Dear Editor,
I would like to bring to your attention the plight on Nsama district in Northern Province, formerly part of Kaputa District.
For some time now government through PF has been promising development for the newly created district of Nsama which also includes the infamous Kasaba Bay project. I think it is high time the public of Zambia know the truth of what is going on here, that is NOTHING!
As of today 20 march 2014 Nsama District is completely cutoff from the rest of Zambia due to roads collapsing and no maintenance. There has been no maintenance on any road into Nsama for some 8 years and despite the imminent signs that these roads would not last another rain season nothing has been done. Finally as expected some bridges from Kaputa to Nsumbu have collapsed and the raod from Kasama is not passable unless in a 4×4 landcruiser. I attach a picture for you taken today of the road.
How shall development come to these poor parts of our country when infrastructure is ignored. Even Kasaba Bay, nothing is going on there despite claims by Government that there are investors coming.The place is abandoned and one cannot even reach the place without a boat, what kind of development is this?
LT I urge you to investigate and reveal the truth how such a large part of Zambia has been ignored and the people made to suffer unnecessarily.
This is why we need decentralization in Zambia.Why should people in northern province have to wait for someone in Lusaka province to approve road maintenance in their backyard. Shame on MMD govt and PF govt.Shame on all Zambians because its Zambians that make up these parties
Bravo to the sender of the picture and message above. This is the way we must demand for development, the distance must not be a barrier for development demands. This place is very far from Lusaka but you have brought near for us and the authorities to see what can be done.
Keep it up, and demand for the new constitution for it can guarantee some of these things.
Well thats how “defelopment and inferiostructure” looks like. I have said it any many times that Sata and the PF are using the infrastructure rhetoric to deceive masses while they are stealing massively through RDA.
I know Lion Katemba Chupo comes from Kaputa and the picture has reminded him of those old sweet days when they used to spend the whole day on water fishing
I suspect ZWD would do better in these matters than here. LT is best in “scandals”.
And Kasaba bay is not functional because Sylvia Masebo was fired.
THE WRITER OF THE ABOVE ARTICLE IS BY FAR BETTER THAN MOST ZAMBIAN JOURNALISTS TODAY. HE IS CONCISE AND TO THE POINT. BETTER STILL HIS ARTICLE IS SUPPORTED BY THE IMAGE OF THE SNAP SHOT OF THE BIGGER PICTURE WHICH MOST ZAMBIAN JOURNALISTS COMPLETELY FAIL TO DO. ZAMBIA’S JOURNALISTS WOULD RATHER PUT A HEAD OF A MINISTER LEAVING THE READERSHIP YEARNING FOR AN IMAGE OF THE TOPICAL SITUATION. THE ONLY THING THE WRITER FORGOT TO DO IS TO ANNOTATE THE IMAGE, WHICH IS COMMON PLACE WITH OUR JOURNALISTS WHENEVER THEY PUT APPEND AN IMAGE TO THE ARTICLE. I WOULD URGE OUR JOURNALISTS TO LEARN A THING OR TWO FROM THE ABOVE WRITER. HE/SHE DID NOT EVEN NEED TO WITH HOLD HIS/HER NAME.
NOW TO COME TO THE CORE OF THE STORY- NSAMA LIKE ANY OTHER PLACE IN THAT AREA NEEDS SERIOUS LAND-LINKING. IN FACT INFORMATION FROM INFORMED SOURCES HAVE IT THAT THE AREA IS VERY RICH IN VARIOUS MINERAL INCLUDING COPPER AND IS HIGHLY SUSPECTED THAT THERE MAY BE NATURAL GAS AND CRUDE OIL IN THE AREA. BESIDES THIS IS ONE PARTY OF ZAMBIA WHERE SALT-MAKING WAS PIONEERED BY INDIGENOUS ZAMBIANS FROM GRASS (IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN). IN FACT KAPUTA AREA AND JUST THE WHOLE NORTHERN PROVINCE IS ONE OF THE MOST FERTILE LANDS ON EARTH WITH COPIOUS WATER RESOURCES. BESIDES, KAPUTA AREA IS VERY RICH IN POTENTIAL TOURISM RESOURCES. DEVELOPING THAT LAND OR JUST PROPERLY LAND-LINKING THAT AREA TO THE REST OF ZAMBIA WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF ALL FORMS OF CROSS-BORDER ABUSE BY OUR CONGOLESE BROTHERS. KAPUTA AREA
…from 1.6. KAPUTA AREA IS ALSO KNOWN FOR SUITABLE (AND FERTILE SOILS) FOR RICE, SUGAR, CASHEW, MANGOES NUTS (PLANTATIONS) GROWING, AMONGST OTHER NUMEROUS CROPS. KAPUTA AREA’S RAIN FALL IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST (if not the highest) IN ZAMBIA WHICH GIVES ENOUGH REASON TO CROP WATER ON A COMMERCIAL BASIS TO FEED THE WHOLE ZAMBIA OR EXPORT SOME OF IT TO NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. TO END THE STORY ONE WONDERS WHY OUR JOURNALIST CANNOT BE INFORMERS ABOUT RURAL ZAMBIA. OUR NEWSPAPERS DON’T NEED TO GO THERE EVERYDAY. BUT THE NEWSPAPERS’ PRESENCE CAN BE THROUGH CONTRACTED SCHOOLS (TEACHERS) AND CHURCHES WHO CAN BE WRITING REGULAR STORIES AT A FEE (FOR INDIVIDUALS/INSTITUTIONS CONTRACTED TO WRITE FOR THEM). FOR IMAGES- NEWSPAPERS CAN EMPOWER THESE PEOPLE WITH ipads & mobile phones- a one off cost.
sense
You have to be brave to take you truck to such a place. There have been too many pronouncements about developments and now the politicians are being overwhelmed. There is need for a strategic plan which is informed both by the funds that we have and by logic! Mere pronouncements will not bring development. It will only raise unnecessary hope and despair among the people.
” There is need for a strategic plan which is informed both by the funds that we have and by logic! ”
Who is going to come up with the strategic plans?Pee F.o.ol.s? Oh my my……………….
No country can ever develop everywhere even within decades or centuries…
The writer needs simple education and counselling…
Even USA is not developed everywhere…
Zambia is a poor country mind you….
ZWD are you saying that it is the fault of the writer that the major roads into a whole district are not passable? the letter is not talking about the development of a city, only a simple road to allow people to live thier lives and bring their own development if government has failed
Not when the area has been deliberately neglected like they have done in Nsama District. You would think twice with your statement if you went to Kampinda, Kakoma, Katwatwa, Katele my dear its like govt does not know people live there. Some spoils in Lusaka,central and copperbelt can be utilized to build the roads in Nsama District. There is need for decentralised allocation of funds. Nsama District needs properly well done roads anf bridges. Its a shame, it makes me cry. Why are my people forgotten like that? Just used for votes and ever abandoned when politicians win and for so many years! The are was better at independence with good road network. The bridges there were built by coronial masters. Today our politicians can’t build our roads and bridges, why, Nsama District?
Tell this dull character
And Sata said “Let there be a District ” and there its was, except on paper and with unpaid worers living in lodges
Why do we choose to hide our IDs when we re discussing such important development issues? I dont think anyone would take offence against you for bringing these challenges to light. You can decently discuss these issues anywhere in your quest to bring development to such negleted areas. Perhaps you are concerned about the forum (ZWD) you have used to air your concerns. I passed thru that area recently.There re a lot of problems,not only roads but other facilities as well .Even old districts have simillar challenges but the problem is we re seeing these gaps and want to continue hiding when we know that it is our responsibility to engage relevant authorities in addressing these matters.We re not committing crime..
POA interpretation?
Chali Lubemba, this is not ZWD
CHALI, THAT’S A POINT I HAVE ALSO INDIRECTLY, RAISED IN MY RESPONSE TO THE ARTICLE. CHALI, PLS READ MY CONTRIBUTION AND ADD ON WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HAVE REGULAR NEWS FROM SUCH REMOTE AREAS OF ZAMBIA AS YOU SEEM TO BE A REASONING CONTRIBUTOR. I MUST BE HONEST TO SAY I PARTLY HAIL FROM NSAMA. IN FACT MY MOTHER’S FATHER (BA NSAMA) COMES FROM THE ROYAL FAMILY. I HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE BUT IT IS MY AMBITION TO VISIT KAPUTA AND NSAMA IN THE NEAR FUTURE. BUT LIKE I HAVE FOR MANY PLACES IN ZAMBIA, READ A LOT about Kaputa area IN A BOOK ENTITLED, ” ” (sorry I couldn’t find the book to quote correct title. I ve been painting and decorating stuff is allover the place).
As a headman my village will be pronounced a district and I will be made a DC of Khomboni district What a failed state we are in
I DON’T SEE ZAMBIA AS A FAILED STATE. IN FACT ZAMBIA IS DOING VERY WELL AS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS REGIMES WHO FORSOOK INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT. YOUR “FAILED STATE” IS JUST ON YOUR LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF AND SELF-DENIAL. YOU ARE THE TYPE WHO BELIEVES IN ANYTHING FROM A WHITEMAN AND THEREFORE, YOU HAVE AN INFERIORITY COMPLEX. WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU START ENJOYING THE FRUITS RIGHT FROM TILLING THE LAND, PLANTING THROUGH TO HARVESTING. IN FACT IF YOU ARE NOT STRONG AND WISE YOU MAY EAT THE SEEDS INSTEAD OF SOWING THEM AND THEREFORE, CONTINUE SUFFERING. PF GOVT DON’T WANT US TO EAT THE SEEDS TODAY AND EVEN SURFER MORE IN FUTURE. CITIZENS WILL SURFER A LITTLE TODAY BUT ENJOY FOR THE REST OF OUR LIFE WHEN WE PLANT AND WEED WELL.
Attempted to go there in 2011 through kasama/ Mpulungu and was miserabley informed that It would take two days. this is a distance one would cover in less than 2 hours given the existence of proper infrastructure. As before, we continually see selfish projects being pushed forward with little regard for the needs of the natives in such locations. A good government would assess the best possible way to develop this area without first looking at Lusaka.
One of the options would be bilateral agreements with TZ and Burundi to provide raw materials via Mpulungu which would be faster than SA via Lusaka.
NAKABALIKA, YOU ARE ONE OF THE PEOPLE NEEDED ON BLOGS TO DISCUSS WHAT IS FEASIBLE FOR OUR COUNTRY’S DEVELOPMENT. NOT THESE OPPOSITION-MINDED WHO JUST EMPTILY HALLUCINATE WITHOUT ANALYSING ISSUES. YOU HAVE BROUGHT OUT VERY GOOD POINT(S) ON PROCUREMENT OF MATERIAL FOR DEVELOPING SUCH AREAS AVOIDING COSTLY SOURCES. THIS IS THE TYPE OF BRAINSTORMING NEEDED FROM BLOGGERS. NOT SELF-DENIAL KIND OF. THAT WAS A GOOD POINT.
Enough talk about infrastructure, but what about the location of the District as well? If people of my District really want Nsama District to attract investment and develop quickly then move the District Headquarters to Nsumbu please. Nsumbu has the potential to attract shipping and clearing companies that would link Zambia to countries like Rwanda, Tanzania and DRC.
People of Nsama District (that includes villages like Nsama itself, Kampinda, Kashikishi, Tupele, Mwewe, Munwa, Cholwe, Chishela, Katwatwa, Nsumbu, Nkamba Bay, Kasaba Bay and others in between) please re-visit your decision of locating Nsama District Headquarters at Nsama and move it to Nsumbu before any major development starts. This is my very humble and earnest appeal. We wil soon attract huge investment at Nsumbu. Thanx
Kalumba you are right but the investors have to find existence of sound policies to allow them commit. A place lacking in political will can not attract anyone to risk investment.
Did the people have a say in where the District headquarters would be located? i don’t know of any vote or referendum to decide where district hq would be. i feel good access will be a driver of development before the position of HQ, but you are right anyway, it does not make sense to put the district hq in a village setting with no power, water, accomdoation etc etc.
KALUMBA, YOU HAVE VALID POINTS. HOWEVER, A PLACE DOES NOT NEED TO BE AN HQ IN ORDER TO ATTRACT VIABLE INVESTMENTS. ALL IT NEEDS ARE SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS VERY PROPER ROADS, RAIL ROADS, SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, UNIS IF POSSIBLE, FULLY EQUIPPED AND SUPPLIED HOSPITALS, POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS. AND ALL THESE ARE ABOUT THE POLITICAL WILL OF THE GOVT WHICH #8.1 HAS ALREADY MENTIONED. IN FACT PLACES ARE MADE HQs BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENT ATTAINMENT WHICH THEY HAVE REACHED AS COMPARED TO ADJACENT RELATED LOCATIONS. MAINLY, NOT BEFORE. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM AND I LIKE YOUR ARGUMENT.
Ba ZWD be serious. Its not about education here, but what has to be done on this tabled subject. In my own view, decentralisation could answer some of these issues of developements more especially in rural districts. Otherwise keep some of your comments to yoself ok or change yo name from ZWD to somethingelse that will suit you with yo comments you pass to the public.
ZWD yalimifulunganya ba yama
Kekekekekeke
Take your medication ,this is Lusaka times.
BA NGULUBE, DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH ZWD. ZWD IS CONCEIVED WITH THE ATTITUDE TO ARGUE AND OPPOSE ANYTHING SATA AND PF. I WOULD RATHER YOU USE HIM AS A POINT OF REFERENCE OF STRAIGHT-JACKET FUULS WE ARE HAVING ON THESE BLOG. HE’S VERY SUITABLE FOR SUCH A PURPOSE. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, ITS DECENTRALISATION WHICH IS THE PREAMBLE TO THE PROBLEM SOLVING FOR SUCH UNDER-DEVELOPMENT IN ZAMBIA IN GENERAL AND NSAMA IN THIS CASE BEFORE EVEN DOING ANYTHING ELSE. THAT’S THE ROAD MAP TO UMUKONTO WE SIZWE, (POWER-TO-THE-PEOPLE).
is it Nsamba or Nsama?
Just use ubwato to cross rivers. I don’t think you need roads
Chali Lubemba, Nakabalika and Kalumba.
Amazement at your commentary and hardly see anything wrong with PF government to which you glorify. Development does not come about on mere rhetoric posturing to the public on a populist statements as Sata has deceived Zambians.
Kalumba, you mention all villages where you come from and believe should even be made into districts. That is hypocrisy and deception of PF Sata. The fact that an area is remote and desolate is not merit enough to be a district. Others factors mitigating rationality come into play. Did you think CNP posed for that before declaring a place to be a district? Take a long and hard look before you vote for your next leader Nsama, Nsumbu, Kaputa will remain villages with likes of Sata.
objectivity and not trivia
Aquilla, please re-visit my comment on this debate on roads in Nsama District. The villages mentioned are those that are in Nsama District and were brought in on the question of whether people from these villages should should be allowed or were allowed to participate in deciding on where the District HQ was to be located. Nothing was mentioned about turning these villages into Districts. Maybe when you re-visit my comment, you will appreciate. Thanx
ACQUILLA, I DON’T THINK YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. THE GENTLEMEN HAVE VERY VALID AND GOOD ARGUMENTS. IN ANY CASE THEY HAVE INCLUSIVELY GENERALISED THEIR ARGUMENT. THEIR SUGGESTIONS ARE SUITABLE TO ANY UNDER DEVELOPMENT. BUT I NOTICE A LOT OF BITTERNESS IN YOU WHICH I CAN’T SEE WHERE IT IS COMING FROM. FOR YOUR INFORMATION DECENTRALISATION DID NOT COME AS AN AFTER-THOUGH BY PF GOVT. IT WAS PLANNED LONG BEFORE PF CAME INTO POWER. THEY ARE JUST GRADUALLY (DECENTRALISING) IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN.
BY THE WAY, KALUMBA DO YOU KNOW THE NAME OF THIS RIVER? PLEASE, IF YOU DO CAN YOU FURNISH US WITH IT’S NAME. THANKS. AND IS IT THE BIGGEST RIVER IN THE AREA?
What an eyesore! The “main road” seems to be passing through some river or swamp and literally end in the middle of nowhere. I’m not a civil engineer but wouldn’t a suspension bridge, though more costly, not be more effective here?
Something definately needs to change about the way these development projects are monitored. For all we know, the funds may have already been released and the contractors paid in full for work still waiting to be done. Welcome to the jungle.. ahem, Africa.
nsama IS a name of a town? and people can live their? i guess its a name of wildlife park, so dont bring your stories to talk about PARKS here we are a listening GOVT BUT ONLY TO AREAS WHERE PEOLE LIVE
The last time I passed through Nsama, I found abandoned police station, post office and healthc center. On enquiry, I was told that there is too much witchcraft on workers who sent to this area. Could it be that you are bewitching road contractors as well? Just thinking!!
eish!!! newly created district my foot! i actually applied for a job under public service to be posted there. thank GOD i wasn’t employed
pawato… oh yes true meaning of PF symbol — the will use the boat to cross… water transport… oh yes.. that’s why bridges are not necessary for them… pipo of nsama why shod you vote for pf o even support this part…
Not everything that glitters is gold. Some of these people you elect as president, are schizophrenic. Mr. Sata’s style of doing things purely from hunch, by declaring that this and that is done; without proper planning, can have negative repercussions.
Its agony for the people of this new district. If only road infrastructure can be improved, there is great potential for this are to develop and contribute to national civilisation. Only roads, roads roads and roads to begin with, the rest will fall in place gradually. Today the cost any product from manufacturers and wholesalers are so expensive for the poor people to afford simply because of bad roads. This part of Zambia has been highly neglected. Politicians only come with promisory notes at elections. They cheat and cheat year in year out. One day the people will chase you. You have treated the people there as sub humans, denying them development but only use them to ascend to power. What must they say that can make you listen? Provide the people with all weather roads.
Peter, I have just seen your request. The road shown is an embankment and two possible areas that are prone to such disasters are: 1) Either it is an area between Muntundu checkpoint (as you leave Nsumbu road going to Kaputa) and Katwatwa village (located at eastern end of Lake Mweru wa Ntipa); or 2) An area between Katwatwa and Nondo villages, that is an embankment that connects the two rivers of Munkonge and Kamusenga. In between these two rivers is Mutambala area where Congelese used to patrol sometime back claiming it was part of Congo. From the view as seen on the photo, this part is an embankment that runs along Kamusenga river which passes through the damaged part. I guess the truck must have been coming from Kaputa Boma. Can Editors please not allow this story to phase out soon.
Peter (1.7), how does Kaputa come in here? Are we not talking about Nsama?Assuming it is the same area, then Kaputa having good soils and highest rainfall? Not quite, infact quite the opposite! You only have good soils in some selected areas between Mporokoso via Nsama up to Mutundu and partly Katwatwa and Filawe village areas. The rest is either sandy, stony or rocky. It is almost impossible to find fertile sols in open areas apart from the game management areas and this is the problem that people have in places like Nsumbu and Kaputa Boma. When Lake Mweru wa Ntipa was drying up people started growing their rice and maize along the drying banks to utilise the moisture and somehow silty fertile soils. On rainfall, the Lake has dried up because of extreme and dangerously low rainfall there.
The road that is swept away is along the swamp and anyone familiar with nsama and chishela are almost in swamp area cause of fishing. If it rains heavily the area is washed aways. Therefore the it will take time to build a permanent road. Tarmac road is going to mporokoso via nsama to Kaputa
The is of roads in Nsama District is not a trivial one, its a disaster. There are very few bridges on few river, but the state they have ever been is ever deplorable. Whenever ever govt sent road and/or bridge contractors, these contractors ever came with faulty machinery which ever broke down and left unfinished business. Many times they use people with hoes to build roads and bridges. The roads and bridges are made small, tiny with weak structures. The steel they construct with is too cheap and inferior to withstand high traffic let alone heavy rains. For sure people in Nsama District have been treated extremely unfair from successive govts. Its a shame. The only sensible road construction there was done in 1970s by Canadian constructor. Since that time only lousy contractors come! Pew!
Sometimes you feel like inciting the people of Nsama District to boycot general elections. What is the point in candidates ever coming with promises that never happen for 50 years? They cheat and lie a lot at election time, they buy people beer, slaughter chickens and goats and make people eat half meal for a week and whoever wins runs away. There is utterly nothing in Nsama District that any sensible politician can claim he has done for the people of Nsama District. They are all shameless characters who mean very little to develop this area. I urge anyone to cincentrate on building a proper, all weather, strong and wide enough roads and bridges in Nsama District. There are very few main roads there. Please help the people travel and transport comfortably and quickly on good roads.
What a weird cracker of politicians who are ever cheating the people of Nsama District. We have cheats who ever dribble us just so that they win elections, conmen and conwomen! We really need proper roads in Nsama district, do you hear, do you listen, you damn politician? Serve the people with proper roads and bridges in Nsama District. What do you want people to say it? How do you want people to say it. The local people there have written, talked and cried about bad roads since the 70s but no one listens. It rains heavily in Nsama District, we need strong, durable roads that are not easily washed away. The curviets you take on bridge are too small and not aensible enough to solve the roads problems in Nsama District. Do something sensible there, the roads are bad, indeed very bad.
It is good to see a debate on the subject of rural development going so far, it seems Zambians are very concerned with life in these poor rural areas. we need the the independant media to investigate these remote areas properly. otherwise the likes of statements through ZANIS may hoodwink people into believing the government is fulfilling its promises of improving the quality of life for poor rural Zambians when if fact they are being left behind in all manner of developments. The facts of Nsama disctrict and the surrounding townships/villages as mentioned by others above remain: NO ACCESS ROAD , NO HIGH SCHOOL, NO HOSPITAL, NO POST SERVICE, NO ELECTRICITY, NO INVESTORS, NO FUNCTIONING POLICE STATION. there are surely difficulties in developing these rural areas but something must happen!
This topic was archived too early . Let people express themselves. Its about their quality of life which has been neglected. We follow the archive to stress the fact that Nsama District has been neglected for far too long. Someone ought to do something about it.