5 November 2008
editorial
ALMOST every rain season brings with it cholera outbreaks and it appears this season is no exception at all and Zambians must brace themselves to survive the disease.
It is common knowledge that cholera thrives in dirty environs and in our situation this disease mostly affects people living in unplanned settlements commonly called shanty townships.
The situation in most of our towns and cities is frightening especially when one looks at the state of drainage and sewer systems as well as the inability by local authorities to collect garbage.
Take the example of Lusaka, which literally has clogged drainage systems, and the slightest of rain leaves many places flooded. In fact, there is no drainage to talk of in some places.
Many questions are still being asked as to whether the works that were going on in Kanyama and Kamwala South have been completed because it appears there is no work going on.
Last rain season, these parts of Lusaka were flooded and residents who were affected have bitter memories. Is there going to be repeat of that?
Our markets like Chisokone in Kitwe and Soweto in Lusaka are fertile breeding grounds for all sorts of germs in the rain season and it is always mind-boggling how people continue to trade there.
The environs are filthy and places strewn with mounds of garbage while public conveniences like lavatories are insufficient and hardly kept clean.
If there is one area where all local authorities have failed, it is their inability to collect and dispose of garbage regularly and efficiently.
Thousands, if not millions of tonnes of garbage, are generated everyday in our cities and our local authorities are failing to cope with the situation.
But residents do not also help matters because people throw and dump litter anywhere as long as it is not in their yard.
Street corners and any empty spaces have been turned into garbage dumps and even the Make Zambia Clean and Healthy campaign has largely been ignored.
With this scenario, it not surprising that cholera breaks out almost every rain season and year in, year out lives are lost and it appears no lessons are learnt.
Do we really need the Government to police us into being clean? It appears the Make Zambia Clean and Healthy campaign was forgotten soon after official functions.
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