Chief Msoro urges govt. to find a cement producing investor

Chief Msoro of the Kunda people of Mambwe district has asked government to identify investors that can put up a cement making factory in his chiefdom.

Chief Msoro disclosed that his chiefdom was endowed with limestone deposits on a huge tract of land stretching up to about 50 kilometres which can be transformed into cement.

He said if this can be done, it will make the price of cement in the district and Eastern province at large cheaper.

Chief Msoro said the surplus cement can be exported to other provinces in the country in order to reduce the price of the commodity.

The traditional leader was speaking when Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda called on him at his palace today.

Col. Kaunda is in the area to explain the rationale behind government’s move to remove maize and fuel subsidies.

Chief Msoro also disclosed that his chiefdom has a copper mine which has 19 percent of copper.

He said the mine however lacks investment, a situation he said has made it difficult for the mine to develop.

He has since urged government to move in and source for an investor for the mine to be operational and create employment for the local people.

Meanwhile, Chief Msoro has revealed that he gave the Ministry of Home Affairs 250 hectares of land to construct a modern prison and farm some time back.

He expressed concern that to date, no development has been done on the piece of land.

The chief further appealed to government to construct roads, clinics and schools saying the area lacks any of these amenities.

But Works, Supply, Transport and Communications Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda said Mambwe district will have six health posts soon.

He said the posts will be part of the 650 health posts that government will construct countrywide.

Col. Kaunda said many roads in the district will also be worked on under the link Zambia 8,000 road project.

He has since called on Zambians to partner with government to foster development.

And Col. Kaunda said subsidies were a drawback to development because huge resources were being channeled to supplementing people’s requirements at the expense of development.

He said the country’s economy was going to collapse if subsidies were not removed adding that government would remain committed to ensuring that people’s wellbeing was uplifted.