Nine Hundred fifty four (954) girls are benefiting from the keeping girls in school program under the Girl Education and Women Empowerment Livelihood(GEWELL) program in Itezhi Tezhi District in Central Province.

Itezhi Tezhi District Commissioner Hendrix Kaimana disclosed this when National Development and Planning Minister Alexander Chiteme paid a courtesy call on him at his office yesterday.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Kaimana revealed that out of the targeted 1,062 only 944 are currently benefiting from school sponsorship.

The keeping Girls in school program is aimed at helping girls from vulnerable homes to have access to secondary education and the beneficiaries are drawn from households that are benefiting from the social cash transfer program.

With regard to the Supporting Women Livelihood Project, Mr. Kaimana revealed that 464 women have received startup capital amounting to K2, 000 and that the department of community development is in the process of identifying 700 beneficiaries to be included on the project.

Mr Kaimana said that under social cash transfer 1,778 people are benefiting and that 150 boys have been registered under the keeping Boys in school though they are still waiting funding.

Both the Girl Education and Women Empowerment Livelihood ( GEWEL) programmes which are funded by the World Bank are being implemented by the ministries of Gender, Education, Community Development and Social Welfare.

The programme is currently in 16 districts countrywide.

And Minister for National Development and Planning Alexander Chiteme said he was happy that social programs aimed at improving the livelihoods of the people in Itezhi Tezhi were doing fine.

He said told the District commissioner that the implementation of the women empowerment should be completed.

Mr. Chiteme said he was happy that six sub-projects of the Strengthening Climate Resilience in the Kafue Basin (SCRiKA) under the Pilot Program for climate Resilience (PPCR) have been completed.

He, however said that there is need for the 46 projects that have been funded with K829, 910 out of the 102 projects approved to be implemented urgently.

“We need also need to implement the poultry and goat projects under the SCRiKA and not just the solar powered boreholes” Mr. Chiteme said.

Meanwhile the commissioner reported that Itezhi Tezhi district has recorded a sharp decrease in maize yield from 56,143 metric tons to 39,211 metric tons for 2016/17 farming season.

He has ascribed the reduction to poor rainfall and the army worm attack.

He further said that the district has received 50 metric tons of relief maize from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).

He said that the maize was used as food for work for vulnerable communities who were affected during the 2016/2017 farming season.

Losing MDC Alliance presidential candidate Newton Chamisa should be magnanimous enough to accept defeat, says Green Party president Peter Sinkamba.

Commenting on the just ended parliamentary and presidential elections in Zimbabwe, Mr. Sinkamba said whilst it is true that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) did not address concerns raised by stakeholders with regards to the design, printing, and dispatch of ballot papers as well as not permitting meaningful observation of the production of ballot papers or testing of indelible ink, including State media and other state resources which were abused throughout the pre-election period to the advantage the ruling party, however, voters did cast their votes freely and enmass.

Mr. Sinkamba said for the first time in many years, election environment on voting day was more peaceful and open than in previous elections including the presence of international observers.

He singled out the signing of the National Peace Pledge and the Code of Conduct by the political parties as having helped reduce tension during the campaign period. He however condemned the MDC Alliance for failing to prevail over their cadres whilst votes verification was underway resulting in widespread chaos and tragic loss of 6 lives.

Mr. Sinkamba said that voters roll had improved from 2013. He however noted that urban registration lagged behind rural registration with 73% of voters in urban areas registering to vote compared to 82% in rural areas.

He said the MDC Alliance lost because less people registered to vote in urban areas where it had strong support whilst ZANU-PF won due to strong support in rural areas where more people registered to vote.

“At 98% of polling stations, all polling agents present were given an official copy of the V11 results forms, and the official results were immediately posted for all interested parties to examine. It was only at 2% of polling stations were official copies of the V11 results forms not provided to all polling agents and the official results not immediately posted. However, aggregation by independent election monitors and observers of all V11 results forms posted confirm the results which were announced by ZEC were correct,” he said.

“Therefore, losing MDC Alliance presidential candidate Chamisa should just be magnanimous enough to accept defeat. It will be more honourable of him if he accepts the invitation extended to him by the president-elect Mnangagwa to work together in the interest of the nation,” he said.

Mr Sampa said there is need to regulate the consumption of alcohol in the capital city.

He said one of his main tasks is to ensure that all bars and taverns adhere to the regulations that governs beer trading.

Mr Sampa said he is concerned that most bars in Lusaka do not follow the guidelines and opening and closing times.

He said he will not hesitate to close down bars and taverns that are not following laid down procedures.

Mr Sampa was speaking in Lusaka on Friday evening during a cocktail party organised by the Lusaka City Council following his installation as Mayor.

“I will start inspecting the opening and closing of bars. Infact, I will start with the Buzz Café which is the place I usually frequent and check when they open and what time they close. Even at Capone, I will go and inspect and if we find that they are operating outside the law, we shall close them down,” Mr Sampa warned.

Congolese opposition leader Moïse Katumbi has crossed no-man’s land between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo with thousands of his supporters who came to meet him.
He is currently at immigration, reports the BBC’s senior Africa correspondent Anne Soy.

Earlier we quoted his supporters as saying he had crossed the border.

On Friday morning, the authorities said he would not be allowed to enter the country. He had requested authorisation to fly back from South Africa, but when this was denied he decided to fly to Zambia and then cross the border into DR Congo by road.

The border town of Kasumbalesa is about 95km (59 miles) to his hometown Lubumbashi.

A wealthy businessman and former governor, Mr Katumbi left DR Congo in 2016.

He was later sentenced in absentia to 36 months in prison on charges he says are politically motivated.

He wants to return before a deadline for people to register their candidacy for the long-delayed presidential elections – now scheduled to take place in December.
Katumbi’s spokesperson Olivier Kamitatu had said “authorisation to fly over and land had been refused by Kinshasa”.

“We will take off in the direction of (Zambian city) Ndola to take the road to Lubumbashi,” Kamitatu tweeted.

At least two police checkpoints were set up to screen access to Lubumbashi’s airport on Friday morning and the main road to Zambia had been blocked by a truck, an AFP journalist said.

“As you can see, we are waiting for the president (Katumbi), but those in power do not want him to be there,” said Katumbi’s brother Abraham Soriano.

The former governor of the mineral-rich southern province of Katanga had once been close to long-serving President Joseph Kabila before the two had a falling out.

If Katumbi does return he faces possible arrest after being handed a three-year jail term in absentia in June 2016 in a case of alleged property fraud, charges he denies.

Another rival of Kabila, former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, returned to the country and officially launched his bid for the presidency this week.

The DRC has never known a peaceful transition of power since it gained independence in 1960 – and some experts fear that the December 23 elections may trigger a bloody conflict.

Kabila, 47, has been at the helm since 2001, presiding over a vast mineral-rich country with a reputation for corruption, inequality and unrest.

He was scheduled to stand down at the end of 2016 after his second elected term, technically the last permitted under the constitution.

Kabila has refused to spell out whether he will seek a new term in the vote. Candidates must submit their applications by August 8 and physically be in the country to do so.

Source: BBC LIVE/AFP

Inspector General Kanganja says it is gratifying to note that the men and women in uniform had continued exhibiting the needed dedication to duty under difficult circumstances.

He said that in this year 2018 alone , he is impressed that his officers in their various ranks and files had continued to showcase their ability as expected.

The IG said this in a speech ready on his behalf by his representative, Edward Ngama during the burial of former Inspector-General of Police Sailus Ngangula’s son the late Sergeant Peter Ngangula Junior, who was put to rest Mutumbi cemetery yesterday.

Mr. Kanganja described the late Ngangula as a hardworking, selfless, committed to duty who services shall be missed by the institution.

And Woodland Baptist Church Reverend William Chanda is gratified that the late Sergeant Ngangula gave his life to Christ.

Rev. Chanda said the declaration of Zambia a Christian nation calls for concerted efforts from both civilians and military personnel.

The late Sergeant Ngangula, 43 died at Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital on August 1st, 2018 after an illness.

He leaves behind a wife, Esther and two children.

The Teaching Service Commission ( TSC ) has implored teachers in the country to practice the teaching code of ethics in their excursion of duties.

Teaching service commission vice chairperson Irene Angasishe says this is because the values that teachers are enshrined with at various learning institutions are meant to provide a morally upright society.

Speaking at the third graduation ceremony at Solwezi College of Education in association with the University of Zambia, Ms. Angasishe said the teaching service is one noble sectors that needs high discipline.

Meanwhile, University of Zambia vice chancellor Prof. Luke Mumba urged the students to follow the regulations provided by the Teaching Council of Zambia.

Prof. Mumba said the introduction of the council will help to regulate the teaching profession and restore credibility and respect it once had.

He further appealed to the graduates to note that the measures to improve the teaching and learning in schools and other institutions amount to nothing if the teachers are no willing to take necessary positive steps to ensure overall national development.

Speaking at the same event, Ministry of general education permanent secretary of technical services, Henry Tukombe advised the grandaunts to be of high discipline and full of determination to make the country a better place.

Mr. Tukombe in a speech read on his behalf by Kitwe College of Education principal, Dr. Andrew Mutobo urged the grandaunts to refrain from cases of drug abuse, beer drinking among other uncalled for behaviour.

The graduation saw 360 students get their teaching diploma certificates.

Two men that have stood trial for allegedly engaging in homosexuality have been convicted and committed to the High Court in Kapiri Mposhi District in Central Province for sentencing.

This is in the case where Japhet Chataba, 38 a carpenter and resident of Ndeke compound in Kapiri Mposhi and Stephen Sambo , 30, who is a planning officer at Ndola City Council have been appearing before resident magistrate Ackson Mumba.

The duo were charged with having engaged in having had carnal knowledge against the order of nature contrary to Section 155 (a) of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia as read with Statutory Instrument number 15 of 2015.

Both Chataba and Sambo pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The state had lined up five witnesses to testify in the matter.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, Chataba and Sambo were found with prima facie case and subsequently put on their defence.

However, the accused persons who were represented by Daniel Libati of Abha Patel and Associates, a Ndola based legal firm elected to remain silent in their defence.

The matter came up for judgement before Petauke based resident magistrate Ackson Mumba sitting in Kapiri Mposhi on yesterday (Friday).

In his ruling Magistrate Mumba observed that four prosecution witnesses that testified in the matter were eye witnesses because they physically saw Chataba having anal sex with Sambo in room 16 at a named lodge, adding that the prosecution witnesses proved the identity of the two men thereby making the evidence collaborative.

Magistrate Mumba stressed that the first witness remained firm in her examination in chief and cross examination, adding that the credibility of her evidence cannot be questioned.

He added that the defence counsel failed to challenge the evidence of the first witness and the arresting officer.

Magistrate Mumba, in his 90 minute judgement delivered yesterday, further observed that despite the medical doctor who examined the two men that had allegedly engaged in homosexuality informed the court that his findings were inconsistent with the allegations, the said doctor was quick to state that that does not exclude the possibility of sodomy, especially that the medical examination was conducted on the duo 10 days after they were found having anal sex.

Magistrate Mumba explained that by the mere fact that the two accused persons opted to remain silent in their defence meant that the court’s duty was to draw reference to the evidence adduced by the prosecution witnesses because the court could not start to speculate what the accused persons wanted to say in their defence.

He stressed that “the law is what it is and not what it ought to be.”

The resident magistrate added that the prosecution team had proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt, saying he was convicting the two men as charged.

For this reason, Magistrate Mumba then committed Chataba and Sambo to the High Court for sentencing as the magistrate’s court has no jurisdiction to pass sentence in an offence where people are alleged to have engaged in homosexuality.

Defence counsel Libati then followed the convicted men to the holding cells where he conferred with them.

Libati had “no comment” on the outcome of the case when approached by members of the press.

On August 25, 2017 Chataba and Sambo were found by members of the public at a named Lodge in Kapiri Mposhi having sexual intercourse against the order of nature.