4x4 Motor Sport Challenge in Zambia Safari

About 15 drivers last weekend participated in the Zambia Motor Sport Association (ZMSA) 4x4 challenge. This was the fifth and final event of this year’s national 4x4 calendar. The venue will was at Fringilla Farms in Chisamba near Lusaka on Saturday October 28, 2005.

Commissioner Fred Anderson said the two-day TrenTyre-sponsored event would draw not less than 15 drivers from both the Copperbelt and the Midlands of Zambia. The Lusaka Motor Club (LMC) chairman said he was pleased with the response from some business houses and drivers who had made the championship possible.

Some of the drivers who featured were Omega Simatanga in a Mitsubishi short wheel base, Jimmy Crause (Mahindra), Adriaan Naude (Ford twin-cab) and Gary Shiel (Isuzu single-cab). Adriaan and Gary were both from TrenTyre.

Others were the Action Auto trio of Joseph Felemenga (Isuzu double-cab), Ashish Patel, Jimmy Dons (Maruti) and ZMSA vice-president Raju Saran.

Other motor rally shows for the year were the annual Zim-Zam (Zimbabwe- Zambia) Challenge held at Monze town in Southern Province and the Action Auto Siavonga 4x4 Challenge, held two months ago at Siavonga. Siavonga is Zambia’s newest safari town located on the lakeshore of Lake Kariba. When completed 1959 Lake Kariba was the largest man-made lake in Africa.

At 41 Zambia is Still an Oasis of Peace

This week on Monday Zambia celebrated her 41st independence anniversary. Zambia gained her sovereignty on October 24, 1964. The remembrance brought forth happiness and sadness. But why? The memories of political slavery, bloodshed during the fight for independence and the ecstatic feeling of freedom, ie freedom from colonialism and imperialism…

At 41 Zambia is still an oasis of peace in Africa. A peace haven surrounded by many civil strives in the past many decades. And in the next nine years Zambia will be fifty years old. By all standards she is poised to celebrate the half a century (50 years) of independence in peace and tranquility. But that’s because the country’s motto is “One Zambia One Nation.” It has served the country well.

My Reminiscence

Zambia was born with a silver spoon in its mouth, or should I say a copper spoon? The first 10 years of independence were rosy what with the high copper prices. There was excitement in the air, hope and expectations and life was generally buoyant. The leaders were young, revered and respected. You could see a spring in the foot steps of all Zambians, at least in most!

It didn’t take long for the bubble to burst. And it did shortly in the mid 1970’s, a mere decade later. The energy prices had quadrupled. Revenues from copper sales had dropped like a stone and the communist economic policies did not help much. The leaders not so young and not so respected, corruption and all had set in. Inevitably the bite of economic quagmire could be felt everywhere. The honeymoon was over!

But after thirty years there is a new revival. Fortunately, the pendulum is slowly swinging in favour of economic growth. The micro- and macro-economic indicators are prospective. The Growth National Product (GDP) for next year is expected to be 7 percent up from 5 percent this year 2005.

…So be part of this buoyant potential that Zambia is. And not to be left behind is Zambia safari with its greatest of potential never seen anywhere. And that is Africa’s best kept secret…the Zambia safari!

Zambia Rated Fifth Best Investment Destination

Zambia has been rated fifth best investment destination in Africa and 67 out of 155 countries in the world. This is according to the latest report, Doing Business 2006, which was co-published by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

In Africa Zambia is after South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Tunisia, while New Zealand tops the world with Singapore followed by the United States, Canada, Norway, Australia and Hong Kong in China.

According to report, the rankings on starting a business is the average of the country’s percentile rankings on the procedures, days, cost and paid-in minimum capital requirement to register a business. “And to protect the rights of creditors and investors, as well as establish or upgrade property and credit registries, more regulation rather than less is needed to have a high ranking,” the report says.

“It should be understood that the ranking index is limited in scope to account for a country’s proximity to larger markets, quality of infrastructure services other than cross-border trading.”

So invest in Zambia especially in safari enterprises such as lodges, hotels and safari tours. It makes good business sense. Like I always say take the advantage of being the first in. Imagine the remoteness of the real Africa in pristine wilderness but not too far from cell phones, satellite TV, etc …and in close proximity to wildlife. It’s the best of both worlds.

SAED Fund to Invest in Zambia Safari

Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund (SAEDF) officials were in Zambia to explore investment opportunities. SAEDF is based in the United States of America (USA) and was established in 1995. It started its investment operations in 1998.

SAEDF is a brain child of the former US President Bill Clinton and the former South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela. The fund’s purpose is to stimulate small and medium enterprises in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region by investing in ventures that would otherwise not attract capital. Its initial capital was US$100 million half of which has already been invested.

Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa grasped the bull by the horn. He invited SAEDF to look into the investment opportunities available in Zambia. This was during the Harvard University meeting Mwanawasa attended while in America for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

SAEDF director Peter Emerson said his organisation would explore investment opportunities in tourism, agriculture and other sectors with high yielding returns on investments. Emerson was in Zambia with his chief investment officer Richard Swai and another official Sam Tungande.

But then Zambia safari has its hands wide open to swallow all those beautiful ‘green bucks.’

SAEDF already has shareholding in southern Africa in the Africa Banking Corporation (ABC) group and the Loita Capital Partners. Mr Emerson was impressed by the opportunities associated with Zambia safari. He said in future his organisation will be back in Zambia more often to explore more investment opportunities. And a few in safaris opportunities are actually going begging.

SA Firm Invests in Zambia Safari

The Legacy Group companies of South Africa (LGSA) is to invest US$300 million to set up tourism and other supportive infrastructures in Zambia. Legacy Zambia, a new subsidiary company of the Group was launched at Lusaka’s Pamodzi Hotel last week.

Officiating at the launch, Zambia’s Tourism Minister Kabinga Pande said the investment that the Group intended to put in the Zambian tourism sector would contribute greatly to the development of safaris in the country. Wow!

The investment will be in tourism facilities such as lodges, hotels and resorts. This will incorporate the promotion of eco-tourism. Pande said the investment would help in creating jobs and increase government revenue.

The Zambian government encourages investors who partner with Zambians like the Legacy Group has done. This would help raise the quality of tourism products because new business linkages and management infusion make good business sense. Why, Zambia safari wouldn’t agree more!

And the investment of Legacy Group in accommodation and complementary facilities will boost tourist traffic. This will support the “Visit Zambia 2005” campaign now dubbed the “visit Zambia 2005-2010”.

Pande said the Group is in line with the vision of the New Partnership for African Development (Nepad) because it integrates local economies in the sub-region.

Giant Protea Hotels Expands for Zambia Safari

Protea Hotels Zambia (PHZ) general manager Mauro Guardigli has announced his company’s expansion programme. By mid 2007 Protea Hotels will be operating five hotels in Zambia under the mandate of Union Hotels. Besides the operating Protea Safari Lodge Hotel in Lusaka there are two others under construction, one in Cairo Road and another at Arcades Shopping centre. The fourth will be in Livinsgtone while the fifth is already operating in Chingola,

The first Protea hotel in Zambia was opened in Lusaka in 1998. The second hotel started operating in 2002. The Livingstone one is being built near the world’s superlative in waterfalls, the majestic Victoria Falls.

Since 1984 over 120 Protea Hotels worldwide compete in a field of their expertise. “This year Lusaka Safari Lodge received the 2005 Protea Hotel award in housing keeping. That’s right, the best in house keeping in the 120 Protea Hotels!

“This prestigious award proves that a Zambian company can compete with the best and succeed in delivering a quality product,” Guardigli said. “I am very proud of this achievement.” Zambia safari couldn’t agree more!

Donnavventura Adventure in Zambia

Donnavventura an Italian girls’ adventure team of twelve was in Zambia in the last week of September 2005. The team of young ladies is on a 25,000 kilometre-driving tour of the wilderness in Africa. Donnavventura Adventure is a sponsored endurance and fun travel programme that goes to the remotest pasts of the world. Southern Africa was the choice this time. And these twelve lucky ladies were picked from 15,000 applicants.

Donnavventura Adventure has a lot of similarities with Big Brother House, a television reality show. The girls have to adapt to everything ranging from strict diet, reduced bathing times, reduced sleeping hours, etc…

Like in Big Brother failure to abide by the rules rewards instant removal from the programme. Loss of equipment attracts the same punishment. This adventure travel has been running for ten years now and it’s still growing popular. The Donnavventura visit to Zambia like the rest of the tour will be televised to more than 114 million viewers world wide.

The trip was sponsored by South African Airways, Ferrino, and Mitsubishi Motors who provided the 4 x 4 Rodeo pick ups which the girls are driving in around. Near Mpika town the adventure girls visited Kapisha hot springs where they enjoyed its warm water. They took a bath and of course a swim in the hot water. The water is considered to have medicinal powers for various ailments. Wow! This medicinal water bubbles out of tiny springs that emanate about one kilometre deep into the ground.

Laura Josephine Diamaiuta a members of the Donnavventura Adventure particularly liked Zambia. She could not hide her excitement, “Zambia’s landscape is incredible, the people are so warm and the cultural values are so cherished. I am so amazed to see a people that are so proud of their traditions.”

The adventure team entered Zambia from Tanzania through the Nakonde border town. They drove westwards to Mbala near Lake Tanganyika. Then they travelled through Kasama, Mpika to Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city. Later they visited Lake Kariba in the Gwembe Valley at the tail end of the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. They also visited Siavonga Zambia’s latest safari town on the lakeshore.

Finally the adventure team arrived in Livingstone to sample other Zambian tourist attractions, …the Victoria Falls on Africa’s fourth largest river, the wild Zambezi River and the many adventures around the 9 gorges of Batoka.

Now Britain Supports Zambia Safari

The British High Commissioner Alistair Harrison is impressed with Zambia’s huge potential especially in mining and tourism. He is of the view, and rightly so, that harnessed properly Zambia and its safari has the potential to contribute to the country’s economy.

He is optimistic that with Britain’s direct budget support and Zambia’s huge potential the country was headed for better times. Another potential Zambia has is its human resource and agriculture. Remember the great expanse of wilderness in pristine state.

Why was the eminent ambassador so taken in by Zambia?

Zambia safari is the kingpin of the country’s tourism. And so it is. The undeveloped tourism has kept Zambia’s landscape in prime pristine state. The small population has left the country’s landscape unspoiled. The wildlife continues to enjoy life like it always has since time immemorial. And the environment is ecstatic about it.

Harrison believes that developing the relationship between Zambia and Britain was his priority especially that the country has recently attained the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) completion point. Multilateral organisations have cancelled some debts and more debts are yet to be cancelled in the coming year. Isn’t that a recipe for secure investment?

…And the world’s largest waterfall, the mystic world heritage, the Victoria Falls on Africa’s fourth largest river, the Zambezi, awaits you…

Irrigation Policy to Support Zambia Safari

The ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives is devising a five-year National Irrigation Plan (NIP). This is part of the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) a policy expected to cost US$150 million. It will cover the period 2006 to 2011.

Zambian minister of agriculture Mundia Sikatana lamented that, “… I am told that 40 percent of the waters in Southern Africa are from Zambia but we just allow this water to run into oceans and seas unutilised. Consequently, rain fed crops often fails when scanty rainfall is experienced.”

With a National Irrigation Plan (NIP) farmers would utilise the enormous water resources for agricultural production of crops for food, cash, industry and for export. The irrigation policy would “promote development of an efficient, competitive and sustainable agricultural sector to ensure food security and increased income.”

NIP would require an Irrigation Development Fund (IDF). This would provide capital in irrigation-related projects. Farmers would acquire agricultural technology such as treadle pumps, sprinklers, drips and watering canes. Some funds would go to medium and long-term water transfer systems such as dams, weirs, canals and pumps, at individual farmers… Do I see an investment opportunity for you?

And who is to benefit from all this investment efforts? Zambian tourism and Zambia safari enterprises. Plenty of low cost delicious food for visitors and locals alike. And a ‘bunch’ of happy hoteliers too!

SADC Traditional Leaders Sample Safari

They came from Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries. They were the SADC council of traditional rulers from Botswana, Malawi and Swaziland. And Zambia hosted them. But Zambia safari provided them with cultural tourism.

Acting on behalf of the Zambian traditional leaders the executive director for Women for Change (WfC) Lumba Siyanga and Beatrice Phiri of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) invited them to Zambia. It was an exchange programme.

SADC council of traditional leaders chairperson is Nkosi Sango Patekile Holomisa from South Africa. He advised Zambians to demand for schools and health centers from presidential and parliamentary aspiring candidates. Next year (2006) Zambia will holding its general elections.

The royal highnesses visited women-led self-help community projects. They also paid a courtesy call on Senior Chief Nalubamba at Mbeza. Now this is Zambia’s traditional special. It’s here that Chief Nalubamba has parliament buildings and offices. His civic centre at Mbeza is an example of a traditional parliament where community development plans are discussed and monitored. Mbeza traditional parliament is in Namwala district in the Southern Province of Zambia

Just imagine this inventory…of names for the visiting chiefs. It was a singsong. For instance, from Botswana came Chief Boitumelo Ntwayamodimo, Chief Banika Rabbeca, Chieftainess Mosadi Sebboko. And Paramount Chief M’mbelwa of Ngoni from Malawi. Others even had longer names to fill your whole arm!

The SADC traditional leaders were treated to a royal welcome by the Illa men and women who performed warriors’ dances with spears and tree branches. They also watched a variety of traditional dances and singing!

Next year in 2006 the SADC council of traditional leaders will be launched. And His Royal Highness King Mswati III of Swaziland has offered to host the launch. What do the council of traditional leaders aim to achieve? The restoration of the dignity of the institution of traditional leaders in the SADC region.