By NDUBI MVULA
THE Luapula Expo and Investment Conference just had to come.
It had to come for the purpose of unlocking the vast potential that the province has to showcase to not only the outside world but at home as well.
At home, yes through the concept of domestic tourism which cuts across all forms of human activities, ranging from energy, mining, environment, agriculture, sports, forestry, animal, health, education, leisure and above all religious.
As statistics of over 750 indicate concerning the number of delegates both local and foreign, with the majority being Zambians, it goes without saying that not only is the potential in the natural resources dotted in the area but that people are anxious to visit and experience a different lifestyle.
Like President Edgar Lungu stated when he officiated at the grand opening, that success has many fathers while failure is an orphan, true to the word, the just ended Luapula Expo has attracted many fathers.
Even during the Mutomboko traditional ceremony, President Lungu repeated his message and called on other provincial ministers to emulate what their colleague in Luapula did.
“I commend the efforts of the Luapula Province administration to attract investment and I encourage all of our provinces to learn from your example,” he said.
It is a well known fact that no one in their right sense want to be associated with failure and Luapula Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa had to see to it that what he had embarked on with his team hits the limelight and claims more fathers, than become a deserted orphan.
In helping to raise the banner of success by Team Chilangwa is former provincial permanent secretary Clement Chendela Siame who – during his tenure before he proceeded to Ghana for a tour of duty as a diplomat – set in motion a similar investment venture then called Destination Luapula.
The year was 2008 and in this Team Siame, Mr Chilangwa also was part of the brains that wanted to see the province showcase as well as attract investment in various sectors of development.  
“It is so refreshing to see the vision of ‘Destination Luapula’ being re-ignited through the Luapula Expo. Luapula Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa has raised the bar of the dream we launched together in 2008,” Mr Siame says.
He highly commended Mr Chilangwa for standing out to make Destination Luapula.
Mr Siame prays that Mr Chilangwa and his administration will be supported to actualise the whole dream of making Luapula the gem of Zambia.
“I salute the team that has made this a possibility. Our efforts were not in vain. My vision was to make Luapula Province the most preferred destination in Zambia,” he says.
Indeed the vision had to be fulfilled and carried forward.
Under the theme ‘Linking Investors to Luapula Province to Unlock the Economic Potential’, it just fitted in so well that almost all the deliberations were centred on the same.
The period was from July 26, 2017 to July 31, and areas of interest ranged from agriculture, forestry, fisheries, livestock, energy, tourism, mining and infrastructure development.
In this respect, delegates were exposed to all the outlined sectors so that they could pick on what they felt they could spend their money on.
The first outing was for all delegates who had to spend their afternoon and part of the night in Samfya on the rich Samfya beach where various sporting activities were held, including beach football organised by the Football Association of Zambia and the provincial administration.
Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Buleti Nsemukila could not conceal his happiness at the large turnout as he welcomed some delegates who had gone on a sunset cruise to view the rest of Samfya beach and Mbabala island on Lake Bangweulu.
Dr Nsemukila revealed that the provincial administration intends to make Samfya the home for all kinds of beach sports due to its endowed rich and clean sand beaches along the shores of Lake Bangweulu.
The visit to Samfya culminated into a welcome cocktail for delegates.
The cocktail was spiced with entertainment by the Lima Jazz Band and renowned folklore musician Pontiano Kaiche.
Samfya turned into a melting pot where all; new and old friends, converged and shared their various experiences as they would be in the area for a week-long exploration of what Luapula Province had to offer.
“We would like to make Samfya the venue to beach sports, such as beach football, beach volleyball and any other related sport.
One day we will invite Oxford and Cambridge to come and have the regatta (water rowing) on Lake Bangweulu and not always on River Thames in England, and already, an investor wants to put up an 18-hole golf course on Mbabala Island,” he says.
The following day delegates boarded two buses and departed to various destinations of their interest.
The tourism and energy tour started with Mumbuluma Falls situated 33kilometres from Mansa town.
After an up-close interaction with the waterfalls, the delegates proceeded to Nchelenge for a more exciting and memory set encounter with the place once used by the slave traders as a stop-over base for slaves from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which was then known as Zaire, as they were being taken to the Indian ocean.
Upon arrival, a number of vessels, including two marine boats operated by the Zambia Army Special Forces, were arranged and the group of delegates left for a 65 kilometre journey on water to explore what lay beyond that large expanse of water.
First to arrive at the Kilwa Island were the two marine boats, on one of which the author was on.
The group did not pay homage to the traditional leader, Chief Nshimba as per tradition.
Kilwa Island lies on Lake Mweru.
The island was known to the Arab and Swahili traders of ivory, copper and slaves who used it on the lake as a base at one time.
Kilwa Island was the first trading area that the Portuguese took over on their quest to gain control of trade in Africa.
In Tanzania where the name Kilwa is adopted, it means ‘Place of Fish’.
The island has UNESCO listed ruins that visitors go to in order to explore the centuries old story of coastal history.
However, as the first group of delegates concluded their tour of the caves, the other group arrived.
The second group had visited Chief Nshimba who even gave them traditional tour guides to lead them to the caves.
When all was said and done, it was time to get back to Nchelenge.
But for some reason, all the delegates in the rest of the boat who paid homage to the chief left while the first boat whose delegates failed to visit the chief had to remain behind after the two marine boats they travelled on developed faults and required boosting.
As the marine officers frantically worked on starting one of the boats, little did people know that another boat had missed the correct path and went exploring the other side.
That boat ended up going round the vast Island.
By that time it was after 18:00 hours, the group that included former Zambia Tourism Authority (ZTA) public relations manager Caristo Chitamfya, despite having been diverted to a far flung place, still demonstrated more determination and zeal as they chanted that they had been exploring the other side of the island which some did not reach.
However, under the spirit of ‘Zambia, Let’s Explore’, Luapula provided the very best of its rich natural and cultural tourism sites.
What with the Mutomboko traditional ceremony spicing up the expo to complete the week-long investment and tourism extravaganza, no stone was left unturned.
The traditional ceremony, in particular, which was graced by President Edgar Lungu, attracted traditional leaders from other regions, such as Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province.
The ceremony was a display of colour, pomp and splendour to both regular and first time visitors to Mwansabombwe.
The characteristically rich annual cultural event further enriched the Luapula Expo and Investment Conference.
Indeed, Luapula did it big time. But who is next?