Acting Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, Chipoka Mulenga, has expressed concern over the widespread vandalism and encroachment on water and sanitation infrastructure, which is hindering service delivery in Chingola.

Hon. Mulenga, who also serves as the Minister of Commerce, made these remarks during a tour of Chingola Central Constituency, his area of representation, where he sought to assess reports of erratic water supply and frequent sewer blockages.

He lamented that much of the challenges faced by the community stemmed from vandalism and encroachment on vital water and sanitation infrastructure, a situation that he emphasized could no longer be allowed to continue unchecked.

The Minister stated that he had been in discussions with Mulonga Water Supply and Sanitation Company Limited (MWSC) to review the state of services in his constituency. While he was pleased to see that water had been restored to many areas, he noted that vandalism remained a significant obstacle to the equitable distribution of water.

"I am deeply concerned by the situation in the wards I’ve visited, including Chiwempala, Chikola, and Chabanyama. MWSC has restored water supply, but rampant vandalism is causing wastage, and this must stop. Starting this month, I will personally ensure that the community is educated on how to properly manage and protect infrastructure for the benefit of all," he said.

Minister Mulenga also highlighted the issue of sewer systems, where residents had built extensions over main service lines, making it difficult to maintain and repair the infrastructure.

He urged the community to engage with MWSC and consider demolishing any structures built over sewer lines, so that long-standing blockages could be urgently addressed.

“We are calling on residents to work with the Company and remove these extensions, as they are obstructing access to the sewer systems and preventing necessary repairs,” he added.

During a meeting with Ward Development Committee (WDC) members from all the wards in Chingola Central, Minister Mulenga reiterated that he was collaborating with MWSC to mobilize resources to repair the vandalized water pipes. He appealed to the WDCs to help protect the infrastructure.

“WDCs are the first line of defense. Please assist us in delivering services to the people by being active participants in community sensitization and by reporting vandalism to the relevant authorities,” he concluded