Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Elias Kamanga is impressed with the US$ 289 million road expansion works intended to decongest traffic in the capital city.

Mr. Kamanga said the over 120 kilometres road project will reduce traffic congestion in Lusaka city and boost economic development.

He said the decongestion project is expected to be completed in June 2021 adding that most of the works have been done already.

“The remaining works are the flyover bridge at Long acres and the other one between Cairo and Independence Avenue, ultimately we expect this project to be done by the end of June,” Mr. Kamanga explained.

He noted that the 120.7 kilometres capital project is aimed at addressing the challenges of congestion and enhancing the economic development of the province.

Mr. Kamanga said he was satisfied with the quality and progress of works which will also add beauty to the city while allowing the free flow of traffic.

Meanwhile, motorists in Lusaka have commended government for coming up with such projects which will reduce traffic jam in the city.

Kennedy Michelo, a motorist, said he is able to drive freely because there is not much congestion due to the current good state of the roads.

“We used to take longer hours on the road because of traffic and potholes but now we are driving freely, the roads are excellent,” he said.

Another road user, Aggrison Shikamuni, said he had a feel of the newly rehabilitated roads and expressed happiness with the development.

“I have driven through the Great East road and so far so good, everything is okay,” he noted.

The Lusaka decongestion project was started in 2018 and is due for completion this year.

The project is behind schedule due to the spread of coronavirus which was reported in the country early 2020.

Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Minister Raphael Nakacinda has dissolved the Western Water and Sanitation Company Board.

The dissolution of the Board is with immediate effect following a number of irregularities noted by the regulator National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO).

Mr Nakacinda said inspections of Western Water and Sanitation Company have revealed a collapse in the governance systems and poor performance by management, resulting in deterioration in service delivery.

He explained that among the findings of the inspections were non-adherence to procurement and stores procedures, weak financial controls and compromised internal audit function among others.

“Among the findings of the inspections were non-adherence to procurement and stores procedures, weak financial controls and compromised Internal audit function among others, high Board expenses mainly attributed to travel, Board Interference in management operations and poor adherence to company systems and procedures,” he charged.

Mr Nakacinda has since directed the shareholders to hold an Annual General Meeting to nominate new members to sit on the Board.

And the Minister directed NWASCO to expedite their intervention in order to prevent any further deterioration in the performance of the utility.

Mr Nakacinda further pointed out that the stories circulating on social media implicating the Board Chairperson and his Vice of being corrupt are false and unsubstantiated according to the investigations.

This is contained in the statement availed to ZANIS in Lusaka today by the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Head of Media Relations Stanslous Ngosa.

The Chipata Magistrate Court has heard how a 47-years-old man allegedly defiled a minor and infected her with syphilis.

And the accused, Auxensio Tembo, who is currently on police bond, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement.

Facts given by the victim’s mother residing in Referendum compound in Chipata, are that on January 23rd 2021, her daughter aged six years, left home at an unknown time to go and play at her grandmother’s place in the same compound but in Chisitu area.

She told Resident Magistrate Destiny Kalusopa that she became worried when she noticed that it was late and her daughter had not arrived home.

“I followed my daughter to her grandmother’s place when it was 19:00 hours because she had not yet arrived home. At her grandmother’s house, I was told that she had left at 17:00 hours and that they had escorted her up to the road side and helped her to cross the road,” she said.

The mother to the victim further told the court that she went back to her place and waited only to see her daughter arriving home after 21:00 hours.

“Your honour, when my daughter arrived home, she was complaining about a painful sore in the leg. I didn’t think it was very serious and told her that I will look at it the next day. The next day, she still complained and when I looked at her she was failing to walk properly,” she said.

She told the court that she informed her neighbour about the girl’s condition and after inspecting the young girl, she said the girl had been sexually abused.

“My neighbour immediately advised me to take her to the hospital and at Chipata Central Hospital I was advised to first get a police report. When I got the police report a medical examination was conducted on her and it was discovered that she had been defiled and infected with a sexually transmitted infection (STI),” she said.

The state in this case is being represented by Public Prosecutor (PP) Ireen Mayenda while the accused is being represented by John Phiri of JMP and Associates.

And during cross examination conducted by Mr. Phiri, the victim’s mother informed the court that she asked her daughter who had done that to her and she said Tembo had defiled her.

“My daughter said Tembo had abducted her when she was going home and had carnal knowledge of her in an unfinished shop not far from their house,” she said.

The case has been adjourned to February 18, 2021 and February 25, 2021 for continued trial.

An 82-year-old woman of Mupitashi area in Chingola, has been murdered on suspicion of being a witch. Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner Elias Chushi confirmed the incident, which occurred around 02:00hours yesterday.

Mr Chushi explained that the police department received a report from Simon Musonda 66, of house number 34 Ngebe road Soweto compound in Chingola, who reported the death of his mother Salome Bwalya.

It is reported that the deceased was allegedly beaten to death by Mary Mwali 52, on suspicion that she was a witch.

The Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner revealed that the son to the deceased woman further explained that on the material date around 02:00 hours, the old lady’s house was invaded by red ants.

“She woke up and in a panic-stricken situation, she rushed outside and whilst stark naked, she went to her neighbour, Mary Mwali, to seek refuge before she was attacked on suspicion of practicing witchcraft.

“Eventually, her neighbour who allegedly was joined by others, attacked the old lady, on suspicion that she was a witch,” he said.

He added that after police received the report, they rushed to the same area and found Ms Bwalya laying in a pool of blood and gasping for breath.

He added that Bwalya sustained a deep cut on the left side of the head.

She was later rushed to Nchanga North General Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Mr Chushi said Ms Mwali has been apprehended and detained to assist police with investigations.

Ndola Mayor Amon Chisenge has warned that people who illegally patch potholes on roads and are in the habit of collecting money from motorists will be arrested.

Mr. Chisenga told ZANIS that, “the practice which started on township roads in Northrise has now spread to other townships like Mushili and on the high ways”.

He said the main motive of these people patching roads is to collect money from motorists not to repair the roads.

He said the same people did not even have the technical knowledge noting that the patching of roads require skilled labour after engineers have assessed the damage and determined the materials that can be used.

Mr. Chisenga added that people that offer themselves to do such works are actually damaging the roads more because they are incompetent to carry out such jobs.

He has further said collecting money from motorists after illegally patching roads is stealing from people.

“I am going to send out council police to arrest anyone one found involved in this trend because they are just stealing from the people,” he said.

He added that motorists should also play a part by not giving out money to such people in order to help stop the practice from growing.