The Nation’s leading road safety NGO, the Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST), is deeply saddened by the loss of five innocent lives this morning in the bus accident.

According to the Police, five people died in a road traffic accident that happened in Kabwe this morning involving a Nakonde-bound Likili Motorways Bus which was coming from Lusaka. Another 13 people from the same bus sustained serious injuries while 42 sustained minor injuries.

In the meantime, the ZRST extends sincere condolences to the families who have lost loved ones today. We pray that they will find the strength to get through this extremely difficult time. We also extend our sympathies to those who have family members that were injured in the accident.

ZRST calls upon the Road Traffic and Safety Agency (RTSA) and the Police for a thorough investigation into the cause of this accident and a full evaluation is made of this stretch of road, which has already claimed far too many lives.

In order to reduce the high number of fatalities, RTSA and other agencies like RDA need to ensure that our roads are properly maintained and that visible law enforcement takes place.

Commercial farmers in Mpongwe District on the Copperbelt have mobilized resources for the re-gravelling and rehabilitation of the Mpongwe Machiya road.

This follows an engagement made to the farmers by district commissioner Keith Maila for the road to be worked on pending government’s upgrade of the stretch to bituminous standard.

Mr Maila said the road was a vital economic factor to the district housing various commercial farms which are vital to the national gross domestic product (GDP).

He stated that the farming community was engaged to work on the road using their own resources awaiting governments tarring of the stretch.

“You know this road is earmarked for tarring but government is constrained at the moment with this Covid 19, so we thought of engaging the commercial farmers to work on the road as we await government to tar this road.” He said.

Among the commercial farmers engaged to tar the road are Zataka, Zamhatch, Novatek and Somahwe estates.

Meanwhile, motorists have expressed happiness with the gesture by the commercial farmers.

Government is soon expected to tar the Mpongwe Machiya road upon completion of all contractual procedures.

KPPM, a South African based company has been engaged to tar the stretch once due diligence is completed with the ministry of finance.

Government has pledged to support any initiatives aimed at assisting small-scale farmers to improve their agricultural activities.

Central province permanent Secretary Bernard Chomba says this is because government is alive to the fact that any support towards small-scale farmers is vital in enhancing food security at household level.

Mr. Chomba added that to this effect there is need for small-scale farmers to take farming seriously and contribute to the country’s food security.

“Farming is our main stay for this country, it is for this reason that any support to the agriculture sector through small scale farmers is important and as the government we will support it because of the potential it has in improving food security at household level,” he said.

Mr. Chomba was speaking in a speech delivered for him by Assistant Secretary Mwape Kasanda in Kabwe today, when the Buy- Zed campaign in collaboration with Zambezi Seed Company donated an assortment of seeds and fertilizer to small farmers in Kabwe.

The Permanent Secretary noted that the cost of buying improved and certified seed varieties in the country has been escalating resulting in some vulnerable farmers facing challenges to access them, a situation he said had affected agricultural production in the country.

He said this is why the government is ready to collaborate with stakeholders that are willing to supplement its efforts through the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and provide relief to vulnerable small-scale farmers.

“As you know very well, seed has proven to be more expensive than any other farming input, this has made our farmers who can’t afford to buy these improved seed varieties to face challenges and relay on FISP, but if we have stakeholders like you who willing to work with government in helping these farmers we appreciate your gesture,” he explained.

]Meanwhile, Buy Zed campaign founder and Zambezi seed company representative Evans Ngoma explained that the two institutions want to work with government in enhancing support to the agricultural sector.

Mr. Ngoma noted that this is because of the important role that the sector plays in reducing poverty levels in the country.

He said Zambezi Seed Company is committed to working with government through the provision of sustainable empowerment programmes aimed at helping small-scale farmers increase their production at reduced costs, adding that this is why the company has come up with a seed variety that can be recycled.

“As Zambezi Seed Company we want to work with the government to ensure that our agricultural sector is supported as a way of reducing poverty in the country, we realise that this can be achieved if our small scale farmers are provided with solutions to increase their food production at a lower cost,” he stated.

And the Central Province Agriculture Coordinator, Adreen Nansungwe has praised Zambezi Seed Company for coming up with an open pollinated seed variety that can be recycled and is resilient to the effects of climate change.

Dr. Nansungwe explained that the seed will help in reducing the cost of buying seed among the small-scale farmers thereby increasing their agricultural production which is key in uplifting their living standards.