Local Government Permanent Secretary Edward Chomba has threatened to revoke offer letters for people who have built houses closer to the Presidential Lodge in Kitwe.

Bishop Chomba says building houses within 2-hundred and 50-meters of the President’s lodge may compromise the security of the Head of State.

The Local Government Permanent Secretary has also directed the council not to allocate any plots within the range of 2-hundred and 50 meters in the presidential Lodge.

He said this today when he toured the presidential Lodge accompanied by Kitwe District Commissioner Chileshe Bweupe, Kitwe Mayor Christopher

Kang’ombe and other Senior Officials from Kitwe City Council.

Meanwhile, Bishop Chomba said there is a need to drill a borehole so that houses within the presidential Lodge can have clean running water.

The PS was informed that water supplied by Nkana Water and Sanitation Company is not Consistent.

He said Government does not want workers living within the presidential Lodge to have problems accessing water for consumption.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia has announced that it has embarked on the testing of its On-line Pre-registration Platform for Stakeholders and Members of the General Public to become familiar with the system before the actual pre-registration exercise is launched in September, 2020.

The Online Pre-registration Platform is an initiative by the Commission to enable eligible voters to initiate the registration process by submitting their details online, and later present their biometric data to a Registration Officer. Hence, the registration process shall only be completed once the actual Voter Registration Exercise starts on 19th October, 2020.

Eligible voters that pre-register online, are thus, expected to visit a Mobile Registration Centre to complete the process and to collect their voters’ cards.

The Commission, therefore, wishes to assure all stakeholders that the online exercise it is conducting is only for testing purposes meant to get feedback from Stakeholders, thereby improving the system before it is launched. Hence, the Commission wishes to encourage members of the public and eligible voters to participate in this testing exercise that will end on 25 th July, 2020.

The Pre-registration Online Platform is expected to enhance and quicken the registration process. The Commission is hopeful that this initiative will serve as an encouragement to the electorate.

As part of the orientation and consultative process on the online system and capturing of data, the Commission has had engagements with various stakeholders such as the Media, Political Parties, Civil Society Organisations and Faith Based Organisation.

The Testing Platform can be accessed on the link below

https://eczovr.org/

Zambia Railways Limited says it has in the last 24 hours, suspended train operations between Livingstone and Victoria Falls Town on the Zimbabwean side following a theft of 647 Pandrol Clips by unknown people.

Zambia Railways Manager Southern Region Joel Chilufya who confirmed the incidence says the running of trains between Zambia and Zimbabwe was temporarily suspended as the track had been rendered risky for train operations.

Mr Chilufya said the theft was discovered around 10 hours on Thursday by one of the Zambia Railways workers on patrol and immediately reported to both Zambia Railways and State Police

Among the goods affected by the temporal closure of the line were 35 wagons of copper concentrates destined for South Africa as well as 26 wagons of wheat destined for Lusaka.

“I must mention that this is the first time we have experienced theft of such magnitude on this particular line. It has largely been quite and secure compared to other sections of the main line. We treat theft of vital rail components as sabotage and culprits have to face the full force of the law” said Mr Chilufya.

Statistics from the ZRL Police Unit indicate that the company records cases of theft or vandalism of key railway components on a weekly basis, thereby hampering the smooth operations of the company.

Zambia Railways infrastructure is treated as a national asset and is protected by the Amended Railway Act of 1984. Those convicted of rail crimes such as theft of Pandrol clips and fish plates are considered saboteurs and face up to 21 years in prison, under the law.

Meanwhile Zambia Railways has assured its customers as well as members of the general public that its Emergency Response Team is already on the ground and normal operations were expected to be restored within 24 hours.

Zambia Railways wishes to make a strong and passionate appeal to members of the public to help protect vital railway infrastructure by reporting suspects to the nearest Zambia Railways offices or any security enforcement wings.

In the meantime, ZRL will continue to engage members of the community spread along the length and breadth of its railway network (that stretches from Mulobezi in Western Province to Chililabombwe on the Copperbelt) through meetings, Public Address announcements, radio programmes and other information dissemination platforms, in order to find a common and lasting solution to rail crimes.

This is according to a statement issued by Caristo Chitamfya, the Zambia Railways Limited Public Relations Manager.

Opposition New Hope Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Deputy National Secretary Mr. Gregory Mofu has called upon the Speaker of the National Assembly to close Parliament in light of the reported COVID 19 cases.

The Clerk of the National Assembly, Ms. Cecilia Mbewe on Wednesday the 15th of July, 2020 announced that three (3) Members of Parliament and ten (10) National Assembly staff had tested positive for COVID 19.

In a statement circulated to the media this morning, New Hope Youthful MMD Deputy National Secretary said that the COVID 19 threat had become real in Zambia.

“The New Hope MMD has noted with sadness on how the general public have neglected in keeping themselves protected from the COVID 19. The COVID 19 threat is very much alive and the general public should continue protecting themselves as per Ministry of Health guidelines”, Mr. Mofu said.

Mr. Mofu then urged the Speaker to close down the National Assembly in a bid to prevent the further spread of the COVID 19.

“Lastly but not the least, we have noted with sadness the news that is coming in from Parliament that 3 Member of Parliament and 10 National Assembly Staff have tested Positive for the COVID 19. We wish them a quick recovery and the best of Health”, Mr. Mofu said.

“As a Party with our Members in Parliament, We would also like to call upon the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Patrick Matibini to immediately suspend the current sitting of Parliament before more MPs and Staff contract the virus”, Mr. Mofu further said.