you pass on the tales of the mukuyu tree which have been passed on to you from one generation to another so that the spirit of the mukuyu tree continues to live on. distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen on our part, the bank of zambia board, management and staff are committed to the mukuyu tree project. we shall ensure that the process that we have started does not end here. the mukuyu tree is depicted on the k50, 000. 00 note. it has also been featured on the bank of zambia christmas card for 2006. there are long term plans to erect a kiosk which will house an information desk for information dissemination to both local and foreign tourists. the kiosk will also sell refreshments. my request is that we all work together to protect and preserve an important part of our national heritage, the mukuyu tree popularly known as the slave tree. i thank you for joining us at this great occasion and i wish you all a merry christmas, and a happy 2007. may god bless you.

caleb m fundanga : corporate social responsibility in zambia speech by dr caleb m fundanga, governor of the bank of zambia, at the launch of the mukuyu tree ( slave tree ), kabwe, 23 december 2006. * * * • the provincial minister of central province • hon. sydney chisanga, mp • hon. rev. gladys nyirongo, mp, minister of lands • hon. kakusa, mp • your worship, the mayor of kabwe, mr richard yumbe • the deputy mayor of kabwe, mr edward phiri • the town clerk, mrs vivian chikoti • distinguished invited guests • ladies and gentlemen a very good afternoon to you all. it gives me immense pleasure to be here this afternoon in the town of kabwe, which also happens to be the place in which i spent my childhood. as you are aware, we are here to celebrate the occasion of the lighting of the legendary mukuyu tree, popularly known as the slave tree. for many of you kabwe residents present here, especially our senior citizens, this tree rekindles many happy memories of joyous occasions such as christmas, independence day and labour day, when the tree would shine brightly after being adorned with beautiful multi - fluorescent lights for all to admire. the mukuyu tree is one of zambia ’ s national monuments. its history spans more than a century of being part of the lives of the community in this area. ladies and gentlemen, this historic monument invokes memories of a sad but important aspect in our beautiful country ’ s history. this experience, unfortunately, did not only affect us here, but the whole continent and beyond, touching lives far and wide. i am referring to the infamous slave trade era. historians, time and again, narrate to us tales of how this wonderful tree was used as the resting place for our forefathers, who were captured into slavery as they were marched across this land, being traded as commodities from africa to far away lands. it is now common knowledge, rather than myth, that our fore - fathers were being traded under this same spot on which we stand today, proud and free. after the abolition of the slave trade, the tree attained a new significance as a “ rendevous ” or meeting place. it was from under this very tree that some of our fore - fathers were recruited and taken to fight in the first and second world wars. as mentioned earlier, later