COUNCILLOR LOBBIES FUNDING FOR BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
By MUKOSELA KASALWE TWO out of the seven bridges in Matero’s Kapwepwe Ward 25 are under construction using the 2017 Ward Development Fund though funds are not enough to complete all the bridges, says Patriotic Front councillor Patrick Salubusa.
Mr Salubusa said to respond to floods which have been affecting the community for many years during the rainy season, the ward had applied for the construction of seven bridges in Lilanda Site 5, Desai and Paradise compounds.
He said two of the seven bridges were under construction using the 2017 Ward Development Fund namely, Monezi along Bancroft Road and Chinyanja Bridge towards the end of Harry Mwanga Nkumbula Road.
In an interview with the Daily Nation yesterday, Mr Salubusa said the Ward Development Fund was not enough to finance the remaining five bridges and appealed to various stakeholders and cooperating partners such as the Millennium Challenge Account to come to the aid of the community to combat flooding effectively.
Mr Salubusa said works undertaken by the contractor, Hambert contractors, had reached an advanced stage and that soon the two bridges would be commissioned.
“The 2017 Ward Development Fund is not enough to finance the remaining five bridges, so the only option is to wait for 2018 unless we receive funding from other sources.
“I am, therefore, appealing to various stakeholders and cooperating partners like the Millennium Challenge Account to step forward and help us with the remaining five bridges so that we fight flooding effectively,” he said.
Mr Salubusa implored residents of Kapwepwe Ward to take care of the bridges and drainages.
He said acts of vandalism and negligence were a huge cost to unblock drainages and that unfortunately after experiencing floods members of the community always blamed the Lusaka City Council when they had not guarded such public property jealously.