Africa-Press – Zambia. The President of the Republic of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, has urged the Lusaka City Council to take immediate action to address the flood situation in the city. The President, while touring the Kabwata, Chawama, Kanyama and Matero constituencies of Lusaka, called for the redesigning of the drainage system and the relocation of people to safer areas, citing the need for proper city planning as a lasting solution to the problem.
The heavy rains have led to severe flooding in most parts of the city, including the Central Business District, with the worst-affected areas being Kabwata, Chawama, Kanyama, and Matero. Lusaka city’s low topography and high water table, along with a geology composed of highly impermeable limestone, make it vulnerable to extensive flooding during the rainy season. The lack of proper drainage infrastructure or poorly maintained facilities, especially in informal settlements, has exacerbated the problem. Furthermore, the CBD’s underground drainage system no longer has the capacity to operate efficiently due to the increase in infrastructure development and the indiscriminate disposal of waste.
The President has called on relevant bodies, including the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), to work together and fix the challenges posed by the floods. In an effort to mitigate the expected impacts of the heavy rainfall, the Lusaka City Council has started working on the most flood-prone areas within the city. The council has purchased a second Pressure Jet to help with the underground CBD drains and has begun working on opening up some drains within the Kabwata constituency. Road works and drain openings are also underway in Kanyama constituency through the assistance of Zambia National Service equipment, and some drainage works are underway in Chawama Constituency through the performance contractor.
The council has also engaged the Road Development Agency to ensure that the contractor working on the L400 roads moves on site to work on the side drains on the newly paved roads that had resulted in floods with the first rains. Works on the Bombay and Mazyopa Drainage system, being implemented through the Millennium Challenge Account, have continued smoothly, and once fully completed, they will greatly reduce floods in many areas in Lusaka. The council has also engaged Polytechnology, a Chinese company, to execute an Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract and to work on the remaining primary outfalls as well as the CBD. The council has also started receiving technical assistance in Drainage and Municipal Waste Management by Seureca, a company engaged by MCA Zambia.
The President has urged residents to take care of the drains that have been constructed or are being constructed and to avoid indiscriminate dumping of waste. He called upon all residents in Lusaka to help the city council by guarding the infrastructure jealously and to issue citizen arrest to anyone dumping waste in undesignated places. With the forecast of heavy rains from January to March 2023, the local authority will need the concerted efforts and involvement of all citizens to help mitigate the anticipated floods.
The President has called for urgent measures to address the flood situation in Lusaka and has emphasized the need for proper city planning, the redesigning of the drainage system, and the relocation of people to safer areas. He has urged residents to play their part in mitigating the impact of the heavy rains by avoiding the indiscriminate disposal of waste and taking care of the city’s infrastructure.
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