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Youths who converged in Lusaka for a two day forum
Youths across the country have demanded for an action from government in addressing the many challenges they are facing.
The youths who converged in Lusaka for a two day forum, agreed in a communiqué that the government takes action and not just end at assuring them that it is committed in addressing their concerns.
Some of the issues they raised include the splitting of the Ministry of Youth and Sports saying it has concentrated on promoting sports in the country as opposed to empowering the young people.
The disabled youths also complained that they are left out in all youth empowerment programs citing the Higer Bus Program saying no disabled youth has benefited from such a progressive program.
The youths also agreed that the government considers to review the retirement age as this is proving to be hindrance in young people getting jobs in government.
Meanwhile, some young farmers present at the forum complained for lack of market for their produce saying in as much as government is promoting the full participation of young people in agriculture, it has failed to find market for the young farmers.
DEC Public Relations Officer Theresa KatongoThe Drug Enforcement Commission has in various parts of the country arrested six (06) people for unlawful cultivation and trafficking in cannabis contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Those arrested include Steven Katiban’gombe, 54, a Security Guard of Chongwe for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 630kg and Luka Zimba, 37, a Stock Man also of Chongwe for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 525.2kg.
In Central Province the Commission has arrested Morgan Nkandu, 38, a Small Scale Farmer of Mutambo village in Serenje District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 437kg and for trafficking in loose cannabis weighing 21kg.
Also arrested is Bertha Nakazwe, 34, of Mpundu Section in Mansasa area of Luano District for trafficking in loose cannabis weighing 231kg.
And in North-Western Province, the Commission has arrested Christopher Chihwisa, 41, a Small Scale Farmer of Chitondo village in Kabompo District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 150kg and Royd Chiwaya, 37, a Small Scale Farmer of Chivuma area in Zambezi District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 21.6kg.
Cooking oil stand
Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has called for a ban on importation of edible oils which has led to huge unsold quantities of locally processed edible oils, a situation which will also adversely affect the soya beans subsector.
According to the ZNFU Weekly Brief issued to QFM News, the farmers union has also assured farmers that it will continue its core business of lobbying and providing quality services to the agricultural sector.
Addressing farmers in Kabwe during the 2017 Annual General Meeting, ZNFU President Jervis Zimba has urged the farmers to remain focused and continue supporting the union.
Mr. Zimba says that a lot of things have slowed down in the sector because the union was in the past year busy doing non-agricultural things.
He has also bemoaned the continued ban on exportation of excess maize in the country and has indicated that if the ban was not lifted, this would result in having a few private players to participate in maize marketing which will consequently result in a slump of maize prices.
Mr. Zimba has further urged government to be proactive in addressing challenges facing the agriculture sector and stop the importation syndrome of things like powdered milk, Irish potatoes, vegetable.
Monze Mission School of Nursing Acting Principal Tutor Ms Joyce Mulonga (left) and Hospital Administrator Sister Junza Mwaangani(right) leads Minister of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya(Centre) during the tour of the Hospital to find out challenges the health Institution was facing.GOVERNMENT will this year commerce the construction of a state of the art health facility to deal with patients with cardiac, kidney and various health ailments as part of the modernization programme to cut costs of sending Zambians abroad for specialist treatment, Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has said.
Speaking during the commemoration of the World Kidney Day under the theme “Kidney disease and obesity: healthy lifestyle for healthy kidneys’’, Dr Chitalu said that a healthy lifestyle was an important component of kidney disease prevention because treatment maybe expensive and a loss to the nation as well as the family of the patient.
“Chronic Kidney disease is preventable if one adheres to healthy rules, that is having a balanced diet, exercising, stop smoking because when one is diagnosed with kidney failure, it makes the person less productive and it robs the nation of human capital to develop,” he said.
And Kidney Foundation of Zambia managing director Gabriel Phiri said that kidney patients were in great dilemma as it costs huge sums of money to sustain a patient’s life.
‘‘The predicament is worsened by the fact that insurance companies do not take on high risk diseases such as kidney failure,’’ he said.
Mr Phiri said that the foundation was thankful to Government which was subsidizing the cost of dialysis and consumables.
“Currently, about 130 patients are being managed through public health institutions and the Ministry of Health has made positive strides in the last few years by decentralizing the management of patients with chronic kidney disease,” he said.
Mr Phiri said the opening of dialysis units in three centres countrywide – Kitwe, Livingstone and Ndola was a great achievement unlike in the past where only the University Teaching Hospital renal unit was providing dialysis treatment.
He urged the Government to equip the UTH so that kidney transplants could be conducted locally to save the country millions of Kwacha in foreign treatment.
THE LUSAKA High Court has thrown out an application by Fred M’membe for an injunction to restrain Investrust Bank from handing over assets held in securities in connection to the debt owed by the Post Newspaper.
High Court Justice Winnie Mwenda said Mr M’membe had no locus standi to make any claim or speak on behalf of the Post Newspaper in liquidation when there was a provisional liquidator in the name of Lewis Mosho appointed to wind up the company.
Justice Mwenda said Mr M’membe had no legal standing to institute court proceedings against Investrust Bank Limited outside the authority of the liquidator as he claimed in his affidavit.
“It is my considered opinion that the claims do not disclose any reasonable cause(s) of action for the reason as a shareholder in the Post Newspaper Limited, the plaintiff has no locus standi to institute these proceedings on behalf of the company outside the name of the provisional liquidator, and therefore, cannot establish a clear right of relief in the action.
“I find that all the claims by the plaintiff do not disclose reasonable causes of action and that they are in effect vexatious and an abuse of court process,” she said.
She explained that the mere fact that Mr M’membe was a major shareholder in The Post Newspaper Limited did not give him the right to make any claims or interests on properties and assets in relation to the newspaper company as it was now in liquidation and under a provisional liquidator to wind up its operations.
The court has also slapped legal costs on Mr M’membe as a way of condemnation of his abuse of the court processes by litigant as guided by the Supreme Court Rules.
This was in a matter in which Mr M’membe sued Investrust Bank in connection with a consent order delivered in a related matter by High Court Justice Sunday Nkonde in which the bank applied to be joined as respondent to the winding up case of the Post Newspaper in
liquidation.
Mr M’membe wanted the court to declare that the action taken by Investrust in relation to the debt owed over a loan obtained by the Post was null and void, including attempts to assign such debt to the provisional liquidator.
The ruling means Investrust Bank must surrender properties held in debentures to the liquidator to facilitate for the winding up process before court.
Mr M’membe wanted the court to restrain the bank from surrendering the Post debt to the liquidator or his proxy or otherwise dealing with Mr Mosho in relation to the Post Newspaper Limited debt.
FILE: First Lady Esther Lungu during an interview with Zanis on arrival at Bole International Airport for the 18th Ordinary General Assembly of OAFLA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Friday, January 27,2017 -Pictures by THOMAS NSAMA/STATE HOUSE
The First Lady of the Republic of Zambia Mrs Esther Lungu will speak at High-Level meetings at the Sixty-First session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61) that will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 13 to 24 March 2017.
In a statement released to the media by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations Mr Chibaula Silwamba, Mrs. Lungu – who is a strong advocate for women empowerment, safe motherhood, protection of the girl child, promotion of rights for persons with disabilities and fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) – will arrive in New York this Saturday.
The First Lady will participate in the largest annual women’s gathering, which draws hundreds of participants from Government Ministers and officials, First Ladies, princesses, policy makers and implementers, heads of UN agencies and other international organizations, donor agencies, civil society organizations, corporate executives, women’s movement, human rights activists and other stakeholders from across the world.
Zambia’s participation at the CSW is cardinal to share the country’s best practices in women’s issues with the international community and to learn from others for possible implementation at home. CSW also provides a platform at which Zambia could consolidate its positive image and mobilise finances to support entrepreneurial women and the needy in the country
Among the many high-profile engagements she is scheduled to attend, Mrs. Lungu will speak at a side-event organized by UN Women, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), European Union Commission, and World Food Programme (WFP) focusing on working with rural women to end hunger and poverty.
The First Lady will attend and speak at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) organised meeting on “Safe Birth Even Here Campaign” and at another side-event, “Investing in the Health and Social Workforce: Maximising Women’s Economic Participation and Empowerment”.
Mrs. Lungu will participate in a meeting on empowering rural and indigenous women to achieve food security and nutrition. The First Lady will also speak at a side-event co-organised by the Permanent Mission of Zambia to the United Nations and the International Labour Organisation that will focus on Economic Security and curbing violence against women in the workplace.
Mrs. Lungu will speak at an event on pathways to economic justice for adolescent girls and young women.
The First lady is scheduled to participate in the meeting organized by four UN agencies – UNICEF, FAO, WHO and UN Women – dubbed: “Women and Labour: a nutritional Perspective”.
Mrs. Lungu, who is a strong campaigner in the fight against cancer and supporter of women suffering from cancer, will speak at a meeting focusing on indigenous African women, and cancer as a defencelss prey.
Permanent Mission of Zambia to the UN Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Ms. Christine Kalamwina, diplomatic staff, the Senior Private Secretary in the Office of the First Lady Ms. Florence Chawelwa and senior Government officials will welcome the First Lady Mrs Lungu and her close party in New York.
Gender Minister Honourable Victoria Kalima, MP for Kasenengwe, will lead the Zambian delegation to the Sixty-First session of the Commission on the Status of Women. Others expected to be part of the Zambian delegation are Ministry of Gender Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Commissioner Emily Sikazwe, Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Director General Josephine Mapomo, other senior Government officials and members of the women’s movement are part of the Zambian delegation.
The priority theme for CSW61 is “Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work” and the Review theme is “Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls (agreed conclusions of the fifty-eighth session) while emerging issue and focus area will be “the empowerment of indigenous women”.
Zambia has won international respect for its advocacy and implementation of policies and programmes that protect and promote the wellbeing of women and girls.
Issued by:
CHIBAULA D. SILWAMBA (Mr.)
First Secretary for Press and Public Relations
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations
JAPAN Tobacco International (JTI) has said it was the only tobacco company that was encouraging farmers to plant trees.
JTI Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager Litiya Matakala said yesterday that it was the responsibility and mandatory in the contracts with the farmers to be planting trees.
On Tuesday, Chief Chanje threatened to ban growing of tobacco in his chiefdom if environment was not preserved.
Mr Matakala said JTI farmers have reached 100 percent of the tree planting in Eastern Province.
He explained that JTI was the only out- grower company that was promoting the protection of the environment through tree planting.
Mr Matakala explained that the farmers started the programme of planting trees about three years ago.
“We have 300 farmers there (in Chief Chanje) who are on the forefront of planting trees. This is the company’s responsibility to do so and we started the programme of planting trees in 2013,”he said.
And Eastern Fodya Association of Zambia (EFAZ) chairperson Franklyn Mwale said the farmers who had grown tobacco under Tombwe had responded favourably by planting trees.
Mr Mwale said this was after Chief Zumwanda of the Chewa people in Lundazi District also threatened to ban the growing of tobacco because of causing deforestation mainly during the curling of tobacco.
Mr Mwale promised to seek an audience with Chief Chanje to find- out about the way forward after the threats to stop the growing of tobacco in his chiefdom.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Kampamba MulengaChief Government Spokesperson Kampamba Mulenga has advised the opposition UPND to stop living in denial and accept that President Edgar Lungu and the PF have a five year mandate to rule the country.
Ms Mulenga says government is not swayed by negative rhetoric from the opposition.
Ms Mulenga who is also Information Minister said government expects the UPND to settle down and offer constructive criticism to the ruling Patriotic Front instead of engaging in negative tactics that are retrogressive to the development of democratic proceses in the country.
Speaking to ZNBC News in Lusaka, Ms Mulenga said the PF has a five year mandate from the people of ZAMBIA and will therefore concentrate on delivering development to the country.
The Minister’s comments come in the wake of the boycott of the International women’s day activities last Wednesday by the UPND and its insistence that President LUNGU did not win last year’s general election.
FILE: Muchinga province permanent secretary Charles Sipanje with Zambia Army Commander Lieutenant General Paul Mihova on Lubu Bridge in Chinsali which is the proposed source of water for government in the area.
The Zambia Army has established a Construction brigade which will take part in the construction of bridges, roads and major infrastructure projects across the country as directed by President Edgar Lungu.
Army Commander Lieutenant General Paul Mihova says the Army Command has finished establishing the Six Construction Regiment and it is ready to start tendering for construction of roads, shopping malls and other major infrastructure projects.
Speaking when he commissioned a two million Kwacha banquet mall at Mawlick Barracks in Kitwe this morning, General Mihova said the Zambia Army will soon be a major player in the construction sector.
General Mihova says stories of abandoned projects by contractors will soon be a thing of the past as the Six Construction Regiment of the Army will bring professionalism and quality in the construction sector.
He revealed that the Army will strive to help the country build better infrastructure especially that the Army Engineers who are based in Mufulira are some of the best in the country.
And Kitwe District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu says the construction of a banquet hall by the Army Engineers has brought relief to residents who have challenges in finding places to host their weddings and other functions.
Mr. Mpundu says the banquet hall is a better option as it is in a military facility which is safe and secure.
Road Development Agency Public Relations Manager Loyce Saili talks to Ng’andu Consulting resident engineer Stephen Mulubila when RDA conducted road works inspection for the Kitwe-Ndola dual carriagewayThe Nalubumba Bridge on the Kalomo -Mapatizya road in Kalomo district Southern province has been washed away.
Road Development Agency -RDA- Director Communications and Corporate Affairs Loyce Saili says RDA engineers from southern province regional office and the director of works for Kalomo district council visited site to assess the extent of the damage.
Mrs. Saili says the regional office is now working on establishing the full scope of the required remedial works and accompanying cost.
She has further called on motorists and road users travelling beyond the section of Nalubumba Bridge on the Kalomo -Mapatizya road not to use the bridge as it has been cordoned off.
Mrs. Saili says travellers who use the road should instead use Zimba although it will result in longer travelling time.
Government says no one should conduct exploration works at the infamous black mountain in Kitwe until further notice. Minister of Mines Christopher Yaluma says both Nkana Alloy the owners of the mountain and the youth who have been given ten percent shares in the mountain should follow his directive.
Mr. Yaluma says Nkana Alloy is supposed to have a meeting with him to work on modalities how the youth and the community will benefit from the mountain among other things.
He told ZNBC News that he has asked the Minister of Home Affairs to deploy police officers from Kanfisa to man the mountain.
Mr. Yaluma has urged parties not to fight but wait for modalities of operations to be put in place before they can start exploration works.
Vice President, Inonge Wina has urged Zambians to promote the interest of the nation instead of taking pleasure in scandalizing the country to the international community.
The Vice President also said that it was sad that even some Members of Parliament are claiming that there is no freedom of the press in the country.
Ms Wina said the establishment of private electronic and print media institutions is testimony that government is committed to promoting media freedom.
The Vice President said people should not use the closure of the one newspaper company, which failed to follow the law, to claim that there is no media freedom in the country.
Ms Wina was speaking in parliament on Friday , in response to a question from Kabompo Member of Parliament, Ambrose Lufuma, during the Vice President’s question time.
On 21 June 2016, the Zambia Revenue Authority closed The Post Newspaper Limited, demanding that the company pay a total of K68 million (US$6.1 million) disputed tax arrears immediately.
According to MISA Zambia, there is evidence to suggest that The Post is not the only media house that has tax problems in Zambia and this clearly shows that the closure of The Post is a political move that is beyond tax issues, as alleged.
New coach Zlatko Krmpotic began his tenure as Zesco United on Friday night with a debut home win when they overcome Le Messager Ngozi of Burundi.
Krmpotic, who was appointed Zesco coach in February, guided his team to a 2-0 victory over Ngozi in a 2017 CAF Confederation Cup first round, first leg match at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The 2016 CAF Champions League semifinalists were in command against a Ngozi side that did not disappoint but failed to figure out an experienced Zesco.
Goals from Jackson Mwanza and Kondwani Mtonga in the 33rd and 75th minutes respectively sealed Zesco’s first leg win over Ngozi.
It could have been 3-0 but referee Norman Matemera ruled out Idris Mbombo’s 68th minute goal for offside.
Zesco now travel to Bujumbura on March 18 for the final leg to decide who goes through to April’s pre-group stage.
Upcoming Zambian rapper ,Sep dola, who released an EP towards end of last year, is a super focused artists and one can tell he takes his craft seriously as he went all the way to Zimbabwe and worked on tracks with various artists and producers. One of the songs which made it onto his EP released last year is a song with Chengeto B ; Verseless ; Nino Jnr who are all Zimbabwean artistes . The song is called ‘Bonfire‘.
FILE: Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) Director General Likando Mukumbuta (r) displays a mango fruit during his remarks as Commerce Minister Robert Sichinga (2nd l), Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) Chairman Dr. Mutukwa Kasuka (2nd r) and Western Province Minister Josephine Limataa (l) observe before the Flagging of Mango Value Chain in Mongu District of Western Province
The Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) is fascinated by a youth who has created jobs for residents of Mpika district by putting up a milling plant using funding from CEEC.
CEEC Board Chairperson Kasuka Mutukwa said he is pleased with Kabwe Musowa who not only created jobs for the locals but also helped in reducing the price of mealie-meal in the district.
Dr. Mutukwa was speaking to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) during the tour of the project in Mpika district yesterday.
The CEEC Board Chairperson stated that he was shocked to learn that most of the mealie meal in Muchinga province is processed in Lusaka, adding that the coming up of milling projects by CEEC will cushion the challenge.
Kabwe Musowa 35, a Manager of Pamulambe Milling Plant in Mpika district of Muchinga Province is one of the beneficiary of CEEC loans.
Mr Musowa has so far created employment to eight local people in Mpika District.
Meanwhile, Kabwe Musowa has praised government for coming up with an initiative such as the Citizens Economic Empowerment which has benefited a lot of youths.
Mr. Musowa has since urged fellow youths to come up with projects and access loans from CEEC so that they help government create more jobs.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mutukwa has disclosed that a milk processing plant owned by a youth is underway in Mpika district.
He explained that the plant will start producing yoghurt and cheese among others.
He also expressed happiness that many people who are accessing the Citizens Economic Empowerment loans are flexible in paying back loans.
Dr. Mutukwa has since urged Zambians to acquire loans, stating that collateral is not required on loans raging from K 5,000 to K50, 000 as this is meant for the citizens.
