Communities push to restore water pump

Chilowamatambe Citizen Voice Forum, also known as Bwalo la Mzikain Kasungu South East Constituency, has initiated the restoration of a solar-powered water pump at Chamwabvi Health Centre which ran for three months without water.

In an interview on Tuesday, the group’s chairperson Senior Chief Chilowamatambe said the pump was stolen and they engaged the area’s legislator Khumbize Kandodo-Chiponda to mobilise resources to restore it.

“We feared that operating without water in this time of Covid-19 was not good,” he said.

The chief warned people against vandalising or stealing property at the facility, saying they will be punished if caught.

Kandodo-Chiponda, who is also Minister of Health, condemned the theft of the water pump, saying it was counterproductive.

“Water, as we always say, is life. There is no way a health centre can go three months without water because most of its  services require water,” she said.

Kandodo-Chiponda said the water pump was bought using Constituency Development Fund.

The health centre in-charge Ellen Jambo commended Bwalo la Mzika for the initiative.

She said: “The maternity and labour wards cannot operate without water.

“Again, the situation also affected members of staff, who had to source water elsewhere.”

Bwalo la Mzika is involved in many issues affecting people in Kasungu South East.

The group has so far terminated child marriages, stopped mobile markets as a precautionary measure against Covid-19 and is encouraging people to wear face masks and get vaccinated against the pandemic.