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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 will take the necessary steps to save the Tanzania Zambia Railway (TAZARA) from collapse, Transport, Supply, Works and Communications, Yamfwa Mukanga has said.
Mr Mukanga said Government will not allow the collapse of TAZARA and that efforts would be made to ensure that the railway firm operated at its best again.
The Minister said this when China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) vice president Zhao Zhongning called on him.
“It is the desire of the Government to ensure that TAZARA improves its operations and it would be illogical for Zambia to let the railway firm collapse because there are a lot of logistical challenges which need the services of TAZARA,” he said.
This is contained in a statement released by TAZARA head of public relations Conrad Simuchile yesterday.
Mr Mukanga said TAZARA had not only played a key role in the development of the Zambia, but was also good for fostering good relationships with neighbouring countries.
It was the wish of Government to ensure that the TAZARA line was connected and interlinked to many parts of the country in order to enable the railway line become viable within the country through local operations.
“It is for that reason that there are plans by the Zambian government to construct railway spurs to link TAZARA to Mpulungu from Nseluka and to Chipata from Mpika,” Mr Mukanga said.
As construction and rehabilitation of the road infrastructure was going on, it was also necessary to work on the railway network because without functional railways, the roads would continue getting damaged.
Meanwhile, Mr Zhao said he was aware that the Chinese Government’s willingness to reconstruct TAZARA.
Mr Zhao later proceeded to meet Transport, Supply, Works and Communications deputy minister Panji Kaunda, who said that he was excited to hear that the Chinese were willing to reconstruct TAZARA and was looking forward to the day when the rebirth of the firm would be announced.
CCECC is the Chinese state company that surveyed and constructed TAZARA in the 1970’s and Mr Zhao was in the country with television crew to record a documentary on the history of the railway company.
Zambia and Tanzania this year released US$80 million to salvage TAZARA for collapse.
ACTING President Guy Scott has challenged the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to address non-tariff barriers in the spirit of regional integration.
Dr Scott said countries like Zambia were faced with tremendous difficulties in exporting and importing their products as a result of non-trade barriers.
“I have received complaints from the industry all the time on the non-trade barriers that they can’t move their products because of sanitary requirements that someone has brought in,” Dr Scott said.
He was speaking during the 33rd meeting of the Council of Ministers in Lusaka yesterday.
Dr Scott said it was disappointing to note that some countries had continued to request for the certification of yellow fever despite the low prevalence levels of the disease in the country.
“The tourism industry, for example, is made to suffer because of insistence from one of our neighbours to produce the certification despite the low levels of yellow fever prevalence in Zambia,” he said.
Dr Scott said he was concerned with the non-tariff barriers in the agriculture sector, citing sanitary measures imposed by countries such as South Africa.
“We have non-tariff barriers in the agriculture sector and we produce one of the cleanest and purest honey in the world but we can’t export to South Africa, for example, due to sanitary measures,” Dr Scott said.
The meeting was being held under the theme ‘Consolidating intra-COMESA trade through micro, small and medium enterprises development’.
Zambia’s two Sovereign Bonds that were issued in the International Capital Market have continued to post positive performances.
“According to a market assessment made on 4th December, 2014, Zambia’s US$1 billion bond which matures in 2024 is trading at 112.5 percent, thereby making it one of the best priced bonds amongst African Sovereigns.
“In addition, at 95.38 percent, the price for the US$750 million is an improvement from the below 90 percent trade levels recorded in the first half of 2014,” Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba has said.
The Secretary to the Treasury made an assurance in a Statement yesterday that the Ministry of Finance would continue to issue briefs to ensure that credible and accurate information is shared with the public, both locally and in the international socio-economic arena.
Mr. Yamba also disclosed that the yield for the US$750 million bond now stands at 6.13 percent, up from almost 8 percentage levels recorded early this year. On the other hand, the US$1 billion bond yield rate is at 6.68 percent compared to 8.625 percent at issuance in April, 2014.
“This positive performance is a sign of the confidence which international investors have in our economic programs, policy consistency, predictability and assurances of socio-economic stability,” said Mr. Yamba.
FILE: Human Rights activist Brebner Changala takes photographs at the UPND Mandevu Rally.
Civil rights activist Brebner Changala has said that calls for political parties taking part in the 2015 presidential election to disclose their source of funding are justified.
Mr. Changala said that he particularly finds it surprising that political parties that have seemed to have less financial resources are now managing to fly from one place to another only at the time that the country is having an election.
In an interview with Qfm News Mr. Changala said that his suspicions therefore are that most of the political parties taking party in the forthcoming election have their sourced funding from outside the country.
Mr. Changala has warned that the danger of such a situation is that when one political party that is being funded in this manner manages to win the election and forms government the financiers of its campaign will be the one giving direction of how government will be operating.
He said that this will mean that the plight of the people of Zambia will risk being sideline by such kind of a government in a quest to please its campaign financiers.
The civil rights activist said that this will also imply that the people of Zambia will have lost their power over a government which they themselves have voted in.
He said that this is why he particularly thinks that it is important that electorates know exactly where and how their political parties are sourcing funds they are using in the campaigns.
Earlier today United Party for National Development (UPND) declined to reveal its source of political funding.
UPND Deputy Secretary General Kachunga Simusamba said there is no law that compels the opposition political party to name its political funders.
Mr Simusamba charged that revealing the names of individuals and organizations assisting the UPND will be naïve due to the nature of Zambian politics.
In a statement availed to the media in Lusaka today, the deputy Secretary General thanked the organizations and individuals that have continued to support the opposition party as it shows confidence in the party’s ability to deliver.
Recently, Zambian Voice Executive Director Chilufya Tayali challenged political parties contesting the January 20, 2015 Presidential by-election to disclose the source of financing for their campaigns.
Mr Tayali, however is alleged to have charged that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema was courting South African businesses to finance his political campaigns.
Mr Simusamba said UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is a free citizen accorded rights by the Zambian constitution and is at liberty to interact with any one in his business and political undertakings.
He however challenged Mr Tayali to report Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND to Law enforcement agencies if he is convinced that a crime has been committed.
Mr Simusamba urged the Zambian Voice leader to stop fishing in the dark and linking the UPND leader to plundering public resources during the privatization programme.
He said four regimes have come and gone without finding any wrong doing on the part of Mr Hichilema during the privatization process.
Mr Simusamba urged the political analyst to exercise patience and wait for the filing in of presidential nominations to know the worth and assets of Mr Hichilema.
Earlier today
The Lusaka High Court has issued contempt charges against suspended PF Chairperson for Elections Sylvia Masebo and Matero MP Miles Sampa who have been cited for contempt for conducting an illegal General Conference and despite an express Court Order and Injunction not to do so.
According to court papers seen this afternoon, other PF officials facing similar charges are former Secretary General Bridget Attanga, her Deputy Anthony Kasolo and Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe who acted as Chairperson of the Conference and returning officer Germano Kaulongombe.
The five are expected to appear before Judge Mungeni Mulenga to show cause why they should not be sent to prison.
Here is a wrap of some of our foreign based stars who were in action on late Saturday and Sunday.
SOUTH AFRICA
-Ajax Cape Town: Winger Clifford Mulenga came on in the 82nd minute of fourth placed Ajax Cape Town’s scoreless home draw against SuperSport United who are down at number 11.
Sundays game was Cliffords seventh match of the season.
-Celtic/Wits: Mukuka Mulenga was unlucky not to find the target after hitting the beam in the 30th minute in 10th positioned Bloemfontein Celtic’s 1-0 home loss at third placed Bidvest Wits.
Mukuka was substituted in the 79th minute while his ex-Zambia captain Christopher Katongo was replaced by Wits in the 63rd minute.
Mukuka’s club mate and defender Davies Nkausu missed the match.
SWITZERLAND
Midfielder Nathan Sinkala was not picked for Grasshopper’s final game of the year last Saturday evening before the Swiss league went on a two-month winter break that ends of February 7.
Sinkala has played just seven league games since joining the Zurich club on a six month loan from TP Mazembe in July.
Meanwhile, sixth placed Grasshopper lost 1-0 at home on Saturday to number three side Young Boys.
Zambia have qualified to the semifinals Cosafa U20 Cup with a game to spare after beating Namibia on Monday afternoon in Bulawayo.
A first half brace from midfielder Kasashi Lupiya handed Zambia a 2-0 win over Namibia to see them stay top of Group B on maximum six points from two games to seal their place in the semifinals.
Kasashi struck in the 4th and 13th minute to hand Zambia the three points in their penultimate Group B match.
Patrick Ngoma could have added a third goal in the 55th minute but his attempt to chip the ball over Donovan Gainub was telegraphed by the Namibia goalkeeper who flapped the ball out.
Zambia play Lesotho in their final match on Wednesday in Bulawayo to decide their final classification in Group B.
Zambia will in the December 12 semifinals face one of the top two finishers from Group A comprising of Malawi, Angola, Mozambique and hosts Zimbabwe.
The Zambia Centre for Social Development ZCSD has called for the immediate resignation of PF Presidential candidate Edgar Lungu as both Justice and Defense Minister.
ZCSD Executive Director Lewis Mwape says Mr. Lungu should relinquish is ministerial positions as continuing to hold is government positions while he is traversing the nation caniversing for votes is tantamount to day robbery of tax payers.
Mr. Mwape Says Mr. Lungu cannot continue drawing to salaries and allowances from two ministries when he is busy campaigning and not attending to the duties for which he was appointed to save.
He adds that Mr. Lungu’s resignation from the two ministerial positions will demonstrate his integrity and accountability and show the public that he can be trusted as a leader.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mwape has called on political parties to disclose their sources of funding so as to avoid unnecessary suspicion from the public as well as the country being dictated by foreigners in case of them funding parties.
He further said not disclosing the source of funding is also a recipe for corruption hence the need for full disclosure by political parties.
This is contained in statement released to the media by Mr. Mwape.
UPND President Hakainde Hichilema during his campaign trail in Kabwe
United Party for National Development (UPND) has said that they will not disclose the source of their campaign funds because they would love to protect the individual donors and organisations from harassment because of the nature of Zambian politics.
In a statement in response to Chilufya Tayali of Zambia voice who asked the party to reveal the source of their campaign funds, UPND further stated that there was no law that compeled them to reveal their political funders.
Below is the full statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OFFICIAL STATEMENT
8th December 2014
Response to Mr. Chilufya Tayali
As we stated earlier, we are under no obligation whatsoever to respond to Mr. Chilufya Tayali. And Mr. Tayali is not an officer of any law enforcement agency, local or international, for him to compel us to respond to his questions. Nonetheless we decided to respond to him and after this we hope he will instead concentrate on campaigning for his preferred candidate.
He alleges that HH went to South Africa. It is an open secret that Mr Hichilema has been in business for a long time. He has met and will continue to meet many organisations and individuals as a businessman and a politician. These freedoms of association and movement are accorded to Mr Hichilema by our constitution.
If Mr Hichilema has done anything wrong during those alleged visits, surely we could have heard about it from the law enforcement agencies both in Zambia and South Africa. If Mr Tayali has any evidence of Mr Hichilema’s wrong doings with any foreign based organisations or individuals, as a good citizen, he should take such information to the police. As a political leader there is nothing that stops Mr Hichilema to meet other national leaders such as Dr Nevers Mumba and Dr Mumba dealt with this issue recently.
Again there is no law that compels us to reveal our political funders. It would be naive of us to reveal names of individuals and organisations assisting us when we know too well the nature of Zambian politics.
Mr Tayali wants his sponsors to start harassing these noble men and women once we reveal their names. We can only say thank you to them for showing confidence in our ability to deliver a better Zambia. And this privacy clause is not unique to Zambia, even in developed countries, there are anonymous funders who just want the best for the country, so this again is a non-issue.
Actually this is what we would like to ask Mr Tayali to do, we would like him to ask the same questions to Mr Muliokela, Ms Edith Nawakwi, Mr Edgar Lungu, Dr Ludwig Sondashi and Brig Gen. Godfrey Miyanda among others, who is financing their campaigns. What is good for goose must surely be good for the gander. What we can assure Mr Tayali is that even if today there was a law to disclose HH’s campaign funds, we would not be hesitant to disclose them.
On Mr Hichilema’s business interests, Mr Tayali should exercise patience because as a requirement for filing in Presidential nominations, the candidate must declare what they are worth, asset wise. Mr Hichilema will disclose this information between the 17th and 19th of December this year, when he files in his nomination papers. Again Mr Tayali, PACRA is a public institution, please get there and check for the information you are asking Hichilema, we are campaigning.
On privatisation, four (4) presidents have come and gone without finding any wrong doing on the part of Mr Hichilema during the privatisation process. Mr Hichilema was never the principle government agent during the privatisation of any public asset.
The privatisation process was a government programme. We encourage Mr Tayali to read Francis Kaunda’s book, Selling the family silver for him to better understand of the process of ZCCM privatisation. The mine in question that was sold to Binani has a very good account in that book, in summary it was the first mine the Task force led by Mr Kaunda sold and HH was no where near that mine or indeed any other mine that was sold. As a matter of fact Mutembo Nchito’s instructions on appointment by Mr Sata, he was specifically given instructions to investigate the privatisation of the same companies Mr Tayali is asking HH to explain, we are also waiting for the DPP to disclose any wrong doing and we dare him to do so.
The Zambia Privatisation Agency was a public institution which means its records were and are accessible to the public. We can assure you that if you are looking for integrity, then HH is your man.
Kachunga E Simusamba
Deputy Secretary General
UPND
___________________________
UPND Information (PI Dept)
The Lusaka High Court says Matero MP Miles Sampa, his Kasama counterpart Geoffrey Mwamba and former Zambia’s High Commissioner to Nigeria Seleman Phangula cannot be added to the proceedings in the matter in which Party Chairperson Inonge Wina has sued PF Secretary General Bridget Atanga.
Following the High Court decision to deny them an opportunity to be added to the proceeding,s the trio has appealed to the Supreme Court against the ruling.
High Court Judge Mungeni Mulenga ruled that the trio is incompetent to be added to the proceedings.
In their appeal to the Supreme Court, they have argued that they should be added as intended interveners to the proceedings.
Mr Sampa and his two counterparts Mr Mwamba and Captain Phangula applied to join in the proceedings so that they could set aside a consent judgment or seek review of a courts judgment so that they can be heard.
But in her ruling Judge Mulenga stated that the trio were not competent to be added as defendants and would not re-open the matter that was fully determined by the consent judgment.
Mr Sampa and his counterparts Mr Mwamba, and Captain Phangula in their appeal argue that the High Court judge misdirected herself that the trio was incompetent to be added to the proceedings.
They contend that the Judge was wrong at law by dismissing their application.
Mrs Wina on December 1 2014 sued Bridget Atanga in her capacity as PF Secretary General.
Chief Nkolemfumu of the Bemba speaking people in Kasama has called on the electorates to vote for a credible leader in the forth-coming presidential election.
He said people should vote for a sound leader with the vision to develop Zambia.
Chief Nkulemfumu was speaking in an interview with ZANIS at his palace over the weekend.
He said electorates should not exchange their votes with material things, but vote for a leader who is going to unite the country.
The traditional leader appealed to politicians not to engage in character-assassination but conduct issue-based campaigns to woo votes.
He advised voters to attend campaign rallies for all aspiring candidates so that they can scrutinise them and make wise electoral decisions for the country.
Chief Nkolemfumu urged the youths to make informed decisions and not to be used to cause violence during campaigns.
He also cautioned traditional leaders not to engage themselves in active politics, adding that their role is merely advisory to all political players.
And -Police in Northern Province say they are geared to provide adequate security for the forthcoming presidential by-election.
Northern Province police commissioner, Charity Katanga, made the assurance during the police Annual Ball held at Lunzuwa Gardens in Kasama on Friday night.
Ms Katanga told the gathering that police officers in the province had a solemn duty to ensure law and order is upheld during the election.
She said police will not tolerate any violence from any political players.
The police regional chief appealed to politicians to uphold the Public Order Act during their campaigns.
Ms Katanga said police in the northern districts of the country have further been instructed to be firm but fair in administering the law during the elections.
This year’s Annual Ball, whose theme is, ‘Celebrating 50 years of Impartial and Transparency Policing’, was attended by several government officials, businessmen and senior police officers in the province.
Samsung has donated mini-laptops worth US $30,000 to two schools in Shiwangándu District of Muchinga Province.
The donation also included gadgets for internet connectivity from Airtel Zambia to the two beneficiary schools, namely Philip Primary and Shiwangándu Secondary Schools.
Samsung Technical Solution Advisor based in South Africa at the company Regional Headquarters, Leonard Tieane, said the laptops will be officially handed over after the presidential by-election slated for January 20, next year.
Mr Tieane said Samsung would train teachers in the use of ICT in delivering lessons once the gadgets are commissioned.
Mr Tieane said his company had donated 50 laptops that include two teacher laptops and 48 pupil laptops at Philip and Shiwang`andu Schools with 24 pupil laptops and one teacher laptop at each school.
And Northern/Muchinga Zonal Business Manager for Airtel, Adrian Munalisa, said Airtel had partnered with Samsung to change the lives of vulnerable children in the community because Corporate Social Responsibility was an important part of its business.
Mr Munalisa said Airtel had provided free internet connectivity for the solar-powered schools set by Samsung electronics.
He said the seamless internet connectivity will enable school-going children to be connected to the rest of the world in search of information.
Mr Munalisa noted that Airtel would continue to collaborate and work with various institutions through investing in local communities.
And Shiwangándu Education Standards Officer (ESO) General Inspections, Longwani Ng`andwe, expressed gratitude over the mini-laptops including internet connectivity gadgets donated by Samsung and its partners, Airtel Zambia.
Mr Ng`andwe said the gadgets had come at the right time when new teaching methods were needed the most, adding that having lessons on computers would add on the variety of teaching methods.
He said the gadgets would also help to improve results and performance among learners.
Mr Ng`andwe has since urged teachers to ensure that the laptops are put to good use once commissioned so as to achieve the intended purpose of improving learning and teaching methods and benefit pupils.
Mr Ng`andwe further said the laptops would also help ease running of chemical experiments as there are no laboratories at the named schools.
The mini-laptops that had been installed at Philip Primary School and Shiwang`andu Secondary School are meant for pupils to use during various education lessons other than Information Communication Technology (ICT) lessons.
National Arts Council Chairperson Mulenga Kapwepwe
National Arts Council (NAC) of Zambia Chairperson has challenged the corporate world in the country to promote and put value on locally produced films.
Ms. Kapwepwe said the active involvement of the corporate world in the film industry will help the sector grow.
She was speaking in Lusaka last night during the launch of the Zambia Film, Television and Radio (ZAFTAR) week.
She noted that Zambia has a rich media artistic talent that needs to be supported by the business community for it to flourish.
Ms. Kapwepwe has however noted that the lack of corporate involvement and little appreciation of locally produced films has negatively affected the development of the local film industry.
The NAC chairperson said the launch of the ZAFTAR week is cardinal because it will create a platform for showcasing Zambia’s talent and also for promoting collaboration among content producers.
This week, ZAFTAR will screen locally produced films at Ster Kenekor cinema as a way of showcasing talent in Zambian film industry.
Ms. Kapwepwe hoped that the showcasing of Zambian movies will attract international film makers who will collaborate with local film producers in telling the Zambian stories through movies.
ZAFTAR has lined up various activities this week. During the week, local film makers will be trained in acting, sound design, screen writing, directing, producing and cinematography before the awards night which will be held on Friday, December 12, 2014.
And speaking at the same event, National Association of Media Arts (NAMA) chairman Patrick Salubusa said the involvement of the corporate world in the film industry will give birth to great locally produced movies.
Mr. Salubusa said the film industry has the potential to create jobs if only the corporate world worked with local film producers.
He has since appeal to cinema houses to give locally produced movies 51 percent space as this is important to the development of the film sector.
Mr. Salubusa said 50 years after political independence, Zambia was still putting value on foreign films, whose culture is alien, rather than promoting local films.
Centre for Reproductive Health and Education (CRHE) has expressed concern over the continued poor conditions were women are delivering on the floor at the university teaching hospital (UTH).
CRHE executive director Amos Mwale has told qfm news in an interview that there is urgent need for the ministry of health to find a solution.
Mr. Mwale said that it is heartbreaking and unacceptable to have women giving birth on the floor due to shortage of beds at the maternity ward at UTH.He said that reproductive health care should be top priority if mothers and babies lives can be saved.
Mr. Mwale has since appealed to health minister dr. Joseph Kasonde to immediately address the issue of women delivering on the floor at UTH and health centers for the benefit of the country.
