FLOODS IN ZAMBIA

Zambia is one of the Southern African countries hard hit by the floods. These wrecking waters have left a trail of distruction in many, but mostly southern parts of Zambia. Visiting the flood hit area of southern Zambia was an eye opening exercise recently. People have been displaced, animals have died, crop fields have been washed away, road and bridges have disappeared is all that is left of these flooded areas. Socio-economic activities in the flooded areas have come to a stand still because for instance, how do farmers transport farming inputs to the villages when the roads and bridges have been washed away. How do children go to school when the only bridge in the district has become a yawning gap across the river banks? Just how do children access education when the limited number of classroom blocks is now accommodating people displaced by floods? This is the situation in most parts of Southern Zambia.
The only observation that analyst is that the floods have become an annual phenomenon. But even if they have become an annual occurence, the leadership and even the victims themselves in Zambia still has to come to terms to handle them. The leaders have many responsibilities such as securing logistics for the victims and even sensitisation for people in the low areas to move to upper lands when its the rainy season. our leadership, which is basically politicians are always talking about climate change, which is blame for the change in weather patterns, have made little progress, if any in putting in place policies that could curb climate change. Its incredible!!!
But I believe that with an amalgamation of efforts and genuine political commitment, these weather challenges could be overcome.

A Red Cross mobile clinic erected to serve flood victims.

Red Cross volunteer

One of the Zambia Red Cross volunteers stands beside a tent erected for floods victims. She was on stand-by to off humanitarian aid to the flood victims.

Is that a Man U supporter???

Is this a Manchester United fan??? This was the first question that struck my grey matter before I took this shot. As a die hard Man U fan, I was not shocked that the European all-times champions have managed to recruit fans even in such remote areas of Zambia.

Woman and baby

A woman and her baby in a shack as the rains pour. This was after her house was washed away as well.

Boy peeps

A boy peeps through the door in his makeshift bedroom. This was after his family house collapsed.

Mr Siansungunya and his family at their home, which collapsed because of heavy rains.

Stranded family

Mr Siansungunya (far left) and his family stand in front of a makeshift structure they are staying in after his mud-thatched house collapsed following heavy rains in Sinazongwe.

School boy washes legs

A school washing his legs after wading in floods.

Schoolboys play

Scholboys play on some culverts that are to be used for the reconstruction of a washed away bridge in Sinazongwe, Southern Zambia.

villagers wade

Villagers from Sinazongwe in Southern Zambia wade in floods to access social and economic amenities, such as school, clinics, markets and crop fields. Southern Zambia is one of the regions that has been hit by floods. Actually, it is almost impossible to drive there when it rains. The area is completely cut off from the rest of the country, and this also makes it impossble for supplies such as medicines.

President Mwanawasa arrives

President Mwanawasa disembarks from his official mercedez benz car to deliberate over the official opening of the Zambia national assembly.

The national assembly is made up of 150 lected members drawn from that number of constituencies. There are also eight nominated members, who are chosen by the President.

There are three major political parties in Zambia's national assembly and these are the rulin Movement for Multiparty democracy (MMD), Patrotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND).

The opening of the national assembly signifies the start of a new legislative year where the house debates several motions, approves the national budget and other such business brought to its agenda.

This year's event was charcterised by what journalists have always described as pomp and slendour. This pomp and slendor is usually a horde of traditional dances, a match past and gun salute by the Zambia army.

Journalists and photographers from different news organisations are alwo clamouring for news interviews and pictures.

Soldiers on parade

Zambia Army soldiers on parade during the opening of the national assembly.

Men and women in uniform match past President Mwanawasa during the opening of the national assembly.

Soldier salutes

A soldier from the Zambia Army matching past President Mwanawasa (not in picture) during a parade mounted by the battalion.

Cameraman gets wet

Masautso Phiri has problems getting good shots because of the rain during the official opening of the national assembly.

Looking for a good shot

Masautso Phiri from Zambia's national broadcaster ZNBC figeting with his camera during the live coverage of the official opening of rht enational assembly. There were rains during the event and most cameras got wet.

Dancers get soaked

Some dancers from the Zambia national traditional dance troupe brave rains at the national assembly buildings. This is when they were waiting for President Mwanawasa's arrival for them to dance before him.

Dancers at National Assembly opening

Some members of the Zambia national dance troup dance at the National Assembly buildings when President Mwanawasa was entering the chambers to address the House. This was amid a down pour that has characterised most parts of Zambia and Southern Africa.

TIGHT LIPPED

2007 was a great year for me in many areas of human endeavor. Some of these moments I would share on this platform but others, I would rather they remain unkwnon for specific reasons. Particularly, I followed events on the Zambian political landscape with eager.

I also followed President Mwanawasa's statements, pronouncemnets and PICTURES.

In 2007, this was one of the greatest pictures I shot of His Execellency Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa State Council.

He opted to remain tight lipped or is it to lock his mouth when journalists fire questions on his twisting wrangles with second republican president Frederick Chiluba.

It was always a pleasure to cover President Mwanawasa, who always came in different moods each time we went to see him off or receive from abroad.

Sometimes he would be in a jovial mood and date the press on the airport tarmac or he would simply by-pass the journalists as if they never existed on this planet. At times, he would become emotional when journalists asked a controversial question, but that is what my job is all about.

But the biggest burden that has continued to irritate me is the horde of security men who block my picture shoot-outs. Most of the women and men do not understand and have refused to understand that photojournalists like myself need to cover the President when he is in public like that. I think there is need for journalists and the security to find ways of co-ordinating their work because journalism at the end of the day suffers the most. And ultimately, it is the public that is starved out of information because the 12 million people of Zambia do not have that opportunity and access to see their Head of State at such moments.

SALSA DANCE FROM SANDY'S CREATIONS

It is so amazing to see myself in the new year 2008. To me, 2007 was so short such that I could not believe it was over and yet, so many things happened and so many things did not happen on our lists of new year resolutions. We have also lost some of our beloved brothers and sisters, whose souls we ask to rest in peace. But during the same year, most of us were blessed with bouncing babies that have kept us smiling up to now.
Anyway, it is so great that we are here and still moving on. Last night, Jan 8, 2008, I spent most of my evening at a new pleasure resort in Lusaka called Sandys Creations. This is a nice place with cool and fresh air. It is so luxurious and exotic. It is a centre for family entertainment and outings. It has everything including a conference centre for those corporate events and such other facilities. I was at Sandys Creations not for a family outing or conference. I was invited to the place for the launch of Toyota Zambia's launch of its L200 Toyota version. I enjoyed the picture shoot-out but I enjoyed most the salsa dance, which has become quite popular in Zambia now. There many people at the event and these included former and current government ministers. Diplomats, former service chiefs, journalists, businessmen and women, clowns, some Zambian singers and many people from different walks of life. Look at some of the salsa images and happy new year.

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Salsa

Like salsa like ball dance

Like salsa like pantsula

Breath taking dance

The salsa dancers showing the audience a breath taking dance. The man on the far right almost jumped on the dance floor because he could not hold himself back.

Posing for photo

Salsa champion Zodwa Khumalo (left) and runner-up Astridah Hamuyamba pose for a picture.

Relaxing after a dance

Zodwa Khumalo (left) and her counterpart Astridah Hamuyamba resting after a salsa dance at Sandy's Creations. This girls can swing their bodies.

Salsa dancers