A Zambian Judge has been reappointed to serve on the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals for a term of two years beginning July 1st, 2020 to June 30th, 2022.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has reappointed Judge Prisca Matimba Nyambe to the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals also known as the
Mechanism.

Judge Matimba Nyambe, an Advocate of the High Court and Supreme Court of Zambia is among the 25 high profile jurists on the International Residual Mechanism Criminal Tribunals judicial roster that includes Judge Carmel Agius from Malta who is the President of the Mechanism.

She was first elected to serve on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunal in 2011 after serving as General Counsel to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) from 2002 to 2006.

The UN Secretary General, Mr Guterres announced in a letter to the General Assembly that he had reappointed Judge Matimba Nyambe who is among the six (6) female jurists from the 25 members who have been appointed to serve on the global criminal Court.

The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, also referred to as the Mechanism, is an international court which was established by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2010.

It was formed with the mandate to perform the remaining functions of the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

The two criminal Courts were established for the purpose to investigate and prosecute
individuals responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

This is according to a statement issued by Wallen Simwaka, the First Secretary Press Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations.

Close to 50 bars in Lusaka have been warned for breaking the Anti-Covid -19 restrictions.

The bars have been conducting business in disregard of the Presidential decree that they should remain shut until the Covid-19 situation improves.

Among the 50 bars that have received a warning is Cappello Pub and Grill at Lewanika Mall in Woodlands whose license has been confiscated.

Cappello Pub and Grill management has also been summoned by the local authority for exculpation.

This follows night operations conducted during the long weekend by the State and Council Police.

And Lusaka City Council Public Relations Manager George Sichimba says restaurants and liquor stores were also found abrogating the Covid 19 measures.

Mr. SICHIMBA says authorities have observed that most liquor stores have taken advantage of the holiday to turn their premises into drinking spots.

He has warned that the local Authority working with the state Police will ensure the anti Covid-19 measures are followed during the long weekend through intensified patrols.

KASAMA CENTRAL Member of Parliament Hon Kelvin Sampa has urged Bembas to defend Paramount Chief Chitimukulu from politically-charged individuals who have developed a tendency of insulting him on social media whenever he speaks out on national issues.

Honorable Sampa, who is also PF National Youth Chairperson, says Bembas should not allow selfish politicians to drag Mwine Lubemba into politics for exercising his democratic right to guide his people on political issues and comment on matters of national interest.

He said Bembas cannot afford to continue keeping quiet at a time like this when politically-charged people have taken pleasure in insulting the traditional leader on social media and other media platforms to please their paymasters and preferred political leaders.

He said the Mwine Lubemba has a democratic right to guide his people through the media and other platforms as well as comment on various matters of national interest.

Sampa said Paramount Chief Chitimukulu is a repository of wisdom and an essential traditional figure with vast knowledge on Zambian politics and the economy.

He said it is unacceptable for some politicians and their supporters to expect everyone to support their antagonistic style of politics.

“l am appealing to all the Bembas to defend His Royal Highness, the Paramount Chief Chitimukulu from politicians and individuals who are fond of insulting him on social media whenever he speaks out on social media.

“Let us (Bembas) pay attention whenever Mwine Lubemba speaks. I am a proud Bemba who cannot allow anyone to demean the Mwine Lubemba in the name of politics,” said Hon Sampa on Kasama Radio yesterday.

Recently, some politically-charged regime change campaigners have accused Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of being a PF sympathizer for speaking against the abuse of freedom of expression and stating that it is unfair to blame President Lungu for all the social and economic challenges the country is grappling with.

Meanwhile, Sampa is saddened by the prevailing situation at Kasama Municipal Council where some Councillors are fighting Town Clerk Zakeyo Mbao.

He said Mr. Mbao should be left to do his tedious job by individuals who are good at frustrating hard-working civil servants in the district by facilitating their removal.

Senior Chief Mukuni of the Leya people of Kazungula, Livingstone and Zimba Districts and all the Bene Mukuni says Chieftainess Sekute has no mandate to speak on behalf of Chiefs in the Province.

Chief Mukuni has rubbished the assertions reported by several news media including the National Broadcaster ZNBC two days ago in which it was stated that ‘Chieftainess’ Sekute spoke on behalf of Southern Province traditional leaders, on matters pertaining to the moribund Bill 10.

He said the individual in question is not a Chieftainess but a Princess who is standing in for her father Chief Sekute, who is recuperating from an illness.

Further, Chief Mukuni said it is therefore against royal protocols to purport to speak on behalf of reigning Chiefs and their subjects when one is not enthroned as a Chief and when the Chief of the affected Chiefdom is alive.

He said to that effect, what was reported that Princess Sekute speaks on behalf of the Chiefs in Southern Province that their Royal Highnessess support the passing of the controversial Bill 10 into law is not only false but lacks merit and facts.

“I was in the meeting in which the Republican President His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu addressed Southern Province Royal Highnesses on several matters relating to national affairs, and nowhere in the discussion was it resolved that Bill 10 should be supported or consented by the Chiefs in the Pronvice”, he said.

Chief Mukuni said in order to set the record straight and clear the names of the Chiefs that attended the meeting, the Princess should name the Royal Highnesses who chose her to speak on their behalf in support of Bill 10, whose shelf life as a mischievous tool to cure Zambia’s constitutional ills has since expired.

“As far as we are concerned as Chiefs in Southern Province, Bill 10 is stillborn and buried and no amount of behind the scenes corrupt machinations will resurrect it from its tomb”, he said.

Chief Mukuni said the people of Zambia were not consulted on the enactment of this Bill whose treacherous agenda is to perpetuate dictatorship and the abuse of public affairs.

He said all citizens must continue to stand firm and alert against the monstrous Bill 10 which has been time barred similar to the UPND Presidential petition whose 14 day period elapsed.

“Let the blind application of the law be fairly implemented on both PF and UPND without discrimination.What is good for the goat must be good for the dog”, chief Mukuni added.

The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) says Zambia is food secure. FRA Executive Director Chola Kafwabulula says the country has had approximately 60 thousand metric tonnes of maize before the maize purchasing season that began on June 29, 2020.

Mr. Kafwabulula has also told ZNBC news in Lusaka that government will in the next few days release another one billion Kwacha for the current maize purchasing season.

Two point two billion kwacha has been budgeted for maize purchase this season.

Government has already released one billion Kwacha for the exercise, resulting into prompt payment of farmers.

Mr. Kafwabulula says farmers who supplied maize to the FRA few days ago have already received their payments.

Meanwhile the Zambia National Farmers Union -ZNFU has praised the FRA following its decision to pay maize suppliers promptly.

ZNFU Spokesperson Calvin Kaleyi says the move will empower farmers with capital for the next production activities.

And Lusaka’s Twikatane Farm Products Managing Director Rudolf Faerber has also welcomed the decision by FRA to effect prompt payments to maize suppliers.

The National Action for Quality Education (NAQEZ) has welcomed the announcement by President Edgar Lungu, that Government will soon start constructing houses for teachers.

In a statement NAQEZ executive director Aaron Chansa said the announcement is good news and has come at a time when teachers are going through very hard times in terms of pathetic accommodation, static salaries,no salary scale upgrades, poor infrastructure and a very demotivating promotion system.

He said this scenario is an assault on efforts for quality education delivery in schools.

“Previously, NAQEZ was at pains as to why Government was only building beautiful houses for defense forces without considering those who produce everyone, the teachers.We are happy that this unfair practice will be history,if this plan will indeed be actualized,” Mr.Chansa said.

Mr. Chansa said today many teachers, especially in rural areas,stay in grass thatched houses adding that this is bad and cannot continue to be the norm as a country.

“As we thank our President for this exciting development,we plead with the Presidential aide for projects implementation to closely work with the Ministry of General Education in order for this initiative to quickly take off. As an organization,we shall take alot of interest in this matter so that teachers in the country can benefit,”said Mr.Chansa.