Govt tasks police to hunt down thieves who stole borehole pump at Mpulungu sanitation plant

The government has condemned the theft of a borehole pump at the Mpulungu Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant, describing the incident as a direct attack on critical public health infrastructure and a serious threat to community wellbeing.

Water Development and Sanitation Minister, Collins Nzovu, said the plant was a vital sanitation facility that supported safe faecal sludge management in a district that remained vulnerable to water-borne diseases, particularly during the rainy season.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, Nzovu emphasized that any act of vandalism or theft at such facilities undermined national efforts to prevent cholera outbreaks and safeguard public health.

The Minister disclosed that the Chambeshi Water Supply and Sanitation Company (ChWSSC) reported the matter to the Zambia Police Service and that investigations were currently underway. He urged the police to treat the case with urgency and ensure that the perpetrators were apprehended and brought to justice.

“The facility, which was commissioned in February 2024 at a cost of K3.3 million, was constructed with support from SNV and funding from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the WASH SDG Consortium Programme,” Nzovu said.

He noted that the plant served Mpulungu Town and surrounding communities, benefiting an estimated 58,000 peopleby providing a regulated and safe system for the treatment of faecal sludge from pit latrines and septic tanks.

Nzovu further appealed to the public to take collective responsibility in safeguarding water and sanitation infrastructure, stressing that such facilities belonged to the people and were essential for disease prevention, environmental protection, and sustainable development.

“The government remains committed to strengthening sanitation services across the country and made it clear that acts that compromise public investments intended to improve the health and dignity of Zambians will not be tolerated,” he said.

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