Thursday, November 28, 2024

Police use pit latrines in Kitwe

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THE sewer and water system reticulation system in Mindolo police camp has collapsed forcing residents to sink pit latrines and wells in
their backyards.

The camp is also supplied with low electricity voltage which can not operate electrical appliances apart from lighting the house.

This came to light when Nkana constituency member of parliament Luxon Kazabu and Nkana Water Sewerage Company (NWSC) top management visited the area.

It is believed that the water and sanitation system collapsed years back.

Mr Kazabu said it was unacceptable that residents in a planned settlement used pit latrines and shallow wells for water.

“We can’t allow this kind of situation where the pit latrines and water well are two meters apart,” Mr Kazambu said.

But NWSC managing director Diana Makwaba said the water utility company was aware of the problem but failed to correct the situation
due to lack financial resources.

Ms Makwaba, however, said NWSC was updating the bill of quantity for overhauling of the system when funds were available.

She said entire pipe network had collapsed thus making it difficult for the water utility compamy to pump the commodity there.

“We are aware of the collapsed water infrastructure but financial resources are a challenge, Mindolo is one of the collapsed systems
in the service area,” Ms Makwaba said.

File:Challenges for the Police force are country wide, here a house occupied by a Police Officer in Mongu district in Western Province

Chimwemwe Township is another township who water and sanitation system had collapsed.

Mindolo police station inspector David Sichande said the residents had no option but to sink pit latrines and well due to non availability of
the facilities.

Mr Sichande said despite several appeals to Zesco over the low power voltage, all had been in vain.

Mr Sichande, however, said a certain contractor was awarded a contract to replace the pipes with news ones but had vanished despite being
paid to do the job.

He however declined to give details on the contract but referred queries to police command after being pressed to do.

“I can’t give details on the contract, get to the police command,moreover I was not here when the contract was given,” Mr Sichande
said.

18 COMMENTS

  1. NO WONDER THESE COPS SLAP & BEAT SUSPECTS. THEY R FRUSTRATED. THEY LIVE IN SQUALOR. PIT LATRINES IN THIS DAY & AGE!!!!!

  2. This is heartbreaking and makes very sad reading. Goes to show that disproportionate urbanisation without sufficient planning and without sufficient resources for maintenance of public utilities is not sustainable in the long run. So lets focus on the solution. Realistically what is the long term solution? Answer: – we need to fundamentally reverse the urban drift of people. How do we do that?. Answer: – We should do what most developed Countries, including Britain, have done and continue to do. We do not have to re-invent the wheel at all. And what have the developed Countries done that we can realistically learn and copy from? Answer: VILLAGE CONCEPT.

  3. And yet in the face of all these adversities we expect the police to serve our communities diligently, hope and pray that they be corrupt-free.
    The police all over the country live in squalor and abysmal conditions. Can govt do something as a matter of urgency please?

  4. That is why UKWA must get back the K14B from his boses Mmembe and Nchito so that it can be used for such noble causes. Millions of Zambians are suffering and yet a few selfish imbeciles of one clan want to hold us at ransom.

  5. 47 years after independence, 27 under UNIP, 20 under MMD and 6 months under PF. Lets hope PF will redeem this country. Enough is enough.

  6. The owners of the mines have taken profits out of Zambia. No social responsibility at all. They leave holes and holes under our feet but can’t give back sufficient money for local infrastructure maintenance. But this is also as a result of deals under Banda, plus his wasteful campaigns that saw Zambia as a country waste so much resources which could have been used in sustaining our livelihoods. And also the people of Zambia especially those in opposition parties who can’t give PF even a month to be in govt before avalanches of criticism for anything good and bad, living PF to be wondering if at all it is doing right or wrong. Its a conundrum. 

  7. PF is doing nothing right. Just shielding thieves and stealing themselves, after it is normal in their clan.

  8. dont post foolish comments even when you are oblivious of the situation on the ground you fools. yes, you fools! pf has got nothing to do with that problem obtaining at that camp. the ball is in the utility company’s court and have failed many townships in kitwe. iam talking about chimwemwe, ndeke, chamboli, mindolo and outlying townships who hardly have a drop of water from the taps everyday. in olden days, it was unheard of that there is no water in riverside and parklands, now its the order of the day. these guys from zccm now running these utilities doted around the copperbelt are failures. they will soon run down these companies like they did with zccm. the previous regime of ALICK JERE as director was much better as the lameyer report say.

  9. Good for them pit latrines are healthy. The body expels more waste that way because of the squating position plus it keeps the nchafu healthy so that when they chase suspects they cannot outrun them. Viva pit latrine , next should be a well that they should drink from

  10. #6 Zambia By Choice, you’ve killed me, am still laughing my ass off. Ati they use the bush…ok, and what do they use after they are finished doing their business in the bush? I can’t imagnine it would be anything as sanitary as toilet paper would it now?

  11. Your excellency, yo got a big one indeed on this! It is not the cops only that are in that mess. Look at the soldiers. ZNS guys are living in mud houses in their camps and the worst part is no govt official ,let alone their commanders seem to care. What kinda leadership do we have in the police/ prisons and the armed forces(ZNS & ARMY)? Your excellency, something needs to done before the outside get wind of this inhuman conditions your officers are living in. In fact, it nt only the sewer lines, it’s everything ; hses, uniforms, sport & recreation, ranks.etc. It’s bullshit. Awe ingilenimofye batata ba SATA! Bachula abanensu!

  12. I don’t understand this poverty mentality at all.Firstly, the police service in Zambia can generate a lot of money from means like fines on the public as well as a new tax which the government can introduce e.g council tax.This will help them to be a bit more self sustaining.If every penny were to be accounted for I am certain that there would be more money available to repair their offices.I was appalled at the site of the police station near Levy Junction when I visited Zambia last time.What an eyesore!!!

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