as he paddles away his canoe across the Zambezi River for the Likumbi
Lyamize traditional ceremony.
Continuous floods on the Zambezi river have isolated 23, 000 people on the West Bank of the Zambezi River in Zambezi west constituency in North Western province .
The floods which have stretched across Chavuma and Zambezi districts has disrupted the normal operations and living standards of the people on west bank as they cannot access basic services from the eastern side.
The people living on the west bank are cut off from accessing fuel, food supplies, education for school going children and health services until April when the rain subsides.
The area District Commissioner Catherine Mukuma confirmed the development at her office today.
[pullquote]We want our roofs repaired just like we have heard that a school in Katuba with the same problem will be roofed soon, as announced by the vice president last week[/pullquote]
This was observed when north western permanent secretary Amos Malupenga visited the district on his familiarization tour.
“The pontoon has also temporally stopped operating until April or May when the rain stops. Our officers that side may have food at least because by October they start storing to cover up but my worry is the rest, I’m not sure what the situation is like,” Ms Mukuma lamented.
And Mr Malupenga says the situation in the two districts is a challenge that needs concerted efforts of stakeholders including members of parliament.
He noted that a lasting solution has to be found considering that the problem is not new but has existed from the time of creation, “political will has been missing otherwise it would have been sorted a long time”
And the district education board secretary Ms Trifornia Tembo told the permanent secretary during a meeting that a number of schools have collapsed in the west bank while nine schools have their roofs blown off in the district since 2006.
She said teachers at the affected schools have been relocated to other schools to continue teaching but most pupils are not learning at the moment because of the floods.
“ We want our roofs repaired just like we have heard that a school in Katuba with the same problem will be roofed soon as announced by the vice president last week”, Ms Tembo added.
While the acting head teacher at Zambezi secondary school Mr. David Simau lamented that the school infrastructure has become inadequate due the increase in population.
Mr. Simau said the entire district has only two secondary schools a situation which has forced the school administration to introduce afternoon learning in order to accommodate every pupil.
He cited the inadequate desks and classrooms as major challenges that have come with growing population at the school.
“To accommodate everyone, the school will have 15 classes for grade 10s while the grade 11s will have nine classes that is the situation sir, Mr Simau said.
Mr Malupenga noted that though infrastructure is key in the district provincial administration may not manage to provide the required funds due to limitations in the budgets.
He said the province has only K42 million allocated for developmental projects. ‘What my office can do is to facilitate through your line ministries funding for infrastructure.
It has come to light that Northwestern Province has is a province of frustrations. Presidents come and go nothing is done. Levy Mwanawasa (MHSRP) was a man who had Zambia at heart and opened NW province to bright light which now other are enjoying.
You people why punishing this resourceful Province?
I agree brother
let them wait for 2016 there will remember us, mind you 1 year remaining and what can you do in 1 year, roads, schools, bridges, hospitals nothing has been done. Where does the money allocated to this province go? because no development at all. Levy was a man. we are on the ground campaigning for an other change, and we shall keep on changing until our needs are done. watch out!!!!!
You are deadly wrong my mate as a point of correction, it was FTJ.Chiluba who opened up North Western Province. Exploration work started soonest MMD came into office even BTS at Lumwana was don during his term.
There was nothing new that was done during the new deal administration please make your research properly by asking Hon.Mushala.
#1 WHAT IS THAT GOT TO DO WITH THE FLOODS. FLOODS ARE EVERYWHERE. IN FACT IN THE UK THEY HAVE MORE SERIOUS FLOODS.
Peter have you ever visited Northwestern Province of late? Come just to Solwezi and you will be surprised.
I believe we need change for better and wealth balancing development. Ever since PF came into leadership has never nominated one as a full cabinet Minister and by so they have no representation in decision making for the development. I was in Solwezi visiting my friend and I discovered even rates are so exorbitant. Imagine if a house built on a 25x 25 meters land is at K201: while in Mufulira on a 50×50 meter I pay K18:00. Do we have a hearing local government Minister and roads are pathetic in all the township. Where is Solwezi kyalo kya mali they call?
@sena & man zee, north western province has not been left out when we visited we saw roads housing projects & the mines brought alot of development.hotels,shops sprang up responding to development in the area.