CHALI MULENGA

Livingstone

 “Having a vision when undertaking a business is paramount in the growth of any business interest,” attests a determined 47-year-old Clement Banda, a Kupempha Mwanzeru General Dealers proprietor. 

In a spirit of Zambia being a land of possibility beyond ones geographical heritage, Banda born and bred in Katete District of the Eastern Province is now a household entrepreneur in the Southern Province.

Married since 1999 and graciously blessed with five children, Mr. Banda’s Kupempha Mwanzeru General Dealers specializes in manufacturing peanut butter and milling maize into Zambia’s staple food-mealie meal.

 “Though, I produce quality peanut, I am still waiting for Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, through the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to help me break through into international market. I had made the initial linkages but the ZDA has not been very helpful in ensuring that I get my produce outside the country,” an impatient but optimistic Banda prayed.

Banda is confident of making a niche beyond the Common Market for East and Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Great Lakes region as Kupempha Mwanzeru General Dealers has successfully exhibited at district, provincial and national shows.

Despite having a humble education, Mr. Banda urges Zambians to remain determined as academic excellence cannot deter optimistic individuals from becoming respectful entrepreneurs.

“I produce quality peanut recognized by Zambia Bureau of Standards ((ZABS). I want more supports to build business brand. I believe that the most effective way to success is to increase Kupempha Mwanzeru General Dealers’ capital, as we have diversified into production of mealie meal, a commodity, which has no hidden costs,” said Banda, currently operating from Libuyu Market, a stone through from Livingstone’s Central Business District.

Banda is open to mentoring new entrants and is ready to train others on how to become small scale entrepreneurs beyond the manufacturing sector.

Banda is indebted to seed money which the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development provided, as   it supplemented the purchase of equipment machine with which Kupempha Mwanzeru General Dealers now use to produce peanut.

Banda did his primary school in Serenje and Kapiri Mposhi districts of Central Province, before moving to Zambia’s capital city of Lusaka to write a Grade Seven exam.

“I failed to qualify to grade eight and decided to go to the village in Katete district of the Eastern province and begun farming. The following year, I managed to reseat my grade seven examination and qualified to grade eight. I wrote grade nine examinations but he failed to qualify for grade 10. At this point, I took my second shot at farming and trading in farm produce between Lusaka and Katete,” recollects Banda.

Not that he is complacent, but one of the factors that contributed to Banda not doing well at school was the long distance to school compounded by a divorce which his parents had.

“It used to take me one hour to reach school every day so at time we used to jog to school so that we can reach there on time, I had to change school as my parents were working for the Zambia National Service (ZNS), and entity that frequently had them transferred to a new post.

I used to sale sweet potatoes, groundnuts and maize, on the roadside, selling sugar cane, sweet potatoes at Lilanda market, within Lusaka’s Matero Constituency in my journey as an entrepreneur,” recalled Banda

Before venturing into a personal manufacturing firm, Banda did learn the art of machine repair in several enterprises that offered the then Katete born and bred land apprenticeships.

“I even learnt how to make 12 volts batteries, a feat arising from an inspiration to become a mechanical engineer. I recall helping my brother to become an electrician and wielding machine expert,” reminisced Banda.

In addition, Banda used to transport Irish potatoes from Livingstone to Lusaka, a trade he has learnt from the previous company which had employed him.

As an optimist, Banda later left Lusaka resolved on investing time and energy in peanut butter and cooking oil manufacturing, a desire which blossomed when a Kupempha Mwanzeru General Dealers got registered on Thursday 23rd July 2009, and in 2010, met someone from the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development, who intimated that government could offer financial support.

Banda was encouraged to go for training and at the same meeting took an opportunity to market his manufacturing venture.

“I opted to invest in a cooking oil and peanut butter manufacturing enterprise; as I saw it as a gold mine idea.

I applied for a K90, 000 loan from the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development to acquire manufacturing equipment.  Authorities approved K20, 000 as seed  money. We made a workable plan with team managers and commenced manufacturing of peanut and cooking oil.

Aside from the 20,000 cash provided by the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development, Banda received a K3, 000 credit from a business partner to order Mongu rice, for resale.

Unfortunately, his friend disappeared with the money and though the matter was reported to the police and the ministry, the public resources rent by government are yet to be recovered.

“The theft of my seed money did not deter me from venturing into this dream of manufacturing,” says Banda, who like a proverbial phoenix bird resurrected a dream and now employs five people, and children in the production company.

“I have trained a number of people, groups of men and women in the making of peanut but community leadership in cooperatives have failed and prosper as entrepreneurs,” laments Banda, citing Coronavirus (covid 19) pandemic as worsening the plight of indigenous entrepreneurs. 

 “Being a manufacturer in the wake of COVID 19 and unreliable power supply to the small and medium enterprises is one of the biggest challenges that is being faced,” Banda cried.

Making reference to the New Normal, Banda said covid 19 had brought in a reduction in purchasing power as most people are grappling with high income inequality, high unemployment and heightening poverty.

Banda’s wife is names are Nelly Banda her last name is a family, whom he met in Lusaka and later travelled to Livingstone where they settled.

Their first born is Ireen who is 20 years old she has managed to complete school in 2019, she is married and has one child.

She resides in Lusaka and the skill if manufacturing   peanut has not been transferred to her.

And the second born is Margaret, who is 18 years old and she is in grade 10, she is also active in the business.

The third born in Happy who is 16 years old he has transferred most of the skills to him as he is the only boy child, who is doing grade eight.  He helps in the production especially when not in school.  

The fourth born is Zangiwe who is 14 year old and doing grade six

 And the last born is Taliya who is eight year old and she is at preschool.  She does not participate in the production of peanut maybe when she grows older.

Banda says his wife has been supported of his business but due to ill health of having blood pressure she does not participate actively in the peanut making.

 The packing of his peanut is 1 kilogramme, 375 grammes , 275 grammes 210 grammes and 130 grammes.

From the hammer mills that he is running at Libuyu market he mills both breakfast, super roller meal and roller meal.

He also offers wielding services to those that would want it using a homemade wielding machine he made.

Banda urges the people that would get money from the government to put to good use as the same money as managed to transform his life by being focused and sticking to his vision.

He still encourages the people in cooperatives to ensure that they are always accountable as it is the only way they can make their business grow and contribute to the development of the country.

It is clear that the small medium enterprises are the driving force of the country’s economic as they can help the country to beat COVID 19.

Katete born and bred Kupempha Mwanzeru General Dealers feeding Livingstone.

 End