APPOINT a minister in the Office of the Vice President to be in charge of disasters as the rainy
season intensifies to improve prevention and response, Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba has
advised President Hakainde Hichilema.
Mr. Kalaba a former cabinet minister said the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU)
under the Vice President’s Office has been slow and ineffective in preventing and responding to
disasters because of lack of political oversight.
He said in a statement that the DMMU could only be proactive if President Hichilema appointed
a minister in the office of the Vice President to oversee the prevention, management and
mitigation of disasters.
Mr Kalaba said there was no one to provide political oversight and policy direction because the
Vice President was too busy hence the need for a minister specifically in charge of disasters to
ensure the unit has enough staff and resources
“As the rainy season intensifies the number of bridges being washed away and dams collapsing
is also increasing and this is causing suffering for citizens in the affected areas,” he said.
Mr Kalaba said such disasters are expected to increase as the rainy season takes root and
more citizens would need humanitarian aid from the government in form of food, clean and safe
drinking water, shelter and other basic needs.
He said the government should not wait for disasters even where they are predictable to act but
should plan ahead.
Mr Kalaba said DMMU in the past had a deputy minister who oversaw the function of disaster
but after the amendment of the republican Constitution there is a void.
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