• Chipata-Mambwe Road under construction

By DALIYA MANDA –

NOTHING will ever put a smile on the face of Isaac Mtonga, a carpenter at Chipata’s Kapata Market, than having shelter of his own.
Having been in the carpentry trade for the last 12 years, Mr Mtonga has seen the joy that owners of houses carry when they contract him to add some finishing touches to their houses.
“I have over the years been called upon by many people to place cupboards, doors, kitchen units, and sometimes even beds for newly constructed homes, and believe me, there is nothing like seeing the joy that comes from the hearts of those who own houses,” he said.
“Every time I am called upon to make these finishing touches, the question that lingers on my mind is when will I be able to have my own house?” Mr Mtonga wondered.
Although the dream of owning his own house seems a little bit far fetched for Mr Mtonga who makes an average of K2,000 a month, he is determined that despite his hardships, he will one day own a house of his own.
“I know that although I have five children, and a wife who is not in employment, with responsibilities such as rentals, school fees, and others, I will be a landlord one day,”
“I want to also use my talent of carpentry by adding wooden finishes to my house, and give my wife a home of her dreams,” he added.
Mr Mtonga’s dreams of owning his own house comes with the realisation that decent accommodation is key to the well-being of humans.
Decent housing, along with a good road network and clean and safe drinking water, are some of the basic requirements of improved livelihood.
One such district that is making an effort to improve infrastructure is Mambwe in the Eastern Province.
Government is making considerable efforts to fund projects in the district through the council to ensure meaningful development befitting the twenty-first century.
In conformity to development, Mambwe District will soon embark on the drilling of 200 boreholes in all parts of the district to ease water problems that are being experienced.
Mambwe District Commissioner Janet Palukani is certain that the project will be undertaken by the council through funds loaned to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing by a German company.
Ms Palukani regretted the prevailing situation where most households are dependent on water wells as their only source of water.
She noted that Government was doing everything possible to ensure people in the area accessed safe and clean water.
She said that initially, the district applied for 200 boreholes but only 150 were approved and the drilling would commence once funds were sent to Mambwe council in 2014.
The district commissioner said that for a start, 14 boreholes out of the initial 200 boreholes the district applied for would soon be done once funds are sent to the area.
Ms Palukani said that some laboratory tests would be done especially in Chief’s Mnkhanya and Msoro where water is considered to have high calcium, which causes yellowing of teeth.
This is because Mambwe District is renowned for challenges of clean and safe water for domestic and agriculture use in almost all its chiefdoms.
The district commissioner stressed on the need for the project to take off because the need for water is a matter of urgency, adding that most

•SOME of the infrastructure Government is putting up in Mambwe District. Pictures by STEPHEN MUKOBEKO/ZANIS

villagers were dependent of water sourced from wells and boreholes of nearby schools.
On the other hand, water supply in townships is more reliable because there was a 24 hour water supply system.
And commenting on roads, Ms Palukani said works on the Chipata-Mfuwe road constructed by Sable construction company which was scheduled for completion last year is on course.
The company will also work on a stretch of 15 kilometres township roads which is also part of the contract under Chipata/Mfuwe road project.
Meanwhile, works on the Katemo-Kalindawalo road being worked on by SIMSUM contractors at a cost of K4.2 million have already began following the clearing of the bush to pave way for construction.
Other roads scheduled to be worked on include the Masumba-Msoro road rehabilitation, being undertaken by JONDA construction company at a cost of K13 million.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga also reiterated the need to expedite the process of drilling of boreholes to Mambwe District.
Dr Chileshe, however, was saddened that the bureaucracy in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing was delaying the whole process of drilling boreholes in the area.
He stated communication through mobile phones could only be effective once telecommunication masts were available in rural areas.
Dr Mulenga was also elated by what he described as impressive road works on the 60 kilometre Mfuwe-Malama Road, whose works began in 2012 and is a RRU being worked on by the Rural Roads Unit (RRU).
He implored the RRU and the council’s planning unit to ensure that the road is compacted to acceptable standards, adding that where necessary, culverts and bridges should also be included in the project.
Because Government is alive to the significant role health plays in socio-economic development, six health posts from the allocated 65 health posts to be constructed in the Eastern Province, will be built in Mambwe District.
One of the strategies Government intends to use in the construction of these health posts is to prioritise areas without health facilities.
The 65 health posts are part of the 650 health posts earmarked to be constructed countrywide.
Following the realisation of the significance of decent housing, Mambwe District, which has been facing accommodation deficits from the time it was established as a district in 1997, could do with the construction of housing units.
However, with unprecedented development taking place in most rural districts, Government should be commended by building eight housing units in Mambwe at a cost of K950 million.
These houses are envisaged to go a long way in improving people’s living conditions.
The improvement of housing units in the province will give impetus to people like Mr Mtonga whose dreams of owning his own house will be a reality in the near future.– ZANIS