Katete District Commissioner Elemani Mwanza says the council has with immediate effect banned the cultivation of maize around the Townships.
Mr.Mwanza told ZANIS in an interview that the decision was arrived at following after a consultative meeting with stakeholders.
He said the move was to enable the local Authority curb the rising cases of malaria as the maize fields were proven breeding grounds of mosquitoes.
“Government recognizes the fact that maize cultivation around the township passes as a breeding ground for mosquitoes which we are trying to fight with the In-door Residual Spraying (IRS) to reduce malaria,” he said.
He noted that most people had already planted and that it would be unfair to implement the ban as they do not have alternative places to cultivate.
Recently, the local authority warned of slashing maize grown around the township areas saying the practice would work against the malaria control program of IRS.
ZANIS
It is better this way,poverty and the need to grow food shouldnt be used as an excuse to risk pipos lives where malaria transmission is concerned.
Yes government is committed at developing the nation. President Rupiah Banda has shown that he has the country and the people in it at heart by working tirelessly to ensure that the right economic environment is put in place for job creation and to stop the spread of malaria.
Can someone please tell this DC that UNIP tried this nonsense in the last century. Mosquito breeding can only be eradicated by clearing storm drains during the dry season. Also get rid off all the broken down jallopies. Anything which can give rise to stagnant water must be cleared. Where have all the intelligent ZAmbians gone to, please!!!!
Kodi tea yapa 16hrs tiza mwela chani? We need dowe to go with the tea.
Typical symptomatic solutions – attack the cause of the problem not the symptoms. People growing food in the township is an indication of lack of planning. Why can’t the council give people allotments for vegetable/maize cultivation? The council tries to politicise every issue. I guess it is the same everywhere in Zambia. When was the last time the council actually discussed this with the people in the community? Easy solution – give each household an allotment and this issue of malaria will go away – and nutrition will also be improved or will this affect the revenue collected by council from the vendors selling what people can easily grow? Oh..what a conundrum!
In place of maize, what will grow ? weeds ? is nt weed fields also a breeding ground for maleria ? this all boils down to lack of planning and no council services like weed clearing.