Nsanje council wants Ruo river back to its original course
As government says will not complete the dragging of Ruo river in Nsanje district this year which changed its original course during the January 2015 floods, Nsanje full council want it done this year.
This comes after Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) Public Relations Officer Jeremiah Mphande in an interview said government requires ample time to work on the River.
Mphande, said DoDMA has yet to source funds for the work which he says will be done after the submission of the design of the river training project.
The development has not gone down well with the district’s council on Friday, during an emergency full council meeting as they fear for another devastating disaster if the river remains as it is.
Senior Chief Malemia noted that meteorologists have predicted that the country may experience flooding this year due to LANINA weather pattern which brings fear to the communities around Makhanga and other areas in the area of Chief Mlolo as they risk facing a serious flooding problem because of the failure to complete the dragging works.
“There are more challenges the people of the district may face if the Ruo river remains in the current diverted course. This year we are likely to have another water flooding as what is being said by the metrological department is anything to go by.
“As leaders who care for the lives of our people, we emphasize the need for the government to bring back the river to its original course to avoid what happened 2015 this coming rainy season,” said the Senior Chief Malemia.
Senior Chief Malemia while advising fellow participants to be conscious when speaking about the border issue as the river practically has affected the country’s border with Mozambique, asked the district commissioner to take up their concerns to the higher authorities so that it can be addressed.
“Let me ask the membership here that border issues are sensitive as we now that the change of the original course has also affected the border boundary as we consider Ruo river demarcate Malawi and Mozambique.
“Therefore, we should not talk much on the boundary because it is sensitive but also we have journalists here who usually love to report negative side of the story. Our district commissioner should look into this,” said Senior Chief Malemia.
Nsanje district commissioner Gift Rappozo assured the council members that the issue has been taken note of.
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I v read this story but i have failed to understand it. How does govt divert a river? Or maybe i v spent a long time in Italy that i v forgotten how malawi runs. Can someone explain to me what this is all abt