daka, aged 34, also of Mazyopa, had on the same day around 13:30 hours distributed and sold leftover food she allegedly bought from restaurants at East Park Mall.
The food was reportedly purchased under the pretext of being for dogs but was instead given to her own and her neighbours’ children.
“Shortly after consuming the food, the affected children began complaining of stomach pains, vomiting, and some became unconscious,” Hamoonga said.
The victims, comprising 11 boys and six girls, aged between two and seventeen, were rushed to Chipata Level One Hospital after residents noticed several children lying on the ground and vomiting.
Hospital authorities later alerted the police, who visited both the hospital and the scene to assess the situation.
Hamoonga said the children were now stable, and that they remain under medical observation.
The suspected food substances have been confiscated and will be submitted to the Food and Drug Laboratory at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) for analysis.
The suspect is currently in police custody and is expected to appear in court soon.
“The Zambia Police Service wishes to warn members of the public against the purchase or consumption of leftover or improperly stored foods from unauthorized sources, as such actions pose a serious risk to public health,” Hamoonga said.
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