PF will lay Zambia’s foundation as a developed country by 2064 – Mwila

18th December 2018

Local

Former Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Davies Mwila, his deputy Mumbi Phiri (r) and member of the central committee Paul Moonga during a press briefing at the party secretariat in Lusaka on August 7, 2018 – Picture by Tenson Mkhala

Local

Former Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Davies Mwila, his deputy Mumbi Phiri (r) and member of the central committee Paul Moonga during a press briefing at the party secretariat in Lusaka on August 7, 2018 – Picture by Tenson Mkhala

Patriotic Front Secretary General Davies Mwila says Zambians will awaken to the political reality that the PF was a “generation of achievers” 100 years after Independence in 2064 as a result of all its achievements.

In the weekly newsletter to News Diggers! where he outlined the PF’s achievements since forming government in 2011, Mwila prophesied that by the stroke of midnight on October 24, 2064, Zambia will wake up to a truth that the PF was a “generation of achievers.”

Mwila explained that the PF government’s visionary approach to wealth-planning for Zambia through the implementation of the party manifesto, as well as the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), is designed to support the attainment of the goals of Vision 2030.

“At the stroke of midnight on 24th October, 2064, Zambia will, indeed, awaken to one undeniable truth and reality: that ours was a generation of achievers, a generation of men and women who, propelled by the energy of patriotism, changed this country forever,” Mwila added.

He stated that the PF’s visionary approach will lay the foundation for turning Zambia into a developed country by 2064.

“The Patriotic Front government’s visionary approach to wealth-planning for Zambia, through the implementation of the PF Manifesto, as well as the 7NDP, is designed to support the attainment of the goals of Vision 2030, which will in-turn, lay the foundation for turning Zambia into a developed country by 2064. The PF, led by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, is laying the foundation, not just for the next generation, but also for subsequent generations to come by taking significant steps towards the cross-generational accumulation, conservation, utilisation and transfer of the wealth of Zambians yet to be born,” Mwila stated.

He also highlighted some achievements that the PF government had made in the agriculture and infrastructure sectors, with critical transactions.

“In order to achieve agricultural diversification in terms of crops, fisheries, livestock and forestry products – as espoused in the 7NDP – the PF government under President Edgar Lungu is implementing the following programmes. The Crop, Forestry, Fisheries and Livestock Product Diversification Programme: There are numerous strategic interventions currently being implemented by the PF government under this Programme, some of which are espoused in the following paragraphs. For example, in April, 2018, the PF government acquired the ZamPalm Oil Palm Tree Plantation in Kanchibiya District in Muchinga Province, from Zambeef Products Plc at a cash consideration of US $16 million. ZamPalm Oil Tree Plantation is owned by the Zambian government through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). The IDC acquired 90 per cent shares in the operation from Zambeef Products Plc,” Mwila narrated.

He stated that there was a huge market gap of oil products, which Zambia could leverage from the ZamPalm oil.

“Currently, only Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produce their own palm oil crude – the rest of the countries, including Zambia, import from Malaysia and Indonesia. There is, therefore, a huge market gap, which Zambia can leverage through ZamPalm, especially given the fact that the estate can produce up to 100 tonnes of crude palm oil in a month from its primary processing plant. And once at full capacity, the plant could feed refineries such as the Global Industries in Ndola with a steady flow of raw materials for processing into ready-for-use edible oil all year round,” he explained.

Mwila also recalled the US $55.4 million Cashew Nut Project in Western Province, which he said had already started yielding positive results, among others.

“Furthermore, the PF government under President Edgar Lungu, launched the US $55.4 million Cashew Nut Project in 2015 in Western Province with the aim of diversifying the economy and creating employment. For instance, by 30th November, 2017, this US $55.4 million project in Western Province had directly benefited 15,000 farmers in Western Province. At full capacity, the project will benefit a total of 60,000 targeted beneficiaries in the 10 participating districts in Western Province,” stated Mwila.

“The PF government has also successfully revived the Kawambwa Tea Estate, which is currently fully operational. At present, the PF government has invested over K30 million into the Estate, and this has led to the creation of 500 direct local jobs. In order to further accelerate economic diversification, as well as create employment in rural areas, the PF government is also seeking prospective investors with the capacity to commercialize the production of salt in Mpika District and other viable projects within the district and other areas countrywide.”