Five workers of Jaward Investments in Solwezi have died after a wall of the trench they were contracted to dig collapsed and buried them.

Both Northwestern province Commissioner of Police Hudson Namachila and Solwezi District Commissioner Rosemary Kamalonga have confirmed the incident that happened this morning to ZANIS in Solwezi.

Mr Namachila said the five were among the nine casual workers of Jaward Investments who were contracted by Northwestern Water Supply and Sewerage Company to dig trenches for putting sewer pipes around Solwezi boys technical secondary school area.

He said the five were about 4.5 metres underground when the wall collapsed and buried them.

Mr Namachila identified the deceased as Leans Kapumba aged 32 and Isaiah Kapumba 22 both of weighbridge area, others are Oliver age unknown and another one only identified as Justine of Shantente area while the fifth person is unknown.

He said the identified four bodies have been dug out while the search for the fifth person continues.

And Mrs Kamalonga who rushed to the scene described the incident as sad, saying it is tragic to lose young lives in such a manner.

The Zambia National Students Union has called both managers of public and private institutions of higher learning to allow students who owe some payment to take their semester examinations but put measures in place for recovery of monies that students owe an institution.

We have noted the increasing threats by management in both public and private universities to stop students from taking their examinations despite these students having made some considerable payment towards their tuition fees. Currently, we aware of cases such as the University of Zambia where about 1,200 students may not take their examinations because of non-full payment of tuition fees.

We want to remind institutions of higher learning that stopping students from taking examinations does not put money into the coffers on a university or college. Management can find other means to recover the monies such as withholding of results until the full payment has been made. In fact, we believe universities and students who stop students from taking examinations after having made a considerable payment are, to a larger extent, guilty of unjust enrichment.

We appeal to Minister of Higher Education, Honourable Professor Nkandu Luo to begin earnest discussions between management and students, through their Unions, to find a lasting solution to this problem. ZANASU also would like to comment institutions such as Zambian Open University whose Union has launched the Student Revolving Fund that will allow ZAOU students to borrow funds to pay for their examinations at no interest. We encourage student unions around the country to begin emulating these examples that bridge the gap when solutions cannot be found.

Finally, ZANASU has congratulated the newly elected President of the National Institute of Public Administration Student Union, Charles Mbobela, and his entire executive for their victory in an election that was peaceful, free and fair but professionally conducted by the elections body. ZANASU is always proud that students continue to use the democratic apparatus in choosing their elected leaders. NIPASU has been one of the most instrumental institutions and a voice that has helped to build the student movement in Zambia. ZANASU will also be closely be following the elections at Lusaka Trust Business College (LTBC) which will be held on Thursday next week.

Issued by

Steven Kanyakula
Vice President
Zambia National Students Union

Ecobank Zambia Managing Director Kola Adeleke says the Bank takes its responsibility of assisting the community seriously

Mr Adeleke said the bank is focused on undertaking social work as part of its corporate social responsibility towards the communities in which it is present.

He was speaking on Saturday morning when he led a team of Ecobank Zambia staff in donating assorted items at Orphan’s Hope (Bethel Homes Orphanage) in Lusaka’s Avondale area as part of the 2018 Ecobank Day.The theme for Ecobank Day 2018 is ‘Supporting Young lives’.

Another team of Ecobank staff based on the Copperbelt made a donation to St. Anthony’s Children Village in Masala, Ndola.

St. Anthony’s Children Village has over 100 children while Orphan’s Hope has over 20 children.The Ecobank Day, an event that celebrated across 36 African Countries where Ecobank is present.

The bank’s employees come together to help a worthy cause, by volunteering their time to work hand in hand with members of the communities to improve the conditions of living of the vulnerable.

Many Ecobankers have given up their time to be here to support these activities. I’m sure you will agree this shows how strongly we all feel about giving back to our local communities. It makes me very proud of both the Bank I represent and the lifeblood – our staff.

“The objective is to institutionalize the “Ecobank Day” as a day in the year on which all affiliates across Africa undertake social work in furtherance of our corporate social responsibility towards the communities in which we are present,” Mr Adeleke said.

He said, “Ecobank is a pan-African bank of the people, for the people, and this comes with certain responsibilities, which we take very seriously.”

He added, “While our focus is very much on transforming the African banking landscape, and servicing our customers with convenient, cost-effective financial products, we also care very much about our local communities.”

“With this idea of giving back in mind, in 2013 we launched the Ecobank Day initiative, where our employees could come together to help a worthy cause, by volunteering their time to work hand in hand with members of our communities and support the important financial contribution made by the Bank to improve the conditions of living of the more vulnerable members of our communities.”

Mr Adeleke said the Bank has supported many worthy causes over the years and this year is no different.

“For instance, the theme for the 2015 Ecobank Day was “Every child in Africa deserves a better future”. In that year, we supported the children’s wing at Mazabuka General Hospital and Mulenga Community School in Kitwe. In 2016, under the theme “Improving Maternal Health care in Africa”, Ecobank donated maternity kits and various requirements to the maternity wings at Chipulukusu Clinic in Ndola and Chawama Clinic in Lusaka.”

“Last year, we celebrated Ecobank day with our three young girls from New Mtendere Secondary School and Kamulanga Secondary School.”

He said this was in order to address the challenges of inequalities in education adding that Ecobank Zambia committed to pay all the tuition and exam fees until university for all the three girls.

“In Kitwe, Ecobank celebrated Ecobank Day 2017 in Kawama community of Kitwe by donating a borehole and water treatment products to Kawama Race Course Community School in our efforts to promote safe water for healthy life.

Africa is home to a third of the world’s orphan population.UNICEF defines an orphan as a child under the age of 18 who has lost one or both parents, no matter what the cause of death.Globally there are 140 million orphans and 52 million live in Africa.

Leader of the opposition in Parliament, Jack Mwiimbu has stressed the need to accord Members of Parliament who die while in service dignified funerals.

Mr. Mwiimbu is concerned that despite MPs being national leaders, their remains and funerals are treated like those of ordinary citizens once they die.

Contributing to debate on a motion to convey the House’s message of condolence to the family of the late Sesheke MP Frank Kufakwandi, Mr. Mwiimbu says Parliamentarians deserve a dignified send off when they die.

Mr. Mwiimbu, who is also Monze central MP, states that government should give MPs the due recognition of deserving leaders that are serving the nation with dignity and honor.

He has also urged government to consider improving health facilities in the Country to avoid spending public funds on evacuating national leaders who fall ill.

Mr. Mwiimbu has further called on Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini to break the Parliamentary tradition of delegating to others to attend funerals of Members of Parliament who die while in service by attending such funerals in person like a father would do for his child who dies.

And President Edgar Lungu has assigned North Western Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu and Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili to represent government at the funeral of the late Sesheke MP.

Mr. Mubukwanu has told the House in his debate on the motion of conveying the House’s message of condolences to the Kufakwandi family, that government regrets the MP’s death.

The motion to convey the House’s message of condolence to the family of the late Sesheke lawmaker was moved by acting leader of Government Business Stephen Chungu.

President Edgar Lungu has directed the Food Reserve Agency to release 35,000 metric tons of maize to selected Millers on the Copperbelt Province.

Copperbelt Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe announced the development at a media briefing today.

Mr. Mwakalombe says the directive by the Head of State folows a request by Millers to the Provincial Office to intervene in the shortage of Maize and Mealie Meal on the Copperbelt.

He explained that Copperbelt relies on other provinces to supply them with maize and the deplorable state of the peddicle road has hampered the delivery of the commodity thereby creating shortages in the province.

Mr. Mwakalombeexplained that his office undertook a survey to determine the extent of the shortage of maize in the province before the decision was arrived at.

He said a Committee has been constituted to work closely with security wings in ensuring that the mealie meal produced is not exported to Congo.