President Edgar Lungu has confidently spoken about his chances of bouncing back as Republican President after the 2016 general elections.

And President Lungu this morning appointed and sworn in Senga Hill PF Member of Parliament Kapembwa Simbao as Minister of Transport and Communications.

Speaking at State House when he swore in newly appointed Ministers for the newly created ministries, President Lungu said the PF will come back after next year’s elections and will stay for a long time to transform people’s lives.

Those sworn in were Ithezi-thezi MP Greyford Monde as Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Shiwang’andu PF MP Steven Kampyongo as Local Government and Housing Minister and Chawama PF MP Lawrence Sichalwe as Deputy Minister in the office of the Vice President.

‘We have people imaging that we are leaving power next year but we are around for a while. Don’t think that your tour of duty is just for nine months, we are here for a long time to come because we want to transform the political landscape,’ President Lungu stated.

He encouraged the appointees to be diligent in implementing Government policies.

‘Walk the talk gentlemen, walk the talk. What you say you do, if you can’t do it, tell the people this I cannot do.’
President Lungu has warned that he will not allow corruption in the adoption of PF parliamentary candidates for next year’s general election.

He added, ‘For me, it gives me lots of joy that I have a chance to recognise some of you at this occasion but the adoption certificate for 2016 doesn’t lie with me, it is with the people.’

President Lungu said, ‘You can give me your money, you can seduce me with your good talk, it won’t do, it is the people who determine whether Simbao is coming back in Senga Hill or whether Sichalwe is coming back in Chawama, it is the people who matter but I can tell you confidently that I will be coming back in 2016 probably with all of you or with half of you. It depends on what you are doing to the people because the people will determine whop I go along with in 2016. That is what matters, not the sweet talk you give me or the bribes you give me.’

And President Edgar Lungu said that he will not be forced to fire anyone in the absence of evidence against the accused person. President Lungu said that he has received a lot of calls to fire some of his Ministers, Deputy Ministers and senior government officials.

President Lungu disclosed that people have been calling for the dismissal of State House Deputy Minister, Mulenga Sata on unsubstantiated allegations.

The President however, said he will not hesitate to deal or fire anyone found wanting.

And commenting on his appointment, Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Greyford Monde said he will work towards transforming the Livestock sector into a viable industry.

Local Government and Housing Minister, Stephen Kampyongo said he will ensure that Councils perform to optimum levels.

And Deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office, Lawrence Sichalwe said he will work closely with Vice President, Inonge Wina in delivering services to the people.

 

FORMATION of a Music Union of Zambia, an organisation that will represent the interests of musicians, DJs and managers is progressing well with the drafting of its constitution completed.
Music Union of Zambia interim secretary general Machi Muchindu, aka, Prodigal Son, said the formation of the union is necessary because it will help protect musicians from exploitation.
“We’ve finalised with the constitution for the Music Union of Zambia…we are just doing final consultations, the union should be registered by next week,” Muchindu told the Weekend Mail in an interview yesterday.
The musician and radio presenter said the formation of a union for musicians has been long overdue adding: “most countries in sub-Saharan Africa have unions representing musicians except us in Zambia”.
Muchindu said a team spearheading the formation of the union has been in close contact with veteran musicians for advice.
“We have not left out anyone during meetings concerning the formation of the union, we have been consulting the big guns in the music world like James Chamanyazi and Brian Shakorongo…even during the final consultations concerning the constitution and the union, the old timers in the music industry will be involved,” he said.
And asked why meetings for the formation of the union were only advertised through a WhatsApp page, Muchindu said “We just did that for starters, we needed a road map”.
Commenting on WhatsApp postings suggesting a rivalry between musician CQ and the people in charge of the formulation of the union, Machindu said “it’s not really rivalry” but “an exchange of views among artists debating clauses in the union’s constitution”.
“You expect people to argue on contentious issues when discussing the constitution…it’s not really a rivalry because the way we argue on WhatsApp can be different from the level of debate when we go in an actual meeting,” he said.
Zambia Association of Musicians ZAM chairperson Njoya Tee recently said he would support the formation of a union to represent the interests of musicians because it has records of musicians being poorly paid after providing services.

(DailyMail)

Concern is mounting over the growing danger posed by fuel tankers parked along the roadside in Lusaka’s industrial area.

Life and property are at risk should one of the vehicles overheat, warned nearby businesses appealing to the authorities to take action before a major disaster happens.

The hazard of fuel tankers parked on the side of roads – in many cases overnight – was highlighted recently when a truck loaded with petrol caught fire outside the Zambian Breweries premises on Mungwi Road.

“The possible consequences of allowing fuel tankers to park in the industrial areas are unfathomable. This is why we are appealing to the relevant authorities to take concerted action and put an end to the practice. We will avail ourselves to work with the authorities in whatever capacity,” said Ezekiel Sekele, Corporate Affairs Director at Zambian Breweries Plc.

Quick action by a combined team of Zambian Breweries safety personnel and the Lusaka Fire Brigade averted what could have been a national catastrophe and a high-profile accident that would have tarnished Zambia’s reputation on industrial safety standards.

The rescue teams followed emergency procedures and responded in a timely and professional manner to the incident, and in so doing they averted what could have been a tragedy, said Mr Sekele.

He praised the teams who put out the fire and thanked the Lusaka Fire Brigade and other organisations for their prompt action.

Zambian Breweries management along with other businesses are currently engaging the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications, Ministry of Energy, the Police Service, and the local authorities to highlight the danger of these tankers.

There is an urgent need to relocate fuel depots away from high-density industrial areas and ensure strict enforcement of the existing regulations governing the bulk storage and transportation of fuel, said Mr Sekele.

Government has engaged the mining companies to ensure that the impending job losses in the mining sector are reduced to the barest minimal as the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) rejects any retrenchment move, saying other positions can still be considered.

Chief Government Spokesperson, Chishimba Kambwili, told the media in Kitwe today that government and the mining companies have agreed to ensure that the pending job losses in the mining sector are kept at the barest minimal level to ensure the sustainability of the mining companies’ protection of jobs.

Mr Kambwili said the mining companies have also agreed that they will be negotiating with the unions before they could implement any retrenchment action.

And Mr Kambwili, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, has disclosed that government has released US$120 million towards Value Addition Tax refund owed to mining companies.

He said the process of disbursing the funds is already being processed by the Ministry of Finance.

Mr Kambwili was speaking in Kitwe today after a delegation of five government ministers held a closed door meeting with mining companies and later with the unions in the mining sector in an effort to abate the massive pending job losses in the mining sector.

The ministers that attended the meeting include Finance Minister, Alexander Chikwanda, Mines Minister, Christopher Yaluma, Labour Minister, Fackson Shamenda, Commerce and Trade Minister, Margret Mwanakatwe and Mr Kambwili together with their respective Permanent Secretaries and other senior officials.

And earlier, Labour Minister, Fackson Shamenda, said government realizes the seriousness of the challenges being faced by mining companies and the possible effects of the impending job losses in the sector.

Mr Shamenda said it is because of this realization that government attaches great importance to the need to dialogue with the mining houses in order to resolve the challenges to sustain the operations of the mines and preserve jobs in the sector.

And Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) president, Chishimba Nkole, said the union will not accept any move to retrench workers.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Nkole said the union cannot accept any retrenchment because of the impact that such a move would cause on the economy and the individual households in the mining towns.

Mining companies have threatened to retrench workers on account of the falling copper prices on the international market, power load shedding and non-payment of Value Added Tax refund government owes mining companies among other reasons.

Already, Luanshya Copper Mines has sent over 1000 workers on forced leave and Konkola Copper Mines have also retrenched several workers while Mopani Copper Mines have notified government about their intension to lay -off over 3000 workers.