By Zindikilani Daka- Lusaka
On the 9th of February 2011, the residents of Kanyama, Misisi and Kuku in Lusaka held a video link for the WSF extended. The discussion focused on the flooding situation in their areas.
The residents stated that the situation was horrible and that the relevant authorities on the part of government were not doing enough to assist the victims.
They said that the floods were caused mainly by the poor planning of the city and the rampant corruption on the part of the municipality staff. They stated that although government claimed that the most of the affected areas were illegal settlements, every Zambian citizen had the right to proper sanitation; whether on illegal or legal property. They furthers stated that it was the same politicians who enticed the residents to get illegal plots during the election. The residents wondered where the money which was always made available for digging drainage went because the local authorities only dug ditches; which were actually posing more risks to the residents; as some people whether killed and dumped in the same ditches; the ditches provided good breeding environment for mosquitoes, which resulted in high levels of malaria cases, while clinics lacked adequate medical facilities and drugs.
They said that it was sad that the residents were subjected to such conditions when they were less than 50km from the president’s residence. “When you look at the water in the ditches they have dug, you will be surprised. The water is mixed with human waste… floating in our houses during the floods”
The residents accused government of frustrating and manipulating efforts some opposition members of parliament by ensuring that all councils run by the opposition were not well funded; to create a picture that the opposition leaders were not working. They stated that at the end of the day, it was the residents who suffered and not the politicians. They said that some were evacuated to the independence stadium last year, but that nothing was done when the residents were at the stadium; and that now the same residents were affected and government was claiming that there was no money to help them. ‘Some people are on ARVs and because of the disturbances during the floods; most of them have not been able to have access to drugs. School-going children missed class because of the movements, while their parents lost their income sources.
Solutions/ Recommendations
The residents indicated that since Zambia was going to the polls this year 2011, they will use the opportunity to vote for better leaders who will look into their problems seriously
They state that they mobilize themselves as communities and do something about their own situation because they were convinced that politicians were only interested in fattening their own pockets
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