Govt pledges to sustain damaged Maamba-Batooka, bottom road

By Tovin Ngombe
Southern Province Deputy Minister Joseph Mulyata has said government will maintain the damaged Maamba-Batooka road and the section of the bottom road which connects to Livingstone in Sinazongwe district.

Mr. Mulyata said at the official opening of the Lwiindi traditional ceremony at Chief Sinazongwe’a palace that genuine development could not be achieved in a place where there were bad roads.

He disclosed that contractors’ for feeder roads, where already on site in areas such as Kawama , Siansowa, Lusinja, Buleya Malima, Mampi, and on the Damaged Maamba-Batooka road in the district.

The Deputy Minister said government has embarked on the rehabilitation of dams and sinking of boreholes in the rural sector to provide clean water to Sinazongwe people.

He, however, warned Sinazongwe farmers against entertaining briefcase business men and women from Lusaka and other urban areas who are offering prices below the government recommendation.
“Why do you grow maize? Of course because you want to have some money for yourself and please be patient enough so that you do not sale your maize below the K38, 000 of 50 ka bag that government has recommended,” Mulyata said.
He urged Sinazongwe people to avoid being divided because of selfish people’s achievement.
“Do not hasten to anyone who want to divide you other people have eyes but they can not see while others have ears but they can not hear, be careful and be united do not allow people to tell you wrong stories of how you should live because you have leaders to look up to,” Mr Mulyata said.

Mr. Mulyata said government has constructed laboratories at Sinazongwe Basic School and at Maamba Mine School.
He said a classroom block and three toilets were being constructed at Siamvwenu Basic School, while a staff house and eight latrines were being built at Siameja Basic School.

Speaking at the same function Chief Sinazongwe said Lwiindi Ceremony unites his subject, to enable them to share ideas and to celebrate the harvest of crops which part of it was offered to their ancestral spirits at the shrines.
Chief Sinazongwe said the ceremony was used to thank the dead because through them they intercede for them to the almighty God to give them good rains and not thunder.

He thanked government for through tourism Ministry for facilitating the hosting of this year’s Lwiindi ceremony.
The Chief also said despite being given a license to kill a hippo on Lake Kariba by government, the hunter failed to kill it when most people were anticipating have a test it at the opening of the ceremony.

The Chief said the failure to kill a hippo was because of the hunter’s failure to observe their cultural norm of putting the gun at the shrines which are known as Kumalende in Tonga, before a hunting expedition commences.
“Our hunter is in the field he has not yet killed the hippo, people have no relish now, all these people have been anticipating for a hippo to be killed, it seems the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, maybe when it blows in the right direction,” Chief Sinazongwe told the gathering.

However, at the end of the first day the hunter managed to kill the elephant, on Sunday people were busy sharing eating the meat and dancing to their cherished Budima.