Over 4-milion people in Zambia lack access to safe and clean water

 By Maybin Katungulu
 
Access to safe and clean water still remains a major challenge across Africa.
According to the United Nations,   about 300 million citizens of the continent’s 800 million people lack access to this basic commodity.

This situation has continued to lead to millions of people dying unnecessarily from water-borne diseases.

In Zambia, it is estimated that over 4 million people out of the country’s 16 million citizens lack access to safe and clean water.
Water aid Zambia country coordinator Ms Pamela Chisanga explains that most of the affected citizens, are those living in rural and peri-urban areas of the country.

“Items of provision of safe drinking water, Zambia still faces the challenge as over four million people lack access to it. The majority of these citizens are these living in rural and peri-urban areas of the country”, says Ms Chisanga.

Meanwhile, the 2013-2014 Zambia Demographic Health Survey confirms that access to water and sanitation are still in a critical state, especially in the rural parts of the country.

The survey indicates that though 65 percent of households in urban areas obtain drinking water from an improved source, 90 percent of households versus 47 percent in rural areas face problems.
 
Water aid Zambia has attributed the prevailing situation to lack of priority and inadequate budgetary allocation towards improving water and sanitation.
  
Ms.  Chisanga notes that there is no proper infrastructure in place to deliver water and sanitation services to rural parts of the country.

Studies by the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund indicates that 783 million people struggle to access clean and safe water globally, with 37 percent of the people living in Sub-Saharan Africa where Zambia is located.

Now, Zambia will on 11^th August this year holds its general elections alongside the referendum to repel article 79 of the country’s constitution.

The article houses the bill of rights which contains fundamental rights such as access to water and sanitation services.

In the same vein Human Rights Commission says lack of   adequate water and sanitation compromises the well-being and dignity of citizens.

Speaking to this Journalist, Commission’s Chief Information, Education and Training officer, Mwelwa Muleya expressed hope that access to safe water and sanitation will be included in the bill of rights so that the Zambian government can be held to account if services are not delivered to its citizens.

  

Mr. Muleya explains that it should be understood that safe water and good sanitation supports other fundamental rights such as the right to life.