Perceived mitigation measures for sanitation challenges in George Compound, Lusaka, Zambia: A stakeholder perspective

Abstract

The study is significant as it contributes to Sustainable Development Goal number 6, for which countries are expected by 2030 to achieve sanitation services for all citizens. In response to the global vision and in alignment with the National Water and Sanitation Policy, the government has implemented several sanitation interventions across the country and in Lusaka peri-urban areas. The study was guided by an objective that sought to explore stakeholders' perceived mitigation measures for sanitation challenges in the peri-urban areas in Lusaka. The study was based on an interpretive phenomenological paradigm, which was anchored on the relativist ontological stance, which posits that there is no single reality but rather multiple realities in the understanding of sanitation challenges and their associated mitigation measures. The study’s sample size was 29 participants, disaggregated as 10 males, 15 women, and 4 key informants. Data was collected using in-depth interviews targeting community beneficiaries and key informant interviews targeting institutions. The researcher deployed open-ended questions to elicit participants' views on sanitation. The collected raw data was analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis. The thematic analysis adopted Braun and Clarke's six-stage framework for thematic analysis, in which themes were developed through an iterative process and by merging the researchers' experiences with the participants' lived experiences. The study found that despite increasing inspectors’ compliments in regulatory institutions, it falls short of the expected effort to mitigate sanitation challenges. Moreover, LWSC is under a new policy direction slanted towards digital integration as a mechanism to facilitate customers paying for on-site sanitation as well as a platform for lodging complaints. Furthermore, the introduction of scheduled desludging offers a panacea for improved pit emptying services. Under this model, households register their pit latrines and make small routine contributions, which enables the service providers to plan for pit emptying services as and when the pit latrines fill up. The part payment option reduces the financial burden on the most affected low-income communities. This model provides mitigatory measures that help avert pit latrines from overflowing. The researcher used systems theory to highlight the interdependence of institutions, service providers, and communities, demonstrating that weaknesses in any component can compromise the sanitation system. The researcher applied a systemic thinking mirror, a coordinated and integrated approach to resolving sanitation challenges. The identified mitigation measures will inform sanitation practices and mitigatory measures for sanitation challenges imminently affecting the peri-urban areas of Lusaka. The study recommends harnessing resources to bolster scheduled desludging and digitalisation of on-site sanitation. The study explored the stakeholders' perceived mitigation measures for sanitation challenges affecting communities in the peri-urban areas of Lusaka.