Salima District council wants infrastructure fund increased

Salima District Council has called on government to raise its monthly infrastructure development fund to K50 million, saying the current K10 million renders the council inefficient.

The council’s chairperson, councillor Peter Kadam’manja told Weekend Nation in an interview that his council has set two ambitious plans which cannot be fully executed using the K10 million subventions.

“The problem is that the money that comes in form of subventions funds specific projects. Some of it is for paying electricity or water bills, and there’s nothing for other projects such as construction of bridges.

“But one of our priority plans is to construct a stadium which will primarily cater for our two football teams namely, Airborne Rangers and Mafco FC which currently use Chitowe Ground in Dwangwa for games. This is a shame and we feel we are losing out on extra revenue which could be generated through gate collections,” he said.

Kadam’manja noted that the council did not get a satisfactory response from government on a proposal the council made in relation to the projects last year.

He, however, said the council resolved to identify a good stadium design, and purchase bricks to be used in the construction of a perimeter fence.

“This will enable us to start collecting gate fees as the other works progress,” said Kadam’manja.

According to Kadam’manja his council also plans to construct a new health facility at the Boma.

“In the past, our district hospital was located along the Senga Bay road, but when the new district hospital was constructed a few kilometres away, the old structure was neglected and is now in ruins.

“The most unfortunate part is that the land is now being sold to private investors and individuals when people are scrambling for the new hospital which is too small to cater for the increasing population.

“The good news is that the secretariat has allocated us a new land where we intend to put the health facility,” he said.

Commenting on the developments, Salima Central MP Felix Jumbe said the council has also agreed to construct a fence around the district hospital apart from repairing its kitchen which is also “in bad state”.

“We also need a boarding school so that our children, especially girls, don’t find it difficult to access quality education in a secure environment,” said Jumbe.