President Edgar Lungu has advised Zambians living in the diaspora to have a positive attitude if they are to make meaningful contribution towards Zambia’s development.
ZANIS reports that President Lungu made the appeal when he addressed Zambians living in Botswana during a dinner hosted for him at the Zambian High Commissioner’s residence last night.
Mr. Lungu said Zambians should learn to ignore politicians who like politicking because government is in a hurry to develop the country thereby improving the welfare of its citizens.
The President cited the issue of load shedding, which has engulfed the country, following the drop in the water levels at the Kariba Dam in Siavonga, Southern Province.
The Zambian Head of State observed that the subject of load shedding in Zambia is being treated as a political issue and not a natural phenomenon that has affected the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC).
“Inadequate power supply that has hit Zambia is not only affecting the country but the region as a whole. Zambia is a politicking country. Everything is politics. Even as l speak to you now, someone is seeing politics,” the President observed.
He further said that the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), established as a body on 1st October 1987 by parallel legislation in the parliaments of Zambia and Zimbabwe and jointly owned by the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe, has warned the two countries to regulate the use of water from the Kariba dam.
“ZRA has warned that if both Zambia and Zimbabwe do not adhere to the regulations, the power deficit is expected to worsen around October-November, 2015.
Constructed in the 1950s, the Kariba dam is the largest man-made lake in the world, which was designed to hold back power of the Zambezi River and create hydroelectricity for an ever increasing demand.
President Lungu reiterated that government remains committed in ensuring the problem of inadequate power supply currently being experienced in the country is addressed.
The President expressed satisfaction that he was glad because the issue of shortfall in the supply of power will be tabled during the 35th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit which officially opens today.
“We learn from the region and it is about sharing. It is a pity that back home, everything is politics. Let’s take advantage of our exposure to add value to our country’s development. A good practice that you see must be passed on back home,” advised the President.
And commenting on draft constitution, the President challenged Zambians to read the document if they are to appreciate the contents in particular the subject of dual citizenship.
Mr. Lungu also said his political party was working in conjunction with some musicians who will help in educating the masses on the importance of violence free elections through music in the country.
The President however expressed disappointment saying his assessment over the National Arts Council (NAC) is that it is no longer effectively performs its duties of promoting development through arts.
“Designing or redesigning the council in a fresh style will do. We have a ministry responsible in this area. So we will see how we can get our people to utilise this field,” the President noted.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lungu has distanced himself from interfering with the police operations on matters of violence.
“If l was instigating violence, what would have stopped me from interfering with the cases. Am not the type of the person and the police are not being detected on what they must do when presented with offences of such crimes, “illustrated Mr. Lungu.
The President was responding to questions by the Zambians living in Bostwana.
Present at the dinner were Defence Minister Richwell Siamunene, Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba, Attorney General Likando Kalaluka, Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Siazongo Siakalenge, Zambia’s Acting High Commissioner Wesley Chikwamu, and senior government officials.
And Zambia’s Acting High Commissioner to Botswana Wesley Chikwamu has assured President Edgar Lungu that Zambians living in that country are in support of the government’s developmental agenda.
Mr. Chikwamu cited the road construction projects as economic gain for the country’s development.
The Acting High Commissioner who thanked President Lungu for his commitment in bettering the well-being of the people of Zambia was speaking during a dinner hosted for President Lungu at the Zambian High Commissioner’s residence in Gaborone last night.
And Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon hold a national indaba to discuss issues affecting Zambians living in the diaspora.
Mr. Kalaba observed that with the 3, 000 Zambians living in Botswana, it is important that his ministry creates a platform for the citizens living in the diaspora to allow them participate effectively in enhancing the economic growth of Zambia.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Zambian community living in Botswana Rosemary Musonda has congratulated President Edgar Lungu for assuming office as the country’s sixth leader.
Mr. Lungu is visiting Botswana for the first time in his capacity as the sixth President of Zambia.
Dr. Musonda narrated that the community in Botswana supports President Lungu and his administration for the economic strides made so far in taking Zambia forward.
“We are the face of the people of Zambia,” explained Dr. Musonda.
She has however appealed to the President to consider investing in the energy sector saying energy insecurity can override the economic gains of any country.
The Zambian representative also requested that a desk to address the issue of land acquisition concerning Zambians living in the diaspora be put in place to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Zambians in diaspora lacks patriotism they are busy hurling insults at zambians forgetting they are zambians too. You ‘ll hear their silly comments .
There were obviously no questions asked by the attendees because Lungu will have no answers. Yet this is the man entrusted with the fate of the country. The country’s destiny is obvious
Leave us alone! We were born in Zambia, nothing can change that but dam.n it we have the right to live where we want with no obligation to Zambia!
I am in Scotland and seeing a whiteman and I am 27 , I would careless what the Presdeint has to say, for all I care he can kiss my-where the place don’t shine.
Thanks
BB2014
As usual, Lungu is visionless!
10 months left for PF to be KICKED out of power, DEMOCRATICALLY.
Nevertheless, LusakaTimes.com your new website is very poor, the old set up was far more interesting than this! Visionlessness seems to be airborne contracted with PF mediocrity.
Lungu, 10 months left with your visionless PF cadres. RB the Bandit will soon cry again!
The Skeleton Key
~206~
We all need to be positive, however, somethings can only leave one wondering where is the economy of this country headed to? PF you found the exchange rate between the Dollar and Kwacha at $1 to K4. 20 and today it is trading at K8. What a shame, it is a sign you have no economic know how to serve this country and its people other than your own bellies.
I am sure the gathering was boring and tense, and poorly attended.
We miss Sata’s jokes whenever he met with diaspora ….
It really pisses me of when Zambians in Zambia think Zambians in the diaspora don’t think of home.We think about Zambia every f…cking day.Who do you think funds those businesses our relatives are building? Who do you think buys medicines for our aging relatives since UTH doesn’t stock them? Come on guys!!When we drive on nice roads,go to good schools, shops etc all we think is how can we take this home.It’s not all rosy living away from home…and no we aren’t coming back just yet to join you in your search for gas or charcoal due to load shedding.Our relatives need us to make capital here and send it back home.We don’t need to be told day in day out to contribute we have been doing it for years.We even sleep on sites like LT,Watchdog just to hear Zed news.
Was the guy sweating profusely? The situation must have been tense really. I hear the guy is not used to saying things that make sense to audiences unless premeditated or even written. Not like HH who would make diaspora Zambians sweat trying to find impressive questions to ask him.
Iwe Diaspora above, you do not contribute anything to Zambia’s GDP. You may help afew of your relatives here and there, but you do not contribute anything to Zambia. You contribute to infrastructure development in the country where you work and not mother Zambia
Just shut up.You don’t even understand what is Zambia’s GDP.
Can you ask Bank of Zambia just how much we Zambians in the diaspora send back home every month.
Let me give you a clue,3000 Zambians in Botswana sending just a minimum of BWP1000,that is BWP 3,000,000!Multiply it by 12 month = P36,000,000X 0.75 =ZMK 27,000,000 !Now that is only from Botswana.What about South Africa,USA,Europe etc all put together?
What the Zambian govt must do is to encourage Zambians to set up businesses abroad and then use their profits to invest back at home.The Chinese govt gives loans to construction companies in Africa.They win million tender businesses ,then create employment for it’s citizens back in China.That is economics and a govt.that cares for it’s citizens.
The statement on the Police is interesting. The President seems to confirm that there is political violence in the country but says he does not interfere how the Police handle it. Perhaps he should be concerned that the Police are not up to the task; and as the overall in charge, the buck stops at this office.
@ JEVIK ASYCUDA Phiri: Who cares? Im very proud of Zambians living outside because they made it against all odds. They took their chance and made it for themselves. I remember working literally three jobs just to complete my career. Most Zambians in Zambia are annoyingly lazy. When we criticize, we know what we are talking about. We know life in Zambia and outside Zambia. That gives us better judgement.
I miss home and I wanna come and stay in Zambia one day, just not yet. Maybe if people like HH or Nawakwi become president, then we can talk. Not what I see at the moment.
Where I chose to leave is my business you expect me to be in darkness because of load shedding by Zesco no I never grew up like that under KK’s Zambia. It is good to leave abroad jokes aside.
Mr. Not so intelligent: Most Zambians living and working in Zambia are PATRIOTIC. Those in diaspora think someone from outside Zambia will come to develop Zambia. They have in mind “investors”. They think investors will come to Zambia and develop our country?
Well, you get the point. You can stay there, that’s your choice. Leave us alone. We have the right to point out whats not right.
You Zambians in Zambia are failures. Lusaka is the dirtiest city, no malighteaee, Zambia now owes 7 billion $s, almost the same as when we went begging for forgiveness, you have corruption scandals oozing from every orrifice of GRZ.
You have a UTH that does not work, it is a place for the poor to die. All this while you all are ndweiiii. You have to blame your selves foe letting all this happen while you watch.
I miss the taste of the free range village chickens and the game meat. And of course the mice, the way we used to eat them, head, fur, bones and everything.
ECL is the best president zambia ever had, young , educated , tall, smart, handsome, mature with parental advice. 3000 zambians in botswana, thus too bug a number and you call yourselves being in diaspora and yet you just go to botswana by bus?? Diaspora means those of us who have crossed oceasns, seas not you go pa kazungula and u are in diaspora? I am in japan whereby if iam in a club iam the only black man, not you are in botwsana you see blacks everywhere , how do the tswanas differentaite yopu from their own pipo?? language??please ECL ADVICE WAS CLEAR AND TO THE POINT
hahahahahaaaaa. no comment…lol
iwe anyoko, stop cracking by ribs, I beg of you!
He hasn’t actually said anything wrong. Just have a positive attitude and ignore politicians who politick… So I can now peacefully ignore him.
Sounds like the load shedding has him hot under the collar. Using musicians to spread a non violent election messages sounds like gearing up for campaigning. A warning shot has been fired to the Arts Council. Long overdue if it is for the betterment. Controlling if it’s just to place another long fingered non democratic head.
Discuss the regional power problem by all means ED but we remain the ones with the most water in the region and the least productive usage of our huge resources. Does that bother you even just a tad? Or is it just more fun to bait opposition and diaspora…
This diaspora issue bugs me. Each president pays it homage, yet goes on to ignore advice and the locals in Zambia go to town disparaging those abroad and vice versa. In the meantime foreigners get more land and contracts, using business plans shared with the government by Zambians in the diaspora. Please learn from Taiwan, China and India. We can help from abroad.
fak zed….
I m just waiting for the barotse agreement for freedom
Free Advice. If you can secure a government job, or at least in a good International company, then no problem. Otherwise come as an investor if you do not want to find yourselves considered inferior due to your colour, that is if you are black.
Free Advice. If you will get a government job, or in a good international company, then it is well and good. Otherwise come as an Investor or face the indignity of being considered inferior, that is if you are black.
Truly laughable this lazy bum of drunkard lecturing about making a meaningful contribution towards Zambia’s development…laughable indeed…the bum is borrowing money left right and centre with no accountability no press conference to lay down his road map.
Good Nite!!
Ba Chagwa , we are surprised , all of the sudden electricity was cut, it’s not even October, and you are telling us that the water level is low, bufi, wabepafye. You are selling electricity to Mozambique , Malawi, Zimbabwe on the expense of Zambians, why didn’t we experience this last year? MwafilwaBa Chagwa mwandi. Let other people rule this country. Why should I come back and look for malasha, 7 hours without electricity, how do people work in the office using computers without electricity. Don’t cheat us Chagwa. In. Six month, you have grown old because of not thinking properly. Ifwe ni forward come 2016, HH.
By the way, what is Kalaba , going to talk about in diaspora , this another arrogant , minister, very pompous for nothing. Let him just shut up with his drunkard friend. Period
Please those in diaspora don’t come back Zed is a failed state Alungu was just Lying in fact he is the one who likes politicking instead of talking about God knows how many Problems these Power Failures have brought but his Focus is about Opposition. Free advice take it or Leave but if you want to come its at owns risk.
hello mr. president lungu i have some news of bad people but i hope ur action coz this people very cheater
nasla chemical industries and and nasla group main kafuwi road near makine mall
company owner name
mr. nasir pardesi. 0955278696
mr. hanif pardesi. 0966768696
mr. hameed pardesi. 0966566666
this people long time business in zambia and too much money making but not care of worker not respect give of worker only force. there in nasla company permanent worker long time working but no future company just kidded of worker
nasla company too many foreign givein problem and too many foreign salary holding then without money send country no any body help.
nasla owner now company business make is slow coz of cheating
nasla company now start new business open too many…
@ANYOKO is right diaspora means living overseas ..OVER THE SEAS not crossing zambezi river!! dia means two SPORA means a different race as a minority in another country. e.g as a blackman in Thailand, SCOTLAND, china,germany, england etc whereby everywhere U ARE you see white or yellow shinning faces only u the spoiler. Also diaspora means u mingle with different race now if one is in malawi botswana zim,south africa nigeria please it is not diaspora it is abroad
Stop trying to flee the problem. Politicians should take the blame for Load shedding. This is a problem that can be avoided by politicians with a vision. In the entire Southern African region politicians have been ignoring advice from technocrats that with the increase of investment the population etc you need more energy. Its not something you address when