SITTING tenants of Kafue Gorge institutional houses yesterday became the latest beneficiaries of the Government’s housing empowerment scheme as 346 of them received offer letters to buy the housing units some for as low as K475,000 to be paid over a period of five months.

The handover of the letters followed President Rupiah Banda’s promise to the sitting tenants who had petitioned him during a ground breaking ceremony of Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro Power Station recently.

And several beneficiaries could not hold back tears as they received the offer letters while thanking and praising the Government.

Speaking during a colorful handover ceremony attended by hundreds of the beneficiaries, Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary Teddy Kasonso said the Government had embarked on numerous projects that would provide support and stimulate socio-economic development in the country.

He said the offer to sell the houses to sitting tenants was not a political move but part of Government’s programme to empower citizens and uplift their living standards.

“This has been demonstrated through the new schools, new roads and new foreign direct investment in critical growth sectors of the economy which include electricity generation, agriculture, manufacturing and mining sectors,” he said.

Mr Kasonso said the final award of the letters was a demonstration of the commitment by President Banda’s Government to improve the living standards of Zambians.

He said the Government was committed to ensuring that citizens were empowered with homes so that they could become landlords.

“May I also take this opportunity to remind you that as new owners of these properties, it will now be your full responsibility to ensure that they are well maintained,” he said.

He urged the beneficiaries to guard their houses jealously and be alert to always protect the Zesco installations.

Speaking earlier, Zesco managing director Ernest Mupwaya said the total purchase price would be paid over a period of five months and the objective of the scheme was to make housing affordable for the benefit of the community of Namalundu.

Mr Mupwaya said an initial deposit of 10 per cent for the purchase value would be paid as confirmation of acceptance of the offer of sale and title of properties would be processed upon full completion of the payments.

He said Zesco was certain that the home ownership would safeguard the future of the families and add greater security to their children.

Meanwhile, several beneficiaries expressed happiness at the opportunity to own houses, with Marvis Nyambe, John Botha, Doreen Banda and Sara Kumwenda saying they used to pay K30,000 as monthly rentals for the houses but that they were now happy to be landlords.

They thanked President Banda for the gesture and pledged that they would ensure that they voted for him so that he could continue empowering Zambians.

[Times of Zambia]

Government has reduced by over 70 percent the offer purchase prices for 141 housing units for Kapiri Glass Products (KGP) to former employees.

District Commissioner, Kunda Mwila said government reduced the prices after a petition from the former workers complaining that the earlier offered purchase prices for the houses were too high.

Government had pegged the two categories of KGP houses between K56 and K18 million but seeing that it was beyond the affordability of beneficiaries, the State has reduced the purchase prices to K10 for high cost houses which were priced at K56 million.

The purchase offers for the houses will be in lieu of terminal benefits for former workers who owned houses at the time the company closed in 1998.

Former employees who did not occupy the company houses will receive their terminal benefits in full.

At a purchase offer giving ceremony yesterday Mr. Mwila commended the former KGP workers for being patient since the company closed in 1998.

Mr. Mwila said that government will soon start processing and paying former KGP workers their terminal benefits since it had sorted out their housing problems.

The former workers have not been paid their terminal benefits since the closure of the company 13 years ago.

Mr. Mwila said the government was committed to ensuring that its people were empowered with housing and the means to improve their living standards.

“ The government of President Rupiah Banda has heard the cries of former KGP offers and has since further reduced the prices of the houses this is in the bid also to empower Zambians with decent accommodation,” Mr. Mwila said.

Government remains steadfast to improving the welfare of the people because it is a caring government and very soon it will start preparing your terminal benefits.

Meanwhile, KGP Former Workers’ Steering Committee has praised government and President Rupiah Banda for reducing the offer prices for the houses adding that the move will empower the former workers with housing.

Steering Committee Chairman, Jumbe Sanikonda lauded the government and the MMD leadership for the will they have exhibited in fruitfully resolving the issue after 13 years since the company closed.

“We want to express our gratitude to the President and his administration for the swift response to the petition we made regarding the initial offer prices for the houses which were too high”, Mr. Sanikonda said.

“This is a listening government which has listened to our plea we praise the government and the President for looking into our welfare because this will now help us also meaningfully live lives,” Mr. Sanikonda said.

Mr. Sanikonda noted that many former workers would have failed to purchase the houses at the initial prices thereby defeating the government policy of house empowerment.

The former workers have since pledged to give President Banda and the MMD another mandate in the forth coming elections so that he and the party continue improving lives of many Zambians.

The workers commended government for its selfless efforts to the successful conclusion of the issue which has remained outstanding for sometime now.

ZANIS

The government has sourced a grant of $830,000 from the World Bank for the construction of the second phase of the water project in Chongwe district.
Chongwe District Commissioner (DC) Billy Munyumbwe disclosed the development today and thanked the government for the good initiative.

The DC saying said in an interview at his office , yesterday, that the funds would be channelled to Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company ( LWSCO ) to oversee the implementation of the construction works expected to start soon.

Mr. Munyumbwe said the funds would be spent on rehabilitating the existing water reservoirs which are dilapidated and leak heavily.
He also said the funds would be spent on upgrading the current water network at the township by redesigning it and laying down new pipes to replace the old ones.

In 2009 the government sourced a grant of $1.5 million from DANIDA for the construction of the first phase of the project which comprised the installation of a water treatment plant and pumps for pumping water from Chongwe

And the construction of another substation in Chongwe district at a cost of $6.5 million by Zambia Electricity Supply Company ( ZESCO ) is progressing well.

The utility company’s Project Manager Nshimwenemo Mulenga said the project is expected to finish by March next year. Mr. Mulenga said this today when Chongwe District Commissioner Billy Munyumbwe toured the site to check on the progress.

“ About 60% of the civil works involving the laying down of the concrete platforms for transformers had been done and that the remaining 40% would be done by November this year, “ he told the DC.

The Project Manager said electrical works involving the installation of the transformers and other electrical equipments would commence shortly after the completion of the civil works and would be completed in March next.

And Mr Munyumbwe has commended the government for providing funds for the project. He said the completion of the project would pave way for more development as the district would start receiving adequate electricity.

The project, which commenced last May, is being done by ELSEWEDY Electric Transmission and Distribution Company of Egypt and it also involves the construction of a 22Km 33KV Overhead from the district’s first substation at Kapiliyomba to the project site.

Once completed, the project will put an end to the power outages the district is facing because of breakdowns and low voltage on the 11KV Overhead line that supplies power from the substation at Kapiliyomba to the entire district.

ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda has assured the people of Chipili constituency that once elected into office again, the MMD government will build a fisheries and agricultural training school in Luapula province.

President Banda said the training school to be constructed to train people in fish farming and general agriculture.

The president was speaking when he addressed a rally in Chipili constituency, today, to drum up support for the MMD candidate Jonathan Kapungwe.

He told the electorate of Chipili that once voted back into office he will reduce the cost that is attached to those involved in the fish business.

The president said that his government will continue to give subsidies to farmers so that they can produce more food for the country.

He assured the people of Chipili that the Food Reserve Agency will buy all the maize from the farmers and ensure that FRA pays them promptly.

He said the policy of the MMD government is to make sure it helps the farmer to produce more and then buy so that the farmers have enough money to empower themselves.

He said Luapula province has the potential to feed the whole nation due to the high rainfall it receives and the good soils that the province has.

He urged the people of Chipili Constituency to vote for him and MMD Chipili aspiring candidate Jonathan Kapungwe who he described as his son and all the MMD Councilors in order foster development in the area.

The president said the MMD is the only party that has a national character and encompasses all the people throughout the country unlike its rival opposition parties who he said have not managed to field candidates in all the constituencies.

He told the people that tribalism has no place in Zambia for no party can win an election from one tribe. He said for a party to win an election there must be a collective agreement by the people throughout the country to vote that particular party into office and not one region.

Present at the rally was former deputy speaker of the national assembly Jason Nfula.At the same rally the president received about 20 defectors who have joined the ruling party from the PF.

The 20 were led by PF Senga ward Councillor Kabo Mulenga.Speaking when he received those that have joined the MMD the President urged those already in the MMD not to sideline the new members but to work together learn from them to ensure that the party wins the elections.

ZANIS