Dispute over the boundary of the Lake Kariba between Zambia and Zimbabwe is a concern-Hamukale
SOUTHERN Province Minister Edify Hamukale has said a dispute has arisen between Zambia and Zimbabwe over the boundary of the Lake Kariba.
Dr Hamukale said the dispute was a security concern, because many Zambians had been arrested and prosecuted for crossing into Zimbabwean waters on the lake.
Dr Hamukale, who was speaking to the Parliamentary Committee of National Security and Foreign Affairs when they paid a courtesy call on him yesterday, said that fishing rights allowed a certain number of vessels, but that had doubled.
The minister said there was need to also put regulations to allow the fish and other species to breed in Lake Kariba.
“I hope the fish ban can also be allowed on Kariba to allow the fish species to breed because at the rate we are going all fish stocks could be depleted in the next 10 years,” Dr Hamukale said.
Dr Hamukale urged the committee to look into the issue, because law- enforcers did not have enough boats to monitor and offer security to Zambians fishing on the lake.
“This is our area of concern in terms of security. Your committee should take care of this issue. The marine units for Zambia Police and Zambia Army don’t have enough boats to monitor and offer security to our people,” Dr Hamukale said.
Chairperson for the committee Martin Malama encouraged the minister to ensure the matter was tabled during the bilateral meeting.
Dr Malama said in as much as there was unemployment, there was also need to preserve some of the resources in the lake for the future generations.
“We shall take it up, in as much as there are a lot of employment levels, but we should also be considering our children on the need to control the resources because they are not eternal,” Dr Malama said.
One of the members of the committee Frank N’gambi commended the minister for the works at the time when the province was undergoing a thorough transformation, which had seen the creation of more districts.
Mr N’gambi urged the minister to ensure Government programmes were implemented in the province.
The committee has now proceeded to Livingstone where it is expected to tour Zambia Correctional Services facilities, and the Drug-Enforcement Commission officers.
Today the committee is expected to hold a public hearing in Livingstone on the mandate of the law-enforcer’s agencies and would proceed to a similar hearing in Western Province.
Members on the committee are Margaret Miti, Anthony Malama, Mr N’gambi, Lawrence Nyirenda, Kapelwa Mbangweta, Morgan Sitwala, and Elijah Muchima.
Government to start distributing farming inputs in June
GOVERNMENT will start distributing inputs for the 2017-2018 farming season under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in June this year.
Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary Julius Shawa said in an interview yesterday that Government has already started initial preparations for tendering and procurement process of the farming inputs.
Mr Shawa said farmers are likely to start receiving farm inputs as early as June immediately after the procurement process is completed.
“We have been tasked to ensure that we distribute farm inputs to the farmers as early as June, so we have started the preparations,” he said.
Mr Shawa said the early distribution of farm inputs will greatly enhance productivity in the agriculture sector as farmers will be able to plant their seed immediately the rainy season starts.
He also said Government is putting in place modalities which will enable farmers using the electronic voucher system (e-voucher) to have their cards activated quickly.
Last year, many farmers faced challenges in accessing farm inputs from agro-dealers due to the delay in activating the e-voucher cards.
Mr Shawa also appealed to farmers to start preparing for the 2017-2018 farming season by saving adequate funds for procurement of farm inputs.
He said with the crop marketing exercise kicking off next month, farmers should be able to sell their produce to the Food Reserve Agency and start planning for this year’s farming season.
“Farmers should not only depend on Government for the supply of inputs, they should also start preparing for this year’s farming season. They can do this by saving their earnings to buy inputs for the coming farming season,” Mr Shawa said.
Government must take action against shoddy works by Engineers-Auditor General
ACTING Auditor-General Ron Mwamba has urged Government to take appropriate action against engineers cited in the audit report for doing shoddy works on road construction projects.
Mr Mwamba said engineers involved in inferior roadworks should be taken to task to avoid wasting public resources.
He said the report has recurrently revealed that some engineers have been involved in shoddy works, a development which needs to be addressed.
Speaking when he featured on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation’s Morning Live programme yesterday, Mr Mwamba said Government risks losing huge sums of money on substandard roadworks by some engineers.
“The Auditor General’s report has revealed that RDA does not engage people to supervise construction works at the initial stages of awarding contracts for infrastructure projects and this leads to shoddy works.
“Government should begin to take action against some of these engineers, the supervisors of the engineers of government projects,” Mr Mwamba said.
He also said under-performing contractors should be taken to task because projects that stall are costly to the government.
Mr Mwamba also welcomed plans by the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) to ensure that contractors involved in poor roadworks are arrested and prosecuted.
“EIZ’s proposal [to criminalise shoddy works] is a step forward. rather than just looking at these reports we produce, they must add value to our processes.adding value means we must be able to take action against some of these things that are brought out [in the report],” he said.
Mr Mwamba said the Auditor-General’s report will add more value to the governance system once its findings are acted upon.
And Mr Mwamba said following the amendment to the Constitution, the power to audit councils was transferred to his office.
He said 18 out of the 107 local authorities countrywide have so far been audited.
Government must be consistent in the implementation of the economic recovery plan-Kanyama
Last year, Government launched the economic recovery programme dubbed ‘Zambia Plus’ designed to help Zambia elevate its gross domestic product (GDP) growth, currently standing at three percent, which is below the seven percent levels required to reduce poverty and to drive Zambia’s development.
Mr Kanyama said Government has the right tools to help the country’s economy to recover.
“The only thing it needs to do is to follow its recovery programme,” he said.
He was speaking at a Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) forum last week.
“We need focus and discipline. The Minister of Finance must receive full co-operation of his colleagues in Cabinet as well as technocrats, civil society organisations and every citizen in the implementation of the recovery plan.
“I encourage Government to remain consistent on the five pillars [of the recovery plan] even if it became unpopular – let it be, because in the next five to six years Zambians will look back and we would have recovered from the tough times,” he said.
Commenting on Government’s proposal to undertake the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, Mr Kanyama said the plan works if it’s done in a timely manner.
“The IMF programme is not new. We have had it since 2003. Nobody knew about it and it only addresses issues of the economy to promote fiscal discipline and balance of payment. We should not be scared. IMF is always in the country every year for three key areas of operation,” he said.
PF suspends 8 members over illegal land allocation
EIGHT Patriotic Front (PF) members on the Copperbelt, including the Ndola District secretary Benjamin Chitondo, have been suspended for being involved in illegal land allocation in Ndola.
The provincial leadership has also disbanded the PF district security wing and slapped the district secretary, Mr Chitondo with three charges.
Provincial secretary Mike Manda said the members were suspended following investigations which revealed that the eight were allocating land illegally.
The suspended members, led by Mr Chitondo who is believed to be the mastermind of the illegal activities, included Chivas Munenkopa and Mwengula Mushota who were members of the provincial security wing.
Mr Manda said others were Kabushi Constituency vice-treasurer Geoffrey Chulu, Maybin Mutono, Musonda Chola, Chumbu and Chisani.
“We have suspended eight members of the party, among them, the district secretary Benjamin Chitondo over alleged illegal land deals. Mr Chitondo is said to be the mastermind behind all the land deals in Ndola. These names have come out prominent in the matter at hand and have been removed from their positions and all party activities,” Mr Manda said.
He said despite being the district secretary, Mr Chitondo had chosen to disregard the party, by engaging in illegal land allocations, which had brought the name of the party into disrepute.
Mr Manda said Mr Chitondo was slapped with three charges, namely, his involvement in illegal land deals by instructing cadres to engage in the activities.
In the second charge, Mr Chitondo on April 3 incited fights between two illegal camps.
He instructed one camp to go and demarcate land, while instructing the second camp, known as anti-lands grabbing team to apprehend members of the first camp.
HH to spend Easter holiday under detention
Incarcerated UPND President Hakainde Hichilema is certain to remain in police custody until the Easter long weekend is over after a Judge reserved ruling in a Habeas corpus application by his lawyers.
And Mr Hichilema’s lawyer has submitted that their client now being arrested and detained for over fifteen times since 2006 should be released because he has at all times been fully compliant whenever he has been summoned to report himself to law enforcement agencies.
Mr Hichilema and five other supporters of the UPND have been slapped with treason and other four criminal charges.
Treason is a non-bailable offence in Zambia and carries a death sentence upon conviction.
The last executions in Zambia were carried out in 1997 when the then President Frederick Chiluba authorised the execution of eight convicts for various offences.
Since then, presidential moratorium on executions has been maintained by successive Presidents.
There are only three offences which carry the death sentence in Zambia namely murder (Section 201 of the Penal Code); aggravated robbery (Section 294 of the Penal Code); and treason (Section 43 of the Penal Code).
The offender may be spared the death penalty (administered by hanging by the neck) and sentenced to life imprisonment instead if they are pregnant or under eighteen-years of age when the crime was committed (Section 25(4) of the Penal Code).
A habeas corpus is an application requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge especially to secure the person’s release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention.
On Tuesday evening, UPND lawyers pushed in a habeas corpus application on Tuesday to have their client presented before court or force the state to charge him with the home of securing his release.
UPND lawyers argued their case before judge Getrude Chawatama who however reserved ruling for Tuesday next week.
This means that Mr Hichilema who was detained on Tuesday at Lilayi Police College will remain under police custody until the matter is heard on Tuesday next week.
Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays in Zambia.
By the time his case his heard, Mr Hichilema would have spent eight days in detention.
Judge Chawatama reserved the ruling to Tuesday to allow her to study the oral and written submissions by Mr Hichilema’s lawyer and those of the Attorney General who has objected to the habeas corpus application.
Attorney General Likando Kalaluka opposed the application by UPND lawyers compelling the state to present Mr. Hichilema to court following his detention on Monday April 11 2017.
In an affidavit in apposition of exparte notice of motion for writ of habeas corpus filed in the Lusaka High Court on Tuesday, Mpazi Mbita from the Attorney General’s Chambers said the application by the Mr Hichilema’s lawyers had been overtaken by events as he had already been charged and will soon appear before court.
He submitted that when the police officers wanted to charge Mr. Hichilema on April 11 ,2017, his lawyer Jack Mwiimbu requested that the opposition leader should only be charged in the presence of all his lawyers most of whom were not present at the material day.
“The applicant has been charged with offences of treason, disobedience to lawful orders, disobeying of statutory duty, and use of insulting language. Now produced and shown to me marked “MM1” is a copy of the note book signed by the applicant showing the charges, “he submitted.
Earlier, Mr Hichilema’s lawyers asked the Lusaka High Court through an application for a habeas corpus to compel the state to present him to court following his detention yesterday.
His lawyer Keith Mweemba said the arresting and continued detention was unlawful and unconstitutional.
In an ex-parte notice of motion for writ of habeas corpus filed in the High Court, Mr Mweemba said his client had been in detention without being charged or notified of crime committed.
Mr Mweemba said on April 10 from 21 Hours to 12 am, midnight, his client’s residence was stormed by platoons of uniformed and non-uniformed police and para-military officers who raided in his home and damaged his property, tear gassed his home and restricted the liberty of the applicants and his family.
He said that Mr Hichilema’s wife who is asthmatic collapsed on three occasions as a result of the unlawful use of tear gas in their house.
The lawyer also stated that the police officers who unlawfully invaded the applicant’s home did not only damage his home and property but also did stole colossal sums of money in Zambian Kwacha, South African rand and US dollars as well as various items such as shoes, blankets, speakers, floor carpets and foodstuffs.
” In the morning of 11th April, 2017, the applicant was taken to Woodlands Police station and without explanation was whisked to Lilayi police staff college where under police guard he was being held incommunicado, ” stated the lawyer.
Mr Hichilema’s lawyer also said his client who is now being arrested and detained for over fifteen times since 2006 has at all times been fully compliant whenever he has been summoned to report himself to law enforcement agencies and as such the respondents action to invade the applicants right to privacy is not only unreasonable and disproportionate also illegal and unconstitutional in the extreme.
“I therefore respectfully apply to this honourable court to issue forthwith apply write directing the officer in charge at Lilayi police training college and others who may have and /or control of the applicant’s body to bring before this honourable court then and there consider of and concerning the applicant in this behalf,” he said.
Mr Mweemba said there is need for the court to adopt special responsibility regarding the illegal denial to the applicant’s liberty by the respondent and as such the courts most anxious scrutiny of the illegal detention must be exercised.
He said the circumstances of the case require that the writ of habeas corpus does issue immediately as the applicant is being illegally held without just, reasonable and probable cause.
Walter Bwalya handed three-match ban
The FAZ disciplinary committee has handed influential Nkana striker Walter Bwalya a three-match ban.
Bwalya was slapped the suspension following his conduct in Nkana’s 2-0 loss to Zesco United on April 2 in the 2017 Charity Shield final in Ndola.
The strikers ban stems from his conduct in the 58th minute after Nkana captain and defender Donashano Malama was sent-off for a crude tackle on Zesco defender Ben Bahn Adama.
“FAZ has handed Nkana Football Club striker Walter Bwalya a three match ban after being found guilty of inappropriate conduct during the April 2,2017 ‘Samuel’ Zoom Ndhlovu Charity Shield final featuring Zesco United and Nkana at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium in Ndola,” FAZ spokesperson desmond katongo said.
Bwalya has also been fined K2,200.00 .
The ban will initially see him will miss Nkana’s away game this Friday against Nchanga Rangers in Chingola.
But most prominently Bwalya will miss Nkana’s big league home date in Kitwe against Zesco in Week 4.
Dora’s lover sued for divorce by his Namibian wife
Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya’s lover Mark Ode Mubalama’s estranged wife Nangula Axabi Geingob has filed for divorce.
Mubalama and Nangula got married in August 2016 at a lavish wedding in New York, USA after dating for less than a year.
Nangula is Namibian President Hage Geingob’s first daughter from his first marriage to the late Priscilla ‘Patty’ Geingos.
According to court papers filed in the High Court of Namibia dated March 27th 2017, Nangula of Erf 203, Demonte Street, Unit 10. Auasblick, Windhoek is praying for a Restitution of Conjugal Rights Order or a final order of divorce.
A Restitution of Conjugal Rights Order is one of the fundamental purposes of a marriage that the spouses must live together and it is a well-established rule of matrimonial law that one spouse is entitled to the society and comfort (consortium) of the other.
If one spouse leaves the other without any just cause or excuse, the latter can approach a Court of Law, praying for a Decree of restitution of conjugal rights, i.e., an order of the Court which requires that the spouses must continue to live together.
She is also praying that the court should order the costs of the lawsuit and or alternative relief.
“Kindly take notice further that if you fail to give such notice of intention to defend judgement maybe granted against you without further reference to you,” the notice read.
The notice has been served on Mark Mubalama via publication in the Times of Zambia.
Mubalama is also in court on four counts of giving false information to a public officer.
Mubalama 40, of Lusaka’s Ibex Hill, is in the first count accused of making a false statement to a passport officer that his father is a Zambian from Mwinilunga district in Kawiku village of chief Kanongesha while knowing the same to be false.
According to the Namibian Informante Newspaper reported in a 2010 article how Mubalama was involved in a credit card fraud.
It wrote that Mark Aka Ebo, a Congolese allegedly used Air Namibia and South African Airways to siphon more than N$400,000 from his victims by buying tickets which he sold on the black-market.
The newspaper said although he is known as a Congolese national going by the name of Mark Aka Ebo in the social circles, he identified himself as Mark Mubalama when he was cornered by the police at his house.
Mubalama or Aka Ebo allegedly colluded with a Manuel “Malsie” Tjavera who was conferred with the regional netball umpire status to defraud his employers, a South African logistics support company, Equity Aviation.
Ebo, who is in police custody, was arrested and initially appeared in court in Windhoek on 8 January 2010 for buying 35 tickets from Equity Aviation and Air Namibia.
Although Aka Ebo claims that he is Zambian, sources say he is using a false surname and nationality.
“I’m Zambian but my father is from Congo,” Aka Ebo said during an interview in the Windhoek Police Station holding cells.
He also denied buying flight tickets with credit cards saying he buys all his flight tickets in cash and that he does not have any credit card.
Mubalama is known to target daughters of well-off politicians.
He was previously reported to be romantically involved with businessman and UPND Vice President Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba’s daughter, Sibongile Mwamba when she served as First Secretary at the Zambian High Commission in Windhoek.
Copper price improves on international market
The prospects of Zambian mining companies making real returns on their investment looks promising as the price of copper on the international market continues to raise.
Copper on the London Metal Exchange is now trading at 5772 U.S dollars a tonne.
This is up from last Tuesday’s offer price of 5,735 U.S dollars a tonne.
And on the money market, the Kwacha made significant gains on Tuesday
A slack in dollar demand and an improved inflow of U.S dollars from exporters converting to meet their quarterly tax payment obligations enabled the kwacha to gain.
The local unit was yesterday trading at 9-kwacha 43 ngwee and 9-kwacha 48 ngwee on a bid and offer respectively.
The Zambia National Commercial Bank-ZANACO says the kwacha is expected to remain bullish in the near term, trading between 9-kwacha 40 ngwee and 9-kwacha 50 ngwee.
This will be coupled with more support coming from the up-coming Treasury bill auction.
(ZNBC)
PF under President Lungu is abusing state institutions against those with divergent views-Sara Longwe
In a statement Ms. Longwe said the Patriotic Front (PF) led Government under President Edgar Lungu is abusing state institutions against those with divergent views or perceived holding divergent views.
She cited the event of the last few months after the August 2016 elections were state institutions are being abused by those in power such as closing down critical media institutions, eliminate the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) as currently constituted by law and now the arrest of an opposition leader are reminiscent of a totalitarian state.
The NGOCC board Chairperson noted that Zambia is a democracy and all citizens are entitled to the enjoyment of their fundamental rights to freedom of movement, expression and assembly without any undue interference.
Ms. Longwe further noted that while NGOCC does not condone lawlessness, it is important for those in the corridors of power to exercise maximum restraint in the abuse of state institutions.
She has since condemned the Police ambush of a family of a mere politician like a common criminal, affirming that the action by the police was ridiculous and uncalled for.
Ms. Longwe also noted that the Zambia Police owes the family of Mr. Hichilema an apology in the manner they conducted the arrest of Mr. Hichilema as he does not live alone in the house that they broke into and teargased.
She has since urged President Edgar Lungu to take deliberate steps to heal the political wounds that arose out of the elections because the 11thAugust 2016 elections left the country divided.
The NGOCC Board chairperson however stated that arresting opposition leaders on tramped up charges is a recipe to heighten the tension in an environment which is already volatile economically and politically.
She also appealed to church mother bodies to immediately initiate dialogue between the leaders of the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) because the current political tension has the potential of degenerating into civil strife, which without doubt will adversely affect many Zambians, especially the women, the elderly and the children.
“The Patriotic Front (PF) led Government under President Edgar Lungu is abusing state institutions against those with divergent views or perceived holding divergent views” Ms. Longwe said
Zambia Police finally charge HH, five others with treason (Updated)
Opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has finally been charged with treason by Zambia Police .
Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja told a media briefing that Mr Hichilema has been jointly charged with five other people with treason and three other criminal offences.
“I would like to inform the nation that we have jointly charged and arrested Mr Hichilema and five others with:
1. Treason contrary to section 43 (1) (a)
2. Disobedient to lawful orders contrary to section 127 of the penal code.
3. Disobeying of statutory duty contrary to section 126 of the penal code of the laws of Zambia (rule No. 222 of the High Way Code), and
4. Use of insulting language contrary to section 179 of the penal code.”
Mr Kanganja said those jointly charged with Mr Hichilema are Lastone Mulilandumba, Muleya Haachenda, Walace Chakwa, Pretornous Haloba, and Hamusonde Hamaleka.
He said the police had closely analysed what transpired in Mongu district of western province on Saturday the 8th of April 2017 were the UPND leader Mr Hichilema and other persons in his entourage obstructed the Presidential motorcade.
“It has been established that the opposition leader disobeyed police orders to give way to the Presidential motorcade on Limulunga road in an attempt to put the life of the Republican President in danger,” Mr Kanganja said.
He said the dockets of the case would be taken to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further dealings.
Mr Kanganja stated that the police had been unable to charge Mr Hichilema yesterday because one of his lawyers had requested that the other lawyers be present but they never showed up.
He said the lawyer had then requested that their client be charged today with all their lawyers present.
And 12 other UPND members have also been arrested for obstructing police officers in the due execution of duty which is contrary to section 250 (b) of the penal code.
“I wish to reiterate that the actions by the opposition leader were unreasonable, reckless and criminal. Therefore, members of the public are being warned that as police we are not going to watch such kind of behaviour by any person irrespective of their status or political affiliation. We shall ensure that all those that would want to cause unnecessary anarchy are arrested and prosecuted.” He said.
DEC arrests Ugandan for having US$ counterfeit notes
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in Lusaka has arrested a 36 year-old Ugandan national for being in possession of over $70, 000 United States Dollars counterfeit notes.
DEC Public Relations Officer Theresa Katongo said the suspect has been identified as Isa Mutebi, 36, a Ugandan businessman of House No. 12 Kamwala in Lusaka and has been arrested for being in possession of $79, 500 United States Dollars counterfeit notes.
She said the suspect was arrested at a named mall in the Central Business District of Lusaka.
Ms. Katongo further noted that also arrested in a similar incidence is Dyson Mtonga, 48, a bricklayer of Kamwala South in Lusaka for being in possession of $135, 000 United States Dollar counterfeit notes in $100 bills.
“We have arrested a 36 year-old Ugandan national for being in possession of over $70, 000 United States Dollars counterfeit notes in Lusaka” Ms. Katongo said
And DECPublic Relations Officer said the Commission has in other parts of the country arrested twenty (20) small scale farmers for unlawful cultivation and trafficking in cannabis.
She said those arrested include Richard Chanda, 36, of Chafoma village in Muchinga Province for unlawful cultivation of 600kg of fresh cannabis plants and Juliet Kalale, 36, a small scale farmer of Chisenga village in Serenje District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 422kg.
Meanwhile, DECPublic Relations Officer Theresa Katongo revealed that Mongu Magistrates Court under Honourable Julius Malata has convicted Sitali Likando, 46, a small scale farmer of Njoko area in Mulobezi District to 5 years imprisonment with hard labour with effect from 10th April, 2017.
She said the suspect was arrested by the Commission on 9th April, 2017 for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 527kg and trafficking in 71kg of loose cannabis.
Cabinet approves national strategy for development statistics bill
National Development Planning Ministry has revealed that Cabinet approved the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics Bill during a meeting in Lusaka.
National Development Planning Public Relations officer Sikabele Chikuba said the bill presented to Cabinet by Minister of National Development Planning Lucky Mulusa seeks to establish an effective and efficient National Statistics System that will be responsive to the information requirements of a modern and smart Zambia.
He explained that the 2017 Statistics Bill was drafted to replace what he termed as the outdated 1964 census and statistics Act, cap 127 of the laws of Zambia and will provide for the establishment of a semi-autonomous statistics Agency of Zambian Government.
Chikuba was hasty to state that the semi-autonomous Statistics institution will improve efficiency in statistics production and perceived impartiality, credibility, and transparency of official statistics.
He also noted the bill will improve coordination of the National Statistics System (NSS) by integrating various statistical programmes across government.
“Cabinet has approved the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics Bill “Mr. Chikuba said