Melo News | Friday, May 24, 2024 | Chipata
Thieves has stolen a submissible pump and control panel worth K10,000 at the newly constructed Chimutiku Clinic in Luangeni constituency.
Eastern Province deputy permanent secretary Lewis Mwape has condemned the theft which occurred at the clinic constructed using Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to provide services to a population of 4,500 people in the area.
Speaking in an interview after touring the newly constructed clinic,Dr. Mwape said Government’s target to improve the welfare of people in rural areas through CDF projects must be effectively supported by everyone and not be frustrated through thefts and vandalism.
“This theft at Chimutiku clinic is really sad because Government is spending a lot of money targeted at improving the welfare of people.This clinic is here to offer a service to people in this community.But just one individual comes here steals the water pump at the clinic so that the people are denied a service,this is really bad.This clinic was constructed to provide access to medical services to the people in the area so that would be not walking many kilometers to get this service when they are ill,”he said.
Dr. Mwape has urged the community members to be vigilant in order to provide security at the clinic so that no further thefts may be recorded.
“This is your property and you as the people from this community must provide the security needed.I want to also direct the Zambia Police Service to provide periodic patrols in the area so that this property is protected from thefts or vandalism,”he said.
And Induna Chimutiku said the traditional leadership in the area has instituted it’s own investigations to establish who stole the submissible water pump and it’s control panel.
He said the community members had been engaged and asked to come forward with information that might be helpful in order to apprehend the culprits but to no avail.
The traditional leader said since the construction of the clinic in 2019 upto 2024,no theft has ever occurred at the clinic until recently.
“Since 2019,we have never experienced any theft,this clinic is the only development that we have so recorded in our area.We will not rest until we bring the culprits that stole the pump to face the harsh arm of the law whether the thieves are from within our community or came from Chipata,”he said.
Induna Chimutiku has commended Government for the construction of the clinic using CDF adding that people not longer walk long distances to access medical service.
