Communities demand dyke

People from Traditional Authority (T/A) Jenala in Phalombe have urged the district council to speed up the construction of a dyke along Phalombe River ahead of the rainy season.

In an interview on Thursday, group village head Njovu said time was running out for the project, which was scheduled to start on November 1 2022.

He said the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has predicted that the district will likely receive normal to above normal rainfall during the 2022/23 rainy season.

“We have mobilised ourselves to start constructing the dyke since Phalombe District Council is delaying to start construction works,” she said. 

Phalombe District Council spokesperson Bakali Maulidi admitted the delay and said the council was waiting for the World Bank to fund the project.

“For the time being, the council has sourced funds to construct a temporary dyke to protect people from the floods,” he said.

Community member Chiyembekezo Mdala urged others to construct resilient houses in the area.

“We should try to construct houses that can withstand strong winds or floods,” he said.

Most of the villages from T/A Jenala experience floods every year due.