President Edgar Lungu has commissioned the construction of the 1.2 billion U.S dollar Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriageway.

President Lungu says the project to be undertaken by China Jiangxi International Corporation is one of the biggest between Zambia and China under his leadership.

The Head of State says the road will not only improve flow of traffic and economic development but will also cut down on fatalities.

He says those questioning if people will eat roads do not understand basic economics.

President Lungu is happy that the project to be completed in 4 years will create over 3000 jobs.

He has since appealed to the contractor to ensure that youths are given jobs.

President Lungu has further appealed to road users to bare with the contractor for the inconvenience caused during the implementation stage while appealing to Chiefs to help sensitize their subjects to cooperate.

The Head of State has also reminded the Road Development Agency to ensure that local firms comprising small and medium enterprises are engaged in line with the minimum of 20percent works being subcontracted.

And Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development Ronald Chitotela said he will ensure the project is executed to the highest standard.

Meanwhile Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo is happy that the long-awaited project is now taking off.

And Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga said the road will help open up the agriculture and tourism sectors in his province.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming said Zambia has many favourable natural endowments but has failed to fully tap into the economic potential owing to poor road infrastructure.

And China Jiangxi President Xu G0uojian said his company has since 1987 worked on over 200 projects in Zambia which include over 1000 kilometers of roads.

Popular Cartoon Network series The Powerpuff Girls announced yesterday that there will be a fourth Powerpuff Girl to join Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup in their quest to protect earth and entertain kids.

The as yet to be named Powerpuff Girl will be voiced by pianist, producer, and singer-songwriter Toya Delazy. The accomplished musician announced her involvement with a picture of her in the recording studio. She was all smiles in the photo, which also included a Powerpuff Girls poster in the background.

The official announcement of a new Powerpuff Girl joining the team came yesterday, with Cartoon Network teasing the reveal with only a silhouette. The official reveal was set for the new five part “Power of Four” mini movie, but footage of the new member hit the Internet as part of a Cartoon Network sizzle reel for upcoming episodes. 

As for Delazy, she has already worked with Cartoon Network‘s Powerpuff Girls previously. She crafted the Powerpuff Girls theme song for Africa, and now she gets to join the show in a whole new way. She describes her music as a blend of Jazz, Electro, and Hip-Hop, which she has termed as JEHP

NME reports that Jamie Ondarza, senior vice-president at Turner Broadcasting in Southern Europe and Africa, stated: “Toya is definitely a perfect fit as the fourth Powerpuff Girl. She is confident, bubbly and quirky, all the values that we are familiar with, love and appreciate. We have a lot of surprises up our sleeves.”

The Powerpuff Girls have been a three woman team since their inception, so introducing a new member is a big deal to the Powerpuff fandom. Powerpuff Girls stars Amanda Leighton (Blossom), Kristen Li (Bubbles), and Natalie Palamides (Buttercup), along with Tom Kenny as the Mayor and narrator. This series is a reboot of the 1996 original run, which ran for 78 episodes.

The Powerpuff Girls is an American superhero animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken for Cartoon Network. The show centers on Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, three girls with superpowers, as well as their father, the brainy scientist Professor Utonium, who all live in the city of Townsville. The girls are frequently called upon by the town’s childlike and naive mayor to help fight nearby criminals using their powers.

Source: Thecitizen

MMD National Secretary Raphael Nakacinda said the speculations making rounds in the media are not only malious but that they are meant to destruct members who should ignore the rumours.

Mr Nakacinda said Mr Mutati is focused on doing his job as finance minister adding that the party president was currently in Tanzania where he was representing the President Edgar Lungu.

He said his party will not be restricted by rumours and that the party will continue to encourage their President to diligently do his job for Zambians in the interest of the nation

Media reports have claimed that the MMD President has been convinced to join the ruling PF after cadres from the ruling party petitioned the party Secretary General Davies Mwila to drop the Finance Minister.

The times when nuclear technologies were affordable only for superpowers have gone long ago. Today more and more developing countries around the globe are opting to develop nuclear technologies to make them an integral part of national development and economic empowerment.
African countries are not an exception and have made significant steps in nuclear science development under the guidance of the United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) and its key member states.
IAEA organises a rolling programme of training and courses for African professionals from across the continent to gain knowledge and skills in the nuclear field. Recently the IAEA held a workshop in Sudan on nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness for more than 300 participants from around the continent.
The results from East African countries are already substantial. With the help of international training and assistance Tanzanian doctors are now able to deliver more precise radiation cancer treatment with no harm to healthy tissue through 3D scanning.
“We now have the skills to more fully understand the extent of a tumour and ultimately plan better and more precise treatment for our patients,” said Dr Mark Mseti, a radiation oncologist at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam, which receives technical support and equipment through the IAEA. Previously, Dr Mseti participated in IAEA training on 3D planning for target volume definition and contouring for radiotherapy.
The IAEA supports its member states, which include Zambia, to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases like cancer. To this end the IAEA offers training, coordinates research, provides equipment and technical expertise and hosts scientific fellows, among other services.
The organisation is not alone in these efforts to strengthen the nuclear infrastructure of developing countries. The IAEA and Russian nuclear energy giant Rosatom have reached an agreement aimed at bolstering IAEA assistance to member states that are considering introducing nuclear power or expanding an existing programme.
In Zambia the international assistance led to drastic improvements in the medical sector. The country will expand its cancer treatment facilities and the officials are planning to launch an ambitious project to expand medical services in the country given the successful operation of Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) in Lusaka, which has treated 16,000 people in the last decade.
“Without the assistance of the IAEA, it would have been very difficult for us to set up a highly technical centre like this one and care for so many patients,” said Dr Lewis Banda, the CDH’s Senior Medical Superintendent.
The development of nuclear science made it possible for Zambia to make gains in improving the living standards of people. In this context Zambian government decided to embark on the path of establishing up its own nuclear science and technology programme in collaboration with Russia and Rosatom. The parties have already signed several agreements to start construction of the Zambian Centre for Nuclear Science and Technologies, which will be equipped with laboratories and functional systems for scientific research as well as a multi-purpose research reactor.
The centre will make it possible to conduct research in the radiobiology sphere and establish production of radioisotopes in Zambia for wide application in cancer diagnostics and treatment. It will also provide staff training for the local nuclear industry.
For her part IAEA cancer expert Kristen Hopkins was optimistic about Zambia’s drive towards nuclear development, mentioning that Zambia had an excellent team and a clear vision to develop the nuclear medicine sphere in coming years.
This shows that African countries are well on the way of nuclear development, which will bring long-term social and economic benefits as well as sustainable energy.

El Mukuka’s new fiery single “Amor Mio” (meaning “my love” in Spanish) is a collaboration with German producer Shaun Bate and Zambian songstress Marocco. The track merges the flamboyant world of Latin music with house music in a sun-kissed summer package glittering with cutting edge production work and a fiercely catchy hook.

Mukuka’s last two releases on Universal Music South Africa and Blanco y Negro Music Spain set the tone for his long-term career vision to fuse European melodic house with world music elements, earning him close to 1 million Spotify streams, radio and iTunes chart rankings and an official remix from the smash hit European DJ duo Filatov & Karas. Over the years Mukuka has proven that he is a force to be reckoned with and a pioneer who is pushing the boundaries of Zambian music.

BY KAPA187

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