Maravi

Governance - Petauke Powercuts, Solwezi 'Cleanup'

Power cuts anger Petauke residents
By Chibaula Silwamba in Petauke
Sunday June 03, 2007 [04:00]

INTERMITTENT power cuts have angered Petauke residents. But ZESCO Limited area manager, Anderson Mbewe, declined to comment on the cause of power blackouts saying the issue was political. “I’m in Nyimba. I don’t know that there is no power in Petauke,” said Mbewe. “I don’t want to talk about that, it’s political.”

In random interviews, Petauke residents demanded that ZESCO should quickly improve power supply to the area. Peter Sakala said ZESCO should explain why power interruptions had become regular. Sakala said the unannounced power interruptions damaged residents’ electrical appliances.

“The problem is that ZESCO does not even announce in advance that there will be no power so that people switch off their electrical appliances,” Sakala complained. “We demand an explanation why ZESCO has continued switching off power without informing us. In the past they were saying power was going off because it was the rainy season but now there is no rain but the problem has persisted. We want ZESCO management in Chipata or Lusaka to explain this. We are losing a lot of equipment.”

Another resident Margaret Phiri also called on ZESCO to quickly improve power supply to the area.

“Three days ago, we had no power. Yesterday power went in the morning and only came late in the afternoon and today it’s the same problem,” Phiri said.

There have been power interruptions in the past three days in the area.




http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=27414

Solwezi council embarks on clean-up campaign
By Chris Mulaliki in Solwezi
Sunday June 03, 2007 [04:00]

SOLWEZI Municipal Council has embarked on a keep Solwezi clean campaign by removing street vendors and telephone booth operators from the streets.
Council spokesperson Kingsley Mutayachalo in an interview said the council would soon hold meetings for stakeholders to get ideas on how to keep the town clean.

He said the local authority wanted everyone’s participation because the council could not clean town without the involvement of the residents who were the stakeholders.
He revealed that one company, Wanna Cleaning Services, had expressed interest in helping the council with garbage collection.

“Actually we need more help from companies operating in Solwezi to participate in garbage collection. We are also going to sensitise people to stop throwing garbage anywhere as it is making the town dirty,” he said.

And Mutayachalo warned the council would deal sternly with persons illegally demarcating and selling land by masquerading as council workers. He disclosed that the council arrested six people who were found demarcating plots in traditional land which chief Kapijimpanga gave to the council for its expansion. He said the arrested individuals claimed that they were council officials.

Mutayachalo said the individuals were selling the as low as K30,000 and K300,000.

Labels: ENERGY, MARKETEERS, PETAUKE, PUBLIC AMENITIES, ZESCO

posted by MrK @ 9:27 PM