Over 10,000 Residents Of Mikiloni To Have Clean Running Water

During launch of Mikiloni Water Project -Picture by TIO Zambia

By Paul Shalala in Chingola

It is a settlement which was illegal for almost twenty years.

Its legalization was only done in 2015.

And now services from the local authorities are slowly reaching these people.

Mikiloni is a compound in Chingola which sprung up near a mine dumpsite.

The area has had no clean running water for its population which is estimated to be close to 15,000.

Residents drink water from shallow wells and from quarries which are remnants of mining activities in the area.

In the past year, two people have drowned in one of the largest quarries while fetching water.

This just shows how people in this area risk to find drinking water.

“I have lived in Mikiloni for the past 15 years and we have no single water pipe from Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company. We are also Zambians, we deserve water,” said 56 year old George Chellah.

Other residents are worried with the quality of water they currently consume.

“We have problems here. Water is a challenge. We have been drinking from shallow wells and this is not safe for us and our children. Waterborne diseases are common in our compound,” said Mary Chanda in an interview.

Mikiloni residents at the launch -Picture by DTF

However, the people of Mikiloni will soon have clean running water for the first time in their lives.

The water utility firm Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company is in the process of connecting over 600 households with water.

The Devolution Trust Fund (DTF), which is an arm of the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), has provided K3 million to connect the area to its water reticulation system.

This means residents will also have sewerage services.

Currently, they use pit latrines to answer the call of nature.

“Under the Mikiloni Water Project, we are connecting 600 households. This translates into 10,000 beneficiaries. We hope to complete phase one of the project in June this year,” said Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company Public Relations Manager Debora Kangende.

The project was launched in January this year and so far, significant progress has been made on the ground.

A check by this blogger in neighbouring Maiteneke area found workers from the utility digging trenches were pipes will be laid to transport water to Mikiloni.

In some areas, pipes have already been laid.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was also aired on TV1's Newsline program on 02 February, 2017. The video can be watched on this YouTube link: Mikiloni Compound Water Project

Zambia, Zimbabwean Youths Launch Social Media Campaigns Over Water, Health & Education

By Paul Shalala in Lusaka

Zambia & Zimbabwean youths advocating for #QualityEducation

A group of 26 youths from Zambia and Zimbabwe have launched three social media campaigns to raise awareness over a number of issues affecting residents of Lusaka.

The youths, who have been attending a five day training in Social Media and Advocacy in Lusaka organised by Global Platform Zambia, launched the three campaigns this afternoon.

The campaigns include #QualityEducationZambia, the Water Crisis in Mtendere and #Youth4SRH.

Earlier in the day, the youths, who were split into three groups, visited various places within Lusaka to document problems the residents were going through which they can use for advocacy.

The group which visited the University of Zambia, interviewed a number of students and those found on the Great East Campus over quality education.

"We got various views from people we interviewed. What we learnt was that people want quality education. They are saying quality education is beneficial to their careers," said Tigana Chileshe, a Zambia participant who gave a power point presentation.

Mtendere residents carrying containers of water

Tigana later unveiled the group's seven minutes documentary which showed youths calling for quality education.

Using the hashtag #QualityEducationZambia, the group wants to raise awareness for quality education as part of the drive for Zambia to attain the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number four.

Zambia is among the signatories for the 17 SDGs which are expected to be met by 2030.

In September 2015, world leaders who met at the United Nations in New York agreed to replace the Millennium Development Goals with the more robust SDGs.

Using social media, the nine participants from the first group hope to push for quality education every time they are online.

And in the second group, participants produced a four minutes video detailing the challenges residents of Mtendere go through when fetching for water.

The video showed residents queuing at a tap found at a filing station as there was no water in the neighourhood.

It also showed a business owner who was complaining about erratic water supply for his carwash.

Sammy Milapo interviewing Mtendere residents

"The people we interviewed complained that they have been reporting water shortages to relevant authorities but there is no action," said Sammy Milapo, a Zambia participant who unveiled the video during the training.

In the third group, participants visited Kalingalinga Clinic to check on the Youth Space which was created to accommodate youths when they come to access Sexual Reproductive Health Services.

However, the group was not allowed to film as they did not seek permission from the Lusaka District Health Management Team.

"We were however allowed to see the youth space even though we could not film. What alarmed us were the lack of activities for the peer educators who just sit there and wait for youths. Also, there is no proper signage for the youth space and it is a challenge for a youth to locate the place," said Nhlanhla Moyo, a Zimbabwean participant who gave a powerpoint presentation.

The group also plans to raise awareness about Youth Spaces and lack of good funding from government using the hashtag #Youth4SRH.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The documentary in which the youths from the two neighbouring countries called for quality education can be watched here: Quality Education: A Call To Action For Zambia

Feasibility Studies For US$450 Million Kafulafuta Dam Commence

Part of the Kafulafuta river

By Paul Shalala in Masaiti

Feasibility studies for the US$450 million Kafulafuta Dam which is expected to benefit over 16,000 in Luanshya, Masaiti and Ndola Districts have commenced.

The construction of the Kafulafuta Dam in Masaiti District, which is funded by China,  is among three huge capital projects which President Edgar Lungu announced last year as part of his government’s drive to create 10,000 jobs on the Copperbelt.

The other two are the US$492 million Copperbelt 400 (C400) township road project and the US$397 million Greenfields International Airport in Ndola.

Tropical Environmental Management, a company which has been contracted by the Ndola-based Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company, has commenced its environmental impact assessment at the proposed sites in Ibenga area of Masaiti.

“We have already selected three sites where there is potential for a dam. We will soon commence our examination of soil samples, air and water so we can choose the best site. We will recommend the place which has minimal impact on people,” said John Simumba, Tropical Environmental Management’s Managing Director.

His team of three experts includes those who will look at the relocation of dozens of families who live just a few meters away from the Kafulafuta river.

The firm has 65 days in which it is to complete its environmental impact assessment which it is supposed to hand over to the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).

Yesterday, the firm held a well attended scoping meeting in Ibenga which was attended by hundreds of residents, government officials and traditional leaders.

And Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company Managing Director Athanasius Mwaba disclosed during the meeting that the Kafulafuta Dam will increase the firm’s supply of clean running water to over 80,000 households in the three districts where the utility provides water.

“This dam will help us increase our water supply in the three districts. It will have a capacity of 125 million cubic meters of water which will supply Ndola, Luanshya and Masaiti,” said Mr Mwaba.

He also announced that still under the Kafubu Sustainable Water and Sanitation Improvement project, the utility will also construct another dam across the Mpongwe river to provide the first ever clean running water in Mpongwe District.

During the meeting, several residents who live near the Kafulafuta river expressed worry about compensation.

Others said they were not sure whether to start cultivating their fields or not due to the impending displacements.

“My complaint is about basic social amenities where you will relocate us to. Will we find roads, schools, hospitals and other facilities?” asked Evaristo Ngowani, a blind old man who has spent years at the government run Masaiti Blind Center which is 600 meters away from the stream.

Chieftainess Malembeka

Another resident Roydah Musonda had this concern: “Some of us have built houses, planted trees and spent money at our farms. Will we receive compensation for all these investments?”

But Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela assured the residents that the project is aimed at increasing their access to clean running water and no one will suffer.

“Whoever will be relocated will be compensated. We do not want our people to be affected as if they are second class citizens,” said Reverend Sikwela.

Meanwhile Chieftainess Malembeka, whose chiefdom will host part of the dam, welcomed the development but urged Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company to ensure that locals are prioritised in jobs which will be created.

Her sentiments were also echoed by Senior Chief Mushili’s Administrative Secretary Evaristo Kaluba who urged government officials to fulfil all the promises they were making to Masaiti residents over the dam.

Kafubu Water To Feed, Compensate Luanshya Sewer Victims

By Paul Shalala in Luanshya

Chishimba Kambwili

Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili has directed Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company to immediately provide food and compensate two families of Luanshya's Mpatamatu area whose houses were flooded with sewer on Thursday.

Mr Kambwili, who is also Minister of Information and area Member of Parliament, says it is unacceptable for Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company not to help the affected families who have been spending nights in the cold.

Speaking yesterday when he visited the affected families in Section 27 area of Mpatamatu, The Minister urged the families to write down all their household goods which were destroyed by sewer and submit them to the water utility firm for compensation.

"I want you Kafubu to replace everything that has been destroyed within 14 days. Where you will get the money i dont know. If you don't do that, heads will roll," said Mr Kambwili.

He further said the utility must also give food to the two families as their relish and mealie meal was destroyed by the sewer which flooded their houses.

"These families have no food. Tomorrow i will be in Lusaka but by mid day i should get an update that you have delivered the food to them," he said.

And Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company Director of Engineering Benjamin Mwale told Mr Kambwili that the houses were flooded after the sewer line was blocked by waste.

"With the onset of the rain, waste is collecting in the sewer. Unfortunately, Section 27 is the lowest point and all sewer from Mpatamatu comes here before it goes to the ponds," said Mr Mwale.

The sewer system in Mpatamatu is very old and dilapidated.

Blockages in the system is a common occurence.

However, the Danish Government has provided funding to Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company to upgrade the whole sewer system in Luanshya.

Works on these sewer lines have started and residents here are hopeful that the project will put an end to such unfortunate incidences.