Thank you President Hakainde Hichilema for MCM
It is true to mention here that it pains to watch Zambia exiting Africa's biggest football tournament. Furthermore, it was the wish of every soccer loving Zambian to see our country progress to the group of 16 teams and subsequently win the Africa Cup. As fate would have it, that was not the case.
Some soccer fans have expressed disappointment at Zambia's failure to qualify to the next stage of the football tournament. They have heaped the blame on coach Grant and ultimately called for his dismissal.
I wish to disagree with calls for the dismissal of coach Grant. Truth be told, the coach has performed well by qualifying Zambia for the Africa Cup.
Zambia failed to qualify for Africa Cup in the previous three editions of Africa's biggest football tournament.
Firing coach Grant is not the solution for the country's failure to qualify to the next stage of the 2023 AfCON football tournament. Most of the Zambian players who featured at the Africa Cup were making a maiden appearance. They tried their level best. Standing ovation should go to the lads.
Democratic Republic of Congo and Morocco qualified from Group F to the next stage with five and three points respectively. Zambia came third with two points and Tanzania were the tail enders with two points also.
Zambia had a healthy goal difference.
However, the best thing the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) should do is to maintain coach Grant. This will give the coach ample time to build his own team. The decision to dismiss the coach will be retrogressive as it will take the national team backwards. This should not be the case.
Moreover, there is no iota of truth that Zambia failed to progress to the next stage of the tournament because of the coach,
HERE in Kankoyo Constituency, we lost hope that Mopani would not rise again. Hunger and unemployment has been the order of the day.
The news of things getting back to normal has made me very happy.
The new dawn administration’s target of producing three million metric tonnes of copper by 2030 is very much attainable looking at the progressive milestone of unlocking Mopani Mine.
When there's good leadership in positions of authority, change is easily noticed.
Mopani was on care and maintenance with little or no production taking place.
Hope, was almost lost, however, the leadership exhibited by the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, Mr Paul Kabuswe by making sure the sector is revamped fully and in making sure the direction of President Hakainde Hichilema of having more people in direct employment.
As a resident of Mufulira, I am very happy and humbled seeing what's happening in the mining sector.
The hope that was lost has been restored to the people of Mufulira and Kitwe.
As a young engineering graduate who grew up from Mufulira, I want to thank the President who has been talking about more jobs, jobs in the mining sector. Appreciation to the efforts that has been made by Mr Kabuswe
on having sleepless nights until the mine is fully functional.
Thank you to the professional team at the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development for having we Zambians at heart.
The works and effort of Mr Heartson Mabeta, the Kankoyo Member of Parliament cannot go unnoticed in revamping the mine, kudos.
In summary, when a lot of people are in direct and indirect employment, the economy of the country keeps on growing. As Zambians and more especially, we people of the Copperbelt need to support the hardworking government of the new dawn for the country to reach greater heights.
JAMES KASANDA, Mufulira.
The Zambian lads played quite well despite not qualifying to the Group of 16.
The Andrew Kamanga-led executive should be cognisant of the fact that the 2026 World Cup qualifiers are just around the corner which require adequate preparations. That said, FAZ should not dismiss coach Grant and recruit another coach. This is wrong because the new coach will have to rebuild the team all over again.