The Government of Zambia, through the Ministry of National Development Panning, has received the first 8, 520 tablets to be used in the 2020 Census of Population and Housing this year.

Ministry of National Development Panning Permanent Secretary (Development Planning and Administration) Mr. Chola Chabala said the supplier this week delivered 8, 520 tablets of the 30, 000 tablets that the Government purchased for enumerators’ use in the first-ever e-census.

Mr. Chabala said the more tablets are expected to be delivered over the weekend, and the remainder in the coming weeks.

 “The Zambia Statistics Agency, which is in the Ministry of National Development Planning, has so far received 8,520 tablets and we expect to receive about 4, 260 in the next few days which will bring the total to 12, 780 tablets. We will receive the rest soon in readiness for the census,” he said. “The Government of Zambia has bought these tablets and financed the census this far, which is confirmation of the Government’s commitment to ensure that we successfully conduct the 2020 Census of Population and Housing and collect accurate data within a shortest possible time.”

He said the 2020 Census will be the first of its kind to be conducted using electronic data collection methodology. Enumerators will utilise the tablets in the field to gather and transmit data for onward compilation at the census centre.

The Permanent Secretary said the usage of tablets would enhance real time monitoring of fieldwork, thereby minimise errors and help speed up processing of results.
He said the Census will be conducted within the framework of international standards.

The Permanent Secretary explained that census of population and housing was important as it provides the Government, cooperating partners, private sector entities, individuals, and other stakeholder with accurate data to enable them plan and implement socio-economic, political and other developmental undertakings vital for national development.
Mr. Chabala said the results of the 2020 Census of Population and Housing will be cardinal in informing the formulation of the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) for the country.

Mr. Chabala said the mapping and listing exercise has been successfully conducted.

The Permanent Secretary urged Development Cooperating Partners and private sector entities to come on board and assist the Government financially and/or in kind to successfully conduct the Census, which has crosscutting benefits for all.

ZAMSTATS is on course to successfully conduct this year’s census on population and housing. Zambia has in the past conducted a series of comprehensive Census in 1969, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010.

Vice President Inonge Wina says no political party is currently allowed to campaign in correctional facilities across the country.

Mrs Wina says Government is not aware of any political party that has been given permission by the Prison Authorities to conduct campaigns not even the PF.

She was responding to Monze Central Member of Parliament during the Vice President’s question time who wanted to know what measures are put in place to ensure that all political parties will be allowed to campaign in prisons after Zambia Correctional Service Commissioner General Dr Chileshe Chisela warned that no opposition political party will be allowed to campaign correctional facilities.

Mrs Wina said there is no formal communication from the Zambia Correctional Service Commissioner General Dr Chileshe Chisela indicating that the opposition will not be allowed to campaign in prisons.

There is no policy yet governing the conduct of political parties in such facilities and if Dr Chisela said anything it must have been a passing comment which has not been formally communicated to the government.

Dr Chisela is quoted to have recently directed Zambia Correctional Services officers to block anyone unwilling to support President Edgar Lungu from campaigning in correction facilities.

This comes as the country braces for a new system that will allow inmates to cast their vote in the 2021 General Elections.

Dr Chisela directed facilities under his command not to entertain those opposed to President Lungu’s works from canvassing for support from their facilities.

He said this when the head of state handed over 70 houses to the Correctional services in Monze on Saturday, an event shunned by opposition Members of Parliament in the district.

Konkola Copper Mines has announced that the Caving in of ground following slope instability within a section of the Nchanga Open Pit Cut 2 in Chingola started to occur as predicted, and there is no threat to the safety of employees or people in nearby communities.

The Geo-technical team monitoring the sloughing following a series of multiple tension cracks at the Open pit noticed visible ground failure during the night of 7 July 2020.

The team continues to monitor ground movement and KCM will provide further details on the occurrence at a later stage.

“The amount of ground that has caved in will be known only after the area becomes safe for the technical team to conduct physical inspections,” KCM Chief Executive Officer Christopher Sheppard commented on the matter.

Mr Sheppard said the monitoring will continue using the modern technology installed a few years back to determine the movement of ground at the Open pit, which has helped KCM to predict the sloughing and appropriately advise stakeholders in communities and the nation at large on the matter.

The CEO said that Konkola Copper Mines top priority remains the safety of employees and people in communities around the mining area.

Mr Sheppard has assured stakeholders that they should not have any safety concerns about the sloughing and continue with their businesses or activities, but avoid attempting to enter in the hazard exclusion zone.

“People in nearby communities are advised that there will be no sound of ground fall during the period when the ground continues to fail as it is a gradual process with the ground sliding towards the Open pit”, he said.

Mr Sheppard said historically, global open pit mines have had similar incidents without warning, but the current occurrence at KCM was predicted because of the company’s investment in modern technology on ground movements.

“The rerouting of power lines to the Kafue Pump Station in Chingola is due to be completed on Wednesday, 8th July 2020 while there-routed water pipeline from the Kafue Pump Station to the Nchanga mining complex and eventually to Mulonga Water and Sanitation Company would be completed and become operational on Thursday, 9th July 2020”, he added.

Mr Sheppard thanked stakeholders, especially members of the community for adhering to safety protocols announced to them during engagements conducted before the sloughing started to occur.

THE Zambian Parliament has hailed the Zambia National Students Union (ZANASU) for its significant contribution to the report on the report on “implementation of the Youth Development Fund (YDF)” adopted by the National Assembly on 26th June, 2020.

ZANASU has continued to remain a representative voice of students of higher learning in Zambia in the legislative process and decision-making by the Executive arm of the Zambian Government.

In a letter dated 8th July, 2020 addressed to ZANASU, Clerk of the National Assembly conveyed the gratitude from the Parliamentary Committee’s on Youth, Sport and Child Matters ZANASU’s submission which formed part of the basis for the adopted report.

The current leadership of ZANASU has raised the bar to ensure students of higher learning are recognised as forming a part of Zambia’s youthful population that is strategically positioned to shape the governance of the country.

ZANASU, an umbrella body of students and their Unions in Zambia, has patterned with Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Fund (SAIH) – a Norwegian solidarity organization of students and academics – and the Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) to ensure students meaningfully engage in causes that advance academic freedoms and ensure young Zambians have access to quality education enabling them to contribute to a more just society.

In response to Parliament, ZANASU Vice President Steven Kanyakula has assured the National Assembly that “ZANASU shall continue to ensure that Zambian students, at home and abroad, continue to exercise and defend their right to raise their voice in national matters.”

“In pursuit of this task, ZANASU is working towards decentralizing by establishing provincial committees of students whom your Committees can interact with in your national duty to legislate,” read part of the letter.

The soft copy of the adopted Report can be accessed on www.parliament.gov.zm