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Toyota cars are still in great demand in Zambia.Toyota supply a broad range of vehicles like pickup trucks, cars etc.
Toyota Hilux is the most popular model of Toyota and it is categorized as off road transportation. Here are some tips on how to get the most mileage out of your Toyota Hilux.
Understanding the mechanism and working of Toyota Hilux.
Servicing must be done at regular intervals.
Engine of the vehicle is the heart of the vehicle so it must be maintained properly. Check that the engine is healthy and is cleaned from unwanted slush.
Maintain the record of servicing and go through the report of every service. Make note of mentioned points.
Follow the dates of next servicing as mentioned in the manual booklet.
Mileage gets affected in the cold season. Toyota Hilux gives low mileage in cold atmosphere. Therefore plan the speed accordingly so the driver can make the least use of breaks. The less you break more you get mileage.
Follow necessary limited-access highway speeds to get effective mileage.
Fast speed reduces the mileage.
Checking the quality of oil, which Toyota Hilux engine uses, is necessary to maintain its mileage. Always go for better oils and the ones that are recommended as per engine configurations.
Make a habit of changing Toyota Hilux’s oil after three to four months or after 4000 Kilometers to gain high mileage.
Air in the tires of Toyota Hilux must be checked regularly to avoid accidents. Bursting of tires occurs because of low air pressure
See whether the car is having some leakage or some coolant issues. This might affect the mileage.
Replace the air filter on regular basis every time you service the vehicle
The condition of the any vehicle depends upon the user. It is recommended that go for a Toyota Hilux that suits your personality and demands
Selecting a superior and certified mechanic for maintaining the Toyota Hilux is necessary. Keeping the car in dry cool enviroment is very important when it is not in use. Taking some safety measures to protect the vehicle is very important. A Toyota engine, which has a higher displacement, will always give low mileage as compared to an engine having low displacement.
During cold whether always ensure that the engine is warm before you drive off.A cold engine always uses more fuel compared to a warm engine.
A Human Rights advocacy Organization has called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to re-start the Voter Verification exercise that expires today.
Hope for human Rights and Justice Executive Director Smart Chanda says the exercise should be extended to ensure that more registered voters are captured.
Mr. Chanda has also expressed disappointed at the anomalies discovered during the verification process so far with regards to people’s particulars.
He says an extension of the verification exercise is inevitable if the majority of the Zambians are to exercise their right to vote in this year’s elections.
Mr. Chanda has also expressed sadness at the recorded low turnout of people to verify their details in the voters’ register.
ECZ Director Pricilla Isaacs has maintained that the country’s electoral body will not extend the voter verification exercise adding that doing so will delay the certification of the final register which is expected to be done by July 31st.
[ QFM ]
Elections are the central institution of democratic representative governments. In a democracy, the authority of the government derives solely from the consent of the governed.
The principal mechanism for translating that consent into governmental authority is the holding of free, peaceful and fair elections at their intended time.
Jeane Kirkpatrick, a scholar and former United States of America (USA) envoy to the United Nations (UN), who once offered the definition of democratic elections as, “Democratic elections are not merely symbolic, they are competitive, periodic, inclusive, definitive in which the chief decision makers in a government are selected by citizens who enjoy broad freedom to genuine criticise governments and to present alternatives,”
Renowned former USA President Abraham Lincoln who is revered to be the pioneer of liberal democracy stated that “Democracy is a government of the people by the people for the people.”
In a lay man’s language this simply means government leaders are legally ushered in office with the blessing of the electorate themselves, through credible elections.
Historically known for their love for peace, Zambians would be on the spot light again eager to cast their vote to choose credible leaders who would deliver on the successful developmental programmes that the current Government of President Rupiah Banda and the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) are continuing to score.
Recently, United Kingdom (UK) envoy to Zambia, Ms Caroline Davidson praised the peaceful manner the Zambians exhibit during elections time.
As per elections tradition, Zambians who are registered voters are later this year expected to vote in the forthcoming tripartite polls.
Republican President Banda has and is continuing at various foras, urging the citizenry to maintain the peace that the country is known for as a beacon of tranquillity not only in Sub-Saharan Africa but the world at large.
“What is the purpose of having so many political parties when on the ground there is only MMD, UPND and PF which are worth calling active,” Ms Mwandila states.
Polls in the past elections have been perceived to be characterised by regional voting, especially in regions where the opposition political parties claim to command a lion share of supporters.
But the MMD seems to be the only genuine political party among the more than 40 registered parties with the Registrar of Societies Act Cap 119, to genuinely claim that they for sure exist in all corners of the country.
Without mentioning names, some of the political groupings are only regionally based in either a single province or in a district in Zambia, while other political clubs exist only on paper gathering dust on shelves.
Similar sentiments were echoed by a cross section of the public. Ms Ruth Mwandila, a resident of Kitwe’s Chimwemwe Township but came for her shopping in Lusaka, was of the view that some political parties that seem not to be active are supposed to be deregistered by the Registrar of Societies.
“What is the purpose of having so many political parties when on the ground there is only MMD, UPND and PF which are worth calling active,” Ms Mwandila states.
Kenneth Mafuta a resident of Lusaka’s Kamanga Township questioned as to why in his views, some opposition political parties do not hold conventions like the way the ruling MMD party converged its delegates to elect office bearers in Kabwe recently.
To substantiate this fact, the ruling party under the able leadership of President Banda got overwhelming results of 708,683 from all the 73 districts of the nation in the 2008 Presidential by- election held on October 30.
The elections were occasioned following the untimely death of late Republican president Levy Mwanawasa who died on August 19, 2008 at the Percy Military Hospital in France.
To name one constituency in Central Province’s Chitambo as an example, official results declared by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) indicate that President Banda garnered 2,752 votes while PF leader Michael Sata managed to get 1000 with UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema collecting a paltry 93 votes.
In Chisamba President Banda polled 6,376 votes with Mr Hichilema grabbing 4,234 votes while Mr Sata got only 489 votes.
The region mentioned is an area where the president does not even hail from.
It is worth mentioning that even in parliamentary by- elections like the one that was held in the Chitambo Constituency on August 13, 2009, the ruling MMD retained the seat with a run-away victory against their closest contenders the PF-UPND pact candidate.
MMD’s Solomon Musonda won the polls with 3,149 votes beating the defunct PF-UPND pact’s Chanda Mutale who garnered 1,803 votes, while Timothy Kapolo who stood on the former ruling party UNIP only poured 309 votes.
Southern Province which is no doubt the stronghold of the UPND but recently the ruling party seems to make inroads and this surely is sending shivers in the opposition camp.
For the record, in the 2008 Presidential polls, in Chikankata Constituency where the UPND and Mr Hichilema got 8,782 votes, President Banda and the MMD garnered a convincing 2,131 votes there by proving that the party in power has a nationalwide support to its cadreships.
In Lusaka Province which is perceived to a PF stronghold, official results indicate that in Chawama Constituency, President Banda amassed 9,918 votes while Mr Sata and his PF received 17,563, the UPND’s Hichilema got 4,052.
In Solwezi Central Constituency, the cosmopolitan capital of North-Western Province, President Banda garnered a whopping 9,622, Mr Hichilema got 2,562 and Mr Sata trailed with 2,270 votes.
In Luanshya Constituency, President Banda polled 6,188 while Mr Sata got 9,620, with Mr Hichilema managing a paltry 829.
The results of the last presidential polls confirms that where as some opposition political parties that are still active command votes in few regions of the country, the MMD is the only party that has a high traffic of cadres whom they would be courting to give them another mandate if the citizenry are happy with the huge developmental programmes that the State is tirelessly embarking on.
Needless to state that in as much as armchair critics of the Government would want to blind themselves from appreciating and giving credit to the State where it deserves it, the public are able to see for themselves the various projects that have either been completed or are currently under way.
Against this back ground, every peace loving Zambians who are registered voters should indeed turn up in large numbers to cast their votes.
[ Times of Zambia ]
World leaders who recently gathered for the United Nations (UN) high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS in New York, United States of America (USA) have called on pharmaceutical companies to take measures to ensure timely production and delivery of affordable,good quality and effective Anti Retro Viral medicines (ARVs).
In a Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS that the leaders released following the adoption of a resolution entitled ‘Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS: Intensifying our efforts to Eliminate HIV/AIDS’, they expressed concern that funding devoted to HIV/AIDS responses was still not proportional to the magnitude of the epidemic nationally or internationally.
UN General Assembly President Joseph Deiss released the declaration during the closing proceedings of the three-day 2011 meeting which reviewed progress achieved in realising the political declaration of
commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS.
They also reaffirmed the need for all countries to implement commitments and pledges in the Declaration consistent with national laws, development priorities,and international human rights.
This is contained in a Press Statement released to ZANIS by First Secretary (Press) at the Zambian Mission in New York Moses Walubita and which was also copied to Information Permanent Secretary Dr Sam
Phiri.
‘’This Declaration reaffirms the sovereign rights of Member States, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,’’ the State read in part.
The leaders further welcomed the availability of increased resources as the result of the establishment by many developed countries of timetables to achieve the 0.7 percent target of Gross National Product
for Official Development Assistance (ODA) by 2015.
The 17-paged declaration acknowledged the importance of this year’s high level meeting, which marked 30 years since the first report of AIDS, 10 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Commitment on
HIV/AIDS, and five years since the adoption of the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.
World leaders also commended the Global fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the vital role it was playing in mobilising and providing funds for national and regional HIV/AIDS responses and in improving the predictability of financing over the long term.
They remained deeply concerned that globally women and girls were still the most affected by the epidemic.
They welcomed the establishment of UN-Women as new stakeholders that could play an important role in global effort to combat HIV through promoting gender equality and empowerment of women.
The Declaration is committed to redoubling efforts to achieve, by 2015, universal access to HIV prevention, treatment care and support.
[ ZANIS ]
ONE of India’s leading super specialist hospitals has expressed interest to set up a branch in Zambia and tailor-make exchange programmes in different medical specialties for doctors and paramedics under its capacity-building programme.
Apollo Hospitals have described Zambia as an ideal destination being earmarked for the health institution’s presence in cost-effective specialised health care.
Paying a courtesy call on Zambia High Commissioner to India Darius Bubala at the Zambia High Commission in New Delhi yesterday, Apollo Hospitals deputy general manager for marketing Abhijit Majumder, noted that Zambia and India ejoyed cordial relations which provides a platform for collaboration in the health care industry.
According to a Press release from First Secretary for Press at Zambia High Commission in India, Bwalya Nondo, Ambassador Bubala observed that Apollo had won international credibility for the medical excellence that continue to be a motivating factor for India being preferred as a destination for medical tourism.
He thanked Apollo for giving self-sponsored Zambian patients who came on limited budgets, considerable discounts on their treatment costs.
Mr Bubala said it was the desire of Zambia to see Apollo establish a branch in Zambia as this would enable more people access specialised treatment which, at the moment, may not be readily available in Zambia because of limited equipment and expertise.
The Zambian envoy said President Rupiah Banda’s administration had facilitated construction of health facilities across the country which needed to be complemented with specialised staff and more diagnostic equipment.
Mr Bubala said Zambia had a lot to learn from India’s medical excellence and welcomed the initiative for tailor-made medical exchange programmes that would benefit Zambian health providers.
In another development, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)has picked India as the global host country for the World Environment Day which fell on June 5 in recognition of sustained efforts to conserve natural resources and green the environment.
This is according to the India-Africa Connect, an online publication of the Information Department in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
As part of commemorating the Day, India had embarked on mass community mobilisation to enlist the participation of people in tree-planting as part of the “Green Revolution” the country has embarked on.
Mr Nondo said given Zambia’s commitment to fighting the effects of climate change and inculcating a sense of environmental stewardship among the citizenry, India‘s approach of community-mobilisation in tree-planting and other environmental practices that were key to sustainable development, was worth emulating.
The theme chosen for this year by UNEP is “Forests: Nature at your Service”.
The theme underlines the intricate link between quality of life and conservation of natural resources.
Mr Nondo said the theme was also in conformity with this year’s UN International Year of Forests which seeks to draw international attention to the role forests play in protecting water catchment areas, supporting biodiversity, and providing carbon sinks to mitigate against the effects of climate change.
Vatican Ambassador to Zambia Nicola Girassoli about to get in his official vehicle
VATICAN Ambassador to Zambia Apostolic Nuncio Nicola Girasoli has said the Catholic Church will not support the Patriotic Front (PF) in this year’s elections as it will remain non-partisan and work with the Government of the day.
Ambassador Girasoli said the Catholic Church would not endorse any candidate butt it would be up to individual Church members to choose whoever they wanted to support.
Ambassador Girassoli said after the occasion to mark the blessing and launch of Saint Lawrence Catholic Church in Kamwala South that the Government and the Catholic Church were partners and had been implementing several development projects together.
He said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that insinuations by some sectors of society that the pastoral letter read out in Catholic churches on June 5 this year was meant to campaign for PF leader Michael Sata were unfounded.
Ambassador Girasoli said people should be careful to separate individual comments and the official position of the Church on political issues.??He said that the official position of the Catholic Church was to allow individual members to make free choices on who they wanted to elect.
He said the Catholic Church would remain committed to providing its services to the Zambian people through implementation of different projects in education, health and other sectors.
He urged Zambians to embrace the ‘One Zambia One Nation’ slogan as the country heads towards the elections, saying people should always remain untied and peaceful.
Chief Mwanachingwala waves at President Banda's chopper when he arrived at his palace in Mazabuka
CHIEF Mwanachingwala of the Tonga people of Mazabuka in Southern Province has warned that Zambia risks being turned into a despotic state if Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata is voted into power in the forthcoming tripartite elections.
And an entire ward consisting of 350 people from about 14 villages in Mazabuka Central in Southern Province have ditched their traditional party, the United Party for National Development (UPND), and the Patriotic Front (PF) to join the MMD with a message that they are tired of being in the opposition.
The chief said Mr Sata has the propensity for disregarding advice and the views of other people, and is good at dictating his way to meet his desires.
Chief Mwanachingwala said in an interview yesterday it is not surprising that MrSata has failed to call for a convention so that he can be challenged because he does not believe in democracy.
He said with the tripartite elections coming soon, one expected the PF to have held its national convention, but that has not happened because its leader does not believe in elections.
Chief Mwanachingwala said that Zambians should not forget that MrSata has a vicious political background that left prominent citizens politically maimed when he was at the helm of the MMD.
The chief said the people of Southern Province are awake to the fact that the UPND cannot win the elections this year and are defecting in large numbers to the MMD.
FIRST Quantum Minerals Limited (FQM) says it intends to list its Zambian depository receipts on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LuSE) by the end of July.
Depository receipt is a negotiable financial instrument issued by a bank to represent a foreign company’s publicly traded securities. The depository receipt trades on a local stock exchange. It makes it easier to buy shares in foreign companies because the shares of the company do not have to leave the home state.
“First Quantum Minerals Limited, a global mining and metals company, is proud to announce its intention to list its Zambian depository receipts on the Lusaka Stock Exchange by July 2011,” the company said in a statement availed to the Mail yesterday.
“The listing is in recognition that Zambians are important stakeholders of First Quantum and creates another way for Zambians to identify with and participate in the growth of the company,” the statement read.
The statement says the company’s depository receipts have since been registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission for possible listing on the local bourse.
First Quantum’s common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and on the London Stock Exchange. With this move, First Quantum becomes the first mining company to list on the LuSE.
The company, which owns 80 percent of Kansanshi mine in Solwezi in the North-Western Province, says the depository receipts will be listed on the local bourse and can be purchased only through Zambian stockbrokers by institutional and retail investors in Zambia.
“The depository receipts have been registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia, and are expected to be listed on the LuSE and traded freely, like any other security listed on that exchange,” the statement added.
It says each depository receipt will represent a certain fraction of a common share of the company which will be determined prior to the listing.
The statement says the common shares underlying the depository receipts rank paripassu (on equal footing) with all other common shares of the company.
Renaissance Capital is acting as sole sponsoring broker of the listing, while the Bank of New York Mellon will act as depository in relation to the receipts.
It says First Quantum will carry out investor road shows in Zambia to engage with targeted audiences in a build-up to the listing.
The company says any potential investors are advised to exercise caution in relation to the listing and are advised to consult with their stockbroker, financial or legal advisor or other professional advisor before investing in the depository receipts.
First Quantum Minerals Ltd is a growing mining and metals company currently operating two mines and developing five projects worldwide.
The company currently produces London Metal Exchange grade “A” copper cathode, copper in concentrate, gold and sulphuric acid and is on track to become a significant nickel producer in 2012.
First Quantum’s current operations are the flag carrier Kansanshi Copper-Gold mine in Zambia and the Guelb Moghrein Copper-Gold mine in Mauritania.
Some fishermen in Chiengi District, Luapula Province, are reported to be highly engaged in illegal fishing methods.
The fishermen are said to be using mosquito nets on Lake Mweru.
And Luapula Province Minister, Besa Chimbaka has since described the vice as unfortunate saying the mosquito nets are instead distributed for the anti-malaria crusade.
Mr. Chimbaka has warned of serious consequences against all the perpetrators of the vice.
[ MUVI ]
Children in Sinazongwe district
Over 1.4 million working children from five to 17 years old in the country are exposed to hazardous conditions.
This is according to last year’s International Labour Organisation (ILO) global report on Child labour.
Labour Minister Austin Liato noted that child labour is a social, human right, and economic issue which should be fought holistically.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Liato called on all stakeholders dealing in child welfare related issues including child labour activities to partner with Government in addressing the problems of child labour.
He stressed that the role of Government is mainly to provide policy direction and road map while stakeholders are the main actors and implementers of various child labour related programmes.
This was in a speech read for him by Labour Acting Permanent Secretary Arthur Chobe during the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour in Lusaka today.
The Minister further announced that Government with its stakeholders created 22 District Child Labour Committees in all strategic districts covering all the nine provinces.
Mr. Liato explained that the structures are meant to engage all relevant stakeholders, Government institutions,and social partners in the fight against the scourge at District level.
He also noted that a statutory instrument on hazardous labour has also been developed and that it will be enforced once a legal opinion being sought from the Ministry of Justice is finalised.
Speaking on behalf of ILO Country Director for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique Martin Clemesson, ILO Area Office Director Johanna Silvarder noted that the ILO Convention No. 182 requires immediate action.
Mr Silvarder said the instrument does not allow exceptions and prohibits the engagement of children in exploitative forms of labour.
At the same event, Zambia Federation of Employers Mukubesa Sanyambe pointed out that Child labour issues should be everyone’s concern, especially countries in Sub-Saharan Africa where about 30 percent of the total number of working children are found.
Government has said with increased agricultural activities in the country, people will become self sufficient and not rely on relief food and that it will result in continued export of food to neighbouring countries.
Science and Technology Minister Peter Daka said Government has placed agriculture on top of its agenda as the sector is contributing to development in rural areas and people are able to earn an income from it.
In an interview with ZANIS today, Mr Daka said Government wants people in rural areas to remain there and be productive by utilising the resources available instead of rushing to urban areas to scramble for little resources.
He said continued good policies put in place by Government like the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) contributed to last season’s bumper harvest and this period’s.
Mr. Daka who is the incumbent Member of Parliament for Msanzala Constituency in Petauke District in Eastern Province explained that in last year’s bumper harvest Petauke district recorded a surplus revenue of K 66 billion and that Government is expecting the figure to double this year.
He added that Government is committed to developing the country.
Power Dynamos are the new leaders in the Faz Super Division after beating Nchanga Rangers 2-0 away in Chingola on Saturday.
Beston Chambeshi’s side scored two goals in each half of their week 11 game played at Nchanga Stadium through Lottie Phiri and Joseph Sitali in the 5th and 85th minutes respectively.
Power are on 21 points from 11 games played and are two points head of Zanaco who beat struggling Lime Hotspurs 3-0 at Sunset stadium in Lusaka on the same date.
Zanaco crushed John ‘Butcher’ Mwanza’s Lime with three unanswered goals scored by Charles Siyingwa who opened scores from the penalty spot.
Lottie Nyimbili added a in the last six minutes of the game.
Results
FAZ SUPER DIVISION
11/06/2011
WEEK 11
Forest Rangers 2-Nakambala Leopards 1
Nkana 2- Kalewa 0
Nchanga Rangers 0-Power Dynamos 2
Green Eagles0 -Konkola Blades 0
Nkwazi 1-Roan United 1
A hot spring in the kafue flood plains in Itezhi-Tezhi district in Southern Province and its part of the district's tourist attraction area
By Chapandongo Lungu
Fish has for a long time been the lifeblood of Itezhi-Tezhi, an almost obscure district tucked away in the vast Kafue Plains hosting the Kafue River and ItezhiTezhi Dam. But beyond the bowels of the river and the dam is one economic activity which the locals are famed for – agriculture, especially pastoral farming, which has been practised from the beginning of times, the inhabitants believe. Itezhi-Tezhi has transitioned from the murky waters of a food deficit district only a few years to the lofty heights of food security.
FRANCIS Lubasi has in the past few years worked hard to turn around the agricultural fortunes of Itezhi-Tezhi, a district whose economy revolves around fishing.
While fishing remains central to the lives of most residents, the district is fast diversifying into other forms of agriculture, with crop cultivation being the most vibrant.
Mr Lubasi, the district agricultural co-ordinator, has not only seen the turnaround but has also been part of it. He believes Itezhi-Tezhi has potential to be the breadbasket for Zambia.
As Zambia celebrates unprecedented yields in the past two seasons, Mr Lubasi says Itezhi-Tezhi has credentials to gatecrash the party, and proudly so.
CROPS
The district was predominantly food-insecure only five years ago. It was one of the districts prioritised for food relief. Agency Adventist Relief was contracted to facilitate relief supply, especially in the hinterland where need was pressing the most.
“But production has changed, now we’re a food surplus district. In the 2009/2010 season, we produced surplus of 500,000 by 50kgs of white maize and the Food Reserve Agency bought 324,605 by 50kgs,” Mr Lubasi said, wafting through his records in his modest office.
Another page on M rLubasi’s records book shows that farmers collected a whopping K21 billion. That is a huge figure that can turn the economy of the district around.
Private buyers such as ITT Milling bought 46,000 bags from small-scale farmers. These figures are in comparison to 60,915 bags bought by the FRA and 69,000 purchased by the private sector during the 2007/2008 season.
Mr Lubasi said the marked improvement in the 2009/2010 season is due to the fact that Government entered the market early and farmers’ confidence in FRA improved.
For the 2010/2011 season, there is a forecast of 459,520 bags, showing a slight drop from last season.
“The drop in crop production is due to adverse weather conditions – floods caused by excessive rains in the first quarter and drought in the second quarter,” Mr Lubasi said.
[pullquote]Another page on M rLubasi’s records book shows that farmers collected a whopping K21 billion. That is a huge figure that can turn the economy of the district around.[/pullquote]
To avoid such pitfalls in the future, farmers have been advised to diversify, mainly to tubers such as sweet and Irish potatoes as well as cash crops such as cotton and tobacco.
And because of that, the number of tobacco farmers has risen from 80 in the 2008/2009 season to 223 in the 2009/2010 season, with a production of about 129 tonnes.
“The increase is due to attractive prices offered to farmers by an outgrower – Leaf Zambia Company,” Mr Lubasi said.
Cotton is also one of the widely cultivated crops in the district, as there are 926 farmers now compared to 526, accounting for 1,061 tonnes. Like for tobacco, the increase is attributed to attractive prices.
The boom in agriculture is credited to Government’s good policies such as subsidised prices of inputs and organisation of farmers into co-operatives.
Under the farmer input support programme, the district last season received support of 144 packs for 7,450 small-scale farmers.
Mr Lubasi said his office has organised farmers into 205 co-operatives through increased extension services and rise in other service providers such as seed and chemical suppliers.
But there is a low level of private sector participation. There are very few agro-based firms in the district, mainly due to the location.
“As a ministry, we know that it’s because of the physical location. We’re in the Kafue Flats and some farm blocks get cut off from the town from November to May. This means production areas are cut off, limiting presence of the private sector,” Mr. Lubasi said.
And because the district is new, its road network is still in a poor state, which makes service delivery a challenge. Government has, however, provided field staff and most of the camps are now manned with transport available.
Where there are challenges, Government has allocated funds to procure motorbikes.
With the immigration of farmers from Kalomo, Mumbwa and Namwala, ITT, as the district is locally called, is destined for greater heights in crop production.
The challenge now is crop storage as there are only three storage structures although there are 17 satellite depots.
He said slabs have been constructed at some satellites through the FRA and communities. About 168,000 bags are still available in some satellites across the district. This grain, he said, would be moved to safer storage sites and made available to communities-relief and cash purchases at a reduced price of K50,000.
LIVESTOCK
Livestock production has increased exponentially from 35,000 heads of cattle in 2005 to 68,000 in the last census, yet again cementing the fact that Ilas are the best herdsmen in the country.
MrLubasi said the growth in numbers is as a result of increased extension services to farmers by the department of veterinary and livestock production.
He says there is an integrated approach for enhancing veterinary service provision to traditional livestock farmers.
Under this project, which started in 2007, over K1 billion was released for implementation.
“Key under the project was implementation of early warning systems in which a radio system was established in all camps and field transport procured for both veterinary assistants and community livestock auxiliary workers,” he said.
The officers also introduced early diagnostic tests and treatment under which a mobile laboratory and a motor vehicle were procured to undertake the tests.
The last and major output was the establishment of a vector control and handling facilities under which six dip tanks were constructed – one in each chiefdom. Six crush pens and loading bays were constructed alongside the dip tanks.
These, he said, have helped reduce tick-borne diseases and enabled officers to undertake regular vaccinations.
But the availability of livestock services such as drugs have remained a challenge as there is only one service provider (Farmers Warehouse).
The other challenge is that of disease – trypanosomiasis. What compounds the situation is that ITT is in game management area of the Kafue National Park.
HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT
“There is a serious challenge of human-wildlife conflict. Communities in Shezongo and Musungwa chiefdoms have experienced serious crop losses due to elephants eating their produce. This is attributed to the large number of elephant population in the Nkala management area. This has been reported to higher authorities for intervention,” Mr Lubasi said.
FISHERIES
ITT is endowed with abundant water resources through the Kafue River and Itezhi-Tezhi lake and dam, where various species of fish breed.
People’s livelihoods are, therefore, dependent on fishing and fish trading. The three water bodies stock fish to the brim, providing protein to both locals and surrounding districts.
In order to manage fish, extension services have been established through fisheries co-management structures to community.
Mr Lubasi said communities directly monitor fishing activities. He said the fish farming practised in the district is capture fishing (open water fishing) as there are few aqua activities.
He said the bream and kapenta planted in the river and dam have continued providing alternative protein far and wide, including in Copperbelt, Lusaka and North-Western provinces.
Mr Lubasi said, however, that monitoring of fishery activities has remained a challenge for the department.
Illegal fishing methods such as using small size nylon nets have been reported although extension services have put the illegal activity under check in this district brimming with agricultural potential.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Petauke Central Dora Siliya has expressed happiness with works that have so far been done on the Water Reticulation Project which will cater for 25 000 residents in the district at a cost of K14 billion.
Ms Siliya who is also Education Minister noted that with the new functional equipment in place for the water system, diarrhoeal
diseases will be a thing of the past.
ZANIS reports that Ms Siliya said when she conducted a tour of the newly built water pumping station and kiosks in Petauke yesterday that a lot of community publicity needs to be done to let people be aware of the project.
The MP noted that this will teach people to be responsible and take care of the kiosks and other equipment being put up.
And Eastern Water and Sewerage Company (EWSC) Managing Director Wamuwi Changani disclosed that
11 water kiosks have been placed in Petauke district to help address water shortage there.
Mr Changani said the kiosks have been placed in different points to cater for 1,500 households.
He also disclosed that the ongoing Petauke water reticulation project will cater for all the 25 thousand residents in the district.
Mr. Changani explained that the quality of water has to meet the set standards by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He noted that this will reduce water borne diseases that used due to lack of clean water.
Toyota cars are still in great demand in Zambia.Toyota supply a broad range of vehicles like pickup trucks, cars etc.
