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File:UPND president Hakainde Hichilema l
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema says he is game for 2016 general elections and those thinking or suggesting that he must quit politics and leave the party leadership for someone else should think twice as they are just wasting their time.
Mr. Hichilema said he would not quit politics anytime soon as he was preparing for next year’s general elections which he said he would contest on the UPND ticket.
When asked whether he was thinking of stepping down after losing the presidential elections four times, Mr. Hichilema said he would not quit at this time.
He said this was not the right time for him to step down as UPND president when a general election was on the horizon.
“I would definitely step down some day but not now. Not this time around. It’s up to the party to decide when I should step down. But for now I am contesting the 2016 general elections and possibly win and form government for us to improve the livelihood of our people. For us the focus is to improve the economy of the country in order for it to attract genuine foreign investment,” he said.
Mr. Hichilema said Zambians needed a leadership which was committed to addressing high levels of poverty and unemployment, adding that what the Patriotic Front was boasting about of having created was nothing but slavery.
“You should understand that Zambians need jobs and not only jobs like sweeping the roads and digging trenches which the PF is boasting of having created. This is shameful indeed 50 years after independence. Zambians need decent and pensionable jobs. Zambians need food and not only food but balanced and nutritional value-based food for good health,” said Mr. Hichilema.
The opposition leader said his party had a programme for the country which would help end the high levels of poverty by creating manufacturing industries which would in turn employ many young Zambians.
Mr. Hichilema said the UPND was the only choice for the people if Zambia was to face a new economic outlook.
“Our policies in agriculture are the best because we shall not only subsidise farming produce and encourage people to venture into this sector, we shall also provide both local and international markets for the produce of our people to make more money for themselves. We shall also ensure that we empower our people with soft loans which will help them set up viable businesses,” he said.
Mr Hichilema said the UPND would run a cost effective government by reducing a number of ministries and create and provide a safe environment for both local and foreign investment.
Mr. Hichilema said he was not in politics for selfish dealings but to help Zambians realise their full potential to participate in national development and help improve the economic status of the nation starting from grassroots level.
“We are not in politics for selfish benefit. We want to serve the people of Zambia. There is too much poverty in this country which needs a level-headed mind to resolve. It’s time Zambia and Africa started electing leaders who go to government to serve and not to earn an income,” he said.
President Edgar Lungu with Pf Candidate Kapembwa Simbao greets Supporters at Tanzuka school in Senga Constituency- Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/ state house 10-04-2015.
President Edgar Lungu says he will soon declare Senga Hill as a district.
Speaking at a public rally to drum up support for the Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Kapembwe Simbao for the April 14 parliamentary by-election, President Lungu said he has delayed his declaration to allow planners to demarcate district boundaries in order to avoid land wrangles.
The President revealed that experience shows that wrangles have risen after districts have been born out of another district mostly involving chiefs.
And President Lungu has also disclosed that Samora Machel Zambia Air Force base will be been opened for commercial and private planes to land at the military facility.
He said the move was meant to promote tourist in the area as more flights will enable more tourists to visit places such as Kalambo falls and Nkamba Bay.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has asked the people of Senga Hill to vote for the PF candidate so that the constituency can be developed.
He said Mr. Simbao must be given a chance to complete his five year term which was halted after the court nullified his election.
President Edgar Lungu with Pf Candidate Kapembwa Simbao greets Supporters at Tanzuka school in Senga Constituency- Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/ state house 10-04-2015.
Transport and Communication Minister Yafya Mukanga cuts the Ribbon to officially launch Road Maintenance Strategy 2015-2024 whilst his Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda looks on
Government says it remains committed to ensuring that all the developmental projects currently taking place in the country are executed on time.
Works, Transport and Communications Minister, Yamfwa Mukanga says all the urban roads, the Link Zambia 8000 and the Pave Zambia 2000 projects are among other undertakings that shall be completed within the scheduled time because the vision for the same has not changed.
Mr Mukanga assured the nation that the Patriotic Front government is working to deliver fruitful developments in all the corners of the country including the areas where the party did not receive massive votes during the January 20 presidential election.
The minister was speaking in an interview with journalists at Zambezi Sun International Hotel in Livingstone.
Mr Mukanga wondered why there is a notion in the country that the PF government was only taking developmental projects to the areas where the party received massive support when it was ushered into power and described such allegations as baseless.
He said as government, it has the total mandate to provide proper direction and development for the Zambian people and assured the nation that most of the developmental projects going on shall be completed by the end of the year and mid-January, 2016.
Meanwhile, Mr Mukanga charged that the time frame for the construction of the multi-billion Kazungula Bridge across the Zambezi River has not changed.
Mr Mukanga said he did not have the latest figures involved on the project but stressed that despite the few challenges encountered on the way, government was on course and still committed to ensuring that the bridge is constructed.
He disclosed that initially, government had some challenges with the Japanese who had wanted to have a hand in the contractor to engage on the project because of the funding which was coming from them, adding that the problem has since been resolved.
Mr Mukanga explained that government had to put things straight in order to follow the rules of the game and in the process the Korean contractor was brought on board.
THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested eight peasant farmers in different parts of the country for trafficking in more than 40 tonnes of cannabis.
In a statement released in Lusaka today by DEC public relations officer Theresa Katongo said among those arrested is Francis Chabatala, 43, a peasant farmer of Lukumba village in Kafue District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 33 tonnes and the Commission in Lusaka has also destroyed 50 tonnes of abandoned cannabis in the same village.
Others arrested are Clever Mweemba, 35, a peasant farmer of Mungolo village in Monze District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants intercropped with maize weighing 4.8 tonnes and for trafficking in 1.5 tonnes of loose cannabis.
Also arrested in Mungolo village is Kelyson Mweemba a 57 year-old peasant farmer for trafficking in 900kg of loose cannabis.
The Commission in Mumbwa has also arrested and jointly charged Catherine Chinsunkhulu, 47, with her husband Andrew Mukwanya, 38 of Mwambi village in Chibombo rural for trafficking in 634.7kg of cannabis. Also arrested in the same village is Joe Chisunkhulu, 27, for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 521.6kg.
In North Western Province the Commission has arrested Edward Sakuwaha, 34, a peasant farmer of Kabompo area for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 460kg and Noel Nkinda, 32, a peasant farmer of Kakula area in Mwinilunga District for trafficking in 1.3kg of loose cannabis.
Government says inculcating the spirit of entrepreneurship in young is key to enhancing high levels of productivity in the country.
Minister of Labour and Social Security Fackson Shamenda said people, who learn about entrepreneurship at a tender age, have the capacity to contribute positively to the economic development of the country.
Mr. Shamenda said government remains committed to supporting organisations that strive to help young people in the country to become self-sustainable.
The Minister said this in Lusaka today when he officiated at the handing over of 8 vehicles worth $80,000 by Dynalab International Zambia to each of its deserving individual distributors.
Mr. Shamenda commended Dynalab International Zambia for promoting entrepreneurship through self-driven employment.
He has since praised Dynalab for supplementing government efforts in the promotion of agriculture development using organic fertilisers, prevention and treatment of diseases through its health products.
And Dynalab Zambia International General Manager Oluka Samuel said his company was committed to enhancing health, sustaining wealth creation and sharing opportunities with everyone regardless of their background.
The Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) has described as a success the building material loan scheme which was launched in 2003.
BETUZ Secretary General Jeffrey Simuntala says seven hundred and thirty three thousand Kwacha has since been spent on the building loan scheme.
Mr. Simuntala told ZANIS that the teacher union was targeting to reach two thousand teachers by the end of this year.
He explained that two hundred and thirty five teachers have so far benefited from the time the loan project was launched.
The union leader says the number of beneficiaries keeps increasing as the programme is aimed at empowering teachers to build their own houses before they retire.
He said more teachers belonging to the union have shown interest to receive subsidized building materials once some teachers are weaned off the programme.
Mr. Simuntala said one major challenge faced was that of teachers grappling with acquiring plots on which to build the houses.
He however said the union has since engaged the district councils countrywide to assist the union members in acquiring plots on which to build teacher houses.
Lands Minister Ngimbu is being welcomed by a Youth representative during Youth Day celebrations in Solwezi.
LANDS and Natural Resources Minister Christabel Ngimbu has said foreigners are not restricted by any law to own land in Zambia.
Ms Ngimbu said the government is working on revising the land policy so that more local people can access land.
The minister said in an interview that many Zambians want to own land but most of it is owned by foreigners who are reselling at high prices.
“The government is working on revising the land policy so that the locals can be empowered to also own land but foreigners under the current law are not prohibited from owning land,” she said.
Meanwhile, the ministry of Lands is studying reports where Livingstone and Ndola city councils reportedly demarcated ungazzetted land in the forest reserves.
Lands minister Christabel Ngimbu said that the two reports were being studied to ascertain what happened and who was involved before action could be taken.
“I won’t rest until the culprits are brought to book. I don’t care whether the people involved are from the ministry or the council.
Stern action would be taken as deterrent measures to avoid this illegality,” Ms Ngimbu said.
Livingstone City Council was reported to have demarcated ungazetted land, a forest reserve, while Ndola City council also demarcated and sold plots on a piece of land it was not authorised to subdivide.
Ms Ngimbu said it was sad that the councils have taken illegal sale of land as an income generating venture, when they were merely agents of the ministry and are not by law allowed to sale land.
The formulation of the Land Policy which is process would curtail illegal land allocation countrywide.
Government undertook countrywide consultations which culminated into a Draft Land Policy in 2006 which would be revised.
Interviews have been conducted to select the consultant to review the 2006 Draft Land Policy but the successful applicant was yet to be communicated to.
The contract for the consultant has been to the ministry of Justice for clearance.
The objective of the consultant would be to review the draft policy and identify the gaps, identify critical land issues that should be addressed in the Land Policy.
The consultant would also review land policies from selected countries highlighting provisions that have worked to foster economic growth, equity in land distribution and security of tenure.
Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA) Chairperson Eugene Kabilika believes the main reason for illegal allocation of land is lack of strong legal framework that is accepted by all key players in land administration.
ZLA is a network of Non-Governmental Organisations working for just land policies and laws that take into account the interests of the poor.
The organisation promotes secured access, ownership and control over land through lobbying and advocacy, research and community participation.
Lands and Natural resources minister Christabel Ngimbu has said foreigners are not restricted by any law to own land in Zambia.Ms Ngimbu said the government is working on revising the land policy so that more local people can access land.
The minister said in an interview that many Zambians want to own land but most of it is owned by foreigners who are reselling at high prices.
“The government is working on revising the land policy so that the locals can be empowered to also own land but foreigners under the current law are not prohibited from owning land,” she said.
Meanwhile, the ministry of Lands is studying reports where Livingstone and Ndola city councils reportedly demarcated ungazzetted land in the forest reserves.Lands minister Christabel Ngimbu said that the two reports were being studied to ascertain what happened and who was involved before action could be taken.
“I won’t rest until the culprits are brought to book. I don’t care whether the people involved are from the ministry or the council.Stern action would be taken as deterrent measures to avoid this illegality,” Ms Ngimbu said.
Livingstone City Council was reported to have demarcated ungazetted land, a forest reserve, while Ndola City council also demarcated and sold plots on a piece of land it was not authorised to subdivide.
Ms Ngimbu said it was sad that the councils have taken illegal sale of land as an income generating venture, when they were merely agents of the ministry and are not by law allowed to sale land.The formulation of the Land Policy which is in the process would curtail illegal land allocation countrywide.
Government undertook countrywide consultations which culminated into a Draft Land Policy in 2006 which would be revised.Interviews have been conducted to select the consultant to review the 2006 Draft Land Policy but the successful applicant was yet to be communicated to.The contract for the consultant has been sent to the ministry of Justice for clearance.
The objective of the consultant would be to review the draft policy and identify the gaps, identify critical land issues that should be addressed in the Land Policy.The consultant would also review land policies from selected countries highlighting provisions that have worked to foster economic growth, equity in land distribution and security of tenure.
Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA) Chairperson Eugene Kabilika believes the main reason for illegal allocation of land is lack of strong legal framework that is accepted by all key players in land administration.
ZLA is a network of Non-Governmental Organisations working for just land policies and laws that take into account the interests of the poor.The organisation promotes secured access, ownership and control over land through lobbying and advocacy, research and community participation.
While the youth football national teams had failed to spark in international competition so far this year, their minor sports counterparts have been struggling with issues of their own.
Badminton and Squash both failed to send their best prospects for continental junior competition last week.
The Badminton Under-15 team failed to travel to the Badminton Africa Junior Championship in Egypt due to logistical reasons.
Zambia’s no-show four-member Under-15 team included African boys’ champion Kalombo Mulenga who failed to travel to defend the title he won in 2014.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Squash Association also failed to send a five-member Under-20 team to the 2015 All-African Junior Championship that was hosted by Botswana over the weekend.
The sad thing about the squash team that was picked from Nkana Squash clubs’ successful junior programme is that the same team had just come back from a club-sponsored competition in Pretoria, South Africa just a fortnight earlier.
The Squash team travelled to South Africa courtesy of Mopani Copper Mines who offered the team a return trip on the company jet.
File:A dormitory in a boarding school in rural Zambia
Kenneth Kaunda Boarding Secondary School in Chinsali district of Muchinga province is in a deplorable condition, forcing pupils to sleep on the floor and deplorable sanitary conditions are a possible health risk to students.
This came to light when Muchinga Province Minister, Mwiimba Malama, inspected the institution which was opened 50 years ago but has never received any serious maintenance or rehabilitation works since.
School Head teacher, Blackwell Silwenga, explained that the learning institution is faced with various challenges to host the required 1,500 pupil enrolment forcing it to cut the number to half following the introduction of co-education.
Mr Silwengwa said some of the classroom blocks have since been turned into hostels without bedding facilities such as bunkers and mattresses forcing pupils to sleep on the floor while the sanitary facility is also in a deplorable state and cannot serve the overwhelming numbers of pupils.
The head teacher commended the Provincial Education Officer (PEO), Jobbicks Kalumba, for working flat out to source the K 340,000 that has helped to work on the water reticulation system and the sanitary facility which has not improved as water is rationed and pupils have to rely on pit latrines.
And Mr Kalumba told the visiting Minister that the living conditions are unhygienic and the situation is not conducive for a learning environment.
Mr Kalumba explained that proposals to turn the institution into a national school have been shelved because of poor infrastructure and inadequate facilities to serve pupils that may be enrolled from different parts of the country.
The PEO described the learning environment and boarding facility as a total mess and unhygienic not suitable for human safety which can serve as a haven for over 700 pupils in the same place.
Speaking after inspecting the institution, Muchinga Province Minister, Mwiimba Malama, who is also a former pupil of 1994 Grade 12 in-take, apologised to the pupils for the deplorable state of the institution, saying he will ensure that he lobbies for funds from well standing people in society who once passed through the school to help out.
He said government will do its part as the school is named after a very important statesman, First Republican President, Dr.Kenneth Kaunda, and is a stone throw from his birth place at Lubwa where late President Michael Sata decided to build a university.
The minister encouraged pupils to study hard and desist from being indiscipline, saying the foundation of any bright future is when they study hard and excel in every subject they take at school.
In a vote of thanks, school head girl, Ruth Namukonda, appealed to government to improve the appalling situation at the institution, saying there is need to stock the library, improve access to clean water and create enough bed spaces in the dormitories so that learning environment is conducive.
Evelyn Hone College
University of Zambia political science lecturer Dr Alex Ngoma has called on authorities at Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka to remove the statue of Sir Evelyn Hone at the college.
Sir Evelyn Hone was the last Governor of Northern Rhodesia from 1959 until Zambia’s independence in 1964 and died in September 1979 but his statue his still standing on college grounds.
Dr Ngoma said time has come for Zambia to remove all the statutes of colonialists in the country.
He said Zambia has been independent for over 50 years and that there is no need to keep statues of colonial leaders.
Dr Ngoma said management at Evelyn Hone College should emulate their counterparts at Cape Town University who removed the statue of British colonists Cecil Rhodes.
He said the removal of Sir Rhodes statue is justified because South Africa is no longer under colonial rule.
Wynter Kabimba
Rainbow Party President Wynter Kabimba has charged that the ruling PF is broke and its coffers are dry.
Mr Kabimba who is former PF Secretary General said the party is now broke because all financiers have stopped funding the party.
He said the financiers have cut funding to the PF because the party does not inspire confidence.
Mr Kabimba said he managed to mobilise financial resources for the PF when he served as Secretary General because a lot of organisations believed in the ideals and values of the PF then.
He was commenting on demands by PF youths in Lusaka led by former Chairman Benjamin Siwela for Mr Kabimba to account for the funds he allegedly mismanaged during his reign as Secretary General.
Mr Kabimba said the PF find ways of raising its resources than engaging in witch-hunt over the lack of funds in the party.
He revealed that the PF had a two tier bank signatory system with late President Michael Sata and himself being in tier A while party Treasurer Emmanuel Chenda and Matero MP Miles Sampa were signatories in tier B.
Mr Kabimba said the party youths asking about the financial status of the party should instead forward their queries to Mr Chenda and Mr Sampa.
‘One of the four signatories Michael Sata died, am no longer with the party but Mr Chenda and Mr Sampa are still there, they should ask them,’ he said.
When the PF Government introduced the new mining tax regime in the 2015 national budget, we cautioned against the move. We warned them that the failure to properly consult industry could end up doing more harm than good if the end result was mine closures and job losses.
In developing tax administration reform for the mining sector the first consideration must always be what policy will ultimately deliver the greatest benefit to the Zambian people. In this case the greatest benefit will come from those policies that increase jobs and opportunities for Zambian businesses, as well as revenues collected by Government that can then be invested in education and healthcare.
With these objectives clearly in mind proper consultation is needed to develop effective policies that complement the Government’s broader approach to economic management. This was clearly lacking in the case of the rise in royalty rates announced in the 2015 budget and has since led to one major investor publicly stating their intention to withdraw. This is an investor who currently contributes US$45 million in revenues each year, and perhaps more importantly is responsible for hundreds and even thousands of employees who have their own dependents, as well as employees hired by subcontractors who service the mine. If the increased royalty rate leads to mine closure and delays of planned investment then it will actually have an impact of reducing total revenues and the number of jobs. A situation in which no one benefits.
Increasing royalty rates in this case was not a sensible approach and is negatively impacting investment prospects. This is because no two mines have the same cost structure of production even if they had the same level of production or revenues. If you take an example of two mines, both open cast, and they produce 10 metric tons a year. From a revenue perspective under the current regime both are taxed US$12,220 i.e. 20% of 10 metric tons at a price of US$6,110 a ton. However, Mine A spends US$2,340 to produce a ton of copper and Mine B spends US$4,670 to produce a ton. This means Mine A will make gross profit of US$25,480 and Mine B gross profit of US$2,180. While the Chamber of Mines issued an early warning of the likely result of this policy the Government chose to press on regardless and now finds itself in a panic once again.
In any case the focus on increasing royalty rates is misdirected as the problem we have faced with revenues to date are largely due to collection of what is owed. The solution is not to increase the tax but rather to ensure that all taxes owed are properly recorded and collected, and that further investment is also facilitated so that revenues and jobs can both increase, and not one at the expense of the other. What use is increasing the level of tax if we are not properly collecting the existing amount? Government can also help secure greater benefits for Zambians through supporting local businesses to participate in the industry and both drive and benefit from economic growth. Job creation and stimulation of local economies and enterprises are activities that can directly benefit the people. Their benefit should not be undervalued.
Unfortunately the PF have been too arrogant and rigid to listen to differing points of view, as they have also been with farmers, nurses and teachers who have all struggled to have their voices heard under a Government that shows little interest in consultation. As the PF Government has failed to establish a wider vision of what they are aiming for, policy development has too often been left to the personal whims of ministers and State House operatives, hence all the uncertainty and U-turns which stunt economic growth and delay the delivery of benefits to the Zambian people. President Lungu has already displayed a worrying reliance on issuing directives; making manoeuvres that would cause any serious investor to question the consistency of policies and reliability of a Government.
Here is our proposal and advice to Edgar Lungu and the PF government:
(i) Before you meddle with the taxation system make sure you are collecting what is owed under the current system
(ii) Consult widely and be transparent in developing policy, also ensuring that ministers and State House are in agreement over a policy before it is announced to avoid U-turns only a few weeks later
(iii) Remember that policy consistency is essential for industry growth and industry growth will naturally deliver greater revenues, as well as creating much needed jobs and opportunities for local businesses which directly benefit the Zambian people.
