A smart Zambia possible with smart citizens’ support – Chikonde

Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Muyeba Chikonde said the attainment of a SMART Zambia as directed by President Edgar Lungu is possible if all Zambians pull together .

Mr. Chikonde said the gesture was a significant as the country gravitates towards a Smart Zambia in the next decade.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS in Ndola yesterday by First Secretary for press and public relations at the Zambian High Commission in the United Kingdom Abigail Chaponda.

Mr Chikonde said that it also proves about the growing people to people relations between Zambia and the United Kingdom.

The High Commissioner said, during President Lungu’s address to Parliament in 2015, the President called for the transformation of service provision by both public and private sectors through the use of innovative Information and Communications Technologies (ICT’s).

“The Zambian Government is committed to the Smart Zambia process through the Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) and the newly established National Data Centre.

” President Lungu is keen to see the Civil service fully adapt to the e-governance system to become part of his Government’s legacy,” he said.

He said this when Wye Valley Zambia project of the United Kingdom through a UK firm RSM UK who donated fifty (50) laptops to Libala High School in Ndola District in Copperbelt province.

The move coincides with the commemoration of the ICT Week in March this year.

And Wye Valley Zambia project Director Sue Pomeroy said that the consignment will be arriving in Zambia this week.

“Our charity has been trying to get hold of 50 computers to send to Libala High School for their ICT week in March to coincide with the launch of their Microsoft school programme.

” We have been very lucky and had 50 laptops donated to us by a company called RSMUK. The laptops will be in Zambia this week,” she said.

Ms. Pomeroy said that apart from Libala High School, her charity is also working with Kabwata, Chilenge and Libala basic Schools.

And Public Relations Manager for RSM -UK Frank Shepherd said that the company was pleased to contribute towards a good cause and hoped that the laptops will go a long way in complementing the government programme of installing ICT infrastructure in learning institutions.

“We understand that His Excellency President Lungu places huge importance on the development of ICT’s in the country through the Smart Zambia Initiative which he has directed to filter to all sectors including institutions of learning. This donation is an effort towards this goal and we hope other companies can emulate our gesture.” he said.

Also, present during the handover was Mike Ware a Trustee for the Wye Valley Zambia Project and Jim Meakin a Tax Partner for RSM-UK.

Wye Valley Zambia project of the UK is a charitable organization which has partnered with Libala High School since 2006.

The aim of the partnership is to develop young leaders in both schools and through exchange visits, give them opportunities to work together, thereby promoting understanding between young people from very different cultures.

The project has grown over the years and now has many different aspects to it. For the first four years Sixth Form students went to visit Libala High School to train their students to be Sports Leaders and Student Mentors.