ZAMBIA National Service (ZNS) Commandant Lieutenant General Maliti Solochi says some traditional leaders have already agreed to give the service land where they can establish cannabis plantations.

The Zambia National Service is this year expected to set up three cannabis plantations in Southern, North Western and Luapula Provinces.

ZNS has acquired some hectares of land in Kabompo District of North Western Province to set up a cannabis plantation for medicinal purposes.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo in Ndola, Lt Gen Solochi said as the only institution mandated to plant cannabis in the country, ZNS was looking for land from traditional leaders where they could establish plantations.

“ZNS is the only institution that is tasked with growing of cannabis. So we are looking for plantations and we sent SOS to chiefs and we found that at least some of them have accepted for us to be there. Of course, not the whole country, we want Southern Province, Namwala, North Western and Luapula [Provinces]. So in North Western, Chief Kufela has already given us 20,000 hectares of land where we are going to have a Cannabis plantation. If you were hearing about 60 hactares, it is the span of the centre pivot which is 60 hectares. So we are going to start with one span of 60 hectares, centre pivot, and then the land itself is 20,000 hectares. And we are going closer to the river, from the road, the tarmac, its 15 kilometres up to the Kabompo river, that’s where we have been given,” he said.

Lt Gen Solochi said the national service was so far resonating well with the new dawn administration’s good governance based on rule of law.

“We as commanders, when the President was giving a speech in Parliament, we picked from there. And also when he was addressing his first press conference, we picked and coined the four pillars which we are following, which are; training, enhancement of national food security, working on adding to the GDP, that is the economy of Zambia, and also infrastructure development. So these four pillars are what we shall run with until our term of command ends. So far we are resonating very well with the new dawn administration because good governance based on rule of law, that’s what we are trying to do,” said Lt Gen Solochi.

Meanwhile, Matambo wished the service the best as they embark on the project of cultivating cannabis.

“With your project of cannabis, we wish you all the best as well. We pray that you succeed in all the plans that you have. Above all, I want to personally appreciate the support you are giving to His Excellency President Hakainde’s new dawn adminstration. We are greatful for the support,” said Matambo.