YOU HAVE FAILED TO FIGHT CHOLERA, MPS TOLD

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu’s directive to the defence forces to clean up Lusaka, in curbing further spread of cholera, is an indication that the local authority, councilors and Members of Parliament (MPs) have failed to address the epidemic, says AntiVoter Apathy Project (AVAP) Copperbelt provincial Coordinator Poster Jumbe. Mr. Jumbe said the Lusaka City Council (LCC) and the MPs should be ashamed that they had failed to maintain hygiene in the capital city, leading to the cholera outbreak which forced Mr. Lungu to direct the defence and security personnel to clean up the central business district. He said in an interview in Kitwe that AVAP was happy with the Head of State’s to decision to involve the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia National Service, and Zambia Police Service to clean up Lusaka. “As we commend the decision taken by the Republican President, we take a swipe at the local authority, the councilors and MPs for having failed to handle the issue before it worsened. “So for the President to take that decision, it meant those responsible for cleaning up the city have failed to work. They should be ashamed that they have lamentably failed to carry out their job and it had to take the entire President to intervene,” Mr. Jumbe said. Mr. Jumbe said the elected leaders’ attitude, of even failing to meet residents and sensitize them on dangers of indiscriminate litter disposal, was bad. “As leaders, I expect them to be proactive and not reactive. They should not wait for outbreaks to happen before they can talk about hygiene. From the onset of the rains, councilors and MPs should talk to residents about hygiene and effective garbage management,” he said. He added that MPs and councilors must enact laws and by-laws that would deter people from random litter disposal. Mr. Jumbe said random rubbish disposal was an offence in some countries and Zambia must follow suit. He added that street vending should be regulated and restricted to certain parts and streets of the city, instead of being done anywhere.