Some irate farmers from Luageni Constituency in Chipata today stormed the District Commissioner’s office to complain over delayed payments for the maize they supplied to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

The farmers complained that the delay by the FRA to pay them their money has greatly affected them in terms of planning as they are not able to pay co-operatives for the 2014-2015 farming inputs.

Farmers’ representative Jacob Shumba noted that despite supplying the maize to the FRA the agency has failed to pay them in good time, a situation which he said will affect their farming preparations.

Mr Shumba said despite assurances by government that they will be paid within two weeks of supplying their produce to the FRA, the agency has not done so.

He expressed fears that the co-operatives in his area had already started distributing farming inputs therefore causing more panic among farmers to get their money.

But Chipata District Commissioner Kalunga Zulu disclosed that government had released K1, 550,000 million to clear all the balances that the FRA owes farmers in the district and that payments would start today.

Mr Zulu assured the farmers in the district that the FRA will settle all the outstanding balances it was owing them.

He said farmers would start receiving their money based on the first-in-first-out payment system.

Mr Zulu added that government was still committed to ensuring that farmers are paid within two weeks of supplying their produce to the FRA.

He acknowledged that government had delayed a bit but urged the farmers not to be discouraged as his office was doing everything possible to improve the payment mode.

Government has given Mindolo township squatters a two – weeks grace period to look for alternative accommodation.

The displaced families were resettled in make-shift tents by government three months ago following the demolition of their houses by the Kitwe City Council because they were built on illegally obtained plots.

Kitwe District Commissioner Elias Kamanga told ZANIS in an interview today that the squatters were supposed to vacate the camp today as the initial 90 days period they were given has expired.

Mr Kamanga said government had however given the squatters two more weeks to look for where to go.

He emphasized that government will immediately demobilize the tents and stop providing water and sanitation services, electricity and security to the site when the extension period expires.

And Mr Kamanga said the squatters cannot continue staying at the camp with the threatening rain season as the camp was not suitable for habitation.

He also added that Helen Kaunda secondary school management who are the owners of the piece of land where the camp was set-up has written to his office asking it to surrender the piece of land as they want to embark on some construction works.

The District Commissioner further noted that the issue of vacating from the camp should not be argued because all the occupants signed a memorandum of understanding with the Disaster Management Unit that they will leave the camp after three months.

And Kitwe City Council Public Relations Manager Dorothy Sampa said the council is not giving the squatters an alternative piece of land because it had none.

Mr Sampa said if land will be found in future the squatters can apply just like any other person in need of land following the normal procedure.

But the squatters have insisted that they have nowhere to go and are waiting for government to give them a place to go.

Adellah Gondwe, one of the squatters, told ZANIS in Kitwe today that they were aware of the deadline but had nowhere to go and as such are waiting for government to give them alternative land.

The families had their houses demolished by the council three months ago because they had built on a piece of land belonging to Mopani Copper Mines and the Kitwe city council.

Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chairperson Irene Mambilima says the commission is experiencing a lot of conflicts during elections making conflict management the most important functions of the commission.

In a speech read on her behalf by Commissioner Minverva Tembo, Justice Mambilima said the Commission realises the importance managing and resolving conflicts expeditiously and effectively as not doing so would lead to conflicts degenerating into violence.

She said in its quest to contain electoral conflicts, the Commission has established conflict management committees in all the old districts which she explained that have been instrumental in resolving electoral conflicts and intends todo the same in the newly created districts.

And the Chairperson has attributed high cases of violence during by-elections to the transporting of cadres from other towns to drum up support for their candidates which she said increase electoral conflicts while that during a tripartite elections cadres are confined to their respective areas.

Ms. Justice Mambilima also said non adherence to the electoral code of conduct was a major contributor to electoral conflicts.

And Head of the European Union Delegation to Zambia Gilles Hervio said noted the need to eradicate political violence as it undermines the proper functioning of democracy.

Mr. Hervio explained that democracy was not about elections but that it was about freedom, participation, transparency, information as well as justice hence the need to ensure that it is preserved.

The duo said this during the official opening of training in leadership and conflict management for electoral stakeholders in Lusaka today.

The Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested the Livingstone Town Clerk for abuse of authority of office involving over K 750, 000.

Vivien Chiwila Chikoti, aged 49, of House No. 2 Flamboyant Street, Town Area, Livingstone was arrested today, 22nd September and has been charged with one count of Abuse of Authority of Office contrary to section 99 (1) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Details in the matter are that, Chikoti, on dates unknown but between 1st October 2010 and 31st October 2010 in Kabwe, whilst employed in the public service as Town Clerk at Kabwe Municipal Council , did abuse the authority of her office in the manner she facilitated the awarding of a Land Survey Contract to a certain William Mhango for Kabwe Municipal Council amounting to K 778, 100 which was above the threshold of the council, a matter or transaction that concerned the Kabwe Municipal Council, a Public Body.

She has been released on bond and will appear in Court on 3rd October, 2014

A Lusaka man accused of assaulting a Catholic Nun in Roma Township has been acquitted by the Lusaka Magistrate Court after the Nun agreed to settle the matter out of court.

Magistrate Aridah Chulu acquitted Daswell Sichilongo a teacher at Roma Girls High School on one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

This is in a matter in which Daswell Sichilongo, a science teacher was facing one count of assaulting acting head teacher, Emma Chakupalesa for locking his house after he allegedly failed to pay house rentals.
Sichilongo, 53, of Roma Girls flat number 02 is alleged to have on July 19, 2014 beaten up sister Chakupalesa in full view of a Muvi Television crew after the nun locked up houses of teachers who were defaulting on paying rentals.The Catholic Church owns houses within the School premises which teachers rent and pay subsidized rentals.

The lawyer representing the accused, Dickson Jere told the court that Sister Chakupalesa had decided to withdraw the case in the spirit of reconciliation.

Chakupalesa, 44, a religious sister told the court that she had unconditionally forgiven Mr. Sichilongo.
And Magistrate Chulu cautioned Sister Chakupalesa that once a case is withdrawn from court it cannot be brought back.

She also warned Mr. Sichilongo not to commit a similar offence in future.Mr. Sichilongo and Sister Chakupalesa later embraced outside the court room.