Chief Sinadambwe of Siavonga District in Southern Province has appealed to Government to urgently airlift relief food to his area which has continued to be cut
off from the rest of the district due to the destruction of bridges and flooding of rivers and streams.
The Traditional leader disclosed that people in his area are facing serious food shortages because the mealie meal that was sold in the area has run out and that there are no means of
purchasing the commodity from other places.
The chief explained that people of Sinadambwe are unable to buy mealie meal from Siavonga due to lack of access to the Matinagala –Syanyolo road which connects the chiefdom to Siavonga Township.
In a Statement released to ZANIS in Siavonga today, Chief Sinadambwe said the scenerio has resulted in some of his subjects to only afford a meal in a day while others have gone for days without eating.
The Traditional leader suggested that the only way Government through the Office of the Vice President could salvage the prevailing situation was to airlift food to his chiefdom where vehicles had no access to the road and bridges have been washed away and culverts destroyed.
”Even Government workers based in my area should have access to food from Government because they can’t buy food from anywhere. If Government wants its people to survive then it must use helicopters even though expensive,” the chief said
Sinadambwe is the furthest and remotest chiefdom in Siavonga covering a distance of about 90km West of Siavonga Township.
The Chief observed that access to proper health care have been denied to him and his subjects because officials from the district hospital are unable to deliver drug kits to the area
due to the impassable road.
”The destruction has been too heavy to us. Floods have washed away maize fields which were planted near river banks and those crops that were planted on the surface became yellow because of too much rainfall,” he stated.
Chief Sinadambwe further claimed that had it not been for the flash floods experienced in the area, people in his chiefdom anticipated a bumper harvest this year because they had planted their crops in
good time.
And area ward councillor Willard Chabulabwambe disclosed in an interview that school lessons at Kabuyu community and Sinadambwe Basic School have been hampered due to floods forcing pupils to abandon school.
Mr Chabulabwambe revealed that pupils from selected villages have since stopped attending school lessons at the two learning institutions because they were unable to cross the flooded Lusangazi River and other outlying streams.
He appealed to Government to consider putting up a bridge across Lusangazi river which leads to the chiefdom .
Mr Chabulabwambe who is also Siavonga District Council Chairperson further bemoaned the poor sanitation prevailing in his ward where several pit latrines have collapsed saying a serious water borne was looming in the area.
This rather stupid and optimistic..This chief is selfish, instead of talking of his subject he puts himself first..i know this area, lusangazi has always been notorious.Gwembe pipo have ruled themselves 4 a long time
mwebo how did LT get this news,if somebody managed to get to interview the chief.it means there is a way of reaching there.
Learn to take matters seriouly.If the gvt is listening let them rush to the area and asses the situation and do as the chief requested.If we need to air lift food to them then so be it!
Our gvt can do it! ZAF ,its your call pick it up! we have no war to fight use you helicoptors to deliver food to the victims,than flyng the politicians to public rallies!
This is war” flood” we are fighting with nature lets do it. Ba Air commanda if you are listening save the victims pliz,Put those machines to good use and go and work by rescuing our brothers and sister in affected areas PLIZ! Thank you for answering and acting on it:
#2 You walk there not drive there … another.