Provision of clean, safe drinking water a priority – HH
By Staff Reporter
HAKAINDE Hichilema says provision of clean and safe drinking water should be a priority.
Hichilema, who is UPND leader, has rehabilitated boreholes in Milanzi constituency in Eastern Province.
On January 31 this year, Hichilema went to Chimsimbe village, Milanzi Constituency in Katete district to rally support for Jennipher Phiri, who was Chindwale ward by-election UPND candidate, where he met about 25 village headmen of Kathumba chiefdom who spelt out various social hardships in the ward.
Hichilema who was accompanied by UPND chairman for agriculture, food and water development Levy Ngoma and the party’s provincial chairman Paul Thole in response, said he would personally mitigate their challenges with drinking water as he would repair some faulty boreholes and donate a new one.
The February 12 Chindwale ward by-election was occasioned by the resignation of John Banda, a UPND councillor, which was eventually won by Roderick Banda of the ruling PF.
Hichilema wrote on his Facebook page yesterday that as part of his community contributions, “we have rehabilitated and handed over some disused boreholes in Milanzi Constituency, Katete district, Eastern Province.”
“We are grateful to the village headmen and local communities, particularly in Chisaka, John Machila and Daniel villages of Chindwale ward of Milanzi constituency, for working with our water technicians who we sent on the ground to make sure our citizens can access clean and safe drinking water in the area,” Hichilema stated.
“Safe and clean drinking water for our citizens throughout the country is a huge priority to us as it reduces the disease burden, hence reducing the stress on our already congested health care infrastructure in the country.”
He further pledged that once in government, one of the priority areas of his government would be allocating more resources in water harvesting mechanisms and creating more and bigger water reservoirs like dams and canals.
Hichilema stated that with such water facilities in place, Zambians could then rely on them for productive purposes in agriculture and grow more food throughout the year, without waiting for rains.
“That is the assured way of reducing hunger and poverty at household level and the country at large,” he stated.
Hichilema indicated that he would have loved to travel to Milanzi himself and be with “fellow citizens” in the constituency but that “as usual, there are lots of restrictions on our movements by those who have decided to curtail our freedoms of movements and other liberties.”
“Our chairperson for agriculture Hon. Levy Ngoma represented us in working and handing over these water points to the local communities in the area,” stated Hichilema.
“Special thanks to our Eastern Province vice-chairperson Mr Mike Tembo, provincial IPS (information and publicity secretary) Mr Mususa Mwambula, district secretary Mr Mateyo Nkhoma, district youth chair Mr Kasanda Nyirenda and Chindwale ward UPND losing councillor Ms Jennifer Phiri.”
