Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
The PF government has finally admitted that land on which Kamwala Remand Prison and Lusaka Central Prison commonly known as Chimbokaila has been sold.
Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo disclosed that the two parcels of land have been sold to private investors in a Public Private Partnership deal.
Mr Kampyongo further revealed that one of the partners, Mukuyu Ventures who have bought the land on which the Kamwala Remand Prison sits has already started constructing a new and modern correctional facility in Mwembeshi where the inmates will be transferred.
Mukuyu Ventures, which is a subsidiary company of Green Capital Holdings, a company based in Nairobi, Kenya which is building Africa’s tallest building in Nairobi.
The Home Affairs Minister was speaking Friday morning when he featured on Hot FM’s Red Hot Breakfast Show.
“I am not sure the name of the other investor. You can check with the PPP Unit for details but I know they have taken up the construction of a second facility, it is also within Mwembeshi,” Mr Kampyongo said.
But a source within the Ministry of Home Affairs have disclosed that the second investor is known as Saltech Enterprises.
The developers have earmarked to construct financial and commercial complex at both locations.
Mr Kampyongo said the new correctional facilities will include a school, enough space for outdoor activities and a bigger health facility to provide medical care.
Chipata Mayor Sinoya Mwale has warned sex workers in the area to stop parading themselves on the streets in the wake of the threat posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Zambia.
Meanwhile, some sex workers in Chipata district have appealed to government to work towards containing COVID-19 soon because it has affected their business.
Mr. Mwale said the Chipata City Council (CCC) has intensified preventive measures against the disease hence sex workers that will be found in the streets will be arrested.
He said the council and Zambia Police are working together to enforce President Edgar Lungu’s directives on enhancing measures that will curb the spread of COVID-19.
He said the local authority is abiding by President Lungu’s directive of ensuring that all basic preventive measures against COVID-19 are adhered to.
“This is a very serious virus we are dealing with and we will not let anyone or any group of people frustrate our efforts to prevent COVID-19,” Mr. Mwale said.
Meanwhile, a 24-year-old sex worker said the outbreak of COVID-19 has negatively affected her business of prostitution from which she earns between K4, 000 and K5,000 per month.
The sex worker, who patronises Chipata’s Church road in Moth area, told ZANIS that the coronavirus has adversely affected her earnings to the extent that she is now struggling to support her child, siblings and parents.
“I am not the only one who has lost out because of the disease. Most of my friends are also complaining because our clients are now confined to their homes. It is really hard because bars are closed and this is the place where we get most clients,” she said.
She said most of her prominent clients have gone quiet on her.
In response to the call for the sex workers to stop going to the streets, she said the prostitutes were still working but are alert not to be found by the police.
“We are on alert because if police find us, we may go to jail. Government is very serious about preventing this disease but we also need money to feed our families and this is our only work,” she said.
From the time government issued a directive to close bars and ask people to stay at home, she has only managed to have six clients which according to her, is a serious drop.
“We are in a very desperate situation because just for us to survive during this period we may end up dropping our charges to even K20 or K50 just to have clients,” she said.
And another sex worker, who conducts her business in Kalongwezi and Magazine areas, said nothing has changed for her because her clients still contact her through phone calls.
The middle-aged sex-worker said most of her clients are in formal employment in Chipata hence she has continued to cash in.
“My business is intact because I have a good business relationship with my clients and I cannot complain. I know about the virus and I hope the cure will be found so that things can get back to normal,” she said.
A drive through Chipata city around 19:00 hours yesterday revealed that only a few sex workers were still lining-up in the streets.
Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has disclosed that the Minister of Finance Dr. Bwalya Ngandu was under quarantine but has tested negative to COVID-19.
Minister of Health, Dr.Chitalu Chilufya announced at today’s briefing, where he also mentioned that Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kapmyongo was also under quarantine and had too tested negative.
Dr. Chilufya emphasized the need to respect the privacy of individuals when it comes to disclosure of their Coronavirus cases and test results.
“We will be transparent with the matter but we will respect the privacy of patients,” he said as he also announced that the Finance Minister consented to have his COVID-19 results made public after he was quarantined.
Dr. Chilufya said that he was happy with the positive response that the Ministry of Health has continued to receive from people who notice some symptoms that are related to those of COVID-19.
He cited Minister of Finance Bwalya N’gandu and his Home Affairs counterpart Stephen Kamyongo as being among many other people that had volunteered to undergo self-quarantine after visiting COVID high risk country.
At the same briefing, Dr Chilufya announced that two out of the 38 coronavirus patients, who are admitted to isolation centers in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces, have tested negative for the virus and will be discharged tomorrow.
The patients initially tested positive for the disease and have been in the isolation centres where their condition was being monitored for more than 14 days.
Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said the two patients’ symptoms have since disappeared hence they tested negative.
Dr. Chilufya informed the nation during the COVID-19 update in Lusaka today that in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health followed up 266 new alerts who all proved to be non-cases of coronavirus.
This therefore means that the country has in the last 24 hours not recorded any new cases of COVID-19 and the number of patients remains at 38.
Dr. Chilufya described the condition of the 38 patients currently in isolation centers as stable.
“In the last 24 hours, we have no new cases of COVID-19, and the number still stands at 39 with one death and all our 38 patients are still in various isolation facilities, two on the Copperbelt while the rest are in Lusaka and are all stable under the care of our specialized team,” he said.
Dr. Chilufya disclosed that over 5,600 specimens were collected from different people who visited coronavirus high-risk countries.
Out of this number, less than 1,400 are under quarantine for 14 days and are still under high health surveillance system.
And Dr. Chilufya has disclosed that Zambia and Malawi, which announced its first three COVID-19 patients yesterday, are working on a bilateral measure aimed at eliminating the spread of the disease across the two countries.
He explained that surveillance has being heightened in all border areas, entry and exist points for the two countries to ensure that trade and commerce is not disrupted for the economy to continue operating.
“We have Presidential directives to ensure that essential services continue through the multi sectorial approach but only make sure that there is proper management of cargo and that people should only travel when it is necessary,” he said.
Home Affairs counterpart Stephen Kamyongo
And Mr. Kampyongo, who announced that he underwent a COVID-19 test with his wife and tested negative, has reiterated that the media should refrain from invading people’s privacy in their quest to get information.
He explained that only the Ministry of Health, Chief Government Spokesperson and the Head of State have the authority to share information about someone’s health with consent from the person involved.
“My appeal to the media is that you need to understand that respecting the privacy of an individual is law and one can be punished for not abiding by that. Anyone can get infected but there is a need to follow guidelines in accessing the information by ensuring that we respect people’s private space,” he stressed.
He also disclosed that the Ministry of Home Affairs will ensure that all the measures put in place to address the spread of COVID-19 are enforced in order to protect lives.
And Mr. Kampyongo has disclosed that the Zambia Correctional Services has reduced visitation to correctional facilities by members of the public to avoid any spread of the COVID-19 adding that an isolation center has also been identified for suspected patients.
He acknowledged that there is inadequate space in most facilities.
Currently, there are over 23,000 inmates against the holding capacity of 8,000 countrywide.
Busy places such as markets and bus station have been identified as areas with a high risk of transmitting the coronavirus due to the traffic of people that they handle.
Minister of Local Government Charles Banda said tomorrow, all bus stations and markets will be partially closed for about two hours to allow for thorough cleaning and disinfecting.
“We are not closing the markets but we just want to ensure that they are kept clean so that we trade in a clean environment and safe guard our lives,” he said.
Dr. Banda has meanwhile advised traders to reduce the trading hours as a way of lessening their exposure to the coronavirus pandemic.
And various stakeholders have also continued to make monetary and material donations to the Ministry of Health to be used in fighting the coronavirus.
World Vision Zambia has pledged to spend over K5 million on various medical supplies and hygiene measures to supplement government effort in combating the COVID-19 in the country.
World Vision Zambia National Director John Hasse noted that his organization has also partnered with UNICEF to strengthen infection, prevention and control measures in all the isolation centres by providing online chlorinators, hygiene supplies and clean safe water.
Zambia and Nkwazi striker Emmanuel Chabula says he is not rushing into making a move abroad.
Chabula has been linked with a move to a number of clubs among them French side AS Saint-Etienne.
Media reports this week suggested that St Etienne wants to take Chabula to Europe before the delayed African Nations Championship (CHAN) is played.
‘I won’t say much on the issue of being linked to clubs outside the country. I will leave it to my manager and agent to handle those issues,’ Chabula said.
He emerged Chipolopolo top scorer in 2019 with six goals.
‘I am not in a hurry to move, I want to be more patient and at last make a good move. If there will be anything in those lines I will let you know,’ he said.
The former Kitwe United was instrumental in propelling Zambia to the 2020 CHAN qualification.
And Chabula says he is striving to maintain his fitness following the halting of both the league and club training due to the coronavirus pandemic.
‘I am training alone just to keep fit. I am doing jogging and some abdominal excises just to keep myself in shape. This is a very difficulty period for us footballers,’ he said.
Kitwe football administrator Sydney Chalawila has warned that the tendency by some candidates to campaign in groups ahead of the delayed FAZ elections was a catalyst for confusion in the local football governing body.
The coronavirus pandemic has delayed the elective FAZ annual general meeting that was set for March 28 in Livingstone.
Chalawila, the former Mining Rangers secretary, said it was unfortunate that wrangles among administrators have continued to engulf FAZ.
He said FAZ councilors must learn to elect candidates on merit.
‘There are some councilors who are campaigning in groups. I mean that is a source of confusion,’ Chalawila said.
‘Imagine that candidates from different camps are elected into FAZ positions, can they work together? I believe this is a source of division,’ he said.
‘Leaders should be chosen on merit not on the basis of belonging to a group. I am not going to come out and say I am supporting this one or that one,’ Chalawila said.
Chalawila was a losing candidate in the FAZ Copperbelt elections where Nkana’s Patrick Ndhlovu emerged Provincial Chairman.
Ndhlovu defeated Chalawila together with Bosco John Chilando and Alfred Mwape in the battle for the Kopala football top post.
Some Africans on social media have expressed their dissatisfaction on a viral video suggesting that Africa should be the first place where coronavirus treatments be tested.
Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at Cochin hospital in Paris, and Camille Locht, head of research at the Inserm health research group, both said on French TV that there was a case for testing out the vaccines in African countries.
“If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we be doing this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatments, no resuscitation?” Dr Mira said on TV channel LCI.
“A bit like as it is done elsewhere for some studies on Aids. In prostitutes, we try things because we know that they are highly exposed and that they do not protect themselves.”
“You are right,” Dr Locht responded.
“We are in the process of thinking about a study in parallel in Africa.”
The comments received an angry response on social media, including from former footballers Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o.
“I would like to vividly denounce those demeaning, false and most of all deeply racist words,” Drogba tweeted.
“Do not take African people as human guinea pigs! It’s absolutely disgusting,” he added.
Another twitter user said “It’s 2020 in France & we still see people from Africa as subjects for experimentation.This is what normalized racism looks like.AFAIK,nobody jumped in to counter the arguments, both doctors agreed. Same, the way sex-workers are considered: like objects that can be used for tests.”
“If only Africa would choose better leaders, we would not even need to worry about this happening,” another responded.
The information has emerged that the Chinese investor in Luanshya operating Luanshya Mines has started digging up for Copper at Roan Sports Club.
The Sports Club consists of Rugby, Cricket, Swimming, Tennis and Squash including Basketball and football facilities.
Investigations have revealed that the Roan Cricket Club will be the first to go as it sits right within the licence area given to the Chinese investor.
Luanshya Copper Mines Public Relations Manager Sydney Chileya confirmed that the company has the right to mine in the area because the mining licence covers that area.
Mr Chileya said the the initial earth works of course will affect the boundary of the cricket club and tennis club but these clubs will remain intact.
“When a company is given a license by the ministry of Mines,they have a right to mine within the license area, it is law. The ore body being mined there ends at the boundary of the cricket and tennis club.
Roan Member of Parliament Joseph Chishala also confirmed that the construction of an open pit mine will go ahead but that Roan Sports Field will be preserved.
But aspiring MP for Roan Eleni Grigoraki has condemned the action of the mine company.
“ LCM are wantonly and callously demolishing our ZCCM Sports Amenities. Yesterday I physically visited the site in question, and indeed the reports are very true that earth-works have been done at the Cricket Club.
She added, “The Cricket Club Information building has already been razed-down and so is the Basketball Court.”
“I then called the Minister of Mines, who expressed great dissapointment with this destructive behaviour, and he assured me that he would be calling CLM, the China Mine to try to resolve things.”
“But what surprises me even more is the fact Luanshya Municipality, and the District Administration, actually had the full knowledge of this, but they elected not report the matter to their designated Superiors, at Lusaka
Chinese Luanshya Copper Mines undertaking earth works on the Cricket Club as construction of an open pit mine starts
COPPERBELT Minister Japhen Mwakalombe, Zambia Police and the Ndola City Council (NCC) have unearthed a scam in which some unscrupulous people have been working with millers and buying mealie meal in bulk and smuggling to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The smuggling of mealie meal has led to an artificial shortage of the commodity and a hike in prices in Ndola and around the Copperbelt.
During the operation about 1000 bags of mealie meal were seized in bordering township Kawama with the aid of residents who became whistle blowers.
Hundreds of bags where found in tightly locked up stores and others hidden in homes, under beds, fridges and tall grass.
It was also discovered that most are smuggling the mealie meal using bicycles. A couple of bicycles were found in the shops with bags of mealie strapped around them in disguise.
The mealie was hidden in cement bags, chitenge wrappers and so on and forth.
At border Maria Chimona smugglers were also using bicycles with National Registration cards which belong to other people to smuggle the commodity into DRC.
Copperbelt Minister Mr Mwakalombe flanked by Copperbelt Police Commsioner Charity Katanga, NCC Town clerk Wisdom Bwalya , District Commsioner Anthony Katongo and other officials fumed at the situation.
When queried on the huge stocks of mealie meal being piled the smugglers claimed to be traders.
But when asked why their shops were locked tight when there is a demand for the commodity even around the area all remained mute.
And after asking why some bags where wrapped in disguise all traders claimed the bags were not theirs and did not know what the bags were doing in their shop.
Police henceforth picked up two smugglers and arrested them, the two have also been reported of terrorizing the community and using weapons such as guns.
And when further pushed for answers the traders revealed they sale the commodity at K500 and K600 in DRC.
Further, the Ndola City Council queried the shop owners as to how they were trading but yet have no trading permits or health certificates.
Health experts also said the mealie was being kept in unsafe ways that risk the product being contaminated as most places had people sleeping in the same room and even to top of the bags.
Mr Mwakalombe said the mealie meal shortage was an artificial one caused by such ‘selfish’ individuals.
Hon Mwakalombe said Government, NCC and Zambia police will not rest and will ensure all mazie found illegallg is retrieved and all millers who are culprits will be brought to book.
He clarified that Zambia signed mou with DRC to supply 600 tonnes of mealie meal a legal trade which would benefit all Zambians.
Copperbelt Minister Mr Mwakalombe flanked by Copperbelt Police Commsioner Charity Katanga, NCC Town clerk Wisdom Bwalya , District Commsioner Anthony Katongo and other officialsMealie Meal for Smuggling
The Independent Broadcasting Authority has expressed concern with the manner in which some broadcasting houses are pursuing suspected COVID 19 patients in their line of work.
IBA Director General Josephine Mapoma said Journalism Ethics demand that the public’s right to information should not outweigh the right of victims or suspected patients of COVID 19, to privacy confidentiality and dignity.
Ms Mapoma has guided all broadcasting stations to exercise maximum professionalism and observe ethics in reporting about the patients and suspected persons of the COVID 19 pandemic.
“Furthermore, the IBA is calling on all broadcasters to adhere to Section Eight (8) of the IBA Standard Operating Procedures for Broadcasting in Zambia on Privacy, provides that Information which discloses the location of a person’s home or family must not be revealed without permission”, she said
She said similarly, ambushing suspected patients can expose them to stigmatization and violent reactions from the public.
Ms Mapoma said broadcasters must also note that if an individual or organization’s privacy is being infringed, and they ask that the filming, recording or live broadcast be stopped, the Licensee must do so.
She said people that might be suffering from COVID 19 maybe in a state of distress, therefore must not be put under pressure to take part in an interview or any form of programming.
Ms Mapoma has since cautioned media personnel to desist from following persons that are suspected to be suffering from COVID 19 as doing so puts their own lives in danger of contracting the virus.
She said broadcasting houses must heed the call by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya and the Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya to be professional and avoid violating the suspected patient’s right to privacy.
Habitat for Humanity Zambia is urging decision makers to pay urgent attention to informal settlements, which are often densely populated and have inadequate housing and limited access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities needed to stop the spread of the COVID 19 disease.
Organisation National Director, Mathabo Makuta says crowding has been associated with elevated risk of respiratory infection, increasing the opportunity for cross-infection among family members and within communities.
Ms Makuta said globally, an estimated 1.6 billion people live without adequate shelter, including nearly 1 billion living in informal settlements.
She said some 2.2 billion people live without improved sanitation and 2 billion are affected by water stress adding that in Zambia there is a housing deficit of 1.5 million and 40 percent of the population has inadequate access to clean safe water saying the figure is even higher for sanitation and hygiene.
Ms Makuta said in light with the current COVID 19 pandemic, people living in unplanned settlements are more susceptible to the disease because of their living conditions.
She has recommended that policy makers should take actions including protections and support for access to safe, adequate and affordable housing; and access to clean safe water, sanitation and hygiene in their responses to COVID-19.
Ms Makuta said decision makers should consider policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic that: ensure adequate housing remains a priority and option for all; recognize the multiple ways in which housing is financed at the household level, including access and protection for micro-finance loans; recognize tenure security along the continuum of land rights; incorporate participation of the communities they are trying to serve; and facilitate the ability of communities to build back better and more resiliently.
She added that government should consider the needs of residents in communities and to consider contextually appropriate solutions for those living formally and informally, including: eviction bans to help tenants struggling to pay rent; cash benefits as direct support for struggling families; banning utility shut offs of electricity, heat, and water so that people are safe in their homes; and addressing the hygiene and shelter needs of the homeless.
Ms Makuta said Government cannot afford to wait as the availability of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities including adequate housing are a first line of defense against the COVID 19 disease.
She said her Organisation has been complimenting government’s efforts to provide safe, clean water to the urban poor in form of boreholes, open and closed communal water kiosks under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene-WASH programme.
Ms Makuta has added that, 59 public water points benefitting about 47, 604 individuals in Chilanga, Lusaka, Chongwe, Kabwe and Ndola Districts have been installed so far since 1984.
“Furthermore, through the Orphaned and Vulnerable Group Housing programme targeting the aged, orphans and people with disabilities, more than 3, 844 decent shelters have been constructed,” stated Ms. Makuta.
Ms. Makuta is therefore, calling for the civil society organizations and policy makers to put access to clean safe water, sanitation and hygiene; and adequate housing in unplanned settlements at the heart of actions plans in addressing the COVID 19 pandemic in Zambia.
The government has expressed gratitude to UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema over his decision to donate towards the fight against COVID-19.
Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo says Mr Hichilema and the UPND are free to donate to correctional facilities and other institutions towards the fight against the coronavirus.
Speaking on the Breakfast show on Hot FM this morning, Mr Kampyongo said Mr Hichilema is free to donate to any institution of his choice.
He added that even President Edgar Lungu has no problem with anyone wanting to donate towards the fight against COVID-19.
Mr Kampyongo said he has communicated with the UPND Secretary General Stephen Katuka authorizing the donations and is ready to receive the donations on 10th April 2020.
And Mr Kampyongo said he has also acknowledged the proposals made by Mr Hichilema on decongesting correctional facilities and police cells but indicated that this is provided for in the constitution.
Mr Kampyongo said this is not the time for politicking but to work together in order to save lives.
The UPND Leader Mr Hichilema recently said he is ready to work with the Government in fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Mr Hichilema says he is willing to meet anybody and have a conversation on how to fight the pandemic and save lives.
Yesterday Mr Hichilema flagged off a nationwide distribution of hand sanitizers and other hygiene soaps as part of his contribution towards the fight against coronavirus to needy communities.
Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo has rubbished media reports claiming he was one of the Ministers that have been quarantined after returning from Namibia where he went to attend the inauguration of that Country’s President.
Mr Kampyongo said he has never been quarantined as he was cleared COVID-19 negative by the Ministry of Health and other Doctors.
Speaking on the Breakfast show on Hot FM this morning, Mr Kampyongo has also apologized to the people that have been inconvenienced by the screaming headlines that he was quarantined.
Mr Kampyongo said he received a lot of calls from government officials, relatives and Cooperating Partners inquiring where he tested positive for the pandemic.
He particularly apologized to the European Union Delegation in Zambia, the people he said he met before the news came out that he was quarantined.
Mr Kampyongo has since urged the media to be responsive in their reporting saying they have the power to either build or destroy the nation.
He said he and others that travelled to Namibia did not interact with others in the holding rooms and did not use a passenger plane where they could not have contracted the pandemic.
Mr Kampyongo said Namibia was not a risk country and they were cleared by the Ministry of health to travel before the trip.
He however noted that the decision by President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana to go into isolation for 14 days contributed to the speculation in Zambia.
On the same show, Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya was called and confirmed that Mr Kampyongo tested negative for the pandemic.
On 1st April 2020, it was reported that Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo and Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Chalwe Lombe were in quarantine after they attended the Inauguration of the Namibian President.
Chambeshi river has burst its banks thereby flooding the Samfwa road and submerging crop fields in the Northern part of Shiwang`andu district in Muchinga Province.
The overflow of Chambeshi river is due to the heavy rains the district has experienced this rain season.
This came to light when a District Disaster Management and Mitigation team visited Kabanda and other affected areas in various wards of Shiwang`andu.
Shiwang`andu District Council Chairperson Epilius Chisulo said about 1.5 kilometre of Safwa road and the pontoon are flooded, resulting in the closure of operations at Samfwa pontoon area.
Mr. Chisulo said travelers are using boats to cross Chambeshi river while motorists are completely unable to drive through the flooded road.
And speaking on behalf of other villagers, Steven Kangwa of Walima village said the floods recorded this year have greatly affected many households while many crop fields have been submerged and houses collapsing.
Mr. Kangwa has since appealed to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to help the affected people.
Meanwhile, Shiwang`andu District Administrative Officer Christopher Banda said about 86 families have been affected by floods in three wards of Shiwang`andu district.
Mr. Banda said 212 houses have also collapsed besides crop fields being submerged in water.
Over 100 youths of Kasenseli area in chief Chibwika’s area in Mwinilunga district have petitioned government to consider empowering them with mining rights at the newly discovered gold mine in the area.
The youths, who gathered at the District Commissioner’s office in Mwinilunga yesterday to present their petition, requested government to allow them to undertake mining activities in one of the three pits known as veins at the site.
Speaking on behalf of other youths, Gift Maseka, said the best way the young people could meaningfully benefit from the mine is through direct involvement in the mining activities as opposed to getting employed by an independent mining firm.
Mr. Maseka said any mining company the government will engage should conduct its mining activities from other sites other than the one which does not require mechanisation to mine gold.
He added that individuals and mining firms that conducted activities at the site previously failed to pay the local youths who they had engaged in the mining.
The youths have also called on government to endeavor to engage an indigenous mining company to run the gold mine at Kasenseli.
And in receiving the petition, Mwinilunga District Commissioner Arnot Mapulanga praised the youths for expressing their discontent over the gold mining activities at Kasenseli.
Mr. Mapulanga said government is cognisant of the fact that any mining firm engaged at Kasenseli must first empower the local citizens especially the youths.
He has since assured the youths of government’s favourable response to their petition, promising that he would forward their petition to relevant ministries.
Kasenseli gold mine, which was discovered by the local people in July last year, saw an influx of people illegally exploiting the easily accessible gold deposits.
Government intervened through a presidential directive to halt all mining activities pending identification and consequently engagement of a suitable mining investor.
Government has since identified Zambia Consolidated Copper Mining-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) to run the mining activities at the gold mine.
The Board of Directors of the Pensions and Insurance Authority (PIA) has noted with concern recent events relating to the Authority, including the arrest of three of its Senior Members of Staff.
PIA Board Chairperson Petronella Mwangala said the Board is fully aware of the matter, which relates to a decision taken by the Authority in the course of discharging its functions, and shall cooperate with all relevant authorities and stakeholders and allow the law to take its course.
Mrs Mwangala said the Authority will comprehensively address the issues in the Press at an opportune time.
“The Board wishes to reassure the general public that the Authority will continue to discharge its Regulatory and Supervisory functions in line with its statutory mandate,” Mrs Mwangala said.
“The Board further wishes to reassure the public that the Authority remains committed to protecting the interests of Pension Scheme Members and insurance Policy Holders,” she said.
“To that end, the Authority will continue to uphold its core values which include integrity, accountability and confidentiality.”
