09/04/2026
NGO WASH FORUM DEEPLY CONCERNED BY TRAGIC DEATH OF UNZA STUDENT, CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION ON SAFE WASH SERVICES IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
Lusaka, Thursday, April 9, 2026 – The Zambia NGO WASH Forum is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Emmanuel Bwalya, a student at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East Road Campus. The Forum is deeply concerned by the circumstances that led to this loss.
The Forum, a consortium of 61 local and international civil society organisations advocating for the human rights to water, sanitation and a clean, healthy environment, respects the ongoing investigations and calls for a transparent process to establish full responsibility.
Forum Coordinator Bubala Muyovwe Mumba stated that safe, reliable and adequately maintained WASH infrastructure is fundamental to the rights to life, health, dignity and education.
She emphasised that the tragedy must not be treated as an isolated incident but as a warning of systemic weaknesses in the planning, funding, maintenance and supervision of public infrastructure.
Ms Mumba further observed that chronic underfunding of the WASH sector has undermined service delivery, including in higher learning institutions.
“In the 2026 National Budget, the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation (Head 52) received K2.69 billion, a 9.4% nominal increase from the 2025 allocation of K2.46 billion. However, the sector's share of the national budget fell to 1.06% in 2026, down from 1.13% in 2025 and a high of 1.81% in 2021, signalling a declining prioritisation of WASH. This remains far below the 5% minimum recommended in the SADC and eThekwini declarations. Such persistent underinvestment threatens universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and contributes to deteriorating infrastructure in universities, colleges and boarding schools, where growing student populations rely on ageing and poorly maintained facilities,” she said.
She noted that while some budget line items have seen nominal increases, allocations to WASH services in public institutions have not kept pace with the real costs of maintenance and expansion.
“Growing student populations and ageing facilities have further widened the gap between commitments under the 8th National Development Plan—specifically targets for improved access to safe water and sanitation in public institutions—and the resources dedicated to safe WASH services, undermining the Government's duty of care,” she said.
The Forum acknowledged the Presidential directives and swift government response, including the establishment of a high-level inter-ministerial engagement and a multi-sectoral team working on immediate interventions.
She, however, stressed the need for proactive and sustained action.
Ms Mumba, while welcoming the K23 million released to address UNZA's water and sanitation crisis, cautioned that emergency allocations must be grounded in credible needs assessments and linked to a long-term investment plan.
She noted that UNZA itself has previously estimated that at least K173 million is required to comprehensively overhaul its ageing sanitation infrastructure, suggesting that the current package can only finance limited remedial works rather than the full rehabilitation that safety demands.
She stressed that without clear costing, transparent prioritisation and a multi-year investment pipeline, Government risks cycling from one emergency bailout to the next, instead of making intentional, sustained investments that prevent such tragedies in the first place.
She called for increased and deliberate investment, stronger policy enforcement and comprehensive safety assessments across universities, colleges and boarding schools, with clear timelines for remedial action.
Ms Mumba said Parliamentary oversight must ensure funds are sufficient, released on time and used for their intended purpose to ensure measurable improvements in safety and access for students and staff.
"The Forum stands ready to provide technical and community-level insights to ensure that emergency investments deliver lasting safety for students," Ms Mumba added, reaffirming the Forum's commitment to work constructively with Government, Parliament, learning institutions and civil society to ensure that no student's life is endangered by neglected infrastructure.
The Forum acknowledged the Water Voices United project for its role in building capacity among civil society organisations to advocate for WASH constructively.
Ms Mumba said the Water Voices United is a four-year initiative co-funded by the European Union and Danish People's Aid, spearheaded by SNV in partnership with the NGO WASH Forum.
