Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
Local Government and Housing Minister Steven Kampyongo has directed the Fire Services department to quickly recruit officers to take over from the five fire officers who recently died on duty in Chirundu district.
Mr. Kampyongo was speaking when he officially opened a four days Chief Fire Officers and Officers in Charge Standing Committee Conference aimed at discussing ways of enhancing the provision of fire and rescue services in the country.
The Minister said the deceased officers need to be quickly replaced and consider recruiting from their families.
Mr. Kampyongo revealed that President Lungu gave his ministry instructions to effect the provision of effective and efficient fire and rescue services as one of the priority services in the country.
He added that government values the role that the fire-fighters play in saving the lives of people and protecting property from destruction by fire in the country.
And Chief Fire Officers Standing Committee Chairperson Clement Zulu appealed to government to consider the fire policy which will give direction and proper management of fire and rescue services in the country.
Mr. Zulu further appealed for the construction of modern fire stations in all provincial headquarters and districts as well as recruitment of fire-fighters.
He also requested for the consideration of construction of fire Service College that will issue diploma and degree courses at the national fire service college.
The fire fighters demonstrated some lifesaving drills shortly before the commencement of the conference.
A Mazhandu bus travelling to Lusaka from Kitwe was involved in a road accident around 12 hours between Kabwe and Kapiri.
On the scene sources said five people have died on the spot while the sixth victim died on the way to the hospital.
The accident happened at a place called near the Green Leaf.
Among the deceased are four female passengers and a male aged between 1 and 2 years.
One of the female deceased passengers had her bridal shower on Saturday.
And the Road Transport and Safety Agency says it is saddened by the fatalities in a road traffic accident along the Kabwe Kapiri Mposhi road involving a Mazhandu Family Services Bus.
RTSA’s preliminary accident investigations conducted revealed that the driver of the motor vehicle failed to negotiate a curve, due to excess speed.
According to one of the eye witness, the driver of the bus Kasheka Shadrick Kabange was over speeding and failed to negotiate the curve and lost control causing the bus to slip on the road.
The investigations also revealed that the driver of the bus was fully licensed.
The investigation further showed that the section of the road where the accident occurred is a curvy stretch with a speed limit of 80km/h and the road is clearly marked and that the road is smooth.
The investigations have also revealed that the road was wet as it was raining during the time the road accidents occurred.
“As the RTSA, we are saddened by the loss of lives through an accident and urge all motorist to exercise maximum patience on the roads and avoid over speeding. And following a spate of road traffic accidents by Mazhandu Family Bus Services in the recent past, the Agency will be summoning the operator to show cause why the Road Service License (RSL) should not be suspended,” says RTSA Spokesman Fred Mubanga.
Accident sceneScene from the accidentVictims being rescued from the wreckage of the bus
FILE: Jean Kapata prepares the audience for the Lukulu Rally
THE Church must at all times resist the temptation of aligning itself to any political party in the country because that has the potential to create divisions in the country based on religion, the Patriotic Front (PF) has said.
PF elections chairperson Jean Kapata said while it was within the constitutional right of citizens to associate themselves with any political organization of their choice, it was religiously wrong for men of the collar to take political sides.
Reacting to the luncheon United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema held for selected church leaders at his residence in New Kasama on Thursday, Ms Kapata said it was religiously incorrect for the church to exhibit political alignment especially in an election year.
Ms Kapata said it was shocking that some church leaders had accepted an invitation to have lunch with Mr Hichilema when the country had a lot of opposition political party leaders who equally needed their spiritual counsel.
She said the church must endeavour to remain impartial when advising politicians and that if there was need to pray for politicians, the clergy must never be seen to select which political leaders deserved their religious counsel.
Ms Kapata however said the ruling party was happy with the three Church mother bodies, the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (ZEC) for schooling political parties on the need to end political violence.
She said the PF had remained resolute on its campaign against violence and that was why President Edgar Lungu had shown the way by decreeing that those engaged in violence would be expelled from the ruling party apart from facing the wrath of the law.
“We know that there is always a danger that some church leaders can easily abandon their religious calling and align themselves to some political parties. But our plea is that church leaders must avoid falling into the temptation of openly aligning themselves to political parties.
‘‘It is our fervent hope that church leaders will not be politically compromised during this election year because their flock belongs to different political parties. We are however shocked that some church leaders accepted to have lunch with one opposition political party leader,” Ms Kapata said.
And Ms Kapata said President Lungu had remained the most favourite in the August general elections because the PF through the Head of State had delivered to the disappointment of the opposition.
She said as the PF elections chairperson, she was determined to make sure the PF was retained into power and that she would never disappoint the party and the Head of State.
PF Deputy General Mumbi Phiri makes her point during a PF Youth Rally at Freedom Park
HAKAINDE Hichilema will be caged if he is going to attempt to cause anarchy and chaos by rejecting the outcome of the August 11 general elections to make Zambia ungovernable, the Patriotic Front (PF) has warned.
The PF was reacting to Forum for Democracy and Development president Edith Nawakwi who claimed that Mr Hichilema, who is UPND president, was not going to accept the outcome of the August 11 general elections if he lost.
Ms Nawakwi accused Mr Hichilema of already acting as head of State.
PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri said Zambia has had peaceful and fair elections since reverting to plural politics in 1991 and that its leadership transition had always been peaceful and smooth and it would be unacceptable for any one citizen to attempt to plunge the country into chaos.
Mrs Phiri said Mr Hichilema claimed victory in the January 2015 presidential election long before the counting of the ballots could be concluded and that the opposition leader should avoid the temptation declare himself winner of the August general elections because that would not only be a breach of the electoral laws but would be fanning anarchy in the country.
She said in an interview that Zambia was bigger than any individual citizen and that Mr Hichilema should avoid psyching his followers that he (Hichilema) was the ultimate winner of the coming general elections because there were many other contenders in the race.
Mrs Phiri said the popularity of the UPND was dwindling and that the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) was gaining dominance in the regions where the opposition political party once enjoyed supremacy.
Mrs Mumbi said Government was not going to allow any politician including Mr Hichilema to cause confusion and that whichever leader was going to incite his or her followers to cause political consternation by refusing to accept defeat would have to face the wrath of the law.
“Mr Hichilema has been acting as if he has already won the presidency of this country but let him be prepared to accept the results of the general elections when he loses. Even in the January 2015 general elections, Mr Hichilema claimed victory long before the last ballot could be counted. But this time, let him know that he will not be allowed to cause anarchy and chaos by rejecting the outcome of the election so that the country can be ungovernable. Mr Hichilema is just an individual and he will be tamed after the general elections,” Mrs Phiri said. She stated that the PF has been praying for peaceful, free and fair elections and that God was not going to abandon Zambia because he was going to give Zambians a leader of their choice. Mrs Mumbi said in 2015, Zambia had no direction as the country during the transition after the death of Michael Sata but with God’s intervention, Zambians went through and had a new President in Edgar Lungu smoothly and without any upheavals.
She said the PF had gained a lot of support since President Lungu was elected and that the ruling party was overwhelmed with the number of aspiring candidates wishing to stand on the ruling party’s ticket.
She stated that in Southern Province, the PF was having an average of four aspiring candidates expressing interest to contest the parliamentary election and that President Lungu was going to get the best MPs in the coming election.
“We are now concentrating our efforts in the UPND strongholds and we shall make sure we get right into their ‘bed rooms’ and get the maximum votes from them. So Zambians should not be worried that there shall be chaos after the general elections,” Mrs Phiri said.
MAMPI MUKAPE is one of Zambia’s top artists. She has numerous hit singles and has performed in many countries around the world. she is more than a diva & talent, she is an overcomer. Get inspired by her life story.
“I loved singing from a very tender age.I sung in church every Sunday until The age of 13.When I lost my mother that’s when my life started changing,things where not the same because this affected us n dad even more,had no one to talk to as a teenager,nobody to buy me cloths and other little necessities at this time I missed my mother dearly but I knew she was not coming back.my father was devastated his only friend was mum and he could not understand and provide me with all the little things a young girl would need,I had nobody to guide me…a few years down the line my father and young brother were murdered,i became a double orphan at 16 years old…had no one to pay for my school so I could further my education,had no one to talk to other than my friends,things got real bad for me,I was so bitter with life coming from a comfortable family and losing everything just like that it was hard for me,had nowhere to sleep ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys if I was a reckless girl this is when I would have lost it and opted to prostitution because it was the toughest time of my life, I slept in the garden a couple of times I could go a day or two without food but I held on to one thing prayer and it gave me hope until my friend and her sister took me in,and I still thank God for them.I told myself I can not go on like this I need to get up and do something with my life and that’s when I started going to the studio, I used to walk from kabwata to chelston and back everyday,until my music started playing on radio but even then I performed for free for about a year or two because I was passionate about what I was doing hence gaining experience…then came Danny Kaya who actually gave my music direction through his advice from the dancehall music to the image that includes my stage costumes and stage presence and slowly my life started changing”
?#?share? mampi’s story and motivate some African girl that it is possible.?#?africa4he
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
The Lusaka High Court has upheld the decision of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal allowing the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to fine Mama Africa Enterprise Limited 0.1 percent of its Annual Turnover for displaying a disclaimer on a receipt contrary to section 48(1) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act no 24 of 2010 (the Act).
The court clarified that putting a disclaimer on a receipt was tantamount to displaying it; as such Mama Africa contravened section 48 (1) of the Act and should therefore pay the fine.
CCPC Director for Legal and Corporate Affairs Maureen Mwanza, said in this matter a fine was imposed by the Commission on Mama Africa for displaying a disclaimer on a receipt.
Mama Africa appealed the Commission’s decision in its entirety to the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, which
Mrs Mwanza said that the enterprise further appealed the decision of the Tribunal to the High Court which in turn upheld the Tribunal’s decision.
Mrs Mwanza said the Commission wishes to convey a word of caution to traders across the country that the Commission would not hesitate to fine any enterprise that would be found abrogating the law by curtailing consumer rights and denying consumers remedies that they were legally entitled to.
“We would like to warn enterprises which take to engaging in such unfair trading practices as display of disclaimers be it on receipts or any other conspicuous place that such conduct constitute an offence punishable by law,” she said.
She said that offenders would be subjected to punitive measures as outlined in the Competition and Consumer Protection Act.
Mrs Mwanza appealed to members of the public to be vigilant and ensure that they check for disclaimers as they engage in day to day business.
Valeni Dour is a 24 year old model, actress and upcoming designer. She plays the role of Monde in the Zambezi Magic hit series “fever”. Her main goal is to motivate the younger generation to be bold, so that they can make a difference.
KAPA187: Most people know you as Monde from the hit TV series ‘fever’. How did you get into acting?
Valeni Dour: My first time acting for an audience professionally was during the Dettol “hand wash” campaign, two years ago. It was such a fun experience. I got to play ‘Germy Jane’ in a short skit meant to teach children the importance of washing hands. We did the skit for 30 different schools. The kids loved it and from that point I knew I wanted to entertain.
KAPA187: Tell us about the character, Monde, and how you got the role?
Valeni Dour: Monde, who is Taonga’s wife in the show; she is an honest character I feel. Not much goes right for her. The fairytale she wishes for doesn’t come to reality. She really does go through an emotional roller-coaster. Becky (the director of ‘fever’) once told me that it was my eyes, that’s what got the role. The ability to show emotion through my eyes.
KAPA187: How have you and the rest of the cast and crew of ‘Fever’, felt about the overwhelmingly positive response the series is getting from the viewers?
Valeni Dour: It’s been amazing hearing from the public and listening to what they think of the show. It really is motivating. It’s given us the drive to do better in season two.
Valeni with ‘Fever’ cast members
KAPA187: The season finale of ‘fever’ ended with a cliff hanger. Many fans of the series are excitedly waiting for season 2. When could we get to see the new season?
Valeni Dour: I can’t make any promises on when season 2 will air. But I promise we will be back, bigger, better and with more drama. It will be worth the wait!
KAPA187: The Zambian film industry is still in its infancy, what in your opinion, needs to be done to take it to the next level?
Valeni Dour: Firstly we in the industry need to support each other and work together, our only competition should be with other countries not each other. Secondly our goals should be to create quality not quantity. And lastly established artist need to start giving back, so that the communities can value and appreciate our trade.
KAPA187: Is there anything you learnt about yourself whilst working on ‘Fever’?
Valeni Dour: I never knew that I could have another family outside my own. ‘Fever’ has blessed me with a special kind of family, full of crazy, fun and creative beings. I’ve learnt so much from them. I never knew I could open up to a bunch of strangers as easily as I did with the Fever cast and crew. The reason being they are all so awesome it makes it easy.
KAPA187: Apart from being an actress, you are also a model. What inspired you to get into modeling?
Valeni Dour: My older cousin Melissa used to model in pageants, I always looked up to her. My Aunty Beauty would always dress us the same, everywhere she went I went. I was her personal mini me, ironically we share the same birthday. So it wasn’t really a surprise when I follow down the same path.
KAPA187: Do you feel it is better for models to work with an agency or freelance?
Valeni Dour: I think it really doesn’t matter. If you don’t know you’re self-value, don’t have the passion, the drive or the work ethic you won’t go far. You just have to remember, when it comes to agencies, you’re not the only one. Being in an agency is a constant competition; you have to be at your best always so that you get ahead of everyone else. Being freelance means you have to put in twice the work. Meaning you have to look for your own gigs and also find time to maintain yourself. No time to sit and relax. It all depends on you; can you trust someone else to make your dreams come true?
KAPA187: In Zambia, non-traditional jobs such as acting and modeling are at times, not taken seriously. Whereas in the western world people are able to make a comfortable living with them. Why do you think that is the case and what can be done to change the perception?
Valeni Dour: It really comes down to lack of knowledge. If you don’t know much about something, you won’t understand it and all you’ll do is assume. There are a lot of people living comfortably on non-traditional jobs it’s just not publicized as much. Non-traditional jobs are just the same as traditional jobs, the harder you work the farther you go. The only way you can change this perception is by educating people. What would your life be without Music, TV, fashionable clothing, and entertainment places to go to on the weekend? Do you know the amount of work that goes into making it all possible?
KAPA187: You are also an upcoming designer tell us more about that, and where you see yourself in the next 5 years.
Valeni Dour: I love to create and I love fashion, I’m slowly perfecting the art of putting a garment together, I’ve done a few pieces, for example the black and red dress I wore for the “Fever’ premier. In the next 5 years I want to be on an international level. I want to be even closer to God, to be married, happy and financially stable enough to give back to my community.
‘Fever’ premier
KAPA187: What advice would you give to a younger person who wishes to have a career in the film industry or fashion industry?
Valeni Dour: I would say, be daring, be bold, be unique and be fearless, that’s when you will get noticed. But always remember to be humble and grateful to the people around you, that’s when you will be appreciated.
KAPA187: Tell us a fun fact about yourself that not many people know.
Valeni Dour: I get excited every time I see an Audi, it doesn’t matter the make. Zein thinks it’s the funniest thing.
KAPA187: Any last words …
Valeni Dour: To all the creative people out there don’t be afraid to use your God given talents to change the world in some way for the better. And always remember to give back.
I note with concern the lack of a clear strategy by the government on how they intend to repay the Eurobond. The only thing the government announced last December was a creation of a sinking fund. Until now we do not know how much has been raised and what has been paid back towards the bond.
Today, the interest rates are at their highest in more than a decade and our inflation has gone haywire. In short our government is broke and nobody is talking about the Eurobond as a major concern. The government is living beyond its means and those close to power are too comfortable to notice that our economy is collapsing.
Just to provide some background regarding this situation. Of all the governments that have been in power, we have accumulated more debt in the last 5 years than ever before. This is also owing to the fact that the country’s economy is under intense pressure from global factors. At the point of leaving office, Dr. Kaunda left a debt of USD 7.1 billion which was inherited by the MMD. President Chiluba left USD 5.6 billion, late president Mwanawasa left 2.6 billion, president Banda left only USD 0.5 billion, late president Sata left USD 7 billion for the 3 years he was in power and finally the current debt stands at USD 9 billion under president Lungu. So far the PF has not demonstrated any willingness to pay off the debt as it was with the MMD when for former ruling party formed government.
In the recent past the PF government issued Eurobonds of USD 750 million at 5.38 percent interest per annum, followed by USD 1 billion at 8.5 percent interest per annum and USD 1.2 billion at 9.74 percent interest per annum. This means that our minister of finance needs to find USD 247 million per annum or USD20.6 per month to service the debt with just these 3 loans. The current debt the country has means that every Zambian citizen including children has a debt of approximately USD 800 that we need to pay.
Our inflation rate on food today stands at nearly 26 percent and it is expected to worsen by further 7 percent by the time we get to the last quarter of 2016. The salaries for civil servants and those in private companies have not been increased to match with the increase in inflation rates. This means that most people’s salaries have been reduced by about 26 percent in real terms. Taxes on the other hand have not been reduced to cushion the impact of current economic recession.
The amount of money our government has borrowed has put our treasury under serious financial stress. Our government is currently borrowing without caring about how the debt will be paid back. What is even more painful is that most of these loan proceeds went to road construction projects with contracts awarded to foreign companies (mostly Chinese). This means that the majority of this debt has left our country in payments to road contractors. I may not be wrong to conclude that Zambia is borrowing to develop China and again we go back to China and ask for assistance. Our country will for a long time continue servicing the debt that has actually gone to further develop China.
Our national services is well positioned to do these roads and ensure that the funds for road construction remain in our country to deal with the increasing poverty levels currently standing at 76 percent. Our universities produce engineers but we do not make use of the skills acquired.
One would have thought that when we are at the brink, we would see the bigger picture, be humbled by the reality and live up to our responsibilities. This reality should be reason enough to promote unity among political players to bring about solutions in the interest of Zambia. In the meantime however, both the opposition and ruling PF have not shown leadership in trying to come up with solutions, but instead they divert our attention by blowing petty issues out of proportion.
It is upon the president to ensure that confidence returns among the Zambian people and to the Zambian economy. President Lungu MUST provide a clear road map to put Zambia on the path to sustainable and equitable growth. At a point like this, the opposition should stand ready to support measures that will steady the economy and avoid unnecessary criticism. As citizens we must also be ready to support a growth strategy that takes Zambia where it belongs. We should demand a plan that creates a convergence; with productivity, job creation, fairness and inclusivity at the centre of our growth agenda. President Lungu should provide Zambians with a credible course for a stronger and better future.
The PF must show Zambians that they care. The government must think of the families thrown into uncertainty because their bread winners, serving our country in civil service cannot be paid on time. Think of the thousands of suppliers of goods and services to your government whose businesses are collapsing because they have not been paid.
The PF must tell the Zambian people where there are taking us and how they intend to get us out of poverty. They should not wreck the nation, otherwise the ending will be a bad one. The PF must take responsibility and should not underestimate the urgency of the situation Zambia faces. Do not underestimate your imperative to act. Please get up, report on duty and sort out the mess.
UNZA students are currently mobilizing at monk square
HIGHER Education Minister Michael Kaingu is this week expected to appoint a committee to determine the University of Zambia (UNZA)’s readiness to reopen.
Government closed UNZA and the Copperbelt University (CBU) on February 3, this year, following days of violent demonstrations by students over delayed payment of meal allowances.
Dr Kaingu, however, announced in Parliament that the two institutions were scheduled to reopen on April 10, this year, subject to meeting conditions that Government set to both managements.
Among some stipulated conditions were, strict enforcement of the use of students’ identity cards and installation of floodlights, security cameras and provision of communication radios to security officers.
Higher Education public relations officer Chiselwa Kawanda disclosed that Dr Kaingu was expected to unveil a committee this week to determine UNZA’s readiness to reopen.
Ms Kawanda said in an interview that the committee would strictly determine the fulfilment of the benchmarks set by the ministry before the reopening day.
“The minister (Dr Kaingu) is expected to announce a committee either tomorrow (today) or on Tuesday this week to determine UNZA’s readiness to reopen and see if all conditions set up have been met,” she said.
Ms Kawanda said the establishment of a committee to oversee the fulfillment of the benchmarks for UNZA was similar to that of CBU.
Government last week appointed a five-member committee to determine the CBU’s readiness to reopen.
The committee members were Higher Education Permanent Secretary Owen Mgemezulu, bursaries committee secretary Ireen Chirwa, Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe, the CBU chaplain and Copperbelt Police chief Charity Katanga.
The committee would prepare a report and recommendations to Government on whether the two universities had fulfilled the conditions and were ready to reopen.
MORE than 500 defectors from the United Party for National Development (UPND) to the Patriotic Front (PF) in Central Province have accused their former party leaders of betraying them thus leaving them with no option but to leave.
UPND Chibefwa Ward chairperson Kabinda Foloko said in Mkushi yesterday when he led the 520 defectors that there was hope in the PF.
Mr Foloko, however, said he would not give further reasons as to why he and his fellow defectors had left the opposition party.
He said exposing the defects in the opposition camp at this point would only make the UPND work out modalities of enticing those that wanted to leave.
“I have decided to leave the UPND with 520 members of the Chibefwe Ward after seeing a number of challenges in our former party, but I cannot disclose for now the main reason, because if I do the opposition party will find strategies of beating us,” he said.
According to him, women and youths in the UPND had been complaining for a long time of poor leadership and accusing position holders of being selfish.
Mr Foloko said he was still in talks with youths from the opposition party who equally felt betrayed by their leaders and wanted to join the PF.
He said about 1,200 UPND members from Itawa Ward had also indicated that they would join the PF.
“We are still having talks with about 1,200 UPND members who may join the party soon, along with us. We just have to wind up some talks with them,” he said.
Mkushi PF district chairperson Kunda Ngosa said it was clear that the youth and women from the opposition had realised the true leadership of President Edgar Lungu hence their decision to join the ruling party.
Mr Ngosa said it was worth pointing out that the PF had widened its catch and remained on course for another electoral victory in August.
He called on the youth in the district and around the country to embrace the leadership of President Lungu and support him to victory.
ZESCO spokesperson Henry Kapata (right) talks to a client at his firm’s pavilion yesterday during the ongoing eighth Southern Tourism, Agricultural and Commercial Show Society (STACSS) in Livingstone
THE World Bank and European Investment Bank financed US$100 million upgrade of the Zesco transmission line from Kafue to Livingstone is expected to commence today.
This is in a bid to help cushion the current power deficit.
Zesco spokesperson, Henry Kapata said the project would see the power transmission line upgraded from the current 220 to 330 kilovolts to enable it carry about 665 megawatts of power, which would be generated from the thermal plant in Maamba, Southern Province.
Mr Kapata said the project would be completed in 21 days and assured that by June, there would be stable power supply and reduced power shortages in various parts of Zambia.
He said in an interview yesterday that the current 220-kilovolt transmission line would not be able to accommodate the power to be generated from the Maamba thermal plant until it had been upgraded.
“Zesco will today commence the upgrading of the 220-kilovolt transmission line from Kafue to Livingstone. This is a $100 million project funded by the World Bank, European investment Bank and Government.
Once the project is completed, it will help reduce load-shedding countrywide,” Mr Kapata said.
He said the other idea behind the project was to provide reliability of power supply and quality services to customers.
Mr Kapata said the project would not only benefit the people in Southern Province, but would cater for the whole country.
“This project is important to us as a power utility company, because once completed, it will benefit people in all the provinces. As you are aware, Maamba thermal plant has plans to generate up to 600 megawatts of power. With the current 220-kilovolt power line transmission it cannot be accommodated. So we thought of upgrading it to 330 kilovolts,” Mr Kapata said.
He said Zesco was dedicated to ensuring a stable supply of power amidst the power deficit, which had rippled through most of the sub-Saharan region.
Ambassador Schultz
US Ambassador to Zambia Eric Schultz has said his country is not interfering in Zambia’s politics ahead of general elections in August, but will support a credible electoral process.
Mr Schultz said the US did not have a preferred candidate in the forthcoming elections.
This is according to a report posted on the US Embassy of Zambia Facebook page depicting an interview Mr Schultz gave the Bulletin and Record.
“We have no preference for one candidate or one party. We support the (electoral) process,” he said.
Mr Schultz said he was interested to see an election process that was credible, because credibility was one way of avoiding disputes over election results.
He said he believed in talking to all stakeholders in the country for him to understand Zambia better.
Mr Schultz said the new provision in the Constitution to get 50 per cent plus one vote increased the legitimacy of the outcome of an election.
He encouraged political groups to engage in meaningful dialogue.
The US envoy also said that violence had no place in a democracy, hence political parties should encourage tolerance among their members.
Mr Schultz further said it was easy to be optimistic about the future of the country’s economy.
This was because Zambia was stable, had rich democratic credentials and vibrant young entrepreneurs.
Mr Schultz said Zambia should invest in a well-managed education sector to attain a bright future for the economy.
He said Zambia was well-positioned to emerge as one of Africa’s growing economies if it successfully diversified to agriculture and tourism.
Energy Regulations Board (ERB) offices
Board (ERB) has taken stern measures to guarantee smooth supply of fuel in various parts of the country.
One of these measures is a warning to filling stations that are hoarding fuel and only serving account holders.
The board has also assured the nation that measures are currently in place to normalise fuel supply in the country.
ERB public relations manager, Kwali Mfuni said in a statement yesterday that filling stations that were in the habit of hoarding products and only serving account holders were doing so contrary to their licence conditions.
“During periods of scarcity, ERB is cautioning filling stations that are in the habit of hoarding products and only serving account holders, that this is a violation of their licence conditions,” Ms Mfuni said.
The licence conditions state that the licensee shall not hoard petroleum products, nor show undue preference to, or exercise undue discrimination against any particular persons or people of any class or description as regards any aspect of the provision of petroleum products or any service under the licence.
Ms Mfuni also said the ERB had received reports that some fuel attendants were taking advantage of perceived fuel shortages by refusing to sell to motorists in preference for vendors from whom they were soliciting payment.
“The ERB is aware of an incident in Mazabuka where an attendant refused to refuel vehicles of motorists, but instead sold to consumers with containers at K10,” she said.
Illegal fuel vendors were allegedly selling a five-litre container at K100, which is double the normal price.
The ERB will take enforcement action against Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) whose employees are involved in the practice.
Ms Mfuni urged the public to be vigilant and report such malpractices to the ERB or call on toll free line 8080.
The ERB assured the nation that measures to normalise the national fuel supply had also been put in place.
The board is, therefore, appealing for an end to the unnecessary speculation of fuel shortages, which could create anxiety and consequently result in panic-buying.
Ms Mfuni said the ERB had continued to monitor the fuel supply situation as stocks rolled into the country.
She said the stock levels had shown a steady improvement mainly owing to the Government authorising OMCs to import refined products and the recent availability of feedstock at Indeni Petroleum Refinery.
This would complement the importation of petroleum products which has always been done by the Government.
The Government has also suspended customs duty on diesel and petrol.
