KARONGA, May 22, 2016 (MaraviPost iReport): As plans for preventing people’s lives and properties from the disasters such as flood are on underway in Karonga, officials in the district have revealed that 84 percent of people living in floods prone areas deny reallocating to the identified land and has implicate chiefs as well as elected leaders for the cause.
The development came out on Saturday during the panel discussion tilted ‘climate change effects’ organized by the Self Help Africa through it’s DISCOVER project with the monitory support from the Center for Development Police (Cedep).
According to Franklin Mtambo one of the officials from the disaster department in the district, chiefs and elected leaders fears of losing their subjects.
“From the investigation we had especially on the plan of reallocating people living in flood areas we found that 84 percent of such people denied to reallocate, 10 accepted while 6 were mum,” said Patrick Kishombe who is the district council chairperson.
However, Mtambo said “some traditional leaders deny reallocation because of fearing to lose their position as they will be under the chief of the identified area.”
It was also said that the elected leaders don’t want to mislay their supporters to their opponents.
However, Traditional Authority Mwakawoko who’s area is the mostly affected by flood distance himself from the accusation while assured to ask his subjects to reallocate to the upper land.
Karonga district is affected by disaster especially floods yearly which has been ruining homes and properties of the community.
During the meeting, health officials disclosed that cholera disease has now struck 14 lives and 282 registered cases within the period of two months.
The District Environmental Health Officer Luis Tukula told the gathering that his office has started the lake swimming restriction campaign as one way of preventing the disease especially because the disease is believed to be spread by using unsafe water.
Karonga district is affected by disaster especially floods yearly which has been ruining homes and properties of the community apart from cholera disease.
