The Patriotic Front-PF Government is said to have made unprecedented history by failing to award its workers salary increment.
The Zambia National Union of Teachers-ZNUT Spokesperson Joel Kasaka says it is unprecedented in the Zambian history to have tripartite negotiations prolonged for over six months.
Mr Kasaka says members are now getting agitated while the union has been placed in and awkward position as their credibility is being questioned by members.
He said this is evidenced by the limited impact this growth has had on reducing poverty and the worrisome increase in inequality which inevitably slows down the reduction in poverty derived from economic growth.
The minister was speaking earlier yesterday at a Research and Policy Seminar on promoting inclusive growth where key cooperating partners and policy makers met to discuss the results of two studies commissioned by the International Growth Centre on the interactions between economic growth, poverty and inequality in Zambia.
And Mr Mulusa attributed the slowdown in poverty reduction to the growth pattern of Zambia which is skewed towards the richness in natural resources that has produced a pattern of growth that is capital intensive and concentrated on areas where there is very little impact of employment creation.
“Zambia’s pattern of growth is the main factor that has undermined our efforts since the new century to achieve sustainable improvement in the well-being of Zambians. Zambia’s richness in natural resources has often produced a pattern of growth that is capital-intensive and is concentrated on sectors where there is little employment impact.” He said.
Further, Mr Mulusa reiterated that government recognizes the need for new ideas and in this regard His Excellency the President recently launched the 7th National Development Plan (7NDP) under the theme: “Accelerating development efforts towards vision 2030 without leaving anyone behind” which departs from the traditional sectoral-based planning, and moves to an integrated (multi-sectoral) approach.
“The integrated approach recognizes the multi-faceted and interlinked nature of sustainable development which calls for interventions to be tackled simultaneously through a coordinated approach to the implementation of development programmes” Mr Mulusa said.
Government is committed to reduce poverty and inequality as highlighted in the 7NDP where two out of the five strategic objectives are focused on reducing poverty and vulnerability, and the other is reduction of developmental inequalities.
The police have suspected that arson is suspected to be the cause of the fire that destroyed goods worth over K50, 000 at Chilenje market on Tuesday.
Police Spokesperson Esther Mwata Katongo has said they received a report of fire at Chilenje market around 05 hours in the morning.
She however said it was not clear what time the fire started as it was only discovered around 05 by some traders from the same market.
The fire brigade ran out of water forcing traders to join in with buckets but the fire was only quenched after the fire brigade made a second trip after fetching water.
Katongo said 200 by 90kg bags of charcoal were completely destroyed in the fire and said police suspect arson from the preliminary investigations though investigations have not been concluded.
Police have charged Peter Siwale, 33, who allegedly shot dead his wife, Charity Namukoko, together with her alleged lover, Andrew Chibesa with 2 counts of murder.
Police Spokesperson, Esther Katongo has confirmed the development in a statement to ZNBC news in Lusaka today.
Ms. Katongo said Siwale, a resident of Meanwood area, is expected to appear in court soon.
Siwale allegedly committed the offence last Friday, July 28, 2017, at his home, before handing himself over to the police.
Chibesa has since been put to rest, while burial for Namukoko is also expected to take place,
MINISTER of Justice Given Lubinda is happy that no innocent citizen has been arrested following the invocation of Article 31 on July 5.
Mr Lubinda said the invocation was merely meant to give more powers to the police to arrest suspects.
He said the invocation of Article 31 is not targeted at innocent citizens but insurgents and arsonists.
Mr Lubinda said this in the company of Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo, National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister Godfrida Sumaili when the trio paid a courtesy call on acting Livingstone district commissioner James Zimba on Monday.
“We are particularly delighted to hear that citizens are conducting their businesses normally, and no innocent citizen has been arrested during this 90-day period. This period of 90 days is not meant to cartel people’s freedom,” he said.
Mr Lubinda also disclosed that a team of ministers has formed a ministerial partnership and is conducting a tour of the country, starting with Southern Province, to assess the status of correctional facilities and how inmates are faring.
“After the tours, we will have a symposium so that even when our minister of Home Affairs goes to Parliament to present our findings, Zambians should know. The media is free to join us as we tour these facilities. We want the nation to know what is happening,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Zimba informed the ministers that the proclamation of Article 31 sent the tourism community into panic, but that the situation is now calm.
“The tourism industry is doing well without any challenge. People thought the invocation of Article 31 would affect businesses but everything is okay. People are going about their normal activities,” he said.
The family is also saddened that the husband of their deceased relative, including his relations, allegedly refused to release any money towards the burial.
Charity Namukoko and her suspected lover, Andrew Chibeka, 27, both teachers at Crown Academy, were on Thursday last week allegedly shot dead by 33-year-old Peter Siwale, a businessman, after he reportedly found them in a compromised mood near a sewerage.
Ms Namukoko’s sister, Petronella Sikanyika, said the family has decided to bury their relative’s remains at Mutumbi Cemetery with help from her employers, in the absence of her husband’s relatives.
“Her employers have bought a coffin and also helped us with transport arrangements. As we speak, we are on our way to the cemetery,” she said.
She accused Siwale’s relatives of refusing to offer any kind of contributions under the pretext that they do not have money. She claimed they also refused to attend the burial.
“We slept at Intercity Bus Terminus and immediately after the burial, we will go back there until 04:00 hours on Wednesday [today] when we will leave for Nakonde,” Ms Sikanyika said.
Ms Sikanyika vowed that her family will not get anything from Ms Namukoko’s home, including her clothes.
But Mr Siwale’s cousin, Emmanuel Ng’ambi, said his family cannot attend a burial they have not been informed about.
“It’s okay, let them go ahead with the burial since they do not want to involve us,” he said.
Meanwhile, police spokesperson Esther Katongo said Siwale has been charged with two counts of murder, and will appear in court soon.
GOVERNMENT says the upgrading of Chilenje and Matero clinics to level-one hospitals has reduced referrals to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) from 13,604 in 2016 to 2,900 in the first quarter of 2017.
Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said the reduction in referrals has reduced congestion at UTH, and enhanced health care services.
Dr Chilufya was speaking yesterday at the handover ceremony of a modernised mother’s shelter at the Women and New Born Hospital by Trade Kings Foundation.
“This facility is the last resort for referrals in maternal and child health; it is a centre of excellence for training and service provision. This year, we will expand the number of graduates to deal with mother and child health,” Dr Chilufya said.
And Trade Kings Foundation general manager Lux Supramaniam said the company has invested over K350,000 in modernising the facility.
Mr Supramaniam said the renovation of the shelter will reduce alarming statistics of infant deaths resulting from cross-infections between mothers and children.
“Good health is a right for everyone, and as a business, we are fully aware of how important it is to keep a healthy nation. The vision of the foundation is to see a healthy Zambia. We will also contribute to public education initiatives on healthy living,” Mr Supramaniam said.
He said as corporate social responsibility, the company engages with its customers beyond marginal products and services.
Mr Supramaniam said the company will for the next one year be contributing cleaning supplies for the maintenance of the facility.
THE Ministry of Finance says the Kwacha will remain stable for the rest of 2017 and has urged the business community to maximise on the country’s economic gains to grow their enterprises. Permanent secretary for economic management Mukuli Chikuba said this in an interview yesterday.
Mr Chikuba said the economic stabilisation measures Government has put in place have started yielding results.
He said the ministry is committed to implementing measures aimed at growing the economy and creating an enabling environment for local and foreign investments to flourish. “The economic stabilisation and growth programme is a home-grown initiative aimed at stabilising the economy. The currency is highly stable and will remain stable for the rest of the year.
“The interest rates have also come down and the Bank of Zambia is taking necessary measures to further bring down interest rates and we are also taking our own measures as a ministry,” Mr Chikuba said.
He said Government is working hard to reduce lending rates to make it easy for Zambians to borrow from financial institutions.
Mr Chikuba said the Ministry of Finance will continue working closely with the Bank of Zambia in reducing the cost of doing business in Zambia.
He assured the business community of a stable economy and urged foreign investors willing to invest in Zambia to take advantage of the country’s favourable investment climate to actualise their plans.
He said domestic resource mobilisation will remain a key pillar of the country’s economic management to ensure effective implementation of development programmes.
Mr Chikuba also said deduction of Value Added Tax at source from contractors and suppliers has improved Government’s domestic revenue base.
And management at the institution has dismissed media reports that students who have not paid fees are being denied access to lectures.
UNZA public relations manager Damaseke Chibale said in a statement yesterday the growing trend of not paying tuition fees by some students has adversely affected smooth operations of the university.
Mr Chibale said generating revenue through tuition fees has been a challenging undertaking for the university despite the flexible mode of payment arrangements it accords to the students.
“Management would like to urge all affected students, without exception, to take advantage of the available provisions for paying tuition fees to avoid any inconveniences.
“The university has a legal obligation to pay salaries for its academic and non-academic staff for them to efficiently and effectively execute their duties for the benefit of the students and society in general,” Mr Chibale said.
He said there is need for students to support the university in fulfilling its mandate by taking advantage of the flexible mode of payment it accords them to promptly pay tuition fees.
“With these friendly tuition fee payment provisions, there is no excuse for students and/or their sponsors to default in honouring their obligations, that is paying tuition fees, particularly if they value university education,” Mr Chibale said.
He said UNZA remains committed to providing equal access to higher education to all people irrespective of their race, creed, language, tribe, social status, colour, nationality, religious or political affiliation.
“Providing quality higher education comes with various unavoidable costs such as teaching and laboratory materials, preparing and marking of examinations, and provision of library and information communication technology services.
“This is in addition to payments on utilities such as electricity, water, sewerage services, medical services as well as general maintenance of equipment and infrastructure,” he said.
Mr Chibale also dismissed media reports that management is stopping students who owe the institution from attending lectures because management is cognisant of the challenges parents, guardians and sponsors face to pay the fees.
UNZA has 24,000 students in over 300 under-graduate and post-graduate programmes across 13 schools and the institute of distance education.
Soccer fans in Kitwe have saluted the Zambia Under-17 squad for winning the 2017 COSAFA Youth Cup in Mauritius.
The Junior Chipolopolo Boys thumped Mauritius 3-0 in Sunday’s final in Port Louis to claim their maiden COSAFA Cup title.
“We are proud of the young boys. They have made the nation proud,” Chanda Mutale told Lusaka Times.
“They played well. Winning the final 3-0 made us very happy,” Peter Kizela said.
“We are just thanking the boys for working hard. Let them keep the spirit of winning trophies,” Ackim Mweemba said.
Coach Mumamba Numba’s side won four of their five matches in Mauritius.
Zambia launched the campaign with a 7-1 win over Madagascar before edging South Africa 3-2 and lost 1-0 to Mozambique in their final group game.
The team stormed the final after thumping Malawi 2-0 at the semifinal stage.
Fashion Sakala was in club action in Russia on Tuesday at the end of round five of matches in the second tier 2017/2018 Russian season.
RUSSIA
-SPARTAK MOSCOW II : Striker Fashion Sakala was in action on Tuesday afternoon for Spartak’s reserves who campaign in the Russian 2nd division.
Spartak II lost 2-0 at home to 2nd positioned Baltika in a match Fashion played the full 90 minutes.
Fashion has featured in all five games for Spartak who are 10th.
The Zambia Under-20 star has scored one league goal so far this season for Spartak II.
-FC URAL: Midfielder Chisamba Lungu played the full 90 minutes for 7th placed Ural in Friday’s 1-1 Russian Premier League home draw against 6th positioned UFA.
Chisamba has played in all of Ural’s opening three games of the season.
AUSTRIA
Midfielder Enock Mwepu and striker Patson Daka played the full 90 minutes for Liefering on Friday in their 1-0 Austrian 2nd division loss to Wattens who are just below them in 6th place .
The two sides are tied on 6 points after three games played.
Mwepu and Daka have played two league games each but are yet to find the target.
BELGIUM
Midfielder Emmanuel Banda made his Belgian top flight debut for KV Oostende on Sunday who lost 1-0 at home to Royal Mouscron in a Week 1 match.
Banda came on in the 75th minute.
WEEKEND SCORECARD
FAZ SUPER DIVISION
WEEK 20
30/07/2017
Konkola Blades 0-Zesco United 1(Jesse Were 44’pen)
Nchanga Rangers 0-Napsa Stars 0
29/07/2017
Mufulira Wanderers 1(Emmanuel Musekwa 43’og)-Green Buffaloes 1(Stephen Kabamba 90′)
Nakambala Leopards 1(Roy Sakwanda 63′)-Nkana 0
Buildcon 2(John Makwatta 45′ 55′)-Real Nakonde 0
Forest Rangers 1 (Kobe Chipeta 47′)-Lumwana Radiants 0
Red Arrows 0-Zanaco 0
Green Eagles 2(Greenwell Witika ?’,Venecious Mapande ?’)-City of Lusaka 0
Nkwazi 1( Clement Mwape 73’og)-Kabwe Warriors 1(Jacob Phiri 55′)
Power Dynamos 1(Benson Sakala 63′)-Lusaka Dynamos 1(Chris Mugalu 86′)
LEAGUE
30/07/2017
Chris Mugalu(Lusaka Dynamos):11
Jesse Were (Zesco):8
Maisha Chavada (Buildcon):7
Fwayo Tembo(Power Dynamos):7
Rahim Osumanu(Mufulira Wanderers):6
Mike Katiba(Buffaloes):5
Mwila Phiri(Green Eagles):5
Danny Silavwe (Nkana/Nakonde):5
Brian Mwila (Green Buffaloes):5
Shadreck Musonda(Nkana):5
Youremember Banda (Napsa):5
Kobe Chipeta (Forest):4
Jacob Phiri(Kabwe Warriors)4
Patrick Ngoma (Red Arrows):4
Diamond Chikwekwe (Green Buffaloes):4
Ignatius Lwipa (Nakambala):4
Collins Sikombe(Napsa Stars):4
Ronald Kampamba (Nkana):4
Clement Mundia(City of Lusaka):4
Justin Shonga(Nkwazi):4
Green Mumba (Forest):4
Walter Bwalya (Nkana): 4
Stanley Nshimbi (Arrows):4
Clement Mwape(Warriors):3
Mwila Kabwe (Nkwazi):3
Chanda Mushili(Lumwana):3
Obed Masambuko (Lumwana):3
Luka Lungu(Power Dynamos):3
Steward Chikandiwa (Nkwazi):3
Ernest Mbewe(Zanaco):3
Logic Chingandu (Forest Rangers):3
Hosea Silwimba(Lumwana):3
Simon Bwalya (Nkana)3
Zikiru Adams(Nchanga):3
Anos Tembo (Eagles):3
Simon Nkhata(Lumwana):3
John Sikaumbwe(Konkola):3
Martin Phiri(Power Dynamos):3
Lameck Kafwaya(Kabwe Warriors):3
Idris Mbombo(Zesco):3
Richard Kasonde(Zanaco):3
Frank Chinyama(Konkola Blades):3
Friday Samu (Buffaloes):3
Potipher Zulu(Lusaka Dynamos):3
Tapson Kaseba (Konkola):3
Dominic Mulenshi(City of Lusaka):3
Lazarus Kambole (Zesco):3
Chitiya Mususu (Napsa Stars):3
Kennedy Musonda(Zanaco):3
Diego Apanene(Nkana):3
Saith Sakala(Zanaco):3
Guily Manziba(Wanderers):3
The opposition UPND has issued instructions to its members to stop commenting on the reported apology issued by Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili.
UPND Spokesman Charles Kakoma said the party has learnt with regret that some of its members have been issuing statements in relation to the reported apology by Mr. Kambwili.
He said as UPND, the party’s position was stated on Monday by its Secretary General Steven Katuka.
“We have no difficulties with people that realise their mistakes and apologise to those people they have offended,” Mr Kakoma said.
“From a Biblical point of view, there is nothing that stops a wrong doer from apologising. Equally, there is nothing that stops the one that has been offended from accepting the apology.”
He added, “We note, however, that the offensive words well targeted at people of southern provice rather than UPND. There are many people in Southern Province who are neither UPND nor Tonga. We think it should not be the responsibility of the UPND to accept Kambwili ‘s apology, if any.”
He said ,”As things stand now, Kambwili has not approached UPND in relation to the apology or any desire to join the UPND. He has publicly declared that he is still PF and we respect him for that.”
“We therefore wish to advise our members to desist from commenting in a manner that suggests that they are projecting a UPND position when not authorised to do so. Anybody who issues statements without authority does so in his or her personal capacity.
The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD), aimed at enhancing access and usage of information and communications technologies (ICTs) among persons with disabilities.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, ZICTA Acting Director General, Patrick Mutimushi, said the Authority observed that Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) faced a number of challenges in accessing and using ICTs, a situation he said was against the objective of ensuring equal and unfettered access to ICT services.
Mr Mutimushi noted that in today’s world, coupled with the global impact of ICTs across all sectors, no one should be excluded from using mobile phones, the internet, televisions, computers, electronic kiosks and their myriad of applications and services including in education, political life, and cultural activities or for e-government or e-health.
He added that being excluded from these ICT enabled applications implied being shut down not only from the information society, but also from accessing essential public services as well as opportunity of living an independent life.
“It is against this background that the Authority would like to work closely with your organisation in ensuring that PwDs are no longer marginalised, hence the need for us to enter into this Memorandum of Understanding”, Mr Mutimushi added.
Mr Mutimushi emphasised that ensuring accessible ICTs for PwDs and expanding access to these technologies, as well as to assistive technologies, was a key element of global, regional and national strategies to remove the remaining barriers faced by persons with disabilities.
And ZAPD Board Chairperson, Julien Mwape, described the signing ceremony as an exciting moment for PwDs taking into account challenges her people have been facing in accessing communication.
Ms Mwape acknowledged the collaboration with ZICTA as a significant step forward in advancing access to ICTs for PwDs.
She stressed the need for equal access of ICTs and other key aspects of life if PwDs are to contribute meaningfully to development, adding that communication was critical in this regard.
The MoU seek to enhance collaboration between the two organisations on key focus areas by way creating a platform where issues and challenges around provision of communication services to PwDs will be raised and efforts to resolve them initiated, as well as encourage the design of accessible ICT products and services among others.
There has been all lot of speculation about the Lusaka Decongestion Project (LDP) with some sections of society casting doubt about this big project. Well, the this project is real and is expected to effectively commence within 3 months. Engineers are already on the ground undertaking preliminary works.
What is the LDP about? It’s a project aimed at redesigning the major road network for Lusaka city with a view to reducing traffic jams, travel time, travel distances and saving our precious fuel.
This is a project co-financed by GRZ (15%) and Exxim Bank of India (85%). It will take 36 months to complete.
This is a dream that is being realised this year having been conceived in 2008 when the Ministry of Local Government, it’s local authority – Lusaka City Council and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) re-planned the road network.
What are some of the salient features of the project?
1. The total road works is 120.7 km with dedicated bus lanes on the middle of the road.
2. Rehabilitation and upgrading of 91.4 km of ring road; There will be a new outer ring road from Kafue road (Makeni) to new Mumbwa road. It will further stretch to Lusaka West and join the Great North Road (Kabwe road) on Chikumbi road.
3. There will be 4 Grade separators or top-deck roads at 4 selected points of the city, namely; Kafue road (Makeni junction), Kafue round about, Kabwe roundabout, & Arcades roundabout.
4. Other 4 points of road expansion will be Church-Cairo junction, Kabulonga roundabout, Highcourt roundabout, Longacres roundabout and Mosi-O-Tunya.
5. Roads such as Kasangula, Lake-Mwapona, Nangwenya, Zambezi, Alick Nkhata, Munali-Mutumbi Kamloops and Buyantanshi will be extended to 4 lanes.
Further, Ben-Bella, Kafue, Great East (kabwe roundabout-palm drive), Independence and Kalambo roads will be extended to 6 lanes.
6. Modern streetlights to be installed.
For a much more detailed description of this project, People are urged to to visit the ministry of Local Government stand (MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT) at the Lusaka’s Agriculture and Commercial Show which starts this week.
© Lusaka Times
