IT WOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE HONOUR TO PUT ECL TO REST IN ZAMBIA SAYS AMOS CHANDA AS HE BACKS MAIZE EXPORT DECISION
LUSAKA — UPND media official and former special assistant to the late president for press and public relations, Amos Chanda, has urged that the late president be given a befitting funeral and laid to rest in Zambia.
Speaking in an interview on Diamond TV, “This Day Program”, Mr. Chanda said the family, government, and citizens were key stakeholders in resolving the ongoing impasse over the burial location.
He cited a statement from the family spokesperson indicating that it was the late president’s wish to be repatriated and buried in Zambia, and noted that the South African government, through its foreign minister, had also expressed condolences while supporting the idea of burial in Zambia.
“We should pursue a broad-based consensus to have the former president buried in Zambia,” Mr. Chanda said, adding that he disagreed with some sentiments attributed to the family.
Mr. Chanda also voiced strong support for Cabinet’s decision to approve the 2025 Maize and Mealie Meal Export Programme, describing it as “the right and wise decision” because agriculture must be run as a business.
He noted that the programme, which will see the export of more than 500,000 metric tonnes of surplus maize and its equivalent in mealie meal to regional markets, follows a bumper harvest of 3.7 million tonnes in the 2024/2025 farming season, plus carry-over stocks of 385,000 tonnes. National requirements stand at 3.5 million tonnes.
Mr. Chanda said the policy ensures domestic food security remains a priority, with strategic reserves protected, while generating liquidity in the maize value chain, motivating farmers toward the 10 million tonne production target, and creating transport opportunities for Zambian truckers. He added that the move could also help stabilise the exchange rate.
He further backed the government’s decision to offer artisanal mining licences to youths and cooperatives, calling it “a sure way to stimulate economic development.”
Mr. Chanda said the UPND has delivered on many of its developmental programmes, citing the increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation which has enabled numerous skills and entrepreneurship programmes across the country.
He noted that the government’s successful debt restructuring has created more fiscal space for spending in social sectors such as health, education, and community development.
He also highlighted that the UPND has managed to stabilise the exchange rate and that mealie meal prices are expected to drop as a result of increased food production. He pointed to massive recruitment drives in the teaching, health, and other sectors as evidence of the administration’s delivery on its promises.
On the political front, Mr. Chanda predicted that the UPND would win the 2026 general election, arguing that President Hakainde Hichilema faces no serious challenger.
“This is the first time in our electoral history where the incumbent has no contender, and even the PF, despite being the main opposition, has no real candidate,” he said. “Eleven months before the general election, Zambians should not expect any surprise to turn the tables, President Hichilema is on firm ground to retain power.”
© UPND Media Team
It is very wrong for anyone to advocate for burying of a former president as a fugitive, those that support this idea should seat down and think on the long term consequences of such an act because of its far reaching indictment on the person buried as such.
As for the sale of maize, government must ensure that we have at least a two years reserve bank of maize before embarking on any appetite to sale because we should have learnt our lessons by now and Mtolo is not one to relay upon on such matters from available experience.
Just the comments section will tell you that people have seen you as a disappointment hence limiting to comment let alone reading the article
Only when he says negative statements against the government you glorify him, and that makes you people happy. What kind of people are you really? Just because HH beat you in 2021 and stopped you from looting or benefiting from public resources, is this the reason you have such hatred that you can’t see any good the government is doing? Ikona man
If you were an investor and just arrived in Zambia and you only found Kasonde Mwenda, Harry Kalaba, Fled M’membe and Tonse Alliance team at the Airport to receive you and brief you about Zambia YOU WILL DEFINITELY GO BACK…lol.
They will never say anything close to fair about what UPND is scoring. Recently their candidate in Mfuwe admitted that it is difficult to beat UPND candidate against what CDF is scoring in rural area which no government has ever done…truth be told.