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Power Dynamos striker Jimmy Ndhlovu is confident his club will triumph against CF Mounana of Gabon in the first round of the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup in a fortnight.
Mounana reached the first round after thumping Polisi of Zanzibar 8-1 on aggregate.
The Gabonese club will host Power in the first leg on March 15 in Libreville.
Ndhlovu said he was expecting a tough game against Mounana.
“It is going to be a tough fixture as usual. You know in this competition there is no small team so it is going to be tricky but we
will work hard,” he said in Kitwe on Tuesday.
Power are in the first round after overcoming Sudanese club Al Khartoum 2-1 on aggregate.
“We are playing the first game away so we will finish them at home. We respect all our opponents but you don’t have to fear them. Every team is beatable in football,” Ndhlovu said.
Mounana was founded in 2006 and won their only league title in 2012.
Goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene and two other foreign-based Zambian player’s were in continental club cup action for their respective team’s over the weekend.
SOUTH AFRICA
-Mweene was in goals for Mamelodi Sundowns in their Champions League preliminary round, final leg 3-0 home win over St Michel of The Seychelles on Saturday in Pretoria.
Sundowns advanced 4-1 on aggregate to book a first round date with TP Mazembe who they will host on March 14.
-Striker Christopher Katongo was rested for Bidvest Wits away match at Royal Leopards of Swaziland on Saturday.
Wits were eliminated 7-6 on post-match penalties after Royal Leopards won 3-0 to see the tie finish 3-3 on aggregate.
ZIMBABWE
Defender Aaron Katebe was on the bench for a second successive continental game for FC Platinum who beat Sofapaka of Kenya 2-1 to advance 4-2 on aggregate in the Confederation Cup.
Platinum will face Young Africans of Tanzania in the first round, first leg away match on March 14 in Dar-es-Salaam next week.
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) cadres this morning harassed Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and Daily Nation newspapers reporters who went to cover police searching UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s house in Lusaka.
The journalists were first ordered not to go inside the yard but remain outside of which they complied.
The cadres later pounced on the journalists from the two media who had ran for their safety though the police rescued them from the agitated UPND cadres.
Information and Broadcasting Services minister Chishimba Kambwili has castigated the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema for unleashing cadres on the journalists.
“How can HH be president if he can’t control his cadres and claims that he controls the state intelligence, he needs to sober up and show leadership,” Mr Kambwili said.
And the Minister has released the statement below
STATEMENT BY HON. CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, MP, MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON UPND CADRES BEATING UP ZNBC JOURNALISTS
Government condemns in the strongest terms the beating up of ZNBC journalists by opposition UPND cadres.
This was at UPND leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s house in Lusaka where journalists had gone to cover a police search this morning.
The harassment of the journalists is uncivilized, undemocratic and unacceptable.
It is a gross violation of media freedom, a fundamental pre-requisite for a flourishing democracy.
Government calls on all well meaning Zambians to condemn this act as it is incompatible with our democratic dispensation that espouses freedom of the media and freedom of expression.
It is time HH and his party practised mature politics by restraining and condemning his cadres from violence against the media.
Police have every right to question anyone suspected of wrongdoing just as the media equally have every right to report on any issue of public interest.
HH, therefore, has no right to harass journalists who are merely carrying out their role of informing the public.
Journalists are mere messengers of the people who do not deserve to be harassed by Mr Hichilema for his own troubles with the law.
It is clear to us that UPND is a party of extremists who do not have the interest of the people of Zambia at heart going by their undemocratic actions such as today’s beating up of journalists.
Chishimba Kambwili, MP MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON 3rd March, 2015
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda delivering the 2015 budget
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda has attributed the depreciation of the Kwacha to the strengthening of the US dollar against all currencies as the American economy has grown at a faster and higher pace than other advanced economies following the 2008 global financial crises.
The kwacha has since end 2013 depreciated by 24.3 percent against the US dollar while the Euro has depreciated by 20.5 percent, the Rand by 11.7 percent and the pound by 7.9 percent. Of course, Zambia being a commodity exporting economy is more affected than other economies.
In a ministerial statement to Parliament, Mr Chikwanda said the US economic strength is largely premised on quantitative easing, a sophisticated way of purchasing existing bond obligations and unleashing huge resources to create new commitments which triggers economic stimulation.
Mr Chikwanda said this includes cheaper mortgages that spur booms in housing construction, a process that can only be salutary for any economy.
‘Sir, on the domestic front, the major reason for the weakening of the Kwacha is the palpable demand/supply disequilibrium. In other words, the demand for dollars principally and other currencies exceeds supply. At the beginning of the year, the foreign exchange earnings inflows are slow because of the time lag effects in the realization of export earnings, while lower copper prices have further constrained supply conditions. In general, net monthly supply of foreign exchange in 2014 exceeded us$100 million. However, at the beginning of 2015 this fell to around us$85 million,’ he stated.
He said the hard currency earnings will improve as the fiscal year progresses, especially from the mining sector as volumes increase and copper prices continue to trend upwards as has been the case in the last week.
The Finance Minister said Government will continue to monitor the situation and will through the Central Bank take the necessary measures to forestall excesses in exchange rate movements.
‘Any intervention by the Bank of Zambia can only be, per force or of necessity, a measured response. The bank has to strike a delicate balance between preventing drastic slippages in the kwacha parity and preserving our reserves, which are not lavish. On the fiscal side, we will compliment the efforts of the bank by continuing our fiscal consolidation process that will assist in moderating demand conditions for foreign exchange.’
He said over the long-term horizon, increased export earnings will never be a matter of fiat adding that as a country, Zambia must just put its act together to increase and quicken activity in sectors such as agriculture, which have relatively shorter and bearable gestation periods.
‘The tourism sector has potential to contribute, but this will require reinforcing infrastructure and services in this sector. It cannot be a one-day wonder,’ he said.
Mr Chikwanda added, ‘Sir, exchange rates have a relation to the economic status of any country. In Zambia, the participation of our nationals in the economy, except for small-scale agriculture, is uncomfortably low. We import a lot of goods that can be produced locally. The absence of even scanty processing outfits is mind-boggling. This is a big challenge to our many entrepreneurs. Import substitution, when the volumes are adequate to ensure reasonable unit costs, is as good as exporting for purposes of foreign exchange.’
The Finance Minister said, ‘let us look at the Kwacha parity in a wider global context because we are not an island but an integral part of the wider global economy. The government will always be mindful of the possible injurious effects of a weakened national currency. A robust and diversified agricultural sector can generate export earnings to furnish the country with enough and reliable hard currency to permit assured kwacha stability. This is the only conceivable way forward for the longer-term.’
He said the nation should not to be unduly alarmed by movements in the exchange rates as this has the effect of inducing speculation, which in turn artificially sways the exchange rate away from fundamentals.
‘In a market economy such as ours, movements in the rate are the order of the day. It is not too long ago when we paid 70 ngwee (or k700 in un-rebased currency) for 1 South African rand. We can now buy a rand for less than 60 ngwee.’
A 35 year old Zambian lady has been arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Force of Pakistan for trafficking in cocaine.
In statement released in Lusaka yesterday by Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) public relations officer Theresa Katongo, Patricia Malambo, 35, was arrested at Bacha Khan international Airport, Peshawar in Islamabad Pakistan for having concealed 17 cocaine filled capsules in her rectum weighing 0.190kg. The suspect was travelling from Johannesburg to Pakistan via Doha.
Meanwhile, a former Finance Manager at the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) has been arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Anti – Money Laundering Investigations Unit for money laundering activities involving K 90,000.
Godfrey Kaoma, 43, a former YWCA employee of Plot Number 23147 PHI in Lusaka has been arrested for forgery, stealing by clerk and servant and money laundering contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Mr Kaoma in his capacity as Finance Manager at YWCA on dates unknown but between 1 January, 2006 and 30 December, 2007 jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown stole K90, 000 property of YWCA Council of Zambia and uttered cheques at YWCA’s Bankers where they were honoured. The suspect thereafter engaged directly or indirectly in business transactions by investing in a laundry business in Lusaka’s PHI area using the proceeds of crime.
And the Commission in other parts of the country has arrested Oliver Hachinyeme, 36, a peasant farmer of Simalele village in Kalomo district for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 55kg, Mutemwa Mutemwa, 32, a peasant farmer of Lusinina village in Shang’ombo district for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 45.8kg and Brian Mbewe, 41, a peasant farmer of Simalele village for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 30.2kg.
Road Traffic and Safety Agency director Zindaba Soko (c) and Principal Engineer Mubanga Mulenga(l) pointing at the run-down edge of the Kitwe-Chingola Road cited as a safety hazard
THE Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) has summoned 15 public service bus operators to explain why the agency should not suspend or revoke their Road Service Licences (RSL).
RTSA chief executive officer Zindaba Soko said that the agency has recorded 16 road traffic accidents involving passenger public service vehicles were 13 people died and 178 injured.
The operators include Mazhandu family bus services, CR holdings, Power Tools, Jitotwe bus services, Lombeson bus services, Lameck Ngona, CEA Fire comfort liners, Benard Moyo, Victor Mbao, Grand enterprises, Capital buses (Flash buses), Javice Mutale, Simon Kalunga and Euro Africa bus services and RK motorways .
Investigations by the RTSA have indicated that most of the road traffic accidents involving public service vehicles were mainly due to excessive speed and other human errors.
“As regulators of passenger public service vehicles, we are not going to allow such a situation to be left unchecked, but we are going to ensure that we enforce the Road Traffic Act in its totality to prevent any further road traffic accidents,” Mr Soko.
Mr Soko said the agency is summoning the operators whose buses were involved in the accidents so that they may explain why the agency should not suspend or revoke their road service licences.
“If found wanting the agency will not hesitate to suspend or revoke Road Service Licences (RSL) to operators who are not managing their fleet in accordance to the conditions of the RSL,” he added.
Mr Soko has also warned drivers who victimize passengers who advise them to reduce speed, saying by doing so they are flouting the Road Transport Act that the agency will prosecute such drivers.
Former Lusaka Mayor Mulenga Sata (l) Newly elected Lusaka Mayor George Nyendwa (C) and Former Lusaka Mayor Danial Chisenga at Lusaka’s Civic Centre after the mayoral elections
Chaisa Ward 20 Councilor George Nyendwa is the new mayor for the City of Lusaka.
Councilor Nyendwa takes over from Kabulonga Ward 16 Councilor Mulenga Sata who was recently appointed Deputy Minister at State House President Edgar Lungu.
Councilor Nyendwa is one of the oldest serving councilors at Lusaka City Council with more than 10 years experience in the chambers.
Returning officer Alex Mwansa announced the election of Councilor Nyendwa this morning after the elections.
And speaking after his election, Mr. Nyendwa thanked the councilors for electing him and has called for support from all councilors in order to improve Lusaka City.
‘Firstly my strength will come from my fellow Councilors, I will be not be excited because of this position because I have been a Councilors for many years, I urge all my fellow Councilors that from now we have to start working for our people now,’ Mr Nyendwa said.
And former Lusaka City Mayor Mulenga Sata congratulated Mr. Nyendwa and pledged his full support in helping him improve the city.
Newly elected Lusaka Mayor George Nyendwa in his new office at Lusaka’s Civic Centre after the mayoral elections
Police at the former residence of United Party For National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema
The presidential directive to search opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema’s houses for classified documents has yielded nothing after police conducted an 11 hour search.
The police who arrived at Mr Hichilema’s other house in Lusaka’s plush Kabulonga residential area at around 06 Hours conducted their search until 10 Hours before proceeding to his other Mansion in New Kasama which also produced no results.
The other search operation at the UPND Secretariat in Rhodespark area failed to proceed after Mr Hichilema’s lawyers objected to the operation because the police produced a defective search warrant.
The officers were however allowed to search Mr Hichilema’s Mansion in New Kasama and had accessed to all the rooms in the house in the presence of his lawyers.
Mr Hichilema who witnessed the operation remained calm during the entire ordeal.
The officers on the scene who spoke on condition of anonymity said they are looking for classified documents as directed by President Edgar Lungu.
The officers left Mr Hichilema’s residence around lunch time and proceeded to Service Headquarters where they indicated that a fresh search operation would be conducted at the party Secretariat once the defective search warrant is replaced with a new one.
But in interviews with Journalists, Mr Hichilema said the search is part of President Lungu’s methods to intimidate the opposition.
Mr Hichilema vowed that he will not be intimidated by anyone including President Lungu.
He however clarified that his statement about controlling the operations of the state intelligence system was taken out of context by the Daily Nation Newspaper.
Mr Hichilema said what he said at the news conference last week was that he has access to state intelligence reports before President Lungu gets them.
He said this was in relation to a report he received that President Lungu had sent some state operatives to South Africa and spending K 10 million to study ways of weakening the UPND.
HH flanked by party officials at his New Kasama mansion after the searchHH speaks on the phone as his special adviser Douglas Siakalima and Radio Phoenix Journalist Priscillah Chipulu positions herself for an interviewThe front view of HH’s mansion in New Kasama todayPolice at the former residence of United Party For National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema
President Edgar Lungu during the Swearing in Ceremony of Mr Malcom Mutale Mulenga Deputy IG, Stanslous Agrippa Mukuka Chewe as Commissioner of Police Northern Province,Mr Hudson Namachila Commissioner of Police Eastern Province,Mr Auxensio Daka Commisioners
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is appealing to President Lungu to moderately exercise his powers and control of security forces such as the police force by avoiding issuing directives as was the custom with past Presidents to arrest opposition leaders for political statements they make. The directive to the police to investigate Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema and his eventual arrest will dent the good image the President has, of late, been building and will defeat his message on the need for tolerance.
If the President found the statement by the UPND leader that he controls the Office of the President criminal, he should have done some personal reflection on why the entire Police Command had not acted or moved in to enforce the law against Hakainde Hichilima but had to wait for him to give a directive to investigate and arrest HH for remarks that were issued many days ago. And if truly President Lungu had found the words by HH criminal during his reflection and that the police were not arresting or investigating HH, the best he would have done was to put his house in order and not directing who should be investigated or arrested.
[pullquote]We all remember that President Lungu’s late boss, Mr. Sata used to openly boast that he had PF members in Rupiah Banda’s Cabinet itself and that he knew what RB dreamed even before Rupiah Banda even dreamt it.[/pullquote]
We feel the speed at which the Police are moving in to investigate and arrest HH will send a wrong signal about the reign of President Lungu. President Lungu has been trying to rebuild the country’s human rights image which was dented and it would be wrong for him to begin directing the police to investigate and arrest citizens who issue such political statements as controlling the OP.
We all remember that President Lungu’s late boss, Mr. Sata used to openly boast that he had PF members in Rupiah Banda’s Cabinet itself and that he knew what RB dreamed even before Rupiah Banda even dreamt it. Late President Sata used to make the same boast when he was the opposition leader but he was not arrested for such political statements, and there is nothing even remotely criminal in a politician spewing such statements which are nothing but political bluster.
The directive to investigate and arrest HH will only serve to show that the President has no confidence in his men and women under the OP. We wonder what charge the Police will concoct to just please the President that they have Hakainde Hichilima in court because we know that our laws have no charges for idle boasting. We think that what the UPND leader said is nothing but a political statement intended to make the president uncomfortable, and HH seems to have succeeded as can be seen by the directive.
The least the the President should have done was to warn HH about making statements which have a tendency to undermine state security. That would have been enough. Then he should have ordered an INTERNAL investigation to uncover the mole, if there is one. That is how you deal with state security – on the quiet, and then drop a bombshell once you have the culprit
Isaac Mwanza
Governance Advisor
The Secretariat
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)
Action Aid Zambia says the move by Cabinet to rename the Revenue Appeals Tribunal as the Tax Tribunal is not enough as long as it is not strengthened.
Action Aid Zambia country Director Pamela Chisanga said her organisation will have to look at the contents of the bill before making a comprehensive statement on the issue.
Ms Chisanga sayid there is need for the tribunal to perform the functions for which it was created.She said changing the name will not matter for as long as the tribunal is not doing what it is suppose to do.
Ms Chisanga said Action Aid looks forward to seeing what other things are being done to strengthen the tribunal other than changing its name.
Cabinet has approved a bill to rename the revenue appeals tribunal as the tax appeals tribunal.
Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili pointed out that the purpose of the change is to ensure that the name accurately describes the functions of the tribunal.
Kalulushi Mayor Howard Simpemba (l) with government and council officials inspect structures erected on the Nkana Water and Sewerage Company service lines in the district
Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) has commended President Edgar Lungu for stating that he will not interfere in the operations of the councils.
The ZCSD said this is a positive indicator towards political will in supporting and deepening of the Decentralisation reforms in Zambia.
In the past, councils have been frustrated by government’s interference in the collection of levies that were effectively introduced as a means of broadening local revenue base. The President named crop and bicycle taxes as an example of the levies that were cancelled by central government.
The ZCSD finds the President’s commitment not to interfere in the operations of councils to be very commendable considering that financial transfers from central government to local authorities are not only inadequate but also unpredictable and untimely.
The ZCSD acknowledges that decentralisation is not only a question of transferring functions to the different levels of local government but it is also about the extent to which local governments are empowered to raise the revenue level of local taxes, licenses and levies. A greater degree of revenue autonomy on the part of local authorities may positively contribute to pro-poor outcomes.
ZCSD noted that own-source revenues are usually important sources of discretionary expenditure for local governments. Therefore, this will permit the local authorities to respond effectively to local needs and priorities, thus accruing the “allocative efficiencies” of resources that decentralisation is supposed to bring about.
ZCSD said it’s their sincere hope and belief that this commitment points towards commitment to create an enabling environment for local authorities to take up their developmental role. Successful fiscal decentralisation requires a meaningful dialogue between local and central governments, an appropriate set of legal and institutional arrangements for local government local revenue management, service delivery and a system of incentives.
For this commitment by the president to function properly, there is need to squash the office of the district commissioner which has been playing a conflicting role at local authority levels as Town Clerks and District Secretaries have been rendered irrelevant. The abolishment of this office will not only allow Local Authorities and other government departments at district level to operate independently and professionally but will also save public resources which would be channeled to poverty reduction programmes. Maintaining the office the district commissioners is an affront to decentralisation reform processes.
After the scandal that almost ended his career , Bobby East is back with the video for his new single “Do or Die” . The song features Pertersen and Izrael( formally exile) .
United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema at the funeral of slain UPND member Grayser Matapa
After reading Laura Miti’s reported statement in Lusaka Times of 2nd March 2015 headlined “What was Hakainde Hichilema’s role in the Grazier Matapa funeral fiasco” I am compelled to give a response. From the outset I must say that I respect Laura and I support her cause as I identify myself with that cause in all scheme of things political in Zambia. Laura is an important person in the area of shaping opinion on any matter she chooses to comment on. However, allowing her statement to go without calibration is to do injustice to matters surrounding the “fiasco”.
Reading the five questions Laura asked and the rest of the statement as reported left me feeling the volley of bullets were directed at the wrong and soft target. What difference does it make whether the party leadership authorised the carrying of the coffin through the streets of Lusaka or not? It is my opinion that such an act is a choice of freedom of expression. It sends a strong message to those who choose violence as a way of expressing their partisan political victory. Besides, I would seek the position of learned persons on whether there is any law that prohibits funeral processions on foot.
[pullquote]Besides, I would seek the position of learned persons on whether there is any law that prohibits funeral processions on foot.[/pullquote]
What is “uncultural” about a funeral procession on foot? What made the end appalling and inevitable if not the overzealous and ill cultured police officers? Why did the police have to order the mourners to put the casket on a vehicle? What law did the mourners break by carrying the casket on their shoulders? I am amazed that the police had tear gas for peaceful mourners when they do not use it on panga wielders when they do what they have been schooled to do by their leaders – violence.
On the question of controlling party cadres we must be honest and give praise where it is due. Between the two major parties (PF and UPND) which leadership has had better control of their cadres in the last three years? Who does not know that PF is the mother of violence in today’s Zambia? One sure legacy of the PF is violence, which has pervaded the party to the extent that there has been volatility within the party itself. The PF Police force seemed to have been incorporated into glorifying violence. Carrying pangas has become the new culture that Zambians must not allow to get into our blood stream.
I find the question directed at the UPND and especially President Hichilema on justifying violence rather condescending. The UPND were the ones that the police tear-gassed. There has been no report from any quarter to the effect that the mourners started the fiasco.
Lecturing HH and his party on the need to do something to ensure their cadres understand whatever “cardinal point” is shooting at a soft target; addressing symptoms and not the root cause of current political violence. What all Zambians must do is discourage any form of violence from any section of our society. Ultimately, those we elect into government have greater responsibility of ensuring that every Zambian understands how democracy works.
President Edgar Lungu swears in Lucky Mulusa as Special Assistant for Project Monitoring and Implementation at State House in Lusaka on 3 March 2015
President Edgar Lungu has appointed and sworn in former MMD Solwezi Central Member of Parliament Lucky Mulusa as State House Special Assistant for Project Monitoring and Implementation.
President Lungu also appointed and swore in Daniel Siwo and Flatela Msiska as his Private Secretaries.
And speaking to Journalists shortly after he was sworn in at State House, Mr. Mulusa said he was humbled by the appointment.He observed that there are perennial challenges in the national budget implementation which he said needs addressing.
‘This appointment is all about serving the Zambian people and harnessing the skills and making sure that the challenges we face in the implementation of the budget are dealt with,’ Mr Mulusa said.
He added, ‘You know that every year there are challenging in Ministries finishing their projects and yet they are claiming that they are being underfunded and at the same time there are budget over runs and projects are not been completed.We need to probe reasons why projects are not completed and why project funds are not released on time and why we still record budget over runs,’Mr. Mulusa said.
‘We need to realise that failure to complete projects efficiently is a huge cost to the public especially that infrastructural development projects run into the responsibility of responsibility of future generations. This is a huge responsibility and I feel honoured that the President found it suitable that the President found it suitable to give me this job,’Mr.Mulusa said
