ZAMBIA'S OUTGOING ENVOY TO RSA APPEALS TO ZAMBIANS TO INVEST BACK HOME

Leslie Mbula

Outgoing Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Leslie Mbula has reiterated his appeal to Zambians living in South Africa to prepare for their retirement by investing back home.

Mr. Mbula said that there is need for Zambians living in South Africa to invest back into Zambia so that they do not become destitute when their stay in that country is over.

This is according to a press statement issued by Second Secretary, Press Philip Chirwa at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa.

Mr Mbula said it is important that Zambians start looking for land back home where they can invest so that they are well prepared for their return home

He said this in Johannesburg, South Africa when the Zambian Association in South Africa (ZASA) hosted a farewell party in his honor last night.

“Whatever little you have, find time to look for a place to invest so that during later years and this will surely come, you will have something to fall back on” he said.

Mr. Mbula has also called for unity among the Zambian community in South Africa urging them to embrace the Zambian slogan of ‘One Zambia one nation’.

He also commended the Zambians living in Gauteng for their support to one another as shown by their contribution to help bury one of their colleagues who died there last month.

“As Zambians in South Africa let us be united, let us cooperate. If one has a problem it should be a problem of all of us. Am very proud that Zambians in general and those in Gauteng in particular have lived to that, only a few days ago when one Zambian lady died you cooperated to ensure she had a decent burial.” Mr Mbula said.

And ZASA Chairperson Edwin Mununga paid tribute to Mr. Mbula for his generous work during his period as High Commissioner to South Africa.

He described him as the best High Commissioner to South Africa Zambia had sent.

ZASA also presented Mr. Mbula with a golden football and a multipurpose electric cooking pot in recognition as an ardent soccer fan and an exemplary good family man.

In a similar development, Mr. Mbula has commended Zambians living in that country for doing the country proud by keeping away from criminal activities.

Pretoria, RSA

He said at another farewell party hosted for him by the Mission Staff in Pretoria on Friday that there was upsurge in violent crime committed by foreign nationals but noted that no Zambian was involved.

He attributed this to the fact that the majority of Zambians residing in that country were either professionals, students or businessmen who were contributing to that country’s economic development.

Mr. Mbula urged the Zambians to keep up the spirit and continue being good ambassadors of their country by respecting the laws of that country.

“Day in and day out the media is full of stories of murders, robberies and other crimes perpetuated not only by South Africans but foreign nationals as well. The good news is that such foreign nationals have not included Zambians, at least the news has not reported anything to that effect” Mr. Mbula stressed.

The mission Staff also presented Mr. Mbula with a petrol driven lawn mower which they bought through their contributions.

Mr. Mbula has since appealed to Zambians to cooperate with his successor so that together they can score more successes and promote economic cooperation between the two countries.

ZANIS