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The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia has condemned in the strongest terms the harassment of journalists from public media houses at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) press briefing this morning.
Journalists from public media institutions like the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail newspapers were on Thursday chased from the press briefing which was held on Lewanika close, off Brentwood drive in Kabulonga on claims that they only publish negative stories about the NDC.
ZNBC journalists Brian Mwale was among those verbally harassed and sent out of the press briefing by the NDC sympathizers.
According to MISA Zambia investigations, all public media journalists were chased from covering the briefing based on the aforementioned claims.
“We would like to condemn this act in the strongest terms as it is an infringement on media freedoms and rights.
Further, it is vital to note that if the NDC is aggrieved as regards media conduct, it should direct such complaints to the rights stakeholders and not harass reporters. Such acts are meant to intimidate the media and obstruct them from news and information gathering during their line of duty,” said MISA Zambia Chairperson Hellen Mwale.
Ms. Mwale added, “MISA Zambia however wishes to commend the police who were present at the briefing for protecting the public media from physical harassment by NDC youths. MISA Zambia therefore appeals to political parties and members of the public to desist from harassing the media as they carry out their duties.”
The announced reopening of the Copperbelt University on 25th March 2018 remains in doubt after unionised workers vowed to not report for work.
The workers are demanding the sacking of Vice Chancellor Prof. Nason Ngoma accusing him of incompetence.
On Thursday, the Copperbelt University Senate announced that the university will re-open on 25th March 2018.
But CBU University Academics Executive Committee President Derrick Ntalasha has disclosed that despite pending issues affecting members of staff and lecturers not addressed, the Senate has resolved that the institution will go ahead and re-open on March 25th.
Mr. Ntalasha has however indicated that the three university unions namely, Copperbelt University and allied workers union, Copperbelt University Senior Administrative and Technical Staff Union and Copperbelt University academics union have vowed not to report for work if their issues are not addressed before the re-opening date.
He said it is regrettable that the Senate is rushing to reopen the institution without resolving the key issue of Prof. Ngoma’s stay at the office.
On 5 January 2018, a statement was issued by Copperbelt University Registrar Helen Mukumba saying the University was postponing all scheduled examinations to a date to be announced.
“In this regard, all students currently accommodated in the students’ hostels at all campuses should vacate the hostels with immediate effect. Examinations that were scheduled to be written during this period have been postponed and new dates will be communicated,” she had said.
Late last year, Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya invoked provisions of the country’s Public Health Act and issued a Statutory Instrument 79 which outlawed public gatherings in cholera-affected areas.
Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has demanded that government must come clean on the alleged plunder of national resources during President Edgar Lungu’s foreign trips.
Mr Hichilema stated that the leaked dossier as published by the News Diggers on the abuse of public resources by President Lungu and his PF leadership cannot be taken lightly.
He has since called on all those mentioned and the entire government machinery to own up and come out clean.
Mr Hichilema said the dossier is a clear testimony of the levels of recklessness, extravagance, contempt and patronage with which President Lungu and his administration holds their offices, which he said they dubiously obtained from the Zambian people.
“Being custodians of public wealth is a noble and sacred responsibility but these people care less as can be seen from this waste of scarce resources that are supposed to be channelled to needy and critical areas like health, education, farming and the fight against poverty,” the UPND Leader said.
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“To imagine that at a time like this where students have had no bursaries in learning institutions both at home and abroad, where farmers’ input provision in the last season was not prioritised and regarded as critical, where our citizens were dying of cholera and other water borne diseases in hospitals and clinics that have no drugs and clean running water, and yet Edgar Lungu and his large entourage were busy lavishly spending taxpayers’ money shopping in exclusive designer boutiques,” he said.
Mr Hichilema stated, “They were busy chartering cruise liners and expensive chauffeur driven limousines and hiring special cargo removal services to repatriate their made to measure merchandise while the country is struggling with poverty and the economy is on its knees, is just something we find abominable and absolutely despicable. What really are the roles and purposes of all these PF cadres and cronies including ‘bedroom attendants’ named in the published dossier and all at taxpayers cost?” he questioned.
He said Zambian people are being forced into destitution by addition of more and more taxes under the Health Insurance Bill just to fund expensive tastes for President Lungu and his State House Staff and other Government officials, whose insatiable appetite for reckless expenditure is now in competition with Hollywood.
“We have always been questioning Edgar Lungu’s numerous trips abroad and their relevance to the country, but there has already been justification that they were beneficial to the country and that we were just bitter and envious of their new found luck. Based on this dossier, it is more important for Edgar Lungu and his large entourage to be in foreign countries to dance the whole night, hire luxury limousines, take part in walking safaris, hire shipping cargoe services as compared to the life of that poor Zambian child in the streets and villages, learning in grass thatched school roofs leaking with rain water, and sitting on bricks and bamboo desks.”
According to the dossier sent by a whistleblower which details part of the cash transactions made on one of President Lungu’s trips to the United Nations in September 2015, the Treasury deposited over K17 million for various logistics, but some of it was spent on unexplained costs at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas Texas, limousine hires, dinner dance cruises and walking safaris.
The document also shows that millions were spent on shipping cargo for government officials by Air See Land shipping company of New York, a transport firm that is specialised in providing a range of moving services to the Diplomatic Community, corporate entities, individuals and government employees.
Some amounts were spent on shopping in various department stores including the International Jack’s place phone accessory shop in New York and Innovation luggage store on Broadway, New York.
But State House press aide Amos Chanda on Thursday told Journalists that the dossier could have been doctored.
And News Diggers! has confirmed that the President’s delegation on international trip was not as small as State House and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed.
On the New York trip, government sponsored PF officials including deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri and media director Sunday Chanda, PMRC executive director Bernadette Deka, musicians as well as traditional leaders.
And on a State Visit to China in March 2015, President Lungu travelled with 20 senior government officials and State House staff, 16 ministry officials and secretaries, 21 security personnel and 11 journalists, all paid for by the Treasury.
President Lungu’s senior delegation List to China departed on March 28 and returned April 1, 2015:
1. Esther Lungu (First Lady)
2. Harry Kalaba (Foreign Affairs Minister)
3. Margaret Mwanakatwe (Commerce Minister)
4. Lt Gen Paul Mihova (Zambia Army Commander)
5. Peter Kasonda (Deputy Secretary to Cabinet)
6. Amos Chanda (Press Aide)
7. Kaiza Zulu (Political Advisor)
8. Mwinga Hibeene (Economic Advisor)
9. Lucky Mulusa (Projects advisor)
10. Godwin Phiri (Police commissioner)
11. Dr Dorothy Kasanda
12. Dr Mwinga Sheyo
13. Yobe Luhana (police staff)
14. Mark Paul Nyirongo (police staff)
15. Chanda Chisanga (President ADC)
16. Kenneth Ngulube (Mihova’s ADC)
17. Sandra Ngushi (First Lady’s secretary)
18. Daniel Siwo (Private secretary)
19. Bertha Mutale (President’s Secretary)
20. Salim Henry (President’s photographer)
Advance party departed on March 25 and return on April 4, 2015:
Minister of Local Government Vincent Mwale ordering marketeers stop selling their food staff of the dirty water ponds during the tour markets at Soweto Market area
Minister of Local Government Vincent Mwale says traders that were removed from the streets will not go back as government is providing conducive trading places for them.
Mr. Mwale explains that Tokyo and Simon Mwewa markets that are being put up are meant to carter for all traders.
He adds that BH Soweto annex will accommodate vegetable and fruit traders while the Agro Fuel Lumumba market will be allocated to traders dealing in second hand clothing.
The Minister said this in Lusaka yesterday when he inspected ongoing works for the four markets along with Local Government Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga and Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit National Coordinator Yande Mwape.
Mr. Mwale indicated that traders in city market will also be allocated stands to pave way for the mining company that has pledged to construct the new city market to move on site.
Meanwhile, the DMMU National Coordinator said an inventory has already been done and that traders who were displaced will be given priority in allocation of stands.
Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Dora Siliya, MP
Government has assured Parliament that the financial challenges that the national broadcaster ZNBC is facing are temporary.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya says ZNBC has not collected TV levy through ZESCO hence the delay to pay salaries to its workers.
Speaking in Parliament last evening, Ms Siliya said government will continue helping the institution until it is able to stand on its own.
She said going forward government will appoint a board to help in the running of affairs at the corporation.
Ms Siliya was responding to a question from Chiengi MP Given Katuta who wanted to find out when workers at ZNBC will be paid.
She disclosed that once the Independent Broadcasting Authority-IBA- starts collecting the TV levy, the funds will be remitted to ZNBC.
Meanwhile many MPs took turns to ask the Minister on what is being done to ensure the financial constraints at the national broadcaster are resolved once and for all.
President Edgar Lungu says his government intends to make Information, Communication Technology – ICT- accessible to all citizens in both urban and rural areas.
President Lungu says his cabinet has taken the lead by implementing the smart Zambia agenda using electronic cabinet system and conducting paperless meetings since January this year.
He says this is to demonstrate government’s commitment to employing ICTs in all government’s operations.
He was speaking in a speech read for him by minister in the office of the vice president Syvia Chalikosa at the second Regional African Conference of international telecommunications.
President Lungu has also commended the University of Zambia for hosting the regional African international telecommunications society conference after Ghana in 2016.
And Minister of Transport and communications Brian Mushimba said the PF government is committed to the continental and regional agenda to transform the lives of people through intensive utilisation of ICTs.
Mr. Mushimba said his ministry will work with various stakeholders across the regions to see a robust and interconnected ICT infrastructure driving the social and economic development agenda of the continent.
Cabinet has opened an administrative inquiry to trace the source of a doctored bank statement which was published by the News Diggers newspaper on President Edgar Lungu’s expenditure during his recent trip to New York.
State House Press Aide Amos Chanda says the information which was published by the tabloid on March 14, 2018 included false activities of which the President never undertook during his working visit.
Mr. Chanda explains that the publication obtained the false information from a bank statement which was illegally obtained and doctored on the alleged extravagant expenditure during the trip.
He clarified that the Head of State never undertook any boat cruises and did not have a dinner dance among other malicious activities.
Mr. Chanda said this during a media briefing at state house.
Meanwhile Mr. Chanda has called on the media to factually verify their data before publishing stories with questionable information.
Central Province Commissioner of Police Joel Njase, has appealed to political parties in the province to seriously heed to police advice on security matters.
Mr Njase says the police believe in engagement of stakeholders but will not allow people whose intention is bent on bringing confusion in the province and entire country.
Commissioner Njase says the police is neutral and does not side with any individual or political party adding that its time Zambians started respecting their institutions.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kabwe today, Mr Njase said article 193 (2) of the Zambian constitution is clear on the role of the police in ensuring peace and crime prevention.
Commissioner Njase said the disturbance that ensued between police officers and the United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres during the 2018 Youth Day Celebrations in Kabwe was unwarranted.
Confusion is reported to have ensued in the Central Business District (CBD) of Kabwe on Monday after UPND cadres insisted to match when police had advised otherwise.
He said prior to the youth annual event, police in Kabwe met all political parties including the ruling Patriotic Front and advised that the celebration will proceed without matching.
Mr Njase observed that other political parties complied apart from the UPND and wondered why the former decided to go against the police counsel.
He emphasized that civil and political rights of individuals and political parties should not in any way disadvantage others.
The Police Chief urged political leaders in the province to realize that violence will not help to foster the development of country.
FILE: Former FOREIGN Affairs Minister, Harry Kalaba, speaking during an interview with Journalists after the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers held at Swazi Royal Hotel in Swaziland’s Ezulwini Town on Wednesday. PICTURE BY STEPHEN MUKOBEKO/ZANIS
Patriotic Front Bahati Constituency Chairperson Wisdom Mpelembe has taken a swipe at former Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba for accusing President Edgar Lungu of neglecting youths in the constituency.
In statement made available to media in Mansa today Mr Mpelembe says Mr. Kalaba’s claims that 75 percent of Bahati youths are unemployed because of the Patriotic Front government’s negligence should be condemned.
He says Mr. Kalaba as area Member of Parliament should instead take the blame for failing the people of Bahati during the time he was Foreign Affairs Minister.
He observes that instead of blaming President Lungu for the high unemployment and poverty levels in Bahati Constituency, Mr. Kalaba should ask himself why he failed to attract a single investor to the constituency to create jobs.
Mr. Mpelembe has since announced that the constituency executive committee has dropped two ward officials from their positions for participating in what he termed as dark corner meetings organized by Mr. Kalaba.
Tanzania Zambia Railways Authority (TAZARA) workers have called on government through the Ministry of Transport and Communication to pay their salaries on time.
Speaking on behalf of the TAZARA employees today, Mr. Sitali Kaoma told ZANIS in Livingstone today that it has become difficult for the workers to meet their daily needs and look after families because of delays in getting their salaries.
Mr Kaoma disclosed workers for the past three months now have been getting their pay despite them reporting for work on a daily basis.
Mr. Kaoma complained that school going children especially those in examination classes have been disadvantaged as they are chased from school due to non-payments of school fees.
He further said the situation has also affected workers whose children are in colleges and universities because of not being paid.
He however, thanked the government for the help it has been rendering to TAZARA employees for the past years.
The National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) has set a target of collecting K 1 billion Kwacha toll fees this year.
NRFA Public Relations Manager (1A) Alphonsius Hamachila says in 2017 the agency collected K667million.
Mr. Hamachila pointed out that as a Lead agency in the implementation of phase two of the National Road Tolling Programme (NRTP), the institution is currently operating 10 tall stations across the country.
He reiterated the agency’s target to construct 40 tolling stations in all the 10 provinces by the end of 2018.
Mr. Hamachila, hailed the road users for their compliance in paying road tolls which he said is an engine to the successes recorded by the Agency.
The number of bridges that have been washed away in Nalikwanda constituency in Mongu has increased to 18 from the 13 that were damaged barely two weeks ago.
Mongu District Commissioner, Susiku Kamona disclosed that five more crossing points have been completely washed away and two other clinics cut- off from the rest of the district due to the floods.
Mr. Kamona said though no lives have been lost there is need to speed-up the acquisition of motorized transport to ferry medical supplies to the affected health institutions to keep the provision of health services at optimal levels.
He disclosed that the floods have also affected some crops and disrupted the smooth attendance of classes by pupils in some affected schools in the area.
And Mr. Kamona has thanked the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DDMMU) under the Vice President’s Office for releasing funds to the district to enable it conduct a rapid assessment report.
He said the team that went round the affected wards is busy compiling a report that will be finalized by today and be sent to DDMM in Lusaka.
The DC expressed optimism that DDMMU will respond to some of the immediate needs the district has requested such as the 11 boats for ferrying drugs and monitoring of the health situation to avert any possible outbreaks of diseases in the affected areas
The district has been experiencing heavy rains in the past weeks destroying infrastructure and cutting –off some schools and clinics from the rest of the district.
Villagers from Mwense Village in Samfya district mobilised themselves after police arrested 11 fishermen and attacked Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Offices where they broke window panes.
Police in Samfya apprehended 11 fishermen of Mwense village in Chief Kasoma Bangweulu’s chiefdom for illegal fishing and being in possession of fish during the fishing ban period.
Disclosing the matter to ZANIS in Mansa today, Luapula Province Police Commissioner Elias Chushi says the 11 suspects were apprehended on 12th March 2018 during a routine patrol conducted by a joint team of police and fisheries officers.
The Luapula Province Police Commission revealed that no officer was hurt in the process and the situation has since normalized and police have continued monitoring the situation.
The 11 have since been charged with being in possession with fish during the fish ban contrary to section 18, Cap 200 of the Fisheries Act.
