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Indeni stayed second in FAZ Division One Zone Two after thumping struggling Mining Rangers 4-2 at home in Ndola at the weekend.
Veteran striker Graven Chitalu netted twice with Kilo Mwepu and Tick Chiluba scoring a goal each as Indeni moved to 41 points from 19 matches played.
Indeni are five points behind Zone Two leaders Mufulira Wanderers.
Wanderers maintained their five point lead after edging FQMO Mining Operation at Shinde Stadium in Mufulira to move to 46 points.
Midfielder Aubrey Chamulwanda scored the lone goal after converting penalty.
Third placed Kansanshi Dynamos equally preserved their position following a 1-0 win over Trident in the North Western derby.
Kansanshi have 38 points.
Ndola side Gomes jumped two places up to fourth after beating ZNS Lwamfumu 1-0 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium to move to 36 points.
Elsewhere in Zone One, leaders Circuit City beat Lundazi United 1-0 in Eastern Province to move to 41 points, three ahead of second placed Young Buffaloes.
In Zone Four, leaders Manchester A.Z Academy forced a goalless draw at Chikuni Coops as they increased their tally to 34 points after 19 matches played.
FAZ DIVISION ONE – WEEK 19
ZONE ONE
Lundazi United 0-1 Circuit City
Police College 2-0 Petauke United
Rifleman 0-1 Young Green Buffaloes
Zesco Malaiti Rangers 2-1 Lusaka City Council
City Of Lusaka 3-0 Katete Rangers
Wonderful vs Kafue Celtic (Wednesday)
Paramilitary 1-0 Lusaka Tigers
Happy Hearts 2-0 Chipata City Council
ZONE TWO
Mufulira Wanderers 1-0 FQMO Mining Operation
Indeni 4-2 Mining Rangers
Kalulushi Modern Stars 3-1 Mufulira Blackpool
FQMO Roads 3-0 Kashikishi Warriors (Walk Over)
Konkola Blades 0-0 Ndola United
Gomes 2-1 ZNS Lwamfumu
Chambishi 1-1 Roan United
Kansanshi Dynamos 1-0 Trident
ZONE THREE
Riverside United 0-0 Prison Leopards
Real Nakonde Fc vs Kasama Young Fighters (Moved to 22 August)
Intersport Youth 3-0 Kasama United Youth Academy (walk over)
Coach Aggrey Chiyangi has hailed his team’s impressive form in the FAZ Super Division.
Eagles are third on the table with 47 points after playing 26 matches.
Chiyangi’s side on Sunday beat Kabwe Youth 2-1 to preserve their position in the top three.
“The most important thing is that it is a sweet victory. It was a tough game and we knew that it was going to be tough because Kabwe Youth have been playing well at their home ground,” he said.
Eagles have been hanging around in the top eight for six weeks.
“We are happy that players are working hard. We want to encourage them to continue working hard,” Chiyangi said.
He added:”We want players to push harder and harder because all the games are going to be very tough.”
Eagles are now preparing to host Kitwe United at home in Choma in their next match.
Here is a summary of how our high profile European players fared in league action over the weekend.
SWEDEN
Midfielder Edward Chilufya played his fourth league game this season for 4th place Djurgardens on Sunday as a 75th minute substitute in their 1-1 home draw against Sundsvall.
Chilufya has now played a combined 20 minutes in league action, all as a substitute from the bench, after 16 games played into the 2018 season.
BELGIUM
KV Oostende won 2-1 in their opening league game of the 2018/2019 season on Saturday.
However, new signing Fashion Sakala sat out the match while midfielder Emmanuel Banda is out injured.
Oostende are coached by ex-Cameroon coach Hugo Broos who was new Chipolopolo coach Sven Vandenbroek’s boss with the Indomitable Lions.
AUSTRIA
RB Salzburg on Sunday kicked off their league title defence on is resounding note with a 3-1 home win over Linz.
Striker Patson Daka played the opening 85 minutes but was not on target.
Midfielder Enock Mwepu sat out the match.
Music promoter Mark Mubalama has undertaken to bring Congolese Musician Koffi Olomide to court to answer to a charge of assault.
This is in a matter were Koffi Olomide is accused of having assaulted Photo Journalist Jean Ndayisenga.
Mr. Mubalama who Koffi’s promoter in Zambia said the suspect could not come to court today because he is in Zimbabwe for another musical function.
He however asked the court to give him time to travel to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) so that he can serve the summons on Koffi.
Earlier, Prosecution Lawyer Gilbert Phiri informed the court that his client attempted to serve the summon on Koffi, but he refused to get them.
Lusaka Magistrate Mwandu Sakala later adjourned the matter to August 23rd for Plea.
In this matter, Ndayisenga is privately prosecuting the matter after he was given permission by the Director of Public Prosecution Lilian Siyunyi.
On Friday Koffi Olomide failed to appear before the Lusaka Magistrate Court in a case in which he is alleged to have assaulted a freelance journalist Jean Ndayisenga on December 28, 2012.
When the matter came up for plea, lawyer Jonas Zimba, representing the accused person as a friend of the court argued that he could not appear before court because the summons were not personally served on him by the complainant.
“It is our submission that there has been no service in this matter as required by law and there is no surprise as to why the accused person is not before court,” Mr Zimba said.
However, the complainant’s lawyer, Mr Gilbert Phiri said an attempt was made to effect service on the accused person by the complainant.
“Jean Ndayisenga accompanied by an officer of the law, Gregory Zulu, did deliver the summons but the accused person informed the complainant that he was being represented by Mr Zimba of Makebi Zulu and Associates,” Mr Phiri said.
Mr Phiri applied for an adjournment to allow his client personally effect service on the accused.
Before his arrival in the country, the police released a statement revealing that the musician had no criminal record and that the alleged assault on a journalist was closed due to lack of evidence.
The magistrate granted plea to have the matter adjourned to July 30 to appear before the court.
IDC Group Chief Executive Officer Mr Mateyo Kalubawith ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer Dr Pius Kasolo
President Edgar Lungu has directed the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to ensure that all companies are listed on the Lusaka stock exchange.
IDC Chief Executive Officer Mateyo Kaluba says it is important that companies that are already listed on the stock exchange are operating efficiently and profitably.
Mr. Kaluba was speaking when the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mine Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) presented a dividend of over 81 million Kwacha to the IDC.
And ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer Pius Kasolo said his firm has paid 35 percent dividend to the IDC following the upward revision of dividends from 20 percent.
And Government says it will not hesitate to close down loss-making parastatals.
Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe has since called on state owned enterprises to improve their operations and pay dividends to government.
Speaking when she received a cheque of 43.6 million Kwacha from Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings -ZCCM-IH to its major shareholders the Ministry of Finance and Nations Pensions Scheme Authority -NAPSA- , Mrs Mwanakatwe said the dividend will help government meet some of its financial obligations.
Earlier ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer Pius Kasolo said 20.3 million Kwacha has been paid to NAPSA representing 15 percent shareholding while 23.3 million Kwacha has been availed to the Ministry of finance.
Dr Kasolo said ZCCM-IH will continue paying dividends to government as a way of contributing to the growth of the economy.
And NAPSA board chairperson Marian Munyinda said the dividend will help the authority to grow its investment portfolio which now stands at 25 billion Kwacha.
IDC Group Chief Executive Officer Mr Mateyo Kalubawith ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer Dr Pius Kasolo
Kings Mumbi (Malembe Malembe) during the Bread of Life’s Girl Child programme Fundraising Dinner in Lusaka on Sunday, December 20,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
The Zambia Association of Musicians has expressed happiness that President Edgar Lungu has accepted an invite to be Guest of Honour at Kings Mumbi aka Malembe Malembe’s Double Album launch marking the artiste’s decade in performing arts.
Speaking at the National Arts Council offices this morning, Association President, Tivo Shikapwasha said it is the first in the history to have a Zambian President attend an album launch.
Shikapwasha said this is an indication of great things to come for the music industry in Zambia and called on audiences to come and witness the event.
And National Arts Council Director, Maanka Chipindi said the council perceives it as an endorsement for the sector as an emblem that the sector is ready to grow forward.
He said the sector is not ably about music and dance but a job-creating avenue that needs to be supported and impacting people in a passive way.
Chipindi said the interest shown by President Lungu is great momentum that needs to be appreciated.
Meanwhile, Malembe a gospel singer, has vowed to impress his audience by not only doing praises, but also adding a spice of International Afro-lyrics that should excite all sphere of music lovers.
This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Ministry of Tourism Public Relations Officer, Sakabilo Kalembwe.
UPND Mayoral Candidate Kangwa Chileshe campaigning with HH and GBM
Still reeling from a devastating Lusaka mayoral defeat election, UPND should begin the process of charting the direction of their party in the Edgar Igwe Lungu era.
UPND politicians should begin jockeying for control of the party’s future. While the top UPND leadership from councilor to mayoral elections all backed losers, to survive they should start pushing for a serious shift in the party’s policy positions, financial resources towards elections and grassroots organizing to focus more on a populist message that could win back UPND voters who aren’t excited about the candidates imposed on them.
Sampa won not because he is likable but because of the PF brand that Lungu’s grassroots machine has cemented into the imagination of cadre youths. Anyone standing on PF ticket will win. To use the analogy of soccer, PF is topping the ZPL – Zambia Premier League.
Lungu is comfortably in charge of PF and PF have bought into his leadership. Politics like soccer is about winning championship titles, so far Lungu is delivering!
The soul searching should take a more urgent tone, by some party activists and politicians to begin advocating for changes in leadership. For UPND to stay relevant they need to stop attacking Lungu and all he stands for ‘eSwatini’, fire trucks and Mukula, but engage voters in a much more extensive conversation about how the party has failed to win big league elections in metropolitan cities (Chilanga and Lusaka), where tribal politics can’t used as an excuse anymore.
UPND need to find new most visible faces in politics, to make winning elections a far more influential urgency and clearing the way for new blood. When Edgar Igwe Lungu took over PF from after Sata’s death, he retired veterans like Dr. Scott, Kambwili and promoted rank and file members like Mwila, Mumbi goddess Phiri, Jean Kapata and Lusambo, who are the now the face of PF. Most people including myself thought ‘Igwe’was experimenting too much by retiring Sata’s loyalists, but the gamble has paid off. HH-GBM ticket has lost too many elections they should have won to continue being the face of UPND, hoping for a knockout punch in 2021.
Basically, you can say it’s the PF women like Mumbi and Kapata who are sinking the GBM-HH machine in metropolitan cities. Where are the alternative UPND powerful women hitters?
UPND rebrand like Lungu did PF, shakeup the face of the party and adapt or else face extinction and irrelevance during the elections.
If you can’t win elections then quit politics and find something more valuable to do. If you can’t figure out how to win elections how else are you going to figure out how to govern?
Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe has clarified that the Zambian government will consult the bond holders of its three Eurobonds before singing up to a refinancing offer from a Turkish firm.
In a statement, Mrs Mwanakatwe stated that government is open to discussing financing of the Eurobonds to achieve lower costs and longer maturities with potential investors but that this exercise will be done in full consultation with the bond holders and in accordance with international market standards.
She said if the offer from Turkey crystallises, no unilateral action will be taken by the Government.
Mrs Mwanakatwe said government stands by the commitments made to bond purchasers’ at the time of issuance of the Eurobonds not to take any action without consulting holders of Zambia’s Bonds.
She added that government wishes to emphasise that such an operation is not in any way a signal that Zambia is failing to repay the Eurobonds.
“We remain fully committed to meeting all our liabilities on time and in full. In line with the foregoing, we have developed a redemption strategy for the three Eurobonds,” Mrs Mwanakatwe said.
Below is the full statement
STATEMENT ON ZAMBIA’S RATING & REFINANCING THE 2022 EUROBOND
Zambia last week received its rating assignment from Fitch Rating Agency that re-affirmed its rating at B/Negative Outlook and Moody’s Ratings that assigned a downgrade rating of Caa1 / Stable Outlook.
The Government has noted the ratings and has discussed the issues raised by the Agencies’ analysts.
For the reasons that have been raised in the rating reports, particularly the Moody’s Rating Agency’s report, stakeholders and investors may recall that Government on 14th July, 2018 announced a number of measures.
The measures are swiftly being implemented as part of our broader policy reform to tackle the challenges that relate to debt, liquidity, and the fiscal deficit.
These measures will lead to slowing down the rate of debt accumulation in 2018 and over the medium term and tackling the fiscal deficit which we forecast to be below the 2017 announced deficit of 7.8% of GDP.
Addressing Liquidity Issues
Measures to address tight liquidity in the domestic and external sectors are progressing. These measures include limiting domestic financing of the budget, cutting expenditures particularly as they relate to project financing; the principle driver of fiscal deficits in Zambia, streamlining expenditure on personnel emoluments and reducing the cost of public sector operations.
Further, the Government is proceeding on its strategy to dismantle arrears in the different sectors.
As a minimum, the arrears dismantling provision will be maintained at the current level as it is cardinal to fiscal sustainability and liquidity normalisation.
The Government has also started to implement the policy on completion of projects that are 80 percent and above.
In this regard, the Treasury has released more than K2 billion in two tranches, the latest being K1.3 billion released during the last two weeks, to finance domestically financed projects in this category. This will address the problem of incomplete projects, stop costs in standing time and curtail the accumulation of arrears to contractors that are triggered by partial work being done due to resource constraints.
On the external side, the Government has begun to work on measures to define dedicated streams for reserve accumulation. This is being done side by side with the asset/liability management exercise on external debt and the cancelation and postponement of some pipeline loans.
From the work we have done so far in implementing measures, Zambia’s debt accumulation will slowdown in the next 2 to 3 years. It is projected that we will attain a reduction in debt ratios after 2022.
Given this scenario, fiscal slippages will recede and further, we do not see protracted debt because we will stand firm on our fiscal sustainability measures.
Public Finance and Subsidy Reforms
The Government has progressed on reforms to different legislation that will anchor the fiscal management in law.
Already the Public Financial Management Act was signed into law in April 2018. This law will tackle the recurring problems of fiscal mismanagement through strict sanctions for imprudent management of resources.
The new law places personal responsibility for mismanagement on officers at an operative level, Controlling Officers and other policymakers. The new law also stipulates offences and severe consequences for mismanagement of public funds.
Other legislation related to fiscal prudence will soon be progressed. These include the Planning and Budget Bill and the Public Procurement Law; pieces of legislation that are core to fiscal prudence and responsibility.
Regarding subsidy reform that was causing large fiscal slippages in the past, the Government wishes to update the public that Zambia’s Subsidy reform programme has helped to reign in on the structural challenges that impacted on the fiscal in the past.
These reforms are helping in supporting better growth and attaining budget predictability going forward.
Reforms put in place in 2017 to address Electricity, Agriculture and fuel subsidies have resulted in the Government being able to address costs that resulted in arrears.
So far the Government has through this reform addressed the accumulation of electricity arrears that were costing US$21 million per month. Arising from the reform, the mining sector is now paying 9.3 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity compared to the 5 cents that was being paid by sector players prior to subsidy reforms.
In the agriculture sector, we attained a cost reduction in the last farming season of up to K1.7 billion as a result of the change in the facility transmission mechanism to electronic vouchers. We have also attained and sustained cost reflectivity in fuel prices since the third quarter of 2016. This means that we are no longer accumulating fuel arrears.
Asset/Liability Management
As directed by The Republican President, we are proactively undertaking a rigorous Asset/liability management exercise. Specifically, the Government is advanced in preparing for discussions with the Government of the People’s Republic of China to refinance portions of the Chinese debt, particularly those with a medium-term maturity profile.
This will ultimately create positive and smooth cash flows. A high-level mission will travel to China in August 2018 to firm-up the discussions in order to create positive and smooth cash flows. I will lead the team to China.
Further, Government wishes to shade more light on the statement made by the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu regarding a Turkish Company that is being courted on refinancing the 2022 Eurobond.
Whilst we are open to discussing financing of the Eurobonds to achieve lower costs and longer maturities with potential investors, this exercise will be done in full consultation with the bond holders and in accordance with international market standards.
If the offer from Turkey crystallises, no unilateral action will be taken by the Government. We stand by the commitments made to bond purchasers’ at the time of issuance of the Eurobonds not to take any action without consulting holders of Zambia’s Bonds.
Further, the Government wishes to emphasise that such an operation is NOT IN ANYWAY a signal of failure to repay the Eurobonds.
We remain fully committed to meeting all our liabilities ON TIME AND IN FULL. In line with the foregoing, we have developed a redemption strategy for the three Eurobonds.
The strategy is currently undergoing integrity reviews PRIOR TO SEEKING CABINET APPROVAL. Further, the Government is in the process of engaging financial advisors on implementation of the strategy. In so doing however, we are duty bound to interrogate any other asset/liability proposals that may come from other private and bilateral partners, with the proviso that it should be cheaper and procedural in terms of international capital markets operations.
Strengthening Implementation and Information Sharing and Transparency
Whilst rating agencies wait to take our actions into account in the medium term, it remains the firm resolve of the Government that the impact of these measures begin to manifest in 2018 – hence the speed with which the implementation is progressing.
Further, the Ministry of Finance has developed an implementation and progress dashboard on the fiscal prudence, economic stabilisation, and growth measures.
The dashboard is reviewed weekly by top management of the Ministry and progress reports are submitted to Cabinet to ensure that there are no slippages.
The Ministry of Finance will continue sharing with the public monthly reports on the performance of the economy and holding quarterly engagements with a cross-section of stakeholders in order to enhance information availability and exchange.
Between the top two candidates, the results say, 80 to 85 % of Lusaka registered voters stayed home, remember it was a public holiday so no excuses there. The winning candidate got 81,936 equal to only one constituency, Lusaka central.
So what are the 80% of voters thinking? No need to vote it’s a rigged system vis a vis 2016 elections? Remember KK “NO” vote meant NO change why bother? It’s just a mayor election who cares?
What about the return on investments? How much capital did the PF put in this election? 15% gross revenue will get you fired in any company.
Suppose civility returns to our elections where violence is not part of the strategy, we make it fun and not a matter of life and death, could that help?, but of course the PF doesn’t like that, it is a losing strategy.
The day after the elections, how confident are you? Do you feel you have the mandate to rule if you do not really know what the 80% of the people are thinking including your own supporters? Are they still thinking about the fire trucks? So many questions mwe!
UPND these numbers should not scare you, in the next 3 years go into overdrive, identify the voters and lock them up.
Green Party leader Peter SinkambaGreen Party President Peter Sinkamba has written to His Excellency Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, to consider relocating some of the Japanese people and industrial clusters to Zambia as a mitigation measures to natural disasters that frequently ravage Japan in the last three decades.
Mr. Sinkamba has said it is extremely disheartening that in the last three decades, the Japanese people have suffered from some of the worst natural disasters of the 21st century.
“Your Excellency, we are alive to the fact that in 2011, more than 20,000 people were killed or went missing during the Fukushima disaster, when a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, triggering a tsunami and nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Your Government said the total cost of the damage caused by the tsunami could reach 25 trillion yen which at the time was equivalent to U.S. $309 billion,” he said.
“Furthermore Your Excellency, we are also saddened that last month, flooding and landslides killed about 200 people in country’s deadliest natural disaster since Fukushima Quake and Tsunami. As if that is not enough, we understand that last week, at least 65 people died of heatstroke while more than 22,000 people were hospitalized,” said Mr. Sinkamba.
“We are troubled by the fact that Japan has gone through many years of natural disasters which include tsunamis, floods, typhoons, earthquakes, cyclones, and volcanic eruptions all of which have adversely affecting your economy, development, and social life.
Two out of the five most expensive natural disasters in recent history have occurred in Japan. With climate change unrelenting, it would be wiser to consider all alternative on the table,” he added.
“Despite enduring devastating natural disasters, the people of Japan have always been on our side in times of need since our independence in 1964. In life, there must come a time to say ‘thank you’ to someone who has always been there for you. Please accept my invitation, and I confident the Zambian people will warmly welcome you,” he said.
Geographically, Zambia is two times larger than Japan. But in terms of population, Japan’s population is more than 9 times larger than that of Zambia. The population of Zambia in 2018 is estimated to be 16.7 million while Japan’s population stands at 127.1 million.
However, Japan’s population has been steadily decreasing in recent years. In the last four years, for example, the population of Japan has decreased by about 700,000 from 127.9 million in 2015 to 121.1 million at present.
At present, the biggest problems that Japan faces include natural disasters, sinking economy, radiation, aging society, and sinking birthrate. The reason for Japan’s growing aging population is because of high life expectancy. In 2016, life expectancy in Japan was 85 years. Since Japan’s overall population is shrinking due to low fertility rates, the aging population is rapidly increasing.
The fertility rate is below the replacement level though government encourages having more children now. There is a lack of younger, working people.
In contrast, Zambia has an inverted pyramid age formation whereby more than 65 per cent of the population is youthful and unemployed. The life expectancy is at 62 years.
“The geographical, demographical, and economical parameters, coupled with the frequency of natural disasters in Japan, makes Zambia a perfect match for mutual social and economic development of the two peoples. We know that the Japanese people enjoy swimming. We have adequate land and water bodies in Mpulungu, Mbala and other areas around Lake Tanganyika for ideal for settlement and industrial development,” Mr. Sinkamba concluded.
Minister of General Education, David Mabumba, says the ministry is in the process of remodeling the teachers’ recruitment process.
Mr. Mabumba says the proposal to remodel the process, which will be submitted to cabinet in the next two weeks, is meant to make the recruitment of teachers in the country more transparent and fair.
He says the proposal will also seek to increase the number of teachers to be recruited annually, to meet the current demand.
And, Mr. Mabumba says the government wants to invest in the local production of school books.
He says the current trend where most school books are printed outside the country compromises quality as some of the books are full of grammatical errors.
Mr. Mabumba says once cabinet approves, the printing of books will be done locally under the supervision of the curriculum development Centre.
The Minister said this in reaction to the concerns raised by students at David Livingstone College of Education in Livingstone.
The students complained that the teachers’ recruitment process was not transparent, and that the current books, especially those in local language, are full of errors.
Meanwhile, Chudleigh House School Founder Petronella Chisanga has implored government to take keen interest in observing the operations of private schools in the country.
Mrs. Chisanga says private schools supplement government efforts in providing educational services to the citizens.
She says not everyone can run a school which meets people’s expectations hence the need for government to start checking the quality of services being offered by private schools.
Mrs. Chisanga was speaking in an interview with ZNBC News during the 25th Anniversary celebration for Chudleigh House School in Lusaka.
She has praised government for supporting the private sector to contribute to the provision of education services in the country.
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) says its defeat in last week’s polls is not a reflection of what will happen in 2021 when the country holds general elections because people still love the country’s opposition party.
UPND secretary-general Stephen Katuka said what happened last week where his party only won a single seat, while 13 were grabbed by the ruling Patriotic Front, will not repeat itself in 2021 when people go to vote in the general election.
“People are eagerly waiting for 2021 so that they can vote properly. Voters simply boycotted the Lusaka mayoral by-election. If you critically look at it [the Lusaka mayoral by-election], what difference would it have made to vote for a UPND candidate when the entire council and central government is PF?” Mr Katuka wondered
And MMD president Nevers Mumba has said that it was not unusual for a ruling party to win by-elections in the face of harsh economic conditions.
Dr. Mumba, who is also former Republican Vice President, said that results of most elections do not in fact have connection to the pain, concerns and needs of electorates.
Dr. Mumba recalled that even at the height of the MMD’s unpopularity, which was then the ruling party it swept all by-elections not until the 2011 general elections.
Dr. Mumba said that this entailed that Zambia’s electoral process and those of many other African Countries hardly addresses the views and wishes of the people.
The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has set five conditions for reopening of Pizza Hut which was closed down a week ago for being found with expired products in their outlets.
The conditions were set after considering the issues raised in their exculpatory letter for LCC not to commence legal action against them.
On 24th July, 2018 Pizza Hut management wrote to LCC requesting not be dragged to court as management was willing to put their house in order.
The request was a response to the 24 hour ultimatum issued by LCC for Pizza Hut management to show cause why legal action should not be taken against them.
The request prompted LCC to call for a meeting with Pizza Hut management on 25th July, 2018, in which meeting it was resolved that the matter be settled amicably in the interest of consumers and the business house.
However, LCC set out conditions to be met by Pizza Hut before they could be allowed to reopen for business.
Some of the conditions were that Pizza Hut should ensure that stock sheets indicating production and expiry dates were available and well maintained in all the outlets and that all expired products and those not in use should always be cleared from the premises with the knowledge of LCC Waste Management Unit.
Others were to retrain and orient the outlet managers and food handlers on food safety and food laws and that the distribution centre and and all the outlets be re-inspected.
Pizza Hut was also asked to pay K45,000.00 to cover the cost of inspections, transportation and disposal of expired products and retraining of staff among other costs.
Pizza Hut has since met all the conditions with the latest being the retraining and orienting of staff which was held Saturday 28th July, 2018 at the Kabulonga outlet.
The local has warned and cautioned Pizza Hut management that should they be found wanting in future legal action would now be taken against them.
This is according to a statement by LCC a public Relations Manager George Sichamba.
Mr Sichamba says the Council hopes that the story of Pizza Hut would serve as a lesson to other business houses which may be neglecting the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act Cap 303 of the Laws of Zambia.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Sweden, Her Excellency Ms. Rose Salukatula
SWEDEN has adopted a new strategy for development cooperation with Zambia amounting to about US$260 million (SEK2250 million).
The Swedish government has announced that it is increasing its commitment to supporting priority areas in Zambia hence the approval of the new five-year strategy which will run from 2018 to 2022.
In implementing the strategy, Sweden will also work to build wider and more self-supporting relationships between the two countries, where public and private actors in Zambia and Sweden can contribute.
According to the statement released to the media by Nicky Shabolyo, some of the areas prioritised by Sweden in the new strategy are human rights, democracy, the rule of law; gender equality, equal access to health facilities, sexual and reproductive health; environment, climate, renewable energy and sustainable inclusive economic development.
According to the strategy, development cooperation over the next five years will take place based on the principles of development as well as within the new international agreements arrived at by the international community in 2015, the Agenda 2030, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement.
The development cooperation shall be adapted to the prevailing circumstances and implementation shall be flexible and appropriate. In implementing the strategy, Sweden will work to build wider and more self-supporting relations between the two countries.
Sweden will aim to assist Zambia strengthen conditions for domestic resource mobilisation, international trade and investment, and moreover stimulate collaborations that can survive in the long term without need for financing from development cooperation.
The strategy aims to ensure that cooperation and exchange between Zambian and Swedish public and private actors should be considered as part of institutional and capacity development as well as building wider and more self-supporting relationships.
It further outlines that Sweden’s development cooperation with Zambia will be based on and characterised by a rights and poor people’s perspective on development which means that human rights and democracy are to be considered as fundamental to development.
The cooperation will contribute to improving health for people living in poverty, especially women, young people and children as well as strengthen the healthcare system’s capacity, especially to provide primary care for poor and vulnerable people.
The Development Cooperation will target to help people living in poverty gain increased access to renewable and sustainable energy, as well as support sustainable natural resource management, contribute to strengthened resilience and adaptation to climate change, crises and disasters.
It has been observed in the strategy that Zambia’s domestic market needs to be strengthened and opportunities for trade, including regional, taken advantage of. Sweden should, therefore, support activities that promote sustainable processing and utilisation of natural resources, better conditions for sustainable development production, free and fair trade, strengthened and sustainable value chains as well as access to financial services and technology for small scale farmers, entrepreneurs and companies.
Sweden will contribute to cooperation with the private sector to mobilise capital and investment aimed at increasing the rate of rural electrification. Furthermore, Swedish support could help to mobilise investments in renewable energy generation, power grid, more efficient energy use and reforms of the energy sector.
Meanwhile, Zambia has welcomed the new development cooperation strategy particularly that it increased the scope for Sweden’s commitment in working with Zambia.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Sweden, Her Excellency Ms. Rose Salukatula has said that the continued cooperation between the two countries which can be traced back to the early 1960s, and now Sweden’s adoption of the new strategy, confirm the continued warm relations.
Ms. Salukatula noted that the new development cooperation was commendable as most of the areas covered in the strategy were in line with Zambia’s Seventh National Development Plan which was the country’s roadmap to achieving sustainable economic development.
She said being among the pioneers of democracy in Africa, Zambia was happy that Sweden has seen it worthwhile to provide support in this area as this will help the country maintain and be able to continue providing an ideal environment for democracy to flourish.
“Zambia’s democracy has achieved a lot of positives such as enhancing free speech, among other things. As government, we would like to see to it that the good things are maintained and also that we continue doing more to improve in areas that may need attention. So, Sweden’s commitment to helping in this regard is very welcome,” Ms. Salukatula said.
The envoy pointed out that Government realised that corruption and deficiencies in accountability in the public systems affected the poor most and that Sweden’s support would go a long way in assisting to root out the vice for which Government has adopted a zero tolerance position.
She said Sweden’s desire to promote gender equality was in line with President Edgar Lungu and his Government’s commitment to empowering women with decision making roles so that they could effectively contribute to the development of the country.
The ambassador noted that President Lungu has done a lot in promoting gender equality by appointing more women to decision-making positions in Government ministries, departments and institutions, as well as passing laws and regulations that allow women to be active participants in different sectors.
“Environmental and climate issues are also cardinal to us as a country as unsustainable use of natural resources hinder development particularly for our people in rural areas. Support to this area will help the country and rural communities in particular, to meaningfully engage in agriculture, which is one of Zambia’s focus economic sectors today.
Ms. Salukatula further hailed the strategy for aiming to establish linkages with the private sector to mobilise capital and investment in order to increase the rate of rural electrification.
“Zambia’s intention is to increase the current electricity penetration in rural areas from four per cent to 17 per cent in the next five years and achieve our vision of 51 per cent electrification rate by 2030. And the plan is to involve other energy sources, such as wind, solar, coal and geo-thermal; apart from our traditional hydro-power. It’s this kind of support as what Sweden is giving that will help us achieve our vision,” she said.
The ambassador said capital mobilisation was a huge hindrance, particularly for the private sector, to meaningfully get involved in the country’s economic activities.
UPND Rufunsa Member of Parliament (MP), Shealy Mulyata has praised government for implementing various developmental programmes in Rufunsa district aimed at uplifting lives of the people.
ZANIS reports that Mrs. Mulyata expressed happiness that her request to government to attend to various developmental projects in the district owing to its status have been successfully completed.
She cited the upgrading of Shikabeta Primary School into a fully-fledged secondary school, construction of a modern palace for Chieftainess Shikabeta, completion of clinics as some of the major developmental projects completed.
The opposition law maker was speaking during the Nkombalyanga traditional ceremony of the Soli speaking people of Chieftainess Shikabeta of Rufunsa district.
Mrs. Mulyata however asked government to expedite the tarring of the Shikabeta road to ease the transportation of goods and people.
She further asked government to quickly construct staff houses for teachers and other public service workers that have been deployed in the area.
And speaking at the same event, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo reaffirmed government’s commitment in completing all ongoing projects that were initiated following the declaration of districts in the province.
Mr. Lusambo cited the construction of a modern civic centre, 20 high cost and 30 medium cost houses for civil servants, and a modern police station.
The provincial minister said this in a speech read on his behalf by acting Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary, Josphat Lombe.
Mr. Lusambo who is also Kabushi MP praised traditional leaders in the province for working closely with government in ensuring that social services and people’s needs are met.
Earlier, Chieftainess Shikabeta commended government for implementing social cash transfer for vulnerable people in her chiefdom.
The traditional leader said many vulnerable people on the programme have seen their lives improved remarkably and now living happier lives.
Chieftainess Shikabeta said this through a representative Agness Kalonga-Shikabeta.
The Chieftainess implored government to quickly send relief food to the area to avert hunger that is looming due to failed crops in the last farming season.
She said the hunger situation has worsened because of the attack of the fall army worms on the crop that survived from the prolonged dry spell.
Various chiefs from Lusaka, Eastern and Central Provinces attended the ceremony.
Host District Commissioner Judith Chama and five others from Lusaka, Kafue, Luangwa, Chilanga and Chirundu were also in attendance.
Rufunsa Town Council Chairperson Bartholomew Kalambalala was joined by fellow council chairpersons from Lusaka Province.
Nkombalyanga traditional ceremony of the Soli speaking people of Chieftainess Shikabeta is held to celebrate the harvest from the previous farming season.
