Shopping Mail in Makeni
President Edgar Lungu has officially opened the US $15 million Embassy Shopping Mall in Lusaka’s Makeni residential area with a call on the owners to consider giving some trading spaces to local traders and entrepreneurs.
And Government is in a hurry , not only to increase access to equitable and quality goods in our supermarkets , but also to develop our country in all arears , President Lungu has said .
Speaking during the official opening of the mall, President Lungu expressed gratitude at the infrastructure development taking place in Chawama, an area which was his constituency before he became head of state.
Mr. Lungu called on foreign investors to consider allowing local manufacturers and farmers to supply them with their produce as a way of encouraging local producers.
The president noted that the opening of the new mall will create employment for local people and reduce poverty in the area.
And Click Zambia Limited Director Aki Vasilakopoulos, who are the developer of the mall, disclosed that US $15 million has been invested into the construction of the mall.
He said the mall comprises of 46 stores and took 19 months to be completed.
He said over 500 people were engaged in the construction of the mall .
And Chawama Member of Parliament Lawrence Sichalwe on his part appealed to the investor to consider giving the 600 job opportunities created at the newly opened mall to Chawama youths.
Mr. Sichalwe also appealed to government to construct a fly over bridge at Chamawa junction as a long term measure to avoid accidents following the opening of the mall around the area.
Hundreds of Chawama residents and residents of surrounding areas turned up to witness the grand opening of the new shopping mall by president Lungu.
Justice minister Ngosa Simbyakula, Commerce Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe, Minister of Agriculture Given Lubinda, Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila, Community Development Minister Emerine Kabanshi, State House Deputy Minister Mulenga Sata and Mines Deputy Minister Richard Musukwa were the notable figures who attended the event.
Others present at the opening of the new mall were Lusaka mayor George Nyendwa, Chawama MP Lawrence Sichalwe and other senior party and government officials.
And Government is in a hurry , not only to increase access to equitable and quality goods in our supermarkets , but also to develop our country in all arears , President Lungu has said .
In a statement by his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda last evening , President Lungu said as the world economy continues to change rapidly, there is no country that will rely entirely on government alone to deliver social and public infrastructure and to create jobs.
Speaking when he officially opened the new mall , Mr. Lunngu said the Private Sector in increasingly playing a pivotal role in the development of our country.
“ It is for this reason that my government values the role the private sector is playing in the delivery of social and public infrastructure In this case , I am pleased to note that promoters of this Mall have invested US$15 million for this four project, creating 500 jobs during the construction phase rising to 700 at completion stage.” Said the Republican President.
He said this development has created noticeable economic activity in Chawama and Kanyama constituencies adding that he is happy that among the shareholders in are Zambian citizens.
President Lungu said this was the kind of investment government is keen to support . He advised the Mall proprietors to find shelve space for local producers.
“ As stated when I opened another shopping mall in Kitwe recently , please find space for locally produced goods on your shelves but also blend shop places with local entrepreneurs, “ said the Republican President.
He advised the Mall Owners to consider working out deliberate rentals pricing structure to enable more local businesses to participate in the high-end retail industry and commercial spaces.
How else can locals feel part and parcel of the economy if they are denied such opportunities, President Lungu asked.
He said local famers and manufactures should be an integral part of these malls that are coming up adding that he is always saddened to see foreign chain stores occupying these malls without any consideration for local businesses.
“ I n this vain am directing the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry to pay random visits to these shopping malls and ensure that our aspirations are realised.
Embassy Shopping Mail in Makeni
Embassy Shopping Mail in Makeni
Embassy Shopping Mail in Makeni
Somebody is lying. I can’t see where $15m went. This is a small Mall, even compared to Makeni Mall across the road. They are exaggerating the cost so that they will not pay taxes for decades to come while the dollars have been laundered out. Remember that these are Greeks!
This work “Embassy” is being abused. The best is to change “Embassy park” to Presidential Park.
The whole lot of his excellency opening malls across the country when the economy is drowning.
It just goes to confirm what south African comedian Trevor Noah joked about Zambians and escalators in malls.
These are activities that should have been left to madam Vice President or the designated ministry in charge of that industry. This president is turning out to be a ceremonious leader while madam Vice President is attending to serious issues. My apologies I forgot that the real president is in the background – RB
Sometimes it makes me wonder how Zambian Presidents set their priorities. Opening a mall in this modern age and era should be delegated to junior ministers or MPs. This is a very small project and it will have little or limited trickle down effect on the country’s economy. If anything, the investors will be externalising all the profits generated from that doggy mall. Please Mr President ensure that your very expensive schedule is not disturbed by these small foreign investors. They make you look cheap. I have worked on projects worth more $100 million and have never seen any minister coming to open these very “small” projects. You have big things to do for mother Zambia. Leave a lasting legacy by only opening large scale projects that will benefit many generations. Be different.
Opening shopping malls that the majority of Zambians cannot even afford to shop in is not the solution to Zambias economic woes.
Continue begging these foreign investors to create opportunities for Zambians, nothing will happen. As long as there is no law that compels them to buy goods from Zambians, you are simply kissing the dust as usual Jamasoni Lungu.
Do something about it, don’t just issue statements that lead to no where. Help your people. Let us see some tangible action from you for once.
Meanwhile viva HH
My friend, but is it not HH that owns all these Malls?
It is not right to have so many Ministers attend the opening of the shopping mall. This is not being productive or is it a sign of not being busy? And why are we only commissioning shoping malls and not manufacturing companies? Who is going to shop in these malls if employment is not created? Someone to advise
The have nothing to do? What else would you think they will be doing?
From kaminamisa the whole gang has no clue. Where in the world have you seen a president opening a mall??????
It is extremely shocking to see how time is wasted and poor people’s money is siphoned through the so called salaries & allowances by these people. I have struggled to make sense of almost a quarter of the cabinet going to watch the cutting of a ribbon at the opening of a shopping center! With all the challenges that need swift, patriotic attention these men are out of office to support foreigners use our land, make & externalize profits. That the entire president’s office would shift to a mall leaves me angry. One would expect such a powerful delegation on D-day for basic drivers of the economy/which also directly empower the locals such as energy production, farm related investment. Gee, Can someone please get back to the office!
With the serious economic crisis Zambia is in you expect these ministers to be working overtime in their offices with their sleeves rolled up working hard to solve them.
Instead they follow by example of their leader and work as little as possible and spend more time travelling and campaigning.
Mall and more little malls full of foreign goods.Lol,Zambia is a nation of consumers who produce little of value.
Begging a business person to give spaces for a few locals doesn’t sound right to me. I would rather the President invests his precious time on creating a national environment that creates efficient local production of goods. I don’t think any business person can ignore a good product that can sell and easily make him money. Secondly, encourage local ownership of these buildings by empowering your people to participate in the economy of the nation. Foreigners should go into partnerships with local people. There is nothing so special about putting up a shopping building – just a big hall!!!!! After 50 years of independence we still want to BEG some muzungu to give us a kantemba space in our own country!!!!! What has gone wrong?
The whole cabinet and our country mayor opening a mall. Hahahahahahaha. . . This country is an aggregation of jokers.
Thats even polite… its a country of retards
Fit to be dead instead of wasting oxygen
Koma ndiye nchito yamene iyi. Nakupelekeza a Lungu ku airport. We made our choice last January, we should now live with it unfortunately!
and these to ma malls are the same chaps fixing the price whenever you take vegetables, pork or any other products from your ka farm. What a country!
Bo LT where is the mall? Makeni or Chawama? I agree with you #Nostradamus. Embassy park for the dead should be changed to Presidential Memorial park. Bo LT, let the person who sent you the story send you the actual photo of this mall. anyway, in Zambia anything can be called shopping mall like those so called malls at kalingalinga.
Checkout the sinking economy of Greece where they ‘ve closed banks and the only one operating has limited individuals to withdraw only 80 euros a day which can’t buy them nothing.
Source news 24 today as they vote on a referendum.
75% of the goods will be imported from RSA. 24% will be from China. Only 1% will be Zambian made goods. Even the salt will be South African, i.e. Ceres salt.
The president should be opening factories not malls which create jobs for xenophobic countries. He’s belittling the Presidency (the Office).
He can encourage investors to start up Import Substitution industries like K.K. had started in the 80’s.
Bana Nono was right!!!!
Surely does it require a president to be officially opening shopping malls. Arent there more serious jobs to at state house and around the country?
#Wazeya, these chaps are so lazy that the only job hey know is to go to the airport to see off Lungu and receive him back. Changwa has no time to work so he has to be seen as working by opening these malls which even the mayor should open. His henchmen are happy to be there to receive free Jameson
Useless PF govt. Is this development? Useless thieves, God will punish you! Whatever you have stolen will vanish as quickly as you have acquired it!
President Edgar Lungu has officially opened the US $15 million Embassy Shopping Mall in Lusaka’s Makeni ……………with a call on the owners to consider giving some trading spaces to local traders and entrepreneurs.
Mr. Lungu called on foreign investors to consider allowing local manufacturers and farmers to supply them with their produce as a way of encouraging local producers.
…………to consider ………..
Oh My God…………… using such words to briefcase investors????
Another HH mall. This man has money. Viva HH. Build more malls and universities so that Lungu can continue commissioning them.
Kikikikikikiki ati Another HH Mall. Sure seemS you guys should just declare all construction going on in the country HH’s. Seems you have forgotten to take your meds
What a Government! Idi0ts such as Ndaje and Eddy are very happy seeing EL opening a mall with half the cabinet and PS’s there! Muli mbwa pamo na unproductive Lungu!
Bitterness and insults will never vote for your favorite candidate. If your strategy to put hh in power through insults and hurt then you are all wrong and a bunch fical waste in diapers.
I don’t think the poor person who cannot afford a meal because of PF *****ic policies really cares about our insults. In your case if you decide to vote for a visionless individual just to teach bloggers a lesson instead of from an objective mind then you must agree with me that you are dull. Like really dull.
Lazy bum Lungu doing what he does best hiring out the office of the president and doing absolutely nothing tangible.
surly a minster can do this when was the last time we saw some infrastructure or hospitals completed all malls are private money GRZ has very little to contribute financially im wondering where all those euro bond billions have been taken to or whose pockets there sitting in
……greece isnt that far away is it
@Sponge bob! You tell people not to insult but good for you to insult! Typical of PF! Promise something and do exactly the opposite.
Pf is hopeless, they talk of farmers supplying the malls yet they have no quality controls or awareness programmes to compete with outside goods. The same with what little manufacturing you do, if any. You need to support standard enforcement bodies with non stop training ba PF.
Our gov’t needs to change the tone in its language.
We cannot allow investors to bring foreign goods to Zambia AND BEG them to employ our people and sell our goods. SELL ZAMBIAN, BUY ZAMBIAN, HIRE ZAMBIAN by Parliamentary Acts/Laws if you want to invest in Zambia. Thank you.
This ‘win win’ approach by Zambian Politicians is a Beggars Charter we the citizens never signed up for. It’s an haphazardous, chance taking methododology of development, we the citizens have not mandated you to undertake.
It’s true that we must open Zambia to foreign investment like all countries, but we must be more forceful to apply the benefits to ordinary citizens and our economy.
Are we still in BC or its Zambia were presidents commission shopping malls ? Next week will be commissioning bus stations . We have moved 100 years in reverse
A Lungu a na bwera…..
A Lungu anabwera kucoka ku Harare!
What a joke $15 Million what?Dollars that is a lie.The Mall is small, and the Member of Parliament of Chawama is a joke asking the owners of the Mall to hire 500 youth from Chawama.Jobs at the Mall will be available to those who qualify.Lastly the President Edgar Lungu has completely nothing to do that is why he is busy officiating opening Malls,Grocery stores,bus stations and community toilets.Good job Edgar no wonder the country is on the road that leads to NOWHERE. Viva PF
I wonder with all these new malls coming up as to who will purchase goods from as this economy has dwindled and purchasing power has eroded the little income people have.I hope there wont be ghost malls as citizens will not have the money to purchase goods but look for alternative cheap sources to purchase from.
One doesn’t need to travel to xenophobic countries to buy, eh, a hat, or two, for instance.