Kamalamba ward in disease alert as wells dry up

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 09:27:22 +0000

By JACK MAPAPAYI

THE entire Kyafukuma area in Kamalamba ward of Solwezi district is under threat from waterborne diseases following the drying up of both shallow wells and boreholes.

A check by the Daily Nation found that all  shallow wells around the community have dried up, forcing residents to start drawing the commodity from Kyafukuma stream which is about 10 kilometres away.

And the residents have called on Solwezi Municipal Council to come to their aid by drilling more boreholes in the area.

One of the residents, Peter Mulowa, a peasant farmer, said the safety of the people in the area was not guaranteed because of the kind of water they were drinking.

He explained that all the wells in the area have dried up and that people were now forced to draw water from the nearest stream which he said was polluted.

“The situation is bad. People are walking long distances to the nearest stream to fetch water, which is not safe because animals are also using the same water source,” Mr Mulowa explained.

Another resident Alita Kinembelo, 58,  a widow, complained that life has not been easy for her because of the long distance she walks to draw water.

“To be honest, the situation has gotten out of hands. Look at the distance we are covering every day to search for water; it is hard to survive,” she said.

And Judith Kakompe also resident of the same area called on the local authority to quickly intervene before lives were lost.

“Our lives are at stake because of the water situation. So it is just prudent that the council comes to our aid,” she said.

Solwezi Municipal Council public relations unit could not be immediately reached for a comment.