Kabwata ward 5
NOEL IYOMBWA writes
@Sun Zambian
AFTER realising that service delivery was not available in Kamwala South, he was one of the community members that spearheaded the formation of area committees.
From there he held a number of positions in different development committees; it was from this background that members of community demanded that he stand as a civic leader.
In this week’s Know Your Councillor we feature Kamwala Ward 5 councillor, Moses Bwalya.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
My name is Moses Bwaly. I am married with six children and I am 55 years old. I am a councillor in Kamwala Ward Five in Kabwata constituency under the Patriotic Front party.
I was voted into office in the 2016 general elections and prior to that I worked for Zambia Daily Mail, Fairview Hotel, Duly Motors and GDC transport.
I am an accountant by profession; a business man and a mixed farm owner. For the past ten years I have been working and doing business and farming at the same time.
The last company I worked for was GDC transport. I worked for GDC for four years but the company was closed the same year my contract was expiring.
So from that time I decided to start doing my own business because you know it is very difficult to become a millionaire when you are working for someone unless if you steal.
I have a car hire company, am a poultry farmer and a fish farmer. So you can see that I do a lot of things.
WHAT MADE YOU JOIN POLITICS?
I live in Kamwala South. This is a new residential area, compared to the other areas, because of this we moved in and built houses. We pay service charges to the council but I think you know how, sometimes, our country operates under normal circumstances. They are supposed to offer us water, roads, street lights, drainages – but all these are not offered. Lack of basic services has led to thieves attacking us.
As residents we came and asked ourselves, what we are going to do before the council moves in?. We used to make committees.
We made a number of committees such as roads committee among other committees and I held different positions.
At one time house breaking became rampant in the area so I led a protest to Kabwata Police and we came up with a neighbourhood watch, where I was the chairperson.
At this point the ministry of Home Affairs gave us some paramilitary police so an operation centre was at my house for three months.
So it was from here that I was recognized and identified that I was flexible to work with people.
Before the 2016 general elections I was just an ordinary PF member. While at the farm, I received some calls from senior party officials in Lusaka telling me to come back and file in my nomination but I refused and was reluctant.
Until one very senior member convinced me that people wanted me to stand so I came back to Lusaka and filed in – though it was not easy. I’m not saying I was forced – am enjoying.
Serving people has been my passion, I have also held a number of positions at church and other committees so it was not difficult for me.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS YOU HAVE MADE IN YOUR WARD? ,
We used to have a lot of pile ups of garbage, every corner, but I formed a task force with Ward development committees we checked those who did not register with CBE so in that way people complied and started paying for garbage collection. We have taken three or four residents to fast track court to send signals to others.
Prior to general elections campaign, we promised people of Kamwala South that they would be issued title deeds so we campaigned together with the area MP honourable Given Lubinda until government heard our cry.
I am happy to say the titling exercise was started in my ward and the exercise is being conducted countrywide.
I also found a place for street vendors who were displaced from trading in the streets, I engaged LCC to try and find space for traders, and I fought until they were given space at Lubuma Market.
Am also happy that we now have street lights, roads and drainages all these happened during my reign.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN THE WARD?
Kamwala Ward Five has no secondary drainages that can take water to the Bombay drainage so there is usually sporadic flooding.
WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE WARD?
I want to come up with a strong neighbourhood watch because we had gone to sleep so thieves have started breaking into homes.
I want to put up a permanent police post at Titanic Police because currently there are only containers. We want to come up with a permanent building.
I also want to put up a vegetable shed at Kamwala South market, so those are some of my future plans in the remaining two years in office.
