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CUTS appeals for deferement of Tax on rental income

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CUTS appeals for deferement of Tax on rental income

Some mushrooming buildings in Lusaka's Kanyama township where many Zambians are building houses

Consumers Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International Zambia has recommended that the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) defers the enforcement of the withholding tax LAW on rental income due to the high cost of living in Zambia.

CUTS International Zambia Center Coordinator, Simon Ng’ona explained to QFM News that though the law has been there for some time now, it is prudent that government through ZRA suspends its implementation.

Mr. Ng’ona said his organization has received a number of concerns from people over the income tax on rentals and that government should look at this law again.Mr. Ng’ona argued that the move will force Landlords to hike rentals which are already high in most parts of the country.

He has since appealed to the Zambia Revenue Authority to work out measures that will see to it that this law does not make things worse considering that the cost of living in Zambia is already high.

Recently the PF Government called on all citizens renting out property to be paying 10 per cent withholding tax to the Zambia Revenue Authority because it is law.Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimba Kambwili made the call during a live interview on Radio Luapula in Nchelenge District.The Minister said that failure to pay the tax is breaking the law and if there are concerns on the amount of the percentage, Government is ready to dialogue on the percentage of the tax but paying withholding tax is law and every citizen should comply.

Mr. Kambwili said the law was passed between 1992 and 1994 by the MMD Government at the time but were timid to implement the law because of politics of appeasement.

He said withholding tax is not a new law except that the MMD feared to lose votes from the people if they implemented the law but law is law and every citizen should comply.

Mr. Kambwili said the PF Government is just implementing the law that has been on the law books for many years and every citizen who owns property and rents it out should pay the 10 per cent withholding tax to enable Government in raising the required funds for financing developmental projects.

Professor Mwizenge Tembo lays out steps to revamp the University of Zambia

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Biology Department - UNZA
Biology Department – UNZA

Renowned US based Zambian academic Professor Mwizenge Tembo has proposed that the University of Zambia is faced with numerous challenge that needs concerted efforts to address.

Professor Tembo who is Professor of Sociology and has taught at Bridgewater College in Virginia for twenty years said there is need to get UNZA back to its glory days.

In a paper titled, University of Zambia: Crisis of Problems, Professor Tembo called for more funding to the country’s highest learning institution.

Below is Professor Tembo’s paper.

On a Sunday blue sky afternoon in May 1972, I finally stood on the balcony of the fourth floor of Africa Hall 5 Room 26 as a freshman at the University of Zambia appreciating and surveying the beautiful scenery around and below. The lawn was green with gorgeous flowers and short bushes. Different types of music were booming from record players from many students’ rooms. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and excitement about the better times to come of gaining a University education which my family and I had not even ever dreamed of even just months before in January 1972 when I got an acceptance letter from the University of Zambia.

My room was furnished with brand new wardrobes, book shelf, desk, reading lamp, chair, blankets, clean bed sheets, blankets, and pillows. The bathrooms had good new hot showers, a line of clean wash sinks with shinning mirrors. The hall floor toilets were clean with toilet paper which was replaced virtually every day. These clean toilet facilities were also all over campus classrooms and the library with toilet papers. Hall sweepers cleaned the rooms every day. This was the case in the 5 residences of Africa Hall, Kwacha Hall, Presidents Hall, and International Hall. The women’s was October Hall. Thefts of property on campus were unknown. Supper that evening in the main dining hall was a five course meal of soup or a salad, rice with chicken or beef, custard with cake, fruit, coffee, tea and bread with butter. We had pocket money of K25.00 and an allowance for purchasing text books at the bookstore for our classes.

It was very exciting to sit for the first time in Lecture Theater One and Two for lectures by may lecturers at the time including Professor Robert Serpell and Professor Muyunda Mwanalushi in Psychology and many other courses. We had some of the best professors and lecturers from around the world since we did not have too many indigenous Zambian lecturers yet. The University of Zambia had an enrollment of fifteen hundred. The cost of room, board, and tuition was four hundred Kwacha per year. My father earned K19.00 per month as a primary school teacher with 9 children some of whom he had to pay school fees for. My family could never afford for me to attend the University of Zambia.
The vast majority of Zambians could not afford the cost of sending their sons and daughters to the University of Zambia. The government provided bursaries for everyone because the country needed educated highly skilled labor.

Thousands of Zambians who graduated from University of Zambia will forever love the University of Zambia and will always want the institution to remain alive. All of us graduates are dedicated to do whatever we can to help support the University. This is why the problems that have continued to beset the University of Zambia are always deeply troubling for all graduates, former students or alumni of the University Zambia as well as for all concerned citizens.

University of Zambia Problems

Since the great days of the early 1970s during the last 43 years, the determined men and women of UNZA have proudly continued to graduate students who excel both in Zambia and the international diaspora although the university has faced major challenges that would have made other institutions buckle and disappear. The list of problems is so endless that this article cannot know nor address all of them. These discussions and proposed solutions are not meant to imply that the author has all the solutions but rather to make some very pragmatic suggestions according to this author’s view.

The old residences or GOMA RUINS-UNZA
The old residences or GOMA RUINS-UNZA

UNZA Alumni-Diaspora and Lecturers

There are 5 possible serious problem areas and proposed possible immediate and long term solutions to some of the deeply embedded problems of the University of Zambia. The first and probably the most serious problem is lack of a culture and an organization that can both coordinate and mediate mutual cooperation and trust between UNZA lecturers and older graduates some of whom are retired and some may be in the diaspora. All the thousands of UNZA graduates all the way back to its inception in 1966 who are in Zambia and especially those in the diaspora are deeply devoted to the institution. Day and night they are proud and would like to help the University of Zambia. But there appears to be lack of a culture and prominent organization to channel this desire to help.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that there may be mutual suspicion about the intentions of the graduates who are in the diaspora and those at UNZA. The same mutual suspicion also applies to national leadership where Zambians who are in the diaspora are regarded with suspicion if they express a desire to participate in the electoral process or seek political electoral office. Although many of the lecturers at UNZA may have been also trained abroad, there is an underlying suspicion that any diaspora graduate coming to UNZA may be looking for a job to displace the indigenous younger faculty or looking to unfairly dominate the institution. Some of the diaspora UNZA graduates may harbor a superiority complex. Both of these attitudes would have to be resolved before any long term plans and actions can be mutually executed to help University of Zambia. We all deeply love the institution and badly want to help it survive and prosper. This potentially may be the most serious problem that may hinder or impede any potential progress initiated by the two wings of the UNZA graduates or alumni.

Capital Expenditure

Since the early 1970s, the University of Zambia has increased its enrollment from 1500 to about 30,000 in 2015 which is an overwhelming increase of 1900%. Has student housing or residence halls, teaching and classroom facilities increased by 1900%? That is probably not the case. According to The Post of 8 May 2015 Page 2, UNZA has deplorable conditions with lecturers having 250, 298, 500 to 1,000 students in a class with some sitting on the floor.

A few years ago during a Presidential election campaign one candidate promised that if elected they would improve the conditions at UNZA such that 19 students would not be sharing one residential hall room. I was stunned but was never able to verify that my room like Africa 5 Room 26 could be occupied by 19 students. During most of the early years at UNZA, there were only 2 students per room.
This is a troubling reality that affects not only UNZA but all public institutions that offer services in Zambia; the demand increases as the population grows but there are never enough resources to accommodate the increasing demand. How can we get the resources to increase capital expenditure? Although government might be the solution, there is much more that alumni or graduates of UNZA can do to build the new, necessary and needed infrastructure to expand the institution.

Lecturers and Workers Conditions

The lecturers should be the best paid since donations and endowed Chairs could account for some of the pay. Some of the best conditions could be arranging for lecturers to take sabbatical leave to institutions where UNZA graduates are teaching and researching in foreign institutions. All UNZA lecturers could have a designated counterpart UNZA graduate lecturer at other institutions abroad to work together for research and exchanging some of the new cutting edge teaching pedagogy. May be we could have lecturers abroad who are UNZA graduates to give live lectures by skype as guest lecturers in one of the current UNZA lecturers’ courses as a donation. The other way round is that current UNZA lecturers can provide guest lectures to University classes abroad where lecturers who are UNZA graduates are teaching at colleges and universities in the diaspora.
Since I began teaching here in America 25 years ago, I tried to use appropriate supplementary textbooks by some of my Zambian colleagues and authors in the courses I taught in the early 1990s. There is a possibility that a live lecture from an UNZA lecturer would provide a valuable source of course material for my students who often cannot afford to fly to Africa or Zambia to attend a lecture at a Zambian or African institution. Many times I took my American students to the University of West Indies Mona Campus in Jamaica where my students attended many lectures by Jamaican lecturers for a fee that was paid to both the lecturers and the University. University of Zambia could to the same today via skype or closed circuit television.

UNZA library
UNZA library

Refurbishing of Residence Hall Rooms

Some of the most passionate desires among all UNZA graduates in Zambia and abroad are to refurbish and paint their dilapidated old rooms in the Halls of residence. The word is that the late President Mwanawasa did refurbish his old room in President Hall. This is one of the easiest tasks that a new organization can arrange. When University of Zambia students are on a break between terms, teams of UNZA graduates with their families, friends, and children would come to campus and paint rooms every year. The best way would be to install plaques in each room listing all the graduates who resided in those rooms since the University opened. This could be a continuing tradition in which every UNZA student upon graduating would be expected to help take care of his or her former room later in their lives.

Confuscious Institutute
Confuscious Institutute

Library, Classrooms, Equipment, and Landscaping

UNZA needs library resources, adequate classrooms, equipment for teaching and research and landscaping to maintain the beautiful grounds, very modest donations by all former graduates could take care of some of the expenses. For example, if we assume that UNZA had graduated a conservative total of 8600 students over the last 43 years, how could they make donations? If each one of the alumni or the graduates donates K500.00 ($71.00) each, that would yield K4.3 million. If they donated K721.00 ($100) each that would yield K6.2 million. There should be a new approach in which all donors’ names should be recognized on campus by engraving names of each donor in relevant places, buildings, and rooms. Their names should also be put on the UNZA web page.

Vison for the Future

University of Zambia can be stronger even produce better graduates for the future. In order to achieve this, we ought to have a better vision for the future for the institution. Simply doing the same things we have done since 1966 may not be enough. Professor Lameck Goma, the first Zambian Vice-Chancellor of the University game a famous graduation speech in the early 1970s titled: “The Usefulness of the Useless Disciplines”. University of Zambia focused intensely on training students to occupy skilled jobs in the Zambian economy that were under tremendous demand. Disciplines such engineering, medicine, law, computer science, business, education, economics, biology, agriculture, and mathematics were regarded as “useful” disciplines. But disciplines such as the arts, music, philosophy, poetry, anthropology, literature, theater, and dance were regarded as “useless” disciplines because they could not help Zambia provide the technological skills we urgently needed for developing the nation at that time.

Prof. Goma was arguing that we needed knowledge of the arts to lead fuller both personal and intellectual lives as a nation. I agree with Prof. Goma. University of Zambia needs to introduce the arts. How this can be done is subject to proper planning and discussion. For example, University of Zambia should build a state of the art Performing Arts Theater and center. This could be a source of employment, income from the community as all audience attending events would pay for all national and international performances. A performing arts center would also be a training ground for future artists, film makers, creative writers, play wrights, dancers, musicians, ethnomusicologists, opera writers, opera performers, stage and film actors. Virtually all UNZA graduates are good technocrats but very few of us are capable of infusing the arts into our work.

Government needs to stop giving excuses about poor rainfall for poor agricultural performance- lets learn from Israel

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A farmer in Jiwundu Settlement Scheme in Solwezi district

The crop forecast survey released last week by Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda showed that Zambia will record a significantly reduction in the maize production. The country maize forecast production has reduced by 26.86%.The reduction is in spite of the 5.3 percent increase in hectares of maize planted in the 2014-2015 farming season compared to that of 2013-2014 and the increase in fertilizer usage and high breed maize seed.Mr Lubinda has attributed the reduction to poor rainfall. He said the late onset of the rainy season and prolonged dry spells in some maize producing areas affected yields.

However Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has urged government to improve on plans and policies to boost the agriculture sector.JCTR Director Father Leonard Chiti said that while Zambia has the potential to diversify in crop production, lack of good plans and policies in the agriculture sector has hindered many farmers from doing so.

He said there is need for government not to give excuses such as low rainfall patterns as a hindrance to poor maize production.Father Chiti stressed that developing the irrigation sector is key to moving the agriculture sector to another level.Father Chiti said that crop diversification is key for the country to reduce the high levels of poverty.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organisatiomn FAO irrigated agriculture has driven much of the increase in global food production over recent decades.The highest yields obtained from irrigation are more than double the highest yields from rainfed agriculture – even low-input irrigation is more productive than high-input rainfed farming.

Perhaps it’s time for the government to invest in Drip Irrigation

Drip Irrigation, is an Israeli invention, that allows dry land to produce crops to feed a hungry world.

In the 1930s, a water engineer by the name of Simcha Blass was visiting a friend in the desert when he noticed a line of trees with one member that was noticeable taller and more robust looking than the others. He did a little digging, literally, and noticed that a household water line running along the tree line had spring a small leak in the area of that one tree and as feeding it with a steady drip drip drip of water. The wet spot on the surface didn’t seem like much, but down below was a large onion-shaped area of juicy soil.The idea of drip irrigation was born.

Mr. Blass partnered with Kibbutz Hatzerim in the Negev desert to develop entire drip irrigation systems. He tinkered with variations on the idea, but when plastics became widely available in the 1960s, he finally had the ability to put drops of water precisely where he wanted, when he wanted; Mr. Blass and the kibbutz founded Netafim.

Since then, Netafim has sold its systems in more than 100 countries worldwide. And, according to Mr. Barak, the more we ask of our planet’s limited water supply, the more Netafim’s systems will benefit the world.
“Water has been declared to be a basic human right,” he says, “but we squander it with wasteful irrigation. Drip irrigation provides the ability to make water work harder and more productively than its ever done in the past.”

Mr. Barak makes the point that if 15% of farms using conventional irrigation switched to drip irrigation, the supply of water available for domestic use would double.

Mr. Barak explains, “In the next 100 years we are going to have to produce more crops than we ever have, with far less environmental damage than we’re doing now.”

Some are well on the way to achieving that goal. About 75 percent of Israeli farming is done with drip irrigation, with practically no flood irrigation at all. Drip irrigation accounts for about half of irrigation in California; South Africa is also a big user.

But other areas of the world have yet to make the shift – and food is only one of the reasons why it’s important for them to do so. Because when you really dig in to the nuances of drip irrigation, you start to see how widespread its ramifications are.

For example, by using water more efficiently, drip irrigation means you use less fertilizer. Fertilizer production is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Read More

Interview with the Ladies of Mafashio

Entertainment Editor
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Interview with the Ladies of Mafashio

 

mafashio3

MaFashio is the brain child of sisters Sekayi and Tukiya Fundafunda, both of whom are makeup artists, bloggers, fashion stylists and thrift junkies. On a Mission to highlight the everyday persons fashion prowess, provide a platform for Zambian designers, models and fashion lovers.

KAPA187: What does MaFashio mean and how did it come about.

MaFashio: MaFashio is a play on a Zambian colloquial terminology used to refer to somebody whose dressing has made an impression on the observer. With this in mind, MaFashio came about because we have always been interested in fashion as an art and a way of expression,we therefore wanted a way to show how Zambians express themselves through fashion – to the world.

KAPA187: What made you fall in love with the world of fashion?

MaFashio: We grew up around art and fashion, having very creative parents, and so we’ve come to believe that it came naturally to be so drawn to it.

In addition to that, fashion is fascinating because of the way it can evoke emotion even where no words are spoken.

KAPA187: Who are some of your favourite designers and why?

MaFashio: We are really big fans of the brave, beautiful and well-tailored and among these are Zambian designers Debbie Chu, Kutowa Designs and Kamanga Wear’s ‘ready-to-wear’ fashion style. Internationally we are fans of Elie Saab and Alexander Wang.

mafashio2

 

KAPA187: Would you consider Zambians to be fashionable people?

MaFashio: Definitely! Zambian’s are relatively new to the idea of fashion as an industry that could add significantly to the economy, but, are a very colourful, artistic people and are in this way very fashionable.

KAPA187: What constitutes Zambian fashion?

MaFashio: Zambian fashion, we believe, is a mix and match of modernity – with reference to current styles – and a placement of high esteem on classic African fabric and design.

KAPA187: How is the Zambian fashion industry performing, who are the major players?

MaFashio: The fashion industry is growing; this is undeniable, with several more designers, models, and say, fashion bloggers, than there were just over five years ago. We like to believe that it is important to grow at a steady pace, which we believe we are doing as an industry. We always make reference to New York Fashion Week, one of the most spoken about and respected fashion weeks in the world, it was started in 1943! They have undergone lots of transformation and innovation over the years to get to that stage, and that’s exactly what is happening here in Zambia.

The major players, these would have to be everybody – as corny as that may sound – that is making the specific effort to add to the industry as a whole, the Fashion Designers, Models, and Photographers, and the fashion journalists – who come in every form.

KAPA187: In your opinion what needs to be done to improve the industry.

MaFashio: Several steps must be taken to grow our industry, and in the time that we have been a part of it, we have come to realise how important it is to work together for the greater good – egos aside, and get the job done! That makes your industry appear and actually become more mature.

Secondly, a real desire to see growth in the industry, and therefore do our research to see how more advanced nations work to see their projects succeed. We had the privilege of travelling to Stockholm, Sweden, with members of the Zambia Fashion Council, and this exposed us to how large industries such as the Swedish fashion industry conduct themselves, how they take networking and innovation so seriously to achieve desired results.

These and many other actions, are what we believe need to be taken to see our industry grow beyond this point.

 

KAPA187: Are Zambian designed outfits readily available or are they mostly custom made for individuals? 

MaFashio: We are proud that now we can say Yes! This is because Zambia now has an emporium that stocks solely Zambian designed clothing. This coupled with platforms such as social media make it easy for the readily available outfits to be advertised to the Zambian public.

KAPA187: To the novice it may seem that all Zambian designers work mainly with chitenge material, is that a true reflection?

MaFashio: To some degree, Chitenge is still the most popular fabric used in design – this can be observed during Zambia Fashion Week – but, there’s been a rise in the use of other fabrics among designers.

KAPA187: Apart from blogging you are also make-up artists, fashion stylists. Tell us more about that.

MaFashio: Makeup Artistry and Styling are two fields of fashion that we’ve always been interested in – from childhood – and they felt like a natural progression from our celebration of Zambian fashion on the blog.

Through makeup artistry we seek to reintroduce our clients to the beauty they already possess. Wardrobe Styling is the part of MaFashio that seeks to assist in trend spotting, personal shopping and wardrobe organization for the closet Fashionista or the fashion novice. We are also always glad that we can be creative with it and implement our makeup artistry and wardrobe styling in everything from music videos to commercials.

KAPA187: In the western world i.e. USA, UK etc and even here in Africa in countries like Nigeria and South Africa, people are able to make a good living being designers , stylists , make-up artists . What is the situation like in Zambia?

MaFashio: Yes and No, the Zambian fashion industry is still monopolized by foreign brands (in the case of designers) and the idea of having styling and makeup professionals is still a subject many are unsure about, hence it would not be ones go-to career choice, but, as with the industry as a whole, this is slowly changingand with many seminars and workshops, and with social media, many are learning and putting into practice formulas that can make these career paths worth the struggle.

KAPA187: As fashion bloggers what trends have you seen to be popular in this particular season?

MaFashio : As we are now transitioning into winter, we will see the camel coat – which was popular among fashionistas in the rest of the world this past winter; knit dresses and the old faithful, knee-high leather boots.

KAPA187: Anything else you would like to add.

MaFashio: We look forward to speaking to you in the not so distant future about the booming Zambian fashion industry. In the meantime, watch this space.

mafashio

 Interact with MaFashio on social media:

www.mafashio.co.zm
www.facebook.com/mafashio
www.twitter.com/mafashio
www.instagram.com/mafashio_zambia

BY KAPA187

 

Why is Zambia spending $1million importing South Africa’s frozen foods – Sampa

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Miles Sampa in Shoprite
Miles Sampa in Shoprite

Zambia spends an astronomical $1 million in importing frozen foods such as pies and pre-packaged samoosa’s it has been learnt.Commerce Deputy Minister Miles Sampa says it was fundamentally wrong for the country to be importing things like pies 50 years after Independence.

“The majority comes in from South Africa into Shoprite, Pick & Pay and Spar. We need to cut down on this” said a visibly disappointed Miles Sampa. “We will support our local farmers to produce more so that we import less of what we already grow locally.This will create employment and consequently strengthen the kwacha,he said.

Speaking when he toured various chain store outlets, Matero Member of Parliament Sampa wondered why such economic activities can not be extended to local manufacturers if they had the ability to produce them for the local markets.

Zambian children are as happy as Canadian children-Study

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Some of the Zambian children who took part in UBC’s happiness study. Courtesy of Alexa Geddes
Some of the Zambian children who took part in UBC’s happiness study. Courtesy of Alexa Geddes

Spirituality and connection to nature are good predictors of Zambian children’s well-being, according to a University of British Columbia study published in the current issue of the Journal of Happiness Studies.
UBC researchers Mark Holder and Tim Krupa, Okanagan College instructor Ben Coleman, and University of Alberta instructor Eugene Krupa completed a two-year study using three measures to gauge happiness among Zambian children and adolescents between ages 7 to 19.

The results confirmed earlier work suggesting that spirituality is a stronger predictor of children’s life satisfaction than religion.

“Our analysis shows that children’s and adolescents’ sense of spirituality and connectivity to nature explain variation in their life satisfaction beyond other factors such as religiousness,” says Tim Krupa.
“That suggests that having an inner belief system and feeling close to nature may be more important to promoting well-being than practising religious rituals.”

Zambia reports high levels of participation in organized religion.In the study, 95 per cent of respondents attended church in the past month and 96 per cent reported that religion was important to them.

Despite developing-world living conditions, children and adolescents in Zambia also reported levels of happiness that are comparable to those observed among Canadian children.The study found children and adolescents rated themselves highly in terms of happiness and life satisfaction.

Using a “faces scale,” a measure of happiness that includes drawings of faces, the distribution of happiness ratings by children was similar to results for children in Western Canada and India in previous studies by Holder and Coleman.

Tim Krupa, who completed his research as an undergraduate student, travelled to Zambia in 2011 and 2012 on an International Education Travel Subsidy from the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and expects to graduate this spring with a master’s degree in political science from UBC’s Vancouver campus.

Holder is an associate professor of psychology at UBC Okanagan.

The study included 1,329 participants from one rural school and five urban schools in three Zambian provinces.

Tim Krupa plays with children orphaned by HIV and tuberculosis in the impoverished Chazanga compound in Lusaka, Zambia.Courtesy of Alexa Geddes
Tim Krupa plays with children orphaned by HIV and tuberculosis in the impoverished Chazanga compound in Lusaka, Zambia.Courtesy of Alexa Geddes

UPND to report PF Government to SADC and UN over the Public Order Act

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UPND president Hakainde Hichilema arrives at Kabwata Police Station for questioning
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema arrives at Kabwata Police Station for questioning

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) will petition Government to international human rights institutions for allegedly suppressing them using the  (POA)

But chief government spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili says the UPND are free to report anywhere because they were the architects of the POA they are now condemning.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, UPND chairperson of energy Garry Nkombo accused Government of restricting UPND president Hakainde Hichilema’s movements using the POA.

This follows police action to summon and question Mr Hichilema for allegedly breaching the POA last week over a fracas that occurred involving UPND cadres in Kamwala when the UPND leader visited the area.

Mr Nkombo said UPND members of Parliament would appeal to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the United Nations Human Rights Council if the police continue suppressing movements of its party officials.

[pullquote]“He broke the law with impunity and our police simply advised him to follow the law. This is how good this Government is,” Mr Kambwili said.[/pullquote]

On Monday, speaking on behalf of Mr Hichilema soon after the UPND leader appeared before police, party chairperson for legal and constitutional affairs Jack Mwiimbu said: “The matter has been resolved and, in future, we will inform police. We agreed to abide by the provisions of the Public Order Act.”

Lusaka Province commissioner of police Charity Katanga said Mr Hichilema had been summoned not because he had visited the market but due to the fracas that ensued involving UPND cadres.

But Mr Kambwili said yesterday that the UPND are free to go to the SADC or UN Human Rights Council to report.
“Why should they even threaten? Let them go ahead. There is nothing sinister with the POA. It has always been like that. In fact, it is the same UPND and MMD that amended the POA to its current form. We were not in Parliament at that time,” he said in an interview.

Mr Kambwili, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said the UPND must be grateful because Government does not interfere with police.

He said Mr Hichilema breached the POA because he allegedly went to incite people in Kamwala to rise against Government.

He said Mr Hichilema should be realistic.

“He broke the law with impunity and our police simply advised him to follow the law. This is how good this Government is,” Mr Kambwili said.

Africa loses $50 billion a year through tax avoidance and fraud, report states

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Addis Ababa, 19 May 2015- (ECA) – Africa’s money that could be used to improve lives and reduce poverty is leaving the continent through illicit financial flows defined as money illegally earned, transferred and used.

As the Chairperson of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa, the former South African President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, will present the Panel’s Report to the Pan African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa on 21 May 2015.

Considering the rapid population growth of the past two decades resulting in the largest youth population in the world, and that in 2010 about 414 million people compared to 290 million in 1990, lived on less than $1.25 a day, these IFFs are a huge drain and a hindrance in addressing the developmental needs of the African people.

This money, usually made from laundering proceeds of crime, abuse of power, market or regulatory abuse with a considerable portion emanating from tax abuse, comes from commercial and criminal activities, and abuse of entrusted power through corruption.

Companies may hide wealth, avoid taxes and dodge custom duties through transfer pricing and trade mispricing. Underreporting of profit and misinvoicing of services are also common practices. Criminals make their money by keeping transactions from view of law enforcers through trafficking of people, drugs and arms, smuggling of oil and minerals.

Illicit financial flows will always thrive in environments where governance and regulatory structures are weak. When states do not possess the technical and human capacity to address sophisticated crime syndicates, money will leave the continent. The destination is most likely a tax haven or a state with financial secrecy jurisdiction making it impossible for African governments to demand those funds returned to the country of provenance.

The AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and the African Peer Review Mechanism are some of the methods African governments use to put fetters on the IFFs. They also try to recover frozen assets through global initiatives though “access to information by African countries is made conditional”, the report states.

With less capital at their disposal, African governments become weakened and are hard pressed to deliver appropriate infrastructure. Their control of domestic fiscal policies is reduced. Without IFFs, Africa’s capital stock would have expanded by 60%. The rate of domestic investment to GDP would have risen from 19% to 30%, potentially creating more growth and jobs.

Transparency in financial markets, international trade and investment laws is requisite in tackling IFFs. African states can closely monitor routes of illicit financial flows; train technical experts on law and tax to track trade activities and halt or reduce corruption in their own governments; and collaborate with global initiatives as a way of fighting IFFs. Ultimately, the success in addressing illicit financial flows is a political issue, the report asserts.

We’ll enact the Access to Information Bill, but do so cautiously-Kambwili

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Chishimba Kambwili
Chishimba Kambwili

GOVERNMENT remains committed to enacting the Freedom of Information Bill but will do so cautiously, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili has said.

The minister said in an interview yesterday that Government would like to open up and allow citizens to have access to information but is concerned that some media organisations are focused on making it fail instead of providing credible checks and balances.

“We as Government have not declined to enact the Access to Information Bill, but we want to do so cautiously.
“Despite the existence of the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC), which is supposed to perform as a watchdog to ensure that media organisations conforms to the law, nothing is being done,” he said.

Mr Kambwili, who is also chief government spokesperson, said media organisations do not want to regulate themselves and to instil discipline.

Meanwhile, Mr Kambwili has supported the government of Botswana for rejecting the Freedom of Information Bill to preserve the secrets and security of the nation.

The Bill, which was recently tabled by Gaborone Central legislator Dumelang Saleshando, was rejected by parliament.

“In a way you can agree with them, the situation in Europe and Africa is different,” Mr Kambwili said.

Ministry of Gender designing programmes to enable communities open up factories

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Deputy Minister of Gender Dorothy Kazunga
Deputy Minister of Gender Dorothy Kazunga

The Ministry of Gender is designing programmes that will help communities around the country generate huge profits when executed.

Deputy Minister of Gender Dorothy Kazunga said the Ministry will in future unpack programmes that would enable communities open up factories and big projects which will employ many people and generate a lot of income.

Ms. Kazunga says it was therefore important that young people in various communities of Zambia acquire skills that enable them manage huge projects in their areas.

She said government has money to empower people that have viable business ideas hence the need for people in different parts of the country to devise progressive and sustainable concepts.

Ms.Kazunga was speaking in Livingstone yesterday when she met 19 students that are sponsored by her ministry at the Livingstone Institute of Business and Engineering Studies (LIBES).

She explained that the current small scale empowerment programmes will however continue under the Ministries of Youth and Sport and Community Development.

She has since urged students to work hard so that they can become entrepreneurs and employers after graduating.

Ms.Kazunga said skills which the students will acquire from LIBES will enable them open their own businesses instead of waiting to get a white collar job in the formal sector.

The Deputy Minister said the formal sector cannot assimilate everyone hence the need to promote skills that will encourage entrepreneurship.

“When you graduate, please keep in touch with the people from the Ministry so that they can link you to the market,” she said.

And LIBES Principal, Thomas Kalantiya commended the Ministry of Gender for giving vulnerable youths an opportunity to study at the institution.

Mr. Kalantiya said LIBES was ready to impart life skills in young people in order to make them self-reliant and employers in future.

He requested the Ministry of Gender to sponsor more students in order to empower many young people with various skills.

Meanwhile, one of the students sponsored by the Ministry of Gender, Munale Yusiku, said imparting knowledge and skill in young people was a developmental activity.

Yusiku, who comes from Shangombo district in Western province, said former students who were sponsored by the Ministry of Gender were already making an impact in different societies.

Currently, the Ministry of Gender is sponsoring 22 students, all from Western province, studying auto mechanics, food production and accounts.

Ms.Kazunga is in Western province to familiarise herself with the empowerment projects under her ministry.

Grand Coalition told to give President Lungu space because they decampaigned him

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Grand Coalition told to give President Lungu space because they decampaigned him
Munali Member of Parliament Mumbi Phiri
Mumbi Phiri

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri has appealed to the Grand Coalition on the constitution to be sincere in their push for the enactment of the draft constitution because they decampaigned President Lungu.

Ms Phiri said the coalition led by Father Lenard Chiti should give President Lungu space to give the Zambian people a constitution that will stand a taste of time and one which Zambians will live to appreciate.

“The Grand Coalition needs to be sincere and I know my bishop Father Chiti will be more sincere in his quest.They need to give the president space and chance to deliver a good constitution to the people of Zambia. Are we ready to have all the issues in the draft constitution enacted into law?” she asked.

Ms Phiri added that the Grand Coalition wanted President Lungu to sign a social contract which he refused because he never wanted to commit to something that the people of Zambia will not appreciate in the long run.

“They wanted him to sign a social contract which he refused because he knew what is best for Zambia than being blackmailed,” she said.

Ms Phiri speaking on Comet Radio’s The Podium added that President Lungu wants to make history by giving the people of Zambia a constitution they will live to appreciate for a very long time than wasting money on a constitution that will require amendments sooner than later.

[pullquote]“They wanted him to sign a social contract which he refused because he knew what is best for Zambia than being blackmailed,” she said.[/pullquote]

Ms Phiri added that the Grand Coalition should be the last grouping to talk about the constitution because they decampaigned President Lungu in the January 20 presidential by election for refusing to sign their social contract.

And Mumbi Phiri has said her appointment as the PF deputy secretary general excited her because she is a politician.

“Some tabloids reported that she seemed excited about her appointment, yes I am a politician and serving as a politician at the highest level should excite me, I have served as a diplomat at the highest level but I am a politician” she said.

And asked about her recontesting the Munali constituency seat as a parliamentarian, Ms Phiri said that only God will show her the way after parliament is dissolved in 2016.

Zanaco attempt to stop Mighty surge

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Zanaco will return to the top of the FAZ Super Division table if they beat Mighty Mufulira Wanderers on Wednesday.

The two sides meet at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka in one of two FAZ Super Division Week 8 matches on the cards.

Zanaco are currently two points behind leaders Zesco who replaced them after they drew 1-1 with Nkana away in Kitwe and the latter beat National Assembly 1-0 last Sunday.

Zesco are not in action because they have over five players on international duty over the next fortnight.

Mighty on the other hand head to Lusaka to face their biggest test since drawing 1-1 with Power Dynamos five games ago.

The 9-time champions are 5th on 14 points and unbeaten in their last four games with two draws and home wins over fellow promoted side Forest Rangers and Lusaka Dynamos.

But the tie favours Zanaco who are unbeaten in the league this season and have won three of their four home games so far this term.

Meanwhile, Green Buffaloes and Napsa Stars clash in the other rescheduled Week 8 fixture.

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

Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia supports Government on piecemeal enactment the Constitution

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Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia supports Government on piecemeal enactment the Constitution
ICOZ Bishop Masupa , Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop Banda during the Interdenominational Thanks giving requiem church service of President Sata at Parliament in Lusaka on November 10,2014 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia president Reverand Pukuta Mwanza(R), (lICOZ Bishop Masupa , Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop Banda

THE Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) says it is in support of Government’s stance to deal with contentions issues through parliament and enact the Constitution in piecemeal.

EFZ executive director Pukuta Mwanza said in a statement that his organisation was in support of a two tier approach of having some of the articles of the Constitution to be presented to parliament while the Bill of Rights goes to the referendum to be conducted with the tripartite elections in order to kill two birds with one stone and save resources and time.

“We bear in mind that the tripartite elections are due 15 months away and that conducting a referendum will require to be preceded by a voter registration exercise specifically aimed at meeting the referendum in the past,”

“Although, we stood firmly in the past for the referendum, this is impracticable at the moment considering the limited time available for all the processes. In this regard, we support the proposed piecemeal approach to enacting the constitution provided we get the expected results in having the constitution that the Zambian people have always wanted,” the EFZ said.

The EFZ did not see the possibility of holding a referendum before 2016 was impracticable as Zambia had already lost so much time already.

“We therefore support the piecemeal approach as long as the final result can guarantee that the will of the majority of the people who submitted in favour of popular articles will be respected,” he said.

Rev. Mwanza urged Government to hasten the Constitution process and conclude on time considering that the process had already gobbled huge sums of money.

Government should also ensure continued dialogue and engagement to promote transparency and accountability in the constitution making process

Namibia and Zimbabwe make Zambia wait

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Zambia will have to wait a little longer to know their quarterfinal opponents at the 2015 Cosafa Castle Cup.

Honour Janza will only know on May 21 whether it will be Namibia or Zimbabwe they face in Sunday’s quarterfinals in Rustenburg.

Zimbabwe beat Seychelles 1-0 on Tuesday to stay at the top of Group A on maximum 6 points.

However, Zimbabwe’s hopes of qualifying with a game in hand were dashed when Namibia stayed in the hunt with a 2-0 win over Mauritius in the late kickoff on match day two at the ongoing Cosafa Cup in South Africa.

Talent Chawapiwa left footed strike handed Zimbabwe the win while Namibia had a Benson Shilongo brace via a 4th minute penalty and his second goal in the 65th to thank for the win.

Namibia’s win leaves them two points behind Zimbabwe with all to play for in both sides’ final Group A match on Thursday.

Meanwhile, defending champions Zambia fly to South Africa on Wednesday morning to join the competition after enjoying a preliminary group stage bye.

Traders and Zambians of Asian origin clash over land

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Lumumba Road
Lumumba Road

Confusion has ensued between traders and Zambians of Asian origin over land in Buseko area along Lumumba road.Lusaka District Commissioner Davison Mulenga who visited the scene said that government will not allow construction of permanent structures on road reserves.

Zambians of Asian origin have allegedly started extending their wall fences and other structures, building on top of service cables for ZESCO and ZAMTEL and sewer lines for Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company.

He said government will not be subjected to compensating illegal land developers to pave way for roads extension.Mr. Mulenga also said that it is not fair for few individuals who are illegally building structures to inconvenience the traders whose livelihood depend on the small businesses they conduct under the makeshift shelters.

Meanwhile the Traders who claim to have been operating from the area from as far back as 1987 said they have on several occasions asked the Lusaka city council to allocate them plots but the council refused saying the land is a road reserve and can only allow temporal structures.

Lovemore Nyirenda and Christopher Banda who are car wash dealers have asked for government intervention in the matter adding that they are tired of being harassed by the Zambians of Asian origin who have since displaced them.

One of developers Memood Ajaj Patel who has extended his wall fence claimed that he has legal documents from the Lusaka City Council permitting him to extend his structure.He however said he is ready to cooperate with government promising to avail his documents to the District Commissioner’s office.

Meanwhile, Lusaka deputy mayor Potiphar Tembo says the council will follow up the matter when they receive the documents from the client.He however warned that if the documents are not legal, the land developers will be prosecuted.Mr. Tembo also reiterated government’s desire to protect the interest of Zambian citizens.

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