Police Public Relations officer Esther Mwaata Katongo has said the police service is not in any way shielding President Edgar Lungu’s Political advisor Kaizer Zulu in the alleged assault case purported to have happened during the Total Under 20 final match at Lusaka heroes’ stadium.

The Pan African Radio Journalist Hermit Hachilonde reports that, Ms. Katongo said the Police immediately after receiving the report from the complainant a medical report form was issued to the complainant and a docket regarding the case was opened.

The Police Spokesperson has since dismissed insinuations by some stakeholders on social media that the case has been closed, affirming that the case is currently under study.

She has however enlightened that the police service have procedures to follow when dealing with cases as opposed to acting on impulse.

Ms. Katongo added that an allegation by some individuals that the police service in Zambia is selective in the application of the law was misplaced.

“We want to put it clear that the police are not in any way shielding Kaizer Zulu in the alleged assault case purported to have happened at Lusaka heroes’ stadium” Ms. Katongo said.

Stakeholders have continued to lambaste President Lungu’s Special Advisor for Politics for physically abusing a female police officer during the award presentation at Heroes Stadium after Zambia’s victory over Senegal on Sunday.

Among the stakeholders to have condemned Mr Zulu’s action are the opposition APC President, Human Rights Commission Chairperson and the country’s umbrella body for NGOs the NGOCC.

APC President Nason Msoni related the incident to what he termed as weakness by the Republican President Edgar Lungu has continued to ignore ailing subordinates.

Mr Msoni noted that stakeholders have repeatedly warned president Lungu but that the president seems to have been held captive by his subordinates who continue to do whatever they feel like without facing any consequences as if they have something on him that he does not want the nation to know.

He said it has become apparent to the nation that an indiscipline leadership can never deliver and that the President should for once stand up and fix the mess his officials are putting the country in.

He said the actions of some of the people his has appointed does not represent the best interest of any individual in the seat of power.

He further noted that the President is frozen when it comes to mating out punishment which he said was worrying as it had negative repercussion on the wellbeing of citizens in the country.

Meanwhile the Human Rights Commission (HRC) says it is deeply disturbed at the alleged physical and indecent harassment of a female police officer by a senior government official during the Under 20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament at Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.

In a statement issued to the media HCR Chairperson Mudford Mwandenga said the commission was disappointed that a female officer was abused just a week after commemorating International Women’s Day.

Mr Mwandenga who was commenting on the reported victimization of a female police officer by Kaiza Zulu the Political Advisor to the President said his organization was concerned that 4 days after the reported violation of human rights by a senior government official no action has been taken against the sad officer.

“The Commission is aware of many cases where individuals have been arrested, detained and charged with an offence of obstructing the Police from executing their duties. The police officer was executing her official duty of enforcing law and order when she was not only obstructed, but also physically and indecently manhandled. It is shocking that her case seems to be treated differently.

“The HRC is raising this concern because there were a number of police officers within the vicinity of the alleged scene of crime, and the case was officially reported at Matero Police Station, but regrettably, no concrete steps seem to have so far been undertaken to ensure that justice is done. Such lack of action against perpetrators of human rights and crimes only serve to confirm allegations and fears of selective and discriminatory application of the law, to the detriment of respect for human rights,” he said.

He further said the lack of action by institutions mandated to curtail the abuse of human rights in the country only serve to confirm allegations and fears of selective and discriminatory application of the law, to the detriment of respect for human rights.

The First Lady of the Republic of Zambia Esther Lungu has called for adoption of sound work place policies that will ensure elimination of all forms of gender based violence, particularly sexual harassment, from workplaces.

Mrs. Lungu said there was need to ensure equal pay and remuneration for women and men holding the same positions in the workplace.
The First lady made the call when she spoke at a side event on “Elimination of Violence against Women in the Work Place” organized by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), UN Women, Zambian Mission to the UN and ZONTA International on the sidelines of the on-going 61st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61) in New York, which runs from 13 to 24 March 2017.

Mrs. Lungu said the work environment world-over is expected to be a place where employment ethics, respect for women and equal treatment of all workers should be upheld.

“However, to this date, women are subjected to all forms of abuse and unfair treatment at work places. From the whole spectrum of employee engagement, training, performance appraisals and rewards, women continue to be the subject of unfair labour practices, discrimination and violence,” Mrs. Lungu said. “It is important to interrogate how best we can promote safe and secure working environments for all workers in particular women, whether they be migrant workers, domestic workers, farm workers or technical and professional women.”

The First Lady noted that women’s limited bargaining power coupled with unfavorable national labour laws and policies often leave millions of workers particularly women, unprotected and without recourse in the face of gender-based discrimination and work place violence.
However, Mrs. Lungu expressed optimism that in the next 15 years, she foresees positive outcomes in the investments made towards girls’ education. She said it is hoped the girls of today will make a positive workforce of the future.

“It is my firm belief that the awareness raising programmes and other advocacy efforts being made by different organisations such as the Zonta International, ILO, the UN as well as civil society organisations and government at national level will greatly contribute to economically empowering the girls and women and ensure that they are socially protected,” Mrs. Lungu said.

The First Lady highlighted Zambia’s legislation reforms that were taking care of the interest of women and girls, including the Industrial Relations and Employment Act, which prohibit discrimination of an employee on grounds of race, sex, marital status, religion, political opinion or affiliation, tribal extraction or social status.

She said the Zambian Government has enacted a comprehensive legislation on Anti-Gender Based Violence Act of 2011, which prohibits all forms of violence against women and girls and offers a comprehensive framework for protection, shelters and funds for empowerment as well as, the prosecution of perpetrators of violence be it male or female.

“In 2015 the Government enacted the Gender Equity and Equality Act, which domesticates the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the African Charter on Human and the Rights of Women and other regional protocols,” said Mrs. Lungu. “One area requiring strengthening is research especially in developing countries like Zambia. Currently, data and information is inadequate and uncoordinated, therefore, areas like occupational violence and psychological abuse resulting from violence against women in the workplace are difficult to address.”

And contributing to the discussion, Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) Executive Director Bernadette Deka called for third beneficiary in the social cash transfer scheme, a Zambian Government programme running under the Ministry of Community Development.

Ms. Deka was responding to Zonta International representative, who spoke of the need to aid girl children through social welfare schemes.
Ms. Deka said the Social Cash Transfer should extend to rural young girls, to empower them with their education.

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has described as regrettable the statement attributed to Labor Minister Joyce Simukoko that the labor movement in Zambia is weak.

ZCTU Secretary General Cosmas Mukuka says contrary to Ms. Nonde’s suggestion the labor movement is in fact working very hard in resolving labor issues in the Country.

Mr. Mukuka states that this explains why Zambia has continued to enjoy industrial harmony.

He says the sense that the ZCTU is however making out of Ms. Simukoko’s suggestion is therefore that she is only trying to make Zambia ungovernable by inciting workers against their employees.

Mr. Mukuka states that his union is disappointed that the Labor Minister has not realized that such careless statements as she recently made have the potential to destabilize industrial harmony.

He has advised Ms. Nonde to avoid using her position as Minister to settle old scores with the current leadership of the labor movement.

Mr. Mukuka is encouraging Ms. Nonde to focus on issues of raising national productivity levels besides on other labor matters requiring her attention.

The ZCTU Secretary General was speaking this morning at a media briefing held in Lusaka.

THE Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has suspended three legal practitioners from practising.

Those suspended are Nicholas Chanda, who has represented several high-profile clients such as the suspected ritual killers and traditional healer and politician Chilufya Chileya commonly known as Kalonga Kanono.

Other lawyers who have been suspended are Bwalya Luo of Messrs Palan and George advocates and Cheelo Mwiinga of Messrs Mak & Partners.

“Take notice that the above practitioners has been suspended from practising law with immediate effect” read parts of the individual notices for Mr Chanda, Mr Mwiinga and Mr Luo.

According to the notices, dated February 27, 2017, the legal practitioners are not supposed to appear in any court of law/tribunal and should not file court process of whatever nature until further notice.

HIGHER Education Minister Nkandu Luo has expressed concern over the lack of seriousness exhibited by Zambian scientists in finding solutions to the crop-munching armyworm and red locust that invaded some farms early this year.

Professor Luo said she was concerned that scientists had not taken a keen interest in the insects that had affected a number of countries on the African continent as a result of climate change.

Prof Luo said this at the International Council for Science (ICSU) seminar under a theme ‘role of science and meteorology in sustainable development’ in Lusaka yesterday.

“We have become victims of climate change which is going to affect the agriculture sector, which we have not developed and the impact is going to be serious.

“For example, we had armyworms from here to South Africa; where were scientist to face the armyworms and now we have red locust. Where is the scientific preparedness to face the red locust?” she said.

Prof Luo said the climate change also affected the energy sector, which if not developed, would leave the country perpetually dependent on expensive imports.

Prof Luo said science was the driver in the national development of nations and the reason some countries were not developing at the pace they should be was their failure to put science at the centre of the analysis.

She said the Zambian scientists did not see the importance of investing in research as one of the daily activities.

Prof Luo said there was need not only to employ lectures in science, but for scientists who specialised in research.

She said there was need to put science as first priority. Science could be used to innovate issues such as water and mineral resources in terms of development.

Prof called on Zambian scientists to learn from other scientists and not wait for foreign directive investments because Zambia does did not have capacity.

Addressing the same forum, Ministry of Higher Education Permanent Secretary Owen Mgemezulu said Zambia faced critical challenges of inadequate specialised sciences and lack of laboratories in key institutions.

Mr Mgemezulu said Zambia wished to benefit from some of the proposed projects in the ICSU science plans.
ICSU regional director Daniel Nyanganyura said the mission of ICSU was to strengthen international science for the benefit of society.