A TEENAGER in Mazabuka who was last week found abandoned in the bush where he was tied to a tree, has not been identified and is currently in the care of district Social Welfare Department.

The 14 years-old boy, who was mentally ill, was alleged to have been taken into the bush by suspected relatives on Wednesday morning and tied him to a tree along Magoye stream in Tandabale area.

He was discovered in the bush by a passerby, Holy Kalonga around 11:00 hours with his both hands tied with a blue piece of Chitenge material and left him for dead.

In an interview yesterday, District Commissioner Eugene Munyama said the boy, who was unable to speak due to his condition, was being looked after by Social Welfare Department.

“We have not yet traced his relatives, this boy is still currently being looked after by our district social welfare department while we continue to look for the relatives,” he said.

Mr Munyama said that efforts by the Social Welfare Department to interview the boy had proved futile because of his alleged mental status.

He, however, said police in collaboration with Social Welfare Department officers were still in search of the teenager’s relatives particularly in Magoye area where the incident occurred.

He appealed to members of the public with information pertaining to the boy to help police in tracing his relatives.

Efforts to get a comment from Southern Province Police chief Mary Chikwanda, proved futile by press time.

Meanwhile, a choma villager has allegedly beaten his 10-year-old son to death and dumped his body in a nearby dam.

Morrison Lubemba, of Sibululi Village in Chief Mapanza’s area, allegedly beat his son, Moses, to death in an attempt to discipline the boy.

Lubemba beat his son at home and witnesses claimed he died there before the father dumped the body in the dam to cover up his actions.

Southern Province Police Commissioner, Mary Chikwanda said the incident happened on Sunday.

A relative, Febian Simambo, reported the matter to police and Lubemba was swiftly apprehended.

Ms Chikwanda said the body was retrieved from the dam and was taken to Macha Mission Hospital in Mapanza, awaiting post-mortem and burial.

In a related incident, police in Kalomo have retrieved the body of a 49-year-old man identified as Steve Matongo, who was found floating in the Kalomo stream.

Ms Chikwanda said Mr Matongo, a resident of of Mawaya Township, was discovered floating in the stream around 10:00 hours on Monday.

She said the body was taken to Kalomo General Hospital mortuary andpolice did not suspect any foul play.

Chairman of the Mahtani Group of Companies Rajan Mahtani is concerned that some sections of society are trying to harm his friendship with Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda.

Dr Mahtani said he has profound respect for Mr Chikwanda adding that he does not want anyone to come between his friendship with the Finance Minister.

He said media reports indicating that he belongs to a cartel fighting Mr Chikwanda are incorrect and baseless.Dr.Mahtani said he considers Mr Chikwanda as a true brother whom he would never want to injure in any way.

Dr Mahtani was speaking during a Jubilee dinner organised by the Mahtani Group of Companies to honour some freedom fighters.The freedom fighters also received a K50, 000 account opening for a Senior Citizens Account at Finance Bank.

He said all those trying to bring amenity between the two should desist saying as a Christian, he cherishes the friendship he has with the Finance Minister.

And Dr Mahtani says there is every reason to celebrate Zambia’s golden jubilee anniversary.
He said Zambia is one of the few countries on the continent which have not experienced any war hence the need to celebrate the golden jubilee anniversary as a way of thanking God.

There was drama at the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) public hearing in Lusaka this morning when the Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia (PTAZ) walked out of the hearing in protest of the agenda of the meeting.

The PTAZ was due to make the initial submission at the hearing organized in view of the association’s recent action against licensing of foreign fuel tankers by the ERB.

Speaking to journalists shortly after justifying his association’s boycotting of the public hearing, Association spokesperson Benson Tembo described the public hearing as a sham stating that it was against the provisions of the ERB Act.

Mr. Tembo, who was flanked by PTAZ president Roberto Sabbadin, says by holding the public hearing, the ERB is allegedly trying to hijack the objections his association submitted against the licensing of Superstar Forwarders Zambia Limited, Unitrans Zambia Limited and Zambulk Tankers Limited during a similar public hearing hosted by the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA).

He said his association has however withdrawn is objections against Zambulk Tankers Limited because its shareholding has put into consideration the interest of Zambians.

Mr. Tembo said his association which is demanding the dismissal of the entire ERB Executive, will now wait for Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development Christopher Yaluma to correct the situation failure to which they will suspend operations.

But in its submission to the public hearing that continued in absence of the PTAZ representation, Superstars Forwarders Zambia Limited through their lawyer Anthony Kasolo of MSK advocates submitted that the complaint by the PTAZ has no basis at law.

Mr. Kasolo has argued that this is because Superstars Forwarders Zambia Limited has not contravened any provisions of the ERB Act nor conditions of the License it was granted.

He has also backed his argument with Section 16 of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act No. 24 of 2010 which obliges enterprises at all times to refrain from any act or conduct that actually limits access to markets or otherwise unduly restrain competition like PTAZ is trying to do.

Meanwhile Unitrans Zambia Limited Director Musenga Musukwa seconded the arguments by Superstars Forwarders Zambia Limited and dismissed PTAZ’s objections as only a sign of fear of competition.

Mr. Musukwa says his company equally has not contravened any provisions of the ERB Act.

National Restoration party (NAREP) President Elias Chipimo Junior has observed that government has no intentions of holding a referendum to adopt a new constitution before the 2016 general elections.

Mr Chipimo told Qfm news in an interview that though he does not want to appear like a prophet of doom, the reality is that it is not possible that government will constitute a referendum for a people driven constitution as demanded by stakeholders.

The NAREP President said it is disheartening to see how government is neglecting to pay attention to the concerns raised by the majority of the Zambian people with regards the constitution making process.

The NAREP leader has further observed that the K29.9 million allocated to the constitution making process in the 2015 budget is little for such an undertaking.

He added that his party feels that government is still failing to accept that it has turned a blind eye to problems facing the Zambian people.

The Zambia Police say investigations into the leaked letter Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda wrote to President Michael Sata seeking approval to amend VAT Rule 18 are still ongoing.

The contents of a confidential letter written to President Sata in August this year were published in the Post Newspaper forcing government to declassify it.

Zambia Police Spokesperson Charity Munganga Chanda told QFM News that investigations are ongoing but could not disclose who is being investigated or what has been established so far.

Ms. Chanda told Qfm News that once investigations are concluded, Police will make public a full report on the investigations.

The Police Spokesperson has however declined to give further details on how long the investigation will take.