Cemetery boreholes cheer Lusaka mourners

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 06:12:13 +0000

By KALOBWE BWALYA

THE sinking of two boreholes at both Old and New Leopard Hill cemeteries by the Muslim community has excited the mourners who have since asked the church to extend their gesture to other cemeteries.

Some mourners talked to said it was important that cemeteries such as Chingwere and Chunga have boreholes or tap water because mourners needed the water for various purposes.

Mr Shadreck Mutelo of Matero said cemeteries were busy places and people needed water for washing their hands, landscaping and watering.

He said water was life and the idea of the Muslim community sinking a borehole at a cemetery was a welcome move and should be encouraged because mourners were finding it difficult to access water for use each time they buried their loved ones.

But Ms Mwanzanji Banda said the water from the cemetery should be chlorinated if used for drinking.

“The water should be chlorinated since it cannot be boiled because it could be contaminated with human particles. But once chlorinated it can also be used for drinking,” she said.

Vincent Muzumara felt that the idea of sinking boreholes in the cemeteries was a good idea although the water system would be affected by the general environment of the graveyard.

In 2015 two boreholes were sunk in Old and New Leopard Hill cemeteries following the recommendation of the Lusaka City Council after the request from the Muslim community.

Meanwhile, mourners have asked the local authority to improve the roads in the LCC-managed cemeteries which had become impassable especially during the rainy season.