Chongwe Member of Parliament, Sylvia Masebo, has cautioned youths in her constituency not to be used by politicians to disrupt peace and unity in the country.

Ms Masebo, who is also Minister of Health, says it is saddening that some politicians are using youths for destruction at the expense of developing themselves and contributing positively to national development.

She was speaking during the 2023 youth day celebrations in Chongwe today.

She encouraged the youths to have a mindset change and direct their efforts towards growth by seizing many opportunities which government has presented to them.

Ms Masebo has further encouraged youths to take advantage of the increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and work together to find ways in which they can benefit from the funds.

The Chongwe lawmaker has meanwhile warned youths involved in illegal land allocation and mining that they will face the wrath of the law.

She said government is willing to support youths with land resources and mining licenses to enable them conduct the activities in a legal and acceptable manner.

Ms Masebo has since directed the District Commissioner’s office to come up with recreation facilities and empowerment initiatives that will help prevent youths from engaging in illegalities and in alcohol and drug abuse.

Meanwhile, Adricks Makasa, who gave a statement of purpose on behalf of the youths in Chongwe, called on his fellow youths to have a mindset change and become more creative, innovative, hardworking and responsible in order to win the trust and confidence of leaders.

Mr Makasa said youths in Chongwe are trying hard to contribute to the development agenda but continue to face some challenges hence they need government intervention.

He mentioned lack of opportunities to participate in decision making, high youth unemployment and job insecurity as some of the challenges faced by the youths in the district.

Mr Makasa added that lack of a skills development centre, special education schools and facilities and lack of a Ministry of Sport office at the district level are other challenges faced.

This year’s youth day celebrations are being held under the theme:’ transforming minds for accelerated youth development’.

A five-year-old boy in Masaiti district in the Copperbelt Province has died after drinking illicit liquor popularly known as Kachasu.

Aaron Chisenga of Kabundi village in chief Chiwala’s area in Masaiti district died after his father, Peter Chisenga, allegedly gave him the illicit liquor to drink.

Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer, Peacewell Mweemba, said the incident happened yesterday, March 11, 2023 between 01:00 hours and 06:00 hours in the morning.

Mr Mweemba told ZANIS that the mother to the deceased child, Delia Ndimani aged 46, reported the matter to Mapalo police.

He said fact are that Ndimani left home on Friday, March 10, 2023 in the evening to go for a charcoal business far away from home and left the children in the custody of their father.

He explained that when she returned home early the following morning around 05:00hrs, she discovered that one of the children, who is now deceased, was not in good condition and unable to talk.

Mr Mweemba stated that she inquired from her other children about what had happened and she was told that their father shared some number one Kachasu around 01:30hrs with the deceased who later became unwell.

He said the child was rushed to a nearby health facility and later referred to Arthur Davison Children’s hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Mr Mweemba revealed that the police made a follow-up but found that the suspect had run away.

The body of the deceased has since been deposited in Arthur Davison Children’s hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem.

By Benedict Tembo 

FOR veteran broadcaster Annie Mukabe, scooping the inaugural ZANACO CEO’s award during the Zee Women’ s Banking Awards ceremony came as a breath of fresh air. It has also given her impetus to do her best.

The Zee Women’s Banking Awards given out last Friday, are intended to recognise women who have made a positive impact in their areas of expertise.
Zanaco chief executive officer Mukwandi Chibesakunda said as part of the bank’s continued support and appreciation for the female population, it launched the The Zee Women’s Banking Awards.

“It is a great feeling to be recognised in that manner and I will always be grateful to ZANACO CEO Mukwandi Chibesakunda and her team,” Mrs Mukabe said.
She says she would not be where she is today without the help of many broadcasters (both living and dead) who over the years shared their knowledge and experience unflinchingly.

It has been a great journey of her 34 years unbroken service with the Zambia National Brodacsting Corporation (ZNBC) and she thanks management for giving her the opportunity to serve in different capacities, as this has broadened her understanding of broadcasting and the role that each unit/ directorate plays in service delivery.

“My best years in the institution were the decade 1990- 2000 when I worked as a producer for the current affairs programmes Tonight and Focus. I enjoyed going in the field and interviewing people from different walks of life,” Mrs Mukabe says
She remembers going to a primary school in Kitwe’s Kwacha Township where Grade Seven pupils sitting for their final exams were made to share question papers.

“That was a scoop and we got the story on camera. The District Education Board Secretary then was Mrs Nsemiwe (late) who was not very happy with the ZNBC crew. The story was aired on Focus, and after that, there was a decree that all head teachers needed to get clearance from the DEB’s office before talking to the press,” Mrs Mukabe says

She also worked on the News desk for several years and in those days, to raise standards, the Director General then Steven Moyo introduced News Caster of the Month awards.

“The competition was stiff but I remember scooping these awards on several occasions. This was good in itself because we all wanted to be recognised for our effort and it was not strange to see those casting the news reporting early and going through their scripts over and over again, enquiring from the more experienced sub-editors how to pronounce difficult names/words,” Mrs Mukabe says.

She says it was a great experience casting news with the more experienced staff that included Peter Mweemba, Margaret Zimba, Harold Besa, Marc Boti, Doris Mulenga, Maureen Nkandu and Jospeh Kuluneta, among others.

And even when Mrs Mukabe started climbing the ladder getting promoted to HOPO / Controller TV, she continued producing programmes.

“Some of the productions I initiated include Poetry Corner on Radio 2, Fun Time (children’s programme) Let’s Cook (lifestyle), Going Green (environmental programme) visiting ordinary people’s gardens, both men and women sharing their passion on gardening. The rationale behind this was to foster an attitude change in the way Zambians look after the environment,” she says

Apart from this, Mrs Mukabe was involved in group productions she anchored Race to Manda Hill, Lunch Break and Good Morning Zambia. To this day, she is still passionate about programme production and discusses with colleagues on programme ideation as well as how best ZNBC can improve its in-house productions.

“Working in Corporate Affairs has enabled me to appreciate the manner in which the corporation engages with its stakeholders, explaining why we have to follow certain standards as we deliver on our mandate, and at the end of the day, ensuring that our clients as well as our listeners and viewers derive satisfaction from our services,” Mrs Mukabe says.

She is a mother of three (two boys and a girl), all working as computer scientists in the private sector.

“I am proud of who they have become, and I am no longer as strict as I used to be when they were younger, as they lead very independent lives now,” Mrs Mukabe says

She was born at Malcolm Watson Hospital in Mufulira. Her parents both worked in the Mufulira Division of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM).
“My mum was a nurse while dad was personnel officer. I come from a family of 10 and I am the seventh born. We have lost five siblings,” Mrs Mukabe says
She did her primary school at Mufulira Trust and went on to Kantanshi Secondary School, after which her father was transferred to Nkana Division – and I changed schools and moved to Helen Kaunda Secondary School.

“Upon completion of my ‘O’ levels in 1986, I took a gap year traveling to Kabwe to visit my best friend Dorothy Nsai (late) and was a little involved in some youth projects. I did a Diploma course in Journalism at Africa Literature Centre in 1988, with a one-month internship at the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) in Lusaka and was one of the few lucky ones to have been offered a job before we even graduated, with my friend Chabala Chimpampa,” she says

Timeline:

1. She was offered a job as a trainee Announcer/Presenter at ZNBC on December 18, 1988.
2. 1990, she moved to Kitwe as a TV Producer
3. Between 1995-2005, she served as Head of Production and Operations both In Kitwe and Lusaka
4. Between 2009-2016, she served as Controller Television (Lusaka) and moved in the same capacity as Controller Programmes in Kitwe.
5. 2018 she was promoted to Regional Controller based in Kitwe and in charge of the Northern region (North Western, Luapula, Northern, Muchinga and Copperbelt provinces)
6. August 2020 she was transferred laterally to Lusaka to work as Head Corporate Affairs.

President, Hakainde Hichilema congratulated his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, for being unanimously re-elected as President of China and elected as Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) during the 14th National People’s Congress.

President Hichilema said in his Facebook posting today, that President Jinping’s re-election represents the desire of the Chinese people to continue on a path of security, peace, and prosperity under his remarkable leadership.

He said President Jinping’s leadership has seen China become a dominant player in the global economy and an example of social-economic transformation for the developing world.

“The Republic of Zambia and the People’s Republic of China enjoy long and historic ties dating back to the days of our founding fathers, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda and Chairman Mao Zedong,” he said.

President Hichilema said Zambia is looking forward to a closer relationship with China as the two countries work to quickly resolve issues of mutual importance.

By Benedict Tembo

ZANACO Bank chief executive officer Mukwandi Chibesakunda says despite the myriad of challenges faced in attaining gender parity, it is important to celebrate the gains women have scored over the years in all facets of development.

Ms Chibesakunda said this was evidenced by the great work ladies were doing in respective spaces.

She noted that a lot needs to be done for more women to actively participate in the socio-economic development of the country and achieve inclusive growth.

“With the United Nations declaring gender equality among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve inclusive growth by 2030, allow me to inform you that at Zanaco, we are aligned with these aspirations,” Ms Chibesakunda said.

On the eve of the 2023 Women’s International Day, Ms Chibesakunda said Zanaco Bank continues to increase its emphasis on women’s empowerment through various interventions such as the women’s banking proposition called Zee Women’s Banking, which it launched last year aimed at ensuring access to affordable finance, markets and information for its female customers.

“Through Zee Women’s Banking, we are providing collateral free loans provided they meet the terms and conditions, and our interest on these loans is 20 percent in the first year. Through our alliance partners, we create access to markets and information for our Zee women,” she said.

Ms Chibesakunda said it has been a wonderful journey for the bank with its Zee women and “I can only encourage all the women in this room to become Zee women.”

She said as part of the bank’s continued support and appreciation for its female population, it launched the Zee women’s banking awards which are intended to recognise women who have made a positive impact in their areas of expertise.

Ms Chibesakunda said there was need to stress the ever-evolving presence of technology and innovation in people’s lives, which can be a great enabler for the advancement of gender equality.

“We at Zanaco fully support the UN secretary-general António Guterres’s call to close the digital divide and increase the representation of women and girls in science and technology,” she said.

According to the UN chief’s recent message, women’s exclusion from the digital world has shaved an estimated US$1 trillion from the gross domestic product (GDP) of low- and middle-income countries in the last decade — a loss that could grow to US$1.5 trillion by 2025 without action, hence the need to uplift more women into the science and technology space.
Zambeef Products Pc chief executive officer Faith Mukutu scooped the CEO Award of the Year with veteran broadcaster Annie Mukabe grabbing the CEO’s Award in recognition of her contribution to the broadcasting industry.
WWF Zambia Country Director Nachilala Nkombo was rewarded for her exceptional environmental stewardship.
Other winners were: Woman in Tech (Lillian Mutwalo), Catalyst for Change (Inutu Lubinda) while China-based Copper Queens captain Barbara Banda grabbed the Woman in Sport prize.
The Woman in Mining accolade was given to Given Kawina, with the Woman in Education token going to Elizabeth Chunda.
Chilufya Mutale won the Woman in Finance title while the Woman in Medicine prize went to Dr. Nfwama Kawatu.
The rest of the winners were: Woman in Agriculture (Elizabeth Maanda Siame), Woman in Aviation (Chileshe Yaya Chibamba), Entrepreneur of the Year (Mercy Chewetu Mukupa), Creative of the Year ( Mirriam Mukape (Mampi) and the Rising Star Youth Award (Sampa Tembo (Sampa The Great).

Today marks the celebration of Youth Day in Zambia, a day that highlights the importance of young people and their place in society. The theme for this year’s Youth Day is “Youth Development and Protection in a Changing World”.

The celebration of Youth Day is an annual event that aims to bring attention to youth issues and recognize the contributions young people make in various areas such as education, employment, and social justice.

President of the Socialist Party, Fred M’membe, emphasized the significance of youth in his message, stating that “youths are not future leaders, but leaders of today. The future is not built in the future but on the threshold of the decisions and actions we take today.”

Focal areas for youth development and protection include education, employment, and the environment. It is crucial to protect and care for the younger generation and show concern for their growth.

Young people have to study and work while still at the age of physical growth, and as such, attention must be paid both to their work and study, and to their recreation, sport, and rest.

Zambia belongs to the young people, and their vigor and vitality are crucial to the country’s future. President M’membe urged young people to understand that Zambia is still a poor country, and only through their united efforts can the country become strong and prosperous.

The establishment of the Socialist Party is a step towards the ideal society of the future, but hard work is required to translate this vision into reality. Youth Day serves as a reminder of the importance of youth in Zambia’s future and the need to invest in their development and protection.