Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga has said that Zambia will by the end of July this year, start the manufacturing of car batteries at the Zambia -Jiangxi Multi-facility Economic Zone in Chibombo district.
Mr Mulenga says the manufacturing of the car batteries will not only cater for Zambia but also the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
ZANIS reports that Mr Mulenga was speaking when he toured the battery manufacturing plant at the Zambia-Jiangxi multi- facility Zone in Chibombo District today, where he said that the plant will also manufacture power storage batteries that can withstand the adverse effects of climate change.
He explained that for the first time after Mansa batteries, the country will have its own car battery production plant in collaboration with the Chinese Government.
He observed that for many years Zambians have been investing in solar panels among other facilities and hence the need for a shift to invest in the manufacturing of storage power facilities.
Mr Mulenga also disclosed that in the quest of actualising value addition, the Zambia Jiangxi Multi-facility Economic Zone in Chibombo District will be manufacturing electric cables from raw materials such as copper, cobalt and Manganese.
He noted that the electric cables will be also used in home wiring that the Zambian people have been importing for years.
The Minister also disclosed that by the end of July, 2024, Zambia will also start the Motor bike assembly at the same Multi-facility Economic Zone which will be used locally and for export
“This has been the vision of President Hakainde Hichilema to add value to our minerals, by manufacturing items such as car batteries, electric cables and transformers for local consumption and export,” he said.
He also encouraged Zambian people to consider investing at the Zambia-Jiangxi Multi-facility Economic Zone as it is open to everyone.
And Zambia-Jiangxi MFEZ, General Manager, Xu Jianfeng disclosed that last October when the project was officially commissioned by President Hichilema, the economic Zone has received various investors from different regions and countries that are willing to invest in Zambia.
“We would like to stress that our MFEZ is not only open to Chinese, but also local enterprises and investors and from other countries. We welcome more local investors to invest in our economic zone,” he said.
He also praised the Zambian Government for creating an enabling environment for investors to conduct business in various sectors of the economy and pledged his firm’s total commitment to deliver quality products.
All reactions:
18
