President Hichilema Opens Zambia’s First-ever Starch, Glucose Plant

President Hakainde Hichilema says the Kingsworth starch and glucose facility, the first-ever in Zambia, signifies a national milestone in the New Dawn administration’s quest to industrialise the country through value addition.

He said this during the official opening of the starch and glucose facility that is situated in the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ).

The liquid glucose and starch plant is owned by Trade Kings Group. The plant is worth US$110 million, with the completed phase one costing US$60 million while the second phase will cost US$50 million.

Zambia is now the third biggest producer of glucose in Africa, after Egypt and South Africa. So far, 1, 000 sustainable jobs have been created at the plant and at full capacity, it will need over 126, 000 tonnes of maize annually from local farmers.

President Hichilema said it is the duty of Government to drive investments in the country. “The value of this plant needs to be celebrated. Today signifies a national milestone in our quest to industrialise our country through value addition. “What we are experiencing here is matching the talk – we are delivering. We are walking the talk,” the President said.

He added that the significance of the glucose and starch plant cannot be over-emphasised, especially that it has created thousands of sustainable jobs. “When you talk of the Trade Kings Group, they have created 17,000 jobs and that is not a joke.“These are the investments we need from a Zambian group investing in the country,” President Hichilema said.

President Hichilema also said investors are doing their job and Government needs to do its part. “Our job is to make the investment environment continually very attractive. Government will continue to support what Trade Kings and other businesses are doing in the country,” said the President, who later toured Bigtree Beverages and Trade Kings factories within the Lusaka South MFEZ.

Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Chipoka Mulenga said to grow an economy, industrialisation, through value addition, should be given priority.