Top news items in major Zambian media outlets

The following are the news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Thursday.

-- The Zambian government has launched a 25 million U.S. dollars sugar cane plantation in Mansa district, Luapula Province that will have a production capacity of 36,000 tons refined sugar annually.

The Mansa Sugar Cane Plantation will also create jobs for 1,100 local people.

Vice-President Inonge Wina, who launched the project, said production was scheduled to start in April 2018 and that local people will benefit through the creation of out-grower schemes and technical training to be provided by the company. (Zambia Daily Mail)

-- The Zambian government said it has started implementing policies and successive national development strategies to attain a prosperous middle income status by 2030.

Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe said Zambia's current development agenda was anchored on the Vision 2030 to become a middle income nation by that year.

Government was working within the framework of successive national development plans, policies, programs and strategies in the medium and long-term frameworks. (Daily Nation)

-- Police in Zambia have launched investigations against a major newspaper over allegations of tapping of a phone conversation between a minister and a senior government official.

Acting police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said the police have instituted investigations over the alleged tapping of the phone conversation by the Post Newspaper between Information Minister Chishimba Kambwili and Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe.

The Zambian minister reported the paper to the police following its publication of a private conservation he had with the district commissioner on his mobile phone. (Zambia Daily Mail)

-- The Zambian currency's performance against major convertible currencies has continued to improve, having appreciated more than two percent since last Friday, according to financial market analysts.

The kwacha has steadily appreciated against the U.S. dollar in the first week of April as consistent supply of dollars amidst reduced demand continues to force a downward trend.

According to analysts, the increased dollar inflows and positive market sentiment have continued to be the major key drivers of the local currency's performance. (The Post) Endit