President Edgar Lungu on Tuesday met Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kawari, Cultural Adviser at the Emiri Diwan and Qatar’s candidate for the Director-General post of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

Dr Al Kawari conveyed the greetings of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to President Lungu, wishing the Zambian people progress and prosperity.

For his part, the President Lungu entrusted Dr Al Kawari to convey his greetings to HH the Emir and his wishes for the Qatari people of prosperity and progress, expressing his aspiration to develop relations between the two friendly countries.

Dr Al Kawari gave President Lungu a detailed presentation about his vision to face the problems and challenges facing Unesco and ways to address them.

Discussions also touched on a number of issues of culture, education, science and human heritage, emphasising that the African continent is a priority and central to the vision of the candidate of Qatar so that the Unesco would be able to fulfil its vital responsibilities.

Dr Kawari said that Unesco’s role is central to countering terrorism.

He also reviewed his proposal for holding an international cultural day to remember the victims of terrorism and his project to set up a small projects fund in countries in need of such projects in the fields of education and culture.

President Lungu wished success to the candidate of the State of Qatar.

Zambia is not a member of Unesco’s executive board, but it is one of the most important countries in Africa, and President Edgar Lungu is one of those
interested in education in the African continent.

Lusaka Mayor Wilson Kalumba has disclosed that the city council has procured equipment to measure the level of noise and counter noise pollution.

Mr Kalumba said Lusaka faces many challenges including beer drinking particularly drink and drive, underage drinking, noise pollution from bars and churches, bars operating outside permitted hours.

He was speaking on Tuesday during a consultative meeting between Lusaka City Council and bar operators, beer manufacturers and the Zambia Police Service.

The meeting was held to remind bar owners on their legal obligations and to also hear concerns from bar owners.

Mr Kalumba said the meeting was very interactive and many suggestions were made concerning measures to address proliferation of bars, protect businesses, protect jobs, counter underage drinking by demanding IDs.

“As Mayor of Lusaka I informed the meeting that my office has sourced USD 100,000 which will be used to buy breathalysers for traffic officers, other equipment and technical support. We need to make it clear to the residents that officers will be adequately equipped and the tools will act as a check on beer drinkers to ensure they moderate drinking,” Mr Kalumba said.

MINISTER of Higher Education Nkandu Luo has bemoaned the lack of private sector support to advancement of tertiary learning in the country.

Professor Luo said this in Lusaka on Tuesday during the launch of Barclays Bank Zambia’s K3.2 million scholarship programme which will enable over 50 underprivileged youths access higher education.

Prof Luo said private sector support to education is low in Zambia.

“I just received this beautiful letter from the managing director of Barclays Bank Zambia asking me to come and launch this bursary scheme to support education. What could a minister do other than jump on this undertaking? This is the way it should be,” she said.

Prof Luo said with support from cooperating partners, Government would like to come up with a loan and bursary fund to educate Zambian children.
She urged cooperating partners to consider supporting tertiary education just like they have done to general education.

“There is no better gift a parent or a government can give to a child than education. I did not understand this when I was growing up because my parents always told us that they would rather die poor and without property as long as they educate us. My parents did everything possible to educate the eight of us,” Prof Luo said.

And speaking at the same function, Minister of Community Development and Social Services Emerine Kabanshi said her ministry cherishes the increased access to education, especially among the poor and vulnerable.

Ms Kabanshi said although 45 percent of women and 57 percent of men have attended secondary or higher education, initiatives aimed at increasing literacy levels in society still remain crucial.

Barclays Bank Zambia managing director Mizinga Melu said her institution’s scholarship programme will take into consideration both financial needs and academic merits.

Ms Melu said the bank will work with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services to identify vulnerable young people who will benefit from the scholarship programme.

Pictures Courtesy of Jean Mandela

MINISTER of Information and Broadcasting Services Kampamba Mulenga (right) is saddened by alarming levels of unpatriotism among some Zambians who are using international media platforms to discredit the country.

Ms Mulenga, who is chief government spokesperson, urged both the private and public media to help counter fabricated stories on international media platforms to protect the image of the country.

She was speaking in Lusaka yesterday when she toured 5FM radio station.

“It is scary how some Zambians discredit the image of the country through international media,” Ms Mulenga said.

She said the private media is free to write stories that may not be in favour of Government but should do so in a professional, factual and ethical manner.

Ms Mulenga said the private media has a duty to provide checks and balances on the Government but that it should do so with civility.

She said her office will in the next one and a half months hold a media indaba aimed at further enhancing the relationship between journalists and the Government.

And Ms Mulenga urged the media in Lusaka to emulate the high levels of coordination and unity among journalists under the Livingstone Press Club.

And 5fm radio director Joe Phiri told the minister that some government departments take too long to pay for the services they receive from the radio station.

In response, Ms Mulenga said the upcoming media indaba will be the best platform to table the challenges and possible solutions that private media houses are facing.

And speaking when she toured One Love radio station, the minister commended the station for embarking on programmes aimed at improving access to information on the love of God.

Radio manager Kaluwa Tembo said the station is distributing solar-powered radio cassettes in rural parts of the country. The radio cassettes have in-build audio bibles in vernacular.

“We want to give out these radio cassettes countrywide but our transmission coverage is limited,” Ms Tembo said.

COPPERBELT Minister Bowman Lusambo says President Lungu has become more popular in the province following the massive infrastructural development projects being undertaken.

Mr Lusambo says developmental projects such as the construction of international airport, township roads and the installation of Kafulafuta water projects have earned President Lungu accolades from the residents in the province.

He was speaking when he featured on Radio Sun FM’s Breakfast Show in Ndola yesterday.

“Copperbelt Province is positioning itself to contribute significantly to the growth of the country’s economy. The future looks bright for the province as evidenced by the promotion of agriculture, manufacturing and mining sectors,” he said.

He assured all the 10 districts on the Copperbelt that they will benefit from the projects that President Lungu has continued initiating aimed at improving the socio-economic welfare of citizens.

Mr Lusambo said President Lungu wants to transform the province into an industrial zone.

He said the province is politically and economically stable and that the Patriotic Front (PF) provincial leadership is working as a team to protect and mobilise the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Chifubu member of Parliament (MP) Frank Ng’ambi has urged residents in his constituency to support impeding plans for a US$6 million FM’s shopping mall to be constructed by a named South African company.

Speaking on FM’s Between the Cover radio programme yesterday, Mr Ng’ambi said the project is already in the pipeline and investors are happy with the site and are only waiting for authorisation from the Ministry of Local Government.

“When Shoprite comes to the area, we expect more people to be employed and traders to have more business opportunities. I am surprised that people having grocery shops seem to be resisting that the chain stores will get their business,” he said.

PRESIDENT Lungu is next week expected in Northern Province for a two-day working visit, one week after a tour of Luapula Province where he launched a provincial investment exhibition and other development projects.

Provincial minister Brian Mundubile said in an interview yesterday that President Lungu will launch the Tullow Oil Exploration project in Kasama on Friday before gracing the Ukusefya pa Ng’wena traditional ceremony in Mungwi on Saturday.

Mr Mundubile said the head of State will also launch rehabilitation of township roads in Mungwi district and the construction of the Nseluka-Kayambi road.

Meanwhile, Mr Mundubile said in a statement that Minister of Finance Felix Mutati is also expected in Kasama on August 10 to sign contracts for a number of development projects in the province.

Last week, President Lungu launched rehabilitation works on the 122 kilometre Kawambwa-Mporokoso road, commissioned new housing units for civil servants in Chembe and flagged off rehabilitation of 65 kilometres of township roads in Mansa.

The head of State also graced the inaugural Luapula Expo and Investment Conference which attracted local and foreign investors.

Before his visit to Luapula Province, President Lungu launched construction works on the Itezhi-tezhi-Kalomo-Dundumwezi road in Southern Province to open the areas for investment.

On the Copperbelt, President Lungu launched works on the Ndola-Mufulira road recently.