Friday, March 29, 2024

Malwa summons Lusaka Floods Taskforce chief

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The Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Friday Malwa has summoned the Lusaka Floods Task Force Chairman Timothy Hakuyu to report to his office on Monday July, 21 for allegedly undermining him.

Mr. Malwa was prompted to summon Mr Hakuyu who is also Lusaka City Council Town Clerk for failure by him to accompany the Deputy Minister to Lusaka’s Msisisi compound where he had gone to inspect drainage systems.

According to Mr Malwa, the Lusaka Floods task Force Chairman only sent a Senior Engineer, Andrew Zulu who is also a member to represent him.

And Mr. Malwa has expressed anger at the delay in completing the construction of drainages in Misisi compound and other parts of Lusaka and he has since given the Lusaka Floods Task Force a one-month ultimatum up to August 18, 2008 in which to finish work on the drainage system in some parts of Lusaka.

The Deputy Minister wondered why the project had taken long despite Government funding the exercise.

“I’m the Deputy Minister in the republic of Zambia and I expect that the Task Force Chairman Mr. Hakuyu could have heed to my instructions but he decided to defy them by sending you Junior officers. From here, I will write a comprehensive report to the Vice President Rupiah Banda on the progress of the drainage system exercise. I thereby summon him to appear before me on Monday 21st to my Office,” the visibly annoyed Mr. Malwa said.

Among the areas that Mr Malwa toured affected by floods last rainy season include Kanyama, Kabwata and Kamwala South.

The Lusaka Floods Task Force has been mandated to construct the drainages to prevent floods in residential areas.

In response, Lusaka City Council Senior Engineer Andrew Zulu assured that he would deliver the message to the task Force Chairman but failed to convince the Deputy Minister on the delay in completing drainage systems.

However, Mr. Zulu assured Mr. Malwa that the Local Authority working with other stakeholders would ensure that the project was expedited.

In Kanyama, Mr. Zulu attributed the slow pace in carrying out the project to land scaping which he described as rocky.

But the Deputy Minister pointed out that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit(DMMU)under his Office intervened when a disaster occurs and was disappointed that the Task Force had relaxed over the matter even after the rains had stopped.

He threatened to disband the Lusaka Floods Task Force for allegedly abandoning works in some flood prone areas like Kanyama compound.

He further urged the Lusaka City Council to conduct a vigorous sensitisation campaign in communities to educate them not to litter in the drainages as this would block the flow of water.

The Lusaka Floods Task Force comprises the Zambia Army, Zambia Police, Programme Under Self Help, the Road Development Agency, the Lusaka City Council among other stakeholders while DMMU supervisors it.

ZANIS/ENDS/KC/CLM

12 COMMENTS

  1. Interesting, The bwanas still want to be worshiped by the junior staff,those days are gone. Maybe he went for prayers for LPM at the Cathedral?

  2. Mr.DM you are right, you guys at Lusaka Floods Taskforce should not just eating GRZ funds mulebomba bamwekole. No one will do the drainage if don’t do them. Shalapwe ichito

  3. Mr.DM you are right, you guys at Lusaka Floods Taskforce should not just sit and eat GRZ funds mulebomba bamwekole. No one will do the drainage if don’t do them. Shalapwe ichito

  4. “Eat government funds”

    I know where to go when hungry!

    Just kiding! I agree with #2. When is this mentality going to stop for crying out loud?

  5. Being Deputy Minister does not mean you can command anyone and sound annoyed. Infact Hakuyu did well to send Engineer Zulu after all he is the one with technical knowhow. Statements like ”i’m the deputy M in the Republic of Zambia” does not hold water. If your instructions are irrelevant why should Hakuyu waste time with trivial instructions. We all know LPM was trying to groom you and now have no roots. Don’t use Hakuyu to be heard or is it a campaign strategy?

  6. “I’m the Deputy Minister in the republic of Zambia and I expect that the Task Force Chairman Mr. Hakuyu could have heed to my instructions but he decided to defy them by sending you Junior officers. From here, I will write a comprehensive report to the Vice President Rupiah Banda on the progress of the drainage system exercise. I thereby summon him to appear before me on Monday 21st to my Office,” the visibly annoyed Mr. Malwa said.

    Grow up Malwa. Kwati kale! I am the boss blah blah!

  7. Truth of the matter is Local govt structure/management/system needs a complete overhaul. Starting point is the criteria for choosing the CEO of City councils. I do not think restricting the position to lawyers and LG Admnistrators fits the demands of our overpopulated crammed cities yearning for growth/expansion. Open up the position to engineers/entreprenuers/economists etc. Our getthos ooops I meant to say towns are in a mess and this mess will only get bigger. NCC NEEDS TO LOOK AT TURNING AROUND THESE DYSFUNCTIONAL MUNINCPAL/CITY COUNCILS.

  8. Do my fellow zambia’s know that the gov’t has Known about oil in the northwestern province since the 70’s?,so why are we still speading billions on oil?

  9. What was experienced during the last rainy season in Lusaka where not even floods. The waters we were seeing were not even caused by heavy rains. The so called floods were as a result of poor drainage system around the city. The rains were by far avarage. Its even an insult to call them floods to people of those parts of the world who are usually hit by floods. Imagine if the guys in flood hit parts of the world were to view the nonsense. The chaps even have the guts of coming up with task forces chewing GRZ cash over drainages which are design prerequisites of any city. Ba satana imwe

  10. Am sure the council guy sent his junior to the nonsense because he realised that all cities should have drainages. Period. No need for meetings.

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