Zambia has intensified its push to re-establish a national airline to help boost the tourism industry in line with the new government’s plan to re-align tourism as one of the frontline economic sectors.

And London has opened discussions with prospecting investors who are proposing to lease out aircraft to Zambia for the establishment of a national carrier.

Deputy Minister of Tourism and Arts, David Phiri, who is leading the Zambian delegation at the 2012 World Tourism Market (WTM) in London, says it has become evidently clear that the country’s tourism sector will not get to its desired position without a national airline.

This is contained in a media statement issued by the Press Secretary to the Zambian High Commission in London, Amos Chanda.

“The question of connectivity is a central factor in the development of Zambia’s tourism sector. This can only come about where there is a viable national airline.

“There is consensus in both government and industry that Zambia needs a viable national airline and I know that President Sata is keen on this,’ Mr Phiri said.

The Deputy Minister said the PF administration has allocated unprecedented amounts of money to the tourism industry and provided generous tax incentives for the next five years for Zambians wishing to develop tourism infrastructure in national parks.

“What the new government has done is unprecedented in the history of our country and we are determined as a ministry not to fail the President in his bold and broad vision to rejuvenate this important sector of the economy,” he said.

Mr Phiri noted that the efforts to rejuvenate the tourism industry will bear much fruit once the problem of connectivity is resolved through the establishment of a national carrier.

The minister’s delegation includes the Permanet Secretary, Charity Mwansa, Zambia Tourism Board Managing Director, Felix Chaila and senior staff from the ministry.

The deputy minister was expected later this afternoon to host cocktail for tour operators and leading media outlets in London at the Zambia Stand at Excel Centre, UK premier exhibition arena.

The World Travel Market is a global networking exhibition staged annually in London as the leading Global Event for the travel industry providing a vibrant business event with a diverse range of destinations and industry sector to the UK and international travel professionals.

ZANIS

Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Harry Kalaba has called on the Fire Brigade unit in Lusaka to be proactive in the manner they handle infernos and other unexpected disasters in the nation.

Mr. Kalaba said it is saddening to note that the Fire Brigade unit in Lusaka in most cases fail to respond promptly to calamities such as infernos because of inadequate preparations on their part.

He said this when he toured the Fire Brigade Services and the Emergency Response Team in Lusaka today.

The Deputy Minister stated that people’s property has been damaged in unexpected fire breakout and further urged the unit to change their methods of putting out fire as well as other disasters which happen unexpectedly .

He said Government will always provide enough resources to the unit in order for it to operate smoothly on a daily basis.

Speaking after touring the Lusaka Fire Brigade offices yesterday, Mr Kalaba said he was prompted to visit the Lusaka Fire Brigade following the increasing infernos and other disasters that had rocked the city.

He therefore wanted to get first hand information on how the fire fighters operated and that his opinion was that what was obtaining was a reflection of what was happening at other fire brigades countrywide.

He said a paradigm shift and seriousness in the manner the Fire Brigade conducted its work was desired as people had repeatedly been complaining of inefficiency on the part of fire fighters.

People were losing property worth millions of Kwacha through fire outbreaks, adding that such outcries had a negative bearing on Government’s performance.

“Our people have been complaining about it and I think it’s high time that we took our work very seriously, honestly and I think there has to be a paradigm shift in the way we operate some of these things. I want to believe that with the new Government that has come in place, it’s extremely important that we take advantage of the new environment,” he said.

On revelations by Lusaka Fire Brigade chief fire officer Wellington Mulambo that the department currently only had one fire engine to cater for the city, Mr Kalaba wondered how it would quench fires with one fire tender given a situation where infernos broke out in more than one place at one time.

“Let us have a change. I mean, you have only got one vehicle?! So if there are fires in Mtendere, another fire in Kalingalinga and another fire in town it means you will not respond,” he said.

Mr Kalaba told Mr Kangwa and LCC engineering services director Gilbert Sendama to present him with the progress report on Friday at 14:00 hours highlighting new ways of tackling infernos as using old ways was not yielding the desired results.

He directed the DMMU national coordinator to ensure that another fire brigade station was opened as well as use his office to co-sponsor the National Fire Policy to expedite its implementation.

Mr Sendama said the LCC was before the end of this year procuring another fire engine valued K2.6 billion and that the tender process had reached an advanced stage and that it in its 2013 to 2015 budget it had proposed to construct and equip six sub fire stations around the city to improve on fire and rescue services delivery.

Mr Kalaba and entourage which also included Lusaka District Commissioner Ashwell Kampengele later proceeded to familiarise themselves with the operations of the Emergency Rescue Team (ERT) where he assured its commissioner Andrew Stephenson of Government’s commitment in assisting the team’s noble voluntary work of saving lives.

And Disaster Management Unity (DMMU) National Coordinator Patrick Kangwa appealed for close working relationship between the DMMU, Lusaka City Council and the Fire Brigade.

Mr. Kangwa said the office of the DMMU will continue working hand in hand with the fire brigade unit as well as some other concerned stakeholders in times of disasters in the country.

ZANIS

The Patrotic Front (PF) has castigated MMD president Dr Nevers Mumba for issuing unwarranted attacks on President Michael Sata during campaigns in Mufumbwe.

PF Media and Publicity Director, Chanda Mfula described the unwarranted attacks levelled against President Sata as immature and lacking substance expected of a serious political leader.

This is contained in a media statement issued by Mr Mfula.

Mr Mfula said it is wrong for Dr Mumba to champion values that he has failed to live by.

“Zambians have not forgotten that it was President Sata who exposed Pastor Mumba’s double dealings between late President Mwanawasa and opposition leaders after the 2001 elections when Pastor Mumba was masquerading as one of the opposition leaders,” He said.

He stated that the late President Mwanawasa ditched Dr Mumba from government after realizing that he was dealing with an individual who could not be entrusted with national responsibilities.

Mr Mfula disclosed that the PF was aware that a great majority of the MMD membership does not want to be part of the unconstructive politics being propagated by Dr Mumba.

He said genuine MMD members are embarrassed by the unwarranted utterances coming from their leader.

Mr Mfula said Dr Mumba ought to realize that he is sitting on a time-bomb as he is leading reluctant followers who find his leadership disdainful and unpatriotic.

He noted that the PF is reluctant to engage in discourse type of politics Dr Mumba is trying to drag the party into.

However, Mr Mfula hoped that Dr Mumba will summon enough sobriety and civility to help him focus on constructive criticism.

ZANIS

The Office of the Town Clerk in Choma has been locked by irate Patriotic Front (PF) officials after newly appointed Town Clerk Mwiya Mwiya attempted to take over the office.

And riot police have been deployed at the Civic Centre following disturbances there.

The PF officials are opposed to the transfer of incumbent town clerk Oliver Muuka.

Business came to standstill at the Civic Centre as the Mayor and other Council Officers hid in council offices to avoid being lynched by the mob of angry cadres.

The PF official trooped to the Civic Centre at about 09.00 hours after word went round that Mr Mwiya had arrived for the third time in an attempt to take over office from current Town Clerk Oliver Muuka.

The PF youths led by District Political Secretary Bernadette Hamweemba raided the Civic Centre as UPND Mayor Geoffrey Makwamba was in the process of facilitating handovers between the outgoing and incoming.

After grabbing the keys and handover notes from Mr Muuka, the PF officials locked the Town Clerk’s office and vowed not to allow Mr Mwiya to take over.

The PF youths then matched to the District Administration where they attempted to lock out the District Commissioner Golden Nyambe whom they wanted to lynch after accusing him of working with the opposition UPND councillors.

The PF youths were only restrained by alert police officers who pleaded with them to calm down.

During the meeting also attended by police, the PF youths openly told Mr Nyambe they were not happy with the way he was not supporting the PF in the cause to stop the transfer of Mr Muuka.

By press time, the keys for the office of the town clerk were still in the hands of the PF officials.

Chief Singani of the Tonga people of Choma has called on the Minister of Local Government to quickly intervene and restore sanity at the Choma Municipal Council where ongoing wrangling over transfer of town clerk Oliver Muuka threatens to derail operations of the local authority.

Chief Singani says the quick intervention by the Minister will help bring to an end the current disturbances at the local authority that is supposed to be busy working on transforming Choma into a new provincial capital for southern province.

He told ZANIS in Choma today that all concerned parties should respect the decision taken by Southern Province permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga that town clerk Oliver Muuka should not vacate office until the Minister of Local Government resolves the matter.

Chief Singani said Mr Muuka should not be hounded out of office because he enjoys the popular support of all residents who have petition government to rescind his transfer out of the district.

He said the Provincial Permanent Secretary’s authority should be respect because he represents government in the province.

Dr Mulenga has written instructing that Mr Muuka should not vacate office but UPND Choma mayor Geoffrey Makwamba and other councillors yesterday attempted to evict Mr Muuka from office.

This resulted in a clash between the UPND mayor and patriotic Front district officials.

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