Civic accountability

IT is axiomatic that the failure of the Lusaka City Council reflects on the performance of the Patriotic Front and it is for this reason that President Edgar Lungu did not mince his words about the sloppy and slovenly performance of the local authority which has allowed the degeneration of facilities to a point where cholera has become pandemic in Lusaka.

The death of more than 41 people from a preventable disease is as unacceptable as it is a grave indictment on the capacity, accountability and suitability of those leading the council.

Clearly, cholera is as a result of unsanitary conditions prevailing in the city. This reality has been borne out by the amount of filth drawn out of clogged drainages in the Soweto trading area and other parts of the city.

It is evident as the President indicated that no effort was made whatsoever by the council to ensure that the drains were cleaned and good hygienic practices were enforced in the trading areas.

Equally, shallow wells were allowed to subsist with equally shallow pit latrines thereby allowing an intermingling of liquids with faecal matter.

Clearly, there was no need for the defence forces to get involved in this cleaning exercise if the council had taken its inspectorate responsibility seriously. We have therefore lost lives because of negligence. This is unacceptable.

The council, must, as a matter of urgency, undertake a serious introspection of leadership and replace all failing officers however senior or politically attached.

Secondly, an empowered inspectorate team must be established to undertake enforcement inspections that may require the demolition and removal of structures built on public utilities and indeed those that are inappropriately located.

We cannot allow a situation where human waste is disposed of indiscriminately without regard to proper hygiene. This is a recipe for disaster and is obviously the cause for the current malaise.

While accepting the spirit of enterprise, trading must be conducted in designated areas and those defying the planning authority must be dealt with in the sternest manner possible to protect the greater good.

We are of course aware of the ever present danger that political influence exerts on local authorities but ultimately, a poorly performing council is a threat to the very fortunes of the ruling party.

There is nothing salutary or indeed positive about a cholera pandemic, it is simply poor management and a failure of exercising requisite public accountability.

Going forward, a lot of tough measures have to be undertaken, including the displacement of a large number of people who have become accustomed to trading on the streets.

Some have gone as far as trading in meat, fish and other fresh produce for which there are no suitable storage facilities.

This has been allowed because the council has failed to exercise its full responsibility. It is this negligence that has ultimately forced the President to call in the defence forces to carry out a task the council should have done in the first place.

This is totally unacceptable. The council must therefore wake up, carry out an introspection and demonstrate to the President and the people in general that remedial measures have been taken and those charged with various responsibilities have the acumen and resources to undertake this duty.

Sadly, the City Council is better known for wrong things including the sale of plots illegally and working in collusion with wealthy and influential individuals who build structures in gazetted roads, sewer routes and related infrastructure.

There is so much impunity because corruption has eaten into the integrity of the council therefore individuals can buy their way out of by-laws and regulations.

That is why an entire Defence Force training centre has no drive way parking space because this has been sold away and nobody seems to have the power to reverse what is clearly a ridiculous and unacceptable situation.

PURSUING JUSTICE AND EQUITY WITH INTEGRITY