Senior Chief Chisamba of Salima District has bemoaned lack of development projects in his area.
In an interview on Tuesday, he said life in the area was unbearable because his subjects have no access to clean water and electricity.
“Pregnant women travel long distances to hospital and some even deliver on the way,” he said.
Chisamba also cited poor roads and a dilapidated bridge as a drawback to mobility in the area.
| Lovemore Khomo
“During harvesting season, our people fail to transport their produce to good markets. To compound the problem, vehicles carrying subsidised farm inputs fail to reach beneficiaries due to poor road network,” he said.
He, therefore, asked authorities to facilitate development projects to improve lives in the area.
On his part, Chisamba Area Development Committee chairperson Phales Jekapu said lack of antenatal clinics was putting the lives of pregnant women at risk.
She said: “Women walk 17 kilometres to Kaphatenga sub-district hospital or Salima District Hospital for antenatal services.
“We are living in the Stone Age as people are born and grow without using electricity, tarmac roads and other social amenities.”
A community member Chikumbutso Edward said poor roads have limited their opportunities to embark on economic ventures.
“With poor roads, it will be difficult to run businesses that require transporting commodities from Salima Boma to the village or vice versa,” he said.
Edward urged duty-bearers in the area to take the concerns to the district full council meeting in due course.
But in response, Salima district commissioner James Mwenda said locals are given a mandate to choose and propose development activities that should be implemented in their area in collaboration with the council.
“Area development committees and their people are the ones who have powers to facilitate development projects,” he said
