The Law Association of Zambia has said that it will refer the case of the two Lusaka Girls, who were painted at Jet Stores after being suspected of Shoplifting, to the Legal Aid Clinic for Women so that a consideration for commencing action to claim for damages is commenced.
In a statement made available to the Media, LAZ also called upon the law enforcement agencies to lay criminal assault charges against the perpetrators.
Below is LAZ’s full statement
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to visit 2017 Africa Cup hosts Gabon.
Infantino is currently on a three-day trip to Africa with his first stop begin Juba, South Sudan, the first FIFA member nation he is officially visiting since his election in February.
Ethiopia and Benin will be Infantino’s other stops.
CAN 2017 organizing committee said in a statement that Infantino will be in Gabon on Friday to witness the launch of next years tournament mascot.
“Recently elected president of the International Football Federation (FIFA), Gianni Infantino will travel to Franceville this Friday, March 25th 2016, in order to attend the launch of the official mascot of the CAN 2017, on the occasion of the game between Gabon and Sierra Leone counting for the 3rd day of qualifying for the CAN 2017, the final phase is scheduled in Gabon from 14th of January to 5th of February 2017,” the statement read.
“Gianni Infantino is very attached to the African continent, and wishes to honour by his presence the hosting nation of the next CAN 2017.
“Gabon is proud to welcome him in his new position and to present the official mascot of the CAN 2017, which officially launches preparations for the 31th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.”
THE University Teaching Hospital (UTH) is spending over K100,000 a week to provide oxygen for patients on life support after the institution’s oxygen plant broke down more than two weeks ago.
UTH public relations manager Mwenya Mulenga said the US$900,000 oxygen plant commissioned two years ago had been out of order, forcing the largest health institution in Zambia to procure the life-saving gas from commercial gas suppliers at high cost.
He said the plant has not been adequately serviced since its installation, causing damage to some essential parts which have resulted in the breakdown, which has also affected oxygen supply to other hospitals across the country.
“Yes, the oxygen plant has been out of order for over two weeks and we are now using oxygen cylinders which we acquire from gas companies for about K100,000-plus for a week’s supply.
“The service was overdue and some parts got damaged, but previously, the suppliers from South Africa were periodically called in to carry out maintenance works.
That has not happened since sometime last year and that has resulted in the breakdown,” he said.
He explained that UTH management should have entered into concession agreement for periodic servicing of the oxygen plant at the time of installation but instead there was just periodic maintenance works carried out until sometime last year.
Mr Mulenga said the equipment had not been serviced for almost one year, exceeding the recommended periodic service and repair which has resulted in the breakdown.
The over 1,800-bed capacity health facility was the largest hospital in Zambia and provided the much needed oxygen gas to other public hospitals countrywide at a subsidized price who were now forced to buy it at commercial rate.
He however said the Ministry of Health had released funds towards the repair of the plant but could not state when the works could commence.
And UTH has confirmed reports that it was laying off over 300 casual workers in line with the new labour law against casualization.
Mr Mulenga said although the hospital was in dire need of extra hands, the law of casualization had forced them to take drastic action against workers engaged on a temporal basis mostly non-clinical staff.He said there were a lot of gaps in the staffing levels at the institution, and laying off casuals would adversely affect the operation of the health facility in maintenance, cleaning and clinical and technical departments.
“Come March 31, 2016, the hospital is laying off about 300 casual workers from different departments in line with the new law against casualization.
“It will definitely strain the hospitals operations because there are a lot of gaps to fill in the staff levels which was why we (UTH) engaged casuals to try and fill up the shortfalls,” he said.
Mr Mulenga however disclosed that management was in consultations with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labour on what options they could have to retain some casual workers in critical areas of the facility.
“We are still in consultation with ministries of Health and of Labour on possible guidelines which would help us retain some workers without affecting most sensitive departments which are very critical.
“For us to get casuals means the areas they are covering are critical and laying them off will mean creating deficits in staffing,” he said.
He said already, the hospital was short-staffed with both clinical and non-clinical staff levels operating at a minimum, but was hopeful the Government would work out something to avoid a crisis.
Zambian forward Christopher ‘Jancker’ Musonda has confirmed that he will be leaving Botswana Premier League side Nico United this June due to a row over wages.
Musonda is one of the regular scorers at Nico, a club he joined in January 2015 on a two-year contract from Napsa Stars.
The club is reported to be facing financial challenges owing to inadequate support from their sponsors BCL Mine.
“I am coming home (Zambia) in June. My team Nico United is not playing me on time. I have not been paid for three months now,” Musonda told Lusaka Times from Botswana.
The 30-year old player has scored more than eight goals in the current 2015-2016 season.
“I have received offers from other clubs here in Botswana but I just want to come back home. I want to rejoin Forest Rangers,” he said.
Musonda has played for RoPS in Finland, Power Dynamos and Afrisport as well.
George Lwandamina is disappointed his charges could not pick up the 3 points against Congo-Brazzaville on Wednesday.
Zambia threw away a 1-0 second half lead to finish 1-1 at home against Congo in the two sides’ 2017 Africa Cup Group E qualifier played at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The result left Zambia still second in Group E but tied with Congo on 5 points with an inferior goal difference against the latter.
“Definitely we cannot be happy with the draw, everyone wanted a win,” Lwandamina said.
“I am sure the players are also not happy so it will be a motivating factor that will drive us from this game.
“The main objective is we qualify to the finals and having said that I am sure we are still on course.”
Winston Kalengo put Zambia ahead on the hour mark before Jordan Massengo equalized in the 76th minute.
The draw left Zambia still in 2nd place and tied with leaders Congo on 5 points who have a superior goal difference.
Zambia head to Brazzaville on Friday ahead of Sunday’s final leg of their Group E doubleheader to decide the leadership in Group E heading into June’s penultimate round of matches.
The Patriotic Front (PF) government says it has very much recognised Western Province through the appointment of Inonge Wina as Vice President.
Minister of Higher Education, Michael Kaingu, said this yesterday at Mongu Community Hall in Western Province when he welcomed 650 defectors from various opposition parties to the Patriotic Front.
Dr Kaingu said people should rally behind a dedicated leader like his President Edgar Lungu who is as hard working as can be seen by the number of projects and developmental programmes being implemented in Western Province.
And speaking at the same function a United Party For National Development (UPND) defector said the ruling party had done a lot for the province, adding that there is no reason to continue being in the opposition.
Dr Kaingu is expected to tour Senanga, Sioma, Shangombo and Mwandi districts during his nine days visit to Western Province.
UPND President Hakainde Hichilema says his party will reduce the retirement age from 65 years to 55 once elected in to office.
Mr Hichilema said the people of Zambia have all agreed that the retirement age should be at 55 years and that his party will do exactly that because people would be too tired to run their own business if they wished to do so after their retirement if it remains at 65.
He added that his party will not only reduce the retirement age but that his government will also pay retirees their benefits in time and avoid what has been the norm of retirees dying before getting their packages.
“UPND will reduce the retirement age to 55 that’s what Zambians want, that’s the unions want, that’s what citizens want, you don’t want to retire somebody when they are 65 they are tired. You want to retire somebody when they are 55 so that they can switch from employment to running a business, they will still have energy then we will support them. Give us your vote then we will take this retirement age from 65 to 55, it is commonly agreed in our country.
“When people retire we will pay them their retirement package on time, we will plan and pay them on time these days somebody retires they die before they get their retirement benefits we want to match the two, retirement age and then paying them their benefits,” he said.
A Copperbelt University Lecturer says the country’s economic challenges can only be resolved by understanding what has caused the current economic crisis in the country..
Lubinda Habazoka who is the head of the economics department at CBU said there has been a number of inconstancies in the governance of the country which has contributed to the downfall of the country’s economy.
Mr Habazoka has since called for an anti economic crisis committee to be established so as to help deal with the economic crisis the country is going through.
Below is a statement issued to the media by Mr Habazoka.
It is quiet evident that the economic crisis in Zambia that has been building up in the past few years has reached a level where we need a national anti economic crisis committee. Effective commercial lending rates have reached 40% from 13% in 2012, inflation is at 22.5% from 6.4% in 2012, government foreign debt stock has increased from $1.2bn in 2011 to over $10bn in 2016.
The country has also experienced massive electricity load load shedding despite government investing over a billion dollars in the last four years in the sector.
The country is currently experiencing fuel and mealie shortages a trend common only in the 1980s. Zambia has also seen its currency loosing value by 300% in the last 5 years. Where in 2011 1USD = ZMW4.8 now 2016 a Dollar is fetching ZMW11.4.
Zambia has also seen a huge budget deficit that has led to delays in salary payments for government workers especially in quasi government institutions. For the first time after independence, government has decided a scrap off meal allowances for university students a serious blow to the country’s aim of fighting illiteracy.
The major consequences of the mentioned challenges in Zambia is the eradication of the important middle class which will lead to increased poverty. Energy problems will also shrink Zambia’s economy as companies will be unable to produce goods because of the high cost of doing business.
The recent eviction of stores in Zambia’s levy junction shopping mall is a clear testimony that citizens no longer have money because the evicted stores depend on shoppers for income. In order for us to find solutions to the many challenges we are facing, there is need for us to know the major causes of these problems and these are:
I. Global commodity prices
II. Careless government borrowing
III. Inconsistent Government economic polices like the mine tax regime, lending rate caps, ever changing import and export procedures etc,
IV. Corruption in government tendering system
V. Poor management because of infusing carders in sensitive jobs. Poor management is the greatest factor because it is unacceptable to put carders from permanent secretary going down as these have no regard for the system because of the influence they may have in the ruling party. There is need to appoint people based on their ability to perform. Nepotism is also rampant therefore Zambia is unable to use all the talent it has to develop the country.
VI. Misplaced infrastructure development. Infrastructure development in less priority areas can never develop the country. If that development was in form of roads to farm areas, electrification of farm areas, drilling Bole holes at each farm in Zambia, we would have seen Zambia even surpass South Africa in terms of agriculture sector development. But what did we see, township roads to woe votes and doing of roads like Kitwe Ndola that could have waited.
Happy Easter
By Dr. Lubinda Habazoka
Copperbelt University Head of Economics.
The FDD has advised PF Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri to stop comparing the salary of Zambia’s President to that of leaders in developed countries like the UK, Germany and America.
FDD Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza said it is illogical and immoral to justify President Lungu’s salary increment because he is a leader of a poor and debt burdened nation.
“It is illogical and backward thinking for Mumbi Phiri to try to justify Edgar Lungu’s immoral salary increment by comparing the salary of Edgar Lungu who is a President of a poor, broke, debt burdened and underdeveloped country called Zambia to the salary of Presidents of developed countries such as America, Germany and UK,” he said.
He said Ms Phiri should also tell the nation about other variables such as the GDPs of the countries she is trying to use in her justification of the President’s salary increment.
“We challenge Mumbi Phiri to also tell the nation what the GDP and per capita income of America, UK, Germany are. Let her also tell us the development index and poverty levels of the UK, USA and Germany. She should also inform us about the inflation rates, the cost of living the unemployment rates including the state of the health, education and manufacturing sectors in these countries.
“Is Mumbi Phiri not the same person who has been blaming the global economy for Zambia’s own underdevelopment? If she wants to make those comparisons, we want to challenge her to tell her boss, Edgar Lungu to reduce the prices of fuel since the oil prices are at the lowest in USA, Germany and UK,” he said.
He added “It is now clear why Edgar Lungu has been such a disaster because of the warped thinking of his closest advisers and confidants such as Mumbi Phiri. Surely with this kindergarten type of thinking where can Zambia go.”
Ms Phiri justified the salary increment for the President on a Watsapp group discussion platform for journalists when she posted the the message below.
Here are some Salaries of Heads of States:
Barack Obama USA - $32,916.00 per month
Angela Merkel Germany - $26,100.00 per month
Vladimir Putin, Russia - $26,100.00 per month
David Cameron, UK - $16,875.00 per month
Abdul Fattah Al Sisi, Egypt - $6,000.00 per month
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia - $7,500.00 per month
Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe - $9,000.00 per month
Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya - $13,043.00 per month
Edgar Lungu, Zambia - $3,100 per month
Meanwhile, the FDD says it will attend the indaba on political violence so that its party President can have an opportunity to educate President Lungu on how to stop the scourge.
Party Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza who described the indaba as a waste of tax payers money said it was only President Lungu who had the powers to end political violence being perpetrated by supporters of his party and that the opposition FDD will only attend the conference so that its leader can have an opportunity to lecture President Lungu on how to end the scourge.
Mr Mwanza said President Nawakwi has been a shining example on the country’s political scene as she has demonstrated that a leader can run a political party without violence, intimidation nor threats.
“President Edith Nawakwi has been a shining example and if we are going to attend that conference as FDD we will do so in order to give President Edith Nawakwi an opportunity to lecture President Edgar Lungu on how to end political violence because she has demonstrated that she can run a political party in a peaceful, mature and loving manner. We will attend that conference only to give an opportunity to educate President Edgar Lungu over issues of political violence.
“We want him to take a leaf from President Edith Nawakwi who has demonstrated over the years that she can run a political party without any form of intimidation, threats or violence. FDD has been a shining example on the Zambian political scene that we can do politics without beating each other, without threatening each other, that we can do politics by simply advising each other and debating on national issues. Giving clear guidelines on what we should do as a country to move out of poverty, create jobs and ensure that our youths are able to go to school and people are able to go to a clinic at find medicine,” he said.
He said there was no need for people to have an indaba to discuss the violence of the PF when President Lungu can stop his cadres by simply giving clear instructions to them.
He also said the call was one of President Lungu’s gimmicks to hoodwink Zambians into believing that he is against political violence.
“The call by his Excellency President Edgar Lungu for a round table meeting to go and discuss political violence is not genuine and is just another gimmick by his Excellency to try and hoodwink the people of Zambia in to believing that he is against political violence.If the President was serious with the issue of violence he alone can end that today, he is the President of PF, he is the President of the republic of Zambia and no body but himself President Edgar Lungu can end the violence by the PF supporters, by the PF cadres. It will only take him to issue clear instructions to end violence.
“We don’t need to all come round a table and sit to talk about the violence of the PF because the PF itself has to end that violence and the only person who can end that violence is President Edgar Lungu. Let us not be wasting people’s time, let us stop wasting tax payers money having useless academic indabas over violence. We challenge President Lungu to stop the violence by his own cadres in his own party the PF,” he said.
President Lungu has called for national indaba to find lasting solutions to end political violence in the country.
Bobby East released the video for his latest single “Next to you”
The video was directed by Qbick and Lawdak of N.X.T solutions .
BY KAPA187
Wezi and Mumba Yachi release duet entitled “Umung’o”. The song is produced by James Sakala.
Umung’o is a Bemba word that means thief. The song speaks about broken hearts of two ancient lovers from Rhodesia. How they lost themselves while they were together. The woman is complaining about the man who took almost everything from her including her own pride. The man is complaining about the unpleasant deeds by the woman but despite the pain they both wish God’s blessings on each other, in the name of love. Time will heal their wounds.
Umung’o was composed by James Sakala, Mumba Yachi, Musubila Mupangwe and Wezi.
Download the song HERE
BY KAPA187
MOVEMENT for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Lunte Member of Parliament (MP) Felix Mutati has appealed to the Supreme Court against the ruling by the High Court to allow his expulsion from the party.
Mr Mutati has argued that the failure by Judge Mwamba Chanda to grant him the relief he was seeking would result in irreparable damage as he would not be able to contest the presidency of the MMD.
It would further destroy his chances of contesting the Republican presidency in the August elections.
He filed in four grounds of appeal arguing that Ms Justice Chanda erred in law and fact when she refused to grant him the relief of an injunction based on the fact that there was nothing to restrain as he had already been expelled.
Mr Mutati said the decision of the judge was wrong because the relief he was seeking in the statement of claim was that of demanding for the exercise of his right to call for a convention, which relief if not granted would result in irreparable damage as he would be unable to contest the presidency of the MMD, therefore denying him an opportunity to contest the 2016 presidential elections.
Mr Mutati also argued that Ms Justice Chanda’s refusal to grant him the injunction was contrary to the provisions of Article 72 (5) of the Constitution of Zambia as amended by the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act number 2 of 2016.
He said the amended Constitution allowed him to continue exercising and enjoying his rights as an MMD MP, while the matter of his expulsion or membership of the party was being challenged in the High Court.
Mr Mutati submitted that Ms Justice Chanda erred in law when she refused to grant him the injunction despite the fact that one of the reliefs sought was a declaration that he was a member of the MMD and was entitled to enjoy all the rights of a member of the MMD including the right to contest an election at the convention.
Ms Justice Chanda on Monday refused to restore Mr Mutati’s membership in the MMD, stating she could not restrain something that had already happened.
Lusaka, Zambia, Wednesday, March 23, 2016—Once again, we have been confronted by a screaming headline quoting Mr Hakainde Hichilema, the leader of the United Party for National Development, attempting to distort facts about the salary of the President of the Republic of Zambia.
We are irritated by Mr Hichilema’s unprecedented levels of ignorance exhibited in the said Post Newspaper to conveniently personalize the salary of the Head of State even when he knows that the salary is for the office holder. If he thinks that he will continue to mislead the people of Zambia while we watch, then he has a massive job on his hands. His statement has too many convenient omissions which must not be left unchecked lest they unjustifiably breed hate against the President.
We now know that the intention of Mr Hichilema is to cultivate a seed of hate, discord, dislike and discontent against the government of President Chagwa Lungu by germinating predictable lies for planting in the selected media which are known enemies of peace but this must be done with some level of coordinated thought.
First and foremost, we retain a duty to remind Mr Hichilema that the small percentage salary increment to the President’s salary is a very tiny proportion of the huge amount of money the UPND leader collected after presiding over a highly suspicious privatisation process of the mining companies in Zambia in the 1990s. Mr Hichilema recommended to the previous government to sell the mines at a song and collected huge sums of money for his personal use and walked away.
As a way of laundering his image, Mr Hichilema has now specialized in diverting that blatant diversion of resources by blaming former government officials of being responsible for the process without making effort to explain why this is so. We will not allow him to use those tricks anymore without being marked. I am challenging him to surrender all the money he collected from the privatization process before he can start opening his mouth to mislead the people of Zambia.
That single privatization process alone is responsible for the huge riches Mr Hichilema has amassed and is currently enjoying. We believe he does not have any trace of a moral right condemn a meager salary hike for the office of the President considering his lust for wealth. Mr Hichilema needs to know that the salary of the President accrues to the office and not to the person of Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who is the current President.
When late President Frederick Chiluba purchased a Presidential challenger plane, the opposition and their media distorted the information in a similar fashion without shame. After his death, the plane has been used by four different Heads of State and the same applies to the President’s salary.
The office of the President is very important to the country and the people of Zambia have a responsibility to look after it irrespective of the person occupying it.
Currently, Mr Hichilema does not have any moral right to blame the President over a salary which is even 1 per cent of M Hichilema’s questionable wealth. We are now left to wonder what type of a leader he will make should he assume presidency if honesty is not his portion.
I insist, as a PF member of central committee, that Mr Hichilema should invest a little more in using media space for productive things, if he can. If he thinks he will succeed in detracting President Lungu from running the affairs of this country through such lies, we want to assure Mr Hichilema that the President remains steadfast in governing the country.
Petty politics being employed by Mr Hichilema will not help the UPND ascend to power because they merely bring to the fore the level of dishonest on the part of their leader.
In my view, the next time he attempts to open his mouth to discuss this subject, Mr Hichilema must check his own surroundings and make sure that he is not shooting himself in the foot.
Paul Moonga
Member of the Patriotic Front (PF) Central Committee
Minister of Mines, Christopher Yaluma, says Zambia is politically stable and has assured investors that their investments are safe even when the country goes to elections in August this year.
And the Minister held a meeting with the Oil and Gas Council in the United Kingdom to discuss on how the entity could collaborate with Zambia to explore and extract the vast potential petroleum resources in the country.
During the Zambia Mining Investment Conference held in London on Monday Mr. Yaluma said Zambia has maintained a reputable record of peaceful and democratic elections which makes the country a conducive place for doing business adding that the investment climate in Zambia was characterised by a stable microeconomic and political environment, which guarantee security to investment.
The minister said Zambia was an attractive investment destination that was trying to diversify in various lucrative investment which included tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, energy and mining but that the mining sector has, and will continue, to play a pivotal role in the economic development of the country.
Mr. Yaluma said despite the current challenges prevailing with regards to mining, the industry had continued to record positive growth and there was an increased mineral production, expansion of existing mines and opening of new mines.
He said there was a good working relationship between the Zambian Government and the mining sector as evidenced by the Mining Investment Conference.
The Minister said that Government’s policy is to intensify exploration activities to spur the development of new mines with the aim of creating employment, business opportunities and ultimately contributing to wealth creation adding that the Government recently adopted an articulate mining policy that provides for private sector-led investment in the exploitation of minerals resources meant to secure both returns on investment and significant contribution to the development of Zambia.
Honourable Yaluma also held discussions with Rift Petroleum, a subsidiary of Tower Resources PLC who are already involved in oil and gas exploration in Zambia and are looking to expand their operations.
He also met with Tullow Oil PLC, a major oil exploration company with operations in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, among other African countries and are looking to undertake some oil exploration works in Zambia.
The minister said exploration for oil and gas provides for investment opportunities, adding that results from preliminary exploration works indicated that Zambia had vast potential in petroleum.
He encouraged the companies interested in the oil and gas industry to come to Zambia and explore the huge opportunities unfolding in the sector and that the Zambian Government was committed to facilitating private sector led development of the oil and gas industry in Zambia.
He said the London meeting was a success, and expressed optimism that it would attract more investment into Zambia for the benefit of the people.
“This has been a successful trip. A lot of investors want to invest in Zambia and they are settling for Zambia because the investment climate in Zambia is characterised by a stable macroeconomic environment, stable political system and investment guarantees and security. We had a meeting with Oil and Gas Council here in London and we discussed how we can collaborate on this issue. We want them to help us and connect us to the right people,” the Minister said.
After the meeting honourable. Yaluma had exclusive interviews with some of the world’s top news media that included Bloomberg Magazine, Reuters, Debtwire and the Economist. The Minister featured on BBC Africa Radio and appeared on a live TV programme – BBC Focus on Africa.
The Oil and Gas Council provides a forum where current and arising issues for the oil and gas supply chain can be discussed. It advises the UK Government on the implementation of the industrial strategy for oil and gas as part of the UK’s Industrial Strategy. The Council has 23 members including six Government representatives, one Trade Union representative, 14 industry representatives and two representatives from Oil and Gas UK.
© Lusaka Times
