. Kenyatta

By CHUSA SICHONE –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says Zambia is exploring ways of enhancing trade with Kenya.
President Lungu said the Government is “working quietly” with its Kenyan counterpart on the need for Zambia to export maize to that country.
Mr Lungu said this in an interview with journalists at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka yesterday shortly before departure to Kenya to attend the inauguration ceremony of that country’s president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta.
“Trade is one of the areas which we would like to keep working on and we are saying value addition, if we cannot value add, we will still export, so I know for a fact that Kenya expressed desire to buy grain from us,” President Lungu said.
President Lungu said he would get an update on how far the talks between Zambia and Kenya had reached from Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya and her Commerce, Trade and Industry counterpart Margaret Mwanakatwe.
President Lungu also challenged the private sector to be in the forefront of such trade opportunities and not necessarily leave it to the Food Reserve Agency or the Government.
The President also hinted that he was expected to hold bilateral talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Kenyatta today.
Meanwhile, President Lungu reiterated that democracy was on the right path in Africa and that it was important that the people’s will was always respected.
He observed that democracy was evolving and slowly Africa would get there and that African countries were learning from one another in that area.
President Lungu was seen off by Vice-President Inonge Wina, Patriotic Front deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri, defence chiefs, several Cabinet ministers and party officials at around 15:54 hours.