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Since its inception in 2007, Itel mobile has become a household name in the mobile phone industry across Africa, with presence in 45 countries across the continent.
As part of the confidence and trust in them, First lady Esther Lungu was on hand to receive an itel phone at the launch of the National museum day. They had the honor of having President Edgar Lungu visit there stand where he was presented with an itel S31 , with which they are sure he will love some of the selfies he would take with the phone.
ZAMTEL Acting CEO Sydney Mupeta delivering his remarks during the launch of ZAMTEL Kwacha
Zamtel has announced that it has now paid the Zambia Information Communication and Technology Authority (ZICTA) K10.2 million towards settlement of the outstanding historical debt for spectrum and operating fees.
ZICTA recently issued a demand notice for a number of companies including ZAMTEL gave them up to August 4th 2017 to settle their fees or risk having their spectrum and licences withdrawn.
Zamtel Acting Chief Executive Officer Sydney Mupeta reiterated that Zamtel remains committed to settling all its outstanding statutory obligations within the shortest possible time.
“We recently informed the public about our unprecedented growth in the subscriber base. This growth has continued to yield a positive effect on our revenues to the extent that we have now paid ZICTA K10.2 million towards settlement of the outstanding historical debt for spectrum and operating fees,” said Mr Mupeta.
“We once again thank all the various stakeholders, including ZICTA, whose patience and support is helping us to grow our business every day. We are now getting closer to being a major player in our industry and we expect to occupy our wanted and deserved position.”
Mr Mupeta said Zamtel is experiencing phenomenal growth and drawing closer to getting the 2 millionth customer.
“We therefore take this opportunity to say a special thank you to all our subscribers who have continued to believe and identify themselves with their Zambian network for their communication needs and being part of the unfolding Zamtel success story. Thank you once again and let us move together as we aggressively pursue the 2 Millionth Customer.”
Sinach Poster
Christian Arts Promotion has confirmed that internationally acclaimed worship leader Osinachi Egbu famously known as Sinach will perform at a live concert at Lusaka’s National Heroes Stadium on October 7th 2017.
The mega event dubbed Sinach Live Concert Lusaka will see the award-winning vocalist lead thousands of Zambians in worship and praise with awe-inspiring music.
The Nigerian star who has performed to sold out crowds in the United Kingdom, North America, the United States of America, Australia and many parts of Africa will be in Lusaka with a full complement of her band.
Sinach, known globally for writing over 500 hundred songs which include ‘WayMaker’, ‘I Fly’, ‘He Did It Again’, ‘For Me’, ‘This Is my Season’, ‘Awesome God’, ‘I Stand Amazed’, and ‘I Know Who I Am’, will share the stage with leading Zambian artistes Ephraim (Son of Africa), Kings Malembe Malembe, Abel Chungu Musuka, Carol Nambeye from 13:00 Hours to 19:00 Hours.
Ticket prices range from K50, K100 for ordinary tickets and K300 for VIP tickets to attend this never-to-be-missed event.
Confirming the development, CHAPRO Executive Director Andrew Chola said tickets can be obtained from all Shoprite stores across Zambia.
“We are excited to confirm that Sinach will be performing in Lusaka. For us at CHAPRO, this is a confirmation of our commitment to bringing world class anointed Christian performers to Zambia,” Mr Chola said.
“As you may know, Sinach is today the number one Christian performer across the whole world and we are humbled that she is coming to Lusaka for her debut concert. Her powerful songs have turned into anthems in many homes and Churches all over the world. Her music has reached millions including Zambians by fostering encouragement, hope, healing, and strengthening their faith. We are promising to deliver a day full of anointed praise and worship which CHAPRO is well renowned for,” he said.
Mr. Chola stated that CHAPRO is still open to corporate sponsorship and branding opportunities for the concert which will captivate the entire Zambia.
Sinach, a key member of the Love World music team of Christ Embassy is a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where she received a degree in Physics.
She is happily married to her loving husband Joseph Egbu.
Chief Chitimukulu
THE police command in Northern Province has warned political parties against wearing party regalia at the Ukusefya pa Ng’wena traditional ceremony of the Bemba set for next Saturday in Kasama.
Provincial commissioner of police Richard Mweene told journalists in Kasama recently that adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure the ceremony is incident-free.
“We are ready for the ceremony and we will ensure that order is maintained. We do not want anyone to put on party regalia to avoid confusion during the celebrations,” he said.
Mr Mweene said the police in the province are equal to the task of maintaining law and order.
And Bemba Royal Establishment spokesperson James Mulenga said preparations for the celebrations are progressing well.
“We are just doing the final. The Zesco team has managed to construct a marquee at the main arena where invited guests will sit,” Mr Mulenga said.
He urged people travelling to the ceremony and the locals to uphold peace during the celebrations.
Lusaka Province Minister, Mr. Japhen MwakalombeGOVERNMENT says it will partner with the Chinese government to transform Lusaka Province into an agro-processing hub in line with its robust economic diversification programme through industrialisation.
Lusaka Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe said the establishment of agro-processing plants in Lusaka will reduce wastage of agro-products and contribute to sustainable economic development.
Mr Mwakalombe was speaking at Ethiopia’s Bole International Airport when he was transiting from China where he was attending the China Zambia week alongside Vice-President Inonge Wina.
This is according to a statement issued by first secretary for press and tourism Inutu Mwanza at the Zambian mission in Ethiopia.
“Lusaka being an area with a lot of agro-products will now have means of preserving agricultural foods after the processing plants are set up,” he said.
Mr Mwakalombe also said plans are underway to divide Lusaka Province into industrial zones that will culminate in the setting up of industrial parks that will be specialised in manufacturing to grow the economy in the province.
He said Lusaka needed an economic boost as it was the second biggest contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) after Copperbelt Province.
Meanwhile, Mr Mwakalombe announced plans to turn Lusaka into a conferencing tourism site with modern structures that would attract people to Lusaka Province.
He said Government intends to partner with Chinese investors to upgrade old buildings in the central business district.
He said those who own buildings have been called upon to enter into partnerships with some Chinese investors who would develop skyscrapers in Lusaka.
And Zambia Tourism Agency chief executive officer Felix Chaila, who was part of the entourage, said tourism is the catalyst for investment and economic development if well harnessed.
He said Zambia’s tourism sector needs to be driven by the domestic market like China.
Mr Chaila said the Ministry of Tourism has plans of building hotels in tourist destinations in order to make accommodation affordable especially for local tourists.
Home Affairs Minister Stephen KampyongoMINISTER of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo says Government is ready to process applications for dual citizenship in line with the provisions of the amended Constitution.
Mr Kapyongo said at a press briefing yesterday that citizens who wish to acquire dual citizenship must notify the chief passport and citizenship officer or the nearest Zambian mission after successfully acquiring the other citizenship.
Mr Kampyongo said it is imperative for all citizens to thoroughly read the guidelines and understand the requirements of the acquisition of dual citizenship.
“Now that the regulations are in place, citizens of Zambia who wish to acquire citizenship of another country must notify the chief passport and citizenship officer or the nearest Zambian mission after successfully acquiring the other citizenship.
“Those who would like more information should consult the office of the chief passport and citizenship officer on all procedural matters relating to dual citizenship,” Mr Kampyongo said.
He said persons who ceased to be Zambian citizens as a result of acquiring citizenship of another country but wish to restore their Zambian nationality will have to apply to the citizenship board for bestowal.
“Persons whose citizenship has been bestored will be required to present a certificate of bestowal of citizenship to the national registration section of the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship for issuance of a green national registration card.
Meanwhile, Mr Kampyongo said methods of acquiring Zambian citizenship are provided for under Article 34 of the republican Constitution and that it shall be by birth, desent, registration and by adoption.
President Lungu on January 5, 2016, assented to the Constitution amendment Act, which among other things, provides for dual citizenship.
THE Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) has given Food Reserve Agency (FRA) up to Monday to respond to its request for a meeting to discuss the price of maize failure to which it will take an undisclosed action.
ZNFU president Jervis Zimba said the farmers’ union has given FRA chance to respond to its request up to tomorrow.
Mr Zimba said in an interview that if FRA will not respond, ZNFU will take up another undisclosed step.
“This is meant to ensure farmers are protected and motivated to even produce more maize in the next coming seasons in the country,” he said.
Mr Zimba said the union’s letter to FRA was also copied to the Ministry of Agriculture.
He said farmers should continue holding on to their maize until the meeting between FRA and ZNFU takes place.
Mr Zimba said following complaints from farmers, the union wants to ensure the price of maize by FRA fixed at K65 be revised.
“This is the only way we are going to help farmers who only have money once in a year. Selling maize at K65 only benefited the briefcase buyers at the expense of the hard-working farmers,” he said.
He also said that the union does not want to see farmers stop cultivating maize as it would affect Government when farmers shun growing the crop.
And when contacted, FRA chief executive officer Chola Kafwabulula said he should not be contacted and cut the line, but his public relations manager Daniel Msoka promised to respond to the matter.
Roberto Landi ( in the middle) and Macca with City Media Officer Alex Njovu at Woodlands Vodafone Stadium on Wednesday in Lusaka.
City of Lusaka Football Club has announced the addition to its coaching team of two Italian Coaches Roberto Landi and Giuseppe Macca.
Club Spokesperson Alex Njovu said both will assist current coach Hector Chilombo wrestle the team out of relegation.
City, have 11 points from 20 games.
The C.E.O. of Forli, City’s main sponsor flew the Italian duo in personally ahead of Wednesdays clash with Zanaco so they could assess the team’s performance.
Roberto Landi is known for the incredible feat of elevating the Liberian National team by 65 FIFA World ranking points in a single year.
“There is talent here. I saw it on the pitch” he told the players in a packed locker room, “We just need to play to our full potential, to play as a team”.
Their first test with the Italian reinforcement will be this Sunday at home against Mufulira Wanderers.
Landi was a goalkeeper trainer with the United States of America national team between 1990 and 1994.
He has also coached in Italy, Romania, Libya, Georgia, Lithuania, Scotland, and Qatar among others.
Landi played for South Africa Premiership giants Kaizer Chiefs, Piacenza, Modena, Siena, and Major Soccer League side Vancouver Whitecaps FC and New York Cosmos.
Landi addressing players at Woodlands Vodafone Stadium.
A combined team of officers from the Zambia Police Service and Kitwe City Council on Wednesday raided and closed Chiller’s Corner, a popular club owned by expelled PF founder member and Former Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge.
Some PF supporters on the Copperbelt have been accusing Mr. Musenge of using his club to mobilise support for his soon-to-be launched political party following his expulsion from the party last month.
But Kitwe City Council Public Relations Manager Roy Kuseka denied allegations that the closure of Chiller’s Corner had something to do with Mr Musenge’s political standing.
Mr Kuseka said the club had been shut after it violated certain provisions of its operating licence.
He said the local authority had embarked on an extensive regulation compliance and of the 40 liquor premises visited on Tuesday and Wednesday, 27 were closed for violating various provisions of the law.
Mr. Kuseka said during the operation, the council confiscated 70 cases of beer and 100 bottles of spirits.
Below is Mr Kuseka’s full statement
KITWE CITY COUNCIL
CLOSURE OF LIQUOR PREMISES FOR NON COMPLIANCE
WITH REGULATIONS
KITWE City Council has embarked on an extensive regulation compliance inspection within the city and of the 40 liquor premises visited on Tuesday and Wednesday, 27 were closed for violating various provisions of the law. In the process 70 cases of beer and 100 bottles of spirits have been confiscated.
The objective of the inspection is to monitor compliance levels with the Liquor License Act Cap 20 of 2011, the Public Health Act Cap 295, fire certificate and curb unrestricted sell of cheap but high potent spirits especially to the youths below 18 years old (underage patronage).
Apart from having their premises shut, defaulters are being levied various penalty fees. Failure to display a license is also a punishable offence.
The closed premises include Black Gate, Keg and Coppersmith, Chiller’s Corner, Muluka Bar, and Elelemwa. The operation is ongoing and has since covered Parklands, Nkana East, Riverside, Kwacha and Bulangililo.
ROY KUSEKA PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER KITWE CITY COUNCIL 03.08.2017
Secretary-General Patricia Scotland is scheduled to visit Lusaka from 7-10 August, and in meetings with government officials and other stakeholders will reaffirm the Commonwealth’s support to the people of Zambia.
The Secretary-General’s visit offers opportunities to build on longstanding engagement with Zambia as a member state of the Commonwealth. Over the years, support provided through the Commonwealth Secretariat has spanned the political, economic and judicial sectors. During last year’s general elections, the Secretary-General deployed a peace envoy and a Commonwealth Observer Group to the country. The Commonwealth is committed to supporting peaceful dialogue and political cohesion in Zambia following the elections.
Secretary-General Scotland said: “The aim of my visit is to highlight the important place Zambia occupies in the Commonwealth family and to promote inclusiveness and resilience. Zambia is known as a beacon of tolerance, equality, stability and peace within our Commonwealth family and beyond. It is important for all national stakeholders to uphold and adhere to these values – to which we are committed in our Commonwealth Charter. The famous Lusaka Declaration – a seminal document condemning Racism, Racial Prejudice, Discrimination and Inequality – was signed by Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1979 at a meeting that was hosted by Zambia. This declaration contributed to the independence of Zimbabwe and ultimately South Africa.”
The Secretary-General’s engagement is in line with the 2017 Commonwealth theme ‘A peace-building Commonwealth’. On this, she reiterated: “Our theme this year is about building peace at all levels of society, by all stakeholders in society. While political leaders, government agencies, the media and civil society play a critical role in achieving and sustaining peace and cohesion, it is a collective responsibility which requires the constructive engagement of every citizen.”
The Secretary-General’s visit will also focus on Commonwealth priorities including climate change; preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the United Kingdom; and empowering young people, women and girls.
After her visit to Zambia, the Secretary-General will travel to Tanzania and Mozambique to continue her peace and relationship-building tour.
President Lungu with President Zuma at the SADC Summit In Swaziland
South Africa President Jacob Zuma will on Saturday begin a working visit to Zambia.
In a statement, the South African Presidency said Zuma would be in Lusaka to officially open the 91st Agricultural and Commercial Show as a guest of honour and at the invitation of President Edgar Lungu.
The show is organised under the theme The Promotion of Green Economy.
According to the statement, South Africa and Zambia have good bilateral political, economic and social relations, underpinned by strong historical ties dating back from the years of the liberation struggle.
The two countries have signed 21 Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) over the past years.
A Memorandum of Understanding concerning cooperation in the field of agriculture, which enables the two countries to share agricultural development experiences, capacity building and skills development programmes among other areas of cooperation, is among those that were signed.
Zuma will be accompanied by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Senzeni Zokwana
President Edgar Lungu has expressed concern at the resistance exhibited by some Zambian diplomats in missions abroad when recalled home by Government.
The President has said when one’s time to serve in missions abroad has ended, it is important to willingly accept to return home without any resistance because home is home.
The President says he found it stranger that some diplomats would resist returning home when their tour of duty had ended and emphasised that this did not mean that it was the end, because there was a possibility of one being redeployed.
The President said this today at State House when he swore-in Wylbur Chisiya Simuusa as Zambia’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea and Felix Nicholas Mfula as Zambia’s High Commissioner to Canada.
Swearing in the two, the President said he was confident that they are suitable for the positions and expected them to serve to the expectations of the Zambian people.
The President said he did not expect from the two anything short of quality performance.
Nathan Chishimba
Chamber of Mines president Nathan Chishimba has dismissed as malicious nonsense allegations that “Zambia loses about US$3 billion annually through illicit financial flows (IFF) mainly perpetrated in the minerals sub-sector”.
The allegations were made in an article in the Daily Mail (24 July 2017), featuring Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) director Isaac Mwaipopo. The article purports to be based on the findings of the latest Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) report.
“Even a cursory reading of the 2016 report will show that there is no substance to the allegations,” said Chishimba.
Chishimba proceeded to dismiss the allegations, point by point:
1. The FIC 2016 report records a figure of potential loss of ZMW 4.6 billion, or approximately $400 million. Whilst this is a large amount, it is a fraction of the $3 billion regurgitated in the article.
2. The report is not on the mining industry, but on the general Zambian economy and covers all industry sectors. There is no mention anywhere in the report that “these losses are mainly perpetrated in the minerals sub sector”.
3. The allegations imply that it is corporate multinationals that are behind most of the suspicions of irregular transactions. However, the FIC report states that the majority (84%) of them relate to transactions by individuals; only 16% are from corporations.
4. It is corruption that is the big-ticket item, not alleged mineral theft. The report says the amounts linked to suspected corruption are “significant” – over ZMW 3 billion, 76% of the total potential losses. “Analysis revealed that these were predominantly linked to public procurement contracts,” the report says.
5. The report shows that the number of suspicious transactions has declined by 6% on the previous year; and the findings suggest that the number would have been even lower if it had not been for an unusually high volume in August, which the report says might have been linked to the Zambian general election.
6. If the allegations of billions of dollars of annual theft by the mining industry were even remotely plausible, then the report should logically have uncovered evidence of this in their trend analysis. There is no such evidence.
7. The report notes what it calls “a practice in which Asian nationals purchase copper ore from small-scale miners on the Copperbelt, which they subsequently export to entities that are known to be shell companies or are registered in tax havens”. However, there is no indication in the report that this is a major problem, or that the amounts involved are in any way significant. More importantly, it is an activity confined to particular individuals, rather than Zambia’s established mining companies.
“The portrayal of the mining industry as robbing Zambia of billions of dollars is dramatically at odds with the actual findings of the report,” said Chishimba. “CTPD, and civil society generally, have a key role to play in highlighting corruption, so it is a real pity that they have not got to grips with the actual contents of this report, which indicates large-scale corruption in public procurement.”
Chishimba said the alleged theft of $3 billion of refined copper stretches the bounds of credibility because of the sheer volume of metal involved.
Assuming an average price of $5 000 a tonne for 2016, it equates to some 600 000 tonnes of refined copper annually. To put that in perspective, all Zambia’s copper mines together produced around 750 000 tonnes in 2016. These figures therefore suggest that nearly 50% of Zambia’s annual copper production is unaccounted for. Firstly, it would require two massive ‘ghost’ smelters, each the size of the one at Kansanshi, to secretly process this additional quantity of copper; secondly, to transport it out of the country would require between 50 and 200 trucks leaving the country unnoticed every single day of the year.
“These allegations are so implausible, that even a hardened conspiracy theorist would think twice before believing them,” said Chishimba. “I challenge the CTPD, or anyone else, to produce the evidence.”
He added that the Chamber of Mines was not the only organisation in Zambia to question these constantly recurring allegations that the mining industry was stealing $3 billion in mineral production every year that doesn’t show up in official statistics.
In an interview with the online mining publication Mining for Zambia earlier this year, the allegations were roundly dismissed both by Mooya Lumamba, Director of Mines at the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources, and Ron Smit, chief consultant on the Mineral Production Monitoring Support Project, a four-year programme funded by the European Union.
“These allegations are wholly untrue, and come from a position of ignorance – not just about how copper is mined and produced, but how our mineral monitoring systems work,” said Lumamba in the interview. “It’s alarmism.”
Smit agreed. “We have noticed that this particular allegation has been recycled in the media for several years now, but no one ever offers any proof.”
Police in Lusaka have detained United Progressive People (UPP) President Dr. Saviour Chishimba at Woodlands Police Station for defamation of the president.
Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo said that Police have Warned and Cautioned Dr. Chishimba of Makeni, Lusaka for the Offence of Defamation of the President, contrary to Section 69 of Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Ms Katongo said that the defamation occurred between 1st and 8th July, 2017 in Lusaka.
Ms Katongo said that the UPP Leader will be charged once the officers are done with the processes.
Earlier, Police picked up Dr Chishimba from Diamond TV where he was featuring on a programme.
And UPP Spokesperson Kizito Mukuka in a statement says Dr. Chishimba was around 13hrs taken to Woodlands Police Station from Police Headquarters for further interrogation.
Mr. Mukuka says police have not yet charged Dr. Chishimba.
He explained that earlier, the police went to his office and demanded for a copy of his previous press briefing which he held on 8th July, 2017.
Early last month Dr. Chishimba held a press briefing shown below in which he attacked the head of state
UPP’s Savior Chishimba
Opposition United Progressive People leader Saviour Chishimba has been picked by police from Diamond TV where he was featuring on a television programme.
According to a brief statement by UPP Spokesperson Kizito Mukuka, Mr. Chishimba has been taken to Police Headquarters.
And Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo confirmed the development saying Mr Chishimba has not been arrested but only taken in for questioning.
“It would be premature for me to say that he has been arrested and that would be jeopardise the work that the officers are doing,” Mrs Katongo said.
