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We want to turn Zambia into a regional health tourism hub-President Lungu

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Mrs Esther Lungu speaking at the awards gala
Mrs Esther Lungu speaking at the awards gala

President Edgar Lungu says his administration is focused on transforming the Zambia into a regional health tourism hub.

President Lungu said the PF government will at the beginning of 2016 be deploying doctors for super-specialisation in fields of cardiology, nephrology and haematology.

He said Government is investing substantially towards bringing emergency services to international standards by purchasing advanced and basic life support ambulances and capacity building of personnel.

President Lungu said other strategies Government has embarked on include the establishment of medical stores hubs in strategic locations to improve the distribution of medical and surgical supplies to the last mile.

He said Government has also established dialysis units at Livingstone, Kitwe and Ndola central hospitals besides the unit at UTH.

President Lungu was speaking on Saturday when he officiated at the first ever annual ball and awards gala dinner for the Zambia Medical Association.

At the same event, First Lady Esther Lungu was awarded by the Association for her community work.

President Lungu hoped the Zambia Medical Association will support government’s strategies aimed at ensuring that the specialists it trains retain to the country and serve the Zambian people.

President Lungu, Mrs Lungu and Dr Aaron Mujajati
President Lungu, Mrs Lungu and Dr Aaron Mujajati
President Lungu speaking at the ZMA awards gala
President Lungu speaking at the ZMA awards gala
President Lungu, Dr Joseph Kasonde and Dr Mujajati
President Lungu, Dr Joseph Kasonde and Dr Mujajati

Wildlife trafficking in Zambia

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With wildlife trafficking making headlines across the world, we look at the Zambian approach in dealing with this problem. We highlight a recent case where some foreign nationals were also caught trafficking Zambian Sable Antelopes. News in Depth ZNBC TV1 november 9, 2015 with Pennipher Nyirenda your presenter and producer.

Bowman Lusambo brings Xmas cheer to Kabushi as he fetes the aged

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Containers of cooking oil ready to be distributed
Containers of cooking oil ready to be distributed

Over 500 elderly citizens of Kabushi constituency in Ndola were on Saturday offered a five-star treatment when Kabushi constituency aspiring candidate Bowman Lusambo organised a Christmas party for the aged.

The party which was held at Musa Kasonka stadium also saw all the elderly citizens aged above 65 years receive numerous Christmas gifts from Mr Lusambo.

The Christmas hampers contained cooking oil, sugar, salt, bath soap, duvets and bags of Mealie meal.

All the recipients drawn from all the eight wards of Kabushi were also treated to a sumptuous Christmas lunch.

The Legendary Amayenge Assemble and folk music specialist Pontiano Kaiche were on hand to entertain the elders who could not resist the music and ended up jumping on stage to offer their dances.

Other musicians such as Mathews Ngosa and his young brother Ezron also sang their popular gospel songs to the delight of the guests.

The event which started at 09 Hours was only closed around 17 Hours with many jubilant elders still yearning for more.
And Mr Lusambo who was accompanied to the function by his wife Nancy and daughter Sibongile said he decided to organise the Christmas party to honour the aged in the constituency.

‘For me and my family including members of the my team, we decided to use this Christmas to bring some happiness to our grand fathers, grandmothers, our mothers and fathers by coming down here to spend this day with you. You are very important in our lives and you deserve to be honoured,’ Mr Lusambo told a cheering crowd.

He reiterated that he is standing in Kabushi constituency to improve the living standards of the people in the area.
‘We have said it before, our going to Parliament will not be to serve our pockets. We will be working for you, with you to ensuring that Kabushi is uplifted. There are so many things that an MP can do without even spending a lot of money. All it takes is commitment,’ he said.

He also revealed that his development efforts in Kabushi will not stop even if he does not become M.P for the area.
‘I grew up here in Kabushi, all of you are my parents because i lived in this constituency and my heart is still here. Even if i don’t go to Parliament in August 2016, i can assure you that i will continue working for you just like we have been doing over the last few months,’ Mr Lusambo said.

And in her remarks, Mrs Lusambo thanked the people of Kabushi for the wonderful reception that her family received upon arrival.

‘On behalf of my family, i am so grateful that you have welcomed us in this manner. We are so encouraged by your hospitality. It is indeed true that Ndola is a friendly city,’ he said.

Mr and Mrs Lusambo at the Xmas party for the elderly of Kabushi on Saturday
Mr and Mrs Lusambo at the Xmas party for the elderly of Kabushi on Saturday
Hampers of Sugar and cooking oil ready for distribution
Hampers of Sugar and cooking oil ready for distribution
Some of the donated bags of mealie meal
Some of the donated bags of mealie meal
Some of the duvets ready for distribution
Some of the duvets ready for distribution
Some of the elders receiving their donations_1
Some of the elders receiving their donations
Mr Lusambo hugs one of the elderly receipient of the donated items
Mr Lusambo hugs one of the elderly recipient of the donated items
Mr Lusambo flanked by the wife handing over the items
Mr Lusambo flanked by the wife handing over the items
Mrs Lusambo and daughter Sibongile walking over to the stage for her remarks
Mrs Lusambo and daughter Sibongile walking over to the stage for her remarks
Mrs Lusambo (In blue) getting on stage to deliver her remarks
Mrs Lusambo (In blue) getting on stage to deliver her remarks
Mr Lusambo shakes hands with one of the receipients
Mr Lusambo shakes hands with one of the recipients
Some of the elders receiving their donations
Some of the elders receiving their donations

Luapula should join in the revolution to usher in UPND-GBM

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GBM's tour in Luapula
GBM’s tour in Luapula

The people of Luapula Province should never be left behind, but must be part of the ongoing revolution in the country of ushering in a new UPND leadership in 2016 as they have done in the past, says UPND Vice-President for Administration Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba.

Speaking when he addressed scores of residents who have been meeting him in various areas during his continued tour of Luapula Province, Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, says Luapula Province has great economic potential that must be realised but it has become clear that this will only be harnessed through the visionary and caring leadership of the UPND.

“We are one united and peaceful people in Zambia, contrary to the lies by the PF leadership that UPND will divide the country. I was in PF myself but that party has now been hijacked and sold to the highest bidders. The same people we fought and voted out in 2011 alongside our late President Michael Sata have again regrouped under President Edgar Lungu and they are the same ones enjoying the cake while you remain in poverty here” he told the cheering residents.

“Let’s not accept to be used by these selfish liars who have no idea about running a country except telling lies that UPND will divide the country because they have nothing sensible to say when it comes to important matters such as jobs and food prices. UPND President Hakainde Hichilema knows how to create wealth and jobs for our country,” GBM continued.

He said the poverty and hunger inflicted on the country under Lungu was unacceptable and Luapula people must never listen to PF politicians bent on dividing the country for their selfish reasons.

GBM, who also paid a courtesy call on Chief Mwata Kazembe and other traditional leaders in the area, told the residents to accept handouts from PF corrupt politicians if they wish, such as free bicycles, chitenges, mealie meal, and even money, but warned they must realise that those were just temporary things that would not sustain their livelihoods without vibrant economic activities that can only be achieved under the UPND leadership and President Hakainde Hichilema.

Mwamba said he was overwhelmed with the massive support the UPND is receiving in the province.

And Senior Chief Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda speaking people has encouraged the UPND team to continue spreading the message despite the harassment they were going through.

They have also called on the UPND leadership to identify good quality candidates as councillors and MPs who will work well with the people.

And Chief Mununga of the Shila speaking people in Chiengi District of Luapula Province was cheered with the visit by the UPND team in the area.

“I am so grateful that you are here. Please feel free and meet your people. Zambia is a democratic nation and both ruling and opposition parties should be free to meet its supporters.

And in response Vice-President Mwamba said he was so far impressed with the overwhelming support recieved in the area.

“Youths, women and the people in general have resolved to change government and vote for President Hakainde Hichilema”, GBM said.

GBM and team were today in Mwansabombwe, Mununga, and Kashikishi areas.

GBM's tour in Luapula

GBM's tour in Luapula
GBM’s tour in Luapula
GBM's tour in Luapula
GBM’s tour in Luapula
GBM's tour in Luapula
GBM’s tour in Luapula

Zambia needs change in tax culture: Is the Post tax probe equitable?

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Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA)Commissioner General Berlin Msiska during the official opening of Chipata domestic taxes offices
Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA)Commissioner General Berlin Msiska
during the official opening of Chipata domestic taxes offices

By Kalima Nkonde

Zambia’s current economic problems forced President Edgar Lungu to finally and reluctantly announce a variety of austerity measures meant to reduce government expenditure. On the revenue side, he directed Zambia Revenue Authority to put in place measures meant to counter tax evasion and tax avoidance to boost domestic revenue and consequently reduce Government budget deficit.

“I wish to send a timely warning that anyone not paying their fair share of taxes will be vigorously pursued while officers engaged in collusion with tax payers to defraud the Treasury will be discharged and prosecuted. I, therefore, direct the Commissioner General of Zambia Revenue Authority to strengthen tax compliance and ensure integrity and professionalism among Authority staff,” President Lungu said on November, 26, 2015 while addressing a press conference at State House.

President Lungu’s capitulation to announce austerity measures was driven in large measure by the calculus of self interest and political expediency of re- election. This was after seeing that the free failing kwacha and the run away inflation had become more of a threat to his goal than implementing austerity measures.

This is so because this writer and many others had been calling for such measures for a long time. And had they been announced much earlier, the kwacha would not have depreciated to the same extent it has. The other economic indicators would not have been as bad as they are now too! The delay in announcing the expenditure cutting measures as well as the revenue raising measures was due to the ill advised and now discredited economic populist policies especially the ambitious massive infrastructure projects which are largely responsible for the economic mess we are in!

It is a well known fact that there is a wide spread culture of non tax compliance in Zambia and the call by the President for every body to pay their fair share of tax should be welcomed

It is a well known fact that there is a wide spread culture of non tax compliance in Zambia and the call by the President for every body to pay their fair share of tax should be welcomed. However, the issue of non tax compliance should be looked at more holistically and with a helicopter view of the issue. The poor tax compliance culture concerns the entire Zambian society. There is need for a culture change towards the payment and use of taxes. The culture change should involve everyone including the Presidency, Government, Civil Society, Opposition Parties, ZRA, Parliament,Voters and Taxpayers.

The President should lead by example by ensuring that he spends tax payer’s money prudently and any businesses he is connected to directly or through relatives pay tax too! He should become more cost conscious and thrifty, which he does not appear to be now. He should take a leaf out of Tanzanian President’s book, Dr. John Pompe Joseph “Bulldozer” Magufuli whose crusade of cost saving measures is through action and disciplining erring officers rather than by mere talk!

The current huge presidential motorcade, the local and foreign trips, the huge and growing but unproductive bureaucracy including the housing of Private Public partnership(PPP), Road Development Agency at State house are examples where costs could be cut. It also gives the perception of promotion of corruption as the Presidency is being involved directly in economic activities with the private sector! Presidential action in the utilization of tax payer’s money can singularly go a long way to changing tax compliance culture in Zambia.

Currently, government officials find it easier to spend tax payer’s money than their own money as there are no consequences for misappropriation of public funds!

As far as Government is concerned, it should stop being wasteful and become more thrift in using Zambians’ tax kwachas. There should be restraint in the use of tax payers’ money. There have to be consequences for misuse of public funds by those in government ! The fiscal indiscipline and waste from successive governments is partly responsible for tax payers not complying with the payment of tax! Who would want to willingly pay his hard earned money as tax if they know that their money will not be used for social services and common good but it will instead be used to make politicians who were poor a few years ago, now live like dollar millionaires and enjoy life on behalf of tax payers! Who would want to pay tax if the tax will be spent on: buying Ministers, MPs , Civil servants expensive personal to holder luxury vehicles, free fuel, satellite phones, free air time, per diem or be used to charter executive jets for $300,000 and so on and so forth!

Currently, government officials find it easier to spend tax payer’s money than their own money as there are no consequences for misappropriation of public funds! The Zambian Government needs to start being more frugal in using tax payers money and follow examples of countries such as Botswana, UK, USA, Sweden, Norway etc. This will go a long way to the improvement in tax compliance.

The Zambian Civil Society and Opposition Parties have a major role to play with regard to change in tax culture. These organizations have to change by ensuring that they hold Government accountable on how it is using tax payer’s money on a continuous basis ! The Zambian civil society needs to do more by educating the public about the opportunity cost of government wasting tax payers’ money in terms social services foregone.

They also have to ensure that they highlight instances of government waste in the media and demonstrate how the funds could have been better utilized! How I wish there was an NGO specifically to deal with tax issues as well as monitoring how government is utilizing public funds, monitoring borrowing, government waste, carrying out comparative analysis of remuneration and benefits of our politicians and top government officials with our richer neighbours! And also carrying out other research on prudent fiscal management and publicizing the same! It will be a major deterrent to wasting tax payers’ money. The JCTR has been doing quite a good job on researching tax issues and cost of living issues but we need a secular and more aggressive NGO to complement them.

In other countries, taxation is a major election campaign issue by political parties. It is not apparent in Zambia! One wonders, why?

In other countries, taxation is a major election campaign issue by political parties. It is not apparent in Zambia! One wonders, why? The educated guess is that, may be Opposition Parties would want to maintain the status quo. In view of politics being an industry in Zambia and a means to getting rich quickly without working hard but just talking, telling lies here and there, Opposition Parties may be motivated to remain mute about the use of tax payer’s money because they also would want to go and benefit from the gravy train once they are in power!

It is vitally important that Opposition Parties change their culture towards tax issues and how tax payer’s money is utilized. They have to find innovative ways of making tax as a campaign issue by carving out simple messages that voters will understand. They could , for example, target the working class voters, who are currently bearing most of the tax burden in Zambia. Working people pay much more tax in terms of PAYE than companies! In the 2016 budget, workers are expected to pay K7.9 billion or 55% of total income tax whereas companies will only pay K3.2 billion or 40%.The difference in the contribution to government revenue between companies and workers is massive! It should not be so! There is clearly massive tax evasion and avoidance by companies through all sorts of schemes whereas workers have no means of doing that as their tax is deducted at source!

Working people pay much more tax in terms of PAYE than companies!..The difference in the contribution to government revenue between companies and workers is massive!

Zambian Voters and tax payers also need to change their mindsets and be conscious that the money that Government officials or politicians use is their money and it is should not be wasted. The issues of big government resulting in high government expenditure should be a concern to them! Voters need to be educated and made aware that whatever development comes to their areas is from their money -Tax payers’ money- and not from the Politicians’ pockets! Voters should just tell politicians : “ Zindalama za Nyoko!” And it is not a favour for any administration to boast about bringing development to any area in Zambia! It is an obligation by any government, period!

The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) does require change of culture in a number of respects especially with regard to professionalism and integrity. There is a culture of harassing tax payers unnecessarily when a more courteous and cooperative attitude is required. Professional tax administration requires that the Tax payer and the Tax collector cooperate and negotiate payment terms where the former owes tax. The principle in tax administration is that : you do not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Tax payers have to be nurtured and it is foolish to rush closing a tax payer’s business for example, because you are going to lose tax revenue forever. There is also a perception by the public that ZRA officers are corrupt and they collude with tax payers especially foreigners to evade tax. The organisation needs to change this perception and culture if indeed it exists.

Government should let ZRA operate professionally and independently and also adequately fund it like the SARS in South Africa, Inland Revenue in the UK, Internal Revenue service in the USA , BURs in Botswana and many other revenue services to maximize revenue collection. The problem we have in Zambia is the politicization of institutions that are supposed to be independent to nurture our democracy and development. Institutions such as the ZRA, the Civil service, Police, Armed forces, Judiciary, the Press and now Religion are all politicized and are dysfunctional. These institutions are supposed to be professional and independent.

They are supposed to outlive any administration. We should have some continuity by retaining competent people and maintaining institutional memory thereby facilitate programme implementation. There is just too much turnover of key staff in key institutions resulting in paralysis, mediocrity and the economic mess we are seeing today ! Our Country will never progress if politicians are going to continue interfering with institutions that are supposed to be independent and bedrocks of a functioning democracy.
The change in culture by stakeholders mentioned above may take sometime – with change in approach and having visionary leaders. As a nation, the immediate issue as per President Lungu’s directive, is that government needs to raise domestic revenue to plug the huge budget deficit which is largely responsible for our economic problems. One would like to believe that the ZRA raids on the Post Newspaper are a follow up to the Presidential directive for tax collection and was hopefully not meant to be discriminatory!

The majority of Zambians do not really know the actual facts regarding the Post Newspaper’s tax issues. All the same, what is in the public domain is that there has been a tax collection issue where the paper owes the ZRA money in form of tax arrears just like many tax payers including multinationals like the Mines. The normal international practice is that the tax payer and the Revenue authorities are supposed to negotiate a payment plan, taking into account the tax payer’s cashflow. It appears for some reason, the two parties could not agree and they went to Court so that the Courts could decide on the issue.

While the collection issue was being decided on by the Courts, Zambia Revenue Authority, on 7th December, 2015, came up with a new tax case. The new case was a tax investigation or a tax audit. This occurs where any Revenue Authority suspects that the tax payer is evading tax. The cases of tax audits are normally a result of a whistle blower reporting a tax payer to a Revenue authority for suspected tax evasion. In some cases, it occurs where the Authority itself suspects that an individual is living beyond their means or a company is not declaring enough tax commensurate to its operations or apparent profitability and cashflow.

ZRA wanted to do an audit of the Post Newspaper’s tax affairs for the last five years from 2010.The normal practice would have been for ZRA to camp at the Post Newspaper and carry out investigations on site for even as long as two months! They, however, wanted to take all the equipment and thereby paralyze the operations of the tax payer! This is what raises eye brows from independent observers. There was also some strange coincidence in that the investigation followed on the heels of the revelation by the paper of the Deputy Finance Minister’s alleged affair with a female journalist.

ZRA happens to fall under the Ministry of Finance! It is the attempt to collect publishing equipment from the newspaper’s premises and the coincidence of the revelations of the alleged affair, that make independent observers smell a rat and a big rat too like the late singer Clarence Carter would put it.

The Post newspaper is alleging that the incessant tax probes on them amounts to political persecution whose objective is to close the paper because of its “hostile” editorial policy towards the PF administration. Although it is difficult for an outsider to agree with the Post in the absence of evidence, some circumstantial facts can give credence to their claim.

The whole episode begs the following questions : Why did ZRA go with other government agencies including ZICTA, armed police when they have nothing to do with tax issues? Why did they want to get The Post’s equipment to their offices instead of working at the paper’s premises as is normal practice? How did they expect the Post to continue its operations and pay them more tax since when such audits can go on for as long as six months? Is it the most cost effective way of spending the tax payer’s money by ZRA by allocating so many resources following up a minnow of a tax payer when there are bigger fish from whom they can collect more revenue?

Needless to say that some of the tax problems the Post is facing may have been self inflicted as they ignored paying tax on time when “user friendly” Administrations were in charge resulting in them accumulating massive tax arrears. It is also alleged that the Post owner had exhibited a cocky and arrogant attitude towards the tax Authorities when the paper was in “power” through its proxies.

It may, therefore, appear that it was pay back time by ZRA officials! Nevertheless, this is an indigenously Zambian owned company employing over 1,500 Zambians with 12,000 dependents at 8 dependents per employee. ZRA should not punish these innocent Zambians lose their jobs because of a quarrel with the Owner by the powers that be !

The Post should be treated just like any other tax payer owing tax arrears and it should not be specifically targeted for tax investigation!

As one who has operated and still operate companies in a foreign African country and given the discrimination we face, I am very passionate about supporting Zambian owned companies without necessarily condoning lawlessness. Zambia is one of the few countries where foreign investors are hero worshipped and treated like eggs to the detriment of local investors. The country will not develop with foreign investors only.

I hope we have learnt lessons from the mine retrenchments , Anglo American, British Airways, Royal Dutch pull outs etc on how foreigners can drop us like a bad habit once they see no gain! The Government’s mandate is to create jobs and not destroy them! The ruling party may also need votes and they should not antagonize potential voters by closing companies whose owners are not favourable to them!

The Post should be treated just like any other tax payer owing tax arrears and it should not be specifically targeted for tax investigation! There are a lot of high risk tax evasion targets like foreign nationals with businesses in Zambia. Some of the foreign nationals come from countries where the tax evasion culture is endemic and it includes Lebanese, Chinese, Indians, and Greeks etc. These may be partly responsible for the kwacha depreciation as they remit savings from tax evasion to their foreign accounts to mitigate against Zambia’s country risk! Are they being targeted by ZRA? They can collect hundreds of millions of kwacha from these foreign owned businesses through back duty.

If indeed, the ZRA is being used by the PF Administration to fix the Post Newspaper so that it closes, as the paper alleges, they are well advised to dump this strategy

If indeed, the ZRA is being used by the PF Administration to fix the Post Newspaper so that it closes, as the paper alleges, they are well advised to dump this strategy because it may also be used against them when they are not in power. It is a double edged sword and they will be setting a bad precedent! I presume, most of the ministers, deputy ministers, and senior civil servants have businesses and must have benefited from the massive infrastructure projects directly or through proxies. They may not even be paying the requisite tax at the moment themselves! As a person with some understanding of tax legislation in other countries that I have lived in, it is not smart politics for those in power to use tax legislation as a weapon to fix political opponents. Tax legislation, if applied to the letter, can be punitive, brutal and a death nail to one ‘s business or economic life.

In conclusion, the Zambia Revenue Authority is within its rights as per tax legislation to collect revenue from all tax payers including the Post Newspaper. It is also within its rights to carry out tax investigation on any tax payer they suspect is evading tax as provided by the law. However, they should do it professionally because tax administration principles are based on fairness and equity. Politics should never ever interfere in tax administration matters as the two operate in different worlds. There are provisions in tax legislation for punitive penalties and interest payments for erring tax payers which is sufficient punishment for non compliance ; Closure of any tax payer’s business is dumb tax administration practice!

7 People die on the spot in road traffic accident near Kapiri Mposhi

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SEVEN people have died on the spot in a road traffic accident involving a Toyota Hiace and a foreign truck near Kapiri Mposhi.

Central province police commissioner Lombe Kamukoshi said the accident happened at Kabowa area which was seven kilometers from Kapiri Mposhi.

Ms Kamukoshi said the accident was a head on collision which claimed all the lives of everyone in the mini bus registration number ALM 9134.

“it was a head on collision which claimed the lives of all the seven passengers in the bus which included three females, two males and two juveniles.

She said the driver of the South African truck and trailer did not sustain serious and life threatening injuries.
Ms Kamukoshi said the truck had registration number FRB 947 GP while the trailer was TMG 284 GP.

She said none of the victims had been identified and that the bodies were lying in Kapiri Mposhi hospital.

“We have not yet identified the bodies of the seven people that have died and the bodies are lying in Kapiri Mposhi hospital,” she said.

Ms Kamukoshi said the bus was travelling from the north to the south when the accident happened resulting in the death of all the passengers.

3 years old girl dies after being hit by speeding Police Vehicle

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zambiaPolicelogo
A three year old girl died on the spot while her mother is in critical condition after being hit by a speeding vehicle being driven by a Police Traffic officer in Kitwe.

And Misenshi Residents ran amok and burnt the Toyota Noah vehicle which was being driven by the named Police officer stationed at Wusakile Police station after the accident.

The police officer is said to have been drinking and when he jumped into his vehicle, span it out of control hitting the mother and child in Kitwe’s Miseshi Township.

Mapalo Wandila, three years and nine months old was walking on the pavement with her mother when she met her fate.

A check by ZNBC News found Mrs. Wandila who is fighting for her life being transferred to Kitwe central hospital from Wusakile mine Hospital where she had been rushed after the accident.

And Father to the deceased Mapalo, Vincent Wandila called on the police to ensure that justice prevails.

A sobbing Mr. Wandila said that it is unfortunate that his child has been killed by a Police officer who was supposed to be protecting her.

Mr Wandila said the vehicle was over speeding and that his wife has a lost her leg and sustained severe injuries in the accident.

Meanwhile Misenshi ward Councilor Webster Malama is disappointed withthe manner in which the named Police officer conducted himself.

Councilor Malama also disclosed that the Officer is currently detained at Wusakile Police Station.

On Saturday, the Zambia Police service urged motorists and pedestrians to observe traffic rules this festive season to afford road traffic accidents.

Police Deputy Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga says last year alone on the eve and Christmas day 13 accidents were recorded last year and people lost their lives.

Mr Hamoonga says police will increase patrols but urged people to be security conscious and alert.

He urged people to be proactive and form neighbourhood watch group

Construction of 650 health posts across the country too slow-President Lungu

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Health Minister Joseph Kasonde
Health Minister Joseph Kasonde

President Edgar Lungu is disheartened at the pace of constructing the 650 health posts across the country.

The President attributed the delay to some contractors who have been found wanting due to corrupt practices among other issues.

The President was speaking when he officiated at the Zambia Medical Association -ZMA- Annual Ball and Awards Gala in Lusaka Last night at which First Lady, Esther Lungu was awarded the ZMA president’s award for her contribution to the health sector .

And President Lungu said government has also established dialysis units at Livingstone, Kitwe, and Ndola Central Hospitals in addition to the one at the University Teaching Hospital -UTH-.

The President said the continued investment in the health sector has improved service delivery and resulted in the reduction of mortality rates.

President Lungu said government will next year deploy Doctors for super-specialisation in the fields of Cardiology, Nephrology and Hematology among others in order to sustain the achievements in the sector.

The President has since directed the Public Service Management Division to resolve all human resource impediments for Doctors.

He says government is injecting huge investments in the health sector with a view of making Zambia a health tourism hub in the Southern African region.

President Lungu says government has so far invested substantially towards bringing emergency services to international standards by buying advanced and basic life support ambulances.

Meanwhile, ZMA president, Aaron Mujajati commended government for the continued investment in the health sector.

Dr. Mujajati also announced that Zambia will in 2017 for the first time host the World medical Association Conference that will attract over 600 doctors across the globe.

He said the conference will be an opportunity for the country to showcase achievements in the health sector and its tourism potential too.

And speaking when she received the award, Mrs Lungu said the award has not only upgraded her profile but will also encourage her to do more.

Others that received the awards are Health Minister, Dr. Josepth Kasonde, Dr. Ziche Makukula, and Professor Lupando Mukange for ZMA life-time achievement.

While Dr. Aggrey Mweemba, Dr. Chipepo Kankasa and Professor Kasonde Bowa Received the ZMA Meritorious award.

Dr. John Musuku and Dr. Paston Mukubesa also received the ZMA presidents’ award.

And Health Minister Joseph Kasonde says the construction of the 650 health posts across the Country is still on course.
Dr. Kasonde notes that this is despite the project delaying for a period of 3 months.

He has told Qfm News that his Ministry however expects that the set deadline for the completion of the project will be met.

Islamic Council of Zambia opposed to Grand Coalition plan to de-campaign PF

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Grand Coalition
Grand Coalition

The Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia has admonished the announced plans by some civil society organizations to de-campaign the ruling PF.

Council President Suzyo Zimba says there is no need for civil society organizations to start engaging in active politics just to please a few individuals.

Mr. Zimba says there is no doubt that they are some elements in the Grand Coalition on Campaign for the People Driven Constitution that are not serving the interests of Zambians.

He says the Muslim community is there to support progressive ideas and not decisions made to please a certain minority in society.

Mr. Zimba says the Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia, which is a member of the Grand Coalition, will not side with the decision announced by the Grand Coalition as it will not take part in active politics but only support progressive ideas in the country.

Zambia Army warns people encroaching on the land for the army

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President Lungu talks to Zambia army commander Lt Gen Paul Mihova as ZAF Commander Lt Gen Eric Chimese and Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani looks on shortly before departure at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport for Angola on February 13,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
FILE: President Lungu talks to Zambia army commander Lt Gen Paul Mihova as ZAF Commander Lt Gen Eric Chimese looks on

THE Zambia Army has warned that it would not condone unscrupulous people encroaching on its pieces of land earmarked for various military projects in the country.

Army Commander Lieutenant-General Paul Mihova, who described the encroachment as an act of indiscipline, said the army would not tolerant such behaviour.

Gen Mihova was not happy that some people could start setting up projects such as construction of houses on pieces of land which belong to the Zambia Army.

He sounded the warning in Choma on Friday when led a team of senior army officers inspecting a piece of land earmarked for construction of army staff office complex.

At the time of the tour, the Army Commander discovered that some people had dug foundations to start building houses and other infrastructure on the same land belonging to the army.

The piece of land in question was adjacent to the new six-storey Southern Province administration complex under construction at the old Choma airstrip.

“We can’t tolerate this behaviour, it’s an act of indiscipline on whoever is doing this, how do you start digging foundations on land which doesn’t belong to you, this piece of land belongs to Zambia Army, we need to stop this encroachment immediately,” he said.

He directed the officers at Zambia Army Choma provincial office to work hand in hand with their Zambia National Service counterparts to bury the foundations with an excavator.

“By Monday (today), all these foundations should be covered up,” he said.

The Army Commander, who was in Southern Province on a tour of some army facilities, said land encroachment, should not be condoned in the country.

He, however, hailed Government for giving the Zambia Army a piece of land to construct a provincial staff office complex in Choma.

Some trucks were found offloading building materials such as sand and stones for the intended army office project which would start soon.

PF has never been a violent political party-Davies Chama

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Davies Chama
Davies Chama

Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Chama has said tat the ruling party has never been a violent political party because its leader Edgar Lungu abhors any form of violence.

Mr. Chama said that President Lungu is on record many times condemning all sorts of violence because the party wants the country to remain peaceful.

The PF Chief Executive Officer said this when he featured on Kitwe’s Catholic run Radio Ichengelo programme.

Mr. Chama said it is unacceptable and shocking that some leaders in the opposition are propagating the use of violence and wondered what kind of leaders they were to vie for State House.

He also charged that members of the opposition have in the past put on PF regalia and head barrette and beat up people to tarnish the image of the ruling party and that of the Presidency.

Mr. Chama said the PF is enjoying massive and strong support in 9 out of the 10 provinces of the country.

The PF Secretary General also disclosed that his party is making positive inroads in Southern Province, with a lot of people from the region aspiring to be adopted on the PF ticket in next year’s general elections.

YALI condemns Police crackdown of opposition parties

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Teargas canisters thrown by Police
Teargas canisters thrown by Police to disrupt an MMD meeting

Police Brutality against MMD and Opposition parties is a reflection of a persisting colonial mentality in Zambia Police

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is greatly disappointed at reports of a violent attack at the Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) in Eastern province by the Zambia Police in an attempt to disrupt the MMD’s party mobilisation meetings in the province and calls for the Police Inspector General Kakoma Kanganja to resign.

This violent attack by the police against unarmed citizens who express their fundamental political rights is extremely saddening because it comes at a time when President Lungu was swearing in the Inspector General and new Provincial Police Commissioners, urging them to treat all persons equally and fairly under law. What we saw in Eastern province was police brutality and intolerance and this calls for the Police Inspector General to immediately resign as it appears that he is not in control of his men and women in uniform.

The Zambia Police must avoid playing double standards on the way they want to enforce the law and they must understand that violations of people’s fundamental rights such as the right to freedom of Assembly, movement and expression is shedding a bad light about Zambia’s leadership on the international scene.

President Lungu as the Commander in Chief must actually be worried and disappointed to note that while his own wife, our First Lady Mrs. Esther Lungu and PF officials are continuing to hold campaign meetings on his behalf without being subjected to this inhuman treatment by the Zambia Police, his competitors such as MMD leader Pastor Nevers Mumba, UPND leader Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, Rainbow Party leader Mr. Wynter Kabimba and other opposition officials, are daily being brutalised by the police.

It is not enough for the President to urge his police command to administer the Public Order Act fairly and justly; it his duty to ensure that the police actually do so, and where they clearly fail to follow the law, we expect President Lungu, as custodian of the Constitution, to act immediately to safeguard the constitutional rights of the opposition, not just the ruling party.

The President must immediately relieve the Inspector General of Police for failing to protect Zambians and assure citizens that their rights will not be trampled upon by overzealous police officers.

We wish to remind PF leaders to learn a lesson from the MMD leaders who failed to do their duty to protect the rights of all Zambians and looked the other way when the Police Force used violence against political opponents.

Zambians have been yearning for clean and competitive politics in which all political parties play on a level playing field..

At the rate at which the Zambia Police Force are brutalising the opposition, we don’t see the Police contributing to free, fair and peaceful elections in 2016. This kind of selective enforcement of the law may move the opposition to take the law in their own hands and police their own meetings against the primitive Zambia Police Force.

If the Zambia Police are committed to fair play in the 2016 elections, they must do some introspection of their conduct which is not building trust among stakeholders. Certainly, the Inspector General and his top command are ensuring their own summary dismissal, should the opposition win in 2016.

Isaac Mwanza
Governance Advisor
Young African Leaders Initiative

Early marriage in Zambia, The Nchelenge Story

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The documentary looks at the story of two girls and a boy who were married off at a young age in Zambia’s Nchelenge District located in Luapula Province. They share the story of the hardships they faced during their marriages. We also look at the interventions being implemented in the area in dealing with the problem of early marriage by the traditional leadership. The News in Depth program aired on 14th

Mwape, Mbesuma raise Saturday PSL storm

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The forgotten and the comeback kid saw Zambia steal the spotlight in South Africa on Saturday when the PSL resumed after a month-long break.

In Durban, striker Mwape Musonda, who has not received a call-up in 12 months, scored for number 6 side Golden Arrows with a 24th minute strike in their 1-0 home win over 11th placed Polokwane City.

This was Mwape’s debut PSL goal since he joined Orlando Pirates last year who have since loaned the Zambia striker to Arrows.

Mwape left the pitch in the 59th minute.

Not far and up the road on the Low Veld in Nelspruit, in-form Collins Mbesuma led home-side Mpumalanga Black Aces to a home win against 13th positioned Ajax Cape Town via a similar scoreline to keep the hosts in 2nd place.

The Zambia striker fired in from close-range in the 42nd minute before he was substituted in the 46th minute at Mbombela Stadium.

The goal was Mbesuma’s 7th PSL goal of the season as he continues to enjoy a memorable revival of form for both club and country in 2015 .

Meanwhile, the PSL takes a Christmas break before resuming on January 8, 2016.

Bishop Sky Banda has died

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Bishop Sky Banda
Bishop Sky Banda

Bishop Sky Banda, the senior pastor of the Maranatha Church in Kitwe has died.Bishop Banda had been pastoring the popular Maranatha church for over 28years and had raised many sons and daughters in the faith who have impacted Zambia and many countries of the world. He was considered a father to many and was one of the top Christian Leaders in the country.