The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has started rolling-out the satellite broadband communication to under-served districts in the country.

ZICTA Consumer Protection Manager Edgar Mlauzi says the authority is putting up satellite communication targeting areas which have no connectivity.

Mr Mlauzi disclosed this today when he called on Mbala District Commissioner Annie Paul at her office.

He explained that out of the 116 districts and about 86 are not connected, hence the decision by ZICTA to set-up satellite broadband communication networks in those districts.

He says ZICTA is committed to ensuring that no one is left behind in terms of improving connectivity including people in rural districts like Mbala.

Mr Mlauzi says this will enable more people to use the internet and improve their digital literacy.

And Ms Paul has thanked ZICTA for the initiative.

She said a number of government departments will also benefit from the satellite communication facility once established.

Mbala, is one of the districts in Northern Province with only about 53 percent of the population accessing the internet.

Kabwe Municipal Council Public relations Officer Nancy Nchenga has urged street vendors to take advantage of the removal of street vendors’ exercise and acquire trading spaces in authorised markets.

Speaking on a tour of markets in Kabwe, Ms Chenga told traders to start operating in markets to avoid being in conflict  with the law as any vendor that will be caught trading in an illegal space will risk being taken to court and be fined.

But the street vendors who were resisting to operate in designated trading places, say the spaces in the markets cannot accommodate them all hence the decision to trade not in town centre.

The street vendors who sought anonymity, accused the market chairmen of charging them if they were to be given trading spaces in the markets.

But Kasanda market chairman James Mwenya told the entourage of marketers picked from the streets and the media that the market still has trading spaces.

Mr Mwenya explained that the trading spaces can only be vacant for three days, stating that traders who leave their trading spaces risk losing them after three days.

The chairman assured that he was going to engage traders around the market he is operating from, to visit his office for allocation of trading spaces which will ease levy collection for the local authority.

And the street vendors who were picked from the streets by council police were allocated trading spaces free of charge.

Minister of Mines and Mineral Development Paul Kabuswe says government has instituted investigations to establish the owner of the mining license where three illegal gold miners died after they were buried alive in Mumbwa District.

Mr Kabuswe indicated during a media briefing that by tomorrow Wednesday 16th August 2023 the owner of the mine in question will be known.

“Our investigation are ongoing so as to establish who owns that license, and am sure by tomorrow we will be able to know and the law will take its course,” he said.

He said once the owner of the mine is known; government will deal decisively as the full wrath of the law will be applied.

The Minister assured the nation that government will ensure that the measures it will take will serve as a warning to mine owners.

Mr Kabuswe reiterated that the decisive measure to be taken by government is meant to curb future human loss as a result of illegal mining.

He explained that according to the law, mine owners are required to protect sites were they operate from.

Mr Kabuswe said it is unacceptable to lose lives through illegal mining activities.

He stressed that mine owners have the responsibility to protect their mines against illegal mining.

The Minister has since conveyed a message of condolences to the bereaved families.

 “My condolences to the family that lost their loved at a certain mine in Mumbwa district,” he said.

Meanwhile the Minister Mines and Mineral Development has taken a swipe at some people for spreading falsehoods on social media concerning the alleged gold seized yesterday by the Drug Enforcement Commission.

Mr Kabuswe said it was unwise for some opposition leaders to rush to the media to make statements without verifying the facts.

He counselled opposition leaders to emulate government who waited for a report containing facts to be availed before addressing the media.

“As government when heard about this issue we did not go to the media and beginning talking anyhow, we had to get facts,” the Minister stated.

He wondered how one can govern the country based on speculation instead of facts.

Mr Kabuswe explained that according to the vigorous tests conducted by a special team instituted by the Ministry of Mines, the seized bar of alleged gold is not gold as reported.

He explained that from the tests conducted it was found that the alleged gold contained traces of copper, zinc and tine among others.

 “ The alleged gold bars contained copper in the range of 58 to 61 percent, zinc in the range of 38 to 41 percent, traces of tine………”Mr Kabuswe clarified.

He explained that the four boxes seized of alleged gold contained 602 bars with a mass of 127.28 kgs.

Mr Kabuswe added that a report was compiled and sent to the Drug Enforcement Commission indicating what the tests reviewed.

He disclosed that the team that conducted the tests of the alleged gold included a Chief Geologists, Senior Meteorologist and Senior Chemists.

Police in Ndola have impounded over 1000 bags of 25 kg breakfast mealie meal destined for smuggling to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Copperbelt Province Police commanding officer Peacewell Mweemba said the mealie meal was found packed in two tipper trucks at a massamy garage owned by Baldwin Muhammad a Somalian national.

“Facts are that on Friday august 11 2023 around 04:00hours the anti-smuggling task force received information from concerned members of the public that there were two tipper trucks suspected to be laden with mealie meal meant to be smuggled into the neighbouring Congo DR,” Mr Mweemba said.

He said no drivers were found at the scene except the security guard and efforts to get in touch with the garage owner proved futile as the phone went unanswered.

Mr Mweemba said some officers were left to safeguard the garage as the Police was working on establishing the owner of the trucks.

Meanwhile a team from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have arrested Mr Muhammad for trying to bribe police officers to leave his garage.

Mr Mweemba confirmed that Mr Muhammed enticed the police officers who were safeguarding the mealie meal at the garage with a sum of K20, 000 per truck.

He said the suspect produced a 15,000 Kwacha as part payment and further promised that the rest of the money was going to be given to the officers later on.

“One of the anti-smuggling team, Inspector Reagan Chibuye, in the presence of others, declined to accept the bribe and he reported the same to the command.

Ndola district police command led by the officer commanding Ndola moved to the garage where Inspector Chibuye surrendered the money accompanied with a note where one of the workers for Mr Muhammad had signed acknowledging having given the said money as bribe for the release of the two trucks laden with mealie meal,” He explained.

He explained that efforts have been made to find means of moving the two trucks to the police and further questioned Mr Muhammad regarding the possession of suspected mealie meal which was assembled for the purpose of smuggling.

Mr Mweemba added that police managed to transport mealie meal from the two Volvo trucks to the Correctional facility trucks and the same was delivered at Kansenshi Police Station where it is being kept as the police set up plans to interrogate the claimant of the mealie meal.

He further added that 1467 × 25kgs bags of mealie meal is what was moved from the trucks to Kansenshi police station while efforts are being made to move the broken-down trucks to the police station.