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Power Dynamos have received a K300, 000 sponsorship package from CEC Liquid Telecoms for the 2018 season.
CEC Liquid acting managing director Mwandamo Mazaba described the deal as an integrated ecosystem between the Telecom firm and Power.
Meanwhile, Power Dynamos management is delighted with Liquid Telecoms continued relationship with Power.
“Football in Zambia has become a viable and self sustaining industry Strategic partnerships such as this one must be at the centre of every football administrator’s agenda,” Power chairperson Bbenkele Haachitwe said.
Power currently lead the 2018 FAZ Super Division table after Week 1 following a 4-2 home win over new boys Kabwe Youth Soccer Academy on March 18 in Kitwe.
They visit another promoted side, National Assembly, on Sunday who also won in Week 1 following a 1-0 away victory over ambitious Buildcon in Ndola.
Removal of the controversial billboard at Kafue Roundabout
The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has pulled down the controversial Kafue roundabout billboard in an exercise to regulate the placement of billboards in the city.
The Kafue round about billboard is just one of the more than 75 billboards that have been removed in three months for among other reasons being illegally and wrongly mounted in Lusaka.
The agent on the Kafue roundabout billboard did not follow the approved specifications by the local authority and put up a structure contrary to what was approved.
Out of the more than 75 billboards removed, 35 were removed because they were illegally and wrongly mounted on street poles thereby posing a danger to motorists and pedestrians alike.
The Council in January this year embarked on a programme of regulating the placement of billboards in an exercise that is meant to restore sanity in the manner billboards are erected and displayed in the city in line with the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia.
12 billboards were removed for obstructing traffic lights and the other 10 were removed for obstructing legally erected billboards.
The latest billboards to be brought down were the two depicting those of Ministers Bowman Lusambo and Margaret Mwanakatwe, respectively.
The two billboards were brought down for lacking identity of the advertiser and being erected without planning permission from the local authority.
The Council wishes to advise advertisers that roundabouts, street poles and road reserves are a property of Lusaka City Council and as such planning permission should be sought before mounting any billboards and correct specifications of approved plans followed.
The Council will continue to remove illegal billboards in the city in an effort to bring sanity Lusaka.
Removal of the controversial billboard at Kafue Roundabout
The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) says the Kariba Dam has enough water to optimize power generation in the country.
Zambezi River Authority Director of Water Resources and Environmental Management Christopher Chisense said the water levels are better than Two to Three years ago during the same period.
Engineer Chisense told ZANIS in an interview today that the inflow of water levels in 2015 was at 50% which led to the rampant load shading in the country.
“The Kariba Dam has 2 miters less than the required water levels but the water we have is enough to optimize power generation and avoid load shading in the country which affected the country in 2015,”he stated.
He disclosed that the operations of the authority are solely dependent on the weather and climate data update from the metrological department.
Mr. Chisense pointed out that lack of weather and climate data leads to displacement of communities around Kariba dam when it spills due to excess rains.
He further stated that Kariba Dam has the capacity to store 181 cubic billions of water when the country experiences enough rains.
Zambia Police says 123 of the 126 Evelyn Hone College students who were initially arrested for illegal protests were released yesterday after paying admission of guilty charges.
According to a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo stated that the students were arrested on March 21, 2018, by Police.
Ms. Katongo disclosed that 59 of the 207 students who were arrested yesterday, are students from NIPA and were released unconditionally yesterday after claiming to have been caught up in the confusion.
She said they claimed Evelyn Hone College pulled down the wall fence and that was what led to the confusion.
Ms. Katongo stated that many more students are yet to be released today.
National AIDS Council (NAC) says there is need for Zambians to support the drafted National Health Bill as a good initiative to improve the health sector in the country.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka, NAC Director of Policy and Planning John Mwale said that it is important that Zambians okay the draft National Health Bill so that Zambia can afford to purchase ARVs.
Mr. Mwale added that about 80 percent support on the purchases of ARVs comes from the stakeholders like global fund among others and wondered what will happen if stakeholders withdrew their health support.
He explained that about 85,000 people in Zambia are on ARVs and Zambia cannot afford to rely on stakeholders to come to the aid on the purchase of the drugs at all times.
Mr. Mwale added that about 46,000 new HIV infections are recorded yearly and HIV prevalence in people of ages between 15 and 46 is at 12 percent.
He further explained that if the National Health Bill is passed, it means that Zambia will be able to purchase ARVs on its own and will not have to rely on stakeholders to help with funds for any health related issues.
Government has pleaded with Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) workers in Zambia who have not been receiving their salaries for the past 3 months, not to go on strike.
Muchinga Permanent Secretary (PS) Jobbicks Kalumba made the passionate appeal in Mpika yesterday.
Dr. Kalumba said while Government sympathises with the workers plight, going on strike will not be in the interest of both the workers and the Government.
The PS stated that government through the Ministry of Finance is making arrangements to send funds to pay the workers.
Dr. Kalumba who also assured the workers that they will soon start receiving title deeds for the houses sold to them by the Government explained that the process has advanced.
Earlier, TAZARA Regional Manager for Zambia Kambani Ndlouvu said the railway firm is slowly coming back to reclaim its lost glory.
Engineer Ndlouvu affirmed that the movement of cargo is improving with over
1,500 metric tons already moved in the last 6 months from the projected 250,000 metric tons for the 2017 /2018 financial year.
He said the authority is posting revenue of 1.6 million dollars a month against an expenditure of 1.5 million dollars which is mainly on fuel.
Meanwhile, Muchinga PS who also meet management, union officials and ordinary workers toured the biggest workshop in Central Africa covering a total distance of 1.3 km.
TAZARA workers have been threatening to go on strike for non-payment of salaries for the past 3 months.
FILE: Blogger and media trainer Richard Mulonga poses for a photograph after receiving special recognition for best community blog during the 2016 MISA Zambia annual awards in Lusaka on April 29, 2016.
Zambian Breweries (ZB) today handed over sponsorship worth K75, 200 towards the 16th Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Annual Awards.
Speaking at the event, MISA Deputy Chairperson Hyde Haguta commended ZB for the gesture to support the media by sponsoring the upcoming MISA annual Awards.
Mr. Haguta added that the gesture clearly shows that ZB is appreciative of the work the media does and is committed to developing the industry in the country.
He explained that apart from the K75, 200 given to MISA Zambia to successfully hold the awards, ZB is sponsoring two media awards categories and contributing drinks towards the event.
MISA Deputy Chairperson further explained that the media plays a vital role in the development of the country through the information that they publish thereby, inspiring change in the country.
Mr. Haguta disclosed that 22 categories in the MISA awards have been sponsored and urged more stakeholders to come on board and support the Awards.
Meanwhile, ZB Country Director Jose Moran said the media is a good partner in the circulation of information in the country hence, the media has a huge role to play.
The ZB Country Director added that, the media has been a partner in the circulation of information on how harmful alcohol abuse is to society hence, the support.
And Power FM and QFM have sponsored the MISA awards through providing airspace for advertising the categories involved.
The MISA Awards will be held on the 28th of April under the theme “promoting media excellence” at Taj Pamozi Hotel in Lusaka.
Special Assistant to the President (Press and Public Relations) Mr Amos Chanda addresses journalists at a Press Briefing on the impeachment motion by UPND, at State House on Friday, 23rd March, 2018. Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/State House
Lusaka, March 23, ZANIS—State House says the impeachment motion against President Edgar Lungu which the United Party for National Development (UPND) has taken to parliament will not succeed because they do not have enough members in the house.
And President Edgar Lungu says the impeachment process against him has potential to jeopardize the dialogue process between the ruling party and the opposition which is being facilitated by the commonwealth.
The President said through his spokesperson Amos Chanda that the dialogue between political parties will be jeopardized as a result of the impeachment motion which has been taken to Parliament as it will require the concentration of the executive.
Mr. Chanda told journalists at State House today that the President is not bothered by the action by the opposition UPND because he knows that it will not succeed.
Mr. Chanda said the motion requires the support of two thirds of the Members of Parliament for it to pass which he said the UPND does not have.
He noted that in the current state the impeachment motion can only succeed if the ruling party want to impeach their own president and not the opposition.
Mr. Chanda noted that the ruling party has the majority Members in Parliament and has good working relations with 12 out of the 14 independent MPs which makes the impeachment process impossible for the opposition party.
He further explained that the President will continue to discharge his duties as Head of State.
Mr. Chanda noted that even if the opposition have the democratic right to take any motion to the house, they should ensure that the motions they raise have substance.
He said the impeachment motion is full of gossip and rumors which does not deserve the dignity of the house.
Mr. Chanda said the opposition has just repeated the matters that failed in the courts which he said is calculated at undermining the democratic institutions.
The ruling party, Patriotic Front has 88 MPs, while the UPND has 58 and the remaining 14 are independent.
For the motion in parliament to go through it requires two third majority which translates into about 110 MPs while for the motion to be put in the table of the house it requires one third of the MPs.
Therefore the opposition can only manage to move a motion in parliament with the help of the ruling party and the Independent MPs.
The Local Authority Superannuation Fund (LASF) has disclosed that it is owed K 158 million in unremitted pension contributions by councils countrywide.
And Government says it will take legal action against local authorities that will fail to remit employees’ contributions to the fund.
Local Government and Housing Permanent Secretary, Amos Malupenga said local authorities should honor their responsibility by paying back the dues to LASF.
Mr. Malupenga noted that Government is aware of the challenges faced by councils but should prioritize paying LASF.
He said if councils that have outstanding bills fail to pay to LASF, the ministry of local government will use its authority and engage the ministry of finance to deduct from the equalization fund allocation.
ZANIS reports that the Permanent Secretary was speaking during the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund consultative meeting with Copperbelt councils on the options available for local authorities to liquidate their indebtedness on pension contributions at Mukuba hotel in Ndola today.
And the local Authorities Superannuation Fund (LASF) says it has noted with great concern the alarming rate of unremitted pension’s contribution of councils in the country.
Local Authorities Superannuation Fund Acting Managing Director, George Chileshe says in the last four years the debt on remitted pension contributions by councils in the country increased by 60 percent from K99 million in 2014 to K158 million as at February 28, 2018.
Mr. Chileshe said the figures have reached an alarming level which he said if not quickly addressed the figures might be difficult to manage.
He said for every pensions scheme to be successful, there must be compliance to the four pillars of the pensions model which are member registration, contributions and compliance, investments and benefits.
Mr. Chileshe stated that from the four pillars the board has noted that there is a complete collapse of remittance of pension contribution by councils to LASF.
Mr. Chileshe has since urged all councils to adhere to the terms of the negotiated payment plans and also to consider other options such as land/property debt swaps transactions as a stop gap measure to restructure the pension contribution arrears.
School children drink water from a communal borehole in Kite Depot area of Kalulushi District on the Copperbelt. The people in this area depend on this area for water supply
WaterAid believes that ground water regulation is essential for sustainable management of water as a natural resource, including monitoring of changes of water levels, water quality and effects of water abstraction overtime, particularly in case of large scale commercial use.
WaterAid notes that many households in rural, urban and peri urban areas depend on ground water and in many cases, drilling of boreholes has become an option for those that do not have access to water supplied by commercial utilities or other providers. Use of boreholes has increased significantly especially in urban and peri urban areas where population growth has outstripped existing water supply infrastructure. At the same time, many households are not connected to sewerage lines and therefore rely on septic tanks.
In Lusaka, for instance, only 14% of households are connected to the sewer network while the rest depend on septic tanks and other on-site sanitation
facilities that often do not meet minimum technical standards. Therefore, the risk of contamination of ground water is very high and this is a situation that the country needs to address, as the recent Cholera outbreak underlines. Further, the growing demand for abstraction of ground water (and that of surface water) in Agriculture and Industries also poses significant risks for ground water, if left unregulated.
The water act of 2011 therefore foresees various instruments for sustainable water resources management in order to safeguard this viable resource in the long run. The Statutory Instruments recently gazetted are part of these instruments. Against this background, WaterAid agrees with the introduction of ground water regulation with the understanding that:
The regulation particularly targets ground water abstraction for large scale commercial use and will also significantly help in addressing ground water quality;
That communal boreholes are exempt to restrictions that apply on water usage in the statutory instrument;
That monitoring of ground water incurs significant costs and the one-off payment for registration of existing and new boreholes is necessary to support this;
The water usage fees for commercial purposes increase water use efficiency,thereby reduce abstraction, and hence safeguard our precious resources.
That the 10.000 litres per borehole per day (i.e. 10m³) threshold provided for households at no cost for consumption is adequate.
WaterAid however, cautions that implementation of the regulation is not a one off activity and is a long term, ongoing venture that needs to be well resourced and therefore Government needs to think about a long term financing mechanism for water resources management and development, and water supply and sanitation services,and adequately resource the water sector in the national budget , particularly allocating more resources in the national budget to water resource management The Water Resources Act 2011 established the Water Resources Management Authority WARMA.
WARMA as the enforcing agency for water resources management, needs to ensure clear accountability for revenue generated from implementation of the regulation and must demonstrate how revenue is re-invested in enhancing water resource management, respecting key principals of good financial governance of public institutions.
WARMA also needs to ensure that processes for approval of borehole drilling are transparent and effectively addressed and do not become a bureaucratic hindrance that will delay the drilling of boreholes as water is a critical commodity that must be quickly available. Therefore, WaterAid recommends that WARMA revises and shortens the turnaround time for approvals.
Finally, WaterAid reiterates its appeal; to government to invest more in water supply,sanitation and hygiene services, especially in urban and periurban areas to reduce dependency on individual boreholes.
Issued by:
Pamela M. Chisanga
Country Director- Zambia
Harry Kalaba arriving at CFB Hospital on Friday morning
Bahati PF Member of Parliament Harry kalaba has charged that no insecure politician will threaten Zambia’s democracy.
Mr Kalaba said no politician will also mute the many voices calling for change.
Speaking this morning at CFB Hospital when he visited Chishimba Kambwili who is admitted in ICU there, Mr. Kalaba expressed disappointment at the desparation faced by what he called insecure politicians trying to shut up those speaking for the people.
“They will lock up my elder brother Chishimba today,me tomorrow but it wont change anything. We will not stop talking about the injustice,” said Mr. Kalaba.
Mr. Kambwili was last night rushed to CFB under heavily guard by state police after his sugar and Blood pressure rose whilst in custody.
He is still under heavy police guard in ICU and access restricted.
[pullquote]It is unfortunate that President Edgar Lungu wants to perpetuate his stay in power using unorthodox means,” Mr Musenge said.[/pullquote]
And opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema on Thursday visited Mr Kambwili moments after he was detained at Woodlands Police station.
Mr Hichilema encouraged Mr Kambwili to remain strong.
HH at Woodlands Police Station when he went to visit Mr Kambwili
“We just hope that his rights will be respected by giving him bond or bail since his charges are all bailable. These are individual human rights for all and are enshrined in our laws including in the Commonwealth charter,” Mr Hichilema said.
“First it was the UPND members, today it’s NDC, tomorrow it will be each one of us. We, however, wish our brother Chishimba Kambwili God’s strength.”
Meanwhile, opposition NDC Secretary General Mwenya Musenge has claimed that police service acting under instructions from State House are planning to detain Mr. Kambwili at Lilayi Police College.
He said according to intelligence reports, a special holding cell has been prepared for Mr. Kambwili in Lilayi.
Mr Musenge said the initial reports reveals that police plan to confine Mr Kambwili as soon as he is discharged from Hospital.
He claimed that riot police have since been dispatched in three buses to keep vigil in the city centre in lusaka just in case riots break out.
“As NDC, we vehemently condemn the action by State House who have continued muzzling and persecuting Mr. Kambwili. It is unfortunate that President Edgar Lungu wants to perpetuate his stay in power using unorthodox means,” Mr Musenge said.
Harry Kalaba arriving at CfB Hospital on Friday morningHH at Woodlands Police Station when he went to visit Mr KambwiliHH at Woodlands Police Station when he went to visit Mr Kambwili
The Health Practitioners Council of Zambia (HPCZ) has with immediate effect closed the School of Health Sciences at Luboto University in Luanshya for illegally offering health related course affecting over 300 students.
HPCZ Public Relations Officer Terry Musonda said the closure was necessitated by a breach of provision in the Health Professions Act no. 24 of 2009.
Mr Musonda said the University beginning last year in May started offering health related courses without a practicing certificate from the council.
He told Journalists that the council received a tip from members of the public which led to investigations and the ultimate closure of the department.
Mr. Musonda indicated that Lubuto University had failed to meet the minimum requirements such as qualified teaching staff and laboratory facilities among others.
And University Vice Chancellor Micheal Mukonge admitted to having offered illegal programs but that he had written to HPCZ and was still waiting for a response.
Dr. Mukonge stated that over 300 students both in second and first semesters have been affected under public health, Clinical medicine, environmental health and bio chemistry courses.
Lubuto University has however continued to operate it for other courses offered under the schools of business, education and criminal law.
Stranded students being addressed by inspectors from the HPCZ
African Parks has announced that it will soon implement a land use plan in Kalabo’s Liuwa Plain National Park aimed at protecting its ecology and promote economic growth.
Advance Africa Consultant Tammy Bean-Klette says the plan will ensure that African Parks secure long-term ecological potential and economic growth for the park.
Briefing Heads of Government Departments in Kalabo at Nalionwa Parish Hall yesterday, Mrs. Bean-Klette noted that the plan has potential to protect and promote Liuwa’s ecological integrity.
Mrs. Bean-Klette said the strategy would also harmonize human-wildlife conflicts which have been on the rise especially among farming communities along the wildlife corridor.
She explained that the measure would address overriding dynamics of conservation against development and sustainable utilization of land, resources and wildlife.
The consultant proposed the correlation of key aspects such as culture, community livelihoods, agricultural practices, wildlife movements and park accessibility among others.
Mrs. Bean-Klette disclosed that the key aspects under consideration would spur increased wildlife, environmental conservation and sustainable use of land and other natural resources.
Speaking at the same function, Liuwa Land Use Planner Bryson Sompa said African Parks has collected immense data among village clusters within Liuwa on the main livelihood activities and geographic locations of key areas of natural resource utilization.
Mr. Sompa further said the project has collected data on human-wildlife conflicts including specific details related to crop damage and animal species causing damage.
He expressed optimism that the cross cutting participatory project would result into enhanced opportunities to optimize land use by all stakeholders.
UPND MPs flashing the party symbol during a news briefing
The opposition UPND has filed a motion in parliament to impeach President Edgar Lungu for allegedly violated the constitution.
Mover of the motion, Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Gary Nkombo confirmed that the motion will be debated March 28.
Roan PF MP Chishimba Kambwili will second the motion when it comes up for debate.
According to a document obtained from the Clerk of the National Assembly, the UPND has obtained the signatures of one-third of the 167-member parliament who are in support the motion.
Zambia’s constitutions requires the support of two-thirds of the National Assembly for such a proposal to succeed.
Some of the alleged constitutional breaches are that President Lungu violated the constitution when he failed to hand over power to the Speaker of the National Assembly when the presidential petition was filed.
Other charges are that President Lungu procured public debt which is beyond the capacity of the nation to sustain contrary to provisions of Article 198 (c) of the Constitution.
They also alleged that President Lungu breached the constitution when he interfered with the operations of ZCCM-IH when he directed the company to discontinue proceedings that it had commenced for the recovery of debt from First Quantum Minerals to the detriment of the people of Zambia.
They further allege that President Lungu engaged in acts of corruption by the unprecedented procurement of personal wealth and assets using the short period that he has held the office of President.
The other charges regards the disposal of NRDC land, transferring of proceeds of the sale of Mukula logs to ZAFFICO and not Consolidated Fund as requested by law and the procurement of fire tenders and ambulances.
But State House Spokesman Amos Chanda called the motion “defective” and said it will fail.
“The motion is defective and an act in desperation by an opposition that enjoys grandstanding for the sake of it,” Mr. Chanda said.
“The president has committed no offenses for which he can be impeached. The desperate action by the UPND is an exercise in futility and will end in an embarrassing failure.”
