Government has finally handed over the 100 hearses to all the local authorities in the country.
Acting Local Government and Housing Minister, Bradford Machila handed over the 100 hearses to the local authorities at a ceremony in Lusaka today.
Mr. Machila said the councils would be charging a minimal fee of not more than K300, 000 for the usage of the hearses which would go towards maintenance of the vehicles.
“There will be a cost in administering of these vehicles as such it is prudent to attach a minimal fee to the usage of these hearses. I therefore direct that the councils not charge more than K300, 000 per service” he said.
Mr. Machila also said the hearses will remain the property of the state and urged the councils to take good care of them.
He warned that any misuse of the hearses would result in government repossessing them and giving to deserving councils.
Mr. Machila said government had insured all the 100 hearses with the Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZSIC) at a total cost of K744, 600 million.
And speaking on behalf of the other councils, Kitwe Town Clerk Ali Simwinga said the hearses would now help people in the country bury their loved ones in a dignified manner.
He has however said the minimal fee the council would be charging for people to access the hearses would help to buy fuel and maintain the vehicles.
Mr. Simwinga said the fee should not be understood as a way to disadvantage the people but that it would help the vehicles be in good condition all the time.
“People should not view the minimal charge as something the council is doing to disadvantage them but this will help us the councils to service the vehicles, maintenance and also to buy fuel,” he said.
Lusaka, Livingstone, Kitwe and Ndola City Councils have been given four hearses each while, Municipal Councils have received two each and all District Councils have received one each.
ZANIS
Will demonstrate one on Teta since his health is questionable.
Yes we need to test their efficiency and effectiveness on Teta. Anyway who needs these manda mandas? all of us who can afford 300 pin can also afford to be buried by St Anns or Amabassador Funeral parlour. Do you think a poor man living at less than a dollar a day can afford 300pin for a manda manda (at death) when their relatives can’t even afford to book a vanette to take mourners to the grave yard? Those manda mandas are for rich and well to do people. any good politician can even use them again you at a campaign rally, wait for King Cobra.
Some poor hard working Zedians get paid less than K300,000 per month… this means that not everybody can afford to use the Manda Manda’s, but continue using vi mbaya mbaya.
What a shameful government!!!!!!!
They will soon breakdown and the 300pin simwinga is happy as the weekend cash ya oneka.Poor Zambans do the govnt know what the general Zambian can afford sure?????Have you bought these mandas for yourselves you few plunders????why is the govnt so unaware of the situation at hand in the rural areas and the componds??????.300,000 for mantainance when these mandas will bringing about 900,000 each per day ie 4×900,000 giving K3,600,000 per day for kitwe All this will be misused or go to individual pockets. Some one tell them atleast 100,000 not 300,000.Wont you stop st.eal.ing pls and for once serve the public ????????.Cant you have mercy even once pls atleast during funeral you can make life easy to the poor .You will pay for this one day.
God bless the dead
Buried in a dignified manner? How about helping people enabling them to live in dignity?
That is rubbish project, 300pins is alot of money, who can afford that type of cash. King Cobra was right when he said we do not need those katenga malilo coz Zambians during funerals come to aid each other. Does that minimum fee inclusive coffin or just transport. This whole thinmg is flop.Who can afford that say in Kabompo or Chama District. After making a ripoff they still want to exploit the poor Zambians. Those vehicles looking at the way the drivers wwere bahaving in Lusaka driving all over the city. These things will be transport for local officials. Shame on GRZ. I would rather seek the services of St Annes etc. On average they are chipa and beta than this GRZ scheme. They want to steal from the poor. How do councils use Personal,levy etc & what are their duties to residents Thieve
Let me see. What scenarios would require misuse of the Hearses assuming they are refrigerated?
1. Take it on trip to Mongu to buy fresh fish?
2. Hire it to Zambrew to ferry Cold Mosi?
3. Dismantle it and use the Compressor for odd ‘Kantemba’ fridge?
4. Or better still, use it as an Air-Conditioned Cab to ferry the privileged to the Airport-Morningside trips?
To reserve a hearse, complete the reservation form and return with your K300,000 per person ( sorry, per corpse or per service) deposit.
Why beat about the bush and not just direct councils to charge 299,000 instead of this hogwash “fee of not less than 300,000! Az it standz the charge can even be 10pin.
Well, will keep my eyes peels for the first funeral that will hire tenga malilo
Why do poor nations waste mergre reasouces on unnessesary things; this is indeed the poor leadership we do not want in Zambia; why have people stopped talking about this scandle:Zambians must wake up and defend their taxpayers money being wasted by greed leaders
“Mr. Machila said the councils would be charging a minimal fee of not more than K300, 000. …” Why do you argue about anything?The minister’s directive meant that charges can be anything below K300,000 meaning even K1000 if a particular council finds that appropriate.Thats why even politicians easily flatter you cuz your ability to comprehend icisungu is below par!
LT, the heading of this topic should have read: Zambian Govt Goes Into Funeral Business. By the way how will people in rural areas and the poor be helped in this venture? What was the initial plan before purchasing these vehicles? Will the Mobile ambulances be on a pay for treatment program? How about the Ambulances that Mrs Thandiwe Banda was inspecting at State House? Let us know that we can prepare our families psychologically and if possible financially.