By SYLVESTER MWALE –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has directed that the enrolment of street kids into Zambia National Service (ZNS) camps be increased to enable the vulnerable children enhance opportunities for a better life.
Mr Lungu said his administration was concerned that the kids on the street were forced to live in a rough environment hence the need to employ measures that would help them.
He said when he opened the Fifth Session of the Eleventh National Assembly in Lusaka yesterday that his Government would not allow the situation to deteriorate.
“At a tender age, they are exposed to begging and various anti-social vices and abuses while exposed to the elements on the street and stalked by perpetual hunger and disease, we cannot allow this to continue!
“To this effect, I am directing the ministers responsible for gender, youth, child development and community services to expand the intake levels of street kids at our ZNS camps for skills and entrepreneurship training,” he said.
Mr Lungu also assured that the country had enough maize stocks to support the 2015/2016 relief food programme and the Government would ensure that adequate food and water provisions were made available to vulnerable households.
Mr Lungu called on all Zambians to focus and align their energies with a sense of common purpose, urgency and resilience to fulfil the country’s aspiration to be a developed country by 2064.
He urged politicians to conduct issue-based politics and reject politics of character assassination as well as the culture of insults, tribalism and regionalism which have crept into politics.
“These vices are unChristian and very un-Zambian! Let us put a stop to this and concern ourselves with real issues that affect the greater majority of our people.
“We have a duty to rapidly transform Zambia into a thriving society that assures all its citizens of expanding business, education, training and employment opportunities,” he said.
He noted that there was need to work towards building a fair society as well as put Zambia’s interests above personal ones by embracing the ‘One Zambia One Nation Motto’.
The Head of State also observed a minute of silence in respect of late President Michael Sata who died last year and two Members of Parliament – Humphrey Mwanza and Chifita Matafwali – who died this year.
Mr Lungu addressed Parliament under the theme, ‘Embracing a transformational culture for a smart Zambia now’. He called on every Zambian to adapt innovation in the way of doing things in order to transform.