CIVIC leaders in Lusaka must squarely face the blame for the perennial problem of floods in the city every rain season.

We are wondering where elected councilors and the area Members of Parliament are exerting their energies if it is not for the betterment of the city in which they preside.

It is shameful that the councilors and the Members of Parliament who are vested with the duty to ensure Lusaka lives up to the standard of a capital city are not heard nor seen to be doing anything to address this problem.

Where are the area councilors in Mandevu and Chaisa or indeed the area members of parliament in the affected townships? Their silence is too loud.

Theories have been propounded on why Lusaka always floods every rain season and one would expect that solutions are also being put across so that the pools of water people are wading through are a thing of the past.

Area councilors and MPs would have us believe that the Government has not released funding for the councils.

We find this excuse quite flimsy because as local Government and housing minister Eustarkio Kazonga has explained, the Government has released funding including constituency development fund part of which is supposed to be used for unblocking clogged drainages.

Government released all grants and other entitlements to all the 72 councils last December for the local authorities to undertake projects such as addressing drainage problems.

The sale of council houses, another excuse that has been feebly given is not even admissible because councils have other sources of revenue such as rates and other levies.

If indeed Lusaka sits on impervious rock which causes the flooding, nature can be subdued through deliberate planning on construction of drainages or dams to harvest the rain water.

This however, can only happen where there is concern for the electorate and not political bickering and jostling for jobs which has become a norm in most of our opposition controlled councils.

The ire of Lusaka residents is understandable and we can only appeal to the councilors to quickly address this issue.

Times of Zambia