GOVERNMENT through the Ministry of Home Affairs regrets the death of the seven congolese refugees who died on the 18th May, 2018 after the boat they were travelling in capsized on Lake Mweru, Luapula Province.

Speaking this Morning during a Media briefing Home Affairs Minister Hon. Stephen Kampyongo said 22 refugees survived the accident and are in Chienge at the Refugee reception Shelter awaiting relocation to the main Refugee camp in Nchelenge.

“Before they could reach Kasothe the boat capsized leading to the death of seven (7) people children and adolescents, four bodies were recovered on the 19th and 3 were retrieved on the 21st. the 22 surviving refugees are being sheltered in Chienge at the refugee reception awaiting relocation” he said

Police in Chienge recieved a report of drowning from Kasote Village. The boat was carrying suspected congolese refugess who had left Kenani Transit centre in Nchelenge to return to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The group travelled without informing the authorities.

He said the 7 deceased were buried yesterday in Chienge District and the burial was witnessed by the 22 survivors.

Hon. Kampyongo further noted with great regret that the refugees at Kenani camp have been deserting the transit centre without following the already established procedures like the one they used when entering.

He said the refugees should seek guidance from the relavant authorities for assisted voluntary repatriation and not filtering into neighbouring villages avoiding relocation to Mantapala settlement camp.

Furthermore, the Minister reitarated governments commitment and dedication to ensuring that the refugees are given proper structures with acceptable humen conditions such as; Schools, Health Facilities, Social and recreation facilities and proper permanent shelters.

In this regard Hon. Kampyongo announced that over 5000 asylum seekers have been relocated to Mantapala settlement camp in Nchelenge, Luapula Province

The Minister said government will ensure Mantapala camp is adquetly equiped with all amanities such as Schools, Health, social and recreation facilities.

And Hon. Kampyongo said to lessen the tension that erupts with the absence of coexistance, the Ministry has taken a intergrated approach to accomodate the refugees with the local people.

“As a government we have taken another approach which is interagrating the refugees with the local people, so that what we are putting as permanent structures is not for refugees only but also the local people can benefit aswell we want Zambians to access these facilities with no conflicts nor difficulties

the intergration approcah is meant to lessen the tension that comes with the absence of coexistance that leads to conflicts emerging” he said.

The Home Affairs Minister has since applauded the local zambian people for accepting the asylum seekers to live amongest them.

Currently Zambia has recorded slightly over 15 000 asylum seekers from the entry points in Luapula Province.

Meanwhile, The Minister appealed to Traditional leaders in the Province to not harbour refugees in the villages without information the relevant authorities mandated by government to look into the situation of refugees in the Country.

He said the Ministry of Home Affairs has intensified sensitizations programs in both camps Kenani and Mantapala for refugees on the process of returning home.

“To avoid similar calamities in the future, My Ministry has intensified its sensitization campaign among the Kenani and Mantapala Camps on the process to be undertaken for safe return if they intend to return home” he said

Hon. Kampyongo has since called on all the refugees who intend to go back home to ensure they follow the laid down procedures.

The Home Affairs Minister however, announced that the influx of asylum seekers has reduced and the set up entry points are recording one or two in day.

This indicates that some calm is returning in Congo

The Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) is in the process of closing down thirty-five Colleges of Education that were found to be operating illegally, as they abrogated the Teaching Profession Act (No. 5 of 2013) that requires that all colleges of education must be registered with the Teaching Council of Zambia.

The Council commenced country-wide compliance inspections in March this year (2018), and shall be spread to all the remaining colleges public and private colleges of education in all the ten provinces.

The Compliance Inspections team has so far visited seventeen (17) districts countrywide in five provinces.

The following are the statistics of the illegal colleges of education for each province visited; Copperbelt (17), Southern (7), Central (3), Lusaka (5) and North-Western (3).

The full list of the said illegally operating colleges of education that will be closed down by the Teaching Council of Zambia for non-adherence to the Teaching Profession Act shall soon be published in the daily tabloids.

We also wish to advise Parents, Students and Members of the public that to look out for the full list of accredited colleges of education in the daily tabloids and our official website ( www.tcz.ac.zm ).

Additionally, the Teaching Council of Zambia would love to remind school authorities and Student teachers that it remains a requirement for all enrolled students in any College of Education to be registered with the Council by paying one hundred Kwacha fifty Ngwee (K100.50.)

Therefore, no student is supposed to undertake teaching practice without the authority letter from the Council or the Student Teaching Experience Authority (STEA).

The Teaching Council of Zambia values the support we keep receiving from teachers, student teachers and other stakeholders in an effort to fully operationalize the Council and bring sanity to the Teaching profession.

The Patriotic Front (PF) Siavonga district Youth Chairperson has been murdered by unknown people.

PF National Youth Executive Committee member Brave Mweetwa who confirmed the development to ZANIS in Siavonga today, said that Panoti Chisinze 48 was murdered by unknown people around 19 hours yesterday in Matinangala area in Chief Simamba’s chiefdom.

Mr Mweetwa who is also PF former Siavonga District Chairperson said the deceased was stabbed in the stomach as he was coming from the shops in Matinangala area.

He explained that he managed to run away after being stabbed to seek refuge from members of the public who later picked him up and rushed him to Siavonga Hospital.

Mr Mweetwa said the deceased was able to talk but he prayed to God to let his will be done.

Mr Mweetwa and Siavonga District Commissioner (DC) Lovemore Kanyama have called on the Police to investigate the matter and arrest the offenders for the gruesome murder.

The PF National Executive Committee member said Siavonga has never witnessed such a brutal murder as it is a peaceful district.

He said the incident is shocking and all the people are now living in fear.

Mr Mweetwa added that the party has lost a gallant man who will be difficult to replace.

And Siavonga District Commissioner Lovemore Kanyama said he is confident police will arrest all the suspects behind the killing of Mr Chisinze before the burial.

The Late Chisinze was also served as a Councilor for Manchamvwa ward under the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD).

Mansa District Disability Association Chairperson Witness Kombe has cautioned people living with disabilities to be considerate as they benefit from programmes which government is implementing for them.

Mr. Kombe said this in the wake of some people living with disabilities who have continued benefiting from more than one government empowerment program at the expense of others.

He said it is saddening that at the time when some people living with disabilities are desperately looking for empowerment, others are benefiting from more than one empowerment program.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Mansa today, Mr. Kombe called for an end to this behaviour if the lives of the physically challenged is to improve.

He said his organisation is trying its best to correct the situation and has since urged the members to cooperate.

Mr Kombe however lamented that in trying to correct the situation some people have accused the Association of favouring certain people which in actual sense is not true.

He said government is working hard in ensuring that the plight of people with disabilities are improved and that people with disabilities should be honest enough to ensure that the right people benefit.

Mr. Kombe has since appealed to the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare to put up mechanisms which will ensure that everyone benefits equally.

Vice President Inonge Wina has launched the National policy on Honours and Awards that will ensure a well administered national honours and awards system in Zambia.

Mrs. Wina said the policy will improve transparency and accountability in the administration of honours and awards and enhance stakeholder participation and involvement.

The Vice President said the national policy will also enhance the coordination of the national awards system in the country.

Mrs. Wina explained that the new document will simplify the nomination procedures and guideline for honours and awards to enable the general public appreciate and participate in the honours and award systems.

She disclosed that a comprehensive legislation to guide the administration of national honours and awards will soon be enacted because the current law only focusses on the prevention of abuse of honours and decoration, leaving out other important issues relating to the administration of such awards.

She hoped that the administration of honours and awards will be more credible, transparent and would promote equity, patriotism and hard work with a culture of excellence once the policy is implemented.

And Minister in the office of the Vice President Silvia Chalikosa said the national honours and awards play an important role in promoting innovativeness and excellence in all sectors of society.

Ms. Chilikosa noted that a well administered honours and awards system will contribute to economic and social development as it helps define, encourage and reinforce national aspirations, ideals and standards.

Zambia has been administering honours and awards for over 5 decades without a national policy on honours and award which pose a challenge and limit the appreciation of the honours by members of the general public.

The honours and awards are conferred on individuals by the Republican President at the investiture ceremony during the Africa Freedom Day and Independence Day.