Muchinga Province Assistant Director for Planning, Morris Kamenda has called on district heads of government departments to think beyond 2021 as they submit proposals to the 8th National Development Plan.

Mr.Kamenda said as the Seventh National Development Plan comes to an end, there is need to evaluate the district performance, and lessons learnt during the implementation.

He was speaking in Chinsali yesterday during the special District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) consultative meeting held in the district conference room.

He said the 8th National Development Plan calls for reforms from all stakeholders that will contribute to the resuscitation of the economy through various diversification and promotion of locally available materials and value addition.

Mr. Kamenda explained that Government is expecting inputs from all stakeholders that will sum up to the amendment of the policies to suit the recently launched Patriotic Front (PF) manifesto for 2021-2026.

“We are coming to the end of the Seventh National Development Plan and as we formulate the 8th National Development Plan, we need to bring on board all stakeholders so that together we share lessons coming from the 7th National Development Plan and want to need to include in the 8th National Development Plan,” said Mr. Kamenda.

And speaking earlier, Chinsali District Commissioner Mary Chifuna called for unity of purpose and ensure that the submissions work to the benefit of vulnerable people in the district.

She said Chinsali district has the potential to diversify its economy through various sectors and empower the local people with money.

“Chinsali has potential to contribute positively to the economic development of the country and all we need to do is to work hard in various sectors of the economy,” said Ms. Chifuna.

And during presentations under Pillar 4 of Good governance, among the submissions were strengthening market linkages so that farmers have ready and reliable markets with reasonable prices.

They proposal also states the need to have a comprehensive policy of gradually reduce on the importing food such as onion, rice and vegetables from the neighbouring countries in order for the Buy Zambia Campaign to achieve its objectives.

Recently, in his address to parliament on National Values and Principles, President Edgar Lungu emphasised on the need to start promoting and consuming the locally grown food.

This is aimed at promoting value addition to the local food which in turn will contribute to the Growth Domestic Product (GDP).

First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda has urged youths to take a leading role in the reforestation and landscape restoration programmes.

Dr Kaunda said planting valuable trees such as the mukula was one way of restoring nature and creating wealth for generations to come.

The Former Head of State emphasized that he will remain passionate about tree planting as he did during his time in office.

He made the remarks at his house yesterday through the son Tliyenji Kaunda when an organisation called Mukula Forever donated and planted 100 trees at his residence.

Dr Kaunda, stated that as a Goodwill Ambassador of Zambia plant a million initiative, he remains enthusiastic about the preservation of the ecosystem.

“I know that youths have a lot of energy which needs to be directed in the right cause. After we received the donation of the 100 trees, instead of getting other people to plant, we gave you this portion of land to do the planting yourselves a thing which is commendable and should be carried on,” charged Dr Kaunda.

The First Republican President commended the youth led organisation for having planned to plant 100 Mukula trees at the plots of both the living and departed Presidents.

He pointed out that it was encouraging that an idea of Mukula tree planting has been born domestically at a time when people grabble with indiscriminate cutting of the specie.

And Mukula Forever Organisation Director Mubanga Vwalika explained that the donation of 100 Mukula sub-lings to the First Head of State was part of celebrating his 97th birthday.

The visibly amused Mr Vwalika said his organisation that has the presence in Lusaka, Muchinga and Copperbelt provinces has a target of planting 1 million trees this year.

Mr Vwalika explained that the 150 member environmentally oriented organisation will continue working with key stakeholders in the protection of nature in order to curb the deforestation in the country.

“Our project is not just about planting trees it is also about changing destines. As youths we encourage each other to thrive and be the best that we can be. Through this project we know a lot of youth will go back to school and become great leaders of our country,” he stressed.

He further hailed the office of the first Republican President for having been keen on the planting of trees and restoration of nature in the country.

A 35 year old woman has died in a road traffic accident in Mansa district after the vehicle she was travelling in overturned.

Confirming the development to ZANIS, Luapula Province Police Commissioner Chilije Nyirenda said Annie Musonda 35 of Chililabombwe District met her demise on the 10th April 2021 around 13:00 hrs at Mulopa Village in Kabunda area of Mansa.

Mr.Nyirenda said the incident occurred when John Lunga 24 also of Chililabombwe lost control of a Toyota Prado registration number ABR 7788 he was driving following a tyre burst which led the vehicle to overturn several times along Kabunda road in Mansa District.

“Ms. Musonda met her fate on her way to Kabunda to escort her daughter who was reporting back to Holy Trinity Girls Boarding School,” stated Mr. Nyirenda

He says the deceased died on the spot as a result of fatal injuries she sustained in the accident.

Mr. Nyirenda also disclosed that the deceased was in the company of her other children Annie Kalunga 16, Trace Kalunga 13 and another person Prince Stumbeko 21 who survived the accident but sustained slight injuries and are in stable condition.

He says the body of the deceased person has been deposited to Mansa General Hospital.

Government is optimistic that the launch of the National Land Policy will help improve land administration and management across the country.

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Jean Kapata has expressed hope that the land policy will not only address administration and management concerns for the present generation, but also for future generations to come.

ZANIS reports that the Minister was speaking in Lusaka today, when she officially launched the National Lands Policy, which she did virtually.

Ms Kapata notes that the policy is aimed at addressing most of the issues that have been a challenge in land administration, and could not be comprehensively addressed by the other existing land policies, with the principle being the Lands Act of 1985.

“The lack of a comprehensive policy framework in the sector has been a major obstacle to addressing many land related challenges in the sector” she said.

She mentioned that some of the challenges that the policy targets to address include land encroachment, land displacements, land disputes and inadequate availability of serviced land, which is in view of the growing population.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources further highlighted that some of the key changes in the policy include electronic processing and issuance of land title, allocation of land to women, youths and persons with disabilities, among other changes.

The Minister also commended President Edgar Lungu, the House of Chiefs and other stakeholders who were directly involved in ensuring that the document is delivered successfully.