The Zambia National Educational Coalition (ZANEC) has welcomed the announcement made by newly appointed Minister of Higher Education Brian Mushimba to the reopen the Copperbelt University (CBU).

ZANEC Executive Director George Hamusunga has also appreciated the decision taken by the Minister to re-instate all union leaders that were expelled earlier.

Mr Hamusunga stated that the coalition is delighted that the Minister has responded to calls and concerns made by various stakeholders to re-open the higher learning facility.

“We would however like to inform the government that the reopening of CBU is the first step towards addressing the many problems that our higher learning institutions are facing,” he stated.

Mr Hamusunga added that the challenges currently obtaining in Higher Learning Institutions can only be resolved by using an open and honest dialogue system involving university management, students and the Minister of Higher Education.

He further advised the new Minister to establish a platform where issues at the Copperbelt University and the University of Zambia can be resolved.

“Additionally, as a coalition, we would like to advise management at both Universities to be flexible and open to divergent views,” he noted.

Mr Hamusunga further advised government to adequately fund the two institutions in order to avoid closing the facility and unnecessary confusion.

This is contained in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

The Copperbelt University that was closed indefinitely in April this year, will reopen on August 19th , 2019.

Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs, Godfridah Sumaili says there is need to devise a mechanism that will change certain negative behaviours and cultural traits being practised in certain parts of the country.

Reverend Sumaili said that her ministry has already identified stakeholders that will help in devising the mechanisms and has taken a deliberate move to explore ways of inculcating Christian and national values and principles in the citizenry.

The Minister added that her ministry looks forward to having stakeholders embrace, champion and enforce messages of Christian values and principles, which are guided on the principle of Zambia being a Christian nation.

Reverend Sumaili further commended ministry of chiefs and traditional affairs for the role it is playing in working with traditional leaders in the country as agents of change.

And the Minister observed that the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs was strategically placed for government to effectively implement its programs and policies through enhanced cooperation with traditional leaders as custodians of the people.

Rev. Sumaili said the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs is key and strategic in inculcation national values and principles in society.

She said this when Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Lawrence Sichalwe called on her at her office.

The Minister explained that her ministry is already working with some chiefs who are working with chaplains in helping transform people’s lives through fostering messages of Christian values.

And Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Lawrence Sichalwe thanked the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs for the role it is playing in soliciting to change some long standing traditional beliefs and practices which are in conflict with Christian values and principles.

Mr Sichalwe noted that it is not easy to change people’s long standing practices and behaviour but that messages of change should be embraced and accepted by all well-meaning Zambians.

He however assured of his ministry’s support as it implements its policies and programs.

Mr Sichalwe has further indicated that as a way of helping enforce the implementation of Christian and national values and principles, his ministry will facilitate for the inclusion of such messages during traditional ceremonies.

This is contained in a press statement released to the media by Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Public Relations Officer Chibesa Musukwa.

The Zambia National Students Union (ZANASU) has welcomed the decision taken by Minister of Higher Education Brian Mushimba to reopen the Copperbelt University (CBU), and reinstate all expelled students.

Zambia National Students Union President (ZANASU), Misheck Kakonde says the decision to reopen the Higher learning Institution has been long overdue, adding that closing of an academic institution for such a long time, has adverse effects on the academic progress of the students.

“We welcome the decision, though it has been long overdue because closing up of such an institution has a huge effect in terms of the academic progress of students,” he said.

He added that such closures paint a bad picture on institution and its entire administration, adding that the facility does not only admit local students but also international students who cater for their own fees, thus disturbing their progress.

He stressed that government should be able to find other ways of handling conflict resolutions within academic institutions, to avoid building up of anarchy among the students.

Mr Kakonde further commended the authority for reinstating the institution’s Students Union as it is constitutional and within right that such a facility is provided with a union, in order to operate diligently.

“It is constitutional that for every university to operate, it must have union leaders because there must be a proper channel of communication between the students who are also the major stakeholders of the university and the government; and that can only be effected if a student union is present,” he noted.

He has further urged the reinstated students to focus on their studies and further find better ways of showing their displeasure by engaging management and government as equal partners, in finding lasting solutions.

The Copperbelt University is expected to reopen on August 18th, 2019, after being closed indefinitely on April 2nd 2019, by then Minister of Higher Education, Nkandu Luo, following student unrest.

Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela says government will use existing cultural agreements and other bilateral relations to promote exchange in culture, education, sports and tourism.

Mr Chitotela noted that culture is cardinal in promoting closer ties between Zambia and China.He said this in a speech read for him by Director for Arts and Culture in the Ministry of Tourism and Arts Thomas Mubita during the official opening of the Chinese gourmet wuxi fine food workshop.

Mr Chitotela stated that government attaches great importance to developing the tourism, arts and other cultural sectors.He said government has put measures in place designed to enhance the preservation, promotion and development of cultural heritage in the country.The Minister hinted that cultural exchange initiative are key in enabling people from different cultures to interact and learn from each other.

And speaking earlier at the same event, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie said cultural exchange programmes will help build strong ties between the two countries.
Mr Jie explained that the event was organized in a bid to enable Zambians appreciate the Chinese cuisine.

US Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote has bemoaned the lack of adequate geological information on the country’s mineral resources.

Mr Foote says there is interest for American investors to penetrate the Zambian mining sector, but they are lacking geological information on the country’s mineral deposits.

He says Zambia is endowed with a lot of natural resources, but it takes a lot to attract capital investment into the mining sector.

Mr Foote was speaking when he called on Mines Minister Richard Musukwa and his Permanent Secretary Paul Chanda.

He said advanced aerial geological data has become a game changer in the mining industry, but this can only be achieved through access to current geological information.

On Oil exploration Mr Foote inquired from the Minister if there is more room for other international investors in the sector.

And Mr Musukwa assured Mr Foote that Zambia has partnered with China to do geological mapping in the Northern parts of the country with the aim to provide best data which will spur growth in the mining sector.

Mr Musukwa invited other countries to partner with the ministry to carry out further mappings of other parts of the country.

The Minister stated that the detailed information obtained from the surveys will be packaged for investors and other stakeholders.

IT’S likely that some Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officials may have been coerced into concealing the names of the people who own the 48 housing units suspected to be proceeds of crime, Zambia Republican Party (ZRP) president, Wright Musoma, has charged.

Mr Musoma told the Daily Nation in a telephone interview in Lusaka yesterday it was strange that the ACC could fail to trace the owners of the housing units when it had competent investigation officers.

He said the situation raised suspicion that some people in the system may have been paid in order not to disclose the information as there were so many ways of finding out that information.

ACC acting Director General Rosemary Nkonde Nkuzwayo announced on Monday the Commission had closed the case against a named Ministry of Finance official who allegedly owned 48 housing units recently forfeited to the State for lack of evidence linking him to the said property.

She said no one had come forward to declare ownership of the said property after publication of the gazette notice while the person in whose name the property were registered had equally disowned them.

Ms Nkuzwayo said the ACC could not prosecute the matter in the absence of evidence.

But Mr Musoma said the matter at hand was serious and the ACC should do everything it could to trace the owner of the said properties.

He described the commission’s justification for closing the matter as unreasonable and urged them to re-open it so that the person or people behind it could be punished.

“The Commission chief is showing us that some officials were most likely bribed in order to hide the names of the owners of the housing units. So the ACC is saying that those houses built themselves, which is unacceptable. We are urging ACC to re-open the case and institute investigations so that people involved are brought to book,” Mr Musoma said.

He said the nation would not tolerate mediocrity from the Commission because it is entrusted with an important task to burb in the nation.

Daily Nation

Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Mwila has maintained that the party is against the re-introduction of deputy ministers as proposed by the National Dialogue Forum.

However, former deputy minister in the Ministry of Energy Charles Zulu said said that he strongly supports the National Dialogue Forum proposal to reintroduce deputy ministers, contrary to the position of the PF central committee.

The PF Chief Executive Officer told journalists in Lusaka that the decision not to support the re-introduction of deputy ministers was made by the highest supreme organ of the party and it stands that way.

Mr. Mwila made it clear that the PF government is implementing austerity measures in order to reduce on costs.

“We as a party in government, have embarked on austerity measures aimed at reducing costs, how then can we support the re-introduction of Deputy Ministers,” he questioned.

He stated that all the policies of government are made by the party and that they will be answerable to the people of Zambia hence the need to do the will of the people.

Mr. Mwila emphasized that the Central Committee has made it very clear that the party will not support this issue of reintroduction of deputy ministers and that party members should support it.

Home Affairs Minister Hon Stephen Kampyongo has said that the former Roan Member of Parliament and National Democratic Congress leader Chishimba Kambwili is treading on dangerous ground with his continued ridicule of President Edgar Lungu as head of state.

Mr Kampyongo said that Mr Kambwili should be reminded that President Edgar Lungu is Republican President today because he has supporters countrywide who may not tolerate his continued abusive language on the Head of State

Mr Kampyongo said that the architects of the Zambian laws had foreseen the potential abuse the Office of President would be subjected to and provided adequate laws to deal with people like Mr Kambwili.

“If his vulgar language is instigated by a perception of popularity, then Kambwili should remember that His Excellency, the President is Head of State because of the support he enjoys across the nation. Kambwili is treading on dangerous waters by continuing with the abusive language on the Head of State because it is not every supporter of the President who will tolerate his continued ridicule.

“Besides, Kambwili would have still been in government today had it not been for corruption allegations slapped on him. He is still appearing before our Courts of law and as such, he should be the last person to scream corruption on every side.”

Hon Kampyongo told the NDC leader to draw lessons from his 213 votes in Lubwa ward in a district and Constituency where the former Roan lawmaker claims to have gained considerable ground to the extent of undermining the political relevance of his alliance partners.

“Let him draw lessons from his 213 votes in Kitwe’s Lubwa ward. He has been claiming of gaining ground in the district yet he can’t even beat the UPND in simple Lubwa! This should show him that our people are not gullible to be influenced by sarcasm and vulgar language.

“Kambwili should also remember that he is not the only person with potential to be vulgar. If we were to reduce ourselves to his level, we would take him on from the way he looks and walks to the manner he takes care of his family, but we will not do that because we are leaders,” said Mr Kampyongo.