Citizens who challenged the appointment of 20 judges of the superior courts by the President have urged the Constitutional Court to nullify the appointments for having been done in contravention of constitutional values and principles.

In a reply to the Answer by the Attorney-General filed on Friday, Governance Activist Isaac Mwanza and Maurice Makalu submitted that public interest demands that the Constitution and the law must be respected and upheld.

Mr Mwanza maintained that the Judicial Service Commission contravened the Constitution in the selection process of judges when it failed to respect constitutional values and principles outlined in Article 173 which require a transparent and competitive process which provide equal opportunities to suitably qualified persons.

“Whereas there was need to recruit more judges into the superior courts in order to enhance access to justice and the administration of justice, suffice to reiterate that the recruitment process had to itself comply and be within the Constitution and the law otherwise it all amounted to a nullity.”

Mr Mwanza reminded the court that it has judicial authority and has previously used such authority to nullify decisions by the President which came into conflict with the Constitution.

He pointed the Court to its decision in 2016 which nullified the decision by the former President to keep Ministers in office after dissolution of Parliament and ordered the Ministers to pay back the money they had earned.

“If the Judicial Service Commission was in violation of the Constitution in its process of selecting judges, so was the President in making appointments and the National Assembly in confirming the appointment made by the President,” said the Petitioners.

The Petitioners submitted that Article 140 as read together with Article 95 of the Constitution provides a the process of appointing Judges in Zambia in three-phased approach.

They stated that the appointment process starts with selection and recommending persons by the Commission, followed by appointment of judges by the President, and culminates with confirmation of presidential appointment by the National Assembly.

The petitioners also differentiated the appointment process in Zambia from that of the United States of America where the process starts with the President and ends with the U.S legislature.

The petitioners said the Zambian process is similar to Kenyan and South African processes which uses a three-tier system and require respect for constitutional values and principles.

Mr Mwanza has since told the Constitutional Court that courts in Kenya have shown extraordinary courage and independence by nullifying appointments made by the President which contravene the Kenyan Constitution, even after appointees have been sworn into office.

Northern Province Health Director Ernest Mutale has called on Community Based Volunteers in Nsumbu area of Nsama district to help in sensitizing the community on the need to take cholera preventive measures seriously.

Dr. Mutale observed that the area has recorded cases of cholera this year after the community refused to take the cholera vaccine when it was administered some two years ago.

He stated that Mpulungu, which was also prone to cholera outbreaks, has not recorded any cases this year due to the intake of the vaccines.

“Mpulungu was prone to cholera outbreaks but has not recorded any cases last year or this year. The question is, where has cholera come from in Nsumbu?” he asked.

Dr. Mutale said this when he addressed community-based volunteers who are involved in the distribution of chlorine to communities.

And the Provincial Health Director explained that the coming of the disease has presented an opportunity for health workers and the community to learn from it and prevent its occurrence in future.

He also commended the health staff in the area for putting in place various interventions to control the disease.

“We have visited the admission centre and we have not found any admission, an indication that the prevention measures that have been put in place are working,” he said.

Nsumbu last month recorded an outbreak of the disease which affected Nsumbu, Kapisha and Chibanga catchment areas.

By BENEDICT TEMBO

Africa’s water basins could benefit significantly from cooperation among the continent’s river basin organisations (RBOs).
To that extent, Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) Regional Coordinator Isaac Alukwe sees the recent tour to the Zambezi water Commission (ZAMCOM) and Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) as the genesis of cooperation between RBOs).

Dr Alukwe was part of the 35-member high-powered delegation on the NBI study tour to ZAMCOM and ZRA a fortnight ago.

“The journey to collaborative and experiential learning and study tours between the River Basin Organisations just started by NBI visiting ZAMCOM, and the converging of the 18 RBOs under the umbrella of ANBO (African Network of Basin Organisations) in Entebbe, convened by the NBI will cement this collaborative relationship,” he said.

The study tour was aimed at enabling the participants from the Nile Basin countries, Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Nile Basin Discourse (a civil society organisation in the Nile Basin) and NBI staff to share experiences with different water monitoring systems and tools.
Several meetings with ZAMCOM and ZRA leaderships took place during the study tour.

The visits targeted interventions in water pollution control, database centres, eutrophicated lakes/impoundments in the basin and water monitoring systems. Dr Alukwe was impressed with the support received by ZAMCOM from the member countries through Southern African Development Community which he described as “solid and encouraging.”

He said whereas not all member countries are up todate with their annual country contributions, remittances to keep the commission up and running are regular.

“This is quite commendable,” he said.

Dr Alukwe observed that ZAMCOM can as well learn from the NBI beyond enhancing the transboundary cooperation and policy development in the sustainable use of the Zambezi River waters to the real investments on the ground through benefit-sharing directly to the local communities through actual investments and developments as exemplified in the activities of the NBI as a river basin organisation.

He cited the Lake Edward and Albert Fisheries Project, which benefit Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as well as the Regional Rusumo Hydroelectric Power Project shared between Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania.

There is also the Hydromet Project, power interconnections between the member countries to enhance power development and trading/wheeling), among others, which have all been implemented by the NBI through the NBI/NELSAP based in Kigali, Rwanda.

Dr Alukwe said the role of ZRA in the management of Lake Kariba is quite exquisite and bolsters the transboundary cooperation and benefit sharing from the lake through energy generation, and equitable sharing of the benefits from, the common water resource.

He was also impressed by the real-time water quality testing and monitoring which was an idea worth transferring the knowledge to the Nile Basin.
The NBI intends to escalate the collaboration with ZAMCOM and ZRA, hence it is planned that around the month of May this year, ZAMCOM/ZRA will be among other River Basin Organisations in Africa totalling 18 under the umbrella of the ANBO, which will converge in Entebbe Uganda.
“This will encourage and foster experience sharing and learning by the basin organisations,” Dr Alukwe said.

He said the water equipment particularly the ZRA water boats used for water monitoring and boat cruise was an exhilarating experience.
“The team was able to take a boat ride to the Kariba Dam, had dinner on the ferry and eventually held a final meeting on the ferry. This was indeed an exciting and memorable experience. However, it is worth mentioning that NBI has equally unparalleled achievements that are worth learning from, and emulating by other river basin organisations globally,” Dr Alukwe said.

He said the NBI 10-year strategy in its second phase covers the core goals in the areas of water security, energy security, food security, environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation, strengthening transboundary water governance.

Dr Alukwe said the strategy, which ends in 2027 and has seen realisation of 134 projects identified by countries of which 84 projects have been achieved on the in form of plans and actual projects on the ground including tangible flagship projects like the Rusumo hydropower, Lake Edward and Albert fisheries project and several power interconnection transmission lines projects.

“The interconnection projects have realised interconnectivity of the Eastern Power Pool (EAPP) to the Southern Power Pool (SAPP), courtesy of the Nile Basin Initiative through her investment arm known as the Nile Equatorial Lakes subsidiary Action Programme (NELSAP),” he said
However, ZRA chief executive officer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said he was not sure as to what the NBI would benefit from ZRA given their kind of utility position compared to a commission like status.

“Our approach to water quality has to drastically changed, choice of hotsports, access to grant funding,” Mr Munodawafa said, suggesting the need to come up with a joint commission arrangement for technical issues with the NBI.

He said riparian community interfaces have not been elaborate.

“We can learn from them”, Mr Munodawafa said, pointing to sedimentation checks as one of the learning points from the NBI.

By BENEDICT TEMBO

Not even the blazing sun on a Thursday afternoon could dampen Cotton Development Trust (CDT) director Lwisha Silwimba’s mood.
He had every reason to smile – the impressive turnout by local farmers, especially women and youths, and other stakeholders at this year’s field day in Magoye is a testimony of determination to improve cotton production.

CDT holds field days to showcase technologies for both cotton and other crops of interest to farmers.

This year, the focus was on cotton, whose production has been on the wane the past few seasons due to a number of factors, with the low price being the biggest reason.

Poor cotton seed quality, pests and diseases are the other contributing factors. Other reasons for the decreasing production levels include unreliable seed availability, lack of extension services and unfavorable legislation.

Despite the fall in production, Mr Silwimba and his team at CDT have not given up, especially now that Zambia is running a doubling cotton yields project funded by the European Union.

Director of the Seed Control and Certification Institute Francisco Miti was was informed by Mr Silwimba that cotton is probably the only crop in Zambia cultivated by pesant farmers only.

On the poor quality of cotton seed and low production, Dr Miti heard from Mr Silwimba and Cotton Association of Zambia regional field facilitator – Southern region Ndila Mumba that currently, every ginner has its own training manual and this tends to confuse farmers as they are exposed to more than one ginner.

Mr Silwimba also pointed to peasant farmers planting cotton without testing of the soil to ascertain the acidity or alkalinity and determine the quantity of fertilizer to apply.
Dr Miti, who represented minister of Agriculture Mtolo Phiri at the field day, suggested that CDT should harmonise the training manual for cotton production.

Cotton Board of Zambia executive director Sunduzwayo Banda regretted the tendency by ginners of ending up at supplying inputs to farmers but not offering extension services. He appealed to fertilizer manufacturing companies to deliberately blend it for cotton farmers.
Mr Banda wants fertilizer firms to manufacture the chemical for half a hectare, one lima and two lima to avoid the scenario where the farmers divert it to maize and starve the cotton crop.

He encouraged farmers to begin procuring inputs on their own so that they are able to negotiate the right price with the ginners. At the event dubbed: ”Promoting Sustainable and Regenerative Agricultural Technologies Amidst Climate Change,” Solidaridad Country Manager Sheila Garakara said the theme was adept given the negative effect that climate change has had on crop and livestock production worldwide. Solidaridad is a civil society organization that works to make agricultural supply chains fairer and more sustainable.

In order achieve this, Ms Garakara said her organisation works with small-scale farmers and all participants of the various value chains to encourage sustainable and climate smart agricultural practices. She said Solidaridad facilitates reliable access to finance, creates strong market linkages as well as foster an inclusive and enabling policy environment.

“Cotton productivity in Zambia has unfortunately seen a downward trend in recent years, and unless we make some changes, the yields will continue to drop, resulting in more farmers leaving the sector, and the cycle will continue,” she said.

Ms Garakara said under thr Reclaim Sustainability project, Solaridad’s aim is to address the biggest challenges facing the sector today to make cotton the attractive and profitable commodity it used to be.

Under this project, Solidaridad has supported the establishment of a national multi-stakeholder platform for cotton in Zambia, and members of this platform include (Cotton Board of Zambia), Cotton Association of Zambia, CDT, Zambia Cotton Ginners Association, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Agriculture and other industry players. “We hope that through this platform, all stakeholders will reach amicable and fair solutions to problems faced in cotton production,” Ms Garakara said

She said another area of Solidaridad’s support to the sector is the harmonisation of extension services to farmers.
“The current challenge is that farmers are receiving little or no extension services, and each service provider comes up with their own materials for training and technical assistance, thereby confusing the farmers with different practices. With a harmonised extension service roll-out, extension officers will have a wider reach, and all cotton farmers can adopt the same sustainable and cost-effective practices, or at the very least have the knowledge at hand and be able to make an informed decision,” Ms Garakara said
Solidaridad has also supported CDT in providing awareness to farmers through a top-down extension service approach, establishing a road map on how to roll out climate smart and sustainable practices to cotton farmers and to outline the key advocacy areas in research and development to enhance cotton growing such as good agronomic practices, pesticide management, the improvement of soil fertility, and emphasising the importance of soil health for better productivity.
“As Solidaridad we are promoting various agricultural technologies, some of which involve encouraging farmers to make bio-char out of cotton stalks, which they can then use to nourish their cotton and any other crops they grow. This is currently in the pilot phase. However we are optimistic of the results and once concluded, we plan to scale up,” she said.

To date, Solidaridad has capacited 117 farmers, 60 percent of whom are women in the production of biochar.

“This was done as a Training of Trainers, and these farmers can then transfer the knowledge to their peers. If farmers adopt the production and use of biochar, not only will they sustainably restore their soils, they will incur lower production costs as the use of fertiliser will be significantly reduced,” Ms Garakara said.

She said the application of biochar in the field, combined with other climate smart technologies, promotes sustainable and regenerative agriculture, which would lead to increased yields and therefore reboot the cotton sector. “We have also set up demo plots to show the effects of the different forms of fertilisation and it is from these results that we will make a case for biochar being an alternative to synthetic fertilizer,” Ms Garakara said.

She said Solidaridad is committed to continue working and innovating with its partners to strengthen the cotton value chain in Zambia.
“This sector not only provides livelihoods for farmers, but for processors and manufacturers alike. As a country, we rely on the import of edible oils to meet demand, and our textiles industry, which used to thrive, is now hanging by a thread. By reviving this sector, both these industries can grow, stimulating the emergence of SMEs (Small and medium-sized enterprises), which will create the much needed employment opportunities for our youth,” Ms Garakara said.

Simunji Simunji an agronomist representing United Fertilizers Company Limited said the field day created a good platform for knowledge exchange between farmers and developers of technologies such as seed, farm equipment, fertilizers and agro chemicals. “We therefore expect farmers, especially those based in Southern Province to adopt some of the new technologies of farming during the 2023-2024 growing season,” Dr Simunji said.

He said farmers learn more when invited to agricultural events like field days. “During this period, they are able to physically see the effect of technologies on crop productivity through live demonstrations exhibited,” Dr Simunji said.

He said the participation of Government officials at a field day creates an added advantage to farmers, research institutions and extension services.

“Government would understand the needs of the farmers and how to address them through public, private partnerships. Field days serve as teaching aid for students in agricultural colleges and universities. Students tend to appreciate and apply what they learnt in theory when they are exposed new technologies displayed during the event,” Dr Simunji said

He said the event also creates good platform for business networking. “Companies have an opportunity to meet many and different people who may be willing to purchase the products being exhibited,” Dr Simunji said