By KASONDE KASONDE in Mansa –
ABOUT 20,000 people in Chief Matanda’s area in Mansa District have been cut off from the rest of the area after Mupanda and Lweba bridges collapsed following heavy rains.
The two bridges collapsed over the weekend leaving people completely cut off following heavy rains that pounded the district recently.
Mr Lewis Kapembwa who spoke on behalf of the residents said they had been cut off from the rest of the district making it difficult to access some services.
Mr Kapembwa said residents were unable to cross over to the clinic on the other side and motor vehicles had also stopped moving.
He called on Government to address the situation by constructing a new bridge to help the local people cross over to other areas.
“Our two bridges have collapsed leaving us cut-off from the rest of the district and we have no access to services such as health,” Mr Kapembwa said.
Area Member of Parliament Chitalu Chilufya who is also deputy minister of Health visited the two sites and was saddened by the development and assured residents that the bridges would be reconstructed.
Dr Chilufya said his office had engaged the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to ensure that the bridge was worked on as soon as possible.
He said material for the bridge had been moved to the area and works would commence this week.
He said it was unfortunate that fertiliser for the farmers in the area could not be delivered as the truck could not cross over.
Dr Chilufya also said Government had released funds for the upgrading of the 58 km Matanda-Mansa Road to bituminous standards which is part of the link Zambia 8000.
He said a Chinese contractor Zhongmei Construction has moved to the site and was mobilising equipment.
“The tarring of the road in Matanda’s chiefdom will commence in a week’s time as the contractor has started mobilising equipment,” Dr Chilufya said.