It is commendable that fresh from his tour of duty in Egypt, President Hakainde Hichilema went straight to appreciate the impact of flooding in some parts of the capital city.It was not the first time President Hichilema was touring flooded areas of the capital city.He did so a few months after assuming office.
The visit to flooded areas was significant in view of some citizens’ concerns that the President was absent at a time when the country was drowning in floods. I think people are within their rights to expect the Head of State to be present during this unfortunate crisis. Critics argued that his leadership was needed during this time more than ever as so many families are affected.And the President was magnanimous in his response to his critics by touring some of the flooded areas.
President Hichilema did the same about two years ago in the company of some Cabinet ministers, DMMU officials, Lusaka City Council management and defence and security personnel. Following the visit, the country was expecting an anti- flood master plan.But as soon as the rains subsided, the presidency seemingly retreated to default settings.With the country undergoing a dry spell last year, the issue of flooding did not appear on any development plan.So, even as we prayed for rains last year when it appeared the country was headed for another dry spell, we forgot to secure the flood prone areas.
God, in His infinite mercy, has heard our prayers and it has been raining cats and bulldogs.
Now, the country has more water than it bargained for and the flood prone areas are reeling under floods.Since most areas of Lusaka started flooding, there has been debate regarding the solution.Some schools of thought are blaming engineers for not offering solutions to the flooding.However, Engineering Institute of Zambia president Wesley Kaluba told News Diggers that the floods currently being experienced in Lusaka are not driven by engineering problems, but lawlessness because people erected structures in areas where water was supposed to discharge.True to Mr Kaluba’s sentiments, the solution to the flooding crisis starts with citizens doing correct things. The floods are an indictment of the country’s failed country and town planning practices. There is a master plan sitting on shelves at the council and other government departments, why is it not being followed?
Local authorities have allocated plots in unsuitable areas; citizens have built over natural drains; they are engaging in unsuitable building practices such as excessive fencing and overpaving; approval of area non-appropriate development plans; areas marked for development are not being serviced with appropriate services such as roads and drainages; and many other affronts of infrastructure development.
Zambians also need a mindset change as a people and stop some practices that only worsen things such as indiscriminate dumping of waste into drainage systems.Given the status of flooding in the country, especially Lusaka, one would have expected constituencies to apply part of the Constituency Development Funds in working on drainages.
The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit on the other hand should have ensured that it has contracts with the Zambia National Service and the Zambia Army throughout the year dealing with drainages in hotpots. But the use of DMMU, CDF, and defence personnel is a reactive band-aid to a problem the country has created and needs to sort out before it experiences bigger man-made disasters such as infrastructure damage and outbreak of diseases.The sustainable solution to this crisis requires re-planning of our city and building the required drainages that will ensure effective flow of water.
In addition a sustained programme that will ensure these drainages are always ridden of any debris that may cause any blockages. The work for cash programme can help ensure our drainages are free from any debris.The other intervention is to do with mind-set change to ensure members of the community refrain from indiscriminately throwing garbage in these drainages as blocked drainages are likely to lead to flooded communities whenever there is a heavy downpour like we have witnessed in the past few days.
And President Hichilema is determined to act and put an end to all this.After he visited flood-affected areas in Lusaka to understand the challenges citizens are facing, President Hichilema sent a message of condolences to families who have lost loved ones and sympathized with those displaced from their homes. “This new challenge stems from decades of poor urban planning, which we must now face together. We are committed to addressing this challenge even if it means making bold decisions,” he said
He has promised to drain Lusaka and whoever has built on the drainage system will be relocated and compensated accordingly.President Hichilema has urged fellow political leaders to join him, putting aside politics for the sake of our people.The nation awaits affirmative action.
By Benedict Tembo
These areas lawless in terms of building codes ,waste management and street vending .Lets start our affirmative action on that approach.
“It is commendable that fresh from his tour of duty in Egypt, President Hakainde Hichilema went straight to appreciate the impact of flooding in some parts of the capital city.” Really??? That is commendable for the writer????. Umuzungu wanga wa so uyenela kusila!
Nothing is going to happen
We said floods is better then drought. So let’s sort the floods
Problem.
Promises he made whilst in opposition are unfilled, and you expect him to fulfill these new ones now. How?
He has put glue on his seat he told a rally
Now what ???
Stop sugar coating tragedies….lets keep our surroundings clean please….and lets build decent structures with proper drainage system…We need to find a way of getting rid of slums bit by bit…we can use money from Mining and build low cost 2 roomed houses and get rid of chibolya and all those slums close to the city…we can build 2 roomed decent houses along kabwe road
Just like Johannesburg and Pretoria is just like one city….Lusaka and Kabwe can be the same…buildings and residential areas from Lusaka to Kabwe….when driving from Pretoria to Johannesburg there’s no bush….
@ Anonymous that’s a brilliant view point
Zambia needs to think big. Maybe even transfer all administrative offices to Kabwe. Lusaka remains the business centre and Kabwe for administration?
Lusaka at the USA, Washington DC is the administrative capital but New York remains the business centre.
Before making such comparisons take note of the distances: Lusaka to Kabwe is 149Km. Johannesburg to Pretoria is 70 km. The towns that are likely to merge in Zambia(and they are merging) are those on the Copperbelt. Kitwe to Ndola is 62 km Kitwe to Mufulira is 40 km Ndola to Luanshya 51km. Most likely in 30 years time the Copperbelt will be one huge city.
Presidential visits to disaster areas is nothing new. What is different is what action follows or even precedes such visits. Stop politicking with everything and get knuckles and rolled up sleeves to work!
What floods ?? we have had above normal rainfall which desnt relate to these flooded areas which are built in wetlands and lowlying areas we have a planing problem brought abot by councils selling plots in unsafe areas Kabwe as mentioned by someone above will be a disarter area in the future
A legacy problem of councils and party cadres selling land in unplanned settlements. Until Zambians accept that the land was sold illegally in unplanned settlements we must forget about solving the problem. Even Meanwood is an unplanned settlement.
Collins Teembo March 3, 2025 At 1:01 pm
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The floods in Kanyama are bouldering on pure human selfishness and not ignorance, as if all of them had helicopters. Human beings in our region would release that rains come, and I wander how they move about from their homes to the markets, schools and visiting. Can the Councilors explain how they have allowed such a situation to continue to exist?
It is time Zambia took a HARDLINE BY taking COUNCILLORS in such compounds as Kanwama, TO HIGH COURT BY NGOs. These are some of the jobs of NGOs.
@ 2020vision
Yes Lusaka is overcrowded as if we don’t have enough land….imagine if we develop that land between Lusaka and Kabwe…build schools…Hospitals…hotels…residential areas etc…get rid of all the slums and plant alot of trees and Botanical Gardens…if we convert Chibolya and Misisi into a Botanical Garden people will start breathing fresh air again and city won’t be flooded with feces
A dream too far with this GRZ
@Tikki
I know my brother….a dream too far with all our African leaders….and if you have a good idea African leaders will get rid of you….all they know is to amass wealth for themselves