Friday, March 29, 2024

Lusaka City Council procures 8 tipper trucks for garbage collection activities

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THE Lusaka City Council (LCC) has procured eight (08) tipper trucks at a cost of K5.6 million to enhance garbage collection activities in the city.

Lusaka Mayor, Wilson Kalumba said there was still more equipment that the council needed to procure and believes that the council is on course with the procurement exercise.

Mr. Kalumba added that the fleet will enhance garbage collection and other activities that the council undertakes in the city.

According to a statement issued to ZANIS today by the Council Public Relations Unit, the Mayor said the Council has on average three trucks running for garbage collection and that most of the equipment is obsolete hence, the purchasing of the eight trucks that will go a long way in enhancing solid waste management in the city.

Mr. Kalumba said the procurement of the eight trucks will make a difference in the garbage collection exercise and the general cleaning of the city adding that, the Council is just coming from a clean-up exercise of the city following the cholera outbreak that hit Lusaka.

He stated that the momentum that the council has will only be maintained with the right equipment and mindset by the residents of Lusaka who will at some point be compelled to pay towards the management of solid waste.

“In the past we have complained about lack of equipment, which was very true, but now we have the equipment for us to use. As I mentioned earlier, garbage collection everywhere in the world is a costly venture, so we need to find resources and people need to be ready to start contributing to the cost of running waste collection in the city,” Mr. Kalumba said.

The mayor has encouraged residents of Lusaka to start paying for garbage disposal adding that, a universal garbage collection fee as not yet been determined stating that the figure will be determined by how many people will be covered by measure.

He said the smaller the number of people being captured, the higher the fees and the larger the collection base, the smaller the amount of fees to be levied.

“In the past I have talked about collecting K10 from residents, it will give us a sound financial base. We can even procure more equipment because dump trucks are not the only equipment that we need. We need lot of equipment like road sweepers, bull dozers, front-end loaders to scoop the garbage into the trucks.

“I don’t think we will be able to do that for free for the whole city, it is not possible, so we are talking of the residents getting ready at one stage or another and contribute because we are serving the residents,” the Mayor said.

20 COMMENTS

  1. Its a good move but introduce a law that would compel those failing to comply dragged to court if they refuse to pay a fine. I gues every Zambian will pay a small amount to ensure we have clean cities. Well done the Mayor of Lusaka. Politics of the belly godfather is happy indeed.

  2. Step in the right direction but the GIANT STEP needed the most is to change people’s behaviour towards city sanitation like Kigali Rwanda has done.Severe punishments ,steep fines and communal responsibility is what will bring real change of cleanliness.

  3. It is also simple iwe kalumba why not advocate for the passing of a law that will require plastic bags to be bought say at 50 ngwee am sure half of the rubbish will disappear

    • You are right, tipper trucks are just awkward for garbage collection, OK lets just call them African solutions to our cities built on a European concept.

    • How expensive are specialized garbage trucks compare to tipper trucks. What is wrong with starting with CHEAPER EQUIPMENT (tipper trucks) and then purchase specialized garbage trucks latter when garbage fee collection becomes effective and council coffers get healthy?

      You will be the same people accusing the Mayor/Govt if reckless spending and corruption. What is wrong with you Zambians kanshi?

    • For the love of money why buy tipper trucks? Garbage will be flying all over the streets who came up with this chopeti idea?

  4. Good move because right now we are paying K80 per month for garbage collection in residential area. If the council can come up this this initiative they will increase their revenue. Please go ahead.

  5. Because we allowed the collection of rubbish over such a long period the idea of having labor intensive means of “tipping” rubbish into garbage trucks is already a Herculean task (see what happens when you postpone maintenance). SOOOO tipper trucks it will have to be. Circa $70k is the cost I believe, assuming a rate of $1 to ZMW10… Let’s remove the mountain of rubbish AND then continue COLLECTING rubbish on a REGULAR basis. REGULAR – not leave it to the next Cholera season.

  6. Mr. Mayor you could have bought more trucks if not for the purchase is those 5 brand new ford rangers you procured.

  7. Brilliant idea. However my concern is accountability of the money that will be raised. I appeal to local authority in conjunction with area development committees ADC to ensure that each house hold pays for garbage collection. Appreciation to the Army for the job.please the council must maintain the standards

  8. Freaking useless Zambians, always fault finding, you are same MF’s throwing trash all over the place. If you don’t have any solutions just shut up please.

  9. Very good council. But first as a council change your mindset. Secondly take care of the equipment. Lastly as citizens we are ready to pay for garbage collection on condition that the cash will go to good use. It s should not be another unfruitful venture

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