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Police in Chipata has arrested and charged Chipata Television News Editor Iris Mwale for seditious practices.
The Editor was arrested and charged along with a UPND official who issued a statement that the UPND will not recognise President Edgar Lungu’s re-election which was covered in a news story
Ms. Mwale who appeared in court yesterday has since been released on bail and is expected to be back in court this Friday.
The charge of seditious practice is in line with Section 57(1) (b) of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence were that the on 26 September, 2016 in Chipata in Eastern Province jointly and whilst acting together acting with intent to raise discontent or disaffection among the people of Zambia, seditiously uttered and published a seditious publication concerning government.
And Chairperson for the Chipata Media Club Oswald Yabani has said that he will conduct a peaceful protest on Friday if the charge against Chipata Tevelevision News Editor Iris Mwale is not dropped.
Mr Yabani who bemoaned the continued threat on the the media said the charge given to Ms Mwale was a wrong charge as the editor only allowed a story to air on TV of a person who said the UPND did not recognize the election of President Lungu.
“If the Police do not drop the charge against Chipata Television News Editor Iris Mwale,I will conduct a peaceful protest on Friday and Journalist who wish to join should be dressed in back.
“The charge of seditious practice contrary to section 57(1) (b) of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia is wrong particularly on Iris. The Editor only allowed a story to air on TV of a person who said his party (UPND) did not recognize the election of President Edgar Lungu, so how does the Journalist come in?”
Particulars of the offence were that the two on 26 September, 2016 in Chipata in Eastern Province jointly and whilst acting together with intent to raise discontent or disaffection among the people of Zambia, seditiously uttered and published a seditious publication concerning government.
Mr Yabani has called on colleagues from the media who wish to participate in the protest to join him at the the Chipata golf coarse where he will start from going to the Chipata Central Police at 09hrs.
Ms Mwale was yesterday detained after she appeared in court for publishing seditious publication concerning the government and failed to meet the bail conditions.
Kalaba Rainford being challenged by Omeruo Kenneth Josiah and Echiejile Elederson
Zambia captain Rainford Kalaba says things can only get better for Chipolopolo after Saturday’s solid performance away to Cameroon.
Chipolopolo held the seven-time FIFA World Cup finalists to a 1-1 away draw to collect their first point from two rounds of matches played in the Russia 2018 Group B qualifiers.
“If we continue to play the way we did against Cameroon, then the sky’s the limit,” Kalaba said and whose assist led to Collins Mbesuma’s goal in the 33rd minute.
“We started with a loss, then a draw and I think the next game is a win.”
Zambia have one point and are now 3rd and five points behind leaders Nigeria and one point adrift of second placed Cameroon.
Nigeria beat Zambia 2-1 in the two sides opening Group B qualifier at home in Ndola on October 9.
Chipolopolo host bottom of the log Algeria during the Weekend of August 28 and make the quick turnaround on September 2 in a match that will likely decide second place heading into November’s penultimate round of Group B matches.
FILE: Tourists arrival at international terminal building in Livingstone
The Board of Directors approved and declared a dividend of three million five hundred thousand Kwacha for the financial year ending 31st December, 2015 to be paid to the Shareholder, the Government of the Republic of Zambia.
Zambia Airports Corporation Limited has seen profits steadily increase over the past few years after a turbulent period which saw passenger numbers decline as a result of the economic downturn and outbreaks of diseases such as the Ebola virus.
This was heard during the Corporation’s 23rd Annual General Meeting held on Thursday 27th October, 2016.
The Corporation says these negative factors were however cushioned by the opening of new routes and arrival of global brands such as Emirates Airlines and expansion of routes by operators such as South African Airlines, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Proflight Zambia.
The Corporation says it expects to continue on this path as it expects the introduction of yet another global brand, Qatar Air, scheduled to commence flights in 2017.
“ZACL has also seen continued growth in both passenger and freight traffic. A total of sixteen (16) scheduled passenger airlines, five (5), Charter operators and four (4) cargo operators connect the four international airports managed by the Corporation,” says Corporation Spokesperson Mweembe Sikaulu in a statement.
Ms Sikaulu said the Corporation has invested heavily in the ongoing infrastructure developmental projects that will see Kenneth Kaunda International airport become the next regional hub, competing with the likes of OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi Kenya.
Mealie meal prices in several parts of the country have hit an all-time high and are now selling at an historic high of more than K107 per 25Kg.
A market survey revealed that some super markets in Lusaka, Chipata, Livingstone and Solwezi are now selling a 25Kg of breakfast mealie meal between K105 and K107.
Roller meal in most outlets surveyed in Lusaka is now selling between K75 and K85.
This is the highest that mealie meal, Zambia’s staple food has fetched in the country’s history.
In March 2011, a 25Kg bag of breakfast mealie meal was selling at K37, a few months before the PF wrestled power from the MMD.
And the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, a US funded project has warned that food insecurity situation is likely to deteriorate in a few areas in the southeast and southwest as poor households fail to meet non-food essentials without resorting to irreversible coping strategies.
In its latest food situation report, FEWSNET said given the expected high level of maize prices in the coming months, household purchasing power will continue to reduce from now until the start of the main harvest.
Approximately 975,738 people have been identified as requiring food assistance between August 2016 and March 2017.
The government will provide assistance to households using FRA maize stocks and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) will coordinate this relief effort. The relief distribution has not yet started.
“Given the record maize purchasing prices, both maize grain and maize meal prices are expected to trend at very high levels during the October to March period. Using both technical and fundamental analysis, maize retail prices are likely to trend steadily upwards between October and November and then more steeply up to the peak lean period (January-February),” the report stated.
It said, “During the months of October-February, prices are likely to remain above previous season levels and at least 60 percent above average, decreasing between the months of March-May with the arrival of the green harvest in March and the main harvest in April/May.”
FEWSNET said during the remainder of the 2016/17 marketing season, private traders will continue dominating the market given the failure by the Food Reserve Agency to secure much maize.
“Consequently, the large traders will hold most of the stocks and therefore drive the market for the remaining duration of the outlook. It is unlikely that the government will subsidize millers with maize during the outlook period given their low stock position. Millers will need to source most maize directly from traders, therefore maize market interventions (including FRA’s supply of subsidized maize to millers) will remain lower than usual.”
UPND Spokesman Charles Kakoma has described the 2017 national budget presented last Friday by Finance Minister Felix Mutati as wrong and contradictory.
Mr Kakoma said the priorities that Mr Mutati has set for the budget are that the entire budget offers no hope for the suffering masses unless a proper surgery is done.
He states that Mr Mutati’s pronouncement that Government has no business to be in business represents a policy contradiction between what President Lungu wants and what the Finance Minister is preaching.
Mr Kakoma said President Lungu in his speech to Parliament this year clearly stated that he wanted to see the newly created state owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to take a leading role in Zambia’s industrial development agenda.
He said President Lungu wants one million jobs in the next five years and the Finance Minister is targeting 100,000 jobs next year adding that whoever advised President Lungu to make the 1 million jobs pronouncement was a joker.
“Even at a time when the economy was growing at 7% per annum, Zambia failed to create the 500,000 jobs that the President promised the youth. Now that economic growth will drop to 3.4% next year, how possible will it be to create 100,000 jobs. There is no magic to job creation but to grow the economy. Prospects for increasing employment are dim in an economy under stress,” he said.
Mr Kakoma observed that even the government itself has frozen employment in all ministries, except education and health.
“With the anticipated increase in costs of production as a result of increases in fuel and electricity tariffs, many businesses will shed off labour to remain afloat,” he said.
Below is Mr Kakoma’s full statement
2017 National Budget: My Reflections
I heard my dear friend, Finance Minister, Felix Mutati playing with catchy economic phrases in the National Budget. He said “you cannot spend cash which you do not have “. He also said “Government will have no business to be in business.
Fair enough. Economists, businessmen and politicians have used these sexy statements from time immemorial. Will these pronouncements be translated into reality in the 2017 budget? Is the 2017 national budget reflecting the economic recovery plan needed in Zambia?
I doubt and here is why:
1. Government business
Government has no business to be in business? It won’t work in the 2017 budget. It actually represents a policy contradiction between what President Lungu wants and what the Finance Minister is preaching. The President in his speech to Parliament this year clearly stated that he wanted to see the newly created state owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to take a leading role in Zambia’s industrial development agenda.
So my friend Felix, you can go ahead and withhold funding to the IDC because the President is wrong to involve government in business. But I see that even when you strongly believe that government has no business to be in business, you are proposing to spend about K3 billion on farmers input support programme next year.
2. Cash Budget
The minister says that you can’t spend what you don’t have. That is partly true. But will it work in 2017 in a country which believes in deficit financing? I doubt.
Zambia has run a cash budget before. Under President Chiluba , Zambia had a cash budget monitored by the IMF. It was a disaster for the poor people. The cash that was available was used to meet the luxury needs of the apamwambas such as foreign travel, seminars, allowances and luxury vehicles.
There was no money for medicines, roads, food security packs, pensions, water, sanitation and education for poor people’s children. I can see history repeating itself.
The problem in Zambia is financial indiscipline which is motivated by greed and corruption. There is scramble for the little money in the treasury. Those with political power and influence get the cake. Rules for sound fiscal policy are ignored.
We have high inflation and interest rates now because of poor adherence to financial management and political will to live within the approved budget. There is always unauthorised and excess expenditure appearing in the Auditor General’s report every year.
If you want to test your fiscal policy, my friend Felix Mutati, next time the President wants to fly out for an activity that was not budgeted for, put your foot down because there is no money to hire a jet. Infact, in order to live within our means, the Finance Minister should shoot down proposals that tend to bust the budget such as reintroduction of positions of deputy minister. He should actually advise the President to immediately do away with positions of District Commissioner because we have now got elected representatives at district level (mayors and chairmen) to coordinate government activities at district level.
3 Employment Creation
The President wants one million jobs in the next five years and the Finance Minister is targeting 100,000 jobs next year. Whoever advised the President to make the 1 million jobs pronouncement was a jocker. Even at a time when the economy was growing at 7% per annum, Zambia failed to create the 500,000 jobs that the President promised the youth. Now that economic growth will drop to 3.4% next year, how possible will it be to create 100,000 jobs. There is no magic to job creation but to grow the economy. Prospects for increasing employment are dim in an economy under stress. Even the government itself has frozen employment in all ministries, except education and health. With the anticipated increase in costs of production as a result of increases in fuel and electricity tariffs, many businesses will shed off labour to remain afloat.
4. Lack of an Export Led Growth
With the declining fortunes in the mining sector, attention should have been made to other sectors such as tourism, agriculture and manufacturing to earn foreign exchange. It is possible to increase non-traditional exports within one year with a serious diversification programme. But as usual, “diversification ” is just a boring song which appears in both the President’s and Finance Minister’ speech. It is possible to increase the output of maize, rice, beans and wheat in Zambia for export to other countries. I have been to Isoka, Mongu, Zambezi, Chavuma and other districts where small scale farmers are successfully growing rice. Give them the inputs and extention support services and you will see the miracle. Support outgrower schemes for wheat farmers and within two years, Zambia will be the bread basket of Africa. Create a revolution in the agricultural sector. I can’t see the revolution in the budget in terms of funding and policies.
There will be employment freeze in the agricultural sector but you want to make agriculture the pillar of a smart Zambia. Even if you provide money for fish farming but fail to employ aquaculture officers to teach small scale farmers how to do it, how will it help. I can’t see how the high cost of fertiliser has been reduced in the budget. You expect villagers to use e-vouchers to sale their maize to Food Reserve Agency whose marketing function has been taken away in the budget?
Just wait for the maize marketing disaster next year.
5. Cost-Push Inflation
The whole domestic resource mobilisation strategy appears to be centered on heavy taxation of imports. Perhaps we are back to the Kaunda days of import substitution strategy of development which failed lamentably. What is needed is an Export Led development strategy. Zambia is heavily dependent on imports. In an import-dependent economy, heavy taxation of imports has the same effect as depreciation of the kwacha in terms of cost-push inflation. The inflationary pressures of the tax measures in the 2017 budget will be felt within the first quarter of next year. Prices of goods will escalate. It is a wander that with the anticipated increase in the price of imports, the minister is projecting inflation to drop from 23% a few months ago to 9% next year.
6. EDUCATION
The story of education in Zambia is a sad one. A lot of children are out of school now because parents can’t afford school fees. The 2017 budget is very clear; let the dead bury themselves. Ignorance is going to be the cornerstone of development in Zambia. Perhaps, I’m missing something in the education equation in Zambia. How much does it cost to educate a pupil, say in grade 8? The government already pays the salaries for teachers, buys the desks, books, chalk and other educational materials.
The government already foots the recurrent operating expenses such as stationery, fuel, electricity, water and other expenses. These costs form the largest component of expenditure in education. Why should the government let children fail to go to school because of school fees and examination fees? What kind of Economics is this? Perhaps one can argue about the cost of food and accommodation for those in boarding schools. What about those in day schools?
The money is there. Why would you spend billions of kwacha on law and order as if the country is at war? Why buy more teargas to stifle people’s democratic right to assemble, associate and speak instead of educating our children? Why would you think that buying sanitary towels is more important than paying school fees for that same child? Is it because someone with connections to government will get a contract to supply the pads? Why do you think that spending money on social cash transfer is more sustainable than investing in education when infact the same people you fail to educate will soon que to get social cash handouts? Why increase in women and youth empowerment funds when you know that these funds are highly politicised and end up being shared by cadres? The priorities are wrong. The 2017 budget is wrong and offers no hope for the suffering masses unless a proper surgery is done.
As 27 shoppers in Lusaka win goods worth over K50,000 from Pick n Pay and Spar
Twenty-seven lucky draw winners have successfully taken to the starting blocks in Coca-Cola’s fun-packed weekly supermarket trolley dash, where they grab as many goods as possible to keep for free.
The energetic participants have just 60 seconds to fill their trolleys at selected Pick n Pay and Spar Supermarkets in Lusaka, in order to get to keep the goods they had selected.
The Lusaka shoppers were drawn from the on-going Coca Cola trolley dash competition launched last month, with a total of 200 shoppers being given the opportunity to race their wheels around selected supermarkets to fill a trolley with a maximum K3,000 worth of goods.
The first trolley dash was held in the first week on November while the second and third dashes were held in the second week, and dashes will continue on a weekly basis until the end of December.
Soneni Kafwaba walked away with goods worth K3,000 from Spar Arcades and Charles Chileshe with goodies worth K2,467 from Pick n Pay East Park.
Other winners included Misheck Mbewe, Humphrey Chimfwembe and Chongo Banda who participated in the dash at Pick n Pay, while Timothy Kasolo, Cecilia Mbewe and Vincent Mawele competed at Spar Arcades.
Others include Andrew Phiri, Mwandu Mweemba, Thomas Sakala, Kabwe Musonda, Sanana Situmbeko, Dickson Musonda and Chibesa Kunda.
The winners said they were happy to have won the competition and to have participated in the dash, and encouraged other shoppers to enter the competition.
“This is not the first time I am winning a Coca-Cola competition. Last time I won a pool table. I am so happy and wish to encourage people to take part in such competitions. They are real,” said Mr Banda.
An excited and out-of-breath Ms Kafwaba expressed happiness that she had got what she wanted: “This is the first time I am winning a competition. I was overwhelmed as I dashed to pick the things. I am happy that I got what I wanted. All my groceries have been sorted out.”
Ms Mbewe said: “I wanted to reach the K3,000 maximum worth of goods but I am happy with what I have. This is a ‘thank you’ for buying Coca-Cola at K7.50. I want to encourage people that this competition is for everyone and is real. The SMS (short message system) cost only 85ngwee. I will continue participating.”
Edna Zimba who participated in the Pick n Pay Makeni Mall said the dash came at the right time especially that she did not have food at home.
“I am so happy. I did not have cooking oil and even drink for kids to take to school. My fridge was also empty; I did not have relish. I am so happy that I got the things I needed. When I was called that I was to participate in the trolley dash, I thought I was dreaming. May Coca- cola continue with this competition,” she said.
The Trolley Dash competition, which began on October 10th, 2016, runs through to December 31, 2016. Any purchase of the following will qualify to be entered into the draw: Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Coke Light, Fanta, Sprite, Sparletta Creme Soda, Stoney or Lemon Twist, in 300ml and two-litre form. Promotional packs can be spotted by their lime-green bottle tops.
After purchase, the code can be found inside the crown or closure and should then be texted to 3232. Each week, 15 consumers will be selected to participate in the trolley dash. A number of runner-up prizes in the shape of talk time courtesy of Instant Airtime will also be distributed.
The weekly promotion is expected to give a total of 200 shoppers an opportunity to race their wheels around selected supermarkets for 60 seconds to fill a trolley of shopping. The lucky winners have just one remaining hurdle before they speed their trolley through the checkout – and that’s to make sure that a Coca-Cola product was on their shopping list, as they had to include an item from the company’s range and load it into their trolley with the rest of their goods within the alloted time.
Hon Felix Mutati and his drafters of the budget tried very hard to sound convincing and forward looking in their wording of the 2017 National Budget, but like the old cliché goes the devil is in the detail. A critical analysis of the 2017 budget has proved that there is really nothing fundamentally new or radical about this budget; The 2017 National Budget, just like the previous ones under the PF Government lacks radical measures to eradicate poverty, create jobs, create wealth, spur growth and ensure sustainable development. Just like the previous PF budgets, there is really nothing much in this budget that can significantly turn the fortunes of the poor farmers or the working poor or the small and medium scale businesses.
Finance Minister,Felix Mutati arrives at the parliament building for the presentation of 2017 budget in Lusaka.
There is an enormous gulf, in fact a gigantic contrast between what Hon Mutati says are his macro objectives and the measures he has actually proposed to achieve the same said macro economic objectives. He says we should not spend more than what we have but his Government is creating more ministries as well as proposing the re-introduction of Deputy Ministers among other unnecessary government expenditure; He says Agriculture and industrialisation will be the hub of Zambia’s economic recovery but his allocations to these sectors fall far below recommended thresholds; he says capital projects such as road constructions will be slowed but he goes ahead and allocate collosal sums of money in the budget towards the construction of the same roads; He says the Public Finance Act must be amended to make it more punitive to public officers who are embezzling public resources but his Government has serious inertia on acting on the Auditor General’s report despite the amended Republican Constitution being very instructive on what should be done with regards to thieving public officers.
In short, in terms of the quantum, the structure and focus, nothing really has changed in this year’s budget; The working poor will have to pay more in taxes than the mining conglomerates and other corporations put together. Small and medium sized businesses will either have to cut down on their business activities or cut down the size of their workforce or worse still fold up all together due to the ever rising cost of doing business, the massive hikes in taxes such as income tax rates, exercise duty, company income tax and other regulations such as lending rates that have drastically been adjusted upwards.
Let’s now break down the budget in terms of sectors and allocations.
Of the total budget of K64.5 billion Kwacha a total of K19 billion, that is 29% of the entire budget will be financed through borrowing.
1. GENERAL PUBLIC SERVICES
Out of a total of K18billion kwacha allocated to General Public Services, a whopping K11.5 billion of this money will go towards payment of debt leaving a paltry K6.5 billion for actual implementation of public services. Debt repayment and payment of arrears to road contractors and suppliers will gobble the biggest chunk of the entire general public service allocation. CDF has remained almost static at K1.4 billion despite the fact that the cost of goods and services is ever on the rise.
2.HEALTH
The biggest challenge beleaguering Zambia’s health sector is the lack of access to quality and affordable healthcare by our people.
The total allocation to the health sector is K5.8 billion representing 8.9% of the entire budget. To begin with this amount falls far below the recommended 15% threshold and to make matters worse, the bulk of this allocation is going to emoluments. Only slightly over K1billion will go towards the purchase of drugs, medical supplies and infrastructure development the rest, about K4.7 billion will go to emoluments.
3.MAPHUNZIRO
Like the health sector the biggest challenge hampering our education sector is the lack of access to quality and affordable education.
K10 billion, representing 16.5% of the budget has been allocated to the education sector. Of this about K8.4 billion will go to emoluments leaving very little for infrastructure development, training and research and development.
4.AGRICULTURE
President Edgar Lungu and his Ministers have spent alot of time talking about their vision to diversify our economy from one, depending on copper mining to one depending on Agriculture. And most people were expecting a revolutionary change to the allocation and structure of the budget money towards the agriculture sector but apart from the K55.4 million Kwacha that has been earmarked for a cashew nuts project in western province nothing much has changed to ensure a robust program of mechanisation, diversification and agro-processing. The allocation to FISP has remained static and the biggest question with regards to FISP is whether it has been effective in moving farmers from the peasantry bracket to the subsistence bracket and enventually to the commercial brackets. It seems FISP is there to just keep farmers stagnant in their poverty. Very few farmers are graduating from peasantry to subsistence due to inadequacy of FISP and the infective manner it is being administered.
I want to commend the Minister, however for proposing the removal of bans and price fixing because such measures distort production as they send uncertainty in the market.
Very little has been allocated to Rural Electrification. This will continue to undermine rural development because electricity just like fuel is the engine of production.
The story of irrigation has been on the cards for years now but nothing significant has been achieved. I would like the Hon Minister to explain what happened to the 150million dollars that was borrowed for irrigation projects as way back as 2014.
5. HOUSING AND SANITATION
Over 40% of Zambia’s population has no access to clean water and over 40% of our rural population has access to sanitation. We expected a significant amount of the proposed budget, as opposed to the K822 million to be allocated towards housing, water and sanitation because these are crucial in the provision of healthcare and reducing the burden on our healthcare system. Housing is dignity. Water is life and nyumba ni chimbuzi. This meager allocation will only have a 3% bearing on improving access to housing, clean water and sanitation. This is very minute.
6. ENERGY
It is now abundantly clear that loadshedding is damaging our economy as it is seriously hampering production. And it is also very clear that our over dependence on hydro power is not helping us. We expected a revolutionary change in the allocation and structure of both the budget and ZESCO with regards to energy but it’s the same old story.
The Minister should also have explained what happened to the Eurobond money which was meant to improve generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. What happened to that money. Equally what happened to the Eurobond money meant to revamp railway transport?
In terms of the percentage quantum Hon Mutati has significantly increased the allocation to social protection, however, the social cash transfer at about K192 per month is quite insignificant.
All in all, in terms of the quantum, the structure and focus, the 2017 budget is just the same as the previous budgets. In short, we have a new budget but the same old story. Zambians should just brace themselves for harder times.
I’ve heard a lot about this curry, and this weekend I finally decided to try it out. I’m a huge fan of curry, and what I love about this one, is that it is creamy rich and full of flavour. The use of Chickpeas makes this curry perfect for vegans and vegetarians; and of course for all of you meat eaters, you can replace the chickpeas with chicken or beef. This curry is also gluten free. So I think it’s safe to say that we have found ourselves a winner here!! Coconut Chickpea Curry is one of the best curries I’ve ever had; so get your pot and you apron and let’s start cooking. Enjoy!!
Ingredients
454g can of chickpeas (chicken chopped)
3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small Lime
2 medium Onions
396g of Tomatoes
383g of coconut milk
2 tsp Coconut flour
1 tsp Curry powder
1 ½ tbsp Garam masala
Salt & ground black pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp Cumin (optional)
Method
In a deep pot over a medium-high heat, add the coconut oil; then the onions and tomatoes, salt and ground pepper, stir together. Lower the heat to medium and cook until juices of the tomatoes are naturally released and onions are soft, about 10 minutes.
Add in the chickpeas/chicken, garlic, garam masala, curry powder and cumin. Stir well to combine. Add in the coconut milk and coconut flour (which helps to slightly thicken the curry). Bring the curry to a boil, and then reduce to medium-low so that the mixture continues to simmer for 10 to 12 more minutes.
Taste the curry and season with salt and pepper if you desire. Remove the curry from the heat and squeeze a lime lightly over the top of the curry, stirring to combine. Allow it to cool slightly and then serve.
Serving
Serve with rice and your choice of beverage. Enjoy!
Kanta Temba is a cake maker and decorator. She is also the owner and founder of Kanta Kakes – cake shop.
You can find her work onwww.kantakakes.com. Follow her on twitter @KantaKakes and Instagram @KantaTemba.
Ex-Chipolopolo defender Laughter Chilembi says Zambia could have beaten Cameroon in Saturday’s 2018 World Cup qualifier that finished 1-1 in Limbe.
Zambia gave away a 33rd minute lead to draw with Cameroon who equalised via a controversial penalty.
Chilembi said Cameroon’s display against Zambia showed that they were beatable.
“We played well despite some lapses,” the retired Nchanga Rangers full back said.
“It is good that we scored away in Camerooon and it is not easy to score away.
We were winning that game had we not conceded that penalty,” Chilembi said.
The draw saw Zambia move one notch up, to third on one point, exchanging places with Algeria who also have one point, after losing 3-1 away to leaders Nigeria, who have the maximum six points.
“With luck, we can go to the World Cup. We just need to be more focused and work hard,” he said.
The Lusaka Magistrate Court has sentenced Private Sector Development Association Chairperson Yusuf Dodia’s son Hussain to one year six months suspended sentence for trafficking in narcotic substances.
Hussain Dodia, 24 of Jesmondine in Lusaka was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission on 1st October 2016 after a tip off from the public for being possession of 99.6 grams of cannabis without lawful authority.
Hussain pleaded guilty before Magistrate Rachel Mwansa.
PSDA chairman Yusuf Dodia
In mitigation Hussain asked the court to exercise leniency as he was a first offender who did not waste the court’s time as he had readily admitted to the charge.
He pleaded before the court that a custodial sentence would hinder his intentions to pursue a Masters Degree at university.
But Magistrate Mwansa said drug trafficking was a serious offence which carried a maximum sentence of 25 years.
She said the court had exercised leniency by imposing a non-custodial sentence due to Hussain’s spirited mitigation.
Police in Lusaka have summoned Oracle Media Productions Managing Director Mutinta Mazoka M’membe.
Oracle Media is the company behind the publication of The Mast Newspaper which has replaced the Post Newspapers which folded recently after it was placed under provisional liquidation.
Mutinta who is married to Fred M’membe, the Editor in Chief of the defunct Post Newspapers has been summoned to at Service Headquarters at 09:00 Hours this morning.
Last evening, Mutinta issued a strongly worded statement in which she stated that Oracle Media will continue publishing the Mast Newspaper as it is a registered entity.
“The current discussion of The Mast in the government media is wrong and has no basis in law. It has been suggested that The Mast is an illegal publication for allegedly not being registered with the Zambia Revenue Authority. Companies are required to register for tax within thirty days of commencement of operations. Our company has tendered all the documents required for Tax Registration and is therefore compliant with Tax laws,” Mutinta said.
She added, “It is therefore wrong to suggest that The Mast is being published illegally. On the question of copyright, we have established that there are no registered trademarks or other similar rights that The Mast is infringing. That said, we will continue to publish the newspaper in keeping with our laws as established.”
GOVERNMENT’s intentions of transforming Livingstone into a premier conferencing centre in Southern Africa next year is a step in the right direction in terms of increasing tourist arrivals to Zambia’s Tourist Capital, Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) managing director Felix Chaila has said.
In his address to National Assembly on Friday during the presentation of the 2017 Budget, Finance Minister Felix Mutati said the Government would next year transform Livingstone into a premier conferencing centre in Southern Africa to leverage on the infrastructure developments that had been undertaken.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Mr Chaila said Livingstone was an attractive destination but it lacked adequate conference facilities and hence the move by the Government would increase tourist arrivals.
“This is a welcome move because Livingstone is already an attractive destination and conferences will be an added incentive.
“Tourists are looking for destinations that have a diverse product range including conferences,” Mr Chaila said.
He said the move was also in line with the growing global trend of promoting the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry.
The MICE industry is currently one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism base world over as it mainly attracted local tourists.
Globally, the MICE segment carters for about 400, 000 events annually across the globe with a total of about US$ 280 billion out of which about 14, 000 are meetings, conferences, conventions and congresses involving professional associations, corporate bodies, religious groups and inter-governmental bodies.
Most tourism enterprises are now investing in conference rooms to capture this business segment which assures high room occupancy rates and increased consumption of food and beverages among others.
Mr Chaila said there was need to ensure that people who travel to Livingstone to view the Victoria Falls also had an opportunity to enjoy other facilities such as resorts and conferences.
He the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) region, which include five Southern African Countries including Zambia, had also identified MICE as one of the industries which could grow the tourism sector.
“During the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly, Zambia had to partner with Zimbabwe to host the event because we did not have inadequate conference facilities in Livingstone and Victoria Falls Town.
“We also have been struggling to host large groups of tourists because of the same challenge and so the move by the Government will boost the sector,” Mr Chaila said.
Last week, a high powered delegation comprising of five Cabinet Ministers met China Africa Cotton which is planning to invest US$ 50 million to construct a world-class hotel and a sky wheel with a 5, 000 capacity conference facility in the Victoria Falls area of Livingstone.
ZCCM Investments Holdings has started the process of claiming up to $1.4 billion from First Quantum Minerals Ltd accusing the firm of engaging in fraud.
The claim includes $228 million in interest on $2.3 billion of loans that ZCCM-IH said First Quantum wrongly borrowed from the Kansanshi copper mine, as well as 20 percent of the principal amount, or $570 million, according to an internal company presentation, dated Nov. 4, obtained by Bloomberg.
The company is also seeking $260 million as part of a tax liability the Zambia Revenue Authority said Kansanshi owed it, as well as the cost of the mine borrowing money commercially that ZCCM-IH said could have been avoided.
ZCCM-IH said in papers filed in the Lusaka High Court on Oct. 28 that First Quantum used the money as cheap financing for its other operations.
ZCCM-IH also last month filed a notice of arbitration against Kansanshi in London over the same matter.
No figure was mentioned in the court filings.
ZCCM-IH owns 20 percent of Kansanshi.
But in a statement released Monday evening, FQM President Clive Newall said having carefully studied the claims made in both the Notice of Arbitration and Statement of Claim, First Quantum is firmly of the view that the claims are utterly without merit, or indeed any foundation in facts.
“It is notable that the Kansanshi Mining Plc deposits were fully repaid to KMP and were then used to fund a major investment program in Zambia, including the successful construction and commissioning of the Kansanshi smelter and expansion of the processing plant and mining operations.
“On October 28, 2016, KMP also received a Statement of Claim filed in the High Court for Zambia naming additional defendants, including First Quantum, its subsidiary FQM Finance Ltd., and a number of directors and an executive of the named corporate defendants. This dispute arises out of the rate of interest paid on deposits made by KMP with the Company’s financing entity, FQM Finance Ltd. The funds on deposits were retained for planned investment by KMP in Zambia.”
He said, “FQM Finance paid interest on the deposits to KMP based on an assessment of an arms-length fair market rate, which is supported by independent third party analysis. ZCCM disputes that interest rate paid to KMP on the deposits was sufficient. Unfortunately, ZCCM has taken the extra-ordinary additional step of commencing a further action in the High Court for Zambia, making allegations repeated from the Notice of Claim against certain First Quantum directors and an executive that are inflammatory, vexatious and untrue.”
“In fact, KMP is now indebted to FQM Finance for the funding of further investment in Zambia. The Company is currently engaged in constructive discussions with representatives of the Zambian Government, which holds a 92% direct and indirect majority shareholding in ZCCM, with a view to achieving an amicable resolution. We do not believe it is appropriate to comment further on the arbitration or court proceedings while they run their proper course, but we will provide further information as and when required.”
Meanwhile, Philippe Bibard, a spokesman for a minority shareholder group based in France said FQM is disregarding the rights of minority owners in ZCCM-IH in dealing directly with government.
*With Additional Reporting by Bloomberg
Oracle Media Productions Ltd Managing Director Mutinta Mazoka M’membe
Oracle Media Productions Ltd, the firm claiming to be behind the publication of the Mast Newspaper has denied suggestions that the paper is an illegal publication.
Oracle Media Productions Ltd Managing Director Mutinta Mazoka M’membe said in a statement that the current discussion of The Mast in the government media is wrong and has no basis in law.
It has been suggested that The Mast is an illegal publication for allegedly not being registered with the Zambia Revenue Authority.
“Our company has tendered all the documents required for Tax Registration and is therefore compliant with Tax laws,” Mrs Mazoka M’membe said.
She said it is therefore wrong to suggest that The Mast is being published illegally.
“On the question of copyright, we have established that there are no registered trademarks or other similar rights that The Mast is infringing. That said, we will continue to publish the newspaper in keeping with the laws of the land as established,” she said.
Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Mr. Yang Youming meets Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya in her office
Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming last week called on Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya at her office at Mulungushi House.
The two sides exchanged views on issues concerning bilateral cooperation in agriculture.
Ambassador Yang congratulated Ms. Siliya on her appointment as Minister of Agriculture, and briefed her on the current Chinese agricultural cooperation programs in Zambia.
Ambassador Yang said that China stands ready to work along with Zambia on pushing forward bilateral agricultural cooperation.
And Ms. Siliya thanked Ambassador Yang’s call after she took office as minister.
While appreciating the long-term contribution to Zambia’s agricultural sector made by the Chinese side, Ms. Siliya encouraged and supported more Chinese enterprises to invest in Zambia’s agricultural sector, and hoped to establish closer cooperation relations with China in the future.
