Keep Zambia clean
Keep Zambia cleanBy Editor
Friday June 22, 2007 [04:00]
Zambia has become very dirty and something needs to be done urgently to correct the situation. The initiatives that are being undertaken by the government at all levels, and especially by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, deserve the support of all our people.
Filthy surroundings do not only pose a danger to the environment, they are also a health hazard to the residents. We know of many diseases that arise from dirt. Cleaning our environment will go a long way in reducing the occurrence of such diseases as cholera. Cleaning our surroundings can save many lives and even help reduce the pressure on our health services.
We cannot continue to have towns and cities where it has become normal for rats and cockroaches to move freely and be accepted as members, or part of our lives.
But whatever efforts we make in trying to clean public places, if these are not extended to our homes, very little will be achieved. Cleanliness should start at home or else it will just be another case of chipale chapamusebo. And we know that this is unsustainable because it has no roots – the roots of cleanliness should be in the homes, in the family. People who come from clean homes are more likely to keep public places clean.
With the entrenched culture of dirtiness, of filth and of littering, keeping Zambia clean will not be an easy undertaking. It will require a lot of effort to change this attitude which has become our way of life. A lot of work will need to be done to educate every household about the need for cleanliness.
Schools and other institutions of learning will also become vital agents in this campaign to keep our country clean. Keeping Zambia clean should actually become a subject taught in our schools – from nursery, primary through to high schools.
The Church also has an important role to play. Our Christian mission demands that we give ourselves the task of restoring the beauty and harmony of God’s creation. Environment is the living space we share with other humans, animals and plants, trees and rocks, rivers and lakes. We know that the environment is sacred space, because our God is present in every part of it, giving life and beauty and comfort. The integrity of creation must be respected in all human activities or we have no future. We must respect God’s creation by being concerned about ecological problems around us. God’s creation is a precious gift to all, both us alive today and future generations.
Christians should never forget that God placed people in the world to develop it as co-creators with Himself. Therefore, the cleanliness and the protection of the environment must be serious concerns for our wellbeing. Christians should see our country as a gift from God and must develop it for the good and welfare of all our people. Unfortunately, we have not taken the best care of our surroundings, of our environment on which we depend for survival. The environment must be preserved at all costs. We must show respect for the integrity of creation by keeping Zambia clean.
But while we welcome the initiatives that are being undertaken by our political and civic leaders, it is important for us to point out that very little, if not nothing, will be achieved in our endeavours to keep Zambia clean if our people are not consulted and involved in whatever we do. If our initiatives start to appear to be impositions or punitive measures on them, they are bound to face resistance. We don’t think the views of our people were widely sought on the ‘Keep Zambia clean’ campaign. This is a very good campaign but it needs the all-out mobilisation of our people; it needs the full support of all our people.
Even the legislation that we are being told has been revised and tightened was not done with the consultation of our people. However, it is not too late for the government to get moving on these issues; we have no time to lose. Public support is necessary because it will make enforcement of litter disposal and other legislation easier. Education is also easier when people have been prepared to receive it.
Our ‘Keep Zambia clean’ campaign needs to be simplified with clear priorities and targets so that the most important changes are made first or the most important issues are tackled first. There is need for us to set targets for achieving performance in all aspects of keeping Zambia clean.
There is also an urgent need to address the high cost of keeping Zambia clean. We know that cleanliness comes with a cost, but let’s keep this to manageable levels or the whole campaign will soon collapse because of lack of funds. There is need to empower communities to keep their surroundings clean at a very low cost, or at no cost at all. A ‘keep Zambia clean’ campaign that is totally based on huge amounts of money being made available by the government or the councils is bound to fail because this type of money will not be found, it is not there. So, to keep our country clean let us devise a strategy that is based on what we have – people – and not what we don’t have – money
Labels: EDITORIAL, KEEP ZAMBIA CLEAN, MWANAWASA
posted by MrK @ 3:27 AM
2 Comments:
Zambia must not just clean its dirty surroundings but must extend this drive to the government. The sad story is that the filth has engulfed many of its officials who are no longer ashamed to walk the street with filth spewing forth from their custom-tailored suits and handmade croc' shoes. (FIKABOLALA)
slm
Yebo there ! I hope our new friend, Mr. K. will not chuck us out from his blog. I do not subscribe to the Post and his blog has been a great source of information for which I am grateful. Remember how we attacked him until it was discovered that he was being impersonated ? No I don't live in RSA though I have many contacts there, especially in the financial field. I live somewhere in Europe.... more details to follow. At the moment we must continue the fight against corruption, nepotism, poverty through the might of the pen.
Good day!
slm
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