Police in Chifunabuli District in Luapula Province have arrested and jointly Charged a father and son for assaulting a health sfaff at Chibuye Rural Health Centre.

Confirming the arrest, Chifunabuli District Commissioner, Stanley Mukosa said the incident happened on July 17, 2023 at around 09:00hrs.

Mr Mukosha has identified the victim as Webster Mumba 26 a male nurse at the health facility.

“I can confirm that police yesterday arrested two people for assaulting a male nurse at Chibuye Rural Health Centre, the male nurse has been identified as Webster Mumba aged 26, Mumba was assulted  while on duty,” he said.

The District Commissioner, has identified the accused as Davies Kabengele 51 and Cornelius Kabengele 18 of the same area.

He disclosed that the victim had in June officiated at a football match between Chibuye home and Nsombwela and had given a yellow card to Cornelius Kabengele who was playing for the home team which he said angered him.

Mr. Mukosa revealed that the accused continued to threaten Mr. Mumba and had at some point followed him to his place of work where he threatened to kill him by burning his house while asleep and on July 13, 2023, Mr. Mumba had gone for a football training around 16:00 hours were Mr. Kabengele continued threatening him forcing him to report the matter to the Community Crime Prevention Unit (CCPU).

“The matter surrounding this assault is that some time back in June, 2023, Mr Mumba had officiated a football match between Chibuye Home team and Nsombwela team and had given a yellow card to Kabengele nick named Commander who was playing for the home team much to his displeasure and the accused started threatening to cause harm to Mr Mumba which we believe has now resulted in this assault case,” he said.

The District Commissioner revealed that on July 17, 2023 while still working, the Community Crime Policing Unit and Mr. Mumba followed Cornelius Kabengele at his shop with the view of making an arrest but he became violent and jointly started beating him with his father.

The victim sustained a knee injury, a red eye and chest pains, a medical report has since been given and the two will appear in court soon .

Government has delivered two thousand, two hundred by 50 kilogramme bags of fertilizer for wetland agriculture in Chipangali district in eastern province.

The inputs which are under the Department of Community Development, are meant to be distributed to vulnerable but viable farmers to venture into gardening.

Acting District Community Development Officer, Levitson Nthara, said that the district received 1000 by 50 kilogramme bags of Compound ‘D’ fertilizer and 1,200 by 50 kilogramme bags of Urea to be distributed to 1, 200 farmers.

Mr Nthara said the district also received 1000 by 5-kilogram bags of maize seed, cabbage and tomato seeds for the same programme.

He noted that the aim of the department was to help the farmers increase food security and income in households.

“We are happy that the government has given us these inputs under the wetland farming because this will help farmers increase their food security and also their income,’’ Mr Nthara said.

He urged the farmers to put the inputs to good use if they wanted to have food at household level.

Chipangali District Commissioner, Paul Sakala, said the inputs came at the right time to allow farmers to plant early.

Mr Sakala noted that farmers who had the interest in wetland farming should be prioritised when distributing the fertilizer and seed to reduce issues of some of the inputs being sold.

He observed that there were a lot of farmers in the district but few were into wetland farming.

‘’ These inputs should be given to farmers who have interest in gardening because we do not want to see a situation where farmers start selling after receiving the inputs. There are a lot of farmers in the district but very few are into wetland agriculture,’’ Mr Sakala said.

The District Commissioner, noted that farmers who ventured in wetland agriculture made more profit that those who waited for rain fed agriculture because they could harvest more than once in a year and make more profit.

Meanwhile, one of the farmers, Moses Banda, commended the government for giving the farmers inputs for wetland agriculture.

Mr Banda urged the government not to stop giving farmers inputs for wetland agriculture but increase on the packs to defeat hunger in households.

Each farmer is expected to receive one ‘D’ Compound bag and one Urea bag of fertilizer, a bag of seed and seed for vegetables.

According to the Zambian Constitution, a person who was born in or has continuously lived in Zambia for 10 years and has attained the age of 18 years is entitled to be registered as citizen.

Refugees and their children who have lived in Zambia for more than 10 years should be registered as citizens of Zambia.

The Zambian Civil Liberties Union (ZCLU) Deputy Executive Director, Maurice Makalu, has disclosed that his organisation has officially written to government to respect provisions of the Zambian Constitution and the UN Convention on Refugees on registration of eligible refugees as citizens.

“We have institutionalised the treatment of former refugees like criminals in this country but being a refugee is a not a crime,” he said.

Mr Makalu said Article 37 of the Constitution entitles eligible refugees, like any other person, to register and be granted the citizenship of Zambia.

“We are concerned that some people we call refugees have lived in this country for than 20 years; some of their children were been born here and continue benefit from our resources and socials services such as free education and yet we continue to discriminate against them and fail to tap into their potential to contribute towards developing Zambia and growing our GDP.”

According to the Zambian Constitution, a person who has continuously lived in Zambia for 10 years and has attained the age of 18 years is entitled to be registered as citizen.

The amended Constitution also provide for registration of children who were born and have lived in Zambia for a period of 5 years Zambian citizens.

Mr Makalu says the Zambian Government should end the discrimination against refugees and their children by treating them like any other person who can apply and be granted citizenship of Zambia.

He observed that countries which are fast-developing in the world rely on the education, skills and labour of both its citizens and foreign nationals such as refugees.

He said it was disheartening to see former refugees who have refused to go back to their countries being treated like common criminals in Zambia.

Some of the inferior laws we have made in this country are directly in contravention of the Constitution, the UN, AU and SADC instruments on refugees and should not be allowed to stand.

Mr Makalu said the ZCLU will not run to court but will engage government to correct this measure.

“The courts will be our last option to pursue if engagement and dialogue with government fails but we think Government must bring stakeholders on board to correct this discrimination which is happening against refugees and their children.”

The Luwingu Magistrate Court has sentenced a 20 year old of Lupososhi District to six months imprisonment with hard labour for beating up school going children.

Marvel Konkola of Lwenge Village in Senior Chieftainess Chungu’s chiefdom is alleged to have gone on rampage beating up school children at Lwenge primary school in Lupososhi district during break time.

Facts before Luwingu Magistrate Maybin Kapaya were that on June 29 2023 at 12:30 hours the accused person went to Lwenge primary school to watch the drilling of a water borehole but instead picked up a quarrel with some school children.

The annoyed Konkola started chasing children and beating them and ended up assaulting a pupil contrary to section 248 of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

Magistrate Kapaya has since convicted Konkola for one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

In mitigation Konkola appealed for lenience adding that he learnt something whilst remanded in prison and was remorseful of his action.

In passing judgement, Magistrate Kapaya said the matter was serious and that he had put into consideration the fact that the accused was remorseful and he will be sentenced accordingly.

Magistrate Kapaya said it was a duty of the courts to protect school going children from intruders aiming to disturb school lessons.

He said some children could even stop attending school lessons for fear of being attacked or beaten up by some disgruntled people like Konkola.

Magistrate Kapaya further explained that to deter offenders a stiffer penalty must be imposed to prevent such barbaric acts.

He noted that Konkola was the first offender and sentenced him to six months imprisonment with hard labour with effect from the he was arrested.

Police in Mtendere Compound of Lusaka are investigating a Sudden Death case where a 43 -year- old man of Mtendere Compound was found dead inside a bus.

Zambia Police Service Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga confirmed the incident to the in Lusaka today.

Mr  Hamoonga identified the deceased as Maxwell Jere who was found dead in a Hino bus registration number BBC 3032 and fleet number LSK 4080.

Mr  Hamoonga said brief facts of the matter are that the driver of the Hino bus identified as Vincent Kamuchanga, 40, of house number C514 Mtendere compound, discovered that the brakes of the bus were worn out and he informed the owner who advised him to take it to a mechanic within Mtendere compound so that they can be replaced.

Mr Hamoonga said that unfortunately, spare brake pads were not available, so the driver and the now deceased decided to guard the bus overnight by sleeping inside it with a brazier on.

It is suspected that the duo suffocated as the bus windows and door were found closed.

Mr. Hamoonga narrated that upon physical inspection by police, no physical injuries were seen on the body of the deceased but white foam was seen coming out of the mouth with the head facing the brazier, while the driver was found unconscious adding that Police also found a brazier inside the bus with some flames of fire.

“The driver was immediately rushed to Mtendere Clinic, where he was later referred to Levy Mwanawasa,” said Mr. Hamoonga.

The body of the deceased has been deposited into the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Mortuary awaiting Post-mortem and burial.

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has announced that injured Zambia Women’s National Team goalkeeper Hazel Nali may undergo surgery in New Zealand next week. The collaboration between FAZ and the Association of Zambians living in Australia/New Zealand has identified a surgeon who can provide a faster and more convenient solution than the previously proposed option in India.

FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga revealed that Dr. Munanga Mwandila, a Zambian based in New Zealand and the president of the Association of Zambians in Australia/New Zealand, presented the alternative. The player will be assessed by renowned knee surgeon Professor Bruce Twaddle on July 22, with the possibility of surgery scheduled for July 26.

Kamanga emphasized that the decision was made after consulting with various stakeholders, particularly in the medical field, and in close collaboration with the team medics who have been supporting Nali thus far. The FAZ is confident that the option provided by Zambians in New Zealand will serve the best interests of all parties involved.

The FAZ General Secretary also called for support from the Zambian community as the women’s team prepares for their opening match against Japan at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday. Kamanga expressed his satisfaction with the widespread support received and praised the positive energy being spread by Zambians in backing the team.

Additionally, Kamanga extended gratitude to President Hakainde Hichilema for addressing the team and reaffirming government support for their mission. The President assured that outstanding obligations to the team would be cleared, and the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Arts fully committed to supporting the Copper Queens in their international assignments.

“We are grateful to the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Arts for having fully come on board to support the Copper Queens on their international assignments,” Kamanga stated. He also acknowledged President Hichilema’s instrumental role in actualizing the memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Sports and FAZ, which incorporates remuneration for the Copper Queens during international engagements.

The FAZ remains dedicated to ensuring the best possible care and treatment for Hazel Nali, and the collaborative efforts between stakeholders are aimed at her swift recovery. The entire Zambian community, along with football enthusiasts, is encouraged to rally behind the team as they embark on their journey in the upcoming tournament.

For and on behalf of:
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA
Sydney Mungala
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER