Where’s REA? Chongwe villagers ask

Written by on July 2, 2019

SANFROSSA MANYINDA writes

@SunZambian

THE delay by the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) to connect Mwantalashya village of Chongwe District to the national grid has disappointed villagers.

One of the villagers, Peter Mwapatila, said each household in the village was made to contribute K200 as connectivity charge but they were still waiting to be connected.

Mr Mwapatila said a year and some months had now passed since they contributed the money and that there was no progress.

He said it was unfair for the village to remain under-developed because of a few selfish individuals who did not want investors in the area.

“It is surprising to note that some traditional leaders have continued to block investors in the district that may bring development. Investors will also create employment among the residents, but alas, it is a different story with this area,” he said.

Mr Mwapatila referred to other districts that had industries and many shopping malls that had created jobs for the local people.

Another villager, Grace Chewe, said the area and the district at large would not develop at a fast pace if selfish minds continued blocking investors.

Ms Chewe said the only jobs for majority of the people in the area were pieces of work at nearby farms where they were paid slave wages.

She said the traditional leadership needed to stand by their subjects like their own children who depended on them.

Efforts to get a comment from REA failed as it could not respond to a query by press time after asking for it.


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