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Nine countries and four continents connect nine artist on one song
“I Am” is the latest international collaborative effort from global Hip Hop ambassador, rap artist and #HipHopEd representative AWKWORD, creator of the 2014 album ‘World View‘ that featured — for the first time in Hip Hop history — contributions from every continent on earth. As part of his ongoing effort to connect us worldwide through Hip Hop music and culture, as well as showcase the Motherland, the Diaspora and women in Hip Hop, AWKWORD connected with Nigerian-born Canadian producer Teck-Zilla, Nigerian songstress Maka and French DJ JHart to recruit an All-Star cast of emcees to join him on the “I Am” Global Posse Cut, including Latasha Alcindor (USA), Holstar (Zambia), Wakazi (Tanzania), Five Steez (Jamaica), Modenine (Nigeria), The Assembly (South Africa), and Third Eye (Malawi). Aptly entitled “I Am”, the song features 9 emcees sharing truths about their lives in their respective home countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the United States. The song will appear on AWKWORD’s 2016 EP ‘Mid-Flight’. All proceeds from the sale of the song will go toward financing the creation of the video, so all the artists can truly show who they are and where they’re from.
Zambian Rapper Holster had this to say “Proud to be a part of this Collaborative effort by Awkword Produced by Teck-Zilla…the song called I Am features on Websites such as The Source and Hip Hop Dx…what we grew up on! I feature alongside Legends such as Modenine, Five Steez, Third Eye, Latasha Alcindor, Wakazi, The Assembly, Maka and DJ Hart”
Bomb$hell shows a softer side of her personality with the release of her new single “Pa Bondi” that features T-Sean and Dimpo Williams. The song wasProduced by Jay Rox.
Minister Yaluma making his presentation at the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th February.
GOVERNMENT says it is engaging mining companies to consider different options so that the two parties could come up with consistent and predictable policies for the mining sector.
And mining houses in Zambia have hailed the Zambian Government for its continued commitment to finding lasting solutions facing the sector.
Gemfields Plc, 75% owners of Kagem Mine, and Vedanta Resources Plc, owners of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) have said that they appreciated the openness with which Government was approaching the various efforts that have been tabled so far in order for the parties to arrive at a mutually beneficial set of policies.
Vedanta Resources Plc Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tom Albanese, said during a ‘Country Case Study’ on Zambia at the on-going Mining Conference in Cape Town today that his company was proud of what the negotiating team had achieved with the Zambian Government in getting round the challenges facing the sector.
He said KCM respected the “owners of the resources in Zambia” because they realised the pivotal role that the company played in the lives of Zambians.
Germfields Plc Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ian Harebottle said his company had all the confidence in the Zambian Government which had continued making the country “an excellent investment destination.”
The two were part of a panel discussion which also comprised Zambia’s Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Mr. Christopher Yaluma, Deputy Finance Minister Mr. Christopher Mvunga and ZCCM-IH Holdings Chief Executive Officer Dr. Pius Kasolo.
The session was also attended by Deputy Minister for Mines and Minerals Development Mr. Richard Musukwa, Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa His Excellency Mr. Emmanuel Mwamba, several multi-national mining investors, and business executives from various sectors.
And Mr. Albanese disclosed that KCM has made tremendous progress in repositioning itself in the last two years and could comfortably say that it was now able to withstand the current low copper prices.
“We are hopeful that there will be positive trends soon and the copper business will start coming round this year although this will not be in the range of 6 to US$8, 000 per tonne.”
He said Vedanta Resources understood the current problems, such as the energy shortage, that the Zambian Government was grappling with and would like to be part of the solutions.
On the developing consistent policies to guide the mining sector, Mr. Mvunga said Government was alive to the fact that mining was a long term investment for which owners needed to be able to plan ahead without difficulties.
“We are in constant dialogue with the mines to arrive at a consistent and predictable tax regime. We realise that there is need for a certain form of certainty as these are long term investments,” he said.
Mr. Mvunga said Government, just like many other players in the sector, realised that mining had moments of “troughs and crests”. He said Government was glad that there was still a show of optimism from the mining houses themselves.
He reminded mining companies to look at the ‘Remission rule’ governing the operations of mines in Zambia so that they could put it to use in troubled times as the current scenario.
Dr. Kasolo pointed out that trends in the mining business were of cyclical nature and that these occurrences were beyond the control of any government.
And responding to a question from the audience, Mr. Yaluma assured the mining sector that Government was not considering reintroduction of the Windfall Tax until such a time when conditions dictated so.
Mr. Yaluma said Zambia had been through a period of depressed metal prices and that Government was confident that the country would emerge out of the current one victoriously.
He said Government, the industry and all other stakeholders had their roles to play in order to reverse the downturn.
The Minister told the audience that in order to ensure growth and sustainability of the mining industry during all financial scenarios, a clear and articulate policy that sought to create a competitive, thriving and sustainable mining industry had been adopted.
Mr. Yaluma noted that Government had also adopted the revised Mines and Minerals Development Act of 2015 which was enacted to bring the law in line with international best practices.
The new law addresses among other things; the unnecessary bureaucracy in the issuance of mining rights; inadequate tenure of mineral processing licences; Mineral royalty rates, and promoting good governance, transparency, adherence to the rule of law and regular dialogue with stakeholders.
Dr. KasoloMr. Yaluma, Dr. Kasolo, Mr. Harebottle, Mr. Albanese and Mr. Mvunga on the panel discussion of the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th FebruaryMr. Mvunga making his presentation at the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th FebruaryMr. Albanese making his presentation at the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th FebruaryMr. Harebottle making his presentation at the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th FebruaryMinister Yaluma making his presentation at the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th FebruaryPart of the audience at the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th FebruaryPart of the audience at the Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th FebruaryDr. Kasolo, Mr. Harebottle, Mr. Albanese and Mr. Mvunga on the panel discussion of Country Case Study on Zambia session at the 2016 Mining Conference in Cape Town on 10th February
MMD president Nevers Mumba says the party’s national executive committee (NEC) has categorically resolved to support the Patriotic Front (PF) in the August 11 general elections.
Dr Mumba said in an interview on Tuesday that: “Our position is to have a favourable alliance with the PF. That is what the NEC resolved.”
He, however, said what MMD national secretary Mwansa Mbulakulima told the nation is contrary to what NEC had agreed.
“We mandated our national secretary (Mr Mbulakulima) to work out modalities but he has not done so, hence my writing to him so that he exculpates himself,” Dr Mumba said.
And yesterday Mr Mbulakulima said Dr Mumba should clearly state whether he wants to go into an alliance with the PF or United Party for National Development (UPND).
Mr Mbulakulima said in an interview that Dr Mumba will do the country a great favour by openly and clearly stating his position on the issue of partnering with the PF ahead of the August general elections.
Mr Mbulakulima said he is surprised that Dr Mumba has questioned why he (Mr Mbulakulima) told the nation that the MMD is ready for a pact with the PF.
“The statement I gave to the nation is a true reflection of the MMD NEC’s resolution to rally behind the PF,” Mr Mbulakulima said.
He said the only thing he did not include when he announced the possible pact with the PF is the issue of conditions.
“Conditions are discussed behind closed doors, not in the public,” he said.
Mr Mbulakulima said if negotiations are to be genuine, conditions must be discussed by a committee comprising both sides to reach a win-win situation.
“The cornerstone of our pact is that the people of Zambia must be the greatest winners. So for Dr Mumba to write to me that I exculpate myself for saying MMD is going in an alliance with the PF shows lack of appreciation of my contribution to the MMD.
In a letter dated February 2, 2016 seen by this reporter, Dr Mumba warns of action against Mr Mbulakulima for declaring that the party (MMD) will go into an electoral alliance with the PF.
“Can you please respond in order to ascertain the next course of action,” the letter signed by Dr Mumba reads in part.
NKANZA Laboratories proprietor Professor Neil Nkanza has died. He was 70.
Professor Nkanza died in the early hours of Monday in India where he had gone to seek medical treatment after an ailment.
Family spokesperson Sarah Sayifwanda confirmed the death of Professor Nkanza in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.
Professor Nkanza is survived by a wife Mary, two children; Mufuka and Chimbwe, as well as grandchildren.
The funeral for the late Professor Nkanza is being held in Ibex Hill in Lusaka at his younger brother, Dr.Patrick Nkanza’s house.
Professor Nkanza’s body is expected to arrive in the country today, aboard Emirates which is expected to touch Kenneth Kaunda Airport at 14:30hours.
The late professor was one of the first Zambian pathologists.
He was also lecturing at the University of Zambia and University of Lusaka. Professor Nkanza will be put to rest on Saturday at Memorial Park.
Christine Kalamwina – Zambia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to UN
Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Her Excellency Dr Mwaba Kasese-Bota has called for concerted efforts to empower women with knowledge and skills to protect themselves against cervical cancer.
Ambassador Kasese-Bota said this in a statement read on her behalf by Zambia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ms. Christine Kalamwina, during an event organized by Missions of Zambia and US to the UN, and ‘Every Woman Every Child’ to mark World Cancer Day at UN HQ in New York.
Ambassador Dr Kasese-Bota said efforts must be made to increase screening opportunities, early recognition of signs of cervical cancer and ensuring that healthcare was sought without delay for the affected women.
She called for increase in the vaccination of young girls to prevent infection with the human papilloma virus, which is the main cause of cervical cancer.
“The growing cancer burden across the globe calls for the international community to remain committed to the World Cancer Declaration, which outlines the steps needed to reverse the global cancer crisis by 2020,” Ambassador Kasese-Bota said.
“There is need for the global community to allocate adequate human, financial and other resources towards the management of cervical cancer, especially in the developing world.”
She said there was urgent need for national governments to consider allocating adequate financial resources to ensure that early detection, treatment and regular follow-up of cervical cancer was made available to all women.
“Recently inherited statistics show that Zambia has the second highest rates of Cervical Cancer in the world and is the second most common cancer among women. According to the estimates by the World Health Organisation an estimated number of 1300 women die of cervical cancer out of the 1900 diagnosed each year, despite the fact that Cervical Cancer can be treated, if diagnosed early,” Kasese-Bota said.
She said the Zambian Government has been very responsive to fight cervical cancer, as evidenced through the implementation of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Programme in collaboration with development partners like the US Government.
“These Free Cervical Cancer Screening Clinics are located in all the 10 provinces of Zambia,” said Ambassador Kasese-Bota. “The Zambian Government has also partnered with the US Government and the George W. Bush Institute to launch the Pink Red/Red Ribbon Campaign which builds on existing healthcare programme to integrate Cervical Cancer prevention.”
Approximately 86 per cent of all cervical cancer cases occur in developing countries. For Sub-Saharan Africa, Cervical Cancer is the most common cancer among women, where at least 35 cases are diagnosed for every 100, 000 women.
THE Supreme Court has thrown out an application by suspended Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mutembo Nchito to stop the Annel Silungwe-led tribunal to probe him for alleged misconduct and impropriety.
This means that the tribunal which was appointed last year by President Lungu will now commence sitting.
Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima, who delivered the ruling on behalf of four other Supreme Court judges, said yesterday that the High Court erred by granting Mr Nchito a judicial review to restrain the tribunal from probing him.
Justice Mambilima said the tribunal should be allowed because it is merely an investigative tribunal intended to afford Mr Nchito a hearing on the allegations made against him.
“This is in line with the constitution protection of the tenure of office for the Director of Public Prosecutions as envisaged by Article 58 of the Constitution.
“The tribunal should be allowed because in our view, Mr Nchito did not establish any grounds that can be said to have made his application for judicial review so exceptional that without reviewing the tribunal’s ruling, he would suffer a fundamental failure of justice,” she said.
Justice Mambilima said the courts could have only intervened when it is absolutely clear that Mr Nchito would suffer a fundamental failure of justice and that if the court intervenes before the tribunal renders its final decision, there is a risk of the court straying into deciding on the correctness or merits of the preliminary issues.
She said in addition, allowing judicial review of interlocutory decisions of administrative tribunals would hinder them from efficiently conducting their administrative inquiries.
“In our view, the need to protect constitutional office-holders from unfairness in the process of enforcing investigative constitutional procedures for their removal from office must be balanced with the equally important need not to make the said investigative procedures practically untenable or unduly protracted,” Justice Mambilima said.
Earlier, the State had challenged the ruling of the Lusaka High Court which allowed Mr Nchito to commence judicial review over decisions of the Annel Silungwe-led tribunal.
The State felt that the tribunal, as an investigative body, should not be open to judicial review.
Mr Nchito was contesting decisions of the tribunal, which dismissed preliminary objections, including sitting in camera and recusal of members of the tribunal.
High Court judge Mubanga Kondolo dismissed an application by the Attorney General to discharge leave granted to Mr Nchito.
Judge Kondolo ruled that judicial review and other civil proceedings could not be employed to curtail proceedings.
Attorney General Likando Kalaluka, however, had submitted in the High Court that entertaining judicial review “will set the court on a path to either curtail the tribunal investigative process or purport to interpret article 58 of the Constitution”.
Mr Kalaluka at that time, argued that the decision made by the tribunal to dismiss preliminary issues, which stimulated the application for judicial review by Mr Nchito, were reasonable and were not so outrageous or in defiance of logic or of accepted moral standards.
In his ruling recently, Mr Justice Kondolo disagreed with the State that the mere act of subjecting the tribunal to the process of judicial review would result in curtailing its process or investigative process.
President Lungu appointed a tribunal to probe Mr Nchito on eight terms of reference that include alleged acts of impropriety.
The tribunal members are former chief justices Annel Silungwe, as chairperson, Ernest Sakala and Mathew Ngulube as members, and Mathew Zulu as secretary.
The tribunal has also been tasked to recommend whether Mr Nchito ought to be removed from office as a result of the allegations.
The United Church of Zambia has cautioned popular comedian Bob Nkosha to stop portraying his character Dorika as a member of the Church’s Women’s group known as Bana KBBK.
In a letter to Nkosha and made available to the media, UCZ General Secretary Reverend Dr. Mulambia Kabonde said the Church is dismayed and disappointed that Nkosha’s comedy act Dorika is now donning the KBBK uniform on stage.
Below is Rev. Kabonde’s letter
WE HAVE observed with utter dismay and disappointment at the picture which appeared in the Zambia Daily Mail Vol. 20 No. 31 dated Friday, February 5, 2016 in which Mr Bob Nkosha was seen wearing a Women Christian Fellowship uniform whilst performing at Lusaka Play House.
We would like to inform the general public and Mr Nkosha in particular that the uniform in question is sacred and is not used by unauthorised persons, let alone for fun or fundraising purposes as has been done by Mr Nkosha.
Herve Renard
Hervé Renard has been appointed as the new Morocco head coach, according to local media le360Sport.
Unemployed since his sacking by French Ligue 1 outfit Lille last November, the 47-year-old has reportedly replaced Baddou Zaki at the helm of the Atlas Lions.
Winner of the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia in 2012 and with Côte d’Ivoire in 2015, Renard was linked with several African national teams including Cameroon and Nigeria.
Top of their Group F of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with Cape Verde, who enjoy a better goal difference, Morocco will face the Blue Sharks in a double header in March
ZNFU President Dr. Evelyn Nguleka
The Zambia National Farmers Union is appealing to farmers and other stakeholders to remain calm as fraud investigations at its Headquarters commence.
In a statement, ZNFU President Dr Evelyn Nguleka confirmed that officers from the Drug Enforcement Commission had visited the ZNFU offices on Tuesday and commenced their investigations.
She said the ZNFU Secretariat will remain operational and continue to serve its membership during the investigations.
“Reports of allegations of fraud and theft at the ZNFU offices have been circulating in the media for some time, arising from a leaked preliminary audit report of an audit that was conducted on ZNFU by EMM Corporate Partners,” she said.
She added, “the matters relating to the audit report were subsequently reported to the Drug Enforcement Commission by unidentified people. The DEC visited the ZNFU offices on February 9th 2016 and commenced investigations.”
“At this point, the ZNFU Board would like to appeal to all its members and stakeholders to remain calm during these investigations. Our members, as well as cooperating partners will be updated on new developments regarding this matter.”
Dr Nguleka said the ZNFU Board reiterates that there is an ongoing audit process at ZNFU that needs to run its full course.
“When the audit is completed, the ZNFU Board and Council will ensure appropriate actions or decisions are taken and made in line with binding regulations. As things stand now, the current audit process is yet to be concluded.”
She noted that the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants has been engaged to interrogate the professional conduct of the auditor and the auditee and to review the entire audit process and findings with a view to appointing an independent auditor to be agreed upon between the cooperating partners and ZNFU.
“ZNFU has been in close liaison with and consultation with cooperating partners and will be holding update meetings with partners to facilitate the smooth completion of the audit in a mutually agreed manner,” she said.
Mbesuma
In the Absa Premiership Mpumalanga Black Aces and Ajax Cape Town played out to a 2-2 draw at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma scored the first goal for Aces and it took him to 12 goals this season and pushed Aces up into third spot on the log table.
On loan Sundowns midfielder Mukuka Mulenga played the first 31 minutes of the game.
Aces will again rue some missed chances especially Aubrey Ngoma’s who after doing all the hard work, rounded the keeper, but managed to miss an open goal.
Ajax are now placed at position eight with 23 points on the Absa Premiership table
Zambia’s leading fuels, lubricants and oil-based products firm, Engen Petroleum’s has announced the construction of an all new pipeline linking the Engen depot in Lusaka to the government facility.
Jean-Blaise Ollomo, Managing Director of Engen Petroleum Zambia, says: “As Engen, our priority is to supply Lusaka as well as Southern Province and Eastern Province – particularly the capital, Chipata, which accounts for a large portion of Engen’s total fuel demand.”
Engen has a total of 36 service stations in Zambia of which 19 are located in Lusaka and the southern part of the country.
This additional pipeline injection will be critical in mitigating the fundamentals of price and supply.
“The depot is very busy with a demand of 7 million litres of product per month. Reducing costs, increasing supply and gaining an advantage for our largest commercial customer, will be a huge boost for our operations,” says Ollomo.
The additional required supply is currently being received from Ndola, which is located in the Copperbelt.
The Zambian government depot was built and commissioned in 2013 to help achieve a uniform pump price countrywide.
Drikus Kotze, General Manager of Engen’s International Business Division says that sustainable growth in the region is Engen’s vision for 2016 and beyond “with keen benefits aligned to the company, the countries it services and the continent as a whole.”
Engen Petroleum is an African based oil company whose core functions include the refining of crude oil and the delivery of world class retail convenience across the continent and the Indian Ocean Islands.
HH at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town
Chief Government Spokesman Chishimba Kambwili has lashed out at UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema over his sentiments about Zambia’s investment climate at the ongoing mining indaba in Cape Town, South Africa.
Mr Hichilema was a key speaker at the 2016 Mining Indaba and spoke about the great opportunity that still exists in many areas of Zambia for mining projects, and in particular projects that will bring benefit to the people in terms of jobs and stimulating local economies.
The UPND leader stressed that with a stable policy environment, Zambia should have been producing 1.5 million metric tons of copper today, compared to the 750,000 metric tons it currently produces.
When asked what Zambia had learnt from the recent price fluctuations, Mr Hichilema suggested that for far too long Zambia has been like a microcosm of the mining industry, believing during the good years that they will last forever and not reinvesting the money in diversification, and when the bad times happen panicking and trying to impose legislation that ends up causing further harm.
He said this is a cycle that the country must break out from.
On the question of sustainability Mr Hichilema proposed that actors need to change their time horizons when looking at the sector.
He cautioned that politicians must be careful not to get caught in the trap of politicising the sector.
But Mr Kambwili who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister charged that Mr Hichilema showed that he will say anything to get into State House.
He said Mr Hichilema demeaned the country which he wants to lead.
“HH showed himself up at the mining indaba, he really showed the whole world that he is just a frustrated and disgruntled opposition leader who will say anything to get into state house. In his usual style of demeaning the country he wants to lead he heaped a lot of negativity about the mining sector, forgetting that he was heavily involved in the privatisation,” Mr Kambwili stated.
Mr Kambwili said Mr Hichilema failed to mention that he was part of the privatisation exercise that saw Zambia’s mining sector take a nose dive.
“Now do you listen to someone who played a part in the loss of thousands of jobs, or someone who is currently in the sector and has more of an idea of the current situation. We must realise that whenever we speak about Zambia abroad, we must try and sell our country not demean it, nothing positive ever comes out of a negative mouth,” Mr Kambwili said.
