President Edgar Lungu has commissioned the 190 million US dollar Bio Fuel Plant in Kawambwa , Luapula Province.

The Project which is scheduled to start production in 2017 will produce 120 Million litres of bio- ethanol annually and create over 600 New Jobs for locals.

And President Lungu says the project is poised to create a market for cassava for over 20 thousand Local farmers under its out grower scheme.

The Head of State says the project will enable Zambia substitute imported fuel with bio fuel.

And President Lungu has praised the investors Sunbird Bio-energy Africa and its partners China New Energy and China State Construction for investing in the project.

He said the investors have a good track record as evidenced by the more than 1- Hundred projects that they have successfully constructed across Asia.

Earlier, Sunbird Bio Energy Africa Chief Executive Officer Richard Bannett said the plant will be producing 120 million litres of fuel per year.

Below is the President’s Speech

THE DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT & OTHER MCCs,
THE ACTING MINISTER OF ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT,
THE PROVINCIAL MINISTER, LUAPULA PROVINCE,
HONOURABLE CABINET MINISTERS AND DEPUTY MINISTERS PRESENT,
YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS,
SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS,
HIS EXCELLENCY MR YANG YOUMING, CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO ZAMBIA
SUNBIRD BIOENERGY AFRICA OFFICIALS
CHINA NEW ENERGY LIMITED AND CHINA STATE CONSTRUCTION OFFICIALS
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

I am greatly humbled to be here today to grace this ground breaking ceremony to commence the first ever Cassava Ethanol project in Kawambwa.

This is an important development for our country and it is in line with government policy to diversify away from the mining sector.

This project will enable us to substitute imported fuel with Biofuel to serve on the huge outlay on imported petroleum products. In addition, the project is poised to create a market for cassava for over 20,000 local farmers. This is besides, the direct job opportunities for our own people in the surrounding area.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to note that Sunbird Bioenergy Africa have
committed themselves to establish this important processing plant which at its full capacity will be able to produce 120 million litres of Bio-ethanol equivalent to 20 percent of Zambia’s petrol requirements.

I am reliably informed that Sunbird Bioenergy Africa and its partners China New Energy and China State Construction have an impressive track record of developing projects such as this. This is evidenced by more than 100 projects that the companies have successfully constructed across Asia.

Prior to this, a Government team was sent to appreciate the success story of the similar project in Thailand. Among the successes recorded on this project in Thailand includes:

1) Creation of thousands of jobs for rural farmers with production levels in excess of 600,000 tonnes of cassava each year;

2) Production of over 120 million litres of Bioethanol each year and
3) Creation of more than 500 direct employment opportunities in management, engineering, accounts and other fields.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Sunbird Bioenergy has committed itself to replicating the project in Thailand, here in Kawambwa.

As Government we are extremely grateful that management of Sunbird Bioenergy Africa chose Kawambwa district for this critical project.

To this effect, my Government has allocated 20,000 Ha of land on the Luena farm block for the development of a nucleus farm and out-grower programme which will produce more than 600,000 tonnes of Cassava each year for the plant.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
With this new project, there is need for Ministry of Agriculture to work with Sunbird Bioenergy Africa to design an out-grower programme aimed at maximising participation of as many rural farmers as possible.

I am informed that the construction of the plant will commence in 2016 while production is expected to begin 2017. I wish to urge management to ensure that the implementation programme is expedited and adhered to for us to quickly see the benefits of this project.

With increased power supply in the northern circuit, I am hopeful that more investment such as this will be attracted to set up in this region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In conclusion I wish to once more commend Sunbird Bioenergy Africa and its partners for taking economic development to the rural part of our country. This will tremendously improve the lives of our people.

May I also take this opportunity to thank your royal highness for embracing this project in your area. My sincere hope is that your counterparts in other parts of the country will emulate your resolve to open up your area to development.

It is now my singular honour and privilege to declare the commencement of this project.

May the Almighty God bless you all.
I thank you.

IT IS hypocrisy for some opposition political parties to oppose now the requirement for 1,000 supporters drawn from all 10 provinces for one to be nominated as presidential candidate as stipulated in the new Constitution.

Foundation for Democratic Process executive director McDonald Chipenzi questioned why some opposition parties have started complaining over the submission which they supported during the district and national assemblies. Mr. Chipenzi said there was nothing undemocratic about the 1,000 supporters’ clause, stating that no political party was against the law when it was brought up during people’s conventions.

“The submission was made by the some political parties who are complaining. It was brought to these assemblies and conventions and every one supported it; there was no one who was against it,” Mr Chipenzi said.

He said it would be hypocritical for anyone to start complaining now because the draft had been on the shelf for a long time.

Mr. Chipenzi said some of the political parties which are part of the Grand Coalition opted to support the clause that it was what they wanted to do.

“Some of these political parties when we were in the Grand Coalition opted to come out and say this is what they wanted to do,” he said.

“And the motive behind that 1, 000 supporters was based on the fact that some of these parties are regional and would not manage to bring the 200 in one province, so if they have to be national and be respected, they just have to be mobile,” Mr. Chipenzi said.

He said political parties have to be mobile if they have to be national and respected.

Mr. Chipenzi said there was nothing undemocratic about the 1,000 supporters’ clause, stating that no political party was against the law when it was brought for conventions.

“It is not undemocratic to ask people to do what has to be done; if in the Constitution we are against regional political parties, why should we not put a fertile ground for political parties,” he said.

“Let them cultivate support from across the country; if they can’t, they cannot get nominated. That is the nature of democracy, democracy is rule of law,” he said.

He said political parties had no option but to follow the law once it was amended.

The qualification for previous presidential elections was for a candidate to go for nomination with 200 registered voters but the new Constitution stipulates that the candidate should draw 100 supporters from each of the 10 provinces, bringing the number to 1,000 supporters.

Political parties should not be funded from State coffers because the nation cannot afford it , the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has charged.

Secretary general Cosmas Mukuka has also described as unfortunate the passing of the 50 percent+1 vote clause because it was unfeasible due to regional voting patterns.

The clause allowing Government to fund political parties with representation in Parliament as contained in the Constitution Amendment Bill No. 17 should not have passed because some political parties are irrelevant, he charged.

The Constitution which has been passed provides in article 60 section 4 (a) the establishment and management of a Political Parties Fund to provide financial support to political parties with seat in the National Assembly.

But Mr Mukuka said although the Constitution Amendment Bill was currently in the hands of President Edgar Lungu, it was important to seriously reflect on the clause which allowed the establishment of funds for political parties.

“It is unfortunate that funding of political parties went through because our submission was that unless a political party meets a specified threshold. If you are saying political parties should be funded, under which threshold will be followed?” he said.

Mr Mukuka said the funding for political parties should reach a certain threshold because political parties would be concentrating in one constituency just to be receiving funding from government.

“MPs should have suggested that a political party will be receiving funding when it has more than 10 MPs. That way political parties will be serious and promote proper regulations,” Mr Mukuka said.

He said political parties should be formed to provide checks and balances to the ruling party not merely registering and forming one for the sake of receiving funds.

“The best which the President can do is to probably see how best people can discuss it and provide a serious threshold so that we can have serious political parties who should compete because now every political leader who has no following will be receiving funds,” Mr Mukuka said.

And commenting on the 50 percent+1 vote clause, Mr Mukuka said the possibility of repeating elections in Zambia were quite high.

He said Zambia cannot have one-off session of general elections following the historical background of elections conducted in Zambia. “But now that the 50 percent+1 vote clause has gone through Parliament, we cannot question it very much at this stage because it remains in the hands of the President,” he said.

Mr Mukuka said because the clause had passed in Parliament there was need to start looking at campaigns and ensure that every citizen was educated on his right to vote.

He said if political parties will not campaign adequately ahead of the 2016 general election then it would be an automatic re-run which was a cost to the nation.

A LUSAKA housewife told the Lusaka Boma court that her husband of nine years has been accusing her of having sexual relations with her step-son.
Evelyn Phiri, 34, of Kamwala South township was narrating a case in which she sued Didima Sakala for divorce.
Phiri told Lusaka boma local court magistrates Miyanda Banda and Davies Mpundu that she got married to Sakala in 2006. She said they have two children together and bride price was paid. However, the couple has been on separation for four months.
“I was once married with two children but my husband died. When I got married to Sakala, I was his third wife and I found he had three children from his previous marriage; I took care of his children,” she said.
She said problems started eight months into their marriage when Sakala packed her clothes and took her back to her parents for no reason.
Phiri said Sakala also developed a habit of calling her a prostitute and accusing her of having sexual relations with his son.
“After this allegation, I left our matrimonial home because he was being disrespectful. Before that, he abandoned me at my parents’ home and married another woman whom he also deserted six months later. He then started begging me for reconciliation and apologised for what he did,” she said.
Phiri told the court that seven months after reconciling, he chased her again and married a fifth wife with whom he had another child.
“He chased his fifth wife and came back with his uncle to beg for forgiveness. We reconciled again and I went back to being a mother to his children while mine remained with my parents. He does not even want me to visit my children or allow them to visit me at my matrimonial home,” she said.
But Sakala in his statement denied the allegations and insisted that Phiri was having a sexual relationship with his son.
Passing judgment, the court granted the couple divorce and ordered Sakala to pay Phiri K10,000 as compensation with an initial instalment of K1,000 followed by K300 monthly instalments.
Sakala was also ordered to pay K400 as child maintenance.

(DailyMail)

Alpha Romeo released the video for the song “Where have you been” that features Wezi .

BY KAPA187

MMD Leader Nevers Mumba says will not heed to advice to use witchcraft to win the republican presidency.

Speaking in Katete district in Eastern Province yesterday when he addressed party members, Dr. Mumba said people who have used witchcraft to ascend to the presidency do not last long in office and the nation undergoes a lot of anguish during their reign.

‘I want to speak about what somebody told me, he said Dr Mumba, these politics you have entered, the only thing that works is witchcraft, all the politicians have witches, sangomas, beads on their waists and in the night they do allot of things to make them become MPs, Presidents,’ Dr Mumba said.

Dr Mumba said, ‘The only thing I have in my waist is my Bible and I am not scared because at the end of the day, those that become Presidents using fetishes, they don’t last and their lives are hell because when the devil gives you the presidency, he will be knocking every day, you have to pay me for giving you the presidency, blood, accidents, problems in the country which you can’t solve but for me, he can’t bother me because i don’t owe him anything. It is either Jesus or nothing else.’

Acclaimed Blind Kalindula singer Laban Kalunga has died.

Mr Kalunga died at his Kapiri home on Tuesday after an illness, his close friend and singer Andy Chola confirmed.

Mr Kalunga, who shot to fame with his Umwana Alelila and Muchindike Ba Muka Bene hit song in the mid 80s will be put to rest on Thursday in Kapiri.

Mr Kalunga was born in Luanshya’s Mpatamatu Township in 1947 where his father worked as a carpenter.
Laban struggled in his education due to lack of parental support and during his free time, he explored his talent as a musician with a home-made three stringed instrument called banjo in community centres.
In 1969, Laban left for Chipata in Eastern Province to pursue his education but failed to continue due to lack of support from his relatives.

After the disappointment, he trekked back to the Copperbelt to continue with his escapades in community centres where his prolific banjo works were highly appreciated.

Laban came into the Lime light in 1980, when he took part in the Zambia Music Parlour Limited (ZMPL) auditions which were held at Ndola’s Green Village.

After seeing the potential in Laban, ZMPL proprietor and producer, Edward Godfrey Khuzwayo together with his manager Billy David Nyati, signed a recording contract with him and soon he was at Lusaka’s DB studios where he put on wax four songs namely, Kafumbe Seluka, Kasompe, Kanshi Kalembula Munani and Imfwawhich exposed him further.

He immediately formed the Fikashala Band and had former Blackfoot members Peter Chilufya and his older brother Paul, playing Bass and Rhythm respectively while, George Banda took charge of drums, Laban on lead and Daliwe Daka also on lead.

In 1982, he released three singles, Twalinwine Brandy, Ukuteeka Ichalo (Kwalyafya), Amano Mambulwa andBy Air, which talked about events in politics where anyone who opposed views of the ruling party, was forcibly lifted and thrown high up in the air and let to crush to the ground un aided.

In 1991, he changed the name of the band to Amantanki probably to give it more fire power and a new face and recruited Garry Njovu to take charge of the lead guitar, while veteran Paul Chilufya remained on bass, Toki Mawila (drums) and Laban falling back on rhythm.

With Amantanki, Laban produced Tuchindike Ba Muka Bene and Bashi Malama (Ndefwaya Ukwishiba umulandu mwisa mukunguma nga mwabwela mukunwa), which is still a hit on radio airwaves more than ten years after its release.

This took him to performing in public places such as Maria and Riverside bars in Ndola’s Kabushi Township, Savoy and Edinburgh hotels in Ndola and Kitwe respectively, as well as Mansa Inn now Mansa Hotel, which marketed him adequately such that his performances were always jammed with hundreds of his fans.

Emerging problems in the Zambian music industry, especially at the close of the 1980s caused by high piracy levels, affected most promoters and musicians alike.

This is the time that Laban’s contract also came to an end with ZMPL.

With Teal Record Company closed, Zambian Music Parlour withdrawing to the back stage and high taxes on musical equipment imposed by the Government, the local music industry was no longer thriving, throwing most musicians out of business.

But Laban who was gifted with a set of musical instruments from ZMPL as an act of appreciation, then decided to shift camp to Kalweo near Kapiri in 1993, where he set up base and churned out some of his popular compositions.

But it was not long before the Army overran the settlement setting it ablaze in which, Laban lost the entire set of instruments as hundreds of people who also lost property and money, fled the area in blind panic.

The soldiers who struck at 02:00 hours on the morning of that  day, were agitated by the severe beating of their colleague who differed with the villagers over a personal dispute.

Laban was left helpless and scrounged for food and shelter among the locals.

In 1996, he left for Lusaka where Chris Chali took him on while performing with his band the Amayenge, at Stanley Bar on Freedom Way.

After the death of Chris, he teamed up with veteran folk singer Andy Chola now based at Mwange Mushila in Kalingalinga as a backup musician.

But these developments made Laban quite unsettled because he did not have instruments of his own and life in Lusaka became tough as he has no permanent shelter while his wife left him a long time ago because of the same challenges.

He was being supported by a Mr Anthony Chali, an employee of the Ministry of Education who had found him a small rented room in New John Laing Township before trekking back to Kapiri.

He is survived by a daughter and three grand children.

*Additional reporting by Times of Zambia

Dancehall artist B-Flow , stated on his official Facebook page that he is switching to Kalindula. below is his statement :

ATTENTION B’FLOW FANS.
I wish to announce to all my fans and followers that I have officially changed my music style from Dancehall to Kalindula coz I want to be original. This decision is final. I urge you to carefully listen before you begin criticising. Without wasting your time, here are my two new Kalindula singles.
1. Tekwesha Ft. Chef 187
2. Veli Badi (Produced by Henrik berhane for Zedway movements)

Download B-Flow’s new singles here :http://www.zambianmusicblog.co/b-flow-ft-chef-187-tekwesha-pro-dice-veli-badi/

 

BY KAPA187