. Kaunda

By JAJAH COULIBALY –
FIRST Republican president Kenneth Kaunda has called on authors in the country to write more books on Zambia and its heritage.
Dr Kaunda said Zambia urgently needed to organise resources and, in a very organised manner, support the production of books and materials on the country’s heritage.
He said this at a launch of a book titled The Zambian Dream written by Sheila Siwela, who is senior private secretary to the Vice-President Inonge Wina.
The book is authored for young readers and the foreword was done by Dr Kaunda.
“There is a lot to cover.  There are many readers waiting for books and there are many people waiting for films and materials on Zambia’s heritage and the opportunities are immense… Zambian books are few,” he said.
Dr Kaunda said that it was important for Zambians and residents to appreciate the country’s foundation in order to help young people understand the heritage of the country.
He said the book was focused on child readers and tried to bring out the experience of Zambia’s struggle for independence and the spirit of Zambia’s foundation.
Ambassador Siwela said that she was motivated to write the book because little was being done to market the country’s heritage and tourism.
She said she wanted to contribute to the citizens knowledge of their country.
Ministry of General Education spokesperson Hillary Chipango at the same event said that the ministry was impressed with the book’s content and that it was fit for use in Zambian schools with the recently revised curriculum.
Mr Chipango said that that the ministry would make sure the important book was distributed and ensure it reached all the 3,000 primary schools in the country.
The book is available on the market with a price of K100 per copy with more than 1,000 copies sold so far.