North-Western Province Bus and Taxi owners’ Association Chairperson Leonard Kalume has said the suspension of the road service license for Likili bus will have an adverse effect on the Mwinilunga-Ikelengi route.

 Mr Kalume said Ikelengi district is currently serviced by only one bus therefore a ban will mean people who depend on public transport will stop moving which will affect business.

“Putting a ban on Likili is not a solution, it doesn’t mean that when you put a ban then all the accidents will stop, it’s just a matter of correcting what caused the same accidents” said Mr Kalume.

He said most of the big buses are avoiding the Ikelengi route because of the poor state of the road, therefore, it will be to the disadvantage of the people if the bus was to stop servicing the route.

And Mwinilunga District Commissioner Harrison Kamuna said business people are currently depending on the bus to facilitate their movements to and from Mwinilunga.

Mr Kamuna said government means well for the people of Zambia by suspending the license, however, it is challenging for them as a district to completely stop the bus from going to Mwinilunga because people still need to move.

“All we can say is that Mwinilunga wants even more than five big buses, the buses we have are not enough, we need more buses to service the people of Mwinilunga district” said Mr Kamuna.

The District Commissioner called the Management for Likili motorways to put up measures to ensure no life is lost on the road in avoidable circumstances.

A quick check by the ZANIS crew found the Likili bus still carrying passengers from Solwezi to Mwinilunga-Ikelengi.

Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali on Tuesday stated that government has suspended the road service license for Likili Bus service following the increased records of accidents due to careless driving.

The decision by the government to legalize the use of motorcycles as a form of public transport is aimed at updating outdated laws and recognizing the evolving transportation needs of society. Transport and Logistics Minister Frank Tayayli has stated that it is premature to impound motorcycles as many of the existing laws might not be relevant anymore.

The move is seen as a positive step, especially for people in rural areas where motorcycles are a common and practical mode of transportation. By legalizing motorcycles for public transport, the government aims to provide more options for citizens to choose suitable transportation methods that can cater to their needs.

Members of middle management at Mopani Copper Mines in Kitwe and Mufulira are demanding a salary increment which they say was supposed to be effected in January 2023 as stipulated in their contracts.

The workers said they are surprised that they have been omitted from the yearly salary increment as per contract, while those in top management and those working in the lower echelons have had their salaries increased this year.

The aggrieved senior workers have requested adjustment of remuneration while bemoaning the salary margins between middle management and top management saying it is too wide.

In a letter to the General Manager Engineering and General Manager Mining, the workers said they are not being considered for standby allowances and overtime despite their extra working hours.

“Upwards adjustment of senior staff remuneration or conditions of service is required. The salary margins between middle management and top management is too wide, therefore there is urgent need to harmonize salaries in order to at least reduce the existing gap.Senior staff employees are not considered for standby allowances and overtime despite their input in resolving issues on mine equipment, forcing one to do extra work hours,” the workers wrote.

“How soon will Mopani or ZCCM IH consider the welfare of Middle management and if they will, will the arrears be paid since we are now in 8th month without any consideration? There is no formal communication allowed to air remuneration concerns to higher management thereby leaving middle management in suspense on having their issues resolved year in, year out. With the few points raised by middle management we look forward to the issues being resolved amicably without undue conditions.”

Meanwhile, Mopani Head of Public Relations Manager Nebert Mulenga said management was handling the complaints by the senior staff internally.

“The position is that we are actively looking into the matter and we should be able to amicably resolve the situation as soon as we are able to,” Mr. Mulenga told Radio Icengelo News.

And ZCCM IH Public Relations Manager Loisa Kakoma said she was not aware of the complaints by members of middle management at Mopani.

Minister of Lands and Natural resources, Elijah Muchima, has clarified that the electronic title deeds issuance under the Zambia integrated land administration system is working efficiently.

Mr Muchima says the system has also eliminated agents who have been duping members of the public by charging them exorbitant fees to get the title deed.

Mr Muchima was speaking during a media briefing at his office, where he urged members of the public to trust the electronic title deeds issuance portal.

The Lands Minister added that plans are underway to decentralise the electronic system to all parts of the country so that people can access their title deed in good time.

“I want to confirm to the members of the public that the electronic title deeds land issuance is up and running, so far quite a number of title deeds have been issued to applicants, “he said.

Mr Muchima further explained that the electronic system has helped to seal the leakages which characterised the manual title deeds issuance in the past.

He called on the media to sensitise people on the benefits of the new system of obtaining title deeds through the digital platform.

The clarification by the Minister comes in the wake of doubts by some sections of the public that the new digital system has got flaws.

And Mr Muchima called on people that have continued to build in the Kawena forest of Shibuyunji district to stop until investigations are concluded.

He said people who are still constructing in the Kawena forest and other designated forests such as palabana and Munali, among others should halt their activities as the law will visit them.

Earlier, Ministry of Lands Assistant Director Information Communication technology (ICT), Monica Bwalya said the electronic system is proving to be effective and efficient.

Ms Bwalya advised the public to continue using the new system because there are no longer middle men in the process for one to get land title, since it was launched in May this year.

A 16-year-old grade seven pupil of Muoyo Primary School in Nalolo District in Western Province has committed suicide by using his school neck tie.

A family representative, Likando Mutakatala who is also Induna Ikakena from Lwambi Chiefdom in Nalolo has disclosed the incident.

Mr Mutakatala, who identified the boy as Joel Njamba, said the deceased was last seen on Friday when he left the market where he used to help his mother sell second hand clothes, saying he had gone to school.

“The boy loved school very much so we all thought he had gone to school but we got worried when the day ended without returning home,” he added.

Mr Mutakatala further disclosed that on Saturday morning, after searching everywhere, they were informed by some Muoyo residents that they saw him moving near an unoccupied flat with a stool.

He said the deceased was later found in one of the rooms in an unoccupied flat hanging on the roof with a tie around his neck.

“We found him hanging in one of the rooms with his school tie while standing on a stool,” Mr Mutakatala stated.

He said the family is devastated and puzzled as they have lost a vibrant boy who loved school.

“The boy was even the best pupil during the grade seven mock examination and was also a member of the Junior Engineers Technicians and Scientists (JETS) club,” Mr Mutakatala said.

He said they do not know what prompted the boy to end his life in such a manner, adding that he did not leave any note behind.

And Nalolo District Education Board Secretary, Victor Likezo has described the death of the boy as a big loss to the education family.

“It is very unfortunate that we have lost a very intelligent school boy who would have excelled in life,” he said.

The body has been deposited in Lewanika General Hospital Mortuary and will be put to rest today in Katongo area in Mongu District.

However, in Muchinga Province ,two people have committed suicide in two separate incidents in Kanchibiya.

Kanchibiya District Commissioner Chrispin Chilekwa has confirmed the incidents of suicide that occurred in Chikobo and Mpepo areas of Kanchibiya District.

Mr Chilekwa has identified the two deceased persons as Binwell Nyangasha aged 30 from Chinkobo area and Bernard Changwe aged 38 from Mpepo area of the Kanchibiya District.

The District Commissioner explained that Changwe is suspected to have committed suicide yesterday between 06:00 hours and 07.30 in Chongo area of Mpepo chiefdom, which is about 10 Kilometers away from Mpepo main market where he was last seen.

He said Changwe committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree using a fibre rope and that his body was only discovered by a passer-by at 07.30 hours yesterday.

Meanwhile, Binwell Nyangasha committed suicide by hanging himself to a tree using his pairs of trousers in a near bush about 10 metres away from his house.

He explained that Nyangasha went missing a week ago and was only found dead hanging on a tree yesterday.

‘It is too sad that two people have ended their lives in such a horrible manner,” the District Commissioner said.

And Chief Mpepo has advised the community in his area to always find a better way to resolve matters than resorting to ending their lives by committing suicide.

Chief Mpepo has since urged families and the community in his area to be close and sensitive enough to family members who tend to have been overwhelmed by various challenges of life and quickly engage people who can offer counselling services to them.

“Suicide will never be a solution to solved challenges that people are passing through,” Chief Mpepo said.

And Mande Nyangasha, the brother to suicide victim Binwell Nyangasha, said it is sad that his brother decided to end his life in such an unfortunate manner.

“My brother has left two children and a wife,” Mr Nyangasha said.