Zambians yesterday celebrated the country’s 57th Independence Aniversary for the first time without the founding president Dr Kenneth Kaunda who passed on this year, with National Heritage Conservation Commission Executive Director CCollins Chipote saying that there is need to uphold the values that Zambia’s founding President stood for.
Mr. Chipote said that patriotism, national unity and peace must be championed and passed on to the generations to come, when he launched the KENNETH KAUNDA youth business tourism and education hub which will be led by the Kelvin Nyirongo Hope Foundation at the Chilenje National Monument in Lusaka.
In Northern Province Minister Leonard Mbao said that the government is committed to promoting tenets of good governance that will spur economic growth.
Mr Mbao also stated that it is important for Zambians to live in harmony with each other to promote development.
He said peace is an important ingredient for development as no meaningful development can be achieved without it.
He has since challenged Zambians to uphold the peace that the country’s forefathers fought for during the independence struggle.
Mr Mbao said this when he officiated at the Independence Day celebrations in Kasama that was held at the civic Centre grounds.
He added that it is the desire of the new dawn government to see that people live in harmony with each other.
“We need to learn to coexist. We need to embrace each other regardless of our political, religious or ethnic background,” he said
And Northern Province Freedom Fighters Association Chairperson Teddy Mwenya also emphasized on the need for Zambian to uphold the peace and unity.
Mr Mwenya said people should build on the foundation that the forefathers laid to promote unity in line with the country’s motto of One Zambia one nation.
“Let us learn to coexist because before anything else we are Zambians and we should uphold the one Nation motto,” he noted
Mr Mwenya has also expressed happiness with the turn up of youths at this year’s Independence Day celebrations.
In Muchinga Province Minister Henry Sikazwe yesterday led scores of residents in celebrating this year’s independence with call to renounce political and religious affiliation but instead promote love for continued peace and unity.
Mr Sikazwe made the call at Chinsali’s president park this morning during this year’s 57th Independence Day celebrations.
He said government recognizes that poverty is among the challenges affecting people and pledged that government will provide an enabling environment for prosperity.
Mr Sikazwe noted that government will work towards fulfilling the promises echoed during the campaigns that of creating employment and opening business opportunity.
He cited the creation of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment as well as the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise as game changer for the youths and women.
He encouraged the youths and women to form companies and cooperatives in order to benefit from the programmes government will be rolling out soon.
“Government will make sure that it fulfils its campaign promises of job creation and business opportunities,” he added.
Meanwhile, a senior citizen, Hearings Sabi, has called on residents of Chinsali to give the UPND time to put things in order before the results of development begin to show results.
Mr Sabi expressed confidence that the region will witness unprecedented development in all sectors.
He observed that this year’s Independence Day celebration is unique as it is being celebrated for the first time without Zambia’s founding presidents Kenneth Kaunda who fought for the freedom.
Meanwhile, other freedom fighters in Chinsali district have called on government to consider having a representation of freedom fighters in Parliament as well as putting each of them on a monthly salary.
Freedom fighters Provincial vice Secretary Andrew Mulenga said only a few benefited in the past and hence called for the need to recognize the remaining fighters.
Earlier the Provincial Minister led service chief and government officials in laying of wreaths at Chinsali’s cenotaph.
This year’s Independence Day celebrations is being held under the theme “Celebrating a New dawn Anchored on Good Governance, National Unity and Development”
The celebrations were characterized by songs, dances and poems from various schools and community based theatre groups. Source: Lusaka Times
