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Captain Christopher Katongo scored as Zambia advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after overcoming Uganda 1-0 in the two sides second Group D match in Rubavu on Saturday evening.
Katongo, who was voted man of the match, headed in a Cletus Chama free kick after 41 minutes.
The experienced Green Buffaloes striker earlier in the first half saw his low shot cleared of the line.
The victory helped Zambia to stay top of the group with six points after two games where they also maintain their two point lead.
George Lwandamina’s Chipolopolo will now wrap-up their Group D action on Wednesday with a game against Mali in Kigali to decided who finishes top ahead of the January 31 quarterfinals.
Meanwhile in the early afternoon kickoff, Zimbabwe were eliminated from the CHAN after losing 1-0 to second placed Mali.
Moussa Sissko scored the winner in the 82nd minute to send Zimbabwe out of the tournament after two successive defeats.
Zimbabwe lost by the same margin to Zambia in their opening game on January 19.
Zambia have 6 points, Mali are second on 4 points, Uganda are 3rd on 1 point while Zimbabwe have zero points.
Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa has disclosed that the Zambia Police Service on the Copperbelt has cancelled his scheduled press conference in Kitwe today.
The former Commerce, Trade and Industries Deputy Minister was supposed to have a press conference at Moba Hotel in Kitwe at 14:30hrs but later announced that it has been called off by the police.
The Matero Lawmaker resigned from the ruling party on Thursday saying the decision was as a result of intolerance, hate, vengeance and violent conduct towards party members; including those who supported him at the Kabwe convention in 2014.
But Copperbelt Police Commissioner Charity Katanga has however denied the claims by Mr. Sampa saying the police have not cancelled any event organized by him.
Ms Katanga tells QFM News via telephone that as a Police Commissioner, she is not aware that Mr. Sampa’s event was called off.
She says she has not directed any officer to cancel the briefing for Mr. Sampa.
President Edgar Lungu with Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda during his Inauguration Ceremony at Heroes Stadium on January 24,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
United Party of National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has catalogued a list of failures by President Lungu and the Patriotic Front since he took over from the late President Michael Sata.
In a statement released to the media, Mr Hichilema said that in only 12 months President Lungu has managed to make the Kwacha the worst performing currency in the world.
Below is the full statement
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
President Lungu’s Year in Office
President Lungu is marking one year at State House this weekend and we are all counting the cost. It is clear to see who are the few that have more money in their pockets after nearly 5 years of PF Government.
Austerity has hit the Zambian people but seemingly not the PF leadership, with at least 17 Presidential trips abroad and countless social engagements over the past year. Yet President Lungu has only had time for one press conference and we are still waiting to hear his vision for the country.
While Zambians face job losses, rising food prices and erratic load shedding, the PF attempts to divide us and turn us against one another in order to distract from their failures in office. Such an approach shows a complete disregard for our future as a nation, and a self-serving attitude at the heart of government. Here is a reminder of just five of the biggest missed opportunities under the PF:
Power sector
The failure of the PF to maintain existing infrastructure is central to on-going load shedding and pressure to increase prices. Under Lungu’s management the PF not only failed to prevent the current crisis but there was not even a warning shot fired on the matter! They were too busy looking elsewhere. As long as ZESCO continues to be manned by PF cadres, problems will continue and investors will stay away. Lake Kariba is not the only source of water to generate hydro electricity in Zambia. We could have built a number of mini hydro stations along the Luapula, Chambeshi and Kafue rivers in the northern part of the country. It only takes at most 18 months to build a 100 MW power station.
Economic diversification
The PF has talked about diversification but there has been no action to follow. Where is the vision for our tourism sector? Where is the vision for agribusiness? These sectors can be great sources of job creation and revenue. Instead the PF has continued to focus almost solely on mining where it has failed miserably, alienating investors through chopping and changing policy and betraying workers with empty promises. In only 12 months Edgar Lungu has managed to make the kwacha the worst performing currency in the world, under his watch we have the highest inflation in 10 years. The rating Agencies have downgraded our economic outlook. The PF has borrowed massively, mostly for consumption, and the borrowed money is largely unaccounted for. We could have placed diversification high on the agenda and used borrowed money to invest in production to create more jobs and wealth. From the time Lungu took over in January the PF has added to the debt stock an amount of over US$2 billion of external debt.
Governance
The PF failed to put the full constitution to the people of Zambia through referendum as promised. They have also failed to reform the Public Order Act and have since used it to persecute opposition figures. Freedom of expression has been curtailed with public media operating under instruction from PF leadership. ZNBC, Times of Zambia and the Daily Mail are heavily indebted and insolvent. We could have allowed the media to operate professionally. Under the PF threats against private media are the order of the day.
Agriculture
Despite the fact that over 80% of Zambians are engaged in the sector the PF has failed to give it much attention. It is a great shame irrigation has not been advanced so that farmers do not always have to wait for rainy season to farm. Meanwhile failure to address productivity leads to increasing prices. We could have invested in systems to efficiently distribute farming inputs, extension services and increase yields per hectare. Lowering the production cost will reduce food prices.
Investing in our people
The PF has not empowered our people through investment in education and skills training, improved access to credit, and the simplifying of processes to start out in business. This is what we mean by investing in our people, not simple hands out just before by-elections and then nothing for the next 5 years.
The economic turmoil we are seeing now, with depressed growth, rising prices and various redundancies is what comes from a Government with no vision, that is slow to respond, has inconsistent policies and self-serving. Regardless of political affiliation a Government must be responsive and accountable to its people. It’s time those at State House realised a country does not govern itself, there must be someone to steer the ship who decides the best route to take or it won’t stay afloat.
Raphael Nakacinda MMD Spokesperson
MMD Spokesperson Raphael Nakacinda has called on political parties in the country to internalize the amended constitution so as to make it in tandem with the party structures as opposed to seeking alliances for sole purpose of wining elections.
Mr Nakacinda expressed concern that the current debate on the constitution has focused on who is joining hands with who instead of the contents of the document and how parties can work with the new document.
He said due to the direction of the debate on some clauses in the constitution political players are making maneuvers and trying to position themselves strategically with the hope of benefiting from the new election process.
He explained that the debate on alliances has focused on individuals as opposed to political parties as institutions something he said is a danger as the whole process will be reduced to personal deals.
“As political parties we need to start responding to the amended constitution by beginning to structure ourselves as institutions so as to be in tandem with the new constitution but unfortunately when you look at the debate which is going on right now people including the media are just asking questions on which political party are you going to work with in an alliance, on what basis are those alliances going to be formed? First of all as an independent political party we should work on our own template resulting from our restructuring process which would guide us as to how we go into an alliance,” he said.
He added that in developed democracies alliances are not made by leaders of political parties but party organs which sit and agree on how to go about forming an alliance.
He said alliances must be formed on the basis of compromise on policy because an alliance should be aimed at serving people’s interests as opposed to individual interests.
And Mr Nakacinda has castigated the people calling for the amendments to some clauses in the newly amended constitution.
Mr Nakacinda said that it is unfortunate that a national process has been turned into a money making venture by some politicians including those from the ruling party and the civil society.
He wondered where the people crying foul where during the entire process that they can come now and call some of the clauses discriminatory as the amended constitution came about because of submissions from the people and debated by members of the public at various stages.
He further wondered whether the activists who were calling for the referendum had gone through the entire document saying had they done so they wouldn’t have been wearing black to go and protest at parliament building that they wanted a referendum yet turn around and call other clauses discriminatory.
Mr Nakacinda was speaking during a live discussion program dabbed the round table on CBC TV on Saturday.
In pic, Mr Nakacinda talking to Journalists outside CBC TV studios.
Matero MP Mr Miles Sampa cutoff the ribbon during the handing over of industrial block making machine to the Youths in matero
The ruling party Patriotic Front (PF) party in Matero constituency says it is now stronger and more united following the resignation of area Member of Parliament (MP) Miles Sampa.
Mr. Sampa quit from PF yesterday accusing the party of intolerance, hate, vengeance and violence.
PF Matero Constituency Chairman Chrispin Kabole led scores of ruling party supporters who gathered at the constituency secretariat in Matero to celebrate Mr. Sampa’s departure.
“The exit of Mr. Sampa has brought peace and harmony in Matero constituency and our party is more united than ever. Why is he launching his new party in Kitwe on the Copperbelt province as if he is popular,” Mr. Kabole said.
And PF Matero Constituency vice chairperson Wellington Mwanamwenge said Mr. Sampa’s departure from the party is a relief to the PF.
Mr. Mwanamwenge said the party is bigger than Mr. Sampa therefore he (Sampa) should not boast of implementing the development projects alone.
“The development projects, which Mr. Sampa claims to have brought here in Matero, were actually implemented with our input as councillors and not him alone with funds from government,” he said.
He added that, “the party is bigger than an individual who thinks he can break the party’s unity. Now you can see how people are celebrating his departure,” Mr. Mwanamwenge said.
PF Matero Constituency Chairlady Godfridah Mphanza expressed joy on behalf of women adding that they would now work well after Mr. Sampa resigned from the ruling party.
“The women are the stronghold of our party and they will not be affected by Sampa’s resignation,” Ms. Mphanza said.
PF Ward 28 Councillor Kelvin Chileshe said Mr. Sampa’s departure from the party is good riddance as he allegedly causeddivision.
The civic leader echoed other PF members’ sentiments that Mr. Sampa was not a factor in the ruling party.
Last week, the entire PF leadership in Matero constituency led by its chairman Chrispin Kabole, challenged Mr. Sampa to resign on moral grounds and desist from putting the name of the ruling party into disrepute.
From left is Zambia Railways Director Rolling Stock, Webster Mtambo, Transport and Communications Minister Kapembwa Simbao, Zambia Railways acting CEO Chrisopher Musonda and Transport and communications Deputy Minister James Kapyanga touring Zambia Railways workshop in Kabwe
Government has paid tribute to the European Union (EU), donors and other cooperating partners for assisting Zambia in building the capacity of the road transport sector.
Minister of Transport and Communications Kapembwa Simbao said government recognises the important role donors and all cooperating partners play in realising government’s vision of having a safe and maintainable core road network.
Mr. Simbao said a good road network is crucial to reducing poverty among the people in the country as it facilitates quick and safe passage of goods and services.
The Minister was speaking in Lusaka today at the stakeholders meeting for the Capacity Building to the Zambia Road Transport Sector Programme.
And the European Union (EU) has announced the allocation of K60 million towards the Capacity Building of the Zambia Road Transport Sector Programme.
EU Ambassador to Zambia Alessandro Mariani said the allocation will be implemented through long and short term technical assistance and on demand driven basis.
Mr. Mariani expressed hope that the capacity building project will lead to measurable improvements in the systems and procedures for highway and road asset management both at national and local levels.
He has since praised Zambia for prioritising the preservation of existing road infrastructure and at the same time implementing new road projects throughout the country.
The head of department of construction at Lusaka Youth Center Mr. Kaimana Charles shows part of the work to the Acting Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth Sport and child Development Mr. Alfonso Banda (r) next the deputy inspector general of police Mr. Engine Sibote (c) during the graduation ceremony for the Lusaka youth resource center
Government is contemplating setting up a sports fund in order to finance soccer activities in the country.
Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development Acting Permanent Secretary (PS) Alfonso Banda says the fund will cater for football activities for the Zambia national soccer team.
Mr. Banda says his ministry is looking at better ways of financing soccer which allegedly takes the lion’s share of the ministry’s total budgetary allocation to sports disciplines.
He said this in Lusaka today when he and his team appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Youth and Sport chaired by MMD I’kelengi Member of Parliament (MP), Elijah Muchima.
Mr. Banda told the committee that some ministry funds are diverted to finance Chipolopolo boys’ activities at home and abroad.
He further disclosed that 20 percent of the ministry’s total budget goes to the welfare of children.
And the committee heard that Katombora reformatory school, which was established in 1957, is the sole institution for convicted juveniles.
Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development Child Welfare Officer Lackson Chipampe explained that Nakambala and Insakwe in Mazabuka and Ndola districts respectively were just correctional institutions.
Mr. Chipampe has since appealed to the government to construct more prisons for the juveniles who come into conflict with the law.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development was working closely with the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Home Affairs to address the juvenile justice system in Zambia and challenges surrounding children.
And Parliamentary Committee on Youth and Sport chairperson Elijah Muchima called on government to urgently review the archaic laws.
The committee learnt with shock that juveniles, who are convicted by courts around the country other than those in Katombora in Kazungula district of Southern province, are subjected to inhuman treatment unless they are transported to Katombora reformatory school.
Mr. Muchima has since summoned the substantive Permanent Secretary Agnes Musunga to appear before committee on Tuesday 27th January, 2016 to respond to some alleged audit queries.
Meanwhile, Sport, Youth and Child Development Minister Vincent Mwale is expected to present the child code bill in the next sitting of parliament.
Parliament resumes sitting on February 9, 2016.
File picture:CATHERINE Phiri with Deputy Sports Minister Stephen Masumba after the fight
Catherine Phiri says the pressure is on her opponent and WBC female bantamweight champion Yazmin Rivas in their January 30 title fight in Baja, Mexico.
Catherine returns to the ring for the first time since May 2, 2015 when she lost her debut fight to relinquish her WBC interim title to Irish boxer Christina McMahon whose reign lasted just that fight before losing to Alicia Ashley of the USA in New York on October 29.
“Rivas is under pressure to win this fight because she is the champion. I have nothing to lose in this fight so I will take advantage of her pressure to win the fight,” Catherine said.
Rivas is unbeaten in her last six fights and the 28-year old has 34 wins, eight defeats for no losses.
Catherine’s record is at 10 wins and one defeat as she prepares for her first away bout.
Her team, who left for Mexico on Friday via the USA, will set-up a preliminary training base across the border en route to Mexico for next Saturdays fight.
Zambia coach George Lwandamina says Chipolopolo are going into this evenings penultimate Group D clash against Uganda hoping to seal their quarterfinal place at the ongoing CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.
Chipolopolo leads Group D after one round of matches played on 3 points, two more than Uganda.
Zambia went top of Group D on January 19 after a 1-0 derby win over Zimbabwe while Uganda drew 2-2 with Mali in the late kickoff on the same night.
“We know Uganda are wounded after that draw but we also are eager and have the hunger,” Lwandamina said.
“We will give them respect they deserve but we want to win and qualify.”
Victory will see Zambia secure passage to the last eight with a game to spare against Mali to be played on January 27.
The quarterfinals will be played on January 31 when the winners from Group D will take on the top two finishers from Group C that consists of Nigeria, Tunisia, Niger and Guinea.
A NEW television series Fever, directed by award-winning Zambian writer Becky Ngoma and featuring the likes of Sam Sakala, Chitalu Kaibele, Mutale Macholowe, Phillip Ngabwe, Onechi Lenje, Owas Mwape and Grace Rumsey, is set to make its debut on DStv’s Zambezi Magic on 9th February .
This 13-episode drama series is based on an original concept by Charles Chitundu, and is written by Chisanga Kabinga and produced by a Zambian film company, Global Studios. “We’re very excited to bring our viewers another show which we’re certain will not only be a hit but will also go a long way in growing the entertainment industry in Southern Africa,” says Zambezi Magic head Addiel Dzinoreva. “This is just one of the many new local productions that we’ll be introducing on the channel this year. Our region has many more rich stories to tell and we’re excited that Zambezi Magic has taken steps to make sure that our local story-tellers and talent are seen and heard on our channel.”
Fever premieres on Zambezi Magic, DStv Channel 160 on February 9 and will join a host of other Zambian productions already airing on the channel such as Zed Top 10, Kumwesu, Kool Roc Show and the local film Chenda by Owas Mwape which will be screened on February 14.
Becky is excited that Fever is finally coming to life on Zambezi Magic. “I am a passionate story-teller who stops at nothing to put in my very best. To see a truly Zambian production come on Zambezi Magic, is great news for our film industry. We hope to see more so that we can showcase our local talent to the world,” says Becky, whose story-telling skill and talent came to life through productions like Kabanana and Love Games.
The show’s producer and director of photography is Julien Adam, who boasts of more than seven years of experience in the country where he has produced various popular television commercials, documentaries, corporate films, music videos and many other communication campaigns for local and international organisations. Fever is a series about secrets, love, revenge and lust, but most of all, about family and the lengths people will go, to have and protect it.
In the film, a woman comes out of jail after serving a long sentence to exert revenge on a man who destroyed her life more than two decades ago. She wants her life back, and the daughter she never got to know or raise.
Armed with an arsenal of deadly secrets, she knocks on the door of her nemesis, the wealthy, well respected Rex Mvula, hoping that he will give her what she wants. Rex, however has a lot to lose, and will not give up all that he has worked so hard to attain.
What ensues is a tumultuous tug of war between a powerful man and a woman with nothing but will-power and grit on her side. This war threatens to destroy everything that Rex and his wife hold dear.
While Rex fights Misozi, he fails to see the fractures forming within his family as his wife, son and niece fall prey to poisonous and predatory elements that take root in their lives and leave them as shadows of their former selves.
File:FISRT Quantum general manager Rudi Badenhorst (Third from left ) briefing Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda (next) on the progress of the Trident Kalumbila mining Project in Solwezi when the visited the mine
Reuters reports that Zambia’s copper production inched higher to 711,515 tonnes in 2015 from 708,000 tonnes the previous year mainly due to a new mine owned by Canada’s First Quantum Minerals, the Chamber of Mines said on Friday.
An electricity shortage and weaker copper prices due to slower growth by top consumer China have piling pressure on Zambia’s mining industry, threatening output, jobs and economic growth in the southern African nation, and put its currency on the back foot against the dollar.
The government of Africa’s second-largest producer of the metal forecast that 2015 output – at mines owned by foreign firms such as Glencore, Barrick Gold Corp and Vedanta Resources – would drop to around 600,000 tonnes.
Some mining companies such as Glencore and Vedanta laid off workers and closed certain operations to curb copper output in a bid to support flagging prices.
Zambia’s policy flip-flops on royalty taxes during the year also caused concern among mining firms, forcing them to suspended major capital investment in mines or new projects.
“The … increase is mainly on account of the 32,952 tonnes of copper that Kalumbila Minerals contributed when it begun its ramp-up in February,” Zambia Chamber of Mines economist Shula Jalasi-Shula said, referring to First Quantum’s mine.
Zambia’s decision to increase royalties for open pit mines to 20 percent from 6 percent and those for underground mines to 8 percent from 6 percent in January 2015 met with an outcry from unions and producers, forcing the government to review the plan.
Zambia then set the royalty tax rate for open cast and underground mining at 9 percent in April, rowing back from earlier plans to charge as much as 20 percent.
However, a government spokesman said in December Zambia would introduce a variable tax on mineral royalties that will be adjusted according to metal prices.
THE Lusaka Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a teacher of Chawama to five months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a suit from Edgars Stores at Levy Business Park in Lusaka.
Tebby Chilekwa, 29, of unknown house number in Chawama, was facing one count of theft.
magistrate Kunda Tantameni sentenced Chilekwa to five months in jail after listening to his mitigation.
Chilekwa told the court that he is a teacher responsible for preparing students for examinations. He also said that he takes care of his parents in Mpika, who have requested for K5,000 to buy fertiliser.
It is alleged that Chilekwa on December 16, 2015, in Lusaka, stole a suit, a shirt and a necktie, altogether valued at K2,158, the property of Edgars Stores Company Limited.
Chilekwa readily admitted the charge to the magistrate but, in an apparent contradiction of his plea, claimed he had no intention of stealing the suit as he was only trying it on before he could purchase it.
However, according to a police report, Chilekwa was captured on CCTV trying to leave the store with the suit concealed under his clothes. He was told to pay for the suit, but said he did not have money.
President Edgar Lungu
President Edgar Lungu is next month scheduled to travel to France and the Vatican for state visits.
President Lungu is scheduled to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican and France President François Hollande at the Élysée Palace in the first week of February.
President Lungu will embark on his European tour after the closure of the 26th AU Summit slated for January 26-31, 2016 in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
According to leaked travel schedule from State House, these will be President Lungu’s last foreign trips before he embarks on a marathon re-election campaign.
Many observers believe that President Lungu’s latest trips will help bolster his international image before the next general election which is expected to be closely contested.
Last November, Pope Francis sent his special envoy to meet President Lungu at State House where the invitation was extended to the Zambian Head of State.
In the same month, President Hollande sent his special envoy and Ecology Minister Segolene Royal to invite President Lungu for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-21) in December but President Lungu could not travel to Paris.
President Lungu has undertaken about 17 foreign trips in his 12 month stay in office.
The Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) says it will fund the fish and rice value chain
projects in Kaputa district this year.
CEEC Northern Province Credit and Risk Officer, Kacha Mutenda says his Commission intends to fund the projects as part of the special initiative to promote the fish and rice industry in the district.
Mr. Mutenda said the commission has chosen to support the fish and rice industry in the district due to the massive potential the district has in these areas.
ZANIS reports that the Commission will do this by offering flexible loans to traders, marketers and farmers with money ranging between K5, 000 and K1.2 million to enable them engage in value addition.
The type of projects which the commission will fund will also range from supply of inputs, farming, storage, transportation and processing.
Mr. Mutenda said this in Kaputa today when he held a sensitization meeting with farmers and the business community in the Kaputa District Council Chamber.
The Commission also distributed the application forms and took people through the process of applying for the funds.
He emphasized the need for people in the district to apply for the fund for value addition stating that this will not only help them to market their products but also help create jobs for the unemployed.
He added that CEEC will also help individuals and firms that will engage in value addition in finding markets for their products.
Meanwhile, Kaputa District Commissioner, Mulenga Fube has urged Kaputa residents to take advantage of the facility to access funding to expand their business ideas.
Mr. Mulenga stated that Kaputa district has potential to grow the fish and rice sectors but has lagged behind because it has no value addition.
And Kaputa District Business Association Chairperson, Mervans Mulenga has commended CEEC for considering funding projects in the district.
Mr. Mulenga said the financing of the projects will help create jobs for the people adding that it will also be a tool to fight poverty.
He has since urged the Commission to honour its promise and finance business idea from Kaputa residents.
Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba speaking people in Mungwi District of the Northern Province has expressed concern over the delay in the delivery of urea fertilizer under the farmer input support programme (FISP) in some parts of Mungwi District.
Chief Chitimukulu says the late delivery of top dressing fertilizer might negatively affect yields for the 2015/2016 farming season.
The Traditional leader has since advised government to address what he termed as inertia in the distribution process.
He said this when Vice President Inonge Wina paid a courtesy call on him at his palace yesterday.
The Paramount Chief has called for increased investment in the country’s agricultural sector in order sustain national food security.
And Vice President Wina has regretted the delay in the delivery of farming inputs in Chief Chitimukulu.
She said the development is saddening especially that the country looking up to the Northern Region to sustain the food basket given to poor rainfall in other regions.
Mrs. Wina has assured the Paramount chief that government will quickly look into the matter with the agency it deserves.
Ms Wina said her office through the disaster management unit (DMMU) remains committed to ensuring food security.
She added that the Ministry of national development and planning is seeking the counsel from traditional leaders in improving the agricultural sector.
Earlier, sub-chief Chimba dismissed speculations by some sections of society suggesting that the Bemba Royal Establishment is supporting a named political party.
Chief Chimba, who is also Bashilubemba’s chairperson, reiterated that the establishment is a non- partisan institution which should not be politicized.
