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“He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound].”
(Isaiah 40:29, AMPC)
He Increases Strength
Whatever you need today, know that God is your source and supply. You may feel tired and weary from a long spiritual or emotional battle. God promises that He increases our strength and causes it to multiply. One of the ways God fills us with His strength is by giving us His joy. When we have joy, we have strength to overcome.
Joy is a supernatural empowerment that is deposited on the inside of you. As you meditate on the goodness and faithfulness of our God, you won’t be able to help but feel His joy. Like rivers of living water, joy will flow forth from you, refreshing and strengthening you so that you have the power to overcome every obstacle you may be facing.
If you feel faint or weary, remember, there’s a harvest of blessing in store for you. Let faith rise in your heart as you meditate on His promises. Let Him fill you with His peace and joy so that you will have an abundance of strength. As you do, you will be empowered to live the life of victory the Lord has in store for you!
A Prayer for Today
“Heavenly Father, today I come to You and ask that You fill me with Your peace and joy. Let Your strength rise up on the inside of me so that I can embrace the victorious life You have planned for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
THE Socialist Party has argued that President Edgar Lungu’s initiative to set up 13 milling plants in parts of the country will not reduce hunger in Zambia.
Socialist Party general secretary Dr Cosmas Musumali says the plants to be set up under the presidential milling initiative were not a solution to the hunger experienced by millions of Zambians.
He argues that the milling plants were going to be a cash-cow for funding PF activities and supplying mealie-meal to would-be voters during elections.
Dr Musumali appealed to the President and his government to realise that “some level of honesty is not harmful.”
On April 17, President Lungu said there was no reason for mealie-meal prices to remain high when maize was locally produced.
He claimed that the PF government would not shift from its pro-poor policies as that was the mandate upon which “we were put into power by the Zambian people.”
The President made the remarks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of milling plants under the presidential milling plants initiative at the University of Zambia Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre in Chongwe.
The milling plants, according to President Lungu, were earmarked for construction in Kaoma (Western Province), Monze and Mazabuka (Southern Province), Chipata (Eastern Province), Mpika (Muchinga Province) and Solwezi (North-Western Province).
Others are to be situated in Mumbwa and Kapiri Mposhi (Central Province), Luanshya and Kalulushi (Copperbelt Province), Mansa (Luapula Province), Chongwe (Lusaka Province) and Kasama (Northern Province).
But Dr Musumali, an economist, believes that the project, “like many others before it” is ill-informed.
“It will not lower maize-meal prices, create significant jobs or contribute towards any meaningful industrialisation of the rural areas. Worse still, it is nowhere nearer to a solution that would address the widespread hunger and malnutrition in Zambia,” Dr Musumali said in a statement availed to The Mast.
“To start with, processing is not the major cost driver. Neither is it a significant explanation for the current escalation of the maize meal prices. The major culprits are the extremely low levels of peasant farmer productivity and high input costs. This is true even when seasonal and annual variations in maize supply are taken into consideration.”
He observed that an unpredictable rainfall pattern, decreasing soil fertility and high incidence of pest attacks on the crop had also increasingly turned maize production into a high risk venture.
Dr Musumali noted that several factors had turned maize and mealie-meal into a speculative commodity.
“The government is not without fault! It comes up with a cost-plus based purchasing price for the commodity that defies both economic logic and the diverse agro-ecological production realities,” Dr Musumali said.
“Private traders rush in to buy early at lower-than production cost prices before the peak harvest season. The millers are also not left out in this capitalist game of profit maximisation.”
Dr Musumali indicated that setting up 13 milling plants and hoping to see lower consumer prices as a result was a huge miscalculation.
He stressed that the milling plants would not increase peasant farmer productivity, reduce the cost of production, reduce the speculative dimension or significantly address the issue of access to the commodity for the poor and jobless.
“Most poor Zambians in rural areas use small scale hammer mills within a five kilometre radius of their homes. The average amounts milled at a time are small, 15-20kg. The PF government’s project is not building on this extensive network and structure. Rather, it is replicating the existing medium and large scale capitalist milling facilities that supply mealie-meal to wholesalers and retail outlets. Direct interface with the final consumer is not guaranteed,” Dr Musumali explained.
“Suggesting to the consumers in, for example, Sikongo, Mitete, Shang’ombo and many other parts of Western Province that a single milling plant in Kaoma would lower down their mealie-meal price would be treated as some impolite joke.”
Dr Musumali further pointed out that the presidential milling plants initiative did not bring Zambians closer to the diversification of their food supply.
“The mono-culture of maize is, in terms of soil fertility and resilience against climate change, a disaster. Its negative impact is being felt more and more overtime. The heavy attention towards maize is inappropriate. Each year we continue to lose millions of kwacha worth of rice, sorghum, millet, groundnuts, beans, cassava, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, fruits and diverse vegetables that go to waste for lack of processing, storage or marketing facilities,” Dr Musumali said.
“A good number of these crops could offer a more nutritious and stable diet for the masses with appropriate investments in research and marketing. They also make economic sense under the context of climate change. The domestic, regional, international market for cassava alone in its raw, semi-processed and industrial usage could compete with copper exports at current global prices! The one-sided investments in maize are irrational.”
He recalled that euphoria and media hype around the presidential milling plants project was highly reminiscent of the mobile clinics that were launched with “a lot of fanfare by the MMD government of president Rupiah Banda.”
“[But] where are those mobile clinics today? What did they achieve? Or more recently the solar milling plants that involved the Zambia Cooperative Federation: They were meant to bring down the price of maize-meal! Like with all bad and doubtful projects, the packaging and branding is excessive. It is meant to cover up the fault lines,” Dr Musumali noted.
“The government-controlled media and the technocrats writing the speeches were at pains to draft sensible rationale and outcomes of the presidential milling initiative. The harder they tried, the more pathetic the propaganda turned out to be. It is not an enviable task at all; some level of honesty is not harmful!”
Meanwhile, Dr Musumali noted that the PF government wanted to have control over a commodity that was dear to the Zambian stomachs – mealie-meal.
“What is the best option for doing it if not to run these through their trusted cadres, now strategically placed in the various government agencies? The ZNS of today, just like the police, is comfortably infested with PF cadres!” said Dr Musumali.
“The milling plants are going to be a cash-cow for funding PF activities and supplying mealie-meal to would-be voters during election times. That is the naked truth about these milling plants!”
Zesco United dimmed Mighty Mufulira Wanderers survival hopes on Saturday following a resounding 6-0 thumping at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The result sent Mighty bottom of Pool A and are in serious danger of making a quick return to Division after just one season back in the top flight for Zambia’s second most successful club.
Jesse Were and Quadri Kola scored a brace each in the emphatic win to lift Zesco to second place for at least 24 hours ahead of Sunday’s match between third placed Lusaka Dynamos and fifth positioned Red Arrows in Lusaka.
Were was on target in the 18th and 70th minutes while Kola scored in the 40th and 51st minutes.
Clement Mwape scored the third in the 66th minute and Enock Sabumukama got on the act two minutes later.
Zesco moved from fourth to second on 24 points, two behind Zanaco who lost away at Nakambala Leopards.
Wanderers are now bottom of Pool A with 9 points with four games left in which to save their FAZ Super Division stay.
Meanwhile, seventh placed Nakambala stunned Zanaco 4-2 in Mazabuka.
Simon Mulenga struck a brace for Nakambala in the 5th and 57th minutes while Felix Bulaya and Junior Zulu were on target in the 23rd and 45th minutes respectively.
Both of Zanaco’s two goals came in the first half with Tafadwza Rusike equalizing in the 29th minute and Taonga Bwembya added the other goal in the 41st minute.
WEEK 14 RESULTS & FIXTURES
POOL A
27/04/2019
Zesco United 6-Mufulira Wanderers 0
Nakambala Leopards 4-Zanaco 2
Kitwe United 0-Prison Leopards 1
Kabwe Warriors 1-Green Buffaloes 1
28/04/2019
15h00:Lusaka Dynamos-Red Arrows
POOL B
27/04/2019
Nkana 2-FC MUZA 1
Lumwana Radiants 0-Forest Rangers 0
Circuit City 0-Power Dynamos 1
Napsa Stars 2-Buildcon 2
28/04/2019
13h00:Nkwazi-Green Eagles
All the Churches that mean well for Zambia must pray for the nation. This is so that healing of divisions can take place.
I totally agree with the people who say that Zambian political scene is gravely split and the divisions need to be healed. The split I am concerned with has come about over the issues of the changes to the Constitution, Public Order Act, Electoral Process and Political Parties Bill.
The changes in the Constitution, Public Order Act, Electoral Process and Political Parties Bills are being sought in order to address the following important issues;
The need to provide for sufficient time for the Courts to deal with any post 2021 election petitions.
The need to have an electoral proportional representation system in order to have zebra lists that will make us attain 50% gender representation and to do away with costly bye-elections.
The need to have the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) have greater power to superintend elections.
The need for the Public Order Act to be made more user friendly.
The costs of bye-elections, if done away with, could go towards;
a. building schools and hospitals.
b. funding institutions of higher learning.
c. providing more drugs in our hospitals.
d. Payment of salary arrears
e. many other important needs in our economy.
Better laws regarding public meetings and giving the ECZ greater power to deal with those infringing the electoral code of conduct would lessen the political tension before, during and after elections.
The current split we have in Zambia is between;
(i) The majority who want to attend to the National Dialogue Forum (NDF) to address the costs of bye-elections and redirect these wasted funds towards critical areas like health, education and other needy arrears, and on the other-side a small minority seeking to boycott the NDF because they do not mind the cost of bye-elections and would, instead of using these scarce funds on critical needy areas like education and health, rather this huge bye-election cost continues .
(ii) The majority who want to attend to the National Dialogue Forum (NDF) to address the inordinate gender imbalance in the National Assembly where we constantly have less than twenty percent Members of Parliament being from the female gender and on the other-side the small minority seeking to keep the hurdles that the female gender face. This small minority have no desire to raise female gender participation and representation.
(iii) The majority who want to attend to the National Dialogue Forum (NDF) to address the problems relating to limited freedom of assembly and association which are a source of such great tension and those on the other-side who form a small minority who are seeking to keep the national tensions high by not addressing the shortfalls in the Public Order Act.
The National Dialogue Forum is a seed planted by the Members of Parliament with the intention that it grows into a flourishing Zambian Constitution bearing fruits of greater freedoms under the Public Order Act, greater gender access to political and civil positions and blossoms that redirect expenditure from costly bye-elections to needy social arrears like health and education.
Participants at the NDF are praying that this seed germinates and grows to bear us these good fruits but on the otherside, are those praying whilst making Invocations and deep covenants that the seed is killed even before it grows.
The official Opening of the National Dialogue by President Lungu
SERIOUS sanctions will be imposed on Members of Parliament who opted to abscond the National Dialogue Forum, says Forum Legal Practitioner Tutwa Ngulube.
Mr Ngulube told the Daily Nation in an interview yesterday, the Members of Parliament who had boycotted the forum would face the wrath of the law.
He said that it was immoral for the lawmakers, who were supposed to be the custodians of Zambian laws, to boycott such an important event.
Mr Ngulube said the forum was an opportunity for the lawmakers to refine the constitution and make it suitable for all the citizenry.
Mr Ngulube said the lawmakers who had deliberately boycotted the national dialogue had committed serious offences.
“Those who were requirement to attend but did not, especially the Members of Parliament, will be dealt with accordingly,” he said.
He said it was mandatory for the parliamentarians to attend the forum. Mr Ngulube said there was a provision in the National Dialogue Act which compelled the parliamentarians who boycotted to resign on moral grounds.
“On this matter it was very clear that the law will follow on those who have stayed away. We are taking note and we have a register,” Mr Ngulube said.
He said that the National Dialogue Act stipulated that a parliamentarian who boycotted the forum, should vacate their seat so that the necessary action could be taken against them.
“People who are elected to make laws should never run away from their responsibilities. When we are in parliament we are national leaders and not opposition political parties,” he said.
FILE: Vice President Inonge Wina on arrival from India at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka on February 14, 2019. Pictures by Lloyd Sibajene ZANIS
Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has announced the evacuation of Republican Vice President of Zambia, Mrs Inonge Wina for medical check up in South Africa following a health encounter last night.
The Minister stated that the Veep was first evacuated to UTH last night where a multidisciplinary medical team competently treated her for a heart condition.
Dr. Chilufya stated that President Lungu visited Mrs Wina at UTH last night and commended the team of specialists for competently attending to her.
He stated that in order to consolidate the VEEPs scheduled review and the anticipated short recuperation period, the President has facilitated her evacuation for a thorough medical checkup.
Dr. Chilufya said that the Vice President who is in high spirits was seen off at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport by himself, the Minister in the Vice Presidents Office Hon. Sylvia Chalikosa and acting Secretary to the Cabinet Mr Patrick Kangwa among other senior government officials.
Hon. Chilufya said the nation will be kept informed on the matter as need arises.
Mbala District Commissioner, Kedrick Sikombe says President Edgar Lungu’s administration is committed to the elimination of malaria by 2021.
Mr Sikombe says malaria can easily be eliminated if members of the community are involved.
He was speaking during the World Malaria Day Celebration under theme “End Malaria Start with Me” held at Masamba market in Sub chief Lwimbo’s areas in Mbala today.
Mr Sikombe said community members play an important role in the implementation of government programmes hence their involvement.
The DC however said there is need to sensitize people on the benefits of the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) programme in the district.
And Sub Chief Lwimbo has advised his subjects to always sleep under Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs).
The traditional Leader added that there is need to reduce the malaria incidence by 100 percent by the end of 2021 and accelerate vector control interventions which are IRS and distribution of ITNs.
Lusaka Dynamos head into Sunday’s FAZ Super Division Week 14 home date against Red Arrows three points poorer after they were docked points by FAZ for failing to comply contractual obligations with their Ghana-born midfielder Abdul Latif Mohammed.
Mohammed took his grievances over unpaid dues by Dynamos to FIFA who ruled in the goalkeepers favour.
“Following a directive by FIFA, the Football Association of Zambia has docked three points from Lusaka Dynamos after the club was found guilty of failure to honour employment obligations towards Ghanaian player Abdul Latif Mohammed,” FAZ general secretary Adrian Kashala said.
“FIFA has in its correspondence to FAZ; dated April 24, 2019 directed that the Association docks three points from Lusaka Dynamos or face sanctions.”
Meanwhile, Dynamos remain second in Pool A with 23 points from 26 points where they were prior to the ruling and were tied with leaders Zanaco after thirteen games played.
President Lungu during the National Field Day in Kapisha, Chief Mibenge’s area in Mansa
President Edgar Lungu had called on the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to farmers competitive prices for their grain during the 2019 marketing period.
Making an address during the National Field Day in Kapisha, Chief Mibenge’s area in Mansa, President Lungu noted challenges delayed payments to farmers and called on the FRA to pay farmers on time and also pay them competitive prices.
The President prodded the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance to work together and sort out what the perennial problems of delayed payments to farmers and suppliers.
President Lungu also urged the Ministry of Agriculture to conclude negotiations with inputs suppliers by May so that in turn inputs would be distributed on time to farmers. He said he would like to see inputs distributed before the onset of rains. And President Lungu reiterated that the country will not export mealie meal until it is ascertained that there is enough for the country.
The President also said only excess grain will be exported after harvest.
Government has called on millers to invest in their own storage sheds and stop their dependency on FRA maize supplies for their businesses.
President Lungu observed during the National Field Day in Mansa that millers have been leaning heavily on the FRA maize supplies instead of getting in the fields and out flung areas to buy their own grain from farmers.
The President said this should stop and urged millers to invest in their own storage facilities in strategic farming areas. He warned that in future millers would find it hard to purchase maize from FRA.
President Lungu during the National Field Day in Kapisha, Chief Mibenge’s area in Mansa
Green Eagles star striker Tapson Kaseba says he is not under pressure to replicate last season’s form which saw him score 18 goals in the Super Division.
Kaseba finished as the second highest scorer in the 2018 season just three goals behind golden boot winner Idriss Mbombo.
He has scored four times in the current season heading into Sunday’s away Week 14 date against Nkwazi in Lusaka.
“I am pushing hard as a striker. I know sometimes supporters may ask that I am not scoring,” Kaseba said.
“I am not under pressure. I know I will score more goals.”
The former Konkola Blades striker did not have much game time in the first round of this season after a controversial failed move to South African side Free State Stars.
Kaseba is now back in the best eleven for Eagles – who are leading Stream B of the Super Division.
“I can promise to score at least five goals before the season ends,” Kaseba said.
Southern African Region for Police Chiefs Cooperation (SARPCCO) Chairperson Kakoma Kanganja
INSPECTOR General of Police Kakoma Kanganja says there is need for concerted efforts in devising strategies aimed at fighting all forms of cross border crimes.
Kanganja who is also Southern African Region for Police Chiefs Cooperation (SARPCCO) Chairperson has called for active participation of all SARPCCO member countries in the activities of the regional body.
Kanganja who is in South Africa is also scheduled to travel to Eswatin for routine visits to SARPCCO Member countries to check on progress made on the implementation of INTERPOL and SARPCCO resolutions and decisions as well as iron out impediments to international and regional police corporation in the fight of transnational crimes.
According to a statement issued by Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo, Kanganja further observed the need for increased effort in devising strategies aimed at fighting all forms of cross border crimes among member states.
” We all need to direct our resources towards strengthening border areas which are access points for criminals involved in cross border crime, ” said Kanganja.
Among other decisions passed during various membet country Police Chiefs meetings include Combating violent crimes, fighting cyber crime in the SADC region, conducting of SARPCCO joint operations, and prevention and combating Trafficking in persons in the SADC region among others.
Southern African Region for Police Chiefs Cooperation (SARPCCO) Chairperson Kakoma Kanganja
Multihoice Zambia Staff across the country today have celebrated KK’s 95th birthday by adopting his and Mama Betty’s dress code.
The business will also present an Explora decoder to the founding President to upgrade his viewing experience and enjoy local and international content through Africa’s best story teller.
Defending champions Zesco United and 2018 runners- up Nkana battle to get back on their feet this Saturday in their respective home games following embarrassing league defeats over the last seven days.
Zesco head into their home date at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola against ailing Mighty Mufulira Wanderers a week after they were humiliated 4-1 away by Pool A leaders Zanaco in Lusaka.
The defeat saw Zesco fall five points behind Zanaco on 21 and 26 points respectively after thirteen games played.
But Zesco coach George Lwandamina described the result as a minor setback and is also hoping their first week-long break without any mid-week football action for the first time this season will recharge their systems.
“We are still there in the race and I am sure we will have had more time to rest now after playing every three days or so in a week which was not easy for the team,” Lwandamina said.
“Yes, we are five points adrift of the leaders but we still have 15 points to fight for and this is football you don’t know what it holds in the future.”
Zesco will also be seeking revenge against Mighty who handed them their first league loss of the season on March 13 with a 2-1 away defeat at Shinde Stadium in Mufulira.
Second from bottom Mighty on the other hand need to leave Ndola with a point to keep their survival hopes alive as they face the likely prospect of making a quick return to Division One football.
And at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe, Nkana are back in action following Wednesday’s 4-1 home loss to Pool B leaders Green Eagles.
That defeat was Nkana’s second straight league home loss after Lumwana Radiants beat them 2-1 there on March 30.
“The game at the weekend is very important for us to come out from this defeat,” Nkana coach Beston Chambeshi said.
“We have spoken with the boys they know what is ahead of us; we have strong players who can come out of this defeat.”
Nkana also know that they must beat MUZA this weekend because they need a big confidence boost before their looming May 1 date in Lusaka against in-form third placed Nkwazi in a rescheduled Week Seven fixture.
WEEK 14 FIXTURES
POOL A
27/04/2019
Zesco United-Mufulira Wanderers
Nakambala Leopards-Zanaco
Kitwe United-Prison Leopards
Kabwe Warriors-Green Buffaloes
28/04/2019
15h00:Lusaka Dynamos-Red Arrows
POOL B
27/04/2019
Nkana-FC MUZA
Lumwana Radiants-Forest Rangers
13h00:Circuit City-Power Dynamos
15h00:Napsa Stars-Buildcon
28/04/2019
13h00:Nkwazi-Green Eagles
Information and Broadcasting Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo
Government has expressed happiness at the successful completion of the installation of digital village television coverage countrywide.
Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo says the successful completion of the installation of the 500 sets in 500 villages across the country means that citizens in all corners of the country will now be able to access information.
Mr. Kasolo was speaking when he presented a certificate of completion of the digital village television project to Topstar vice president Cliff Sichone in Lusaka today.
He explained that the successful completion of the village Television project is an indication of Zambia’s commitment to achieving some of the milestones in the 7th National Development Plan which emphasizes the need not to leave anyone behind.
He added that the installation of the solar powered television sets has given an opportunity to people in areas that have no electricity to keep abreast with issues around the country and the world over.
Mr. Kasolo has since urged people in areas where solar powered television sets have been installed to treat the television sets as a very important asset that will allow them to be connected to the rest of the world. Government, through Topstar, has installed 50 satellite digital television sets in each of the ten provinces of Zambia.
And Mr. Kasolo has said Government is happy with the fruits that the relationship with the Government of the People’s Republic of China continues to bear. He said Zambia and China have continued to enjoy warm relations.
Mr. Kasolo appealed to the Chinese Government to consider providing more satellite television sets so that a wider coverage of villages that have been left out can be reached.
The 500 satellite television sets are part of the 10,000 sets the Chinese Government donated to benefit 10,000 villages in Africa. The donation was made by Chinese President Xi jinping during the FOCAC meeting held in South Africa in 2015.
Today’s Scripture
