The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has described the just ended Lubansenshi and Solwezi Central parliamentary by elections as not free and fair.

FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said the two parliamentary by elections were not free and fair as they were characterized by electoral malpractices such as blackmail, irregularities, intimidation and harassment.

Mr. Chipenzi however noted that the ruling party has gained political ground in Shang’ombo and Sikongo Districts of Western Province and is making inroads in some districts of Eastern Province which was a stronghold for the former ruling party, MMD.

He noted that North Western province has remained a stronghold for the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) despite government initiating a number of development projects in the region.

He observed that the race in the 2016 tripartite election will be between the Patriotic Front and the UPND while the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) will trail behind in third position.

Meanwhile FODEP has called on the media to offer fair media coverage to all participating political parties during an election in order to help candidates reach out to electorates.

Mr. Chipenzi was speaking when he addressed journalists at a press briefing held at FODEP house in Lusaka today.

President Edgar Lungu has appointed new Ministers for the newly created Ministries. In a Statement released to the media by his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda, the President has elevated UPND MP Greyford Monde to full Cabinet Minister to head a newly created Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the appointment takes effect immediately..

Below is the full statement

PRESIDENT LUNGU NAMES NEW MINISTERS

LUSAKA (Tuesday, September 6, 2015)- His Excellency Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia has appointed Hon. Steven Kampyongo and Hon. Greyford Monde as Cabinet Ministers and Chawama MP, Hon. Lawrence Sichalwe as Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice-President.

President Lungu also assigned Her Honour the Vice-President, Mrs Inonge Wina as Minister for National Planning in addition to her current portfolio.

Mr. Kampyongo is the new Minister of Local Government and Housing taking over from Dr. John Phiri who moves to the Ministry of General Education. Hon. Monde is the new Minister for Fisheries and Livestock.

The Head of State has assigned Hon. Christopher Yaluma as Minister of Mines and Minerals Development. The ministers for Energy and Water Development and for Communications and Transport will be named in due course. Hon. Yamfwa Mukanga remains as Minister for Works and Supply. Hon. Michael Kaingu has been assigned the new Ministry of Higher Education.

The new appointees: Hon. Kampyongo, Hon. Monde and Hon. Sichalwe will be sworn-in on Thursday, October 8 2015.

The changes are with immediate effect.

Issued by:
Amos Chanda
SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
(PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS)
STATE HOUSE

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced a major cabinet reshuffle and limited salary cuts for top government officials in a bid to shore up her power base.Ms. Rousseff cut eight ministries and 3,000 workers in a nod to austerity.

As part of public sector cost-cutting measures, she trimmed her own salary and that of deputy ministers Brazilian news website G1 reported.

She trimmed her own salary by 10%, along with those of the vice president and the heads of Brazil’s remaining 31 ministries. She said 20% of her administration’s costs will also be axed.

The move appeared to express solidarity with less privileged sectors of the society that have seen social programs curtailed as the government reacted to an economic slowdown by implementing unpopular austerity measures.

Rousseff also dissolved or combined ministerial posts, bringing the total from 39 to 31, and gave the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), a key group that was threatening to abandon her ruling left-leaning coalition, a larger cabinet presence.

Rousseff’s Workers’ Party (PT) continued to hold the most number of cabinet posts, or nine, but the PMDB, the party of her vice president Michel Temer, picked up the portfolio of the new Ministry of Health out of a total of seven. The remainder were distributed among minority political groups.

At a ceremony at the presidential headquarters of Planalto, Rousseff acknowledged the changes were designed to secure congressional support for her administration, and bolster political stability to meet the challenges of the economic crisis.

“This reform aims to update the government’s political base. We are making a more balanced coalition. This is a legitimate measure by a coalition government. We need to build an atmosphere of congressional cohesion and dialogue,” said Rousseff.

VIACOM International Media Network, celebrating a decade on the continent has announced that American R&B superstar Maxwell is heading to South African shores this summer to headline the BET Experience Africa, a spectacular global celebration of urban culture, music and lifestyle, from entertainment channel BET on DStv.
Viacom senior vice president and managing director Alex Okosi say they are proud to introduce this incredibly successful BET franchise to African audiences for the first time, celebrating so many rich and varied faces of the urban lifestyle experience under one roof.
“Making its African debut on 12 December, BET Experience Africa provides the perfect kick-off to the summer season, taking over the Ticketpro Dome for a non-stop, jam-packed entertainment fest, bringing together lovers of urban culture and music. Wowing visitors all day long, the BET Experience Africa will showcase great food, fashion, music, comedy, dance, sport and much, much more,” reads a statement released by MultiChoice Zambia.
“Inspiring, immersive and hugely entertaining, BET Experience Africa will feature stunning live performance on a central Sound Stage, while stand-up routines from comedy stars will keep the audience laughing. Reserve your court-side seat for the fun-packed Celebrity Basketball Game and you could be watching top celebrities battle each other for sporting supremacy!”
At the recently held Multi-Choice Africa content showcase in Mauritius, the newest member of VIMN family on DStv – BET – announced a number of new initiatives including Top Actor Africa to broaden the search for African acting and presenting talent, BET Buzz which showcases all the glitz and glamour of the African and international entertainment scenes and a continental version of the prestigious Black Girls Rock event.
But focus for now is on the BET Experience Africa.
“Fashionistas will revel in the fashion and beauty catwalk, while checking out the hottest trends on the Sneaker scene. For inspiration, attend one of BET’s informative and instructive Genius Talks, curated by experts and opinion formers in various fields.
“The day will be rounded off with the BET Experience Concert, with superstar artists headlined by GRAMMY Award winning R&B musician Maxwell, alongside other international and African performers. Further, talent taking part in BET Experience Africa will be announced at a later date,” the statement reads.
BET Experience Africa is promoted in partnership with Glen 21 and inspired by the BET Experience, held annually in Los Angeles.

(DailyMail)

Government has assured mine workers and the nation as a whole that no unnecessary job losses in the mining sector will be entertained.

And Cabinet has assured the nation that mealie meal prices will not increase because all fundamentals in the production line of the staple food remain unchanged.

Briefing journalists in Lusaka today on the outcome of the 21st Cabinet meeting held yesterday at State House, Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili said government will not accept any arm twisting coming from the mining sector.

Mr. Kambwili said mining companies budget for their workers’ salaries in US Dollars and it is shocking that they are using the kwacha’s depreciation as an excuse when it is in fact working to their advantage by spending less on wages.Mr. Kambwili has also disclosed that a team comprising officials from five government ministries will tomorrow meet the mine owners and trade unions to discuss the best way to handle the current challenges.

He said there is enough maize on the market and no other factors have changed for the millers to increase the mealie meal prices.

He said government is working hard to ensure that an amicable solution is found to avoid any possible job losses.
And the Chief Government Spokesperson says Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda has been directed to meet with the millers to communicate government’s position over their intentions to increase mealie meal prices.He said there is enough maize on the market and no other factors have changed for the millers to increase the mealie meal prices.

Other items that cabinet considered include; the approval of the Employment Amendment Bill of 2015 to abolish casualization in Zambia, introduction of Gender Equity and Equality Bill of 2015, Appointment of Members of the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) Board, Establishment of the Jubilee Women’s Roadside Markets Program for 2015 – 2018 and reappointment of Directors on the Zambia National Building Society Board of Directors.

Others items discussed include plans to revise the new fees and fines for traffic offenses with a view to restating the status quo.
Government will to this effect soon announce the revised changes.

Following the approval of Parliament on October 1, 2015 of His Excellency the President’s proposal to abolish some old and establish some new Ministries, we are of the view that President Lungu has not yet created new Ministries and the status quo, in terms of the ministerial establishment, remains in place until the President invokes his powers to abolish and establish new Ministries.

After a thorough examination of this matter with our well informed members and other citizens, YALI has come to the conclusion that Ministers in the so-called split Ministries will continue to perform their duties under the same Ministries to which they were appointed and not in any of the new or “re-aligned” or “split” Ministries.

It is clear to us that:

1. the Executive through the presidency has decided to make changes to the functions of ministries,

2. that decision was taken to parliament for approval

3. Parliament has given its approval for the President to implement his executive decision to abolish and establish new Ministries.

4. Now, there remains the need for the President to finally abolish the old Ministries and establish new ones in line with the approval received from Parliament, which should include the process to be adopted by the executive and the date(s) when such changes shall take effect.

5. When the President finally invokes his powers in Article 44 (2)(e), all the Ministers in affected Ministries will have to be re-appointed, in order for them to continue serving as Ministers if indeed the President wishes to have them continue to serve as such.

Having examined the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia, especially Articles 44 (2)(e) and 61 (1), it is our view that the Zambian Constitution only grants power to the President to dissolve and establish new Ministries and the use of terms such as splitting or re-alignment of Ministries, needs to be subjected to constitutional debate on whether the President has legal powers to split Ministries, in the real sense.

Of course, the continued reference to old Ministries as shown by the Order Paper in Parliament today though undesirable, is understandable in view of the infancy of the changes. The nomeclanture should be corrected soon by the President.

We want to also encourage the President to merge the Ministry of Broadcasting with the Ministry of Communications, as is the practice in most countries, because having Information and Broadcasting as a stand-alone Ministry in this regard, amounts to duplication. The proposed Ministry of Communications and Broadcasting would help to synchronise the work around the same field.

Issued by

Isaac Mwanza
Governance Advisor
Young African Leaders Initiative ( YALI )
TEL: 260.966.789.798

Healthy Summer Chicken Salad

Salad is something that can easily fall into the realm of boring food.  It’s very easy to make the same old salad, with lettuce or cabbage and mayonnaise.  But it doesn’t have to be that way; it is actually really easy to make a salad very interesting and different each time.  I personally don’t believe that any food should be boring and I am a huge lover of a good old salad. By far it is one of the easiest dishes to make and it’s also one of the few healthy meals that taste amazing. So today I’m keeping it really simple with a gorgeous and healthy chicken salad.

Ladies I think that this recipe will appeal more to you; you can easily incorporate it into your diet; and even if you are not on a specific diet, this is just a really tasty way to get your 5 a day.  Honestly it tastes so good you won’t even notice that you are eating healthy; and you can eat some and store the rest in the fridge for another day; but better yet you can literally stuff your face on this salad without any guilt.  However, I am not sexist and I know that the men might want to get in on the action too.  So; male, female, dieters, non-dieters whatever you are, wherever you are; roll up your sleeves and enjoy this filling and delightful salad.

Now, before we get started, just a little side note; I find that chicken skin has a lot of flavour and I prefer to keep it on; I also don’t discriminate about which piece of the chicken to use in a salad; but, for all of you health freaks, that are super conscious about your weight, please do use skinless chicken breast as specified in the recipe.

Prep and cooking time: 25 mins

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 1½ tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves chopped (optional)
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp crushed sea salt
• 2 tsp ground pepper
• 4 skinless, chicken breasts, about 140g

For the croutons

• 100g granary/wholemeal bread
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the dressing and salad

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or other grainy mustard
• 3 tablespoons of good quality mayonnaise
• 2 pinches of crushed sea salt
• 2 pinches of sugar
• Ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar/ white wine vinegar
• 1 head of lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
• 25g piece parmesan, grated or shaved

Method

Marinate the chicken – mix the lemon juice, oil, thyme, garlic, paprika and sea salt in a shallow dish. Chop the chicken into small pieces, add to the marinade and coat well; add freshly ground pepper and leave for up to 2 hrs.

Heat the oven to 180 ? C fan /gas mark 6. Cut the bread into rough cubes, for the croutons; spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then brush with olive oil. Bake for about 10 mins until golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, Whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, salt, sugar, and pepper until combined. Add the vinegar and whisk until smooth.

Heat a non-stick pan until very hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the chicken for about 10 mins, tossing and turning once or twice, until cooked through. Remove from the heat and let it sit on a piece of paper towel for 5 mins, to drain any excess oil – before adding to your salad.

Tear the larger lettuce leaves into 2-3 pieces, but leave the smaller lettuce pieces whole. Put them in a large bowl.

Pour just under half the dressing over the leaves and carefully toss to coat (it’s better to use your hands).   Add the croutons and chicken and toss to coat some more.  Drizzle the rest of the dressing over and around the salad, finish by sprinkling the parmesan over the top.

Serving

Pile the salad onto individual plates, and serve alone, with a fresh and fruity ice cold drink.

You can also serve this to accompany a portion of oven baked chips or if you’re feeling brave; a jacket potato.

Or you can have this salad as a side dish with a main meal; simply don’t add the chicken and only prepare the leaves and dressing, as per the above recipe.

Kanta Temba is a cake maker and decorator. She is also the owner and founder of Kanta Kakes – cake shop.

You can find her work on www.kantakakes.com.  Follow her on twitter @KantaKakes and Instagram @KantaTemba.

Following the meteoric rise and fall of N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton tells the astonishing story of how these youngsters revolutionized music and pop culture forever the moment they told the world the truth about life in the hood.

PROS

• Excellent performance by the whole cast . Especially Jason Mitchell and O’shea Jackson, Jr.   who played the parts of Easy E and Ice Cube respectively. 
• There was alot that happened in the near 10 year time period the movie covers . However,  the director , F Gary Gray , managed to create a compelling, captivating and organic story .

CONS

• At almost 2 hrs 30 min, it is a bit too long .

FAVORITE QUOTE

• Jerry Heller: What’s NWA stand for, anyway? “No Whites Allowed”, something like that? *chuckles*

Eazy-E: No…

[pause]

Eazy-E: Niggaz Wit’ Attitudes.

• Ice Cube: How you go from selling rocks in a dope house to eating dinner in the white house?

CONCLUSION

Whether you are a huge fan of old school 90’s hip-hop , or  if you have never heard of N.W.A ,  ‘Straight Outta Compton’ is a movie you can not afford to miss .  It is set in the late 80’s to early 90’s , the streets of Compton, California, were some of the most dangerous in the US , where drug dealing , gangsterism and police harassment were the order of the day . The movie follows the rise of the hip-hop super-group N.W.A , as they face personal and professional trials and tribulations . Particular focus is put on the relationships between Dr dre , Ice cube and Easy-E , as they translated their experiences growing up, into brutally honest music that rebelled against abusive authority.

RATING 

5 out of 5

BY KAPA187