Govt announces plan to transform Chembe bird sanctuary in Kalulushi District into Zoo

Government has announced plans to turn Chembe Bird Sanctuary in Kalulushi District into a Zoo to service Copperbelt Province residents and beyond.

Minister of Tourism, Rodney Sikumba, announced the plan when he graced the Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) Tourism Stakeholders’ Cocktail organised by the Zambia Tourism Agency in Ndola this week.

He said government will ensure that different wildlife species including small grazers and big cats like lions are stocked at Chembe to allow Copperbelt residents to start regular visiting and seeing the ambassador species at facility just like Lusaka residents do at Munda Wanga.

“This will help actualise the quest to grow domestic tourism on the Copperbelt and create more local tourism ambassadors to talk about the tourism offing attract more visitors,” Sikumba said.

He said government wants to empower the private sector by removing all bottlenecks that are hindering growth of sector players so that tourism can thrive and create employment opportunities for young people.

Sikumba said the debt restructuring deal that was sealed by government will release more resources that will go into creating investment including in infrastructure development in the tourism sector in addition to US$100 million that was granted by the World Bank to the sector.

Copperbelt Minister, Elisha Matambo, said the province has changed from what people used to know as a place of violence to a place of law and order, ready for fresh development and investment.

He said investors wishing to come to the Copperbelt were assured of their investment and security.

“The roads on the Copperbelt have had potholes everywhere for a long time but now receiving attention,” Matambo said.

He said works to fix the Chingola-Kasumbalesa Road have started as the contactor is on site, and the next works to be announced are the Ndola, Sakanya-Mufulira Road and the Chibuluma Road in Kitwe.

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