The decision by US President Donald Trump to recognize annexation of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move which is contrary to the 1980 UN Security Council Resolution 478, is total madness,” Green Party leader Peter Sinkamba said in Kitwe on Thursday.

Sinkamba, who likened Trump to Judas Iscariot, added that as a declared Christian Nation, Zambia should demonstrate biblical vigilance by strongly condemning and rejecting the annexation of Jerusalem by Israel and chose to stand by the side of the oppressed people of Palestine and Jordan.

Commenting on Trump’s decision which was announced on Wednesday this week that the US has decided to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and that the American Embassy will soon be shifted from Tel Aviv, Sinkamba charged that so long as the UN 1980 Resolution remains in force, the annexation is null and void. He said no right thinking leader should have contemplated doing so in the first place, considering hundreds of thousands of deaths in the past in the region and great milestones attained so far to achieve peace.

Likening him to Judas, the Green Party leader said it is a pity Trump has decided to trade lives of Palestinians and Jordanians to serve personal interests and hopes that he will live to regret his betrayal.

“Trump’s betrayal on the UN Resolution is typically like that of Judas Iscariot. We hope he will follow the footprints of Judas whereby when Judas saw that Jesus was condemned following the betrayal, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elder. We hope Trump will live to regret this betrayal one day his lifetime,” Sinkamba charged.

“It is a pity that President Trump has decided to trade lives of Palestinians and Jordanians for personal interests. Anyway, the comforting news to Christians is that this provocative move by President Trump has happened during the Advent Season when, we, the Christians, are invited to be vigilant. We hope that Zambia, as a declared Christian Nation, will demonstrate vigilance by strongly condemning and rejecting the decision to annex Jerusalem to Israel,” Sinkamba said

A mysterious cattle disease has broken out in Chikankata district in Southern province and has since claimed seven heads of cattle.

Chikankata District Veterinary Officer Dr Abraham Msoni has disclosed that his office has since dispatched a team of officers to verify the reported outbreak of the peculiar cattle disease which has so far claimed seven heads of cattle in Chikankata.

Dr Msoni told ZANIS yesterday in Chikankata that his officers are currently ascertaining the type of disease which has broken out in the district and further called on farmers to report cases of animal diseases on time so that their animals are attended to as quickly as possible.

One affected farmer talked to by the Zambia News and Information Services in Chikankata district yesterday, Josia Mweemba said he has lost two animals within a week.

Mr Mweemba said his animals just collapsed and within a short period, the animals lost their lives.

He wondered what type of disease this as it was not showing signs of the popular corridor disease popularly known as Denkete in Tonga.

And another farmer Phillip Choonya said the disease kills cattle quickly and has called on the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock to immediately move in to prevent more animals from dying.

Mr Choonya said he has lost five animals within a period of two weeks and that quick efforts should be put in place by the Ministry so that the disease is contained.

Ndola City Council (NCC) Management says it has gone pro-active in its operations to make the provincial City active and vibrant to the satisfaction of the various communities in the area.

The NCC Management has consequently decided to enhance its proactive by ensuring that there is zero Cholera in the area.

ZANIS reports that NCC Public Relations Manager Tilyeji Mwanza says that her council’s management headed by the Director Administration Isaac Mwale today visited Kaloko Dumpsite, one of the city’s biggest dumpsites to ensure that the site is easily accessible and has proper water drainage system.

Ms. Mwanza added in a statement that Directors from Public Health, Engineering and Housing were part of the inspection team that went to ensure that the roads to the dumpsite were opened up and the drainage at the site became operational.

“ The action by the council’s management is an ongoing exercise of ensuring there is proper disposal of solid waste in the city in a bid to prevent Cholera, “ she said.

She further explained that Management would also continue to spearhead sensitization programmes to educate the public on the basic cholera prevention steps by using its department of community development, public health and its notable civic leaders.

Ms. Mwanza said NCC noted that prevention of Cholera was dependent on access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and basic hygiene needs.

She said the local Authority had five basic Cholera prevention steps that included drinking, using safe water and washing hands often with soap and safe water.

Others were the use of latrines, toilets, not defecating in any body of water collapsed and cooking food well, keeping it covered, eating it hot, and peeling fruits and vegetables.

Ms. Mwanza said cleaning up safely in the kitchen and in places where the family bathes and washes clothes were also part of ensuring that there was no cholera outbreak in the district.

Teachers in Central Province have been warned against engaging into intimate relationships with their pupils.

ZANIS reports National Union of Public and Private Educators of Zambia ( NUPPEZ ) Central Province Chairperson, Godfrey Moonga, says teachers should refrain from girl-chid and teacher close relationships.

Mr Moonga says it is barbaric to see a teacher engage in an intimate relationship with a girl child, adding that the vice is tarnishing the image of the teaching fraternity.

“We have heard about the girl-child-teacher relations. As a union we urge you to refrain from such acts,” he says.

Mr Moonga has urged all erring teachers to stop as the law will visit them and consequently lose their jobs.

He said in an interview in Kabwe today that the union is committed to ensure girls and women are empowered especially in the education sector in the country.

The union chairperson further adds that teachers and parents should take a leading role to ensure the girl child is protected and attains an education.

Mr Moonga also adds that it is disappointing to see how most cases of early pregnancies and early marriages in schools are being handled especially by parents.

“Most parents prefer to sort issues outside court, just talk with the perpetrator, make them pay something because they fear losing out,” he says.

Mr Moonga adds that many perpetrators have not taken to court as most parents opt to settle matters their way instead of following the law.

Meanwhile, Ngabwe District Education Board Secretary, Rodgers Chuulu, has also implored parents to take a leading role in educating the girl child.

Mr Chuulu says most parents do not take responsibility of their children and in some cases force their children into early marriages.

He has called on the community not to allow such acts but report them to the authorities to ensure perpetrators are punished.

The District Education Board Secretary further adds that education is key to women empowerment and to end gender based violence in the country.

And speaking on arrival at Solwezi Airstrip this afternoon when he addressed party officials for North Western Province, Mr. Mwila has called for unity in the party as it embarks on mobilizing structures across the country.

Mr. Mwila says the Party was unstoppable in its quest to turn the political tide in North-Western Province.

He said North-Western Province is perceived to be a stronghold of the opposition UPND and thus the need to work hard in mobilizing the party ahead of the 2021 polls.

Mr. Mwila further mentioned that the party was making steady progress in terms of ensuring that it performs well in the next elections in the Province.

He has also revealed that President Edgar Lungu had directed him to ensure that he delivers North Western Province from the hands of the UPND.

Mr. Mwila said that it was gratifying to note that in the previous elections, the ruling party got over ten thousand votes saying that was an indication that the party was proceeding in the right direction.

Meanwhile, the PF Secretary General has said the PF government had proved critics wrong by taking development to all parts of the country.

He stated that the PF was working on the Solwezi-Chingola Road which some opposition political parties accused lack of commitment on the part of the PF administration to complete such an economically viable road.

And speaking at the same event, North Western Province Chairman Jackson Kungo revealed that the party was currently preparing for two looming by elections in Kasempa and Mwinilunga.

Mr. Kungo explained that the Kasempa by-election was because of a Councillor who was recently recruited as a teacher while the Mwinilunga one is as a result of a Councillor who was found with fake documents.

On 9th December 2017, the PF Secretary General moves to Luanshya District where he will donate two (02) motor vehicles to Roan and Luanshya Central Constituencies for Party operations.

The Secretary General is accompanied by MCC Peter Kazhila and MCC Kebby Mbewe.

This is contained in a statement issued to ZANIS IN Lusaka today by PF Media Director Sunday Chanda.