Preps for setting up of cooperatives across Zambia underway

Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, Mr. Raymond Mpundu (left) and Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission Director General  Likando Mukumbuta (center) chat with Zambian High Commission First Secretary for Economic and Trade Mande Kauseni (right)  in Pretoria on 29th January, 2016

Government has embarked on preparatory work which will see the setting up of cooperatives across the country.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Raymond Mpundu disclosed in Pretoria yesterday that his Ministry is working on a report on the creation of the cooperatives which it envisaged to present to President Edgar Lungu by the end of February this year.

Press secretary in the Zambian mission in South Africa Nicky Shabolyo has disclosed to Qfm News that Mr. Mpundu was speaking after leading a team of technocrats on a study tour of selected institutions in Kenya and South Africa which ran from 24 – 30th January, 2016.

And Mr. Mpundu notes that the tour was inspired by President Edgar Lungu’s address when he opened Parliament in September last year during which he announced that government would re-introduce the cooperative movement.

Mr. Mpundu says it is thus gratifying to see the level of political will, which had clearly been shown by President Lungu, whom he says is eagerly waiting for the report.

He states that with a properly functioning cooperative movement, President Lungu believes that the levels of unemployment would drastically go down.

Mr. Mpundu says this is with a good number of people being brought into the mainstream economy.