The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has issued a plea to the public, urging them to report individuals involved in the illicit sale of liquor from home shops. Bulumba Nyambe, Assistant Public Relations Manager at LCC, highlighted the challenges faced in addressing this issue, particularly in shanty compounds.

Mr. Nyambe expressed the difficulty in apprehending offenders in shanty compounds but emphasized that swift action is taken in accessible areas according to established guidelines. The prevalent trend of selling liquor in home shops has prompted the LCC to address and curb this practice.

Attributing the directive to stop illegal liquor trading to the Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Nyambe underscored that such activities go against the licensing ACT. In the previous year, the council successfully convicted fifty-five illegal liquor traders, with five individuals receiving three-month imprisonment sentences after appearing before the fast track court.

To trade in liquor legally, Mr. Nyambe advised individuals to apply to LCC for inspection and validation. The council remains committed to taking enforcement measures against home shops engaged in illegal liquor sales to eradicate the trend.

While emphasizing the need for public cooperation, Mr. Nyambe urged community members to refrain from selling liquor from home shops to avoid facing punitive measures. The call for vigilance aligns with the broader efforts to combat health risks associated with unsanitary conditions and illicit alcohol, as echoed by Minister of Health Masebo, who recently emphasized the importance of community engagement and education in the ongoing fight against diseases such as cholera.

Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Augustine Kasongo has called on parents to desists from sending their children  to beg and to sell on the  streets to curb the cases of cholera affecting many people in the country.

Mr Kasongo appealed to parents during the launch of the provincial roll out of children’s code act in Kitwe that they should remove their children from the streets and take the responsibility of taking care of them.

He said as the province embarks on the roll out of the Children act awareness, the involvement of chiefs and District Commissioners is vital in promoting the values that uplifts and stops the abuse of children.

“The Chiefs guidance, wisdom, and commitment to the welfare of their communities such as sensitisation of the contents of the children’s code act  will help members of the society to understand and take care of the children,” Mr Kasongo.

Mr Kasongo said the involvement of chiefs in the awareness of the Children’s act shows the government’s commitment to addressing cultural and traditional barriers affecting the growth and wellbeing of children.

He stated that government has outlined interventions to tackle gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies, child abuse, and violence against children.

“To this effect efforts are being made towards child protection and ending child marriage, rehabilitation, and reintegrate children living on the street,” he said.

Mr Kasongo told the gathering that government is focused on improving mult-sectoral coordination and networking among players in social protection programmes.

He said priority has been given to nurturing and supporting early childhood development and facilitating a conducive learning environment to support early development of literacy and problem solving skills.

The Permanent Secretary pointed out that there is a need to include national values and principles in the young generation who are slowly diluting the country’s culture.

He also bemoaned that the exposure to internet has negatively affected the young generation who mostly abuse it.

Ministry of Community Development Assistance Director for Child Development Beatrice Muyambango said the overall goal of the Children’s act is to provide legislative measures for effective and efficient protection of children, preventing violation of the rights of children, abuse, violence, and all forms of harmful practices.

Ms Muyambango noted that the law will provide measures for corrective action where there is violation of rights of a child or where the abuse has occurred.

“This law is not meant to give powers to children over parents not at all, instead, this law brings out both the children’s rights and their responsibilities as well as corrective action and care for children who are or may be victims of various forms of harsh treatment, violence or parental neglect,” Ms Muyambango said.

Ms Muyambango noted that the children’s code act has provided for a national coordination committee for children and a replication of similar structures at various levels of implementation such as provincial, district, and community.

Farmers in Sinazongwe District have expressed worry over the delayed implementation of the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF).

 Gilbert Syabwengo, a farmer who  applied for support under the SAFF said the program was taking too long to be implemented.

Mr Syabwengo said the SAFF loans in form of inputs had taken longer to be redeemed by farmers yet the planting season was almost coming to the end.

“We applied for support for inputs  from the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture under the SAFF programme but unfortunately we have not been able to redeem from the agro dealers as the system is not yet ready yet the planting season is coming to the end,” he said.

Mr Syabwengo appealed to the Government to expedite the process if farmers are to meaningfully benefit from the SAFF program.

He said that since the inputs under SAFF were loans, the Government must consider giving farmers alternative forms of support that would enhance their livelihoods and provide food security.

Mr Syabwengo said the farmers that applied under this program were those that did not benefit from the farmer input support program (FISP) and Food security pack (FSP).

And Sinazongwe District Agriculture Coordinator, Valentine Kilubi said the SAFF program started on a good note with overwhelming response from farmers applying.

He said a number of farmers and Civil Servants had applied with some applications approved already.

Mr Kilubi said the Ministry of Agriculture was doing everything possible to ensure that the system is functional for farmers to redeem their inputs.

“We are waiting for agro dealers to get ready for farmers to be able to redeem their inputs as we are still expecting some rains before the end of planting season”, he said.

He appealed to farmers in Sinazongwe that applied for SAFF to exercise some patience as the system was being worked on to enable them redeem their inputs.

In a dramatic turn of events at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), South Africa delivered a stunning upset by defeating Morocco 2-0 in the Round of 16 stage, securing their place in the quarter-finals.

Despite being the top-ranked nation in Africa, Morocco faced an unexpected exit after a ten-man battle against a resilient South African team. The match featured standout performances and late-game twists that left football fans on the edge of their seats.

Evidence Makgopa and Teboho Mokoena emerged as the heroes for Bafana Bafana with excellent second-half goals. Makgopa’s well-placed finish into the bottom corner broke the deadlock and set the stage for a memorable victory. The goal, initially reviewed by VAR, was allowed to stand, giving South Africa the lead.

Morocco, despite dominating possession and having several scoring opportunities, faced a setback when Achraf Hakimi missed a late penalty that could have equalized the score. The Atlas Lions’ hopes further dwindled as Sofyan Amrabat received a red card after a VAR review for a foul on Mokoena as the last man.

Teboho Mokoena, seizing the moment, capitalized on a free-kick he had earned, whipping home a brilliant shot to seal South Africa’s triumph. The victory sparked jubilant scenes within the Bafana Bafana squad, marking a historic moment in AFCON.

South Africa will now face Cape Verde in the quarter-finals, positioning themselves as underdogs with the potential to make further waves in the tournament. On the other hand, Morocco, considered a favorite, will reflect on a missed opportunity to secure the prestigious continental title.

In another AFCON match on the same day, Mali secured their place in the last eight by defeating Burkina Faso 2-1. Mali will face tournament hosts Ivory Coast in the upcoming quarter-final clash.

The AFCON tournament continues to deliver unexpected twists and turns, showcasing the unpredictable nature of football on the African continent.