President Edgar Lungu has ordered that the ongoing court process between rival parties regarding the running of the Black Mountain in Kitwe be discontinued immediately.

President Lungu who met representatives of young people involved in illegal small scale mining known as Jerabos at State House on Friday said the parties involved resolved that all court actions must be terminated soonest by consent arrangements to allow for the proposed amicable settlement planned for next week to take effect. 

He revealed that the various youth groups will now form a unified cooperative company which Government will grant a large scale mining license under which the commercial interests of the groups will be executed. 

“I have directed Ministers and technical staff from relevant Ministries and State House to travel to the Copperbelt Province to meet with owners of Nkana Alloys Limited, the majority owners of Black Mountain to conclude the proposed settlement over the asset,” President Lungu announced on his Facebook page.

“Its with no doubt that empowerment of local communities through participation in the mining contracts and fair resource exploitation is a top priority for the PF Government,” he said.

There was a serious injury road traffic accident on Sunday morning in Lusaka along Leopards Hill Road opposite Saudi Arabia and France Embassies involving a Zambia Police officer who was on a Presidential escort duties for the visiting President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Joseph Kabila.

On Tuesday, Five people were killed following another accident involving a cement truck and Mr Kabila’s presidential motorcade as he was returning to the capital, Kinshasa.President Kabila’s spokesman said the accident was caused by “heavy rain”, although early reports suggested speed was a factor.

In Sunday’s incident, a Zambia police officer identified as Inspector Kayula was moving from West to East direction and collided with a Toyota Dyna which failed to give way to the Presidential Motorcade.

Involved was Andrew Phiri aged 35 of Twikatane Compound in Lusaka who was driving a Toyota Dyna registration number ACJ 8318 Blue in colour from East to west direction.

Also involved was a Mazda motor vehicle registration number GRZ 520 CN belonging to State House which was being driven by Inspector Kayumba.

The accident happened when the Mazda which was being driven by Inspector Kayumba failed to give way to the Presidential Motorcade.

The GRZ motor vehicle spinned off and hit a police officer who was at his point of duty on route lining. The officer sustained injuries on his left leg.

Another motor vehicle Ford Ranger registration number ZP 2291B which was also part of the convoy being driven by Sergeant Mwila hit into a stationed motor vehicle Toyota Corolla registration number ABZ 1192 which was parked off the road after he swerved to the right in trying to avoid hitting into a motor vehicle in front on the convoy.

The driver of the Toyota Dyna Andrew Phiri sustained a fractured left leg, arm and multiple cuts on the forehead and was rushed to UTH while the driver of the Mazda escaped unhurt.

Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo confirmed the accident and said investigations have been instituted.

THE courts must expedite cases involving expelled Members of Parliament, a political commentator has charged.

Ntazana Musukwa’s sentiments comes following the current trend by some lawmakers to cling to the ruling party while propagating an opposition political party’s ideas.

Mr. Musukwa cited Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili as a case in point of someone who is clinging to the PF seat while working with the NDC after rushing to court to challenge his expulsion.

He said the current situation was as a result of loopholes that were contained in the constitution.

“Chishimba Kambwili raises an NDC symbol, yet he claims to be PF. If he is still PF, why is he working with and supporting the NDC? It is improper, deceptive and unacceptable. Mr. Kambwili should be NDC and if he is NDC, why is he clinging to Roan constituency seat which he won under the PF ticket?

He called on relevant authorities to accelerate the disposal of cases involving expelled Members of Parliament as a way of sealing loopholes such as the one Mr. Kambwili was taking advantage of and abusing.

“If Kambwili had morals and dignity, he would resign from the Roan seat not only because the party he claims to be a member of, the PF, rejected him through expulsion, but also that he now affiliates openly with the NDC.

However, not all of us have morals and no wonder courts exist to ensure justice for all. Mr. Kambwili launched the NDC, raises the NDC symbol, NDC members call him their leader and he accepts, he speaks against the PF and its leadership and so on, so it goes without doubt that Kambwili is NDC.

“In this regard, his claim that he is still PF is invalid, a lie and an act of crookedness of the worst kind.

“Kambwili’s continued stay in the National Assembly on the PF ticket is therefore uncalled for, unjust, immoral and seeks to defeat democracy and justice,” he charged.

Fourth republican President Rupiah Banda says it is unfair for people to ask for his stance over the transfer of former Minister of Finance Felix Mutati to the Ministry of Works and Supply as he has no reason to react over the matter.

Mr Banda told the Daily Nation in an interview that he was not in any way able to react to the development as he had no capacity and only the President in his own wisdom understood the transfers.

“It really is unfair for people to ask me whether am happy or not because it is not important, who am I? The President in his own wisdom did what was good for the Zambian people and that is it,” he said.

Meanwhile Zambia Direct Democracy Movement President Edward Sakala said the reshuffles were normal and Mr Mutati’s move was an opportunity for him to use his vast experience and knowledge in a different ministry.

He said the President had the prerogative to reshuffle ministers for the sake of effectiveness in government.

Mr Sakala said government positions were not permanent but were meant for service and it was delightful that Mr Mutati was up for the challenge.

He said there was no need for anyone to politicise the issue and people should not misunderstand the reshuffles.

“There is nothing sinister about this reshuffle, such reshuffles have always been there and Presidents always do that for effectiveness,” Mr Sakala said.

He said the President had understood the flaws in some ministries such as information and broadcasting over misinformation in the country and decided to make changes.

Mr Sakala said the same scenario was true for other ministries which the president rightly spotted inefficiencies and efficiencies.

He said there was no need for people to fuss over the matter but remain confident that government was working towards serving the people.

Today’s Scripture

“…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

(Matthew 17:20, NIV)

Normal Heroes

Great Bible characters didn’t live a life of great exploits every day. They lived most of their lives the same way you do, taking care of the day-to-day things. Take the life of Noah, for instance. It must have been a great day for Noah when the rain finally started falling and his family raced onto the ark. And it was probably the high point of Noah’s life when God brought him and his family safely to dry ground after months on the ark. But compared to the 120 long years it took Noah to build the ark, these brief chapters in his life were almost nothing. Noah had to keep his faith strong through all of those ordinary days while building the ark so that when God was ready to do something great through him, Noah was ready, too. What does God want to do through you? Being faithful today is another step toward discovering His best.

A Prayer for Today

“God, thank You for the examples of heroes in the Bible. Help me to be faithful in the things You have given me to do today in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Visiting Democratic Republic (DRC) President Joseph Kabila has made an assurance to the international community that he is committed to ensuring that all pockets of instability ravaging some parts of that country are dealt with.

And President Edgar Lungu says he is optimistic that the DRC will soon settle its political issues following the agreement president Kabila signed on December 31, 2016, to allow a free election in that county.

President Kabila, who is in Zambia for a two day visit at the invitation of President Lungu, made that assurance when he held bilateral talks with President Lungu at Statehouse yesterday stating the situation in the DRC was mainly peaceful and secure.

He, however, admitted that there were still some political challenges that are synonymous with any country practising democracy.

“Irrespective of what you hear on radio and television, tell me of any country that has no challenges. Such a country is probably in paradise. We have our hotspots and we are dealing with those problems,” he said.

President Kabila said his mission in the country was to ensure that the borders between the two countries were free of instability to enhance trade and infrastructure development.

He said the two countries have potential in mining and energy sectors which if well explored would immensely benefit the two countries economically.

And President Lungu said he was aware of the instability in the Eastern region but also that elsewhere in Congo, things were seemingly working normally, a development he said should be applauded.

However, the President expressed concern on the international influence to heighted electoral process in the DRC stating that it would be better to leave the country to run its affairs with minimal interference.

“We get more joy from the fact that the resources you are ploughing in the electoral processes are locally generated and this gives us hope the whole process will be owned by the people of DRC” President Lungu said.

He said DRC could count on Zambia as a brotherly neighbouring country to support her in any way it could to mitigate the challenges that were being encountered from the political angle.

Zambia is currently hosting more than 14,000 refugees from the DRC, a situation that has continued to be on the rise.

Mr Kabila arrived yesterday at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport yesterday 15:00 and was received by foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji.