Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has maintained that he sees nothing wrong with the procurement of ambulances which many critics have maintained that the price was inflated.
But political activist Gregory Chifire has challenged Dr Chilufya to show the nation just one ambulance that has been so far delivered despite the fact that payment was made in December 2015.

In a statement, Dr Chilufya cautioned Zambians against perceiving corruption in public procurement.

He said the project to purchase ambulances is not new and that it was concluded by his predecessor late Dr Kasonde in March 2015.
Dr Chilufya said he has also reviewed the deal with a professional mind and that he sees nothing wrong with it.

The Health Minister says the Ministry’s need for advanced life support ambulances was not arrived at as an afterthought adding that there was and still is a need to have ambulances with Intensive Care facilities.

He said the need was necessitated by the PF’s decision to embark on a robust transformation agenda to provide access to health services for all Zambians.

“Custom-designed intensive care units are a lifeline for seriously compromised patients. Critically ill patients often need to be urgently transferred between hospitals so that they can receive highly specialised, often lifesaving care at the most appropriate facility. Such patients are often so compromised that they require an intensive care environment while en route between hospitals to ensure that they remain stable and safe throughout their transfer. Is it wrong for government to extend this service to ordinary citizens?”

Dr Chilufya also wondered where people got the highly publicised $288,000 per ambulance when the total cost of the project was $11.5 million.

“This alone should tell you the motive behind those who are stuck to this story. You should not even be misled into dividing $11.5m by 50 because the $11.5m package awarded to the successful bidder Savenda Management Services included a lot more than just the purchase of ambulances. It included training 200 people to support the operation of the ambulances which was 100 paramedics, 50 doctors and 50 mechanics. Apart from the training of the people manning these highly advanced ambulances, the package included the provision of spare parts for five years regardless of mileage,” Dr Chilufya explained.

He added, “When my Ministry bought 9 mobile clinics in 2010, we paid $3,3m on spare parts for a maximum of 2 years. The cost of getting technical support and training medical staff was $5.2m and we spent $6m on medical appliances and medicines. The 9 mobile clinics themselves cost us $36.3m. This sort of equipment is very expensive and this is why when my Ministry decided to buy these highly sophiscated life saving machines, the procurement was taken to the ZPPA and it was a very competitive international public tender that attracted no appeals from any losing firms when it was awarded to winning bidder Savenda with an $11.5m bid.”

Dr Chilufya has since urged Zambians to desist from bringing politics into issues surrounding the lives of the people.

He said there is justification in investing in basic life support ambulances such as the Toyota Landcruiser ambulances purchased with the help of the Swedish government, in intermediate life support ambulances and in advanced life support ambulances like the Mercedes-Benz ambulances being supplied by Savenda because any of these can save a life at any time under different circumstances.

“Therefore the issue of cost should not deter the Ministry from investing in equipment that will save our people. It’s sad we have resorted to toxic politics at the expense of development. Nobody deserves to die and my Ministry, in line with the PF manifesto, will value every life irrespective of one’s perceived standing in society,” he stated.
But political activist Gregory Chifire has challenged Dr Chilufya to show the nation just one ambulance that has been so far delivered despite the fact that payment was made in December 2015.

Mr Chifire said, “All I stated is that us as citizens questioned the government decision to buy an Ambulance at $288,000 per unit. Dr Chitalu Chilufya responded that it was not $288,000 but $230,000, a figure that is still within what we said. You can Google for yourselves fellow citizens if the ambulance attached here under, brand new from show room can cost even half of the amount as given by our Honourable Minister.”

He added, “As if stealing from the people is not enough, the payment for the ambulances was made in December 2015, I challenge the Minister to show us just one ambulance that has been so far delivered.”

“The Minister claimed that the cost includes training and spares. When did Savenda start training medical personnel or mechanics, Mr Savenda himself doesn’t even know how to handle a syringe, now what useless training can he give to our well trained medical personnel? If there is form of training, it is done by the manufacturer, not Savenda. When did Savenda start dealing in ambulances? Don’t think we are gullible. Whether its $288,000 or $230,000, the cost is too high,” he maintained.

Zambian house music pioneer El Mukuka releases “All I Need” featuring long time collaborator and friend Alan Thompson. Mukuka’s signature melodic house sound with Thompson’s velvety-smooth vocals makes this song a “must-have” for your love song playlist.

The release of “All I Need” has stirred up a lot of anticipation as fans eagerly await this long overdue collaboration. The duo’s 2013 hit record “Heart” that won them a ZNBC Born n Bred Music Video Award, multiple chart rankings and several international sub-licensing deals was their last major collaboration. The release of “All I Need” is a clear statement that the super-duo is back in action! The song was signed to Blanco y Negro Music & Sony Music Africa and is available on all major digital stores. Be sure to check out the awesome lyric video!

BY KAPA187

The ruling Patriotic Front has warned that it will report anyone found circulating images of toilet papers which shows President Edgar Lungu’s portrait.

PF Media Director Sunday Chanda said the PF has distanced itself from images of tissue and sweets circulating on social media bearing the portrait of the Head of State.

Mr Chanda has described the images as malicious work of the Opposition and has that it nothing to do with the PF.

“These images are in bad taste and proves the calibre of Opposition we have in Zambia. Zambians know that there are political parties in this country which have made tissue politics as their mainstay of identity,” Mr Chanda said.

“We have refused to join in the race to the bottom because as Patriotic Front, we are above tissues. We are an issue-based political Party,” he said.

Mr Chanda said the ruling Patriotic Front reserves the right to report any defamatory material in circulation to the relevant security wings as provided for by the law.

The PF Media Director cited Section 69 of the Penal code which states that clear that any person who, with intent to bring the President into hatred, ridicule or contempt, publishes any defamatory or insulting matter, whether by writing, print, word of mouth or in any other manner, is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years.

“It is our earnest desire that freedom of expression continues to thrive but that demands responsibilities too. We, therefore advise the general public not to fall for the Opposition’s cheap and malicious smear campaign,” he said.

“Patriotic Front wishes to reiterate its call for issue-based politics because that is what Zambians have demanded for. We further challenge the Opposition to raise the bar of engagement with the ruling Party by providing proper checks and balances. Our people deserve better and must get better from the body politic.”

Curry spiced Chicken and green beans

Prep time 10 mins | Cook time 20 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs, 4 chicken drumsticks (on the bone, with skin on)
• Thumb size piece of ginger, diced
• 2 medium sized red onions, chopped
• 2 tsps garlic powder
• 2 tsps curry powder
• 2 tsps mixed spice seasoning
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 heaped tsps of sea salt
• 1 packet of gluten free pasta (rice or potatoes)
• 2 handfuls of green beans
• 2 tbsps of cooking oil (vegetable oil, coconut oil or olive oil)
• 2 tbsps of vanilla yogurt (or plain yogurt)

Method

Prepare the pasta and green beans according to the instructions on the packets, and then set aside.

In a medium sized frying pan, heat the cooking oil, on a medium heat. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into small pieces and place it in a medium sized bowl. Add the curry powder, mixed spice, paprika and sea salt; mix well and then add to the frying pan. Cook until browned.

Now add the ginger, onions and garlic powder. Mix well and cook until the onions and ginger are cooked, 5 minutes. Add about 4 tbsps of water to create a stew; you can add more water if you want more of a stew.

Add the green beans to the chicken, and then add two tbsps of vanilla yogurt and mix well.

Serving

Pour the chicken over the pasta and serve hot. You can also serve this with rice, or potatoes.

Reach Kanta via her website and social media:

http://www.kantaskitchen.com/

http://www.twitter.com/Kantas_Kitchen

http://www.facebook.com/KantasKitchen

Leader of the opposition in Parliament Jack Mwiimbu has charged that it is shameful that President Edgar Lungu hosted Congolese leader Joseph Kabila in Lusaka who was on a two day working visit.

Mr Mwiimbu who is also UPND Monze Central Member of Parliament also charged that it is shameful and disgraceful for President Lungu to state that the international community should not interfere with the happenings in the DRC.

He said the whole world knows that the term of office of President Kabila whom he described as a butcher of Congo ended in 2016.

Mr Mwiimbu said Mr. Kabila is an illegitimate dictator who should not be supported by any right thinking person.

“It’s a shame that Lungu is wining and dining with the butcher of Congo. Millions of Congolese have died as a result of the impunity African dictators and their lumpen Congolese sycophants. Any birds of the same feathers flock together,” he said.

And political activist Macdonald Chipenzi has charged that welcoming President Kabila is a display of weak leadership in the SADC region.

Mr Chipenzi said the SADC region will continue to be a laughing stock on the African Continent, if not the entire world, from a soft coup in Zimbabwe, to a presidential recall vote by a political party in South Africa and now to an unconstitutional President in DRC.

“How, in all fairness, can Zambia be that country that welcomes and accommodates Joseph Kabila with presidential decorum? He does not deserve such treatment at all. These are the times when I greatly miss late President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa. For him, he would have already spoken his minds out and that of Zambia on Kabila’s unconstitutional stay in power like he did on Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe,” Mr Chipenzi said.

“Don’t President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and his government aware that Kabila’s constitutional electoral mandate ended in 2016 and his current stay in power is unconstitutional as he is refusing to vacate office despite repeated demands from his people? Does it mean that Zambia’s cries over the refugee situation are bogus or cosmetic? One would think, with the facts on the ground that Zambia has greatly suffered in terms of asylum seekers and refugees over Kabila’s decision to cling onto power even after his electoral constitutional mandate expired in 2016, the country would be more firm on Kabila to relinquish power.”

Mr Chipenzi stated that it seems that Zambian leaders are benefiting from the situation prevailing in the DRC hence their accommodation of such unconstitutional president into the country at the same time claiming to be a constitutional democracy without any kind of social shame.

“Not too long ago, this government, through Cde Steven Kampyongo, was shedding crocodile tears in Chienge District over the asylum seekers and refugee situation in Luapula Province. He and President Lungu even appealed for international help from the international community towards the refugee crisis in the country but at the same time having no problems in accommodating Kabila as a friend. Was that appeal of financial help a fundraising project for them if they are not interested in resolving the electoral and political crisis in the DRC?”

He added, “Yet, despite deputizing the SADC organ on Politics, Defence and Security known as the Troika, the same government seems to be so happy to strengthen trade and other bilateral ties with this electoral leper in the region notwithstanding the butchering of his people happening in his country while he clings onto power.  In serious democracies, Kabila would have suffered isolation, economic and travel sanctions within the SADC region and on the African Continent. He would not have been allowed to attend SADC or AU functions.”

Mr Chipenzi charged that it is disheartening to see how SADC has remained tolerant to Mr. Kabila and yet millions of Congolese women and children are suffering while their fathers are butchered in war as soldiers or militias.