DILAPITATED ZAMBIAN MISSION IN MALAWI SHOCKS MINISTER NKANDU
By Bright Tembo in Lilongwe Malawi
GOVERNMENT is concerned with the dilapidation of the Zambian High commission building in Malawi.
Youth Sports and Arts minister Elvis Nkandu expressed the concern when he paid a courtesy call on High Commissioner Colonel Panji Kaunda on Monday.
Nkandu said the mission was the face of Zambia in Malawi which needed to be in perfect shape for it to continue playing its critical role of attracting foreign direct investment to the country.
Nkandu was accompanied by his permanent secretary Kangwa Chileshe, director of sports John Zulu, National Olympic Committee of Zambia president Alfred Foloko and other officials.
He said he would relay his findings to his foreign affairs counterpart Stanley Kakubo.
Nkandu said he found the same “unfortunate situation” at the Zambian embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
“Something that catches my eye is the dilapidated of the mission itself. Sometimes you even wonder when you are inviting other dignitaries like the ambassador how they look at us,” he said. “This should be a face of Zambia. The first cut is the deepest.
When they just see how dilapidated our embassy is, it can tell a story. You wonder why this mission has been neglected the way it is for the past 10 years. This is not the only mission. I remember when I went to Kenya, it was the same story. It’s like the priorities of the previous regime was something else. We need to expedite the works on the missions.”
Nkandu was however informed that works would begin in earnest.
“If we want to attract direct investment in our country first our mission needs to be looked at so that even people that you may invite can say yes we can go to Zambia. If they see this mission they will be able to invest in our country,” he added. “It’s something that I need to whisper to my counterpart, that where we went things are not okay.”
Meanwhile, Nkandu has urged Col Panji to cement the relationship between Zambia and Malawi, in terms of growing the arts industry of the two countries.
“60 per cent of Zambian music is played in Malawi. We can come up with something especially when we are having such days as independence. We can be exchanging, through MoU,” he said. “Your Excellency, the task that you have is seeing how best we can work with Malawi in terms of arts. We need to exchange ideas and experiences.”
And Col Panji said high commissioners and ambassadors are the eyes and ears of the government.
“These missions are the eyes and ears of government. You should use us not letting us drink tea or coffee or wear nice suits. We want to work and there must be communication between us and government,” said High Commissioner Panji. “I get a bit discouraged when I hear a…was in Malawi and didn’t pass through here.
They should find time to be here because that’s how it’s supposed to be. While you are here it’s government while you there it’s government. Give us instructions, we will give you feedback.”
Nkandu and his entourage were shocked to see the ceiling falling off and dilapidated walls in need of a fresh touch.
The Mast