GOVERNMENT DECLARES THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH ,AS A GENERAL CLEANING DAY.

An aerial view of the Kafue Round About.
Photo taken from the 19th floor of  FINDECO House By Masauso Mkwayaya

By Masauso Mkwayaya

Zambia is said to be generally a beautiful country. Its cities are blessed with green vegetation and well planned townships that are said to be built and paved from copper sales. 

But in recent years, its beauty has seemingly been hidden and buried under, plastics, bottles, papers and other waste materials.

These materials are indiscriminately dumped and thrown almost anywhere and everywhere.

And most of these materials are remains of products that are manufactured by different companies .The products are packed in plastics, bottles and wrappers that end up indiscriminately dumped and thrown on the streets of Zambia. And in most cases, these companies do not invest in initiatives to manage the waste which they produce.

A pile of garbage on an island ,on Lusaka's Lumumba Road
in the Central Business District .Photo: Masauso Mkwayaya

And this state of affairs has gone unchecked for many years.

But now, the smelly stench, produced from heaps and hills of garbage, dotted in different parts of Zambia, have become so strong such that they have reached the Presidents nose.

In his maiden address to the National Assembly on September 18, 2015, President Edgar Lungu acknowledged the dirtiness of the country. As a result he directed the Ministry of Local Government to fully revive the keep Zambia Clean Campaign.

On Saturday September 3, the Ministry of Local Government moved swiftly and officially re-launched the Keep Zambia Clean Campaign, dubbed, Smart Zambia Campaign.

Minister of Local Government John Phiri called on all companies to make Zambia clean.

“ I am asking all companies to make Zambia Clean by investing a little money in the Campaign ,I am very proud of Zambia breweries who are investing in initiatives to recycle waste that they produce ,especially opaque beer packs. I am therefore urging other companies to follow suit” Dr. Phiri said.

And as a measure to make the campaign as practical and as inclusive as possible, Government through Dr. Phiri declared the first Saturday of every month as a general cleaning day.

“Cleanness is an everyday thing, but on every first Saturday of every month, citizens and households will be required to engage in cleanness activities on their surroundings and communities” Dr. Phiri said.

Dr. Phiri(In white coat) leads Government officials in clearing garbage in Lusaka's Chilenje
township, during the launch of the keep Zambia Clean Campaign.

The step taken by Government to sweep Zambia clean is long overdue, but it will need efforts from all of us, if Zambia is to turn into a clean and green country.

The Zambia Youthful Thought therefore recommends that the Local Authorities (The councils) come up with By-Laws which will compel people to practice good waste and environmental management habits.

If anything, the By-Laws should also lead to the prosecution of anyone found  littering and indiscriminately dumping waste.

Further public transporters, especially those that have buses operating on local routes, should ensure that they put bins on their buses where passengers will throw things, as opposed to throwing them outside the widows as is the trend currently.

As President Egdar Lungu once said, things don’t just happen, they are made to happen. Likewise, Zambia will not make itself clean, it’s us the people who will, especially us the young ones because we have the energy.

This can also serve as an opportunity to create wealth and a means to create employment. Young entrepreneurs should team up and come up with innovative ways to manage and recycle waste and make money out of it. I am sure Government and other stake holders are willing to support anything tangible that will make Zambia Clean.

GOVERNMENT DECLARES THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH AS A GENERAL CLEANING DA

.

Zambia is said to be generally a beautiful country. Its cities are blessed with green vegetation and well planned townships that are said to be built and paved from copper sales.  

But in recent years, its beauty has seemingly being hidden and buried under, plastics, bottles, papers and other waste materials.

These materials are indiscriminately dumped and thrown almost anywhere and everywhere.

And most of these materials are remains of products that are manufactured by different companies .The products are packed in plastics, bottles and wrappers that end up indiscriminately dumped and thrown on the streets of Zambia. And most of cases, these companies do not invest in initiatives to manage the waste that they produce.

And this state of affairs has gone unchecked for many years.

But now, the smelly stench, produced from heaps and hills of garbage, dotted in different parts of Zambia, have become so strong such that they have reached the Presidents nose.

In his maiden address to the National Assembly on September 18 2015, President Edgar Lungu acknowledged the dirtiness of the country. As a result he directed the Ministry of Local Government to fully revive the keep Zambia Clean Campaign.

On Saturday September 3, the Ministry of Local Government moved swiftly and officially re-launched the Keep Zambia Clean Campaign, dubbed, Smart Zambia Campaign.

Minister of Local Government John Phiri called on all companies to make Zambia clean.

“ I am asking all companies to make Zambia Clean by investing a little money in the Campaign ,I am very proud of Zambia breweries who are investing in initiatives to recycle waste that they produce ,especially opaque beer packs. I am therefore urging other companies to follow suit” Dr. Phiri said.

And as a measure to make the campaign as practical and as inclusive as possible, Government through Dr. Phiri declared the first Saturday of every month as a general cleaning day.

“Cleanness is an everyday thing, but on every first Saturday of every month, citizens and households will be required to engage in cleanness activities on their surroundings and communities” Dr. Phiri said.

The step taken by Government to sweep Zambia clean is long overdue, but it will need efforts from all of us, if Zambia is to turn into a clean and green country.

The Zambia Youthful Thought therefore recommends that the Local Authorities (The councils) come up with By-Laws which will compel people to practice good waste and environmental management habits.

If anything, the By-Laws should also lead to the prosecution of anyone found wanting of littering and indiscriminately dumping waste.

Further public transporters, especially those that have buses operating on local routes, should ensure that they put bins on their buses where passengers will throw things, as opposed to throwing them outside the widows as is the trend currently.

As President Egdar Lungu once said, things don’t just happen, they are made to happen. Likewise, Zambia will not make itself clean, it’s us the people who will, especially us the young ones because we have the energy.

This can also serve as an opportunity to create wealth and a means to create employment. Young entrepreneurs should team up and come up with innovative ways to manage and recycle waste and make money out of it. I am sure Government and other stake holders are willing to support anything tangible that will make Zambia Clean.

     

KAUNDA SHEDS TEARS; AS HE URGES ZAMBIANS NOT TO FORSAKE GOD, EVEN AMIDST ECONOMIC CHALLENGES.

By Masauso Mkwayaya.

Zambia’s first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda was on Sunday 26 September ,at the Anglican  Cathedral of the Holy Cross .

He was invited  over to bid farewell to his long time young friend, Reverend Father Edwin Mwanza, who has left the Cathedral to go and take up his role as Parish Priest at the Anglican Matero Parish.  

When he was called to address the congregants by Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross Dean, Father Charley Thomas, Dr. Kaunda who was seated in the front roll, jogged to the podium, in his usual signature jog with his copper walking stick suspended from the ground on his right hand.

His trademark, the white handkerchief was loosely hanging and dangling on his left hand as the visibly emotional former President tried to compose himself before he could start speaking.

Dr. Kaunda was seen shedding tears before he could even say anything; leading the Church into a somber silent mood with some congregants standing in ovation.

With tears rolling down on his cheeks but quickly wiped out by his white handkerchief, Dr. Kaunda told congregants in a faint but clear tone, that Zambian’s should not forsake their God even amidst challenging  economic times.

The nonagenarian quoted what has arguably become to be known as his favorite Bible verse, “love God with all hearts and souls, love your neighbor as you love yourself.”  The Bible passage is derived from the New Testament book of Mathew Chapter 22 verses 37 to 39.

Dr, Kaunda addressing congregants at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
Photo courtesy of Lusaka Times. 

Dr. Kaunda praised the Church in Zambia for doing a good job in uniting Zambians. He said any kind kind of success can only be guaranteed if people love their God.

And in his farewell sermon to the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross congregants, Reverend Father Edwin Mwanza also called on Zambians to join hands and pray for the country which is currently faced with economic challenges .

Standing on the pulpit in his white robe and a green cassock hanging at the back of his neck and his broad shoulders, the confident and fluent Father Mwanza delivered a powerful and moving sermon, based on Numbers 11 .

He said people who are in the wilderness, which he referred to as challenges, should not forsake God because no success is achieved without passing through difficulties.

After he concluded his sermon, congregants gave him a glowing standing ovation, with some women and men heard ululating and whistling with excitement.  

Father Mwanza has served at the Anglican Cathedral for the last six years. 

POOR CV'S CONTRIBUTING TO YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT.

By Masauso Mkwayaya

Last week on Saturday 26 September 2015, the Intercontinental Hotel‘s ballroom in Lusaka was filled with cheerful young women who looked to be between the ages of 17 and early 30’s.

The young ladies who sat in their colorful clothing with smiles all over their faces throughout the time that this writer was there , were brought together by Kupe’s Young Women’s Network .

The Organization brought them together to share skills on how to write a presentable and profession Curriculum Vitae (CV).  

And a  Lusaka based Business coach who was guest speaker at the event says the poor standard and quality of Curriculum Vitae's (CV's) from young people, to prospective employers is a huge contributing factor to the high levels of youth unemployment that Zambia is currently faced with.

 PRISCILLA BANDA a holder of a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Director of an International Non-Governmental Organization, said majority of the unemployed but educated young people are missing rare chances of getting employed, because most of them are failing to represent themselves in a professional and attractive manner through their CV's.

“A CV should be written in a way that fully but professionally represents an individual's professional academic and personal well-being, it's the only thing that prospective employers see and have as terms of reference when people apply for jobs, they can’t see you, they only see you CV’s, so it should be spectacular.” She said.

Miss Banda said as a professional recruitment consultant she would shun a poorly written CV from a Degree holder to a well written CV from a person with lower academic qualifications.

“What stands out is well written and well-presented CV, even if you are Degree holder, if you can’t write a good CV, even people with lower qualifications but with well written CV’s will attract me “She added.

 And Kupe's Young Women's Network Founder, Norena Chiteba who was clad in a colorful bluish dress said young women should be empowered with skills that will not disadvantage them to achieve and acquire anything in society including jobs.

“Young Women should be equipped with skills and knowledge that will enable them to get and acquire whatever they set their minds to in society, I have organized this workshop to help a few girls, we have so far empowered over 70 girls from across Lusaka.”  Said Miss Chiteba.

 And KAMILA BANDA a young, jovial and confident looking Lusaka based young women who participated in the one day workshop says she might have missed opportunities to be employed in the past, because she did not know how to represent herself in a professional manner on her CV.

“I have written a number of Job applications and my CV has bounced back on a number of times, but I am confident I will make my mark after I apply the skills I have leant today”She said.

The Zambian Youthful Thought agrees with Miss Banda’s sentiments in totality, in a world where unconventional writing and reading habits have engulfed the young population, professional and official writings that young people engage in usually get the hardest blow because they are of poor quality.

Some of the writings by young people even on their social sites like facebook are utterly disgraceful and embarrassing because some of them have acquired tertiary education.

Young people should therefore be encouraged to engage in deliberate reading and writing habits so that they prepare themselves   as achievers who will serve Zambia from all its challenges. Young people should realize that today’s reader is tomorrow’s leaders.

Photo's courtesy of Kupe's Young Women Facebook page.