Kawambwa Tea company still a white horse

Kawambwa Tea company still a white horse

Kawambwa, May 23, 2013, ZANIS…………Production of tea at the country’s only tea company, Kawambwa Tea, may not be possible as the investor who has been holding on to the company for more than ten years has been feeding workers and the Zambian government with unfulfilled promises.

And Kawambwa District Commissioner, Ivo Mpasa, has recommended for the repossession of Kawambwa Tea Company from the Zimbabwean investor who he said has failed to commence production of tea since taking over the company.

Mr Mpasa noted that the investor does not have the interest of the Zambian people and government at heart as he has kept workers without pay for over 40 months and that he has abandoned the country.

The District Commissioner said this when Information and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister, Mwansa Kapeya, paid a courtesy call on him at his office.

He said workers are willing to start production of tea but the investor has been at large after failing to pay salaries and make remittance to the National Pensions Scheme Authority.

Mr Mpasa appealed to government to move quickly and save the tea estate by repossessing it so that it could be revamped and give people employment.

And the DC has praised government for the construction of roads that will directly link Kawambwa to all the surrounding districts in Luapula and Northern Provinces.

Mr Mpasa said the Patriotic Front (PF) government has exhibited political will in developing Luapula province.

He told the minister that construction works on Pambashe road, which will link Kawambwa to Luwingu and Kasama, was progressing well while the Chiengi-Kaputa and the Kawamba-Mporokoso roads have also reached advanced stages.

He said the President will be invited to commission the 152 km Kawambwa-Luwingu road which will soon be completed.

He further disclosed that two investors have expressed interest in putting up a hydro-power generation plant at Lumangwe Falls which is the second largest water fall in Zambia.

He added that the district plans to establish a sugar production firm in Chief Chama’s area where enough land has since been allocated.

And Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Mwansa Kapeya, said the PF government is committed to developing Zambia by first making it a land linked country via the construction of access roads.

Mr Kapeya said despite Zambia being land locked, government wants it to be economically positioned through construction of roads, hospitals, schools and many other infrastructures in order to allow its people lead decent lives.

The minister, however, noted that the many developmental projects that the government is currently undertaking can only be appreciated by people if the media highlight, educate and inform citizens on government policies and programmes.

The deputy minister is in Luapula province where he is conducting familiarization tours of the public, private and community media houses.

Mr Kapeya has since toured media houses in Samfya, Mansa, Mwense, Kawambwa and Nchelenge districts in Luapula Province.