BARNABAS ZULU
HARRIET Katenekwa, a parliamentary hopeful for Kanyama Constituency, has raised alarm over the poor state of water supply and reticulation in the area, describing the situation as both a humanitarian crisis and a failure of public service delivery.
Addressing residents during a community meeting held at Mutandabantu grounds over the weekend, Ms. Katenekwa said it was disheartening that thousands of Kanyama residents still lacked access to clean and safe drinking water despite numerous promises from successive governments. “Our people are tired of being promised clean water every election year,” she said.
“Year after year, politicians come here, talk about improving water supply, but nothing changes. People are still lining up at communal taps, others are forced to draw water from shallow wells that are unsafe and contaminated.”
Ms. Katenekwa, who has been conducting a series of community engagement meetings in the constituency, said the poor water reticulation system has contributed to increased cases of waterborne diseases such as cholera, particularly during the rainy season. “We cannot continue living like this. It is unacceptable that in this day and age, people still fall sick and even die from preventable diseases like cholera and dysentery,” she said. “This is directly linked to the lack of proper water infrastructure. It’s a health hazard, and we need urgent solutions.”
She added that the government must treat water access as a critical development priority, not a seasonal campaign tool.
“Water is life. Without water, there’s no health, no sanitation, no dignity. It is a basic human right, not a privilege. The people of Kanyama deserve better than this,” she stated emphatically.
Ms. Katenekwa pledged that if elected to represent Kanyama in Parliament, she would advocate for substantial investment in the area’s water infrastructure and ensure that water reticulation becomes a cornerstone of her development agenda.
“I want to be a voice in Parliament that will consistently push for resources to be allocated to areas like Kanyama that have been neglected for too long,” she said. “We need to modernize the water supply system, expand the network to reach more households, and ensure consistent supply of clean, treated water.”
She also challenged Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company (LWSC) and other relevant stakeholders to work closely with community leaders and residents to find sustainable and long-term solutions.
“Our people are not asking for luxury. They are simply asking for clean water to drink, to cook with, and to bathe their children,” Ms. Katanekwa said. “As leaders, we owe them that much.”
