VICE President GEORGE KUNDA has challenged councils in the country to stop allocating land in areas which easily get flooded.
Mr. KUNDA says the current problems of flooding in KUKU compound and surrounding areas in Lusaka have a lot to do with planning at Lusaka City Council.
The Vice President was speaking shortly after he conducted an on the spot check of houses that have been submerged in Kuku compound after flooding of Ngwenya dam.
And Mr. KUNDA, who also checked on the Independence stadium site where affected families have been re-located, said cabinet will soon meet to find a lasting solution to the problems of floods.
[pullquote]Mr. KUNDA says the current problems of flooding in KUKU compound and surrounding areas in Lusaka have a lot to do with planning at Lusaka City Council.[/pullquote]
He told Journalists that government is determined to find a permanent solution to the problem.
Mr. KUNDA further said that he is impressed that families that have been relocated are living under safe and good sanitary conditions.
Earlier, Red Cross Society of ZAMBIA General Secretary CHARLES MUSHITU dispelled as untrue assertions that Cholera has broken out at the camp site.
And Lusaka District Commissioner CHRISTAH KALULU said the ZAMBIA Army has positioned itself to mount more tents at the site in anticipation of more families who are eager to relocate.
Over 130 families have already been re-located to the camp site.
ZNBC
You can’t just bury your head in the sand and push all the blame on the opposition. I wonder what was going on when the ruling party had heaped the blame on PF, that they were the ones causing the devasting floods! And now the blame has shifted to the councils planning department. Typical of George! He is forgeting that the ruling party reigns supreme! I wonder what would be the reaction if council unanimously voted to demolish all the unplanned and unserviced compounds! The MMD would cry foul! Thinking the move was politically motivated! Much as you are busy establishing economic zones, you might as well come up with new residential area for the lowest class, well planned and serviced! Only way out! Stop making political capital of people’s sufferings! RB will also visit KUKU when…
How about preventing floods?
It doesn’t take much effort and can create a lot of value.
Why not build storm water drains and sewer lines???:-?
A number of things need to be cleared.
1) Council does not issue plots, this responsibility belongs to the ministry of Lands for the conventional areas, while in shanties like KUKU, it is the chairmen from political parties, mostly MMD and their PF collegues
2)There have been situations where Lusaka City council in its capacity as a planning authority has been overuled by the central govt. The floods were anticipated, more so that development in these flood prone areas went on uncontrolled were pipo were building in ditches and water chanells-LCC tried some demolisions, these were stopped by the Govt because according to them, they were inhuman’., so whats humane about what is happenning?
Thats what you reap when a country becomes a failed State where Politicians become more important than professionals. Which country in the world can develope if the citizenry think stupid Ward chairmen are more important than Professional Town Planners. Everywhere else in the world ( ask Engineers, Planners and other development professionals) IT IS NOT ALLOWED TO BUILD ON 25 YEARS/50YEARS AND EVEN 100 YEARS FLOOD AREAS.
IN ZAMBIA YOU CAN EVEN GET A PLOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER AND BUILD
shame on this country and when mother nature claims what is hers then you run to PF for solutions…
what a country of idiiots
#4 Kibakimani,
1) Plots in compunds are issued by councilors and ward chairmen. There are no MMD councilors and ward chairmen in Lusaka. These are all held by PF. Even the City Council is run by PF. This is why Sata said he failed to deliver on his promise to get the councils to work properly.
2) Removal of street vendors, demolition of illegal plots, etc… were supposed to be done by the council but they failed because these are the PF cadres who campigned for them. So the council left it to the ministry of local government to resolve but in turn supported these illegal dwellers, politically.
On radio, Given Lubinda was totally against the raising of these structures whilst the PS and Town Clerk supported the idea.
#5 RB,
Government has not run to PF fopr solutions. They have asked PF, who are the originators of the problem, to work with government so that they are united in the idea to demolish illegal structures built within 10 metres of streams and drains.
Without PF’s support, government will face a riot in these areas as most of these plots were allocated by PF councilors in exchange for political support during the 2006 & 2008 elections.
The only other solution is to engage the military to deal with the issue by ‘force’.
reading this statement, i see you have all misunderstood him. He is saying that councils should not allocate plots in certain areas that are flood prone and he has not made refernce to ay particular party. He seems to be talking to councils in their capacity as agents for the management of lands
Chairmen not Councillors alocate land. MMD chairmen are particulalry powerful in this allocation of land. Its not only happenning in Lusaka, but everywhere even where MMD has no seat. According to them, Boma ni Boma. No one can stop them.
Councillors sit in Council meetings and they recieve proffessional advice from Council staff. they are the ones who have sanctioned the demolishons that have been stopped by govt. they are the ones who sanction the chasing of vendors. Govt stopps them to just make itself look good.
It is central govt that has inhibited Councils’capacity to discharge a meaningful service by centralising most revenue streams, thereby leaving them with no capacity to do anything. Govt colects all the money but expect councils to provide services.