N/W Province is ideal for livestock - PS
By Correspondent
Wed 14 Mar. 2012, 11:57 CAT
NORTH Western Province has attractive and ideal conditions for livestock development, says agriculture and livestock permanent secretary Dr David Shamulenge.
During a tour of Kanongesha and Kanyama cattle breeding centres in Ikelenge and Mwinilunga on Friday, Dr Shamulenge said livestock development would encourage meat processing in the region.
He said developing livestock farming in North Western Province would increase the region's market share for meat and dairy product exports to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.
He said to support the venture, the government had procured 95 head of cattle for Kanyama Cattle Breeding Centre which is under construction where chief Kanyama has given out 4, 000 hectares of land for the scheme.
Dr Shamulenge, however, expressed disappointment with the state of Kanongesha centre, where an initial cattle head count of 198 exotic Brahman breed supplied in 2005 has drastically dwindled to 39 due to thefts and mismanagement.
Senior Chief Kanongesha told Dr Shamulenge when he paid a courtesy call at his palace that he was disappointed that a scheme he spearheaded in his area to reduce poverty and create jobs for youths had been mismanaged.
Senior Chief Kanongesha, however, said he was hopeful that the PF government would provide new direction in helping North Western Province develop its livestock sector.
Dr Shamulenge assured chiefs Kanongesha and Kanyama that President Michael Sata's vision for North Western Province was to revive the region's potential for livestock development and strengthen agriculture so that the region could be a bread basket for the country.
Dr Shamulenge also said the essence of the breeding centers was to empower local communities with tools to maximise sources of income and reduce rural poverty.
Labels: CATTLE, CHIEF KANONGESHA, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE
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Kanongesha calls for reconciliatory talks in N/Western Province
By Correspondent
Tue 04 Oct. 2011, 08:50 CAT
SENIOR chief Kanongesha says the Patriotic Front's dismal showing in North Western Province in the recent elections was due to strained political relations that can be reversed if the ruling party engages the region in reconciliatory talks.
Chief Kanongesha of the Lunda people of Mwinilunga said in an interview on Friday that people in the province were not entirely to blame for giving PF fewer votes because it had not sold itself well in the region.
He said most of the candidates featured under the PF were little known in their communities and lacked support from the electorate to command victories.
Chief Kanongesha, who was accompanied by several members of his royal establishment, advised that the PF government should establish deliberate relations with the people of North Western Province aimed at uniting it with the change mood in the rest of the country.
"We are making a passionate appeal to the government that it should extend an olive branch to the people of North Western Province. It's not the problem of the people, it's the problem of the PF central committee, that's why we have no elected PF voice from North Western in Parliament," said chief Kanongesha. "We are a friendly people and we make good citizens of Zambia."
He said the Lunda people congratulated President Michael Sata and would give him support to build the country.
Chief Kanongesha said President Sata's historic victory was a sign that Zambia was on a path to recovery and expressed confidence that the new administration would deal with the challenges of the region and exploit its full potential and deliver vital development after years of underdevelopment by previous governments.
He praised President Sata's creation of a new ministry for traditional leaders, saying chiefs were a critical component to conflict management and should be involved through implementation of a decentralized system that would empower them with a pivotal role.
Chief Kanongesha, however, expressed sadness over the low presence of North Westerners in the recently announced Cabinet but hoped that the few who were still in the civil service could be maintained.
Meanwhile, chief Kanongesha said North Western was ready for heavy investment in food production as proved by recent maize yields.
He also said the region had potential for sugar production as well as tree plantation and fisheries development.
Labels: CHIEF KANONGESHA, CHIEFS, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE
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Look for quality leadership
By The Post
Sat 04 Dec. 2010, 04:00 CAT
WHEN our people go to the polls next year, they will not be going there to vote for ideas, for things in one's head. They will be voting to win material benefits, to live better and in peace, to see their lives go forward, to guarantee the future of their children.
And chief Kanongesha is right when he says voters should elect leaders who will take the country to another level because what is being sought in these elections is genuine democracy in which leaders are servants of the electorate and not its masters.
Our people will only be able to live better and in peace if they elect leaders who are intelligent, honest and humble and who see politics as a vocation to serve the people.
Elections are important in the promotion of justice, peace, development and community among all.
We see elections as a way of building up society for the common good. We should therefore vote wisely and only for people who are known for their honesty, ability, dedication and concern for the welfare of all.
When election time comes, we must vote for people of integrity regardless of the region they come from, their tribe, language or political affiliation.
Zambia needs patriotic leaders; people who place national interest before personal ambition.
Our duty of voting must be fulfilled carefully and we must choose wisely people who will take the direction of civil affairs.
We should be conscious of the crucial role each individual citizen should play in choosing the leaders who will create the Zambia we want to live in.
We should use our voice for the good of Zambia, as opposed to the good of a particular political party, group or individual.
We should vote for candidates who have proved themselves accountable to the electorate for the common good.
We should vote for people who are courageous in defending truth and justice for all, candidates who are completely honest in fulfilling private and public responsibilities.
We should vote according to our conscience, in accordance with the highest human values without allowing ourselves to be pressured or dictated to by anyone, by bribes, threats, self-interest and so on and so forth.
Next year's elections will provide all Zambians with a unique opportunity to show their political maturity and their sincere aspiration for peace and harmony anchored on justice.
The election campaign itself should avoid tribalistic outlook or sectionalism and look for the common good of all people.
There's need to realise that real political victory in these elections will lie on the ideas proposed, on the ethical values of the candidates, on the respect for the freedom of choice of all citizens, and not on any form of moral pressure or intimidation of political opponents or voters.
Political parties should be formed and run on ideals and principles and not on tribal or personal cult.
The right to vote bears positive fruit for the country when the people choose good leaders. We have the right to choose those who will represent us, and we must do our duty as citizens by choosing people who will serve the country with justice towards all.
We strongly advocate voting for people who consider themselves accountable to their electorate, who consider the public interest than their own, and who are faithful to their election promises; people who respect the rights of others and who do not use their position to amass wealth and are mindful of the many who have little or none; people of genuine integrity, moral courage in the cause of truth and justice, and who are competent for the posts entrusted to them.
We should vote for the political party that has a programme we see as the best for us as a nation. And candidates should therefore be evaluated on their capacity to implement both their party's manifesto and their own personal vision.
Those who offer themselves for re-election ought to be evaluated against the record of what they have or have not achieved. Did they fulfil their promises? Did they offer quality service to all the people and not only those who voted them into power? Were they available to listen to the concerns of the people and were they selfless in responding to the needs of all, especially the poor?
Those who have not yet held office should be carefully evaluated in terms of their competence and their reputation for honest and selfless dedication to the common good.
We believe that only those with the courage to speak out the truth, concern for social justice, desire to work for the common good instead of self-enrichment, disposition to use power for service, especially service of the poor and underprivileged, openness to dialogue, good moral standing, transparency and accountability to the electorate should be entrusted with the responsibility of public office.
Where we may now review the performance of our present representatives, let's weigh the candidates on the balance of truth, justice and unselfish service, and, if we find them wanting, reject them and elect others in their place.
This is our inalienable right. But this gives rise to another issue - the character of the candidates themselves. There is little benefit in voting out the old, if the newly elected may prove equally disappointing.
Our vote should help eliminate the unworthy and improve the quality of the new leadership. Once every five years, the law puts this power in our hands. Let us use it wisely and bravely.
Our vote is certainly a powerful weapon for unity, an instrument of liberty, justice and peace. On our voting, on the quality of it, the discernment behind it, depend the progress and peace of our country.
Clearly, in casting one's vote, a citizen should never be swayed by personal profit, tribal or even racial bias, but solely by the consideration of which of the conflicting issues or candidates is better for the nation.
We should scrutinise the people who wish to represent us and select our candidates strictly according to the good we think they can do.
The interest of the political parties should be kept subordinate to the public good. It is necessary to remind ourselves of the fact that politics and elections are for the good of the people and the country, and not for political survival of any individual or political party.
The spirit of the primacy of the common good should animate all our political parties. Politics and elections should aim at the promotion of the common good and the service of all the people.
We read in the scriptures that "The Son of Man himself came not to be served but to serve" (Mark 10:42).
The political parties that participate in our elections may not be that serious, their leaders may really be silly.
But the function of the elections in which they participate is deadly serious: to provide a peaceful and fair method by which our people can select their leaders and have a meaningful role in determining their own destiny.
And judging by the record of the past, the two most decisive factors affecting the future consolidation and expansion of our democracy will be economic development and political leadership. Economic development makes democracy possible; political leadership makes it real.
This is why chief Kanongesha's call to Zambians to look for quality leadership during next year's elections should not be about to fall on deaf ears.
Labels: CHIEF KANONGESHA, LEADERSHIP
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‘Look for quality leaders’
By David Chongo in Solwezi
Fri 03 Dec. 2010, 04:01 CAT
ZAMBIANS should look for quality leadership during next year’s general elections, says senior chief Kanongesha of North-Western Province. Chief Kanongesha of the Lunda people of Mwinilunga said voters should elect leaders who would take the country to another level because next year’s elections would be crucial and a turning point.
Chief Kanongesha said the UNIP government of Dr Kenneth Kaunda did its part by initiating developmental projects, which successive governments improved upon but the country was now ready to
move a step further.
“We are looking at quality not the party; the party that should take people further. I am beginning to believe that development comes in phases,” chief Kanongesha told journalists in Solwezi. He said the current political scenario characterised by insults was not ideal.
Chief Kanongesha urged the government and opposition political parties to work together as they both sought to represent the wishes of the people.
“Being in the opposition doesn’t mean being rebels and doesn’t mean criticising anywhere, anyhow. That’s the culture we should abolish. Politicians should stand on a platform to debate issues without insults. Democracy means sharing ideas,” he said.
Chief Kanongesha said the region’s potential for hydropower generation could be used to drive technological advancement in areas such as agriculture.
Chief Kanongesha said there was need to reintroduce cooperative banks in rural districts as they would be closer to farmers in providing vital logistical support and subsequently contribute to ensuring bumper harvests.
Labels: CHIEF KANONGESHA, KENNETH KAUNDA, LEADERSHIP
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