GOVERNMENT ENDORSES ZAMBIAN BREWERIES FOR TAKING A LEADING ROLE IN CLEANING UP LUSAKA CITY

By MacPherson Mukuka

Manja Pamodzi, A new community waste recycling initiative supported by Zambian Breweries and National Breweries looks set to clean-up parts of Lusaka and create new business opportunities through an innovative public-private partnership.

Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing Hon. Nicholas Banda – representing Vice President Hon. Inonge Wina - was on hand to officially launch the Manja Pamodzi project at a ceremony in Lusaka today attended by representatives for Lusaka City Council, government officials and the business stakeholders.

“The government is committed to bettering the lives of Zambians through job-creation and free enterprise. We therefore endorse the group for its innovation in not only complementing the local authority’s clean-up efforts but also for creating enterprise opportunities for community members who are engaged,” said Mrs Wina in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Banda.

The Manja Pamodzi project supports collectors, who are identified through environmental education and sensitisation drives with a particular attention on recycling. These collectors will gather together plastic bottles, Chibuku cartons and other recyclable materials from surrounding areas in their communities. Collectors then deliver the waste to buying-centre collection points where aggregators buy them in bulk and process the discarded material into bales that are sold to recycling companies to be processed into other materials such as tissue.

This project hopes to improve the livelihood of the people. The aim is to minimise the amount of littering in the communities through environmental health education as well as encourage recycling. I have no doubt that this will reduce issues such as blocked drainages which give rise to avoidable diseases such as cholera and typhoid especially during the rainy season. We’re excited to play our part in promoting a cleaner and healthier Zambia

Zambian Breweries and National Breweries Managing Director Annabelle Degroot explained: “As Zambia has experienced exponential growth, our businesses have produced more to meet the demand of our consumers.  These products often come in convenient packaging such as plastic. 

 At Zambian Breweries we sell the majority of our products in returnable glass bottles that are recycled many times before they are disposed of.  But year-on-year our consumers are asking for more of their soft drinks in PET plastic bottles.  At National Breweries, we produce Chibuku in cartons and now more recently in PET plastic bottles known as Chibuku Super.  

The group’s decision to drive the initiative was based research that showed only 26 percent  of the estimated 900 tons of waste that is generated daily in Lusaka is collected via formal services; and that 34 percent of the 900 tons produced a day is recyclable.

“We have taken an educational approach to this in that we are looking at changing people’s thinking of waste from ‘just waste’ to ‘recyclable and non-recyclable waste’ and what they can do with the recyclable waste. The great thing about this is that one does not require any education, capital or equipment. All it requires is the willingness to work and identify locations that will enable them to collect the most,” said Project Manager Elaine Kafwimbi.

Meanwhile, Lusaka City Deputy Mayor Portipher Tembo says the programme will answer to the challenges resulting from indiscriminate disposal of waste.

According to statistics, only 234 tones from the estimated 900 tons of waste generated daily in Lusaka is collected via formal services, and only 34 percent of the generated waste is recycled.

Manja Pamodzi is currently is in its initial phase and has 73 collectors on board already with collection points in Chawama, Kamwala, Ngwerere, Chunga and others to follow as the project catches on in the various communities.

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT ACT

By MacPherson Mukuka

Transport is one huge sector that no country can boast of a growing economy without it.

In the case of Zambia, transport in at the center of development hence government investing heavily in road construction it being the most used mode of mobility.

However, challenges such as lack of laws to govern operations have hindered growth of the sector, for example Logistic and Transport professionals, have been operating for years without any statutory guideline for many years now.

But thanks to government, the practitioners have now been given a law in which they will be operating under.

The Zambia Chattered Institute of Logistics and Transport CILT Act number 4 of 2014 has been amended and launched under statutory instrument number 32 of 2015.

Speaking during the launch, Transport Permanent Secretary Mbololwa Muyaba says the act is aimed at protecting public interest by ensuring that only qualified individuals and registered logistics or Transport firms practice in Zambia through the chartered institute of logistics and Transport board.

The Permanent secretary has further implored the members of CILT to ensure they work in line with the act and address the issues facing the operations of the body.

Meanwhile, Zambia CILT president Phidelia Mwaba says the launch of the act is long overdue.

She says the act will help CILT address the challenges it has been facing.

Mrs. Mwaba further called on CILT member to form association so as to bring sanity in the sector.

The amending and passing of the CILT act number 4 of 2014, under SI number 32 of 2015 means that all prayers in the sector must abide by the law in their operations.

Failure to follow the law attracts a penalty of imprisonment or a 2 thousand Kwacha fine.

LOCAL CSOs Pledge to Continue Supporting Government in Reducing Poverty

By MacPherson Mukuka

The Zambian Civil Society Organizations have pledged their continued support to working with government in the fight against poverty in the country.

Civil Society for Poverty Reduction CSPR Board member John Lizhim says his Organisation and others remain committed to seeing to it that the 63 percent of Zambians living in poverty are taken out of the poverty data line.

Mr. Lizhim  said this in his address during the opening of a Joint GRZ-CSO National Symposium on sustainable development under the theme: Dialogue for the Zambia We want towards Vision 2030.

And, Secretary to the Treasury, Fredson Yamba says time has come when government and its stakeholders need to build a nation incorporates the participation of the Citizens.

He says Government believes in working with stakeholders with a view to accelerate the national development.

Mr. Yamba has further indicated the need for equal distribution of wealth across all parties if poverty is to be reduced. He says the rural population has remained affected by this because they rarely get a share of the wealth.

He adds that to do this, there is need for government to empower the rural populace with business skills through the provision of social amenities such as education, and health among others.  

Meanwhile, Southern African Center for the constructive resolution of disputes, SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe has commended Government for coming together with its stakeholders to dialogue of national matters.

Mr. Cheembe says it is important that Government has called for round table discussion where it will share development ideas with its stakeholders.

He said his organization’s hope it to see more of such fora to be taking place at least three times every year, to ensure feedback is given in short periods.

The Symposium seeks to strengthen stakeholder involvement in delivering national development and to develop a common understanding on the National Development Agenda towards Vision 2030.