United Party for National Development (UPND) Lusaka Central Constituency Aspiring Candidate Mulambo Haimbe is concerned with the poverty levels in Bauleni Compound that have been compounded by a 15-hour load-shedding measure by ZESCO Limited countrywide.
And Mr Haimbe says his resort to enter the murky waters of politics is meant to serve the people of Lusaka Central Constituency as a responsible resident of the area comprised of peasants, middle class and affluent communities.

Stressing the importance of common good, Mr Haimbe vows not to serve his personal interests, insisting that

he will not turn his back on the masses once elected on Thursday 12th August 2021, saying his allegience will be placed on improving the welfare of the electorates.

As elections in the race to occupy the Lusaka Central seat are won and lost in Bauleni compound, Mr Haimbe wants to change the ‘ghetto deprivation’ narrative which continues to push residents languishing in extreme poverty, with water blues seemingly becoming a normal outcome in the eyes of the current government.

But as a prominent Zambian Lawyer of more than 18 years standing, Counsel Haimbe prides himself as a compassionate community worker passionately seeking to change the deplorable livehood scenario in which the residents in the less affluent areas of Lusaka Central grapple with on a daily basis.

Counsel Haimbe is worried that the prolonged load-shedding has worsened the water blues in those areas. He notes that in Bauleni compound for example the community, especially girls and women, are often forced to suffer the brunt of poverty as they have to brave the night to draw water at ungodly hours as late as midnight when power supply is restored after a whole day of load shedding.

According to Mr Haimbe, teething challenges in Bauleni Compound are real and need immediate attention by those tasked with managing national resources.

“Bauleni Compound has many teething challenges…it is a compound where several thousands of our voters reside but these problems are real. There are extreme problems like the current load-shedding which you have just mentioned…in Bauleni Compound, water has always been a problem…in the past, we had issues of water borne diseases as a result of the deplorable situation which has been worsened by load shedding. As you maybe aware, the provision of water is dependant on adequate and sustainable provision of electrical supply,” explained Haimbe, adding: “With 15 hours to 20 hours of load-shedding, it means there is no power and water the whole day. I often go to Bauleni Compound during the day and quite more often than not, I commiserate with their misfortune,” said Mr Haimbe.

Mr Haimbe said water blues are becoming a security concern in Bauleni compound, on account of women and children stepping out of their homes at midnight (when power comes) to fetch the scarce commodity.

“lt is a security risk both in terms of where they live and have to walk long distances to draw water in the dead of a particular night for our mothers, sisters and daughters. So, that is a key issue that needs to be addressed and it is just a matter political will that is needed to deal with the issues,” he said.

“Just opposite to Bauleni Compound, lies a security installation or part of a Zambia Airforce (ZAF base), which has a lot of water but no one has thought of the Government moving in to allow for the construction of water infrastructure which would allow for supply into the Compound even if it remains a protected installation. Nothing would have happened in terms of securing water reticulation, by allowing political will to take effect or compel Government to provide basic needs to the people. No body has thought of that because nothing seems to be done. The best that happens is women and children go by the fence next to the ZAF base begging officers to draw water. Is that good enough? Shouldn’t we put more permanent infrastructure? I hope those that are reading this article will implement ideas being shared. They can tap into this idea but if they do not do it, UPND will be glad to do it when Hakainde Hichilema, our philanthropic leader forms Government,” advised Counsel Haimbe.

An optimistic Haimbe says should the Patriotic Front (PF) mainten the status quo, the UPND will be glad to do justice by improving the welfare of the electorate.

Counsel Haimbe insisted that though a lot of solutions and interventions exist, political will is a foundation in effectively making life better, he said.

Mr Haimbe is aware that the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSCO), a quasi Governmental institution has brilliant plans to deal with the water problems in Bauleni but lack of political will on the part of Government, frustrates public officials.

A down to earth personality, Mr Haimbe has since set up a charity known as the Mulambo Haimbe Foundation Limited, established on 25 January 2019, as a philanthropic gesture touching people’s lives.
The foundation’s main objective is to better the lives of others through holistic empowerment of vulnerable Zambian communities.

The foundation believes that women in the community must anchor interventions, thus the need to place females at the centre of community based work.

“Women are the core that hold families together.
The youth too, are the future of all our communities and ultimately the world. We believe that any support extended to improve academic education, and life-skills-crafts, investment in positive social management, sports and other value adding recreational activities, will literally make the world a better place for all,” reads the Mulambo Haimbe Foundation profile in part.
The foundation supports the ‘K 20 for Change Initiative led by Dominic Mukumbila and friends.

Under this initiative, donations to worthy causes are undertaken. One such donation was the provision of essential commodities and food hampers to over 100 beds at the Childrens Hospital, within the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka in June 2019.
In addition to that, Mr Haimbe is a guarantor and director in Justice Forum Zambia Limited.