By Kasebamashila Kaseba

Fire at City Market in Lusaka

Lusaka City Market (LCC)was built in 1997 with a designated police station providing day and night police guard.

Secondly, the LCC run by a market management prohibits cooking and fire inside the market.

In addition and importantly, the power is switched off from the sockets at 18:00 and 16:00 on holidays as the police order evacuation of market.

After the evacuation and clearance and sweeping of the markets, there is a police inspection and after some hours orders to shoot on sight anyone found inside or outside or near the market.

In short, between 18:00 closure to 06:30 openning, the Lusaka City Market is a police high security installation.

And in the past, after the fire of Kamwala Market, the PF seemed to have taken over both the co-management and co-guarding of the market.

While the city Market has suffered fire attacks and MMD co-management this fire and PF takeover may be the serious.

Who is behind this barbaric incident? As in all security and investigation situations, the cause of a fire, whether foul play or inside, comes from the reports of the security on duty; not Lusaka Fire Brigade or Ministry of Home Affairs or PF or Zambia Police?

Now after the Ndola ZESCO pylons burning, and President Edgar Lungu threat of state of emergency declaration at the same time denial of political tension, the LCM fire raises the political heat or tension.

Its so sad that public money was used to construct the market to improve the lives of many Zambians who are in the informal sector and just an evil person works up to burn it.

This should not be happening in Zambia a Christian nation where people  are to embrace one another in a brotherly love.

Despite the security alert from the Zambia police Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja security officers failed to spot the person behind the sabotage when the facility is guarded 24 hours.

Something has to be done and the officers on duty have to explain the barbaric act of sabotage to infrastructure built at great cost for humanity.

A thorough investigation has to be surely institute rather than just talking, blaming one  another and threatening to arrest traditional leaders for the failure of institutions responsible for the protection of Zambians.

Former State House Special Assistant for Press and public Relations Dickson Jere said the current State House is not fit for a president.

Mr Jere who served under former President Rupiah Banda said that the current State House was designed as a Governor’s House to accommodate the then Governor of Lusaka.

He said the current State House cannot host a full state banquet that goes with a state-visit and hence most such events are held at hotels.

He said a guest list for the state visit is usually 500 and above and that State House cannot accommodate such numbers except when a marquee is mounted outside at another expense.

Mr Jere said those opposed to the construction of a new State House should think again when they debate the issue.

In October 2011, then President Michael Sata cancelled a contract to build a new State House which was supposed to be constructed by Chinese company, Shanghai Construction Group.

The late President Sata said the country’s current State House was more than adequate and wondered why former President Banda had decided to embark on an expensive venture of building another State House.

Below is Mr Jere’s full statement posted on his Facebook page

To build or not to build?

By Dickson Jere

Before I was appointed as a senior staff at State House, I had been there several times as a reporter to cover various presidential functions. But reporters were restricted to specific rooms. Not until when I worked there, I thought the place was lofty.

For starters, what we call State House today was in fact a residence of the British Governor. And so the design and all the accompaniment was that of a house and not offices. The offices were supposed to be where Cabinet Office is but our first President Kenneth David Kaunda, in his wisdom, decided that the Presidential residence and offices should be in one place – the decision I actually support.

Managing presidential assignments in that building is a nightmare. The place is just too small. By way of example, where the President conducts swearing-in ceremonies and receives credentials from newly accredited diplomats is a staff dining room not designed or planned for such solemn events.

Each time there is such an event (at least in my time) staff will need to eat from their offices since the place would be turned around for the event of the day. We started using the dining room for such events during our time.

Previously, cabinet room, which was in fact a banquet hall for the Governor, was the Multi-purpose hall for State House until they fixed a non-movable conference-table attached with desktop computers for cabinet meetings. So that hall can no longer be used for other meetings except for cabinet and other conference-like events.

In my time, I had difficulties in dealing with VVIP guests. The only toilets available for use were the ones at the entrance of the house, which were meant for all and sundry. In case we have a visiting President, one would take them inside the Presidential office if they were to use the bathroom – a very embarrassing situation! I and chief of protocol then, Bob Samakai, had to push for the construction of the VVIP toilets attached to the main building. We managed but as a temporal measure as the guests had to pass through offices-before getting to them.

Further, no one wants to go to State House to see the President and is totally exposed. But ours, we do not have waiting rooms. Everyone is put on the foyer as they wait to be called in to see the President. Sometimes VVIP mixes with ordinary people on the foyer.

There is need to at least have three separate meeting rooms where guests can be put while they wait for their turn to see the Principal. President Michael Sata, as he then was, had to turn one of the offices downstairs into a waiting room for that very reason.

When the President wants to address the press, he either has to do it outside or on the foyer or indeed in the dining room. We do not have a press room for such. Outside events attracts events management companies that need to set up and we pay. Every good State House has a press room where press conferences take place. The room is specifically designed for the press with multi power points and sound system for the quality of voice… need say more on that?

Each successful President, with an exception of President Sata, uses the small library downstairs as an official office. This means that State House has no official library for staff and policy analysts.

The top office has been avoided for many reasons, including that the staircase is stiff. Current State House has no lift and so not convenient for the disabled who equally needs access to the President.

Ever visited State House during rainy season? I was shocked when I saw buckets on the corridors! The entire house is terribly leaking and the upper floor shakes when one is walking on it. Disaster in waiting!

Lastly, the place is just too tiny. Not all presidential staff can fit with comfort to work. In my time, some very senior officers shared office space while others kept shuttling offices depending on the assignment they had.

Even where the President meets his counterpart, that room is designated as the First Lady’s Room. It was a second living-room for the Governor’s wife and her guests – so I was told. There is no quiet room for the President to meet his visiting counterpart on a one-on-one set up except that room.

And that State House cannot host a full state banquet that goes with a state-visit and hence most such events are held at hotels! A guest list for the state visit is usually 500 and above and that State House cannot accommodate such numbers except when a marquee is mounted outside at another expense.

So, think again when you debate the question – to build or not to build a new State House!

Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo on Monday called for an urgent security meeting with Heads of security wings in the province following a case of economic sabotage on ZESCO supply lines in Ndola.

The closed door meeting which was attended by all government security chiefs was held at Mr Lusambo’s office at the Ndola Provincial Administration.

Sources at the Provincial Administration indicated that Mr. Lusambo called the meeting to instruct the security chiefs to intensify their security operations across the entire province.

The sources said Mr. Lusambo was prompted to call the meeting after receiving intelligence briefings that some unknown people are planning further attacks on key public infrastructure in the province.

Those that attended the meeting were Heads of the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Zambia Police and the Zambia National Service.

On Sunday, over 10,000 households in Ndola were without power after the main supply line located near the Levy Mwanawasa Stadiums was damaged by unknown people.

Initial investigations by ZESCO indicated that the attack was a well-orchestrated act of economic sabotage.

On Monday, the Zambia Police Service announced a reward for the arrest of those behind destruction of key public properties.

Zambia Police Spokesperson Esther Mwaata-Katongo said the police were offering a reward of 300,000 Zambian Kwacha to any person or persons with information that will lead to the apprehension and successful prosecution of criminals cutting or destroying electricity installations.

Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja said the police have received intelligence information that some criminal minded people are planning to deliberately cause havoc by destroying or vandalizing vital installations such as bridges, power stations and transmission lines.

Mr Kanganja warned that officers were on high alert and will arrest anyone plotting such evil.

“We have intensified our operations to ensure that all vital installations are safeguarded,” he said in a statement.

The police will also be mounting snap security check points in which vehicles will be randomly stopped and checked, he added.

On Sunday, President Edgar Lungu condemned the continued sabotage of public infrastructure and warned all those perpetrating the illegality that they will face the wrath of the law.

Natasha who was one of the 60 people from around the world to be selected as a Queens Young Leader and the only Zambian got to meet Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in the U.K last week.

She spoke to the Queen about her work with her organisation Copper Rose Foundation where they are providing sanitary towels to underprivileged adolescent girls.

She said the award is dedicated to all the women and girls who are not living to their potential adding that this is a testimony that nothing is impossible.

“I would like to thank God almighty, for this vision that he has put in my heart to improve the lives of millions of African women, my best friends F & S, my parents and family members, all our donors and supporters of our work, my mentors who tell me which way i should go, the Zambian high commission in UK, the British High Commission in Zambia, all the local and international change makers who continue to raise the bar and show me i can do much more in this environment,” she said.

She added, “It’s taken me some time to process what has happened in the past few weeks…Mostly because this is award is not for me, it’s for all the people in my organization Copper Rose Zambia who work tirelessly to ensure that we reach out to as many girls and women as possible.”

President Edgar Lungu says Zambia will continue promoting good governance and the rule of law in order to create an enabling environment for investment to thrive on the African continent.

President Lungu says development can only take place in an environment of tranquility in which tenets of democracy are respected.

ZANIS reports that the Head of State said this in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia yesterday when he met a delegation from the European Union parliament on the margins of the ongoing African Union (AU) assembly of heads of state and government.

President Lungu said government will continue working with the European Union to improve living standards of ordinary Zambians.

He said Zambia wants to continue enhancing partnering with the EU in areas such as education, Agriculture, health and good governance.

And Member of the European Parliament, and high level facilitator for post-cotonou activities, Lousi Michel, said the European Union is currently exploring best ways of supporting African countries in different areas of mutual corporation.

Mr Michel said the EU wants to invest in the right areas according to the needs of partners in Africa and beyond.