MINISTER of Livestock and Fisheries Pro Nkandu Luo has urged people to take care of Livestock the way they care for their children.

Addressing about 146 women clubs in Sinda, Monday, Prof Luo Livestock like humans, livestock had feelings and it is important for people to show love to their animals.

“Animals are like human beings. They get tired, they get sick, they feel hungry and they desire to be given good food not you yoke a cow from morning to afternoon that is why you find when you taste its, meat its hard. Let’s look after animals like your own children. When your children eat well, let livestock eat well too,” Prof Luo said.

She challenged youths to get involved in cooperatives instead of abusing their energies on beer intake, dagga smoking and early marriages.

She said her Ministry wanted to see to it that most clubs consist 50% women, 30% youths and 20% others like men but that the focus is more on women.

“This program is more on women and youths and when we say youths, we mean boys and girls. It is stated that when you educate a woman, you have educated the whole nation because women are hard working and are able to follow advise and guidelines better. We also involve the youths because we see a lot of youths abusing their energies through beer drinking, dagga smoking and early marriages. That is why what I have brought to you, its mind set change, we want to boost your nutrition and mindset,” Prof Luo said.

She advised men on the programme to see their female folk as their sisters as a way of avoid pregnancies within clubs, saying she wouldn’t be happy to hear such stories.

“I don’t want pregnancies in this programme. Don’t create marriages but work together by seeing girls as your sisters and not girlfriends,” said Prof Luo.

And her royal Highness chieftainess Nyanje expressed happiness with the programme, but observed that a lot of women clubs were so committed and hard working but lacked external support.

Meanwhile, Kapoche PF member of parliament Dr Charles Banda saluted the programme saying it would help improve the living standards of the beneficiaries.

“We need to keep our people busy and such programmes needs to be encouraged and supported. We want to better the lives of the people and it’s not true that we can better the lives of the people through handouts, fill their pockets everyday but we need to give them tools so that they can build up. This is such a good initiative the Ministry has undertaken,” Dr Banda said.

And Sinda independent member of Parliament Masauso Tembo said people of Sinda were behind the leadership of President Edgar Lungu because it has respected them by removing them from poverty to richness.

“As Sinda MP, I am very happy for what you have done to people of Sinda. PF government does not segregate so when you get back, tell the Head of State Dr Edgar Lungu that people of Sinda are behind your leadership. You have respected us with what you have given us. You have left us rich” Tembo said before singing a song in which he vowed to vote for President Lungu because he is a “child of his home”.

“Ine vote nilinayo sunga! Ine vote nilinayo nasungila Chagwa Lungu mwana wanga wapakhomo vote,” sung Tembo.

Meanwhile, the Minister bounced when she paid a courtesy call on her Royal Highness chieftainess Nyanje’s palace as protocol officers didn’t notify her that the traditional leader was not at the palace.

When Prof Luo was going to Nyanje, chieftainess Nyanje was on her way to Chipata and only returned after being notified, a situation which saddened the minister as she had travelled 21 kilometres in vain, delaying other programmes.

“What is this that that you made us go on that far when the traditional leader is not there? I am not suppose to meet her from here, I was suppose to meet her at her palace, that’s respect. You mean you didn’t communicate with her surely! This is not OK” a visibly annoyed Prof Luo told protocol officer.

She later met the traditional leader at the district commissioner’s office where chieftainess Nyanje expressed sadness that she wasn’t told of the minister visit.

“They are liars, they didn’t inform me that you were coming. Why didn’t you notify me on your own? What they have done is not good because I would have prepared something for you if I knew that my friend was coming,” said Chieftainess Nyanje.