Zambians from cross sections of society have taken to social media to strongly oppose government’s alleged plans to sale the land on which Jacaranda Basic School in Lusaka sits.
Established in 1969, the school which is wholly owned by the Zambian government has over 2,000 pupils from Grade 1 to 9 and sits on Mwaimwena road behind the Taj Pamodzi Hotel, considered a prime location in Lusaka.
Reports emerged this week that the Ministry of General Education has earmarked the land on which the school sits for sale to a private developer along with four other properties including Herbert Young Hostels which also belongs to the Ministry of education as they are viewed as “wasting assets.”
A letter whose authenticity is yet to be verified emerged on Tuesday purported to have been authored by Works and Supply Permanent Secretary Agnes Musunga which stated that the properties are to be considered for demolition and offered to private developers in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
Government is yet to comment on the authenticity of the letter.
But Zambians have denounced the reported plans to demolish the school describing the plans as retrogressive and not in the interest of Zambians.
Some of them took to social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to voice out their displeasure over the reported plans.
A group called Jacaranda Primary School Alumni has since resolved to sign a petition and deliver it to the Ministry of General Education opposing the move.
“Wasting asset? I can understand if the aim is to upgrade the building and infrastructure….and still retain it as the school and as Jacaranda,” says Amanda Mukwashi while Kaluba Chibesakunda remarked that. Jacaranda is a national icon and historical institution.
Action Aid Zambia Executive Director Nalucha Ziba said “Welcome to my country Zambia where our government cannot manage the cost of maintaining a public school but have money to buy a fire truck for 1 million USD. Therefore, they opt to offload a public school in a PPP model. Let us examine some of these neoliberal capitalist models which are not working for an average poor Zambian but rather reinforce existing social inequalities. I say no to privatization and commercialization of public schools buildings first it was NRDC now Jacaranda.”
Controversial musician Pilato tweeted, “Save Jacaranda Primary School.”
Social Activist Laura Miti also condemned the move to demolish the school.
“They want to raze Jacaranda Primary school to the ground to build offices? Zambians, I swear, if you don’t quickly find the medicine for PF madness, there will be no country left when they are done. The Chinese are being allowed to just point out what prime land they want. If there is a building no matter how critical – it comes down. NRDC now Jacaranda and a whole list of other buildings. Wake up Zambians, wake up. This government will not stop on its own. It is like someone with a gambling addiction. Does not stop till he has sold the last spoon, and family is on the street,” she wrote.
Greed for money. Do not sell this land even though it’s prime land. Education is cheaper than ignorance.
This is corruption at its highest! Shame!!!
The Chinese must have approached govt and made an offer the corrupt could not refuse. It’s that simple. On Sunday they will be at church and the stupid preachers will say “amen” all is given as our God is a God of second chances and forgives 70×70.
PF has the most unreasonable people , they are a cancer to this nation.An insult to the Glory of Zambia….what a shame!
It should be authentic and they cannot deny because Felix was on the news touring these same institutions and he indicated exactly on TV that they will consider redevelopment because these places were sitting on prime land but are very old structures. But as Laura said how does one explain spending USD 1 million on a fire truck and surrender prime estate to private developers?????? It boggles the mind how these people even have followers I bet most are not Zambians
You will find that the majority wants them sold.
Yes sell them so the money is used to develop or country like what I have been seeing of late.
#lunguknows
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Every week, a new scandal. Awe PF are a mad party. Anyway we warned you about PF, but you didn’t want to listen.
We told you this puppy is a WOLF, you insisted that its too cute, it’s a poodle dog. You brought it into the house and now it’s fully grown, busy biting & eating your kids.
The warning signs were there: Everyone knew that Lungu is a thief who stole K36000 from a widow. Did you expect him to transform after being put in charge of treasury?
@Mushota, you will end up selling yourself one day as I can see it in you.
Lungu is a curse. Now he wants to restructure PF at all levels to bring in the MMD vultures who will be cheering while he steals with impunity. Lubinda Kapata and Luo have realized and want to stop him from looting the country. When will Lungu have stolen enough? This is an addiction. The man is sick.
Mushota where is the PhD?
I still remember doing my Grade 1 or 2 at Jacaranda carrying my brown cardbox book case with my teddy bear drink bottle waiting for my Dad to come and pick me up in his 2 door Fiat 127….when we tell you that the lazy man in State House is a tool for corruption and his nationality needs to be thoroughly investigated you think its an insult. Reading that letter I can not see any plans in there as its vague as someone is hiding something ..what do they mean other “innovative financial arrangements”…this can be anything shady …given the locality I see these crooks wanting to build a hotel there or shopping mall…I wonder if Woodlands still has that land behind as the swimming pool land has been sold last time I checked.
Which province between Lusaka and Copperbelt has the most annoying and irritating PF cadres?
Shameless – When Dora was Agric minister, she came to tour NRDC…the students cheered not knowing that she came to valuate their assets
If opposition or independent candidates will not win Chilanga and Lusaka seats with all this corruption in PF …then forget about 2021.
Why not build a high end school in the same place which should now be up to Grade 12? With state-of-the-art labs and other facilities? Shocking.
How can there be no schooll in that whole neighbourhood. Where will the children be going to school. They should be moving to far away places? The point is At least there should be a school in a neighbourhood as it is in Madras, there is Lotus Sch etc
They should not sale Jacaranda prime land because the money will go to build manaions in eSwant. Stop! We encourage Mr Lungu to sale some of his plots to investors if not infestors and please leave our land alone. You will go to Swaziland while our children will have no place to stay you are a heartless government that will sale everything to satisfy your egos stop!!
Zambia the real african where govts dont learn and wonder why we are poor. Zambia needs leaders
All open areas in Lusaka have been sold by PF…Parks and School grounds all sold to the Chinks …we need to create an Independent Land Committee which should approve sale of these assets as Lazy Lungu and his thugs will sale anything for a quick buck…that’s why some stated that some of these PF crooks today are so rich that they have more assets than Ministry of Lands yet they couldn’t afford fuel or a vehicle 5 years ago.
*…. more assets than Ministry of Works and Supply …
Somebody’s head needs to be examined before it’s too late, seriously.
Where will they take the 2000 students? To private schools? So nauseating, this government
Zambians approve of the forced sale of Lungu’s Eswatini mansion to eliminate the appearance of shady dealings and bad governance…that ‘d be a better headline .
Lungu and his gang of theives are broke, they have no eurobonds to give each other tenders ……now is to sell what ever they can.
After spending $17 billion and they are selling off asets like junkies , it is sad to see some poor souls who still think lungu is doing a good job…
AND NOT TO MENTION THE $ 4 MILLION MANSION IN SWAZILAND !
Beneficiaries like BR Mumba will defend Lungu to their last blood.
And I am sure the developers have proposed to build new schools or other developments. I passed through Herbert Young Hostels last month and for sure it is a wasting asset. We make so much noise yet provide very little solutions. Why can’t we Zambians propose something to grz first before tge Chinese or other foreigners???
We do. They don’t listen or believe in us. We have brilliant brains within our own, but our leaders feel they must satisfy their own desires. I can give you a million ways to redevelop Hebert young, will you listen and support me? We Africans must stop this habit of trying to get wealthy without doing any work. They can invest $42m in unescesssary fire trucks and fail to redevelop jacaranda land? Let’s get serious and weed put those taking us backwards, believe me, if we don’t think beyond our generation, our children will be in tears.
So why are you making noise?? River Motel was given to a Zambian and it looks world class now. If you put up a solid plan for Herbert Young and have a track record, grz will listen to you. Look at Long Acres Lodge, an international hotelier proposed and have been given. Stop complaining and focus on how you can improve your country. Certain projects are too big for some local businessmen hence the international businesses being able.
Citizen…
Rimo was already a hotel and was upgraded if they are proposing to upgrade jacarandah school fair……but not to take away an historic school and sell the land for something else…
Dont waste your time debating with this clueless Zed Citizen he is dumb as the come ….he debates issues he barely understands, last time he was talking about Ambulances yet he has never seen a proper Ambulance before…still justified that it costs $288K
How come Chinese have more information than we do?
This unexplained idiocy is frankly getting out of hand. Has Zambia now become a Chinese colony? This madness has nothing to do with the Presidency but the civil servants appointed into key executive positions. Lazy and unpatriotic civil service.
So why do we need a president when he can’t provide leadership?
Zambian Citizen i don’t understand what u r saying, what do u mean?
I dont think he understands himself ..
Jacaranda Primary School is a historic school which has schooled many prominent Zambians. It sit on prime land in the capital City of Lusaka. If the governments intentions are to upgrade the school buildings to meet the standards of the surrounding buildings e.g. Pamodzi Hotel, Holiday Inn etc no problem. If it is to outrightly sell the land for other uses, the answer is no. Kindlly re-think.
That letter is vague …a govt letter should be straightforward; there should be evidence of consultations with all stakeholders and you can not just state PPP (with whom?) and other innovative financial arrangements …this is clearly not truthful. For you to know the Construction Procurement route you must have a plan, funding, partner etc This is simply an arrangement by corrupt ministers with their Chink investors …then they push forward the poor PS to sign it. When sh*t hits the fan its the poor PS who will be in the dock whilst Luo and other ministers will simply state that they have no influence in such dealings.
Msisi compound sits in prime land, why hasn’t any ‘real’ developer shown interest, in developing it? Chibolya is also prime land, and so is Kalingalinga. So what if Jacaranda sits on prime land? Would the benefit of an office park outweigh that of a school (schools which we currently don’t have)? I doubt it. What I’m saying is let serious developers develop prime land where the ghettos are and uplift the face of Lusaka.
Well said.
However all these PF thieves see is $$$$s. Nothing is historic or sacraid for the country or people anymore.
If the Chinese can offer a bribe to buy anything…..it will be done.
..
Misisi ‘property owners’ are squatters in that area. They do not have title deeds for the land that they occupy.Infact part of Misisi is under the ownership of some people who are supposed to payoff the squatters so they relocate to other areas and pave way for modern structures to be built.
Embrace the spirit of Let go.Some of the old buildings in Lusaka and other areas should be demolished.The mentality of People saying I was born in Chifubu,educated in Chifubu,worked in Chifubu and will died in Chifubu is retrogressive and does not add value to the development of the country.Move around and experience different cultures.
Ati spirit of let go ? Is that why lungu is auctioning off Zambia ?
And in my travels I see historic building cherished and looked after…..not bulldozed and replaced by shopping malls….
@GEORGE wow ! You clearly can’t see what’s happening ?
only a Zambian say that…..! A person who cannot understand the importance of keeping such institutions in the hands of the people is very lost as an individual and can never understand the valid points being made here..upgrading no problem but to sell off…awe tayikana iyo! Thats why even the parking lot of Lusaka Girls was sold off, the swimming pool that both Lusaka Girls and Boys Boys used to use was sold off but was the money put back into the 2 schools ….NO!
Someone with a gambling addiction. Does not stop till he has sold the last spoon, and family is on the street,which has always been the presidents hobby and drinking before you know it most of the country will be sold lowest bidder.
They should spare Jacaranda school and get rid of Herbert Young. We need a modern structure in place of Herbert Young.Rhodespark is primeland.We need state-of-the-art structures there
I normally dont swear but f@#k the government now. They are f@#king up everything. I am disappointed with this government and what we need in zed is a revolution of the young people because makolo have failed is…we need a leader like Mwanawasa..God save us.
Please zambian lets protect our assets
This could be true, look at Lusaka Girls Secondary School, the house for the head teacher was sold and the government is adamant about it.
If it is true then it is a very good move because we need new and modern buildings in the prime areas of Lusaka.Those less than 2000 pupils can be accommodated in other Govnt schools around that area.The anti development creatures mentioned above are HH’s soldiers who must be ignored!!Moreover,those against could be few as Mushota put it.
Bembas say “uwakwebsha ubushiku,bamutasha elyo bwacha”.Many shall appreciate things upon seeing new sky buildings there!!
Ok but let’s do things in a transparent manner and not ” underhand ” like this
Why is it when someone is against something that the ‘government’ wants to do, ati they must be opposition party members? What is the meaning of a democracy? Someone please tell me….so many times things have gone wrong and its only afterwards when we want to cry ati ‘asembe’ Where are the 2,000 school children going to be pushed to? into already crowded classrooms? come on people, lets wake up!! A revolution is needed because we are too docile and I can no longer keep quiet now…..
Hubert Young can be redeveloped b y the GRZ with funds it steals from Toll Gates. Just make a public tender to all Zambian owned Architectural firms to do a design of the Hubert Young Lodge for to Zambia in the 21st Century. If these firms are dull and incapable, invite architect firms from Botswana and you will see what these guys can design. Sadly, we have the PF as leaders whose brains are full of maggots, and cannot think better than their corrupted bank accounts.
Godfrey Kabwe we have qualified zambians who have the expertise to do a design for what you are proposing and am loving the idea that you are bringing up. The problem lies in the process being corrupted…I know of zambians who have worked in architect firms in botswana who have decided to come back here because home is home…CRY MY BELOVED COUNTRY!!
Is this another cambridge Analytica Rubbish? where is the headed paper orignal copy. by the way don’t generalize ati Zambians!!
I went to Jacaranda and then moved to Kabulonga boys. On my recent visit, I went back and met the current headmaster. It was a privelege to go to Jacaranda. I suspect that because it is situated in a prime location, some thug has come in and want to bribe who ever is in charge and these little shots ain’t got know clue about jacaranda
I am surprised Hon Mutati agreed to this move. Wasnt he just talking about the importance of education and believing in yourself at a church in Solwezi over the weekend?
Every month a scandal ,every GRZ tender is engineered thievery ,every piece of prime land is subject to shady deals by PF sharks.At this rate I fear them selling the poor folks of Chilbolya into mass slavery.
My children went to Jacaranda. Two years ago I took two of my grandchildren to the school and showed them the school their mother, uncle and aunt had gotten their primary education. It was a great moment for them. They were so happy to be there and to meet the School Head (now Late). It is heart breaking to hear that it may not be there for long!
Ppp is NOT selling
Why do you want to maintain lusaka ancient city. Lets move on. Let us mordernize the city
Look and usa in 1920s and today
C’mon
PPP with whom? How did you arrived at PPP route? You must be one of those dumb PF cadres who is too ashamed to use his usual name.
The people opposing belong to named political party specialist s in losing
UPND citizen resurfaces…
They have no shame …they are like house flies on shiitttteee!!
A Zambian will cling to a box in which they bought a TV set many years ago, because the occasional was historic. I have seen many Zambians die out of hunger – living dilapidated houses behind because ‘a house should not be sold!'” Some own so many pieces of land and they cannot develop them. In Zambia you do not sell land or houses and so Lungu be careful or just milk Zambian confers to bring Hubert Young and Jacaranda School up to-date.
HH is a curse to Zambia.
Which Zambians? The perennial pathetic losers?!!
Zambians are selling the land on which their shacks sit in Kalingalinga to developers coz its prime land so they raise capital to expand their fledgling businesses. That area will soon have no houses as they all have almost been sold. Imagine toddlers all the way from Kamwala negotiating traffic in downtown Cairo Road. Sell and demolish those eye soles. Build better ones in upcoming suburbs .
Backward thinking will lose you again in 2021. You can’t see the basic future.
I am against this stupid idea to sell these two pieces of land by anyone. Abandon or rather cancel the decision at once, or all hell will break loose.
Zambians are easily bought by offering them stuff like chibuko during general elections, do I will not be surprised if this government will still be in power after the next general elections -“Do not kubeba”
Stop this notoriety of selling strategic pieces of land to all manner of people or characters or organizations, especially to the Chinese. Your supposed popularity is fast draining by each passing day. Learn to listen to the voices of the people.
YABA,NOT SCHOOLS PLEASE.TOUCH SOMETHING ELSE……………..
Why cant you just upgrade the school?