PETER SICHALI writes
MAFINGA’s Kalanga ward councillor Samson Kaunda has appealed to government to quickly complete construction of Bemba Bridge for people to access Muyombe which has been cut off due to heavy rains.
Mr Kafunda told the Sun in an interview that Muyombe was usually cut off from the rest of Mafinga district every rainy season as vehicles could not cross to the other side of Bemba River because of the poor state of the bridge.
“The situation is very bad here because as I am speaking to you Muyombe is cut off from the administration centre Thendele and the rest of the district,
“This is because Bemba River Bridge is flooded and both vehicles and pedestrians cannot cross to Muyombe,” said Mr Kafunda.
Mr Kafunda said the state of the bridge has affected construction projects in Muyombe area as trucks ferrying building materials were unable to cross over.
‘‘This has also affected construction projects in Muyombe such as Muyombe hospital, Kalanga View Lodge for the council and some CDF funded projects,
“Trucks have to wait up to as long as four days for water to recede before crossing into Muyombe to deliver building materials,”he said
Mr Kafunda said people were usually left with no option but to spend days on either side of the river.
‘‘The state of the bridge has also affected operations of health facilities as clinics cannot conduct referrals because ambulances are unable to use Bemba Bridge to take patients to Isoka District hospital,
“School going children too have to wait for water levels to subside before crossing to the other side and in the process they are missing their lessons,” said Mr Kafunda
Mr Kafunda said children’s lives were lost every rainy season due to lack of a proper bridge on Bemba River.
“I wish therefore to appeal to government through the Road Development Agency (RDA) to quickly work on this bridge which has remained a death trap for a long time,” he said.
