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South Africa Covid variant tied to 16 fold boost in cases in Zambia-CDC

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South Africa Covid variant tied to 16 fold boost in cases in Zambia-CDC

A coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa was linked to a 16-fold increase in cases in Zambia within a month, showing it has the ability to spread more swiftly and efficiently than the original strain.

The South Africa mutation, known by scientists as B.1.351, was first detected in Zambia in December.

The daily average of new cases rose from 44 in the first 10 days of that month to 700 in the first 10 days of January, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released on Wednesday.

The pace of acceleration for the B.1.351 mutation and other variants is why public-health officials worldwide are urging continuing mitigation strategies, even as many places are seeing lower case rates than any time since March.

The South Africa mutation was first detected in that country in October.

It has since been reported throughout much of the African continent and in at least 24 countries outside of Africa, including the U.S.

As of Tuesday, B.1.351 has been found in 19 U.S. cases, spanning 10 states.

U.S. health officials have pledged to boost genomic surveillance to detect variants, as most routine tests for Covid-19 do not identify specific mutations.

The two vaccines authorized for emergency use in the U.S. work against the variants identified so far, scientists have said, but may be less potent.

“Spread of the B.1.351 variant is of public health concern because of the potential for increased transmissibility and, thus, increases in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths,” researchers wrote in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The research comes as the U.S. is also fighting off a mutation that emerged from the U.K.

That variant, known by scientists as B.1.1.7, was first seen in Colorado on Dec. 29, and was detected in 29 U.S. states in less than a month.

Zambia, a country of about 18 million, does not share a border with South Africa but has trade and tourism links that may have contributed to transmission between the two countries, the CDC said.

Government signs MOU with African Parks

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Government signs MOU with African Parks

The Zambian government and African Parks have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will see the implementation of a Priority Support Plan for the protection of Kafue National Park.

Signed on Thursday 4th February, the Priority Support Plan will increase technical and financial support for Kafue worth US$3 million over a period of 12 months.

Minister of Tourism and Arts Honourable Ronald Chitotela, said the MoU would help Zambia to realize the potential of the Kafue National Park which is Zambia’s prime tourist destination and an internationally renowned wildlife sanctuary.

“It is essential that we invest in the protection of our wildlife and enhance the infrastructure for tourism. Having worked together for 18 years, we believe that African Parks is a partner who can help us to actualize the park’s potential in contributing to the economy and the wellbeing of our people,” Mr. Chitotela said.

The Priority Support Plan will see the collaboration between Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and African Parks implement activities in key priority areas over the ensuing 12 months, while the parties negotiate for a long-term agreement.

The primary objectives include improving critical infrastructure, supporting the DNPW’s law enforcement efforts and conducting conservation baseline studies.

African Parks’ CEO Peter Fearnhead said “Kafue National Park is one of Africa’s best known protected areas and one of the ten largest on the African continent. We look forward to supporting the Zambian Government’s vision to conserve this extremely precious resource and to optimise its long-term social, economic and ecological benefits”.

Kafue National Park is situated in the world’s largest transfrontier conservation area, the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA TFCA), which straddles the boundaries of five countries, forming one cross-border ecosystem the size of France.

Kafue’s Priority Support Plan will be funded through Dutch Postcode Lottery’s dreamfund grant, a 16.9 million Euro contribution awarded to the World Wide Fund for Nature, African Parks and Peace Parks Foundation to assist KAZA partner states in securing the TFCA through integrated initiatives.

Kafue is Zambia’s largest wildlife sanctuary, covering 22,400km2 of intact savannah and a network of water channels dominated by the Kafue River.

It represents one of the last expansive tracts of the iconic Zambezian ecoregion, providing a singular opportunity to conserve significant populations of savannah wildlife, including elephants, large predators and 21 species of antelope – the highest diversity of antelope on the continent.

Bank of Zambia Remains Resolute to purchase more Gold Deposits to Enhance Zambia’s Reserves

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Bank of Zambia Remains Resolute to purchase more Gold Deposits to Enhance Zambia’s Reserves

The Bank of Zambia Governor (BOZ) Christopher Mvunga said that the Central Banked remains resolute to purchase more gold deposits to enhance the country’s reserves. Mr Mvunga explained that BoZ has since purchased 47 kilograms of gold from the Zambia Gold Company Limited, under the auspice of ZCCM Investments Holdings.

He told journalists at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the purchased gold is in the vault of the Central bank. Mr Mvunga emphasized that the purchase of gold is an ongoing process.

“We have so far bought 47 kilogrammes of gold and this is a continuous process. This is being done under the ZCCIMH and it is key to our foreign reserves,” he said.

And BoZ Deputy Governor for Operations Francis Chipimo said the Central Bank will purchase more gold from Kansanshi mines before the end of February. Dr Chipimo further explained that the purchase of gold has just begun, and will go on for a long period of time. In December last year, the Bank of Zambia signed a Gold Purchase Agreement with Kansanshi Mining PLC, a subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals.

BoZ Governor, Christopher Mvunga, signed the agreement on behalf of the Central Bank while, Director of Operations at First Quantum Minerals, Mr Rudi Badenhorst, signed on behalf of Kansanshi Mining PLC. As at end of 2019, the BoZ’s gold holding had risen to 34,000 tonnes from a low of 28,000 tonnes recorded in 1997.

Meanwhile, Zambia has scaled back, postponed or cancelled projects to reduce the country’s debt exposure as it holds talks to secure a programme from the International Monetary Fund, the central bank governor said on Wednesday.

Zambia, which became Africa’s first pandemic-era sovereign default late last year, began discussions with the IMF last week and has requested debt relief under a new common framework from the Group of 20 major economies.

“Our understanding is that actions are being taken to scale down and reduce the debt exposure of the country, if not stop it for now,” Bank of Zambia Governor Christopher Mvunga told journalists, adding that discussions with the IMF had been “cordial”.

“If I look at the disclosure of the debt portfolio, it’s not moving upwards other than probably existing disbursements. So my reading of that is that the matter is being addressed,” he said following a meeting of the monetary policy committee.

The bank raised lending rates by 50 basis points to 8.5% on Wednesday, saying it was ready to tighten policy further to tame rising consumer inflation driven by “cost-push” pressures and a sharp depreciation in the currency.

Mr. Mvunga said annual overall inflation accelerated to a four-year high of 17.6% in the fourth quarter of 2020 from 15.7% the quarter before. Inflation is projected to deviate further from the 6% to 8% target range over the next eight quarters, he said.

The partial easing of COVID-19 restrictions, meanwhile, saw a softer deterioration of private-sector business in the second half of 2020.

“Indicators of domestic economic activity point to a less severe contraction, but weak recovery is projected in the medium-term,” Mr. Mvunga said.

Gross international reserves declined by $117.7 million in the fourth quarter to $1.2 billion, or the equivalent of 2.4 months of import cover, caused mainly by foreign exchange interventions and debt service.

Copper price to rise in 2021: analysts

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Copper price to rise in 2021: analysts

A rise in the price of copper is likely to continue in 2021 on low inventories and a bullish demand narrative, though at a slower pace, industry analysts said.

The red metal has found support on the back of upcoming elections and labor negotiations in Chile and Peru, an anticipated rebound of the global economy, sustained growth of industrial activity as well as robust metal demand by China, global COVID-19 vaccination rollout, and a weaker dollar.

“This provides a lot of confidence,” said ABN AMRO Group senior economist Industrial Metals Markets Casper Burgering.

“As a result, total long positions are high, but this also brings a downside price risk because it increases the likelihood of profit-taking by speculators. In 2020, the market has taken a substantial advance on the good news of 2021. The copper price will rise further in 2021, but in a lower gear.”

The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the global supply chain and logistics have resulted in year-on-year supply of the metal from Chile and Peru to tighten, said Global Commodity Research analysts at Bank of America.

“While we have factored in an increase of mine production and also scrap supply this year, this is unlikely to be sufficient to prevent the copper market flipping into a deficit,” Bank of America said.

“We lift price forecasts especially for copper, which we see averaging $9,500/mt ($4.31/lb) in 4Q21, with the market likely flipping into a deficit, as inventories are low.”

Market appetite

Canaccord Genuity mining analysts expect Chinese stimulus to support copper demand in combination with an expected global economic recovery in 2021.

“We now expect copper prices to average $3.50/lb ($7716/mt) in 2021, an approximate 17% increase on our previous forecast of $3.00/lb ($6,614/mt),” Canaccord said.

In terms of copper supply, two aspects that are also hindering supply are the lower grade and deeper deposits as well as market appetite and availability of projects, Stifel Financial analysts said.

“Due to the cyclicality of the copper market, we have looked across the sector at mega projects currently board greenlighted to get a sense of downside price protection for the red metal. With a copper market in excess of 22 million mt Cu annually, only major projects (we define as those greater than 200,000 mt/year Cu produced) have the ability to materially swing the needle on the supply/demand balance,” Stifel said.

“Based in part on capital costs, operating costs, and a minimum acceptable return on investment, we estimate that current major projects require a minimum price in excess of $3.20/lb ($7,055/mt) Cu, globally.”

Sustainable energy

The expected increase in copper demand is also a result of the sustainable energy generation and consumption agenda, part of the green energy drive by governments.

“Of all the metals used in the generation, transmission, storage, and consumption, copper remains the common denominator,” Stifel said. “Electricity generation, transmission infrastructure, energy storage, and consumption all require copper.”

Copper’s long-term demand is backstopped by green energy and the push toward it, “as it is significantly more copper intensive than traditional, fossil fuel-based infrastructure,” Stifel said. “We are updating our LT [long-term] Cu price to $3.40/lb ($7,496/mt). We believe a combination of short- and long-term market support in pricing.”

This was echoed by Bank of America. “Given the increased focus on tackling climate change, the focus of government spending will be worth following as de-carbonization is bullish

metals.”

“Linked to that, we believe copper could once again rise above $10,000/mt ($4.54/lb) at some stage. What are the risks? Vaccine efficacy, delays to opening up economies and tighter monetary policy.”

On Jan. 18, the copper price stood at $8,012/mt ($3.63/lb), up 0.7% on Jan. 11.

Source:S&P Global

Ghana Introduces Pure African Print School Uniforms

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Ghana Introduces Pure African Print School Uniforms

Ghana has taken a bold step in its push to further decolonise by introducing their own pure African school uniforms.

According to a commentator, most countries use post colonial uniforms in Africa and it’s high time they emulate and consider the African print uniforms.

In April 2019, some Ghanaian parents across the sixteen regions of Ghana had expressed dissatisfaction over the introduction of the new school uniforms by the Ghana education service.

Ghanaian’s have been able to go above and beyond in restoring African pride in the traditions left behind by our colonizers. Uniforms can be dated as far back as 1522, in the United Kingdom. It was mainly adorned by poor children, or those without parents and needed charity. The classic type of uniform has morphed through the ages, yet none has the unique and befitting African radiance Ghanaian school uniforms bring to the table!

Source: Taarifa
Afrilyfe

Press freedom is indeed a muddy and sometimes bloody business

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Press freedom is indeed a muddy and sometimes bloody business

By Fred M’membe

The President of our Republic says he is “a firm believer of press freedom” BUT…

Everybody in our public life claims to believe in press freedom. And the mantra of the moment seems to be; “Of course I believe in a free press, BUT…” And the “buts” are getting bigger.

“But”, they insist, there must be tougher press regulation.

Let me, then, try to enter into the spirit of the age. I too believe in press freedom. I am a man of the Left who cut his journalistic teeth writing for and editing revolutionary publications. As the young Karl Marx described it in his first newspaper articles arguing against Prussian state censorship in the 1840s, a free press was seen as “the embodiment of a people’s faith in itself, the eloquent link that connects the individual with the state and the world, the embodied culture that transforms the material struggles into intellectual struggles “.

BUT I also believe that freedom is inevitably a messy business. It is not a privilege to be handed out only to those who meet your moral standards. The fact that some journalists and publications might choose to misuse and even “abuse” their “vital rights” is no reason to try to limit or restrain press freedom. To seek to sanitise press freedom is to risk killing it. A “bad”, “toxic” and “unethical” press that is free will always be better than a “good”, “clean” and “pure” press that is unfree, if we want to stand a chance of getting close to the truth. But me no “buts” about press freedom, please.

Press freedom is not some fluffy but impractical ideal, like “free love”, to be butted out of existence by those who disapprove of its consequences.

Without the freedom to think, say, write, publish, read, hear, love and hate what we choose, other freedoms would be impossible to imagine. Freedom of the press remains the only hope we have of knowing anything. A free press, in all its forms is the lifeblood of a free society and a vital citizenry.

That is why the suppression of a free press has always been the early hallmark of dictatorship.

So yes, I believe absolutely in the principle of a free press. And yes, it is clear that the exercise of that freedom can cause plenty of trouble for people. Nobody should be naive or complacent about the problems of journalistic standards today. Nor should we try to take a morally neutral view of an irresponsible press.

BUT the far more important point is that freedom of the press is always a messy affair. It means allowing others the freedom to publish things that we may not want to see. As George Orwell put it in his 1945 essay on “The Freedom of the Press”, written as an (ironically unpublished) preface to “Animal Farm”, “If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear “.

A free press must be one that is free, not from being judged or subjected to normal criminal law, but from being restrained or punished on the grounds of taste or “decency” or offended feelings or outraged sensibilities. The misuse of our freedom by some is not an excuse for allowing the authorities to misappropriate it.

However you or I might wish it to be, the hard truth is that a free press does not have to conform to our or anybody else’s notions of what is good journalism, or of what is ethical to report, or of what is too offensive to say or show. The principle of free press might look pristine when set down on paper. But in reality that lofty principle can be exploited for low purposes. Press freedom is indeed a muddy and sometimes bloody business.

Press freedom is not something to be rationed out like charity, to only the most “deserving” cases. A right is a right, and it is not limited by any incumbent responsibilities. Of course any good journalist should be prepared to stand up and take responsibility for what they write, and for the methods they use to get that story. But the wish to see responsible journalism cannot be used to trample on the freedom of others.

No matter how imperfect things are, if you got a free press everything is correctable, and without it everything is concealable.

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema cannot be trusted with State Power-Ntewewe

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UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema cannot be trusted with State Power-Ntewewe

The Young African Leaders Initiative YALI president Andrew Ntewewe says the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema cannot be trusted with State Power.

Speaking when he featured on Pan African’s ‘People’s Debate’ programme, Mr. Ntewewe reiterated his earlier statement that the UPND convention was a sham as it exposed Mr.Hichilema’s dictatorial and undemocratic tendencies.

He said the UPND convention was used to rubber stamp changes to their party constitution in order to declare Mr.Hichilema as a life president of the opposition party.

“The convention was a sham and a disgrace to democracy because it does not meet the benchmark of a democratic convention. UPND delegates were duped into thinking that they were also going to be given an opportunity to elect the party president and vice president,” Mr.Ntewewe said.

And Mr.Ntewewe said Mr.Hichilema should not convince himself that he has already won the August 12, elections even before the votes are cast,as this is a recipe for anarchy.
He said the decision of who becomes Republican President after the August polls lies in the hands of the Zambia people.

Meanwhile, Mr.Ntewewe said President Lungu’s assurance of peace and order ahead of the elections is commendable and should be taken seriously by the enforcement agencies.

“Zambians should remain peaceful even as we approach the elections.Law enforcement agencies should ensure that perpetrators of violence are dealt with accordingly,” Mr. Ntewewe said.

NHIMA card holders complain of delays in accessing medical care

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NHIMA card holders complain of delays in accessing medical care

Some National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) members in Kalomo district in Southern Province have expressed dismay in the manner they were being attended to at Request Muntanga Level One Hospital.

The members who spoke on condition of anonymity told ZANIS that the aspect of ‘Nhima card holders being attended to with minimum delay’ is not prevailing for them at the health institution.

“We are not demanding that we should be treated as extra-ordinary patients or to be above other patients but the minimum delay attention aspect to us should be upheld,” says one Nhima member who spent several hours before being attended to when he went to seek medical attention at the institution.

When contacted for a comment over the development hospital administrator, Benson Sichone said the delay to attend to Nhima clients on time could have been due to some emergencies that occur on such particular days.

“As for today you can see, there is an emergency and we have only one clinical officer to attend to at that out- patient department queue there, it is better we serve critical cases first,” said Mr Sichone.

Meanwhile, Nhima Senior Public Relations Officer, Mutolo Mwamba says such developments should be reported to the authority adding that reports of such nature in accredited health facilities have surfaced and promised to correct the situation amicably.

Nhima members are registered under the scheme pursuant to section 13 (1) of the National Health Insurance Act No. 2 of 2018 and section 3 of statutory Instrument No. 63 of 2019. The policy provides the terms, conditions and exclusions of the client’s health cover and also specifies the benefits that they will enjoy under the scheme.

Political violence is retrogressive and retards development- Livingstone Mayor

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Political violence is retrogressive and retards development- Livingstone Mayor

Livingstone Mayor Eugine Mapuwo has condemned political violence saying it retards development. Mr. Mapuwo said other than retarding development, political violence also discourages women and youths from effectively participating in political activities and aspiring for higher positions.

He further noted that violence curtails freedom and prevents ordinary citizens from effectively participating in the electoral process.

Mr. Mapuwo said this in Livingstone yesterday when he officially opened a training workshop for Journalists and Editors on coverage of women and youth political participants during elections.

The workshop was organized by the Free Press Initiative (FPI), under a project called ‘Zambia Decides: A Project towards 2021 Parliamentary and General Elections in Zambia’ and supported by the Carter Centre Zambia Foundation.

And the Livingstone Mayor has called on government and other stakeholders to support the project as it is for the betterment of the political environment.

“It is the responsibility of government and us as politicians to be supportive of this project as it is meant to build the capacity of journalists and also to improve the current political environment,” he said.

Mr. Mapuwo further called on political players to use social media responsibly to prevent cyberbullying which in some cases, led to marginalisation of women and youths in politics.

And speaking earlier, FPI Founder Joan Chirwa, said there was need to bridge the gap that prevented women and youths from actively participating in politics.

Ms. Chirwa expressed confidence that solutions to bridge the existing gap on the political landscape would also help to enhance news coverage of women and youths in politics.

“It is quite difficult to find women and youths in politics being covered in the news and this has troubled us over the years. So we hope that through this project, we will find a lasting solution,” Ms. Chirwa said.

While in Livingstone, the FPI is also scheduled to engage and sensitise women and youths in politics on effective political participation, use of social media and online safely.

Ndola clergyman implores Zambians to pray ahead of polls

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Ndola clergyman implores Zambians to pray ahead of polls

A Ndola based clergyman has urged Zambians to pray for the country as the nation heads towards this year’s general elections.

In an interview with ZANIS in Ndola, Remmar Door of Faith Ministry International Overseer Robert Silwimba called on Zambians to pray for those aspiring to become political leaders after the August 12, 2021 elections.

Reverend Silwimba said citizens should also pray for peace as Zambia approached the election time.

He added that violence should not be tolerated in an event that a new crop of leaders is voted in power saying leadership is from God and ordained through the national powers accordingly.

He said Zambians should pray for leadership that will be able to transform the economy as well as promote peace.

“We should love one another because our country is blessed with so many natural resources which should be processed and earn the country enough forex to be used in the needy sectors of the economy such as education and health,” he said.

Rev. Silwimba said Zambians should stop criticizing each other but focus on God who can change whatever hardships the country is facing.

He has meanwhile urged politicians to love one another but fight through campaign messages and the ballot box during voting.

And Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) vice president Mike Mushanga said political leaders must start inculcating a non-violence culture in their party members especially the youths and adopt peaceful behaviour.

Mr Mushanga said political parties should not manipulate people especially youths by using them as tools of violence.

“There is need for all political parties to be peaceful and not allow what happened in 2006 and 2016 to repeat itself,” he said.

He has since urged all stakeholders to continue preaching peace and unity in the forthcoming elections saying this is the only way violence can be prevented.

Superstitious Chavuma residents turn away Covid-19 health teams

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Superstitious Chavuma residents turn away Covid-19 health teams

Chavuma district health office has swabbed 2,636 people for Covid-19 as of February 17, 2021. Out of the total 2,636 people that were swabbed, 217 tested positive.

And the district recorded a total of 180 recoveries, 37 active cases and one death of Covid-19 from the time the health team started swabbing.

Acting Chavuma District Health Director Dingani Daka disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting that included traditional leaders held in Chavuma today.

Dr. Daka said health officers in the district are facing challenges to make some follow ups on people with Covid-19 and contacts because villagers do not cooperate with them.

People in rural parts of Chavuma allegedly chase health officers away fearing that if one is tests positive to Covid-19 in the villages, witches will take advantage and bewitch them, attributing deaths to coronavirus.

“Our core business today is to discuss ways and means of fighting Covid-19 in Chavuma because the pandemic has not spared us. Recently we lost one of our fathers due to this pandemic. This shows the gravity of the pandemic that even in Chavuma we are not spared, we need to do something about it,” Dr. Daka said.

He said in an effort to effectively fight the pandemic, health personnel decided to involve traditional leaders because they command a lot of respect from people in the communities.

“As the district health office, we came up with this meeting and with advice from traditional leaders, some present here, that they wanted to spearhead the fight against Covid-19 at community level,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chavuma District Commissioner, Fredrick Foloshi has appealed to the village headmen to follow the presidential directive to sensitise their subjects to wear face masks, wash their hands regularly with soap or sanitize all the time as well as observing hygiene in their homes and avoiding crowded places.

“I urge all of you who have gathered here to inform other headmen who have failed to attend this meeting, like those from Mbalango, Sakawawa, Kamisamba, to sensitize their people about this deadly pandemic of Covid-19,” Mr. Foloshi said.

He said traditional leaders should lead by example in following all the guidelines aimed at curbing the further spread of the coronavirus.

“I would like you also to hold another meeting with all headmen from Chavuma West so that they are sensitized as well because I have not seen anyone from the west. Covid-19 is real, we have already lost our senior citizens here in Chavuma district and we have 37 active cases,” he said.

And senior headman, Swana Kaumba, who spoke on behalf of other headmen, assured government that traditional leaders will sensitize their subjects.

“In fact, us as headmen, had a meeting on 29 January 2021 to look at the same killer disease of Covid-19 where we talked about our children who have just opened schools on 1 February, 2021,” HE SAUD.

Headman Kaumba has meanwhile appealed to teachers, parents, traders, marketers, and other stakeholders to adhere to health guidelines in order to protect reduce the chances of contracting and spreading the pandemic.

He has meanwhile urged all people in the district not to politicize Covid-19 but instead work together regardless of their political, church and any other affiliation to fight the pandemic in unity.

President Lungu’s decision to donate 9,000 bicycles to village headmen is not Political

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President Lungu’s decision to donate 9,000 bicycles to village headmen is not Political

Luangeni Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Zulu has described as historical President Edgar Lungu’s decision to empower village headmen in the Eastern Province with 9,000 bicycles.

Mr. Zulu said the bicycles which the President has donated to Eastern Province will address the mobility challenges that the village heads have been facing in a long time.

He said what the President has done to consider giving bicycles to village heads is the first of its kind in the history of the country.

He explained that President Lungu’s gesture is not aimed at getting any political gain but is purely a response to the request of village heads who asked him to assist them with means of mobility.

Mr. Zulu has since urged people to stop politicising the President’s gesture of giving bicycles to village heads.

“You asked the President when he visited the province last year, and today, he has responded to your request. So I am shocked that some people are saying the President has donated to the headmen because this is an election year,” he said.

He further pointed out that instead of people criticising the gesture, the President should be commended because what he has done is happening for the first time in the history of Zambia.

“We have had a number of Presidents as a country but no one has ever done what President Lungu has done, so we should all be grateful,” he added.

ZANIS reports that the Luangeni MP was speaking when he handed over bicycles to some headmen at Feni village.

The lawmaker has meanwhile cautioned the people in Luangeni to be on the lookout for aspiring candidates who will be peddling lies as they go in the constituency to market themselves.

“Zambia is a democratic state so you will be seeing people coming to market themselves but you should be on the lookout and avoid voting for those without a heart for the people, the kind that will just come here to lie to you,” he advised.

Mr. Zulu said aspiring candidates who will base their campaigns on lies will continue lying to the people if they were to be voted into office.

Meanwhile, a representative of about 150 headmen who gathered to receive their bicycles at Feni thanked the President for the gesture.

Headman Maulao said the headmen will now be able to carry out their duties without many difficulties.

Nkana Leave For Morocco

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Nkana coach Kelvin Kaindu has named an unchanged side to face Tihad Casablanca away this weekend in their CAF Confederation Cup pre-group stage, final leg match in Morocco.

All but one of the 18 players who were part of the 2-0 first leg home victory on February 14 in Kitwe flew out from Lusaka to Morocco on Wednesday afternoon.

Missing is legendary striker Ronald Kampamba who has been a peripheral figure this season in Wusakile and came on as a late substitute in last Sunday’s win.

Also missing is midfielder Harrison Chisala who also missed the first leg due to injury.
Goalkeeper Moses Mapulanga who sustained a head injury a fortnight ago in Nkana’s 1-0 away league win over Nkwazi has made the team.

Strikers Fred Tshimenga and Obeddy Masumbuko who scored in the first leg are also in the travelling party.

The final leg is scheduled on February 21 in Casablanca and the winner over both legs will qualify to the league round of the competition that kicks off on March 10.

Goalkeepers: Moses Maplanga Talbert Shumba, Kelvin Malunga,

Defenders: Moses Nyondo, Jimmy Dzingai, Laison Thole, Gilroy Chimwemwe, Kevin Moyo, Richard Ocran

Midfielders: Diamond Chikwekwe, Misheck Chaila, Duke Abuya, Patrick Gondwe, Ackim Mumba

Strikers: Simon Mulenga,Fred Tshimenga, Emmanuel Mwiinde, Obed Masumbuko

Magistrate sets March 3 as judgment day for case involving UPND MP Romeo Kangombe

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Magistrate sets March 3 as judgment day for case involving UPND MP Romeo Kangombe

Chinsali Senior Resident Magistrate Julius Malata has set March 3, 2021 as judgment day for a case in which United Party for National Development (UPND ) Sesheke Member of Parliament (MP) Romeo Kang’ombe is charged with four counts of abduction and assault of two police officers contrary to the laws of Zambia.

It is alleged that the accused person whilst acting with others unknown in Lavushimanda district of Muchinga province did abduct and assault two police officers who were assigned to facilitate the smooth passage of the United Party for National Development President

Hakainde Hichilema and his entourage.

Mr Kang’ombe in the first charge faces two counts of abducting Sergeant Innocent Mwale and Constable Chinyama Chipango of Mununga police post on October 14, 2020 contrary to section 256 of the penal code Cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.

The lawmaker is in the second charge faced with two counts of assault of the two police officers contrary to section 250(b) of the penal code.

Magistrate Malata set the judgment day today scheduled for March 3, 2021 following the close of the case after Mr. Kangombe gave a sworn statement in his defense in which he called no witness.

Mr. Kangombe is on a K200, thousand bail in his own recognizance with two sureties who are residents of Chinsali district in the like sum.

Mr Kang’ombe is being represented by two lawyers Mulambo Haimbe and Kamuwanga Phiri of Malambo and Company of Lusaka.

Men’s network urges males to get circumcised

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Men’s network urges males to get circumcised

The Zambia National Men’s Network (ZNMN) for Gender Based Violence has called on the menfolk in the country to go for circumcision in order to prevent new infections of HIV/AIDS.

ZNMN National Coordinator Nelson Banda said the number of new HIV infections recorded in the last 13 years could have been lower if most men were circumcised.

Mr. Banda said three million men, who were circumcised in the last 13 years, is negligible hence called on the men to voluntarily go for circumcision between now and 2025.

“We would like to encourage the government through the Ministry of Health to cooperate with the Zambia National Men’s Network so that we can sensitise more men on the benefits of circumcision vis-a-vie HIV infections,” he said.

He noted that the low turnout of men who went for circumcision during the last exercise could have been as a result of lack of enough centres where the service is offered especially in rural areas.

“Male circumcision is voluntary and there are few men who would walk long distances just to go for circumcision,” he said.

Mr. Banda has since appealed to cooperating partners such as the church to ensure men are sensitised on circumcision as one way of reducing the rate of new HIV infections.

Meanwhile, Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Copperbelt Region Coordinator Sharon Chisenga said there is need to circulate information on preventive measures of new HIV infections.

Ms. Chisenga said the three million men that were captured in the last circumcision exercise was fair adding that the most effective way of preventing the spread of HIV is to observe moral uprightness and sticking to one sexual partner.

According to information emanating from the last circumcision exercise, about 26,000 new HIV infections were prevented through the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) which started in 2007.

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