Mwata Kazembe wants water MOU

Mwata Kazembe wants water MOU

Mwansabombwe, February 15, 2014, ZANIS – Senior Chief Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda people of Mwansabombwe district in Luapula Province wants  a memorandum of understanding to be signed over the management of water in his chiefdom .

Senior Chief Mwata Kazembe says the MOU should be signed before government could come in to manage the water affairs on behalf of his subjects.

The Senior Chief made the call when Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo paid a courtesy call on him on Tuesday this week.

The Mwata said the proper management of water affairs in his chiefdom will help his subjects to live healthy lives because water was life.

He said he was aware that NWASCO was a national body responsible for water management in the country through its various agents but that there was need to  agree on the modalities because the commodity in his chiefdom was currently being managed by the traditional authority.

He added that the news that government wants to assist his subjects with enhanced access to clean water was commendable.

And Luapula Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo assured the Mwata that dialogue between the traditional authority and Government was the best way to manage sustainable projects in the chiefdom.

He said this is because the traditional authority had been responsible for the management of water in the chiefdom and the transition should be based on dialogue and understanding between both parties for the benefit of the people.

Mr Kasolo said government will run the water affairs through Luapula water and sewerage company because it was the competent body with the necessary expertise to manage the water affairs on behalf of the traditional authority and the government .

And Mwata Kazembe also welcomed the proposal of establishing a solar farm in his chiefdom for the promotion of enhanced access to electricity among his subjects .

He said he was prepared to offer land for the project because provision of electricity was a key driver of development for his people.

He also appealed for the construction of an office block to accommodate the district commissioner and other government officials who had no offices to operate from.