Friday, March 29, 2024

Minister apologizes to President Lungu over Kabwe sewer

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Minister of General Dennis Wanchinga
Minister of Water Development Sanitation and Environmental Protection Dennis Wanchinga

Water Development Sanitation and Environmental Protection Minister Dennis Wanchinga has apologized over the prolonged sewer blockage in Kabwe that greeted President Edgar Lungu when he visited the town last week.

Dr Wanchonga said his Ministry wishes to acknowledge with regret the unfortunate incident of prolonged sewer blockage in the central business district of Kabwe under the jurisdiction of Lukanga Water and Sewerage Company Limited.

“The Ministry, therefore, wishes to unreservedly apologize to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia as well as residents of Kabwe in particular and the people of Zambia for the inconvenience and embarrassment the unfortunate incident caused,” Dr Wanchinga said.

He said the unfortunate incident of sewer blockage that was brought to the attention of the Authorities on 31st March 2019, was precipitated by the uncoordinated manner in which Lukanga Water Sewerage Company and Kabwe Municipal Council have been working in managing sewer and solid waste respectively.

Dr Wanchinga said the blockage of the sewer network has also been exacerbated by poor management of solid waste, weak regulation coupled with lack of awareness among the general public on the health hazards that vandalism and unclean environment may pose to the society.

“The Ministry whose mandate is to manage develop water resources, supply clean safe water, provide adequate sanitation services and manage the environment, has been implementing the National Water Supply and Sanitation programme through Commercial Water Utility Companies among them Lukanga Water and Sewerage Company to ensure access to safe clean water and adequate sanitation services to avoid water borne diseases. The laxity on the part of Lukanga Water and Sewerage company management to uphold their role as a service provider is very unfortunate and unacceptable,” Dr Wanchinga said.

“The Ministry, therefore, wishes to assure the residents of Kabwe and the general public at large that despite this unfortunate incident, adequate measures are being put in place to ensure that such an incident of prolonged sewer blockage does not reoccur. The Ministry has with immediate effect directed the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council to intensify inspections and monitoring to ensure set standards for Commercial Utilities are adhered to and erring Commercial Utilities are penalized in line with the National Water Supply and Sanitation Act number 28 of 1997 to ensure compliance.”

He added, “The Ministry has further directed all Commercial Utility Companies to intensify surveillance of sanitation services and encourage members of the general public to promptly report incidents of sewer pipe blockages and spillage to authorities in order to prevent future occurrence of similar incidents in Kabwe as well as the rest of the country. The Ministry has further directed Commercial Utility Companies to strength their cohabitation with Municipal Councils on matters of waste management.”

“Furthermore, the Ministry has embarked on strengthening collaboration with all stakeholders to heighten public awareness regarding dangers of vandalism of water and sanitation infrastructure and, in particular the Ministry of Local Government and Housing through Kabwe Municipal Council on the need to ensure sound management of solid waste to prevent sewer blockages.”

“Government through the Ministry wishes to reiterate its commitment by His Excellence the President towards universal access to clean safe water and adequate sanitation services in line with the vision 2030 and sustainable goals without leaving anyone behind,” Dr Wanchinga said.

32 COMMENTS

  1. In more civilized countries this should have been a resignation announcement. Last time Lusaka resident were treated to sewerage in their drink water and only politicking happened.

    • Since I came to the USA, I have learned from the Americans not to make excuses for failure. The tales of incompetence from this minister is absolutely appalling!

    • Water Development Sanitation and Environmental Protection Ministry – Nanga iyi ndiye ministry yabwanji? Why is the minister behaving as though he is responsible for unblocking all the sewers in the country? This is one of the big problems we have in Africa – bootlicking by taking blame where it is not necessary. Micromanagement is not a job description of the ministry. He should concentrate where he ought to. We all know the problem the councils are facing, no need to beat about the bush!

    • Wanchinga should be in jail for continuing insulting the president who is busy campaigning. This is mockery at its best.
      Above comments are coming from you Christians. These minister should be sued and serve jail time. Worse insults, opening sewage to test their leader of he is good at cleaning, can’t be compared to those teachers in jail for defamation.

    • He is apologizing to Lazy Lungu who there for 3 days instead of the people who live with that mess…this is the mindset of these leaders who vote for in Parliament.

    • Excuses excuses, excuses. That’s the language of cluless Lungu’s clueless ministers. We don’t need your lame useless excuses, we need action. Just go out there and clean the city. Had Lungu not visited the place, it would’ve been business as usual. And you get paid Taxpayer’s money for doing absolutely nothing. How can we develop the country like this? The funny thing is some of these ministers, including Lungu, visit some very clean countries around the world. But they never learn anything from them. They can’t even ask Kagame to tell them how he keeps his country clean. Very shameful. All these lazy, clueless foo1s need to be thrown out, and replaced with people who are willing to work hard for the people. What a bunch of do nothings.

  2. You are not wealth your position and this is why you ministers are failing to perform your duties. You can’t just be concerned about the president and not the kabwe residents. Mr President, for how long are you going to keep such ministers? Meaning he just cares about you not the people you appointed him for. This is why I keep on saying they only work when you visit there offices or areas . We are not going any where with this kind of ministers. Am afraid for our president.

    • This minister, a learned doctor must just resign on moral principle. He has all govt resources at his disposal but can’t do the job. He should have visited Kabwe a week before the president went there. But uku kudeelela uko.

  3. In wealthy countries resignation in the face of failure is a matter of restoring faith in govt.In poor countries staying put in the face of failures is a matter of impunity & arrogance.

  4. Someone should have been fired.

    Just covering up sh.it.

    Pin point a person or persons responsible and fire him or them..

  5. I don’t understand why the Minister was apologizing for the Kabwe blocked sewer system when here in Lusaka just few kilometers to State house we had over 29 cases of blocked sewer not attended to for weeks. So what is so special with Kabwe. The civic duties which requires salaries to be paid at the end of month not at the year . People are suppose to be paid salaries per month not getting fired per year. The problem of lack financial resources started with the farmers,then councils worker,Zampost,NCZ,NHA,Museum workers,Heritage,Kazugula bridge ,fired Sesheka Police men for losing,students allowance progressively University lecturers. However ,on the positive side under slogan (Sela Tubobeka),the govt managed to buy Fire-tenders,win Kafue polls,built Toll-gate,closed Prime TV,got Chinese…

  6. When we take this Kabwe sewer issue,Lusaka water contamination with feacal matter,persistent cholera cases; we would be right to conclude that PF is equivalent to Party of Feaces (PF)!

  7. Ministers who are always in suits and neck chains are very ineffective! They are too clean to even conduct regular unannounced inspection of their areas of responsibility! If it has to take the visit of his supervisor to pick such issues, then what is his job? This apology is a mockery meant to protect his job! Just replace this inept minister and his inept boss who seems afraid to fire the chap!

  8. If ECL had not visited Kabwe and noticed that problem then nothing would have happened, everyone at the water utility company, the council and indeed the Minister would have gone on with the Business as causal attitude.

  9. Apologise to the people of Kabwe. You think Kabwe should only be cleaned when the President is in town. This is the reason Zambia wont develop with this mentality.

  10. However ,on the positive side under slogan (Sela Tubobeka),the govt managed to buy Fire-tenders,win Kafue polls,built Toll-gates,closed Prime TV,got Chinese loans, bought Air Force 1 and accelerated the signing of bill and consolidated the State police like Hitler’s SS team; Gestapo. Carrying granede launchers ,AK 47 assault rifle,16 armoured vehicles,32 DEC,78 O.P and 96 PF cadres just arrest simple men like HH and Kabwili. Just two policemen without sirens can be the police

  11. This is the foolishness we talk about. Apologising to the wrong person instead of to the residents of kabwe. Nangu ni bootlicking teso!

  12. You are not apologizing because you regret not doing your job. You are apologizing because your caught you not doing your job. So it’s got nothing to do with the Kabwe people don’t include them because that sewer wasn’t welcoming them like it did the president they were living with it. And if your boss is about the job he should fire you for not doing your job. Mr President incompetence should not be tolerated set a high standard for yourself and your ministers and every civil servant will follow. This is what is killing government institutions the standard are too low…same with expelling and suspending students at universities the government should instead set a standard pay everything on time and if students riot beat and throw them in jail for riots after being paid. The citizens…

  13. Misplaced apology… You should apologise to the people that are affected. This just shows the ignorance of cabinet ministers that do not even have a clue who they are serving and who pays them. Secretary to the cabinet, hold classes in public service and educate these guys, they are completely lost in politics.

  14. He now feels that he should apologise so that the president can read about him to get the impression that he is working. President EL just the sewer yesterday, but kabwe residents lived with the stench for years, no apology to them. And engineers, administrators from kabwe manucipality have been receiving salaries all these years? …………..of morons by morons for morons!

  15. Does it have to take the president to bring out such honestly? where are controlling officers? In Luangwa, there is a big leakage of water coming from Lukanga water. we have have reported this and nothing has been done. Its actually near provincial minister’s house. Parastatal mentality should change. move with time

  16. So this means this minister is just serving the president and the people of Kabwe are just an afterthought or just cheap pawns for his career.

  17. So it takes the whole of the president to come to kabwe before a blocked sewer line can be unblocked. So if it wasn’t for the presidential visit kabwe people would have continued to work in that environment forever.

  18. Stupid Minister: apologizing to remain in this position? However, even the central Province minister should resign. So it means no one knew about this blocked among all senior public workers.

  19. Last time we drunk fecal matter in Lusaka and the Minister did not apologise to the Lusaka residents. Now just because the president was in Kabwe he chooses to apologise to the president and NOT to the residents who were exposed to diseases. What kind of thinking is this kashi. This man should be fired if he cannot resign on his own. To him its only the president who drunk the dirty water and fecal matter in Kabwe. And it was fine for the residents of Kabwe to be exposed to diseases.
    This is disaster bane.

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