The Lusaka Magistrate Court has today convicted former Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Commander Andrew Sakala for theft by public servant involving K1.5 million.

The court has however acquitted former Zambia National Service (ZNS) Commandant Sikota Yeta and former Zambia Army Commander Wisdom Lopa on the same charges.

Lusaka Magistrate Wilfred Muuma found Lieutenant General Sakala guilty of having stolen the public funds contrary to section 272 and 277 Chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence are that between 16th and 21st September, 2011, General Sakala received K1.5 million through the ZAF Aircraft Hire Account, money meant for operations during the September 2011 general elections which he is alleged to have distributed to his colleagues.

The three former defence chiefs were jointly charged on 20th March 2012.

General Sakala has since been remanded at Kamwala Remand Prison awaiting sentencing on Friday 10th October 2014.
And the Joint Government Investigative Team has welcomed the conviction of General Sakala.
According to a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Joint Investigative Team Public Relations Officer Namukolo Kasumpa.

Mrs. Kasumpa said the team will study the judgment on the acquittal of the other two generals for further consideration.

Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have agreed preliminary steps towards the establishment of a new framework of cooperation to increase regular diplomatic consultations at bilateral and multilateral levels.

This agreement was reached during the high-level talks between Zambia’s Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary George Zulu and FCO Head of Africa Department responsible for Central and Southern Africa Matt Baugh.

Mr. Zulu was leading a delegation of senior staff who attended a study tour of the FCO headquarters in London from 1st to 3rd October 2014.

“We are happy to help Zambia improve information management systems and help with other requests the Permanent Secretary has raised. I am proud to congratulate you on your country’s remarkable Golden Jubilee this year. A senior representative with good and fond connections with Zambia will represent the UK government at the events in Lusaka this month,” said Mr Baugh.

Mr. Baugh commended Zambia for its constructive engagement in seeking peaceful settlement of conflicts particularly in the Central African Republic where President Sata has authorized the deployment of a battalion of peacekeepers and the DRC where Zambia has played a key role on pushing for an end to civil strife.

He urged Zambia to continue playing its critical role in helping to improve the situation in Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, Mr. Zulu thanked the FCO for agreeing to send experts to Zambia to help the Ministry of Foreign Affairs set up an electronic database, information management system and electronic registry.

He reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to improving relations with the UK and hoped the new framework of cooperation will be another milestone in the two countries’ relationship.

He congratulated the UK on the peaceful outcome of the September 18, 2014 Scottish referendum that affirmed the country’s unity by rejecting secession.

Mr. Zulu noted that Zambia appreciates the sustained presence of British businesses in Zambia and welcomed the UK government’s initiative to open a new trade mission designed to accelerate private sector development.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Press Secretary at the Zambia’s High Commission in the United Kingdom Amos Chanda.

Roan member of Parliament, Chishimba Kambwili, has called on civil servants to take keen interests in amplifying development projects government was undertaking under the leadership of President Michael Sata.

Mr Kambwili said President Sata was a man of the people and concerned with the welfare of all Zambians as evidenced by a number of development projects such as the construction and upgrading of hospitals and roads in various parts of the country.

Speaking in Luanshya when he toured development projects in his constituency, Mr Kambwili observed that government was putting up good projects but that civil servants were not doing enough to sensitize and deliver correct information to the community about the projects.

The Roan MP, who is also Minister of Youth and Sport, inspected works at Section 25 clinic, which is being upgraded to a district hospital at a cost K1.5 million using constituency development funds.

He disclosed that the clinic will be completed in December, this year and once complete will cater for a population of over 70 000.

He added that the hospital will help in decongesting Roan Antelope General Hospital which was currently burdened with the large catchment area.

Mr Kambwili, who was happy with the work covered so far, noted that the hospital was expected to be completed by the end of this month and will be commissioned in December this year.

He explained that the CDF funded project was started in 2012 and includes a bed capacity of 120, six wards, an out-patients’ wing, a laboratory and a mortuary, which will enable the hospital to stand alone.
The hospital will carter for people from Mpatamato, Kawama, Kasununu, Chisokone Muvahill and Chendamaunga among other settlement areas bordering Luanshya with Masaiti and Mpongwe districts.

Meanwhile, the construction of UNDP funded ART clinic at Section 27 clinic has reached an advanced stage and will be completed next week and be operation by the end of next month.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6th October 2014

OFFICIAL STATEMENT

WORLD TEACHERS DAY’S

Today we join the teaching fraternity in commemorating World Teachers Day. We commend these hardworking men and women for their contribution to the unity and social development of our country. As the theme states, “Unite for quality education, better education for a better world.” I will add that as we unite for quality education, let that education be affordable.

Education is one of the main pillars in our manifesto, alongside effective economic management, quality and affordable health care, as well as good agriculture and food security policies.

As we commend the role our teachers play in our society, we urge government to seriously pay attention to the poor conditions existing in our schools so that our teachers can produce highly competitive students that can make our country self-reliant. Fifty (50) years after independence, Zambia is still lagging on a number of social indicators which would make us self-reliant. The lack of self-reliance manifests itself in so many ways, including lack of manufacturing ability, lack of skilled labour to mention but a few. Zambia has remained an importing country due to a dysfunctional education system that has largely been too theoretical to respond to modern needs.

In today’s complex world, the challenges Zambia faces need an education system and curriculum that places emphasis on practical experience that equips graduates with the basic and necessary skills. This skills development will then translate into making our own products and reduce the importation of basic items which include tooth picks, bolts and nuts, handbags etc. when we have all the raw materials in country. This is the real independence that will make Zambians and Zambia at 50, more proud and free economically

I am aware that there are good workshops in Kabwe, Mpika and other parts of the country, some under TAZARA and Zambia Railways, that can easily be transformed into manufacturing centres for basic motor vehicle spare parts such as shock absorbers, brake pads and effectively reduce imports. But we cannot venture into manufacturing if we do not have the right skills emanating from an appropriate education system.

At 50 years, it is high time government provided political will by reducing or zero-rating
imported education aids, especially those related to skills development. I am also requesting Government to zero rate all manufacturing equipment so as to expand the manufacturing base, create employment for our graduates and broaden the tax base for generating revenue locally. This single act will reduce on borrowing and aid handouts.

Under the theme, “Unite for quality education, better education for a better world”, UPND still emphasises that it is the government’s responsibility to create an enabling environment for a conducive teaching and learning environment. We also urge Government to address the bursary system so that more citizens can access education, needless to say, no citizen should take his or her own life because they cannot afford education.

Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President

National Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo sold off the shares in Corpus Globe the company he helped to establish.

Responding to FDD’s statement over Mr. Chipimo’s stance when he called on Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda to refund the mines, NAREP General Secretary Rev Jevan Kamanga said there is nothing personal about his president’s calls as there is a law which requires government to pay the refunds under VAT Rule 18.

Rav Kamanga said the statement which was issued by the FDD lacked merit and did not address the issues raised by Mr. Chipimo and that those issues have started to manifest as Mopani copper mines has stated plans to lay down over 20,000 workers.

He said refunding the mines is something that has been happening since 1995 when the law was introduced and that each Minister who save between 1994 and 2011 including Ms. Nawakwi refunded mines hence FDD should not be accusing his president for urging the government to do what is right and save the many jobs which will be lost as a result of not paying back the refunds.

He said Mr. Mwanza and his party should not just issue statements without facts as the issue of Mr. Chipimo benefiting from the refunds is not there because he has sold off the shares in Corpus Globe the company he helped to establish.

However, the Opposition Forum for Democracy and Development FDD has challenged fellow opposition National Restoration Party to prove that FDD president Edith Nawakwi paid VAT refunds to mining companies during the time she saved as Finance Minister.

The FDD has maintained that NAREP president Elias Chipimo is trying to ‘eat with both hands’ as he has personal interest in the refunds to mining companies as his hence the calls for the minister to refund them.

Reacting to a statement from NAREP General Secretary Rev Jevan Kamanga who accused Mr. Mwanza of politicking over a serious national issue with huge repercussions to country’s economy the FDD spokesperson said NAREP should show empirical evidence that Ms. Nawakwi indeed paid VAT refunds when she was Minister.

Mr. Mwanza said his president did not pay any refunds to the mines and that if she did that the case should be differentiated because times have changed as copper prices were not as high as there are today hence the need to advocate for the change of the law.

He accused Mr. Chipimo of cosmetically removing himself from the face Corpus Globe for political expediency because the law firm would not have continued getting contracts with the mines if he had continued being the face of the company while saving as a president of an opposition political but that he is still part of the company which is representing the mines hence the campaigns for government to refund mines.

Mr. Mwanza also wondered why a person with best the interest of Zambians would advocate for bad which the foreign mine owners have been using to exploit Zambians and continue to walk away with huge profits when people are suffering in the country.

He maintained that the issue at the heart of Mr. Chipimo’s calls are economic benefits as Mr. Chipimos signatures are all over the mining agreements which he negotiated on behalf of the mines.

He explained that the law in question is a bad law which needs to be changed something which Mr. Chipimo should be calling for as opposed to campaigning for the mines to continue walking away with huge profits at the expense of Zambians.