State broadcaster ZNBC has withdrawn adverts for the popular drink Ama Sip Sip which featured Congolese artiste Koffi Olomide as the fell out over his violent conduct towards his female dancer continues.

A source within ZNBC management confirmed that the decision to stop airing all adverts featuring committee was taken by management at its Monday Senior Management Team meeting.

The source said ZNBC wanted to send a strong message to the nation that it does not condone violent conduct against anyone especially directed towards defenceless women.

The source further said that the manufacturer of Ama Sip Sip, Trade Kings has since been notified of the management decision.

ZNBC Head of Corporate Affairs Masuzyo Ndhovu and Trade Kings Media Manager James Songwe were both not available to independently confirm the development.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture and Show Society of Zambia has decided to invite another Congolese artiste Werrason after cancelling Koffi’s shows in Lusaka.

In a statement, Society President Ben Soko said Werrason will also perform at the Mulungushi Conference Centre on Friday, 29 July 2016 and that the tickets which were purchased for the Koffi show are still valid and can be accepted at Werrason’s shows.

The Agricultural and commercial society of Zambia has replaced the Congolese musician Koffi Olomide who was scheduled to perform in the country with fellow Congolese super star Werasson.

The Society was forced to replace Koffi after he was deported from Kenya after a video of the legendary musician beating up one of his female dancers went viral.

Show Society President Ben Shoko announced in a show statement that they will now be bringing Werasson to perform on Friday at the Mulungushi.

Mr Shoko also said all the tickets purchased are valid and that people should buy tickets in advance so as to avoid delayed entry.

Police have arrested three criminals in connection of an Aggravated Robbery and Murder of an Egyptian national identified as Muaz Mohammed Zakria aged 23 of House number 3966/A/3/3 Makeni area in Lusaka, who went missing on 17th July, 2016.

0n the 18th July, 2016, investigations into the case were instituted following the body that was discovered around 18:00 hours along Shantumbu road with several burns.

The deceased’s cell number was subjected to mobile searches and Police managed to trace the suspects with the help of the numbers that were last called on the deceased’s phone number.

Following the traced phone numbers through the mobile search, police received information on 23rd July, 2016 to the effect that suspects in question were at Intercity Bus Terminus about to board a bus to Malawi.

A follow up was made and the two suspects were apprehended. Upon searching them, Charles Kondwani one of the suspects aged 25, Zambian and Tumbuka by tribe was found in his possession with an Iphone for the deceased and an injection syringe with some liquid in it. Another suspect was identified as Domiziani Mkandawire aged 18 of Minestone, Lusaka.

The two suspects later led the Police to the apprehension of William Kondowe aged 23 of Chunga Compound, Lusaka, who later on led the Police to Mandevu Compound where the deceased’s vehicle, Toyota Spacio registration number, AHD 620, white in colour was recovered.

The three suspects are in Police custody awaiting court proceedings.

This is according to a statement by Police Deputy Spokesman Rae Hamoonga.

The GREEN party has urged Zambians to vote Yes in the referendum on 11 August this year.

Party Secretary General Daniel Sichilongo said the proposed Bill of Rights was very progressive as it would enhance rights of an individual adding that Zambians have an opportunity of having a document that would stand a taste of time.

Mr Sichilongo said the Green party had made it clear that the people of Zambia should vote Yes in the referendum.

He said the Bill of Rights was not politically oriented but bordered on one’s freedom in a country like Zambia.

Mr Sichilongo was speaking in an interview in Livingstone today.

“The proposed Bill of Rights is very progressive and Zambians should turn out in large numbers and give a big resounding yes vote in in the referendum.

“Political parties are many, us as Green party, we have made it clear that the people of Zambia should vote yes to the referendum because you must understand that these human rights are not political party oriented but border on one’s freedom,” he said.

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He lashed out at political parties that were calling for people to vote against the referendum and warned them against politicising the issue of the referendum.

“It is a sham that some political parties are telling people not to vote yes in the referendum, it is high time that Zambians did away with mediocrity because politics of mediocrity and greediness are long gone.

“Let us champion causes that will champion for the development of the country and not cheap and petty politics,” he said.

Livingstone based magistrate Benjamin Mwelwa, said the proposed Bill of Rights was the best that the nation has ever had in a civilised society of Zambia.

“The document is actually the best when you compare it with the ones we have had. When you go through it you will realise that it enhances and includes more rights and I can confess that it is the best document,” he said.

The Zambia Youth Workers Association (ZYWA) has urged youths across the country to turn up in large numbers and vote yes in the referendum on 11thAugust,2016.

In a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today, ZYWA Vice President Teddy Nyasulu said that the Bill of Rights is a progressive and cardinal piece of legislation one as it considers the rights of youths and provides young people with prohibition of engaging in unproductive things.

“ZYWA is very happy that under Article 49,the bill of rights provides that youths have rights to personal development, participation in governance, and access to gainful employment’’, Mr. Nyasulu said.

Mr. Nyasulu stated that government’s tireless effort of ensuring that the bill of rights provides for youth participation in the social economic, political and cultural affairs of the nation need rewarding through a YES vote.

He urged young people to take interest in the voting process in the referendum and chart the way for their personal and collective development.

The Zambia Volunteers Network has commended youths from different political parties who attended a March against political violence on Saturday.

Speaking in an interview the Network Deputy Chairperson Gerald Chiluba said the youths from political parties should be commended because the gesture shows that young people are willing to stop violence.

Mr Chiluba said the coming together of youths from different political parties was a sign that the country is making head ways in the fight against political violence.

He said it important that the issue of political violence is dealt with from the roots and that youths were the people being used in perpetuating the scourge hence the march was a step in the right direction.

“We as Zambia Volunteers Network would like to commend the organisers of the youths against political violence on Saturday. As a network we feel that the march past was aimed at reducing the political violence that we have seen increase in the country. We want to thank the youths from the different political parties who participated in the march past because we know that political violence is directly proportional to youths.

“We are glad that the national democratic institute is talking directly to the youths because we know that it the youths who are being used to perpetrate political violence and dealing with them will ensure that incidents of the scourge is reduced,” he said.

On Saturday youths from different political parties in Lusaka held a peaceful march in which they also replaced the posters.

The youths from PF replaced campaign posters of the opposition UPND while their counterparts from the UPND replaced PF campaign posters in solidarity for peaceful campaigns.

The first batch of pallets containing ballot papers for Zambia’s August 11, 2016 general elections has been transported from Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company and handed over to the airport authorities for delivery from Dubai to Lusaka.

The batch contains 155 pallets out of which 63 are for presidential ballot papers and another 63 contain referendum ballots while 25 pallets contain presidential, referendum, national assembly, mayoral and local government posters.

Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company General Manager Lakshmanan Ganapathy said four pallets contain NRC ballot verification forms.

Mr. Ganapathy said the second and last batch of pallets will be transported from his company to the airport tomorrow.

The second batch will contain 185 pallets.

He said airport authorities will screen the pallets and allow a one day cooling process before they are loaded on two cargo planes that will leave Dubai on Thursday, July 28, 2016 and arrive in Lusaka the same day.

Earlier in the day, team Zambia in Dubai was taken round to see the seven trucks laden with pallets awaiting transportation to the airport.

Some stakeholders, the Zambia Police and Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) officials escorted the laden truck to the airport and monitored the offloading process.

On Friday last week, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Commissioner, Emily Sikazwe, disclosed that the first cargo plane carrying pallets containing ballot papers will leave Dubai on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at 09:15 hours and arrive in Lusaka at 14:15 hours.

Dr. Sikazwe said the second plane will leave Dubai at 13:25 hours and arrive in Lusaka at 18:25 hours on the same day, of 28 July 2016.

Team Zambia has been in Dubai proofreading ballot paper templates, and monitoring the printing and packaging process of the ballot papers.