Rains kill eight people in Lusaka
- Monday, February 8, 2010, 18:32
- Breaking News
- 13 comments
At least eight people have been killed in Lusaka, the Zambian capital following continuous rains that have caused serious flooding in the city.
Lusaka District Commissioner Christa Kalulu confirmed the development when she addressed journalists on the flood situation in the capital on Monday.
She also said cholera had broken out in the city as a result of the heavy rains and 14 people were being treated for the deadly outbreak.
She said the eight who had been killed drowned as a result of the floods.
Several of the squatter settlements in the city have been submerged with several homes destroyed as a result of more than a week of torrential rains.
The capital city is notorious for its poor drainage system which has resulted in water from heavy rains stagnating.
The government has blamed the opposition Patriotic Front (PF), which controls the city’s municipal government, for the floods, charging that the party had failed to manage the city’s drainage.
Apart from the Lusaka city council, the PF also controls all parliamentary seats.
But the PF has angrily dismissed the allegations and instead said a government failure to release funds to the city council on time despite budgeting for the same, had made it impossible for the council to clear the city’s drainages.
Ms Kalulu however appealed to both the ruling party and the PF not to politicise the issue of the floods but instead work together to find a lasting solution.
Loading ...
All my God! Blaming the acts of nature on a political party! LMFAO…only pa zed!
what are you doing as a council?Dc,what are your duties and what does the Town clerk and mayor do?don’t you all do the same thing?we need to fire someone here..wheres the money for CDF?
These are the results of
1. bad governance
2. bad policies
3. structural violence
4. institutionalised violence
5. corruption
6. lack of political inclusiveness
7. Politiking instead of politics for the nation
8. Merry making instead of hard working
9. Finger pointing instead of resolving issues
10. Managing problems instead of dealing with the rootcause
The accusation list is endless. The question is who is responsible the answer is most likely to be put on RB. He his the one who disappoints technocrats and appoints or approves cadres in vital positions and Ministries.
Its time we became serious and put a full stop to unlucrative politicking which is unnecessary and nosensical.
May their souls rest in peace.
Drainage system in Lusaka cannot be tackled by the city council, its a huge task that requires huge investment, if one is talking about clearing blockages in the existing storm water drains, which are non existent, yes its councils responsibility.
Just visit mine residential townships on the copperbelt and see how the drains were constructed.
So, dont blame the council, these are the consequences of not decentralising our governance type of system. Every major project has to be done by the central government instead of the local government. This is wrong. Decentralise the system so that councils will shoulder the blame when things are not done accordingly. In South Africa, people demonstrate against the council if problems in that particular manucipalilty are not resolved because power to better the lives of people is with the local administration.
Our councils have been reduced to mere ‘RATES COLLECTORS’
Guess what? No one is going to get fired. Life will carry on as usual. And we will STILL be talking cholera, poor drainage & potholes in 2020, regardless of which party or people are in power.
Only pa Zed!
Politics aside, it is the duty of the councils to budget for maintenance of sewage and drainage systems. If there wasn’t enough funds released by the central govt then the councils should have highlighted the issue when the money was released instead of crying wolf when a problem arises. It’s time we departed from mere politicking and start addressing real issues if we have to advance as a nation. It seems like in Zed we breath politics, eat politics and excrete politics.
From the headline, i would have thought Rain was carrying a gun.
ABENA MMD, YOU ARE THE GUYS WHO CONTROL THE MONEY. BESIDES, NO MATTER HOW MANY STUPEED EXCUSES YOU COME UP WITH, PIPO ARE TIRED OF YOU. 2011 KUYA BEBELE!
‘Its only the MMD who have access to government fund’ said Kunda in Solwezi, ‘vote for them.’ This government responsibilty, it so stupid for one to point a figer at Opposition. It equally senseless to accuse the opposition when this annual problem has been given blind eye for years. Aviod politicising issues.
i’m wondering where in Lsk can 8 people drown! where they swimming, in the field or did the bus they were travelling in sink in a pothole.
i thought the govt has to release funds to these PF controlled councils. but the problem with the mmd is they deliberately withold such monies so that their friends look stupid and foolish in the eyes of the electorate.
its like mu zed everything is politics.lets be serious,am fed of up this nonsense.lets put our heads together and work as a team regardless of political affiliation.lets develop zed,we ve all what takes to develop it.