The Zambia Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (ZCILT) has offered transport operators a waiver to allow them understand the existing provision of the law under which it was established.
Institute Registrar and Chief Executive Stanley Simwaka said the waiver would enable operators appreciate the need to affiliate with the institute.
Mr. Simwaka said that the Institute realizes that there had not been enough time to sensitize operators what goes with its mandate and its importance in the professional equation in relation to its old and new members.
“We therefore, would like to extend another waiver to our transport operators who will need more engagements in terms of understanding the existing provisions of the law. Suffice to say that we have had cordial relations with those in the Cargo and freight forwarding industry where the same provisions are working very well. After several engagements with Bus and Taxis Owners Association of Zambia, we now have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work with them under the same law. As an Institute we look forward to working with other trade associations that are not collaborating with us now”, Mr. Simwaka said.
Mr Simwaka explained that Section 35 of ZCILT Act makes it mandatory for Logisticians and Transportants to obtain practicing certificates; failure to have one commits an offence as stated in section 36 of the same Act.
He said ZCILT being a professional body, the condition of obtaining the certificate was that one must have studied the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) course.
Mr. Simwaka said with the liberalization of the transport industry, the National Council of the ZCILT realizing that logisticians and Transporters in industry were not trained, they came up with a Professional Competence Course (CPC) to accommodate this group in order for them to obtain a practicing certificate which is a requirement by law.
He said the recruitment of staff to manage the Institute was only done in 2017 when sensitization activities began and are ongoing.
“Sensitization is being done to all eligible members from all modes of Logistics and Transport i.e Road (Cargo and Passenger), Rail, Air, Water and pipeline to know who we are as a professional body and how they ought to join”, he said.
Mr. Simwaka further said in 2014, the Zambia Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport was established by an Act of Parliament No. 4 of 2014 and operationalized by Statutory Instrument No. 23 of 2015.
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport is a leading professional body in the field of Logistics and Transport.