The Zambian Government yesterday launched the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Integrated Development Plan, KAZA, aimed at enhancing the growth of the tourism sector in the Southern African region.

Speaking shortly after the launch of the programme Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Michael Kaingu, said the launch of the integrated plan will significantly assist in the attainment of the social, economic and environmental goals set by the Zambian government.

He cited Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, Botswana and Zambia as key countries to benefit immensely from the KAZA integrated plan.

He said the move to sign the Memorandum of understanding was also aimed at improving the living standards of people in both Western and Southern provinces of the country respectively.

Mr Kaingu said the KAZA integrated plan will target three national parks that include Mosi-o-tunya, Kafue and Sioma-Ngwezi national parks respectively.

He cited infrastructure development such as roads, airports, hotels and the Private Public Partnership (PPP) as some of the extra remedial measures that the government has put in place to facilitate the growth of the tourism sector.

Mr Kaingu challenged entrepreneurs in the country to seriously invest in the sector by other developing places with attractive features such as water falls.

He said Zambia was still an attractive tourist destination with variety of unique tourism products that other countries did not have which he said needed to be exploited.

Mr Kaingu said ZTB should make the 2010 Soccer World Cup slated for South Africa and the 2011 All African Games to be held in Zambia a marketing tool for the development of the country’s tourism sector.

He also disclosed that his ministry is in the process of coming up with the carnival type of tourism that would enable the country to market its tourism potential meaningfully to other regions.

And speaking earlier at the launch of the KAZA programme, Senior Chief Mukuni of the Toka-Leya people of Southern Province pledged total support to the KAZA integrated plan and assured government of his subjects support to the programme.

Chief Mukuni said the successful launch of the programme will play a paramount role in the transformation of the Livingstone city and other surrounding areas as it would help in boasting Zambia’s tourism potential to greater heights.

He further urged his subjects to support the government plan in an effort to enhance tourism development and employment creation for the people.

Mozambique High Commissioner to Zambia, Maria Mate, says the reconciliation between President Mwanawasa and Patriotic Front (PF) president, Michael Sata is not only good for Zambia but a shining example other leaders in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region should emulate.

High Commissioner Mate said the reconciliation should be encouraged for the purpose of promoting peace and unity in Zambia and the entire SADC region.

“The reconciliation between President Mwanawasa and Mr Michael Sata is a good thing and a shining example in the region because it is based on SADC principles of promoting peace and reconciliation,” Ms Mate said.

She was speaking in Lusaka yesterday when she paid a courtesy call on Lusaka Province Minister, Lameck Mangani at his office.

The reconciliation of the two leaders would help to promote peace and unity in the country.
She appealed to Zambians to rally behind the two leaders.

Earlier, Ms Mate described the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa as criminal and a sad development to the SADC region.

She said the attacks should not be encouraged because they were a recipe for civil unrest in the SADC region.

“Mozambique had to evacuate 40, 000 of its nationals that were caught up in the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. What happened was a sad development and we shall wait for the judgment,” she said.

In another development, Ms Mate called for exchange visits between provincial government administrations in Eastern and Lusaka provinces in Zambia and those of Tete Province in Mozambique.

She said such visits would help the exchange of ideas aimed at improving the welfare of the people living along the border areas.

“I recently travelled to Luangwa, Katete and Petauke to check on the health centres in areas where the two countries share the border. There is a pending trip of health officials from Zambia to Mozambique to look at these issues,” he said.

And Mr Mangani called for the strengthening of the cordial bilateral relations that have existed between the two countries.

Zambia and Mozambique had a lot in common especially regarding the people on the common border.

The provincial minister said exchange visits would help to improve the welfare of people in border areas.
“People of Zambia and Mozambique have a lot of things in common especially those in Eastern Province and such trips will help a lot.

We have to improve the health centres in border towns for the benefit of people from the two countries.

The minister later held a private meeting with the High Commissioner for 30 minutes.

Daily-Mail

Government has reiterated that it will continue to regulating the operations and activities of the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as they were not capable of doing so on their own.

Luapula Province Acting Permanent Secretary (PS), Clement Siame, said this in reaction to calls made by the civil society to allow them regulate themselves.

This was during the official launch of the Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) Provincial Liaison Organization held at Mansa Hotel in Mansa yesterday.

Mr. Siame noted that NGOs had not shown government any expertise to convince it that they could regulate themselves.

He said NGOs had no ability to regulate themselves and insisted that government would instead continue regulating them.

The acting PS however said government was committed to work with civil society and faith-based organisations to help resolve challenges that Zambia was faced with.

He said that ZCSD, through the Anti-Voter Apathy (AVAP), which is the provincial liaison organization, would enhance the relationship with government.

He observed that the launch carried important responsibilities to advance the vision and purpose of not only ZCSD but all the civil society organisations in Luapula province.

Mr. Siame also urged NGOs and civil society to partner with government for the benefit of the communities.

And speaking earlier at the same function, ZCSD representative, Nzindikilani Daka appealed to government to have the code of conduct done by civil society to assist in regulating themselves.

Mr. Daka explained that the revised copy of the NGO bill has not been availed to civil society for them to scrutinize the contents, saying the civil society organizations were not sure of whether their concerns had been addressed.

Local, Government and Housing Minister, Sylvia Masebo, has expressed disappointment at the Lusaka City Council’s failure to address the problem of illegal structures.

Ms Masebo prodded the LCC to urgently demolish all illegal structures that have continued to mushroom in various parts of town and residential areas.

The minister said this when she toured some parts of the city in the company of her Lands counterpart, Bradford Machila, and officials from the LCC.

The visibly annoyed minister also directed the LCC to immediately demolish the proposed Celtel offices under construction in the Lusaka Show grounds saying the development was not approved.

She wondered why the LCC allowed the construction to continue saying the council is also to blame for the increase of illegal structures in the city.

Lusaka City Council Spokesperson, Henry Kapata, said the council has not approved the construction of the offices adding that the local authority will tomorrow move in to demolish the structure following the minister’s directive.

Mr Kapata said the council will also embark on an exercise to demolish all illegal structures in the city.

The People of Milanzi have been receiving free bags of mealie meal and other food substances in an effort by the MMD to win their votes.United Party for National Development (UPND) has therefore accused the ruling MMD of vote buying in a bid to win the forthcoming Milanzi by election set for 26th June this year.

UPND Party President Hakainde Hichilema says the his party has received reports that the MMD is allegedly engaging in electoral malpractices by distributing mealie meal and other food stuffs in exchange for votes.

Speaking during a media briefing at the party headquarters in Lusaka today, Mr. Hichilema charged that the ruling party has taken advantage of the high poverty levels among people in Milanzi to extort votes in a bid to win the election.

He added that the poverty is being deliberately being perpetuated by the MMD due to the government’s poor agriculture policy.

Mr. Hichilema wondered why the government is allegedly spending a lot of resources during the election period when civil servants and UNZA students are demanding for improved salaries and meal allowances respectively.

And the UPND President says his party has welcomed the recent reconciliation between Patriotic Front President Michael Sata and President Mwanawasa.

Mr. Hichilema said the reconciliation which has been received with mixed feeling is in line with the party’s position to promote issue based politics.

He however said that the party will not be further dragged into debating over the reconciliation issue which he described as a dead issue.

Mr. Hichilema has also challenged Information and Broadcasting Services Minister and Defense Minister George Mpombo to stop defending the reconciliation between Mr. Sata and Dr. Mwanawasa.

He said the two Ministers should instead answer to queries from the recent Auditor General’s report were misapplication of funds have been reported in some government departments and other challenges such as the rising food prices among others.

Mr. Hichilema has also called on Zambians to unite under the party’s theme dubbed unity of purpose in order to achieve economic and social independence.

He said disclosed that the party leadership has so far embarked on touring different parts of the country to promote and strengthen the party.

Meanwhile former MMD Member of Parliament for Liuwa constituency Western Province Nabiwa Imekendu has resigned from the ruling party to join the UPND.

Mr. Imekendu said he has resigned to join the opposition UPND with over 1000 former MMD party members in the province including former Kalabo United Liberal Party district deputy chairperson for elections Captain Lawrence Nyambe.

Mr. Imekendu who also presented hundreds of MMD membership cards believed to have been surrendered by former MMD and ULP members said the number of cards surrendered is evidence of people’s diminishing confidence in the ruling party in the province.

And Captain Nyambe said he had decided to come back to the UPND from the splinter ULP because he has now realized that Party President Hakainde Hichilema has a heart for poor and marginalized Zambians.