The talks between the two leaders focused on how to enhance bilateral ties and increase cooperation in sectors including tourism, transport, trade, investment, air-link and regional security.

Part of the deals reached on cooperation in tourism, where Kenya has vast experience, included the training of 50 Zambian students at the globally renown Kenya Utalii College. The training is scheduled to start as soon as feasible.

President Lungu, who has been in Kenya on a private visit, visited the Ronald Ngala Utalii College in Kilifi to appraise himself with the development of the tourism sector in Kenya.

Kenya and Zambia have for many years enjoyed warm relations where they co-operate areas such as agriculture, tourism, education and information communication and technology (ICT).

The two countries have an existing MOU on science, technology and innovation.

President Kenyatta visited Zambia in July 2015 on the invitation of President Lungu.

Kenya exports edible oils, margarines, iron sheets, steel pipes and products, detergents, baking powder, kitchen and table wares, spices, blankets, beauty products, toiletries, irrigation pumps, tyres, and textiles and crafts to Zambia.

Kenya’s top imports from Zambia include copper wire or refined, maize seed, electric conductors, butane, LPG, waste and scrap primary cells, crude vegetable material, pig iron and asbestos.

Standard Bank has defended its subsidiary Stanbic Bank Zambia on allegations of bribing three judges in that country to receive favourable judgment against its former client.

Standard Bank said yesterday that the accusations had no merit.

“Stanbic Bank believes in transparency and the rule of law. We respect the judgment, which was arrived at in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with the laws of the land,” Standard Bank said.

This comes after Stanbic appealed the September 2016 ruling by high court judge Justin Chashi, who ordered the bank to pay Savenda K192.5 million (R253.23m) for loss of business and vital contracts after the bank reported the local enterprise to the Credit Reference Bureau for defaulting on instalments.

Savenda received a loan of $540000 (R7.18m) from Stanbic in 2007.

According to records, Savenda was servicing the loan as scheduled, but the bank’s system could not capture these monthly repayments. Stanbic admitted the error and put it in writing that they would rectify the problem.

But, another Standard Bank reported Savenda to the Credit Reference Bureau as a deliquescent borrower.

In March Stanbic appealed to the Court of Appeal, which decided that the damage suffered by Savenda was only nominal or existing in name only and awarded Savenda K5000.

Three Supreme Court judges Nigel Mutuna, Michael Musonda and Evans Hamaundu dismissed the appeal by Savenda.

Since then, several individuals and organisations have accused the three judges of professional misconduct.

The National Empowerment Forum called on chief justice Irene Mambilima to constitute a tribunal against the three judges.

However, the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has defended the Court of Appeals ruling and supported the judges.

“As LAZ we have understood these comments and allegations as being calculated to interfere with the proper administration of justice, calculated at instilling fear in the minds of the named and other judges for purposes of impending their independence in the adjudicative process and inhibiting the discharge of the duty that counsel owes his client,” LAZ said.

LAZ said while the members of the public are at liberty to comment on decisions of the courts in Zambia and exchange views on the decisions, it was contemptuous to allege a bias and incompetence against the court.

“A party or any person who makes such allegations is liable to be cited for contempt of court and if convicted, sentenced to imprisonment or to pay a fine or both,” LAZ warned.

The Department of Labour in Rufunsa District has expressed concern over the continued casualization of labour in the area.

Rufunsa District Labour Inspector, Kennedy Nalili who conducted a special inspection on some private institutions in the area expressed disappointment that workers at one of the private schools have been working for more than four years on contracts which are renewed every year.

Mr. Nalili said such contracts were a form of casualization which Government does not condone hence assured the workers that the Department of Labour will soon seek audience with management to clarify some of the issues pertaining to their contracts.

And workers in the district have commended the department for embarking on labour inspections to educate them on conditions of service and other labour matters.

The workers who sought anonymity for fear of been victimized by their employers implored the department to continue with their inspections so that employers are acquainted with labour laws of the country.

Mr. Nalili assured the workers that the department will play its mandate of ensuring that the Labour force in the country is protected.

A Delegation of 25 high profile South African Investors have arrived in Lusaka ahead of a five days Trade and investment Mission.

The delegation whose main focus sectors are Steel, Energy, Rail and Mining will hold meetings with Government Ministries and the private sector.

Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba who accompanied the Delegation says the team will also participate in the Zambia International Mining and Energy Exhibition conference that is scheduled to take place at Mulungushi Conference Centre on June 18th to 20th this month.

He has indicated that the continued interest by the South African Government highlights the warm bilateral relations and the confidence that investors have in Zambia’s economy, its investment and trade environment.

Mr. Mwamba further noted that the investment mission was one of the results of continued interaction by the Zambian High Commission in South Africa with South African Public and Private Investors in an effort to raise Zambia’s investment profile under the framework of Zambia’s Economic Diplomacy policy.

This is according to a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday by the First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa, Naomi Nyawali.

The Mission is organised by the Trade Invest Africa (TlA), a division of South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry (the DTI) mandated to champion South Africa’s trade policy through an investment-led approach and to promote mutually beneficial trade and investment relations.

The South African delegation comprises the Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC), the Development Bank of South African (DBSA) and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC).

Party president Mr. Peter Sinkamba said this morning that the austerity measures were long overdue and hoped that government will be coherent on the issue.

“As the Green Party, we commend Government on the austerity measures and hope that they will be coherent on the issue. The problem with our colleagues in PF is policy coherence,” he said.

He however stated that the measures taken will not make a big difference without addressing revenue inflows from exports.

“Our biggest problem at the moment is depressed external revenue. Our exports are not bringing into the country sufficient resources. We need to think outside the box to identify other revenue streams besides copper, to bring into the country revenue which is three or four time as much, if we have to significantly dismantle to the current debt stock and improve the quality of lives for our people,”he said.

And Mr. Sinkamba has appealed to Ms Mwanakatwe to prevail over Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya on the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes to help dismantle the domestic and external debt which when combined she said had risen to about US$13 billion.

The Green party leader said that if Government had heeded to the call to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes three years ago, the country would not have been in its current debt crisis situation.

“If Government had heeded to our call to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes, we would not have been in this debt stress. We would have been generating at least US$36 billion per year. With that kind of money, we would definitely not be under this level of debt stress. In fact, we would have dismantled all the debt by now,” he said.

In a statement released late Thursday, Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe stated that President Lungu has ordered cancellation of some existing loans, banned the issuance of letters of credit and guarantees to state owned enterprises, terminated financing of development project that are below 80 per cent completion and cut down on ministerial travels with immediate effect.

Ms Mwanakatwe admitted that the current stock of domestic arrears, which stood at K12.7 billion as at end-December 2017, had adversely affected economic activity through elevated non-performing loans and subsequently contributed to reduce private sector financing.