Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
Miles Sampa surrounded by his supporters at Cabinet Office
PF Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa has finally announced his decision to quit the ruling party.
In a letter dated 21st January 2016 and released to the media, Mr Sampa said his decision came about as a result of the intolerance, hate, vengeance and violent conduct towards party members; including those who supported me at the Kabwe convention in 2014.
Mr Sampa who recently quit his Deputy Ministerial position said the current PF in looks and conduct reminds him of the MMD of 2011 that instilled fear in the general public.
He said he has chosen to disassociate himself from such a grouping and wish them well.
Mr Sampa’s resignation does not come as a surprise after rumours emerged that he is the one behind the formation of a new political party called Democratic Front.
This led to the PF through is Deputy Spokesman Frank Bwalya ordering Mr Sampa to restrict his mobilisation activities to his Matero constituency in an effort to stem his perceived growing popularity.
Below is Mr Sampa’s letter.
Date: 21st January, 2016
Re: Resignation from the Patriotic Front
I would like to inform the general public of my decision to resign from the Patriotic Front (PF) effective 21st January 2016.
My decision came about as a result of the intolerance, hate, vengeance and violent conduct towards party members; including those who supported me at the Kabwe convention in 2014.
As a firm believer of peace and democracy, I feel a number of people were not and have not been accorded the right to express themselves freely and that in itself has created disharmony from within. My efforts to unite the party have proved futile last 12 months.
The current PF in looks and conduct reminds me of the MMD of 2011 that instilled fear in the general public. I choose to disassociate myself from such a grouping and wish them well.
To the beloved people of Matero, be assured that there will be no by-Election in Matero as a result of my resignation. The new constitution effectively implies that I will be with you to finish off all the pending projects and programmes until the general elections.
I will be holding a press conference tomorrow where I will be issuing a comprehensive statement.
B flows new video and song ,“Victory”, encourages youths to work hard and not always waiting for the Government to provide employment. The song features JC Starboy and was produced by Shom C . The video was directed by Terence Sampa of Terence Pictures
Actress Taraji P Henson, who won the Best Actress Award for her role as Cookie on Fox’s ‘Empire’ at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on Sunday stole international headlines after storming the red carpet in Kimberly McDonald earrings set with Gemfields Zambia’s emeralds.
Dana Oliver, the executive fashion and beauty editor at The Huffington Post, wrote: “It is no big surprise that Taraji P Henson is nominated for her role as Cookie on Fox’s Empire. But what is shocking is the subtly sexy look the actress wore to the 2016 Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.The 45-year-old actress twirled in a bespoke ivory silk strapless dress designed by Stella McCartney. Henson accessorised with gleaming accessories, sporting Kimberly McDonald earrings set with Gemfields Zambian emeralds and a gold enamel chain Falabella clutch. And her sleek lob haircut and soft makeup add to her sophisticated look.”
Glitz, glamour and big screen names graced the red carpet at this year’s 73rd Golden Globe Awards ceremony which was broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
About Gemfields
Gemfields is the world’s leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, specialising in emeralds and amethysts from Zambia and rubies from Mozambique. Listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (ticker: GEM), Gemfields oversees the mining and marketing of coloured gemstones from some of the world’s finest gemstones deposits and it does so responsibly and transparently.
Positioned at the intersection of mining, marketing, exploration and ethics, Gemfields supports the delivery of a consistent supply of high-quality coloured gemstones to jewellers, manufacturers and luxury brands worldwide. In January 2013, Gemfields acquired Fabergé – aligning the world’s largest coloured gemstone producer with one of the most recognisable and iconic heritage brands of all time, to create what can readily be described as a true global coloured gemstone champion.
Gemfields owns 75 per cent of the Lufwanyama-based Kagem Mining Ltd, the world’s single largest producing emerald mine, in partnership with the Zambian government, which owns 25 percent.
FILE: Barrick Lumwana acting managing director Guy Cordingley (right) and a Ministry of Health official display a cheque for K100 million donated to Meheba Rural Health Centre for the rehabilitation of the laboratory and purchase of equipment that supports CD4 count machine on the eve of the International Wolrd AIDS Day at Lumwana Pleasure Resort
Western countries are using aid to Africa as a smokescreen to hide the “sustained looting” of the continent as it loses nearly $60bn a year through tax evasion, climate change mitigation, and the flight of profits earned by foreign multinational companies, the Guardian quoted as a group of NGOs as saying.
Although sub-Saharan Africa receives $134bn each year in loans, foreign investment and development aid, research released on Tuesday by a group of UK and Africa-based NGOs suggests that $192bn leaves the region, leaving a $58bn shortfall.
According to the report, while Western countries send about $30bn in development aid to Africa every year, more than six times that amount leaves the continent, “mainly to the same countries providing that aid.”
The perception that such aid is helping African countries “has facilitated a perverse reality in which the UK and other wealthy governments celebrate their generosity whilst simultaneously assisting their companies to drain Africa’s resources,” the report claims.
It points out that foreign multinational companies siphon $46bn out of sub-Saharan Africa each year, while $35bn is moved from Africa into tax havens around the world annually.
The study, which also notes that African governments spend $21bn a year on debt repayments, calls for the aid system to be overhauled and made more open.
It says aid sent in the form of loans serves only to contribute to the continent’s debt crisis, and recommends that donors should use transparent contracts to ensure development assistance grants can be properly scrutinised by the recipient country’s parliament.
The report was authored by 13 UK and Africa-based NGOs, including: Health Poverty Action, Jubilee Debt Campaign, World Development Movement, African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, Friends of the Earth Africa, Tax Justice Network, People’s Health Movement Kenya, Zimbabwe and UK, War on Want, Community Working Group on Health Zimbabwe, Medact, Healthworkers4All, Friends of the Earth South Africa, JA!Justiça Ambiental/Friends of the Earth Mozambique.
In the article I raised concern that the Government had decided to discontinue with the University of Zambia (UNZA) programme in preference to one being offered by the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ). One of my arguments was that the ECZ did not have the capacity to handle teacher education examinations, what with the many other national examinations ECZ was burdened with.
This is already proving to be true. Results for the 2015 first year promotion examinations which were conducted in November last year have not yet been released. Meanwhile teacher training colleges opened on 3rd January, 2016 as per calendar. In the meantime, no announcement or communication has been made to the students who are beginning to panic because three weeks of the term has been lost.
As things stand now, there is no guarantee that come Monday 25th January, second year students will be in class. So we are talking about a loss of one month. This is an indication of the worst case scenario that may be experienced this year when ECZ will have promotion examinations for first and second years.
My humble appeal to the Permanent Secretary at Ministry of General Education is to revisit this matter because the writing is on the wall. The problem in Zambia is that we tend to experiment with things that are obvious. My advice to the Ministry is that since a decision has been made to do away with UNZA, for now let each college administer promotion examinations and ECZ should only concentrate on administering the final examinations until such a time when ECZ will have the necessary structure and capacity. Let us not wait until the situation becomes a scandal.
CHILUFYA TAYALI executive Director The Zambian Voice
By Chilufya Tayali
Contrary to what many of the UPND cadres say, I don’t hate nor insult Double H. I respect HH if anything I am told he has a more beautiful daughter than Edgar, so we can do a One Zambia One Nation some day. But for now, I am banking on what I have seen.
My issues on HH are very clear and I can count them. They are not personal but substantive issues which a reasonable person would wish they are responded to logically than terming them tribal, hate-speech and whatever sensational terminology one can think of just to run away from the real issue. Don’t worry I will keep asking.
Yesterday the UPND were celebrating the defection of Lupando Mwape from his political sleep to UPND. Let us not waste time in saying Lupando Mwape is from MMD because the man was like a free player without a club and no price whatsoever.
But who is Lupando Mwape? Let me start by saying the man has a strong academic background with a Doctorate in Engineering (I stand to be corrected). He has lived in the UK where he studied and most probably tried to change his skin to look lighter just to conform with the Bazungu.
He won the Lukashya seat in 2001 and was appointed Minister of Transport & Communication by Levy Mwanawasa who later promoted him to VEEP in 2004 to appease the stubborn Bembas. Unfortunately Lupando could not perform in spite of being a VEEP, so he lost the Lukashya seat in 2006 elections.
It is alleged that this UPND’s secret document (quota) demands that only a Tonga should lead the party to State House. Therefore no Bemba, including BIG GBM can change the DNA of UPND. Bembas can join UPND but they are not to own the party or the Government to be formed by UPND.
Mwanawasa was kind to him, so he appointed him as Ambassador to China until he was brought back by RB. Since then he has been politically stale. He tried to dust himself up during the last January elections to support Edgar Lungu hoping to be given a ka job, but like Mike Mulongoti he got nothing because Lungu was busy employing RB people. Lupando was also not a political factor to attract Lungu’s attention.
Summing it all, from my point of view, Lupando Mwape is a failure politically but UPND can celebrate his vote and most probably the votes of some of his relatives and that counts for something at least.
My brother Larry Mweetwa was jubilating and mocking me (after we managed to pull down his fake page of another Chilufya Tayali) in his self imposed exile that UPND has one more Bemba to dilute the tribal tag on UPND. But I pity this Larry boy to invite me to such political parties (party of enjoyment) instead of where there are ladies like the ones I saw at the beach.
Larry and his friends in UPND cannot dilute the tribal Tag in UPND by how many Bembas (or any other tribe) they attract because it is part of the UPND DNA. And am not fabricating things to prove a point, I am talking about things accented by founder members of UPND.
If we go by the words of Ackson Sejani who was quoted by The Post Newspaper of Wednesday June 7, 2006, EDITION #3520, which carried a lead story as follows: Southern Province won’t be cowed into silence over UPND succession, vows Sejani…A TONGA MUST REPLACE MAZOKA-REX NATALA,”.
Ackson Sejani said, “Attempts must be made to put this whole debate into perspective. When I joined UPND in 2002, I was told by some founding gurus that you need two things to understand how UPND functions and how it is held together…you need to hold the party constitution on one hand and the entrenched convention of the quota system on the other.”
It is alleged that this UPND’s secret document (quota) demands that only a Tonga should lead the party to State House. Therefore no Bemba, including BIG GBM can change the DNA of UPND. Bemba’s can join UPND but they are not to own the party or the Government to be formed by UPND.
Don’t accuse me of tribalism; I am simply giving facts from UPND history and the quota as reported. So instead of calling me names UPND should produce the quota document and explain it.
It seems the Quota is the DNA of the UPND and all members of this UPND must try to question it instead of just defending HH, because you might be in the dark.
Had it not been for the existence of the secret document of the UPND called the Quota, Double H would not have become President of UPND.
We all know Sakiba Sikota SC was the Vice President of UPND when Mazoka died and he acted as President from the time Andy died in May 2006 to July 2006 when the Conversion was held.
To arrive at this assertion, I asked myself the following questions; where was HH during the time of Mazoka? Who knew about HH?Who was popular between Saki and HH at during that time?
We all know that Saki was a man to recon with in the political arena and he had high chances of scooping the Republican Presidency had not been for the Quota system coming into play to elect HH as President.
HH was nowhere in politics or charity, since he claims to be a philanthropist. Everything HH has done to help the public was done after failing to be come Republican President. He has been helping around just to win votes otherwise his name is only written in the Privatization of Companies and him getting a rich out of that.
The quota system must exists somewhere in the UPND and it should be published for people, especially the new members like GBM, Lupando Mwape, Canisius Banda,Nalumango, Maureen Mwanawasa, of course my wife Clance Zulu and her fellow youths, so that they know what is contained in there.
If the members of UPND ignores the Quota system, what guarantees do they have that what happened to Saki would not repeat itself.
UNPD and HH will forever regret bamboozling Saki at a the conversion in 2006. HH was not meant to be President but they used the Quota and their chosen messiah who has almost turned into a god as Chief Hamusonde addressed him in the famous phone conversation which both HH and the Chief refuted and they have not said a word after the recording came out.
This is not about hate or tribalism it is about transparency and I expect people to answer to this issue instead of being abusive.
Hakainde Hichilema
Opposition UPND President Hakainde Hichilema says his party will this week be seeing the Zambia Police Command to engage them on the Public Order Act.
Mr Hichilema directed party lawyer Jack Mwiimbu to prepare all the rejected notifications to hold meetings as the party engages the police on the controversial Act saying we need to go with those documents to show the police that we are law abiding citizens.
He said there is need for the police to stop curtailing their movements and meetings because this is an election year and the party needs to mobilise itself and ensure that the party leadership meets it general membership countrywide.
“We will this week be engaging the Zambia Police top command with a view to iron out the sticking points of misunderstandings regarding the application of the Public Order Act. As far as we are concerned, we don’t see any issue with us going ahead with our party mobilisation meetings anywhere in the country,” he said.
He added “We believe it is purely a case of abuse of office by those in leadership who want to curtail our freedom of movement and the association of law abiding citizens. We hope to sit with the police command this week and thereafter plan to immediately hit the ground running.”
He further said the party will also engage other stakeholders such as the ECZ over concerns the party has received from members across the country.
GOVERNMENT has refuted claims by Forum for Development and Democracy (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi that it pocketed over US$30 million through a dubious tender awarded for the delivery of fire tenders.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Stephen Kampyongo said in an interview yesterday that Ms Nawakwi’s claims are baseless and cannot be substantiated.
“Her claims are baseless. What does she want now? When I was at the Ministry of Home Affairs, she accused us of dubiously purchasing helicopters, now she has turned to fire tenders,” he said.
Mr Kampyongo said as a former minister, Ms Nawakwi should know how such procurements are done and should not make such allegations that Government wrongly awarded a contract of that magnitude out of desperation.
He said procedure is always followed whenever such kind of procurement is done in government ministries and Ms Nawakwi should be abreast of what goes on because she was once a minister.
And Ministry of Local Government and Housing permanent secretary Misheck Lungu advised people to stop speculating but to instead seek for correct information before they mislead people.
Mr Lungu said in a separate interview that in 2015, the ministry ran a tender ranging from K38.4 million to US$49.6 million and a company called Grand View International was awarded the contract at US$42 million.
He said this was after the ministry followed laid down procedure and law as guided by the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA).
“The law in public procurement is clear and this was what the ministry followed in awarding one contract out of the 16 companies that had expressed interest in the tender,” he said.
Mr Lungu said the tender was done according to Statutory Instrument (SI) No 63 of 2011 and that it was the best evaluated bidder and not the lowest priced bidder who was awarded the contract.
He said procurement methodologies and the evaluation process was followed, hence there is no need for negative speculation on the matter.
Mr Lungu said out of the 16 companies, three companies had to appeal to ZPPA, which is allowed by law.
He, however, said even after the appeal by the three companies, ZPPA gave a go-ahead to the ministry to maintain the awarding of the contract to Grand View International.
He said procurement of fire tenders is critical to a country which is developing because investors would want to have their investments secured.
The FDD president is reported in some sections of the media alleging that Government wrongly awarded a contract of about and over US$30 million for the delivery of fire tenders.
PF Deputy Spokesperson Frank Bwalya has described former vice President Lupando Mwape as a finished politician who has been rejected on two occasions by his own people in Northern Province.
Commenting on Mr Mwape’s joining of the opposition UPND Mr Bwalya said the former Vice President was a non- entity in the country’s political dispensation and that he has gone to join the UPND with the faint hope of getting a job if they win this year’s elections.
He said as far as the PF is concerned Mr Mwape is only one of the people who just associated with the ruling party during the elections in January and expected a job when the party returned power hence is a bitter person because he was not given a job.
He added that the former Veep was never a member of the party and that the PF has not lost any members in the last 72 hrs.
Mr Bwalya also said the party was aware that Mr Mwape has been seeing chiefs of Northern Province in a bid to win support of the traditional leadership so that they can support his ambitions to be adopted by the UPND as a running mate.
He further laughed at the assertions that Mr Mwape would deliver Northern Province to the UPND saying this is the person who failed to win a parliamentary seat when he was Vice President in 2006.
Mr Mwape together with scores of MMD officials led by their Chairperson for Local Government Rose Banda on Tuesday ditched their parties to join the UPND.
Labour Minister Fackson ShamendaLabour Minister Fackson Shamenda has said that youth unemployment remains relatively high, at 10.5% of the 14.98 million population.
Mr Shamenda said that the 2014 labour force survey report indicated that 5.8 million people are employed in Zambia and that 16.1% are in the formal sector while 83.9% are in the informal sector.
Mr Shamenda said that despite the total working age population estimated at 8.12 million while the labour force estimation stands at 6.3 million.
The minister however said that measures have been put in place to formalise the informal sector.
Mr Shamenda said that government is promoting formal Job creation through the strategies such as the revised national youth policy and plan of action, the industrialization and job creation strategy and national development plans.
He said this during the launch and dissemination of the 2014 labour force survey report in Lusaka.
And International Labour Organization-ILO- Country Director Alexio Mushindo said the labour force survey report is key to addressing the rising challenges and formulating strategies that will strengthen the labour market .
Meanwhile, Central Statistical Office Director John Kalumbi said the survey report will strengthen the labour market and help identify the vulnerable groups requiring support
President Edgar Lungu exchange with their Royal Highnesses chiefs Chikankata, Sinazongwe and Mapanza in Choma on Wednesday before taking a flight to meet with Chief Macha,picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/statehouse 20-1-2016.
President Edgar Lungu has assured the nation that government has put in place measures to ensure that adequate maize stocks are secured to guarantee both household and national food security.
And President Lungu has appealed to traditional leaders in the country to support government to deliver development across the country.
Speaking during a brief meeting with four traditional leaders who included Chiefs Choongo, Hamusonde, Chona and Monze in Monze district yesterday, President Lungu said government was ready to sacrifice resources of other economic demands to secure enough food stock for the country.
The president noted that the country still had enough maize stock to last up to June this year adding that the government was making frantic efforts to import more maize stocks in case of poor crop yields because of the poor rainfall patterns in most parts of the country experienced so far.
“ I want to assure the nation that my government is making all efforts to secure adequate maize stocks because the current stocks we have will be depleted by June this year,” said President Lungu.
“As government we are alive to the fact that we have poor rainfall patterns in some parts of the country but as Patriotic Front (PF) government we shall do whatever it takes, even sacrifice resources meant for economic growth to ensure that no Zambian starves to death as a result of hunger,” said Mr. Lungu.
He disclosed that government was committed to prudently use the available resources to buy maize stocks from South America as well as setting up solar milling plants across the country as soon as possible to make mealie meal prices affordable to all Zambians.
According to recent World Food Programme (WFP) study an estimated 14 million people risk facing serious hunger in Southern Africa following the effects of adverse climatic conditions during the last farming season.
And President Lungu noted that traditional leaders should guide politicians in their ‘talk’ that has the potential to plunge the country into chaos.
The Head of state stated that in as much as traditional leaders had the democratic right to support a particular party it was their obligation to create harmony and peace in the manner politics should be conducted to preclude divisions in the country
“You may prefer one party over another but I think the most important thing is that we are all your children and so it is just right that you guide us in the manner we talk, and help us to create decency, harmony and ultimately peace in our politics because our unity as a country transcends politics,” said Mr. Lungu.
He also noted that it was important for traditional leaders to also support government in its endeavour to deliver development to all parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Hamusonde who spoke on behalf of the other chiefs thanked the PF government for working on the Monze –Nieko road, constructing 11 health posts, and offloading maize to enable Monze residents buy in light of the hunger in the district adding that all these were achievements which eluded previous governments.
However, Chief Hamusonde also appealed to government to consider among other things increasing allowances for traditional leaders, grading roads leading to chiefs’ palaces and increasing the number of packs from current one pack to previous five per traditional leader.
He wondered why allocation of packs to chiefs has been reduced to one during the 2015/2016 farming season and appealed to the Head of State to look into the matter as a matter of urgency considering that the traditional leaders pay for their packs allocated to them.
In response President Lungu assured the traditional leaders that all their concerns would be addressed as soon as possible, noting the demands for increase in number of input packs, grading of rural roads and increment of Chief’s allowances would be considered as a priority.
The Head of State who toured the Nieko-Monze road and later received a thunderous welcome from Monze residents who jostled to catch a glimpse of him as he toured the township roads.
He was accompanied by the First Lady Esther Lungu, Provincial Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu, presidential aide Amos Chanda and other senior and government officials.
President Edgar Lungu tour Chief Macha farm in Choma on Wednesday 20-1-2016- Picture By Eddie Mwanaleza/statehouse.President Edgar Lungu with Chief Macha on tour of his Farm after the two talks at his Palace His Palace in Choma on Wednesday 20-01-2016, Picture By Eddie Mwanaleza/statehouse.President Edgar Lungu with Chief Macha on tour of his Farm after the two talks at his Palace His Palace in Choma on Wednesday 20-01-2016, Picture By Eddie Mwanaleza/statehouse.President Edgar Lungu exchange views with their Royal Highnesses chiefs Chikankata, Sinazongwe and Mapanza in Choma on Wednesday before taking a flight to meet with Chief Macha,picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/statehouse 20-1-2016.President Lungu Public Rally in ChomaPresident Edgar Lungu tour with Chief Macha farm his Choma in on Wednesday 20-1-2016- Picture By Eddie Mwanaleza/Statehouse.
The ruling Patriotic Front has directed Matero MP Miles Sampa to only restrict his mobilization of the party to his constituency.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka PF Deputy Spokesperson Frank Bwalya said only members with the blessings of the party hierarchy are allowed to go round the country to mobilise and Mr Sampa was not one of them.
Mr Bwalya said the party had seen it feet to provide guidance so as to ensure that there is sanity in the way mobilizations are done and has called on party structures to shun any member claiming to be on a national program alone.
He said the party has only allowed a few individuals to go around the country.
“No party official is allowed to undertake national mobilisation activities without the full blessing of the part hierarchy. For avoidance of doubt, the only people allowed to do that are President Lungu, Information Minister Chishimba Kambwili, Mumbi Phiri, Devis Chama, Stephen Kampyongo Jean Kapata and Me. Miles Sampa is not one of them, therefore , in absence of permission from the concerned authorities Mr. Sampa should confine his mobilization activities to his constituency,” Mr. Bwalya said.
Mr. Bwalya also instructed party members to stop issuing statements on the alleged ambitions of Mr. Sampa with regard to forming his own political party.
He said the PF was a democratic party and that no one will be crucified for harbouring political ambitions including that of becoming President of the country provided they do not bring the name of the party into disrepute.
He also said the issue of who will the PF Presidential candidate is non-negotiable as President Lungu remains the sole candidate as he still remains with a 5 year second term to complete.
The directive to restrict Mr. Sampa comes in the wake of on going rumors that a splinter group from the ruling party is about to form its own political party which will be called the Democratic Front.
FILE: Then Deputy Minister of Commerce and Trade Miles Sampa finally unveils the new Zambia Bureau of Standards logo just after cutting the ribbon
The Zambia Bureau of Standards has urged local manufacturers to obtain permit to supply licences to ensure that only and reliable products are made available to the consumers.
In statement to the media ZABS head of marketing and public relations Hazel Zulu said it was important for manufacturers to obtain licences from the the bureau because only those with licences are allowed to supply products to which compulsory standards apply.
Ms. Zulu called on manufacturers to comply saying failure to do so was a violation of the laws of Zambia.
“ZABS would like to take this opportunity to advise manufacturers that supplying products which fall under compulsory standards without a permit to supply license is a violation of the standards act, section 12, Cap 416 of the laws of Zambia. Retailers and wholesalers are also advised to only trade in registered goods by ensuring that they buy products from manufacturers that have a permit to supply from ZABS,” she said.
And Ms Zulu said ZABS carried out some surveillance and inspection of products last year.
“During a market surveillance and inspection that was undertaken by ZABS on the 30th November 2015 and 7th December 2015 in Lusaka, a total of 23 trading facilities were visited with 53 product brands being inspected. Of the 53 product brands inspected, 17 brands were found to be unregistered with the Bureau while 43 of the inspected brands were found to be inadequately labelled.
“The most common findings were a lack of batch numbers on the products, no manufacturing dates and no expiry dates. In some cases new products were found on the market despite the manufacturers not having obtained permits to supply from the Bureau,” she said.
She explained that the inspections were carried out in Kamwala trading area, town center area, Soweto market, and Avondale. Other areas inspected include Mtendere, Kaunda Square, George Compound, Makeni and Chilenje Township.
She also said products that were inspected comprised of peanut butter, detergent paste, bathing soap and fruit flavored drinks. Other products include mealie meal and wheat flour.
Four people were buried alive after a hip of soil collapsed at the Mulonga Water and Sewerage site for sewer works in Mufulira.
The 4 met their fate when a hip of soil collapsed on them at the Mulonga Water and Sewerage site were the utility company is expanding it sewer.
The accident happened on Tuesday January, 19th, 2016 around 14.50 hrs along Maina Soko Avenue in the Top Shops area and has been confirmed by both Mulonga Water and Sewerage Public Relations Manager Debora Kangende and Mufulira Mayor Thomson Ngulube.
Ms Kangende who withheld the name of the deceased to protect their families, said the quartet were engaged by a contractor called Lalmachi Company which has been engaged by the utility company.
She also said the injured person had been admitted to Malcom Watson Hospital adding that the survivors were rescued by a combined team of Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) Mine Rescue team and Fire Brigade and Mufulira Municipal Council Fire Brigade.
She said the matter had been reported to all relevant authorities and a comprehensive statement would be released later further adding that the incident was regrettable and unfortunate as productive lives had been lost.
Both the utility company and the Municipality has since sent a message of condolences to the families of the deceased persons.
A fuel shortage has again hit most parts of Lusaka as the Fuel Tankers Drivers Association have gone on strike.
The Association has instructed its members not to uplift any Petroleum products from the fuel depots until Government responds to its demands.
The drivers want Government to ban the movement of fuel tankers beyond 18 hours to be effected.
And Energy Minister Dora Siliya has described the action by the drivers as tantamount to economic sabotage.
Ms. Siliya who met the Oil Marketing Companies today said Government appreciates the concerns of the drivers saying they are essential workers in the energy sector.
“We continue to be challenged by the strike action of the fuel tanker drivers. I humbly urge them to go back to loading fuel so that economic activities run smoothly. I met today with Oil Marketing Companies to ensure willing drivers load and deliver fuel safely,” Ms. Siliya said.
She added, “We appreciate some of the concerns raised by the drivers. However, Drivers are essential workers in the energy sector and we cannot condone economic sabotage especially when laid down communication procedures in a labour dispute are not followed.”
Ms. Siliya said the current strike is in fact as a result of one driver not following procedure while delivering fuel and refusing to follow lawful instructions.
“It has also become clear that some of the drivers requests are mixed with the tanker owners issues indicating collusion. I will meet with the fuel transporters tomorrow and will take the necessary action to normalise the situation. Your patience is most appreciated.”
