In a motherly gesture, First Lady Esther Lungu feasted hundreds of households in Misisi compound where beneficiaries received food packs.

And Misisis community nutrition outreach programme director Dr Beatrice Amadi thanked the First Lady for donating food hampers to the outreach programme.

Mrs Lungu dished out the food packs through her Esther Lungu Foundation Trust ‘s Misisi community nutrition outreach programme valued over forty thousand Kwacha.

Two hundred households who are under the Misisi community nutrition outreach programme are expected to benefit from the donation.

Speaking during the handover ceremony held at St Lawrence Catholic Church in Lusaka, Mrs. Lungu said the fight against malnutrition should not be left to the ministry of health only.

Mrs. Lungu said malnutrition is a multi-sectoral issues which needs concerted effort in addressing the high cases of malnutrition.

She expressed optimism that with concerted effort childhood morality from malnutrition can be reduced in communities.

Mrs. Lungu said individuals and organisations have a key role to play in preventing and managing malnutrition.

The First Lady said her foundation decided to donate to the Misisi community nutrition outreach programme because of the many households who are benefiting from the outreach programme.

Mrs. Lungu said there is need to empower economically households which are adversely affected by nutrition.

She explained that empowering households affected by malnutrition is key in reducing poverty in communities.

Meanwhile the First Lady has urged mothers to eat locally available foods which highly rich in nutrition.

Mrs Lungu noted that indigenous foods if well prepared have the potential to eradicate malnutrition among the affected children.

And Misisis community nutrition outreach programme director Dr Beatrice Amadi thanked the First Lady for donating food hampers to the outreach programme.

Dr Amadi disclosed that the outreach programme is aimed at reducing high cases of malnutrition recorded in Misisi and Kuku compounds.

She further informed the First Lady that over 2000 children have been enrolled under the project which was launched in 2009.

Meanwhile speaking at the same function, Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention acting country director Margo Riggs said her organization is pleased to provide support to Misisis community nutrition outreach programme.

She pledged to continue rendering support to the outreach programme so that more people can benefit from the programme.

And Chawama area Member of Parliament Lawrence Sichalwe assured the First Lady that the donation will go a long way in curbing malnutrition in Kuku, Misisi and surrounding communities.

Government has signed agreements for a second mandate with Scaling Solar, the World Bank Group program that is helping developing countries procure low cost, privately financed, solar power.
This is Zambia’s second engagement with Scaling Solar and it follows successful auctions held in May 2016 for two solar PV plants of up to 50 MW each that attracted some of the world’s top renewable energy developers.

The winning developers and relevant Zambian government agencies are in the process of concluding their agreements, which are expected to be finalized in May 2017, and the World Bank Group’s Board approved a package of financing and guarantees for one of the two winning bidders and will review the same for the second winner in the coming weeks.

The new Scaling Solar mandate will begin with an initial procurement round of up to 200 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale clean energy, with subsequent rounds to follow with a goal of developing 500 MW of renewable power.

The Request for Qualifications for the second round are expected to be released in late March 2017.

Only about a fifth of the population in Zambia has access to electricity and the country often experiences up to 10 hours a day of load shedding or blackouts.

The Scaling Solar mandate will be led by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Zambia, in close coordination with the Ministry of Energy, and is expected to comprise the structuring and tendering of up to four solar plant projects of 50 MW to 100 MW each.

Each plant will be developed by different private sector sponsors through an open and competitive bidding process.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of IDC Zambia Mateyo Kaluba, said completing a first solar public-private partnership in a country is a massive undertaking.

Mr Kaluba said the package of bankable documents, transaction structuring advice, and research that Scaling Solar provided saved us considerable time, attracted more competitors, and ensured a successful process.

He said the biggest benefit has been having the Scaling Solar team every step of the way to keep the process moving forward.”

“The partnership between Scaling Solar and IDC Zambia is successfully delivering the affordable renewable energy needed to ease the country’s ongoing energy crisis,” said Oumar Seydi, IFC Director of Eastern and Southern Africa.

“Access to electricity is vital for achieving development goals. In Zambia, Scaling Solar has helped create a market that will make it easier for the public and private sectors to work together to meet the country’s energy needs and expand opportunities for families and businesses.”

OPPOSITION United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema will never become Head of State because Zambians have known his double-standards type of politics, says former Itezhi Tezhi Member of Parliament Greyford Monde.

Mr Monde accused Mr Hichilema of being only desperate to enter State House at the expense of the poor people.

Mr Monde said that the UPND president had now become an opportunist, trying to gain political mileage at whatever situation or event he came his way.

He said in an interview with Daily Nation that the UPND leader had been playing politics of double standards where one could not tell where his true loyalties lay.

Mr Monde who is former minister of fisheries and livestock explained that Mr Hichilema had been using whatever tool he came across to get at the Patriotic Front (PF) Government, even at the expense of serving poor Zambians.

He was reacting to Mr Hichilema’s recent attacks on the judiciary, adding that the UPND leader only praised the judiciary after it ordered ministers to vacate office and refund salaries during the period after the last dissolution of parliament.

Mr Monde noted that Mr Hichilema was also happy with the judiciary when some PF petitioned elections were nullified.

“This man is now confused and trying to use whatever situation he finds to advance his political mileage; he has now become an opportunist,

“ He praised the judiciary after it ordered ministers to vacate office and refund salaries and when some PF parliamentary seats were nullified, but today its being insulted because things are not in his favour,” he said.

And Mr Monde wondered how Mr Hichilema had suddenly started support the Post Newspaper Limited (in liquidation) when he had previously openly castigated the company.

He pointed out that the UPND leader was now going round complaining that roads in North Western province were in a dilapidated state, when he previously condemned Government for focusing on road infrastructure development.

Mr Monde warned that Zambians were observant of Mr Hichilema’s politics of double standards and that they would get back at him on the ballot.

He reiterated that Mr Hichilema should just forget at winning the 2021 general elections because he had wasted his chances after proving that he was up to no good.

United Party for National Development (UPND)  women have called Republican Vice President Inonge Wina to wake up, be brave, and voice out on police violence against women.

UPND National Chairperson for Women Namakau Kabwiku accused Madam Wina for  silence on Police harassment and brutality on Mrs Mutinta Mazoka M’membe.

Ms Kabwiku said Ms Wina despite being a mother, widow, grandmother,and first the Woman Vice President has disappointed the Zambian women by her silence.

“As women we expect a woman in a decision making position like madam Wina to utilise her position and speak out whenever a woman is faced with abuse of Human Rights and Gender Based Violence,” said Madam Kabwiku.

She  said Ms Wina should not look at her position for cash but to save the womenfolk from violence and poverty.

She also said that Ms Wina should be aware that violence against women is not  confined to any political party but cuts across the country irrespective of politics, tribe or region.

“We have seen female journalists including  pregnant and nursing  mothers being dragged to court for simply reporting things as they are while cadres and PF officials  involved in violence are left scot free.”

Ms Kabwiku regretted that  Ms Wina also remained mute when PF cadres undressed Priscilla Mwiinga in full view of the police simply because it was a UPND cadre involved forgetting it was a woman involved.

“Politics aside mama, be real, show us the benefit of having  a woman Vice President, police harassment against women entrepreneurs, like Mutinta and female journalists should end and not be tolerated.”

Ms Kabwiku emphasised that there is no ruling  or opposition political party where police violence against women is concerned and hence  advised Ms Wina to embrace everyone if Zambia is to end violence against women.

Ms Kabwiku regretted that the harassment of Mrs M’membe by police happened in her own home meant to be the safest place.

Mr. Wanda released two smash singles “Pakansende” and “Am So Confused“! His first singles for 2017.

These jams are catchy, melodic, sing along over the addictive instruments of super producers – Shinko Beats and T-Sean. “Pakansende” is a solo effort on which he sings sweetly about convincing this girl he just met called “Julia” to give him a chance – so that he can show her how much more love he has in stock for her, while “Am So Confused” is a beautiful soulful, Reggae-toned record featuring Israel (Formerly Exile) and T-Sean.

Listen to the songs HERE

 

 

“Do not feel marginalised that you are marketeers because money does not segregate”, said workshop facilitator Mrs Vivian Mtetwa on Monday as the Stella Project kicked off the financial and business training for marketeers in Kabwata.

The training, which is partially funded by the US Embassy and is in its pilot phase, aims to train 40 Kabwata maketeers in business and financial management skills over a period of 10 days.

Stella Project CEO Stella Sata says a lot of marketeers struggle with the day-to-day details of running a business so she hopes the training will help.

“A lot of marketeers are already running businesses so the aim of this training is to add formal knowledge to what they already know.”

She says the training is only half of the objective and that the Stella Project will also follow up on the training to help the marketeers put to practise the business skills they are learning.

 “ When the marketeers were applying for this training we made sure to get their stand numbers and contact details so that we can follow through and see how will perform throughout the course of this year.”

Stella says the training is hands-on and is modelled using the businesses the marketeers are already running.

“As you can see these marketeers come from all walks of life. Some own saloons, barbershops, some sell vegetables and others are into welding so the training will focus on practical aspects of running a small business such as record keeping, costing, financial management, costing and savings.”

Training facilitator Mrs Vivian Mthetwa says marketeers should not lament the lack of diplomas and degrees but should be their own bosses and take charge of their businesses.

“I see a lot of you saying things like ‘Ifwe tatwa sambilila so twakula shitisha fye salaula’. That is a wrong attitude. Infact you people who deal with cash every day should be rich because you deal directly with the customer and have power to control your business and set your own prices.”

Kabwata councillor Longa Chiboboka he is grateful for the partnership with the Stella Project and is happy that Kabwata was considered first for the marketer training.

“Even when the marketers who are attending this training get the cerfiticates it will make them proud because it is a testimony that they are officially trained.”

The councillor was also pleased with the turn out of the marketeers.

“I am particularly pleased that there are more women participating because generally women tend to be segregated but they are well represented here.” He added.

The Zambian government says it will not reverse its decision to award 60% shares of the national broadcaster, ZNBC to Chinese digital television provider TopStar despite a huge public outcry.
ZNBC has entered into a joint venture with TopStar television which will see the rolling out of decoders for digital television under the TopStar brand as Zambia migrates to digital television.
According to the deal for the next 25 years, TopStar will be collecting all ZNBC advertising revenues and tower rental fees.

The money will go towards the servicing of a US$273 million loan that the Zambian government has contracted from the Export-Import Bank of China for the investment in the digital broadcasting network and the building of provincial studios.

However, the decision has resulted in a public backlash with stakeholders, including opposition parties, claiming it was bad for both ZNBC and the country.

Opposition United Progressive People’s (UPP) party president Saviour Chishimba said the deal will not benefit Zambians and ZNBC.

“Technically, ZNBC has been privatised. We were not consulted as stakeholders before the decision was made because we pay TV levy. In the next few weeks, our party will file a complaint against the deal because we want answers,” said Dr Chishimba.

However, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Kampamba Mulenga said the decision is final.

“Yes, the government has partnered with Star Times to help with the provision of digital television under TopStar Communications. This decision is final and we will not reverse it as it is for the benefit of the country,” Mulenga told Journalists during a news briefing.

She said the move to enter into a joint venture with TopStar does not amount to privatisation of ZNBC.

And Top Star Zambia General Manager Cliff Sichone dispelled fears that the move will disadvantage ZNBC.

Mr Sichone said the deal is a win-win for all the parties involved.

He said the deal will offer Zambians a chance to buy a decoder for only K200 and enjoy the widest range of local and international channels.