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President Edgar Lungu relaunches Make Zambia Clean Campaign at Soweto Market
The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has begun to roll out the re-lauched Make Zambia Clean, Green and Healthy Campaign to ward level.
The first ward to launch the campaign was Kabwata Ward Six a week ago.
The area Councillor Longa Chiboboka launched the campaign with a call for residents of his ward to own the campaign and fully participate in it.
The next ward to launch the campaign will be Lilayi Ward Four on May 18, 2018.
Here the community through their civic and community leaders have organised the activities in such a way that residents of the ward will team up with those from neighbouring wards of Chilanga district to launch the campaign through cleaning activities.
The third ward to lauch the campaign will be Kamulanga Ward where the area Councillor, Jonas Phiri, is mobilising his residents and resources for the launch.
The programme will finally be launched in all the 33 wards across the Seven Constituencies of Lusaka City.
Community members through there civic and other community leaders are being encouraged to mobilise themselves and resources for launch.
Council officials will only be invited to witness the cleaning activities and render technical assistance where necessary.
LCC has taken this approach to encourage community participation, ownership of the campaign and mindset change.
Community participation, ownership of the campaign and mindset change by residents is the only sure way of sustaining the campaign.
In the past, residents have taken the campaign as the programme for Councils, a situation which has led to past campaigns to fail.
The local authority is also taking advantage of the lauches to sensitise residents about the contents of the Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 12 of 2018.
The Council is therefore appealing to all residents. Civil Society and the corporate world alike to partner with LCC in this campaign and other programmes of similar nature.
The campaign is for every individual and organisation as His Excellence the President of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Edgar Charges Lungu rightly put it when he re-launched the campaign at Soweto Market on 28th April, 2018.
Now School children and parents enjoy segregated and safer footways away from dangerous motorists, particulalry minibus drivers
By Daniel Mwamba
This article offers a perspective on opportunities for the private sector to improve road safety outcomes in Zambia. Road safety has been recognised as an increasing public health burden that disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries, including Zambia. Ninety-one percent of the global road fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries although these countries have approximately half of the world’s vehicles.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 50 million people are injured and 1.25 million are killed in traffic-related crashes. Back home, the Zambia Police reported that 2206 people were killed in 2016, leaving another 15,000 injured, some with life threatening injuries. And the Zambian government has said that road traffic is the third leading cause of death behind malaria and HIV/AIDS. More than half (sixty percent) of those dying on Zambia’s roads are “vulnerable road users”: pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Beyond their immediate health implications, road traffic accidents have considerable social and economic consequences.
Road traffic injuries cost our country at least K5 billion per year and place an enormous burden on public resources, such as health systems. The economic impact of road traffic accidents are also felt at the family level. Economically disadvantaged families are affected by both direct medical costs and indirect costs (i.e., lost wages) (WHO, 2013). Many poor people generally lack ongoing support in the event of long-term injury and have limited access to post-crash emergency care, which further compounds this impact.
These road safety problems are scientific and technical in content and cut across the concerns of many government agencies (the Police, RTSA, Health, Education, etc), scientific disciplines, and other sectors of society (religion, private and NGO sectors). Addressing the road safety burden is in the mutual interest of all these actors.
Along with government, the private sector has interest in resolving the road safety problem. The private sector can help to reduce this burden by exploring the shared knowledge, experience, and expertise of companies, especially some who maintain global fleets.
Vehicles used by the private sector currently represent the dominant transportation investments, and most immediate opportunities for actionable change. Hence, a significant portion of the financial impact of road traffic accidents falls on companies because such accidents impact the efficiency of transport-related commercial activity and present a risk to employee health and safety. Beyond the fundamental responsibility to keep employees safe, companies also have a clear financial incentive to improve road safety. By doing so, companies can reduce damage to their assets and minimise productivity losses due to employee injury as well as reduce standstill logistics costs.
Road safety impacts the private sector through three key domains: a company’s fleet operations (i.e., employees who work and drive trucks on the roads), vendors and contractors who service the company (i.e., transport goods for delivery or distribution on behalf of companies and the sales representatives who service these accounts), and employees who commute to work or travel for work. In each of these domains, companies can be making great strides in reducing the road safety burden.
By some estimates, more than a quarter of all road traffic incidents involve individuals who are driving as part of their work at the time of the accident. As such, irrespective of the size of the company, every organisation should take responsibility by establishing road safety programmes to protect their employees.
These programmes can range from formalised training to establishing simple policies, such as providing employees safe driving education, encouraging wearing seatbelts and helmets, and ensuring vehicles are safe on the road. Even the simplest of these policies can help reduce injuries and deaths and result in measurable benefits, such as saving lives, improving productivity, and reducing vehicle repair bills, workers’ compensation, insurance, and lost time at work.
By establishing road safety policies and procedures, companies will improve not only the safety of their own employees who drive for work purposes but also the safety of others sharing streets and road systems. While the private sector will continue to ensure the safety of its drivers, contractors, and commuting employees, they also have the opportunity to improve road safety outcomes for the broader public. The improvements in road safety driven by the private sector can extend well beyond company fleet operations.
By applying knowledge and best practices on road safety, utilising brand power, and harnessing the power of corporate resources and presence in our communities, the private sector can help to address this health and development challenge inside and outside of their companies’ walls.
A current example of this wide-scale contribution to road safety outside company operations is Puma Energy Zambia Plc. Since 2015 Puma Energy Zambia plc and its international Charitable Foundation, Puma Energy Foundation (FEF), have supported government efforts to reduce road traffic accidents in Zambia by contributing over half a million kwacha. The company has been supporting child road safety education benefiting over 70,000 primary school going children in the capital and Copperbelt where a quarter of traffic fatalities involve children under the age of sixteen.
Puma Energy has also supported the building of safer road infrastructure at Vera Chiluba Primary School in Lusaka; participated and supported the 2017 Road Safety week to raise awareness on road safety targeting motorists and pedestrians, and has supported a three-month community radio with road safety education programmes highlighting the safety of vulnerable road users.
The value of this contribution by Puma Energy Zambia to road safety in Zambia helped a reduction of road deaths by almost 20 percent in 2017. This was the first time in four years that Zambia experienced such reduced road traffic fatalities.
The most successful road safety programmes that exist today, such as Sweden’s Vision Zero initiative, recognize this complexity and mutual interest and approach the problem in a multifaceted way. The private sector is one of many actors that can help to improve the problem.
The Author is Chairman for the Zambia Road Safety Trust (ZRST)
The National Democratic Congress NDC will support the opposition Upnd in the Chilanga race.
The Chilanga constituency parliamentary by election takes place on June 5 next month.
NDC Secretary General Mwenya Musenge has since urged all party members in lusaka province to go flat out and campaign for the upnd candidate Charmaine Musonda.
Mr. Musenge has however clarified that the party has not gotten into an alliance with the upnd.
He added that since the NDC is not jostling for the Chilanga seat, the only credible party to support in the race was the upnd.
UPND candidate Charmaine Musonda.
Mr. Musenge has further disclosed that senior NDC members will soon join the upnd campaign team as they race to manda hill.
Mr. Musenge is confident that the upnd candidate for Chilanga will emerge victorious come polling day.
The NDC Secretary General has further restated the party’s quest to participate in all future parliamentary and local Government by elections country wide.
Last week, the NDC candidate for Chilanga failed to file in his nomination bid.
This was after the Electoral Commission of Zambia ECZ disqualified Edward Simfukwe on allegations that he had arrived late to file in his nomination papers.
This is according to a statement issued by NDC National Chairperson Media and Member of the Central Committee Misheck Moyo.
FILE: President Sata with SG Wynter Kabimba Flying To Mansa on Airforce one
Q. We have heard a different kind of politics from you. Firstly, I would want to understand your relationship with the President. Most people are saying that your tone has changed. You don’t seem to be the Wynter Kabimba who will say things as they are. You seem to be so fond of the President and you are defending where others are criticising. What is going on?
A. I have not in any way changed from the Wynter that you have known and the Wynter that you know. What I have done is to remain what I am, a man who has always stood for the truth about any issue that arises or any issue that confronts me about anybody that I know and even those that I don’t know. My principle of life is that if what is true is good for my enemy, so be it because I can’t change the truth and if what is wrong is bad even for my friend or my brother, then that is wrong. That has been the bedrock of my character and my value.
Q. So in other words you are saying Edgar Lungu is not your enemy?
A. He is not my enemy. Edgar Lungu is my opponent in politics. He is not my enemy. Edgar has never wronged me personally as an individual and I think I have never wronged him personally as an individual.
Q. But you used to say the man is a drunk when he was a candidate when the PF was fronting him, you said ‘this guy can’t lead the country’.
A. Well, I can still tell you that yes, he drinks hard and I can say this even to his face. I have been with him in Parliament, I have travelled with him, I have seen the rate at which he drinks but that’s not what makes him my enemy. And I am sure that’s not what makes me an enemy to him. To describe a habit that he is steeped into. Yes, I said that he would be incompetent to run the country if he doesn’t manage his drinking habit. And I can still repeat that today.
Q. He has been in power more than two years now, do you think he has tried beyond your expectation?
A. I am sure he could have done better. I am disappointed with his performance so far and I have made this clear on many occasions. I have said for example that the Constitutional Amendment Act of 2016 has been a disaster and he is an architect of that Constitution. A Constitution which he wanted to use to give himself a third term and they failed in doing that in terms of drafting. And I have written a letter. I have personally written a letter to the Secretary General of the Patriotic Front which I wanted him to take to the President, which letter clearly sets out our position as Rainbow Party that he is not eligible under the articles of our Constitution as it exists now, to run in 2021. Is that a man that I am favouring? No. I am simply stating that this particular situation is against you and that letter, I copied it to LAZ.
Q. We heard you very strongly defending him on his nationality. You sounded very strong on defending that he is a Zambian as if you grew up together at childhood, did you know his parents?
A. No, I have never discussed Edgar Lungu’s nationality. If you look at all my statements, I have never attempted at any one time to vouch for Edgar as being Zambian or non Zambian. Instead, what I vouched him for is that the Edgar that I knew at the University of Zambia, in Law School, the Edgar that I attended class with, the Edgar that graduated in October of 1981, the same day that I graduated, is the same Edgar that is in State House today. So I have vouched for his identity and not his nationality. So if you asked me, is this the same Edgar you knew so many years ago? Yes, he is the same by appearance and by height and by name. He has never changed his name. He was Edgar Lungu at the University of Zambia, he is still Edgar Lungu today.
Q. Do you know some people who were in the same class as you who were alive and can speak the same language as you?
A. There are many of our class mates today. Honourable madam justice Hildah Chibomba, if you allowed me to mention their names, the president of the Constitutional Court was in the same class as Edgar. Professor Margaret Munalula, the former Dean of the School of Law and I think she is also one of the judges of the Constitutional Court was in the same class as Edgar Lungu. The retired judge honourable Mr Justice Thomas Njobvu who is still alive was in the same class as Edgar Lungu. Madam Ireen Kunda, the wife to the former vice-president George Kunda was in the same class as Edgar Lungu. Professor Hasungule was in the same class as Edgar Lungu. Honorable Mr Justice Timothy Katenekwa, the resident judge in Kabwe, was in the same class as Edgar Lungu. Professor Muna Ndulo, based in the US was a lecturer of Edgar Lungu or our class both at UNZA and at the Law Practice Institute. Aziz Ticklay, was our lecturer in International Law and he lectured Edgar Lungu in class. Mr Ng’andu, the former commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Zambia was our lecturer in international law at the University of Zambia. Professor Patrick Mvunga was our lecturer in land law at the University of Zambia. So there are many people, lecturers, professors, judges now and many others that can vouch or collaborate what I am saying. Am I doing the man a favour? No. Am I supporting him? No sir.
Q. But how close are you? We hear stories that you actually go to State House, meet him, and that’s why you are very compromised.
A. I have never stepped a foot in State House and I can swear this to the living Lord, since 2014 when I was fired from government and from the party by the late President [Michael] Sata, I have never stepped a foot and I want anybody who has evidence to that effect, starting from the security people at the gate and the staff inside State House, anybody with evidence of any single trip that I have made to go and meet Edgar Lungu to tell this country the day and time.
Q. Maybe you are sending someone to collect money for you. Maybe you don’t go there yourself physically but you have some sort of collaboration with the President.
A. You are right, but there is nobody. If there is anybody that has gone there in my name, please let them come out. The only incident, the only time when I have had contact, if you want to put it that way with State House, was when I raised the issue of the displacement of peasant farmers in Shibuyunji District from their camps along the Kafue River and I wrote a letter to President Lungu and I sent it to State House with my driver, not to go and meet President Lungu, but to go and give the people at the gate to bring this matter to his attention because I felt strongly about it; that it was wrong for Vice-President Inonge Wina and other groups of the elite people from Lusaka to go into our area and displace helpless villagers from their camps in a district where government has not put up a dam for their animals. I felt strongly about that matter.
Q. Do you talk with President Lungu? On phone or in person?
A. No. I don’t talk to him.
Q. If he extended an olive branch to you, as an architect of elections to say ‘can you come and help us’, what would be your reaction?
A. Look, I am now a member of the Rainbow Party. I resigned from the PF on the 14th of November 2014. And there is a reason why I resigned from PF. I didn’t like the post-Michael Sata kind of acrimony that I saw in the PF. I didn’t like the ground swell of hate being propagated by some of the people that have even left the PF today and are speaking against Edgar. People that spent so much money to turn the innocent members of the party against me because they thought that I would stand in their way of becoming leaders of the Patriotic Front and ultimately become president after Michael Sata’s demise. They didn’t benefit from that and I know how much injured they are. The likes of GBM, the likes of Kambwili, they spent a lot of money and I have got witnesses to that effect amongst members of the Patriotic Front, even today who they gave money to turn against me. So I am saying that I can speak to Edgar Lungu, I don’t have a problem, he is not my enemy.
Q. But is that a yes or no? My question is ‘if he extended a branch’, because you are a very key architect of elections and campaigns in Zambia. If he extended an olive branch to you to say ‘we would like somebody like you to help us, 2021 is going to be very difficult’ would you go?.
A. Look, this is no longer about me as an individual. I am a member of the Rainbow Party. It will have to be the decision of the Rainbow Party and we are open not only to one political party in the name of PF but we are open to UPND, we are open to FDD because politics is about talking to one another. I don’t believe in politics of hate. But those that know my principles and my values, if they wanted to invite me back to PF, they will have to take into account my principles and my values which have never changed over time. And they will probably not change for a long time to come because these are our values which have been cultivated for many years. I am predictable even to my own parents who brought me on earth, they know what I think, what I can do and what I can’t do. I have never been a hypocrite. If I say yes to you, it is a yes and I will never betray you. Those that want me will have to take my principles into account.
Q. Talking about principles and values, I remember before president Sata died, you were on an interview with SABC in South Africa and you were asked the question ‘do you have presidential ambitions?’ and you categorically said you were not interested in the presidency. But now, we have seen you form a party that you are standing on as a presidential candidate and you have shown a serious ambition to become president. What has changed?
A. What has changed is that if Michael Sata were still alive today, I would have no presidential ambitions. I was very loyal to him, he literally brought me up. I knew Michael Sata just when I was over 20 years old. When I left the University in 1981, he was a councillor at Lusaka City Council so when I referred [to] myself as a disciple of the man, I meant it. So I would never have any presidential ambitions over and above Michael Sata. But the situation now has changed, he is no more, he is out of the politics of the country and surely, if there is a role that I can play for the country, I can’t remain in that absolutism of saying I don’t have presidential ambitions and stick to that.
Q. You are highly respected because of the way you managed the 2011 elections for PF and as a journalist who has followed your politics, I can say that you were on the ground traversing the country to make sure that PF wins. Do you really think that the Wynter Kabimba who won the election for PF in 2011 is the same Wynter Kabimba that is running Rainbow? Would you agree with me if I put it to you that you have under-performed under Rainbow than you performed under PF in 2011?
A. Let me put it this way. Nothing that I achieved should be credited to me as an individual. I want to restate that whatever I achieved or is perceived as my achievement in PF was because of the teamwork that I enjoyed in PF. But you also can’t juxtapose that and say that ‘Rainbow is under-performing’. Because mind you, Rainbow is only three years old. In 2008 when the PF was eight years into its formation, there were many polling stations in this country where Mr Sata was still getting zero. Where nobody believed in him at a polling station and nobody ever heard of him at a polling station. So you have to take that into account as you are making this comparison. In the last elections in which we participated in local government elections, there was not even a single polling station where Rainbow got a zero three years after its formation. So you have to be careful in terms of the law of relativity that you are applying in comparing my role and performance in PF and my role and performance now in the Rainbow Party. What I know is that it takes a long time to build a political organisation.
Q. I still insist that you are a sleeping giant. Why? Because if you stood up today to go to any part of this country, you are known, people know you and because of that, we would expect you to be winning, not just getting more than zero but to actually win in some wards but how many of these wards or constituencies have you won in three years?
A. None. But I will tell you that being known, and this is the mistake that people make in politics, being known by members of the public is one thing. Converting people to believe in you is another thing. What you need to do in politics is to be known and also be able to convert people to believe in you with the correct message. Now, for them to get converted to a correct message takes a long time. Let me go back to the example of Michael Sata, the man who invested over 40 years of his life in politics. You saw what happened when he left MMD, there was a by-election in Mpika Central which was part of his village, he went and campaigned there with PF and lost lamentably to the MMD when Bwalya Chiti was voted to Parliament in his own village. He was known by everybody in Chituluka Village and I am sure even Mpike Central but they didn’t believe his message during that election. So you can see the difference between being known and converting people to believe in your message. So there are parallels that I have drawn and there are lessons that I have learnt from my association with icons like Michael Sata in Zambian politics. So to lose an election does not mean that people don’t know you, what it means is that you haven’t given the people a message in which they can believe.
Q. Let’s talk about the PF and the structure of government. We have seen the PF secretary general Davies Mwila saying that ‘I am number three in hierarchy and I can summon any minister to come and exculpate himself’ but he is not a member of Cabinet. I recall that in fact, this was the doing of Michael Sata and yourself when you formed government. You came up with a structure that recognised you as Secretary General of the party, third from the President, what did that entail? Did that mean that you were above Cabinet ministers?
A. Let me tell you what happened, these are very important questions so that we correct the record and the perception out there. When PF won the election and we formed government, if you recall I remained out of Cabinet as a member for one year. From September 2011, I only joined Cabinet on the 6th of September 2012. Before I became Cabinet minister, I interacted with my colleagues in government, mainly on party matters because I was secretary general of the party, I was chief administrator of the party. So, my interaction with Cabinet ministers was purely on matters of the party. How I should help them mobilise the party in their respective constituencies for those that had constituencies. That was my role. The idea, for that protocol came from President Sata and he said to me one day ‘I want you to draft a circular letter for me to the effect that the secretary general of the party in terms of protocol, shall be the third, after the president, the vice-president and then the secretary general’. And he said ‘when we are attending a function where my wife is present, the protocol shall be myself, the vice-president, my wife and then the secretary general’. [laughs]
Q. [laughs] Is that the socialist way of doing things?
A: I don’t know whether it was the Mpika way of doing things or the Socialist way of doing things but those were my instructions and I drafted the circular accordingly and the president signed. Now, that is not law, that was an administrative circular to design the administrative protocol. Whether President Lungu has adopted the same circular, I don’t know because for me, after President Michael Sata’s demise, it means that protocol expired so to say.
Q. But what’s your take on the PF secretary general’s statement that he can summon a minister to go and exculpate himself? Is that in order?
A. No, it is not in order. What we are seeing and hearing now is total confusion. Because the secretary general of the PF is not a member of government so his own relationship with Cabinet ministers is on party matters, not on government matters.
Q. But we heard State House defend that and also the government spokesperson Dora Siliya.
A. This is the problem when you have a group of blind men and women groping in the dark as if a mine has collapsed on them. This is the problem when you want to make pronouncements without reference to conventions. These are issues of conventions and practices. They are not just things that can be unique to a particular individual because you like them. They are about conventions. What Michael Sata did was to create a convention in terms of protocol. We haven’t seen either the law or the convention under PF. What we are hearing are just pronouncements which are totally misplaced and just end up confusing people.
Q. One of the values which most Zambians respect you for, including myself, is discipline. You are a serious disciplinarian and we haven’t heard much about Rainbow members engaging in violence during elections and campaigns. Would you say there is too much violence going between the PF and UPND that is not giving chance to parties like yours to get a fair share of the votes?
A. One of the things that I became very unpopular for in PF was the issue of insisting on discipline amongst members of the PF. I was against cadres collecting money from bus stops, which practice has come back now, I was against party cadres collecting illegal levies from marketeers, which practice has come back now, I was against party cadres invading people’s land, which had started here in Lusaka. What we have seen now is against the propaganda that those that wanted to succeed Michael Sata had wedged against me that I was the one dividing the party, I was the one in charge of pangas in the party etc, we haven’t seen any dispensation in this culture of violence. If anything, it has continued to surge.
Q. Do you think violence is helping PF win elections?
A. In a way yes. When the ruling party is perpetrating violence, intimidating and coercing people, there are two reactions you expect, either people will stay away from voting or they will go and vote because they have been intimidated. The unfortunate part about this culture of violence is that PF has found a partner in the UPND that also think that violence pays. So they have partnered, violence to violence. Both of them think that this is how they are going to win an election, both of them think that this is how to remain in power and this is how to get into power. And I want to tell you this incident which may not be recorded; in 2016, there was a meeting at Mulungushi International Conference Centre which was convened by ECZ of presidential candidates. HH was in that meeting and ECL was in that meeting. When my turn to speak came, I addressed both ECL and HH in full view of everybody and I said ‘you are both responsible for the election violence that we have seen in this country. You, President Lungu are desperate to remain in power, that’s why you are perpetrating this violence. And you, HH are also desperate to get in power, that’s why you are perpetrating this violence.
Q. Thank you very much for the interview unless you have something to add.
A. Well, there are a lot of issues that have been going on in the country especially the issue of how we should speak to one another as a generation of young politicians. Its not always in life that you must believe that the world revolves around you and not around others. So for me, if you want to get my view over something, then you should realise that you are taking a risk to hear even what you don’t want to hear. Whether you are my friend or my enemy. But I am also cautious of the fact that I could be wrong so I am open to hearing the other side or your version on what you think about what I have said. That is the society that we must create so I get disappointed when I listen to these vibes that if one tells the truth, and that truth seems to lean in favour of one side then you are a supporter of one side, if you insult one side, even if the insult is uncalled for, then that’s when you are a hero because you have not leaned on this side. I don’t think that I would like to be part of that and it doesn’t matter what it costs me in politics, I am prepared to pay the price.
UPND Leader HH with, the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine Mehl Musonda
UPND Candidate Ms Charmaine Mehl Musonda with party officialsUPND officials on campaign trail for the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine MehlUPND officials on campaign trail for the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine MehlUPND officials on campaign trail for the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine Mehl
UPND officials on campaign trail for the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine MehlUPND officials on campaign trail for the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine MehlUPND PArt officials take time to attend the burial of a party member in ChilangaUPND Officials at the funeral house of a party memberUPND officials on campaign trail for the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine MehlUPND Candidate Ms Charmaine Mehl Musonda with party officialsUPND Candidate Ms Charmaine Mehl Musonda with party officials
UPND Leader HH with, the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine Mehl MusondaUPND Leader HH with, the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine Mehl MusondaHH with an elder Chilanga residentUPND officials on campaign trail for the party’s Candidate Ms Charmaine MehlHH campaigning for Ms Charmaine Mehl Musonda
Minister of Works and Supply Felix Mutati
Government says there is need to lift the financial platform of Small Medium Enterprises(SMEs) to boost their ability to manage businesses in order to take part in economic growth.
Works and Supply Minister Felix Mutati said this in Mongu district yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on Western Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Sibanze Simuchoba ahead of the ACCA Accountants’ clinics to be held in the Provincial capital.
Mr. Mutati said that supporting SMEs in financial and leadership responsibilities is important to bring order to the management of their businesses.
He said SMEs have the capacity to initiate economic growth if they have financial knowledge hence, the need to close the gap between financial knowledge and support for SMEs.
The Minister said the programme embarked on by ACCA is to supplement others being undertaken by Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) and other Government institutions.
He said the financial literacy for SMEs will not only help in economic growth but also create jobs.
According to a statement released to ZANIS by the Ministry of Works and Supply Public Relations Officer Ndubi Mvula , the theme for the programme is”Enhancing Business Leadership and Financing Management, for Improved Profitability”.
And ACCA Chairperson Membership Sean Mukelebai said the Accountants’ clinic hopes to help businesses to progress in their financial management in economic growth.
Meanwhile, Mr.Simuchoba has disclosed that the Province plans to plant 6million cashew nut trees in three (3) years and is hopeful that the Province will greatly contribute to the National treasury once production is in full swing.
He added that distribution of Cashewnuts seedlings is underway following the release US$55 million for the cashew infrastructure development project which is funded by the African Development Bank (ADB).
The SME clinics is taking place at the main market in the Central Business District (CBD) of Mongu.
PF candidate in the Chilanga by election Maria Langa during a PF Interactive Forum in Lusaka recently
President Edgar Lungu has appealed to political parties taking part in the Chilanga constituency by-election to engage in issue based campaigns and not violence.
President Lungu said the people of Chilanga want to listen to development plans.
He also urge the people of Chilanga to remain united and peaceful before, during and after the by election.
President Lungu said this on his official Facebook page.
“Lets continue to enjoy peace in Chilanga. We are one people, one Zambia, One nation,” he said.
He added, “The Patriotic Front Central Committee under my leadership adopted Mrs Maria Langa as our Candidate in the upcoming Chilanga by-election. We’re convinced beyond any shadow of doubt that we made the right decision- our Candidate is a community leader, a caring representative and vision carrier for PF’s development agenda in Chilanga,” President Lungu said.
The Head of State said the Patriotic Front commits to conduct an issue-based campaign strengthened by its development agenda for Zambia.
“My predecessor late President Micheal Chilufya Sata declared Chilanga a district in line with our vision to transform our country by bringing development closer to the people. Patriotic Front needs that extra arm to drive development projects in Chilanga Constituency and Mrs Maria Langa is the woman for the job,” he said.
He stated, “the people of Chilanga deserve good roads, schools, a mordern hospital, markets for our mothers and enterprises for the youth. We want our farmers in Chilanga to get their agricultural inputs on time and in the correct quantities, improved local government service delivery, among others.”
Zambia’s Ambassador to the US Dr. Ngosa Simbyakula has commended Zambian born US based guitarist Robert Mwamba for the promotion of his music industry in the United States of America. Dr. Simbyakula said he is delighted to note when Zambians make progress in their professional lives and careers.
The Ambassador said the Embassy of Zambia in Washington D.C will endeavor to provide an enabling environment that promotes Zambians who are performing well in various industries.
Dr Simbyakula said this when Robert paid a courtesy call to brief the Ambassador on this year’s 2018 Washington D.C Jazz Festival where the sensational guitarists has been honored to be included as the first Zambian artists at the upcoming event. He said the Mission looks forward to supporting his music at high level meetings involving members of the diplomatic corps in Washington DC and other events in the USA.
And Robert thanked the Ambassador for welcoming him. He said he would be delighted to mutually collaborate with the Embassy in raising Zambia’s profile higher through the entertainment industry at the upcoming event.
Robert’s debut appearance will be with special guest Cynda Williams, a US actress and singer at the Washington D.C’s finest Jazz and Supper Club slated for next month in June at the Blues Alley in Georgetown.
The Zambian born guitarist clearly comes out of the great Jazz guitar tradition of Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Pat Martino, Rodney Jones and others. His modern and contemporary approach music career embraces elements of R&B, Latin, Blues, Soul and other musical genres has enabled Robert to perform at Events of diverse people such as UN Secretary-Generals – Ban Ki Moon and Kofi Annan, British Billionaire – Sir Richard Branson, Oscar Winning Actress – Mira Sorvino and Hip-Hop Mogul – Sean “Diddy” Combs “All White Party” among others.
His debut Album Coastin’ features Jazz heavyweights – Rodney Jones on Rhythm and Acoustic Guitar, Chip Crawford on Keyboards, Lonnie Plaxico on Bass, and Jaz Sawyer on Drums on the whole Album. Tenor Saxophonist Abraham Burton and Trumpeter Fabio Morgera make guest appearances.
Ariel releases his first single of the year “Keep Moving”, off his upcoming Debut Album, set to drop this September. After enjoying massive airplay of his last two releases, “Khaki No Be Leather” and “Zanga Kwane” on Trace Africa among other TV and radio stations, the Soul Singer returns with Keep Moving.
“Keep Moving” is an inspirational song that encourages you to chase after your dreams regardless of the obstacles you face, knowing for sure that when times are hard and friends are few; you can count on God to hold your hand and get you through to the finish line. The classy Blues and Jazzy song was recorded at MS Music, produced by Daize, mixed and mastered by Big Bizzy. Enjoy the song and look out for the music video dropping soon.
Judokas in action at the Olympic Youth Development Centre in LusakaYoung Zambian Judoka Simon Zulu has arrived back home after minting a gold medal in the 60kg Category at the just ended African Cadet Championships held in Bujumbura, Burundi.
Zulu landed on Friday morning and was welcomed by National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) Sports Development officer Major Chisanga Bwalya and Zambia Judo Association (ZJA) general secretary Mabvuto N’guni among other officials.
According to a statement from Olympic Youth Development Centre spokesperson Noah Silomba, the gold medalist described the Burundi outing as tough.
In 2017, Zulu reigned supreme at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Bahamas by winning gold (60Kgs).
Meanwhile, the Burundi games were being used as qualifiers to the 2018 Youth Olympic Games slated for Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Mr Kalaba held talks with Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people at his palace.
Ruling PF Bahati Member of Parliament Harry Kalaba has described the forth coming 2021 general elections as a game changer for the Zambian scene.
And Mr. Kalaba has disclosed that the newly formed Democratic Party (DP) has formally written to him asking if he can contest on its ticket as presidential candidate in 2021.
In an exclusive interview with Feel Free in Chipata, Mr. Kalaba has indicated that he has formally received an invitation letter from the DP, stating that he currently studying their request, saying it would an honour to serve the DP.
And Mr. Kalaba has said that he will not be distracted by people who are talking about him after resigning as minister, saying his focus is to serve the people of Bahati.
Meanwhile, Mr Kalaba held talks with Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people at his palace.
George Lwandamina has named his 18-man travelling part to face Etoile du Sahel next week on match-day-two of the 2018 CAF Champions League.
The 2007 African champions from Tunisia will hosts Zesco in a Group D fixture in Sousse on May 16.
Lwandamina has kept faith in his entire starting XI he featured in the 1-1 home draw against Mbabane Swallows on May 5 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
But three changes have been made to the substitute bench.
Burundi international goalkeeper Diuedonne Ntibahezwa has been dropped and replaced by Lameck Nyangu.
Defender Bornwell Silengo and striker Logic Chingandu have also been dropped and replaced by midfielder’s Misheck Chaila and Enock Sabumukama who did not make the cut for the Swallows game.
And Utility midfielder Edward Tembo, who joined Zesco this season from demoted City of Lusaka, is set for his debut away match in the CAF Champions League.
Meanwhile, all four teams in Group D are tied on 1 point heading into the mid-week fixtures.
Etoile drew 1-1 away to Premiero de Agosto of Angola on May 5 in Luanda.
Zesco depart for Tunisia on Saturday evening ahead of Wednesday’s date in Sousse.
Team:
GOALKEEPERS: Jacob Banda, Lameck Nyangu
DEFENDERS: Simon Silwimba, Fackson Kapumbu, Marcel Kalonda, David Owino, Daut Musekwa, Edward Tembo
MIDFIELDERS: Anthony Akumu, Kondwani Mtonga, John Chingandu, Mwape Mwelwa, Misheck Chaila, Enock Sabumukama
STRIKERS: Jackson Mwanza, Winston Kalengo, Jesse Were, Lazarus Kambole
First Republican President Dr.Kenneth Kaunda being conferred with the 2018 Leadership award by UNAIDS Executive Director Mr.Michel Sidibe and President Edgar Lungu in Lusaka
President Edgar Lungu has stated that the fight against HIV can be won by 2030 with concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
President Lungu said he is hopeful that with everyone’s commitment and without criticism towards HIV, the fight against the epidemic could be won.
The Head of State said this in Lusaka today at the 2018, UNAIDS Leadership Award bestowed on Zambia’s First President Kenneth Kaunda as a Champion for an AIDS free generation.
President Lungu noted that Dr. Kaunda’s contribution to fight stigmatisation among others, has greatly contributed to the management of HIV not only in Zambia but in another countries as well.
He expressed gratitude to UNAIDS for the award which he said has helped to elevate Zambia’s credentials and rekindled the country’s hope in the fight against HIV.
UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe indicated that the award to Zambia’s First Republican President is due to his contribution towards the fight against HIV by speaking out against stigma and discrimination.
Mr. Sidibe said Dr. Kaunda is an inspiration to the young people who are the future champion generation in HIV fight.
And Former President of Namibia Hifikepunye Pohamba noted that the award is befitting for the recognition of the outstanding work that Dr. Kaunda has contributed to championing awareness about the HIV fight on the continent.
Mr. Pohamba said Dr. Kaunda ‘ s work in the fight against HIV has inspired many whose work will ensure total eradication of HIV as a public health concern.
Meanwhile, First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda has observed that HIV is one of the most serious threats on development as it attacks people at their most productive stage.
Dr. Kaunda noted that if not eradicated completely the disease has the potential to cause more deaths in the near future.
He further advised that to win the fight against HIV, there is need to remove stigma attached to HIV and AIDS and that no one should be left behind.
Speaking at the same event, Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya noted that there has been continuity in the fight against HIV in Zambia since the 1980’s and the country has made tremendous progress in the fight against the disease.
Dr. Chilufya added that Zambia has also embarked on a robust programme to strengthen health care systems including the fight against HIV which has seen the number of people on Anti-Retroviral treatment rising from 3,500 in 2003 to 855,000.
Also present at the event were other Champions for an AIDS free generation who included Former Vice President of Uganda, Speciosa Wandira- Kazibwe and Chancellor of Moi University Professor Miriam Were.
