Chief Ndungu accuses govt of not taking floods seriously
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Sun 07 Mar. 2010, 09:20 CAT
CHIEF Ndungu of the Luvale people of Zambezi District in North Western Province has accused the government of not taking the flood situation in his area seriously. In an interview yesterday, chief Ndungu expressed sadness that no senior government official had been to his area to assess the floods.
“During the reign of the late president Levy Mwanawasa when we had floods here, the president himself came to assess the situation but we are very sad as a people that no senior government official has come now. Government is not taking the situation seriously,” chief Ndungu complained.
He added that his subjects were not only unhappy but they also felt sidelined by the government.
Chief Ndungu said in times of disasters, the government could easily find resources by appealing for assistance from cooperating partners but this had not been done.
He said about 1,000 houses had collapsed as a result of the floods and nothing tangible had come up despite numerous appeals for tents.
“People are spending their nights in the cold. When it comes to relief food, only 600 bags of maize ferried by speedboats have arrived. Those are not enough to cater for the number of people in need,” chief Ndungu said.
He said when he returned from this year’s Nc’wala ceremony, he found most parts of his palace at Mize submerged in water.
And chief Ndungu observed that if the government was serious, it could build permanent canals to prevent water from going to his palace in times of heavy rains.
Chief Ndungu explained that the removal of logs that were initially erected to prevent water from going to his palace had created a path for water and thereby made it prone to floods.
Labels: CHIEF NDUNGU, FLOODS, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE
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Power outages rile Zambezi residents
By Mwila Chansa
Tue 26 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT
SENIOR chief Ndungu of the Luvale people of Zambezi yesterday said people in the area are fed up to the point of wanting to demonstrate over persistent power blackouts in the district.
Confirming reports that Zambezi district had been in a power blackout for three weeks, chief Ndungu said people were not happy. He said he was briefed about a breakdown of the diesel-power generator and assured that the district was supposed to get a new generator but nothing had happed.
"It's critical because without electricity, life comes to a standstill. I am told in the past three days, they (Zesco) have started rationing electricity; I am told they have worked on the generator, but people are not happy," he said.
"People are fed up to the point of even wanting to demonstrate at the district commissioner's office."
Chief Ndungu also feared this year's floods might be worse than last year's.
"At the moment, (flood) waters have reached near the palace," he said.
Zambezi district commissioner Bissalomo Luwaile said only one generator was running, catering for sensitive institutions like the hospital and water plant, which were having steady supply of electricity.
Luwaile also said Zesco was rationing power to the residents.
He said he had a meeting with residents last Saturday where they resolved to wait for new machines to arrive from Dar-es-Salaam.
Luwaile said the machine that broke down had been worked on and was being expected in Zambezi by today.
Concerned Zambezi residents yesterday complained that due to lack of power, people were forced to go to the crocodile infested Zambezi River to draw water.
"Already, two people have been caught by crocodiles," complained one of the residents who preferred anonymity.
"People even wanted to demonstrate at the DC's office but he stopped them assuring them that Zesco had bought generators which were in Dar-es-Salaam. Imagine three weeks without power and the area member of parliament has done nothing," complained the resident.
"Imagine if someone dies today, you have to bury today because the mortuary is not working. I even wonder how nurses are taking care of patients especially at night," complained the source.
The residents said people in the area had been faithful voters of the MMD but were now disappointed that they could be treated in such a manner.
"People are annoyed with the MMD. The MMD should pull up their socks. They can't treat people this way," said the source.
Labels: CHIEF NDUNGU, FLOODS, POWER OUTAGES, ZAMBEZI
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Don't vote on tribal lines, urges chief Ndungu
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sunday September 14, 2008 [04:00]
SENIOR chief Ndungu of the Luvale people of Zambezi district has urged Zambians not to vote for the next Republican president based on tribal or regional lines but on credible leadership. And International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) president Bishop Simon Chihanahas observed that it will be retrogressive for Zambians to vote on tribal lines during the forthcoming presidential election.
Speaking in an interview from his Mize capital in Zambezi yesterday, chief Ndungu said ordinary Zambians were looking for a person who could unify the country regardless of tribal inclinations.
“On those who are campaigning for the Republican presidency, it is not that every tribe will rule this country. What is important is the capacity to deliver,” chief Ndungu said. “I would not want to say much on those who are saying they have 100 per cent support where they come from but the people of Zambia will vote for credible leadership and not on regional lines.”
Chief Ndungu said those politicians that would anchor their campaigns on tribal or regional lines should know that ordinary citizens would vote for a candidate who would take development to their respective areas.
“It is better to select a capable leader, because as you know here in Zambezi we have so much to do,” chief Ndungu said. “We want a government that will construct a bridge across the Zambezi River and any leader who will campaign on that will certainly win the hearts of the people of Zambezi.”
And Bishop Chihana urged voters to judge each presidential candidate and vote based on their leadership abilities, not on tribal interests.
“We also want to take this opportunity to appeal to our fellow citizens that they should not vote on tribal lines, personal hatred or other negatives and retrogressive reasons,” Bishop Chihana said. “And thus we advise that the Zambian people should cast their vote in the coming elections by looking at our political leaders and see if one has experience that the nation can benefit from in bringing about economic development.”
He further urged the electorate to ascertain whether one had right judgment in governing the people and making decisions before voting for that presidential aspirant.
“…And also if one has the nation at heart and indeed should be a Christian faith-based person,” Bishop Chihana advised. “Zambians must avoid voting for presidential candidates that have any corrupt past record, or have stolen from government coffers in any way and those who promote regional politics.”
Bishop Chihana said a president of Zambia must be a father for all tribes, the rich and the poor, and a protector of national interest and foreign investment.
Addressing people who welcomed him at Chipata Airport last Friday, Vice-President Rupiah Banda, who hails from Eastern Province and who is also the MMD presidential candidate, said he expected the highest number of votes from the province to offset any deficits he might have in other provinces.
Vice-President Banda asked the Easterners to vote for him, their own son. He also thanked the people of Eastern Province for having ‘created’ him.
“I am from you; I have my (late) mother here, my grandparents here, my brothers, my children, my grandchildren. I look round here, I almost know everyone, I am very proud of that and I am very happy to be in front of you now as a representative of the party in the forthcoming elections,” Vice-President Banda said.
He told the people of Eastern Province to ask other presidential candidates to return where they hail from, should they visit his province to ask for votes.
Opposition Patriotic Front president Michael Sata recently charged that Vice-President Banda is a known tribalist.
Meanwhile, Bishop Chihana argued that it would be extremely unfair for Zambia to go ahead with the presidential election without addressing the number of concerns relating to the untimely nature of the polls.
“Whilst we appreciate the fact that the government has announced the date for the presidential election, we want to mention that we are also equally concerned with a number of very important and necessary things relating to this untimely election to be in the way we expect it to be free and fair,” he said. “We therefore want to appeal to the ECZ to reconsider the set date to a further one.”
Bishop Chihana explained that the sensitisation period of the electorate was extremely too short to cover the whole nation particularly those in rural areas.
“The millions of the 2006 electorates have since passed away due to sicknesses, accidents, murders and this creates an obvious negative number of voters,” said Bishop Chihana. “The millions of youths that were not eligible to vote in 2006 are now of age to cast their vote…these are potential voters who must not be ignored by the state.”
Labels: CHIEF NDUNGU, IFCC
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Boader security worries chief
By Mwala Kalaluka and Mulimbi Mulaliki
Wednesday July 09, 2008 [04:00]
SENIOR Chief Ndungu of the Luvale people of Zambezi district has said insecurity levels on the border between Zambia and Angola in his chiefdom are becoming an issue of great concern. And chief Ndungu has said about K80 million is required to successfully hold this year’s Likumbi Lya Mize traditional ceremony of the Luvale people in Zambezi. Chief Ndungu said in an interview yesterday that illegal cattle trade was rife in the area because wide stretches on the border were unmanned.
“That is my major concern. The border is too wide from Western Province to Mwinilunga, but we only have one immigration post at Chingi in Chavuma,” he said. “Illegal trading is going on without the government getting any revenue, especially in cattle. It has been my view always that the government should legalise trade of cattle between Zambia and Angola, so that the government can benefit.”
Chief Ndungu pointed out that as long as the government did not move in to sufficiently secure the border between the two countries, the cattle population in his chiefdom would be wiped out in the next five years.
Chief Ndungu said it was disappointing that two years after the government embarked on a programme to reconstruct the Cordon Line from Shangombo to Mwinilunga, little progress had been recorded.
And people in Zambezi have complained of high water tariffs being charged by the water utility company.
The residents complained that the water tariff charges by the North Western Water Supply and Sewerage Company were too high as compared to other utility companies in the country.
During a Service Delivery Forum organised by the Caritas Diocese of Solwezi, the residents resolved to start drawing water from the river as they could not afford the charges.
Kambanji Chidata, a Zambezi resident, complained that water was no longer a necessity but a luxury as it has become too expensive for poor people in the rural areas to afford.
Another resident, Rodgers Sakuhuka, wondered whether the local authorities that formed the company in the province were involved in the running of the company.
And Caritas Solwezi coordinator Frederick Nabanda said development was demand-driven, as government was no longer implementing projects, which communities do not want in their areas.
Labels: ANGOLA, BORDERS, CHIEF NDUNGU
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Govt's failure to complete projects disappoints Ndungu
By Mwala Kalaluka
Tuesday June 03, 2008 [04:00]
SENIOR chief Ndungu of the Luvale people of Zambezi has expressed disappointment with government’s failure to complete developmental projects in his area. And the Luvale Royal Establishment has pledged to handle the succession process for the late chief Chinyama Litapi of Zambezi expeditiously. Expressing disappointment over the stalled development projects in Zambezi West, chief Ndungu said only constructing a bridge across the Zambezi at Zambezi Boma could help reduce the backlog of uncompleted development projects in his chiefdom.
“There will be no proper development in Zambezi West Bank without placing a bridge at Zambezi. I do not see how they (government) can get to the mining areas which they are talking about without this bridge,” chief Ndungu said.
He said he was disappointed that the government spent about one billion kwacha to conduct a feasibility study on the construction of a bridge across the Zambezi River at Zambezi Boma, but that no movement had been made towards the implementation of the project two years down the line.
He further complained that the government’s tendency of waiting for the rainy season before commencing the implementation of projects in Zambezi West Bank was denying his people development opportunities.
“For example, the government through the Office of the Vice-President started to construct the Mize Embankment; they started last year, but because of the rainy season the work stopped. If there is much delay, there will not be any development.”
He further complained about government’s delays in rehabilitating some of the bridges that were washed away by floods during the previous rainy season and its delays to commence bridge projects that were funded by the European Union (EU).
“My major appeal to the Ministry of Works and Supply is for them to release funds for the bridges that have been funded by the EU,” chief Ndungu said. “I talked to the project manager and he said they are waiting for the government to release the funds.”
And chief Ndungu said a successor for the late chief Chinyama Litapi would be known within the next three months following a series of meetings by the Luvale Royal Establishment.
Labels: CHIEF NDUNGU, CHIEFS, DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, PROJECT MANAGEMENT
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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.
Labels: CHIEF NDUNGU, CHIEFS, FOOD
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