Let’s honor freedom fighters through hardwork – Mukwita
…..developments under President Lungu have honored freedom fighters
Berlin, October 27, 2018.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Germany His Excellency Anthony Mukwita said the government of President Edgar Lungu has and continues to honor the country’s freedom fighters by building economic development on the political freedom they fought for.
Addressing 160 guests at the Maritim Hotels in the German capital Berlin to toast Zambia’s 54th Independence Anniversary, Ambassador Mukwita said President Lungu’s government has improved the country’s outlook in the infrastructure and social sectors fulfilling the dreams of the freedom fighters who wanted to see a better life for all.
“Since independence, we have had the same airport servicing only one million passengers per year but in a few months if not weeks, we are opening an ultramodern airport which will be servicing about 4 million passengers per year”, Mr. Mukwita said amid applauds.
The construction of the more 300 million dollar Kenneth Kaunda International Airport named after Zambia’s first President comes at a time the Lungu government has revived Zambia Airways, a national carrier that post independence leaders launched but was liquidated in the 1990s after a new government assumed power.
The Zambian senior diplomat shared a number of advances in such sectors as primary health in which the number of deaths related to pregnancies or child development has drastically reduced owing to advances in government investment.
At independence, Zambia was served by one major hospital in capital Lusaka supported by a handful of district hospitals and rural health centers and health posts. Under President Lungu, these efforts have been largely expanded upon with hundreds of health posts and each district with an ultramodern hospital performing more challenging medical procedures.
In recent months, Zambian doctors have performed medical procedures that would have been considered unthinkable at independence such as the separation of Siamese twins, heart surgeries and a kidney transplant.
President Lungu’s government has also revived a State investment initiative called Industrial Development Corporation, IDC, whose mandate is to manage public investments. Under the post independence government of President Kaunda, public investments were coordinated under such bodies as INDECO, FINDECO and MINDECO.
The scrapping of such entities after the Kaunda government lost power in 1991 received mixed feelings with some observers criticizing the move as lacking economic justification. Under the PF government, the move is seen as acknowledgement of the fact that the State has a role to play in economic affairs.
“This is not to say that it has been smooth sailing for President Lungu”, Ambassador Mukwita said, adding, “but these achievements must inspire us to work harder comfortable in the knowledge that we have what it takes to overcome our challenges”.