By Aristide Bance
Lusaka- through the eyes of a visitor
They say the best way to really experience a foreign country is to travel by road. I had a friend of mine from Botswana come to Zambia for a visit. I went to pick him by Lusaka Intercity bus terminus. Before we could exchange pleasantries, the first thing he said to me was, ‘My friend, I had no idea that you came from such a dirty country’.
I was hurt but not offended because it was the truth. A drive along Lumumba road reveals a seemingly long Human line of street vendors and uncollected garbage which makes the Lusaka Central Business District look very dirty.
My concern is that these people spend close to 10 hours of their day conducting business so they have to do certain human activities such as eat, urinate, defecate and so on. The question is where do these people do these things? I acted like a Lusaka visitor and I asked one street vendor where I could urinate one day and the guy casually said,’ Ah Ba guy, just do it pa corner of that ka building.’
[pullquote]I asked one street vendor where I could urinate and the guy casually said Ah Ba guy, just do it pa corner of that ka building.[/pullquote] The thing about this whole scenario is that he didn’t even suggest the nearby fee paying toilets at the Lusaka City Market. This made me realize what these people are doing on a day to day basis. Unfortunate!
We choose to keep quiet and drive in our cars, ignore our environment and proudly say we are Zambians. Pathetic!!! The Lusaka City Council is busy screaming ‘KEEP LUSAKA CLEAN’, this is a sham.
Look at our pathetic environment. I am disgusted and personally I am embarrassed to be part of it. In Zambia, we accept conditions that are not supposed to be accepted.
Zambians are dirty people
How it pains me to call this dirty city – my city. Zambians are dirty people…..yes, I said it. How can we be driving posh cars and yet throw rubbish outside of the car windows right into the streets contributing to the filth in the streets. I challenge the readers/bloggers to attack me on this issue and dare them to say rubbish with regards to this article…..I will annihilate you….PLEASE TRY ME…..I DARE YOU.
I am speaking from the heart because it hurts me to see and hear people complain about the same issue year in…year out…..Blocked drainages and cholera…now seriously people, who the heck is causing the blockages and cholera….no one but you. I mean it shocks me to see people cook and eat from these filthy streets of Lusaka. Even if Zambia is a poor country, some nonsense is practically unacceptable. The Lusaka City Council is ever crying about capacity to do their day to day activities such as garbage collection and yet dirty Zambians still throw rubbish, urinate and defecate in the streets.
Trading alomg a railway line
The line of rail in Kamwala area is also another place of concern. How do we have such a lawless country whereby people put up stupid structures on the railway lines? Really, I am not saying that if I was elected as president of this country I would change everything but I would make my mark by ensuring that such nonsense comes to an end. I wouldn’t compromise on such things for the sake of votes. This subject makes me really mad because the vending situation is a ticking time bomb and the mentality of many Zambians needs to change in order to effect change. I often worry about my unborn children because if I raise them in such an environment, it will be what is normal to them.
Zambians in Zambia resent Zambians living outside Zambia and call them all sorts of names like economic refugee, deserter etc., but to me living outside Zambia earning an honest living has many benefits not only economically but a better and cleaner environment in other seemingly lawful countries.
Zambians accept conditions that are not supposed to be accepted
A visit to a country like Botswana reveals how clean a country can be. Wait, Zambian bloggers before you start shooting me down on this point PLEASE hear me out. The argument would be why I would compare Botswana to Zambia because the population in Botswana is sparse as compared to Zambia but a tour of the central business district in Gaborone confronts you with the same scenario of way of life compared to Zambia.
You have people trying to make a living but you just don’t start a market in an empty piece of land and start vending, there are designated places of trade with proper sanitation. It’s no wonder I have never heard of a cholera outbreak there unlike here in Zambia. Fellow Zambians, let’s not stand by and watch this madness, it is an embarrassing to say none the least.
Disorganisation
Moving right along is another place of concern right by the Kafue fly over bridge where unruly people decided to make the infamous market of DONCHI KUBEBA MARKET. To me, that is prime land and should not be wasted like that. That market is no more and I have seen some modern structures coming up there but some stands OF THE DONCHI KUBEBA MARKET still stand there making the advances in infrastructure there untidy. It really upsets me to see my country look so disorganized.
On the 24th of December, 2013, some young men were drag racing along Great East Road and I had an unfortunate run in with them as I was coming from a wedding. Don’t get me wrong, I am a sober character and under no circumstances have I ever drunk alcohol in my life.
One of the young men hit in my car, damaged my rear windscreen and fortunately they didn’t run away and they stopped. They said they had insurance which I also had. They didn’t want to involve the police as drag racing is illegal in Zambia. The other issue they were concerned with was the fact that it was the rainy season and I could not afford to move around with no rear wind screen given that the insurance process would take longer due to the industrial break of the festive season.
They offered to pay for damages and involve no police as one of the young men’s father owned a garage off Chandwe Musonda Road at a place called Strifes.
Lusaka’s talented mechanics
Now, let me describe the place strifes to my dear readers who have never been there. This is a place of hive of activities with car breakers, mechanics and car hustlers specializing in the sale of various car accessories trying to make an ngwee. Many people involved in accidents usually take their vehicles to these outside talented mechanics because they not only do a good job but they are affordable as compared to their Indian and Chinese counter parts (with the Chinese as a recent market entrant in this industry).
The garage I was taken to, had state of the art machinery and they did a brilliant job but the place is dominated by Indians and Chinese nationals who run garages and outside the Indian and Chinese garages are talented Zambian mechanics who hijack the Indian and Chinese garages’ business by doing sophisticated and quick jobs on cars.
Now since these hijackers lack some tools and facilities such as spray painting machines, necessary materials to assist in repairing cars like body fillers, paints, silicon and electricity, they still go to the Indian and Chinese shops and pay to utilise these facilities so whichever way you look at it the Indians and Chinese are still being empowered.
These outside mechanics make a lot of money due to the fact that they have a huge share of the clients and do not pay any rent as they work outside and make TAX-FREE MONEY. Bingo…….there is the gold mine right there. The buildings around the place are of colonial architecture with asbestos (who uses that material in the 21st century because that’s a health hazard).
To me, that’s a sitting Gold mine because what the authorities can do is:
1. demolish the whole place put modern garage houses,
2. order the people there to put up modern structures of a stipulated standard or else move away (this second option would work fine as our authorities always cry about none of funds to carry out certain activities) that would house the Indians, Chinese as well as the outside mechanics that hustle people for business.
That not only organizes the whole place by for instance, having a motor car association for mechanics or union and registered car mechanics, but the government now has control by soliciting tax from these outside mechanics.
Government is not a profit making organisation, but for smooth running of a country, it needs to have funds and Government funds come from taxes. I wonder why we are not thinking in that direction. What is amazing about this whole scenario is the fact that, just a few buildings away from this place called strifes lies our Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) House looking the other way as if they see nothing. WHAT LAWLESSNESS!!!!!!!
Can anyone remember the eye-sore that used to be where Levy Junction Mall is right now? There were some colonial buildings owned by Government Printers (correct me if I am wrong). Look at it now. It’s hard to believe that we as Zambians are under utilizing our land. It’s no wonder the Chinese are so excited in Zambia establishing whatever they can because I am sure they have not seen so much un-used or under-utilized land in their native china.
In conclusion, to show what is wrong with the whole picture in Zambia, this article is written from a perceptive of an observer who not only looks but experiences what the article is about by going to the mentioned places and looking at the deficiencies there and talking to people.
lusaka for u
And the 20th Century Award for the Dirtiest in city in Africa goes to…..
The whole country is a pig house…. i wasted four tickets when we visited late last year.
Truth hurts, but we must take some positives out of this article. There’s no difference between a town, country or house. If your house stinks and you dont correct it the first time you become aware, naturally the bad smell becomes part of you and you stop seeing anything wrong with it. Such is the case in Zambia. Now you have a President who cleaned up Lusaka when he was the city’s governor, but now with all resources under his control Lusaka has become the dirtiest capital in the SADC region. Even more painful is the fact that a visitor to any country tends to rate the standards and intellect of its citizens as equal to the outlook of the country & it becomes very difficult as a country to claim your space in the world & world affairs!!!
it just reflects the pathetic attitude that Zambians have to anything in general and cleanness in particular.
Is this a borrowed country that we have to return back some day?
we must change out mindset as a nation and do best for ourselves or sink in filth and die of preventable diseases.
what a dirty people we are….shame
@Aristade Bance…This is stupidity writing at its highest. Did you post that on Sata’s Facebook too? Make a copy to Mulenga Sata the mayor for City of Lusaka.
Mind you, the owners of this website you smeared with graffiti took name from LusakaT, but they are not so dirty website.
If you are saying Lusaka is dirty then i can tell you then you haven`t travelled yet my friend.Try to go to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia,Mumbai in India,Almaty in Kazakhstan and Ndjamena in Chad then you will know what a dirty city is.You haven`t seen enough yet my friend.
You talked about those vendors in Lusaka and the dirty.Thats the common features of all major cities in Africa.Check the link below for addis ababa.Botswana is a rich country so don`t compare it to Zambia.You shall never walk alone Lusaka !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIaCzMyLrqM
And this is Addis ababa with vendors and dirty in the middle of the town centre.Look ate the link below..Maputo is the same and so is Free town is Sierra Leone.You shall never walk alone Lusaka !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIaCzMyLrqM
Its not about how dirty other cities are… the fact is Lusaka is a pig house
Am sure you are one of those who say PF is corrupt but MMD was more corrupt
@1.6 Njo at large, that is exactly the mentality that has kept us in the garter where we are. We are not competing for a position on the list of ‘Dirtiest Cities in the World’. Rather the author is saying this is not the way it should be and everybody knows that and they agree with it maybe with a few exceptions such as yourself. This is not just about cleanliness. This is a health hazard. Surely you know that?
I have never waste air tickets since i left in 1998. Simon Kapwepwe is the only who could have made Zed a paradise.
@ Njobwinjo at large, I am amazed some people gave you a few ticks for your comment which I found quiet shallow in comparison with the serious matters raised by the author of this article.You remind me of a fella who was inciting a fellow party goer to on a ‘eating competition’ at a well stocked party! “Ati sunganichile kudya iwe!” he bragged. Tell us how dirty the town or country should become until you see sense in this guys successful attempt to do someone’s job at the city and municipal councils. You want us to Adis? I think this article should be used by the opposition parties to serialise a TV documentary covering all our major cities and towns on how dirty they are. The new government shall not be voted in by thugs and kaponyas but by real lovers of this beautiful country.
We are in trouble really. There seems to be a common denominator in all social-economic-political and local authority issues in our country.. And this is the Zambian mind! We still think like a colonised people, waiting for someone else to come do all and sundry for us.. In part i honestly blame Christianity, this foreign religion imposed on our spiritual and mental consciousnes, due to it we relegate all complex problems to a mystrious God to solve, just pray about it and it ll disappear, if the gov is abusing us, just pray, no jobs, pray, dirty city, pray. Thats our way, we need to realise that we are a grown up people now, there is no master to think and o for us but ourselves, we v got to be proactive people, before these things worsen!
Joburg City is better mweh!
@Nostradamus. I am not going to reply to a dull person like you. I promised to destroy whoever was going to say rubbish about this article. I touched a nerve RIGHT and in this case its you. If you dont see anything positive about this article then you deserve to go live in a pit latrine. I am not going to exchange insults but the fact of the matter is that, ZAMBIANS MULI BA FIKO SANA. ROUND 1……BRING IT.
@ Aristide Bance
Iwe Ariside.. what tribe are you?? why are being so emmotional as if lusaka is yours city alone? Nostradamus is making good suggestions that why didnt you post that to Sata mulenga and his father`s mpumibook?
Thats the problem with you zambians without a tribe like muzungu opusa Guy scot
@Aristide Bance
If you are indeed the author then well done for highlighting the issue, however, it is marred by:
1. An unnecessary threat – agree with me or else…
and
2. The generalisation in your response.
Lusaka (Zambia) is indeed dirty but it also has pristine areas and homes. Those should be held up and replicated as the standard to encourage and achieve. Fighting for that as an action should be where you place your passion to avoid reducing your good intentions by unnecessary destroying of anyone who criticises you. Stay positive and do more. The pictures speak for themselves. Best of luck. Remember not everyone is born in to a perfect environment and despite that many try to keep their personal spaces clean but need help with public space, facilities, water etc
@Ba Aristade, you go to Luangwa National Park and the pictures you come with are of wild-dog dug, a dead python choked on hyena, and over-flowing semen of elephant… and you post on website “My dirty Park of Luangwa”.
@ njo and nostrademus. This is exactly what I wanted . I knew there were people like U who would write nonsense because U have come to accept the stupid conditions in Lusaka. . I am sure U grew up accepting the filth. It is nt a matter of saying other contries are dirtier than us but cleaning up ours. Round 2
And I speak passionately about my city not because it is my city alone. I will die one day so I don’t own it.
But the difference betwen U and me is that I would have made a contribution. What the heck are U going. Throwing litter. Pathetic.
..waiting for MUSHOTA to comment
Iwe Bance Lusaka has always been dirty from the moment the Zambian economy started taking a downturn, so boi stop comparing my Zed with your botswana waumfwa ? Emano aya nshifwaya ine.About time you stopped comparing oranges with banana`s
@Namwelepete Lisembe lyamukuba, you are the people who drag zambia back to the dark ages…in your serious mind and conscious you sit infront of your personal computer or whatever you are using and post this. if it has been dirty then we should just continue being dirty…thats y cholera year in and year out taipwa mu zambia. WHY: Dirty surroundings.
For the first time on LT, I have read something that makes sense. This is indeed the way bloggers should vent their disgust with the government, point out issues that need correcting. This article requires to be read by the man in Plot 1 as well as all those people that think that all is well as long as they are comfortable driving posh cars. LUSAKA is the DIRTIEST city in the world, the MOST DISORGANIZED city council in the country. Zambia, ala teti utemwe…….
Forget about the man in plot 1,when Lusaka mayor Daniel chisenga came up with relocating street vendors,the sata president intervened and said allow the venders to be in the street.the Lusaka city council has been facing political pressure to avoid kicking the street vendors.kandu luo was transferred from ministry of local govt because of her keep Lusaka clean.
Bane tule enda, If you are serious about Lusaka being the dirtiest city then I can safely conclude that you have not seen the world yet. I am not in support of the current state of Lusaka and I would want a change for the better.
PF reign….Naah dirt policies…..Naah Dirt Zambians……….
HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No F*******king way!
And people complain there no Jobs in Zambia!
Government you forgot to creat one more Job!
Shammmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeee on all you!
@cindy
lusaka is mambo jambo, .. it has NO system, even when that gabage is collected,, there is either no transports to ship it to a dumping site or there is no dump site…
and i have heard of a busy recycling plant in lusaka.
and Plastics is huge busy in lusaka.. huge ,, nobody cares about the evironmental effects of plastics
Here people get highly fined when caught in the act of dumping, even just throwing a paper or chewing gum. Children who throw litter get their parents paying for it. I remember one woman was given a “ticket” thats how we call the fine here, when her child was peeing along side the road. Imagine how much clean Zambia would be and how much city council would make from all the fines?!!
But then again Africa is not called dirty dark continent for nothing, I will not even blame government on this issue, but the masses for not being responsible enouch to takecare of their environment. A clean country is a healthy country so they say! What do you think about Kwahae? (Our home)
Share the photos on a certain Facebook page daily and perhaps a clean up operation will occur as the truth is the filth parade is provided courtesy of activities empowered by those who allow businesses to spring up anywhere in exchange for votes. Lusaka can be cleaner…not as clean as former little Copperbelt towns designed to look good…but much cleaner. Pavements and lighting will also make it a healthier, cleaner daily walk as the vast majority are Zamfooting it. Pavements will make a huge difference and can have public bins set up along them to reduce litter. Hygiene, sanitation and keeping our environment clean must start pre-school and be upheld through life. Lack of will to change this is purely politically empowered.
Yes you are right,but not only Lusaka go to Kitwe,Kabwe etc. its the same.
Whatever happens to rates paid?
Sata said they can trade wherever they want. Until the mentality from the top changes, I don’t see any improvement. Hate to say it but I agree the city is really dirty.
Absolutely correct. It is annoying to see a bunch of beautiful ladies or a smartly dressed guy throwing bottles and other junk from their moving vehicles. We really need to change.
It seems people dream alot, Zambia has been like that before , what makes you think we need to change now, when their is cholera Jobs are created for medical staff, even drug suppliers, then those drainages we create Jobs by blocking them too.
Whoever you are, Pan your panu. Very useless comment
@Anyoko
i like your chamachakomboka thinking..kekekekekekekeekekk!!!
@Anyoko, hope your house is clean, friend?
Hard to see how a dirty minded leadership can make a nation clean!!
I agree!
Lets face it generally Zambians are dirty people,the culture of cleanliness is not there.They say charity begins at home, most of the houses in Zambia are filthy,how then do you expect the city to be clean?, people dump garbage everywhere,opaque beer container from street kids,disposable lager bottles from so called “well to do”thrown from a moving second hand Benz form Japan,Its appalling. who do expect to pick up trash after you??? The council is almost non existent.Zambians are just good at beer drinking,unfaithfulness ,quick money(corruption) and peddling lies.walk through all the compounds people throw trash in front of their yards and yet someone coming out of such house wears a suit and drives a 4×4 car. Appalling!!!
is it posible to post this article on Mr. Sata Facebook wall? Us zambians need to do something about this dirt in our towns
Yes we can post it, BUT we all need to take responsibility and stop this shame we have put on ourselves. If all of us resolve to be more responsible with regards to how we manage our litter, we can remove this shame.
What government can do among other things is;
1. Came up with a vigorous keep Zambia clean campaign.
2. Promote recycling of products like plastic and paper.
3. Empower LCC to Arrest or fine anyone throwing litter.
Why isn’t Mushota, the only lady with a profile picture on LT not commenting
I am glad someone has done what I have always wished to do with the heaps of garbage along Lumumba road. Lusaka is so dirt, it makes me ashamed to be called a resident of this city. Only an accident will make these traders leave the road side. They are responsible for most of the dirt along the roads.
Let’s be realistic and stop pointing a finger of blame to Sata or his party. The neglect of Zambia’s towns has always been there for as long as I can remember. Garbage is part of life which makes Zambians tick because it is the first thing you will notice as soon as you step out of your house.
Ba London chakuti naimwe . .dull Sata promised to clean up the cities . . . the problem of lawless is growing by the day. Cadres demarcating & sharing public parking lots and turning them into trading areas! ati man of action. 4sake!
@The London Eye – I think we should point fingers at Plot 1 because he’s (Sata) the one who said vendors should continue trading in undesignated places. Those (e.g. Nkandu Luo) who tried to clean up the cities were quickly transferred. Zambian towns used to be clean in the old days now ‘dirty’ has become the new normal.
Sata’s constant interference has exacerbated this grotesque situation as you can not clean the streets with vendors still on it relieving themselves freely in empty chibuku containers and clogging pavements.
Prof. Luo was on the right course and the timing was just spot on; early in their term but our kaponya president meddled in and swiftly moved her through his pointless hideous cabinet reshuffles.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. IF AN AVERAGE ZAMBIAN THINKS LIKE YOU DO,ZAMBIA WOULD BE ONE OF THE CLEANEST COUNTRY IN THIS PART OF AFRICA.WE HAVE BIG CARS WITH DIRTY MINDS.SURELY HOW DO YOU THROW DIRT FROM YOUR CAR TO THE ENVIRONMENT?FOR WHO TO PICK? SHARE THIS ARTICLE IN FRONT PAGES OF ALL OUR PAPERS.THEY SAY CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS.ZAMBIANS,BE GODLY.
in comparison with windhoek in namibia its like heaven there..lusaka is a shame!!!!
Mushota????
Lusaka city council has abrogated its responsibility of collecting garbage and other important services.
The general populace in all planned settlements and trading areas of the city of Lusaka are compelled by the council bye laws to pay rates to the lusaka city council.
Rates we pay are supposed to include the provision of services by the council of such services as : gabage collection,roads in the localites, street lighting, clean sanitary environment to mention but a few.
Unfortunately, Crafty council officials together with their friends and relatives have formed companies that are to collect gabbage in Lusaka and charge the residents who are already paying for this service through rates.
It is the Lusaka City Council who should pay these companies for doing their job.
Insightful article. Hope someone somewhere will read and act. But hey, drag racing is done even the developed and cleaner cities elsewhere. Don’t really understand how it came into the article.
Insightful article. Hope someone somewhere will read and act. But hey, drag racing is done even in the developed and cleaner cities elsewhere. Don’t really understand how it came into the article.
Nota bene: missed “in”! Perhaps, I am already a victim of learning in local languages.
Very Nice Article indeed, You have brought out what many have been thing but may be are preoccupied with politics that they forgot to write about. What can you say about Zambians travelling from Namibia and eating all sorts of things on a bus keep all the dirty with them but as soon as they cross the border, they open windows and throw the trash outside. We are all responsible for making Zambia clean. The only blame I can heap on the government is for allowing vending anywhere. Lusaka Council has contracted private companies to collect garbage in residential areas, why cant they do the same for the central business district. This will help clean up the city. But first vendors should be out.
I rest my case.
i have an occasion to bring my American and South African friends to Zambia but now am thinking I shouldn’t. Complete embarrassment is what I would suffer to have people who respect me see this dirty place as the place where I come from. It never used to be like this.Don’t you get it Zambia? You lose tourism money or even investment money. Some people are put off by such filth.
We inherited a clean country at independence.Thru out the 70s & even 80s Zambia was clean. Now we have proved what White people say:Africans cannot run anything effectively.
We are going back to the cave and the stone age where you didn’t have to sweep your yard. We have learned nothing from the colonialists.
Totally shameful. I just want to crawl out of my skin.
Honesty is the best policy. Just tell them what to expect and let them decide. They respect YOU not the dirty city that could be cleaned up if the will was there. Don’t let these images or the reality on the ground settle in you as a complex or rejection of your home country. You are not responsible for how it looks or is run but we all face the more uncomfortable and perhaps unspoken question of why we personally do not do anything to help change it. To which we are entitled to answer…because I would rather jump out my own skin with shame and hide my country from my friends so they can continue to ‘respect’ me… but I suspect you’re not ‘that person’ so please have a good trip and I bet you will all find plenty to do, go and see despite the ‘rubbish’… the people are still…
…warm and our best asset. They deserve more from all of us as they live the reality and do try more than anyone online can ever show you.
A Phiri thanks for your advice. I’ve taken it.
I’m humbled. You’re more than welcome.
I see money in those recyclable plastics, paper, bottles etc. Has recycling surely not landed in Lusaka? Here pipo are minting serious cash. some have built biomass power stations to generate electricity. Backward Lusakans, stop blaming Govt, when its your laziness that’s eating you alive..
There is some dutch guy who has found paradise in Lusaka and is making a killing out of this dirt cos he gets it for free. Soon others will jump onto the bandwagon and we’ll end up having a situation where the homeless start cleaning up this rubbish and selling it to recyclers.
Spot on….this is where jobs could be created if the City Council co-partnered with a private entity in recycling of plastic containers. The recycling process consists of transforming bottle waste into flakes, by drying and crystallizing the flakes, by plasticizing and filtering, as well as by pelletizing. This is big business as manufacturers import this product as recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) which is further used in a variety of manufacturing processes;
1)A-PET film for thermoforming 2) Addition to PET virgin production 3) BoPET packaging film 4) PET Bottle resin by SSP 5) Carpet yarn 6)Engineering plastic
7) Filaments 8)Non-woven 9)Packaging stripes 10)Staple fibre.
If people are paid for these containers there would not be any on our streets.
Yes, recycling is big business in Germany too. I actually started thinking in those lines way back and even worked out a concept with a workmate who wanted to invest but we shelved it for the time being due to other committments. I still have a detailed layout on the machinery and equipment required though, in case someone is interested.
@ nine chale, please drop a msg into [email protected] I would like to look at it! Danke!!!
Oho ! So Zambia is blessed with dirty dirtiness starting all the way from the government, the people and its cities. Who will correct this awful situation then, the dirty government ?
Sit ,talk and drink beer all week , the same opaque beer containers,disposable lagers will take over your yard………the plastics in shoprite ,pick n pay,garbage from houses i see disaster in decade especially plastics and disposable bottles.
The city was cleaner when MMD was in power because they weren’t scared to lose cheap votes from kaponyas. Lusaka is the only city probably in the whole world which has legalised street vending in the CBD. Under MMD, yes steet vending was there but not on the CAIRO ROAD ISLAND as what we are seing today. No no no!!! The Lusaka City Police would ocassionary patrol and apprehend lawless PF kaponyas once in a while but not thise dirty chaps ruling today. The whole country is just jUNK under this useless govt. Kaponyas have taken over now and the sick one is busy browsing Facebook at plot one. Shame shame shame.
Truth hurts, and we must take some positives out of this article… i am Proudly Zambian buts hurt the way venders have taken the beauty of lusaka city! lets change for the better as Zambian please….first step:vendors should be out.
@Eddy Muna
i hear you my brother , you are spot on!
Very thought provoking article full of truth. The writer sounds like that ZOL blogger guy called visionary, he alks a lot about how dirty Lusaka is, though visionary does not write long articles. Zambia today is let by blind leaders, people interested in votes and don’t see in dirty.
This situation of street vendors will be very difficult to control only plot 1 can put this to an end. Those in the street claim plot 1 gave them the right to be where they are. They are the mass voters. Removing them from the streets without word from plot 1 will result into battles with the police.
Send this article to Mayor Chisenga and his deputy Mulenga Sata,C.c Kabanshi.. They should tell us also there vision for Lusaka by 2015 to 2020?. You just left out those shunt compounds which Saulos the comedian always talk about,even Danny kaya sang about ochokela Kwa?awe mwandi.Why not up grade those colonial compounds near town to low residential status and rename them. e.g Kwa John langi if rebuilt Name it Rockfield T/ship,Kwa Kalingalinga- Just call it Kamlops T/ship.Chipata Compound, people especially our the old folks end up boarding a mini bus going to Chipata compound when infact they are going to Chipata in eastern province change it to -Fort Jameson T/ship, Mandevu? awe shua, may some body help.. Malipodi? ,Msisi? yaba, i am out of here.
there is a reply article all of the sudden from government hahahahahaha. they better start doing something.
It,s not only Lusaka alone,but all towns and cities.Go to Choma and see for yourself.
In the 70’s when we were young ,the councils used to pick dirt from residential places and people were employed to sweep the streets.The were garbage collection place at market.
What we need is first of all is to educate the population at large about keeping our environment clean.Environmental studies must also be compulsory from standard 1 to grade 12.
The councils must come up with measures to clean up the towns and cities and then introduce stiff punishment for offenders who don dot comply.
UNIP inherited a clean country, even villages were swept clean. The colonialists ensured that. As soon as KK and his band of incompetents took charge they reduced the whole country to a garbage dump that you are living in now, only one town, Chingola, endured for a short while before it joined the rest. If some drastic action is not taken to have a complete turn around in the way national affairs are managed, we will forever remain in this rut. The current regime in state house and govt do not inspire confidence to change the status quo. It’s a pity seeing that our country is so beautiful but cursed with bad leadership.
It,s not only Lusaka alone,but all towns and cities.Go to Choma and see for yourself.
In the 70?s when we were young ,the councils used to pick garbage with trucks from residential places and people were employed to sweep the streets.There were garbage collection places at all markets.
What we need is first of all is to educate the population at large about keeping our environment clean.Environmental studies must also be compulsory from standard 1 to grade 12.
The councils must come up with measures to clean up the towns and cities and then introduce stiff punishment for offenders who don dot comply.
Let us stop the blame game.Every one is responsible for this mess
Late president of Malawi used to shout at his Ministers ” Kwacha!, ufulu, mutendere!!!!, Mama and I are very happy to see you my people (this was interpreted into cichewa. But I am very unhappy to employ the minister of health and Sanitation and his entire team. I do not know why they have behaved like this, maybe because I picked them from the bush. They have made my cities Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Muzuzu. My people (antu anga), Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Muzuzu were the cleanest towns in the world. Now these dirty Minister and Mayors have dirtened my city. Now I am teaching you dirty mayors and Minister to clean the town and put up dust bins in every Conner of the town and market and collect the dirty every hour!.
He spoke and morning the town was again clean.
Late president of Malawi used to shout at his Ministers ” Kwacha!, ufulu, mutendere!!!!, Mama and I are very happy to see you my people (this was interpreted into cichewa. But I am very unhappy to employ the minister of health and Sanitation and his entire team. I do not know why they have behaved like this, maybe because I picked them from the bush. They have made my cities Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Muzuzu dirty. My people (antu anga), Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Muzuzu were the cleanest towns in the world. Now these dirty Minister and Mayors have dirtened my city. Now I am teaching you dirty mayors and Minister to clean the town and put up dust bins in every Conner of the town and market and collect the dirty every hour!.
He spoke and morning the town was again clean.
THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE IS SPOT ON. YESTERDAY, I WONDERED WHERE ZAMBIANS HAVE BEEN? HAVE THEY BEEN CONTENT WITH ANYTHING LIKE MOVING AROUND WTH SHOE BRUSHES IN JACKETS BECOS OF OUR DIRTY TOWNS? 50 YRS AFTER OUR INDEPENDENCE! ELSEWHERE IN AFRICA, CARS ARE WASHED AFTER TWO WEEKS! BUT BACK HOME, CARS ARE WASHED DAILY!
TODAY, HH WAS LAYING OUT HIS PLANS TO ‘EMPOWER’ HIS ZAMBIANS! HOW DIFFERENT ARE HIS PLANS FROM THOSE OF HIS FRIENDS BE4 HIM? WHERE HAVE OUR TEENAGE LEADERS BEEN TO ALLOW THIS DETERIORATION WHICH TODAY ALLOWS TRAINS & VENDORS TO SHARE SPACE?
WHY SHUD OLD PEOPLE LIKE DOS_SANTOS, ZUMA, MUSEVENI BE THE ONES TO LEAD THE WAY IN INVESTING HEAVILY IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE? ONCE IN OFFICE THESE LADS BECOME OBSESSED WTH DESIGNER CLOTHING, PARTIES & THEIR FAMILIES AT OUR…
Change of mind set for people in the city of Lusaka will bring about cleanliness in the city. People throw litter all over expecting somebody to come and pick it. On the other side Lusaka city council should also do much more than it is currently doing in refuse collection
@KAMAYOYO SAYS
“THE CITY WAS CLEANER WHEN MMD WAS IN POWER!” SURELY, WHO AUTHORIZED HOTELS TO BUILT BUILT ON RAILWAY LINES!
VENDORS HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE KK LEFT. PLEASE BE SERIOUS UNLESS YOU COME FROM RURAL SETTINGS.
The difference between Gaborone, Paris or New York AND our Lusaka is good governance and effective leadership…if you let LCC go ahead and take lead they will receive a phone call from State House or Ministry of Local Gov’t. If Prof. Luo (former Minister of Local Gov’t) went ahead with her strategy to rid us of vendors our city would have been cleaner by now. As of now I don’t see any politician brave enough to tackle this issue especially with 2016 just around the corner.
Beautifully put!
@Jay Jay, i totally agree with your views friend. This scenario doesnt give us the right to throw litter and mess up the environment. infact, the fact that we know the machinery in place is not effective and efficient should make us even more careful because no one is cleaning up after us.
Stupid and foolish people of Lusaka for voting for a grade 4. Ati man of action. He built Avondale. He cleaned UTH. The writer shouldn’t be ashamed because this is what they wanted to have a kaponya as a president. 2016 redeem yourselves.
IT IS YOUR DIRTY LUSAKA AND NOT THE WHOLE COUNTRY IN ZAMBIA, US IN MAZABUKA ARE CLEAN YOU CAN COME AND SEE 4 YOURSELF, THERE ARE SOME BINS ALL OVER TO THROW THE RUBBISH, SO DO THE SAME AND NOT JUST ADVERTISE AND CRITICIZE YOUR CITY LIKE THAT, ACTUALLY EVEN THE ROADS CHECK. ESPECIALLY NGAMWAPITA MUKATI MUTUMASHOTI CUTS FOR MINIBUSSES b4 B4 PROCEEDING TO THE SOUTH, FROM CITY MARKET, BASA, MAPENZI ALIKELIKE
@MAPENZI, thats y the article is about lusaka and the problem that exists there. if Mazabuka is clean….kudos to you and keep it clean. sharp
Yes it is true …we Zambians are just dirty. Visit our homes, they stink like I dont know….we dont keep our surroundings clean but instead we turn them into rubbish dumps….what a dirty people…shaaa.
Truth hurts and all other stereotypes on Filthy Zambians, speak for yourselves as a dirty Zambians, am afraid i may have to disagree with you because I believe charity begins at home.Though i agree that some of our streets more especially in the CBD are filthy however do not paint all of us with the same brush.In addition i have also witnessed well dressed people driving the state of art cars behave in questionable manners such as tossing rubbish as they drive or leave remnants of their meals in the toilet bowl without any care of who walks in and witnesses them leaving the toilet cubical, as the saying goes we are not all the same and we are not equal and this also applies to common sense, common sense is not that common .In addition some folks have more money than common sense.
While! this sounds real, most of us in life have failed to succeed because we rely to much on others…All the dirt you see around Lusaka city is the result of poverty, simply means people goes to town every day to make ends meet..This is done wrongly in wrong places and at wrong time. You can not expect anything good when you encounter a break down in the middle of the national park unless all the animals are Christians.Blaming council for me it’s just chasing an orphan out of your home at night. Council has a lot of problems financially..Just paying its workers most of you have heard of those complaints.I have seen how Livingstone city council has cleaned the city because money was pumped into their coffers let some people do that even with Lusaka and see what will happen. money talks.
@Kapatula, I get your point, but their are simple things that don’t need money. Does one need money to:
1. Choose whether to throw rubbish on the street or in a designated area?
2. Spit anywhere anyhow?
3. Urinate on the street?
……. Just to mention a few examples
@Wanu Ngwee, exactly and spot on friend.
I totally agree with you Kapatula, Livingstone is a changed town very nice. Why cant that be done to other towns especially Lusaka being the capital City. We urgently need this town to be cleaned up. Its so annoying passing through Lumumba Road.
For how long is Livingstone going to be clean? Change as someone has pointed out has to in our mindset as well there is no point you preaching about dirty street vendor yet you are the selfsame people who buys rape and roasted peanuts from them on your way home.
I acknowledge that Lusaka has got some dirty and disorganised areas but let’s not get carried away like some who are suggesting Lusaka is the dirtiest city in the world/Africa. Even in SADC, The terrible areas in Lusaka are no match for the terrible areas in Maputo, Luanda, Kinshasa, Dar es salam. Even those who eulogize South Africa are forgetting about areas like Hillbrow and Alexander. If we go beyond SADC, West African cities and several cities in Latin America and India would make Lusaka seem like it is heaven on earth!! So please my fellow contributors, let us be realistic with our comments.
He should try to go to Dhaka Bangladesh and then he will realize how clean Lusaka is.
He should aswell try Port Harcourt Nigeria aswell as New Delhi India.
So the fact there other dirty cities in Africa gives you comfor?Ulichipuba sana
So now we should be in the race for the dirtiest city in the world?
@kwindi kodjo, ah, ah, ah….tuvi listen to our friend here…..i am speechless….i wont even say anything……
Can someone please post this article on ba Kateka’s facebook, thats the reason it was created to put across issues like this for further action.
Why don’t they use cheap labour, the criminals serving their sentences with harder labour, to clean the streets?
FAILED STATE, Period!!
What next, open sewers???
The author of this article is spot on.Lusaka is a dirty city but its also a symptom of a hidden malaise.Whenever i see dirty Lsk i also see a nation of under achievers borne out of this desire to always seek the path of least resistance.Lsk is dirty bcoz we don’t like pain and exertion which in turn explains why we’re poor.The discipline,order and stringent observance of requirements for cleanliness is the same set of values that these dirty folks need to escape poverty.So being lax with our cleanliness is also saying we like poverty.Indisciplined societies never achieve much in life.
Us who have been priveledged to travel to most parts of the world have hope… If u went to Tanzania 5yrs ago in an area called kariakoo u could vommit and these indians would be comming out of a garbage bin calling it a home… Let copy from TZ. Authorities should stop squabbles and send an expert team to learn. Nomba pa zed u like arguing to make a name. Even when they ask u to mve to make a toilet 4 u opposition will talk nonsence. Enjoy the smellifwee tatuya ku town
Tuli bafiko!
Ama tourists nga bafuma muZambia balanda ati tula nunka icibe,tatusuka ameno,ifyakufwala tatuwasha…which is true…South African Police once told me that they can tell a Kwerekwere because we don’t wear deodorant!…those who are comparing Lusaka to Mumbai or Addis Ababa are just shameless..Lusaka is a dirty city period!..We are apathetic to being personally responsible to anything,you actually breathe clearly if your surroundings are clean,The Mayor is a dirty guy coz he can’t see the filth, put a Muzungu mayor Lusaka will be transformed..there is something about they way a white person approaches hygiene I’m Zambian and it is true…just something we Zambians are short of in the common sense department…
Oh Please!!! Mid you a kwerekwere is not a Zambian but any black foreigner. South Africans even say the same about their fellow blacks i.e. Vendas. The comparison with the cities you’ve mentioned is meant to put things into perspective especially considering the exaggeration from the author as well as some of the other contributors. Lusaka is not a dirty city. Parts of Lusaka are dirty. Lusaka does not need a Muzungu mayor. Don’t even talk about white people and hygiene. Abasamba once a week?? Go and visit your mbuyas village and you will see what cleanliness is about. The only thing that Lusaka needs is order restored, not a white mayor.
Well said and for a change reasonable comment/contribution. Yes the leadership can intervene, but above all, we the people need to change. It is not politicians (alone) that litter around, but we the citizens of Zambia. When queried, many respond rudely that the council will clean. This has to do with our up-bringing. We see nothing wrong with throwing litter any where.
On the other hand, only people who do not travel can call Lusaka the dirtiest city in the world. I was recently in Bamako, Mali. What I saw was worse than what you see in Lusaka. Yes, we need to clean our city, but surely Lusaka is not the dirtiest. Councils were directed to find trading places for vendors and relocate them there. Have they failed to do so, or they want the president to come in and do so.
In Lstone it took Hon Masebo to find space for vendors and personally convince them to leave the streets. This can be done everywhere, but people in councils have forgotten that they were directed to find trading places for people on streets.
In conclusion, it is us Zambians and not Sata alone who can make Zambia clean. Let us blame ourselves and not other people. Councils and other stakeholders (business houses) can facilitate by placing refuse bins at strategic points.
YES it took her to move the vendors BUT at what PRICE? a UNWTO conference and god only knows how many single sourced contracts were handed out and unvouched expenditure.
The problem is everyone of these politicians wants to benefit financially from every campaign, they do not see the long term benefits….take the example of Greece were it was a cavalier offence to avoid paying tax everyone was NOT PAYING IT ..look where it got them.
Too sad indeed. City councils need more motivation from the government and all of us especially those who dont even remember the last time you paid your ‘land rates’. Sad indeed to see a dog rots on the road… Shame bamakaka.
Aristide, you are the man. Enough talk, let us team up and make money out this garbage. This is a multimillion dollar business. I am working on a crowdfunding business plan.
@Word Is Bond , for real my brother, we will be rich, i remember some greek guy in rhodespark called Gally…he got rich collecting garbage.
This is the mindset we need to exorcise, that because other cities are dirtier than our capital city, we shouldn’t be too hard in our criticism. We have to learn to be uncompromisingly smart, clean, not tolerating filth. I think the authorities responsible must have the same mindset or how else do you explain the perennial breakouts out of cholera year in year out? They reckon because Podank is more filthy than Lusaka we should take it easy. Lunatic of logic this.
ARISTIDE BANCE, Firstly, I would like to thank you for the job well done. It is such a revelation that every reasonable person has appreciated your hard work. Remember that not everybody will like this revealing of Lusaka dirt. Do not bother about them for they will soon realize how noble your idea is.
We can start raising more funds for you to visit Copper Belt Cities too. WELL DONE ARI !!!!!!!
@ Zyukuwalola
thanks alot my dear friend. i will gladly go on a tour of duty on the copperbelt.
Very nice article
The article has achieved it’s intended purpose. At least our minds are open and we’re debating about cleaning up our capital city.
There is consistency of truth in Aristide Bance article about the dirt in Lusaka and Zambians in general being dirty. Those of us who travel and live abroad comment about Lusaka dirt with authority because we know how clean a country and its cities are abroad. The first sign of Zambian dirt greets you as you land at KK international air port. The air port itself makes you feel angry with Zambian leaders after being independent for almost half a century. Ndola airport has structures built in 1918 during the world war. Yes, Zambia and Zambians are dirty and only new thinking of creativity and innovation will redeem us. Old politicians are a disaster to current Zambia and will continue with our dirt.
@saulosi i hate pipo with your mentality,your the same people who whether you have passed,your answer is always”i beat alot of pipo in our class”or”alot of pipo failed”why would you want to compare yourselves to failures.please change your attitude and lets clean up lusaka.
@saulosi i hate pipo with your mentality,your the same people who if asked whether you have passed,your answer is always”i beat alot of pipo in our class”or”alot of pipo failed”why would you want to compare yourselves to failures.please change your attitude and lets clean up lusaka.
Yes,Lusaka is dirty as hell and very disorganized.However,i’ve seen much,much worse elsewhere like Accra and Mumbai.Those of you with steely nerves I DARE YOU to try chinasmack.com and search “filthy india” or go to flickr.com and search Old Fadama in Ghana photos.Heck,even try Ajegunle,Nigeria on youtube then you’ll know how worse other are.
I’M NOT SURE THOSE OF YOU WHO DARE WILL EVEN BE ABLE TO EAT AFTER VIEWING THE ABOVE PLACES.
@Mzambia wa zamani, my friend, its about having a clean and sanitary environment not saying that there are worse places than Lusaka. it is like saying i got 15 percent in a test and others got 10 percent and 2 percent and i am bragging ati i am better. FACT: I FAILED THE TEST.
The dirty state of our towns ( I would not even call them cities myself ) is a REFLECTION OF THE MEDIOCRITY OF ZAMBIANS IN GENERAL. That is why 50 years after POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE, the only WAY to the CBELT is through LUSAKA. What a CHEAP NATION OF PEOPLE. A nation that can vote SATA a riff raff into Plot 1. A nation of people that ALWAYS SETTLES FOR LESS. A nation of educated and uneducated embiciles. What a GABBAGE nation in all respects. Maybe we should change the name from ZAMBIA to ‘TOILET’ or ‘DIRAMBA’.
The problem is with ba KATEKA ba PF. Any where in the world where you have seen clean cities and country sides, is because rulers of those areas have wanted it to be like that, and therefore they enforce laws to effect the situations. Professor Luo was demoted for trying to clean cities. Ati balekeni abantu besu bali votela ba PF. Yet the same PF Guys know that dirt in Lusaka is the normal cause of a lot of diseases, Vendors are getting even more affected by dirt. Politicians may never be affected by that dirt because they do not often frequent malabishi areas, and if they did and got sick, they are flown to South Africa for treatment. The poor vendors die remorselessly every day. Wake up. Ciza uli? +
Let me add,however,that given my above comment I DO NOT in any way mean that we should compare or gauge ourselves using the worst.Yes Lusaka is very dirty and we should do better and compete with the best,cleanest cities. Kigali and Windhoek are good examples.
@Mzambia wa zamani
thats forward thinking now. lets nt accept pathetic conditions and as you read from the article, there is a portion of us zambians accepting pathetic conditions. this rubs onto our future generations….how do you think things like corruption get to be accepted as a way of life? the start small and flow from one generation to the next.
The point is what exactly? You want to be Swiss instead of Zambian? Bad luck… Maybe try your luck being a garbage collector
Aristide Bance, your article has definitely rang bells in the minds of most bloggers, it has quite a number of valid points which in my opinion must be addressed by the powers that be, i.e the GRZ through its local systems of operation. We need a clean environment all of us that’s why we all take in clean food through our mouths because the mind just cannot accept bad food. I notice the picture of your article is so polarised because you didn’t take your visitor to pleasant parts of Lusaka city to balance their impression. The difference in the two views would then be used to find out why one side of the coin is dirtier than the other. Solutions are right their in our faces but someone somewhere is too disabled to do their work but too ever ready to rush to the bank come every month-end!
@Mungoni Chipata, thank you my friend for your positive feed back… i took my friend to good places too. you know the expression, first impressions last…..you should go to Kazungula border post between Botswana and Zambia……the bots side very clean with nice ground paving…zambian side…the paving has turned into sand( maybe the trucks crossing from botswana side suddently become heavier on the zambian side or we used sub standard pavings…i am being sacarstic). My visitor came through that avenue and was confronted with that hence his comment in when we met.
shame, shame i agree with you starting in our toilet,kitchen we can even win a world cup ya fiko we are more talkative but no action ,remember during the campagn this ba mumbwe use to say that we will make lusaka heaven now bwana PF talk to me about heaven.do something bwana sata
Despite living aboard for 9 years now I still love Zambia. I can’t even change my citizenship because that’s my motherland. Concerning this matter we shouldn’t blame the Government. Remember cleanness begins at home! People should be educated and have the morale duty to keep their surrounding clean. If the government started charging levies to collect garbage, people will complain that the government is stealing money. The money contributed to the council is not enough to cleaning the city because people are irresponsible. We need to work with the government and support the local councils. Forget MMD, UPND, PF or what so ever party you support. Lets work together. We need to educate each other – remind your neighbor to be responsible. If you see someone throwing rubbish what do you do?
Thats what it is -its all about carefree culture and less about govt.If those in govt were raised in such trash they’ll never see the urgency.Here in Dunnwoody,Ga folks just keep homes clean/neat without govt enforcement bcoz thats the culture and nobody wants to be looked down upon as filthy.Living here i find myself picking a paper off my yard bcoz i’ve assimilated into this culture and i love it clean.
How do you expect to have a clean city when you have a dirty Head of state?
Haha keke keke ke
Though the author of the article has brought out a pertinent issue with regard to our city, he has been more of a sensationalist than an Analyst. As other bloggers have alluded to the issue of filthy in African cities and Beyond is not peculiar to Lusaka only but across the global. This indicates the scope of the problem. Indeed those who have travelled to other places have attested to this fact or simple Google “the dirtiest city in the world”, you will be certainly shocked of what you will see. This article only looked at Lusaka with no Benchmark city marked dirty. This is not to say something shouldn’t be done, surely our city needs to be cleaned up, BUT LUSAKA IS NOT THE DIRTIEST CITY THAT IS A BIG LIE. Be professional not politicizing anything that comes your way.
@BKB i did not in any time and page say Lusaka was the dirtiest city in the world. the issue of using a bench mark with other countries shouldn’t make us comfortable and say there are far worse cities than us is wrong. it is the acceptance i am talking about…accepting nonsense when we know it is not right. Have you seen people cook and eat on the streets of Lusaka……pathetic.
@BKB, i am by no means a journalist and if i told you my profession you would be shocked so i dont even know how to be a sensationalist journalist. for interest’s sake:
Sensationalism is a type of editorial bias in mass media in which events and topics in news stories and pieces are over-hyped to increase viewership or readership numbers ( nothing over-hyped in the article as i wrote about what i observed walking the streets of lusaka while taking pictures and talking to people).
Sensationalism may include reporting about generally insignificant matters and events that don’t influence overall society and biased presentations of newsworthy topics in a trivial or tabloid manner.( again, i didnt write about insignificant issues here, didnt write in a tabloid manner).
The article was drafted in bad taste.
@bkb, This is not a politised article and i am not blaming and pointing fingers at the government ( THOUGH THEY ARE THE POWERS THAT BE). i am saying , we zambians are dirty and contributing to the dirtiness of the city. if this article was written in bad taste i do not know which article will be in good taste coz i wrote about the reality. am glad there is a follow up response from the government and i hope something will be done…..my contribution is done. for your information i have quiet a number of tricks up my sleeve and i will keep pounding till even the most thick headed person changes their article. Round 3……..bring it again BKB AND IMA……
Pathetic writing. Botswana is dirty too..
@Ima, You are the guys who have accepted stupid things in Lusaka…..there is no order in Lusaka. I really touched you coz i spoke the truth fearlessly. If you don’t see the point of the article, there is something wrong with your head.
@ NDOBO,
I really dont understand how my tribe has come into this article but this just shows you how retrogressive our thinking as zambians as become. first of all, i wrote this article as a zambian and a citizen of the city of lusaka. secondly, the issue of tribe that has arisen shows that certain people didnt go through the one zambia, one nation doctrine under Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. i may have been too young but the effects rubbed off to me. thirdly, i have travelled extensively my friend and i ve seen how other countries run their affairs and our standards are down right pathetic. concluding thoughts,
we are all renting this life just like dido’s song life for rent but that doesnt give us the right to destroy our environment…thats selfish, what about the future generation!!!!…
What a commendable piece of writing!
What a mouthful of facts!
What a delight to find one with such passion to see change!
It is clear that the Lusaka City Council has failed to keep the whole city clean.
Dirty in Lusaka is not a new phenomenon and it behooves the stakeholders to come up with realistic strategies to salvage our beloved city- to which end I suggest the following:
1. Establish the root cause of the Lusaka City’s incapacity to do the job effectively.
2. Empower the authority accordingly to do the job.
3. Engage the private sector as key players to do the job.
4. Empower the citizens to a have a say.
Surely, we have capable men and women with even better solutions to this problem but they are not taking any action. Let us cease to to be armchair critics, but be…
@Njobwinjo at large, my friend, if you say Botswana is rich and we can not compare zambia to it can i ask you this? Do you need money to litter and kak in the streets. As i said earlier, the fact that we as zambia are poor should make us even more careful coz the Lusaka City Council is forever crying about funds. Seems you are missing the whole point.
…there was a time in some previous govt when Sata was on record that people who pee or spit anyhow must be arrested… He appeared to be th best person to enforce cleanliness at th time. He wasnt even at state house then. But now that he is even president,oh my God…! Its totally the opposite. Only God help us now……