The event had a sad character Tuesday in this Baptist Church of Lusaka. Hundreds of people paid tribute to the Zambian student who died in September on the battlefield in Ukraine fighting for Russia. His body was repatriated in December.
Lemekani Nyirenda had been recruited by the paramilitary group Wagner in a Russian prison. He was serving a nine-year sentence there for a drug-related offense. His relatives are still in shock.
Zambia had demanded an explanation from Russia after the death of the 23-year-old student. Causing a diplomatic quarrel between Lusaka and the Kremlin.
His body will be buried on Wednesday. While on Tuesday, Tanzania confirmed the death in Ukraine, on October 24, of a student, Nemes Tarimo, recruited in prison again by the Wagner group.