Government says it is saddened to note increased theft and damage of property at the National Heroes Stadium in the capital city of Lusaka.

Minister of Works and Supply Mathew Nkhuwa says it is disheartening that surrounding communities are damaging the property instead of cherishing the facility as their own.

Nkhuwa has since warned that government will ensure that all perpetrators caught stealing or vandalising property at National Heroes Stadium are dealt with accordingly.

He disclosed that government through line ministries has put tangible measures in place to improve security at the stadium.

The minister in the company of Lusaka Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe said this shortly after touring the National Heroes Stadium yesterday to check on its readiness to host this month’s CAF Under 20 tournament.

Nkhuwa was happy with the adjustments made by the technical team to the National Heroes Stadium which were recommended by the CAF inspection team for its eligibility to host the Junior AFCON tournament.

He stated that the country is now more than ready to host the junior AFCON tournament which kicks off on February 2016 2017 in Lusaka and Ndola respectively.

And Lusaka Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe said the provincial administration is working closely with the local organizing committee to ensure that the issues of security and hospitality among others is enhanced in the city.

Zambia will for the first time be hosting the CAF Under-20 soccer tournament from February 26 to March 12, 2017 at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka and the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Participating teams are Senegal, Sudan, South Africa and Cameroun who form group B and will be based in Ndola while Mali, Egypt, Guinea and hosts Zambia make Group A and will set their base in Lusaka.

Lusaka Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe says there was need for households to initiate tree planting activities at household levels.

Mr. Mwakalombe said this is because trees have multiple benefits for respective homes such as offering shades and climate change control, among others.

The minister said this during the launch of the provincial tree planting exercise at Mponda village in Chongwe district today and held under theme: advancing the role of natural regeneration in forest restoration.

The provincial minister revealed that government had provided some mechanisms to alleviate the suffering of the people at household level through the tree planting exercise which is aimed at increasing the forestry cover.

Mr Mwakalombe disclosed that government has collaborated with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to promote community empowerment through the green jobs project.

He said explained that the green jobs project has resulted in the financing of the planting of 108 trees for three local farmers in Chongwe district.

The lawmaker further said the fruits that the trees will bear will be traded and consumed at household hence increasing the nutrition for the people.

 

Chief Mutipula of the Chishinga people of Chipili District has appealed to mobile communication service providers to install communication towers in his chiefdom to improve communication by mobile phones in his chiefdom.

Speaking when Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Dr. Buleti Nsemukila paid a courtesy call on him, the Chief disclosed that the reception signal for mobile phones in his chiefdom is poor and he is forced to stand on an anthill to get a signal.

He implored Dr. Nsemukila to assist his chiefdom by informing the mobile service providers about the need for them to come to his chiefdom to install the towers.

And Dr. Nsemukila equally agreed with the traditional leader that it is important to have a clear reception signal for easy communication.

He promised the Chief that he will follow up the matter with the relevant service providers and will bring a feedback.

Luapula Province Permanent Secretary has directed all District Commissioners in the Province to submit a list of all Government workers who have not moved into the operational areas and districts by Monday next week.

Dr Buleti Nsemukila  issued the directive when he paid a courtesy call on Chipili District Commissioner Mr. Willie Kaunda.

He said Government workers who have not moved into their operational Districts and areas were making government unpopular owing to lack of effective provision of services to the people they were employed to serve.

Dr. Nsemukila added that the Heads of Departments who were failing to provide leadership in supervising their subordinates on the matter will also be disciplined.

He stated that moving into operational Districts is a Presidential directive and any government worker who wants to defy a presidential directive will have themselves to blame.

The Permanent Secretary observed that the labour market currently is flooded with qualified people who were looking for jobs in Government and are willing to serve the people in any location of Zambia where people live.

ATTORNEY General Likando Kalaluka has urged the Constitutional Court to declare that President Lungu is eligible to stand as a presidential candidate in the 2021 general elections.

This is in a matter in which four opposition political party leaders have petitioned the court seeking a declaration that President Lungu is eligible to contest the 2021 presidential elections.

The four are Christian Democratic Party president Danny Pule, Wright Musona of Zambia Republican Party, New Congress Party president Peter Chanda and Robert Mwanza of the Citizens Democratic Party.
In their petition, the four opposition leaders said a political debate has arisen on the tenure of office of President Lungu and his eligibility to stand as presidential candidate in the 2021 general election.

In his submission, Mr Kalaluka said in order to exercise judicial authority in a manner that ensures that justice is done, the court should place undue regard to procedural technicalities.

“We submit that the dictates of justice require the broader and purposive interpretation of Article 106 (5) (b) that gives effect to the objectives if Articles 106 (30 and (6) and 118 (2) (e), as well as those of the Constitution as a whole,” Mr Kalaluka said.

He added : We submit that the purposive interpretation which takes into account the foregoing will lead this Honourable Court to arrive at an inescapable position that the current republican President is eligible to stand as a presidential candidate in the year 2021,” Mr Kalaluka said.

He contended that to argue that the 2015 presidential election does not fall within Article (106) (5) (b) on account of the Speaker not having performed executive functions prior to the 2015 or on any such other procedural issues is in procedural technicality.

Mr Kalaluka submitted that the key issue as regard to the 2015 presidential election is that a vacancy in the office of the President occurred following the demise of the late President Michael Sata and that it was not under Article 81.

PRESIDENT Lungu is on Monday expected in Kasane, Botswana, and Kazungula for a two-day working visit.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba said President Lungu and his Botswana counterpart Seretse Ian Khama are expected to inspect progress on the construction of Kazungula Bridge.

According to a statement issued yesterday by Ministry of Foreign Affairs public relations officer Dorcas Chileshe, the two heads of State are also expected to hold bilateral talks.

Mr Kalaba said when construction of Kazungula Bridge is completed, transportation of goods and people between the two countries will significantly improve.

“Zambia and Botswana have enjoyed strong bilateral ties for decades and the Kazungula Bridge will deepen the relationship between the two countries,” he said.

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) says it is still actively pursuing the case in which United Progressive Party (UPP) president Saviour Chishimba allegedly misappropriated over K153,000 when he served as National Youth Development Council (NYDC) chairman.

ACC acting spokesperson Jonathan Siame said in an interview yesterday that the abuse of authority case involving Dr Chishimba has reached an advanced stage.

“We are concluding the matter in which we are investigating UPP president Saviour Chishimba for alleged abuse of authority and will inform the public appropriately,” he said.

Dr Chishimba is alleged to have abused his authority by abusing the accounts of the NYDC from which he managed to get K153,134.41 in double but authorised daily and sitting allowances.

THE Teaching Service Commission says 23 teachers have been dismissed countrywide for sexually abusing and impregnating pupils from January 2014 to December 2016.

Teaching Service Commission chairperson Jennifer Chiwela said in an interview in Lusaka on Thursday that the teachers were dismissed for various offences which include having sexual relations with pupils and impregnating others.

Mrs Chiwela said, however, no teacher was dismissed for such offences in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces.

“As of January 2014 to December 2016, a total of 23 teachers were dismissed out of which 13 were dismissed for having carnal knowledge of pupils while the other10 were dismissed for impregnating pupils,” Mrs Chiwela said.

She said the Teaching Service Commission is still investigating the recent alleged sexual abuse cases at Kasama Girls Boarding Secondary School.

Mrs Chiwela also said investigative wings are carrying out investigations concerning the sexual abuse of pupils by teachers and a report will soon be released once all the information is gathered.

Meanwhile, Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) secretary-general Newman Bubala has warned that teachers in the habit of sexually abusing pupils will be deregistered through the teaching council.

Mr Bubala said in an interview that the action taken against teachers found sexually abusing pupils should serve as a warning to others.

“As a labour movement, we are deeply saddened by the conduct of the teachers who sexually abuse pupils when they are supposed to provide a conducive learning environment to the pupils in order to help shape the child to become a better member of society,” he said.

Mr Bubala urged teachers to always uphold professionalism in the execution of their duties.

“We will not hesitate to deregister any teachers found wanting through the teaching council as teachers should be seen to be models to the pupils and not a danger to the learners and society as a whole,” he said.

Mr Bubala said teachers should live up to expectations and to refrain from denting the image of the profession.