Turkey through the Turkish National Police, has pledged to help the Zambia Police Service with capacity-building to effectively fight modern global organised crime trends and technical assistance to operationalize the newly established National Anti-Terrorism Centre under the framework of the proposed Security Co-operation Agreement between the two countries.

Speaking during a meeting with a high-ranking Zambia Police Service delegation led by Inspector –General Kakoma Kanganja in Ankara yesterday, Turkish National Police Director-General Selami Altinok said Turkey had gained the necessary experience in fighting a separatist terrorism organization on home soil over a period spanning 40 years, including two terrorist organisations that have emerged over the last five years.

Mr Altinok said the Turkish National Police was ready to share this expertise and technology with the Zambia Police Service to combat transnational crime including terrorism.
“As the Turkish National Police, we are ready to provide the necessary development capacity of your National-Anti-Terrorism Centre,” Mr Altinok said.
He also said the Turkish National Police Academy will be able to receive and train officers from Zambia Police Service once the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is signed between the two institutions.

And Mr Kanganja said the Zambia Police Service was determined to enhance bilateral relations and co-operation with the Turkish National Police on the detection and prevention of organized and transnational crime such as cyber-crime, human trafficking, terrorism and other related global crime trends.

Mr Kanganja informed Mr Altinok that the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Zambia had approved the Declaration of Intent between the Zambia Police Service and the Turkish National Police to sign the MoU on co-operation in the field of security and that the agreement would be signed when their Turkish counterparts are ready.

“I am positive that this Memorandum of Understanding will strengthen the co-operation currently existing between the Zambia Police Service and the Turkish National Police,” Mr Kanganja said.

He was happy that the Zambia Police Service had recently benefited from training programmes conducted by the Turkish National Police such as the human resource capacity building course in which some Turkish instructors were sent to Zambia to train officers at the paramilitary battalion.

Mr Kanganja also said the vastness of Zambia’s geographical area coupled with the increasing population and the attraction of both local and foreign investments had brought about new crime trends and challenges

“Some of these challenges include inadequate transport, increase in cyber-crimes and abuse of social media. There is also lack of adequate funds to help build capacity in our officers so that they are in tandem with the ever dynamic technology,” Mr Kanganja said.

He appealed the Turkish National Police to closely work with the Zambia Police Service in its quest to modernize policing operations through acquisition of modern equipment.
Mr Kanganja also said the Zambia Police Service needs support in the fight against terrorism.

He informed Mr Altinok that the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Republic of Zambia had established the National Anti-Terrorism Center, which is yet to be fully operational due to inadequate resources to complete the project.

“We have been keenly following the Turkish National Police and I understand that you have been dealing with issues of terrorism for a long time now and as such you have greatly advanced in the skills and technology of detecting and tracking terrorists,” Mr Kanganja said.

He said the Zambia Police Service was looking forward to learning more from the Turkish National Police and acquiring the necessary knowledge and ideas to help fully operationalize the National Anti-Terrorism Centre.

Copperbelt University students in Kitwe on Tuesday night ran violent riot over delayed meal allowances.

Eye witnesses said the riot which started at midnight turned violent and some students were injured in the process after they started throwing stones as riot police moved in to quell the violence.

The students have lost patience after delays from Government to pay them their allowances and vented their anger on the public by taking to Jambo Dive at midnight.

Some of the injured students were admitted to hospital following the riot.

Students have been demanding their allowances but have yet to receive after having been assured.

CBU management was not immediately available for a comment.

Other items donated include mosquito nets, solar lamps, chitenge, children’s clothes and soccer balls.

And Nchelenge District Commissioner Derrick Mwelwa thanked the German Embassy for the donation adding that as a refugee-hosting district it is important to applaud Germany, which has recognized the need to support both the refugees and the Zambian community.

ZANIS reports that German Ambassador Achim Burkart said in a statement this evening that Zambia and Germany share the common experience of welcoming refugees fleeing their respective countries.

Mr. Burkart says his government is familiar with the logistical, financial and integrational challenges and is therefore very glad to announce that the German Government has committed 700,000 € to the UNHCR refugee response in Zambia and Angola in 2018.

He said additionally, 150 soccer balls were donated to the hosting communities in appreciation of their hospitality and willingness to help in face of the humanitarian challenges unfolding in the north of Zambia.

The Zambian Government and the UNHCR stressed the unmet financial needs to ensure appropriate care and support to the refugees, Mr. Burkart said.

He stressed that until now, less than a quarter of the financial requirements have been covered.

Mr. Burkart said Germany is the first bilateral partner to provide humanitarian relief supplies in face of the current influx of refugees from the DRC.

He said in light of this situation, the German Government has committed another 700,000 € (over 8 million ZMW) to UNHCR for 2018. The money is earmarked for the refugee emergency response in Angola and Zambia.

Meanwhile Nchelenge District Commissioner Derrick Mwelwa thanked the German Embassy for the donation adding that as a refugee-hosting district it is important to applaud Germany, which has recognized the need to support both the refugees and the Zambian community.

Mr. Mwelwa said as they assist the refugees, it is also important to also look at the host community, who also require various services.

He said such an approach will ensure there is continued harmony between the refugees and the Zambians in the surrounding community.

This is contained in a press release made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday by Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Press and Public Relations Rico Bergemann.

Professor Luo says in order for government to achieve its vision of industrialization there is need for qualified manpower. She said this when she met a Russian delegation that called on her at her office.

Professor Luo commended the Russian Government for its support to the ministry of higher education and the Copperbelt university.

And professor Luo said there is need to grow capacity with the local people so that they are able to empower so that they can acquire expertise in various fields such as the construction of roads and rail ways.

And RUDN University Advisor to the Vice Rector for international relations Masamba Kah says the university’s intention is to make CBU a technological centre.

Government’s task of looking after refugees is enormous, requiring support from various stakeholders, Zambia’s Commissioner for Refugees in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Abdon Mawere, has said.

Commissioner Mawere said this today at a ceremony when he received a donation of assorted commodities, worth K200, 000 (US$20, 000), from the Lions Club of District 413 Zambia at Kenani refugee transit centre in Luapula’s Nchelenge District.

“As Government, we are trying as much as possible. But keeping refugees is a heavy burden, which Government alone cannot bear. We are very grateful for the help from the Lions, for finding your way to Nchelenge. And this demonstrates that Zambians are with us, demonstrated through this spirit of giving and we want every help we can get,” said the Commissioner for Refugees.

The Commissioner for Refugees further expressed appreciation that following President Edgar Lungu’s appeal for help to the Congolese refugees, some organisations were now coming forward to make contributions, especially in form of in-kind donations. He said at the time President Lungu visited Kenani transit centre on 31 October, the population at thei transit centre was only 6, 000. However, barely five weeks later, the population has gone beyond 9, 000.

Lions Club Governor for District 413 Zambia, Ms Jessica Choobe, who handed the donated materials on behalf of the Lions, said her team decided to mobilise resources to help when they heard about the plight of the refugees.

UNHCR Representative to Zambia Ms Pierrine Aylara, thanked the Lions Club for the donation to refugees, whom she described as having many needs.
The donated materials include clothes, blankets, mosquito nets and assorted medicines.

Earlier, the Lions members, from several districts of Luapula province, such as Kawambwa and Mansa, joined their leaders from Lusaka on a conducted tour of several sectors at Kenani transit centre.

On Thursday 30 November 2017, a three-person delegation from the German Embassy in Lusaka visited Nchelenge to take part in a symbolic distribution of assorted materials the embassy donated to Congolese refugees at Kenani transit visited centre and the host community. The donated materials, worth 50, 000 Euros, among other things, included solar lanterns, mosquito nets, clothes, chitenge materials and footballs.

While the majority of Congolese new arrivals are through the Chiengi border area, some are crossing into Zambia through other entry points, such as Nsumbu, Kaputa and Mpulungu in Northern. Kapushi and Kakoma, in North Western and Kasumbalesa and Sakania, on the Copperbelt province. These are relocated to Meheba and Mayukwayukwa Refugee Settlements.

A total of 4, 565 Congolese have fled to Zambia since the start of 2017 through other entry points than Chiengi. The overall cumulative number of new Congolese arrivals in Zambia so far in 2017 (Chiengi and other entry points) is: 12, 528.

Government has today inaugurated the new National Housing Authority ( NHA ) board with a call to address the prevailing housing deficit the country is faced with.

Infrastructure and Housing minister Ronald Chitotela says the new board should consider partnerships with various stakeholders to address the housing deficit in the country.

Speaking during the inauguration of the new Board, in Lusaka, today, Mr. Chitotela said the new board embarks on the journey to serve the Zambian people through the NHA Board, their performance will largely be judged on the contributions they will make to address the housing deficit.

Speaking later , the new NHA Board Chairman Justine Chinyanta said his board will carry the vision of building infrastructure in the country.

Mr. Chinyanta assured the Minister that his board will deliver to the expectations of government and the general public by ensuring that decent accommodation is provided across the country.

Other board members are Bornwell Lwanga, Kitwe City Council, Numeral Banda, Ministry of Local Government, Nkumbu Siame Ministry of Local Government and Mpanji Namumba Local government Association of Zambia.

Others include Bwalya Katati National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Joseph Chikolwa Zambia National Buildings Society, Allan Mbewe Independent and Michael Katemwa Kawambwa District Council.

Government says since it implemented Statutory Instrument no 76 of 2016 the country has recorded a 12 per cent reduction in the number of road accidents between January to September 2017.

The Statutory Instrument no 76 of 2016 prohibits the movement of public service vehicles after 21 hours.

Ministry of Transport and Communication permanent secretary Miseck Lungu says as a result road traffic accidents reduced from 25, 009 cases from January to September in 2016 to 22, 152 during the same period this year which represents a 11.9 per cent decrease.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Lungu said this in Ndola yesterday during a consultative meeting with public transport operators on the introduction of the road traffic statutory Instrument No. 79 of 2016.

Mr. Lungu explained that the implementation of the SI no. 79 is a measure that government has put in place to promote road safety and reduce road accidents in the country.

Government has introduced the SI no. 79 which seeks to compel public transport vehicles to have seat belts fitted in all vehicles by 2019 to enhance road safety for the people in the country.

But Mufulira Bus Operators Association member Samson Chalwe, complained that most bus operators cannot afford to fit in seat belts by 2019 as it is costly for one with several buses.

And Sydney Mbewe, the Taxi Association of Zambia Ndola branch secretary appealed to the ministry of transport to come up with a mechanism to help tax drivers meet the cost of fitting seat belts and child seats in the cars.

The Road Transport and Safety Agency chief executive officer Zindaba Soko however said that the agency is happy with the response it has received from public transport operators on the Copperbelt