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Napsa Stars coach Mohamed Fathi is upbeat ahead of Wednesday’s crucial CAF Confederation Cup match against UD Songo away in Mozambique.
Napsa and Songo drew goalless in the first round, first leg match played in Lusaka close to two weeks ago.
The team flies to Mozambique on Monday morning with fit again strikers Tapson Kaseba and Bornwell Mwape in the team.
“The coming of Tapson and Bornwell will give us comfort and more options in the front line. I think we have prepared well for the match,” said Fathi.
“We have told players the 0-0 is like a new game so we have to go with a winning mentality. God willing we will make Zambia happy.”
Fathi is predicting an open game in Beira.
“The pressure is on the other side (Songo). They played a closed game here (Lusaka) so definitely that side they want to win the game so they have to open up.”
Lusaka based Economist Trevor Hambayi says delays by government to reconstruct the gutted City market in Lusaka is an affront to the growth of both formal and informal sectors in Zambia.
Mr Hambayi is disappointed that government spent K30 million for empowerment scheme for artists while traders at the market have continued trading in an open space, three years after the market was gutted.
He said government should have prioritized the reconstruction of City Market because it is key for income generation and offers trading space to both formal and informal traders across many sectors of the economy.
“Soweto City/Market is a trading place for thousands of both formal and informal traders across many sectors of our economy. I visited it on a Saturday afternoon and was saddened at the extent to which we as a country can ignore the plight of our citizens,” he said.
He added, “The market has no roof which was burnt in an act of vandalism 3 years ago. Where did the donated funds for its reconstruction go.”
“Who is responsible? Yet we have continued to collect daily market fees. Where are these funds going?,” he questioned.
Mr Hambayi said it is regrettable that Zambia continues to proclaim how important SME are to the economy but exploit them only to the interest of political mileage.
Vice President Inonge Wina has said that natural calamities such as floods should not be politicized.
Reacting to United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema’s blame on poor planning of settlements, Mrs. Wina said that government will focus at helping the flood victims in Mumbwa District of Central Province as opposed to politicizing their situation.
Mrs said that the government will not only help the victims in Mumbwa but across the country. She said this in a speech read for her by Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga when he addressed the flood victims in Mumbwa.
And Government has provided relief food and other assorted items to flood-affected victims in Mumbwa District. The donated items include mealie meals, tents and sanitary towels. The donated items were handed over to the beneficiaries by Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga.
Speaking on behalf of the victims, Angela Habasonda, thanked the government for the assistance rendered to the 274 families. She said the affected families have continued receiving help from the government since the first day when they were hit by floods.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Local Government is currently designing a drainage system that will help in dealing with the problem of flooding in Lusaka.
Local government Minister Charles Banda says the Ministry is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit to ensure that flooding situation is addressed.
He told ZNBC that the system been designed to attend to concerns in Kanyama and Mass Media area among others.
Ndola Central Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Mulenga has urged members of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) to love one another if the party is to grow to greater heights.
Mr. Mulenga said yesterday when he hosted a luncheon to over 700 Ndola Central constituency PF party officials at Ndola’s trumped gardens that members should embrace unity and love towards each other.
Mr. Mulenga said the PF is a peaceful organisation whose foundation is anchored on the principles of love and respect to every member irrespective of their status.
He said members cannot afford to work in isolation especially that 12 August is slowly approaching when the country goes to the polls to elect national and community leaders.
Mr. Mulenga added that PF being a peaceful and all-inclusive party will not tolerate anyone championing hate speeches that have potential to bring confusion among members.
“If you love President Edgar Lungu, you will embrace peace because he is our father who has always told us to love one another,” Mr. Mulenga said.
Mr. Mulenga who also gave food hampers to the members and bags of mealie meal said he is aware humanity by nature cannot leave without differences, but that it is important to settle matters in an amicable manner.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has donated K60 thousand to the people of Ndola Central constituency as a New Year gift.
Handing over the money to the constituency chairman, on behalf of the Head of State, Mr. Mulenga who is also minister of Youth and Sport said President Lungu is determined to ensuring that people’s social and economic challenges at grassroots level are addressed.
1. As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), we have decided to develop an Alternative Economic Recovery Plan (AERP) for Zambia which will be presented to the nation on Thursday, 21st January 2021. This follows the inadequate Economic Recovery Plan that was presented to the nation by President Edgar Lungu on 17th December 2020.
2. There is no question that our country’s economy is on a downward spiral. There is also no question that we need to turnaround our nation’s economic fortunes in order to protect livelihoods. There is also no question that the Economic Recovery Plan that was presented by President Edgar Lungu on 17th December 2020 is shallow and empty and incapable of actual implementation. The President’s ERP lacked specific objectives that it sought to achieve and it also lacked specific interventions that need to be implemented to achieve specific economic objectives. Therefore, President Lungu’s ERP does not even qualify to be called a Plan, in the strictest sense of the word “Plan”. At the barest minimum, a Plan must have specific objectives and specific interventions, something which President Lungu’s ERP lacked.
3. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we are aware of the fact that the primary reason why the President and his Government are incapable of developing, presenting and implementing sound economic plans for this country is that the President has decided to surround himself with incompetent Ministers and Advisors at the expense of able, capable and competent Zambians. This is because the President feels more at home in the company of praise-singers than independent-minded and capable economic managers. This handicap which the President suffers from is incurable and is the primary source of this country’s economic malaise.
4. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we have always taken our responsibilities as an opposition political party very seriously. On one hand, we have never been shy to hold the Government of the day accountable in the manner that it utilizes public resources, and on the other hand, we have consistently and continuously provided alternative solutions to various problems that have faced this nation at one point or the other.
5. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we remain the only opposition political party that consistently developed and presented Alternative National Budgets for the fiscal years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and most recently 2021. We are also the only opposition political party that developed and presented an Alternative 7th National Development Plan for Zambia. It therefore gives us great pride to develop and present the Alternative Economic Recovery Plan which will assist in turning around our ailing economy, if properly implemented by Government. Should the Zambian people give us the mandate to manage the affairs of this nation on 12th August this year, our Alternative Economic Recovery Plan will form the blueprint for turning around our faltering economy by a Sean Tembo Presidency.
6. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we believe that it is a misnomer for any political party to refer to themselves as an Alternative Government when they are incapable of producing any documented alternative solutions to existing national problems. A political party can only claim to be an Alternative Government if they are capable of producing documented alternative solutions to national problems. The Zambian people must remember that the main reason why we are in this economic malaise today is because in 2011, we ushered into office a political party that sold us rhetoric and lacked any evidence of producing alternative solutions to national problems. Any political party that is incapable of developing alternative solutions to national problems today will be incapable of developing solutions to national problems after 12th August 2021.
7. The PeP Alternative Economic Recovery Plan will be presented to the nation at Palm Valley Resort in Lusaka on 21st January 2021 starting at 09hrs. The Alternative Economic Recovery Plan will outline specific objectives that will be pursued, specific interventions, a specific timeframe for each objective as well as specific milestones and measures to determine the extent of attainment of each targeted economic objective. The event will be open to members of the public who may wish to attend. Together, let us build the Zambia that we deserve.
The Socialist Party of Zambia has defended its use of the red and yellow colour branding of its party after concerns have been raised that the party is imitating the main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND).
Responding to the allegation that the party was offending and imitating UPND, the party’s presidential candidate Fred M’membe said that there was no political party, organisation or individual who holds a patent to the colour red in Zambia or the world at large.
Dr M’membe further said that by using the colour red the Socialist Party is not violating the rights of any political party and that the Electoral Commission of Zambia wouldn’t have allowed its emblem or symbol to have the colour red if it was conflicting with that of any registered political party.
UPND Cadres in UPND Colours of Red and Yellow
Below is the full post
Socialist Party colours and symbols
The Socialist Party is not offending or imitating any political party by using the colour red and the clenched left fist as its symbols and salutes.
The Socialist Party went through a rigorous process of getting its name and symbols cleared and approved by both the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Registrar of Societies. There’s no political party, organisation or individual who holds a patent to the colour red in this country or the world at large. There’s no political party in Zambia that owns the colour red.
It’s trite patent law that a single colour cannot be patented, but colour as part of a complete design can be patented. For example, if you want to patent the colour red, you won’t be able to patent it. However, if you have a design that includes the colour red, you can obtain a patent protecting the entire design.
If by using the colour red the Socialist Party is not violating the rights of any political party. The Electoral Commission of Zambia wouldn’t have allowed its emblem or symbol to have the colour red if it was conflicting with that of any registered political party.
Red is traditionally associated with socialism, left wing political parties. The oldest symbol of socialism is the Red Flag, which dates back to the French Revolution in the 18th century and the revolutions of 1848. Before this nascence, the colour red was generally associated with monarchy or the Church due to the symbolism and association of Christ’s blood.
The colour red was chosen to represent the blood of the workers who died in the struggle against capitalism. All major socialist alliances and organisations – including the First, Second, Third and Fourth Internationals – used red as their official colour. The socialists use red much more often and more extensively than other ideologies use their respective traditional colours.
Political colours are colours used to represent a political ideology, movement or party, either officially or unofficially. Parties in different countries with similar ideologies sometimes use similar colours.
The colour red symbolises left-wing ideologies in many countries, while the colour orange symbolises Christian democratic political ideology, and the colour yellow is most commonly associated with liberalism and right-libertarianism. The political associations of a given colour vary from country to country, and there are exceptions to the general trends. For example, red today is also the colour associated with the conservative Republican Party in the United States.
Similarly, the use by the Socialist Party of the clenched left fist salute is not an infringement or imitation of any political party’s symbol. While others are using the right hand, the Socialist Party – a leftist party – is using the left hand.
The raised left fist, or the clenched left fist, is a universal socialist symbol of solidarity and support. It is also used as a salute to express unity, strength, defiance, or resistance.
The painting by Honoré Daumier of the French Revolution of 1848 includes a possible early example of a “political clenched left fist,” according to curator Francesca Seravalle.
The use of the left fist by communists and antifascists is first evidenced in 1924 when it was adopted as the salute for the Communist Party of Germany’s Roter Frontkämpferbund (Alliance of Red Front-Fighters).
We hope this will clear the air about the Socialist Party’s use of the colour red and the clenched left fist salute.
Issued by Fred M’membe,
President of the Socialist Party
Government has moved in to address the collapsing disaster of the Chibila and Kandesha dams in Mumbwa district
The two dams collapsed due to heavy rains and severe flooding resulting in damaged property, displacement of hundreds of people and further resulted in the loss of two lives.
The disaster also led to livestock dying while water pumps at Chibila Water Treatment Plant operated by Lukanga Water and Sanitation company have been completely damaged, cutting off 2,000 cubic meters of water supply per day.
Only 1,000 cubic meters of water per day from two industrial boreholes is available for 30,000 residents, posing a risk of waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery.
Water Development Sanitation and Environmental Protection Minister Dr Jonas Chanda who was accompanied by his Permanent Secretary Mr Mabvuto Sakala, District commissioner, local authorities, and Lukanga Water Supply and sanitation company visited the district to inspect the situation and assured that speedy interventions have been put in place to address the matter in order to avoid life threatening conditions.
Dr Chanda disclosed that Government through the Ministry has already started the de-silting process which is the removal of excess sand from the dams with dredgers and excavators in order to repair the gulley at the upstream Kandesha dam while waiting for rains to subside in order to repair of the dam wall and spillway at downstream of Chibila dam including the pumping of new water pumps.
“In addition 14 more industrial boreholes are being sunk to meet the deficit of 2,000 cubic meters of water supply per day to the district” Dr Chanda disclosed.
He further said the Zambia Environmental Management Authority (ZEMA) and Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) have also been tasked to attend to all water pollution, siltation and water body encroachment issues.
Dr Chanda later on welcomed and briefed Her Honour the Vice President Madam Inonge Wina who came to Mumbwa to inspect the flood disaster with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).
The Ministry of Health says the country has in the last 24 hours recorded 352 new COVID-19 cases out of 7,178 tests conducted, bringing the cumulative total to 21,582.
During the same period the country has also recorded two deaths, with 141 recoveries.
According to the daily updates published by the Ministry of Health in Lusaka today, the two facility deaths were recorded in Livingstone and Lusaka.
The new cases are reported are 216 Lusaka, 30 Kitwe, 23 Chilanga, 15 Chongwe, 14 in Livingstone, 10 Ndola, 9 Kabwe, 8 Solwezi, 6 Kasempa, 5 Chingola, 3 Chililabombwe, 5 Kasempa, 3 Chipata, 3 Mongu, 1 Mufumbwe and 1 Petauke.
The recoveries have been reported from: 54 Lusaka, 52 Southern, 26 Western, 7 North-Western and 2 Eastern.
The cumulative number of recoveries is now 19,083, active cases 2,105 while the total deaths are at 394.
The cumulative number of tests conducted so far is 624,046.
Yesterday, the country recorded 233 new COVID-19 cases out of 7,266 tests conducted.
It also recorded two deaths; one in Kalomo and one in Kitwe, with 169 recoveries.
Coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic regrets that Zambia on Saturday conceded three goals to finish 3-3 against Niger in their opening game of the Four-nation pre-CHAN tournament in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Lusaka Dynamos forward Collins Sikombe scored a brace and Zanaco striker Moses Phiri added one in-between.
In a post match interview, Micho said he was impressed with Zambia’s scoring prowess but rued the goals conceded.
“There is half satisfaction. Satisfaction on one side that we have scored three goals and total disappointment that we have lost concentration on set pieces,” he told journalists.
“We have given them goals which they have not created.”
Chipolopolo play Uganda on January 4 at 17h00 while Cameroon takes on Niger in the late kickoff.
“New chance against Uganda where we really need to fix all our problems and to keep up scoring boots with the same level to score but on the other side to keep it tight in the back,” Micho said.
The tournament will end on January 7 with Cameroon playing Zambia and Niger facing Uganda.
A clergyman in Kawambwa District has bemoaned the continued use of youths by political players as vessels of violence every time the country experiences polls.
Bishop Chanda Musa of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church laments that it is unfair that politicians who should be preparing the future of young people are responsible for ruining it.
ZANIS reports that Bishop Musa was speaking during a Church service which was attended by Luapula Province Minister Nickson Chilangwa, Kawambwa Town Council Chairperson Kalumba Chifumbe, Kawambwa District Commissioner James Kalumba and his Nchelenge counterpart Ivo Mpasa.
Bishop Musa has since appealed to political party leaders to resist the temptation of recruiting youths to engage in violence in order to advance their political causes.
The cleric called for peace and unity by embracing the One Zambia, One Nation motto ahead of this year’s General Elections.
And Bishop Musa has paid glowing tribute to President Edgar Lungu for transforming Kawambwa by the so many developmental activities happening in the district.
And Mr. Chilangwa says the Patriotic Front government will work with the Church to preach peace and unity ahead of the polls.
Mr. Chilangwa said God only existed among peace -loving people, hence the need for every Christian to embrace people.
The Minister explained that government will do everything possible to preserve the peace that the country has enjoyed since independence.
Mr. Chilangwa who is Kawambwa Central Constituency Member of Parliament also pledged to donate 50 pockets of cement and roofing sheets towards the construction of a school at Church.
Government has accorded former cabinet Minister in the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) government Sarah Sayifwanda an official funeral.
This is in recognition of her contribution to national development when she served as a Cabinet Minister from 2006 to 2011.
This is contained in a statement issued to the media in Lusaka today by Secretary to the Cabinet Simon Miti.
Dr. Miti explained that President Edgar Lungu has also accorded the former late Minister a day of national mourning which will be observed on Tuesday 5th January 2021 when she will be put to rest in Solwezi district in North Western province.
He explained that the official programme for the late Ms. Sayifwanda will be held in Solwezi commencing with a church service at the United Church of Zambia, Trinity Congregation located off Independence Road at 10:00 hours.
He noted that thereafter, mourners will proceed for burial at Kimiteto burial site.
Dr. Miti added that during the period of National Mourning from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours on Tuesday 5th January 2021, all activities of entertainment nature on both radio and television will be suspended while flags will fly at half-mast.
Government has, however, reminded members of the public that the official funeral has been restricted to close family members, invited mourners and government officials in observance of the Ministry of Health Guidelines on preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Ms. Sayifwanda 57, died on Thursday 31st December, 2020 at Solwezi General Hospital after a short illness.
In-form Chiipolopolo striker Collins Sikombe says Niger gave them a good run but they are not disappointed with Saturday’s friendly draw away in Cameroon.
Chipolopolo wasted a 3-1 lead to finish 3-3 against fellow 2021 CHAN finalists Niger in their opening game of the four-nations friendly being stage by Cameroon in Yaoundé from January 1-7
Sikombe scored a brace against Niger at the tournament where Cameroon has invited three CHAN finalists ahead of the tournament they are hosting from January 16 to February 7.
“I am not disappointed it being a preparatory game, a result like this one is expected and it is up to us as team to learn from the mistakes that we have made,” Sikombe said.
The Lusaka Dynamos strikers’ brace took his Chipolopolo tally to six goals in ten matches since netting his debut goal in a 1-0 friendly win at home over Malawi on March 12, 2020 at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, Chipolopolo face Uganda in their penultimate friendly on January 4 before playing hosts Cameroon on January 7.
Cameroon, who also play Niger on Monday, drew 1-1 with Uganda on January in the first game of the round-robin pre-CHAN tournament.
Vice President Inonge Wina has directed the Ministry of Agriculture to quickly assess and rehabilitate all old dams across the country to prevent disasters like in Mumbwa District in Central Province.
Mrs. Wina was speaking in Mumbwa when she visited the area where over 270 people, livestock and agricultural fields were affected by floods after the Kandesha Dam burst.
Mrs Wina said it is worrying that the dam which was constructed in the 1950s has not been receiving adequate maintenance.
She said Government is concerned about the situation because a lot of money is being spent on responding to disasters that could be prevented if measures are taken.
Mrs. Wina noted that with intensified rains, it is expected that the damaged dam will release even more water which would flood people’s homes and cause damage to the infrastructure.
She said people should not go back to their houses yet until the situation is certified safe.
The Vice President has also directed the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit-DMMU to increase the relief allocation to the affected families most of whom are currently accommodated at the camp at St Edmunds School within Mumbwa.
She further called on the Ministry of Health to provide the needed medical supplies to the affected families to avoid outbreak of diseases such as cholera and other waterborne diseases.
Mrs Wina however thanked the Zambia Airforce and the people of Mumbwa for the prompt response during the rescue of victims.
She said the intervention by the community led to saving a lot of lives that could have been lost if they had not responded.
Earlier, DMMU Assistant Director for Prevention and Mitigation, Lenganji Sikaona briefed the vice President that that more than 270 households were displaced and are currently being kept at a school.
Mr Sikaona said the floods that were brought about the bursting of the Kandesha dam destroyed a lot of properties and Infrastructure.
He said the situation further paralysed government operations because key government installations were damaged.
Vice President Inonge Wina has arrived in Mongu, Western Province for a two day working visit.
While in the Province, Mrs Wina is scheduled to hold a series of engagements where she will today Sunday, December 3rd, 2021, depart for Kalumwange resettlement scheme in Kaoma district.
The Vice President will then on Monday, January 4th, visit Kalumbu and Lola areas in Liuwa, Kalabo district where she is expected to hold public rallies there and later return to Lusaka.
Upon arrival at Mongu Airport, the Vice President addressed scores of people who came to welcome her and urged them to observe Covid – 19 health guidelines.
And Patriotic Front (PF) Provincial Acting Chairperson, Max Makokwa informed the Vice President that the party is intact after the intra party elections which recently took place.
Provincial Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mukwambuyu Katungu, Patriotic Front Party, (PF) officials, some senior Government officials and Service Chiefs welcomed the Vice President.
Vice President Inonge Wina confers with Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga and Water Development Minister Dr. Jones Chanda on her arrival in Mumbwa shortly before accessing the flood situation in Mumbwa. yesterday. Saturday, January 02, 2021. Picture by ROYD SIBAJENE/ZANISVice President Inonge Wina being welcomed by Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga on her arrival in Mumbwa shortly before accessing the flood situation in Mumbwa. yesterday. Saturday, January 02, 2021. Picture by ROYD SIBAJENE/ZANISVice President Inonge Wina receive flowers from Mubita on her arrival in Mongu for a three day working visit in Western Province yesterday. Saturday, January 02, 2021. Picture by ROYD SIBAJENE/ZANISVice President Inonge Winaon her arrival in Mongu for a three day working visit in Western Province yesterday. Saturday, January 02, 2021. Picture by ROYD SIBAJENE/ZANIS
Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) President Nkole Chishimba has urged the government to come up with practical ways of addressing the country’s debt crisis.
Speaking at the end of year briefing in Kitwe last week, Mr Chishimba said the debt crisis the country is currently in has the potential to reverse all the economic and social development gains that have been scored so far.
He said while ZCTU welcomes the governments’ launch of the Economic Recovery Plan (ERP), particularly its focus on strengthening social protection, the plan does not explain how the country will dismantle its huge debt burden.
“We urge the government to ensure fiscal discipline in its systems in order to achieve the set economic parameters. If there will be no improvements to financial governance, the ERP will achieve very little,” Mr Chishimba said.
He urged government to develop strong institutional collaboration and scale up stakeholder engagement in the implementation of the ERP to ensure genuine social dialogue, transparency and inclusive participation.
Mr Chishimba said the country’s debt burden has been rising dramatically thereby exposing the country to the risk of distress.
He said the high debt levels have left the country in an awkward financial position more so that the debt is contracted in foreign currency which means each time the Kwacha weakens, the amount that Zambia owes in real terms increases significantly.
Meanwhile, Mr Chishimba has commended workers in the country for courageously absorbing the economic and social challenges they experienced in 2020 mainly on account of the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The ZCTU president noted that the year 2020 was a difficult year for everyone but that despite the challenges, workers stood out and moved on.
Mr Chishimba said COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge the world has faced since the outbreak of the Second World War and that although it was a health issue, its impact will be felt across many spheres for a long time to come.
“COVID-19 has reminded us that health is a fundamental right and attribute that we must all enjoy to be able to have a meaningful life and COVID-19 has also exposed some major structural weaknesses that the country must address to cushion itself from the effects of similar crises,” he observed.
The ZCTU end of year briefing was held at the union’s offices in Kitwe.
