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A 20- year- old man of Kalemba village in chief Nabwalya’s area has been crushed to death by an elephant.
Muchinga provincial education officer Jobbicks Kalumba confirmed the incident today.Mr Kalumba said the incident happened in the early hours of yesterday near Nabwalya primary school.
Mr. Kalumbamba who is on a 14-day mobile teaching service in the area named the deceased as Mulenga Kalemba who died shortly after he was taken to Nabwalya rural health center.He added that Kalemba’s fate was witnessed by children who where going to school in the morning when they shouted for help upon seeing the elephant stepping on him leaving all his intestines out while his head was smashed beyond recognition.
Mr. Kalumba explained that the deceased was mentally disturbed and due to his violent behavior,his parents resorted to be tying him to a tree during day time.
However, on Tuesday afternoon the deceased managed to cut the rope and went loitering in the village until he met his fate.
Mr Kalumba added that the incident has affected a lot of children in the area who are refusing to go to school for fear of being attacked by wild beasts hence affecting the lessons.
He further appealed to the Zambia Wild Life Authority(ZAWA) to keep vigil on the wild animals from going into villages.
In a related development, people of Mutekwe are also living in fear as elephants from North Luangwa have gone on rampage destroying houses and eating their harvest.
Councilor for Mutekwe ward Ernest Kaluba told ZANIS that the situation has brought fear in the area as pupils and teachers were failing to go to school.
Efforts to get a comment from ZAWA Senior Warden for Muchinga and Northern provinces Patrick Nyirenda failed by press time.
Bayport Financial Services has awarded full scholarships to 10 University of Zambia (UNZA) first year students for this academic year to cover tuition, accommodation and monthly allowances.
The scholarships amount to K504, 755.08.
Bayport Financial Services Executive Director Martha Akapelwa said her company also awarded partial scholarships to 40 students who have been granted government bursaries but have not been able to meet other outstanding fee payments.
Mrs. Akapelwa said 60 percent of the scholarships have been awarded to female students.
She said Bayport believes in empowering the girl child because educated women pass the benefits thereof to the whole community.
She said the institution made the gesture in appreciation of the free education that was accorded to the people of Zambia during the leadership of Kenneth Kaunda.
And Minister of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education John Phiri said the initiative by Bayport could create a sustainable platform and mechanism for development if it is emulated by many players in the private sector.
Dr. Phiri said this strong and active private sector participation was only possible if UNZA provides a predictable and conducive learning environment.
He said government acknowledges that the support from Bayport was an opportunity to reflect upon the current system of supporting students at higher education institutions.
Dr. Phiri said it was clear that the old systems were no longer able to deal with the changed social and economic features of the country.
He said it is important to reflection and recognize the important role that the parastatal companies and government play in human resources development.
The National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) in Zambia has called on relevant authorities to adopt orange maize as a diet aimed at improving vitamin-A in children.
This follows a study which has established that “orange” vitamin-A maize increases vitamin A storage in the body and has higher levels of beta-carotene, a natural plant pigment that the body converts into Vitamin-A.
The study, which has been done in collaboration with Harvest Plus and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is part of commemorations of World Food Day which falls today the 16th October, 2014.
In a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today, lead scientist Sherry Tanumihardjo said there was a significant increase in vitamin A in children after eating orange maize adding that this would be effective in reducing vitamin-A deficiency in the population
Ms. Tanumihardjo added that the conversion of beta-carotene into Vitamin-A was not harmful to health as the body regulates during the process.
And National Food and Nutrition Commission Acting Executive Director, Musonda Mofu, said food-based approaches such as orange maize can provide people, particularly women and children, with a good portion of vitamin-A which is crucial for their health.
Mr. Mofu said this would be through intake of nshima or other traditional foods made from maize that Zambians eat every day.She affirmed that vitamin-A deficiency remains a challenge in several parts of the country.
“There are still many pockets where vitamin-A deficiency remains a problem in Zambia. For us, this is cost-effective and a safe approach to improving nutrition,” he said.
Meanwhile, Harvest Plus Country Manager Eliab Simpungwe said his organization targets to provide orange maize varieties to at least 100, 000 farmers by 2015.
Mr. Simpungwe said orange maize has been bred specifically for human consumption and is not the same as yellow maize which was popular as feed for animals.
“When consumers have had a chance to taste orange nshima, they prefer it to white nshima. And when they also understand the benefits of vitamin-A in the diets, they are all the more enthusiastic about orange maize,” he said.
The Zambian government was the first to release orange maize varieties in Africa and has supported Harvest Plus in its efforts to provide orange maize to more than 10,000 farming households.
The Orange maize study has been published under the title “Bio-fortified orange maize is as efficacious as a vitamin-A supplement in Zambian children even in the presence of high liver reserves of vitamin-A: a community-based, randomized placebo-controlled trial”.
Human rights activist Brebner Changala delivering his message
Civil rights activist Brebner Changala has observed that Zambia is drifting into a dangerous direction owing to the culture of hatred being spread by the media.
Mr. Changala said the Zambian society is being saturated with hatred mainly peddled by some media houses who seem to have differences with particular individuals in the Patriotic Front (PF) government.
He told Qfm News by telephone that he does not think it does anyone any good for the country’s economic issue to deteriorate into an exchange of bitter words between two opposing sides.
Mr. Changala said that much as he does not think Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda is a good Minister, the high level of hate messages targeted at him through some sections of the media is very dangerous to the country’s peace.
He said as Finance Minister, Mr. Chikwanda performs his duties on behalf of the Cabinet and the Republican President who is also the custodian of the Zambian people’s interests.
Mr. Changala stated that to isolate Mr. Chikwanda and go after him over any policy pronouncements of the government is a totally unacceptable and inhumane a practice that must be stopped.
He says this is particularly that such kind of hatred being directed at Mr. Chikwanda has been witnessed before when former late Republican President Frederick Chiluba and the immediate past republican President Rupiah Banda were targeted.
Mr. Changala says it is for this reason that he calls upon the church in the country to speak against such hatred that is creeping in the country.
Coach Honour Janza says Chipolopolo will remain focused after reviving their chances of qualifying for the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations with a 3-0 victory over Niger on Wednesday evening in Ndola.
Zambia moved into second place on the Group F table after thumping visiting Niger at Levy Mwanawasa to increase their tally to five points from four matches.
Goals from Rainford Kalaba, Emmanuel Mayuka and Kennedy Mweene propelled Zambia to their first victory in the 2015 Africa Cup qualifiers which was also Janza’s first competitive win in-charge of Chipolopolo.
In a post match media conference, Janza said the win against Niger would motivate Zambia ahead of the final two qualifiers against Mozambique in Maputo and Cape Verde in Ndola.
“As we say all the time, the first game was important as the last game so we will stay focused and fight. We are still in the competition,” he told journalists.
Janza paid tribute to soccer fans for rallying behind his team.
“Thank you so much for the support the Zambian people have given us and the patience to wait for us in the competition to win a match,” he added.
Cape Verde top Group F with 9 points, Zambia and Mozambique sits on five points but Chipolopolo have a superior goal difference while bottom placed Niger have two points.
This is the second part of the answers by Dr Nevers Mumba to the questions raised by the public on the MMD Facebook page. Part One dealt with Church matters. This part deals with MMD issues and Policy Matters.
MMD Issues
Why is MMD losing most by-elections?
It is a normal occurrence when a party loses power. It takes at least two years to stabilize, before regaining the confidence of the electorate. All the three major parties (MMD, PF and UPND) have won and lost by-elections the past two years. The infighting which characterized MMD in the first two years also contributed to a perception that the problems would persist and make it difficult for the party to regain confidence. Other reasons vary from regionalism, quality of candidate, rigging and amount of money spent on a particular election. Against this background, it is commendable to see that MMD is still winning some by-elections with the highest of margins (eg Kasenengwa).
Why is MMD and UPND fighting?
Why can’t you work together or form a pact? You are weak alone
MMD is not fighting with UPND. Once in a while, our members get into disputes with each other and such situations have a way of degenerating as each party tries to exercise its perceived strength. Our focus as MMD is to strengthen our party so that it gets positioned to rescue Zambian people from the PF hold. UPND is not in government and is therefore not our pre-occupation.
MMD and UPND are individual and separate political parties. They are established on different principles and espouse different visions for the nation. If however, there develops a major event which threatens the security and integrity of our nation and a number of parties believe that the solution is in forming a pact, I don’t see any reason why political parties should not work together.
Why so much infighting in MMD with some senior members disapproving of your leadership?
It is expected after any party loses power. It happened to UNIP as well. Once we accept the discomfort of being in the opposition, we shall settle down as a party. Whenever there is turbulence in a party, the buck stops at the doorstep of the leader. This is why I have taken responsibility to make sure we stabilize the party. This is a temporary situation we are already addressing and with time, MMD shall become a fully united front but which tolerates disagreements, unlike in other parties. We are the mother of democracy and we can never shy away from a few squabbles here and there.
What is your relationship with the MMD rebels?
What will happen to them? When will they be expelled? Or will you reconcile with them? Are you going to reinstate Kaingu, Chituwo, Siliya, Mulusa, etc. to their NEC positions?
The five former NEC members are still bona fide members of MMD with full rights and responsibilities. Disciplinary action was taken against them by the NEC just like many others who have been disciplined before. As they demonstrate allegiance and respect for party regulations and participate in party programs, they will have an equal opportunity to run for any position in the party when an opportunity arises. We need both the old and new in the party. It is not up to me to unilaterally decide the fate of anyone in the party. We have systems and structures in place to deal with any such eventualities.
Is Dora Siliya going to re-contest Petauke Central?
Miss Dora Siliya being a member of MMD qualifies to stand on the MMD ticket. This will depend on her decision whether to stand or not and will also depend on the Constituency Executive Committee’s decision.
How do you plan to raise funds for General Election Campaigns?
MMD was unable to raise enough funds to campaign competitively in the Mangango by-election.
MMD has spent millions of Kwacha on the many by-elections that have taken place across the country since PF came into government. It is malicious on the part of our opponents to claim that we spent only K11,000 on Mangango. My presidential entourage alone spends more than that on each by-election just on logistics of travel. The victory which awaits MMD in 2016 belongs to the Zambian people and therefore the Zambian people will support our campaign as we face 2016. Zambians now appreciate MMD more than they did when our party was in government. This is partly because of the dismal performance of the PF in government.
Give me three reasons why I should join the MMD.
I shall give you five good reasons why you should join MMD:
MMD has an established track record. We transformed Zambia from a despotic One-Party state with a GDP Per capita in the bottom five African countries in 1991 into a Lower Middle Income country by 2010 with established institutions of governance, a free press and improved material living conditions for Zambians. The freedoms Zambians are enjoying today are the result of the MMD.
It is being re-branded and has had a change of leadership and promises New Hope to all Zambians who have been short-changed by the PF. MMD has become much better after losing the 2011 election and learning from our mistakes. We have become renewed for The Hour of New Hope. We are “born again”.
It is the only institutional party which doesn’t belong to an individual but a movement which belongs to all Zambians.
It is a national and not regional party which accommodates all tribes, races and regions. It is the only party with a record of having four presidents coming from four different provinces and the transitions have been smooth and democratic.
We have the best brains of any political party, which is why the ruling party and other opposition parties are constantly attempting to poach our members.
What is in the latest MMD manifesto?
The MMD manifesto remains anchored on the economic policy of free enterprise and a political ethos of freedom for all and the enshrining of democracy in the nation. In a few weeks time, MMD will be announcing the new abbreviated version of the manifesto in a national address. You can read for yourself the current MMD manifesto here:
http://mmdzambia.org/about-mmd/manifesto/
Will you step down if MMD loses in 2016?
We are not planning on losing the 2016 election, so I cannot talk about resigning after an imaginary loss. Moreover, if every party president were to step down after an electoral defeat, Mr Michael Sata would not be president today (he lost three elections).
When is the MMD national convention?
The MMD convention takes place every five years and therefore the next convention will take place in 2016.
Can MMD win again, considering their chequered past?
My job as the new President of MMD is to clean up the image of the party that was tarnished by people who are no longer in our party. Most of them are in PF today. They introduced violence, corruption, elitism, arrogance and many other negatives that contributed to the 2011 election loss. We now have to convince Zambians that we have addressed the perceptions of yesterday and MMD is under a different administration.
Is MMD going to bring back people who left it, or leave them out for fresh blood?
MMD has initiated a massive re-organization and mobilization campaign. Our goal is to encourage every Zambian to find sanctuary in the most democratic party in the nation, the MMD. We have therefore opened doors to all those who left the party for whatever reason and the younger Zambians to join the New Hope MMD.
Why are you not appointing shadow MPs in areas were you have no MPs?
We have announced that the party will open up for applications on November 3rd 2014 to all those who intend to stand on the MMD ticket in 2016.
When are you likely to fill vacant positions in the party to avoid a vacuum?
Filling in vacancies at all levels including at NEC is an ongoing process, now to be undertaken during this re-organization crusade taking place currently.
What is the 2016 MMD strategy? Where do you see MMD in 5 years?
The MMD strategy to win 2016 has already started to be rolled out starting with the fixing of all structures and filling in all vacancies. The overall strategy is being refined by our national campaign team. In five years, the MMD shall be a strong, united party in government.
How can I join MMD?
You can join MMD by either going to one of our offices or to our website (www.mmdzambia.org) where all information is available for your use.
POLICY MATTERS
What is your position on Barotseland?
MMD believes in the policy of a unitary state; ie that Barotseland should continue to be part of Zambia. We however believe that in order to stop the instability in the province, a referendum amongst the people of Barotseland should be called to allow the people in that region to decide which way they wish to go. We shall respect the results of the referendum and will not impose our position.
There has been a lot of media reports that the mines are stealing through tax avoidance and transfer pricing. How would you address this? Wouldn’t it be a good idea to go 51%-49% (Zambian govt / foreign investor) respectively as a way of ensuring we as a country get what we deserve? As long as the economic power of this country is in foreign hands, we might as well forget about reducing poverty or talk about any meaningful development.
It is the responsibility of the Zambian government to ensure that strict laws and regulations are put in place to deter any investor from breaking our laws. It is our duty to enforce our own regulations. The issue of how much percentage government should have in the different mines must be dependent on the most profitable arrangement for Zambia in the long term. In a liberalized economy, common-sense must guide us, not unrealistic wishes.
MMD espouses a Capitalist economic policy in which the private sector is the main player. We have gone down the route of government ownership of companies before and it was a complete disaster economically. It actually made Zambians poorer. We shall continue the MMD policy of engaging the private sector to partner in re-opening some strategic companies where possible.
The Non Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) is deeply saddened with the rape and gruesome murder of the eight months pregnant woman in Katete, Eastern Province.
The rape and murder of the pregnant woman are barbaric acts, which are totally unacceptable in a country that proclaims herself to be a Christian nation. It is evil of the worst order to murder a pregnant woman, as two lives are lost. At eight months, the baby was fully developed and therefore these criminals terminated the life of an innocent soul.
We therefore call upon the police to immediately institute investigations and bring the perpetrators to book. There is need for society to safeguard the safety of women and children. There should be justice for the family of the woman and for all the women and girls in the country whose rights are violated. Violence against women is not a women’s issue, it’s a human rights issue.
NGOCC specifically appeals to the Government to ensure that ALL citizens are protected against such murderous criminals. It is the responsibility of Government to protect and ensure that all citizens are safe.
Meanwhile, NGOCC also condemns in the strongest terms the rape of a 17-year-old girl of Magazine Compound in Chipata by a suspected police office. As an organisation, we have taken keen interest in this rape case especially that a police officer who is supposed to protect citizens is involved. We hope that the culprit in the Chipata rape case will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
Gender based violence(GBV) is preventable, not inevitable. Sustained implementation of the GBV Act of 2011 and the setting up of Special Courts should be key priorities. We therefore, call upon government to quickly set up the fast track court system because the justice system is key to addressing the problem.
The murder and rape cases against women reported in Eastern province demonstrate that there is need for society to safeguard the safety of women.
NGOCC has further noted that despite progress being made in securing convictions in a number of rape and murder cases of women, there seems to be lack of expertise in investigating cases and bringing to book some perpetrators due to lack of forensic laboratory services to handle sexual offences.
We ask that government sets GBV as a priority area and put up an appropriate forensic laboratory that will ensure that those who commit such offences are brought to book. Every girl and woman should be able to live safely, feel protected, and grow up free of violence.
As the year is moving closer to the 16 Days of activism against GBV, let us as a country seriously reflect on ways in which we shall combat all forms of GBV. Let us join hands as communities and look after one another. Let us ensure that these perpetrators are apprehended. Let us stand up, speak out and let Zambia be a safe haven for its residents .
A murder of a defenceless pregnant woman is unbearable and intolerable.
A FORMER Zambian diplomat to Germany has been found with a case to answer for allegedly engaging girls to practice prostitution.
Friday Nkamba, a former political secretary at the Zambian Embassy in Germany from 1994 to 2002, has since been put on his defence.
Nkamba, of Emmasdale Township in Lusaka, is alleged to have between January 1, 2012 and October 29, 2013 procured five girls to become common prostitutes.
The girls testified how Nkamba would allow them to stay in his house while doing prostitution in exchange for payments
They also testified how on other times the former diplomat would join them in bed and have sex with any one of them in full view of the other girls.
Resident magistrate William Banda yesterday found Nkamba with a case to answer.
The matter was adjourned to October 31 for mention and setting of a date when he would open his defence.
Youth Development Organization (YDO) Executive Director Partner Siabutuba has bemoaned the rising HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Choma District.
Mr. Siabutuba has since called for enforcement of stringent measures to curb the pandemic.
Mr Siabutuba who is also Choma District Aids Task Force (DATF) Chairperson said there was need for various stakeholders in the district to put concerted efforts in curbing the increasing HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
He was speaking at a welcoming ceremony of 12 volunteers from the United Kingdom (UK) who are on a three months working visit in Choma to support government’s delivery of quality reproductive health services to the people.
He said the current HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the district was currently at 15.3 percent describing it as worrying.
Mr Siabutuba said the 12 volunteers attached to his organization are keen to support government in promoting quality health reproductive services with the goal of reducing the HIV/AIDS prevalence rates among youths.
“As a host organisation of these volunteers, we are happy that they have come with multiple skills in areas of reproductive health to work with the community,” he said
Meanwhile, Ministry of Youth and Sport Development representative Hezron Mukonka said government was grateful to stakeholders supplementing efforts in improving the living standards of Zambians.
He said the exchange of developmental programmes such as the coming of
volunteers with multiple skills to Choma was essential in enhancing quality health services.
He said government would continue to create a conducive environment that would entice more stakeholders to come to Zambia and offer developmental skills with communities.
The 12 UK volunteers join 12 other Choma-based youth volunteers under the Youth Development Organisation (YDO) to implement various reproductive health and community service programmes.
Mr Siabutuba said his organisation was happy that the volunteers would closely work with their Zambian counterparts to enhance reproductive health services.
The volunteers with reproductive health skills such as nursing and counselling will be deployed in among others centres in Choma, Shampande Clinic, Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) and the Railway Clinic.
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda has told parliament that it is a criminal offence to use counterfeit banknotes and those found with them will be liable for imprisonment.
Mr Chikwanda said the penalty is enough deterrence for people to be discouraged to engage in the production and use of counterfeit banknotes.
The Minister explained in parliament that the Bank of Zambia incorporates sophisticated security features in designing the banknote especially on high value banknotes as they are more susceptible to counterfeit.
The Finance Minister was responding to a question from Kaputa Member of Parliament Maxas Ng’onga who wanted to know what measures government has taken to address the problem of counterfeit Kwacha notes and what it is doing to sensitise rural communities on counterfeit notes to protect them from being swindled.
Mr Chikwanda said government through the Bank of Zambia conducts regular sensitization campaigns across the country on the security features of genuine banknotes.
He said the programme was especially visible during the time of rebasing of the Kwacha in 2012 and added that the Bank of Zambia also provides literature that assists the public to know more about genuine banknotes.
Mr Chikwanda added that the Bank of Zambia monitors both the quantity and quality of banknotes in circulation by ensuring that clean banknotes are in circulation and that all intercepted counterfeit notes are removed from circulation.
Suspected rabies has broken out in Chinsali district of Muchinga Province leaving one person dead.
Provincial Veterinary Officer Kabwe Puta confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Chinsali yesterday.
Dr Puta said recently three people had been reported bitten by stray dogs in Kaluyapusa area while another boy was bitten in Mulilansolo area and has since died.
He said in the past two months over 105 people have been bitten by stray dogs in the district causing fear among the residents.
Dr Puta said 15 dogs bites have also been reported in Chinsali town.
He attributed the increase in dog bites in the area to people keeping more than two dogs per household which he said is against the law.
He explained that most of the dogs were not vaccinated adding that most pet owners fail to take them for vaccination despite using them for hunting purposes.
He said the Veterinary Department in the province has put up measures to control the disease adding that 350 doses of vaccines have been procured.
Dr Puta however lamented that the department only managed to purchase 350 doses of vaccines against a population 11 000 due to inadequate resources.
He explained that this means that about 10 000 dogs will not be vaccinated therefore posing a great danger to the people.
Dr Puta explained that the department had also written and submitted a budget to their headquarters in Lusaka and was awaiting a response.
He said the department has engaged other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health, Police and the Council to help with other logistics for the awareness campaign which is currently underway.
Dr Puta further told ZANIS that the veterinary department had gone a mile further to do massive sensitization to enlighten the residents on the dangers of rabies as well as interpreting information about rabies into the local Bemba language.
Dr Puta pointed out that it was more expensive to treat rabies in a human being than to vaccinate a dog adding that anti rabies for people cost about K400 for a patient while the vaccines for dogs only cost K40 per 10 dogs.
A combined Team of Zambia Police(ZP) and Council Police Officers raided several Bars and taverns in Mkushi District during an operation that aimed at enforcing compliance to Local Government Laws.
Mkushi Council Public Relations Officer(PRO) Mumba Mafwenko disclosed this to ZANIS that the combined operation raided premises that are said to have be operating beyond the stipulated time, as well as Trading without Licenses.
Ms. Mafwenko elaborated that six Bars were found to be operating beyond stipulated 22hrs closure time, during the operation that was conducted from 22 hrs yesterday to 03 hrs this morning.
She said that several other Bars and Taverns were found to be operating without Trading Licenses, whilst other offences included Under age Patronage as well as Noise Pollution.
She said that the Proprietors of these Bars and Taverns have since been charged a Penalty Fee of K450 for operating beyond the stipulated 22hrs closure time.
Ms. Mafwenko said that a similar Penalty Fee has been applied on those Trading without License.
She said that the Local Government Authorities would remain steadfast in its commitment towards enforcing the laws, adding that the more operations are to be expected.
She said that in view of this, it was imperative for the Owners of Bars and Taverns to comply with the Laws pertaining to opening and closing time, as well as the issue of Trading Licenses that could be obtained from the Council
National Heritage Conservation Commission Regional Director Kagosi Mwamulowe says the Barotse Plains is unique hence it deserves to be on the list of World Heritage Sites.
Mr. Mwamulowe said the Barotse Plains deserves to be included on the World Heritage sites because it has a rich cultural heritage which includes burial sites of former Kings which must be passed on from one generation to the other.
The Director who was speaking during the Barotse Cultural Landscape awareness meeting for Heads of Departments in Nalolo and Limulunga districts said he hoped that the landscape will be declared as a heritage site next year in June.
Mr. Mwamulowe said it was important to conserve Zambia’s unique culture for education and entertainment.
Speaking at the same meeting, Chief Natural Heritage Officer Muyumbwa Ndiyoi said there will be a lot of benefits when the Barotse Landscape is declared a World Heritage Site because it will attract many tourists and business ventures will increase.
Mr. Ndiyoi said the site will also benefit young people as knowledge will be passed from one generation to the other.
He was reacting to a question from Nalolo District Labour Officer Jason Ngoma who wanted to know what the people of Western Province will benefit once the Barotse Landscape is declared as a World Heritage site.
And University of Zambia Lecturer Charles Namate said there was need for the site to be included on the World Heritage Site because 50 years after Independence Zambia only has one heritage site which is the Victoria Falls.
Professor Namate said the Barotse territory was facing a lot of environmental degradation hence the need to recognize the heritage which is the value of landscape and memories of departed kings.
The National Heritage Conservation Commission in conjunction with the Ministry of Chiefs and Eraditional Affairs are in Western Province to hold sensitization meetings with Heads of Government Departments and stakeholders.
The Commission also held closed door meetings with the Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II of the Baroste Royal Establishment.
CSO-SUN National Cordinator William Chilufya delivering his opening remarks at the High Level Policy Forum on agriculture
Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance has observed that funding to nutrition has continued to be undesirably low.
Alliance Country Coordinator William Chilufya said Zambia is today experiencing the double burden of Malnutrition where under-Nutrition affects overall growth in childhood and limits the development of full intellectual and physical potential of children.
Mr Chilufya added that over-Nutrition on the other hand has equally adverse effects that lead to non-communicable diseases such as High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Heart Conditions among others.
“In essence, Malnutrition is devaluing the Zambia’s human capital. In spite of these challenges, the funding to Nutrition has continued to be undesirably low,” he said.
Mr Chilufya was speaking on Wednesday when he appeared before the Expanded Committee on Estimates of Revenues and Expenditures at parliament to analyze the 2015 National budget from the nutrition perspective.
“In our analysis of the 2015 budget we not that Government has adopted the Multi-Sectorial response to Malnutrition and, in line with this, funding to Nutrition specific and Nutrition sensitive interventions is spread-out along six 6 Key line ministries; namely Ministry of Community Development, Mother & Child Health, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives including the Ministry of Local Government and Housing and Ministry of Gender and Child Development. “
Mr Chilufya added, “We find that the size of the grand total of the national budget has increased by approximately 9% from 2014’s budget. Of this, around 0.1% constitutes spending towards Nutrition as a share of the National Budget. This represents a slight increase from nutrition spending in 2014 which was at 0.03% as a share of the national budget. Even with this increase is extremely low to make an impact on the nutrition crisis in Zambia.”
He said the Alliance specifically noted that funding to the National Food and Nutrition Commission has barely been increased to less than 0.74% from last year’s allocation.
“With the commencement of the Scaling up Nutrition initiative, for which we commend Government for taking a bold decision in mandating the NFNC with the responsibility to coordinate all line Ministries involved in Scaling up Nutrition.”
He continued, “This meagre budget allocation to the NFNC as a coordinating body demonstrates inadequate appreciation on the part of Government of the potential dangers exerted by undernutrition to national and economic development. It also does not give hope to the vulnerable groups – children and mothers – that in the near future the government will act favourably to addressing some of its commitments as recently made at the Nutrition for Growth summit to increase Nutrition funding by 20% annually.”
He revealed that Government Expenditure per Child under 2 Years is 4 Kwacha 5 Ngwee per child for direct Nutrition interventions in 2015.
“This is a slight increase from 2013 and 2014 which reflected 2 kwacha 4 Ngwee and 2 Kwacha 6 ngwee respectively. This falls short of the $30 (K189) spending per child per year commitment during the Nutrition for Growth Summit in 2013.”
He said, “We are glad to see ambitious commitments to reducing under Nutrition in important global declarations: Nutrition for Growth commitments, African Union Malabo Declaration. But we note a discrepancy between these international commitments and actual action on the ground, especially as regards to budgetary allocations going the national budgets on Nutrition.”
He charged that the alliance is concerned that both President’s address at the opening of Parliament and the Minister of Finance 2015 Budget address to parliament never had specific mention of the word Nutrition and yet nearly one in every two children is stunted in Zambia.
REPUBLICAN Vice president Guy Scott says farmers should take advantage of the weaker Kwacha and export more agriculture products.
Speaking at the official closing of the of the two-day 109th annual congress of the Zambia National Farmers’ Union in Lusaka yesterday ,Dr Scott said farmers should not continue mourning but take advantage of the weak Kwacha to export more.
“Zambia farmers need to be reason if they are to acces export markets interms of commodity pricing, farmers in this country expect to earn more than what is prevailing in the regional and international market,” Dr Scott said.
He observed that there was plent of politics in most of the fields in the country which required radical changes to put things right to move forward.
“In any business venture thee is need to follow the law of supply and demand sometimes if commodity prices drops work out something that can ustain your business,” he said.
Aand Evelyn Nguleka the first women to be president of the farmer’s union ,has been re-elected as the president of the farmer’s union.
Spaeking earlier Dr Nguluke said farmers have continued experiencing
rising costs inputs due to increase in the cost of fuel, interest
rates, electricity and labour.
She said it was amazing that Government has turned a blind eye by allowing interest rates to go up as high as 24 per cent.
“We appeal to the Government to do something anmd if the Government failed to address that ZNFU will be calling upon Government to put all farmers under the subsidy program,” She said.
Dr Nguluke added that the revised fees and charges by statutory organizations such as the Workman’s Compensation Fund, the introduction of loading fees by some local authorities in some districts plus the upward increase in the cost of imported inputs due to Kwacha depreciation.
“If requested to pass a verdict on the 2015 national budget, our assessment is that it is a “business as usual budget” in as far as the agricultural sector is concerned.
This is because, apart from the reduction in the cost of jet fuel and raising of the import duty on imported refined oil from 80 ngwee per Kg to K2.20 per Kg, the focus reflects doing more of the same,” she said.
