PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says his government is determined to build a country where no one goes hungry.
Officially opening the recently constructed visitor information centre at David Livingstone Memorial Site in Central Province’s Chitambo district, the Head of State said the Scottish missionary had left inspiring words in the area before he died.
Before his death in Chitambo on Thursday May 1, 1873, Dr Livingstone wrote:
“On this land, on which my bended knees rest
May it become a mighty Christian nation, beacon to the continent of Africa
And a light to the rest of the world.”
Reflecting on these words, President Lungu said the nation would forever draw inspiration from there.
“David Livingstone’s words still inspire us to be determined and unstoppable in our quest to attain vision 2030 and a middle-income status, as well as agenda 2063 for the Africa we want,” he said on Friday. “We are further encouraged and determined to build a country where no one goes hungry. A Zambia where everyone will have clean and safe drinking water; a Zambia where industrialisation, and value addition will be a key feature of our development efforts.”
And President Lungu said the idea of establishing a visitor’s information centre at the memorial site was “an important step in the right direction”.
“This information centre should become a place of great learning, not only about Dr Livingstone, but also about the country we now call Zambia and the Zambian people who welcomed and facilitated Dr Livingstone’s travels across our country. David Livingstone himself would have loved that history to be written in full. David Livingstone was a great man, a great humanist and a great believer in the humanity of all of us. The iconic missionary exposed the horrors of slave trade and gave fame to one of our spectacular heritage sites, the magnificent Victoria Falls. That heritage of Zambia is now known and recognised as one of the seven wonders of the world. Thanks to the travels and explorations of the man whose heart lies here in Chitambo, Dr David Livingstone.’’
Presideng Lungu said Dr Livingstone therefore deserved a place of honour in the country.
He encouraged researchers to utilise the facility and market the country’s history.
“The opening of the visitor information centre here at Chitambo now sows the seed for more information to emerge about the legacy of David Livingstone. Researchers, historians and archeologists should continue to enrich the history of this place and the people of Zambia among whom Dr Livingstone lived, travelled, and died,” said President Lungu.
“There is a lot written about David Livingstone. Our fledgling democracy has been a beacon of light to the rest of Africa and the world. At this point, let me commend the Ministry of Tourism and Arts for putting up infrastructure at this important heritage site. This is in tandem with the strategic direction outlined in the Zambia Tourism Masterplan. The information centre and supporting facilities will attract more tourists to this historical place and enrich the visitor experience for both local and foreign tourists.”