•LUSAKA Province Permanent Secretary Wamunyima Muwana (with raised leg), Lusaka District Commissioner Ashell Kampengele (in blue work suit, wearing hat) and Chawama Ward Two councillor Portipher Tembo (in grey trousers) when they joined Road Development Agency female members of staff to clean drainage facilities in Chawama Township in Lusaka on Thursday ahead of International Women’s Day celebrations.
Picture by CHUSA SICHONE

By FLAVIOR CHISHALA –
THE Road Development Agency (RDA) members of staff on Thursday abandoned their offices to lead the way in cleaning drainages on the newly-constructed Old Chawama Market Road as a way of commemorating International Women’s Day, which falls today.
RDA chief executive officer Bernard Chiwala said the drainages were the lifeline of road infrastructure, hence the need to keep them clear of debris.
Mr Chiwala said the organisation had launched the cleaning and unblocking of the drainage  system, which had been turned into a dumpsite, as a way of demonstrating that RDA was concerned with the well-being of Chawama residents and other road users.
He appealed to the community to desist from destroying sign posts meant for directions as this was a drawback on the efforts by the organisation to clearly mark the roads to avert accidents.
“We hope that you observed and learnt a lesson from what RAD has done this morning. This infrastructure is yours and so you should keep it well.
“It is our desire as RDA to improve the Lusaka roads through the ring roads,” he said.
During the same exercise, RDA donated five bins to Chawama Ward Two as a way of controlling unwanted dumpsites Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Wamunyima Muwana said the action by RDA was a wake-up call for Chawama residents to refrain from discarding refuse in drainage.
Mr Muwana urged the residents who witnessed the demonstration to help sensitise the community.
He appealed to the area councillor to put his house in order and find out what was making people throw rubbish in the streets.
Liu Xiaodong, who is deputy director of Avic International, the company contracted to do the Lusaka L400 project, said he was happy that people appreciated the company’s works.
Mr Xiaodong said the company faced a number of challenges while working on the road such as the relocation of electric poles and water pipes.
He implored the local communities to take good care of the road.