By NORMA SIAME –

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has announced Government’s intention to address the problems dogging Kawambwa Tea Estates and has acquired part of idle land under leasehold to the firm.
President Lungu said he had resolved to compulsorily acquire part of the idle land in a move aimed at resolving the current operational challenges the company is grappling with.
The Head of State made the pronouncement yesterday at the Umutomboko traditional ceremony of the Lunda people of Luapula Province in Mwansabombwe.
He said his decision would open up an opportunity for further economic initiatives and investments in the area.
The President said the issue was close to his heart and measures were in the pipeline to remedy the situation at the tea-growing firm.
“Government is aware of the plight of former employees who lost their jobs due to operational problems. To date, former employees have not been paid their terminal benefits,” Mr Lungu said.
The President said he was convinced that Luapula had potential to use its God-given resources to improve its economic status and that Government through the Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation had launched an exotic forestry plantation in Kawambwa on a 20,800-hectare piece of land allocated by Chief Munkata.
The company, which has already planted exotic trees on 430 hectares in the area, also intends to venture into tea production on 100 hectares of the cleared land.
The project is expected to start once seedlings are procured and nurseries set up.
This follows study tours conducted in Africa’s major tea growers, Malawi and Kenya.
President Lungu said the project, once off the ground, would contribute to job creation and cushion some of the challenges that had resulted from the problems being experienced at Kawambwa Tea Estates.