Alpha Romeo released the video for the song “Where have you been” that features Wezi .
BY KAPA187
First Lady announces the formation of the Esther Lungu Foundation
First Lady Esther Lungu says she has come up with an organisation to help her carry out charity works in a more coordinated manner.
The First Lady has registered her organisation under the name, Esther Lungu Foundation.
Mrs Lungu disclosed this in an exclusive Interview with ZNBCs Inutu Mwanza upon arrival in Lusaka from a tour of Solwezi District.
She said the foundation will soon be launched and called on business organisations to support her cause.
Mrs Lungu is seeking to raise funds to help the vulnerable through the foundation.
She said the office of the First Lady is not institutionalized hence it does not receive state funding.
And Mrs Lungu has concluded her two day visit to Solwezi.
She also made a stop in Mongu where she visited patients suffering from the Konzo disease.
YALI Commends President Lungu for Showing Leadership on Constitution
ZAMBIAN YouthS HAIL President Lungu for showing leadership on DELIVERING A PEOPLE DRIVEN Constitution
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) commends Members of the Zambian Parliament from both the opposition and ruling party for showing leadership in passing progressive amendments to the people driven Constitution of Zambia which reflects the peoples will, and will greatly contribute to bettering Zambia’s governance and increase levels of transparency and accountability in the quest by successive governments to serve the people of Zambia.
We particularly want to commend His Excellency, President Edgar Lungu, the Honourable Minister of Justice, Dr. Ngosa Simbiyakula, and his entire administration for having listened to the voice of young people from both YALI and other citizens who, on 13th May 2014 and subsequently, proposed to the Zambian Government a constitution roadmap which abides by provisions of the law when enacting or re-enacting the constitution.
We want to place it on record that while our dear colleagues in the Grand Coalition and LAZ had continued to make unrealistic demands to adopt and enact the Final Draft Constitution in its current form even though it was clear that lack of validation of the Final Draft Constitution had led to glaring inconsistencies, YALI continued to provide guidance to the Zambian public as well as stakeholders, and engaged as much as was feasible, with both government and opposition political parties to seek a win-win situation. Parliament had indeed the duty and constitutional mandate to check the glaring inconsistencies on behalf of the 14 million Zambian people whom they represent. YALI has now been vindicated for speaking the truth and proposing a viable roadmap that has finally produced a people driven Constitution. We hope that the Grand Coalition will now appreciate YALIs wisdom and avoid further misleading Zambians on the Constitution making process.
We wish to point out that, when President Edgar Lungu suggested a meeting “of all stakeholders” to “decide on the contentious issues”, YALI and well-meaning progressive citizens, wrote to the President through the Minister of Justice to express our concern at this attempt to cherry-pick through the draft. We strongly advised government to leave the Draft untouched and, instead, to submit the entire draft to ALL the political parties through the people’s elected representatives in Parliament, to scrutinise the entire document and come up with a final constitution for the Republic. Needless to say, Part III was to be left untouched until a referendum had been held alongside the 2016 general elections as suggested by YALI and in accordance with current law.
Way Forward after passing of Constitution Bills in Parliament
We commend His Excellency President Lungu for heeding our progressive call to reason by submitting the Draft Constitution untouched, for scrutiny and debate by our Parliament, which ended in both government and an opposition MP suggesting amendments. We want to re-emphasise that the adoption of the Bills at Third Reading in Parliament has given Zambians at least 80 percent of provisions contained in the Draft Constitution with the exception of:
1. an enlarged National Assembly with an additional 94 MPs through the proportional representation intended to introduce selection of some members of Parliament from lists submitted by political parties;
2. establishment of provincial assemblies;
3. appointment of cabinet outside Parliament; and
which have all been shelved to allow for further consultations. It is our fervent hope that these clauses will be re-submitted to parliament after due consultation.
YALI now calls on President Lungu to continue showing leadership by giving his presidential assent to the Constitutional Bill and to further declare a “Constitution Week” that would allow Zambians to reflect on the type of supreme law by which Zambia is to be governed, to achieve greater understanding of the contents of their Constitution, and to enable all Zambians, especially our MPs, gain a new perspective on Constitutional provisions which they may have missed in the heat of parliamentary debate.
We call upon our fellow Zambians to continue on the path to progressively improving our supreme law.
As President Lungu gives assent to the Constitutional Bill, we call on him to direct his Minister of Justice to open consultations on the key provisions that were shelved, with the possibility of tabling the same during the session that will take place from February 2016. We want to remind President Lungu and his fellow leaders from Government that these key provisions can be enacted in the Constitution with the possibility of deferring their implementation.
In the wise words of the late Justice Minister George Kunda when he addressed the House on March 29, 2011,
“with regard to the enlargement of the National Assembly, such deferral is necessitated by the requirement for an Act of Parliament to give effect to the proportional representation segment of the mixed member representation system”.
The PF leadership and Government can also learn from examples around the region such as Zimbabwe, Kenya, and the outside world such as Brazil that considered the option of enacting and deferring operationalization of constitutional provisions when they were drafting and enacting their Constitutions in circumstances of economic difficulty and political transition. Their counterpart in these countries did not give economic costs and challenges as an excuse when faced with deciding on how to deal with their people’s wishes.
We are confident that President Lungu can once again provide leadership for Government to enact these clauses but defer their implementation. Again, we remind government about how deferment is done by quoting Vice President, the late George Kunda when he said to Parliament,
“…the deferral of the operation of certain provisions is important so as to allow the legislative process to run its course and to ensure that the resultant legislation stipulates all matters that are cardinal to, pertain to or are connected with, or incidental to, the effective operation of the said provisions.”
Finally, we wish to remind our erstwhile colleagues in the Grand Coalition, who were constantly issuing malicious remarks, threats and sometimes orchestrated insults against those with opposing views. We call on them to sober up and now seriously reflect and join efforts to help deliver the referendum on the Bill of Rights if they truly want to see progress made on the Constitution. If there are lessons learnt from this process, one such lesson is that stubbornness or arrogance born of a self-centred desire to have one’s way, on national matters that involve everyone, does not and will not deliver results. We advise once more the Grand Coalition to desist from misleading the Nation at their press briefing tomorrow that what has been produced is not a people driven Constitution when 80% of contents of the draft Constitution has been adopted.
Zambia’s current constitutional reform process also demonstrates the validity of what one American scientist, Margaret Mead said, to never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand that indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
Andrew Ntewewe
President
YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE
I won’t use witchcraft to enter State House-Nevers Mumba
MMD Leader Nevers Mumba says will not heed to advice to use witchcraft to win the republican presidency.
Speaking in Katete district in Eastern Province yesterday when he addressed party members, Dr. Mumba said people who have used witchcraft to ascend to the presidency do not last long in office and the nation undergoes a lot of anguish during their reign.
‘I want to speak about what somebody told me, he said Dr Mumba, these politics you have entered, the only thing that works is witchcraft, all the politicians have witches, sangomas, beads on their waists and in the night they do allot of things to make them become MPs, Presidents,’ Dr Mumba said.
Dr Mumba said, ‘The only thing I have in my waist is my Bible and I am not scared because at the end of the day, those that become Presidents using fetishes, they don’t last and their lives are hell because when the devil gives you the presidency, he will be knocking every day, you have to pay me for giving you the presidency, blood, accidents, problems in the country which you can’t solve but for me, he can’t bother me because i don’t owe him anything. It is either Jesus or nothing else.’
I will turn State House into political museum-Sinkamba
Opposition Green party President Peter Sinkamba says he will turn State House into a museum.
Mr Sinkamba said he will proceed to turn State House into a political museum in line with his campaign promise.
‘In my 2015 Presidential Election Campaign, I promised the Zambian electorate was that if I elected, I was going to relocate State House to Copperbelt and convert the current State House into a Political Museum and City Zoo,’ h said.
He added, ‘I also promised to relocate the Legislature (Parliament) to Mongu and Judiciary to Kabwe according to the Green Party Decentralization Policy. We believe in the principle of decentralizing Central Government first, before decentralizing local governance systems. This entails investing heavily in e-government.’
Mr Sinkamba said the Green Party could afford to undertake this programme because it has a source of US$15billion, which is more than three times Zambia’s 2016 National Budget, approved by Parliament last week. ‘
‘It is quite refreshing that our colleagues in the PF fell for the idea of turning present-day State House into a Political Museum. However, they have failed to implement it because they do not have money.’
Kalindula legend Laban Kalunga dies
Acclaimed Blind Kalindula singer Laban Kalunga has died.
Mr Kalunga died at his Kapiri home on Tuesday after an illness, his close friend and singer Andy Chola confirmed.
Mr Kalunga, who shot to fame with his Umwana Alelila and Muchindike Ba Muka Bene hit song in the mid 80s will be put to rest on Thursday in Kapiri.
Mr Kalunga was born in Luanshya’s Mpatamatu Township in 1947 where his father worked as a carpenter.
Laban struggled in his education due to lack of parental support and during his free time, he explored his talent as a musician with a home-made three stringed instrument called banjo in community centres.
In 1969, Laban left for Chipata in Eastern Province to pursue his education but failed to continue due to lack of support from his relatives.
After the disappointment, he trekked back to the Copperbelt to continue with his escapades in community centres where his prolific banjo works were highly appreciated.
Laban came into the Lime light in 1980, when he took part in the Zambia Music Parlour Limited (ZMPL) auditions which were held at Ndola’s Green Village.
After seeing the potential in Laban, ZMPL proprietor and producer, Edward Godfrey Khuzwayo together with his manager Billy David Nyati, signed a recording contract with him and soon he was at Lusaka’s DB studios where he put on wax four songs namely, Kafumbe Seluka, Kasompe, Kanshi Kalembula Munani and Imfwawhich exposed him further.
He immediately formed the Fikashala Band and had former Blackfoot members Peter Chilufya and his older brother Paul, playing Bass and Rhythm respectively while, George Banda took charge of drums, Laban on lead and Daliwe Daka also on lead.
In 1982, he released three singles, Twalinwine Brandy, Ukuteeka Ichalo (Kwalyafya), Amano Mambulwa andBy Air, which talked about events in politics where anyone who opposed views of the ruling party, was forcibly lifted and thrown high up in the air and let to crush to the ground un aided.
In 1991, he changed the name of the band to Amantanki probably to give it more fire power and a new face and recruited Garry Njovu to take charge of the lead guitar, while veteran Paul Chilufya remained on bass, Toki Mawila (drums) and Laban falling back on rhythm.
With Amantanki, Laban produced Tuchindike Ba Muka Bene and Bashi Malama (Ndefwaya Ukwishiba umulandu mwisa mukunguma nga mwabwela mukunwa), which is still a hit on radio airwaves more than ten years after its release.
This took him to performing in public places such as Maria and Riverside bars in Ndola’s Kabushi Township, Savoy and Edinburgh hotels in Ndola and Kitwe respectively, as well as Mansa Inn now Mansa Hotel, which marketed him adequately such that his performances were always jammed with hundreds of his fans.
Emerging problems in the Zambian music industry, especially at the close of the 1980s caused by high piracy levels, affected most promoters and musicians alike.
This is the time that Laban’s contract also came to an end with ZMPL.
With Teal Record Company closed, Zambian Music Parlour withdrawing to the back stage and high taxes on musical equipment imposed by the Government, the local music industry was no longer thriving, throwing most musicians out of business.
But Laban who was gifted with a set of musical instruments from ZMPL as an act of appreciation, then decided to shift camp to Kalweo near Kapiri in 1993, where he set up base and churned out some of his popular compositions.
But it was not long before the Army overran the settlement setting it ablaze in which, Laban lost the entire set of instruments as hundreds of people who also lost property and money, fled the area in blind panic.
The soldiers who struck at 02:00 hours on the morning of that day, were agitated by the severe beating of their colleague who differed with the villagers over a personal dispute.
Laban was left helpless and scrounged for food and shelter among the locals.
In 1996, he left for Lusaka where Chris Chali took him on while performing with his band the Amayenge, at Stanley Bar on Freedom Way.
After the death of Chris, he teamed up with veteran folk singer Andy Chola now based at Mwange Mushila in Kalingalinga as a backup musician.
But these developments made Laban quite unsettled because he did not have instruments of his own and life in Lusaka became tough as he has no permanent shelter while his wife left him a long time ago because of the same challenges.
He was being supported by a Mr Anthony Chali, an employee of the Ministry of Education who had found him a small rented room in New John Laing Township before trekking back to Kapiri.
He is survived by a daughter and three grand children.
*Additional reporting by Times of Zambia
Kalengo primed for 2015 FAZ Player honours
with Nkana defender Donashano Malama
The Zesco United striker has already bagged the 2015 Golden Boot follwing his 18 goals that helped the Ndola club retain the FAZ Super Division title and earned them their fifth league crown.
Kalengo is also favourite for the player of the year award in what has been an unforgettable season for the 30-year-old striker.
The striker scored six goals for Zambia; three in the CHAN qualifiers, two in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers and one in the 2017 Africa Cup qualifiers.
He is vying for the top award with his club mate and midfielder Cletous Chama and Zanaco striker Moses Phiri.
Kalengo is also in the race for the most disciplined player award alongside his Zesco goalkeeper Jacob Banda and Red Arrows striker Festus Mbewe.
Lusaka Dynamos striker Conlyde Luchanga will vie for the young player award with his fellow Chipolopolo prospects Napsa Stars defender Boyd Mkandawire and Red Arrows right-back Benedict Chepeshi.
Zesco coach Lwandamina has been nominated for the coach of the year award together with Green Buffaloes’ Bilton Musonda and Nkwazi’s Elijah Chikwanda.
B-Flow Switches to Kalindula
Dancehall artist B-Flow , stated on his official Facebook page that he is switching to Kalindula. below is his statement :
ATTENTION B’FLOW FANS.
I wish to announce to all my fans and followers that I have officially changed my music style from Dancehall to Kalindula coz I want to be original. This decision is final. I urge you to carefully listen before you begin criticising. Without wasting your time, here are my two new Kalindula singles.
1. Tekwesha Ft. Chef 187
2. Veli Badi (Produced by Henrik berhane for Zedway movements)
Download B-Flow’s new singles here :http://www.zambianmusicblog.co/b-flow-ft-chef-187-tekwesha-pro-dice-veli-badi/
BY KAPA187
Ref Sikazwe cherishes CAF award short-list
Kapiri-Mposhi based FIFA referee Janny Sikazwe is delighted to be short-listed as referee of the year ahead of the 2015 Glo-CAF Awards.
Sikazwe, 36, has been short-listed for the continental award alongside Gambia’s Bakary Papa Gassam, Ghead Zaglol Grisha of Egypt,Eric Anaud Otogo-Castane of Gabon and Cameroon’s Alioum Neant.
“It’s a Christmas bonus for me. I am very happy,” Sikazwe said on Tuesday.
“The nomination has given me a picture of how I am performing. I am going in the right direction,” he said.
Sikazwe, who officiated at this year’s Africa Cup, is the only Zambian shortlisted for the 2015 CAF awards.
“If God says I am winning this award definitely no one will stand in my way,” Sikazwe said.
The winners will be announced at an awards gala in Abuja, Nigeria on January 7, 2016.
Volunteers in Lusaka in clean-up exercise
UN Volunteers Zambia in Post-2015 Engagement with the Government, VIOs, Youth Volunteers Network, private sector and community volunteers. The clean-up exercise, medical outreach and debates were intended to raise awareness on the role of volunteerism in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). The initiatives were part of activities lined up in commemoration of this year’s International Volunteer Day (IVD) held nationally under the theme: ‘Volunteer for a Clean, Healthy and Safe Environment. Your Action Counts.’
Jerabos can contribute to national treasury-HH
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has said that Small Scale Entrepreneurs are the engine and drivers of any economy in the world including Zambia’s in the quest for economic diversification and job creation.
In a statement released to the media, Mr. Hichilema pointed out that the so called Jerabos on the Copperbelt can easily be organised as small scale businesses or cooperatives that can later be given soft loans to acquire small scale mining equipment that they can effectively use and generate their own income and possibly even contribute to the national treasury and reduce on government borrowing.
Below is the full statement
The Value of SMEs
We took time to meet some Small Scale Entrepreneurs who are the engine and drivers of any economy in the world including ours in our quest for economic diversification and job creation.
We particularly look forward to having more of our people fully participate in small scale mining activities by giving them licences so that they can partner with foreigners.
It is such a shame, for example, to keep labelling our own citizens with derogatory terminologies such as Copper thieves (Jerabos) on the Copperbelt when these can easily be organised as small scale businesses or cooperatives that can later be given soft loans to acquire small scale mining equipment that they can effectively use and generate their own income and possibly even contribute to the national treasury and reduce on government borrowing.
In fact that is one of the many routes we would have used to assist the retrenched miners, especially that they already have the skills and knowledge in the mining sector.
That way we would have assured our citizens of some decent incomes and opportunities as no one rejoices at massive loss of jobs.
Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President
Southern Province Chief wants to rename Bottom Road after Edgar Lungu
A CROSS section of stakeholders in Southern Province have backed Chief Sinazongwe’s proposal that the Bottom Road be renamed Edgar Lungu Bottom Road in honour of the Head of State.
The road currently under construction connects Chirundu, Siavonga, Gwembe, Sinazongwe and Livingstone districts.
Chief Sinazongwe said on Saturday that it was only right that President Lungu was honoured in that manner as he was the first Head of State since Zambia attained independence to listen to the people’s outcry by commissioning the Bottom Roadworks.
He said this in Sinazongwe when he and President Lungu braved the scorching heat to join hundreds of mourners in paying their last respect to Defence Minister Richwell Siamunene’s father, Aaron Simazila Siamunene.
“Your Excellency I want to thank you mostly sincerely. I think this is the third time that you are coming to Sinazongwe chiefdom. We remember, the first time you came to re-open Colum Coal Mine and when you came to launch the Bottom Road.
“I am requesting that this road should not only be called Bottom Road. I am proposing that it should be called Edgar Lungu Bottom Road. I want to assure you that you are the first sitting President who has answered the (Gwembe) valley people to the call of this Bottom Road, “the chief said.
Reacting to the proposal, Chief Munyumbwe of Gwembe said, there was no better way of people in the province thanking Government’s infrastructural projects apart from honouring Mr Lungu in that manner. He said Mr Lungu was a hard working Head of State and that Zambians should give him support to deliver more developmental projects.
“You see, when a person is doing an excellent work, I don’t see any reason why that person shouldn’t be appreciated. I strongly support this proposal to rename Bottom Road as suggested by Chief Sinazongwe, “he said.
He praised Mr Lungu for many programmes of development that the province was receiving from the Government.
Some residents talked to in Choma and Siavonga districts have collectively backed the calls to honour Mr Lungu and have urged him to remain committed to developing the country.
Zambians are willing to eradicate poverty through hard work- Nawakwi
FDD President Edith Nawakwi says Zambians are willing to eradicate poverty from their homes through hard work as opposed to getting handouts.
And Anne Katakula one of the latest beneficiaries of the FDD Start-Up Grants Project says politicians seeking to be elected should practically demonstrate what they will do for their people instead of making unattainable promises.
Speaking when she witnessed the delivery of the latest packages of Sun flower, maize and Soya beans seeds to Chibombo District Small Scale farmers, Ms. Nawakwi said the people of Zambia do not want handouts but want to earn their living by working hard.
She explained that she understood the sweetness which is in farming as she is a farmer and that she was educated and became what is today because of tilling the land.
“We as a Party we understand that the only way out of poverty for our rural communities and the country as whole is farming that is why we embarked on this project of helping small scale farmers. We realise that we can not help everyone but we hope to change the lives of the farmers we are helping. We also want to demonstrate that what Zambians need are not handouts but a supportive Government to help them grow enough for food and enough for cash.
“We also want to show the people in this country how we want to run the agriculture sector to move the country from being a copper dependant to an agriculture dependant economy. Zambians in rural communities have never known and will never know the sweetness of copper because mining companies are owned by foreigners. If I was to ask anyone seated at this meeting the color of copper most of you don’t know but we all know what farming can do to our lives,” explained Ms. Nawakwi.
She also noted that instead of putting money in people’s pockets as per their promise the PF has taken all the money to roads and neglected other needy areas such as schools and clinics which are a necessity as children and mothers are walking long distances to go school and clinics respectively.
She said smart governments are no longer building roads but engaging private partners to build and maintain them as roads are a business in this century.
Meanwhile Anne Katakula has called on politicians to add value to the lives of the people the intend to represent and rule as opposed to buying votes with salt and chibuku.
She commended Ms. Nawakwi for changing people’s lives through the grants from the party and that her actions as a leader speaks volumes of what she will do when the people of Zambia entrust her with power next year.
She said women in Chibombo will fully support her and her party further imploring men and women across the country to rally behind the FDD as the party has demonstrated what they will bring to the governance of the country through actions and not promises.
Ms. Nawakwi on Sunday witnessed the distribution of Sun flower, Soya beans and maize seeds as well as other requirements including chemicals for weed control and knapsack sprayers among others to Chibombo District small scale farmers.
Farmers free to export maize next year-Lubinda
MINISTER of Agriculture Given Lubinda has assured farmers that Government will not stop them from exporting maize next year since it wants to play a limited role in agricultural marketing.
Mr Lubinda also said the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will only enter the market when the private sector is satisfied with the buying of maize and other crops.
He was speaking at the launch of the Zambia Agriculture Commodity Exchange (ZAMACE).
The exchange is expected to provide an efficient trading platform supported by a warehouse receipt system to enhance market access, liquidity and credibility in the commodities market.
Mr Lubinda said Government has started taking steps to create an agriculture-based economy.
“Government will have very little role to play in agricultural marketing. We will leave it to those [private sector] who know it well.
The FRA will not be the buyer of first resort; they will be restricted to their mandate of buying strategic reserves,” he said.
Mr Lubinda said millers should start fending for themselves because FRA will no longer offload maize to them.
“I urge millers, brewers and producers of stock feed to partner with farmers and enter into contract farming where farmers can grow on their behalf.
“Next year, no farmer will be stopped from exporting maize. So, you can grow as much grain as you can. We will not stand in your way,” he said.
Farmers will now have access to finance through depositing their crops into any ZAMACE certified warehouse and a receipt will be issued that can be redeemed for cash at the bank.
ZAMACE, which is supported financially by Musika, will also be offering a secure and transparent commodity trading platform which includes buying and selling of commodities.
It will ensure compliance with industry to industry acceptable grades and standards, facilitate trade in Zambian commodities futures contracts with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and providing market information.
President Lungu Commissions the Power Transmission line project
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu yesterday commissioned the more than US$153 million, 330 kilovolts (kv) Pensulo-Kasama transmission line in Kasama which will improve electricity supply to Luapula, Muchinga and Northern provinces.
The power project has augmented power supply to the three provinces from 66kv to 396 kv.
Mr Lungu said the increased power supply would promote industrial and commercial activities in the Northern circuit.
“For a long time, the people of Luapula, Muchinga and Northern provinces have experienced a severe low voltage and frequent power interruptions, a situation which has retarded industrial development and ultimately affected the livelihood of our people.
“Let me assure this gathering that today marks the end of power supply challenges here in the Northern, as well as Muchinga and Luapula provinces,” he said.
The Head of State said this at the site where he commissioned the project financed by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICB) and executed by TBEA Limited, also from the Asian country.
Mr Lungu said the project, which would be replicated in Eastern Province, would support sharing between Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.
He implored the private sector to invest in the light industrial area of the region following the commissioning of the power line.
“The potential for agriculture in this part of the country is enormous and the availability of electricity now in this circuit should be used to exploit the sector,” Mr Lungu said.
He also directed the Ministry of Energy to speed up the completion of all pending electricity generation and transmission projects, while the country should look for alternative sources of energy such as wind and solar.
TBEA vice-president Shang Yafei said the project, which created 200 jobs during construction, represented strong relations between Zambia and China.
Chief Luchembe, who spoke on behalf of traditional leaders in the area, commended the Government for the unprecedented developmental projects.
Mr Lungu later held closed-door talks with the traditional leaders who were led by Paramount Chief Chitimukulu Henry Kanyanta Sosala.
Earlier, the President who was in Shiwang’andu District in Muchinga Province called for the protection of the country’s forests which, if managed properly, could create jobs and wealth for the people.
Mr Lungu said the Government had recognised the forestry sector as a strategic economic industry with immense potential to contribute towards achieving the objectives of the industrialisation and job creation policy.
“My Government has recognised the forestry sector as one of the strategic sectors of our economy with immense potential to contribute towards achieving the objectives of the industrialisation and job creation policy.
“The capacity of the forestry sector to create employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for our people is uncountable, ” Mr Lungu said.
He was speaking when he commissioned a forest plantation exercise worth K10 million.
The project, which was being spearheaded by the Zambia Forests and Forestry Industries Corporation (ZAFFICO), would create 2,000 jobs at plantation establishment stage, and 500 people had already been engaged in the preparatory phase.
More jobs would be created through wood processing and value addition activities when the trees, on the 300 hectares of land, reached maturity.
Mr Lungu was gratified with the number of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities under the project, stating that this was in line with the Patriotic Front manifesto of improving people’s lives.
The Head of State said reforestation was at the core of Government’s programmes aimed at addressing the effects of climate change and deforestation.
He said deforestation was clearly an impact of irresponsible activities undertaken for short-term commercial gains that left the majority of the people disadvantaged.
He directed Zesco and the Industrial Development Corporation to formulate strategies that would facilitate improvements in the treatment of timber locally.
He also directed Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda to source more funds that would enable ZAFFICO to roll out the forestry boosting programme countrywide.
Earlier, Mr Lungu held closed-door talks with five Muchinga chiefs at Senior Chief Mukwikile’s palace.
Others present at the meeting, apart from Chief Mukwikile, were senior chiefs Nkula, Mukungule, Kabanda and Chieftainess Nawaitwika.
