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President Edgar Lungu commissioning 38 Housing Units for the Zambia Police Service under the Ministry of Home Affairs in Chibombo District, Central Province.
President Edgar Lungu yesterday morning commissioned 38 Housing Units for the Zambia Police Service under the Ministry of Home Affairs in Chibombo District, Central Province.
The 38 houses are part of the phase (1) of the 12 000 housing unit project of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Speaking during the official hand-over, President Lungu said government is still committed to improving working conditions of the men and women in uniform
He said the Patriotic Front government remains committed to taking development to all parts of the country without leaving anyone behind and the security officers are not an exception
“The provision of decent houses for all law enforcement officers is therefore one of governments main priorities”
The Head of State stated that providing decent housing to security officers is a guarantee for an effective and reliable system able to detect and arrest crime.
“An effective and reliable service system is the underlining foundation of any democracy and solid foundation for sustainable social and economic development
Therefore investing in our security institutions will consolidate our democracy social and economic development this investment is cardinal because security institutions can not grow or operate effectively where their is no law and order”
President Lungu noted that no local or foreign investor can risk investing in a town, city or country without law and order.
The Head of State said Investing in housing for our security officers has also created jobs and provide essential construction skills to our people during the construction phase.
“As we invest in this projects we are not only creating jobs but also building capacities in our people”
Since the commencement of the 12 000 housing unit project for security officers a total of 10 000 jobs have been created countrywide.
So far 1375 houses out of the 2350 of the phase (1) houses have been completed.
And, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo said construction of houses for men and women in uniform will change the face of Chibombo District and the country at large.
The Minister thanked President Lungu for the massive strides His government is making in improving the welfare of the security services in the country.
He said the on-going modernization of the Security Institutions and Services encompasses provision of decent housing, equipment and in-service training for officers across the country.
Hon. Kampyongo further called on the Men and Women in uniform to ensure they keep the security service above board and ensure Zambia remains a beacon of peace.
President Edgar Lungu commissioning 38 Housing Units for the Zambia Police Service under the Ministry of Home Affairs in Chibombo District, Central Province.President Edgar Lungu commissioning 38 Housing Units for the Zambia Police Service under the Ministry of Home Affairs in Chibombo District, Central Province.Some of the newly built House for the PoliceSome of the newly built House for the PoliceSome of the newly built House for the Police
The Ministry of Health is targeting to vaccinate Three Hundred and thirty one thousand girls aged 14 with Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine which start tomorrow.
Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya says government will vaccinate the girls in two phases starting this year and next year for the second dose.
Dr Chilufya says the vaccination will help the country reduce cervical cancer in women which has become one of the major public health challenges.
He told ZNBC News that Zambia has been recording about three thousand cases of cervical cancers every year which has prompted government to embark on the HPV vaccination.
And, Dr. Chilufya has urged parents to ignore myths and rumors against the vaccine as it is safe and will improve the health of young women.
He said the vaccine was piloted safely within the country and that its safety and efficacy is guaranteed.
Acting President Inonge Wina being welcome by Minister of High Education Nkandu Luo and Minister of General Education David Mabumba at the Zambia National Educational Conference at Mulungushi Conference Center
Vice President Inonge Wina has directed National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister Godfridah Sumaili to work with various churches in the country to roll out empowerment programmes and survival skills for widows.
Mrs. Wina says as a Christian nation, it would be a misfit for Zambia to neglect widows.
She called for a holistic approach addressing the plight of widows in the country.
Mrs. Wina said this in speech read on her behalf by Permanent Secretary in -Charge of Administration in the Vice President’s Office, Stephen Mwansa.
This was during the commemoration of the International Widows Day at Lusaka’s Cathederal of the Holy Cross.
And, All Africa Conference of Churches Director of Gender ,Women and Youths Lydia Mwaniki called for governments across the world to vigorously address the welfare of the widows.
Dr. Mwaniki said widows world wide are being discriminated and rights being violated.
And Dean of Cathederal Holy Cross, Reverend Charley Thomas assured widows that GOD has the ability to turn around their difficult circumstances.
Former Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda has said that he found the decline in Zambia’s reserves rather worrying and that all responsible citizens should urge the government to take the tough medicine of bring the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on board, a delay which could affect Zambia economy’s resilience.
In an address where he covered a wide range of issues from the patriotism, the constitution, the untapped youth potential and agriculture, the former Minister was clear about his dislike for the IMF, but said that a program with the IMF gets a diversity of investors on board, and that this was the ugly reality of what he described as the lop-sided world.
“I have in the past noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is now less theological. The institution cannot depart from the ingrained habit of coming with a pre-ordained script from Washington DC, ” the former Minister said,
“With pain, I admit that the IMF’s concerns about borrowings are plausible. The decline in our reserves is rather worrying so let us all responsible citizens urge our government to take the tough medicine – delay could affect the economy’s resilience. A program with the IMF gets a diversity of investors on board. This is the ugly reality of our lop-sided world.”
Below is the Full Address
Patriotism (Love And Duty To The Country) Is An Inescapable And Compelling Moral Imperative For All Citizens
By A. B. Chikwanda Former Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda
A country may be characterized or defined by a diversity of physical features such as mountains, rivers and peculiarities. All told, what constitutes a country is a community of people, homogenous or heterogeneous, who inhabit the territorial space or land. Thus inevitably, Zambia is a summation of each and every individual and our rather composite social relationships. Herein lies a spectrum and proliferation of issues of gravity such as our individual rights which per force must be matched by duties, obligations and responsibilities. A mismatch between our rights and duties induces a disproportionality which is not cost neutral for our beloved country.
In recent times, Zambia has very regrettably witnessed acts which are a disservice to the country when some citizens have painted blatantly adverse images of our country. In the past, it was unheard of for Zambians in the Diaspora to campaign against their country, whatever political differences that existed in our midst in the country. There is an absolute and urgent need for all of us to close our ranks and get our country to meaningfully move forward. Despite the undeniable reasonably robust development endeavours of the Patriotic Front (PF) administration, Zambia, like the rest of Africa, is at scandalously low ebb of development.
The entire sub-Saharan Africa, with over one billion people, has a gross national income that is less than France or the United Kingdom (just about $3 trillion). The continent’s two biggest economies, South Africa and Nigeria, have a combined GDP that is scarcely bigger than that of the Netherlands – a country of 41,000 square kilometers in size and a population of 17 million people.
Some critical issues are at the core and underlie Africa’s retardation. Key among the issues is appalling governance and sentiment and emotion driven decisions which naturally have zero or very little rationality content. The continent has, since liberation from colonialism, put a caveat on intellect and frowned upon depth in thinking and meritocracy – in the process generalising and institutionalising mediocrity. In sociological terms, this is partly because we are transitioning from ascriptive societies (hierarchy-based) to modern achievement based societies.
Post colonial Africa embraced the one-party systems which had their own immutable internal logic, namely indivisibility of power reposed in individuals or fragile personalised institutions. The logical sequel of this system is the “privatisation” of the state. In most of the countries, if not in all, no steps have been taken to foster improvements in governance and unleash the energies of the citizens for more concerted efforts to banish the poverty that engulfs more than 50% of the populations.
My admonition to all Zambians is that we have had enough of the blame game and daily screams of obscenities at each other. It is time to pull our very meagre intellectual resources to make Zambia a model country. The global economy is once again palpably slowing down and the headwinds of deceleration look quite gloomy and ominous. Like most of the continent, we are still unhealthily commodity dependent. The dip in commodities can take a downward spiralling at the whims and caprices of a few individual actors on the global stage such as the trump induced trade wars.
The opposition parties and the free (cum opposition) media which in a way try to check the excesses of government misdirect their efforts by concentrating on the Republican and Patriotic Front leader, Mr. Edgar Lungu, with a misperception that they can bring him down. Mr. Lungu’s approval ratings in the PF is high and PF feel that the inroads the party is making in provinces where the party’s showing was weak in the past is essentially on account of those provinces’ perception of Mr. Lungu’s affability, humility and a spirit of fellowship. The ingrained diehard segments in opposition should also realise that it is not easy to wish away the numerous development projects going on throughout the country which has not been the case in the past.
A more credible opposition would have undressed the many flaws in the constitution because governance does impinge positively or negatively in the direction or impact of development. The present electoral system entails that parliamentary and Presidential candidates have to marshal large amounts of financial resources to dish out to the voters or leaders of opinion and influence. Isn’t this the genesis and recipe for corruption? It is also a requirement of the law which government cannot circumvent that when a vacancy occurs at the level of parliamentary or local government seat, a by-election is held within 90 days. The cost of by-elections is becoming increasingly unsustainable. It is a good thing for the country to scrupulously fulfil the requirements of the constitution but when health institutions go without drugs, a gloss over morality is difficult to justify.
Other veritable electoral options such as proportional representation merit consideration. With the system of lists, by-elections and their exceedingly excessive costs are avoided. The voters are asked to endorse the ideas and programs of parties. Those leaders who are consigned to lose in Presidential elections will sit in parliament as long as their parties meet the minimum thresholds. Proportional representation also has fairer and more equitable representation and no personal-to-holder turfs.
When there was a change-over to multi-party politics after a number of us confidants of President Kaunda persuaded him not to proceed with a costly referendum but amend an appropriate section of the constitution to reinstitute multi-partyism, all that happened was to craft multi-party politics onto the flawed one-party constitution. The implicit risks of the “privatisation” of the state were not addressed.
The Patriotic Front and President Lungu should not miss this rare opportunity of making history by leaving a unique legacy for Zambia and again being a trend-setter for a continent that totally lacks innovation in the important human sphere of governance. Restructuring governance arrangements to have a non-executive President would be a historical landmark. It would take a lot of heat out of our future politics. The cost savings would be astronomical because support institutions would be drastically reduced. This practical and meaningful “dis-privatisation” of the state would be a laudable decision and would set Zambia apart as a continental role model.
There is hero worship and deification of leaders that is creeping into our own politics – it has been there before but a reinstating of decadent practices when we are supposed move forward has some worrying overtones. There is always flattery in all human societies, and most people do not realise that flattery is an equally insidious form of corruption. It can reach unimaginable proportions such as in North Korea’s Kim II Sung era when the leader was unambiguously eulogised as a great and beloved leader, destined and ordained to live longer than the mountains and the oceans!
When we fix the constitution which incidentally must not proceed with indecent haste, we should do so together as a remarkable people who have done well in diversity, addressing the challenges some of which I hereby list:
1. The first challenge relates to demographics. Our population which was just below 3 million at independence is now 18 million, meaning it has grown by a factor of 6. Meanwhile our economic growth rates have been exceedingly depressed in single digits. Over the past three years, economic growth rates have averaged 4% which when discounted against our robust annual population growth rates of 2.8% leave a net growth rate of 1.2% which cannot sustain reduction in poverty levels deemed to be in excess of 50%. We need consistent double digit rates of economic growth for at least two decades to lower poverty levels significantly.
Poverty is itself the biggest hindrance to any country’s upward thrust. Poor people have no purchasing power and cannot make a contribution to social security as they have to be supported all the way. Poverty severely constrains accelerated investment, whether foreign or domestic.
Zambia is essentially a county of young people. The 0 – 30 years age group accounts for 70% of the population and 90% of our people are 45 years old and below. Ordinarily, this would constitute a rare privilege of a gainful demographic dividend, but we have had no such advantage because the dire paucity of resources has entailed absence and inadequacy of requisite skills. Our country has poor work culture and ethic. Various governments have oriented our people to harbour unsustainable expectations instead of being active agents of development.
2. The second major challenge in our country is that agriculture has not delivered beyond modest levels of food security. This is a sector that suffers most from dysfunctional policies that are invariably emotion and sentiment driven. Two major problems are common – the very low yields by small scale farmers are either due to inappropriate agronomy or growing crops in unsuitable ecological zones or areas. These two issues have to be resolved as a matter of life or death, for only when the small-scale farmer earns money which is a fair and reasonable recompense for his or her toil can poverty end. It would be unrealistic for government to end the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) overnight but resources must be found for increased extension services, including unconstrained mobility for extension services officers – then costly and wasteful schemes like FISP will disappear.
3. A major problem the country has is to sustain expenditure on constitutional and statutory requirements, namely emoluments and public debt which account for more than 80% of the national budget. There are no easy solutions. We cannot reduce the size of the civil service without risks for service delivery and accentuating unemployment. However, government should take the plunge and decelerate the annual wages salary adjustments. As debt servicing becomes increasingly unsustainable, it is inevitable that except for concessionary facilities from multi-lateral institutions such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, etc, the other types of borrowing be frozen which leaves scope to finance viable infrastructure through Public – Private Partnership (PPP). I have in the past noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is now less theological. The institution cannot depart from the ingrained habit of coming with a pre-ordained script from Washington DC. With pain, I admit that the IMF’s concerns about borrowings are plausible. The decline in our reserves is rather worrying so let us all responsible citizens urge our government to take the tough medicine – delay could affect the economy’s resilience. A program with the IMF gets a diversity of investors onboard. This is the ugly reality of our lop-sided world.
Conclusion
At any one time, now and in the long distant future, our country will experience reversals as indeed do all countries. We need resolve and principally togetherness to overcome difficulties without those cleavages that cause avoidable anguish and agony. United for the love of our country – patriotism is a useful tool. It is our duty, obligation and responsibility to posterity.
I for one do not support stealing but in this manner it will be very unfair to label Pamela Gondwe as a Criminal in the sense that there are so many factors one may consider.
As at now there so many multinational Companies stealing from people and poor Countries in broad day light and in most cases the law is bent to justify them as Messiahs, Barclays Bank in this light being the culprit among the many Banks we have in Zambia.
I worked for Barclays Bank (Z) ltd for almost 10 years, I diligently served the Bank and at one time highhandedly risked my life to capture a syndicate of highly dangerous criminals posing as fraudsters who were attempting to defraud the Bank to the amount of K4million then.The thank you cash I was given then was, if I can remember very well, K100 000 and years later I was fired accused of stealing K10.3 million. After appealing the dismissal they overturned the case into incompetence of which if one followed my case there was no shred of incompetence.We were talking of the case where I was forcefully transferred, my colleague I handed over cash which was never accounted hence the shortage.
Later, I discovered that there were some un posted items which I took back to them as evidence that I did not steal but they still fired me. Our Legal system is toothless, it does not protect the workers therefore most of my fellow Zambian workers like me are helpless.As I am talking to survive I had to seek refuge in another Country to protect my children from suffering because I could have died of depression.
Strictly speaking the Bank has no interest in the Zambian worker, we are slaves dressed in smart suits and dresses. I am better off as a Refugee than a slave in my own Country (Tears in a Briefcase). I am willing to speak publicly and if my case was revisited I will be found innocent. The one candid question one must ask is -is Pamela a criminal or the modern day Robin hood?
Yours truthfully,
Former Barclays Bank Employee now a Construction Worker.
A clergy has observed that political violence and conflicts among political parties will be a thing of the past if leaders of different political groupings interact more by encouraging each other to attend prayers together.
Speaking during the funeral service of late Senior Chief Mwamba of the Bemba speaking people Arch Bishop of Kasama Ignatius Chama said political leaders should be encouraging each other to attend Church together and pray for the well being of the nation as opposed to what has become prevalent were leaders are seen to cause conflicts even during church gatherings.
In an apparent reference to an incident which recently happened in Chilubi Islands were a named politician was harassed by cadres from a named party, the Clergy said it was sad that even men of God were being accused of favouring different political leaders.
He said the House of God welcomes everyone and that the harmony he had seen between the PF and MMD leaders should be seen among all politicians.
“Call your friend from the other party and tell them that there are prayers this side let us go and pray together not these things we are seeing were you start asking; who has brought this one. It’s these same Bishops! They are the ones who like that one that is why they called him, you even write in government books that it is that Bishop who called that one, No! You are supposed to encourage each other because you are coming for prayers to ask the Lord to bless you and also bless you in your leadership. I like what I am seeing today. Mr Mutati who invited you to this funeral? I was going to be even happier if the chairman for PF had called you to this funeral. I would have been happier because I would have seen that you do call each other for prayers without segregating based on party lines.
“I am telling you people of God if we see what we have seen today were leaders from different political parties can sit together in this fashion even as we go towards 2021 we will not be fighting. What happened in Chilubi should not be allowed to be part of our politics. Why should people who have come for prayers be asking questions about their friends? Who has called him here? Who has called him here? A fight almost broke out during prayers. I felt very bad. I asked myself how we have reached these levels? What more in 2020 when they stand for elections. No one should be stopped from attending prayers.
“Everyone is invited to the house of the Lord. Of course if it is a political rally you are supposed to stay away unless you are invited. During rallies everyone will attend their rallies but not prayers, all are invited for prayers. We are here for prayers and no one is talking about politics, we want to do our prayers respectfully and mourn our Chief that is my counsel to my leaders sitting in front of me,” he said.
The Clergy further said by seeing them together, followers of different political parties will have no reason to fight their peers.
“And for us young ones who are your followers when we see that you love each other why would we fight. If we see you joking among yourselves why would we engage in political violence. Continue with the spirit I have seen today and God will protect our country and peace will prevail among us but if what I talked about is repeated we will not have peace in our country,” he said.
And MMD president Felix Mutati said the little interaction he had with late Senior Chief Mwamba revealed a non partisan traditional leader.
“The senior chief had a very short year having taken over from the now Chitimukulu in November 2017 so he was just beginning to get his feet on the ground, beginning to understand the things that were in his chiefdom, beginning to unite the Bemba people but what was very clear is that he was a humble man.
“On a number of occasions that I interreacted with him and he was very focused with things he wanted to do in his chiefdom but obviously his life was cut short. If there is something he said the last time I visited him here, was that you politicians must behave yourselves as one unifying voice and I think as politicians we haven’t lived up to his legacy. So for me I take the words of the Bishop as the beginning of the journey,” said the MMD leader.
Deputy High Commissioner Mrs Patricia Chanda Mr. Mubanga Mwiko and High Commissioner Chikonde during the presentation at Zambia House.
Zambia’s outgoing High Commissioner to the United Kingdom His Excellency Mr. Muyeba Chikonde has applauded government and in particular the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for extending the Public Service Micro-Finance (PSMF) services to Diplomats serving in various Zambian Missions and added that PSMF had the potential to grow its asset portfolio abroad by acquiring housing for diplomatic rental and mop up the foreign exchange used by missions for diplomat’s accommodation.
And High Commissioner Chikonde who is also the outgoing Dean of Zambian Diplomats said Civil Servants serving abroad should take advantage of the Public Service Micro-Finance Company (PSMFC) to acquire affordable loans in order to economically empower themselves and invest in viable projects back home. He further urged the Zambian diplomats to embrace the newly formed Public Service Saving and Credit Cooperative (PS-SACCO) in order to prepare for their future beyond diplomatic service.
“Government and PSMFC should be commended for this initiative because it will economically empower civil servants who are serving both home and abroad. The innovation that comes with this scheme with regards to product variety is remarkable and only goes to accentuate government’s commitment to maintaining a public service that is motivated, innovative, patriotic and delivering beyond expectation; without leaving anyone behind”. he said.
Meanwhile, during a presentation to London Mission Diplomatic staff, PSMFC Chief Executive Officer Mr. Mubanga Mwiko said Diplomats were also civil servants therefore they should not be left behind the PSMFC scheme and thus the reason by PSMFC to roll out the scheme abroad commencing with the London Mission. Mr. Mubanga Mwiko making a presentation at the Zambia High Commission in London
And Mr. Mwiko said PSMFC is solely owned by the Zambian Government and is mandated to provide affordable loans and other innovative financial solutions to public service workers including Zambian diplomats serving in different parts of the World.
He explained that the reason why Government established the company was to address the challenges civil servants faced in accessing finances from the conventional banking sector and Micro Finance institutions that normally charge high interest rates.
Mr. Mwiko said PSMFC has signed MOUs with 35 quasi-government institutions who are eligible for the loans and the loans are payroll based at an interest rates as low as five percent.
“We want all civil servants across the width and breadth of the country to benefit from this scheme and this includes all the Zambian Diplomats serving abroad. The PSMFC has partnered with various renowned motor vehicle and equipment dealers in Zambia to enable Public Service workers access brand new motor vehicles including equipment and plant for Agricultural purposes at affordable prices. These loans are paid over a period of 5 years at an interest rate of 18 per cent amortised and we urge diplomats to buy the Motor vehicles through us,” he said.
“President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has said Agriculture is a backbone of the nation, so PSMFC has a loan scheme aimed at providing public service workers access to affordable financing for the acquisition of agricultural assets. These are affordable loans to meet the pockets of public service workers, we have designed all these services to ensure that our public service workers can afford” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mwiko has urged diplomats to buy shares in PS-SACCO. He said the shares in the SACCO remain beneficial even after retirement and in case of a demise of a shareholder, the shares can be transferred to the next of keen.
Mr. Mwiko said membership of the SACCO is voluntary and members are expected to buy a minimum of one thousand five hundred shares valued at three Kwacha per share. He added that the scheme will give public service employees access to cheaper loans without any collateral as the individuals savings will act as collateral.
He further said members, by virtue of owning shares in the SACCO, will also be entitled to a dividend payout (13th cheque) at the end of the year arising from dividends declared.
Mr. Mwiko and representatives from the Ministry of Finance where visiting London to present the opportunities and services offered by the PSMFC and PS-SACCO and also seek input on how the financial products could be rolled out to various missions.
The United Party for National Development (UPND) is founded on a Social Liberal ideology.
This entails that fundamentally, the UPND is committed to running a regulated free market economy for rapid, inclusive growth and development, as well as opening up both the civic and democratic space for enhanced accountability within the social, economic and political space. The party believes that enhanced economic growth to generate wealth is a necessary in supporting social programs such education and health for all.
Specifically, the UPND values the role that individuals, households and SMEs play in the wider economic space for purposes growing the economy and creating jobs. To achieve this, a UPND government is committed to delivering more resources, monetary and other capital based resources into the hands of individuals, households and SMEs so that these may become the center of critical microeconomic decision making around savings, investments and spending.
To achieve this, a UPND government is committed to the following:
Reform the Personal Taxation model so that the tax exempt threshold is aligned to the researched cost of critical household needs such as food, water and energy, healthcare, accommodation. This is key in redressing the balance of household poverty and inequality.
Reform the public pension system (NAPSA) so that we make it more accountable, flexible, responsive to the new dynamics of a changing and vibrant young population of contributors, and to ensure that it offers more choices of real-time significance for contributors.
Offer more and more tax and other business levy based incentives to SMEs to help them protect the integrity of their capital, grow their businesses so that they can help create decent jobs. In essence, a UPND government will reduce the cost of running business for SMEs.
Embark on a consultative, honest, open and accountable process of reviewing the investment environment across all sectors in order to ensure that better returns accrue to Zambians while allowing private investors to thrive.
Secondly, a UPND government believes that social, political and economic accountability are key ingredients in achieving inclusive, sustained growth and development. This is why a UPND government is committed to restoring the credibility and expansion of the civic and political space to allow ALL political and civic actors to carry out their respective legal mandates in a free, open and fair manner.
Thus;
A UPND government is committed to enhancing the application of the rule of law by building fully professional, independent, open and accountable public institutions that work for everyone, irrespective of their political affiliations.
It, therefore, follows that a UPND government shall promote good governance as the basis of running public affairs. This is consistent with our belief that there is just one use of power ; TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.
The foregoing represent the basis of existence of the UPND, and provides a general direction into the kind of leadership a UPND government will deliver for Zambia and Zambians.
The Author is a a Member of the Oppostion United Party For national Development(UPND)
Striker Lazarus Kambole is humbled to have ended his last home game at Zesco United with victory and a goal in the 2019 ABSA Cup final against Zanaco played on June 22 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Kambole capped Zesco’s 4-1 victory over ten-man Zanaco with his sides last goal in the Chipolopolo strikers final competitive home match before joining Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa on a three year deal starting on July 1.
“It was an emotional game and this was my last game and I wanted to give fans a very good game and of course my last goal,” Kambole said.
Interestingly, it was also Kambole’s first in the competition after six years at Zesco whom he joined from Konkola Blades in 2014.
Meanwhile, Kambole has been Zesco and Zambia’s top scorer in continental competition in 2018 and 2019 with six and seven goals respectively.
“But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.””
(Luke 8:50, NKJV)
Only Believe
In Scripture a man came to Jesus and said, “My little daughter is very sick. She is close to death. Will You come to my home and pray for her?” Jesus agreed. But along the way, He kept getting stopped, one interruption after another. Finally, word came back to Him saying, “No need to come. You’ve waited too late. The little girl has died.” The people were upset and very distraught. But Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. If you will only believe, the little girl will be well.” Notice the phrase, “Only believe.” This was Jesus’ promise to the father. Jesus went to the home, laid hands on the little girl, and she came back to life.
One of the greatest abilities God has given each of us is our ability to believe. Are you facing a situation that seems impossible? In the natural, you don’t see how you can get well, or how you can overcome the addiction, or how your family can ever be restored? God is saying to you what He said to them, “If you will only believe, I will turn the situation around. If you only believe, breakthroughs are headed your way!”
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for Your hand of victory upon my life. Thank You for making a way even when there seems to be no way. I choose to stand in faith. I choose to believe, knowing that You are ready, willing and able to cause me to overcome in this life in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
A COMBINED team of Police, Department of Immigration and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers have raided Lusaka’s Chibolya compound and arrested 113 suspects for various illegal activities.
The suspects were arrested during a joint operation dubbed “Operation Chalo” which was conducted in Lusaka’s Chibolya Compound on Friday night throughout the morning of Saturday.
Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo, her DEC and Immigration Department counterparts Theresa Katongo and Namati Nshinka respectively have disclosed this in a joint statement today.
They said that the operation was conducted in order to disrupt illegal activities in Chibolya, following numerous complaints from members of the public.
“Out of the one hundred and thirteen (113) persons apprehended, fifty-three (53) were for immigration related offences, thirty-three (33) for drug related offences, while twenty-seven (27) were for general crimes such as being found in possession of suspected stolen property,” the spokespersons said.
They said that majority of those nabbed for immigration related offences did not produce documents to prove their legal immigration status in Zambia at the time of the operation, screening to ascertain their immigration status in Zambia continues.
And the LEAs also seized a significant amount of different psychotropic and other banned substances were found, including cannabis, suspected cocaine, boxes of Benylin codeine and instruments used to administer drugs.
Zesco United on Saturday dismantled ten-man Zanaco 4-1 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola to lift the 2019 ABSA Cup.
The victory handed Zesco an unprecedented sixth ABSA Cup title to reaffirm their status as undisputed specialists in the 13 year old tournament.
Goals from Jesse Were ,Winston Kalengo ,John Chingandu and Lazarus Kambole saw Zesco stay unbeaten against in the ABSA Cup final against Zanaco for a third time in as many meetings in the competition.
The win also saw Kambole collect his final ABSA Cup title in his last competitive home game before joining Kaizer Chiefs on July 1 on a three year deal.
Were put Zesco ahead in the 10th minute and three minutes later Zanaco were reduced to ten men when Kelvin Kapumbu was red carded for a foul on the Zesco striker.
Winston Kalengo then put 2-0 ahead into halftime with a 24th minute goal.
Zanaco winger Ernest Mbewe cut the deficit in the 60th minute but striker from John Chingandu two minutes later and Kambole in the 75th minute made it a bridge too far for The Bankers.
Zesco now turn their gun-sights on Green Eagles on June 29 in Lusaka in what will also be Kambole’s final match before heading off to Johannesburg to begin his three year contract at Chiefs.
PRESIDENT Edgar Chagwa Lungu says he does not wish to be called Dr. Lungu as he is more interested in being a man of service.
Speaking in Ndola at the International Airport, Saturday, the Head of State who boasted of being one of the best law students in his class said if he had wanted to pursue an academic life he would have been a professor by now.
“Firstly, I am not a Doctor. I do not have a doctorate and I do not wish to be called Dr. Edgar Lungu. There is so much talk about the doctorate to be conferred on me by the University of Zambia which I am greatly humbled with,” President Lungu said.
“But, let me tell you – in class I was one of the best students and if I wanted to venture into the academia world, I would have been a professor by now. But I chose to pursue the political life and practice of the law.”
He went on to emphasize that even if UNZA honors him with the doctorate, he would rather still be addressed as ‘simple’ Lungu.
“Those who think I do not deserve to be honored by the University of Zambia, well, that is politics and I will not respond to that.”
“And even if I am conferred by the institution, I wouldn’t really want to be called Dr. Lungu, I still want to remain simple Lungu.”
President Lungu highlighted that he is not one who seeks to bask in the glory of being perceived knowledgeable because of title but would rather stick to being of good service.
“There are people who strive to want to become doctors, professors because they want to serve and there those that want to bask in that glory of being perceived knowledgeable and I am not part of those, whether you call me Doctor or not, what I have – I already have, what I was acquiring I have acquired already. I got my first degree from UNZA, I have done a few post graduate diplomas and courses so I am not worried about being called Doctor,” he said.
“What matters to me is am I of service to the people of Zambia?”
Government must reconsider the status of Benylin as an over the counter drug due to its social impact on the population, a Medical Expert has advised.
Commenting on the seizure of the illegally imported syrup on the Zambian market by the Zambia Revenue Authority, Dr. Aaron Mujajati said reclassifying benylin as a prescription drug will restrict its access by people abusing it among them bus drivers, pupils and students.
Dr. Mujajati said abuse of the syrup is dangerous and the effects have the potential to cause death when one withdraws from using it.
Speaking to Hot FM News, Dr. Mujajati emphasized the need to reclassify the drug and tighten the regulation by the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority.
Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo enjoying a meal with UPND Solwezi Central MP Stanford Mulusa
UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema is unsettled by a growing list of Members of Parliament that he suspects are too close to the ruling PF and could be undermining him.
A source from the party’s National Management Committee revealed that Mr Hichilema has raised the issue of his disloyal MPs in two of the most recent NMC meetings.
The source added that Mr Hichilema is growing uneasy with the closeness that some UPND MPs have been exhibiting with PF officials such as Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo.
The source disclosed that the first clear sign that Mr Hichilema was being undermined was when over 21 MPs decided to disobey his directive not to attend the recently held National Dialogue Forum.
“The President (HH) particularly identified Bowman Lusambo as the one who could be an agent of President Edgar Lungu to weaken the party by influencing some MPs, it’s really bothering HH.”
This week, NDC Leader Chishimba Kambwili disclosed that disloyal UPND MPs are likely to kill the opposition Alliance because they have become too selfish.
Speaking during a public forum in Lusaka, Dr. Kambwili implored Mr. Hichilema to immediately talk to his MP’s who are busy undermining the Alliance Partners.
He said some UPND MP’s who are working with the PF are busy fighting the Alliance Leaders.
Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo conferring with UPND Mazabuka Central MP Garry Nkombo at Parliament Buildings
And the source said Dr Kambwili’s misgivings are not from without because even Mr Hichilema has highlighted the same concerns.
“It is becoming clear that some MPs know that they will not be readopted in 2021 and they have now begun working with the PF and the link seems to be Bowman. He is the one President Lungu is using to get closer to these MPs to start influencing them to undermine the Alliance and scatter the UPND,” the source said.
The source added that Mr Hichilema fears that Mr Lusambo could be using money obtained from State to influence the MPs.
“He is really getting worried. He spoke about the Lusambo factor in two meetings. It appears HH is really scared of Lusambo because he described him in the meetings as a lethal politician who could scatter the MPs and cause confusion and now wants all of us to stay clear of Lusambo,” the source explained.
“The truth is that some UPND MPs frequent Lusambo’s office and we don’t know what is discussed there. Some of them appear very close to him such that they are found in social settings together and that is bothering President HH.”
