President Edgar Lungu revealed in Mufulira yesterday morning that his Government plans to set up a special committee to reform the mining sector. The President says the committee will recommend what must happen if an investor does not make a profit within three years??whether Government should allow the mining company to continue with operations or not. He says the Committee will also examine how much is extracted from the ore that is exported to ensure a win-win situation.

As the Green Party, we do not think that appointment of another special committee to review the mining sector is really necessary anymore. Last year on the 27th of January, 2016, President Lungu received a report of findings from the Mining Technical Audit Committee at State House. Up to now, the findings of the Technical Committee have not been made public. Therefore, it is imprudent to appoint another committee when there is unfinished business from previous committee.

As the Green Party, what we think is required to be done to end the Mopani impunity is enforcement of existing laws and recourse mechanisms. The biggest problem with Mopani is lack of transparency. This issue has always been identified as the core problem by various successive committees appointed to review the mining sector. It is for this reason that Sections 108, 109 and 110 of the Mines and Mineral Development Act of 2015 introduced stringent measures in the mining sector on record keeping and record supply to relevant Government officials.

If any mining operation fails to keep any plan, report, return, notice, record, register or other document required by or under the Act or supplies a false or misleading record, report, plan or information required for purposes of the Act commits a offence attracting serious punitive measures including imprisonment of directors and staff. The offence can also lead to revocation of the licence. If these provisions of the mining law were enforced, the impunity of Mopani on transfer pricing, VAT refunds, dividend declaration, and other outstanding pertinent issues would have been long gone.

We believe there is nothing new that the proposed special committee will recommend which is better than recommendations of prior committees, which recommendations have already been prescribed as policy and law, including the Mines and Minerals Development Act of 2015.

Peter Sinkamba
President

The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) says it is concerned reports of increased illegal fuel vending activities in Mufumbwe and Mwinilunga districts respectively , Western province.

Acting Director for Consumer and Public Affairs Fred Hang’andu says reports reaching the Board are that illegal fuel vendors are taking advantage of desperate motorists in Mufumbwe and Mwinilunga by selling the commodity at excessive prices.

Mr. Hang’andu has noted that the only licensed facility in Mwinilunga and surrounding areas is operated by Petrolink Limited which currently has no fuel.

He said despite the scarcity of fuel stocks at its filling station, Petrolink management has assured motorists in the area that all efforts are being made to deliver fuel as soon as possible.

“We wish to caution motorists against buying from illegal vendors as the product quality cannot be guaranteed because illegal vendors are not amendable to stringent product quality requirements applicable to licensed filling stations,” he added.

Mr. Hang’andu has however warned illegal fuel vendors of risking to be arrested as operating an energy enterprise without a duly issued license is an offence punishable by law.

He also stressed that storing fuel at facilities and homes that do not offer sufficient protection to human life poses a risk to families and communities in the event of a fire.

He further called upon investors to take advantage of the ready market for fuel by setting up service stations in areas like Mufumbwe which currently has no filling station.

He has however, mentioned that a number of initiatives have been put in place to enable the set-up of filling stations in deficit areas.

The Acting Director for Consumer and Public Affairs said this in a statement obtained by ZANIS , today.

The Department of Immigration has arrested Shadrick Chite Mukenge ,31, a Congolese musician popularly known as Mumba Yachi.

Mumba has been arrested for knowingly making representations he knew to be false for the purpose of obtaining a Green Zambian National Registration Card (NRC) number 405730/10/1 and a Zambian Passport number ZN 550035, contrary to section 13(1) (c) of the National Registration Act and section 23 (1) (a) of the Passports Act, 2016 of the Laws of Zambia, respectively.

The suspect was on 9th May, 2017 intercepted by Officers at Chirundu Border Control when he attempted to enter Zambia using the Zambian Passport number ZN 550035 bearing the names Shadrick Mumba.

He also had in his possession the Green NRC number 405730/10/1 also bearing the same names.

He was handed over to Immigration Headquarters on the same day, where a statement was recorded from him, in which he said he was a Zambian, a position which he later withdrew in another statement recoded on 28th August, 2017, where he admitted to being a Congolese national.

He is currently detained at Lusaka Central Correctional Facility pending Court appearance.

Mr Mwamba said Kenyans have shown true separation of power and impeccable democratic practices.

He said the petition in Kenya was heard unabated.

“The Supreme court of Kenya has just nullified the recent Presidential elections in that country that had declared Mr Uhuru Kenyata as the victor. The elections were petitioned and the judiciary in Kenya rose to the occasion and judged without undue influences and invisible hand of the executive,” Mr Mwamba said.

“It is a victory for the Kenya electorate.”

The Kenyan Supreme Court has nullified the election of Uhuru Kenyatta in Kenya due to irregularities and new elections have been ordered within 60 days.

This is the first time a Presidential election has been nullified in Africa.

And UPP Leader Savior Chishimba said the shame hanging on Africa as a continent of leaders who have no respect for the rule of law is slowly, but surely being removed.
“We don’t need militia groups of youth in political parties as we have seen from a crop of political leaders who keep jumping from one political party to the other in our nation,” Mr Chishimba said.

He said Zambia can learn from Kenya where the Courts have shown that a case can be won if you keep it simple and focused within the specified timeframe.

“Opposition lawyers were not eloquent, but they argued from the standpoint of the law. That’s why I like my lawyer, Mrs Lilian Mushota – she is calm and collected. She always wants to keep each case plain and simple with a focus on legal issues,” he said.

“A day before my release, Mrs Mushota went to meet with the DPP to calmly raise numerous legal issues surrounding my irregular detention and the next morning the case was discontinued. Lawyers are not politicians, but officers of the court who must help with the speedy delivery of justice. Mrs Mushota always says to me, “Mr. President, Courts don’t work the way many think.” The Kenyan Courts have surely taught all a lesson.”

He added, “The hope for the birthing of a prosperous corruption free new Zambia in which all the people live together in unity must be kept alive. Let us pray for our nation without ceasing. People-centred rather than politicians-centered change is coming to Zambia. The coming change should not be about substituting the corrupt with the corrupt again.”

President Edgar Lungu is scheduled to officiate at an International Trade Fair in Swaziland from September 2 to September 4, 2017.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba told journalists yesterday that the Head of State’s visit would coincide with the Reed Dance ceremony.

“I wish to inform the nation that His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the President of the Republic of Zambia is scheduled to officiate at the International Trade Fair of the Kingdom of Swaziland from 2nd to 4th September 2017 as guest of honour. You will recall that he undertook a state visit to Swaziland in July 2017 during which the two Heads of State held fruitful discussions that will allow for increased cooperation between the two countries,” Kalaba said.

Meanwhile, Kalaba announced that Zambia had been elected to chair the Organ Troika of the SADC Ministerial Committee on Politics, Trade and Security from 2018 to 2019.

“Zambia will therefore be an active participant in managing the critical areas of politics, defense and security in the SADC region for the next three years. It simply means that we will preside over elections that will be happening in the SADC region, conflicts that will be happening in the SADC region and any other turbulence that might arise within the framework of SADC…Zambia will ensure that anything that wants to threaten the peace of the region is dealt with amicably so,” said Kalaba.

Kenya’s supreme court has declared Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory in presidential elections last month invalid and ordered a new poll within 60 days.

The six-judge bench ruled 4-2 in favour of a petition filed by Odinga, who claimed the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favour of the incumbent. Kenyatta had won a second term with 54% of the vote.

“The declaration is invalid, null and void,” said Judge David Maranga. “The first respondent failed, neglected or refused to conduct the presidential election in a manner consistent with the dictates of the constitution.”

The hearing followed a petition filed by Odinga in the aftermath of his defeat last month.

Opposition officials repeatedly described the election results as a “fraud” and claimed that Odinga, who leads the National Super Alliance (NASA), was the “legitimate” winner.

Odinga was jubilant as he welcomed what he called a “precedent-setting ruling” by the court

“For the first time in the history of African democratization, a ruling has been made by a court nullifying the election of a president,” he said. “This indeed is a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of the continent of Africa.”

A lawyer for President Kenyatta said the decision had been “very political” but had to be respected.