Saturday, April 20, 2024

We seriously need to interrogate Zambia’s successes and failures in manufacturing industry

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President Edgar Lungu flanked by Seba Foods Managing Director Ram Ray Vijayvargiya during the tour of stands at the Zambia Association of Manufactures symposium at Radisson Blue Hotel
President Edgar Lungu flanked by Seba Foods Managing Director Ram Ray Vijayvargiya during the tour of stands at the Zambia Association of Manufactures symposium at Radisson Blue Hotel

President Edgar Lungu has stressed the need to seriously interrogate the country’s successes and failures in the manufacturing industry across the country.

Speaking at the manufacturers’ meet the President seminar themed “solutions for Zambian manufacturing” at Lusaka’s Radisson blue today, President Lungu said there is need to chart the way forward to develop the manufacturing industry if Zambia is to achieve the status of a prosperous middle income country.

“We need to seriously interogate where we are as a nation in the industry, we need to interogate our successes and failures. We need to chart the way forward to develop our industry, if we are to achieve the status of a prosperous middle income country, ” he said

The President Lungu urged Zambians to rise to the occasion and take keen interest in adding value to agricultural products and minerals, among others.

The president said value addition to mangoes, tomatoes cotton, cashew nuts, and copper is the answer to the nation’s industrialization, job creation and wealth creation.

The President said that Zambia’s ultimate objective as government is to attain a proudly industrialised Zambia, a regional hub for unequalled manufacture of high quality Zambian products to compete favourably on the regional and international market.

The President further said that he was aware of the challenges the manufacturing sector was currently facing and wished to take the opportunity to emphasise that his government remained committed to addressing these challenges and to creating an enabling environment for industrialisation.

The president said that challenges included unfair competition affecting the local manufacturing industry as a result of imported products, particularly those that were smuggled into the country, adding that this scenario was a source of concern to my government.

The President also said that Government was also concerned about the illicit trade as it does not only cause a leakage of the much needed revenue, but was a deterrent to the advancement of industrialisation.

President Edgar Lungu signs a Certificate during the tour of stands at the Zambia Association of Manufactures symposium at Radisson Blue Hotel,
President Edgar Lungu signs a Certificate during the tour of stands at the Zambia Association of Manufactures symposium at Radisson Blue Hotel,
President Edgar Lungu talks to Trade Kings employees during the tour of stands at the Zambia Association of Manufactures symposium at Radisson Blue Hotel
President Edgar Lungu talks to Trade Kings employees during the tour of stands at the Zambia Association of Manufactures symposium at Radisson Blue Hotel
President Edgar Lungu during the tour of stands at the Zambia Association of Manufactures symposium at Radisson Blue Hotel
President Edgar Lungu during the tour of stands at the Zambia Association of Manufactures symposium at Radisson Blue Hotel

46 COMMENTS

    • Iwe @Mweo,
      did you even read the speech and gave it a thought? What is in this speech that ECL should be batted on the back? See, my comment below. Its a speech for non-critical thinkers doesn’t offer anything. No solutions.

    • Lungu said he was aware of the challenges manufactures are facing and govt was addressing them…such an empty thoughtless statement. Lungu cannot solve anything. The easiest problem to solve in this country is cadre violence, Lungu is commander in chief and in this regard, he has failed miserably. How can such a man solve more complex problems such as manufacturing?

    • Reminds me of a certain president of some country who said he would create 500,000 jobs before the end of the year, all that country got was 42 bala’s

    • Why didnt this Lazy Workshy Bum Lungu simply go into Shoprite and count the Zambian products in there…instead of making silly speeches. He is happy to rub shoulders with Zuma and sign useless MOUs.

    • If course chakolwa Lungu the challenges will always be there as long as you and your stooges continue to steal money and hidebit abroad .

      Where on do you think the capital will come from if any small amount donated quickly disapears into your pocks with impunity?

      Zambia is getting poorer under the PF. Its time to get rid these PF thiefs.

    • Canadians In Paradise Papers Will Be Investigated: Trudeau

      Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Canada Revenue Agency would investigate Canadians names in the Paradise Papers. as he fended off questions about his relationship with his close ally and Liberal Party fundraiser Stephen Bronfman.

      The comments came a day after ICIJ and its partners, which included Canada’s CBC, published the year-long investigation.

      “We are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance,” said Trudeau, speaking in the House of Commons. “I will let the individuals involved comment on the situation. But I can tell you that the revenue agency is examining all links abroad and will take all necessary measures concerning the Paradise Papers.”

    • MFEZ Incentives
      Companies approved under ZDA priority sectors will be given the following incentives:
      Zero percent tax on profits made by companies in the priority Sector for a period of 5 years from the first year profits are made. For years 6 to 8 only 50% of profits should be taxed and for years 9 and 10, 75% of profit should be taxed;
      Zero percent tax rate on dividends of companies operating under the MFEZ/priority sector for a period of five years from the year of first declaration of dividends.
      Zero percent import duty rate on raw materials, capital goods, machinery including trucks and specialized vehicles for five years.
      Deferment of VAT on machinery and equipment including trucks and specialized motor vehicles imported for investment in MFEZ and/or

    • Foreign companies investing in your multi facility economic zones, will not be evading tax but avoid high taxes in their countries of origin. This ain’t a crime.

    • What Zambians need to do is interrogated Jonathan Chaima Lungu when he leaves power soon about how he all of a sudden amassed wealth in a short time. The Armageddon man is dead and buried. There’s a power vaccum in Zambia. Kambwili has a big neck, Musenge is the running man. Zambia is a failed State.

    • ECL IS THE SON OF THE LAND – ZAMBIA HEART BEATS FOR YOU.
      ======================================
      Forward na ECL. Zambia ilechinja! Efyaume ifi, ifyakutwala kubantu.Noti tu double H.

  1. The comforting thing is that you are aware of the problems. The problem, however is that Political will is lacking to solve these issues.

    • How would he know when he has a Commerce Minister who is always drunk and she moves with an assortment of foreign currencies in her handbag ready to go shopping abroad.

  2. I am sorry, but this is a speech about nothing.
    The president says “he was aware of the challenges the manufacturing sector was currently facing and wished to take the opportunity to emphasise that his government remained committed to addressing these challenges ” and he goes on to quote the unfair competition caused by smuggling.
    As an action taker, I would expect from this speech to name those issues and provide an outline of actions to be taken. Just naming smuggling as “concern to my government” is not a solution. Later on, smuggling has been here since Kaunda era, nothing new. What we lack is naming the issues and taking action, don’t just plan to plan. This is not helping those industries to develop.

    • Never mind this shiftless Bum talking about manufacturing sector when he has no policies to back his utterances…imagine even mere clinic posts they had to go to India EXIM Bank to obtain a loan to build and equip 650 Prefab Clinics across the country just think of a boost that was for Indian manufacturing sector.
      The LAZY Bum is just visionless!!

    • Lazy Lungu is the same level in mindset as sleeping Mayor Wilson, two very dull individuals…Wilson claims he will soon be going to China to talk to investors of “time” buses..really laughable…they are more than happy to give money away to foreigners yet talk of lack of skilled employment. The same Wilson is wasting funds opening a council radio station….how on earth did we let these shiftless morons get past the vetting stage to the Ballot box!!

  3. Now King of Swaziland has left does he show up …look at his face, he is nursing a hangover; how can you interrogate Zambia’s success failures in manufacturing when you rush to China to buy 2000 solar hammer mills, you rush abroad to overpriced Ambulances when you can local paint companies can do they job.

  4. KK introduced the made in Zambia, buy Zambian. We protested and did away with our local products such as Tiptop drink, Sabina bath soap etc after voting the old man. We returned to foreign foods, cars, drinks. Am sure by now these products were going to improve to international standards. Don’t blame others, let’s blame our lack of resilience like the Chinese.

    • How old are you @Ndanje Khakis? Made in Zambia should not be a ticket that Zambians will buy your products regardless you have to benchmark yourselves with the best…I bet you have never heard of the infamous ROP cooking oil that our parents first had to heat up before they could fry anything in it.
      You talk of China as if you yourself can get past Chinese customs to sell your products there…wake up from your folly, sillness and docility!!

    • Iwe ka chi kala ka jj stop lying. Rop was not manufacturing that oil were you have to heat it before use. It was zam oil in luanshya. Kiki. You are even asking someone when he was born and yet it’s you who is an under5. Go for under5 clinic lessons first before joining the conversation of the elders mwaiche. Make sure you finish all the under5 vaccines.

    • @HH …. Surely you only responded to my comment to insult me, pigeon hole me to a silly party and tell me where that cooking oil was manufactured? Is that all you picked up..the fact of the matter is that in was manufactured in Zambia during the KK era he was alluding to.
      Please just continue doing what you do best rigging the vote up vote down on LT…I could care less..!!

  5. To support and promote local manufacturing we should enact affirmative policies and initiatives that should encourage local manufacturing to grow the industry. Even a deliberate and aggressive effort for “buying proudly Zambian” should be launched to change the mind set of the people to make them appreciate the quality of local produce and make local products competitive on both the local and competitive markets. In any case “local is luker”!! You will interrogate the “successes and failures” and then what?

  6. We should protect the local industry to create more jobs locally and there is a “ripple” and multiplier effect that will result from this approach. Inevitably, locally produced goods should be competitive in price as transport costs will be reduced. The retail shops from South Africa make a killing here and a rip off through an unfair pricing regime. They are reported to sale merchandise for the same figures as they do in South Africa and just replace the “R” with a “K”. Given the difference in the exchange rate, the same items sale for a lot more in Zambia then in South Africa.

  7. Lungu says that while wearing foreign made shirt,foreign shoes and walkin on foreign made carpet.Even the foods he’s viewing is manufactured by “foreign made Zambians”.

  8. A standard Toyota land cruiser costs $68 000 and the same land cruiser equipped with a bed, oxygen cylinder and some panadols costs $288 000 mr president can you justify how special these beds re for them to cost $220 000 and mind you these cars re duty free. If you can justify then i will agree with you on this matter.

  9. A positive impulse, unfortunately, with a lot of negative comments.

    Industrialisation is an extensive process which requires great enterpreneurial responsibility from citizens if it is to be a national success. The challenge cannot be left to the government alone. Once government has created the condusive environment, their part is done and it is now up to the citizens to respond by starting up focused investments based on customer and market needs.

    German products are good because Germans themselves believe in them. They make sure their products are efficient before marketing them. The same goes for Japanese or Indian products. None but Zambians can make Zambian products great. This is what the president is saying and I fully agree with him.

    • Industrialization will not come from people who’s only capacity is running Tuntemba ,can’t run an airline,build shoddy road workmanship or can’t run a national supermarket chain.Be realistic Nine Chale.

  10. Good job Mr. President. That is how we can make it. DO not listen to unpatriotic Namwalans with their educated boy in South Africa who acts like a grade 7.

  11. @HaJayJay, Hazaluza Hagain! He has money in the Caymen Islands which he store during privatization. He will never be president! Never!

  12. From 2011 high of 6.4% you’ve brought economic growth down to 3% P.A ,allowed massive import of SA goods yet you want to interrogate why manufacturing hasn’t taken off in Zambia?

  13. Nothing under the sun will ever deliver the Presidency of Zambia to under5, not because of his tribe but because he came through and continues to come through his tribe. Under5 needs a complete re-invention, not even a partial amendment or repeal of his character will do. But then why go to the trouble of re-inventing under5 when you can make it easier by simply following democracy and going to a convention and elect another leader?

  14. The big problem is Quality-Quality and again Quality,if you can provide this you can also export.Up to now I can see not a single item produced in Zambia made as a Quality product and if you find one it will be overpriced.

    • You can only achieve quality when you have quality bloggers on LT. Use this as KPI for Quality Index in Zambia.

      Unfortunately, the quality of discussion here is so poor that its a reflection of quality awareness among Zambians.

      Look at the level of some so-called PhDs holders that Zambia produces, and you will understand why we are where we are.

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