Machile bridge washed away

Moomba chiefdom in Kazungula district has been cut off from the rest of the district following the collapse of Machile Bridge last week.

Machile Bridge which is in Mulobezi district of Western Province was washed away by the heavy rainfall making it difficult for travellers to cross over it.

The situation has caused tension from people residing in the surrounding villages and those coming from Moomba chiefdom in Southern Province.

Moomba area Ward Councilor Davidson Sikasibi disclosed the development to ZANIS in a telephone interview today.

Mr Sikasibi explained that from the time the bridge was washed away, people from his area have been having difficulties to come to the district offices in Kazungula.

He added that patients coming from Moomba rural health centre have resorted to using canoes to cross over to seek quality health care services to the nearby Machile Mission Hospital in Western province.

Mr Sikasibi said the collapsed bridge is along the only reliable route on the Moomba- Simungoma road that connects to Nakatindi road.

He disclosed that during the past 10 days, heavy rainfall characterized the entire Moomba chiefdom and Mulobezi areas hence causing havoc to the bridge.

Mr Sikasibi who described the situation as an emergence has since appealed to the relevant authorities to immediately work on the collapsed bridge to easy travellers’ movements.

Meanwhile, Mr Sikasibi has called upon the three mobile phones service providers, MTN, Zamtel and Airtel to take their networks to chief Moomba’s area.

Mr Sikasibi charged that today’s technology has advanced such that even people in remote areas needed the same services the town dwellers were enjoying.

He said people from Moomba area have to walk long distances coming to Mulobezi area in search for network whenever they want to communicate to their beloved ones adding that he used the same initiative to find network coverage to speak to this reporter over the Machile Bridge.