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FILE-Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba speaking during the launch of the Connected Car Zamtel serviceGovernment has invested money in the construction of a Cyber City to promote the growth of information communication technology sector in the country.
The Zambia Cyber City will be a business innovation hub, comprising workshops, light manufacturing facilities, Data center to catalyse education research and innovation for small and medium enterprises.
Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba said that his ministry has partnered with the Ministry of Higher Education and the Copperbelt University to construct and develop the Cyber City which will be situated in Lusaka.
In a speech read for him by Ministry of transport and communication Director in the department of communication Yese Bwalya, Mr. Mushimba said the development is in line with the seventh national development plan that seeks to promote investment in all sectors of the economy.
The Minister says the construction of the Cyber City, which is now at feasibility study level, will be in partnership with the private sector.
Mr. Mushimba said this during a dinner hosted by the Information and Communications Technology Society of Zambia.
Speaking at the same function, Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management President Mooka Silumbu pledged that his organisation is ready to work with other entities in fostering development of the ICT sector in Zambia.
Meanwhile, Information and Communications Technology Society of Zambia President Alick Siankumo called for strong linkages between government, his organisation and the private sector for the benefit of the country’s economic development.
Southern Province Minister Edify Hamukale says Chief Mweemba of Sinazongwe District, whose house was recently burnt by unknown people, is responding well to treatment.
Unidentified people last week petrol-bombed the house where Chief Mweemba and three others were sleeping in Kanyemba Village in Sinazongwe.
The traditional leader, who escaped the fire through a window, suffered eight percent burns and is currently admitted to Livingstone Central Hospital.
And Dr. Hamukale says investigations into the attack are being carried out and the culprits will be brought to book.
Dr. Hamukale was speaking in an interview with ZNBC News in Lusaka.
Vice President, Inonge Wina says it is disappointing to note that some foreign owned companies are less interested in offering jobs to local people especially the youths.
Ms Wina cited some named companies which deal with farm products that and cooking utensils respectively in Kabwe District , as some of the companies that have failed to support the economic development through job creation.
Ms Wina said this when she paid a courtesy call on Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga , yesterday.
She said that the government is aware of the challenges Central Province is facing among them the poor road network adding that President Lungu’s administration is there to render support to the region’s development agenda.
Speaking earlier Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga told the Vice President that the province has continued to receive its fair share of infrastructure development.
Mr Mushanga said the government has been able to inject infrastructure development particularly in the health and education sector.
He said new health posts are being constructed while others are being upgraded and provided with various pieces of equipment.
The minister said in the education sector , a number of schools have been built while a good number of primary schools have been upgraded to secondary level.
Mr Mushanga disclosed that next year, with support from the World Bank more schools are going to be constructed in the province.
However, the provincial minister told the Vice President that both urban and rural roads in the region were in a deplorable state to support any economic activities.
He said the province is one of the major producers of farm products but noted that it becomes difficult to get the produce to the markets when the roads are bad.
The minister also bemoaned the inactivity of the China Mulungushi Textile which was the main employer in the province.
The arson case on Mufumbwe District police station involving 11 suspects has been moved to the High Court from the Mufumbwe Magistrate Court in Northwestern province.
Magistrate Grevas Chansa made this ruling on 7th December 2017 after the state advocacy and the arresting officer requested that the case be moved to another magistrate court outside Mufumbwe District for security reasons.
The State advocate and the arresting officer stressed that some of the state witnesses refused to testify in the case within the Mufumbwe Magistrate Court for fear of their lives among others.
But the defence lawyer objected the request from the State saying the witnesses present in court should be allowed to give their own account as they were already in court.
Burnt down Mufumbwe Police Station
In his ruling, Magistrate Chansa decided to elevate the case to the high court in accordance with cap 88 sections 150 and 202 respectively of the laws of Zambia.
The Magistrate said that the State advocate and the defence lawyer should battle the case even at the high court adding that he will submit reports of the proceedings when the high court requests for them.
Mufumbwe Police Station was burnt down on 14th October 2017 by some residents after they had a misunderstanding with police over a traditional ritual called ‘Chikondo’.
The suspects arrested are charged with two counts which are the burning down of the police station and the burning down of police cells respectively contrary to the Penal Code Act, Chapter 9, section 81 and 82, of the laws of Zambia.
The act states that any persons who, being riotously assembled together, unlawfully pull down or destroy, or begin to pull down or destroy any building, railway, machinery or structures are guilty of a felony and each of them is liable to imprisonment for life.
The 11 suspects who first appeared before Magistrate Chansa for mention on 23rd October 2017 where on bail until 7th December 2017. 1st December 2017 was the date in which trial in the matter should have started. But the state requested that the matter be adjourned to 7th December 2017.
The ruling by Magistrate Chansa to elevate the case to either Kitwe or Solwezi High Court means that the 11 suspects will have to be taken back into police custody.
The PF in Southern Province says it welcomes its Secretary General’s Davies Mwila’s pronouncement that the party will next year 2018 intensify its recruitment drive especially in opposition strongholds in the country.
Southern Province Patriotic Front (PF) Chairperson, Lawrence Evans, says the party in the region welcomes Mr. Mwila’s decree through the Central Committee to intensify party mobilization strategy across the country ahead of the 2021 general elections.
The PF Chairperson said this in an interview in Chikankata district in Southern province yesterday adding that the party in area has already started the massive recruitment drive before the official kick off by the party in January 2018.
Mr. Evans said that the ruling party in the area has infact penetrated opposition strongholds such as Namwala, Chikankata and Kafue respectively where he said hundreds of opposition members were defecting to the ruling party.
And Mr. Evans has called on all PF party members in Southern province and the nation at large to continue working in harmony in order to continue growing the party to higher heights.
Mr. Evans said all genuine PF party members should join President Edgar Lungu’s vision of taking development to all parts of the country.
He said the PF is in a hurry to deliver election promises the party made to the Zambians people during election campaigns and that, they do just that.
Meanwhile, Patriotic Front General Secretary Davies Mwila says government will install communications towers in strategic areas in North western province.
Mr Mwila says this aimed to address the communication challenges been faced in selected districts in the province.
Mr. Mwila revealed this in Chavuma district during his party mobilization tour yesterday.
Mr Mwila said government has already contracted Huwaei international to install the communication towels.
Chavuma district will benefit from this project as it is one of the places with communication Challenges, he said.
He further said as the party in power it will ensure that people in the district have access to safe drinking water.
Meanwhile Chavuma district Commissioner Benjamin Mufunga said lack of communication has for a number of years been a challenge in the district.
Mr. Mufunga said equipment for putting up the towel was brought but the contractor has never been on site.
He said residents of Chavuma are grateful to government for bringing a new contractor on board to ensure the towel is put up.
Zambia Army Parade at African Freedom Day in LusakaZambia Army Deputy Commander, Major General Jackson Miti has urged the military in the country to be innovative by coming up with various fundraising ventures for self-sustainability.
Gen. Miti says despite receiving less funding from government, the military cantonments across the country devise ways to increase their sources of revenue, as government alone cannot address all the challenges facing the military.
Gen. Miti has, however commended Kalewa Garrison in Ndola for having embarked on various projects aimed at increasing revenue base for the barrack.
He said the construction of a banquet hall which is almost complete in particular will help the garrison financially once completed.
Gen. Miti also observed that projects such as poultry, fish and crop farming which the garrison has ventured into resonates with the army commander’s desire for military garrisons to be self-sustained.
ZANIS reports from Ndola that the Deputy Army Commander said this when he graced the 2017 Kalewa Officers’ Mess Annual Ball last night.
And speaking earlier, Kalewa garrison commander, Lieutenant Colonel Churchill Moonga thanked President Lungu for having spear-headed the wall fence project at the garrison which is of great significance where security is concerned.
Lt. Col Moonga said, as minister of Defence during Late President Micheal Sata’s administration , President Lungu made several tours to the barrack where the need for the project was presented before him, adding that that it is gratifying to not that the project has materialized now .
Nakonde BorderTraffic at Nakonde border in Muchinga Province has improved with more vehicles crossing between Zambia and Tanzania.
Nakonde District Commissioner Field Simwinga has confirmed the development to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali yesterday.
Mr. Simwinga said a newly devised system that allows a simultaneous flow of traffic especially trucks from both Tunduma in Tanzania and Nakonde in Zambia which was introduced last week has improved the flow of traffic.
Mr. Simwinga said the traffic which was building up at Tunduma in Tanzania following a protest by Tanzanian truck drivers had pressure on Nakonde adding that over 1,500 trucks which were waiting to cross into Zambia have been cleared.
He said that initially it would have taken about two weeks for trucks which included fuel tankers to move from Songwe in Tanzania about 20 km to Nakonde border in the old arrangement.
Mr. Simwinga said a joint meeting held at the border last week on Monday attended by both authorities from Zambia and Tanzania, agreedede that flow of traffic especially trucks, be allowed in order to reduce the congestion on both sides.
Nakonde Customs Clearing Agents Executive Committee Secretary Samson Chihana says his committee is happy with the normalizing of traffic at Nakonde border which has boosted business.
“But some scoundrels said, ‘How can this fellow save us?’ They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.”
(1 Samuel 10:27, NIV)
Pay Them No Mind
In Scripture, King Saul had some people come against him. They were making fun of him. He could have easily become distracted and lost his focus. He could have defended himself saying, “I’m a good leader. I have what it takes.” But what did he do? He kept silent. One translation says, “He paid them no mind.”
Friend, sometimes that’s what you have to do when people are coming against you. You have to realize that some people are just jealous. Not everyone is going to have your best interest at heart. But don’t let them control your destiny. Don’t let them distract you from God’s best. Instead of playing up to people or trying to win over all your critics, keep your eyes focused on what God has for you. Spend time with people who see what God is doing in you. Focus on those who will celebrate you. Ignore the critics so you can be all that God has called you to be.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, today I keep my heart and mind focused on You. I choose to ignore the naysayers. I choose to turn away from critical voices. I declare by faith that I will accomplish the plan You have for me as I daily put You first in everything that I do in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
MINISTER of Health Hon Dr Chitalu ChilufyaHealth Minister, Chitalu Chilufya, says his ministry has set a target of increased staffing levels to 30, 000 by 2021 in line with the government’s transformative agenda.
Dr Chilufya says the ministry is for this reason undertaking human resource development for health personal deployment and training of the Community Health Assistants (CHAs) , as part the broader agenda.
He said this in a speech read for him by Minister of Health Permanent Secretary, Kennedy Malama, during the 3rd Graduation Ceremony at Mwachisopola Community Health Assistants (CHAs ) Training School yesterday , in Chibombo District.
Dr Chilufya indicated that CHA have a critical role to play in the transformative agenda of government especially in the health sector.
He added that the ministry has strategically decided that the training of CHA will be done in all provinces and urged provincial health directors to ensure these trainings are decentralized.
One Hundred Ninety Eight (198) Community Health Assistants (CHA) from Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Western and Southern Provinces were presented with certificates during the colourful ceremony.
Government through the ministry of Health has introduced new training programmes in various training institutions focusing on promoting preventive, treatment, rehabilitative and palliative care services.
It has this year alone has employed 9,000 health workers and will continue improving the manning levels to accord CHA 80 per cent of their time in communities.
And Dr Chilufya has given Central Province Health Director and team up to January 1, 2018 to come up with a master plan that will transform Mwachisopola Community Health Assistant Training School into a center of excellence in training.
Meanwhile, Central Province Health Director (CPHD) Rosemary Mwanza said the CHA will be deployed to communities where they came from to ensure primary health services are taken closer to the people.
Dr Mwanza said the CHA will ensure that health promotion and health prevention activities are implemented at the household level.
Chief Hamaundu of the Tonga speaking people of Pemba district has given his subjects a 14 day ultimatum in which to build pit latrines or risk being prosecuted by the law.
Chief Hamaundu says about 22 villages in Kasiya ward have poor sanitation coverage therefore affecting the possibility of the chiefdom being declared open defecation free.
Speaking when he addressed 22 village headmen from the affected villages in his chiefdom yesterday, chief Hamaundu said it was very disappointing that some people in his chiefdom are still using the bush to answer the call of nature despite several efforts government is putting in promoting toilet usage.
He said a household which will fail to build a toilet in the next 14 days will be prosecuted or even sent out of the chiefdom as they are contributing to increased diarrhea diseases in his chiefdom.
Meanwhile AKROS water and sanitation coordinator Annie Mutunda says AKROS is concerned with poor hygiene practices such as lack of toilets which is one of the major causes of Trachoma.
Ms Mutunda said Trachoma is a disease that is caused by poor sanitation and has the potential to cause blindness especially among children below the age of 9 years.
Ms Mutunda said her organization is concerned with the huge sums of money government is spending on treating diseases related to poor sanitation which can be prevented by embracing good hygiene practices.
Government says there is need to update the country’s legislation in order to curb the illegal flow of money from the Zambian economy.
Mufulira Deputy Mayor, Beatrice Kapasa says illicit financial flows were not a new phenomenon in Zambia hence the need to ensure right legislations were in place and updated in line with most recent developments and technologies.
ZANIS reports that Ms. Kapasa was speaking during the launch of the “Stop the bleeding campaign” in Mufulira District on the Copperbelt Province, which is aimed at strategizing ways of combating illicit financial flows.
She stated that government had prioritized the need to identify, stop, and eliminate illicit financial flows in and out of the country, by giving effect to initiatives to curb the vice.
Ms. Kapasa said these initiatives were embarked on to strengthen tax compliance, reduce tax evasion, enhance resource mobilization and transparency in public finance management.
She said the “Stop the Bleeding “ campaign is an opportunity for all stakeholders to work together and find lasting solutions to the problem of illicit financial flows.
And the Centre for Trade and Policy Development (CTPD) says illegal sleepages of finances from the Zambian economy has continued to rob millions of Zambians of a decent and prosperous life.
In an interview with ZANIS in Mufulira District, CTPD Head of Programs and Research, Brian Mwiinga said millions of Zambians are living below the poverty.
He stated that the full cost of illicit financial flows is a cancer that is wreaking havoc to the nation and needs to be stopped completely.
Mr Mwiinga said it was sad Zambia keeps losing sums of money through tax evasion, money laundering, and other illicit financial flows which deprives government of funds needed to stir the country’s development agenda forward.
The Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) has disclosed that over 1,000 financial institutions have been registered this year under the movable property (security interest) Act No 3of 2016.
Speaking during a workshop held at Sherbourne Guest Lodge in Kitwe today to sensitize financial lending institutions on the benefits of the act, PACRA Assistant Registrar Commercial unit Christopher Mapani said the act seeks to promote the use of movable property as collateral in financial transactions thereby easing access to credit particularly by the small and medium enterprises.
Mr Mapani said from the time the act was enacted into law on 6th April 2017, PACRA has registered over 1,000 financial lending institutions which most of them operate as macro institutions.
He said the law provides for the establishment of collateral registry for movable property housed at PACRA and other interventions aimed at giving lenders the assurance required to accept personal or movable property as collateral.
Mr Mapanis added that PACRA in collaboration with the Bank of Zambia is engaging financial institutions across the country through workshops to promote sensitization of the act and ensure that the act is fully implemented.
‘’We are here to educate people on the collateral registry. This is a registry that is been established under the movable property security interest act which was enacted in April last year. The act seeks to make movable properties attractive to lenders. This comes after some studies where done to see if the act is workable,’’ Mr Mapani said.
And Kitwe District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu observed that the law will make access to credit by SMEs easier.
Mr Mpundu said the government is aware of the many challenges SMEs face when accessing credit hence the enactment of the law.
Speaking earlier Bank of Zambia Assistant Director Regulatory Policy and Licensing Joseph Mphande said the country has made significant headway in the development of the legal framework for the credit infrastructure.
Mr Mphande said very few micro and medium enterprises have access to credit because most banks and financial institutions prefer to lend when security is provided in form of land or buildings.
Residents of Nchanga-Nyanji area in Chingola district on the Copperbelt province are appealing to government to relocate them to a suitable location.
The residents have complained that their houses have continued developing huge cracks due to what they termed as uncontrollable blasting operations carried out of breaking ore at Nchanga Open Pit mine by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).
They said according reports availed to them by environmental experts, the blasting constitute uncontrollable dust and earth movements that end up making cracks on their houses and put everyone’s life at risk.
The residents said they are living in fear as some houses are at a verge of collapsing adding that meetings held with KCM have not yielded any positive outcome.
ZANIS reports that one of the affected residents, Kheda Chilambe said the release of water from dewatering operations which has high concentration of suspended solids which flood their yards when pipes burst, has destroyed the soils in their gardens.
She said KCM has destroyed their houses adding that it is painful noting that no action has been taken from either Government or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
Another resident Joseph Kasonka said the release of dust emissions especially in the dry season has been another matter of concern that has continued subjecting them to breathing contaminated air.
They have since appealed to President Lungu to quickly intervene in the matter before more lives are lost.
Efforts to get a comment from KCM proved futile as phones went unanswered.
Police in Kaoma are holding a 31 year old woman for allegedly beating up and killing her husband following a domestic dispute.
Details of the case are that Mbuyu Kambotwe of Shopola village in chief Chibanda’s area beat-up Fly Muchingi 41, of the same area who later died in Luampa Mission Hospital on December 5, 2017.
Western Province Police Commissioner, Charles Lungu confirmed this to ZANIS in Mongu in an interview today.
Mr. Lungu further disclosed that Muchingi sustained a broken collar bone as a result of the severe beating by his wife.
He said the deceased body is lying in Kaoma District Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem and burial.
In a separate incidence, Police in Senanga have arrested a 46 year old man of Katongo village for allegedly murdering his pregnant wife.
Western Province Police Commissioner, Charles Lungu confirmed to ZANIS and identified the man as Kwalela Wamundila.
Mr. Lungu said the man was picked-up by Police in the district after the demise of the wife on December 5, 2017.
The Police Commissioner added that Wamundila is accused of beating his wife on November 7, 2017 using sticks and other unknown apparatus which resulted in the woman having a miscarriage.
Mr. Lungu said the deceased died while in Senanga District Hospital since the day of her beating.
He said the man is remanded in Police custody awaiting court appearance while the body of his late wife is still lying in Senanga District Hospital awaiting postmortem and burial.
In another related incident, a 51 year old woman of Malasu village in chief Imusho’s area in Sesheke District is feared dead after she allegedly escaped from her husband’s beating on December 2, 2017.
Gertrude Mambela is reported to have escaped from the husband’s beating whilst bleeding heavily on the said date between 18:00 and 19:00hrs.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, says her family has been frantically looking for her since the day of her disappearance.
Mr. Lungu who identified the accused as Namushi Shilendo 56, of the same aboard said he has since been arrested to help police with investigations.
He said it was regrettable that the culture of violence and intolerance in marriages have continued ravaging society despite government’s efforts to cramp-down the practices.
President Edgar Lungu greets African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) Zambia chapter chairperson Cornelius Mweetwa during the Commemoration of the 2017 international Anti- Corruption day in Lusaka
President Edgar Lungu has said that he will not condone corruption in government at the expense of the Zambian people. President Lungu said that allowing corruption to thrive in the country has a tendency to disturb the economic growth rate of the country.
He said he will not allow any corrupt elements to continue serving the public service because it compromises on service delivery.
“I will therefore not condone corruption in my government. I will not look kindly upon members of my government who takes advantage of their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of the Zambian people,” the president said.
President Lungu said this in Lusaka today during the commemoration of the Anti-Corruption Day under the theme “Corruption: An impediment to sustainable development goals”
President Lungu said corruption distracts the development of key government institutions such as health, education and infrastructure.
The President said that it was saddening to note that misappropriation and misapplication of public funds was on the rise in some public institutions as revealed by the auditor-general’s report.
“It is saddening to note that misappropriation and misapplication of public funds is on the rise in some public institutions, as revealed by the auditor-general’s report, ” the President said before adding that prudent use of public resources was key in our development agenda and that the auditor general’s report must be a distress call to action.
“It is evident that administrative processes and procedures which are meant to address pilferage of financial resources in public institutions are weak. There is urgent need therefore to evaluate and strengthen the systems of public finance management to ensure that opportunities for corruption and abuse of public funds is curtailed,” the president noted.
The President said that he was committed to ensuring that the corruption fight in the country is taken a level where people are free to report anyone for corruption.
President Lungu said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is also at liberty to investigate anyone on issues of corruption.
He said he is aware that though some sections of society are calling him to be corrupt, he has done his best to ensure that corruption is fought.
“While the back stops with controlling officers who should ensure that public funds are used for intended purposes, I also demand that law enforcement agencies should ensure that erring public officers are dealt with firmly where criminality is evident,” he said.
The President urged Law enforcement agencies to step up their efforts to ensure that public resources are safeguarded and where there are losses, these should be recovered as the people of zambia are demanding for swift and timely interventions.
“I wish to urge integrity committees which have been formed at institutional level under the national integrity programme to be proactive in addressing institutional corruption. I am aware that some of the committees have not performed well. I wish to call on permanent secretaries and chief executive officers in public institutions to ensure these committees are supported to implement anti-corruption programmes in their respective institutions,” he said
Speaking earlier ACC Chairperson Justice Timothy Kabalata said the fight against corruption calls for individual efforts if it is to bear any fruits.
Justice Kabalata has since urged all to own the fight against corruption if they are to enjoy the fruit of the national cake equally.
He said corruption if unchecked is a cancer that depletes the hard earned resources, which need to be channeled to various developmental project.
Meanwhile Transparency International Zambia Chapter President Rueben Lifuka said it is clear that Zambia like the rest of the developing countries, cannot attain the desired sustainable development ,with high levels of corruption.
Mr. Lifuka said this year’s theme , should be a strong reminder to all that corruption is a serious crime which is robbing the nation of the much needed resources.
And UNDP Deputy Country Director Sergio Valdini says the action to correct the ills is not a preserve of government or Anti-Corruption only but for all people.
Mr. Valdini said corruption adversely affected the attainment of SDGs through reduction in access to human rights.
President Lungu Greet Freedom SikazwePresident Edgar Lungu address at the Commemoration of the International Anti Corruption Day with African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) Zambia chapter chairperson Cornelius Mweetwa during the Commemoration of the 2017 international Anti- Corruption day in LusakaPresident Edgar Lungu with Amos Chanda arrive at Government Complex for the Commemoration of International Anti Corruption day in LusakaPresident Edgar Lungu with Amos Chanda at International Anti Corruption day Commemoration In Lusaka
