This year marks the first rainy season that Margaret Kalimina will not have to worry about a holey roof in her thatched hut.

And soon, the use of intensive means of watering crops and waiting for the rains will be a thing of the past for her and many other households in the villages of Hankwa, Malama, Toba and Kalima in Mwomboshi area of Chisamba District.

Kalimina is one of several households relocated by the government, away from the Mwomboshi River to pave way for the construction of a dam and setting up of irrigation schemes.

Supported through the World Bank-funded Irrigation Development and Support Project, this will help small scale farmers increase yields per hectare, and enable year-round crop production.

“We will be given a hectare of irrigated land per household and this will enable us to engage into farming throughout the year without worrying about food shortages,” said Kalimina, who now lives in a three-room home with her mother, two sisters and her daughter in Kalima Village.

The dam is part of an overall irrigation project in the country, which includes two additional irrigation schemes; the Lusitu in the Southern Province, and the Musakashi in the Copperbelt Province. With a wall 1,700 meters long and 23 meters high, the Mwomboshi Dam is expected to bring more than 10,000 hectares of land under irrigation when it is at full capacity, making it the largest in the country’s agriculture sector.

“The people of Mwomboshi will benefit immeasurably from this project as they will not only be able to irrigate their crops and have pasture throughout the year, but will also have access to water for their livestock and fisheries,” said Ina Marlene-Ruthenberg, World Bank country manager for Zambia.

For much of their lives, the people of this area have relied on the Mwomboshi river as a daily source of water for washing, cooking, drinking, as well as small-scale fishing.

Maize farming is the chief source of income in Mwomboshi, where more than 90% of the people who live there are farmers.

Kalimina’s new house stands nearby one of the newly-installed hand pumps that she is sharing with three other households for all their domestics uses.

“The government is also encouraging us to reduce on maize-oriented agriculture and try new food crops such as wheat, butternut and sweet corn,” Kalimina said.”

The project irrigation scheme has been divided into four tiers. The first one will be allocated to small scale farmers, such as Kalimina. The second tier will be specifically for co-operatives, which includes benefits such as access to government-subsidized farming inputs. The third and fourth tiers will be exclusive to commercial and large-scale farming.

When the project becomes operational, 338 households will have been relocated.

The Second Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mwiimba Malama (MP) says Zambian parliamentarians will continue campaigning for professionals to be deployed in the Foreign Service.

Mr. Malama said this is aimed at preserving the country’s image and accrue economic benefits from countries where Zambia is represented.

Speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when he made a stopover, enroot to Canada for a familiarization tour of the Canadian Parliament.

Mr. Malama said the many projects that have been facilitated by Zambian Embassies are testimony of the advantage and usefulness of a Career Foreign Service.

He cited the relocation of the Headquarters of the Economic , Social and Cultural Council-ECOSOCC- an African Union Organ, from Addis Ababa to Zambia , the construction of the SADC Centre for Disease Control in Zambia as some of the milestones scored by the Zambia Mission in Addis Ababa.

The Second Deputy Speaker also said it is impressive to learn that Zambian Embassy in Ethiopia has facilitated and negotiated for a team of Chinese investors to visit Zambia tomorrow to look at possibilities of investing in Manufacturing, Mining and Agricultural sectors.

“We can also look at the fly-over roads to be constructed by India which will help decongest the roads Lusaka, all these and several other projects have been initiated by Zambian Missions abroad,” he said.

Mr. Malam stressed that such success can only be scored when there are professionals that are deployed to work in Zambian Missions.

Government’s foreign policy emphasizes the need for enhanced economic cooperation through trade and foreign Direct Investment.

This is contained in a press statement issued to ZANIS by the First Secretary-Press & Tourism at the Zambian embassy, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Inutu Mwanza.

The Mongu High Court has sentenced three Congolese and one Zambian to twenty five years imprisonment with hard labour for the offence of human trafficking. Nicole Nyassa, Ikyengelo Abwe Samuel, Hussein Zulu, all Congolese nationals and Justine Mutafela, a Zambian, were on 18th February, 2017 arrested in Sesheke for trafficking five female and nine male Congolese juveniles. The four were on 24th January, 2018 convicted for human trafficking by the Sesheke Magistrate Court and committed to the High Court for sentencing.

Meanwhile, the Department of Immigration between Friday, 13th April, 2018 and Sunday, 15th April, 2018 arrested thirty three persons for various immigration offences countrywide. Those arrested are four Ugandans and one Somali in Lusaka, five (05) Congolese in Kaputa, four Congolese in Chingola and two Tanzanians and one Namibian in Kaoma, all for the offence of unlawful entry. Others are one Malawian in Chipata, one Tanzanian in Mbala, one Namibian in Senanga and one Malawian in Mpika.

Those arrested for unlawful stay are one Congolese at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and one Tanzanian in Mpika. Meanwhile, in Kitwe, ten (10) Tanzanians were arrested for trading without permits.

During this period the Department also secured seven convictions. The convicts received fines ranging from K700 to K15, 000 or in default 6 months to 12 months simple imprisonment. Those convicted are one Congolese in Chingola and one (01) Malawian in Lundazi, both for the offence of unlawful entry, two Rwandese in Kafue and two Congolese in Kitwe, for the offence of unlawful stay. One South African in Kitwe was also convicted for the offence of offence of failing to observe conditions of an Employment Permit.

The Department of Immigration between Friday, 13th April, 2018 and Sunday, 15th April, 2018 also removed twenty two foreign nationals from the country and deported one . Those removed are six Congolese in Kazembe, four Congolese in Kasumbalesa, three Congolese and one Burundian in Katete. Others are three Congolese in Chipata, three Congolese in Chingola, one Tanzanian in Ndola and one Congolese in Kashiba. Meanwhile, in Kabwe, one Somali was deported upon completion of prison sentence for an immigration offence.

Traffickers are constantly coming up with new ways to lure their victims. They prey on desperation, curiosity and naivety and as such, children are an easy target. In this regard, we wish to appeal to parents and guardians to monitor their children’s activities, who they are talking to, applications on their phones and websites they visit. We also wish to appeal to members of the public to continue reporting suspected cases of human trafficking, smuggling and illegal migration to the Department.

Copperbelt minister Japhen Mwakalombe has called on the Seventh Day Adventist Church members to avoid issuing disparaging statements which he says will only ruin the good relationship that exits between the church and government.

Mr Mwakalombe says since government has for a long time now been enjoying the good working relationship with the SDA church, it is unfortunate that some of SDA members are issuing disparaging statements that he said will put the two parties in an awkward situation.

The minister said this yesterday when leaders from the SDA church on the Copperbelt paid a courtesy call on him, ZANIS reports.

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The SDA church is a partner in development of the country especially in the education and health sector and wants this to continue.

The minister observed that the recent statements that were uttered by a named Dorcas mother against government were unfortunate.

Mr. Mwakalombe further added that the ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance will soon issues a comprehensive statement on the matter.

He has since urged all Dorcas mothers on the Copperbelt and the country as a whole to continue ministering the word of God and wear their uniforms freely as government is there to protect them.

And Seventh Day Adventist Church Copperbelt Conference executive secretary Christopher Mwampokota says the church has already started educating it’s members on the importance of remaining non-partisan as doing so will put his church and government in a compromised state.

Mr. Mwampokota however pledged that the SDA church has always and will continue to be nonpartisan and continue working with the government of the day in fostering development in the country.

He also noted with sadness the reaction from a suspected PF carder who wore a Dorcas mothers uniform that he tarnished the image of the church especially the women who are now living in fear when they are in there uniforms.

Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo has cautioned people propagating for the impeachment of President Edgar Lungu not to cross the line.

Mr Kampyongo who featured last evening on Zambia National Broadcasting Cooperation (ZNBC) Sunday interview, wondered why some people were desperate to impeach the President, when the country will be having general elections in 2021.

He explained that the impeachment motion is aimed at creating uncertainty among the citizenry.

Mr Kampyongo said the opposition are using the impeachment motion to cast doubt in the minds of people who elected President Lungu during the 2016 general elections.

“Let’s not create unnecessary situations, unnecessary certainties, when it is not necessary at all. We all know there will be elections coming in 2021, why would one be desperate to impeach the President? What next, and in whose interest is the impeachment, not to cross the line?” he said.

The Home Affairs Minister said the talk about the impeachment motion is only creating uncertainties among Zambians both locally and those living in the diaspora.

He noted that the maneuvers being employed by the opposition are not good for the economy, as they have the potential to negatively affect the country’s national economy.

Mr Kampyongo said the impeachment motion is not an ordinary situation but aimed at undermining the presidency.

The Minister has since urged the opposition to respect the decision made by the courts of law.

He explained that President Lungu was ushered into office through the highest constitutional court, which should be respected.

And commenting on the enforcing of the law, Mr Kampyongo refuted assertions that law enforcing agencies were selective in the application of the law.

Mr Kampyongo said law enforcing agencies have been impartial in there execution of their mandate.

He noted that it is wrong for people to insinuate that the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Zambia Police was selective in applying the law.

Mr Kampyongo explained that the same treatment that ordinary Zambians are subjected to is the same treatment that is rendered to people perceived as “big shots” in the political arena.

“When we are offering checks and balances lets be sincere, there is no selection, no abuse, the same things happening to the would be big shots is what is happening to the ordinary citizen.” He stated.

He emphasized that whoever commits an offences despite their status in society will be dealt with according to the set rules and laws of the land.

Mongu District Commissioner (DC) Susiku Kamona says contrary to concerns of rising insecurity in the District ahead of the forthcoming Kuomboka ceremony of the Lozi speaking people, there is relative peace in the area.

Mr. Kamona says the security wing in the area was on high alert to ensure peace and security in the area especially ahead of the Kuomboka Ceremony to be held on the 28th April 2018 .

He said all Zambians and foreign tourists would be accorded maximum security before, during and after the colourful traditional ceremony.

The District commissioner said this in an interview in reaction to reports of alleged attacks of pupils by scandalous syndicate of boys known as the ‘ Dark City boys’ in the area.

Recently ,a Women Lobby Group member, Collete Lubinda, said the alleged unruly behavior and eventual attacks on unsuspecting members of the public should be condemned in the strictest of terms by all patriotic Zambians.

Ms. Lubinda has since urged the law enforcement agencies in the area not to relent in bringing culprits to book and ensure that safety is restored in the region.

And Police in Mongu have picked-up nine (9) suspects of the group’s notorious teenagers for allegedly being behind a spate of crime incidences in the area such as rape, pickpocketing and assault, among other crimes.