Police in Kitwe have impounded a truck loaded with 576 by 25kg bags of mealie meal suspected to be destined for resale in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The truck was intercepted along the Kitwe-Chingola road near Nakadoli market in Kitwe.

The Driver of the truck however said the truck was destined for Mbala district where the mealie meal was supposed to be used for brewing opaque beer.

Kitwe District Officer- Commanding Edwin Chisi who confirmed the development to ZANIS today said the police acted after receiving a tip from the District Commissioner’s office and mobilized officers who intercepted and impounded the truck yesterday.

Mr Chisi said the police will not relent in curbing crime especially the smuggling of the staple food into the neighbouring countries.

He said the police have since instituted investigations into the matter to establish full details on the true destination of the truck.

And Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe said government will not tolerant any person bent on exploiting the citizenry.

Mr Kabwe assured the country that his office will issue a statement on the matter when he receives a comprehensive report from the police.

And driver of the truck Mulenga Sinyangwe said the mealie meal was bought from Kapoto market in Kwacha constituency and admitted that he did not have documentation to support the bulk buying of the mealie-meal.

Mr Sinyangwe said the mealie meal was meant for re-selling in Mbala which was hit by the shortage of the staple food for the past three weeks.

He further explained that the mealie-meal belonged to Abercorn Brewery and that it was meant for production of opaque beer.

A check by ZANIS at the District Police offices found a truck registration number ACT 9826 loaded with five hundred and seventy six bags of mealie meal.
The truck is currently parked at police district offices as investigations are still underway.

Smuggling of mealie-meal into neighbouring countries has lately been cited as one of the reasons for the shortage of the staple food in Zambia.

PF Deputy Spokesman Frank Bwalya was on Friday afternoon attacked by suspected UPND cadres at Sky FM Radio in Monze.
He was attacked by three cadres led by a man only known as Lawrence.

Mr Bwalya said in an interview that Lawrence with other two cadres beat him up badly leaving him in pains.

“I had gone to Sky FM radio to do an interview, after that three individuals approached me and beat me up. They have beaten me so badly as if I am a common criminal. It is a party that the UPND thinks it can rule by creating anarchy. I am here at the Police and I am laying charges, I just hope that the culprits are arrested,” Mr Bwalya said.

The incident happened around 16:20 Hours.

On Wednesday, Mr Bwalya issued a statement supporting some PF members who were planning to attack some Journalists at Radio Mano in Kasama for allegedly providing pro-opposition coverage.

PF Mufumbwe MP Stephen Masumba has called on people from his constituency not to panic after the Party District Political Secretary Christopher Kajilo conducted interviews for aspirants without informing him.

And Mr Masumba has said that the MMD MPs who endorsed the candidature of UPND President Hakainde Hichilema did so for self preservation.

Speaking at a media briefing Friday morning Mr Masumba accused Mr Kajilo of trying to destabilise the ruling Party in the constituency with “his politics of the berry.”

He said Mr Kajilo wants to continue feeding himself from politics and that he has even failed to build a house because of his behavior.

“He wants to be feeding himself through politics that is his behavior. That is why he has even failed to build a house, he sleeps under a tree. For him who ever comes even in the middle of the night and gives him gifts, that person becomes popular there and then. So my people in Mufumbwe should not be worried that I am not one of those interviewed for the seat,” he said.

And Mr Masumba has advised the opposition UPND in the constituency to stop pitting people in the area against each other on tribal lines.

He said the UPND are pitting people against each other on tribal lines as the leadership in the party has continued to be rotating between the chokwes and Lundas while the Kaondes have been sidelined.

“When you talk about the UPND as Party in the constituency there are two things that are there. There is Chokwe group and a Kaonde group and the UPND have refused to associate themselves with the Kaonde group so UPND is now seen to be part of the Chokwes and we should not condone such kind of leaders who just thinks on tribal lines, leaders should not use divide and rule tactics using tribal lines,” he said.

He said the same can be said about the province as the UPND leadership has continued to be held under the Lundas while other tribes are sidelined.

Meanwhile Mr Masumba accused the MPs who endorsed the candidature of Hakainde Hichilema of doing so because they think UPND will win the next elections so that they can be appointed.

Mr Masumba who singled out MMD Chilanga MP Keith Mukata wondered how the people who have been working for the Party in the constituencies with the hope contesting for the seat on the UPND ticket will feel when they are left out.

He said Mr Mukata was busy dancing for his berry after eating with the PF and now that he thinks he has a better chance of returning his seat under the UPND he has decided to jump ship.

“They were dancing, in fact they don’t even don’t know how to dance, they can’t even beat me. That boy who was dancing who resigned as Justice Deputy Minister can’t not even surpass me in terms of dancing but he went masquerading there that he is a dancer, dancing for what? For the berry because he is trying to do political gymnastics because he feels that in the constituency where he is it the UPND which strong. That is not the way we should be doing politics. We should not be doing politics of the berry,” he said.

SACCORD has called on the Zambia Police Service to quickly find a way of engaging the public so as to develop a good working relationship.

Speaking in an interview SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe said the continued burning down of police stations is a signal that the public is frustrated with the operations of the law enforcement agencies.

Mr Cheembe who was commenting on the burning down of a Police station in George Compound last night said the Zambia Police Service should quickly invest and cultivate good relationships with the public.

He said the greatest asset of any Police world over is its citizens hence the need for the police to engage the public.

He however, was quick to condemn the actions of the residents of George Compound saying such behavior should not be condoned by any well meaning Zambian.

“This is not the first time that in Zambia we are seeing the burning of a police station or hearing reports of the burning down of a police station. The nation is aware of such an incident which happened in Kafue and other incidences of similar nature happened in other parts of Lusaka.

“If people always run to burn down Police stations when something happens or when they have got a grievance then there is a problem with the manner with which we are policing our people in the country and as SACCORD we believe that the greatest asset that any Police service has in any given nation or society is its citizens and if there are no good relationship between the Police service and citizens then you are likely to have incidents of the nature of the burning down of Police stations.

“No one should ever condone any damage to both private or public property but more so public good property such as the police station because everybody needs the services of the police, ” he said.

He added “In the event that we continue to have what we now see to be a strange relationship between the police service and the people then we are likely to continue seeing the burning down of police stations which should be condemned very strongly,” he said.

President Edgar Lungu has cherished the bilateral relations that have grown between Zambia and Mozambique.

President Lungu called for further strides between the two countries for the improvement of the political, socio-economic status, peace and stability for their people.
The President was speaking last evening during a dinner hosted for him by his Mozambican host counterpart, President Jacinto Filipe Nyusi at Ponta Vermelha State House.

President Lungu said there is significant potential for both Zambia and Mozambique to capitalise on regional markets and strengthen their respective economies through various economic frameworks that encourage regional integration.

“I believe that our countries will continue to transform economically as the prospects of success are and that, together, we can find solutions,” he added.

President Lungu said that at the continental and global levels, the two countries need to speak with one voice at various fora.

He noted that the two countries have maintained close relations underpinned by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Union (AU), United Nations (UN) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

President Lungu further called for reforms at the heart of the United Nations’ agenda in order to for the two countries to effectively implement the Agenda 2063.

The Head of State said it is unfortunate that while 70 per cent of issues discussed at the UN are on Africa, African is not permanently represented in the key decision-making processes on issues that concern the continent.

He observed that the reform of the UN Security Council to include Africa is urgently required in order for African countries to effectively contribute towards global challenges.

And Mozambican President, Jacinto Filipe Nyusi said Zambia and Mozambique need to graduate from excellent political and diplomatic relations to a deeper socio-economic cooperation.

The President of the German Parliament (“Bundestag”) Dr. Norbert Lammert will visit Lusaka for the 134 th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly. He will be accompanied by the Vice President of the Bundestag Claudia Roth and five other Members of Parliament (MP).

The delegation of MPs will take part in the IPU Conference that is hosted by Zambia in Mulungushi International Conference Center from 18 th to 23 rd of March, 2016.

Dr. Lammert ?s programme also foresees, among others, meetings with H.H. Vice President Inonge Wina, Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Justice Dr. Patrick Matibini, as well as meetings with representatives from civil society organisations and churches.

The German delegation will visit one of Lusaka ?s compounds and get an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the ongoing projects of Zambian-German cooperation, such as programmes in the fields of water and sanitation and access to justice.

In addition, the 30 th anniversary of the German-Zambian North Luangwa Conservation Programme, that was initiated by the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), will be celebrated on Monday, 21 st of March.

German Ambassador Bernd Finke said: “I am delighted that we can welcome such a high-ranking delegation from Germany to Zambia. This is an expression of the long standing partnership between our two countries. The visit to Lusaka will provide the German MPs with an excellent opportunity to get first-hand information about the current political, economic and social situation in Zambia.

The visit will definitely put Zambia on Germany’s radar screen: with a view to the upcoming election campaign, with a view to the current economic and financial challenges in Zambia and with a view to Zambia’s reputation as a location for German investments and tourism.”