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Counsellors advised to discourage people from demanding relief maize

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Shiwang’andu Council Chairman, Moses Chanda, has urged his fellow counsellors to encourage people in their respective wards not to be proud beggars and stop demanding relief maize.

Mr Chanda said there is need for people to work hard and produce enough food for consumption so as to prevent hunger in the district.

Mr. Chanda said this during a full Council Meeting held at Shiwang`andu Secondary School yesterday.

He said it is not the will of government to record death due to hunger, saying there is serious need to keep on sensitising people to grow crops that do not require the use of fertilizer if they cannot manage.

He also said people should be not to be selling their produce to briefcase maize buyers.

Meanwhile, Mr Chanda has expressed happiness that the National Registration Exercise that is still on-going will greatly help people in far-flung areas obtain National Registration Cards (NRCs).

Mr Chanda said counsellors in the district are happy that a number of people who had no chance to possess NRCs will now have the national identity cards.

He added that if a number of people possessing NRCs is increased it will help reduce voter apathy in the 2016 tripartite elections.

Mr Chanda appealed to the teams issuing NRCs to ensure that every Village is touched.

Cabinet approves FISP Electronic Voucher System

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President Edgar Lungu at Cabinet meeting at Statehouse.Pictures By EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.
President Edgar Lungu at Cabinet meeting at Statehouse.Pictures By EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATEHOUSE.

Cabinet has finally approved the Pilot Electronic Voucher system for the 2015/2016 marketing season under the Fertilizer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the Ministry of Agriculture and livestock.

Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Permanent Secretary Julius Shawa made the announcement at the official opening of the Electronic Voucher System Pilot Sensitization meeting for Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock staff at Mika Conventional Centre in Chongwe.

Mr. Shawa said the Electronic Voucher system is a pilot programme that will start with four provinces that include Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka and Southern as well as 13 districts in these provinces.

He said the programme will be rolled out to other provinces, noting that initially, the Electronic Voucher system could not take off in the past four seasons due to a number of challenges.

The objective of the E-Voucher System is to enable farmers to have access to subsidised inputs in a timely way, and encourage farmers to diversify because they will have access to a wide range of inputs to pick from.

Mr. Shawa said the promotion of the private sector participation was key to the success of the programme noting that the system will involve more Agro dealers unlike the conversional system that allowed inputs such as fertilizer to be distributed by one company.

Government seeking help to upgrading ZRL trains into high speed trains

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Government seeking help to upgrading ZRL trains into high speed trains
Transport Minister Yamfwa Mukanga (left) and his Permanent Secretary Bernard Chiwala (right) at Elephant Hills Resort in Zimbabwe on Monday during a Cambodia Night.
Transport Minister Yamfwa Mukanga (left) and his Permanent
Secretary Bernard Chiwala (right) at Elephant Hills Resort in Zimbabwe
on Monday during a Cambodia Night.

GOVERNMENT is engaging the Italian Government to assist in upgrading the Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) trains into high speed trains.

Transport, Works, Supply and Communication Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said the Government was already in discussion with the Italian Government to help improve the speed of the local trains.

Speaking in an interview in Livingstone, Mr Mukanga said there was need to have high speed trains to attract more cargo and passengers to the trains.

“ZRL will not be the same very soon. What we want to do now is to improve the speed of the trains.

“Already, we have been in discussion with the Italian Government to see how best they can help us. We want to change ZRL into high speed trains and that will require that we protect the rail with some fencing so that our people are safe,” Mr Mukanga said.

He also cautioned Zambians against vandalising the railway infrastructure and other Government property in general.

“Any property that belongs to Government should be left to Government and every Zambian should not turn a blind eye when he or she knows people who are vandalizing the property.

“Every Zambian should be patriotic and ensure they report people who are vandalising state property to the nearest law enforcement agencies,” he said.

Mr Mukanga said it was unfortunate that some people were in a habit of stealing some railway infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Mr Mukanga has asked transport operators and those working on construction sites to have proper work safety policies to protect people.

“In the recent past, we have had a lot of accidents and Government is concerned that we are losing a lot of lives.

“For bus operators, let us educate our drivers and conductors on safety. In the plane, they will tell you about safety measures and we need to do the same in buses and taxies,” Mr Mukanga said.

He said a lot of people, who were supposed to bring about sustainable development in the country, were dying through accidents.

Witnesses react to Mumba’s call of deregistering their church

Lusaka Times Contributer
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Some members of the Jehovah’s Witness Church have condemned calls by some opposition political parties to deregister the organisation for not participating in politics.

The members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told ZANIS that it is unfair for leaders of political parties to start condemning their church.

They said such remarks should be condemned by all well-meaning religious members as they are likely to bring confusion and hatred in the nation.The church members added that politicians calling for the deregistering of their church are infringing on people’s rights of association.

The further explained that Zambia is a Christian Nation and the Jehovah’s witnesses believe in their church doctrine and values.

They have since advised politicians spearheading such calls to concentrate on bringing positive development to the people rather than creating division among religious groups.

Recently National Revolution Party (NRP) leader, Cosmo Mumba, appealed to the Registrar of Societies to force Jehovah’s Witnesses to start singing the national anthem and participate in political elections alleging that they were contributing to voter apathy in the country.

DEC arrests 2 Mulungushi university students for drug trafficking

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Mulungushi University
Mulungushi University

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in Central Province has arrested two students at Mulungushi University for allegedly trafficking in cannabis.

DEC Public Relations Officer Theresa Katongo identified the students as Ndambo Chinda, 22, who was found in possession of 43 muffins containing cannabis and Missael Mwanza, 23, who trafficked in lose cannabis weighing 32.1 gramme.

Ms. Katongo said in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today that the duo pleaded guilty after appearing in the Kabwe magistrate court on June 9, 2015.

She said the matter will come up for mention on June 11 this year.

Ms. Katongo said the Commission has meanwhile arrested Kelvina Simomba, a 43-year-old businesswoman of Chaisa compound in Lusaka for trafficking in heroin.

She said Ms. Simomba was apprehended in Chaisa compound.

And the DEC has arrested a 17-year-old juvenile of Bauleni compound for trafficking in 29 sachets of heroin and loose cannabis.

Meanwhile, the Commission in Kasama in Northern Province has arrested George Sikazwe, 32, a peasant farmer of Kasesha village in Mbala district who was found with loose psychotropic substance weighing 28 kilogrammes.

Others arrested and jointly charged include Moses Schichondwe 25, of Kapoka village and Febby Namukimbwe 27, of Vwamba village both of Mpulungu district for trafficking in 2.3 kg of loose cannabis.

Ms. Katongo said all the suspects will appear in court soon.

Lusaka City Council shuts down 30 schools in Kanyama after Typhoid breaks out

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File:The heavy rainfall being experienced in some parts of the country have caused severe floods. Here, a motorist wades in a flood of stagnate rainwater in Kanyama Township
File:The heavy rainfall being experienced in some parts of the
country have caused severe floods. Here, a motorist wades in a flood
of stagnate rainwater in Kanyama Township

The Lusaka City Council has so far closed about 30 schools in Kanyama coumpound due to an outbreak of Typhoid in the area.

The Council’s Public Health Department has closed the schools which are both government and private due to insanitary conditions.

The council has since intensified inspections in schools and eating outlets in Kanyama compound following the outbreak of typhoid last week.

The closure of the schools is in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 20 of the Public Health Act Cap 295 of the laws of Zambia.

Among other schools closed include, Blue Bird School, Grace Community School, World Wide Community School, Bhungu Education Centre, Good Shepherd Community School, Titandize Community School, Membe Community School, Glory to Glory Community School and Gift Tech School.

Others are Silver Sand School, Sante Education Centre, Parles School, Ben Ten Day Care School, Remegel Academy, Faith Foundation Community School and Arise and Shine Day Care. Meanwhile three schools in the same area have been warned namely Legacy Academy, Malpher Education Centre and True Gospel community Schools. 

Council Spokesman Habeenzu Mulunda said in view of the development, the council urges members of the general public, schools and eating outlets especially in the affected area to take preventive measures by ensuring that they maintain a good hygiene and sanitation standards in order to avoid further outbreaks of the diseases.

Political parties urged to stop ‘importing’ cadres

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Government has warned political parties taking part in the three forthcoming parliamentary by-elections in Mulobezi, Malambo and Petauke against ferrying party cadres from other parts of the country to the constituencies.

Acting Chief Government Spokesperson Ngosa Simbyakula, who is also Minister of Justice, said reports that some political parties were planning to ferry their supporters to the three constituencies especially Mulobezi were disturbing.

Dr. Simbyakula said in a statement to ZANIS that political parties should note that imported cadres were known for instigating political violence.

He said it was unfair for any outsider to disrupt the most cherished peace and tranquillity the people of Mulobezi hold so dear to their hearts.

Dr. Simbyakula has since urged political parties to allow the people of Mulobezi to exercise their free will and judgement in the choosing of a candidate of their choice to be their representative without influence of outsiders.

He has also reminded all political parties that the culture of violence was not only archaic but unZambian and unacceptable.

He said Zambia was known for peace and tranquillity which the people have enjoyed for the past 50 years.

Dr. Simbyakula has further stated that it was the desire of government as well as every well-meaning Zambian that this status quo continues.

Meanwhile, Western Province Police Commissioner Standwell Lungu has said the situation in Mulobezi constituency was calm and peaceful.

Mr. Lungu said there were enough police officers on the ground to curtail any violence that may occur ahead of the June 30, 2015 parliamentary by-elections.

He told the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in a telephone interview from Mulobezi that there has been no other violence in the area from the time the first shooting incident happened at the weekend.

He also disclosed that the three people who were arrested following the violence will appear in court soon after the Director of Public Prosecutor gives a fiat to go ahead with the case.

Mr. Lungu said once a go ahead is given to the Zambia police, then criminal proceedings will commence against the suspects in the courts of law.

And Mr. Lungu has disclosed that the person who was shot in Mulobezi is recovering adding that he will be discharged today according to the doctor’s statement to the Zambia Police Service.

Mr. Lungu also said the bullet has been extracted from the victim’s buttocks and that his condition was good to facilitate his discharge from the hospital where he has been recovering.

And Mr. Lungu has warned the would- be perpetrators of violence in Mulobezi, constituency that they will be dealt severely by the police.

Mr. Lungu said there was enough manpower in the constituency to deal ruthlessly with any law breakers.

He said those contemplating to cause violence in the constituency were doing so at their own risk.

UPND Cadre has not mysteriously disappeared as alleged by UPND -Davies Mwila

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UPND Cadre has not mysteriously disappeared as alleged by UPND -Davies Mwila
President Edgar Lungu with Home affairs minister Davies Mwila, Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda (l) and State House deputy President Mulenga Sata shortly before he left for a working holiday in Mfuwe on January 4,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
President Edgar Lungu with Home affairs minister Davies Mwila, Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda (L) and State House Deputy Minister Mulenga Sata shortly before he left for a working holiday in Mfuwe on January 4,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA

It has emerged that the UPND cadre who was shot and reported to have mysteriously disappeared from his Livingstone General hospital bed has in fact been arrested by Police and charged with threatening violence.

Home Affairs Minister Davis Mwila has disclosed that the UNPD cadre Mushaukwa Mushaukwa, who is alleged to have been short by PF Secretary General Davis Chama in Mulobezi, was arrested and charged shortly after being discharged from Hospital.

Mr. Mwila has further disclosed to Qfm News by telephone that Mr. Mushaukwa has however been released on Police bond.

He says the Police want the UPND cadre to help with investigations into the recent violence that took place in Mulobezi.

And Mr. Mwila says he finds the opposition UPND, which earlier disclosed in a statement that Mr. Mushaukwa had mysteriously disappeared from his hospital bed, to be a party of jokers.

Earlier, UPND Chairperson for Legal Jack Mwiimbu alleged that UPND cadre Mushaukwa Mushaukwa, who was allegedly shot by PF Secretary General Davies Chama in Mulobezi had mysteriously gone missing from his Livingstone General Hospital bed where he was receiving treatment.

Mr Mwiimbu told the media that this was a serious concern to the party especially that during UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s visit to his hospital bed yesterday, the victim revealed on camera that he was allegedly shot by the PF Secretary General Davies Chama and not the driver.

Mr Mwiimbu said that strangely, Mushaukwa had now gone missing from his hospital bed.

He further stated that the UPND would hold the Zambia Police and the PF government responsible for whatever happens to their party member whose whereabouts are currently not known.

Zambia at full house and beat Ndola United in friendly

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Zambia are at full house ahead of Saturday’s 2017 Africa Cup Group E qualifier and on Wednesday afternoon beat FAZ Division One North club Ndola United in a training game at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Captain Rainford Kalaba of DR Congo giants TP Mazembe and midfielder Chisamba Lungu from FC Ural in Russia both met their new coach George Lwandamina on Wednesday while striker Ronald Kampamba from Egyptian side Wadi Degla trained with the team on Tuesday afternoon.

“I think with the new coach who has joined us we will give him the support. he is not a new face to this team, he has been here before and we just have to welcome him with a good result on Saturday,” Kalaba said.

Also in is defender Stopilla Sunzu from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua was also part of Wednesday training before suffering a serious injury during morning practice.

Meanwhile, Zambia fought back to beat a plucky United 3-2 in their first training game under Lwandamina.

Bornwell Mwape put Zambia ahead while Greenwell Whittaker and Simon Mwewa handed United a 2-1 lead.

Nchimunya Mweene scored an own goal to see the two sides go 2-2 at the break.

Given Singuluma scored Zambia’s winner when he headed in a cross from Kalaba.

Sunzu suffers injury blow at Zambia training

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Stoppila Sunzu’s first day of Zambia training on Wednesday ended on a bad note after he suffered an injury that has left him battling to be fit for Saturday’s 2017 Africa Cup qualifying clash against Guinea Bissau.

Sunzu suffered a serious right knee injury after a stomp on him by Kapota Kayawe in a challenge for the ball during morning practice at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.

The defender , who joined camp on Tuesday evening, had to be helped off the pitch by medics and onto the team bus.

Team physician Doctor Joseph Kabungo said they will only know on Thursday the full extent of the China-based defender’s injury.

“For now he’s in pain of course we will reassess his knee again if he will be available for the next training session or not but from look of things for the afternoon he is definitely out then we will see if he is ready for tomorrow,” Dr Kabungo said.

Sunzu was not the only player on the sidelines for Zambia.

Striker Evans Kangwa missed the entire Wednesday with a thigh injury he sustained on Tuesday.

Evans didn’t train we took precautions he had a strain in the adductor muscle on the left side so we rested him,” Dr Kabungo said.

“He will do light training hopefully he should be back in training on Thursday.”

Zambia may have difficulties to repay Euro-bonds-report

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Zambia may have difficulties to repay Euro-bonds-report
FILE: Then Finance Deputy Minister Miles Sampa launching Zambia’s US$750million-worth bond at Deutsche Bank’s Fixed Income Trading Floor on Wall Street in New York, USA, on Thursday 13 September, 2012. This was after his telephone call with Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda, who endorsed the transaction. photo by Chibaula D. Silwamba GRZ
FILE: Then Finance Deputy Minister Miles Sampa launching Zambia’s US$750million-worth bond at Deutsche Bank’s Fixed Income Trading Floor on Wall Street in New York, USA, on Thursday 13 September, 2012. This was after his telephone call with Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda, who endorsed the transaction. photo by Chibaula D. Silwamba GRZ

A cautionary tale of Zambia’s international sovereign bond issuance report shows that the country may experience difficulties in repaying the face values of Euro-bond at maturity.

The report states that this will be so if the money is either not spent on activities with high economic returns or if there are adverse changes in exchange rate or international market conditions.

The Zambian government has since 2012 issued two ten-year sovereign bonds amounting to US$ 1.75 billion to mainly finance infrastructure projects in transport, energy and health sectors.

The report contends that despite the high interest payments of over US$125 million annually, the bullet structure of the two bonds may have significant repayment risks as the country was expected to pay out the US$1.75 billion within a two-year period between 20th September 2022 and 14th April 2024.

The report, which has been produced by the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR), was launched in Lusaka today by Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary in charge of Budget and Economic Affairs Pamela Kabamba.

Mrs. Kabamba said government was willing to work with various stakeholders to ensure that risks that may arise from the issuance of the two sovereign Euro-bonds were minimised and that the credibility and integrity of Zambia is upheld.

She acknowledged that even though the two Euro-bonds were successfully issued on the international capital market, Zambia was still on the learning curve from concessional and non-concessional borrowing to a more market based financing.

And ZIPAR Executive Director Pamela Kabaso stressed that the bonds were not without risks as they increase the country’s external debts and require strict fiscal management to ensure that the government is able to repay the loans.

Dr. Kabaso noted that the report, which was launched today, looks at how Euro-bond risks can be managed and what Zambia needs to do to ensure it does not default on the loans.

She said defaulting could be highly detrimental to the economy.

The report has recommended that government should consider setting up a joint fund for the two Euro-bonds to insulate against future adverse macroeconomic conditions.

The two bonds were issued in 2012 and 2014 respectively and amounted to 37 per cent of Zambia’s external debt in 2014.

A foreign truck loaded with Mukula abandoned

Lusaka Times Contributer
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 Police in  Isoka  District of Muchinga province have launched  a man hunt  for two suspected foreigners  who abandoned a truck loaded with  Mukula logs.
The police carried an operation  on June 5, 2015 around 02:00 hours to stop the illegal Mukula harvest  from Katyetye’s  chiefdom .

The police explained that   Illegal Mukula  harvesting and trading is  on an increase in Isoka district  and later transported to foreign countries such as Tanzania.

They told ZANIS that heavy cutting down of  Mukula tree is taking place in chief Katyetye’s  area  where people use axes and sharp blade  machinery  to harvest the  logs.

Police  further revealed that  a truck load  carrying  a foreign number plate   T 288 BSJ  and trailer number   T533 Bsc  was abandoned in the bush  between  Chilanga and Ntipo  areas .

And a ZANIS news crew survey  carried out in Katyetye  chiefdom  revealed that about  1000x 2.5 meters of Mukula logs that were packed in various  loading bays in the area have  gone  missing in unclear circumstances.

Mukula tree  has become very marketable  to  reach a status  of a  Green Gold  in Zambia and is harvested  from mountainous places. But Why Mukula?

The Mukula tree, whose scientific name is Pterocarpus chrysothrix, is not popular among the common species like the Pine, Neem Tree, Mukwa or Rosewood but it is believed to be most valuable due to the huge properties it has, some which are silent

The leaves are edible, and contain large amounts of vitamin C; they are eaten as a leaf vegetable.Bark extracts are used in herbal medicine to treat skin parasites and fungal infections.The wood is valuable; it is very durable, red at first, becoming purplish-brown on exposure to light, with a density of 0.79 g/cm³.It is resistant to termites. It is valued for making drums in Africa due to its tonal resonance.The wood is also favored for its use in stringed instruments (namely acoustic and electric guitars) for its tonal attributes and durability.Dust from the wood produced during wood processing can cause dermatitis in some people.

Meanwhile, police  managed to  drive the abandoned Tanzanian truck  to Isoka  police station

30 schools shut down in Kanyama after Typhoid breaks out

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File:Picture
File:Picture

The Lusaka City Council has so far closed about 30 schools in Kanyama coumpound due to an outbreak of Typhoid in the area.

The Council’s Public Health Department has closed the schools which are both government and private due to unsanitary conditions.The council has since intensified inspections in schools and eating outlets in Kanyama compound following the outbreak of typhoid last week.

The closure of the schools is in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 20 of the Public Health Act Cap 295 of the laws of Zambia.

Among other schools closed include, Blue Bird School, Grace Community School, World Wide Community School, Bhungu Education Centre, Good Shepherd Community School, Titandize Community School, Membe Community School, Glory to Glory Community School and Gift Tech School.

Others are Silver Sand School, Sante Education Centre, Parles School, Ben Ten Day Care School, Remegel Academy, Faith Foundation Community School and Arise and Shine Day Care.

Meanwhile three schools in the same area have been warned namely Legacy Academy, Malpher Education Centre and True Gospel community Schools.

Council Spokesman Habeenzu Mulunda said in view of the development, the council urges members of the general public, schools and eating outlets especially in the affected area to take preventive measures by ensuring that they maintain a good hygiene and sanitation standards in order to avoid further outbreaks of the diseases.

Police arrest shot UPND cadre

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Police arrest shot UPND cadre

Mushaukwa

It has emerged that the UPND cadre who was shot and reported to have mysteriously disappeared from his Livingstone General hospital bed has in fact been arrested by Police and charged with threatening violence.

Home Affairs Minister Davis Mwila has disclosed that the UNPD cadre Mushaukwa Mushaukwa, who is alleged to have been short by PF Secretary General Davis Chama in Mulobezi, was arrested and charged shortly after being discharged from Hospital.

Mr. Mwila further disclosed to Qfm News by telephone that Mr. Mushaukwa has however been released on Police bond.He said the Police want the UPND cadre to help with investigations into the recent violence that took place in Mulobezi.

And Mr. Mwila said he found the opposition UPND, which earlier disclosed in a statement that Mr. Mushaukwa had mysteriously disappeared from his hospital bed, to be a party of jokers.

Power Dynamos sweat to beat Assembly

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Power Dynamos have moved in fourth place on the FAZ Super Division table after edging National Assembly 1-0 in a midweek rescheduled Week 11 match at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka.

Striker Jimmy Ndhlovu converted a 78th minute penalty that propelled Power to their sixth victory of the season.

Lusaka referee Wellington Kaoma awarded a penalty to the Kitwe side after winger Kelvin Mubanga was fouled in the Assembly box.

Power have now amassed 19 points from 9 games with three unplayed matches.

Meanwhile, Assembly remain in 13th place with 11 points from 12 games.
In another delayed midweek match, Lusaka Dynamos came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Red Arrows in the Lusaka derby.

Festus Mbewe scored for Arrows in the 16th minute before Luka Chamanga equalised for Lusaka Dynamos seven minutes from fulltime.

Dynamos moves to 17 points but remain in seventh place while Arrows maintain 12th position with 13 points.

[standings league_id=1 template=extend logo=false]

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