A suspected Zambian national has been found dead at Chapwa compound along Tunduma Mbeya road in Tanzania on the Zambia Tanzania border.

This has been confirmed to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Nakonde today by Muchinga Province Police Commissioner Engineer Joel Njase.

Eng. Njase said he received a report from his Tanzanian counterparts that a dead body of a man suspected to be Zambian national aged between 30 and 40 was found dead and suspected to have been strangled by unknown people.

Eng. Njase said the brief facts on the matter are that in the morning yesterday marketers were going to the market for their daily business when they found a male person suspected to be a Zambian lying down in an unconscious state.

The Police Commissioner said after Tanzanian Police visited the scene, they found a motorbike registration number MC 359 AIB red in colour meters away from the body and suspected to be that of the deceased.

Eng Njase said after a search on the body was carried out, a national registration card was found with the number 244502/43/1 bearing the names Owen Nkupisha.

The Police Commissioner added that an on-spot examination of the body revealed that the deceased had marks of strangulation.

He said that it was suspected that he was attacked from another scene then dumped there to die.

“The body of the deceased is still at Tunduma hospital mortuary in Tanzania awaiting postmortem examination and identification,” Eng. Njase said.

Eng Njase said a docket has been opened in Tanzania while Nakonde Police station has opened an inquiry file.

Government has launched the 2020 Indoor Residual House Spraying Campaign in Ndola district with an appeal to all residents to cooperate with the district health office and have their houses sprayed.

Ndola District Commissioner, Anthony Katongo made the appeal in Nkwazi Township during the launch of the 2020 Indoor Residual House Spraying Campaign under the theme “Spraying for impact-leaving no structure unsprayed.”

Mr Katongo explained that the district is highly prone to malaria as it is surrounded by perennial streams, man-made water ponds and numerous streams of water arising from vandalized water pipes.

The DC revealed that a total of 144, 502 households have been targeted to be sprayed in the district this year.

“As a district, we have a total target of 144, 502 households to be sprayed this year and this will call for every house to be opened for spraying. I am therefore appealing to all residents of Ndola not to refuse to have your houses sprayed,” he said.

Mr Katongo further revealed that the district is going to use a new chemical called fludora fusion, which once sprayed remains effective for a period of 9 to 12 months.

And speaking earlier Ndola District Medical Officer Charles Mwinuna revealed that in 2020 the Malaria incident rates in the district have gone up as compared to 2019 and that that is the reason why his office is geared to eliminate malaria in the district by 2021.

The Medical officer has since advised residents in the district to be ready for the exercise and have their houses sprayed.

Meanwhile, in his vote of thanks area councillor George Chipampa pledged that the local leadership in the area will go on a house to house sensitization exercise in order to help the district health office achieve its goal of eliminating malaria in the district by 2021.

Councillor Chipampa said Nkwazi residents are delighted that the authorities had decided to kick start the spraying campaign in Nkwazi and that they will do everything possible to ensure that the programme succeeds.

The Ministry of Health is scheduled to conduct the 2020 Indoor Residual House Spraying campaign for 60-days.

Zamtel says it is elated by the news that the Bank of Zambia has commenced internal processes that it anticipates will culminate in the establishment of a dedicated Fast Track Court for mobile money fraudsters.

Zamtel Corporate Communications Manager Changwe Kabwe says fast tracking investigations and prosecutions around mobile money scams will undoubtedly help sanitize the mobile money space in Zambia.

Mr Kabwe said having a functional Fast Track Court for Mobile Money fraudsters will also serve as a deterrent to would be offenders and offer some relief to victims.

“With the impressive growth of the digital finance sector, initiatives that seek to provide an added layer of protection for the consumer are welcome,” Mr Kabwe said.

“For our part, we have invested heavily in enhancing customer data protection with the full adoption of biometrics solutions in our business functions including on our Zamtel Kwacha platform. This has resulted in a slow but steady decline in the customer complaints related to mobile money scams on our network,” he said.

Mr Kabwe added, “As Zamtel, we stand ready to offer cooperation to the Central Bank in their effort to curb the growing trend of mobile money fraud.”

“It is our expectation that establishing a Fast Track Court for Mobile Money Fraudsters will be a major step in reassuring our customers that their money is safe and that they can continue transacting with confidence on our mobile platform.”

Ndola City Council has warned people who have continued to encroach on cemetery land to stop doing so to avoid their houses being demolished.

NCC Public Relations Manager Rebecca Mushota disclosed in an interview with ZANIS that the local authority does not permit people to construct houses within the premises of the graveyard adding that houses that are being constructed within the premises risked being demolished.

Ms. Mushota said the council has the mandate to protect the deceased hence it will not allow illegal settlers to cause further damage to the land meant for the dead.

She added that government will not allow people or any developers to develop land without proper documentation from the local authorities.

“People who want to buy or develop land should first consult or verify the documentation they have with the council through which they will get permission to develop the land,” she said

The public relations manager said if people will continue buying land without proper documentation there houses will be demolished without any compensation.

She has since urged the public to take the rightful procedures before constructing anything adding that if they are to construct it should be five meters away from the graveyard.

Nkwazi Overspill residents are up in arms with the construction of a fish pond in the middle of a residential area by a local resident.

The residents complained that it is very disheartening for the local authority to allow someone to construct fish ponds without securing them in the midst of a residential area describing it as a danger to the lives of the people.

Kakungu Mbewe, a resident in the area said the Nkwazi overspill said the community is worried that the fish ponds have created a death trap for children because chances of drowning are high as the fish ponds are not secured.

“During the rainy season, the ponds flood to the extent that the houses nearby are affected flooded with water from the fish ponds making it very difficult for us to enjoy our livelihood,”Kakungu complained.

But Pamodzi ward councilor Manase Siwila said the fish ponds in question were an abandoned quarry sandpits that he took advantage of and stocked it with fingerlings.

“During the rainy season, the ponds become very flooded to the extent that the houses nearby getting flooded with water that comes from the ponds making it very difficult for us to enjoy our neighbourhood, ” Kakungu complained.

Another resident Brian Nama said there is no sanity around in the area as the neighborhood has a lot of mosquitoes exposing everyone in the compound to high incidences of malaria.

“As a concerned citizen, I am very angry and disappointed by the local authority for failing to stop this, is a serious case that needs attention immediately,” Mr. Nama added.

Councillor Siwila said the residents in the affected area should not worry as the fish ponds will soon be a thing of the past.

“Authority was granted by the Ndola city council as well as the ministry of agriculture to the man to use the place for a short while as he will be assigned land for this activity to take place from, therefore citizens should not worry,” Mr. Siwila said.

Ndola City Council (NCC) Public Relations officer Rabbecca Mushota said construction of fish ponds in residential areas is illegal and cannot be allowed.

Ms.Mushota has threatened that the council will descend on the ground and bury the fish ponds.

And Albert Kaseba, the owner of the controversial fish ponds said procedure was followed before establishing the fish ponds in the area.

Mr Kaseba said relevant institutions such as the Ndola City council, Zambia environmental management agency (ZEMA), the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the office of the area councilor are aware of the matter and relevant documentation was issued.

Mr.Kaseba said there are two fish ponds comprising a thousand fingerings each, one belonging to a youth group meant to empower young people with school fees and other requirements while the other one belongs to a church called Mission fellowship for Christ’s Ministries.