Office of VEEP saddened by poor state of Mwamba bridge

———–Deputy Minister in the office of the Vice President Harry Kalaba has described the state of Mwamba Bridge on Lukupa River in Kasama as a disaster.

Mr. Kalaba who was in the company of Kasama District Commissioner Kalanga Bwalya said this after inspecting the bridge in Kasama today.

Mr Kalaba has since directed the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit -DMMU Regional Coordinator for Muchinga and Northern Provinces, Paul Muyongo to start erecting a bridge across the stream by June.

He wondered how people have been subjected to crawling when crossing the river 49 years after independence.

Mr. Kalaba who was saddened by the status of the bridge said there was need to build a bridge because the current one was a death trap to the users.

The Deputy Minister has however assured the people in the area of government‘s commitment to addressing the disaster.

Mr. Kalaba narrated that the PF government under the leadership of President Michael Sata is in a hurry to deliver development to the people.

And Kasama District Commissioner Kalanga Bwalya said there is need to urgently work on the bridge to lessen problems people have been subjected to for a long time.

Mr. Kalanga observed that the situation worsens during the rainy season when the river gets flooded to its banks making it difficult for the community to transport agriculture produce and accesses health care services across the river.

He however, thanked the office of the Vice Presidents for sending the Deputy Minister to have an spot check on the washed away bridge.

Meanwhile DMMU Regional Coordinator Paul Muyongo said the bill of quantity for the bridge has been submitted to the Road Development Agency (RDA) in Lusaka.

Mr. Muyongo  assured the Deputy Minister that works will commence as soon as funds are released.

Mwamba bridge  is of economic importance in the agriculture sector and  joins Lwimbo and Mwamba villages situated 20km from the Kasama town centre.