The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has recorded an increase in the Lake Kariba water level from 478.35m as at January 1, 2022 to 478 52m as at March 18, 2022.

In a statement made available to ZANIS, the increase of water level at the beginning of January 2022 was mainly due to sustained rainfall activity in the Kariba Lower Catchment but that the lake receded due to a reduction in rainfall activity.

ZRA Public Relations Manager Selusiwe Sibanda disclosed that as of March 14 2022, the Lake was at 3.03 meters above the minimum operating level of 475.50m translating into 13.66 billion cubic meters of stored usable water that is available for power generation.

He however noted that last year in March, the Lake level was higher at 481.44m with 27.62 of stored usable water.

The Authority has since assured that due the upper catchment rainfall activity, the lake would start increasing likely reaching a peak of 480.30m above the minimum operating level

The statement further indicated that the Authority has maintained water allocation for power generation at Kariba Dam for 2022 at forty-five billion cubic meters of water allocated to ZESCO Limited and Zimbabwe Power Company for their respective power generation operations.

“The Authority has continued and will continue to monitor and analyse the available hydrological data and hereby wishes to assure the public that a significant lake level rise is anticipated by mid-April 2022. This will result in an increase in stored usable water for power generation at Kariba,” read part of the statement.

Family and friends of the late fourth republican President Rupiah Banda have described him as a selfless man who fought for the development of Zambia and the entire African region.

Speaking during the state funeral service of the late Mr. Banda at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka yesterday, the widow, Thandiwe Banda said she was blessed to have shared her life with her late husband.

Mrs. Banda said she will remember her late husband as a kind, warm and friendly person who was a father to many.

The former first lady said this in a speech read on her behalf by her close friend Alice Banda.

Mrs. Banda stated that she shared an interesting and supportive life with her late husband who always protected his family and everyone close to him.

She disclosed that she shared many memories with the late Mr. Banda, among them travelling around the world, watching soccer and listening to music together and celebrating many birthdays together.

‘’You enjoyed sharing old memories with me as we created new ones together such as travelling the world and showing me so many places as we tried out many delicacies. You were my lover, protector and husband,’’ she said.

And late Mr. Banda’s son, Dingani, described his late father as a liberal man who was open to family and friends.

Dingani said his late father was the greatest cheer leader who always celebrated his family’s achievements.

He said the late former President shared a unique father and daughter in- law relationship with his in-laws and made sure they were free to talk to him and comfortable around him.

“My father destroyed the barriers of in-laws’ relationship, he made sure that his daughters in-law felt comfortable with him and shared a unique father-daughter in-laws relationship with them,’’ he said.

And in a special tribute, late Mr. Banda’s daughter, Duniya, broke down in a song dedicated to her father.

Duniya said during the days when her father was hospitalised, she and the late Mr. Banda would together sing a song called ‘Loliwe’ done by a South African singer Zahara.

This sent the majority of the mourners in the Cathedral of the Holy Congress into tears.

Meanwhile, the late Mr. Banda’s longest childhood friend, Jacob Mwanza, described the late fourth President as a generous and modest man who started serving humanity at a very young age.

Mr. Mwanza said the late fourth head of state was a generous man who contributed to empowering various small scale farmers by giving them farming inputs.

He said the late Mr. Banda also donated materials to various schools and hospitals, a gesture which he never wanted to publicise.

“Mr. Banda was a talented modest business man and a farmer who donated fertiliser and seeds to small scale farmers and never wanted to be praised for the good that he did for others, he has left a huge gap in his family and the whole country,’’ added Mr. Mwanza.

The late Mr. Banda was born on February 19, 1937 in Gwanda, Northern Rhodesia then but now called Zimbabwe. He received his secondary education at Munali secondary school in Zambia and later studies in various universities outside Zambia.

The late Mr. Banda joined politics at a young age and actively participated during the first republican president Kenneth Kaunda’s regime.

He served as the fourth President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011, taking over from late third President Levy Mwanawasa who died as the sitting President in 2008.

The late Mr. Banda died on March 11, 2022 after suffering from colon cancer.

He is survived by a widow, Thandiwe, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Zambian fashion designers and artists have held a fashion show at the ongoing Dubai 2020 expo in the United Arab Emirates.

The event, which was held at the Angolan Pavilion, attracted different nationalities, among them, Zambians.

The aim of the show was to showcase Zambian creative designs and collections produced by local designers.

Gender Analyst at Cabinet Office, Emmah Phiri, described the fashion show as a huge success.

Ms. Phiri, who is also 50 Million African Women Speak (50 MAWS) Project Focal Point Person for Zambia, said the fashion show attracted a mixed audience of people from different nationalities.

She noted that the fashion designers who are part of the innovators and setups have made a mark on the international fashion scene.

“The event was a huge success looking at the different nationalities that came through to watch the fashion show,” Ms. said.

She explained that the aim of the fashion show was to display to the world what Zambian designers are capable of producing using fabrics.

Ms. Phiri stressed that Zambian fashion designers and artists have placed the country on the international map with their creativity

She expressed optimism that other foreign designers will soon be able to collaborate with Zambian designers after hosting a successful fashion show.

Ms. Phiri has since commended the designers and artists for sharing their talents and creativity with the rest of the world.

“I can only thank our designers and artists for making us proud with their designs and also for sharing their collections with the rest of the world,” she said.

And Creative Designer Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Mukupa, said the show has helped to create exposure of her designs to potential customers.

Ms. Mukupa explained that participating in the Dubai 2020 expo has helped to break international barriers.

“Am so glad that I have been able to break international barriers by taking part in the Dubai 2020 expo,” she said.

Speaking at the same event, Fay Designs Founder Faith Kabende, indicated that the fashion show was an eye-opener.

Mrs. Kabende said the Dubai 2020 expo has raised her aspirations as a fashion designer.