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Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner Charity Katanga has said that 18 suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres were arrested for conduct likely to cause breach of peace when UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema appeared for questioning at the Copperbelt Police divisional headquarters in Ndola yesterday.
Ms Katanga said that those arrested, 17 are males and one female.
Ms. Katanga also said that the Journalist, Frank Chingambu, of the Ndola ZANIS office who was also arrested has been released.
Ms Katanga said that the journalist was apprehended after he failed to produce identification and got into a confrontation with police officers
On HH, Mr Katanga said that the UPND leader was warned and cautioned for Seditious Practices, contrary to section 57 (1)( d) as read with section 60 (1) (f) of the Penal Code.
Ms Katanga said that Mr. Hichilema was alleged to have broken this provision of the law when he recently uttered seditious words against the Chinese people.
Ms. Katanga further said that the fact that Mr. Hichilema had been warned and cautioned of the said offence, there will be another course of action from the police that will follow.
She has since cautioned political leaders against issuing unsubstantiated statements which incite xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals.
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu is today expected in Chibombo to launch the construction of the first ever Multi Facility Economic Zone in Central Province by China Jiangxi United Industrial Investment.
The Industrial Park located opposite Farm Store along the Great North Road is a US $300 million project which would accommodate various industries including motor vehicle and generator assembling plants.
The project becomes the major investment that has come as a result of the recently held Central Province Investment Forum and Expo which attracted more than 2,000 delegates.
Central Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kabwe, his deputy Felix Mang’wato and other government officers inspected the site this afternoon ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow morning.
Mr Kabwe said for the breaking said in an project is part of the fruits of the recently held regional Investment Forum and Expo.
Mr Kabwe noted that many companies have expressed interest to invest in the province in the aftermath of the Expo in September this year.
Apart from the Chibombo project, the Expo has seen a number of local and foreign investors expressing interest to invest in Luano, Chitambo and Ngabwe.
“All is set for the groundbreaking ceremony; we’ve started seeing the fruits of the Expo and I must say that this is just one of the many projects that might come to the province because of the Expo,” Mr Kabwe said.
President Edgar Lungu at Chilomo School ground rally in Mangango
The Ruling Patriotic Front (PF) has successfully managed to grab a parliamentary seat in the United Party for National Development(UPND)’s stronghold in a by Election held yesterday.
According to the final results for the By Election in Mangango Constituency, Western Province, PF’s candidate Godwin Putu polled 5,618, while his closest rival, UPND’s Akakendelwa Mwendoi polled 3,987. the United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ)’s candidate beat Chingumba Kabindama polled 607 votes to beat Chishimba Kambwili’s National Democratic Congress candidate Yuvwenu Kashandola who got 122 votes.
This the second time that PF has beat UPND in a By-Election in this same constituency. In 2014, PF scoped the Mangango seat after its then candidate Rodgers Lingweshi polled 3,109 votes to beat Godwin Putu who stood on UPND ticket and got 2,375 votes. The UPND went on to take back the seat in the 2016 general elections.
The Mangango Parliamentary Constituency seat fell vacant following the death of the UPND Member of Parliament Naluwa Mwene.
Malawi are through to face Zambia in the 2019 U23 AFCON qualifiers next March.
Malawi advance after a 1-1 home draw against Botswana in Blantyre on Tuesday to qualify 3-2 on aggregate following a 2-1 away win in Gaborone on November 17.
Peter Banda put Malawi ahead in the 62nd minute but Gape Mohutiswa netted a stoppage time equalizer to see Botswana bow out with a respectable result.
Meanwhile, Zambia, who enjoyed a first round bye, will travel to Blantyre in the first quarter of 2019 year for the first leg on March 20 while the final leg is set for March 24.
Winner of the Zambia versus Malawi tie will move into the final qualifying round next June to face DR Congo, Tanzania or Burundi to decide who qualifies to the Egypt finals.
DR Congo, like Zambia, were on bye.
The top three finishers at the Egypt finals will qualify to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
UPND President Hakainde Hichilema has vowed that he will not stop speaking for Zambians.
Addressing scores of supporters in Ndola shortly after he was warned and cautioned by Ndola Police over the ZAFFICO riots, Mr Hichilema said he will continue speaking for the oppressed.
He said now is time to unite as a people for a common purpose and that is moving the country forward.
Mr Hichilema has since thanked his supporters on the Copperbelt for the solidarity.
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you all! Our party Vice president Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba and I, say thank you to the NDC consultant Dr Chishimba Kambwili and our brother and leader of PAC Andyford Banda for accompanying us to the Copperbelt and giving us moral support. This thank you goes to all the supporters and sympathisers who came in huge numbers to support us,” Mr Hichilema wrote on his Facebook page.
He added, “Now is time to unite as a people for a common purpose and that is moving our country forward, bettering the lives of our people among other progressive things.”
Mr Hichilema assured the nation that he will not stop talking.
“We will continue speaking for our country. We will continue speaking for the oppressed. We will continue speaking against poverty when our country is blessed,” Mr Hichilema wrote.
“We will continue speaking against the corrupt and their insatiable appetite to sell our country’s strategic assets,” he said.
“And as per our constitutional right, we decided to remain silent during the interrogation process at the Copperbelt Police division as warn and caution has been recorded against us but this does not scare us because there are others who fought for our country’s independence from colonial masters and not working to uphold our democracy is tantamount to letting them down,” he said.
Following Sunday’s resounding win, Shepolopolo return to action on Wednesday in their biggest test at the 2018 Women’s AFCON when they face defending champions Nigeria in a penultimate Group B match at Cape Coast.
Shepolopolo kicked off their campaign when they beat two-time champions Equatorial Guinea 5-0 in a Group B opener while Nigeria were beaten 1-0 by four-time finalists South Africa on the same date.
But Shepolopolo coach Bruce Mwape is not getting carried away by the occasion as his side braces for the wounded and record 10-time African champions at Cape Coast on Wednesday afternoon in a 17h030 Zambian Time kickoff.
“The 90 minutes will tell. It will be a 50-50 affair game, they want the three points and we also want the three points, so we will not any underrate them,” Mwape said.
“Just because we beat Equatorial Guinea 5-0 then it shouldn’t mean that we are the better team than any other team in our group.
“The best team will carry the day.”
This will be the two sides second successive meeting at the tournament after Nigeria crushed Shepolopolo 6-0 at the same stage of the 2014 finals in Namibia where Zambia made a preliminary round exit with just one point.
Nigeria went on to pick up title number eight in Windhoek.
Meanwhile, Mwape revealed that striker and captain Barbara Banda, who missed Sunday’s win due to suspension, is in a race against time to make the team due to an injury she sustained in training on Monday.
Former Minister of Finance and Minister of Works and Supply Felix Mutati
Former Minister of Finance, Felix Mutati has said that securing a financial bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has now become a matter of urgency. Mr. Mutati said that if Zambia does not secure the $1.3 billion government is seeking from the IMF, there will be a significant deficit on the 2019 national budget.
Speaking during a public forum organized by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in Lusaka, Mr. Mutati said the 2019 national budget will actually unhinge.
Mr Mutati said that the the country therefore has no option, but to ensure that its engagements with the IMF result in, among other things, the rise in the confidence of investors in the Zambian economy.
Mr Mutati also observed that the bad weather forecasted for 2019 also poses a risk to the Zambian economy as there is a likelihood that the agriculture sector and power generation will be affected.
Mr. Mutati also said that he further foresees the Zambian economy being affected negatively if the toxic conversation on alternative facts being generated within the country continues in 2019.
Mr. Mutati has also observed the need to the deal with the risk of the pace of fiscal consolidation particularly with regards the implementation of the austerity measures.
FAZ President Andrew Kamanga says a decision will soon be made on the future of Chipolopolo Coach Sven Vandenbroek.
This follows Zambia’s failure to qualify to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking in an interview at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on arrival from Mozambique, Kamanga expressed disappointment with the team and the performance of the technical bench.
Kamanga observed that FAZ did everything possible to motivate the team to get the desired results.
He said both the technical bench and players should take responsibility for their poor performance despite being given incentives.
Meanwhile, only three players have arrived back home while Coach Vandenbroek. has proceeded to Ghana to help the women national team technical bench at the ongoing Africa Cup.
Only reserve goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata, midfielder Bruce Musakanya and defender Prosper Chiluya were spotted at the airport.
For the sake of posterity and our nationhood-Let’s Have a New Era Void Of Fake News And Violence
By Sunday Chilufya Chanda
Fake News Kills Steals and destroys lives
In a recent BBC Africa Eye article by Yemisi Adegoke entitled “Like. Share. Kill.” (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/nigeria_fake_news) the Nigerian Police discuss how fake news is literally killing people in parts of the West African nation.
They describe how false information and incendiary images on Facebook have contributed to more than a dozen recent killings in Plateau State- an area already ethnically polarised.
Adegoke’s article further narrates how after BBC Africa Eye got in touch with Facebook, the Social Media company disabled the account of a man in the UK who was spreading misinformation and fake news to thousands in Nigeria, triggering and perpetuating a wide scale inter-ethnic massacre.
At the rate some political quarters are peddling and spreading fake news and misinformation on Zambian Social media platforms today, it won’t be long before lives are lost on a massive and ethnic scale as in Nigeria.
All Zambians with the nation’s interest at heart, should heed the warning given by several local and international experts that was recently ingeminated by former Bank of Zambia Governor Caleb Fundanga; that fake news and related negative and exaggerated sentiments of the country’s economy and national liabilities, have the grim prospect of harming the economy; ultimately negatively affecting the livelihoods the welfare of citizens. Sadly, fake news goes beyond taking away livelihoods; it eventually takes away lives.
Purveyors of fake news are in essence enemies of economic progress and humanity; they are enemies of the people of Zambia and enemies of life.
Fake news and violence are offshoots of the same tree rooted in the acrid soil of anarchy. No one would stand to win if the country were to be engulfed in a blood bath and left in ruins. The scandal mongers among us are like deranged suicide bombers hoping to live and enjoy what they crave once they have harmed their victims; yet they too would have lost their lives in macabre nonsensical fashion.
They are like persons drinking poison, hoping the people they scandalise will be harmed.
Why is it that UPND Have never condemned fake news?
We note that the UPND have never condemned fake news. We therefore call upon them to rethink their fake news and lies as it could be very costly to themselves and their families who are part of the fabric of our nation.
Their deafening silence on fake news is implicit of their support of its practise.
When has Zambia ever heard the UPND leadership condemn fake news and lies?
Just as in the Nigerian case, there is a UK based UPND member notorious for spreading inflammatory misinformation that could easily spark bloodshed. His party’s leadership have never rebuked him when he has claimed responsibility for coordinating fires in public places, or even when he has published current examination papers.
In a related recent development, suspended UPND lawyer Martha Mushipe was circulating an article purporting that the author of this article had issued a statement directing PF youth on the Copperbelt Province to burn UPND leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema to death when he appears at Ndola Central Police for investigations.
This deadly fake news and misinformation circulated by the UPND had the tacit support of their leader, and it was designed to instigate a blood bath on the Copperbelt between UPND youth and their PF counterparts, in the way fake news sparked genocide in Rwanda. Again, the UPND leadership conveniently appear to have lost their tongues.
Fake news, misinformation, tribalism, genocide as well as racism and xenophobia are all intertwined.
How many times have we heard UPND sponsored fake news and hate speech targeted towards the Chinese?
How many times have we heard the UPND members at home and abroad incite the torching of public places like markets and courts?
In fact the UPND leadership has never condemned the pre and post General Election Namwala ethnic cleansing where citizens from other parts of Zambia were systematically targeted and brutalised.
Fake News – A Repackaging of the “Mapatizya Formula”
The “Mapatizya Formula” which the UPND formulated some years ago where-in they organised a ‘militia’ that attacked government vehicles, impounded food supply convoys, held meetings without permits and harassed government ministers and caused wanton mayhem, has now been repackaged to incorporate fake news and mis-information.
Their Mapatizya “model” of violence has evolved in such a subtle way, that after the perpetrators have committed their brutal deeds, they try to manipulate sympathy for themselves and outrage against their victims by whimpering and fabricating fake news against the victims.
For The Sake Of Posterity-A Call for A New Era Without Fake News And Violence
We call for an end to the era of fake news and violence and we call for civility in politics where facts are presented as alternatives to what the Patriotic Front is doing.
We call for a new era where the political affiliation of Zambians will not be stereo-typed or pigeon-holed by the origin of their surnames and their ethnicity; and where people will vote based on ideas presented rather than blind tribal affiliation.
Our politics should be better – for the sake of all Zambians and for the sake of posterity. Politics should not be“game of tricks” leveraged fake news to manipulate and polarise innocent citizens on the basis of tribe and region.
Fake news can be deadly. “Like” & “share” can kill. God forbid –that should not be Zambia’s portion.
Let’s have a new era of civility.
The Author is Patriotic Front Media Director At the Patriotic Front Secretariat Lusaka.
President Edgar Lungu being welcomed by Chongwe Mayor Geoffrey Chumbwe at the official opening of the China National Building Material Zambia Industry Plant in Chongwe District
President Edgar Lungu has directed Lusaka Provincial party Chairmanship aspirant Geoffrey Chumbwe to apologise and retract the tribal remarks attributed to Maxwell Choongu, a member of his campaign team that a Soli should be voted into office.
President Lungu says his conscious is greatly offended by the tribal remarks in the video saying there is no place for tribalism in his party.
His spokesperson Amos Chanda said the President has directed Party Secretary General Davies Mwila to deliver a strong message to Mr. Choongu and Mr. Chuumbwe that the remarks be retracted immediately.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, Mr Choongu who is also Chongwe District Information and Publicity Secretary is seen urging the electorate to vote for Mr. Chumbwe who is Soli by tribe and not any other person.
Meanwhile, Maxwell Choongu has apologised for his statement made on Saturday in Rufunsa which seems to border on tribal lines.
Mr. Choongu says his conscious is not at peace and he strongly feels that he has let down a lot of people.
“As a member of the ruling Patriotic Front Party, I am not expected to issue such statements but to preach peace and unity. There is literally no excuse for my actions but to fully take responsibility and wholeheartedly apologize”, He said.
Mr. Choongu says he will never again in his entire lifetime issue such statements because he now fully understands the consequences of such.
“I promise to continue preaching about Peace, Love, Forgiveness, zero tolerance to Violence, zero tolerance to tribalism, reconciliation and unity to the best of my ability”, He added.
Airtel and Zamtel have pledged to support the conduct of the first-ever digital-based 2020 Census of Population and Housing through provision of the ICT infrastructure.
The two mobile service providers made the pledge during a recent Round Table Donor Meeting on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Airtel expressed interest, together with the other Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), in offering assistance with communication and internet access during the Census. They offered assistance in publicity through bulk text messaging, dissemination of census information and other services subject to discussion with the Central Statistical Office, and the Government.
Zamtel indicated that it would appreciate to be availed further information on the to understand and appreciate the IT Systems and requirements for the 2020 Census, to enable the institution provide its support.
Zamtel said it would consider hosting or even availing their infrastructure for Census use.
ZANACO also expressed interest to collaborate with the Government to ensure that the 2020 Census of Population and Housing would be a success.
The Minister of National Development Planning Hon. Alexander Chiteme, on behalf of the Vice-President Her Honour Mrs Inonge Mutukwa Wina, and Permanent Secretary Chola Chabala, Central Statistical Office Acting Director Goodson Sinyenga and other officials met Cooperating Partners and the private sector to mobilise resources for the 2020 Census for Population and Housing.
Zambia will conduct the Census of Population and Housing in August 2020. The 2020 Census will be the first of its kind in Zambia to be conducted using electronic data collection methodology – Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI). The 2020 Census will be a complete shift from the traditional Pen and Paper Interview (PAPI) to Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI)/digital Census.
The electronic data collection methodology will improve the quality of data collected and reduce the time-lag between data collection and the dissemination of results. The estimated total budget for the 2020 Census of Population and Housing is K841, 563, 560 (about US$75, 139, 604).
Census 2020 meeting with donors. Photo MNDPCensus 2020 meeting with donors. Photo MNDP
Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili cutting the ribbon whilst Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Katongo Chifwepa helps during the Launch of it’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan at Mulungushi International Conference Centre yesterday 25-04-2018. Picture by ROYD SIBAJENE/ZANIS
The United Church of Zambia (UCZ) in Luangwa has appealed to government to quickly decentralize the Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance to districts.
Rev. Maketo Matongo said decentralizing the ministry to districts will give the church an opportunity to seek guidance on religious matters within the district and coordinate well with the ministry.
He has observed that the absence of the ministry in the district is a disadvantage both to the church and government as there is no link between the church and government at district level.
The reverend said this last Friday when members of the Luangwa District Church Ministers’ Fellowship paid a courtesy call on Luangwa District Commissioner (DC), Ngoni Moyo at his office.
And Luangwa DC said government has already embarked on the exercise of decentralizing the ministry to provinces and districts.
Mr. Moyo said the ministry has established offices in all the provinces as part of the decentralization exercise and will soon extend the exercise to districts.
He has since appealed to the clergy in the area to continue coordinating and working together with his office on religious and developmental issues as the district awaits the presence of the ministry in the area.
Senior Chief Nkula with Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary Jobbicks Kalumba
Government has reiterated that it is committed to engaging cooperating partners in its quest to develop Muchinga province through agriculture.
Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary Jobbicks Kalumba says Government acknowledges the input of various stakeholders in bringing socio-economic development to the province and ultimately the country as whole.
Speaking during a reconnaissance Survey Meeting for Muchinga Province Investment with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in Chinsali yesterday, Dr. Kalumba charged that Muchinga province has abundant natural resources for development.
He added that it is Government’s desire to change the landscape of the province through agriculture.
Dr. Kalumba said the coming of IDC on board for the fruit and forest investment development in the province will go a long way and that it is the first step in making the province a fruit production hub.
He stressed that Government through organisations such as IDC will endeavor to create more jobs especially for the youths in Muchinga thereby, improving the livelihoods of people in the province.
Dr. Kalumba noted that cooperating partners play an important role in supplementing Government’s efforts in poverty reduction through agricultural investments like the production of fruits.
And IDC Technical specialist Shyan Vora, says IDC will work hand in hand with Government in promoting agriculture investment in Muchinga province.
Mr. Vora said with the good climatic conditions that the province has, the area has huge potential in becoming a fruit production hub.
He added that socio-economic development through agriculture ventures is important as it changes the landscape of the province as well as livelihoods of the people.
IDC is in Muchinga to conduct a survey for the provinces’ initiative of making it a fruit and forest hub.
The meeting is a follow up to the stakeholders meeting held at Kapasa Makasa University in July this year that resolved to make Muchinga a fruit and forest hub.
This is in a bid to change the landscape of the province taking advantage of the good soils and climatic conditions to produce fruits and develop forest plantations that will in the long run create jobs and alleviate poverty levels among the local people in line with the 7th National Development Plan (7th NDP).
Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Christopher Yaluma
Minister of Commerce Trade and Industry (1a) Christopher Yaluma says expanding access to financial services can unlock economic opportunities for many stakeholders, especially women and the youths.
Mr Yaluma states that it is for this reason that government intends to expand access to savings, credit, insurance, capital markets and payment systems to the poor and marginalized.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Yaluma was speaking in Lusaka today, during the launch of the National Association of Savings and Credit Unions (NASCU) financial inclusion
programme in Lusaka today.
Mr Yaluma also reiterated the important role that financial inclusion plays in boosting key economic sectors of the country.
The commerce Minister said if well harnessed the sector can contribute to the country’s economic growth.
Mr. Yaluma explained that financial industries help in diversifying vital economic industries like agriculture, tourism and manufacturing, adding that when people save and transact through formal financial institutions, the county will have more resources to invest.
He further hailed NASCU for partnering with MasterCard to provide trusted and secure financial products and services to the people especially those in rural areas.
And Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Zambia (1b) Christopher Krafft, commended government for allowing many United States of America (USA) companies to partner with Zambian firms like NASCU in improving the lives of the people.
Mr. Krafft added that such collaborations will go a long way in strengthening the mutual understanding between USA and Zambia.
Speaking earlier, MasterCard President for the Southern African division (1c) Mark Elliott disclosed that the continued unsafe ways of transaction by consumers contributed to high cases of fraud, money laundering and tax evasions.
Mr. Elliott noted that this was why there was need for governments and other players in the financial sector to encourage electronic or digital financial transactions in order to address the problem.
Children form different parts of Zambia attending the Launch of National Children Symposium at Mulungushi International Conference Centre
Zambia as a signatory and part to the Convention on the African Charter on the Rights and welfare of Children (ACRWC) has introduced deliberate policies aimed at protecting the rights of Children.
Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development Moses Mawere, stats that this is the reason government has established the Child Protection Unit to end child marriages by 2030, as well as implemented re-entry policy that allows girls who fall pregnant back in into school among others.
ZANIS reports that Mr Mawere said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Joe Kapembwa during the commemoration of the World Universal Children’s Day in Lusaka today.
Mr Mawere disclosed that government has also submitted a report to the United Nations (UN) on issues affecting the rights and welfare of children in Zambia.
The Youths Minister noted that children must not just be seen as beneficiaries of development but actors and agents of change and that their voice is critical to the development of a nation.
Mr. Maware encouraged children to concentrate on positive things such as education and embrace the culture of hard work if they are to realise their future dreams.
And speaking earlier, Save the Children Country Director Duncan Harvey urged the Zambian government to take concrete actions to mobilize sufficient resources to invest in children and ensure equitable allocation and effective utilization of resources.
over 1,000 children drawn from all provinces of Zambia are attending the 2018 National Children Symposium which is being held in at Mulungushi International Conference Centre under the he theme “Children’s voice; key to sustainable development.”
