Zambians are now becoming well traveled and if you ever went to a faraway place like Hong Kong for example, chances are you will bump into a Zambian if you looked hard enough.

I did not want to be one of the less traveled Zambians and decided to travel to Bangkok with an acquaintance of mine – Big Jo. We were first to spend some days in Johannesburg at a place called Hilbrow. My well traveled friend Big Jo, told me they had cheap accommodation and would be the best place to stay, you see we had limited funds. Big Jo’s neighbor’s cousin was doing some business in Bangkok and we were going to help him sell some of the “stuff” in Johannesburg and Zambia. I knew northwestern province like the back of my hand and I was going to make millions of kwacha selling the “stuff” there. Well that’s what Big Jo said. I did ask him what we would be selling and he said clothes, sofas, spare parts etc.

I later got to learn that Big Jo had conveniently left out some vital information about Hilbrow, like it was a dangerous place to be! But how was an innocent boy from Kasempa supposed to know such details.

So we traveled in a dirty “luxury coach from Lusaka to Johannesburg. When we arrived I had never seen such a big bus station in my life! It was called Park station. I thought when become rich I’ll build one like this in Solwezi.We then took a mini bus to Hilbrow. As we drove another mini bus driver waved a gun at us. It was then my legs began shaking. Despite that, we arrived safely in Hilbrow, but just in time to hear more gun shots.
“Big Jo lets go back,” I cried. He, like all the other people around was calm. I was later to learn this was a way of life here. We had barely disembarked from the bus when a group of men approached us.
“Butuka!” Big Jo shouted. But before my wobbly legs could move, all my possessions were taken from me. I shook like a leaf, at least I was unharmed I thought. A few moments later Big Jo resurfaced. My passport, the driver’s license I had bought in Lusaka and all my money were stolen. At least Big Jo had kept the air ticket to Bangkok.

We were about to go to the police station when a Zimbabwean man approached us.
“I saw what happened,” he said “but if you go to the police they will think you are an illegal immigrant.”
Big Jo suggested we try the Zambian embassy. He said they would take care of me. As for him he had to proceed to Bangkok .The next day Big Jo left me at the Zambian embassy. I walked in and was looked at suspiciously by the beautiful lady at reception. I explained what happened and she said I needed a police report to verify what I was saying. I told her I had no transport money, no passport and no clothes. If they could just organize a passport and drivers license for me I could join Big Jo in Bangkok. She laughed at me so hard you would have thought she was watching one of the late “maximo’s” comedies. At this point I had had enough. I broke down in my mother tongue. This attracted two gentlemen from the next office. The lady told them I wanted a passport and drivers license from them. They too laughed at me. This again attracted an elderly gentleman, whom I’ll never forget. At least he showed more compassion for me.
To cut a long story short I never made it to Bangkok. I am back in Kasempa.I don’t have a passport. I tried to buy a drivers license from Mr. Mwape but I’m told things are now computerized so its difficult. As old as I am, I have to take a driving test. I’m told I have to reverse through drums on a hill!

So, I never want to travel outside Zambia again. I do not know what the function of a Zambian embassy is, if you can’t even obtain necessary documents from them when you are abroad. As for Big Jo I never heard from him. Never trust someone with the name Big Jo I guess!

Government says bilateral ties between nations should help transform the livelihoods of people economically.

Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Kabinga Pande says the south-to south cooperation between Zambia and India has greatly benefited the people in the two countries especially in education and technology.

Mr. Pande notes that that Zambia and India enjoy cordial relations because of the
good policies by government.

Mr. Pande  hailed the Indian government for the continued support in areas of
education as well as in technology, agriculture, manufacturing.

The Minister was speaking in Lusaka tonight when he officiated at the commemoration
of India’s 60th Independence Anniversary held at the High Commissioners’ residence.

He pointed out that Zambia continues to learn from that country in ensuring that
bilateral ties are cemented and strengthened.

And Indian High Commissioner to Zambia Rivar Wallang said investment and bilateral
trade between Zambia and India has remarkably increased.

Commissioner Wallang also disclosed that India will continue offering scholarships
to Zambians to study in that country. 

He reiterated his government’s commitment to helping Zambia in various fields by
capacitating more Zambians in different skills.

On Zambia’s hosting of the 27th SADC Heads of State Summit, Commissioner Wallang
commended the government saying Zambia is improving economically and has made
positive strides in breaking the cycle of poverty and under-development.

President Levy Mwanawasa today paid courtesy calls on five of the heads of state and government that are in the country for the 27th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit, which kicks off in Lusaka tomorrow.

President Mwanawasa first paid a courtesy call on Lesotho’s Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, who is the current Chairman of SADC, at his Pamodzi Hotel’s presidential suite.

President Mwanawasa will takeover the chairmanship of the regional body from
professor Mosisili during the Heads of State and Government to be held at Mulungushi
International Conference Centre.

After the closed door meeting, the two leaders shared light moments, with President
Mwanawasa saying he visited Professor Mosisili at the Hotel to feel whether the
former was ready to handover the chairmanship of SADC to him.

Professor Mosisili laughed and said, “I assured him that his shoulders were broad
enough to carry the responsibility”.

President Mwanawasa later moved to pay a courtesy call on his Tanzanian counterpart,
Jakaya Kikwete, with whom he shared light moments too before going into closed door
meeting at the same Pamodzi Hotel.

He later went Intercontinental Hotel to meet Presidents Festus Mogae of Botswana,
Bingu Wa Mtarika of Malawi and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

Other heads of state that had already arrived by press time were Armando Guebuza of
Mozambique, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, King Mswati III of Swaziland and
Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia.

Those that were being expected by press time were Angola’s Eduardo Dos Santos,
Madagascar’s Mark Ravalomanana, Democratic Republic of Congo’s Joseph Kabila and
Mauritius’ Sir Anerood Jugnauth.  

Yesterday, President Mwanawasa said in his address to the nation that SADC member
states should step up their collective effort if the region was to achieve
sustainable economic development.

He said the summit was important to the SADC region and Zambia, noting that, “All
our neighbours will be looking up to us for leadership over the 12 months as we face
the daunting development challenges that lie ahead”.

Tomorrow’s SADC heads of State and Government summit is the first one Zambia is
hosting since April 1, 1980, when the Southern African Development Co-ordinating
Conference (SADCC) was born in Lusaka.

The MMD in North-Western Province has appealed to its members  to put aside tribal inclinations and work towards unity in order to accelerate development in the province.

The party leadership  has since embarked on  re-organising the party starting from
the branch to the provincial  level in a bid to strengthen the party.

MMD provincial Information and Publicity Secretary Benjamin Mufunga,
has called party members to work together, saying this is not time for finger pointing.

He said tribalism is retrogressive not only to the party but the nation as a whole.

He said the party should embrace the ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ motto which promotes
unity across tribal lines.

Meanwhile, the MMD in  North-western province is appealing to the party National
Executive Committee, NEC, to empower the party with transport.

Provincial Information and Publicity Secretary Benjamin Mufunga said the party is
finding it difficult to mobilise the party in the province without transport.

Mr. Mufunga said all the party vehicles in the seven districts in the province have
broken down.

But in a separate interview with ZANIS,  MMD Deputy National Secretary, Richard
Kachingwe, said the party was aware about the transport problems the ruling party
was facing the province.
 
Major Kachingwe said the problem has been presented to the NEC for action.

He assured that vehicles would be provided soon.

President Mwanawasa says the constitutional review process is an internal matter which the people of Zambia are capable of dealing with in the spirit of national unity.

Mr Mwanawasa has since congratulated the Oasis Forum and the Collaborative Group on the Constitution, CGC, for calling off their planned demonstrations over the constitutional review process during the SADC Heads of State and Government Summit which opens on Thursday in Lusaka.

In his address to the nation on ZNBC radio and television on the eve of the SADC
summit last night, President  Mwanawasa said it is gratifying to note that Zambians have agreed to host the Summit in a dignified and peaceful manner characteristic of the Zambian people.

The President said the debate and dialogue Zambians from all walks of life have
engaged in over the years is healthy in the democratic process of the country.

” As I have said previously, dialogue presupposes a Give-and -Take approach where
the outcome must be a result of consensus, taking into account the aspirations of
the majority of our people and the need to preserve the peace that our  nation has
enjoyed over the decades. In this regard, allow me therefore to congratulate the
Oasis Forum and the CGC for calling off their planned demonstrations over the
constitution review process during the forthcoming summit,” said President
Mwanawasa.

He noted that this was the first time from the time SADC was born that Zambia was
hosting the SADC Summit and that he was humbled that he would serve as SADC chairman on behalf of the people of Zambia.

Mr Mwanawasa said Zambia was assuming the SADC chairmanship against a backdrop of numerous socio-economic challenges faced by member states.

These include agriculture and food security, security, gender, HIV and AIDS, defence
and security and political developments in the region.

All the neighbours will be looking to Zambia to provide leadership over the next 12
months as the region faces the daunting development challenges that lie ahead.

It was therefore the President’s expectation that all Zambians will demonstrate
patriotism by rendering their full weight  to the successful deliberations and
conclusions as well as programmes of action that will steer the region to prosperity
for the benefit of the peoples of the region.

The SADC Heads of State and Government Summit officially opens on Thursday at
Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

President Mwanawasa is expected to assume the Chairmanship of the regional body from Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili.

A Civic leader in Mazabuka in Southern Province has called on the Children’s Press Bureau (CPB) to work closely with the Police Victim Support Unit in exposing issues of child abuse. 

Mazabuka Mayor, Edmund Cheelo who made the call in Mazabuka at the official opening
of the CPB said  in view of alleged rampant violations of children’s rights in the
district, advocacy by the children on issues affecting them deserves support from
all stakeholders.

The Mayor advised members of the CPB to report cases of defilement, rape and incest
to the Police Victim Unit if such cases were to reduce.

He said the work being done by the children has full backing from Government as it
is in line with its efforts to advocate for the respect of children’s rights.

Mr Cheelo noted that for a long time, elderly people have spoken and expressed views
on behalf of children because society felt that they were too young to be listened
to and consulted.

The Mayor welcomed the official launch of CPB saying it will empower children in the
media to express themselves through radio programmes and writing of news articles on
issues that affect them.

Mr Cheelo also commended the Youth Media implementors of the project and Plan Zambia
the sponsors of the project for identifying the need to involve the children
themselves in bringing out issues of violations of their rights from both Urban and
rural areas.

The CPB project aims at closing the gap between urban children and those from the
rural areas by providing them with skills and an opportunity to interact through
sharing experiences.

44 children have been trained in producing radio programmes, writing stories and
have participated in events such as the International Children’s Day of
Broadcasting, International day against Child Labour and the day of the African
Child.