The reduction only applies to Kazungula and does not apply to other parts of the country as the company is waiting to access subsdised maize from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for it to make further reductions in the prices of the commodity across the country.

Superior Milling Company Limited Managing Director Peter Cottan said his company was the first miller in the country to reduce mealie meal prices in rural areas by selling a 25 kilogram (kg) bag of breakfast mealie meal at K63 per bag from K68 and a 25 kg bag of roller meal at K44 from K51 in response to Government’s pronouncements.

Mr Cottan was speaking in Kazungula yesterday when his company officially opened the 41st depot in the border town.

During the same launch, Superior Milling Company Limited empowered 10 local women in Kazungula with 10 kg bag of floor each to start running their businesses from the same product.

“”Even though we have not yet received the subsidized maize, we have decided in good faith to at least reduce the prices in Kazungula while all other depots countrywide would follow as soon as we access the FRA subsidized maize,” Mr Cottan said.

He said the opening of the depot in Kazungula was a true demonstration off Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme at work.

Mr Cottan said there was need for the private sector to work with the Government to promote meaningful development in the country.

“I wish to remind you that our aim to create a sustainable business and become a market leader in our industry is well supported by strong company values and quality management principles.

“This is further validated in our resolve to uphold corporate governance principles in all our institutional activities,” Mr Cottan said.

And speaking at the same launch, acting Kazungula acting District Commissioner Goretti Bbalo commended Superior Milling Company Limited for opening a new depot in the area.

Ms Bbalo, who is Kazungula District Administrative Officer, said the Patriotic Front (PF) Government would endeavor to encourage private companies to take advantage of their favourable business environment created to improve their businesses.

“We call upon private companies to take advantage of the existing favourable conditions to promote their businesses beyond their comfort zones and create employment opportunities for the local people,” Ms Bbalo said.

Speaking on behalf of 10 women who were empowered during the launch, Anna Sitali commended Superior Milling for opening the depot saying the move would reduce the trips into the nearby Botswana where women had been flocking to at great cost for various baking products.

Ms Sitali called on her fellow women, who received certificate of competence, to take the empowerment seriously to improve the living standards in the community.

Government also signed an MoU with Huawei to train 10 Zambian students in information communication technologies (ICTs).

Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications permanent secretary Charles Sipanje signed the first MoU on ICT training for Zambia while Zesco managing director Victor Mundende signed the one on the construction of communication towers and off-grid power plants.

Huawei Technologies Zambia Limited managing director Fan Wen signed for his company.

Speaking during the signing ceremony here yesterday, Huawei International Zambia solutions manager Thandizo Banda said Huawei is aware that Zambia needs technical skills for economic development.

“The intent of the MoU is to train the students for them to be able to train other Zambians,” Mr Banda said.

Earlier, President Lungu held a bilateral meeting with Huawei vice-president Dafeng Li.

“It gives me a lot of pleasure to have a chance to meet you in your home town Shenzhen. This is the ICT centre of the world and that is why you are here because you are the leaders in that area,” Mr Lungu said.

He urged Huawei to provide skills to Zambians so that they can own the projects that the company is undertaking in Zambia.

“I know you are very secretive about trade secrets and that goes naturally. But as your partners, we should be allowed certain knowledge to operate independently.

“There are some contracts you are executing for our people, which I must bring to your attention which are dissatisfactory, going by the nature of complaints Zambians have echoed through their elected representatives in Parliament. In this regard, I am talking about communication towers,” Mr Lungu said.

And Mr Dafeng said Huawei recorded profits amounting to US$46 billion, making it the best ICT company in the world.

Mr Lungu later met ZTE Corporation chairman Hou Weigui and Jilin Province director-general Cong Hongxia.
Mr Lungu told Mr Cong that Zambia heavily depends on agriculture.

“Most Zambians actually earn their living off the land, particularly in rural areas. Those constitute a very critical component of our people. They are the masses and most of them are peasant farmers. We have an inescapable duty as leaders to look after them and we can only improve their lives if we train them in improved farming methods and value addition to their products through agro-processing,” President Lungu said.

The President also held talks with Communist Party of China (CPC) Shenzhen Municipal Committee secretary Ma Xingrui.

Mr Lungu congratulated Mr Ma on his election.

President Lungu said he is privileged to be the first one from outside China to call on Mr Ma since his election barely a week ago.

“You have spoken elaborately about the history and development of Shenzhen, the insight will enable me and my ministers plan in what areas we want to engage in,” Mr Lungu said.

He said Zambia and China have been great friends for over 50 years.

The President also thanked the Chinese government for sending a high-level delegation to Zambia during the golden jubilee independence anniversary celebrations in October last year.

He also reiterated that Zambia is now emphasising public-private partnerships so that the people can also participate in the economic development of the country.

ZESCO has spent over K8.9 million on a resettlement scheme for the displaced families in Hachipilika village in chief Sinadabwe’s area in Siavonga district.

ZESCO Spokesperson Henry Kapata said his company has so far built 13 modern housing units for the affected families who in 2013 relocated to pave way for the construction of the 750 megawatts Kafue Gorge Lower hydro power station.

In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Kapata said ZESCO has also upgraded the Hachipilika basic school, built a clinic and three staff houses under the resettlement scheme.

Mr. Kapata further said the Kafue Gorge lower resettlement scheme has greatly improved the living conditions of the people in the area who entirely depended on fishing and farming as their source livelihood.

He said the 25 displaced families had built their make shift houses close to the Kafue river where the 750 megawatts Kafue Gorge Lower hydro power station will be built.

Mr. Kapata explained 13 families chose to go back to Hachipilika village which is their place of origin located about 30 kilometres from the project site while the other 12 chose to relocate to different places within and outside Siavonga district.

Meanwhile, Government says the Lunzua hydro power project in Northern Province to be commissioned later this year will help to stabilize electricity supply in the area.

Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Lazarous Chungu says government is aware of the power deficit in the province which is affecting the livelihood of the local people.

Mr. Chungu said this yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on acting Mbala District Commissioner Felix Mungaila at his office.

He expressed concern with the continued power black-outs being experienced in some parts of Northern Province including Mbala District.

The Deputy Minister however noted that the Chinese contractor has made remarkable progress in completing works on Lunzua power project in Mpulungu District.

He added that this gives hope to consumers that the Province is likely to have stable power supply soon.

Mr. Chungu further said the upgrading of the ZESCO power-line from Pensulo in Serenje to Kasama via Mpika will also boost the availability of electricity in the region.

And speaking earlier, Mr. Mungaila said Mbala District has continued to experience frequent power outages which are negatively affecting business in the area.

He informed the Deputy Minister that residents were now becoming angry with the constant power failures without any update from ZESCO on the matter.

Mr. Mungaila however expressed hope that once the Lunzua Hydro Power Station is fully operational, the supply of electricity to Mbala will improve for the better.

Efforts to get a comment from ZESCO proved futile by press time.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe has said that Eleven foreign companies have expressed interest in setting up companies in the Lusaka East Multi-Facility Economic Zone.

Mrs. Mwanakatwe said that so far a pharmaceutical company and a mushroom production firm have already started operating in Zambia.

The Minister was speaking to Zambian Journalists after attending the Zambia-China, Economic, Trade and Tourism Forum in Beijing.

Mrs. Mwanakatwe said the Lusaka East Multi- Economic Zone is a huge vehicle that government will use to drive the economic engine of the country.

She said President Lungu’s visit to China has played a big role in not only attracting but also assuring Chinese investors come into Zambia.

And Government has appointed an energy consultant to explore incentives to give to investors in the energy sector.

Energy Minister Christopher Yaluma said that the consultant is looking at incentives that can be given to investors in the solar energy sector.

The Minister said that the consultant is expected to complete the work by June this year.

Mr. Yaluma said that Government is vigorously looking at ways and means of addressing the power deficit in the country.

He was speaking in Beijing on the side lines of the Zambia- China Economic, Trade and Tourism Forum.

Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu has said that he is determined to make Zambia a center of excellence in value addition to raw materials in Africa.

Jeff Banda reports that President Lungu said that Zambia exports a lot of raw materials in raw form and he is determined to ensure that the country starts adding value to its raw materials.

The President said that Government is exploring ways in which incentives will be given to investors that add value to raw materials before they are exported.

The President was speaking on the sidelines of the Zambia- China Economic, Trade and Tourism Forum in Beijing.