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Toyota Hilux Registration number GRZ 196 CAThe Ministry of Works and Supply is concerned with the increasing levels of misuse and abuse of Government vehicles by some government officers.
Minister of Works and Supply Matthew Nkhuwa says the ministry has noted that some officers are using the vehicles for personal errands at the expense of government assignments.
Mr. Nkhuwa has told journalists at a media briefing in Lusaka that some officers have also developed growing trend of parking government vehicles at unauthorised places such as bars.
He explained that his ministry has since intensified its surveillance and monitoring system to ensure that anyone found wanting is brought to book.
Mr. Nkhuwa said Government has also come up with more stiff measures which will not only be costly but also dismissible for officers who defy the rules.
He the ministry has developed a draft comprehensive fleet management policy framework which will soon be submitted to cabinet to guide government institutions on the use of government vehicles.
Life has many faces. Two people living in the same house don’t view life the same. This is even more so for the sixteen million Zambians whose views of Zambian life are as varied as our finger prints.
It is these varied views when expressed freely which define who we are as a people. No Emperor, King or President should stifle any person who wishes to describe his personal life experience.
Pilato has a way of speech that may offend those who are affected, but infact we should not miss the strong message that is veiled in the satire.
No Sovereign should be tempted to silence such expressions, because if we do, we shall deny ourselves the opportunity to refine our national destiny.
Challenging leaders is a daily exercise of one’s freedom of expression. You cannot use the police to arrest conscience. You cannot use courts to interrogate conscience. Zambia’s growth and prosperity is bound up in our collective perceptions of life and the freedom to publicly express them.
Every Zambian President since independence has been called names. Kaunda was called “Fonko fonko.” Chiluba was called ” Kafupi.” Mwanawasa was called “Cabbage.” Banda was called, “Nyama Soya.” Sata was called “Chuumbu Munshololwa.” and now Lungu is being referred to as “Koswe.” It comes with the position. Even I was called Mumbo Jumbo by Kalaki.
Artists must be encouraged to participate in highlighting the challenges facing the nation in their unique way which may include satire, poetry, song, sculpturing etc.
We therefore condemn any acts of intimidation against Pilato or any other artist.
The gathering amid unprecedented Palestine solidarity demonstrations would go against historical continental support for nationally oppressed peoples, writes Abayomi Azikiwe
Several news articles were published in early December indicating that Zambian President Edgar Lungu has agreed to host a summit meeting between African Union (AU) member-states and the State of Israel. (See Jerusalem Post, Dec. 3, 2017)
These reports first surfaced during the inauguration ceremony for Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi. President Lungu attended the second induction into office by Kenyatta who is the leader of East Africa’s largest economy.
Lungu met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the Kenyatta inauguration events. The Zambian leader was photographed shaking hands with Netanyahu during the meeting.
A similar summit was scheduled earlier in 2017 in the West African state of Togo. However, mass demonstrations by Togolese opposition parties and coalitions demanding the resignation of the government of President Faure Gnassingbe for undemocratic practices, forced Lome to postpone the announced summit.
Zambia’s largest newspaper the Lusaka Times reported on December 5 that:
“President Edgar Lungu, who met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week at the re-inauguration ceremonies for Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi, told ZNBC that ‘For whatever reason, we have been given the mandate to host this summit which will bring its own benefits to Zambia.’ President Lungu said Prime Minister Netanyahu had asked Zambia to host an Africa-Israel summit that was originally scheduled for Togo in September.”
Despite this claim of mystification by President Lungu, it is quite obvious that there were definite reasons why Zambia was targeted to host the meeting. The Southern African state is one of the few countries within the AU which has a military attache stationed in Israel where it opened an embassy in 2015. Israel does not have an embassy in Zambia.
Lungu paid a state visit to Israel in February 2017. The president was accompanied by a large delegation of ministers from his administration.
After his return to Zambia, Lungu was quoted in the Lusaka Times as saying:
“Israel is a pacesetter in survival instinct because it has a desert; but they have a thriving education, agriculture and information and communication technology sectors and we can explore and learn from them. A lot of benefits are expected out of this trip.”
Unfortunately, no statement was recorded in the same publication which cites the plight of the Palestinian people who share a similar history with Africans as it relates to colonialism and imperialism. Israel under successive leaders since 1948 has collaborated with the same white supremacist forces which conquered, exploited and oppressed African people and their descendants throughout the world.
The Lusaka Times then quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while he was in Kenya for the inauguration of Kenyatta as emphasizing in regard to Zambia that Tel Aviv’s aim was to:
“deepen its cooperation with the country, which I think is important for both our countries and both our peoples. I know that you’re opening a Jewish history museum in Zambia and soon a synagogue in the capital city. I hope one day I have the opportunity to visit those institutions and to visit Zambia.”
Africa and Israel: A Comparative History
Although Jewish people have been subjected to national discrimination in Europe and the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, today since the recognition of the State of Israel by the United Nations in May 1948 most people do not consider them to be an oppressed people. However, it is important to make a distinction between Judaism as a religion and Zionism as an ideology and political movement.
In fact when the founders of the World Zionist movement began in the later years of the 19th century, its leaders specifically sought to align themselves with the rising tide of colonialism throughout Asia and Africa. During the early phase of the Zionist movement Palestine was not the only location examined for the establishment of a Jewish state. (See Weizmann and Smuts: A Study in Zionist-South African Cooperation. (Institute for Palestine Studies Monograph No. 43, 1975)
Other areas considered by the Zionists included territories in Africa such as modern-day Madagascar, Uganda and Libya. By 1917, British Foreign Secretary Lord Balfour issued his famous declaration which mandated the creation of a state for the Jewish and Arab peoples in the-then colony of Palestine. Most historical literature on this territory prior to 1948 referred to the area as Palestine.
Nevertheless, when the State of Israel was recognized by the UN it was done so as exclusively a Jewish state where millions of Palestinians had been forcibly removed and disenfranchised. In 1948, the UN was dominated by the European colonial powers and the U.S. The Soviet Union, whose military had made the greatest contribution to breaking the expansionist program of the Third Reich under Adolph Hitler, also voted in the UN to recognize the Jewish state in Palestine.
The overwhelming number of colonies in Africa did not gain their independence from European imperialism until after World War II with the upsurge of national liberation movements in Sudan, the Gold Coast (Ghana), Algeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Angola, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), Southwest Africa (Namibia), etc. After the century-long existence of the Atlantic Slave Trade which uprooted millions of Africans from the continent to Europe, North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America, the advent of classic colonialism was imposed on the continent.
During 1884-85, the Berlin West Africa Conference was held in Germany. This gathering carved up Africa among the imperialist powers. It would take over a century to bring about the independence of the continent with the Republic of South Africa overthrowing the racist apartheid system in 1994. At present only the Western Sahara, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), remains under the colonial control of the North African monarchy of Morocco.
Africa and Palestine Solidarity Has Grown Since the Post-Colonial Period
After the 1956 Suez Canal war when Britain, France and Israel invaded Egypt under President Gamal Abdel Nasser in order to retake control of this strategic asset, the political sympathy of most African states has shifted solidly in the direction of the Palestinian and other Arab people.
Later, as a result of the Egypt-Jordan-Syria wars with Israel in 1967 and 1973, a majority of independent African governments and national liberation movements broke relations with Israel. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is viewed by progressive forces throughout Africa has the de facto representatives of the people. After the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO in 1993 which gave rise to the Palestinian Authority, there has been a period thawing in relations related to Tel Aviv and some African states.
However, African solidarity with Palestine remains strong. The Republic of South Africa under the ruling African National Congress (ANC) continues to be a bulwark of sentiment in favor of the recognition of an independent Palestinian state. This mood has existed in the Republic of Zimbabwe as well during the 37-year presidency of Robert Mugabe, the former leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front Party (ZANU-PF).
When on December 6, U.S. President Donald Trump issued his executive order to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem mass demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinian people have been held throughout the world. The three leading alliance partners in South Africa, the ANC, South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) have all issued statements decrying the policy decisions of Trump.
The U.S. government is the staunchest supporter of the State of Israel providing billions of dollars in assistance and military hardware on an annual basis. Egypt, due to military and political considerations ranks as the second largest recipient of direct aid from Washington. However, Africa as a whole can in no way compare to the economic, military and diplomatic support which is received by Israel irrespective of the fact that people of African descent in the U.S. are numbered in excess of 40 million inhabitants.
Consequently, the holding of an Israel-Africa Summit in Zambia would represent a tremendous setback in the progressive legacy of independent states on the continent. At this critical stage in international relations AU member countries should be intensifying their cooperation with other fraternal governments and peoples on the continent and indeed throughout the world.
Nkana coach Beston Chambeshi has won the 2017 Coach of the Year Award.
Chambeshi beat 2016 winner Mumamba Numba of Zanaco and Bilton Musonda of Green Buffaloes.
He guided Nkana to a 3rd place finish after steering the record 12-time FAZ Super Division champions from mid-table obscurity after Zeddy Saileti was fired in May.
But his major highlight came at national level where he won the 2017 U20 AFCON with hosts Zambia Under-20 in March three months after lifting the 2016 COSAFA U20 Cup in South Africa.
He later guided the Zambia Under-20 to a debut quarterfinal appearance at the FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea last June.
Chambeshi also took home a K20, 000 cheque for his success.
Chambeshi’win eclipsed the Player of the Year Award that went to midfielder Augustine Mulenga of Zanaco who beat his club mate and 2016 winner Ziyo Tembo to the accolade.
Mulenga enjoyed a great CAF Champions League outing with Zanaco and also produced some impressive form with Zambia in both the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2018 CHAN qualifiers.
He took home the biggest cheque of all to the tune of K25, 000.
2016 Best Player Ziyo did not go home empty handed after winning The Most Disciplined Player Award.
And Golden Boot winner Chris Mugalu of Lusaka Dynamos, like Chambeshi, also took home a K20, 000 cheque.
Zambia Under-20 and Nkwazi forward Lameck Banda won the Young Player of the Year.
Jan Sikazwe took home the Best Referee Award while Oliver Mweene won the Best Assistant Award.
Sikazwe, Ziyo and Banda all pocketed a K15, 000 cheques each while Mweene took home K10, 000.
And the President’s Award went posthumously to the late Kabwe Soccer Youth Academy boss Evans Mutangama who died a fortnight ago after the club secured its FAZ Super Division Promotion.
Minister of Community Development and Social Services Emerine Kabanshi
The Department for International Development (DFID), a United Kingdom Government Department responsible for administering overseas aid has donated Vehicles, Motor Bikes and other equipment to aid the implementation of the Social Cash Transfer Schemes in the country.
DFID Head of Office Mark Richardson handed over 36 motor vehicles, 28 motor bikes and 2900 bicycles to the Minister of Community development Emerine Kabanshi in Lusaka today.
The donated equipment also include 31 safes, 31 desktop computers, 30 laptops, 15 solar panels and office furniture for 28 districts.
Community Development Minister Emerine Kabanshi stated that the vehicles and other equipment will assist her Ministry in strengthening its systems and build capacity to implement the social cash transfer programme.
ZANIS reports that Ms. Kabanshi stated that her Ministry and the cooperating partners worked tirelessly to ensure that the motor vehicles, bicycles, and other items were procured to support efficient programme implementation.
She noted that with availability of transport at district and provincial levels, government is certain that the social cash transfer programme’s goal of reducing extreme poverty and intergenerational transfer of poverty will be realized expeditiously.
She has since commended the cooperating partners for the gesture and assured them that her officers in the districts will take care of the vehicles which have been procured at a great cost.
DFID Head of Office Mark Richardson congratulated government on achieving nationwide scale up of the social cash transfer programme.
Mr. Richardson said it is commendable for government to have increased the reach of the programme from 19 districts in 2014 to over 100 in 2017.
He said the UK government and other cooperating partners consider social protection as a powerful tool for investing in the livelihoods of the most vulnerable households and a key strategy for Zambia in addressing the extreme poverty.
He said his government is proud to support the Ministry of Community Development as it leads efforts to improve the lives of persons living with disability, recognizing the additional barriers inhibiting their full participation in society and support them to overcome obstacles.
The handover ceremony was witnessed by the representatives of the embassies of Ireland, Finland and Sweden.
Monze District Council Chairperson has re-affirmed the council’s commitment to remove all street vendors trading along the main Lusaka-Livingstone Road despite delays to commence the exercise.
Mr. Bisha Munsaka said the local authority is determined to remove streets vendors and relocate them to trading places that have been created at Hamusonde market and Njola-Mwanza bus station.
In an interview with ZANIS today, the Council Chairperson said the council wanted to create trading places at the main market and Njola-mwanza before embarking on an exercise to remove all street vendors to help bring sanity, raise revenue as well as keep the town clean.
“ We first had to create trading spaces at Njola-mwanza and Hamusonde salaula market before embarking on an exercise to remove street vendors and now that trading spaces have been created we shall move in very soon to relocate them and help to bring sanity in Monze,” said Mr. Munsaka.
“We also intend to raise revenue for the council by relocating them to designated trading places because as you might be aware most street vendors are not taxed by the local authority and this has negatively affected our revenue collections and service delivery,” he added.
During the ‘Buy A Bin’ campaign launch in October this year, Southern Province Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba directed the local authority to be proactive and remove all street vendors along the Lusaka-Livingstone Road before December, 2017 to keep town clean and bring sanity.
Mr. Munsaka also said the council has finally reached a consensus with all stakeholders to relocate the Harry Mwanga Nkumbula stadium to another site within town to pave way for modern shopping facilities adding that approximately 4 hectares of show grounds has also been surrendered to the council for future infrastructure development.
Mr. Munsaka further said the council has secured 14.9 hectares of land at St. Mary for construction of Government Hospital, 12 hectares for stadium and 3 hectares for construction of medical stores.
He implored government and private sector to consider investing in infrastructure development in the District as land was now available for development in order for Monze to attain Municipality status.
“We have reached a consensus to relocate Harry Mwanag Nkumbula stadium to a piece of land within town and also we have secured part of the show grounds for possible infrastructure development. Other than that we have secured 14.9 hectares for possible construction of government Hospital, 3 hectares for construction of medical stores,” said Mr. Munsaka.
Mr. Munska has further called upon the private sector to invest in infrastructure development in the district so that it attains the municipality status.
The Drug Enforcement Commission in Luapula Province has recorded one of the highest numbers of drug trafficking cases and arrests in the country.
Luapula Province Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Martin Chitamba explained that most of the cases involve youths who engage mostly in cannabis business both within and outside the country especially in the bordering Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mr. Chitamba said this necessitated government to come up with the Joint Permanent Commission that involves the security wings from both Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo with the purpose of conducting sensitization and drug identification as they go about their duties.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Chitamba was speaking during the sensitization meeting that was held for security personnel from Chembe and Mwenda Border in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Chembe district.
He explained that apart from the security wings in the country, the Drug Enforcement Commission has also been working in collaboration with churches, communities, work places and schools where sensitization sessions are conducted
He said most victims of drug abuse and drug trafficking in the province are the youths hence, the introduction of the Education and Counseling Department under the Ministry of Education where such youths are assisted in resisting such vices.
Mr. Chitamba noted that Zambia has great potential among the youths to excel and take the country to greater heights in terms of development hence ,the need to work towards a drug free youth population.
He has revealed that after recording high cases of money laundering, the commission has also opened a money laundering office in Mansa district were these cases will be reported by the general public.
Mr. Chitamba has appealed to members of the general public to come to any security wing in the Province or visit the Drug Enforcement Commission Offices and report suspected drug trafficking or money laundering cases.
President Edgar Lungu should seriously get worried of the country’s race to the bottom bracket of poor countries.
Zambia was elevated from low income to lower-middle income status when the country’s GDP per capita sharply rose from $377 in 2002 to $1,369 in 2008. It was further reclassified in July, 2011 when GDP per capita rose to $1,644. In 2013, Zambia’s GDP per capita peaked to all time-high $1,869.
However, from 2014, the country went into rapid free-fall mode where GDP per capital has regressed in two years by 40% from $1,869 to $1,178 as at 2016.
At this rate of decay, it is projected to hit below $1,026 by 2019 and thereby creep back into the bandwagon of low-income bracket economies. According the World Bank Atlas method of calculation, a country which has per capita Gross National Income (GNI) less than US$1,006 per year, is a low-income economy.
As the Green Party, we think that this race to the bottom should really worry the President Lungu and his Minister of Finance. The duo should really up their game and start thinking outside the box.
Even the late President Levy Mwanawasa should be turning in his grave for wasted efforts and energy. The growing per capita income by $992 from $377 in 2002 to $1,369 in 2008 in a period of six years is a global record that we all must guard jealously.
Sadly, at this rate, we are surely headed for low income economy because numbers don’t lie. We really do not deserve this as a nation in the midst of plenty.
The Department of Road Safety and Awareness under the Zambia Police Service has urged members of the public to enjoy the festive season responsibly.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today Zambia Police officer in charge of Road Safety Awareness, Superintendent Yorum Phiri said the Zambia Police in conjunction with the Road Safety and Transport Agency (RTSA) and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) will this festive season carry out intense road safety check points across the country.
Superintendent Phiri said beginning Wednesday next week, members of the public should expect to see an increased presence of traffic officers on all major roads.
He explained that the move is meant to ensure that road safety is maintained at all cost.
He pointed out that the country has in the past years seen an increased number of road accidents during the festive season.
He has however, thanked Zambia Breweries for its contribution towards road safety.
“Recently Zambia Breweries donated 6 Breathalyzer towards road safety through the Road Safety and Transport Agency (RTSA).”
Commenting on the lowered prices of alcohol beverages during the festive season, Superintendent Phiri said the prices are not meant to kill the consumers but to ensure that they enjoy the festive season responsibly.
He added that his department has reached out to bar owners and sensitized them on the need to avoid selling alcohol to underage and already drunk persons.
Superintendent Phiri said those wishing to operate bars beyond the stipulated time should apply to the local authority for an extension of operational hours or risk been closed by the police.
He stated that police will not allow any form of lawlessness on the road during and after the festive season.
Since January 2017, Zambia has recorded 22 788 road traffic accidents in which 1 809 lives have been lost while, about 700 deaths involved pedestrians.
Superintendent Phiri has further advised cyclists and pedestrians to avoid crossing the roads at unmarked points as they are at a high risk of being hit by oncoming vehicles.
He warned that police have no authority to charge any person found guilty of drunk driving but refer the case to the courts of law.
Superintendent Phiri added that there will be no room for people to drink and drive, unlicensed drivers, defective vehicles to be on the road as traffic officers will be on the road to monitor and ensure that the laws is abided by.
Chief Siachitema of the Tonga speaking people of Kalomo district in Southern Province says he has learnt with great shock the demise of Clement Hantobolo, the man who was burnt together with Senior Chief Mweemba after unknown people petrol bombed the house they were sleeping in a fortnight ago.
Chief Siachitema, who spoke through his spokesperson Johns Chiboola said the death of Mr. Hantobolo, who died at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) was disheartening.
The Traditional Leader said this in an interview with the ZANIS in Chikankata district in Southern province today.
And the traditional leader has praised the Zambia Police Service for apprehending people suspected to have torched Senior Chief Mweemba palace recently.
He said those behind the setting ablaze of the traditional leaders palace which resulted into the death of a second person should face the wrath of the law.
Member of the royal family George Bbabbi confirmed that Mr. Hantobolo died on Monday at UTH following his referral from Livingstone General Hospital after his conditions worsened and was put to rest in Sijuwa village in Sinazongwe district.
Law Association of Zambia President Linda Kasonde has urged lawyers not to be dishonest. Ms. Kasonde said that the levels of dishonest in the country have gone high and lawyers have not been spared.
Speaking at a function that saw the admittance of 41 lawyers to the bar at the supreme court, Ms Kasonde said that the number of lawyers in Zambia is still small hence the need to ensure that quality service is given to the public.
Ms. Kasonde encouraged lawyers to specialise in constitutional law as there are very few Zambian lawyers who can consider themselves to be constitutional law experts.
Ms. Kasonde further said that given the fact that there have been so many amendments to our constitution recently, there was need for more constitutional law experts.
And speaking at the same function, Chief Justice Ireene Mambilima urged lawyers to be exemplary in their conduct. Justice Mambilima said that law promotes freedom of expression which should be used to argue the points of law.
And Zambia Institute for Advanced legal studies ZIALE Director Ann Malaya said her institution has embarked on various reforms to improve service delivery.
She said ZIALE will also engage institutions of higher learning that are training lawyers in order to improve on the quality of students.
Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri has called on the opposition political parties not to frustrate the PF Government as it delivers on its campaign promises.
The Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General said this in Lusaka during the launch of the campaign tracker project done by Action Aid Zambia in partnership with Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA).
Mrs. Phiri says the ruling party stands ready to be held accountable over its campaign promises as enshrined in the 2016 – 2021 PF Manifesto.
She says as the PF Government tries to fulfill campaign promises, it is important that political parties do not frustrate the efforts by the government in delivering the much needed development.
Mrs. Phiri says in as much as there are challenges in fulfilling these promises, the PF administration is committed to ensuring that it delivers most of the promises it promised the people of Zambia during the 2016 campaign period.
And in her welcoming remarks, ActionAid Zambia Country Director Nalucha Ziba says her organization believes that citizens enter into social contract of delegating duties and authority to elected officials by way of casting a vote and as such there is need for the duty bearer particularly politicians to regularly and constantly be appraised by the citizens on the promises that they make during the campaign period.
The 2017 COSAFA Under-20 Cup final will be played at Arthur Davies Stadium instead of Nkana Stadium as earlier scheduled.
The decision was made after heavy rains in Kitwe over the last three days pummelled Nkana Stadium leaving the pitch unplayable.
COSAFA was also forced to switch Thursday’s semifinals from Nkana to across the road at Arthur Davies due to the same reasons.
“After further inspection this morning at Nkana stadium by COSAFA’s Technical Team in conjunction with Nkana Stadium’s Management, the pitch was found to be not in a suitable condition for the playing of the Final matches tomorrow,” COSAFA general secretary Sue Destombes said.
“Patches of surface water are still visible and following matches earlier this week during heavy rain, the surface is bumpy and therefore poses a risk to the players which is and must be COSAFA’s priority.”
The final be played at 14h00 and it involve South Africa and Lesotho.
Guest sides Uganda and Egypt will meet for Bronze at 10h30.
Hosts Zambia were knocked out at the group stage after finishing 3rd in Group A on 4 points behind Malawi and group winners Uganda who were tied on 5 points.
THE Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) has warned that trade restrictions such as an export ban raises smuggling costs and create price instability, thereby punishing the consumer.
IAPRI research director, Anthony Chapota, explained that export bans lead to market to price instability as most traders took advantage of the business opportunities where the neighbouring commodities were on demand in other countries.
“There is no need to keep grain in the country when there is a surplus. When you introduce trade restrictions such as an export ban, which is the desire to protect consumers, leads to price instability. For instance, in 2016, prices for maize in Kitwe were going at K85 for a 50kg and K175 for the same quantity in Kasumbalesa,
“People see business opportunities during trade restrictions and they always find a way of taking advantage of it,” Dr. Chapota said.
He was speaking yesterday in Lusaka at a stakeholders meeting.
Dr. Chapota said there was need to open intra trade to avoid piece instability saying price volatility was induced by Government policies.
He has since called on Government to continue fostering effective private sector market development through predictable and stable policies.
“There is need to moderate price volatility trough a well-managed trade regime. Decisions are made late and unpredictable prices end up punishing the consumers,” Dr. Chapota said.
Dr. Chapota also said unpredictability deterred private sector from participating in the market.
He, however, observed that large grain investments facilitated movement away from spot to structured markets for smallholder farmers through models such as pre-financing, contract farming and forward contracts.
Dr. Chapota observed that some of the innovations in the market had benefitted farmers.
Kabwe Central Mp-Tutwa Ngulube and Kasama-central Mp-Kelvin Sampa at the PF-interactive Forum
KABWE Central MP Tutwa Ngulube has accused Kabwe Municipal Council of fraud by engaging a debt collector outside the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) Act, and forcing defaulters to pay a 10 surcharge to the same company.
The council is said to be involved in fraudulent activities in which it is alleged to have contracted Nshinda Debt Collectors without following any tender procedure and has pounced on defaulters without any warrant of distress and are collecting 10 percent more from each property owner that owes the local authority.
But Town Clerk Ronald Daka has maintained that there was nothing irregular about the whole debt collection exercise, saying the company contracted to collect K10 million owed to the council did not need any tendering process because it was not a big contract.
Mr. Daka said the local authority had not flouted any procedure, noting those who had failed to pay must face the debt collectors and incur the surcharge as the council will not pay anything to Nshinda for their failure to meet their obligation.
“For a long time now, our council has been cited in the Auditor General’s report as having failed to collect the debt we are owed and there is nothing wrong to engage Nshinda to get our money because at the end of the day, we have to provide a service to the people.
“The council will not spend anything. The company is just assisting the council because their costs are catered for through a 10 percent surcharge from defaulters.
“The procedure for contracting a debt collector is very straight-forward. It is not something we must be talking about any tender.
“Normal rules of debt collection mean that the director of finance will identify four companies and then recommends one and based on that, management makes a decision and that becomes our debt collector,” Mr. Daka said
But Mr. Ngulube reacted angrily to such assertions saying the council must come out clean on the matter as he had written to the Town Clerk but that the local authority had decided to ignore his letter.
Mr. Ngulube said there was no justification in Mr. Daka’s explanation because no local authority was exempted from the tender procedure and challenged Mr. Daka to explain what he understood by the provision of the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) Act which states that any project above K50, 000 must be tendered for.
“Did they follow the tender procedure? How will Nshinda collect K10 million without any tender procedure? No one can prevent the council form collecting its debt but that should be done legally and there is no legality in single-sourcing a contractor by any local authority. Who told Nshinda to be collecting their 10 percent from each property owner? In total, the company will collect K11 million and someone has the guts to say there was no need for tendering?
“How can they single-source services for a Government institution? There is need for investigative wings to investigate this company so that we know who is really behind it. What the council is engaged in is fraud and I will not condone it,” Mr. Ngulube warned.
He said the council was treading on dangerous ground for not only disregarding tender procedures, but also engaging in fraudulent activities.
“It is either there is a court order which compels property owners to pay the surcharge or not and in this case, there is no court order and whatever Nshinda is getting from property owners is illegal. People are complaining and we will not sit idle and allow this to continue. I wrote to them but up to now, they have failed to clarify this issue,” he said.
According to records at PACRA, Nshinda Debt Collectors are owned by Ishback Chituta, Mbita Chituta Sikazwe, and Eluid Lupiya.
