Government has decided not to renew the employment permit of Pastor Augustine Oso Ebosele of Omega Fire Ministries in Lusaka. This is because the conduct of Pastor EBOSELE has divided the OMEGA Fire Ministries into two parties.

Chief Government Spokesperson Kampamba Mulenga has announced this in Lusaka. Ms Mulenga says it is feared that with the Pastor’s continued stay in the country, the acrimony in Omega Fire Ministries could result into the breakdown and law and order.

She says Pastor Obesele was given 48 hours to leave the country, in accordance with the Immigration and Deportation Act number 18 of 2010. Ms Mulenga also said contrary to speculations, the Government has not closed Omega Fire Ministries and is not against Nigerian Pastors.

She said Omega Fire Ministries Headquarters in Nigeria is free to send a senior pastor to come and help reconcile the membership in Lusaka. Ms Mulenga has called of Omega Fire Ministries members to avoid speculation and remain calm as matters are being dealt with the Church membership.

INFORMATION and Broadcasting services minister Kampamba Mulenga has called on Zambians, especially women, to beware of cyber crime as they embrace e-commerce.

Ms Mulenga said that while e-commerce was important in economic development, there was need to ?uard against cyber crime.

She said that through cyber crime, personal information was being stolen and used in cases of cyber crime.

“Women and adolescents are the major victims of cyber crime hence the need for them to be on the look out as they carry out their businesses,” she said.

The minister said this in a speech read for her by Information and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Godfrey Malama at the inaugural Africa Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP) conference held at Intercontinental hotel in Lusaka yesterday.

She explained that the Zambia Information Communication Technology (ZICTA) was on the ground working hard to stop cyber crime.

Ms Mulenga said it was important to find means through which women could effectively play a part in the economic development of the country.

“Time for stereotyping and excluding women from utilising ICTS in furthering economic development is long gone. Zambia and Africa must heed to the worldwide call for equity in resource access and utilisation,” she said.

She explained that government was aware of the challenges of e-commerce solutions

She cited the lack of effective Infirnation Communication Technology (ICT) infrastucture to support widespread use of e-commerce solutions and inadequate lawa and legal systen to support e-commerce.

Ms Kampamba further cited inadequate innovative solutions from the ICT industry that can promote the spread of e-commerce and lack of supportive and integrated investments.

“Government is determined to tackle ICT challenges as evidence from the recent launch of the smart Zambia project at a cost of 440 million united states dollars as we move to electronic-government system which will see government provide all services,” Ms Kampamba said.

She implored entrepreneurs and business houses to take advantage of governments’ ICT initiatives to enhamce your businesses within and abroad,” she said.

The minister explained that enhancing women’s participation in development was key to achieving social justice and reducing poverty among others.

“World wide experience shows that supporting a stronger role for women contributes to economic growth, it improves child survival and overall family health and it reduces fertility, thus helping to slow population growth rates,” she said.

Ms Kampamba called on AWEP to work with the media in Zambia in sensitising women on benefits of e-commerce.

Republican Vice President, Mrs Inonge Wina today took time to visit former Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe at the University Teaching Hospital where she has assured the admitted veteran Politician of Government’s commitment to his health.

The Vice President said she was confident that medical personnel would do everything within their means to give him the best health care.

In appreciating the visit, Mr. Munkombwe described the gesture as evidence that political differences did not create enemies.

The veteran politician explained that he has not been well the past few weeks due to the breathing difficulties he is currently experiencing.

And while at UTH, the Vice President also took time to visit Chief Chitambo of Serenje in Central Province.

Chief Chitambo has expressed gratitude for the Vice President’s visit and used the occasion to tell the Vice President that traditional leaders must not practice petty politics but instead work with the government of the day.

In response, Mrs Wina said Government was ready to work with all traditional leaders because of their understanding people’s the needs in their areas.

Accompanying the Vice President was Health Minister Dr.Chitalu Chilufya who described the conditions of both Mr. Munkombwe and Chief Chitambo as stable.

Dr.Chilufya said that medical personnel at the health institution would ensure that both leaders get the best possible care.

The Lusaka High Court has dismissed a notice of intention by Former Post Newspaper Limited Editor-in-Chief, Fred M’membe to raise preliminary issues on whether Lusaka High Court Judge , Sunday Nkonde could continue hearing a case involving the liquidation of the Newspaper.

Justice Nkonde says this is because the notice sworn in by Dr M’membe is defective.

Dr. M’membe had intended to raise preliminary issues as regard to the alleged bias by Justice Nkonde.

But, Abel Mbozi and three others urged the court not to allow Dr. M’membe to raise preliminary issues because he is not a party to the proceedings as he was not joined to the case by the court.

And in his ruling Justice Nkonde said having struck out the affidavit for the notice to raise preliminary issues he will not go ahead to determine the questions that Dr. M’membe had raised.

This is in a matter in which five former Post Newspaper Limited ( In liquidation ) employees sued the newspaper to wind up business alleging it has no financial capacity to continue operating.

Vice President, Inonge Wina says the Office of the Auditor General has now been given the extended mandate to audit Local Authorities in line with the decentralization policy.

Mrs. Wina has told Parliament during debates on Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure that the Office of the Auditor General has also developed a Strategic Plan for the period 2017 to 2021.

She explained that the Auditor General’s Office is set to introduce new audit programmes to help Government measure progress being made towards attainment of the Seventh National Development Plan.

Mrs. Wina says Government will work closely with the Auditor General to ensure remedial action is taken on all observations made in audit reports.

She stated that Government is committed to enhance and strengthen the capacity of the Office of the Auditor General in 2018.

Mrs. Wina also said Government is unfreezing Thirty Nine positions in the Office and that the overall organizational structure will be reviewed in view of the new Strategic Plan.

DEPUTY Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Namugala yesterday ruled that the Zambian Government will not run its affairs based on information on social media.

This was after leader of the opposition Jack Mwiimbu raised a point of order to ask what Government was doing to protect its nationals in South Africa, following xenophobic information circulating on social media.

“In the last three days in South Africa, messages have been circulating on social media and other means, urging South Africans to rise against foreign nationals who have taken up their jobs,

“What is the Government doing to protect its nationals in South Africa taking into account the measures are supposed to take effect on November 2, 2017? And our people living in that country are concerned regarding to what is happening.

“We are aware that there has been xenophobia in South Africa. Why has Government remained quiet without advising Zambians in South Africa to take precautionary measures? Mr Mwiimbu asked.

But in her response, Ms Namugala indicated that not everything circulating on social media was true and therefore no Government could run its affairs based on such information.

She said no report of Xenophobic attacks on Zambians had been recorded at the Zambian mission in South Africa.

Ms Namugala however advised Zambians in South Africa who feel that their lives might be in danger to report to the mission in Pretoria. “Leaders of the opposition, I have a difficult because the basis of your information is social media and no other source. In today’s world, there is a lot circulating on social media, so I don’t think any self-respectful Government can run its affairs based on social media information,

“Further, you are aware that the Zambian Government is represented in South Africa through a mission and if indeed Zambian nationals feel that they are facing any danger, it is only prudent that they report to the mission in that country,” Ms Namugala said.

Caritas Zambia has trained and supported 31 households in fish farming, in Mansa district, Luapula Province.

Caritas Zambia Programmes Officer Catherine Mwale says her organization is training households in fishing farming, conservation farming, bee keeping and entrepreneurship skills, in order to encourage the spirit of being self-reliant among the locals.

She explained that the 31 households have also started harvesting fish, which comes as a result of the training that was undertaken.

Mrs Mwale said the fish farmers are now able to make profit from their produce, resulting in better living conditions, and them being less dependent on others.

She also pointed out that about 336 households have been supported in livestock production, through goat, pig and chicken empowerment.

And Mrs Mwale her organization will ensure that the beneficiaries are equipped with enough knowledge in order for them to maintain their livelihood.

She observed that if people are trained in various skills, poverty levels in the Province will be reduced.

She has also called on the beneficiaries to ensure that they take advantage of the revolving programme, in order for others to benefit for more community members to benefit from the initiative aswel.