Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili has urged communities and local Councils in the country to consider changing names that have bad connotations.
Speaking on Saturday during the renaming of Devils street in Emmasdale area to its original name of Florida Street, Rev. Sumaili said it is important to take in consideration the implication and effects that names of on communities and people.
Rev. Sumaili said she would like to see other councils in the country identify names of streets and communities that deserve to be changed.
Commenting on the nickname of Florida Street to Devils street, Rev. Sumaili said it was not right to have anything named after the devil in a nation that its proudly Christian.
She added that for Zambia to actualize its Christian values, the nation has to have sanity in the moral standing of people and communities.
Rev. Sumaili urged communities to report issues of brothels, underage drinking and drug abuse in their communities for sanity and peace to prevail.
And Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa said it was high time the city changed its face starting with names of the streets.
The Mayor added that it was a sorry sight to realize that many people have lost lives, marriages have been broken and many other bad vices have been conducted on Florida street.
Mr. Sampa said it was sad to see young people patronize bars and engage in dangerous vices.
He further explained that despite the street having businesses operating, there is need for everyone to abide by the laws of the land and not allow immorality on the street.
Meanwhile Lenard Mayaka a resident of Florida street in Emasdale has thanked government for renaming the street to its real names as opposed to the nicknamed known by many.
Mr. Mayaka said names have impact on people and community and hence should be considered carefully.
He explained that many illegal vices have been conducted on the Florida Street due to the impact its nickname.
The street renaming exercise was preceded by a walk to denounce the bad things that have happened on the street and declare the new good things to happen.
But why not a local name? We really a sick country, Florida na Devils Street makes no difference!!
Obviously it was not renamed and a poster erected with that devilish name? If so who was innovative enough to do that and override the Council name? How will renaming the street change the activities that gave it the devilish name? The prostitutes, drug dealers and whatever won’t be bothered with name change, it will be business as usual for them. The devilish activities will continue. The renaming will be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Tackle the root cause. Give prostitutes a decent way of income or find them husbands and the street, name like everywhere else, won’t be demonized.
Why Florida? Because it rhymes with Godfridah? These fake Africans who don’t want to identify with themselves that’s why they even have European names whose meaning colonialism imposed on them
They think they will become American by carbon copying the US. There are numerous African heroes waiting to be commemorated and you settle for Florida?
Godfridah Sumaili is a disaster. Fact is many roads in Lusaka do not hv name plates. And wht’s the significance of the Spanish-sounding name Florida?
Why not renaming Lusaka to Gehenna city?
A nickname is a nickname..it’s difficult to rename a nickname.. it’s like saying we are rename Sata from King cobra to sata
Ba minister you’re not been truthful with your position and I feel you need genuinely to seek the lord and if you genuinely represent the truth in Zambia, I dont see you keeping that position. You’re on that ministerial position because you’re not real. There is alot of evidence of evils going on in our government which needs your comment and you’ve gone mute on alot of them just to keep your position. For me as a true Christian I honestly dont recognize you in any way and I take you for a joke. Witchcraft and witch doctors are putting posts along the roads and you’ve never asked the councils country wide to pull them down. The political parties are using there cadres in evil ways and you okay with it because our PF party is doing the same so that makes hard for you to speak against…
In China, the govt doesn’t allow gambling on the Chinese mainland because it knows the harmful effects on society. Gambling is only allowed on the island of Macau. Meanwhile in the world’s only Christian nation, the same Chinese hv been allowed to provide gambling machines and Godfridah Sumaili won’t speak out against it.
These foo1s really make me laugh. They changed the name from Devils Street to Florida Street. Why are we Africans like this? Why Florida Street? Have you ever heard of a street in Florida called Lusaka Street? No. There’s none. Why can’t you give the street an African name? Stop this foolishness, please. Giving American or European names to African streets just exposes your inferiority complex. Because you think anything Western sounding is superior. What a shame.
I am not sure the name “Devils Street” name is as evil as stealing public funds that then lead to the death of many people as a result 9of poor service delivery such as excruciatingly poor health care, abysmal Education system, poor sanitation that leads to cholera and other water-borne diseases to name just a few.
This does remind me of the married dude who refused to eat pork chops at his girlfriend’s home because it is against his Christian faith. The girlfriend set him straight by telling him that eating pork was the lesser evil he would be committing. So let us just eat the pork after which we will be committing adultery. Selective Christianity is what it is. If they really embraced Christianity, we would be the no 1 less corrupt country in the world.
Indeed, I am not sure if the name of ‘Devils Street’ is as evil as stealing money and taking it to PANAMA.
Also don’t name anything “Chagwa”. You have all seen what has happened to Zambia when some one with that name began to rule
MR MAYOR THIS IS FOOLS EVANS FOCUS ON PAYMENTS FOR THE COUNCIL THESE ARE PEOPLE UNDER YOU AND HAVE NOT BEEN PAID FROM JULY. MADAM SOMALI IT’S EVEN A BIGGER FOOLS ERAND FOR YOU WHEN YOU WERE BUSY PLANING THIS WASTE OF MONEY UPND AND PF WHERE KILLING EACH OTHER IN KANYAMA YOUR FOCUS SHOULD BE TELLING HH AND LUNGU HOW UN CHRISTIAN THEIR PARTY CADERS ARE ACTING. BUT I GUESS GOING TO RENAME A STREET IS MORE URGENT. YOU ARE BOTH FAILED LEADERS WITH NO CONVICTIONS.
According to this story, Madam Hon Sumaili, the street has always been called Florida Street. “Devil’s St” was a nickname, so are you renaming a nickname? Or did LCC once change the name from Florida?
Please don’t change John Chinena. But I won’t care if you rename Paul Mushindo University.
Classic…kikiki…
Ba Lipota wopanda logical construction of sentences. What’s the meaning of :
He further explained that despite the street having businesses operating, there is need for everyone to abide by the laws of the land and not allow immorality on the street.
Completely no logic
None sense. Obviously looking for relevance iwe sumaili. In a way I feel sorry for this woman. She is lacking a sense of purpose, productivity. As for you me Lungu, why can’t you end this misery, torture. For sure you ARE a sadist!
I worked with a brilliant colleague once. We also went to church together and his last name was Devil,, Dr Devil
I also happen to know of a once brilliant football team in Zambia; Nkhana Red Devils , I wonder how many people it corrupted by this team!
Na nga Los Angeles Boulevard, USA supports gayism! Change it back to Saddam Hussein
@Fyamba Yes we have two streets in Lusaka called Los Angeles the other one is in Kanyama. Now Florida. I doubt whether you will find in the USA a street named Zambia or Lusaka. Why do we Africans think we have to arselick the West when they don’t give a hoot for sh! thole countries. Africans should learn to concentrate on themselves
Madam Sumaili i support you 100%,and i implore you to advise HE to change the name CHAGWA.Am sure you will agree that chalo chagwa under Chagwa’s leadership…
But sometimes I think being a zambian is a curse. How can we surely have such useless leaders with misplaced priorities with all the pressing issues Zambia is currently facing? I am very lucky that my white wife saw behind me being zambian and understood that not all of us are the dame. I thank her for picking me considering all the useless zambian men
What a waste of taxpayer’s money this position is. Brainless drivel and platitudes. Start at National Assembly motel if you are serious.
I agree. The now new road (Nangwenya) where National Assembly or Parliament Motel is up to the first junction westwards should be re-named “New Devils Street” …
We need to see change in serious things, because the name didn’t change officially? We call it devil street because we have chosen to do so. Really devil’s you have dinner with them yet you can’t preach to them because they are your employers. I moved to emmasdale in 2015 and Florida is the name I found. It was called devil street because of bars that are on the opposite side of the road and the activities around that place. So please you are not renaming anything Samaili. You just wasted our money going there. Fyakucita tawakwate in that redundant ministry and time is running out because tawakwate sonta apowabomba. We all know that, your ministry is nothing but a share waste of public resources.
This is one ministry and Minister that serve no purpose but taking up scarce government resources. When this government is all about looting, stealing and corruption day in and day out. Who is Sumaili serving. When people are killed by her party, harmed, raping the constitution, she’s all but quiet!! On a personal level what type of Christian is she?? Where are morals, ethics and integrity?? Why can’t she risign?? Do away with this ministry. It has no purpose. The country has no morals. ECL put up this ministry to woodwink, confuse and manipulate people while busy looting, stealing and running corruption activities and busy raping the constitution.
Does Sumaili know that Devil’s Street is a nickname? Does it make sense to change a nickname? Can change of name change the morality of the patrons of Devil’s Street?
No longer Kafupi. We are changing King Cobra’s nickname to Kamwendo Munjila and Mango eater to snake eater
This woman has no job description so she’s trying to be relevant, especially that we’ve called for the dissolution of her useless Ministry. She can’t talk about the gun culture in PF and UPND? The more she tries to relevant the more useless she becomes, indeed life is hard.
Its all nonsense for nicknames in most instances have descriptive meaning to where they apply! Devil’s street is there for keeps whether you upgrade the Florida name to neon lighting! Think innovative and change all street names to identifiable Zambian landmarks or national pride. Where in the western countries will you find Mwansabombwe Boulevard, Litunga Way or let alone Nankwilimba? Out of inferiority complex and mediocre thinking attaching local names to streets would mean not being aligned to the Christian nation tag for some!
When will you denounce the evil activities of one Presidential aide?
I see racism in some comments, think big. How can a well thinking Zambian condemn what these guys did. If we can’t change the way of thinking zambia will never change. Countries which are not racist are developing considerably.
What racism nayimwe. We are all very black here. Stop abusing words. You have stayed too long in UK here where black people always cry racism at everything..go back home for a few months to regain your black confidencex
Yes a lot of African names eg Mandela Street in London
I think the exercise was just a waste of time and resources. There are far more important things in the country that need attention first. Rev sumaili is totally losing it and is slowly becoming a religious fanatic.
Miles Sampa is an educated fool. What a waste of a human being. This boy has lost his way.
What about the devils themselves?
What are planning about them Sumaili?
What type of a Christian Nation are we with full of brothels and devils.