Heavy rains causing havoc, says VP

Sat, 25 Feb 2017 11:43:56 +0000

THE Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) is collecting information from all parts of the country to ascertain the amount of damage to infrastructure caused by heavy rainfall, Vice President Inonge Wina has told Parliament.

Mrs Wina has also explained that her office has written to all the Members of Parliament to indicate the damage caused to infrastructure by the heavy rains.

Responding to a question raised by Kaumbwe Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament Listed Tembo, Mrs Wina said the heavy rains that Zambia had experienced this season had caused a havoc throughout the country.

Mr Tembo wanted find out on behalf of the people of Kaumbwe constituency what Government was doing to address the challenge of the washed away bridges and blown off iron sheets at schools.

He said that two kids from his constituency drowned in a bid to cross a river on their way to school as the bridge was washed away by heavy rains.

But in her response, Mrs Wina said bridges and schools had not been spared and as a result of that the DMMU which was under her office was currently collecting data from all parts of the country to ascertain the amount of damage caused to infrastructure.

“Mr Speaker, the DMMU is mobilizing resources to ensure that it responds to the cries on the ground such has what has happened in that constituency,” she said. Mrs Wina said DMMU was operating on a shoe string budget and that was why she brought supplementary budget motions to the House so that DMMU could be given extra financial support by Parliament to respond to emergencies.

And the Vice President has advised Members of Parliament to take advantage of newly created districts and build houses for lease to people living there.

“These new districts have created business opportunities and I would implore members to use the little money they earn to build houses which people can rent. Invest in housing,” Mrs Wina said.

She however assured the MP that Government had a programme to build accommodation for civil servants in all new districts and other places.

Mrs Wina was responding to a question by Gweembe UPND Member of Parliament Atractor Chisangano who wanted to know when Government would build houses for health workers deployed in her constituency.