Chief Ndungu bemoans govt's failure to deliver relief food

Chief Ndungu bemoans govt's failure to deliver relief food
By Mulimbi Mulaliki in Solwezi
Wednesday January 09, 2008 [03:00]

Senior chief Ndungu of Zambezi district has complained about the government’s failure to transport relief food, which is still marooned in Zambezi, meant for his subjects who were affected by floods last year. And North Western Province Permanent Secretary Jeston Mulando urged people in Zambezi to start moving to the upper land as water levels had started rising in the west bank.

In a telephone interview from his palace in Zambezi west bank, chief Ndungu expressed worry that relief food meant for people who were affected by floods last year had not yet been transported since last year.

“The water levels in Zambezi River and in the plains have started to rise and my worry is when is government going to start distributing the relief? I don’t want this situation to repeat itself this year,” he said.

Chief Ndungu named the worst affected places as Chinyama Litapi and Kucheka where people’s crops were submerged in water last year.

He disclosed that Zambezi district was currently experiencing heavy rains which had even damaged a section of the M8 road between Kabompo and Zambezi districts.

He feared this year’s damage might be worse than last year’s.

And Mulando said the relief food in Zambezi had not been distributed because the World Food Programme had not yet released funds to transport it.

“I conquer with senior chief Ndungu’s concern over the failure to transport the relief food, this is not our problem but World Food Programme who should have released funds for transportation have not done so, hence making it difficult for us to transport the food to the outlying areas,” Mulando said.

Mulando said the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit in the province was ready to assist those who would fall victim to floods.

He urged the people in Zambezi west bank to start moving as the water levels had started rising.

“We have purchased 150 tents which are on standby though we sent 100 tents to Mazabuka to help the victims as they are still awaiting their tents. I am also appealing to the people in Zambezi to move to the high land, they shouldn’t wait to be told to move,” he said.

Mulando also disclosed that the province had relief food for emergency in Kabompo and Zambezi, which could be airlifted to outlying areas in case of any disaster.