ASSOCIATIONS
Zambia forms plumbing association
11
By
Eamonn Ryan
A new Plumbers Association of Zambia (PAZA) was founded in Lusaka in
June 2019 by Moses Chongo, Zambian plumber and PAZA President.
Currently, the association has registered over 80
members who are qualified in the following fields:
• Plumbing
• Water operation and supply
• HVAC
• Mechanical plumbing services
• Pipe fitter and water pump menders
Chongo describes his motivation for establishing PAZA as
coming from a number of weaknesses he had noticed in
the industry, including “the gaps between the industry and
skills provided in training institutions; and the needs of the
community; lack of quality and safe water in communities”.
“Since the independence of Zambia, we have had no
plumbing board to support the industry or promote the
dignity and professionalism of plumbers. Consequently, the
plumbing industry in Zambia is not well recognised as the
most vital industry contributing to the health, safety, water
and sanitation of the nation.
“I realised that countries where plumbing associations
have been formed are benefitting from new plumbing
technologies, research studies and support of the
community,” he says.
One challenge was that Chongo had to perform the
registration process alone, including the financial
requirements. “In Zambia we have a board - the Registrar
of Societies - which registers or authorises such
organisations and societies in order to start performing
their duties. The first step of the process is to get and
complete the application form from the Registrar of
Societies and submit it to the Ministry of Home Affairs
along with an introduction letter from the Ministry of
Community Development.
“Home Affairs have to authorise and recommend whether
or not an Association should be established. After that
we had to pay a fee of USD150 for registration by the
Registrar of Societies. After submitting all the necessary
documents, we waited seven working days for the
certificate to be issued – and then we could start work.
The process took almost 60 days to complete – largely
because of the finances,” says Chongo.
He unpacks the various activities that PAZA is offering to the
community: “We provide quality services by repairing plumbing
fittings and appliances in schools, hospitals, prisons, markets
and government facilities; we sensitise people about safety,
health and water sanitation; we
promote the plumbing industry by
providing plumbing standard codes
in the industry; we encourage
learners who are in plumbing,
water, pipe fitters and mechanical
fitters to understand the importance
of our career or profession; and
we encourage young females to
concentrate on their educations,
especially life skill training and
to try avoid early marriages and
pregnancies.
“The feedback from our community
has so far been overwhelming -
because PAZA has come along at
a time when the plumbing industry
should be recognised as assisting
the community in issues of health,
water and sanitation.”
He says Zambia has a large
number of plumbers - estimated
Moses Chongo, Zambian plumber and PAZA President.
at 8 900 plus – and PAZA’s goal
is to make sure that all Zambian plumbers join up. “We will
be going around to colleges offering plumbing, water, pipe
fitting and mechanical fitting workshops to sensitise and
encourage them the importance of the plumbing industry.”
Members are signing up online for an annual subscription
fee of USD13.
For World Plumbing Day the association visited the biggest
hospital in Zambia (the University Teaching Hospital)
to provide plumbing maintenance: repairing leaks,
replacement of broken appliances, cleaning and other
activities, explains Chongo. PA
PAZA
Logo of the new Plumbers
Association of Zambia (PAZA)
Aims of Plumbers Association of Zambia (PAZA):
• To bring together all members who are in plumbing and mechanical services in
Zambia in order to help the community by teaching them health and safety
• To perform or work directly with the public and serve customers with quality services
• To inspect plumbing and mechanical services equipment, structure and material
through a monitoring process
• To make decisions and solve problems, by analysing information and
evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems
• To train members of the association: to develop a programme that delivers
quality training in plumbing, mechanical services, water and sanitation, sludge
management and other skills related to water. PA
PAZA
August 2020 Volume 26 I Number 06
www.plumbingafrica.co.za