HH Attributes Mumbwa Flash Flood To Poor Planning Of Human Settlements
United Party For National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has called for the proper planning of settlements and residential areas to avoid the flooding and destruction of houses and crops in an event of heavy rains.
Mr Hichilema was speaking in Mumbwa yesterday when he visited and donated foodstuffs to victims of the Mumbwa floods attributed the calamity which led to the death of a 21 year old woman last weekend.
“How do you build dams upstream while building residential areas and settlements downstream. This is the resultant. We need to plan and unfortunately, our government is failing to do that. We shall prioritise planning to avoid such calamities which result in casualties”, he said.
The opposition leader said he decided to spend his new year celebrations with the people that were affected by the floods in the spirit of brotherhood and called for unity and brotherliness even in times of bereavement and calamities.
Mr Hichilema further commended the community for coming to the aid of each other during the rescue mission.
“I want in a special way to thank you the people of this community for being each other’s keeper during the calamity. You came together and rescued the victims and all I can say is thank you very much. To the youths, job well done, your help came at the right moment otherwise we would have had several casualties”, the opposition leader added.
Mr Hichilema donated foodstuffs which included Mealie meal, Cooking oil, Sugar and oxen for distribution among the affected.
And uncle to the deceased thanked the UPND leader for visiting and comforting the family.
Meanwhile,Police blocked the UPND leader from accessing the camping centre for the flood victims as armed officers surrounded the centre.
Mr Hichilema was accompanied by Mumbwa Central Member of Parliament Credo Nanjuwa, Council Chairman Gracious Hamatala and several constituency and District Party officials
This article originally appeared on Lusaka Times