NOEL IYOMBWA writes
HE is probably one of the youngest civic leaders to be elected to the Lusaka City Council. At only 36 years old, Councillor Adrian Banda superintends over Ngwerere Ward 19, one of the biggest and problematic communities in the Zambian capital, Lusaka. The Sun caught up with the councillor and the following is our interview with him.
Councillor: My names are Adrian Banda. I was born in Lusaka in 1983. Am the area councillor for Ngwerere Ward 19. I completed my secondary school at Chasa Secondary School. I am married with five children.
Sun: How did you join politics?
Councillor: I joined politics through people in the community particularly from the church, Roman Catholic. This was because of my commitment I had with the people. So members of the community came to me and told me that there is proposal that I stand as a civic leader. It is my nature to help the people in the community. I told them I will think about it and later I applied and I was adopted to stand in garden compound though I was not raised in the area but I assured the people that the problem they were facing are the same in other compounds. Then in 2016 I was elected as the area councillor where I got 10197 votes.
Sun: What have you achieved so far?
Councilor: After being elected, I started working in line with the PF manifesto which is pro poor. I looked at water, clinic and empowerment. So far so good. I have been working hand in hand with the area member of parliament, whatever I do I always consult her. We have achieved a lot, in Garden compound we didn’t have Kanele Road and that’s where a lot of people stay and they didn’t have a road so I looked at it and government gave us a road. Second, there is Pendela Road. Since 1964 that road has never been worked on. It was unpassable so the same year we worked on it. Soon it will be handled over. Third, through the ministry of Lands we promised title deeds to the people, and soon in two weeks’ time people will start receiving title deeds. We also have a clinic in side three which is in Garden under USAID but in the next few years, it will be handed over to government which will create employment and decongest Chipata Clinic and as a community we are building an ablution block because it didn’t come with an ablution block. So through the people we are building one at a cost of K79000 and I used some of my money and the people’s contribution. When we had mayoral elections we were promised by the Health Minister Dr Chilufya a level one hospital and he has fulfilled it. A place has been identified where the hospital will be in Shimizu area. I am also one of the councillors to purchase a tractor to be collecting garbage. Our garbage fee is K20.
Sun: What are your future plans for the ward?
Councilor: One of my plans is to put up a modern market at Red Cross School. We don’t have a modern market and the stage is advancing. As soon as possible construction will commence.
Sun: What are some of the challenges you are facing?
Councilor: We have some challenges in the sense that people do not have patience, they want development to take place in a fortnight. I’m working on a football pitch but people are saying a lot of things that I have sold the piece of land, but I have engaged the council to level it because it has a lot of stones.
Sun: Do have any other political aspirations?
Councilor: As I said, its people to judge and advise me. But for now am not over ambitious. I want to learn more about local government. What I want is to provide leadership at grassroots.
Sun: Before you were elected what were you doing?
Councilor: I have been a businessman, and I have created employment for youths.
