• Decision to rescind offer letters given to people to build in the Mufuchani area is commendable.
• The zone lies within the 150 hectors catchment area and also serves as a groundwater recharge
• Local authorities in the country have been urged to emulate Kitwe City Council.

Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) says Kitwe City Council (KCC)’s decision to rescind offer letters given to people to build in the Mufuchani area, following the Authority’s intervention to declare the area as Water Resources Protected Zone is commendable.
Authority Public Relations Manager Joshua Kapila said the Zone lies within the 150 hectors catchment area, and also serves as a groundwater recharge point, as well as a natural drainage for water flowing into the Mutapa Stream, which is the mainstream in the Mufuchani farming block as well as a tributary to the Kafue River.
Mr Kapila has since called on other local authorities in the country to emulate Kitwe City Council by working in collaboration with WARMA to preserve and protect Zambia’s precious water bodies from diminishing and being polluted.
“The action taken by KCC is as a result of the Authority’s engagement with the local authority in designating the area a Water Resources Protected Area, as the zone lies within the 150 hectors catchment area and further serves as a groundwater recharge area and a natural drainage for water flowing into the Mutapa Stream, which is the mainstream in the Mufuchani farming block as well as a tributary to the Kafue River,” he said.
He said the multi-Sectoral collaboration approach among stakeholders will not only preserve and protect the County’s water resource areas but will ensure that the current and future water demands are met.
Mr Kapila further says the call to action is in line with President Edgar Lungu’s directive to the Authority to protect all water bodies in the country, which is also in line with the Water Resources Management (WRM) Act Number 21 of 2011.
He states that the Authority has to date engaged 25 local authorities, out of which 12 have signed agreements on the protection and preservation of water bodies.
“This call to action is in line with the Republican President Edgar Lungu’s directive to WARMA to protect all water bodies in the country, during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the official opening of the 4th Session of the 12th National Assembly, on13th September 2019, and the Authority has since been engaging local authorities country wide in response to the directive, which is in line with the Water Resources Management (WRM) Act number.21 of 2011. To that effect, the Authority has to date engaged 25 local authorities, out of which 12 have since signed MOUs with WARMA on the protection and preservation of water bodies,” Mr Kapila noted.