He said there is no justification for a life to be lost in Zambia from cholera and any other sanitation-related disease after 53 years of independence, and that doing so is sheer disgrace.
He has attributed the continued recurrence of cholera in Lusaka and elsewhere in the country to poor implementation of sanitation policies, especially the National Solid Waste Management Strategy of 2004.
“It is extremely saddening that 41 lives have been lost so far since October. It is also regrettable that over 1,500 people have contracted the disease during this period.
“You know, cholera is spread mostly by poor sanitary conditions such as unsafe water and unsafe food that has been contaminated with human feces containing the bacteria. Undercooked food is another common source.
“Put simply, what I am saying here is that there is no justification whatsoever to lose a single life in Zambia due to poor sanitary conditions. Not after 53 years of independence. That is sheer disgrace!
“Cholera is like polio. You can eliminate it if there is political-will. For example, there haven’t been any cases of cholera originating in England and Wales for over 100 years. This record has been made possible due to political-will.
“You see, I was one of the architects of the National Solid Waste Management Strategy which we developed from 2001 to 2004 under the auspices of the Environmental Council of Zambia, now called Zambia Environmental Management Agency.
“We developed the strategy to ensure that Zambia establishes a coordinated approach to sound solid waste management in the whole country and thereby lead to improvements in the management of waste encompassing all waste streams.
“The main objective of the strategy was to eliminate perennial outbreak of diseases such as cholera, dysentery as well as to control pollution of water resources, air, soil or land contamination, including the proliferation of pests and vermin.
“However, 14 years after the strategy was developed, it is disgraceful that there is still so much domestic and industrial waste which lies uncollected especially in the major urban and peri-urban areas.
“It is shameful that is still limited financial capacity and lack of trained manpower, which in turn makes it almost impossible for the local authorities to fulfill their obligations concerning solid waste management.
“Worse still, 14 years after the strategy was developed, there is no implementation plan for the strategy has been put in place.
“This is extremely disgusting. It is like all efforts and resources marshaled to develop the strategy have been poured down the waste-water drain.
“And the consequence is loss of waste of 41 lives and devastation of thousands more by cholera. If this is not disgusting and shameful, then what is it!” he exclaimed.
He said lack of political-will to finance environmental programmes is a serious cancer which will continue wasting and devastating lives provided voters fail to take environmental issues seriously during elections.
“Unfortunately, this cancer will continue wasting and devastating lives unnecessarily provided the voters remain indifferent to the green agenda,” he said.
And Sinkamba has commended President Edgar Lungu for deploying defence services and the Police to compliments efforts of the Ministries of Health and Local Government. However, he has blamed President Lungu for moving in too late.
“Ideally, the army and police should be part and parcel of the cholera preparedness committees we set up in the 1990s.
“Immediately a case of cholera or dysentery is reported in a particular locality, naturally, the army and police must immediately be deployed to compliment efforts of other government agencies.
“Now, in this instance, the reaction time has been slow. The Commander-in-Chief did not need wait for 41 people to die and devastation of thousands others to deploy the defence and police personnel. That is bad commandership,” he said.
I love this man Sinkamba. His analysis is always spot on. Cholera even mumayadi? This is so shameful!!!!!
I concur. There is “no justification for a life to be lost in Zambia from cholera.” But what else can we expect when our president lives in the air, flying around with no policy on the ground with which to govern the country?
Cholera run away from Sata.I
And why mistreating cholera patients, stacking them in a tent.
Where is the disaster management team?
Mr. Sinkamba must realise that no matter what effort the Mr. Lungu puts in place, as long as the citizens are throwing leftover mangoes anyhow, flies will keep spreading cholera. In English, which he referred to, people don’t throw dirt anyhow.
Adding salt to injury, this is the president who is demanding to be recognized by the opposition. Why?
Straight to the point. This is a big disgrace to everyone involved and affected. If we all puts our shoulders to the wheel, Cholera and even Malaria can easily be avoided and eradicated.
Chingola may be next. Water supply is erratic, often muddy and unfit for consumption. Refuse removal stopped months ago ( Cop-Waste is dead). We still have paid workers in the Council Health Department. What they do is a mystery.
Start with getting rid of the vendors. Can we have some drone footage of how lusaka looks.
We had cholera in 1964 and in 2017 we still have cholera.We’re collectively of insane thru doing things the same way expecting different results.
Most shamfull of all is we have just spent $17 billion……then you forgot to wipe your arses PF………
Well said my President Sinkamba! Then we have a council management in Lusaka that is more interested in buying the latest toyota hilux than repairing drainages and collecting rubbish. What a cursed bunch of lowlifes these guys at LCC are – may they be treated for this injustice in the hell which awaits them when they die!
The man with sheer facts, you read his sentiments, you feel like you are actually listening to his voice, his tone very objective , no personal attacks for political expediency but so robust that he brings out genuine frustrations a real father would feel when an act of negligence results in a loss his loved children. After 50 + years, honestly, the loss of lives to cholera is truly simply utter disgrace and shameful. Political will is non existence in many of our Zambia ‘s current problems. Let us ask ourselves -How has Rwanda brought about sanity to Kigali in a shot space of time?
As long as we do not keep Zambia clean,cholera shall over hunt us..people literary throw rubbish,poor sanitation in shanty compounds is major contributor too..no matter how much Mr Edgar Lungu will say keep Zambia clean,if our mentality as Zambians won’t change towards a clean environment ,then the kick out cholera campaign is share waste of time ,because change starts with us,because we do not expect the president to start picking up liter and making toilets for each household.
Comments reserved.Community participation is the key to a cholera free Zambia
I’m so confused. Why is this happening? We need a public explanation, acknowledgment of the mistakes that have been made by those in power and a public explanation as to why this will not happen again! It shouldn’t be happening in 2018. It’s disgusting that so many lives have been lost and the president himself must let us know WHY this has happened. We need an explanation.
Mmmm it’s really puzzling that cholera is getting worse, let’s pray together for this killer disease that’s slaying out our parents,children,sisters,brothers and such like. It’s really sad losing out the family!