THE Nalikwanda royal boat of the Paramount Chief of the Lozi will be moved from Western Province to Livingstone to add value to the Southern Province Investment and Trade Exposition, says Minister Edify Hamukale. Dr Hamukale has also directed district commissioners (DCs), town clerks and council secretaries in the region to enhance domestic publicity of the expo by discussing the matter through various media platforms. Dr Hamukale said Southern Province will take over the boat this year since Western Province does not have enough water to use it to ensure that the Kuomboka is not fully forfeited.

The minister was speaking yesterday when he received a contribution of K200, 000 from Collum Coal Mining Industries Limited towards the hosting of the expo. He said Southern Province Permanent Secretary Mwangala Liomba and the Litunga, the Paramount Chief, agreed to move the boat to the region. “We the Southerners are now taking over the boat. We would like to bring it to Livingstone so that we don’t totally forfeit the Kuomboka. At least, our young people can see the boat and we will raise a lot of money through tourism,” Dr Hamukale said.

He said the provincial administration has spoken to Chief Mungaila of the Ila people in Namwala to ensure the Shimunenga ceremony is hosted during the expo window to showcase the culture of the region. Dr Hamukale urged more business entities to support the expo as Collum Coal Mining Industries has. He advised the hospitality industry to prepare adequately as the province will be receiving guests from across Zambia and other parts of the world.

Meanwhile, Dr Hamukale has instructed district leaders to have interactive programmes on which to explain the expo and allow people to ask questions on it. The minister directed that the radio programmes to promote the expo should start this Thursday. “This will go a long way in stimulating domestic participation. We are doing very well on the international front but domestically, we are not performing well in the area of publicity,” Dr Hamukale said. Collum Coal Mining Industries executive director Charles Dindiwe said the firm is happy to be part of the team working to ensure the first ever Southern Province investment expo is a success.

“I know this expo is going to unlock the vast investment opportunity lying in Southern Province. It’s partially tapped,” he said. Mr Dindiwe said the mining sector will benefit more from the event and that the money has already been deposited into the Southern Pro