Friday, March 29, 2024

President Hichilema joins other three heads of state in commemorating World Children’s Day at the Kazungula Bridge

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President Hakainde Hichilema yesterday joined fellow leaders from Zimbabwe, Botswana and Nambia in commemorating World Children’s Day at the Kazungula Bridge whose theme is “The future we want, taking bold steps to ensure that every child has the best opportunities and skills to ready them for 2046,”

The president said that he attached great importance to children’s issues which speaks to his commitment to better the lives of children by giving them hope and opportunities which include among other things; free education. Children are expected to start early, the reason his Government has increased the allocation for early childhood education in the 2022 budget.

The President emphasized that the importance of child rights and the need to place a high premium on the plight of children who are leaders of tomorrow, adding that together with his fellow Presidents from Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, they have resolved to form a network of four Presidents and children to enhance the interaction between leaders and children.

“In our bid to look after the welfare of our children, we will endeavour to strengthen the laws that favour and protect the interests of our children, the president said.

Earlier, President Hichilema said that the country’s education system should identify and develop sports talent among students at an early age and that sports play an integral part in a country’s social and economic development as it creates jobs and other opportunities.

Speaking when he received the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Button at State House today, President Hichilema also noted the need to exploit the relationship between Zambia and the British government for exchanges in Commonwealth member States.

President Hakainde Hichilema said there is a need to promote artistic talent exchanges with other countries and entertainment hubs like Hollywood and Nollywood, adding that sports associations should see government as a partner to help open up other opportunities because of the travels and networks created.

The President has encouraged the sports administrators to prepare a checklist of the things that hinder growth and pledged to support the team heading to the games next year.

And British High Commissioner to Zambia Nicola Wolley said Birmingham has many links with Zambia as President HICHILEMA was a student at Birmingham University.

He said the British government has been key in fighting climate change across the globe of which Zambia has been actively participating.

The British Envoy noted that the recent Commonwealth heads of state statement committing to work together against Covid-19 and build resilience is key.

He said the button is on a 2-hundred and 69 day journey across 72 nations and will return in July next year ahead of the games as it records messages to be played to the Queen.

WOOLEY said the data and images being recorded will be used to tell a story of its journey with Zambia being a story of peace and respect for rule of Law.

And Sports Minister Elvis Nkandu said the Queen’s button relay is a celebrated tradition held before the Commonwealth Games.

The Minister appealed to all citizens to embrace the games while appealing to the corporate world to come on board and support athletes.

And National Olympics Games President ALFRED FOLOKO who handed over the button to the President said the sports movement has been given impetus to work with government and hope to build a platform that meets aspirations of Zambian youths.

26 COMMENTS

  1. Enjoying and basking in PF achievements…..5 years from now UPND will still have nothing to point at…..just Enjoying what PF and Lungu did

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  2. Now you can imagine if it was HH who was President when this bridge was built….mamamama you know HH likes crediting himself even on someone’s hard work…..chimbwi no plan now he has joined Munangangwa and chakwera as Africa’s most useless Presidents

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  3. Government is a continuous process and not what we are being made to believe that the UPND are starting afresh. Today Bally is dancing on the bridge that he made disparaging remarks against just to discredit ECL. You’ll not build your legacy by destroying that of your predecessor. Your diary is already being written through your many questionable appointments. NDC structures are now congratulating their President Akafumba on his appointment as PS. It’s on smaller things that the integrity of men is measured

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  4. This is not about the bridges and roads but about the children. Simples. In any case, what previous governments left is not theirs alone, but for us citizens.

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  5. Yes children are people too so when we have ambitions plans to sell our country to foreigners, we should always be mindful that we are displacing our future generation.

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  6. So nothing has really changed just a continuation from where PF and Lungu left from kikikikiki….load shedding is killing businesses…the Kwacha is getting weaker…..no fuel in most parts of Lusaka…food has become extremely expensive….HH is busy touring and making speeches

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  7. Kazungula bridge, which HH made disparaging remarks about when he was in opposition, is a tremendous milestone in the development of our country. So today you are dancing on the same bridge because of your predecessor, ECL.
    Oh by the way, we were recently told that southern province was one of the provinces that was neglected in terms of development by ba PF. Please tell the truth and give credit where it is due.

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  8. How can we really enjoy PF’S debt legacy
    Anyone can build a fine structure like the bridge at Kazangula
    But who bears the pain of paying for it ?
    Ask yourself that question

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  9. Any one can build that bridge with borrowed money………..even my garden boy if given borrowed money………

    Now lungu has even failed to pay back , he continously had to be bailed out by Botswana…….

    My garden boy , a form 2 , can suley build that bridge with borrowed money and do a better job by being able to honour the debts…….

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  10. That Bridge who keep mentioning as a PF achievement would not have been delivered below budget, at value and on time if it was not for prudent Botswanan govt at one time Lungu’s govt defaulted on making an mere $18 million payment to the South Korean contractor.

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  11. State House please buy this man HH7 some cheap smart casual clothing at Woolworth or somewhere at those shopping malls in Lusaka …look at him over dressed in a work suit when his friends are in jeans

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  12. Look how f00Iish the blind upnd followers are looking on LT. Hh is doing things that they criticized but 5 times worse hahahaha.

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  13. The clique supporters on LT boasting about a bridge…….

    Can they tell us what is so hard about building a bridge with borrowed money that you even fail to pay back ??????

    Confused………

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  14. Just shows how low the PF set the bar for leadership in zambia……….

    How can you have only infrastructure to praise , that was built with borrowed money , on top of which they even failed to pay back ?????

    It’s like inherting a viable farm………

    where you borrow money against to go and buy a truck , ………

    show off about buying a truck , yet fail to pay back the borrowed money you got with farm as collateral……….

  15. Just shows how low the PF set the bar for ruling in zambia……….

    How can you have only infrastructure to praise , that was built with borrowed money , on top of which they even failed to pay back ?????

    It’s like inherting a viable farm………

    where you borrow money against to go and buy a truck , ………

    show off about buying a truck , yet fail to pay back the borrowed money you got with farm as collateral……….

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  16. I must praise our seventh president HH, for once, being patriotic and danced on the same bridge his predecessor ECL built with other two countries despite him having bashed and criticized the project when he was in opposition. This is the way to go Mr president. Not everything ECL did was wrong, he did some things excellently well and he obviously messed up big time in other areas. So as an incumbent President don’t trash everything your colleague did because you will be a former president one day and you wouldn’t want anyone to trash things which you are currently spending sleepless nights to “fix.” In some cases, Mr President, your family is being deprived of quality time with you because you are busy breaking nights thinking of how you are going to make me and other Zambians…

  17. The 3 heads of states are commemorating World Children’s Day !!!. They are NOT commemorating the building of Kazungula Bridge. Therefore, discussion or comments related to “sontaring” who build the bridge or who criticized it, is basically irrelevant. Save your comments when the heading changes to ” President Hichilema joins other three heads of state in commemorating building/openning of the the Kazungula Bridge”
    One of the key messages in the article : “…..giving the children hope and opportunities which include among other things; free education. Children are expected to start early, the reason his Government has increased the allocation for early childhood education in the 2022 budget.” That should be something everyone should welcome.

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  18. general Kanene – Zambian bloggers rarely engage in progressive debates …just look at what is trending on Face-book from Zambia a drunkard silly woman who was spewing nonsense at some award ceremony last night and she is a role model.

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  19. It’s like someone is still not believing that he is the Republican President..He is now a tourist just look at the traps made in the last three months.

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  20. Bally following the footsteps of his predecessor.started flying all over.This is what UPND were criticising when in opposition.Settle down and sort our own
    Problems.

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  21. This is the problem with some bloggers. That meeting involved fellow heads of state and you expected HH not to be in attendance. In fact he should have gone to Cairo Egypt for COMESA heads of State meeting but has delegated the Vice President to attend. How does one liken a President to be moving up and down.

  22. To those who do not know how the Govt operate. The govt changed from British colonial rule to Zambian one. From UNIP 0n 24/10/1964 to date UPND what has been changing is the administration because now we are in the 5th Republic. 1st Republic from 1964 to 1973 when Zambia reverted to One Party participatory Democracy, 3rd Republic when MMD govt took over from UNIP up to when Sata under PF took over from RB that was 4th Republic and transition of power from PF to UPND is the 5th Republic. Its the administration which changes not govt that is why you find that all govt institutions keep on functioning even when there is change of ruling parties. from 1964 Zambia has been ruled by 4 political parties UNIP 1964-1991, MMD, 1991 to2011, PF 2011 to 2021 and now UPND 2021 -2026 there after…

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