On 3rd April 2009, Some Patriotic Front (PF) youths called on the party president Mr Michael Sata to step down.
Mandevu Constituency Chairperson Frank Lombe said the PF youths in the area were demanding that Mr Sata should step down within 30 days.
Mr Lombe went on to say the PF youths were calling for a new president because Mr. Sata is undemocratic and will never lead the party to power.
Below is our cartoonist’s rendition of Mr Sata’s response to the youths.
Vice President George Kunda is today expected in Zambezi District in North-Western Province to check on the impact of floods.
The Veep is also expected to tour flood affected areas in Kabompo, Chavuma and Mwinilunga Districts and also address government’s developmental programme in the province.
Mr. Kunda’s plane is expected to land at Zambezi air strip at 09:00 hours in the morning after which he will have a briefing at area District Commissioner’s (DC’s) office Mr. Absalom Luwaile.
The Veep will pay a courtesy on two chiefs, Senior Ishindi and Ndungu of Lunda and Luvale peoples .
Mr. Kunda, who is also justice Minister is accompanied by local government Minister Benny Tetamashimba, Community Development Minister Sarah Sayifwanda and other governmental officials .
The Vice President and his entourage will be expected to visit flooded affected areas in the West Bank, and later leave for Chavuma district.
In Chavuma, Mr. Kunda will hold a public rally at freedom square.
The Vice President is on a three day official visit of North Western Province.
ZANIS/KC/CMM/MKM/ENDS.
international community to consider putting in place
mechanisms that will help stop the problem of human trafficking that has placed women at the centre of abuse.
Mrs. Banda said women and girls suffer the most as the perpetrators of the vice use these women as sex slaves.She advised women all over the world and Africa at large to gather courage in order to stand up and strongly speak against such vices.
Mrs. Banda said women hold the answers to their own problems in societies.She stated that the African continent which is the most affected by human trafficking should play a pivotal role in finding solutions to this problem.
The first lady has also described reasons that deprive women from achieving their heart-felt desires as unfortunate.She said women for a long time have been seen as inferior hence have been prevented from enjoying certain privileges of live.She said it is high time women stopped wearing a face of poverty and illiteracy and other work loads that deprive them of their rights to education, physical and spiritual freedom.
She was speaking during the official opening of the All Africa Girls Brigade fellowship organized by the African brigade that is being conducted at the Queens Hotel in Livingstone.
Mrs. Banda has further urged young women in Africa to be prepared to take up decision making positions in order to attain the SADC’s declaration of over 30 per cent women representation in decision making.
She has also advised the girls participating at the fellowship to take advantage of the Government institutions in their countries to fight gender based violence and abuse of women girls’ rights.
International Girls Brigade president, Ruth Chikasa said the girls Brigade aims at empowering the girl child with skills to help themselves in the future.
“Our aim as Girls Brigade is to bring the girls up to be responsible citizens by giving them skills which will enable them to sustain themselves in future,” She said.
The fellowship attracted Girls’ Brigade associations across Africa .
Countries that participated were Nigeria , South Africa , Bostwana , Tanzania , Zimbabwe , and the host Zambia.
ZANIS/AS/MKM/ENDS
Zesco United will play Djoliba of Mali in 2nd round of Caf African Champions League.
It will be Djoliba’s first outing against Zambian opposition in 27 years.
Djoliba booked their date with Zesco despite losing 1-0 at home in Bamako on Sunday to Tunisian side Club Africain but qualified 2-2 on aggregate on away goals rule.
Zesco will travel to Bamako in the first leg during the weekend of April 17-19 and later host Djoliba at the Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola on May 2.
Djoliba’s last meeting against a Zambian club was in 1982 in the defunct Caf Cup winners cup in a semifinal match-up against Power Dynamos that the latter won 2-1 on aggregate before finishing as runners-up in the same competition.
Winner of this second round, pre-group-stage clash will qualify to the lucrative group stage of the Caf African Champions League that kicks off on July 17.
Caf African Champions League 1st rnd, Rtn Leg
04/04/2009
Trade Fair Grounds, Ndola
Zesco United 2 (Maybin Mwaba 59″, pen, Enoch Sakala 69″)- Africa Sports 0
Zesco United qualify 2-0 on agg
Caf Confederations Cup 1st rnd, rtn Leg
04/04/2009
Ughelli, Nigeria
Ocean Boys 2 (Ifeanyi Eze 45″, ?”)- Red Arrows 0*
*Arrows win 3-2 on pp after 2-2 agg score 1st leg
Faz Premier Division Week 4
04/04/2009
Zanaco 1(Patrick Kabamba 87″)-Choma Eagles 0
Nakambala Leopards 0-Lusaka Dynamos 0
City of Lusaka 1(Felix Ludaka 24″)-Kabwe Warriors 0
05/04/2009
Forest Rangers 0- Zamtel 0
Roan United 0- Green Buffaloes 2(Brian Lubaba 25″, Tyson Chikwanda 90″)
Chambishi 0-Young Arrows 1(Moffat Sakala 43″)
Postponed:
Red Arrows- Konkola Blades
Zesco United-Power Dynamos
TOP SCORERS
After Games Played 05/04/2009
Patrick Kabamba (Zanaco): 4
Jack Chileshe (Zanaco): 4
Enoch Sakala (Zesco United): 3
Luka Lungu (Power Dynamos) 3
Clifford Chipalo (Zesco United): 3
Maybin Mwaba (Zesco United): 2
Aubrey Zulu (Choma Eagles): 2
Elson Mkandawire (Power Dynamos): 2
Edward Museba (Green Buffaloes): 2
Lameck Mwale (Power Dynamos): 2
Kelvin Muzungu (Roan United): 2
Timothy Mbewe (Red Arrows): 2
Judge Mknadawire (Red Arrows): 2
Chiwanki Liyainga (Red Arrows): 2
FAZ Division 1
Week 5
North
Lime Hotspurs 1- Nkana 1
Mufulira Wanderers 0- Indeni 0
Mufulira Blackpool 1- Nchanga Rangers 1
Kalewa 1- Luanshya United 0
Chindwin Sentries 1- Ndola United 0
Chingola Leopards 0- Prison Leopards 0
Afrisports 0- Kalulushi Modern Stars 1
Kitwe United 0- Muchindu 0
South
Lusaka Tigers 1- Nkwazi 1
National Assembly 2- Lusaka City Council 4
Paramilitary 1- Lusaka Celtic 2
Profund Warriors 0-Young Green Eagles 0
Zamcoal Diggers 1- Luena 1
Nampundwe 1- Mazabuka United 0
Kascol Rangers 1- Petauke United
Not Played
Green Eagles- Police Bullets
[leaguestandings league_id=1 mode=extend logo=false] [leaguestandings league_id=2 mode=extend logo=false] [leaguestandings league_id=3 mode=extend logo=false]
President, Rupiah Banda says the high cost of transport in Africa has negatively impacted on Africa’s competitive capacity on the global economic market.
Speaking during the official opening of the North South Corridor Donor Pledging Conference which opened in Lusaka today Mr. Banda said there is need for Africa to adopt an integrated approach for public and private sector partnership in efforts of improving the state of infrastructure.
He acknowledged efforts initiated at national and regional levels in efforts of addressing the challenges confronting the development of the continent.
He expressed hope that the North-South Corridor project, once implemented, would remove infrastructure bottlenecks along the corridor with the objective of contributing to sustained economic growth and development.
He welcomed the initiative by COMESA, SADC and EAC to embark on the infrastructure development effort aimed at reducing the cost of doing business in the region.
The project also focuses at simplifying and harmonization of customs’ procedure and legislation as well as developing the energy sector.
“The project will focus on the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures and legislation. Harmonization of information technology systems and electronic customs managements system, harmonization to axle load and vehicle dimensions of road transit charges regulations and carrier licenses, regulatory issues relating to performance monitoring as well as energy development in the sub region,” Mr. Banda.
President Banda expressed hope that the project could be replicated to other regions on the continent with a view to enhancing the flow of goods for enhanced trade.
President Banda noted that the economic crisis in Africa has been compounded by limited infrastructure and the lack of sufficient energy required for the expansion investment.
Mr Banda observed that increased foreign investment flow in the region has exerted pressure on the existing infrastructure.
“Africa’s situation has further been compounded by limited infrastructure and a lack of sufficient energy to cater for expansion in investment activities that have emerged in the recent past,” he added.
“ In addition, the increase in the flow of foreign investment and the expansion of economic activities in the region, in the recent past, has added pressure on existing infrastructure,” he added.
The Two day high level meeting attended by South African President, Kgalema Motlanthe, Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni which has attracted about 350 participants is aimed at mobilizing resources for infrastructure development in the three regions.
Mr. Banda has assured the COMESA-EAC-SADC community of Zambia’s commitment towards the implementation of the North-South Corridor infrastructure development project.
He said said government is affecting policy measures focusing at infrastructure development through increased resource allocation.
Mr. Banda said Zambia is already making headway in the development of border facilities and streamlining border processes in line with the objectives of the regional infrastructure development project.
He indicated that the Chirundu Border is undergoing redesigning to a One-Border-Stop-Point while the Zimba-Livingstone Road is currently being upgraded.
Mr Banda is also confident that regional efforts to improve infrastructure and trade could help reduce effects of the current global economic recession on the regional economy.
Earlier, African Union Deputy Chairman, Erastus Mwencha, welcomed the collaboration by the three regional bodies as it is in line with the AU’s objective of promoting integration and cooperation in efforts of promoting economic development on the continent.
Mr Mwencha emphasized the need for infrastructure development as it is key to addressing economic challenges on the continent.
And speaking on behalf of EAC Chairman, Paul Kagame, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, attributed the economic problems the continent is facing to the absence of social economic transformation.
Mr. Museveni also criticized the exportation of raw materials from Africa as having deprived the continent of the required value for economic development.
He also emphasized the need for increased partnership on the global scale to effectively tackle the effects of the global economic current.
SADC Chairman Mr Motlanthe said there was abroad consensus on the need to develop infrastructure as it plays a significant in stimulating economic growth and enhancing intra-Africa trade.
The North South Corridor is a combination of two traditional corridors 9 Durban corridor and the Dar-es Salaam Corridor linking the port of Durban and others in Southern Africa to the Eastern Port of Dar-es Salaam .
The Durban corridor and others in Southern Africa to the Eastern Port of Dar – es Salaam .
Improvement to the corridor will implemented sequentially and will lead to transport cost savings and Africa based businesses in the order of US 150 million per year.
World trade Organization Director General Pascal Lammy said Aid for Trade is essential to support Africa’s own economic growth agenda.
He said the corridor is an example of a highly innovative regional aid for trade approach that can transform competitiveness and enhance regional trade flows.
“ The corridor projects will promote development and poverty alleviation in the southern Africa region and promote deeper regional integration, ‘ he said.
ZANIS/ENDS/SJK/MKM/
The conference at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre, has attracted several delegates, including three heads of state.
The presidents who are in the country for the conference are Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki, Kgalema Mothlante of South Africa and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni.
The North-South Corridor Pilot Aid for Trade Programme is a joint COMESA-East African Community -SADC- initiative that aims to reduce the time and the costs of surface transport.
President Rupiah Banda has called on Africa to improve its infrastructure to remain competitive in the world economy.
Mr Banda says studies have shown that high transport costs impact negatively on Africa’s trade.
He was speaking in Lusaka when he opened the North South corridor aid for trade conference.
The conference has been called to mobilise resources from the donor community and the private sector for infrastructure development in East and Southern Africa.
President Banda said the conference will not only focus on infrastructure development but also on the customs procedures in COMESA, SADC and East African Community,EAC.
The North South Corridor is an initiative of COMESA, SADC and EAC.
ZNBC
MMD Chiba Ward Councilor Pilate Chilambe has advised small scale farmers to diversify their produce in order to avoid the high costs of conventional agricultural inputs that go into maize cultivation.
Mr. Chilambe said small scale farmers each year continue producing inadequate food because of high costs of fertilisers which are also in short supply. He advised the affected farmers to cultivate crops which do not use conventional fertilisers in order to improve on food production in rural areas where fertiliser is unaffordable to the majority of them.
The ward Councilor suggested that the small scale farmers instead grow Cassava, Finger millet, Ground nuts, beans and many other crops that do not need fertiliser.
Mr. Chilambe observed that small scale farmers do not manage to produce enough food because they depend on the subsidised Government Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP) which has not been supplied accordingly.
He said the Government may not manage to provide subsidised fertilisers to all small scale farmers in the nation but farmers should focus on crops that are not expensive to produce. He added that the global economic crisis should be faced in a level headed manner by planning to produce enough food crops with less input costs to sustain families and the nation at large.
Mr. Chilambe urged the Government to provide fertilisers to small scale farmers in cooperatives in good time to encourage improved food production in the nation.
ZANIS/AP/ENDS/MM.
prevailing global economic crisis might reverse the hard
earned economic gains which the African continent has achieved in the recent past.
Dr. Fundanga said Africa has been adversely hit by the economic crisis, whose effects have quickly extended to the real economies, resulting into massive job cuts.
He said the global economic crisis has erased the economic growth rate of more than five per cent and a surge in investment flows in many sectors.
He said this today at a senior policy seminar on the effects of the global crisis that was organized by the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) in Lusaka.
Dr. Fundanga said the global crisis has seriously affected the manufacturing industry, which has resulted into a decline for the demand of manufactured goods.
He said the decline in copper prices has resulted in the decline in export earnings and a change in investor sentiment towards investing in emerging markets.
Dr. Fundanga further said that the global economic crisis has affected the direct investments because donors have suspended their investment flows in Africa in a bid to save money and improve their liquidity for working capital in their countries.
He has however called for diversification of the economies to enhance competitiveness by increasing expenditure on infrastructure and social services in order for the continent to move forward and address the negative effects of the global economic crunch.
Dr. Fundanga said the continent should come up with a response framework on the financial system that will help reverse the effects of the crisis.
Speaking earlier, African Economic Research Consortium Executive Director, William Lyakurwa said the global economic crisis might put millions of Africans into poverty.
Professor Lyakurwa said sub-Saharan Africa will be the hardest hit by the current global economic crisis and will also be the last to get out of its grip.
He said the global economic crisis will have far-reaching consequences on the African continent, affecting the local investment, export earnings, tourism, remittances and aids.
ZANIS/GP/KSH/ENDS
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The Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA) has pledged to continue supporting business and financial writers’ forum in Zambia.
Briefing the press on the forthcoming ACCA media awards for business writers’ forum in Lusaka today, ACCA country manager for Zambia, Mukaba Mukaba said ACCA was pleased with the role business and financial writers were playing in the country.
Mr. Mukaba said ACCA would also continue to support the development of the media in Zambia through various projects and initiatives that will contribute to the development of the economy.
He said the profession of accountancy plays an important role in the development of the country and therefore, there was need for people to learn about the profession through the media.
He said in order to improve the profession and make it more responsive, ACCA-Zambia has since adopted the international standards.He disclosed that ACCA Zambia would also join the international ethics for accountancy.
Mr. Mukaba said the forthcoming sixth business and financial writers’ forum media awards are scheduled for 12th May this year at Hotel Intercontinental in Lusaka.
He also announced that the business writers eligible to vie for the awards should submit four articles based on the credit crunch, financial services markets, capital and commerce, trade and industry.
ENDS/AH/KSH/ZANIS
Choma mayor Geoffrey Makaya has conceded that there is need to undertake a restructuring exercise at the municipal council because some workers are not competent enough to do their work.
Mr. Makaya said the local authority has come under serious criticism from the community because some officers were not able to discharge their functions satisfactorily.
Speaking in Choma at the weekend, during the close of a UNICEF sponsored workshop on sanitation, Mr.Makaya said it has now become desirable to carry out a restructuring exercise to address the human resource concerns.
He said councillors were also in support of government proposals to constitute the local government service commission to help address placement of qualified staff in councils.
Mr. Makaya said some of the administrative difficulties faced by the council were beyond the understanding of councilors.
The mayor was responding to concerns raised by Chief Macha on why councilors had failed to take action on a named chief officer who had been tasked to put up road signs in the town centre to stop trucks from parking but failed to do so for the past two months despite repeated reminders.
Chief Macha also wondered how council management had allowed a situation in which the internal auditor was issuing health permits to trading premises contrary to the provision of the Public Health Act which demands that only a qualified health inspector should perform this task.
Chief Macha, who is chairperson of the district joint monitoring team on sanitation, observed that there were a lot of anomalies in the operations of the local authority and therefore, there was a need for serious administrative solutions.
Government has procured over 20 billion worth of construction material to complete the Mongu- Kalabo Road.
Mongu Central Member of Parliament Joseph Muliata says the arrival of the long bridges from Britain is a true demonstration of government’s commitment to the successful completion of the road.
Mr. Muliata, who is also North-western province minister, was speaking to ZANIS in western Province.
He said the bridges and other construction material were enough to cover the remaining 40km of the road from Mongu harbour to Tapo in Kalabo district.
Mr. Muliata said the MMD government under the leadership of President Rupiah Banda was in a hurry to complete the project in order to open up western province to economic development.
He said contractors have in the past used low bridges which got washed away during floods and frustrated efforts to complete the road on time.
Mr. Muliata has assured the people of western province that a contractor has already been found and that government was assessing the best way of executing the mammoth project.
TK/PK/ZANIS
A journalist from Zambia News and Information Services on
Sunday 29th March, 2009 asked me about what I thought of
the announcement by the Central Statistics Office that inflation
(rate) had dropped in Zambia. Her view was that things were still very expensive and the poorer were becoming poorer.
My response (which was also given to an international news agency that interviewed me via phone):
It is true that many people, including myself will find it difficult to believe the inflation rate has indeed dropped in Zambia when we are experiencing the opposite. The CSO highlighted the reduction in air travel fares as having positively affected the inflation basket. There are not many Zambians who travel, and besides the airline industry has experienced a drop in travel.
The airlines have either not increased the prices in recent months while a few have reduced. One airline no longer exists and this may give an impression there has been an improvement in air travel costs. We needed a better context for the reduction in the rate so that we appreciated the overall impact this would have especially on the key items that have a significant impact on the inflation rate such as food prices, bus fairs, construction and fuel.
I was also asked on what would be the appropriate solution.
My response was that inflation is generally tackled from two fronts; fiscal incentives to industry that should encourage supply as well as monetary policy administered by the Bank of Zambia. The problem is that monetary policy is usually a short term measure as it uses interest rates to control money supply in the economy. The long term effect is that monetary has the potential of reducing output. The Zambian economy is not heating so; we do not need over-application of monetary policy. The experience has been that by targeting money supply, monetary policy has failed to arrest inflation triggered by food prices. There is a significant time lag between a reduction in money supply and consumer response on food in Zambia. People still consume where food is concerned.
The best way would be by identifying the transmission mechanism for inflation in Zambia, and as at now, the depreciation of the Kwacha appears to have accelerated the inflation rate. Zambia is an import dependent country for both raw materials and finished products, and prices for both finished products and raw materials have risen significantly.
Most manufacturing companies have for example adjusted prices except for those who market products that are highly sensitive to price changes; and in this case, companies will choose to manage the losses to maintain the volumes. But this goes with some cutting down on jobs. I am aware of many manufacturing companies that are responding this way. We have seen lately that by intervening in the foreign exchange market occasionally the Bank of Zambia manages to stabilise the inflation rate to tolerable margins, which is much more efficient than focusing on money supply. An injection of US $20 million in the market protects the Kwacha by about two basis points and this goes a long way in containing sharp price movements.
I was also asked a question on what I expect of inflation in near future:
My response was that all depended on four key items: the food harvest expected in May/June; the exchange rate, energy costs in view of the anticipated increase in electricity tariffs and the ongoing negotiations for salary increments by the public workers unions. The workers are already responding to the increase in the cost of living and they know inflation has been rising at higher margins. Household incomes have been impacted as we know and this is in part as a result of the economic crisis; and this will give added pressure for higher salary increases across industry.
By Wesley Ngwenya
Here are a few reasons why we continue having poverty in
Zambia. The list is not exhaustive and each item could be a
dissertation on its own. Getting rid of poverty in a developing country like Zambia is critical and deserves our utmost attention. Feel free to add your own reasons.
Politicians/Leaders: The quality of leaders we continue to elect leaves much to be desired. Even in the business world, executives in Zambia continue to hire and promote their own in the organizations. This sidelines the most talented and leaves the mediocre to be the main decision-makers. The moment Zambia gives up the selfish ways it elects or appoints leaders we shall begin to see the difference in the way things are going to move in this country. We need quality leadership with exceptional skills and education.
Corruption and Abuse of Resources: There is no doubt that corruption in Zambia is a stumbling block to meaningful development in the country. As long as we continue to have government officers ask for a bribe to do business with the government we shall continue heading backwards. Many institutions in this country including, the police and the judiciary need to be freed of corrupt tendencies in order to create a favorable environment for development and get rid of poverty.
The few people who run the resources in Zambia end up abusing the resources whether it is authority, moneys, or vehicles. These resources that are supposed to be channeled to develop infrastructure or educate people end up being used by those entrusted to bring the development.
Bad Policies: When policies are made only in the best interest of the ruling elite or the mega foreign investors, the majority of Zambian citizens will continue living in poverty. The Zambian government has failed to create proactive policies that seek to address issues of poverty in this country. The recent closure of several companies in Zambia is a testimony of this failure. Hundreds of employees have been left jobless overnight without benefits whatsoever.
The government needs to advocate for the tax-paying citizens. Policies such as mandatory setting up of employee trust funds for new companies need to be introduced. The legislature needs to work up and start addressing real issues of poverty not debating the budget to this day.
Dependency Syndrome: In as much as foreign aid is essential for the development of country we should begin to look elsewhere to become more economically independent. Forty-four years after independence we are still dependent on the West for support. We can hardly stand on our own feet as a nation. It is not only the government who is diseased with begging for alms, but now many Zambians line up on street corners to ask for help.
Why not think of ways to make money as a country? I think government should be in the business of not only counting money generated from tax but also making money and devising new methods of creating a consistent cash flow. IMF and the World Bank have screwed us several times and maybe it is time we got out of those relationships and look for real relationships with mutual interests.
Brain Drain: Zambia has one of the highest rates of brain drain in the world. The emigration of highly skilled personnel such as doctors, nurses, teachers, scientists, administrators, business people, etc continues year after year. With this mass departure of skill for greener pastures, who is left to do the work here in Zambia? Again, it’s back to the mediocre leaders who are running things. If many of these professionals were given incentives to stay home and work in government or develop businesses then we will be taking long strides toward poverty alleviation. The government needs to come up with incentives such as all professionals who continuously live and work in Zambia for ten years will be given a gratuity.
HIV/AIDS: Like brain drain, this disease has claimed so many potential men and women of this country. If you go to any graveyard in this country and look at the tombstones, you will notice that many of the people lying there are people who were in their 30s and 40s. When a country loses so many people in their prime years, then it risks creating a generational gap that will in turn create leadership vacuum in the future. HIV/AIDS needs to be fought relentlessly in every corner of our society and by every member. We need a healthy group of citizens who can take up the leadership positioning in various circles of our society.
Nepotism/Tribalism: Unfortunately, in Zambia, it’s who you know not what you know that counts. Tribalism continues to exist in the Zambian community and it is a big contribution to poverty in this country since its equation eliminates merit.
When capable people are marginalized and not given equal opportunities simply because of their ethnicity then we are not helping in any way to curb poverty in this country. It is natural that people will generally favor their own kind after all blood is thicker than water. However, if for once we look past that and put the interests of the Zambian society at heart, then we will be breaking down barriers we don’t need. The best people will become presidents, managers, town clerks, and members of parliament.
Illiteracy: This disease is equally a huge hindrance to development in this country. When the majority of the Zambians cannot read and write it is difficult to comprehend how we can alleviate poverty. Education is a major ingredient to national development and its importance cannot be over-emphasized. The government has done very little to make education mandatory in this country. Similarly, many Zambians lack the appetite to partake in this feast. Many give up too soon. Others have good reasons such as lack of funds, etc.
Whatever the case, we need to overcome and do our best to educate ourselves formally or informally. Literacy creates confidence. The confidence needed to open your own business, the confidence needed to encourage others to go to school too, the confidence needed to run for political office and the confidence needed to aim as high as you would want to go.
Nigerian Movies: I noticed one thing in North America that I need to mention. When I visited a white family, the television was rarely on. We would sit and talk, play games, or read books. But every time I visited a black family, the television was turned on and loud indeed at all times. For some reason, we blacks know where the ON button is on the remote and can never find the OFF. The syndrome is on in Zambia especially with the flood on Nigeria movies. These movies have created couch potatoes who sit around all day and watch movies instead of being more productive by going to the library or explore ways of generating income.
Government has committed itself to implementing recommendations of the national Indaba (dialogue) seeking to find solutions that would ease the effects of the global economic crisis on the Zambian economy.
Vice President, George Kunda told the delegates when he officially closed the Indaba this evening that government would put in place all necessary measures to table the recommendations before cabinet.
Mr. Kunda said this is to ensure that the Indaba recommendations received implementation authority from the highest government level.
“Government has taken note of various recommendations coming out of this Indaba. Government will therefore ensure that all necessary measures are put in place to table these before cabinet to ensure implementation authority is given at the highest level,” he said.
He observed that Zambians in general and in particular delegates to the Indaba, have shown sacrifice, commitment and patriotism by staying for dialogue in the last two days in order to help government find solutions to the global economic crisis.
Mr. Kunda, who is also Minister of Justice, noted that the high turn out for the Indaba was testimony that Zambians wanted immediate solutions to the global financial problems, which have also affected Zambia.
“With your support, government will overcome these challenges,” he said.
He has since called on all local and foreign stakeholders to work together with government to implement the recommendations and realize the desired solutions to the economic challenges facing the country and the world.
The Vice President also paid profound tribute to both local and foreign experts and ordinary delegates for their sacrifice and contributions to the Indaba.
And Professor Oliver Saasa said in winding up rapporteurs, that there was need for government to show political will through supporting the recommendations that came out of the two day Indaba, which was held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Professor Saasa said government should develop a clear plan of implementing the recommendations.
He said there should also be clear and effective monitoring of the implementation of the recommendations, which should be done in a transparent manner.
He however cautioned that as government implements the recommendations, it should be weary of not disturbing the needs of sensitive sectors such as education and health.
Professor Saasa recommended that a task force that would deal with all matters arising from the global economic crisis should be set up, adding that a sustainable investment in human resource should also be encouraged.
And during presentations of the recommendation by specific Indaba groups, the mining group assured the nation that the Zambian mining industry would survive the crisis.
The group has however recommended that a taskforce be set up immediately to evaluate and review the entire mining industry in response to the global crisis.
Group Rapporteur, Sixtus Mulenga, said the Mining Sector in Zambia was still resilient and would therefore not be suffocated by the current global economic crisis.
Presenting recommendations of the group, Dr. Mulenga said the current cost of copper, which is US$ 4,000 per tonne was not very bad to necessitate the dying of the Zambian mining industry.
He said the Zambian mining industry has survived many economic recessions in the past, adding that it would in the same way survive the current global financial crisis.
The group recommended that in the short, there should be a review of the mines and minerals development act and considers restoration and review of the development agreement.
Other short term measures to survive the global economic crisis are the need to develop a policy of encouraging local entrepreneurship in the mining industry and fully implement the Zambia Development Agency Act and the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).
Dr. Mulenga disclosed that as a medium term measure, the group recommended a reduction of the cost of doing business through e-commerce and single window clearance and provide incentives to domestic suppliers instead of taxing export oriented copper houses.
On the long term basis, the group recommended that there should be a policy stability guarantee, which has however worked well in Zambia in the past.
He said because of good government policies, the country has received about US$ 4 billion as direct foreign investment in the last decade.
He also stressed the need to maximally exploit also mineral potentials which the country has.
Dr. Mulenga said although the mining sector seems to be adversely affected by the economic crisis, chances of regaining its normal operations in the near future were very high.
Meanwhile, the group on energy recommended that Zambia must actualize her full potential in hydro power generation and that a master plan in the sector should be developed in order to foster development in the country.
Among many other groups that made recommendations were the tourism, finance and business.
The indaba, which comprised people from all walks of life and professions, was officially opened yesterday by President Rupiah Banda.
ZANIS/KSH/ENDS.
© Lusaka Times
