President Edgar Lungu has urged Cabinet Ministers, contractors and other project implementing agencies not to fear allegations of corruption but to rather work hard in ensuring that projects are completed on time.

President Lungu, who commended the contractor Tomorrow Investments for the good workmanship on the road, has meanwhile pledged government’s support towards the project.

The Head of State was speaking yesterday morning when he inspected the Chinansonge-Mulozi Muleya feeder road in the newly created district of Chipangali in Eastern Province.

President Lungu has urged Contractors and government’s project implementing agencies not to shy away from hard work for fear of being accused of corruption.

President Lungu has however warned that those who are involved in corruption will not be spared.

The President said that there was nothing to fear if people follow all the laid down procedures in implementing government projects.

The President said that it was sad that those opposed to government have continued raising corruption allegations against government institutions without providing evidence.

The head of state said that the tactic of accusing government of corruption has worked in one neighbouring state, but that it will not work in Zambia.

President Lungu said that he expected the Anti-Corruption Commission to move in and deal with corrupt people if there is evidence.

And Tomorrow Investments Project Manager, Trinity Dhanda, said the project which was supposed to be completed in three months’ time, will be handed over to government before the end of this year.

Mr. Dhanda said works on the road project has reached 65 percent.

He further stated that 65 people have been employed of which, 15 are women.

Meanwhile, Minister of Local Government, Vincent Mwale, said people in the area are happy with the road project.

Mr. Mwale, who is also Chipangali Member of Parliament, said the road has not been worked on since the first republic.

The Head of State was in Eastern Province to check on the newly created districts and drum up support for the Patriotic Front (PF) candidates that are vying for positions of Council Chairpersons in Lusangazi, Kasenegwa, Chasefu, Lumezi and Chipangali districts.

Republican Vice-President Inonge Wina has expressed worry at the lack of monitoring of developmental projects by opposition Members of Parliament in Western Province.

Addressing people of Western Province upon arrival at Mongu Airport yesterday, Mrs. Wina said government secured loans from the World Bank to improve people’s livelihood through projects in water affairs, agriculture and other sectors, but the MPs in the region were not cross-checking and reporting the impact of such projects.

Mrs. Wina regretted that MPs from Western Province were not willing to work with government.

She has however urged people to forge ahead and develop a closer relationship with the PF government for them to be empowered from its campaign promises being actualised.

And Vice-President Wina said it is evident that President Edgar Lungu does not discriminate any province stating that the whole county was benefiting from his administration.

The Vice-President, who was welcomed by party officials and senior government officials from various districts of the province, is in the region to drum up support for Looma ward by-election in Nalikwanda constituency.

He said elections should never prompt violence or make people enemies.

And speaking earlier, Western Province Minister Richard Kapita said the region has started making strides from the time the people realised the importance of working with government.

Mr. Kapita added that the Vice-President will during her working visit lay the ground breaking brick for the construction of a modern clinic in Lealui.

He said it was gratifying that no violence has since been recorded in the constituency during the on-going campaigns.

Meanwhile, Western Province PF chairperson Charles Mututwa assured the people that the ruling party will merge victorious in Looma ward elections because many UPND members recently defected to the party.

Mr. Mututwa thanked the President and his Vice for their frequent visits to the province saying these were bearing fruits.

He said one of the fruits was the commencement of works for the overhaul construction of the Mongu-Limulunga road.

The Zambia Railways Limited has regretted the accident that occurred yesterday involving the light locomotive number 159 moving from Ndola to Bwana Mkubwa and a Toyota Hiace bus registration number ACZ 3434 at 09:35 hours at Chimangachanga level crossing in Ndola.

Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) Chief Executive Officer Christopher Musonda said preliminary investigations have revealed that the Zambia Railways locomotive, which was being driven by Yonah Mwale, hit into the Toyota Hiace bus which was driven by 17-years old George Kamanga of Chipulukusu compound in Ndola.

Mr. Musonda explained that the driver of the Toyota Hiace bus failed to stop at the level crossing.

He disclosed that the driver of the bus, including the other three passengers, sustained minor injuries while the locomotive sustained some damage.

Meanwhile, Mr. Musonda noted with concern the increasing number of level crossing accidents, as a result of motorists disobeying traffic rules.

He reiterated the need for concerted efforts among stakeholders such as the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) as well as the Zambia Police in addressing rail road safety issues.

“The rate at which motorists are disobeying traffic rules at level crossing is alarming as well as a huge concern to Zambia Railways. The accidents are not only posing a risk to human life, but they are a huge cost to Zambia Railways through repairs of damaged equipment as well as the railway track,” Mr. Musonda said.

He further urged motorists to observe traffic rules for their own safety and other road/rail users.

This is contained in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday by Zambia Railways Limited Acting Public Relations Manager Sombe Ngonga

President Edgar Lungu has arrived in Lusaka from Eastern Province after a three day working visit.

The Zambia Airforce Plane carrying President Lungu touched down at Lusaka’s City Airport at 17:12 hours.

He was received by Deputy Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo, Service Chiefs and senior Patriotic Front (PF) officials.

President Lungu was in Eastern Province to drum up support for Patriotic Front (PF) candidates who are contesting in the forthcoming Council Chairpersons elections.

While in Eastern Province, the President visited all the five newly created districts and campaigned for PF candidates for the forthcoming mayoral, council chairpersons and local government elections slated for July 26th 2018.

A United Kingdom (UK) based donor organization known as Tools for Self-reliance, in partnership with a Zambian non-governmental organization, is set to empower vulnerable but viable people with skills training programme in Kabwe district in Central Province.

Kabwe Deputy Mayor, Billy Sichamba, said Tools for Self-reliance has partnered with a Zambian based organization, Chichetekelo Outreach, to empower Kabwe residents with short courses at an estimated cost of K140, 000.

Mr. Sichamba said the short courses will be in accordance with the Technical Education, Vocational Training Authority (TEVETA) training guidelines.

He told ZANIS in Kabwe that course participants will be equipped with carpentry, bricklaying, welding and tailoring skills among others for free.

Mr. Sichamba said the training will commence on August 1, 2018 and it will run for six months, adding that it is open to all interested Kabwe residents.

He added that successful participants will be empowered with a tool-kit in order for them to practice their skills adequately.

The Deputy Mayor observed that when vulnerable people are empowered with rich survival skills, they will generate income through self-employment.

He has therefore thanked Tools for Self-reliance and Chichetekelo Outreach partners for coming up with a tremendous way of reaching out to less privileged people in the society.

Mr. Sichamba further urged Kabwe residents to embrace this opportunity by taking part in the training in order to sustain themselves.

Minister of Higher Education Nkandu Luo has called on medical professionals serving in other countries to come back to Zambia and help in improving the provision of quality health care services.

Professor Luo says it is sad that the country’s health system has continued to face challenges of inadequate staff despite the University of Zambia (UNZA) School of Medicine producing a number of medical graduates every year.

She says this has negatively affected government’s plans to provide quality health care services as closer to the Zambian family as possible.

She was speaking at the UNZA School of Medicine golden jubilee dinner last night.

Prof. Luo noted that to this effect, there was need for Zambian medical practitioners saving in other countries to consider ploughing back in their country by offering their much needed services to Zambians.

She said the UNZA School of Medicine is a critical component to the country’s development agenda because of its mandate which is to save the lives of people.

And Professor Luo has announced that plans to split the University of Zambia into five university colleges will take effect by January 2019.

She pointed out that all the colleges will be headed by principals who will be reporting to the Vice Chancellor in an effort to improve the management and operations at the country’s highest institution of learning.

She also disclosed that the university will have three Deputy Vice Chancellors in charge of administration, academic, research, innovation, science and technology in order to address all the operational problems at the institution.

She named the colleges as College of Medicine, Colleges of Education, College of Science, Engineering and Mines, College of Agriculture and Veterinary services and the College of Humanities, Social and Economic Sciences.

Earlier, UNZA Vice Chancellor Luke Mumba called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to address the challenges that are affecting the operations at the institution.

Professor Mumba said government alone cannot manage to effectively address all the problems at the university hence the need for other stakeholders to come on board and find lasting solutions to the challenges for the benefit of the students and the county as a whole.

He cited inadequate infrastructure as one of the major challenges, adding that the School of Medicine has been expanded into four schools namely, medicine, public health, nursing and health sciences in a bid to broaden the health care system and increase the number of graduates.

Some farmers in Chikankata district in Southern Province have expressed dissatisfaction with the floor price of a 50 kilogramme (kg) bag of maize grain which the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has pegged at K65.

Chikankata district Cooperative Society farmers representative Hakeete Hamalambo said farmers in the area have since resolved not to sell their grain to FRA.

Mr. Hamalambo told ZANIS in Chikankata district today that the low maize floor price was a loss to farmers.

He added that most farmers in the district will hold on to their maize and later sell it to private buyers.

In another development, Henry Lweendo, a small scale farmer of Ching’ang’auka area has appealed to government to ensure that farming inputs for the 2018/2019 farming season are delivered on time.

Mr. Lweendo said this will enable farmers prepare adequately for the next farming season and possibly realise good yields next year.