Sarah Ngwenya And Bupe Mulemba
21 June 2001
Lusaka — The number of foreign tourists who have entered Zambia has swollen to 20,000 from which the Government is expected to raise $15 million revenue, Tourism Minister Michael Mabenga said in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Mabenga also said that Government was expecting seven chartered planes from France, Japan, South Africa and Austria with a total passenger load of 1,295.
On transportation, Mr Mabenga confirmed that registered car hire companies had been complemented by 136 extra cars to provide transport to tourists within the country.
Mr Mabenga said the immigration department would be issuing visas at entry points for those nationals who require them.
He said the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) would process temporary import permits for scientific groups and journalists.
Meanwhile, Mr Mabenga has warned a named guest house to stop charging tourists US$100 instead of the regular $65.
He also said that the lodge which owns camping sites should desist from barring local people and the Zambian media from their premises.
He said that he was disappointed at the manner in which a Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) crew was turned away from one of the viewing sites.
*Over 100 Indian scientists are in Zambia to conduct scientific experiments related to the total solar eclipse for practical study purposes.
Prominent among the scientists are those from the Physical Research Laboratory, Nehru Planetarium, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics.
The scientists have set up observatory centres with special sophisticated equipment in Lusaka and other viewing sites in the country.
Indian High Commissioner to Zambia Ashok Attri who inspected the equipment said events such as the solar eclipse would help foster people-to-people understanding and result into future visits.
And the Rotary Club of Lusaka Central with the assistance of a Swedish couple has donated solar eclipse glasses worth K25 million to various schools in Lusaka and Southern Province.
Lusaka Central Rotary club president Dev Babbar said the club had donated glasses to schools in Livingstone, Kalomo, Choma, Monze.
He said this during the presentation of 1,200 solar eclipse glasses to Munali secondary school yesterday.
Meanwhile, Munali secondary school headmaster Charles Saka said many pupils at the school had no eclipse glasses and that they had wanted to view the eclipse without protection.
In Kitwe many residents will have to view today's total eclipse of the sun without the prescribed glasses due to the shortage that had hit the city by yesterday.
Many residents were subjected to agony as most glasses were found on the street with vendors and were going at inflated prices ranging from K10,000 to K15,000.
The other stockists of the same item like Jovenna filling station were only dishing out to motorists after buying fuel worth K63, 500.
Meanwhile, there was pandemonium just outside the Times offices on Matuka Avenue where some school girls were swindled by vendors who sold them fake pairs of glasses which bore 1999 as the expiry date.
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