The Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) has welcomed the timely and necessary interventions by President Edgar Lungu to involve the military personnel in preventing further spread of cholera in Lusaka city.
LGAZ President Christopher Kang’ombe says the steps are necessary to save lives in the capital city by cleaning public places and stop trading in dirty areas.
Mr. Kang’ombe who is Kitwe’s Riverside Ward Councilor and Patriotic Front (PF) Kitwe District Chairperson appealed to the street vendors and marketeers in Lusaka to offer maximum support to combating cholera disease.
“Garbage disposal is our responsibility at a personal level and the fight to stop or prevent further spread of cholera will not be won if there is no personal hygiene by all of us Zambians,” Kang’ombe said.
Mr. Kang’ombe said in order to fight cholera, the levels of sanitation must be enhanced by all stakeholders as the military and Lusaka City Council should join hands with government through the Ministry of Health by cleaning trading places like markets as well as bus stations.
The LGAZ President has since directed all its 109 member councils to the country to dispose waste in unplanned settlements across the country and unblock drainages in all townships.
The civic leader urged local authorities in the country to provide clean drinking water and provide chlorine in all public toilets used in bus stations, bars and markets to enhance acceptable health standards for trading places.
Lusaka is currently experiencing cholera in Kanyama, Mtendere, Msisi, Chipata Compounds as well as Chelston, Balaston, Rhodes Park, Chamba valley and Ibex Hill among other peri-urban areas besides compounds.
Food contamination and selling of food stuffs in markets, bars and streets has been attributed to the major cause of cholera in the city.
40 people have so far died since the outbreak of cholera on October 6 this year while 1,550 cases have so been recorded.
168 people have been treated as of 29 December, 2017.
President Lungu who is Commander In-Chief of Armed forces, directed Zambia Army, ZAF, ZNS and Police personnel to embark on rapid cleaning in markets, streets as well as affected areas as government tackles the emergency in a multi sectorial approach.
And a snap survey conducted in the Central Business District and Kamwala second class trading place in Lusaka yesterday revealed that the town and streets are clean.
It seems military is the way forward in everything we do. Seriously are we saying we can fail to keep our own surrounding clean until military is involved. This is gross indescpline. Cops are the biggest culprits freedom way is completely blocked. By bus drivers who are supposed to be using designated stations. These guys pay cops for all this stupid. Where do you think waste produced by these Guy go? We all know the answer.
This is not timely,people have already died. Surely, our so called capital city struggling with this shameful disease and the President resides there.Go to villages like mine,Kashiba;there are no such reports about cholera.This means one thing,people there are more hygienic than those chaps in Lusaka,the so called the elite.
How about Kitwe is there cholera too? If not can Lusaka and politicians learn some lessons from Kitwe?
It’s all the fault of politicians whether opposition and ruling. They encourage dirt, street vending, selling dirry food in markets and streets, all sorts of activities all in the name of votes or “our people” and then the same people die like rats.
Remember when Prof Luo wanted to sanitize our cities, what did President Sata say? Well we are now paying for our sins.
The entire Lusaka city council management must be fired. They always praise the mayor even when they are seeing his nakedness that your worship you well dressed. Town clerk is also ipulanga as CEO of the council, he is useless chap who can’t state his position on anything. You cant even understand the quality they see in certain people. Local government commission please disband that team, they are useless.
Ba Kangombe – You are for Kitwe my brother. Where is the Lusaka mayor who should be in forefront. We need you for Kitwe. Look at pot hole at ( Kaunda square) now business center as you go to Indo – Bank, Look at Kwacha Road, UCZ kwacha east area, Changa Namai, through to Kazembe Road. Where is the MP – Malanji we voted with promises he made to Kwacha people. Twafweniko Ba Mayor.