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The Road Development Agency (RDA) has started installation of solar lights at crossing points such as bridges as part of enhancing security.
RDA Director Communications and Corporate Affairs Masuzyo Ndhlovu say the programme is also meant to enhance safety of motorists and security personnel at the bridge.
Mr. Ndhlovu says Luangwa Bridge is the first crossing point to be installed with eco-friendly lighting system because it is an integral part of the Great East road which links Zambia to Mozambique and Malawi.
He says the lighting has also added beauty to the bridge especially at night.
Speaking after checking on the works done in Luangwa, Mr. Ndhlovu was elated with the development which extends to the trading area saying it has given traders increased hours to conduct their business.
He said lighting of bridges will be an ongoing undertaking at crossing points once funds are availed.
Meanwhile, the Energy Forum Zambia has noted that Zambia’s energy sector has made steady progress despite the loss of about 3-hundred Mega Watts of Electricity due to reduced water levels in Lake Kariba Dam.
Forum Chairperson Johnstone Chikwanda says the country has been taught lessons regarding consequences of over dependence on hydro-electricity generation.
He observes that government has responded well by commencing efforts aimed at diversifying the energy mix.
Mr. Chikwanda adds that energy is the engine for economic growth hence the need to embrace other forms of large-Scale energy generation.
He was speaking at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa where he led a delegation of South Africans who went to update the Commission on their mining projects in Zambia.
This is contained in a statement availed to ZNBC News by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa Naomi Nyawali.
Zambia’s Ambassodor to Ethiopia Mr Emmanuel Mwamba with Zambia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji speaking to South Africa’s Finance Minister Mr Tito Mboweni
South Africa’s Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni has apologized to Zambia for any offence caused by his tweet.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Joseph Malanji and Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia took a moment to discuss and enlighten South Africa’s Mboweni about strides Zambia has recently made in the aviation sector.
According to a statement released to the media by Inutu Mwanza, the First Secretary fro Press and Tourism at the Zambian Embassy in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, Mr Malanji stated that Zambia has made critical investments in national airports in Lusaka, Ndola and Livingstone in excess of $1billion.
He said Zambia’s international traffic has also grown tremendously with numerous daily flights from Dubai, South Africa, Addis Ababa and Nairobi.
He also stated that plans are afoot and reached advanced stage to reintroduce a national carrier.
This was done during the sideline meeting at the 12th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Assembly of Heads if State in Nihamey Niger.
Mboweni made a tweet that caused wide offence.
“I recall the days when this airport was populated by the Zambia Airways fleet. There is none now. Zambia Airways does not exist anymore. Reality check. But I am on Rwanda Air. A small African country doing big things.”
Mbwoeni has since apologised for the tweet.
South Africa’s Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s Tweet
Elizabeth Malama (left) at the Chishawasha Childrens Home, having a girls sessions with the children on personal hygiene. – Picture by Andrew-Knox Kaniki/SUMA SYSTEMS.
By DERRICK SILIMINA
MENSTRUATION is a natural and valuable monthly occurrence in healthy adolescent girls and pre-menopausal adult women.
This biological phenomenon concerns women and men alike as it is among the key determinants of human reproduction and parenthood.
Menstruation and menstrual practices still face many social, cultural, and religious restrictions which are, a barrier in the path of menstrual hygiene management.
In Zambia, with half the population being female and over 80 percent within reproductive age, menstrual hygiene management is an area that needs much closer attention, due to its ability to have cross-cutting impact on the social and economic wellbeing of citizens.
In most rural areas, girls are not aware about menstruation, so they face many difficulties and challenges at home, schools and workplaces.
Sanitary products are not readily available because they are expensive and being unable to afford them is a source of shame and stress for some women.
As a result of socio-economic challenges, most women resort to use ancient methods such as pieces of cloth, cow dung and cotton wool among others in managing their menstrual cycles. These primeval means are unhealthy, unhygienic and unreliable.
It is for this reason that Chicashana, a Zambian company founded by women to take care of the needs of women, provides solutions to problems such as lack of proper sanitary solutions for menstruation and assist with child-bearing products.
Currently, one of the trending sanitary solutions by Chicashana is a menstrual cup locally known as ‘Chic Cup’ which is set to revolutionise a woman’s way of attending to nature’s call.
In its quest to change the world with one cup at a time, the organisation believes that with proper education and support, young women especially in rural areas can also lead a happier and healthier menstrual cycle, leading to fewer missed school days and fewer missed opportunities.
Chicashana Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Malama says, unlike a sanitary pad, the menstrual cup is a collector of blood as it sits comfortably in the vaginal walls after insertion as opposed to sucking blood.
“The menstrual cup is made out of medical grid silicone. So, it is graded as a medical gadget as opposed to a sanitary towel. It’s made in a cup shape that is made wholly of medical grid silicone. It means that it doesn’t have any preservatives, chemicals and it does not hold stain, dust or bacteria.”
She notes that the medical gadget is easy to use, easy to clean and its steriliser is hot water. The user can easily reuse it several times upon rinsing it with hot water.
Ms Malama further explains that the menstrual cup is able to hold blood up to 12 hours; meaning that in terms of sustainability, it has the capacity to last the whole day.
“If you wear it in the morning, you only have to be worried about getting it out to clean when you are back in a place where it is easier for you to dispose of the blood and to put it on again.”
Regarding its shelf life and affordability, Ms Malama states that the Chic Cup is economic, with the capacity to last for 10 years.
“When you buy it today, you only have to worry about periods products in 10 years, and that is why we love it for a different avenue of our business like the rural girl and the rural woman. It’s a once off buy and it’s just a fantastic product to use because it’s very comfortable and due to what it’s made of – medical grid silicon.
“When you wear it, it’s like you have implants. It doesn’t make you heavy, it just conforms to your body and like I always say it’s like you are never on your period. You just go on with life like nothing is happening. You can swim, you can go for your gym, you can do pretty much everything like farming and other manual works,” she affirms.
With a focus on African women, Chicashana is also dedicated to the empowerment, improvement and inspiration of the womenfolk.
Ms Malama says what many people may not realise is that menstrual cups also offer significant benefits in health, hygiene, convenience, comfort and reliability.
In other words, menstrual cups have fewer health risks than standard disposable products as there is no known risk like vaginal infections, and they do not contain chemicals or toxins such as dioxin.
Elizabeth Malama at the Kupes Young Womens Network sharing talking about the Chic Cup. – Picture by Andrew-Knox Kaniki/SUMA SYSTEMS.
ACCESS
Health experts agree that menstrual hygiene is part of basic health hygiene and one of the most fundamental issues concerning reproductive health is for every girlchild to have access to such services for a dignified lifestyle during their menstruation period.
A menstrual cup collects menstrual fluid instead of absorbing it like a tampon. Menstrual cups have been shown to leak less on average and they are very comfortable to wear. Reusable cups have been around since the 1930s and are made of soft, medical silicone, rubber or thermoplastic elastomer.
In terms of its compliance to the Zambian consumer standards, Ms Malama acknowledges that the Chic Cup product is safe as it is locally and internationally approved.
“We have three licenses, one from the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), one from the Zambia Medicines and Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) that is at Ministry of Health, and then we have also an international license with SGS, one of the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification companies. All these institutions have tested and approved the product that we sell which is the Chic Cup.”
Just like any other new product on the market which must face challenges in penetrating the market, the Chic Cup equally had its own trials for it to be appreciated by its consumers.
“Our biggest challenge was for ‘her’ to even agree to use it because like I have mentioned, it was not known here at all. So, when we brought it on the market, the biggest challenge was to convince her to say look, this product is good for you, it’s safe for you, try it! But once the women tried it, it just changed their lives.
“We have never had a client or user come back and say ‘I made a mistake’. Every woman that has used it has narrated how the product has changed their lifestyle as well as their day-to-day life.”
Ms Malama describes the product as phenomenal, as it is what every girlchild in school should have, as well as every woman who is active should switch on to.
With just K200 per cup which is equivalent to 10 years of usage, Ms Malama describes the product as cost-effective and second to none.
“The cup can be used for 10 years and if you calculate its K1.50 on your period every month. There is no product currently on the market that is K1 for a woman to use, even for the girls that are in the compounds who buy a pad at K4 which is still more expensive,” She observes.
“Yes, it’s a one-off buy and the cost itself looks very high because it’s a one-off; but if you calculate how long the cup is going to service somebody, you will find that it’s actually the cheapest on the market. You just use water as everyone has access to water and doesn’t require other things to sterilise it but just water.”
Asked how far the company has gone in terms of product awareness, especially in rural areas, Ms Malama points to a huge gap that her firm is yet to tap into despite the current overwhelming response among her clientele.
“We started in December 2018 and our product is relatively new. Our first was to establish ourselves in terms of licensing procedures, product research in the communities and now we are ready to move forward and grow the brand and the business,” she explains.
Elizabeth Malama at the Kupes Young Womens Network sharing talking about the Chic Cup. – Picture by Andrew-Knox Kaniki/SUMA SYSTEMS.
IDEA
Originally, the idea of the menstrual cup was mooted in the 1940s in the United States of America; and the first cup was made specifically for women who joined the army for deployment.
Because of the unknown length of time women would spend away from home, there was need for a tool that was long-lasting hence the cup.
The first menstrual cup was made from plastic but unfortunately, it was reactive; making the originators gravitate towards making them out of medical grid silicon around the 1960s.
Dichem Laboratory Services Managing Director Sharon Musonda commends the Chic Cup as a technological advancement of value in the life of a woman.
In line with solid waste management, Ms Musonda adds that the gadget is key to keeping the environment safe and against contamination.
“I like it because in terms of solid waste management, I mean, if you look at our places where we use as dump sites, you will find that approximately 30 percent of the area will be littered with used pads. If you look at the amount of solid waste accumulated by a woman in the whole year, it will amaze you at the amount of kgs but with the cup, there will be no solid waste generated by women.”
As regards to women who burn tampons, cloths and pads, Ms Musonda agrees, noting that “some women actually burn them and that is equally becoming an environmental nuisance. But this is a solution that we are giving to a woman. I mean, we are nurturers and so in terms of also trying to care for our environment as women, it’s an opportunity for a woman to contribute positively to the environment.” – Courtesy of SUMA SYSTEMS.
Zambia-born Emirates cabin crew member Cece Chibamba always dreamt of travelling and seeing the world.And after a year and half of working in a bank the opportunity of a lifetime came along when she joined the airline four years ago, joining talented men and women from over 160 countries employed by Emirates.
“Emirates was the obvious choice for me. It is the best airline in the world,” said Ms Chibamba, who works in the airline’s business class lounge as part of the cabin crew.
She loves her job, but it’s discovering new cultures and countries that gives her the greatest thrill.
“It is like living in a dream. I get to visit places I only dreamt of and fall in love with countries I never thought I would ever get to see,” she said.
It’s a world away from her earlier career in banking, which she took up after studying law and economics at the University of Swansea in Wales.
When Ms Chibamba visits a new location, she tries her best to get the full experience and has devised a way to fully soak up the new destination.
“I find out where the locals hide out, befriend them and ask questions. The best way to experience a new country or city is through the locals’ eyes.”
At the moment Ms Chibamba’s favourite country is Italy: “I love Italy because of its rich culture, history, art, incredibly beautiful architecture and delicious food. I have been to Rome more times than I can remember but I am still excited to go back, because no matter how many times you see it, the city is always fascinating, even when I see the same things I’ve seen before.”
Ms Chibamba currently lives in Dubai, and in her spare time she likes to host friends, play her guitar to relax or watch documentaries.
It’s the numerous activities that make living in Dubai such fun, she says.
“You can never get bored in Dubai; there is so much to do. I also love the fact that all the different cultures and people co-exist.”
Although she enjoys Dubai Ms Chibamba still misses Zambia and has fond memories of it.
“My fondest memories of Zambia are the people, speaking Bemba and the food. Visiting my grandparents with all my siblings and cousins, playing out in the open, and eating chikanda.”
Ms Chibamba exemplifies Emirates’ policy of providing global opportunities to shine for people from all nationalities.
Please help me spread this message to Banks and people in the News Business. Any thefts by staff below the set threshold by Pamela, should be handled administratively, no need to excite us !!!!!
There are enough global evidence and warnings over the risks of shisha smoking, and very clear that shisha products are being pushed very hard to children, youths and adolescents. This creates an entirely avoidable risk of a new generation that will be addicted to nicotine.
Shisha smoking, also called hookah, narghile, waterpipe, or hubble bubble smoking is a way of smoking tobacco, normally mixed with fruit or molasses sugar, through a bowl and hose or tube.
Shisha pipes use tobacco sweetened with fruit or molasses sugar, which makes the smoke more aromatic than cigarette smoke. Flavourings include apple, plum, coconut, mango, mint, strawberry and cola. Wood, coal, or charcoal is burned in the shisha pipe to heat the tobacco and create the smoke as the fruit syrup or sugar makes the tobacco damp.
When you smoke shisha, you and anyone sitting near you are breathing in smoke which releases toxins including carbon monoxide and heavy metals reducing your body’s ability to carry oxygen around in your blood. Shisha tobacco contains cigarette tobacco, so like cigarettes it contains nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide and heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead. As a result, shisha smokers are at risk of the same kinds of diseases as cigarette smokers, such as heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease and problems during pregnancy.
People smoke shisha for much longer periods of time than they smoke a cigarette, and in one puff of shisha you inhale the same amount of smoke as you’d get from smoking a whole cigarette. The average shisha-smoking session lasts an hour and research has shown that in this time you can inhale the same amount of smoke as from more than 100 cigarettes. Some people mistakenly think that shisha smoking is not addictive because the water used in the pipe can absorb nicotine. In reality, because only some of the nicotine is absorbed by the water, shisha smokers are still exposed to enough nicotine to cause an addiction.
The current Shisha use among young population in Zambia is worrisome. According to Ministry of Health over 7,000 people die each year due to tobacco caused diseases including cancers, heart attacks, Lung diseases and many more Non-Communicable Diseases. And this is enough evidence for the Law Makers to support and ban all forms of tobacco use in Zambia. Tobacco use if not properly handled will kill many young people at an early age.
We urge the Ministry of Health to pull up its socks and increase health promotions and awareness programs in communities, and also in collaboration with line Ministries to earnestly speed up the Tobacco and Nicotine Products Control Bill process which has been dormant for almost 10 years, to serve the population and especially the young generation who are a target to tobacco industry as their future customers.
We also urge the Law makers to support tobacco control in many forums to protect its citizens as tobacco is a deadly product which should not be entertained at all cost.
Issued By Brenda Chitindi
Executive Director
Tobacco – Free Association of Zambia
Young Green Eagles will play as scheduled Kansanshi Dynamos in their delayed 2019 FAZ Super Division promotion playoff after FAZ upheld its verdict in a player status case against Yeta FC.
Young Green Eagles won 3 points off Yeta from a FAZ Division One Zone 4 Week 23 game after the latter fielded two ineligible players in that fixture.
But their playoff match against Kansanshi on July 6 was postponed after Yeta appealed against the ruling to the FAZ Appeals Committee who in turn referred it back to the FAZ Player Status Committee for review on July 7.
“The ruling paves way for Young Green Eagles to play their promotional playoff with Kansanshi Dynamos,” FAZ spokesperson Mwazi Chanda said.
“On Saturday the Appeals Committee directed that the Player Status Committee reconvene to dispose of the matter in the presence of witnesses from both parties.
“Both clubs had physical representation at the hearing held today (Sunday) at Football House.”
Now Kansanshi and Young Green Eagles wait to be advised the rescheduled dates of both first and final leg matches following cancellation of the initial leg that the latter was set to host on July 6 at Nkhosa Stadium in Kafue.
Green Eagles face hosts APR on Monday in a top two battle in Group C seeking a victory that will see them through to the 2019 CECAFA Club Cup quarterfinals with a game to spare at the ongoing tournament in Rwanda.
Guest side Eagles made a promising tournament debut on Saturday following a 2-0 win over Heegan of Somalia in Kigali.
That result saw Eagles take command of Group C after match-day-one on 3 points but only on goal difference ahead of second placed and 2014 CECAFA Club Cup runners-up APR.
Three-time winners APR beat Proline of Uganda 1-0 in Saturday’s second Group C match in Kigali but it took a stoppage time goal from captain Thierry Manzi deep in the 90th minute for the host side to secure the three points.
“I think it will be one of the toughest games we are going to play but the only things that is why we are here to play against the strongest team in this region,”Eagles coach Aggrey Chiyangi said.
“But we already have a plan in place and we are going to make sure that we fight very hard, because if we win this game, then we are through to the quarterfinals.”
Winner and runners-up in Group C will face Group D runners-up and winners respectively.
Group D comprises of three-time champions Gor Mahia of Kenya, DC Motema Pembe of DR Congo, Zanzibar side KMKM and AS Ports from Djibouti who kickoff their campaign on July 8.
National Assembly are defiant they can still overturn Saturday’s first leg loss in the FAZ Super Division playoff promotion battle against Kabwe Youth Soccer Academy.
Assembly lost 1-0 away in the first leg to KYSA at Presidents Stadium in Kabwe on July 6.
It was also the two sides first meeting since they last meeting in the Super Division in 2018 when they both made a quick return to Division One football following promotion that season.
“We have the capacity to overturn the result. We have played the first 90 minutes and we have another game to go,” Assembly coach Davy Musole said.
“We will beat them without problems and we are returning to the Super Division. We created three chances but our strikers failed to utilize them.”
Veteran striker Maunga Kabuku scored the winner in the 65th minute to hand KYSA the 3 points as they attempt to bounce back after making their top flight debut in 2018.
The final leg is scheduled for July 13 in Lusaka.
Assembly are battling for be promoted back to the FAZ Super Division for a fifth time after they were first promoted in 2003 that saw them enjoy five successive seasons in the top flight before they were demoted in 2007.
Since then, the Lusaka side has been a yo-yo club after suffering three brief stints in the FAZ Super Division in 2010, 2012 and 2018 but briefly enjoyed two seasons up in 2014 and 2015.
Kansanshi Dynamos have lamented the delaying of their FAZ Super Division promotion playoff against the yet to be decided Zone 4 winners.
Kansanshi were scheduled to play the first leg on July 6 away but uncertainty has surrounded their opponents owing to the player’s status case involving Zone 4 teams Young Green Eagles and Yeta FC.
Zesco Shockers had won Zone 4 but were toppled by Young Eagles after the latter won a case in which Yeta allegedly used ineligible players in a Week 23 fixture.
“It is very frustrating and disappointing that our fixture for the playoff keeps on changing,” Kansanshi chairman Mark Silimi said.
“We are very disappointed that a matter that should have been resolved when the league was still on is now creating problems for us,” Silimi said.
The FAZ Appeals Committee has since referred back the matter involving Young Eagles and Yeta Football Club back to the Player Status Committee following an appeal by the latter.
“We are under so much pressure in terms of costs because our planning started with a trip to Mongu but as we were departing we were informed that our opponent had changed,” Silimi said.
“This is draining on our boys physiologically. You prepare for battle and then you are told it’s not going to happen,” he said.
Silimi, however, said Kansanshi remain determined to win promotion to the Super Division despite this debacle.
“We are ready for whoever is going to come up as our opponents. We promised ourselves and the province (North Western) that come August we are going to play Super League,” he said.
Kansanshi are seeking to become the second team from North Western to play in the Super Division after Lumwana Radiants.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:19, NKJV)
New Provision
When the people of Israel were in the desert on the way to the Promised Land, God gave them manna to eat. That was good. It sustained them for a while, but it wasn’t permanent provision. Eventually, the manna stopped coming. The people had to move forward, and then God gave them quail.
They were so excited. That fed them for a while, but it was also temporary. See, God gave the Israelites temporary provision on the way to the Promised Land where they would have permanent provision. The fact that God had something much greater in store for their future is what kept them moving forward. God could have sustained them with manna or quail, but God is a god of increase. He works in seasons, and He always has something better in store.
Don’t get stuck in a rut and think that one way is going to last forever. Instead, stay open and be willing to change, make adjustments, make corrections or try something new. If the “manna” stops coming, don’t get upset. Just keep moving forward and be on the lookout for the new provision God has in store for you!
A Prayer for Today
“Father God, You alone are the just and faithful God! Thank You for always providing for me. Thank You for leading and guiding me. I trust that You have good things in store for my future and choose to keep my eyes on You in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale has directed council police officers to immediately stop confiscating products from street vendors.
Mr. Mwale says those found harassing street vendors and grabbing their merchandise will be severely punished because it is illegal.
He says the council police can find better means of handling street vending than using brutality.
Mr. Mwale was speaking to ZNBC News in Lusaka.
He also urged the Lusaka City Council to up their game and deal with street vendors in the right manner.
The Minister said street vendors are also human beings and should be handled as such.
He said concerns have been raised from members of the public over the harassment of street vendors which might cause them to lose confidence in the council and its operations.
Vice President Inonge Wina says government remains committed to ensuring that defilement cases across the country are curbed.
The Vice President added that government is aware of the increase in the number of reported cases of child abuse and the age of the girls that are being affected which she says is demeaning to the country.
Mrs Wina was speaking in parliament today during the Vice President’s Question and Answer Session in response to Chilubi Member of Parliament, Rosaria Fundanga, who wanted to know the holistic measures that government is implementing to address the vice.
The Vice President said it is worrying that young girls are being defiled without knowing what is behind the trend.
Mrs Wina said government is working with cooperating partners to address the issue, adding that there is also need to ensure that funding for sensitisation programmes in communities is increased to intensify on the programmes.
The Vice President stated that no one knows what is happening to Zambian men for them to engage themselves in such a dehumanising act.
She said if it has to do with fast healing from certain diseases then there is need to sensitise traditional healers to start advising their clients to do away with the vice adding that if it also has to do with release from prison, there is equally need for more sensitisation.
Mrs Wina said it is regrettable that defilement is killing and damaging the future for the children and women that are being victimised.
She said government will continue working to ensure that the message gets to all the people and that she is hopeful that the law will continue to take its course in many issues of defilement.
Police in Pemba have arrested and detained Imenda Musialeki of Fairview Extension in Monze an employee of ZANACO Bank, Monze branch for allegedly stealing K59, 000 from the Bank.
She was found walking along Monze – Livingstone road near Muzoka at a place commonly known as Nigeria.
Police Public Relations Officer Esther Katongo said when searched, she was found with K2, 140.
Mrs Katongo said Investigations have continued.
On July 3rd , Imenda Musialike fled after allegedly stealing K59,000 from ZANACO Monze Branch. Police had launched a manhunt for Imenda who was suspected of arson and theft of K59,000 from a Bank client using a cloned ATM card.
According to Mrs Katongo, Imenda is alleged to have stolen K 59,000 from a client and that at the time officials from the Bank were viewing CCTV footage from the information technology room to establish who could have withdrawn the money using the cloned ATM, she is alleged to have set the registry room located next to the information room on fire in a bid to destroy evidence but the fire was quickly quenched by other Bank officials.
Last month, a female Barclays employee identified as Pamela Gondwe fled after staging a heist involving US$ 400,000 and Interpol have since placed her on the International Watch List.
Green Eagles made a bright start to their CECAFA Club Cup campaign on Saturday following a 2-0 Group C win over Heegan of Somali in Kigali.
Goals by striker Kennedy Musonda and Spencer Sautu in each half gave the guests side from Zambia the victory.
Musonda struck in the 27th minute before Sautu cemented the victory in the 52nd minute.
Eagles face hosts APR in their penultimate Group C match on July 8 in Kigali of the competition Rwanda is hosting from July 6-21.
Meanwhile, APR was by press time in action in their opening Group C fixture against Ugandan side Proline.
Eagles are using the tournament to prepare for next month’s debut campaign in the 2019/2020 CAF Champions League.
This is after earlier making their debut continental appearance in the 2018/2019 CAF Confederation Cup where they made a second round exit last December.
