TWO British firms have expressed interest to set up two 300-megawatt coal-powered plants on the Copperbelt and Southern Province.

One thermal power plant would be located in Ndola, while the other plant would be set up in Sinazongwe.
This follows an appeal by Government to the private sector to invest in thermal energy as the country had more than 780 million tonnes of coal awaiting investment.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe said the two firms had so far expressed interest to put up 300-megawatt coal-powered plants in Ndola and Sinazongwe districts.

She named one of the firms that had expressed interest in the thermal power project as Northern Energy based in Ndola.

“The setting up of these two coal-powered plants will help the country to reduce dependency on hydro power,” Ms Mwanakatwe said.

She said the setting up of a coal plant in Ndola would help industries continue with the production of goods and services during load shedding.

Ms Mwanakatwe said Zambia had a lot of coal on the ground which was awaiting investment, and was impressed with expansion works at the Maamba Coal Plant which would soon increase its power generation.

Meanwhile, NEELKANTH Cable Zambia Limited, a new cable manufacturing company, will be commissioned in January 2016 at a cost of around US$17 million.

Neelkanth Group representative, Gopal Kedia said the firm had invested between $16 million and $17 million to establish a copper cable manufacturing company in the Copperbelt Province.

Mr Kedia said the company, once operational, would be able to compete with other local firms in producing copper electric cables using locally-mined minerals like copper.

“We have a new project we are going to start soon in the Copperbelt and we will commission it first week of January 2016.

“Our total investment will be about $16 million to $17 million,” he said in an interview in Lusaka.

Mr Kedia said the company was expected to create more than 300 job opportunities for the local people in the first phase.

The firm would engage mining companies with the view of sourcing minerals from them to manufacture copper electric cables.

“We are going to be buying copper from the mining companies to produce the copper electric cables. We have also been running a lime project in Ndola for the last three years,” he said.

Mr Kedia said the company was committed to supporting the growth of the manufacturing industry and called on Government to put in place measures to help stabilise the Kwacha.

“The Kwacha has to stabilise… if it is fluctuating by five per cent to 10 per cent in a day it is not good for the country; it is not good for the investor and not good for the industry,” Mr Kedia said.

He said it was important for the Government to develop rigid policies that would protect the local manufacturing sector in the face of economic challenges.

Mr Kedia is the general manager for MM Integrated Steel Limited, one of the leading manufacturers of galvanised iron roofing sheets, colour roofing sheets, tubes, open section, and Roto water tanks in Lusaka.

Opposition Republican Progressive party (RPP) President James Lukuku has branded the entire Patriotic Front Leadership as a bunch of plunderers who have mutilated the country’s economy, reports Pan African Radio journalist Hermit Hachilonde.

Speaking when he featured on Pan African Radio’s “OFF the CUFF programme, Mr. Lukuku explained that the damage the PF led Government has caused on Zambia’s economy in the four years they have been in power is beyond comprehension.

Mr. Lukuku further accused the ruling PF of preoccupying themselves with amassing mammon at the expense of national development and poverty alleviation.

He added that the country has now been turned into a banana republic as a result of lack of visionary leadership.

The vocal opposition RPP leader said the ruling PF leaders will be held accountable for their wanton destruction of the country’s economy which they have caused with impunity.

He warns there will be massive prosecutions of PF members after the 2016 general elections for the various crimes committed including that of initiating what he termed “phantom projects” as conduits of diverting public funds.

“Tell me, after 2016 the Patriotic Front leadership, they will scamper like rats from a house that is under demolition, “bakakakwa” because you know what it is, everything that the Patriotic Front has done, has pointed to the destruction of this nation, they have stolen to much money, and such kind of individuals don’t think they will live in the midst of the citizens when their term come to an end next year. Balekakwa! And what am telling you is that places like Chimbokaila, kwisa nakwisa, maybe we should find ways of extending these remand prisons because there are not cells that will be filled up by ordinary people, these are going to be jail cells for the PF, am telling you the PF has got no escaping root and it is like all of them they will be arrested”, James Lukuku said

Meanwhile, PF central committee member Father Frank Bwalya when reached for a comment, he dismissed Mr. Lukuku’s claims and described him as an unscrupulous and disgruntled politician who is also an attention-seeker.

The controversial catholic cleric said contrary to Mr. Lukuku’s wild assertions, the Governing PF is on the right path to Zambia’s economic recovery as evidenced by the massive projects across the country.

“I don’t comment on what a destitute says, James Lukuku is just a destitute who comes out every now and then to attract the PF and the Zambian people, he survives on that, but that will not add any value to our party because as PF we are working very well, Father Bwalya said

A DISTRAUGHT polygamist of Kitwe has accused his first wife of being the reason he was unable to have an erection each time he was with his other two wives.
John Chola begged the Garneton Local Court to reconcile him with his first wife so that she could reverse the spell which she used on him to disable him from having  an erection each time he was with his other two wives.
Chola, who described the situation as unbearable and embarrassing, told senior magistrate Fredrick Ndhlovu that he never had any problem having an erection when he was with his first wife.
Chola was narrating in a case in which he sued his first wife, Agnes Bwalya, for marriage reconciliation. The two tied the knot in 2007 and have four children together.
He said that on November 9, this year, he went home only for Bwalya to insult him saying he was sexually dead.
“She told me that I was not man enough and that I was already sexually dead. I don’t function as a man. When I go to my other two wives and try to have sex with them, I always fail to function but everything works well when I am with her,” Chola said.
He told the court that reconciling him with his first wife was the only way he could negotiate with her to restore his manhood.
But Bwalya said Chola made her life a living hell.
“He used to brag that he would not miss me even if we broke up because he has two other wives to satisfy him,’’ Bwalya said.
The court reconciled the couple and advised Chola to try and start with his third wife when having sex and end with Bwalya. The court advised Chola to seek help from traditional healers if the problem persists.

(DailyMail)

But the Patriotic Front has insisted that Ms Kangwa was stripped naked
The UPND vice president, who was reacting to claims by PF Southern Province secretary Moses Ngosa that Dr Banda had instructed his party cadres to harass the woman, said the PF was in the habit of dragging UPND leaders’ names into the mud because they were aware the opposition party had the support of the Zambian people.

But Mr Ngosa said in Mazabuka yesterday that PF had no reason to accuse UPND falsely, saying his only comment on Dr Banda’s assertions was that members of the two parties must learn to co-exist.

Said Dr Banda:‘‘I am not aware of the woman that the PF claim was stripped and we should not be subjected to comment about rumours; the PF should have produced a picture of that woman who they claim was harassed.’’

Dr Banda said it was ‘‘unlike UPND to institute such violence’’ against anybody although the PF had continued to frame UPND leaders each time they visited some areas on mobilization or any party business.

The vice president said the ‘‘concocted story was a tactic by the PF to toss a rotten nut into the barrel’’ to spoil the UPND’s name.

Dr Banda said the ruling party was desperate and ready to do anything to de-campaign the opposition party.

‘‘That story is a tactic by the PF to toss a rotten nut into the barrel to spoil it; take note you will see that wherever the UPND (leadership) is visiting they will create a story. Today UPND has stripped a woman, tomorrow they will say a bank was robbed by UPND cadres; they will even say a cat was killed just to ensure the UPND appears bad to the people,” he said.

He said the woman’s harassment claims by PF in Mazabuka was similar to those of the attack on Vice President Inonge Wina’s residence in Nalolo which was blamed on the UPND. He said the ruling party had up to now failed to provide evidence to prove that it was the UPND that had attacked Ms Wina’s home.

In response to Dr Banda’s comments, the PF provincial secretary said his party would not claim issues that were false.

He said PF had nothing against UPND but only wanted them to refrain from violence. He added that the issue was reported to Mazabuka police and the victim was still under medical observation.

“The police have received the reports of harassment and the woman has continued to receive medication; yesterday she had her arm which was twisted bandaged and she still has to go back to the hospital for more attention,” Mr Ngosa said.

Bobby East released his highly anticipated album titled “B.EAST” . The album has 17 tracks and features the likes of Ice Queen , Jk , Slap Dee , Kan2 among others .

Below is the track list

1.Redemption
2.Do or Die ft Izreal and Petersen
3.Next to you
4.Ghetto boy
5.Day one ft Kan2 and J.O.B
6.Barz ft Thugga ,B-Mac and Ice Queen
7.Nitole ft Kan2
8.Tamanga ft JK
9.Impressed ft P-Jay
10.Legend
11.Bafana ft Slap Dee
12.We okay
13.Munyamata
14.Diamond Ring ft Yellow man
15.Let it go
16.Twenty 1 ft Yellow man
17.Just fine

DO OR DIE

TAMANGA

BY KAPA187