Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba has said tremendous progress has been made towards capturing the notorious Mailoni brothers in Luano Valley in Mkushi District.

Mr Mwamba assured the nation that the trio would soon be captured by Government security forces that were deployed to Luano Valley to clamp the fugitive brothers.

He said the forces have made inroads in tracing where the Mailoni brothers could be hiding and that it was just a matter of time before the killers were brought to book.

The minister could, however, not divulge much information for fear of jeopardising operations to arrest the three brothers who have caused terror to the people in Luano in Central Province.

He was speaking to journalists in an interview in Lusaka yesterday shortly after presenting Christmas hampers to patients at Maina Soko Military Hospital.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwamba has urged citizens to always have a heart for patients and vulnerable people in society during the festive season.

He urged citizens in the country to cultivate a heart of giving as it was more joyous to give than to receive.

Speaking earlier, Maina Soko Military Hospital Commandant Panganani Njobvu thanked the minister for the gesture saying the gift hampers would significantly help in quickening the recovering process of the patients.

Brigadier General Njobvu said the maternity wing at the hospital, which was undergoing renovations was ready for use and had been fully refurbished.

He said what was lacking was staff of at least ten medical officers to work in the maternity wing.

ZANIS