ZURICH, Feb 27 (Reuters) – World soccer body FIFA imposed a lifelong ban on Wednesday on the former deputy boss and head of finance of Zambia’s football association, Boniface Mwamelo, for having accepted bribes.

“The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found Mr Boniface Mwamelo, the former treasurer and vice-president of the Football Association of Zambia, guilty of having accepted bribes in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics,” FIFA said in a statement.

Along with a ban for life from all national and international football-related activities, Mwamelo was given a 10,000 Swiss franc ($10,015) fine. ($1 = 0.9985 Swiss francs)

The Petauke Magistrate court has amended the indictment of count two and three in a case where 28 year old Rodger Mwanza of Petauke is facing three counts of indecent assault, making and circulating of obscene material contrary to the laws of Zambia.

In count one, it is alleged that Mwanza on 25th, August, 2018 did indecently assault, Elizabeth Lungu contrary to section 137 sub section one of the laws of Zambia

In count two, it is alleged that Mwanza on the same date did make obscene material with intent to corrupt public morals contrary to section 177 subsections 1(A) of the laws of Zambia and circulated obscene material contrary to section 177 subsections 1(B) of the laws of Zambia in count three.

When the matter came up for ruling on Tuesday, 26th February 2019, Petauke Resident Magistrate Ackson Mumba said he had substituted the words ‘with intent to’ in count two and three and replaced them with ‘tending to’ under section 213 of the criminal procedure court chapter 88 of the laws of Zambia, as applied for by the accused lawyer Ferdinard Jere earlier on.

And Mwanza was asked to take fresh plea in count two and three and pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Magistrate Mumba said the state had made its case in all the three counts and therefore put Mwanza on his defence.

Meanwhile, Mwanza remains remanded in custody as Magistrate Mumba denied him bail and adjourned the matter to March 13th, 2019 for defense on all three counts.

The Independent Broadcasting Authority has closed Kafue Community Radio Station for failure to comply with the IBA Act.

Kafue Community Radio Director Maximilan Makungo confirmed the development to the media but declined to give more details and referred further queries to Kafue Town Council which runs the radio station.

Efforts to get a comment from New Council Secretary Isaac Mwiche Mudala failed as he was reportedly not in office.

But some former K-FM Presenters disclosed that IBA closed the Community Radio Station because it has failed to comply with the IBA Act concerning remittance of annual subscriptions for over three years.

The sources said IBA was also concerned about the location of the radio station saying it was domiciled in a place which is not ideal for a business location.

“The problem at Kafue radio is that the station is run by people who literally have no knowledge of how the media operates. The biggest problem is that we had a management that didn’t know how to run a radio station. We need qualified media personnel to run it and also a proactive board not the current one.” The sources said

The sources further added that the radio station could not make any profit because it used to operate on a borrowed transmitter which was very costly.

The Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund has spread to Luapula Province with the view to visit all District markets and churches.

Clement Tembo who is National Coordinator for the Presidential Initiative Fund announced that a total of K800,000 has been set aside to empower marketeers and church congregants in the province.

Speaking at Senama Market in Bahati Constituency where he disbursed K50,000, Mr Tembo said President Lungu made promises to uplift the standards of livelihoods of the people of Zambia especially those that were considered to be low or poor and yet viable.

And Mansa District Commissioner James Nyenjele thanked President Lungu for remembering the People of Mansa District.

Meanwhile, Samuel Luneta who is the fund manager said all Districts were targeted under the K800,000 which has been set aside and everyone operating from conventional markets and churches are eligible to receive the Fund.

The Presidential Initiative Empowerment Fund Team is in Luapula province and will proceed to western province later next week.

Three diplomats including Zambia’s High Commissioner to Kenya are receiving treatment at Machakos Level 5 Hospital after they were involved in a fatal road accident at Lukenya on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway on the evening of Tuesday, February 26.

The accident involved a trailer and two vehicles which were ferrying the envoys who were traveling from Maanzoni in Machakos county on their way back to Nairobi.

The vehicle that was ferrying Zambian Ambassador to Kenya Brenda Mudenda and her colleague Kama Wasa alongside their driver Joseph Guttu was reported to have collided head on with the trailer.

Botwana Ambassador to Kenya Duke Lephoko and his driver Morris Maweu who were riding behind their Zambian colleagues also rammed into the trailer.

Police reports indicated the convoy was led by a police vehicle with full Siren on and on reaching Lukenya bridge, the trailer that was coming from the opposite direction failed to give way.

As a result a Toyota Prado that was ferrying the diplomat lost control and collided with the vehicle head on before the other one followed.

Guttu sustained a fractured right leg and bruises on the left hand, Lephoko had injuries on the left leg above the knee while Mrs Muntemba complained of chest and abdominal pain.

They were rushed to Machakos Level Five where they are currently receiving treatment.

Both the truck driver and one of those who was driving the envoy escaped unhurt.

The vehicles were extensively damaged.

Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa has clarified that the Lusaka City Council is not targeting Hybrid Poultry Farming after the Council ordered the removal of a huge Chicken Statue on Great East Road.

Mr Sampa said Hybrid Poultry is out of contract for the traffic circle in question but that the Council will be happy to approve renewal if they move the chicken out to the Hybrid turn-off and place a 0.5 metre-high advertisement inside.

He said a team from LCC is on the ground planning an earnest transformation of all traffic circles in Lusaka as quickly as possible.

“This move is, therefore, not targeted at any individual corporate institution or business. We believe that the responsibility of keeping Lusaka City tidy and beautiful falls on all of us,” Mr Sampa said in a statement.

Below is the full statement

PRESS STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

Lusaka, February 26, 2019:

As Mayor of Lusaka, I have noted with great interest the ongoing debate on social media arising from the local authority’s decision to request Hybrid Poultry Farming to remove the Chicken Statue from the Chainama Traffic Circle (commonly known as Roundabout).

I have received and value many submissions in support or against, and some indeed quite humorous. Some claim they will now start failing to locate their homes as the Chicken gives them vectors or acts as direction indicator after a late night visits to beer halls. Other submissions are of sentimental nature while others are nonchalant towards the Chicken. I am therefore compelled to address the concerns.

As indicated in the letter to Hybrid Poultry Farm dated February 25, 2019, the current policy of the Lusaka City Council on all Traffic Circles is to have them simple, green with grass with a fountain or national hero statue in the middle. Going by this policy, what we currently have at the Hybrid Traffic Circle falls short of this description and negates the efforts of the local authority to turn Lusaka into a Garden City.

Several considerations were made after consultations within the local authority before arriving at the decision and among the reasons for this request include:

1. Motorist obstruction

2. LCC’s policy of “No advertisement inside but outside traffic circle”

3. Only fountains, a palm tree or National Hero statue inside traffic circle

4. Inside adverts need to be 0.5 metres maximum to avoid obstructing traffic

What our dear residents of Lusaka must be aware of is that other companies such as banks have sponsored maintenance of most traffic circles in Lusaka but none of them have put their advertisements inside these facilities, except Hybrid.

Additionally, Hybrid Poultry is out of contract for the traffic circle in question but we will be happy to approve renewal if they move the chicken out to the Hybrid turn-off and place a 0.5 metre-high advertisement inside.

Our team is on the ground planning an earnest transformation of all traffic circles in Lusaka as quickly as possible. This move is, therefore, not targeted at any individual corporate institution or business. We believe that the responsibility of keeping Lusaka City tidy and beautiful falls on all of us.

The Lusaka City Council, and my office in particular, is determined to work with all residents, companies and other citizens in turning the capital city a model for cleanliness and beauty as envisioned by our President, His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Let us work together to turn Lusaka into one of the most beautiful cities in Africa and the world at large!

Miles B. Sampa
Mayor of Lusaka

The Zambian Government has made progress in establishing the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund to provide compensation for road accident victims and promoting road safety prevention activities.

Speaking during the Southern Africa Development Community, MVA Funds meeting in South Africa, Road Transport and Safety Agency, Deputy Director – Safety Gladwell Banda, disclosed that the country is currently working on the deployment of the institutional and legal frameworks to govern the establishment of the MVA Fund.

Mr. Banda said government will soon hold consultative meetings to recieve submissions from the public and other stakeholders adding that the country is exploring the best technical approach for the proposed MVA Fund in respect to funding, claims and policy practices.

“The establishment of the proposed MVA fund will reverage on the existing Third Party Act Cover which is currently underwritten by the Insuarance Industry in Zambia with the aim of widening the scope of cover for all Zambians which would inadvently enhance the quality of of life of citizens by promoting road safety, compensation, rehabilitation and surpporting those affected by the road crash.Thus providing a social security safety net for funds in a bid to provide care to road crash victims and restore balance in their lives,” Mr Banda said.

He said the MVA Fund is essential towards the attainment of the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety which among other things, calls for the provision of an effective and efficient post-crash care system.

Mr. Banda said RTSA in consultation with the government and other critical stakeholders is assessing the viability of establishing a sustainable MVA Fund which would also generate resources for providing social support to accident victims and the general citizenry who are left to suffer unbearable pain and loss of lives as a result of road crashes.

Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) member countries are meeting in South Africa to look at various modalities and share experiences with other countries that have such a Fund in place like South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.

The meeting is also encouraging all SADC countries to establish MVA Funds in their respective countries as such an approach is critical in achieving pillar number five for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety which is about improved post-crash care.

This is according to a statement issued by RTSA Head of Public Relations Fredrick Mubanga.

Ministry of Tourism and Arts Permanent Secretary Reverend Howard Sikwela says Illegal wildlife trade jeopardizes responsible wildlife management, encourage corruption and tax evasion thereby depriving off African economies’ enormous revenues.

Speaking when he officially opened the Multi-Agency Capacity Building Workshop on Investigation into Wildlife Crimes for Law Enforcement Officers at Livingstone’s Protea Hotel, Reverend Sikwela said organized cross-border wildlife crime poses a major challenge to the conservation and protection of wild fauna and flora which we must all strive to surmount.

He said this has contributed to loss of biodiversity and undermines the rule of law.

“Zambia realizes that one key challenge to effective law enforcement in Africa is the inadequacy of the requisite knowledge and skills among law enforcement personnel. , I believe there is urgent need to develop the law enforcement capacity of our agencies in addressing these threats in Africa and therefore this initiative merits our commendation and support”, he said.

Reverend Sikwela noted that given the prevailing levels of wildlife crime in the continent, with large volumes of ivory originating in Africa having been seized in Asia in the recent past, there is need to improve the capacity and enhance collaboration amongst law enforcement agencies through increased surveillance and information sharing.

And Acting Director Lusaka Agreement Task Force Edward Phiri, said he strongly believes that the solution to this lies in sound law enforcement practices, which are critical to proactive, well-planned and more purposeful operations.

He said Intelligence and investigations are the most important components in addressing organized wildlife crime and it is critical that officers and their agencies have them among their priorities.

Mr. Phiri said illegal trade in wild fauna and flora, particularly trade in illegally acquired elephant ivory and rhino horns, is becoming more sophisticated as it has been exemplified in the recent past including instances where criminal syndicates have been using complex smuggling methods to avoid detection by law enforcement agencies.

The workshop was funded and supported by European Union Commission through ENACT, the Rural Economy and Agriculture Division of the African Union Commission, and the Lusaka Agreement Task Force to provide technical and logistical support.