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FILE: UPND president Hakainde Hichilema arrives at Kabwata Police Station for questioning
OPPOSITION United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has dispelled media reports alleging UPND Secretary General Winston Chibwe has passed on.
Mr. Hichilema said this on a posting on his facebook page
“I am currently in Ikelengi, North Western province. But I have been receiving a lot of queries regarding the condition of our party Secretary General Winston Chibwe. The correct information is that he’s currently at his home,” Mr. Hichilema said.
Mr. Hichilema requested for prayers for Mr. Chibwe.
“I ask you to join us in prayers so that he can get through the medical challenges he is currently facing.As usual we thank you for your concern and support,” he said.
FILE: Pilato being whisked away after court adjourned
The Lusaka Magistrate Court has discharged popular musician Fumba Chama popularly known as PILATO after the state entered a nolle prosequi.
Magistrate Aridah Chulu however warned Pilato that he had not been acquitted and he may be re-arrested for the same offence if fresh evidence is availed.
Pilato had been charged with one charge of conduct likely to cause the breach of peace following the release of his song titled A Lungu Anabwera which supporters of the PF deemed defamatory to President Edgar Lungu.
?And Pilato told Journalists outside court that he was happy with the decision by the state to discharge him just as he happy was when he composed the song ‘A Lungu anabwera’.
Pilato said the truth was the most arrogant reality on earth.
He has since vowed that he will go ahead and compose more similar songs.
Pilato was accompanied by scores of his fans including some musicians such as Maiko Zulu.
The Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority has expressed concern over the rising cases of people conducting abortions at illegal clinics in Lusaka.
ZAMRA Senior Pharmaceutical Inspector Kelvin Mujelemani said in an interview that the Authority has discovered that illegal circumcision operations are being conducted at unregistered clinics in most compounds in Lusaka.
Mr Mujelemani explained that some young boys have had their private parts amputated after these illegal circumcisions have gone wrong.
“What we have discovered is that male circumcisions have become very popular due to the massive advertisements about its benefits and some unscrupulous people are now cashing in by performing these operations in their illegal drug stores,” Mr Mujelemani.
He added, “The illegal drug store owners are conniving with Pharmacists from Government hospitals and are stealing a controlled drug called Lignocaine or Lidocaine used as local anaesthetics stop pain and they are selling to these backyard drug stores to use after operations.”
Mr Mujelemani said men and boys rushing to these illegal drug stores to seek these operations are risking their lives.
He said the Authority has since intensified its inspections to close down these illegal drug stores and sensitise the public on the dangers of conducting illegal circumcisions.
Defending champions Zesco United opened a five-point lead at the top of the FAZ Super Division table after overcoming Zanaco 1-0 at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka on Sunday.
Zesco now extend their lead to 35 points, five better than second placed Power Dynamos, after 15 rounds of matches played so far in the campaign.
International striker Jackson Mwanza scored the early solitary goal in this delayed Week 14 match watched by a huge crowd.
Mwanza found the back of the net just after four minutes before both sides could even settle.
This result means George Lwandamina’s boys are the best performers in the first half of the season.
Zesco deserves to take command of the league half-way into the season as they have beaten Power, Zanaco and Green Eagles in their last three consecrative games.
Prior to beating Zanaco, Zesco thumped Power 2-0 in Kitwe on Thursday just four days after beating Eagles 1-0 in Ndola.
CBU students leave campus after government closed it indefinately
Education Minister Michael Kaingu has called for dialogue between the Copperbelt University council and the lecturers over the impasse surrounding the closure of the institution.
Dr. Kaingu says the Ministry of Education does not take pleasure in seeing the Copperbelt University closed because the move is has already disturbed the academic calendar.
The Minister has told ZNBC news that he does not understand why the council and lecturers are finding it hard to dialogue and move forward when the onus is upon them for the ministry to reopen the institution.
Dr. Kaingu has also bemoaned the idea of lecturers in higher learning institutions resorting into strikes as a way of airing out their grievances instead of dialogue.
Dr. Kaingu has since called on the students at the university to remain calm as the ministry is doing everything possible to ensure that the institution is reopened in due course.
On July 8th this year, Education Minister Michael Kaingu announced the indefinite closure of the university after lecturers downed tools to push for the resignation of CBU Vice-Chancellor, Naison Ngoma and the entire management for alleged failure to manage the institution.
Mukuka Mulenga will not be part of Mamelodi Sundowns five-day training camp in Zambia that starts on Monday.
The Zambia midfielder is one of two Chipolopolo players not in the 31-member team that lands at 16h00 in Ndola on July 13.
Forgotten defender Hichani Himonde is the other player not coming on the tour.
Mukuka, who spent last season on loan at Bloemfontein Celtic, and Hichani have yet to kick the ball for Sundowns since moving to the Pretoria giants in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
However, Zambia first-choice goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene is part of the team.
Sundowns will play three pre-season friendly games while in Zambia starting with Mufulira Wanderers on Tuesday in a match that has been tentatively set for Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe before facing Nkana across the road at Wusakile on Wednesday.
The ex-South African champions will play their hosts Zesco on Thursday at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Grand Coalition commends MPs for rejecting the piecemeal constitutional amendment
The Grand Coalition on the Campaign for a People Driven Constitution in Zambia commends Members of Parliament for their reservations to unnecessary amendments to the Referendum Act.
On Wednesday, July 8, 2015, the Grand Coalition followed with keen interest the debate in the National Assembly of the Referendum Amendment Bill N.A.B No. 5 of 2015 that was presented by the Minister of Justice, Hon. Ngosa Simbyakula for the second reading. We were pleased to hear Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs, read his report that the Members of his Committee have rejected the government’s move to force piecemeal constitutional amendments on the people of Zambia and to raise the vote threshold for adoption of a new constitution through a referendum, which is contrary to what is provided for in the current Referendum Act.
This is what Honourable Members of Parliament ought to do, speaking for and on behalf of the people who elected them, and not sacrificing the people’s interests for selfish political scores. We commend the MPs for being the voice of the voiceless.
The Parliamentary Committee’s Report clearly vindicated the Grand Coalition’s position that there is no conflict between the current Referendum Act and the Constitution provisions on the national referendum. The Government indicates that there exists a conflict therefore the amendment will harmonise the laws. What pertains to Article 79 is the amendment of the Bill of Rights and not the rest of the Constitution or adoption of a new constitution.
A failed referendum is a waste of public resources. The Grand Coalition is tempted to believe that some of these proposed amendments are part of the government’s well calculated delaying tactics in order to deny the people their birth-right. We therefore encourage Members of Parliament to reject the Referendum Amendment Bill N.A.B No. 5 of 2015.
The Grand Coalition is also pleased to see that the debate in the National Assembly has to a large extent captured the submissions made by different stakeholders, including the Grand Coalition. The Grand Coalition commends MPs for speaking for the people and we encourage them to continue speaking for the downtrodden.
President Lungu briefs the press at kariba dam wall
President Edgar Lungu says the power deficit the country is currently experiencing should not be politicised.
President Lungu says the issue of power outages by ZESCO calls for concerted efforts from the stakeholders, the church and politicians to assist government in resolving the matter.
He was briefing Journalists at Kariba North bank when he gave an update after inspecting and touring the ZESCO Kariba North Bank plant at the Kariba dam.
He said the issue of water was serious and needed not to be politicised but instead find ways of addressing it amicably.
“The issue of water was serious and needed not to be politicised but instead find ways of addressing it amicably,” President Lungu said.
He said short and long term measures like importation of about 150 megawatts of power from the neighbouring Mozambique was being undertaken.
He disclosed that the 300 mega-watts Maamba Coal power plant expected to be commissioned in November this year would help cushion the current power deficit Zambia was experiencing.
The head of state further disclosed that government is promoting alternative renewable energy technologies that do not depend on water to generate electricity such as solar, geo-thermal biomass among others.
President Lungu also directed Mr Yaluma to ensure the memorandum of Understanding signed between Zambia and Mozambique were expedited.
He said Zambia and Zimbabwe had been hit by a power deficit due to low water levels as a result of poor rainfall pattern during the 2014 /2015 rainy season.
The President explained that the water flow into the reservoirs were not adequate for the national power generation requirement to meet the escalating national demand until the end of 2015.
Mr. Lungu thanked the Zambian people for exhibiting patience during this period but to utilise every opportunity to conserve electricity by using other alternative sources of energy to reduce pressure on the already constrained power machinery system.
“I assure the nation that the current power rationing measures will progressively reduce as government implement a broad rage of measures to normalise power supply,” he said.
Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) Managing Director said the problem of low water levels was serious such that the company was forced to reduce power output from the average 800 megawatts to 540 at Kariba North bank.
The President who was accompanied by Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma and other government officials on a fact finding mission of ZESCO operations at Kafue Gorge and Kariba North Bank has since returned to Lusaka.
Finance Deputy Minister Christopher Mvunga (right) delivering Zambia?s National Voluntary Presentation (NVP) to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on 10 July 2015. PHOTO | CHIBAULA D. SILWAMBA | ZAMBIA UN MISSION
Zambia has made a National Voluntary presentation to the UN Member States on the country’s progress in implementing the MDGs and transformation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), due to be adopted in September.
This is according to a statement released to the media by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations, Mr Chibaula Silwamba
Delivering Zambia’s National Voluntary Presentation (NVP) titled: “Managing the transition from MDGs to SDGs: What it will take? The Zambian Experience” to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on Friday, Finance Deputy Minister Christopher Mvunga said although Zambia had made progress on some Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it had challenges to achieve others.
The eight MDGs are development goals agreed by world leaders in 2000 to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development by 2015. Heads of State and Government will adopt SDGs, to replace MDGs, during the Post-2015 Development Agenda Summit at UN Headquarters in New York this September.
Mr. Mvunga said despite Zambia’s robust economic growth during the 15-year period of MDGs, there was need to transform this growth into tangible development outcomes.
“Maternal and childhood mortality declined over time, though the country missed target in achieving MDG four on reducing child mortality and MDG five on improving maternal health, maternal mortality declined, Under-5 mortality declined, infant mortality declined,” Mr Mvunga explained.
He said successes had been recorded on HIV/AIDS, primary education and gender equality in primary education.
Mr. Mvunga said the Zambian Government had recognized the implementation challenges in meeting the MDGs that include absence of a comprehensive legal framework and weak linkages between the national development planning and the medium-term expenditure framework and poor coordination.
“To overcome the challenges, the Government developed the National Planning and Budgeting Policy in 2014,” Mr. Mvunga said. “To effectively implement SDGs, the Government will give priority to national response that creates an environment with greater social justice and equity in accessing fundamental drivers of development, including education and health, food security and decent jobs, especially among women and the youth, reducing high levels of inequality and promoting economic diversification.”
He said Zambia would need to develop capacity to capture revenues from its vast natural resources and equitably allocate them to promote inclusive growth and development.
Mr. Mvunga said Zambia’s large landmass and landlocked geography made it difficult to
“Zambia welcomes transformative approach of SDGs as they provide basis for social justice and resonate with national values, principles of national development and Zambia’s vision 2030,” said Mr. Mvunga. “Zambia will also endeavour to engage the private sector in the implementation of the SDGs by creating comprehensive mechanism of engaging that can result in a win-win situation.”
US and Sweden made positive reviews of Zambia NVP report and acknowledged the Government commitment to national development.
Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Philippines also made their national voluntary presentations.
“But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God…”
(1 John 2:5, AMP)
Treasure the Word
When you treasure something, it’s valuable to you. You handle it carefully and protect it. When you treasure a person or relationship, you give attention to them and think about them constantly. The question is, how much do you treasure the Word of God?
When you treasure the Word of God, you are expressing your love for God. You treasure the Word by meditating on it or thinking about it all throughout the day. Remember, your life will go in the direction of your most dominant thoughts. When your dominant thoughts are the Word of God, you will be empowered to overcome in every area of life!
Make God’s Word a priority in your life today and allow it to shape your thinking. Choose to treasure the Word so you can move forward in the abundant life He has for you!
A Prayer for Today
“Father, today I choose to focus my thoughts on You. I choose to treasure Your Word so that my actions will show how much I love You in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Leaders Zesco United look set to stay top of the FAZ Super Division table when they face Zanaco away at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka on Sunday.
The two teams clash in this delayed Week 14 match with Zesco attempting to preserve their leadership.
George Lwandamina’s boys leads the Super Division standings with 32 points, three above third placed Zanaco from 14 games.
This match will also test Zanaco’s title aspirations prior to the second round.
Zesco confronts the Bankers just three days after thumping Power Dynamos 2-0 in Kitwe.
This was the Ndola side’s second straight win in five days as they had beaten Green Eagles 1-0 in Ndola on Sunday before visiting Arthur Davies.
The Zesco bench is preaching constitency ahead of the Zanaco clash.
“The most important thing is consistency and hard work.
We will plan for it, it won’t be easy but we will plan for it,” Zesco deputy coach Tennant Chilumba said.
Unlike Zesco who have been active in the mid-seaon break offloading rescheduled games, Zanaco trace their last game to 27 June when they drew 3-3 at Green Eagles in Choma.
The Zambia Women Under-20 Team on Saturday kicked-off the Papua New Guinea 2016 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a 4-0 win over Tanzania away in Dar-es-slaam.
Midfielder Ireen Lungu grabbed a brace for Oswald Mutapa’s Shepolopolo side at Azam Sports Complex in the first leg match of the first round.
Memory Phiri gave Zambia a 4th minute lead before Lungu scored her first goal 16 minutes later.
Barbara Banda’s goal after 35 minutes helped Zambia to take a 3-0 lead into the half time break.
Lungu wrapped the scoring after converting a 50th.
The return match will be played at Lusaka’s Nkoloma stadium on July,25.
Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Given Lubinda
Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda has asked farmers to sale their maize to private buyers and not only depend on the Food Reserve Agency-FRA.
Mr. Lubinda has however appealed to Farmers to bargain for better prices for their maize during the 2014/2015 maize marketing season.
He said that Government wants to give an opportunity to farmers to make profits from selling their maize stock either on the local or international market.
Mr. Lubinda has told ZNBC News in an interview that farmers should not get desperate to allow themselves to be exploited by selling their produce at low prices.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lubinda said that government has enough stocks to enable it export the produce to other countries.
Mr. Lubinda said that the country should endeavor to export and reduce on importing to enhance the performance of the Kwacha against the dollar.
He said that the country this season produced over 2.6 million metric tonnes of maize while the country has 1.3 million metric tonnes in stock.
Mr Lubinda said that the Ministry will also be able to deliver maize stocks to some parts of the country faced with food deficit.
