First Lady, Maureen Mwanawasa, says a well developed book industry is significant to national efforts of achieving development.
Mrs. Mwanawasa said literature is a powerful development tool due to its ability to
influence decision makers and peoples way of life.
She was speaking at the official launch of a book entitled ‘Uneasy Yoke’, written by
Dr. Kachinga Sichizya and published by Maiden publishers of Lusaka, at Mulungushi
International Conference Centre in Lusaka last evening.
Mrs Mwanawasa said there is need to continue publishing quality and useful
literature which promotes a positive attitude towards development.
She also challenged Zambian writers to highlight successes achieved in society as a
way of promoting positive trends as opposed to concentrating on negative trends.
Mrs Mwanawasa noted that as the country is in the process of formulating a new
national constitution, the task of safeguarding civil liberties should not be a
prerogative of politicians and the judiciary but all peace loving Zambians.
She explained that publishers have an important role to play by ensuring that issues
of civil liberties are well understood by the people through literature.
Mrs Mwanawasa commended Dr. Sichizya and Maiden publishers for writing and
publishing the book respectively and encouraged him to write more especially on
issues relating to HIV/AIDS.
The first Lady has since challenged Zambians to develop a passion for buying and
reading books.
And speaking earlier, Dr Sichizya said the book is intended to educate future
generations on the importance of traditional and cultural values.
Dr. Kachinda, who is also a neuro-surgeon at the University Teaching Hospital,
however, bemoaned the diminishing interest in traditional values among young people
in the country.
He expressed hope that the book will help uplift cultural values and pass on other
historic values of Zambian society to the young generation.
Meanwhile, Maiden publishers Managing Director Christine Kasonde observed that the
poor reading culture in the country has continued to impact negatively on the
development of the book industry.
