Zambia has praised Japan for its efforts in improving lives of the people of eastern province through Public Private Partnership.

Eastern province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo says there are a number of projects put in place by the Japanese government one of them being the Japan Tobacco International (JTI) a move which has helped the region improve lives of people in rural areas.

Speaking when Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Hidenobu Sobashima paid a courtesy call on him in Chipata this morning, Mr Kasolo noted that JTI support helped farmers improve on tobacco yields and food security.

The province will further appreciate if Japan could consider constructing the dry port for Chipata/Mchniji railway line
whose feasibility studies have been concluded, said the minister.

The PS stated that government in conjunction with the Japanese government is also intending to construct a dry port in Petauke district which is a high producer of agriculture commodities.

The PS has also appealed to the Japanese government to include people from the region on its training programmes.

And the visiting Ambassador, Mr Sobashima has congratulated eastern province for Chipata district becoming a newest city in the country.

Mr Sobashima said his country will continue assisting the country to improve on demand and supply commodity in projects where people are interested.

He said currently Japan trains 150 persons from Zambia under the Africa Business Initiative which attracts Industry and business persons.

CIVIL Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) Advocacy and Communication
Programme Coordinator Maxson Nkhoma has hailed the declaration of
Chipata as a city.
Mr Nkhoma said  that the council and provincial
administration need to work hard to ensure that all amenities required to
be in a city were now made available.
He explained that Chipata needs to have a public university, improved
road infrastructure and improved service delivery such as water
supply.
“This is the only way the administration and service delivery will
be improved to the standards befitting a city,”he said.
He said the city council would need people who were creative enough to
attract serious investment especially in the agricultural sector.
And Kazonga Enterprise Limited Director Evans Ngoma said the
pronouncement made by  President Edgar Lungu to declare Chipata as a
city was exciting.
Mr Ngoma said that since Chipata was a city , there was need to revamp
Luangwa Bicycle Industry and the construction of cooking oil plant
since Eastern province was a major grower of soya beans, groundnuts,
sunflower, and cotton.
He said there was also need for the construction of a textile industry
since cotton was grown in the province.
“And construction of a cigarette making factory should be done and it
can translate into over 4,000 permanent jobs. For this dream to be
met, Government should come up with a deliberate policy to
attract investment in the province such measures could include
declaring the city a duty free zone to speed up developmental
activities,”he said.
He said the railway industry with the awarding of the contract to
China Civil was another milestone which was expected to boost the
growth of the province.
Finally after a 10 years wait, President Lungu whilst in Chipata on
Friday declared Chipata as city.
The campaign for Chipata to become a city was started by late Town
Clerk Bernard Siwakwi.

The announcement was made by Zambia’s Foreign Minister Harry Kalaba on Saturday.

“I reiterate my statement made on July 9, 2016 in Rabat,” Zambia’s top diplomat told Morocco’s official news agency Maghreb Arab Press (MAP).

During a visit to Rabat last July, Mr Kalaba had announced his country’s decision to withdraw its recognition of the so-called SADR and cut all ties with it.

In his interview with MAP, the foreign Minister reiterated that his country “supports the efforts of the United Nations to help the parties find a long-lasting solution to the conflict over the Western Sahara.”

“Zambia seeks to contribute in a constructive way in these efforts by adopting a position that is neutral and open to the concerned parties and supporting an efficient dialogue,” he added.

The Zambian Foreign Minister went to add that his country believes that “Morocco’s return to the African Union affords the African family an opportunity to push for this question, which has lasted for a long time, towards a peaceful solution in a spirit of African consensus, dialogue and mutual respect.”

The announcement was made less than a month after Morocco’s return to the African Union and few days following King Mohammad’s official visit to Zambia.

During the visit, King Mohammed VI and Zambia’s President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, chaired the signing of 19 partnership agreements between the Morocco and Zambia.

The Non Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has noted the ongoing debate that has engrossed the country on whether government should regulate or abolish the payment of bride price commonly referred to as “Lobola” in Southern Africa.

As an organization, we note that payment of bride price in Zambia called “Lobola”, “Chimalo”, “Impango”, “Lubono“ and so forth, depending on what part of the country one comes from, is a tradition that defines how we as a people celebrate our marriage rite. However, NGOCC is deeply concerned with the commercialisation of “Lobola” which is de-humanising to women and girls, who are treated as commodities, chattels and sex objects.

Some families are literally using Lobola as a way to make capital and making women and girls as commodities for sale. It is such practices that have led to the misconception that paying Lobola condemns women into commodities that would be abused by men. The high Lobola fee being charged is considered as a price paid for the transfer of a woman’s sexual and economic rights to her husband and his family. It is no doubt that the high Lobola charge has a negative effect on the marital stability and has contributed to the rise in child/early marriages and violence against women and girls.

We call on government through the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs working with Traditional leaders that are custodians of our customs and traditions to guide the country on how to positively establish a marriage contract between two families without destroying the wellbeing of the couple thereafter.

There is also need to sensitize communities that the payment of Lobola should not place women into slavery. A human life is priceless and therefore society must be made to understand that women and girls should never be made commodities for sale to the highest Lobola bidder. Marriage should respect human rights, integrity and dignity of both women and men.

Issued;
for/NGOCC

Sara H. Longwe
Chairperson

President Edgar Lungu is this morning expected in Israel for a five-day state visit at the invitation of his counterpart Reuven Rivlin.

President Lungu is travelling with five cabinet ministers and several business people.

Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba confirmed that President would meet with the Israeli President and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mr Kalaba said the President was also expected to officiate at a business forum organised by the Israeli and Zambian chambers of Commerce and Industry which would focus on investment opportunities within the two countries.

“We are all aware that Israel is a technologically advanced market economy and is globally renowned to have made significant strides in areas such as water management. Our country therefore stands to gain a lot in terms of shared best practices with Israel across several sectors,” Mr Kalaba said.

He said the delegation to Israel would include cabinet ministers from Agriculture, Health, Commerce and Industry, Energy, Tourism and Arts among others.

Mr Kalaba said Mr Lungu would also be accompanied by a business delegation in order to accord an opportunity to the private sector representatives of both countries to interact and forge business partnerships.

He said the visit would further provide Mr Lungu and his delegation an important opportunity to market the numerous business opportunities that Zambia has to offer with the view to attract Israeli investment into Zambia.

President Edgar Lungu has congratulated the Junior Chipolopolo for the 1-0 victory against Guinea under-20 national team of the Group A opening match in the Africa Cup tournament played at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka today.

The President is happy that the Zambia under-20 national team has started on a good note and encouraged them to even work extremely hard ahead of the upcoming matches.

President Lungu has urged Zambians that as host of the AFCON under-20 tournament, support should not only be provided to the Junior Chipolopolo but also to the visiting teams.

The President is confident that the Junior Chipolopolo will again make the country proud.

Government has learnt with sadness the death of Mrs. Regina Chifunda Chiluba.

Mrs. Chiluba who was widow of the late Second Republican President Dr. Fredrick Chiluba died at UTH in Lusaka this on Sunday after battling with cancer.

Mrs. Chiluba was former Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) National Women’s Chairperson.

Information and Broadcasting Service and Chief Government Spokesperson Kampampa Mulenga said she worked tireless to mobilise the party at all levels.

Ms Mulega conveyed Government’s heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family on the passing on of Mrs. Chiluba.

“We ask the Lord God almighty to strengthen the bereaved family during this trying period,” she said.