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United Party for National Development (UPND) has welcomed president Lungu’s directive on tribal remarks.
In a statement made available to the media today, UPND Party Secretary General (SG) Stephen Katuka said his party UPND hopes that his officials will respect it and stop misinterpreting it to launder themselves from the tribalism statements they have been making.
Below is the full statement
17th January 2016
Lungu’s ban on tribal and hate speech
We welcome the remarks by President Edgar Lungu calling on his PF Government and party leadership to stop hate speech and tribalism.
We however hope that his officials will respect it and stop misinterpreting it to launder themselves from the tribalism statements they have been making.
We hope it will not be another of those usual rhetoric orders he issues after something has backfired but still continues with the same vice underground.
We have so far heard too many statements from President Lungu condemning violence but the exact opposite is still being done by a number of his thugs.
To date, our leaders can hardly move around the country for party mobilisation activities as they risk being physically attacked by PF thugs or state sponsored police brutality that resorts to teargasing, shooting, and arresting our members.
As UPND, we always want to concentrate on issue based politics of addressing challenges our people have been going through such as high cost of fertiliser and other inputs for farmers, power cuts, increasing inflation rates resulting in high cost of living, job loses and lack of job opportunities for our people, especially youths and the general economic meltdown.
This should form the hallmark of our debates in the country rather than trying to divide our country through fomenting tribal divisions and hate speech as a way of diverting attention from real issues and hope to win votes.
In fact we would have expected President Lungu to go further and urge those who have uttered tribal remarks such as Information Minister Chishimba Kambwili, Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda, PF Secretary General Davies Chama, his deputy Mumbi Phiri and others like Chairperson for Information and Publicity Frank Bwalya to unreservedly apologise as a way of showing remorse.
Regrettably, it is clear from the statements made so far by Chishimba Kambwili and Frank Bwalya that the duo does not agree with Lungu’s directive and are now explaining it in manner that tries to absorb them of being guilty of their tribal remarks.
This means that Chishimba Kambwili and Frank Bwalya have completely ignored Lungu’s directive and are unlikely to change or the President has completely lost his authority and he cannot discipline the two gentlemen. This does not surprise us. His directive to immediately review the Public Order Act was similarly ignored by those he tasked to do it.
Lungu must also direct public media houses such as Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail, ZNBC to be responsible enough and guard against being used but must promote national unite by accommodating divergent views and feature other players fairly in their coverage.
A sitting of the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services in session
The Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition has called for reforms in the manner in which the Farmer Input Support Programme is implemented in order to increase its effect on nutrition.
In a joint submission to the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services, the Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition and the Centre for Trade Policy and Dialogue said FISP has failed to address the high levels of malnutrition in Zambia.
CSO-SUN Zambia Advocacy and Communications Manager Eneya Phiri said in addressing the malnutrition crisis, it is important to realize the emphasis placed on the various sources of nutrients in the Zambian diet.
He said the role of Maize in the promotion of optimal health for the Zambian population is an area of contention.
He said, “The “agriculture policy” in relation to the “FISP debate” in Zambia has been pursued without due consideration to nutrition and development.”
“While the debate focuses on removal of the subsidy to correct market forces, limited attention has been paid to the negative consequences of high maize consumption (75% Kcal.) In Zambia, there is a heavy reliance on staple consumption with vegetables at the expense of protein and fat intake.”
Mr Phiri observed that vegetable protein is not easily utilized by the body due to limited bioavailability and as such the quality of amino acids cannot be relied on to provide the required protein needs.
“Within the Zambian context, children receive bulk diets deficient of the necessary amino acids (animal protein) for them to achieve the required nutrient balance for optimal health. Due to imbalanced intake, body processes are starved of the required elements, essential for growth and development.”
Mr Phiri emphasised that to reduce malnutrition rates and in particular stunting, a deliberate policy that supports diversification of agriculture is necessary adding that what is more critical, is to have a deliberate policy that provides incentives for livestock production to allow for promoting increased per capita animal protein intake in Zambia.
“It is important to practically reform FISP and the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) so that they impact more positively on nutrition. The current maize policy is actually detrimental to nutrition, and the need to promote and support a diversified diet for Zambians,” he said.
He added, “Considering that Government has continued to implement re-distributive programs such as FRA and FISP, which largely account for close to 80% of the agriculture programme budget currently. We are of the opinion that Government needs to ensure that resource allocation to the agriculture sector also focuses strongly on diversification efforts not just in terms of crop diversification.”
Mr Phiri further observed that the E-voucher is being piloted at a time when farming inputs are at their highest.
He pointed out that the failure of FSP/FISP has been to fail to move the dial on rural poverty could be attributed to several factors, including the failure to successfully target poor farmers, with subsidized inputs going disproportionately to wealthier farmers.
“Delays in input distribution, poor fertilizer use efficiency among beneficiary farmers, Inadequate monitoring of program effects, Leakages, whereby inputs intended for the subsidy program are diverted and resold on the commercial market, Lack of an exit strategy for weaning off beneficiaries and crowding out of private sector fertilizer purchases and suppliers are some of the major failures of FISP.
Mr Phiri said another great concern is the high levels of spending on the input subsidies, which raises questions about the financial sustainability of the program.
“For example, from 2009 to 2015, FISP garnered an average of 30% of the total budget allocation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock,” he said.
Mr Phiri recommended the revising of the targeting criteria for FISP.
“It is important to do this so that women especially those expecting and those with children under the age of 5 who are likely to suffer from malnutrition. The use of e-voucher system has the potential to improve targeting of beneficiaries, it must therefore be spread across the country.”
Eneyah Phiri from CSO-SUN making his submissionEneya Phiri from CSO-SUN shakes hands with Katuba MP Jonas Shakafuswa after making his submission
Zambia has only seven (7) months to go before the country goes to the polls to elect new leaders at various levels of governance. According to the Electoral Commission of Zambia over 6.4 million registered voters are eagerly waiting to cast their votes on August 11th 2016. It is gratifying that the people of Zambian now know the date for elections as opposed to the past when the date was determined by the president.
I know and indeed many Zambians will agree with me that very soon politicians will humble themselves before the people soliciting for votes. They will kneel before us and promise all the sweet little nothings. I just love that moment when politicians do that. I will make sure this time around I take pictures of those I will be privileged to see kneeling down asking for votes. This is the only time when we see politicians becoming humble to the people. Mostly we actually get cheated by many of them as they look too humble to be crooks. Only when we give them power do we then see them for who they really are. They will soon see us to be very important. But one wonders what their motive is. Obviously they want power so that they can make more money for themselves, and as usual forget about us the ordinary people.
If anything I have noticed that politicians have already started apologising to the Zambian people for the different wrongs they have done. It seems as though politicians are the only ones with minds that never forget when they do wrong as there always comes a time when they apologise to the people. This is evidenced by the Patriotic Front Party’s Secretary General Davies Chama who recently apologised to the people who may have been injured by the party during their course of governance. He said he is just human and so is everyone in the PF. He added that the PF may have made mistakes unknowingly. This is just an introduction as more is yet to come from other political players as well.
In fact I like politicians for one thing; they know we forget very fast as Zambians. They actually understand us better than we even understand ourselves. They play on our minds as if they get inside our brains and press some buttons.
This election is going to be quiet unique as I suspect that we will be going for a re-run especially if ‘smaller’ political parties still insists they want to go alone and manage mobilise one thousand (1000) supporters across the country. With my suspicious mind I can predict that only about four (4) political parties will surely contest the next elections and make an impact. Let me say something about these four (4) parties;
1. FDD – Edith Nawakwi
FDD President Edith Nawakwi
The Iron lady has in the last few years put up vigorous campaigns across the country and discovered villages that most of us never knew existed such as Namushakende and Mugubudu. There is no doubt that she is very well spoken and in my view understands issues quiet well. She debates very well and always makes sense as she articulates issues. Nawakwi is definitely a sharp woman and sometimes a ‘bully’ and knows how to use are strengths.
The FDD president has gained much more popularity in the last few years and performed reasonably well in the 20th January 2015 Presidential by elections. She has made tremendous progress with her political party. As a political leader, she has managed to groom one young politician by the name of Antonia Mwanza who I believe most Zambians now know.
As she humbles herself in the next election, I am sure that she will want to use the fact that she is the only woman standing in the elections as her strength. One would automatically think that the women movement will render support to their fellow woman and ensure we have a female president, but the funny part of nature proves us wrong many times. It looks as though women in Zambia are not so good at supporting each other.
2. MMD – Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba
Dr Nevers Mumba
The man very well known around the world for his Victory Bible Church, the church he founded in the 90’s as a young man and later became one of the first Zambians to do live broadcasting for a church service. He is pretty sharp and intelligent in my view. Others refer to him as a great product in a wrong packaging. Nevers Mumba suffered a huge political blow when he got fired by Levy Mwanawasa as his vice president. As vice president at the time, Nevers Mumba may have under estimated the power of the media. The media did a fast one on him and made him lose the vice presidency. YES!!! It was the media that actually dented Nevers Mumba’s image. They successfully painted him black on the back, blue on the left side and Green on his right side, all this to just confuse those that believed in him. In my view Dr. Nevers Mumba’s front side still remains very White.
He is very well known for his classy lifestyle but not easily influenced by trend. Not everything passes when Nevers is involved. He is a leader that wants things done up to his standard. His house is organised in a way that very few manage his levels. Nevers Mumba has however got a lot of enemies both outside and within his own party at the moment. Many people within the MMD are still demanding his ‘blood’. I know him as a fighter and one that takes time to give up if at all it gets to that, otherwise Nevers will not just give up on something. Am sure if he had a chance to defend his vice Presidency back then, he would have done so at the time.
As a clergyman he will be looking for what should be his constituency, ‘the church’ to back him in the 2016 tripartite elections. He will equally be banking on the existing MMD structures to do the magic for him and deliver the vote. We will see how well ‘Zambia Shall be Served’ under Nevers Mumba.
3. PF – Edgar Lungu
President Edgar Lungu
Very smartly dressed; President Edgar Lungu has from nowhere identified his strength. ‘THE SWAG’, he is now known as the smartest among other presidential aspirants. He is full of surprises and does things you least expect from him. He is the man of the moment who never at any point looked like one who would ascend to presidency a few months before President Sata died. He came in power with a lot of controversy surrounding his adoption by the PF. I remember he looked very humble on national television with his hands held together.
He is very approachable when you look at him, am sure with a bit of beers he must even be more live but this can only be confirmed by those who know him at personal level. I must not forget to mention that President Lungu has done quiet some work with regards to road infrastructure especially in his home compound Chawama where you find bituminous and paved roads even in areas where cars never pass.
The PF and president Lungu will really have nothing much to talk about in the 2016 general election campaigns. It will not be the more money in people’s pockets this year. That story is well known by every Zambian and am sure the PF will not ride on that slogan. I imagine the PF will ride on the president’s new identity his ‘SWAG’ which some Zambians are now in love with. The PF cadres will shout ‘Ifintu ni Lungu’ and the president will appear with his designers blue suit with a blue hat positioned on the side and he will put up some teenage dances. To some extent that works for a Zambian voter. Meanwhile, all the PF will need is to identify President Edgar Lungu’s strengths and ride on them.
I am actually very sure that the President will even be more humble in this election than the previous one.
4.UPND – Hakainde Hichilema
UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema
One of Zambia’s richest entrepreneurs; HH will be standing for the fourth time as president after the disputed election in January 2015 when his party cried foul and accused PF of rigging. He has a very sharp mind and in my view capable of doing anything. He is one of the front runners in this year’s election. His engagement with Geoffrey Mwamba popularly known as GBM is seen by many people as a plus while others including some of his party members think otherwise.
The UPND will obviously continue with ‘Zambia forward’ Janza Kumbele. They will be hoping this slogan will this time around yield positive results and usher HH to plot one. However, the party has a tough time in this election as they need to deal with the tribal tag which I believe costed them the previous election.
Like other politicians Mr. Hichilema has been accused of stealing millions of kwacha during the privatisation in the 90’s when he acted along with other individuals in selling the government parastatals such as ZCCM. This argument to me is a non- starter as every individual has skeletons we always want to hide. The people of Zambia will have to judge HH based on the UPND’s agenda. To judge Mr. Hichilema based on his past activities would be very hash and unfair to him and the UPND.
I am also sure that Mr. Hichilema will like other politicians humble himself and kneel before the people of Zambia. But let me also mention that Mr. Hichilema is known for his gymnastics on stage as he demonstrated on many occasions especially in the 2011 General elections and also in the January 20th 2015 Presidential election. He is actually a good dancer who fell in love with Brian’s Nalikombweke song and am looking forward to more of his dances.
In Conclusion, I can only say that this year’s elections will be more interesting than ever before as they will be held under the new constitution with 50 percent plus one vote and the running mate clause among others. I can say am also looking forward to seeing which politician will make it with the 1000 supporters requirement and the grade 12 certificate requirement for both MP’s and Councillors among other. As I rest my case, I want to remind my fellow citizens that time for humbleness and apologies from politicians has come. Let us not be cheated this time around with humble faces that are only interested in our vote. We should put the candidates to test and choose the ones with good ideas that can prosper our country.
GOD BLESS ZAMBIA, GOD BLESS THE VOTER AND THE CANDIDATES IN THIS YEAR’S ELECTIONS.
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22, AMP)
Protect Your Seed
Did you know that when we say prayers, when we are believing God for something, it’s like planting spiritual seeds? It’s a principle that God established at the beginning of time. We determine the harvest we have in our lives by the seeds we sow.
In the natural, think about how the farmer waits for his harvest. He knows that if he protects his seed, he will get an abundant harvest. He waters it, pulls the weeds, and keeps the soil soft.
In the same way, we have to protect our spiritual seed. We can’t allow the “weeds” of negative thinking to come in. We have to pull them out by simply saying, “God, I know You’re faithful. My trust and confidence are in You.” We have to water our seed by staying full of praise. We have to keep an attitude of faith and expectancy. That’s how we protect our seed. And when you protect your seed, when you stay in faith and keep the right attitude, it won’t be long before you will see that harvest of blessing in every area of your life.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life. I declare that my trust and confidence are in You. Thank You for hearing my prayers. I know that the seed of Your Word will produce an abundant harvest in my life in Jesus’ name! Amen.”
The Construction of nine health Posts in Sinazongwe District of Southern Province have been completed.
And Government says the health facilities which have been constructed in the remotest parts of Sinazongwe will help to minimize the challenges the area has been facing for a long time in accessing health services.
Defence Minister Richwell Siamunene was speaking in Malima area of Chief Sinazongwe yesterday during the celebrations held in appreciating Government for the Construction of Lutuwa Health Post which he said will cater for a large population of Sinazongwe rural.
Hundreds of people gave Mr Siamunene a thunderous welcome as he arrived to join the people of Lutuwa celebrating the successful completion of the clinic which the residents said has come at the right time when the population is increasing.
And Molos Muntanga who served as Malima ward councilor for 18 years under the previous Governments says the massive development programmes being undertaken in Sinazongwe is a testimony of the need to work and support Government of the day if people’s lives are to change.
And Minister of Health, Joseph Kasonde has reiterated government’s commitment towards the needs of the health sector, according to the Vision 2030.
Dr Kasonde however says this calls for support from stakeholders, through partnerships.
The Minister further says stakeholders must partner with government in its quest to provide quality health services, which will lead to a healthy and productive population.
Dr Kasonde was speaking in Kalulushi on the Copperbelt, when he commissioned Kite health post in Chate area.
This health post is part of the 6-hundred and 50 health facilities government is constructing countrywide.
President Lungu flashing PF symbol upon arrival at Solwezi airport today
President Edgar Lungu has said that the chances of importing Maize are high in Zambia given the erratic rainfall that the Country is experiencing.
President Lungu said that it has since been established that some people in the Country have been adversely affected by the poor rainfall this year.
President Lungu said that government’s assessment so far is that immediate aid will be required for areas devastated by the poor rainfall pattern.
President Lungu has disclosed that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), is already having meetings with different stakeholders to pip out a plan for responding to impending food crisis.
He was speaking shortly before departure for the Copperbelt at city airport in Lusaka this afternoon.
The President also said that he will find time to visit the residents of Kitwe’s Mufumachani area whose houses were demolished by the Kitwe council.
The President said that he understands that there is a disconnection between the people of Mufumachani and their councilors.
President Lungu thinks that there is need to re-visit the relationship that should be between the people and their area councilors.
Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu has called on all Zambians to emulate late President Michael Sata by uniting and embracing one another, in the spirit of One Zambia One Nation.
President Lungu said that Mr Sata was a strong believer in a united nation and that is why he embraced all tribes while fighting for a better Zambia.
The Head of State said that tribalism has no place in society and he has called on all PF members to lead by example by playing clean politics and avoid talking about tribalism.
The Head of State said this upon arrival at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola this afternoon.
He was welcomed by Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge, Tourism Minister Jean Kapata, Gender Deputy Minister Esther Banda and Masaiti Member of Parliament Michael Katambo.
Others on hand to welcome the president were Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela, his Deputy Elias Kamanga and Patriotic Front Copperbelt Chairman Steven Kainga.
And President Lungu said critics of the constitution should not blame him for the Grade Twelve qualification requirement for Councillors and Members of Parliament.
President Lungu said that when he signed the Constitution of Zambia Amendment Bill he was responding to the wills of the people of Zambia.
He wondered why opposition leaders like FDD President Edith Nawakwi did not raise concerns when the Grade Twelve requirement was being discussed in parliament but waited for Presidential assent for them to raise the issues.
Taonga Bwembya
Mighty Mufulira Wanderers captain and star defender Taonga Bwembya says he is staying at Shinde ahead of the 2016 FAZ Super Division season.
Bwembya was instrumental as Mighty finished fifth in the ended league campaign.
In an interview from Mufulira, Bwembya confirmed that he turned down offers from a number of Super Division clubs.
“I have decided to stay at Mufulira Wanderers,” he said.
He was heavily linked with move to Zesco United.
“I received offers from other clubs but I am staying at Mighty,” Bwembya said.
The defender is among several players who reported back at Shinde Stadium for Mighty’s pre-season training that kicked off last week.
President Edgar Lungu greets Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President Hakainde Hichilema has charged that President Edgar Lungu is panicking and having sleepless nights knowing he will face a stronger opponent in the August 11 general election.
Mr. Hichilema says he is at peace knowing too well that the people of Zambia are on his side after being dissatisfied with the PF government.
The UPND leader has called for peaceful campaigns ahead of the forthcoming tripartite elections, adding that there is need to heed to the counsel given by the church and other stakeholders for political parties to conduct mature campaigns devoid of violence.
Meanwhile, The ruling PF says it is too strong and organized for any opposition political party alliance to pose a threat to its wining the August 11th general elections.
PF Deputy Spokesperson Frank Bwalya says his party does not even think an alliance among opposition political parties can last long enough to contest this year’s general elections.
Father Bwalya states that his party already knows that the issue of a presidential candidate and running mate will be a problem for any alliance that is formed among opposition political parties.
In an interview with Qfm News Father Bwalya who is also PF Central Committee chairperson for Information notes that opposition parties are well known to be selfish when it comes to these matters.
Father Bwalya states that the ruling PF is also not worried about a small fraction of the opposition MMD going to the opposition UPND because it has a bigger part of the MMD on its side.
He says this is besides the ruling PF being confident that former President Rupiah Banda will not betray President Edgar Lungu whom he helped to ascend to power last year.
Asked whether Mr. Banda has confirmed supporting the ruling PF as he did during last year’s January 20th presidential election, Father Bwalya could not categorically state whether he has or not.
Father Bwalya however notes that his party is aware that Mr. Banda who is also a member of the MMD does appreciate the good leadership of President Lungu.
He says the ruling PF also knows that Mr. Banda will continue providing support and advice to President Lungu and will standby the Zambian people who are benefiting from the leadership of President Lungu.
Former president Rupiah Banda with Mulenga Sata
FORMER President Rupiah Banda has insisted that the decision to remove his immunity was illegal, null and void as it was based on wrong conduct by the National Assembly.
Mr Banda has since appealed to the High Court to quash the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions to commence criminal proceedings against him based on an alleged illegal decision of the National Assembly to remove his immunity.
In his application made to High Court Justice Annie Sitali, the former head of state has sought an order of certiorari to remove in to court for the purpose of quashing the decision of the DPP to commence criminal proceedings in the subordinate court.
According to an application made before the High Court yesterday, Mr Banda cited three grounds of relief which included the illegality, conditionality and procedural impropriety in protest against the decision to remove his immunity and subsequent prosecution.
“The decision by the DPP to commence criminal proceedings against the applicant is illegal and null and void as the proceedings were commenced on the basis of an illegal decision of the National Assembly to remove the applicant’s immunity by departing from the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure with respect to the subjudice rule,” he said.
Mr Banda charged that the conditionality in the commencement of criminal proceedings was unreasonable to the Wednesbury sense which made it illegal, null and void.
He has asked the court to allow him file additional affidavits in support of the amended grounds.
President Banda is represented by a team of lawyers lead by senior counsel Professor Patrick Mvunga SC and Abyudi Shonga SC while the State was represented by a three member legal team lead by Solicitor General Abraham Mwansa SC.
Meanwhile, Ms Justice Sitali has granted an application for adjournment for the plaintiff to file a consent order in honour of previous discussions between the two concerned parties.
“I can confirm to this court that is most likely that Consent Order will be presented before your ladyship as the areas in differential have been resolved.
“For the aforesaid reasons we would like to ask this court to grant us an adjournment to facilitate the filling in of the Consent Order before you,” Mr Shonga said.
Responding to the application, Solicitor General Mwansa affirmed the sentiments from the plaintiff saying “that is the position as precisely put by my learned brother”.
PARLIAMENT should consider restoring the immunity of second republican president Frederick Chiluba posthumously because he was acquitted on criminal charges for which he lost his immunity from prosecution, former Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Kashiwa Bulaya has said.
Dr Bulaya said former president Chiluba did a lot for the country and that the removal of his immunity was orchestrated, engineered and executed by the cartel that illicitly took control of State institutions using the friendship they created with the Government and leadership that they manipulated.
He said future governments should never fall into the temptation of maliciously removing immunities of former leaders because what had happened in Zambia was not the fight against corruption but a scheme to harass and scandalize former presidents.
Dr Chiluba explained that countries that gained their independence after Zambia such as Namibia and Mozambique did not have a history of harassing their former heads of State because they respected their former leaders.
He said Tanzania was a shining example of a country that respected the institution of the presidency and that since the time of Julius Nyerere to the current President, John Magufuli, none of its former presidents has been harassed under the guise of fighting corruption as was the case in Zambia.
“Parliament should consider restoring the immunity of second republican president Frederick Chiluba whose immunity was without doubt maliciously planned, engineered and executed by the cartel at the time. Late president Chiluba did a lot for this country and was acquitted of his criminal cases by the court and it would only be appropriate for Parliament to consider restoring his immunity posthumously,” Dr Bulaya said.
And Dr Bulaya has paid tribute to President Lungu for having delivered to Zambians a people-driven Constitution which had been eluding the country for many years. Dr Bulaya said President Lungu had shown true traits of a democrat and a listening leader who had refused the temptation of resisting the demands of citizens.
“President Lungu has exhibited true traits of a true democrat by giving Zambians their Constitution. While other leaders in the region and elsewhere in Africa are changing their constitutions to allow them run for the infamous third term, President Lungu has been magnanimous enough to respect the wishes of Zambians by assenting to the amended Constitution,’’ Dr Bulaya said.
MbesumaZambia striker Collins Mbesuma on Friday scored a brace that propelled Mpumalanga Black Aces to the top of the table and to also see him take command of the South African premier Soccer League top scorers chart.
Black Aces beat hosts Bidvest Wits 2-1 away in Johannesburg on Friday night
Mbesuma struck in the 17th and 82nd minutes in a match he played the full 90 minutes.
Black Aces move to 30 points from 14 games, one point more than their vanquished hosts and three ahead of 3rd place Mamelodi Sundowns who hosts University of Pretoria in Pretoria derby on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Mbesuma takes his league tally of the 2015/2016 season to 10 goals, four more that Andrea Fileccia and Daine Klate of Free State Stars and Wits respectively.
A 17-YEAR-OLD housemaid has narrated to Chingola magistrate Shadreck Chanda how she was allegedly raped and given a K2 by a Zambeef butchery assistant, whom her boss sent home to deliver some medicine.
This is in a case where Hendrix Chambale, 22, of 32 Kalungwisha Road in Chiwempala, is facing one count of rape, contrary to the laws of Zambia.
The girl told the court on Tuesday that she was on duty on December 2, 2015, nursing a sick child when her boss sent her workmate to deliver some medicine for the baby.
She said this was after she had called her boss to tell her that the child’s condition had worsened.
The court heard that when Chambale delivered the medicine, he told the maid that he wanted to see how the sick baby was doing, and the girl let him in without objection.
The victim narrated that after some time, the accused pushed her down and forced himself on her.
“When I was coming from outside, he pushed me and I fell down. He then pulled my skirt and pants and had sex with me. When I shouted for help, no one heard me. When he finished, he dressed up and gave me a K2 to buy Cafemol,” she said.
“Your honour, I don’t know why he told me to buy the medicine. But instead, I went to the shop and I bought talktime which I used to call my boss and explained to her what had happened. She then came home and took me to the police station and we were issued with a medical form,” she narrated.
The girl was then taken to Chawama Clinic where it was confirmed that she had been raped.
And the girl’s boss, Daphine Mate, told the court that she was at work when her maid called her to say that she had been raped.
“I sent Chambale, my workmate, at home to give my maid some medicine for the baby, and later she called me that she had been raped. I rushed home and took her to the police station. And after we were given a medical form, I took her to Chawama Clinic where the doctor confirmed that the girl was indeed defiled,” she said.
Mr Chanda adjourned the matter to a later date for continuation of trial.
South Africa’s online financial news site fin24.com reports that Eskom said on Friday that Lesotho and Swaziland, with which it has firm power supply agreements, should lower consumption as the power utility attempts to help its regional neighbours offset crippling power shortages.
Eskom has jumped to the rescue of Zimbabwe and Zambia, agreeing to supply both countries with 300 MW each of off-peak power in line with statutes under the Southern African Power Pool. The agreements to supply Zimbabwe and Zambia are under discretionary conditions, the power utility said on Friday.
However, Eskom wants Lesotho and Swaziland to reduce electricity consumption to help South Africa avoid load shedding which could become necessary if the country’s power supply faces constraints. Eskom also has non-firm power supply agreements with Namibia and Botswana.
“Firm supply agreements (Swaziland and Lesotho) continue to be supplied, but they are urged to reduce consumption. However, if rotational load shedding is required in South Africa, they are required to undertake proportional load shedding,” Eskom said.
Eskom has now notched up about five months without power supply disruptions, a luxury its neighbours are unable to afford. Zimbabwe and Zambia are gripped with power shortages that have curtailed mining and industrial productivity.
It added that it has signed a bilateral agreement with Zambia, “which allows us to supply up to 300 MW off-peak and more than 50 MW standard at peak” when demand/supply dynamics permit.
730 miners face retrenchment
The power supply situation in Zambia has been worsening, with Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals – which operates the Kalumbila copper mine – saying on Thursday that it is to lay off about 730 miners because of power utility Zesco’s plans to restrict electricity supplies.
Experts have urged southern African countries to prioritise investment in the private power producer sector. Zimbabwe’s government has disclosed plans to raise electricity tariffs by 49% to cover production costs.
