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BANK of Zambia Governor Denny Kalyalya
Bank of Zambia Governor (BoZ) Denny Kalyalya says the central bank is in the process of migrating from monetary aggregates targeting to inflation targeting.
Dr. Kalyalya said inflation targeting demands the highly specialised sets of econometric skills.
He was speaking in Lusaka today during the official opening of the Africa regional training workshop on advances in econometrics versus policy challenges.
Dr. Kalyalya said the workshop would help to enhance the local research and other institutions’ ability to address the complex economic problems methodology.
He added that the training would also help researchers to learn frontiers, research tools and disseminate their on-going research.
“A good understanding and application of econometric methods is a very useful tool for decision-making. For policy makers, a solid exposition to econometric methods combined with a plication-orientated approach provides an opportunity to formulate and implement responsive policies,” Dr. Kalyalya explained.
The Bank of Zambia has partnered with University of Zambia (UNZA), Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis (ZIPAR), University of Lusaka (UniLus) and the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) to provide financial and logistical support for the conference.
And University of Zambia (UNZA) Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Enala Mwase said econometrics was indispensable to the modern day economists when validating economic theories, evaluating the impact of public policies and forecasting future trends.
Prof. Mwase said by incorporating knowledge from various fields of economics, statistics and mathematics-econometrics has led the way in establishing regularities in economic science.
She urged the international researchers to consider collaborating with local researchers in Zambia to increase and strengthen their analysis of economic relationships in order to help
the policy makers.
Meanwhile, in-coming Chairperson of the African Region Standing Committee and University of Birmingham Professor Victor Murinde called for the inclusive growth model to ensure that small industries were included in the growth for the communities to participate.
“If you are planning infrastructure development, for example highways, you must have feeder roads to get to the communities that are excluded from the growth. The design of policies should have an inclusive growth element,” Professor Murinde said.
He further said data was very critical as it helps to develop policies that can benefit the economy and also to understand what drives certain economies to perform better.
Speaker of the National Assembly has reserved ruling on the fate of PF Kasama Central Member of Parliament Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba in parliament following his appointment as UPND Vice President.
The Speaker has also reserved ruling on a similar point of order regarding the status of UPND members of Parliament serving in the PF Government and have been campaigning for the ruling party during by-elections.
Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila rose on a point of order seeking the Speaker’s ruling whether it was in order for Mr Mwamba to continue sitting in Parliament when he had resigned to join the UPND.
Mr Mwila said this is especially that the constitution states that if a member of parliament decides to join another political party he immediately loses the seat.
And UPND Monze Central MP Jack Mwiimbu rose on a counter point of order asking the Speaker whether it was in order for the UPND Members of Parliament serving in the PF Government to continue serving as UPND MPs when the previous Speaker of the National Assembly had ruled that any MP who crosses the floor loses his/her seat.
The Speaker has since reserved ruling on the two points of order.
Earlier in the day , Mr Mwamba said that he will not relinquish his Kasama Central parliamentary seat following his move to join the opposition UPND.
Mr. Mwamba told a media briefing in Lusaka this afternoon that for as long as opposition MPs working with the PF government do not quit their parliamentary seats, he will also not relinquish his position.
Mr. Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, said that there a number of UPND and MMD MPs who are currently working with the PF even campaigning for the ruling party and that he sees nothing wrong with him working with the UPND while still remaining a PF MP.
He has since assured Zambians that he will not cause any by-election by quitting as Kasama Central PF MP saying it is tax payers’ money that is wasted in by-election.
A TB survivor in Kasama District , Florence Chanda , has appealed to Health authorities in the area to revert to the old system of isolating patients with Tuberculosis at Kasama General hospital if the fight against the disease is to be won in the area.
Ms Chanda, 37, of Kasama observed that the admitting of TB patients in same wards with other patients is contributing to the spreading of the disease.
She told ZANIS in an interview today that isolating TB patients will greatly help in preventing the spread of the disease in the country.
She said health authorities should consider reverting to the old system and make isolation wards for TB patients.
Ms. Chanda revealed that although studies show that chances are very slim that a patient on drugs can pass on the disease to others, there is need to quarantine them to safeguard the lives of the general public.
The TB survivor alleged that the number of patients with TB seem to be increasing in the area as compared to that time when they were being separated.
She said currently Kasama General Hospital which is the referral Centre has no isolation ward which is posing a great danger to other patients.
Ms. Chanda also appealed to all stakeholders to actively participate in the fight against TB as it is more deadly than HIV/AIDS.
She said the effects of the disease has a negative impact on the social and economic status of the country.
Efforts to get a comment from Ministry of Health spokes Person Dr. Kamoto Mbewe to comment on the matter failed by broadcast as his mobile phone was switched off.
Kasama Central PF Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba has been unveiled as opposition UPND’s Vice President.
Mr Mwamba has however not defected from the PF to join the UPND and will continue serving as PF MP for Kasama Central. UPND President Hakainde Hichilema clarified that Mr Mwamba has not resigned from the PF but has only joined the UPND.
He said the PF has been appointing UPND MPs and other opposition members to serve in its government adding that there is nothing strange with Mr Mwamba’s move.
“We are giving PF a taste of their medicine. They have been appointing our members in their government and we are have been watching and advising them but they don’t listen. Now we are playing their kind of game,” Mr Hichilema said.
Mr Hichilema also refuted reports that some members of the National Management Committee had opposed Mr Mwamba’s appointment as Vice President.
“This appointment was overwhelmingly supported by all our NMC members. This is what a united Zambia looks like,” he said.
[pullquote]This is what a united Zambia looks like[/pullquote]
He takes over from Mr Richard Kapita who defected to the PF in May as Vice President for Administration.
Addressing a huge crowd that attended his news conference at Lusaka’s Cresta Golf View Hotel, Mr Mwamba said he cannot continue working with the PF because the current PF leadership has allegedly abandoned the vision under which the PF was created.
Mr Mwamba told the cheering crowd that he joined late President Michael Sata in the PF because he believed in Mr Sata’s vision of serving the poor.
He said President Edgar Lungu has embraced all the people that President Sata never wanted to work with because they are corrupt.
“Today, they are working with Dora Siliya, this is the same Siliya who came to Kasama and insulted Mr Sata. She is still court for corruption. They adopted Mr Simbao who was taken to court by Mr Sata for electoral corruption, ninshi umuntu alikwana (Is this person normal)?”
Mr Mwamba said he has decided to serve in the UPND because it is the only political party with a crebile social and economic programme for Zambia.
He said he will use his political and financial muscle to help grow the UPND across Zambia.
The Kasama MP said the PF has no economic development agenda for Zambia going by the way the Kwacha has been performing.
“I have never seen the Kwacha misbehave like this ever in my entire life, Kwacha naipena (Kwacha has gone mad).”
Mr Mwamba said in 2011, the PF worked hard to wrestle power from the MMD but stated that the same MMD is back in power using the PF.
He said his appointment as UPND Vice President is humbling saying the he is confident that the party will form government next year.
Meanwhile, UPND Vice President for Politics Canisius Banda said Mr Mwamba’s appointment will help unify the party.
“The President is from Monze, I am from Eastern Province and GBM is a Bemba, mu Bemba inkonko (he is a true Bemba,” Mr Banda said.
At the same function, UPND MP Stephen Katuka was unveiled as the new party Secretary General replacing ailing Winstone Chibwe.
First Lady Esther Lungu greets Ministry of Health’s Dr Sharon Kapambwe as Ministry of Health Deputy minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya looks on on arrives at Kenya International Convention Centre for the main Plenary Session of the 9th Stop Cervical , Breasts and Prostrate cancer in Africa Conference in Nairobi on July 21,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
First Lady Esther Lungu has advised women not to always rely on men for them to develop their livelihoods.
Mrs. Lungu said women should learn to stand on their own and not dependent on men for them to progress their lives.
She was speaking in Lusaka today in a speech read for her by Youth and Sport Minister Ronald Chitotela’s wife Lillian during the launch of the value addition programme which was organised by the Association of Zambian Women in Mining (AZWIM).
Mrs. Lungu further said women have the capabilities to empower themselves and contribute effectively to national development.
And Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe said government has since restructured the empowerment programme and put in place the value chain cluster development programmes to make it beneficial to women.
She said the reorganisation of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to lay greater emphasis on funding empowerment projects in rural areas as well participation of women, youth and physically challenged was another move by government to extensively empower the women folk.
And AZWIM Chairperson Mary Lubemba said the challenges hindering the association from expanding their businesses include lack of finances and suitable machines for processing stones.
File: Workers from the Food Reserve Agency packing maize at a shed in Choma
I want to demonstrate how our crop marketing arrangements, especially for maize, are misguided and offer solutions to improve the situation for farmers and consumers.
To date there is no indication whether our government will set the maize floor price and whether they will buy maize and other crops at all from farmers. We are being told that the business community such as millers should move in rural areas and buy the maize crop from farmers. Now here is the problem. We are being told there was a bumper harvest last farming season and so government bought more maize than they wanted.
We all remember that a few months ago, Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda announced measures that were meant to cushion the mealie meal prices though to date the price of mealie meal is still high. One such measures was a reduction in the price of maize being bought from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) so that millers can buy at lower prices and pass on the benefits to the Zambian consumers. We believe this policy is still in place and millers can still cheaply access maize from FRA depots across the country. Now the question is why would a businessperson such as millers waste their time and resources going into the villages to buy maize from farmers when they can access the commodity cheaply from FRA depots in urban centres? It does not make any sense for one to do so especially now with an increase in fuel prices. As a result, our farmers will be stuck with their maize or forced to sell cheaply to briefcase businesspeople.
We are currently being told the country is exporting huge quantities of maize to neighbouring countries in order to clear stocks for last season. Exporting of such produce as maize grain is the problem we have been talking about because we don’t do any value addition.
Our alternative policy, if indeed we have too much maize, would have been to encourage exporting of finished maize products such as mealie meal and feedstock etc. We need to encourage milling companies to grind more maize grain for export earnings. From maize milling, which is value addition, there are also lots of other by-products such as feedstock for our animals.
In short when we export maize grain, we also export a lot of other products which in turn finds it’s way back into Zambian market as imports of our own products and in the process contribute to the Kwacha’s fall.
In a well thought out arrangement, where millers are encouraged to export maize mill at large scale, they would be forced to buy more maize either from FRA itself or from farmers in order to satisfy their export markets and generate foreign exchange for our country which would later cushion and stabilise the now free falling Kwacha.
Millers would easily exhaust the current maize stock from FRA, and would be forced to set up depots or appoint agents in rural areas who would be buying maize for them at competitive prices attractive to our farmers. In the whole chain, small scale businesses and employment opportunities will be created for our people, especially for the youths.
Does it really make any sense for us to label our citizens and even those of neighbouring countries as maize and mealie meal smugglers when all we can do is to just encourage our small and large businesses to set up well organised selling points right inside say the Kasumbalesa border in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)? Once that is done, the so called smugglers would think twice to risk their lives carrying one or two bags of mealie meal when the product is readily available right at their door steps in an organised way that we can also earn foreign exchange from reasonable taxes instead of chasing widows, orphans and poor Zambians over rental monies.
Once we mill our maize locally, we are also assured of lots of by-products such as feedstock which our small businesses keeping chickens, pigs, goats, cattle, etc can cheaply access the feed and bring the prices of these meat products low for our home consumption while keeping our foreign exchange earnings in our banks and stabilise the Kwacha.
And it’s from these foreign exchange earnings that we can easily grow our economy and create more business and job opportunities for our people, especially the youths. And it’s from these jobs that again government can earn taxes from Pay As You Earn that can be channelled into social sectors such as health and education.
All these things are heavily interconnected, for example the farmer will get a better deal because of the appetite for the maize created by the millers who also have appetite for the dollars through exporting mealie meal. And there are also manufacturers and suppliers of packing bags in this equation who would want to expand their businesses due to the huge demand for empty bags from millers. And remember this is just from one item the maize chain industry.
For the local mealie meal consumption, we should seriously consider relaxing conditions for buying bags of maize from FRA depots so that small scale millers and individuals can easily buy even one bag and take it to the local hammer mills. There are currently lots of hammer mills (vigayo) even in urban centres where our people can be taking or accessing bags of maize grain for home consumption. In fact, my interactions in markets these days shows that majority of our people are currently enjoying Nshima made from hammer mills.
GBM at a press briefing at Cresta Golf View Hotel in Lusaka
Patriotic Front Kasama Central Member of Parliament Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba popularly known as GBM today officially joined the UPND where he is expected to be appointed as UPND vice president for political affairs.He will replace Richard Kapita who recently defected to the PF.
A media briefing is currently taking place at Cresta Golfview hotel in Lusaka.
Mr Mwamba dragged the ruling party to court after being expelled for campaigning for UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema during the January 2015 presidential.
Mr Mwamba’s decision to relinquish his membership of the ruling party means he will no longer be Member of Parliament for Kasama Central paving way for a long anticipated by-election.
The resignation of a Member of Parliament is not new to Kasama Central constituency with Mr Mwamba himself having been first elected MP in 2009 in a by-election that followed the resignation of Dr Savior Chishimba as PF Member of Parliament.
Mr Mwamba was reelected Member of Parliament for Kasama central during the 2011 tripartite elections with a landslide polling 25,210 votes against his nearest rival Chilekwa Munkonge of the MMD who polled 4,357 votes.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Mr. Chalwe Lombe says government recognizes the diaspora as key stakeholders in the country’s development.
Mr. Lombe says President Edgar Chagwa Lungu is committed to ensuring that Zambians in the diaspora fully participate in the economic development of the country.
The Foreign Affair Permanent Secretary was speaking when he received submissions from Zambians in the United States for consideration in the Diaspora Policy that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently developing.
Mr. Lombe explained that the Ministry had set up a Diaspora Survey that will assist in capturing data on why and how Zambians in the diaspora were not fully participating in economic development.
He added that once reviewed, the ministry hoped that the recommendations from the survey will enable government create more space for Zambians in the diaspora participate in national development.
Mr. Lombe noted that government is committed to partnering with the diaspora in developing the country adding that the purpose of the study tours is also meant to see how best they can contribute to the development of the country.
The Permanent Secretary revealed that following the collection of data to the policy, government will host a diaspora indaba in September.
The Permanent Secretary, who began his mission in the United States capital Washington DC, held a conference call where over a hundred Zambians participated. During the conference call several Zambians made submissions on the diaspora policy but also used the opportunity to pose questions on pressing issues.
Mr. Lombe who was accompanied by Zambia’s Ambassador to the USA Palan Mulonda responded to the queries that were raised.
Later, the Permanent Secretary appeared on Zambia Blog Talk radio, a radio show that caters for Zambians in the diaspora all over the world.
The delegation that includes officers from the ministries of Justice, Education, Lands Commerce and Home Affairs then met Zambians for a second consultative meeting at the Zambian Embassy in Washington DC.
The Permanent Secretary held his last consultative meeting in Atlanta Georgia, where several Zambians also made their submissions to the Diaspora policy
The key areas of discussion for the consultative meetings included remittances, dual citizenship, trade and investment, political participation and land acquisition.
Issued by
Patricia Littiya
First Secretary (Press and Public Relations)
Embassy of the Republic of Zambia
Washington DC
Chishimba Kambwili
Minister of Information and Broadcasting services Chishimba Kambwili has lost a Nephew in the mine accident that happened at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) South Ore Body Shaft. Mr Kambwili’s nephew, Honest Mushota is one of the four miners who were buried alive on Sunday around 23:00 hours in a rock fall.The night shift on 3,240 feet level had over 90 miners on duty.
Mr Kambwili has commended Government for the support rendered to the bereaved families.
Mr Kambwili, however, called on Mopani Copper Mines to avail the bereaved families with information about the cause of the accident and progress the mining firm has made in its rescue operations.
“As a family, we appreciate your coming here to mourn with us. I lost a nephew in that mine accident who happens to be the son to my sister. As a family, we would like to know what transpired because we haven’t been availed with any information up to now,” Mr Kambwili said.
And Operations at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) South Ore Body Shaft have been temporarily suspended following the death of four miners in an underground mine accident on Sunday.
By press time yesterday, MCM’s rescue team and engineers of the mining company had not retrieved any of the four bodies which are trapped underground.
The deceased miners, who were working as machine operators, have been identified as Emmanuel Kyongola of J59 Chamboli, Honest Mushota of 74 Geddes Street (Nkana East), Arnold Mambwe of H2-63 Chamboli and Abel Mutali of 893 Ndeke township.
MCM corporate affairs manager Cephas Sinyangwe and Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) acting general secretary George Mumba said in Kitwe yesterday that the rescue team was still searching for the bodies.
“The rescue team has not yet retrieved the bodies. They are still trapped in the soils. We don’t know how long it will take to retrieve the bodies,” Mr Mumba said.
Mr Sinyangwe said the rescue team is on the ground working tirelessly to retrieve the bodies.
“It is a huge operation and our team is on the ground,” Mr Sinyangwe said.
Copperbelt commissioner of police Joyce Kasosa on Monday said it could take two or more days to retrieve the bodies.
Meanwhile, the families of the four miners yesterday wept uncontrollably as Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge, led senior Government officials in consoling bereaved families,
And Government has directed the Mines and Safety Department to institute thorough investigations into the cause of the mine accident, which has claimed lives at MCM’s South Orebody Shaft.
Mr Musenge, who was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development Richard Musukwa, Kitwe district commissioner Chanda Kabwe and mine union officials, visited all the four funeral houses to console the bereaved families.
And Mr Musukwa said government is saddened by the accident and assured the mourners that a team of mine experts and engineers has been constituted to retrieve the four bodies.
“As government, we are working with Mopani Copper Mines to ensure that the bodies of the miners are retrieved. The team constituted to carry out the operation is working round the clock to ensure that the four bodies are retrieved,” Mr Musukwa said.
THE Non Governmental Organization Coordinating Council NGOCC says Cliford Dimba popularly known as General Kanene must go back to prison as he was a danger to society.
NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale said kanene needed more time in prison in order for him to learn to appreciate the rights of women and children.
Ms. Mwale was reacting to Kanene’s behavior a week after he was pardoned from prison by president Edigar Lungu.
It is alleged that the newly appointed ambassador for gender based violence beat up one of his three wives after she denied him sex on sunday.
Ms Mwale said that her organisation was concerned with the manner in which Kanene was pardoned and since written to the president asking him to reconsider its decision.
She said the reasons of his pardon were in any way convincing and as such Kanene must be allowed to serve his full jail sentence because he still had a long way to go where respect for women was concerned.
“For us as NGOCC the rights of women and children are of paramount importance and any body who disrespects this fact must not be entertained in the society and therefore our position is that Kanene mus go back to jail and finish his sentence may be he will learn to respect women”, she said.
AND POLICE say they have not received any complaint concerning General Kanene’s alleged beating of one of his three wives.
Police spokes person Charity Munganga Chanda said in an exclusive interview yesterday that her team was still waiting for a report from the victim but however confirmed having seen the pictures and stories on social media.
Former UPND vice president-political Richard Kapita
FORMER United Party for National Development (UPND) vice-president for administration Richard Kapita has sued four senior party members for defamation of character and is demanding K1 million compensation from each of them for libel.
Mr Kapita, a businessman and member of the Patriotic Front (PF), has sued Watson Lumba, Mark Kalemba, Grandson Katambi and Mulondwe Muzungu for alleging that he is a thief and was lured with money to join the ruling party.
He says Mr Muzungu uttered the alleged defamatory words on a Mwinilungu Radio programme while Mr Lumba, Mr Kalemba and Mr Katambi issued the libelous words in Solwezi during a live phone-in programme on North-Western Television on May 23, 2015.
This is contained in writ of summons filed in the Lusaka High Court registry yesterday.
“The plaintiff claims for an injunction restraining the defendants by themselves, their servants or agents or otherwise from further publishing the said or any similar libel concerning the plaintiff,” Mr Kapita said.
He is also claiming any other relief the court will deem fit and costs incidental to the proceedings.
In the statement of claim, Mr Kapita says Mr Muzungu allegedly said those that are leaving the UPND to join the PF are thieves who are afraid of prosecution; that they have stolen and are looking for help from the government.
Mr Muzungu is also alleged to have said people leaving the UPND are thieves who have stolen from their previous parties and are joining their fellow thieves to continue stealing.
But Mr Kapita says the words in their natural and ordinary meaning meant that he was a thief who had resigned from the UPND with improper base and sordid motives of running away from prosecution.
He said Mr Muzungu’s words also imply that he joined the PF to seek protection for criminal activities, including that of theft which he committed while he was a UPND member.
Mr Kapita said the statements were defamatory and calculated to vilify and ridicule him in his professional office and bring him into hatred, odium and contempt.
He says the words are meant to lower him in right estimation of right-thinking citizens.
Mr Kapita said the words of Mr Lumba, Mr Katambi and Mr Kalemba that he left UPND in unclear circumstances and joined the PF for financial gains imputed criminal activity, theft, impropriety and base motives for leaving the opposition party by running away from prosecution
Minister of Home Affairs Davis Mwila
GOVERNMENT has warned that it will clamp down on political party cadres from both the ruling and opposition political parties who have the habit of engaging in violence.
Minister of Home Affairs Davis Mwila said any party cadre who will be found engaging in violence will be swiftly arrested regardless of their political affiliation.
Mr Mwila said this in Parliament yesterday when he presented a ministerial statement on the violence that happened last week in Kitwe, where United Party for National Development (UPND), president Hakainde Hichilema and his supporters were allegedly attacked by suspected Patriotic Front (PF) cadres.
The ministerial statement was also in response to a point of order raised by Monze Central member of Parliament (MP) Jack Mwiimbu (UPND) who wanted to know what action Government is taking against the suspected PF cadres who attacked Mr Hichilema and his supporters.
in his response, Mr Mwila said Government is saddened by the continued violence among political activists, especially that they have even resorted to using firearms in public places.
“My ministry will not tolerate acts of violence for whatever reasons. This is evident by the action the police took throughout this incident.
“My ministry shall continue to provide security to all people living in Zambia without any discrimination. The actions carried out by the police throughout this incident confirm and demonstrate our earnest desire to uphold law and order without discrimination,” Mr Mwila said.
He said police are adequately equipped to contain all forms of violence in the country regardless of the status of the perpetrators.
Mr Mwila said people should understand that there is no-one who is above the law and that all political parties and civil society organisations should, therefore, follow the provisions of the law and guidance given to them by security agencies for their own safety.
Mr Mwila said political parties have a duty to stop their cadres from promoting violence as Government works tirelessly to uphold the law.
“The arresting of 11 people who were engaged in violent activities in Kitwe by the police confirms that this government is working hard to maintain law and order in the country.
“Mr Speaker, as I am talking right now, these people have been charged with offences ranging from threatening violence to obstructing police from performing their duties, assault, occasioning actual bodily harm and breach of peace. These people have already started appearing in court,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education Sydney Mushanga has told Parliament that K450 million was owed to retired teachers as of April this year.
Mr Mushanga said the money is owed to teachers in form of outstanding terminal benefits, excess leave days, salaries and repatriation allowances.
He said 3,218 retired teachers had been paid their terminal benefits as of April this year.
Mr Mushanga assured that Government is doing everything possible to ensure that the retired teachers are soon paid their terminal benefits.
He said this in response to a question by Kalabo MP Chinga Miyutu (UPND), who wanted to know how many retired teachers had not been paid their terminal benefits as of April this year.
Mr Miyutu also wanted to know how much money is owed to the retired teachers and when the affected teachers would be paid.
File:FISRT Quantum general manager Rudi Badenhorst (Third from left ) briefing Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda (next) on the progress of the Trident Kalumbila mining Project in Solwezi when the visited the mine
GOVERNMENT is targeting to collect K35.1 billion from taxes and non-tax revenues before the end of this year to be channelled towards key sectors of the country’s economy in a bid to uplift livelihoods.
The figure translates to K6 billion increase from last year’s K29.54 billion which Government collected.
This is contained in a Ministry of Finance Citizens’ Budget latest report released to Daily Mail in Kitwe.
“Government will continue to grow the economy and create jobs, especially for the youths. The amount of money collected from taxes and non-taxes will be raised from K29.54 billion in 2014 to K35.1 billion in 2015.
“Government will also increase Zambia’s foreign currency reserves to cover goods that can be bought from outside Zambia for a period of four months from three months in 2014,” the report reads in part.
Apart from increasing the amount of money collected from taxes and non-taxes, Government will also limit the amount of money borrowed from within the country to not more than K3.8 billion and continue with efforts of ensuring all Zambians have access to education, health services and clean water.
Government has planned to spend K46.7 billion, which is an increase of about K4 billion from the K42.7 billion raised in 2014.
According to the Ministry of Finance, eight percent of the targeted funds will be raised from non-tax revenue streams that include penalties, fines, motor vehicle licences, passport fees, ground rates, mineral royalty and money from the sale of government property like motor vehicles.
Meanwhile, Government has also increased empowerment funds from K108.7 million to K123.7 million to enable as many Zambians as possible to set up their own enterprises to improve their social and economic welfare.
Southern Province Chiefs at the meeting with President Lungu
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu and 26 Royal Highnesses in Southern Province have held a constructive, honest, frank and successful meeting in Livingstone on the tribal remarks attributed to Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Chama.
And President Lungu has agreed to launch three developmental projects in Southern Province in August and September this year namely the ground breaking for the tarring of the Bottom Road in Sinazongwe, the strategic plan for Chief Macha’s chiefdom and the Mbeza project of revamping the cooperatives movement in Chief Nalubamba’s area.
Presidential Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda said the Head of State and his delegation of Ministers held a constructive, honest, frank and successful meeting with Southern Province Royal Highnesses.
Mr Chanda said the President met their Royal Highness concerning the controversial remarks that were attributed to Mr Chama.
He was addressing a media briefing outside Chrismar Hotel in Livingstone yesterday after a closed-door meeting between President Lungu, his delegation and 26 chiefs and chieftainesses of Southern Province.
[pullquote]“Our message to the President was loud and clear and the President does not feel offended nor do we feel offended,” he said.[/pullquote]
Mr Chanda said the meeting was had been very fruitful and cordial between the two parties and the President requested their Roya Highnesses to come up with a concrete position paper for him to make a consideration.
“The conclusion of the meeting is that their Royal Highnesses will support the President in his bid to unite the country and have encouraged him to continue pushing the agenda of One Zambia One Nation theme.
“They also agreed to consolidate dialogue across all areas of life such as politics, religion, traditional affairs,” Mr Chanda said.
And speaking on behalf of all chiefs and chieftainesses in Southern Province during the closing ceremony, Chief Hamusonde said his team had a successful meeting with the Republican President.
“The chiefs of Southern Province have talked quite at large with the President and our message was quite clear. The President feels that he has not been offended in any way; neither do we feel we have been offended in any way. The President has taken everything we talked to him and we have left to him to think for himself and act for himself and he will come back to us quickly,” Chief Hamusonde said.
Southern Province Chiefs at the meeting with President Lungu
In his closing prayer after the meeting, Chief Chipepo shamed critics who thought the meeting would not take place as planned.
Chief Chipepo, who also quoted the Bible from Romans 13:1-7, said it was important for citizens to respect their leaders as they were chosen by God.
He also prayed that the people of Southern Province and Zambia at large should have a spirit of forgiving one another.
“We have to respect our President because whatever we say against him, we will be saying to the Zambian people. Those who thought this meeting would be a failure are ashamed,” he prayed.
“Thank you Mr President for the breakthrough of unity under One Zambia One Nation and I bless you as our leader and pray that you will find favour in the eyes of Zambians. We are proud to belong to the leadership of our humble President. We pray for other leaders to be humble too,” Chief Chipepo said in his prayer.
Meanwhile, Mr Chanda said President Lungu would undertake various developmental projects in Southern Province during the months of August and September this year.
He said Mr Lungu would be officiating at the ground breaking ceremony for the tarring of Bottom road in Sinazongwe and in the valley area.
“The contractor has since been paid part of the money and we will be instructing Secretary to the Treasury to release the remaining money so that Bottom Road is tarred.
[pullquote]We have to respect our President because whatever we say against him, we will be saying to the Zambian people.[/pullquote]
“This is in addition to the improvement of power projects within the valley area,” Mr Chanda said.
He also said Mr Lungu accepted to launch two special projects in August and September 2015 namely the strategic plan for the chiefdom of Macha and the Mbeza project of revamping the cooperatives movement in Chief Nalubamba’s area.
“Chief Macha has invited Lungu to officiate at the lunch of the strategic plan and the President accepted to officiate.
“The plan is the modern way of managing the chiefdoms and villages.
The chief has devised a mechanism to improve governance at a village level. The chief will later on launch the project on sanitation and how to improve sanitation and household hygiene in October this year but all these will be encompassed under the strategic plan by Chief Macha,” he said.
Mr Chanda said the President found the project as a noble new way of looking at governance in chiefdoms and increasing the participation of chiefs.
He said the President also found the Mbeza Project of relaunching cooperatives in Chief Nalubamba’s area as a brilliant one as it fits well in the Government programme of regenerating the cooperative movement.
“Within that plan, the President has launched a presidential initiative to try and bring down the prices of mealie meal and the roll out of solar milling plants will start very soon. Part of these initiatives is what Chief Nalubamba will be doing,” Mr Chanda said.
He urged the provincial administration in Southern Province and other stakeholders to begin preparing for the various projects in readiness for President Lungu’s visitation in August and September this year.
Southern Province Chiefs at the meeting with President LunguSouthern Province Chiefs at the meeting with President Lungu
President Lungu
President Edgar Lungu is this Thursday expected in Uganda for a two-day state visit.
President Lungu is during his visit scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni.
According Zambia’s High Commissioner to Tanzania and accredited to Uganda Judith Kapijimpanga told journalists in Kampala today that President Lungu’s visit is important because it will revive relations between the two countries.
Mrs Kapijimpanga said Zambia and Uganda have enjoyed warm relations which need further strengthening.
“We are calling this visit by our president symbolic because it will revive the relations between Zambia and Uganda which had stalled,” she said.
She said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni last visited Zambia in 2004, while the last Zambian head of state to visit Uganda was president Frederick Chiluba in 1999.
Mrs Kapijimpanga said president Lungu will use his visit as an opportunity to also revive the Joint Permanent Commission between Zambia and Uganda which ceased to exist.
She added that the head of state will also explore other areas of cooperation between the two countries in areas of health, agriculture, education and defence.
“There are intentions to revive the joint permanent commission which has died and we are looking at cooperation in health, education and agriculture.
We also have intentions of our defence collaborating with the military or defence force’s from Uganda,” she said.
Mrs Kapijimpanga said as part of his state visit, president Lungu will visit a drug and chemical factory in Kampala that manufactures Anti-Retroviral drugs.
