Renowned Zambian TV Producer, Host and Journalist Hellen Zulu Sharing on Being TV Ready!
Increase in Cement Price due to Raw Materials being Quoted in Dollars
A scam has been unearthed at Dangote Cement in Masaiti district where supply of raw materials especially gypsum is being quoted in dollars.
ZANIS reports that Dangote Cement Chief Financial Officer, Bright Tembo said this during the company’s presentation to Copperbelt Province Minister, Japhen Mwakalombe when he visited the plant.
Mr. Tembo said the situation has necessitated the increase in cement price in the country.
And Mr. Mwakalombe has warned that such suppliers will be visited by the law and that necessary action will be taken.
He said government is concerned with the recently continued increasing prices of cement on the market, describing the situation as sabotage to the country’s infrastructural development.
The Minister said the current prices of the commodity also defeats efforts to reduce on the housing deficit the country is faced with.
He warned suppliers and other businesses with such a trend to stop immediately and ensure that they trade in the local currency, adding that few individuals should not take advantage of the prevailing situation and exploit others.
The minister, however, added that government will continue creating an enabling environment which the private sector should use to for their businesses to thrive but it should not be used as a loophole for economic sabotage.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tembo reiterated that the closure of Chambishi Metals has deprived a reasonably priced source of gypsum which is now being sourced from South Africa, Namibia among other distant local sources.
He regretted that suppliers of raw materials such as gypsum among others have resorted to quoting their prices in dollars.
He said efforts to open Chambishi metals be expedited so that the challenges being faced by the cement manufacturing companies can be mitigated.
Government establishes clinic to Monitor People who have recovered from COVID-19
The government has established a Post Covid-19 clinic to deal with complications that arise in people who have recovered from the pandemic.
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist Lorrita Kabwe says health authorities have learnt of complications that appear among some people who have healed from the pandemic, hence the need to monitor them.
Dr. Kabwe says while the pandemic affects the lungs, heart , diseases which have turned out to be experienced by people who have suffered Covid-19 before.
She says the clinic has been set up at the University Teaching Hospital and only operates on Tuesdays.
Speaking during the Covid-19 briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Dr. Kabwe observed that people who had suffered severe Covid-19 risk suffering post complications.
And, Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said the clinic has seen 76 people over the post Covid-19 conditions, with only one death being recorded.
Dr. Chilufya said plans of setting up the clinics across the country are underway.
And the Minister has revealed that Zambia has recorded three Covid-19 deaths in Covid facilities in the last 24 hours.
He said the deaths involve a 35-year-old, 58 and 84-year old who a had underlying conditions.
Dr. Chilufya also revealed that the country has in the last 24 hours recorded 67 new Covid-19 cases out of over 1-thousand 1-hundred tests done.
He said while the cases seem to be reduced, patients are getting more sick.
The Minister said the best way to avoid the pandemic is by observing all health guidelines.
And Ministry of Local Government Director Planning Ngoza Munthali expressed concern on the increased non-adherence to health guidelines.
Mrs. Munthali cited markets and bus stations as the main places where health guidelines are not being followed.
Finance Minister wants all abandoned TAZARA Railway stations revived
Finance Minister Bwalya N’gandu says he will engage Management at Tanzania Zambia Railways -Tazara to revive all railway stations which it has abandoned.
Dr. Ng’andu who recently inspected the Kasongo Tazara Railway Station in Kanchibiya district in Muchinga province with Muchinga Province Minister Malozo Sichone was disappointed to find that the facility has been abandoned.
He says government spent substantial amounts of money to put up railway station, stating that abandoning such infrastructure is not the way to go.
Dr. Ng’andu says one of the objectives of TAZARA is to open areas where it traverses to allow farmers transport their Agriculture produce using railway transport.
He says using railway transport to move agriculture produces and other goods can easy pressure on the roads.
Dr. N’gandu noted that Muchinga and Northern province produces a lot of agriculture produce which can utilise railway in transporting them to other markets outside the province.
And Mr. Sichone informed Dr. N’gandu that several railway stations from Kapiri to Nakonde are dilapidated.
Mr. Sichone says this has denied people, especially farmers in the province to utilise railway transport in transporting their agriculture produce via rail.
He noted that the state of Kasongo Railway station is a clear negligence on the part of TAZARA management as it has failed to improve its infrastructure for many years.
Kelvin Sampa has tested positive for COVID-19
Patriotic Front National Youth Chairman Kelvin Sampa has tested positive for COVID-19.
Mr. Sampa who has since been admitted to Levy Mwanawasa isolation centre tested positive after he started feeling unwell and decided to take a COVID-19 test whose positive results came out yesterday.
He has since called on people in the country to strictly adhere to the Coronavirus guidelines.
In a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka over the weekend, Mr. Sampa said he is in a stable condition and noted that the Ministry of Health guidelines will apply to identify his contacts.
UPND and PF vows to respect each other during campaigns
Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo has said that no form of lawlessness will be accepted during the ongoing campaigns for the Lukashya and Mwansabombwe Parliamentary by elections.
Mr. Kampyongo said that there will be no sacred cows in maintaining law and order and anyone intending to engage or incite violence will be dealt with accordingly.
He has urged political parties to practice co-existence amongst themselves and inspire peace and unity among their supporters.
Mr. Kampyongo said that if political parties are able to resolve differences among themselves, it makes the work of the police easier.
He said that political parties must also adopt a culture to address one another through round table discussions to resolve matters and not engage each other physically.
Mr. Kampyongo was speaking shortly after attending mass at Saint James parish in Kasama today.
And UPND Deputy Secretary General Patrick Mucheleka said political parties both in opposition and the ruling party must respect each other and avoid insulting each other.
Mr. Mucheleka said politicians must remember that their role is to serve the people.
Our 2021 campaign message will be about development-Lusambo
Kabushi Member of Parliament Bowman Lusambo says the ruling PF will base its campaign message for the 2021 re-election bid on development.
Mr Lusambo who is also Copperbelt Province Mobilisation Committee Coordinator said the PF will highlight several of its developmental projects as it campaigns for possible re-election next year.
He was speaking on Saturday in Luanshya and Masaiti when he unveiled the Mobilisation Committees for the two districts.
He implored the Mobilisation Committees who will be spearheading the party’s campaigns on the Copperbelt to also adopt the issue based campaign agenda.
“We will have to go and explain the several developmental projects we have done and are still doing and how those projects improve their lives. We have scored many successes which we should be proud to highlight,” Mr Lusambo said.
He said the Copperbelt Province will soon benefit from road rehabilitation as government has approved the finance for road works in several Copperbelt towns.
Mr Lusambo said it is the desire of President Edgar Lungu that all areas receive development without leaving anyone behind.
“When you come to Lusaka, the place is changed. There is serious transformation taking place in Lusaka and this is what will star happening here on the Copperbelt and across all the towns in Zambia,” he told a sizeable crowd at Roan Market.
He also released 40,000 Kwacha as economic empowerment for around 300 Marketeers at Mpatamatu and Roan Markets to boast their working capital.
In Masaiti, Mr Lusambo urged the newly appointed District Mobilisation Committee Chairperson Christine Chande to ensure that residents in the area receive the message of development and economic empowerment.
He stated that the mega Kafulafuta Dam which is under construction should benefit the local people through job creation opportunities
“Let’s give priority to the local people here to go and work at the Dam. We don’t work to be seeing people from other towns doing jobs at the Dam which could be handled by local people. Let the people see and feel the development we have brought here,” Mr Lusambo said.
Those who had a hand in privatization will find it hard to campaign on the Copperbelt-Nathan Chanda
Luanshya Mayor Nathan Chanda says the people of Luanshya are still feeling the negative effects privatization.
Mr Chanda says Luanshya residents have vowed not to entertain any of the people involved in privatization when they come to campaign next year.
He said the people are resolved that entertain people who played a role in privatization would be a betrayal of their collective history.
Mr Chanda who is also PF Copperbelt Province Chairman was speaking on Saturday when he met officials from the Provincial party Mobilisation Committee led by Kabushi Member of Parliament Bowman Lusambo who paid a courtesy call on him.
“ Mr Chairman, I have a message to you and through you to the Zambian people. The people of Luanshya have asked me to tell that they will not entertain anyone who played a role in the privatization programme. The people are saying their current suffering is due to privatization and so those who had a hand and are wishing to campaign here, they will have a difficult time,” Mr Chanda said.
He stressed that President Edgar Lungu is working hard to ensure that the economic fortunes on the Copperbelt is turned around for the better.
And Mr Lusambo emphasized that the party will ensure that it sends out a message of hope to the people of the Copperbelt as it mobilizes.
“We will tell the people here that only President Edgar Lungu means well for you, there other people are trying to get to State House so that they can privatize more state assets because that it is the only thing they know.”
It’s President Edgar Lungu Coordinating the Tapestry of Lies Against Hakainde Hichilema
Prof. Michelo Hansungule
Zambian politics has descended into gutter politics without any decency or shame under the current government. A serving minister of Defence and former minister of Finance describe a citizen as a ‘criminal’ to the media yet this citizen has neither been tried nor convicted of a criminal offence, ever heard of that? Isn’t this promoting lawlessness to the extreme? How can a citizen be criminal before any judicial process? Doesn’t this define the authors as unfit for public office let alone the office of a minister?
Yet it is an offence to take the law into your own hands and we are all persuaded to not resort to self-help regardless of circumstances. Only in a few exceptions does the law permit self-defence, defence of property and defence of others and in this case in accordance with strictly defined circumstances. If a citizen resorts to self-help against another, they can be prosecuted and imprisoned for it.
Defence Minister Davis Chama and former Finance Minister Edith Nawakwi took turns this week lambasting opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema as a ‘criminal’ over his role in the privatisation of the public economy some thirty years ago. Could it be that it is because they are criminals themselves which is why they easily can recognise a criminal when they see one? How do we explain senior government officials so easily using the word ‘criminal’ against the grain of the law if they are not?
And what is this in terms of teaching our children how to behave in leadership, or does it not matter? In these days of social media, children are not only watching leaders behaving like toddlers calling others their political opponents ‘criminals’ and shouting bring it on, bring it on referring to court contempt threats and you are a minister or former minister?
In the week, Edith Nawakwi fed the media with serious allegations against Hakainde Hichilema regarding his role during the privation process. Though she purports to be opposition herself, she was intent on defaming her colleague to the worst possible degree and shifted all the blame to him as if he was the minister responsible for finance while she was a mere consultant. Among other things, she accused him of undervaluing assets of Ramcoz, selling to himself and buying the Lima Bank house in Kabulonga using his position as chairman of the privatisation committee and failing to declare an interest during negotiations for the sell of the Mosiotunya hotel in Livingstone.
Before Hakainde could respond, including KBM, Sean Tembo, YALI jumped into the bandwagon and found Hichilema guilty of the charges. KBM said Hichilema failed to disclose interest in the Mosiotunya hotel negotiations but suggested he should not be arrested to avoid chaos in the country. Sean Tembo who pretended to ‘sit as a court in the matter’ while ‘acquitting Hichilema on Ramcoz and Lima bank house, found him ‘guilty’ of failing to declare interest in the Mosiotunya hotel negotiations and sell. Interestingly he never found Edith to have defamed Hichilema in the Ramcoz and Lima bank affairs despite finding Hichilema on firmer grounds on the two issues? YALI which has always been on the side of the ruling party the Patriotic Front even described the privation process of the hotel as ‘theft’ by Hichilema whom they accused him of selling the hotel to himself.
Yet all these comments from other opposition leaders came before Hichilema laid out his case. This raises serious questions regarding the calibre and character of our politics? These are people aspiring to lead us. They can’t even as much pose so as to hear from the other side before venturing their verdicts. And as it turned out unfortunately for them, Hichilema’s response in both the letter of demand to Ms Nawakwi and in the statement of claim he filed in court demonstrated that the accusations were a cocktail of lies and using dates and names of the people involved in those transactions and the period involved, detailed the lie on each.
Of course, coordinating this tapestry of lies is president Edgar Lungu, the main beneficiary of the lies. Most people do not know Edgar Lungu, those who support and who oppose him, both sides do not know him. Edgar is a complicated figure. Remember, starting from his party, his ascendancy to lead the party was controversial. There were two conventions his came after the first convention which he just ignored and organised his. Following that he ordered some judges to affirm his leadership and the rest is history. In 2016 when Hichilema dared complain against the election in which he was controversially declared loser, Edgar simply banned the Constitutional Court from hearing Hichilema’s complaints. With this history in mind, it is quite clear most of those who jumped the bandwagon and made remarks finding Hichilema guilty as charged by Edith Nawakwi did so as Edgar’s surrogates, a suggestion Hichilema made.
How do we address this problem? It is simple. Action should be taken against those who defame others. Hakainde Hichilema must sue all those that have written things and made statements defaming him. Sue YALI, sue opposition and other politicians and other leaders who have made unbalanced comments and statements against him. This is the best way to promote values in society. Sue them and if they run foul of the law lock them up for contempt, no empathy. Clean them up of all their money, let them toil for years paying court costs arising from their irresponsible careless conduct. If you use empathy and forgive them, you are promoting impunity and bad leadership will continue. You are imparting bad values on our children that lying is Ok and there is nothing wrong with defaming others. So, I am calling on Hakainde to clean them all up with hefty bills arising from court processes. Let them walk naked and turn to streets to beg food. This way, politics will move towards decency and politicking become value based.
Zambia is headed for very serious economic challenges., our economy is shrinking at a frightening rate
By Fred M’membe, President of the Socialist Party
As we have consistently been warning, our country’s economy has collapsed.
And one didn’t need to be an economic expert to foresee the consequences of the irrational path that was being pursued by our rulers – unbridled borrowing and irrational expenditure.
All the advice given to them – even by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and their other multilateral and bilateral partners – was ignored and arrogantly scoffed at.
Today they are like soaked chickens – humbled by the reality they can’t ignore or conceal and do not know how to resolve.
We are clearly headed for very serious economic challenges. Our economy is shrinking at a frightening rate.
Next year’s budget has been reduced by 47 percent. This means that the 2021 budget will only be K56,180 bn. The government’s wage bill was K25,601bn at the beginning of this year. And debt repayment was K33.726bn. This gives us a total of K59,327bn – which is K3,149bn more than our 2021 budget.
This means that without very serious downsizing, retrenchment, or massive international assistance, the government will only barely manage to service the debt and pay salaries in 2021 and nothing else.
What does this mean for the Zambian people, especially the poor? More suffering, more agony, more poverty, more despair!
Zambians have no sensible alternative but revolutionary change if they have to harbor any hope of a reversal of fortunes. And only a revolutionary party – the Socialist Party – with a revolutionary program can deliver the nation out of this hell.
UPND youths will not allow police to arrest their leader in a brutal manner-Mwanakayaya
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) Lusaka district youth chairperson Archritius Mwanakayaya said that youths in Lusaka will not allow police to do whatever they did in 2017, arresting their leader in a brutal manner.
Mwanakayaya said that it is clear that the Patriotic Front (PF) had conceded defeat in the 2021 general elections hence maneuvers aimed at silencing the strongest opposition political party.
He reminded youths not to give up the fight against injustices and that it was only the UPND and it’s leader Hakainde Hichilema that could fix the mess the country was in once elected into office in 2021.
Addressing youths that went to show solidarity at Mr. Hichilema’s residence in New Kasama, Mwanakayaya told the youths to be alert with the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRCs) that were being issued ahead of the much-awaited voter registration.
Welcoming the youths at the ‘community house,’ Mr. Hichilema said the PF had cheapened the politics in Zambia and that there was a need to raise the bar to issue-based.
The UPND leader told the youths that they needed a leader that will demonstrate that land belongs to Zambians and not foreigners.
“The people of Zambia need a leader that will provide jobs and create opportunities for the youths, women, and other citizens of this country,” Mr. Hichilema said.
“You must feel proud to belong to the UPND, we have been resilient and survived the brutality of the PF,” He added.
Only common thieves will defend privatization, time to account is now-Chilangwa
Luapula Minister Nickson Chilangwa has charged that only common thieves or criminals will defend the ugly legacy of privatisation in Zambia.
Mr. Chilangwa said there is nothing good that privatisation has left especially in Luapula Province apart from a trail of destruction on all the companies that were sold.
He was speaking on Friday when former Mansa Batteries workers met at the defunct company premises to push for their benefits.
Mr. Chilangwa said some of the economic woes that the country was going through can be attributed to privatisation which was carried out by selfish individuals.
“For us in Luapula we know what privatisation did to us. Our people here know very well that criminals who sold their companies have regrouped to want to take over the governance of their country but that will not be tolerated. If Kawambwa Tea and Mununshi Banana Companies were not sold, government would not have spent millions of Kwacha to revive them today” complained Mr. Chilangwa.
He said it was unacceptable for some people to blame some of the economic woes that the country was going through on President Edgar Lungu.
The Minister said President Lungu has revived Mununshi Banana Estates in Mwense District and Kawambwa Tea Company in Kawambwa District.
And an ex- worker of the defunct Mansa Batteries Frighton Musukwa has said it was impossible to trust those who carried out the privatisation process in the country with the governance of the country.
Mr. Musukwa said he and his colleagues have suffered since they were sent on forced leave in 1994.
We’ll Not Lock up Anyone to Block them from Participating in the 2021 Elections-Kampyongo
Home Affairs Minister Mr. Stephen Kampyongo has described UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema as a liar who thrives on lying against Government and President Edgar Lungu
Mr. Kampyongo said that Mr. Hichilema should quit investing in propaganda to cover up his questionable track record and that the Ministry of Home Affairs and all its departments have no intention of killing him as he claims.
Mr Kampyongo, who is also Patriotic Front PF Member of the Central Committee, said that the ruling party will defeat Mr. Hichilema without any difficulties in the 2021 Presidential elections.
“He is just seeking sympathy by claiming that we want to arrest him. We have no time to waste on Hakainde who as far as we are concerned is a political nonentity who has lost elections 5 times,” he said.
“He is just guilty because he knows that Ms. Nawakwi is a well-respected person who knows a lot as she was a Minister of Finance at the time he participated in privatization, ” Mr. Kampyongo said.
The Minister said that the fact that no one is planning to arrest him at the moment, Mr. Hichilema should not begin to think he is above the law and can break it with impunity.
“It is not President Lungu’s interest to punish his political competitors. We will not lock up anyone in order to block him or her from participating in the 2021 elections,” Mr Kampyongo said when he featured on Kasama Radio yesterday.
He said those agitating to engage in lawlessness in defending Mr. Hichilema will face the full wrath of the law and.
“Let me warn all those UPND cadres to want to break the law with impunity in their misguided defense of their boss who has failed to account for his wealth, that they will be dealt with severely” Mr Kampyongo warned.
Mweene Collects 5th South Africa League Championship Medal
Chipolopolo goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene has collected his third successive South African league championship medal on a dramatic final day of the 2019/2020 season.
It is Mweene’s fifth South African league championship title, all with Sundowns since he joined the Pretoria club in 2013 from Free State Stars.
Sundowns roared from second to overtake season pacesetters Kaizer Chiefs win the crown, dashing all hopes of the latter’s dreams of a first league title triumph in five years.
Mweene’s side beat Black Leopards 3-0 to finish two points clear of Chiefs who were relegated to finish second after a home draw with struggling Baroka.
Sundowns finish the season on 59 points while Chiefs, who drew 1-1 with Baroka, dropped to second to finish on 57 points following a season of promise.
Mweene started his fourth successive league match for Sundowns on his way to collecting another gold medal to add to his honours cabinet.
But compatriot and striker Lazarus Kambole, who came on in the 70th minute for Chiefs with the sides already level at 1-1, settled for silver in his debut season with the Soweto giants.
Apple Inc Donates 3 million Face Masks and 1 million Face Shields to Zambia
Apple Inc. of the United States of America has donated 3 million face masks and 1 million face shields to the republic of Zambia, Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya MP, MCC announced during the COVID-19 routine update on Saturday.
“On behalf of the President of Zambia Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu we would like to gratefully acknowledge receipt of 3 million face masks and one million face shields from apple ink of America through the Global Fund,” said Dr.Chilufya.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. It is considered one of the Big Tech technology companies, alongside Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook.
Dr. Chilufya has since expressed gratitude for the support and was quick to mention that the materials will be distributed to health and community workers who are in the frontline in the fight against the pandemic.
“We are extremely grateful for this support and we would like to assure apple and global fund that these masks and face shields will be distributed to the health and community workers who are in the frontline across the country,” Dr. Chilufya added.
Further, the Government has received support worth USD 25 million from the global fund towards the procurement of PPEs, COVID-19 testing kits, and health promotion activities.
“We would also like to acknowledge the global fund for providing support worth USD 25 million in the response against COVID-19 in Zambia and this is going towards the procurement of PPEs, COVID-19 testing kits, and health promotion activities,” Dr. Chilufya stated.
Meanwhile, the country has for the first time recorded 2 cases of re-infection of COVID -19 since the outbreak of the pandemic. Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya disclosed the development during the COVID 19 daily update.
Dr. Chilufya also announced that the country has recorded 70 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and also discharged 96 people from admissions.
He said currently 45 patients are admitted in various isolation centers with 33 admitted at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital of which 14 are on oxygen , while 12 patients are admitted outside Lusaka with 7 on oxygen.
Dr Chilufya said the country has also seen the geographic spread of COVID 19 to Zambezi and Katete district bringing the numbers of districts affected to 77.
The Minister has since urged the public to strictly adhere to health regulations to avoid contracting or spreading the Coronavirus.
And Infectious Diseases Director Professor Lloyd Mulenga said in spite of the high recovery rate from COVID 19, those that got infected are still at risk of getting re-infected.