Poor planning to blame for Lusaka floods – Scott

Poor planning to blame for Lusaka floods – Scott
By Lovely Kayombo
Tue 16 Feb. 2010, 04:35 CAT

PATRIOTIC Front vice-president Dr Guy Scott has said lack of proper planning of Lusaka is the main cause of flooding in the city. Dr Scott, who is also Lusaka central member of parliament, said the only lasting solution to flooding in the country was for government to invest highly in construction of proper drainages that would stand the test of time.

He said even though the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) provided the pumps to Lusaka City Council to drain water in the city, they had failed to meet the cost of buying fuel for the pumps.

“Government is saying they released money to the city council… the only money they released was K10 billion to make drainages in Kanyama and this money was not given to us directly. They engaged a contractor themselves and told the city council to supervise the project,” said Dr Scott.

And Lusaka Mayor Robert Chikwelete has called on the government to release the K180 billion they have been talking about in the media. Chikwelete said the government was busy claiming to have given Lusaka and Ndola councils money when in fact they didn’t.

He said the people in flooded areas were at the verge of contracting diseases because both houses and toilets were submerged in water.

“People have left their homes and are sleeping in water and government is quiet. They should come in help to these people otherwise these floods should be declared a national disaster,” said Chikwelete.