Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Malanji has lauded China for increased bilateral trade and preferential treatment of Zambia’s agricultural products in that country.

Mr Malanji has cited the export of Zambia’s honey, groundnuts and soya beans to China.

Mr Malanji has however, complained that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a decrease in trade volumes between China and Zambia.

ZANIS reports that Mr Malanji was speaking when the Visiting Chinese Special Envoy, Yang Jiechi, paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Lusaka yesterday.

“Your visit as a Special Envoy is just a renaissance of an already standing cordial relationship between the two countries. This shows the commitment that the Government of the Republic of China has for this country,” he said.

Mr Malanji added that Zambia and China must find a way to continue working together during the COVID-19 pandemic which has seen a bad patch in all economies globally.

Mr Yang Jiechi, is a Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office of the Communist Party of China.

UPND President Hakainde Hichilema’s wife’s family members in Shibuyunji District have disclosed that they are traumatized by the Police’s action to raid their home villages.
Jones Mpolobe who is Mutinta Hichilema’s cousin stated to the Media that Police arrived at his home village around 05:00 hours demanded to search for imaginary weapons in his house, surroundings, and maize fields.

He adds that the Police produced a search warrant which they said was authorized by the Lusaka High Court to search for unknown weapons.

But addressing his wife’s family members in the District this afternoon, UPND President Hakainde Hichilema stated that the conduct by the PF leadership was uncalled for adding that he is preoccupied with finding solutions to the numerous problems the country is facing as opposed to acquiring weapons which are of no value in the fight against economic challenges.

The UPND President was accompanied to Shibuyunji District by the leader of the opposition in Parliament Jack Mwiimbu, Lusaka Province Chairperson Obvious Mwaliteta, Mwembezhi Member of Parliament Jamba Machila, Former Mwembezhi Member of Parliament Austin Milambo, party National Management Committee members among others.

A team of Police officers headed by one Rodrick Mwale from Lusaka force headquarters yesterday raided Mpolobe village in Shibuyunji District and searched Mutinta Hichilema’s cousin’s village homes in search of weapons alleged to be belonging to the UPND President Hakainde Hichilema.

The Police did not find any weapons as the exercise was in futility but are said to have coerced Hakainde Hichilema’s wife’s family members to write a statement that they were not threatened during the brutal search.

Transport and Communications Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya has Zambians not to limit the Cybersecurity Bill to social media saying this is just part story when it comes to the cyber environment.

Hon Kafwaya said that the Cyber Security Bill will ensure that people who Infringe upon other people’s freedom are dealt with by the provisions of this Bill.

Speaking when he featured on radio Phoenix breakfast show today. Hon. Kafwaya said that the Cyber Security Bill is aimed at enhancing people’s rights and providing security.

He said it was unfortunate that some people are misleading Zambians that the Cybersecurity Bill is intended at taking away people’s rights when in fact it is aimed at enhancing their rights and protecting them from being abused on social media.

Hon. Kafwaya who is also a Lunte Member of Parliament noted that the Cybersecurity Bill doesn’t look serious to people who have not been a subject of cyberbullying on social media.

“People are using falsehoods saying I’m a Minister of Defense and we are recruiting so send K500 when in fact the government does not charge for recruiting, ” Hon. Kafwaya said.

The Minister said that it was therefore President Lungu’s desire that citizens are safe from online abuse hence the need for every Zambian to support this bill.

And Hon. Kafwaya said that it is expected for the opposition to oppose the Bill because when it is passed in parliament and becomes law, it will be credited to President Lungu which they don’t want.

“When this bill is passed in Parliament and becomes law, it will be credited to President Lungu and obviously those that want to seat in his chair don’t want that, all they want to say is that this is a failed government, ” he stated.

Eleven residents of Kapiri Mposhi are appearing in the magistrate court for operating pharmacies without licences of registration.

Particulars of the offence are that the suspects, on December 17, 2020 operated drug stores without a Certificate of Registration issued by the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA).

This is contrary to Section 14 (1) of the Medicines and Allied Substances Act No. 3 of 2013.

The suspects were arrested in a joint surveillance routine operation by ZAMRA Inspectors and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers in Kapiri Mposhi.

The operation was aimed at curbing the sale of medicines and allied substances in unregistered outlets in the district.

In this matter, seven suspects are appearing before Kapiri Mposhi Magistrate, Emmanuel Banda while four others are before Magistrate Mwila Malupande.

The accused persons include Simon Phiri, 78, Elias Miselo, 65, Lameck Musonda, 27, Gloria Lungu 23, and Lazarous Daka and Kayombo Chisale both aged 30.

Others are Robert Simfukwe, 22, Sharon Kalipenta, 20, and Patrick Chate, 19 and Jabes Banda and Jones Mumba both aged 23.

All the accused persons apart from Gloria Lungu and Sharon Kalipenta have pleaded guilty to the offence.

Lungu and Kalipenta could not take plea as they were not before court.

Both Magistrate Malupande and Banda have respectively adjourned the cases to February 24, 2021 for presentation and reading of facts.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Banda has adjourned plea for Kalipenta and Lungu to a later date.

The suspects are on police bond.

A 36-year-old woman of Vusi village in Chief Mishoro’s area , Kasenengwa district has been sentenced to nine months imprisonment with hard labour after pleading guilty to obtaining money by false pretense.

During the trial, the court heard that Ms Miriam Zulu swindled more than K4, 000 by pretending that she had fertilizer for sale.Facts of the case given before Magistrate Moses Phiri, are that Mrs Zulu on unknown dates in October 2020 around 14:00 hours heard the complainant Elizabeth Zulu of unknown age and also a resident of Vusi village talking to a friend about wanting to buy bags of fertilizer.

The court further, heard that Zulu who was at the market buying fritters overheard their conversation and joined in saying she had two bags of fertilizer for sale and the accused was immediately given K700 for the two bags.It was also disclosed before the court, that Zulu went back to the complainant again informing her that there was someone in the village selling four bags of fertilizer and she was given K1, 400 and later K700.The court heard that in total, Zulu received K4, 150 for the false fertilizer transaction.After failure to deliver the fertilizer which was already paid for, Zulu started playing hide and seek until she was reported to the police after which she was arrested on February 10, 2021.

In mitigation, Zulu pleaded with the court to exercise leniency on her as she was a single mother taking care of orphaned children.

“Your honour, I am guilty as charged, please pardon me. I just wanted to provide for my orphaned children. I have no husband and as I speak to you my children are on their own, “she said.

Passing judgement, Magistrate Phiri castigated Zulu for conducting herself in such a manner and went ahead to continue stealing money from the same person despite knowing that what she was doing was a criminal act.

“The court has heard you but justice must prevail because what you did has affected the life of the complainant. The court has also heard that you are the first offender, I therefore, sentence you to nine months imprisonment. I hope this will give you time to reflect on your wrong doing and reform, “he said.