Zambia Chamber of Mines President Nathan Chishimba during an interview on Radio Phoenix recently
The Zambia Chamber of Mines has appointed Goodwell Mateyo as its new president.
He succeeds Nathan Chishimba, who is retiring after two consecutive terms.
Seasoned industry veteran Nicolas Bowen will serve as Vice President.
Mr. Mateyo takes over the policy lobby group at a time when the mining industry is facing an imminent change in its fiscal regime, as outlined in the 2019 National Budget, announced by the Finance Minister, the chamber said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
He also disclosed that members of the chamber were reviewing their operations and might have to consider scaling back substantially while reducing capital expenditure by over $500-million over the next three years.
He added that this was likely to result in about 7 000 direct jobs, and more than 14 000 indirect jobs, coming under threat.
“While feedback on our representations to the Ministry of Finance is awaited, the membership remains hopeful of averting such an outcome and are strongly committed to robust engagement above and beyond the process outlined by the Minister in which the reconstitution of the Tax Policy Review Committee was announced,” Mr. Mateyo said.
The Seychelles Ministry of Education is expected to recruit more teachers from Zambia to compensate for the shortage of teachers in state schools, said a top official.
The recruitment will be done through a memorandum of understanding that will be signed with the Zambian Ministry of Education.
The principal secretary for early childhood, primary and secondary, Odile De Commarmond, told the press that this move will help the ministry in addressing a shortage of teachers.
“For the time being, we have 46 vacancies available at the secondary level. However, it doesn’t mean that we are going to fill all these vacancies with teachers from Zambia only,” she said.
De Commarmond added that “this is because there are some specific subjects such as religion, French and physical education which we do not require or cannot be taught by Zambians.”
There are 35 primary and secondary state schools in Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean. Presently, there are 1,050 teachers, including 173 foreigners, working in state schools on the three main islands of Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue.
Early this year, the Ministry of Education took in a group of Zambian teachers to work in the educational sector, mainly at the secondary level.
“For these teachers, we are still looking at the pace of their adaptation to the system to see if there are any setbacks and how we can move forward,” said the principal secretary.
De Commarmond explained that for the Zambian teachers the first thing that the Zambian needs to adapt to “is the school curriculum as in their country they have their own examination system and they do not train students for International Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).”
The Zambian teachers will be teaching science, maths, geography, information communication and technology (ICT), and design and technology which are subjects in Zambia’s educational system.
De Commarmond said Zambia has offered to help because it has a surplus of professional teachers.
Apart from Zambia, the Ministry of Education is also recruiting teachers from Mauritius and is exploring possibilities with Fiji, Madagascar and Philippines.
Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba speaking during the launch of ZamPay
Communications and Transport Minister Brian Mushimba has appealed to Zambians to fully support the transformation that is currently taking place at Zamtel.
Mr Mushimba noted that Government through Zamtel is making huge investments such as the construction of 1009 communication towers across the country at a cost of US$280 million.
He said the members of the public should play their role by making Zamtel SIM cards the primary card for calls and internet.
Mr Mushimba said Zamtel is currently positioning itself to play a central role in the country’s digital transformation journey hence the need for public support.
He was speaking on Tuesday when he officially launched ZamPay, a new electronic payment solution which uses a Quick Response (QR) code installed on the mobile phone device.
He jokingly suggested that it should be made a crime for any adult Zambian not to own a Zamtel SIM card.
Mr Mushimba said the launch of ZamPay is a big deal as it will significantly contribute to the creation of a cashless society in Zambia.
“Today, I successfully launched ZamPay, a new way to support a cashless society, developed in-house by Zamtel. I actually was the first to use the platform and bought some groceries from spar supermarket using the platform (app downloaded onto my Zamtel line and scanned the bar code at the cash register in spar and boom, I paid for the groceries). Technology amazes me every day and we must evolve with it or we will be left behind,” Mr Mushimba further stated.
“I made an appeal that we support Zamtel, our own baby as Zambians, by embracing their products and using Zamtel SIM cards as our primary cards for phone calls and internet. It will make a difference,” he said.
He added, “allow me to explain further why this initiative is great. The benefits of buying local products is beneficial to our economy. When you buy local, it stays local. More jobs will be created in your town, the community will prosper, and people will be more connected than ever to their own town. Your money helps revamp local businesses to flourish. This will be meaningful to you, as well as neighbours close to you. I urge everyone to promote local products.”
Mr Mushimba also recommend the buying of local products in order to help support your local business men and women.
“When you buy a product from a local service business, you are not only supporting the local economy, but also supporting your neighbors. Let me give an analogy: The citizen down the road, the shoe cobbler that owns the local repair shop, or the woman that sells her homemade skincare and bath products, appreciate their customers so much more. Why? Not only do they get to warmly meet you, a person who uses their products face to face, but also your support helps them and their businesses excel. You help feed their families, pay their bills, and put a roof over his or her family’s head. This chain goes on and on. It is a huge deal to buy locally for these reasons.
Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba ready to pay for his shopping using ZamPay during the launch of the product at Spar Arcades on Tuesday
And Zamtel Chief Executive Officer Sydney Mupeta stated that his firm has embarked on a transformational journey towards digitization and will be coming up with innovative products and services which are relevant to the lives of the customer.
“As Zamtel we recognize the fact that our customers today have become extremely busy and require products which are “On the Go!” yet are safe and secure. Just last month, we announced the launch of our 4G network on mobile on the Copperbelt which has resulted in our customers enjoying faster internet speeds. The launch of ZamPay today is yet another response to our customers for a need to have a seamless payment solution which addresses their busy lifestyles,” Mr Mupeta said.
He added, “a number of business houses in our country today, large and small, have grappled with the problem of cash related risk exposure mainly through thefts. ZamPay will eliminate the risk of handling sums of cash and will bring about efficiencies in the cost of running business. The need to spend money for “Cash in transit” security services will become a thing of the past.”
Zambia Under-20 tumbled at the semifinal stage of the 2018 COSAFA U20 Cup following a 2-1 loss to Zimbabwe at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
The 11-time champions’ defensive frailties that Mozambique exposed in the final Group A match that ended 1-1 on December 8 returned to haunt the tournament hosts again on Tuesday.
Charles Bwale’s team went ahead in the 36th minute but two minutes later goalkeeper Bradley Mweene and his defenders found themselves in communication crosswires and Zimbabwe defender Andrew Mbebe punished them for that when he headed-in the equalizer.
Zambia then huffed and puffed their way throughout the second half and Zimbabwe then deservedly took the lead in the 71st minute when Delic Murimba beat Mweene as the hosts’ attack continued to offer very little quality or bite for that matter.
Meanwhile, Zambia will face Angola in the 3rd and 4th place playoff on Thursday.
Zimbabwe will play defending champions South Africa in the final later on the same day after the latter beat Angola 1-0 in Tuesday’s early kickoff.
Former Defunct Post Newspaper Editor in Chief Fred M’membe
Former Defunct Post Newspaper Editor in Chief Fred M’membe has lost his quest to have Lusaka High Court Judge Sunday Nkonde removed from Office.
This follows the Constitutional Court’s decision to dismiss his petition.
Delivering the Judgement on behalf of two other Constitutional Court Judges Annie Sitali and Enoch Mulembe, Judge Martin Museluke noted that Dr. M’MEMBE’s petition was improperly before the court.
Dr. M’membe petitioned the Constitutional Court after the Kitwe High Court nullified the Judicial Complaints Commission recommendations to suspend Judge Nkonde when it had established a Prima-facie case against him.
But the Constitutional Court quashed his arguments that the High Court has no Jurisdiction to preside on the matter as it bordered on constitutional interpretation.
The Constitutional Court ruled that the High Court based on Article 28 of the constitution has jurisdiction to hear matters on bill of rights.
The Court also dismissed Dr. M’membe’s application to dismiss the Kitwe High Court’s Consent Judgement as he was not part to it.
Dr. M’membe had last year filed a complaint before the Judicial Complaints Commission, citing allegations of Professional Misconduct against Judge Nkonde.
He alleged that Judge Nkonde misconducted himself in the manner he handled the Post Newspaper in Liquidation Case.
But, Judge Nkonde commenced an action in the Kitwe High court, stating that the Judicial Complaints Commission did not give him the right to be heard.
The Kitwe High Court in a consent judgement upheld Judge Nkonde’s plea that he was not afforded the right to be heard.
The consent judgement was between the Attorney General and Judge Nkonde.
More than Five thousand girls have been impregnated in the third quarter of 2018 in Chipata District alone in Eastern Province.
Chipata District Commissioner Kalunga Zulu has disclosed that the pregnancies where recorded from girls below the age of 20 years old.
He said some of the girls are in schools while the others are out of school.
ZANIS reports that Mr Zulu was speaking as guest of honor at the official opening of a two days Chipata District Adolescent Health Technical Working Group in Chipata today.
Patriotism (Love And Duty To The Country) Is An Inescapable And Compelling Moral Imperative For All Citizens
By A. B. Chikwanda
A country may be characterized or defined by a diversity of physical features such as mountains, rivers and peculiarities. All told, what constitutes a country is a community of people, homogenous or heterogeneous, who inhabit the territorial space or land. Thus inevitably, Zambia is a summation of each and every individual and our rather composite social relationships. Herein lies a spectrum and proliferation of issues of gravity such as our individual rights which per force must be matched by duties, obligations and responsibilities. A mismatch between our rights and duties induces a disproportionality which is not cost neutral for our beloved country.
In recent times, Zambia has very regrettably witnessed acts which are a disservice to the country when some citizens have painted blatantly adverse images of our country. In the past, it was unheard of for Zambians in the Diaspora to campaign against their country, whatever political differences that existed in our midst in the country. There is an absolute and urgent need for all of us to close our ranks and get our country to meaningfully move forward. Despite the undeniable reasonably robust development endeavours of the Patriotic Front (PF) administration, Zambia, like the rest of Africa, is at scandalously low ebb of development.
The entire sub-Saharan Africa, with over one billion people, has a gross national income that is less than France or the United Kingdom (just about $3 trillion). The continent’s two biggest economies, South Africa and Nigeria, have a combined GDP that is scarcely bigger than that of the Netherlands – a country of 41,000 square kilometers in size and a population of 17 million people.
Some critical issues are at the core and underlie Africa’s retardation. Key among the issues is appalling governance and sentiment and emotion driven decisions which naturally have zero or very little rationality content. The continent has, since liberation from colonialism, put a caveat on intellect and frowned upon depth in thinking and meritocracy – in the process generalising and institutionalising mediocrity. In sociological terms, this is partly because we are transitioning from ascriptive societies (hierarchy-based) to modern achievement based societies.
Post colonial Africa embraced the one-party systems which had their own immutable internal logic, namely indivisibility of power reposed in individuals or fragile personalised institutions. The logical sequel of this system is the “privatisation” of the state. In most of the countries, if not in all, no steps have been taken to foster improvements in governance and unleash the energies of the citizens for more concerted efforts to banish the poverty that engulfs more than 50% of the populations.
My admonition to all Zambians is that we have had enough of the blame game and daily screams of obscenities at each other. It is time to pull our very meagre intellectual resources to make Zambia a model country. The global economy is once again palpably slowing down and the headwinds of deceleration look quite gloomy and ominous. Like most of the continent, we are still unhealthily commodity dependent. The dip in commodities can take a downward spiralling at the whims and caprices of a few individual actors on the global stage such as the trump induced trade wars.
The opposition parties and the free (cum opposition) media which in a way try to check the excesses of government misdirect their efforts by concentrating on the Republican and Patriotic Front leader, Mr. Edgar Lungu, with a misperception that they can bring him down. Mr. Lungu’s approval ratings in the PF is high and PF feel that the inroads the party is making in provinces where the party’s showing was weak in the past is essentially on account of those provinces’ perception of Mr. Lungu’s affability, humility and a spirit of fellowship. The ingrained diehard segments in opposition should also realise that it is not easy to wish away the numerous development projects going on throughout the country which has not been the case in the past.
A more credible opposition would have undressed the many flaws in the constitution because governance does impinge positively or negatively in the direction or impact of development. The present electoral system entails that parliamentary and Presidential candidates have to marshal large amounts of financial resources to dish out to the voters or leaders of opinion and influence. Isn’t this the genesis and recipe for corruption? It is also a requirement of the law which government cannot circumvent that when a vacancy occurs at the level of parliamentary or local government seat, a by-election is held within 90 days. The cost of by-elections is becoming increasingly unsustainable. It is a good thing for the country to scrupulously fulfil the requirements of the constitution but when health institutions go without drugs, a gloss over morality is difficult to justify.
Other veritable electoral options such as proportional representation merit consideration. With the system of lists, by-elections and their exceedingly excessive costs are avoided. The voters are asked to endorse the ideas and programs of parties. Those leaders who are consigned to lose in Presidential elections will sit in parliament as long as their parties meet the minimum thresholds. Proportional representation also has fairer and more equitable representation and no personal-to-holder turfs.
When there was a change-over to multi-party politics after a number of us confidants of President Kaunda persuaded him not to proceed with a costly referendum but amend an appropriate section of the constitution to reinstitute multi-partyism, all that happened was to craft multi-party politics onto the flawed one-party constitution. The implicit risks of the “privatisation” of the state were not addressed.
The Patriotic Front and President Lungu should not miss this rare opportunity of making history by leaving a unique legacy for Zambia and again being a trend-setter for a continent that totally lacks innovation in the important human sphere of governance. Restructuring governance arrangements to have a non-executive President would be a historical landmark. It would take a lot of heat out of our future politics. The cost savings would be astronomical because support institutions would be drastically reduced. This practical and meaningful “dis-privatisation” of the state would be a laudable decision and would set Zambia apart as a continental role model.
There is hero worship and deification of leaders that is creeping into our own politics – it has been there before but a reinstating of decadent practices when we are supposed move forward has some worrying overtones. There is always flattery in all human societies, and most people do not realise that flattery is an equally insidious form of corruption. It can reach unimaginable proportions such as in North Korea’s Kim II Sung era when the leader was unambiguously eulogised as a great and beloved leader, destined and ordained to live longer than the mountains and the oceans!
When we fix the constitution which incidentally must not proceed with indecent haste, we should do so together as a remarkable people who have done well in diversity, addressing the challenges some of which I hereby list:
1. The first challenge relates to demographics. Our population which was just below 3 million at independence is now 18 million, meaning it has grown by a factor of 6. Meanwhile our economic growth rates have been exceedingly depressed in single digits. Over the past three years, economic growth rates have averaged 4% which when discounted against our robust annual population growth rates of 2.8% leave a net growth rate of 1.2% which cannot sustain reduction in poverty levels deemed to be in excess of 50%. We need consistent double digit rates of economic growth for at least two decades to lower poverty levels significantly.
Poverty is itself the biggest hindrance to any country’s upward thrust. Poor people have no purchasing power and cannot make a contribution to social security as they have to be supported all the way. Poverty severely constrains accelerated investment, whether foreign or domestic.
Zambia is essentially a county of young people. The 0 – 30 years age group accounts for 70% of the population and 90% of our people are 45 years old and below. Ordinarily, this would constitute a rare privilege of a gainful demographic dividend, but we have had no such advantage because the dire paucity of resources has entailed absence and inadequacy of requisite skills. Our country has poor work culture and ethic. Various governments have oriented our people to harbour unsustainable expectations instead of being active agents of development.
2. The second major challenge in our country is that agriculture has not delivered beyond modest levels of food security. This is a sector that suffers most from dysfunctional policies that are invariably emotion and sentiment driven. Two major problems are common – the very low yields by small scale farmers are either due to inappropriate agronomy or growing crops in unsuitable ecological zones or areas. These two issues have to be resolved as a matter of life or death, for only when the small-scale farmer earns money which is a fair and reasonable recompense for his or her toil can poverty end. It would be unrealistic for government to end the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) overnight but resources must be found for increased extension services, including unconstrained mobility for extension services officers – then costly and wasteful schemes like FISP will disappear.
3. A major problem the country has is to sustain expenditure on constitutional and statutory requirements, namely emoluments and public debt which account for more than 80% of the national budget. There are no easy solutions. We cannot reduce the size of the civil service without risks for service delivery and accentuating unemployment. However, government should take the plunge and decelerate the annual wages salary adjustments. As debt servicing becomes increasingly unsustainable, it is inevitable that except for concessionary facilities from multi-lateral institutions such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, etc, the other types of borrowing be frozen which leaves scope to finance viable infrastructure through Public – Private Partnership (PPP). I have in the past noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is now less theological. The institution cannot depart from the ingrained habit of coming with a pre-ordained script from Washington DC. With pain, I admit that the IMF’s concerns about borrowings are plausible. The decline in our reserves is rather worrying so let us all responsible citizens urge our government to take the tough medicine – delay could affect the economy’s resilience. A program with the IMF gets a diversity of investors onboard. This is the ugly reality of our lop-sided world.
Conclusion
At any one time, now and in the long distant future, our country will experience reversals as indeed do all countries. We need resolve and principally togetherness to overcome difficulties without those cleavages that cause avoidable anguish and agony. United for the love of our country – patriotism is a useful tool. It is our duty, obligation and responsibility to posterity.
The Author is a Member of Central Committee for the Ruling Patriotic Front in Zambia, a Former Minister of Finance under UNIP and PF reign
First Lady Esther Lungu speaks with Nyimba Constituency member of Parliament Olipa Phiri Mwansa in Nyimba on Monday, February 19,2018, on her way to Petauke where she is expected to handover Assorted items donated to Esther Lungu Foundation Trust by Nyimba Investments
Government says it is committed to the continued implementation of the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) scheme.
Community Development and Social Services Minister, Olipa Phiri said the scheme offers social protection support to incapacitated and vulnerable members of society.
Speaking in Kalabo district during the launch of payments of the bi-monthly grants at Kancumwa Basic School, Mrs. Phiri said Government considers social protection as a key intervention towards supporting economic growth, reducing poverty and promoting equity and human rights.
Mrs. Phiri said Government therefore, has a responsibility to ensure that the grants are delivered to the intended beneficiaries as promised.
The minister assured beneficiaries that they will be paid all their dues adding that, she was aware that they have not received their bi-monthly grants for some time.
She said Government shall continue to prioritize the well-being and plight of incapacitated and vulnerable members of society.
ZANIS reports that the remarks were contained in a speech read on her behalf by Western Province Assistant Permanent Secretary, Katungu Mukwambuyu.
Meanwhile, SCT Manager, Bernadette Malungo said challenges which characterised disbursement of grants have been resolved.
Earlier, Kalabo District Administrative Officer, Siyupwa Kabisa said Government has released two million kwacha for disbursement to 9,900 beneficiaries in Kalabo district for the bi-monthly period March-April 2018.
Mr. Kabisa said Kalabo has expanded the enrollment from 3,000 beneficiaries since inception of the scheme in 2010 to over 9,000 in 2018.
He said the expansion affirms that SCT is a social protection policy aimed at reducing the economic burden among the poorest population.
And passing a vote of thanks on behalf of fellow beneficiaries, Charity Pelekelo thanked Government for implementing the Social Cash Transfer scheme.
Ms. Pelekelo said the scheme has improved livelihoods of vulnerable households in accessing basic needs such as food and school fees.
She has since implored fellow beneficiaries to improve their living conditions by putting the funds to good use in order to avoid falling back into abject poverty.
Social Cash Transfer scheme is one of the components of Zambia’s social protection interventions through which bi-monthly grants are given to vulnerable households who meet the required benchmarks.
Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) says there is need for a mindset change for the success of the agribusiness incubator in North-Western Province planned to be developed by the end of the first quarter of 2019.
ZDA Enterprise Development Director, Mukula Makasa said the concept of the Timbali Agribusiness incubation model will only be possible if the entrepreneurs develop a business mind as not everyone is born an entrepreneur.
Mr. Makasa said the incubator will not only bring development but also empower the small micro businesses to overcome some hurdles they face in the province.
He said the incubator project will incorporate 60 percent of youths as it is also a way of job creation and income generation.
Mr. Masaka said the province is surrounded by great potential markets in Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo therefore, it is about time that a local content strategy is developed.
He said this at a business linkages meeting in Solwezi today with various Stakeholders.
Meanwhile, North-Western Province Chamber of Commerce President, Josephine Makondo said there has been too much talk about the incubator therefore, it is about time that everything is implemented.
Ms. Makondo has called on the private sector to take advantage of the project and support the development of the incubator.
Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba and Zamtel Acting Chief Information Officer Jason Mwanza look on as Zamtel Products Manager Mrs. Comfort Nyondo Mbulo demonstrates how ZamPay APP operates at Spar Arcades
State owned telecommunications company Zamtel has today launched ZamPay, a new mobile payment platform.
The service will enable users make payments using Quick Response (QR) code whereby consumers scan the QR code displayed by the merchant with their phones to pay for their goods.
To start using ZamPay, Zamtel customers should download the ZamPay APP from Google Play store or App store and launch by swiping up from the home screen, authenticate then tap or hold their phone device close to the payment terminal to make payments.
The consumers will then enter the amount they have to pay and finally submit.
The first of its kind in Zambia, ZamPay offers a flexible payment solution that make purchases safer and simpler.
At the launch event at Spar Arcades, Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba, MP commended Zamtel for the innovation saying it is in line with Government’s commitment to upscaling the deployment of digital solutions as it seeks to deepen financial inclusion in Zambia.
Mr Mushimba said ZamPay will help a number of large and small businesses reduce on the cost of doing business and improve controls at the point of transaction.
He said embracing digital payment solutions like ZamPay will fast-track Government’s efforts towards achieving a cashless culture and economy.
“As you may be aware, the government through the 7th National Development Plan seeks to promote financial inclusion especially for our brothers and sisters in the rural parts of the country. You may wish to know that only 40% of Zambia’s adult population is financially included. My governments desire is to grow this number to more than 60% by the year 2030,” Mr Mushimba said.
“We therefore, believe that the launch of such products as ZamPay will go a long way in addressing the financial gaps we are currently experiencing. It indeed gives us great pleasure to see that companies such as Zamtel are quickly innovating and supplementing Governments efforts to achieving that goal,” he said.
He added, “ZamPay will help a number of large and small businesses reduce on the cost of doing business and improve controls at the point of transaction. It therefore follows that embracing digital payment solutions like ZamPay will fast-track my Government’s efforts towards achieving a cashless culture and economy.”
And Zamtel Chief Executive Officer Sydney Mupeta said his company is hugely excited about how ZamPay is going to transform customers’ lives.
He said Zamtel is committed to driving the mobile wallet movement in Zambia and that the launch furthers the company’s dedication to delivering innovative services to its consumers.
“A number of business houses in our country today, large and small, have grappled with the problem of cash related risk exposure mainly through thefts. ZamPay will eliminate the risk of handling sums of cash and will bring about efficiencies in the cost of running business. The need to spend money for “Cash in transit” security services will become a thing of the past,” he said.
He added, “We therefore urge all the business houses in the country to take advantage of the ZamPay solution and register as merchants to allow their customers make transactions using this payment solution.”
“We are pioneering this exciting product in order to push digital commerce and are excited to work with Spar and other merchants to deliver this new frictionless payment options to consumers, in turn helping to accelerate the adoption of digital payments in Zambia,” Mr Mupeta said.
He stated “Making a payment has become so much more than just making a transaction and is now also about the experience. Therefore, this innovation is about making the buying process quicker and more convenient. Today we are launching a product that we believe will be part of our lifestyle.”
He added, “As Zamtel we recognize the fact that our customers today have become extremely busy and require products which are “On the Go!” yet are safe and secure. The arrival will allow them to make simple, quick and highly secure payments with their phones– without ever having to get their card from their wallet.”
Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba cuts the ribbon to launch ZamPay APP at Spar Arcades as Zamtel CEO Sydney Mupeta and Spar Zambia General Manager Ken Darvy look on
Minister of Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili welcomes Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa when he called on the Minister at Government Complex
Government says it is working tirelessly to create wealth for the country in order to improve the welfare of the people.
When Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa of the United Family International Church of Zimbabwe paid a courtesy call at her office today, Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili said wealth creation is a very important topic as the nation aspires to prosper.
Mrs. Sumaili informed Prophet Makandiwa, that God has blessed Zambia with abundant natural resources which can accelerate economic development of the country.
She stressed that she is particularly happy that Prophet Makandiwa is in the country to share biblical principles of wealth Creation to the nation.
Meanwhile, Prophet Makandiwa said there is need to appreciate the men and women that have contributed to the economic and stability of Zambia.
Prophet Makandiwa, prayed that Zambians should be prayerful and appreciate the many good things that God has blessed the country with.
Prophet Makandiwa is in Zambia for a three day Wealth Creation Summit which will run from 11th to December 13, 2018.
Minister of Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili welcomes Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa when he called on the Minister at Government ComplexMinister of Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili confers with Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa when he called on the Minister at Government ComplexMinister of Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili confers with Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa when he called on the Minister at Government Complex
A gang of five women are in police custody after a video emerged on social media showing them torturing a naked young woman. The gang is alleged to have shoved a castle bottle into her vagina, thereafter, they pumped chili sauce into her vagina.
The incident happened when the young woman was drinking beer at Start Point in Masala main market Ndola, with a Mr. Mwanza who is the husband to Precious Kapambwe. Whilst there, Mr.Mwanza’s wife Precious showed up in the company of other women.
Upon seeing his wife and her friends, Mr.Mwanza run away leaving the victim alone. Precious and her friends then picked the victim by force and took her to a home where she was forced to undress. Her arms and legs were held by the four women whilst the fifth one inserted an empty bottle of castle beer into her private parts. One of them started making a video and taking pictures. Police visited the scene and apprehended the named suspects and recovered 2 cell phones containing the video and pictures and clothes belonging to the victim.
Police spokesperson Esther Katongo has expressed disgust over the incident. Esther Katongo said it is saddening that women are the ones in the forefront undressing fellow women in public and taking videos which they later post on social media.
“This country has got laws and channels of reporting grievances and anything short of that will not be condoned. We are not in a jungle where only the fittest survive. We are ruled by laws and the provisions of the law should be adhered to,” Katongo said.
Meanwhile NGOCC has condemned in the strongest terms the assault of a woman by fellow women in the video that has gone viral on social media in which some women are visibly abusing another whom they have accused of being in a relationship with a married man.
The conduct of the women in the video is not only cruel, but inhuman and an abuse of the other woman’s rights. The behavior of the women to undress and dehumanize a fellow woman is the worst form of indignity and a violation of human rights that any human being can be exposed to.
As an organisation we have this morning engaged the Zambia Police command to demand the immediate arrest of those women for their barbaric conduct. It is therefore good that all those that were involved have since been arrested by the police on the Copperbelt. Nothing can justify their inhuman and degrading treatment of a fellow human being in such a manner.
NGOCC will follow this case to its logical conclusion to ensure that justice is done. In the meantime our members are working with the police to help the victim with some counselling in view of the traumatizing experience.
Zambians must desist from taking the law into their own hands by engaging in mob justice.
President Lungu receives a Bible from Bible Society of Zambia Board president Professor Edwin Zulu and Bible Society of Zambia General Secretary Dr Abraham Chikasa (L) at State House where he Renewed his Membership as Patron of Bible Society of Zambia on Tuesday,December 11,2018 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA/State House
President Edgar Lungu has called on leaders across sectors to embrace the word of God as they lead people.
President Lungu said the word of God is an anchor in decision-making and many other undertakings.
He said it is incumbent upon all leaders to support the fundamental responsibility of the churches and other Institutions such as the Bible Society of Zambia to propagate the biblical teachings and values to the children of God.
President Lungu was speaking at State House today, during the launch of the 2019 Membership Renewal of the Bible Society of Zambia.
President Lungu, who is a patron of the Bible Society of Zambia has noted that the Society had made significant strides in its Evangelism and distribution of audio bibles translated into Seven local languages.
He has pledged his continued support to the work of the Society and that State House will consider assisting in restoring the Bible Society House.
President Lungu described the work of the Bible Society as crucial in the country’s desire towards actualisation of the Declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation.
And Bible Society Board President, Edwin Zulu said the vision of the Society is to see the country transformed through the bible.
Professor Zulu explained that the Society has translated the bible in close to twenty languages and will strive to translate it into all languages.
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu poses for a photograph with a delegation from Bible Society of Zambia, Minister of Religious Affairs,Godfridah Sumaili and other State House Officials and Senior government officials and shortly after the President renewed his Membership as the Patron of Bible Society of Zambia at State House on Tuesday,December 11,2018 -Pictures by THOMAS NSAMA/STATE HOUSE
The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation will switch off analogue television by 31st December 2018.
ZNBC Corporate Affairs Manager Yvette Chanda however says five districts will not be switched off.Mrs. Chanda says the districts to remain on analogue are Mbala, Senga Hill, Nakonde, Chirundu and Manyinga.
She was speaking in an interview with ZNBC News in Lusaka.
ZNBC switched off analogue television along the line of rail in October 2017.And Top Star Vice President Cliff Sichone said 90 percent of the work regarding digital migration has been done.
Mr. Sichone said Zambia has done well with the migration process getting to a stage where many channels can be accommodated on a platform.
File picture:Scores of people waiting for their turn to apply for new passports
It is every Zambian citizens right to have a passport.It is an important document to every one of us to enable us travel outside the country, be it for leisure or business.With a minimum of K310 required by the home office to process this very important document, we understand as citizens, but let see to it that a portion of these funds are used for the maintenance of the very offices that we use for the application and collection of these documents.
How does one pay that much and the very office that one has to wait to be interviewed for a minimum 3 hours has no toilet? The offices have a 1950’s look, are poorly ventilated with tons of files that can be sorted and stored off site or documented electronically to create space and create a conducive environment for our hard working brothers and sisters.The offices have no backup generator as we are all aware of persistent power cuts.
Why should we wait for donor funding or experts from abroad to just fix simple systems to create better and efficient services for our people. Why do we have only two collection windows functioning.Why should we have those officers close for lunch when we can have some start at 7:30 and knockoff at 15:30, take early lunch and then let the others do a 9 to 5 shift. Why should the department not send an SMS to advise the passport applicants if the document is ready so as to avoid citizens not to make unnecessary trips to and from the offices just to check on the status of their applications.
I know most of these highlighted issues will be rebuffed as “this is Zambia the real Africa” where suffering is acceptable.Yet we do have well educated individuals such as a Dr Chileshe Mulenga and others at world renown institutions managing these same institutions yet simple solutions are far-fetched. Is the Home affairs budget for police operations only?
