The sewer disaster at the University of Zambia (UNZA) is the direct result of years of neglect, poor planning, and the failure by previous administrations to modernise critical infrastructure in line with the institution’s growing population.
For years, student numbers at the University of Zambia have continued to rise, while the sewer system remained largely outdated and overstretched.
A network designed decades ago for a far smaller student population was left to bear pressure far beyond its capacity.
This is the price of ignoring infrastructure rehabilitation. 
No institution can continue to expand in numbers without matching the growth with serious investment in water and systems, such as sewer lines, drainage networks, and accommodation facilities.
Development is not simply about erecting new buildings or making political promises. It is about ensuring that the systems beneath those buildings are strong enough to support those who use them.
Had the previous governments consistently invested in infrastructure development and rehabilitation at UNZA, the current disaster at the institution of higher learning could have been avoided.
Instead, many leaders who once boasted about developing Zambia failed to make the necessary long-term investments that would have protected the country’s premier institution of higher learning from such a crisis.
Today, some of those same political voices are attempting to blame President Hakainde Hichilema for a problem that has been decades in the making. That argument simply does not stand.
The sewer collapse at UNZA is not the product of one administration. It is the accumulated consequence of years of underinvestment, deferred maintenance, and poor planning by successive governments that failed to prepare the institution for population growth.
Rather than criticising the current administration, it is important to recognise the swift response that has been demonstrated. President Hakainde Hichilema and his government deserve credit for moving quickly to address the emergency and for committing K23 million towards resolving the crisis.
That financial commitment is not insignificant. It shows a government that is willing to confront inherited challenges rather than ignore them. While the damage may have started years ago, action is now being taken to prevent further deterioration and restore proper conditions for students and staff.
The lesson from the UNZA sewer disaster is clear. Zambia must stop treating infrastructure as an afterthought. Schools, universities, hospitals, and other public facilities must be upgraded in line with population growth and urban expansion.
If leaders fail to invest in the foundations of public services, then crises such as the one at UNZA will continue to occur.
The country must now move beyond politics and focus on accountability. Those who failed to invest when they had the opportunity should not be allowed to rewrite history. The sewer disaster at UNZA is not merely a maintenance failure. It is a reminder of what happens when governments neglect long-term planning and place politics ahead of infrastructure.
