The ‘Boxers & Bambaz’ senstation Miggy Brizzy is now here with his official video that was established through his viral videos all over social media. It was then taken upon that the young artist has an official video to feed his fans and depict his life and daily hustle through the streets of Soweto. The song features F Jay and Eddie Black.
BY KAPA187
Patriotic Front Media Committee Chairperson Frank Bwalya has warned Rainbow Party leader Wynter Kabimba to desist from issuing malicious allegations suggesting that President Edgar Lungu incites violence.
Mr. Bwalya said that Mr. Kabimba should not drag the President’s name in vices that are at variance with his democratic credentials.
Mr. Bwalya said that allegations are malicious because the Head of State has nothing in his life that indicates violence.
Mr. Bwalya said that the President hates all forms of violence which he openly denounces.
Mr. Kabimba has been quoted in yesterday’s edition of the Post Newspaper as suggesting that President Lungu incites violence.
And Political stakeholders have hit back at Rainbow Party general secretary, Wynter Kabimba, over his degrading remarks to Zambian voters that it is a sign of insanity to award the Patriotic Front (PF) a fresh mandate, come voting in August.
Mr Kabimba, in a letter to Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja, stated in part that, “no sane registered voter would go out on August 11, 2016 to reward PF”.
His statement was carried in The Post Newspaper on Wednesday, this week.
Stakeholders interviewed separately warned that no opposition party will dislodge President Edgar Lungu, using hate speech, as portrayed by Mr Kabimba.
PF secretary general Davies Chama said the continued hate speech from the opposition leaders would not win them votes, but work to the advantage of the ruling party and President Lungu, in particular.
He said instead of criticising positively and bringing on board ideas on how to run the country, the opposition parties were busy attacking the President and PF over baseless issues.
“The opposition political parties are not intelligent enough to realise that personal issues will not win them votes. They are busy insulting and criticising President Lungu on issues that cannot win them the votes. They are actually giving us an advantage to get back into power,” he said.
Zambian Voice executive director Chilufya Tayali said PF was highly likely to win this year’s election, if opposition political parties continued with their tone of hate and issuing unwarranted attacks on the President.
Mr Tayali described as shallow-thinking, the use of insults and hate campaigns, to woo voters.
He said the Zambian people were well informed and needed leaders who could articulate issues that could help transform their lives and better the country’s economy.
Mr Tayali reminded the opposition that issue-based campaigns were the logical way of campaigning in modern politics.
“The trend that is being witnessed by our politicians today, is worrying, because their insults at the President, only shows that they are out of ideas and digging their own political graves. Zambia does not have an opposition party that is effectively providing checks and balances, because they are all preoccupied with insults and anger vented at President Lungu,” he said.
The North-Western Council of Elders chairperson Lukas Chikoti shared similar worries of a growing trend of hate-speech by the opposition camp, which was only a recipe for anarchy in any country.
Mr Chikoti said it was worrying to have politicians venting their anger at the President and the ruling party on baseless issues.
“Let us respect one another, unite and spread the love. Insults will not yield anything but promote anarchy. As elders, we want Zambia to remain peaceful at all times,” he said.
The Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes and the Democratic Governance and Human Rights Advocates (DEGHA) also condemned the escalating trend of vulgar language by some politicians.
SACCORD executive director Boniface Cheembe said in an interview that vulgar language, which demeaned the thinking and judgment of the electorate was a recipe for political violence.
“As SACCORD, we strongly believe that every well meaning politician should refrain from using vulgar language against the electorate, because such action breeds political violence,” Mr Cheembe said.
DEGHA coordinator Gerald Mutelo said the electorate should not be victimised as it had the power of the vote in the hand.
“It is absolutely wrong to start calling voters’ all sorts of names because it is them who have the choice of the secret ballot. The case should be that politicians must always focus on telling the people what they will do on the developmental front once elected into office,” Mr Mutelo said.
THE Livingstone City Council has confiscated and disposed off 129 cases of expired soft drinks from the Livingstone Institute of Business and Engineering Studies (LIBES).
Livingstone City council Public Relations Officer Charity Chaiwila said the local authority confiscated the drinks after tipped off by members of the public.
Ms Chaiwila said in an interview that the council’s public health inspectorate team quickly conducted inspections of the storage facility at LIBES to ascertain the quality of the soft drinks that were being offered for sale to the lecturers and students on February 16, 2016.
Ms Chaiwila said during the inspection, it was discovered that 129 cases of 500mls Coca-Cola had expired on January 29, 2016.
“LIBES is claiming that the drinks were left by the Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) markers who gave excess drinks to LIBES management.
“But LIBES management kept the drinks until they expired and later started selling them to the Lecturers and students.
“We also found cases of Fanta soft drinks which will expire on 3rd March, cases of Sprite which will expire on 19th February as well as 3 cases of Five Roses tea bags that expired onJanuary 19, 2016,”she said.
She said the expired drinks were disposed off on February 17, 2016, by emptying the content.
“As the local authority, we advise that in an event were you or your partners engage in the sale of such prodcuts, ensure that you regularly check on the date marking and the same is consumed within the shelf life in line with the provisions of the food and drug act CAP 303 of the laws of Zambia,” she said.
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) Southern Province Investigator Matyola Chipapa said his institution was saddened that an institution like LIBES could engage in practices of selling expired products.
“It is sad to mention that an institution like LIBES could engage in such and it leaves much to be desired in terms of management. We are talking of people who know so well the effects of consuming expired products and the least the commission expects is the institution to engage in such things.
“We just hope that this is the last time they are doing that and if it was an oversight, then they need to be proactive and check for any product that they want to sell and if this happens again, we will know that they did it deliberately,” Mr Chipapa said.
And when contacted LIBES Principal Thomas Kalantiya said he couldn’t comment on the matter as he was not in the office but directed all queries to his Finance Manager whose mobile line went unanswered.
GOVERNMENT is heavily subsidising the pump price of fuel and there are enough stocks of the commodity, Minister of Energy and Water Development Dora Siliya has told Parliament.
And Ms Siliya says it would be imprudent to reduce fuel prices until the exchange rate of the Kwacha against other convertibles is certain and predictable.
Ms Siliya said in a ministerial statement yesterday that although Zambia has had economic challenges, fuel in Zambia remains one of the cheapest in the region.
“The PF government is cushioning its citizens against price fluctuations. We have continued to be on the side of the people. If we use market forces, the price of fuel would be higher but we want to keep the private sector going,” Ms Siliya said.
Mafinga member of Parliament Catherine Namugala (MMD) agreed with Ms Siliya’s statement that government subsidises fuel prices.
“It is true government is heavily subsidising the pump price of fuel. The ideal is to expect a price increase because of the depreciation of the Kwacha,” Ms Namugala said.
And Ms Siliya says the pump price of fuel has remained the same in spite of low international crude oil prices due to the extreme exchange rate volatility.
“While international oil prices have significantly fallen, the Kwacha, however, has had huge and unprecedented depreciation that has cancelled any benefit or gains that could have reflected in reduced pump prices. International oil prices fell by 35 percent while the exchange rate depreciated by 58.5 percent,” Ms Siliya said.
She said the last importation of crude oil was in September last year at the time when the Kwacha was at its lowest against the US Dollar and there has been no importation of crude to date.
Meanwhile, Ms Siliya has assured the nation of enough stock of fuel following the voluntary closure of Indeni due to non-availability of crude oil.
She was responding to a question by Zambezi East MP Sarah Sayifwanda (MMD), who asked how long the current stock of fuel would last in the wake of the closure of Indeni.
“Do not panic. We have enough fuel. Indeni only processes 50 percent of fuel while the other 50 percent comes by road. Hopefully, Indeni will open by the end of this month,” Ms Siliya said.
Ms Siliya said Indeni was shut voluntarily because the crude oil that was supposed to be processed was contaminated.
“We did tests at the port before the crude was pumped into our pipeline and found that it is contaminated, so we sent it back,” she said.
THE Patriotic Front in Lusaka yesterday formed six branches in the central business district with the aim of recruiting more members ahead of the August 11 general elections and also echoing the need to maintain peace.
The branches have been formed along Katunjila, Katondo, Chiparamba, Nkwazi, Panganani and Cairo roads.
PF Lusaka Province chairman Horace Longwe said the ruling party is busy mobilising while some opposition parties are engaged in violent activities.
“You cannot win an election using violence like we saw in Bweengwa. The PF is instead preaching peace. We are a law-abiding political party that believes in democracy.
“Even this meeting we are holding here, we have a police permit. We are not above the law,” Mr Longwe said while displaying the police permit.
He said violence scares away investment and all citizens must, therefore, not engage in it.
“These huge and muscular young men you are seeing here are peace-loving and want to see that this nation develops,” Mr Longwe said.
And Mpulungu ward 23 councillor, who is also Lusaka Province vice publicity secretary, Christopher Shakafuswa, urged the people to retain President Lungu in this year’s election.
“We have a loving and lovable leader in Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Let’s recruit more people to vote for him,” Mr Shakafuswa said.
Others present at the meeting included Lusaka Province youth chairperson Kennedy Kamba, Kabulonga Ward 16 chairman Penjani Chirambo and former Lusaka mayor Daniel Chisenga.
THE Christian Coalition of Zambia (CCZ) is in support of political parties forming alliances because apparently no single political party can attain 50-percent-plus-one vote.
In a statement, CCZ president Godwin Musonda said to reduce the fragmented number of presidential candidates, which splits the vote unnecessarily, major political parties must form alliances with smaller parties.
And Bishop Musonda also said the MMD must resolve differences for the best interest of the party, and that members must respect the democratically elected leadership of Nevers Mumba.
Bishop Musonda said MMD must use courtesy and offer an olive branch to those with divergent views and unite the party before elections.
He also said the media must be factual and unbiased when covering political parties and their candidates in the forthcoming elections.
Bishop Musonda said the Electoral Commission of Zambia should play its role and ensure impartiality during the August 11 polls.
He said CCZ is saddened with the incident that took place last week in Bweengwa, where journalists and government officials were attacked by suspected UPND cadres when President Lungu visited the area.
“Political parties must conduct non-violent political campaigns, and as such, CCZ has asked all political parties to sign a peace deal as commitment to preach a message of peace and desisting from violent activities during campaigns and election,” he said.
Bishop Musonda said CCZ is impressed with the leadership that President Lungu is providing as the country faces economic challenges.
He said the country has faced enormous challenges after the demise of President Sata but they are being attended to.
THE Zambia Chamber of Mines has commended Government for the changes to the 2015 mining tax regime announced by Cabinet on Monday.
Cabinet redesigned the mining taxation regime in a bid to enhance mine operations, reduce job cuts and increase revenue from the sector when copper prices rise.
Communications manager Talent Ng’andwe said the move indicates commitment to collecting tax revenue without discouraging mines from investing in new mining projects and employment.
In a statement issued in Lusaka, Mr Ng’andwe said Government’s decision marks a significant shift in outlook towards the mining sector and can only be beneficial to the industry in the long term.
“We believe the prevailing low price environment continues to present significant challenges for the mining sector over the short to medium term, but the gesture by Government is a good lifeline that will provide much needed relief,” he said.
Mr Ng’andwe commended Government for the new spirit of dialogue and co-operation, adding that the mines look forward to continuing working with Government to solve challenges faced in the industry.
“We look forward to seeing the details of the proposed changes so that we can comment fully on what the tax regime means,” he said.
HEALTH Minister Joseph Kasonde has called for enhanced ties with neighbouring countries to effectively fight malaria.
Dr Kasonde said there was need to ensure that the borders did not become crossing point for malaria.
He said cross border malaria control activities were important especially with Zimbabwe and other countries which were sharing the Zambezi River with Zambia.
Dr Kasonde was speaking in Livingstone when he paid a curtesy call on Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje.
“We intend to eliminate malaria in Zambia and if we are to do that effectively, we must work together with our neighbours so that the borders do not become crossing point for the disease.
“It is in our interest to enhance cross border malaria control activities and enhance ties with our neighbours especially Zimbabwe,” Dr Kasonde said.
Livingstone District Medical Officer Cliff Hara said the Tourist Capital was likely to be malaria free because it was small and manageable.
“We are partnering very well with our partners in Zimbabwe to control malaria and we want to do joint sprays and other malaria control activities,” Dr Hara said.
And Mr Munsanje thanked Dr Kasonde for the good developments that were taking place at Livingstone Central Hospital.
“From the time it was declared as Livingstone Central, a lot of developments have taken place.
“The recent opening of the renal unit at the Hospital is one such development. Further, I have been told that Mulungushi University is in partnership with Livingstone Central Hospital to start some programmes and for us this is a major achievement,” Mr Munsanje said.
On Wednesday, Dr Kasonde said the Government of Zambia through Ministry of Health was fully commited to eliminatinating Malaria in the country and the region.
Dr Kasonde said the elimination of malaria was in line with his Ministry’s vision of having a health and productive nation.
He said this in Livingston at Chrismar Hotel when is officially opened the Isdell Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative 4th annual roundtable meeting.
Dr Kasonde said Zambia over the past years had managed to reduce the national burden of Malaria through intensive scale up of key intenvertions.
On Tuesday night, Zambia and Livingstone in particular hosted the first ever Isdell-Flowers Cross Border initiative annual community awards launch.
The award are introduced to recognise efforts and innovations by communities in order to accelerate implementation of malaria control interventions and paving way for malaria elimination.
During the awards launch Zambia, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe were awarded for having the greatest percentage drop in malaria, greatest percentage drop in malaria death, community with highest retention of community volunteers,highest percentage of long lasting insecticide net usage and community with the best environment management.
Super Division giants Nkana are this weekend hosting a four-team pre-season tournament in Kitwe bankrolled by their Singaporean kit manufacturer Mafro Sports.
Mafro is hosting the tournament on Saturday and Sunday as a launch pad for its brand in Zambia.
The tournament set for Nkana Stadium in Wuskile has attracted DR Congo side Don Bosco, Forest Rangers and promoted Super Division club Lumwana Radiants.
The tournament kickofff on Saturday with Don Bosco facing Lumwana in the 13h00 opener before Forest confronts hosts Nkana at 15h00.
The tournament ends on Sunday with the final match between the winners of the first and second matches.
Nkana recently hosted a similar tournament in Lusaka which they won.
Midfielder Mukuka Mulenga’s mentor at Kitwe Soccer Academy Fred ‘Schemer’ Siame believes the player will soon rediscover his old brilliant form after joining Mpumalanga Black Aces on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mukuka, 22 has endured a turbulent spell in South Africa, having initially joined Sundowns from Power Dynamos just before the 2013/2014 season.
He is now hoping for some much needed game time following a move that will see him at Black Aces for the remainder of the current Premier Soccer League season.
In an interview in Kitwe, Siame, who spotted Mukuka in 2008, said he was happy to see the player secure a loan deal at Black Acess after failing to play for Sundowns.
“It is good that he has finally found a club where he can play regularly,” Siame said.
Mukuka spent a season on-loan at Bloemfontein Celtic before returning to Sundowns, for whom he has yet to play an official game.
He was not registered by the Brazilians this season as they have filled their foreign quota.
“I am confident that Mukuka will rediscover his form after joining Aces.He is still a good player,” the ex-Zanaco player and now Indeni coach noted.
Energy Minister Dora Siliya has ruled out any reduction in fuel pump prices in the country as long as the exchange rate remains volatile.
In a ministerial statement to Parliament on why fuel prices in the country have not been reduced despite oil prices on the international market reducing, Ms. Siliya says the depreciation of the Kwacha against major convertible currencies has cancelled out any benefit that could have reflected in reduced fuel pump prices.
She says with the volatility in the exchange market, it is not prudent to adjust prices in any direction until such a time when the direction of the exchange rate is certain and predictable.
Ms. Siliya adds that while the international prices of oil have fallen, other cost elements in the cost-plus that need to be fully accounted for ought to increase.
The Energy Minister further states that the commingled petroleum feedstock that Zambia imports is relatively higher on the international market than that of pure crude oil which is normally quoted on the international market.
And Ms. Siliya says Zambia continues to be one of the lowest in the region in terms of the fuel pump price.
She says government is currently subsidizing the price of fuel in order to cushion citizens against price fluctuations.
The price of Brent crude oil on the international market is currently at US$34 per barrel.
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A SENIOR Research Officer at Arid Zones Research Institute in Tunisia has called on the agriculture sector in Zambia to embark on irrigation in areas that receive low rainfall.
Dr. Mohamed Overssiar says Zambia should take a leaf from the Tunisian water harvesting technologies by engaging in irrigation of high value crops in provinces that have dry spells.
He said that Zambia has vast potential in irrigation that can be utilized by farmers following the delayed starting of the rain season in Southern Province during the 2015/2016 farming season.
He was speaking in an exclusive interview with the National Agricultural Information Services during the Water Harvesting for Rainfed Africa (WAHARA) meeting held at Chrismar Hotel in Livingstone, yesterday.
Dr. Overssiar noted that farmers in Southern Province have potential to increase crop production and productivity through supplementary irrigation and harvesting rain water to overcome perpetual dry spells affecting the province due to climate change.
The impact of water harvesting technologies implemented by WAHARA in Tunisia is better control of droughts by promoting production of olives by farmers, he said.
Dr. Overssiar explained that ground water aquifers in Tunisia have been promoted by the Water Harvesting for Rainfed Africa project funded by the European Union.
And Zambia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Tunisia are among the four African countries that have benefited from WAHARA project.
According to WAHARA Project coordinator Dr. Rudi Hessel, the four countries are among those that have greatly benefited from the project.
Dr. Hessel said water harvesting also provides the opportunity to turn hotspots into hope-spots that will lead the way to agriculture-led development.
WAHARA is a five year project implementing diverse water harvesting technologies in the recipient countries to turn hotspots to hope-spots through increased food security.
An international leading manufacturer and marketer of Skincare products has opened an office in Zambia to provide a wide range of services.
MAC Cosmetics, owned by Estée Lauder Group of Companies, and one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skincare, make-up, fragrance and hair care products will now ply ist trade in Zambia.
M·A·C Cosmetics founded in Toronto in 1984 and headquartered in New York City, USA will officially launch the first ever store in Zambia on 18th February, 2016 when it will open it’s doors to the public.
The Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe is expected to grace the official launch of the store at Manda Hill in Lusaka. .
M·A·C Cosmetics is offering more than 100 artistry of professional quality makeups world-wide to all ages, races and sexes across it 105 countries.
This is according to a press statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
“M.A.C remains committed to developing new categories, products and over 50 collections each year in order to serve the demand of customers,” the statement reads in part.
The Statement says as part of its corporate social responsibility and charity work, M.A.C. AIDS Fund was established and various fund raising ventures are conducted to help vulnerable people as well as institutions on issues of HIV/AIDS.
It further states that M.A.C. Cosmetics invests heavily on building capacity to its employees and will plough back part of its profits to the communities.
Mr Lubinda who is Minister of Agriculture has branded Mr Kabimba as egoistic person whose hatred for other citizens was grave.
He said he was shocked to hear Mr Kabimba declare that Zambians who were going to vote for President Lungu in the coming general elections were insane.
Mr Lubinda said unless the Rainbow Party leader could face Zambians and apologise, he would forever remain a bad leader who was beyond redemption.
He said barely weeks after Mr Kabimba confessed of having been a bad Leader when he served as Justice Minister and secretary general of the Patriotic Front (PF) and expressed remorse, the Rainbow Leader was back to his “bad and egocentric attitude of abusing Zambians.”
Mr Kabimba was quoted by Radio Phoenix yesterday as having said that Zambians who were going to vote for President Lungu in the coming tripartite elections were insane, a statement Mr Lubinda said he was taking with great exception because the Rainbow leader had no right to insult citizens in the manner he did.
He said in an interview yesterday that Mr Kabimba was indeed a bad leader who had exhibited inability to control power during the time he served as Justice Minister and secretary general of the PF.
Mr Lubinda recalled that while Mr Kabimba was Justice Minister and secretary general of the PF, power got to his (Kabimba) head so much that the Rainbow Party leader forget he was living on earth and started acting as if he was the alpha and the omega and was above all citizens in the country.
“It is unbelievable that Mr Kabimba can call those of us who are voting for President Lungu in the coming election insane.
I hope he was misquoted but if indeed he uttered such abusive words against Zambians from whom he is seeking votes, then he remains a very bad leader and unrepentant. Mr Kabimba’s hatred against others is deeply ingrained in him beyond redemption,” Mr Lubinda said.
© Lusaka Times
