The National Dialogue amendment bill passed its third reading and now awaits Presidential assent. Justice Minister Given Lubinda tabled the bill for the third reading, in the early hours of today.

The bill which was first tabled in Parliament Last month, seeks to provide a forum to facilitate the amendment of the constitution, public order act, electoral laws and regulation of political parties.

This was after the bill passed the Second Reading and went through committee stage with amendments.

Earlier, Members of Parliament from the ruling, Independent and opposition political parties debated over the importance of the bill. This sparked a voting session that saw the ruling PF amassing 91 votes while the opposition polling 52 votes.

At the time of voting only 146 MPs were present and participated in the voting.

The other contentious bill that was considered were the sales tax bill which passed its first reading in parliament, is now at committee stage.

When it came up for the first reading, Minister of finance Margaret Mwanakatwe told the house that the bill has a number of objectives, which include the introduction of a sales tax on the supply of goods by manufacturers, producers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers and the importers of goods into the country.

Ms Mwanakatwe also announced that the proposed Sales Tax will put a stop to the escalation of VAT refunds, dating back to 2009, and estimated at a cost K17.9 billion as at January 9th, 2019.

She added that the bill is also aimed at imposing sales tax on the supply of services in the country, by service providers and importers of services, with an exemption of certain supplies, imports and exports of goods and services from tax.

The sales tax is expected to come into effect on July 1st, 2019.

President Edgar Lungu has threatened to close the Copperbelt University and the University of Zambia if students at the two institutions continue rioting and causing damage to public property.

President Lungu wondered why students at the two public universities are the only ones always rioting and damaging public and private property.

He says it was unjustified for students to come from their respective homes only to destroy public and institutional property.

President Lungu noted that his administration will now have to put its foot down even it means closing down the two public universities.

President Lungu was responding to Journalists in Kitwe shortly after touring the Zambia Institute of Business Studies and Industrial Practice -ZIBSIP Hostels which have been renovated at a cost of 1.7 Million Kwacha.

He said that he was willing to meet students’ representatives but changed his mind after seeing the trail of damage to public property caused by rioting students.

And President Lungu has assured the public that whistle blowers with information on corrupt activities should come forward because they are safe and protected.

President Lungu said the 1.7 Million Kwacha spent to renovate hostels at ZIBSIP by the Zambia National Service-ZNS could have cost more if commercial contractors were engaged to do the job.

And President Lungu has urged politicians to stay away from institutions of higher learning and other similar facilities, to enable them run smoothly.

And President Lungu says he is impressed with the quality of rehabilitation works done by the Zambia National Service ZNS in the country.

Meanwhile, Minister of Higher Education Professor Nkandu Luo, assured the president that the rehabilitated infrastructure will be taken care of to avoid vandalism.

UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema says the decision by Government to suspend 74 striking Kabwe Municipal Council workers who were demanding for their 6 months’ salary arrears is uncalled for and stinks of dictatorship.

Mr. Hichilema said that it has now become a habit to delay salaries for civil servants, public service employees and worse off the Council employees around the country.

He said all this is due to lacking priorities in expenditure as the money is being channeled into funding corruption and lavish lifestyles such as procuring customized private jets when people are suffering.

Mr. Hichilema said the cost of essential commodities such as mealie meal, and now with the proposed increase in the cost of electricity is already unbearable for majority of our citizens, but it’s being worsened by delayed salaries.

He said the negative effects of such economic problems being inflicted on Zambians is raising crime levels and encouraging corruption in the country, such as illegal sale of land by our civic authorities.

Mr. Hichilema said this is the same corruption that is humiliating Zambians during PF induced by elections where people are being made to line up for handouts in exchange for votes.

He has demanded that the PF regime pays workers on time and avoid industrial unrest.

The Zambian Government has announced that it has reduced all fees paid in public and grant aided schools with effect from next term

General Education Minister David Mabumba told Parliament that his Ministry has directed that pupils in Grades 8 to 12 should pay K150 user fees in schools in remote areas while K200 user fees should be paid by pupils in other schools per term.

For boarding schools, the Ministry has directed that pupils should pay an amount not exceeding K1, 000 per term as boarding fees.

Mr Mabumba said schools charging less than K1, 000 per term are at liberty to maintain their current fees.

He said pupils whose parents are engaged in subsistence farming can be allowed to pay fees in kind, e.g. a bag of maize or beans, goats, rice etc. which the school can translate into cash.

He said the revised school fees come into effect in the second term of 2019.

“With this guidance no additional charges should be demanded from learners either in cash (administration fee, affiliation fee, registration fee, practical fees, computer fees, learning material fees etc.) or in kind (cement, realm of paper, cobra, paint, slasher, hoe, mattress etc)”

He said, “While parents are partners in education provision through cost sharing, the Ministry has continued to minimize the cost of education on the part of the parents and guardians towards the education of their children.”

Mr Mabumba said the decision has made in order to ensure that as many children as possible access education services.

He said the Ministry has the responsibility to regulate the fees and in January, 2016 a circular on GCE and User Fees in Grant Aided and Public Schools which guided on the scale of fees to be charged was given.

“However, despite the guidance given, schools have continued to charge high fees and numerous complaints from the public and other stakeholders have been received over high school fees. My Ministry has not been impressed with this scenario over school fees,” he said.

On project fees, Mr Mabumba said School Head teachers, Parents Teachers Committees and School Boards that may have a compelling need to undertake a project at school and need to charge project fees should request for permission to do so from the Permanent Secretary through their District Education Board Secretaries and Provincial Education Officers.

He said a good and clear justification supported with documentary evidence should support the application as earlier guided.

“In order to mitigate financial constraints or difficulties in raising the approved fees which some Parents or Guardian may experience, school authorities should allow such pupils to pay their user fees in installments,” he said.

Mr Mabumba has since appealed to Aided Schools to be considerate when fixing school fees for their learners.

“The Ministry of General Education would appreciate a situation where fees charged by Aided Schools are comparable to the ones approved in Public Schools. It is hoped that this statement will help address the disparities in the school fees that schools have been charging,” he said.

He said the Ministry of General Education will not take kindly to any school Head teacher who will not adhere these directives.

National Democratic Congress Consultant Chishimba Kambwili has urged the people of Roan to reject the PF government because the ruling leadership is dead.

Addressing a mini rally to drum up support for National Democratic Congress Party Roan Constituency aspiring candidate Joseph Chishala in Kampelembe ward and Chisokone, the former lawmaker told the gathering that PF government which was voted into power in 2011 under the leadership of the late Michael Sata was no longer in existence.

He said people should stop believing in the PF government because it is full of corruption.

Mr. Kambwili said time has come to teach PF a lesson for failing to distribute farming inputs on time.

“This government under President Edgar Lungu has over borrowed and currently is going through financial stress. No wonder certain areas in the country such as civil servants have not been paid for two months because it doesn’t have money in the treasury and very soon civil servants in the country will go for more months without pay,” Mr. Kambwili said.

PF are coming with money, they are coming to give you some bicycles to entice you to vote for them, but the money and the bicycles get them. And the bicycles make sure you use them as transport to go and vote for Joseph Chishala on 11th April. You must teach PF a lesson

Mr. Kambwili urged the people of Roan Constituency to vote for Joseph Chishala in the forthcoming by elections scheduled for 11th April.

He said the revolution of change should start in Roan constituency where the PF government has failed to protect and defend the miners interested.

Mr. Kambwili further urged the residents of Kampelembe not to be cheated with gifts that the PF was flashing in the area.

He told them to eat with them and vote for Joseph Chishala.

“PF are coming with money, they are coming to give you some bicycles to entice you to vote for them, but the money and the bicycles get them. And the bicycles make sure you use them as transport to go and vote for Joseph Chishala on 11th April. You must teach PF a lesson,” he said.

And NDC Roan Constituency candidate Joseph Chishala assured the people that he will continue with good leadership where Mr. Kambwili had left.

He said he was equal to the task to serve and speak for the people of Roan constituency like Mr. Kambwili.

Zambia is part of the global community and will not be exempt from the impact of climate change. As a result, there will be need for stakeholders to ensure that farmers are equipped on how different agriculture systems can help support delivery of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Global agri-business firm Syngenta Territory Head of Africa & Middle East (AME), Jerome Barbaron said the company continues to build stakeholder confidence in the farming and agricultural innovation sectors.

“Syngenta will continue to work with stakeholders to help farmers improve yields and increase their productivity under the changing climatic conditions in Zambia. And in an effort to build a shared vision for sustainable agriculture, we continue to engage stakeholders through listening and dialogue on technology and knowledge transfer to help farmers contribute to food security.”

And speaking at the recent Syngenta National Field Day in Chongwe, Country Head Tibor Czigany said, “We are working together with stakeholders to build viable, productive and resilient farms, using modern agricultural technologies to safely feed Zambia while taking care of the land and environment. We continue to provide farmers and rural communities with solutions to help them to thrive and deliver safe and nutritious food.”

The annual field day by Syngenta provides an all-round platform for farmers and the company to share knowledge on how to best harness the power of technology and knowledge in agriculture to ensure the best outcome for farmers’ produce in Zambia.

Meanwhile, Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II thanked Syngenta for doing business in her chiefdom and encouraged the company to feel free to invest more as it brings more benefit to the farmers in the area. She also recognized Syngenta’s technology in the farming industry and was appreciative of the FORTENZA Duo technology which is helping to collectively fight the army worm which has ravaged the farmers’ fields including hers.

She also requested Government through the representative build dams in her area to help small scale farmers to help irrigate their crops during difficult times like this season.

And speaking on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Michael Katambo, Director of Seed Control and Certification Institute Mable Simwanza said that Government will continue to put in place measures that are aimed at increasing agricultural production and productivity in order to achieve food and nutrition security at both national and household levels.

“We value these efforts which are aimed at supporting our farmers and we will continue to promote a private sector led agricultural transformational agenda by creating an enabling environment that will expand private sector opportunities,” she said.

Roberto released the video for his single “Beautiful”

Dr Kambwili was arrested alongside the 15 AVIC international workers from Roan Constituency that came to his home to complain about poor working conditions.

The case in which NDC consultant Dr Chishimba Kambwili, who is also former Member of parliament for Roan Constituency and Avic Workers were dragged to court for unlawful assembly came up this morning in Luanshya.

The court quashed all charges slapped on Dr Kambwili and AVIC workers and set them free.

Dr Kambwili was accompanied by NDC Candidate for Roan Joseph Chishala, MCC Incharge of mobilisation Christopher Mutale, Famous Kabwe, his lawyers Christopher Mundia and Caristo Munkonka.

And Dr Kambwili said he is grateful that that the youths are free.

“These Roan youths where banged up in the police cells for close to 1 week all because they came to seek help from their then area MP. The youths have since been fired for associating with me and they are suffering because President Lungu and the PF government want to play politics with people’s livelihoods, Dr Kambwili said.

“I am grateful that these young men are now free,” he said.