President Hakainde Hichilema has directed Minister of Commerce, Chipoka Mulenga and his Copperbelt counterpart, Elisha Matambo to resolve the issue of congestion at Kasumbalesa border immediately.
President Hichilema says Mr. Mulenga should engage his Congolese’s counterpart so that the issue of congestion is addressed.
President Hichilema said today during a briefing at Mukuba Hotel shortly before his tour of standards at the 56 Zambia International Trade Fair that he will also whisper to the Congolese delegation at the fair on the need to unlock the challenges at the border.
Mr. Hichilema has also implored the business community on the Copperbelt, and the provincial administration to ensure that they attend to the needs of the neighbouring DRC in terms of food among other things.
Meanwhile, the President says the Zambia International Trade Fair should be used as a centre of trade and investments.
He said there is therefore a need for both the private sector and government to work as an intertwined team to create meaningful trade and create jobs.
Mr. Hichilema said Zambia is back in business and he wants to walk the talk in promoting investment in the country.
President Hichilema re-emphasised his desire to industrialise the Copperbelt, especially Ndola which said was the country’s industrial hub.
He has reiterated that his administration is working very hard to reconstruct the economy that was damaged in the last ten years.
President Hichilema already Zambia is on the right trajectory to economic recovery as can be evidenced by the attainment of a single digit in inflation for the first time in so many years.
President Hichilema has since assured the business community and the general public that works on the Ndola – Lusaka dual carriage way, Ndola – Mufulira and Chingola- Kasumbalesa roads will soon commence.
He said this will ease the movement of goods and services and ultimately stimulate economic growth in the country and beyond.
Mr. Hichilema who is officiating at the Zambia International Trade Fair for the first time following his election as President of the Republic of Zambia also stated the fight of corruption should be done in a multi sectoral way.
And Minister of Commerce, Chipoka Mulenga said over 400 Small and Medium Enterprises are exhibiting at this year’s international trade fair, out of which those from DRC have dominated.
Mr. Mulenga said his ministry is working with the trade fair trust management to see how the international trade exhibition can be hosted on a quarterly basis.
He said the Public Private Dialogue Forum-PPDF should be used to run the trade fair.
BORING.. FUSEKE!!
Mr President you are in CB why dont you go to Kasumbalesa border and see for yourself…alot of taxpayers funds have been invested in that border. You go and see or invite the PPP partners involved in that contract..financing, design, construction, operation, maintenance and tolling of the Ndola – Kasumbalesa Border (T003) stretch. Issuing directives should be left to Lazy Lungu it shows your ministers are not up to the task…reshuffle them or move Felix Mutati there.
LT – this should have been headline news – “Parliament approves 17% hike in salaries, sitting allowances for MPs” but you have moved it to the Politics section…I mean how is HH7 attending trade fair make Headline news.
“Mr. Hichilema has also implored the business community on the Copperbelt, and the provincial administration to ensure that they attend to the needs of the neighbouring DRC in terms of food among other things”
I keep emphasizing here that food should not be commercialized. KBF has offered solutions in that ZNS should establish farming blocks that are designed for export to the region.
Already maize has been pegged at a low price, private buyers will acquire the commodity and sale for 5 times the price in DRC, half the produce may go to the DRC because of the open border.
Prices will skyrocket and the ordinary Zambian will suffer whilst those exporting will make major profits.
THE IMPOSTER UPSET AGAIN
BOZ RESERVES UP TRADE FAIR GOING WELL
WHAT A CHANGE FROM PF DAYS OF ???
And yet the price of fuel and basic necessities are going up. Uli chicarla chambuwa. Fuseke from here!
#5 comment by Tikki is 1000% right . Zambia’s GDP growth is up,forex reserves are up sharply unlike the dark days of PF misrule and thievery.
@ Chiza Chirwa by saying the Copperbelt should attend to the food needs of the Congo my view is the president was urging those in the province to see opportunities for trade with the Congo which small businesses can engage in! Anyone that has stayed on the Copperbelt will know that food items are the major product that crosses the border into the Congo! Why make it government business only through ZNS?