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We find the statement attributed to PF Secretary General and Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba, likening UPND President Hakainde Hichilema to a ka Ndanji or young Nyau as not only irresponsible and immature, but highly belittling and an insult to a lot of our people and tribal groupings that practice this tradition practice.
The same people in Western province, Kabimba was insulting as quoted in yesterday’s Post newspaper, our brothers and sisters in North-Western and Eastern provinces all practice this Nyau/Ndanji cultural dance and we wonder how the PF now wants votes from them.
We have very high respect for all Zambian cultural practices and traditions and we believe that a person who is not grounded on culture and tradition is equivalent to a tree without roots, this is Wynter today.
In fact, in UPND, we believe that some of these traditional practices such as Nyau or Ndanji dances should be promoted to the international level as part of tourism instead of denouncing them like Kabimba and his party is doing.
It has now become too common for the PF leadership to always resort to insults bordering on tribal innuendos as they always lack substance on important national matters such as the economy.
People of Zambia are currently going through serious economic hardships due to complete lack of leadership and when senior PF leaders like Kabimba have an opportunity to tell the electorate what they are doing to alleviate their poverty, all they hear are insults.
Since it is now clear PF leaders can no longer offer solutions to our people other than insulting them, perhaps the best they can do is for all of them to just follow their president Michael Sata and go into political hibernation and allow us in UPND to offer the necessary leadership that is missing.
Dr Mumba takes time to rest and chat with local people
Western Province MMD Provincial Chairperson Kameya Katoongo has laughed off assertions that the party did not fund the campaigns in the Tuesday Mangango by-elections.
Speaking in an interview Mr. Katoongo said the story on one of the online publications is a fabrication of lies which the public should ignore with the contempt it deserves.
He explained that the party secretariate in Lusaka supported the candidate and the campaign team from the nomination day with all the logistics hence whoever was giving the information to the named online publication is just bent on destroying the name of the party and that of the president.
He explained that the campaigns were well funded by the party and that if there were any setbacks which he said is expected during the campaigns then it was not as a result of lack of funds.
He said that campaign team had done all the necessary campaigns and that it had reached all the 7 wards which is impossible to do without proper funding as the constituency is vast.
He thanked the party president for helping them campaign saying his presence and logistical support will surly have a positive impact on the undecided electorate.
He also questioned the motive of the online publication for publicizing such a malicious story.
Meanwhile Mr. Katoongo has rated the party’s chances of scooping the by-elections as high.
He said the campaign team had done its home work and that all that is remaining is for the voters to cast their votes wisely and vote for MMD candidate who campaigned with words and ideas not violence.
Mr. Katoongo was reacting to a story in one of the online publications which reported that the former ruling party is broke and that it only used K11000 for the whole campaigns.
President Robert Mugabe during the Lwiindi Kuzyola traditional ceremony in Livingstone
President Robert Mugabe says the decisions made by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government at the just-ended 34th Summit will only be meaningful to the people if they are implemented.
President Mugabe took-over the chairmanship of the 15 member regional grouping yesterday from Malawi President Peter Mutharika during the official opening ceremony of the annual meeting held at the Elephant Hills Resort in Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe.
The Zambian government was represented at the Summit by Republican Vice President Guy Scott who was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba, his Commerce counterpart Bob Sichinga and Senior Private Secretary Robert Kamalata.
In his closing remarks marking the end of the two-day summit this afternoon, President Mugabe pledged to steer the SADC agenda during his one-year tenure to a higher level so that the regional grouping can effectively achieve the desired implementation plan of its programmes.
The SADC Heads of State and government have had meanwhile reviewed the regional blue-print for economic development, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) formulated in Maputo-Mozambique in 2012 with a view to prioritizing projects for easy implementation and financing by the member states.
And President Mugabe pledged to take advantage of his chairmanship to represent the interests of the region at various for a so that SADC voice, programmes and projects are ever present.
” This is a task that cannot be accomplished by the Chair alone. I, therefore, will count on your individual and collective support to steer the agenda of SADC in order to achieve effective implementation of our programmes and I have no doubt that together we will succeed”, said President Mugabe.
He said the Heads of State and Government examined in detail during the two-day meeting how the regional could make beneficiation and value addition an integral part of the overall SADC agenda adding that the Leaders also had fruitful discussions on the progress made so far to create a regional development fund to finance SADC programmes .
The Zimbabwean President stressed that an SADC development fund was a necessary mechanism that would enable the grouping to fund and own its programmes in order to reduce what he emphasized was a preponderous dependency on international cooperating partners.
Meanwhile, the SADC Heads of State and Government have signed four legal instruments aimed at further enhancing regional political and economic integration and cooperation among the member states.
The legal instruments during the closing ceremony include the SADC Protocol on the Tribunal, the Protocol on Environmental Management for Sustainable Development, the Protocol on Labour and the Declaration on Regional Infrastructure Development.
South Africa and Namibia have also signed the SADC Protocol on Trade and Services which the other 13 member states had already signed at previous Summits.
The next SADC Heads of State and Government Summit will be held in Bostwana.
Meanwhile, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba and Armando Guebuza of Mozambique have bade farewell to the SADC Heads of State and Government as they have both served two five-year terms of office in their respective countries which go for presidential elections later this year.
Ten (10) SADC Heads of State , three Prime Ministers and two Vice Presidents attended this year’s Summit.
And in a communique read at the end of the summit by SADC Executive secretary Stergomena Lawrence Tax said the Summit encouraged the Coalition government in Lesotho to continue providing leadership in its efforts to find a lasting political solution to the current impasse.
And Vice President Guy Scott has since left for Lusaka after attending the two-day SADC Heads of State and Government Summit in Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe.
A Women activist Grace Sampa has called on women across the country to respect their husbands to reduce gender based violence cases currently on the increase in the nation.
Ms Sampa said most cases of gender based violence are in most cases being perpetuated by un respectful Women towards their husbands.
She suggested that the general public should team up with the Zambia Police Service Victim Support wing in fighting gender based violence in the country.
ZANIS reports Ms. Sampa said this on the national television ZNBC programme dubbed “ The Reflection of Gender based violence” and monitored in Lusaka yesterday.
And Zambia Police Victim Support Unit representative Inspector Victor Ndemena said police are faced with many challenges in the fight against the vice.
Speaking on the same programme, Inspector Ndemena said many cases of gender based violence are withdrawn by complainants themselves making the work of officers challenging .
He said this has made the work of the Zambia Police Service difficulty when it comes to fighting gender based violence.
Meanwhile, Pastor Lesley Kapaya urged couples to love one another if their marriages are to be maintained.
Pastor Kapaya said love and tolerance between married people is no longer there contributing to increased gender based violence.
He noted that once married people learn to love one another, the cases of gender based violence will drastically reduce.
Business in Kalabo district on Friday last week came to a standstill as everyone in the main business district rushed to Mapa area to witness a witch doctor who was receiving instant justice by villagers who suspected him of practicing witchcraft.
A witch finder whose real names are not known but popularly known as’ Mr Phone’ and a resident in Senanga district is believed to have powers to identify people practicing witchcraft and Satanism.
ZANIS reports that according to some eyewitnesses who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal confirmed the incident.
They said this happened when Mr Phone ‘s services were requested by a named family in Mapa area who wanted him to assist them identify the person behind the death of their daughter who died whilst giving birth in the labour ward at the Kalabo district hospital.
Mr Phone who spent over five hours dancing and chanting attracted scores of residents after word went round.
He later told the family that the person behind their daughter’s death was the husband.
It was at this point that Mr phone began to beat up the suspect with the help of some villagers.
The witch finder further led villagers to destroy the suspect’s shop and goods in the process the suspect sustained serious injuries.
Mr Phone avoided an interview with the ZANIS officer only promised to pass through the office a development that proved futile.
Kalabo Police Officer-In- Charge Kim Masambo confirmed having heard the incident but could not act because the complainant did not formally report the matter to police.
And Kalabo district Commissioner Masela Chinyama condemned the incident.
Mrs Chinyama advised the victim to take legal action against the witch finder as there was no evidence to prove his acts in the courts of law.
The district commission explained that Mr Phone had no rights whatsoever to assault people on witchcraft allegations and the aggrieved had all the rights to report him to relevant authorities.
Veteran Politician Venom Mwanga has expressed hope that President Robert Mugabe’s chairmanship at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit will not affect the relation between the region and the US and European Union.
Dr. Mwaanga expressed his optimistic that the ongoing sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the European Union will not affect the SADC region considering President Mugabe’s position at the summit.
He said the European Union should esteem the views and evaluation of the SADC region concerning the matter and that it must recognize SADC’s stance on supporting the removal of these sanctions.
The EU recently imposed indefinite economic sanctions against the neighbouring nation due to alleged electoral mal-practices.
Dr. Mwaanga has expressed hope that the African delegates at the ongoing summit among other issues will reiterate efforts on the removal of the sanctions on Zimbabwe for the country to take its rightful place in the region and the world.
The Veteran politician said this in an interview in Lusaka, yesterday.
He has however commended the theme for this year’s summit adding that he hopes the deliberations during the meetings will result in SADC region being put on a new path of progress.
He noted that one of his aspirations of the summit is for African leaders to tackle the common serious challenges being faced in the region among other things.
Dr. Mwaanga also hopes that the deliberation at the summit will also result in African countries exporting finished products and not just raw materials.
The theme for the 34th SADC Heads of state is : “SADC strategy for Economic Transformation: Leveraging the Regions Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and social development through Beneficiation and value addition”.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mwaanga has also congratulated Zimbabwean president for taking over chairmanship of the ongoing Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit.
Dr. Mwaanga said President Robert Mugabe deserve the chairmanship position of the 15 member SADC regional grouping at the 34th heads of state summit.
President Mugabe whose country last hosted a SADC Summit 25 years ago has taken over the SADC chairmanship from Malawi’s President Peter Mutharika.
A traffic policeman attending to a motorist at a roadblock
Some Lusaka Motorists have backed the Commuter Rights Association (CRA ) president Aron Kamuti’s observation that constant Police Check points especially in Lusaka were meaningless.
One of the concerned motorist David Gunduzani, said unnecessary traffic checks being conducted were merely inconveniencing road users especially during rush hours.
ZANIS reports Mr. Gunduzani saying in an intervierw in Lusaka today that police should put their house in order to minimize these snap road blocks which he said had become a nuisance to the travelling public.
Another motorist Simwaka Lubemba says calls by Mr Kamuti should be supported by all well meaning commuters and road users.
Mr Lubemba, who is a propritor of Hinau enterprise, said while motorists appreciate the importance of check points, some were meaningless and deserved to ignored by motorists.
He stated that many of the check points mounted by traffic police officers in Lusaka do not add value as they only disturb motorists.
Yesterday, Mr Kamuti observed that the constant police check points more especially in Lusaka are meaningless.
Association President Aaron Kamuti told QFM News monitored by ZANIS that the check points are just inconveniencing people because the flow of traffic is affected.
Mr. Kamuti said constant police check points are not saving any purpose considering that they want to mount road blocks during peak times when people have deadlines to meet.
He has also accused the Zambia Police Traffic Department of allegedly finding faults in the motorists.
He said there is need for the police traffic department to operate within the confinement of the law instead of them mounting check points at their own will.
And efforts to get a comment from Police Public Relations Manager Montana Chanda proved futile by press time as her mobile phone could not be reached.
Teachers of Limbotwa Basic School of Kasabi village in Western Province have abandoned the school due to lack of teachers houses.
School acting head teacher Paul Kawinga says some teachers have since fled the school stating that they cannot live in makeshift huts, which the community has constructed for them.
He said seven teachers have since left the school leaving only six to cater for the over five hundred pupils at the school.
Mr Chimbinde said that the development has impacted negatively on the performance of the pupils as the teachers are forced to teach double class without giving serious attention to slow learners.
ZANIS reports that School acting head teacher Paul Kawinga confirmed the development in an interview over the weekend.
And a male teacher Dennis Makila who handles three classes for grades three, four and nine said that the work load is too much for him to perform his duties effectively.
He has since appealed to the Ministry of Education to quickly look into the matter.
National Revolution Party (NRP) President Cosmo Mumba
Opposition National Revolution Party (NRP) leader Cosmo Mumba says the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) ‘stinks’ corruption.
But RTSA CEO Mr. Zindaba Soko when contacted over the matter brushed aside the opposition leader’s claims.
Dr. Mumba threatened to spill the beans and expose the concerned Officers at the Agency.
Dr. Mumba says the procurement surrounding the tendering process of a computerised machine called Zambia Transport Information System (Zam-TIS) equipment estimated at the cost of US $36 million (over K200 million) was done in a fraudulent manner because tendering procedures were not followed.
ZANIS reports that the opposition leader said during a press briefing in Lusaka today.
The zam-TIS machine is used to capture and maintain all motor vehile registration, toll gates at boarder controlling, driving license information as well as printing of driving license cards.
He challenged the RTSA Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko and Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) to be honest and tell the nation what was happening with the current Zam-TIS system.
The opposition NRP leader said there is no need of procuring another Zam-TIS equipment hence just upgrade it and that the K200 million could be channeled to other key sectors of the economy.
“The Zambian people are paramount and their interest should come first because its tax-payers’ money and we can’t waste public resources in this manner,” he lamented.
But RTSA CEO Mr. Zindaba Soko when contacted over the matter brushed aside the opposition leader’s claims.
Mr. Soko urged Dr. Mumba to concentrate in politics instead of dragging the Agency into the mud.
“I’m not aware of Dr. Mumba’s claims may be he knows better himself about the Zam-TIS,” Mr. Soko said.
FILE: UPND president Hakainde Hichilema (left) interacting with his lawyer Jack Mwiimbu
KITWE High Court Judge Catherine Makungu has issued a bench warrant against United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema for deliberately missing court.
This is in a matter in which lawyers representing acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda have applied to the Kitwe High Court to cite Mr Hichilema for contempt of court for allegedly commenting on the acting Chief Justice position when the matter is still in court.
The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has challenged the appointment of Justice Chibesakunda as Chief Justice.
When the matter came up for hearing in the contempt application case yesterday, Justice Makungu noted that Mr Hichilema was absent.
“I am convinced that he is aware of these proceedings and was aware of them even before the matter last came up for hearing because I do not see how his advocates would come to court without their client’s instructions but with copies of the application since it has been proven that the application was in accordance with my order for substituted service advertised in the Daily Mail of 28 and 29 July, 2014,” Justice Makungu said.
She said Mr Hichilema must have seen the advertisements and that the purpose of serving such applications was to make the respondent or alleged contemnor aware of the application so that the court may give him a chance to be heard.
“In this case, he is aware of the proceedings and has appointed a firm of advocates to represent him and I have given him a chance to be heard. I will, therefore, not allow him to continue delaying these proceedings by deliberately not accompanying his advocates to court,” Justice Makungu said.
She said she would not condone the way Mr Hichilema’s lawyer was handling the matter and advised him to properly advise his client from now onwards.
Justice Makungu said she had no intentions of embarrassing Mr Hichilema and the best he should have done was just to appear before her instead of risking to be embarrassed if a bench warrant was issued against him.
“However, in the interest of justice, I hereby order that a bench warrant returnable on August 26, 2014 at 09:00 hours be issued against him immediately,” she said.
Ever since Ms Chibesakunda’s lawyers applied that Mr Hichilema be cited for contempt for allegedly issuing a statement on a matter that is active before court, he has not availed himself to the court on the two occasions that the matter has come up for hearing.
Mighty Mufulira Wanderers beat old rivals Kalulushi Modern Stars to revive their promotion hopes after moving three places up to second on the FAZ Division One North table.
Mighty beat Kalulushi 3-1 at Shinde Stadium on Sunday to completely change the complexion in the top two promotional places in Division One North.
Wanderers moved into second place with 38 points after beating Kalulushi with goals from Eric Chibuye and Brian Hambungeni who registered a brace.
Kalulushi drop into fourth position on the table and stuck on 37 points.
Meanwhile, there is a new leader at the top of Division One North where a revived Chambishi shot to the summit after beating visiting Chindwin Sentries 1-0 in a Week 22 match played at Chambishi Stadium in Kalulushi on Sunday.
Striker Mubanga Chileshe scored the all-important goal as Chambishi opened a one-point lead at the top of the table with 39 points from 22 matches played.
Elsewhere, striker Kelvin Mwelwa scored a lone goal to help Forest Rangers beat FQM Operations Mining 1-0 in Solwezi to move into third place.
In other matches, Kitwe United thumped Nkwiza 3-0 at Garden Park Stadium in Kitwe while Ndola United and Lime Hotspurs drew goalless in their Ndola derby.
UPND Katuba Member of Parliament Parliament Jonas Shakafuswa today appeared before Kaoma Magistrate Court and pleaded not guilty to four counts of assault in relation to political violence that occurred over the weekend in Mangango Constituency.
He spent the night cells at Kaoma Central Police Station before appearing in court today. He was accompanied by Request Muntanga and a few UPND cadres as he was led from the police cells to the court which is just about 20 metres away.
Mr Shakafuswa who appeared before magistrate Jane Sifali for plea in the morning said he understood the charges and did not plead guilty to any of the four.
In the first count, the Katuba lawmaker is alleged to have assaulted Sikananu Akabondo at Mwanambuyu Primary School in Kaoma district thereby occasioning him bodily harm.
According to the charge sheet, Mr Shakafuswa is in the second count alleged to have assaulted Bosco Kawanga while in the third and fourth counts the parliamentarian is accused of occasioning bodily harm on Sinyinda Mukosiku and Phinius Imboela.
Mr Shakafuswa who was represented by Mwiinga Cheelo from Muleza Mwimbu and Company was however, granted a K2,000 cash bail with two working sureties.
This was after Mr Cheelo applied for bail pending trial saying Mr Shakafuswa was ready to abide by any conditions that might be attached to his freedom as he awaited trial.
Mr Cheelo said offences were bailable and prayed that the court would exercise its discretion by releasing him because the nation would be deprived of his contribution as MP if he remained in custody.
The state did not object to the application although Magistrate Sifali said Mr Shakafuswa who spent a night in cells could only be released after the payment of the K2,000. The matter has since been adjourned to September 18 for commencement of trial.
In the same court, 36-year old peasant farmer of Samwaka village pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault and malicious damage to property.
Yohane Ngaundabu Chitowe while acting together with other unknown people is alleged to have damaged two motor vehicles belonging to Luampa MP Josephine Limata in Limata village.He was however, released on bail pending trial on September 18, 2014.
Police arrested Mr Shakafuswa on Sunday in connection with the violence that occurred in Namafulo ward ahead of tomorrow’s Mangango parliamentary by-elections.
Jonas Shakafuswa being led by Police officers to courtJonas Shakafuswa waving to his supporters
Government says plans of issuing of new biometric National Registration Cards (NRC) has reached an advance stage. Ministry of Home Affairs Spokesperson Moses Suwali said the project will commence as a pilot programme in Lusaka district and will be scaled up to other parts of the country.
The Spokesperson said this in a telephone interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today. Mr Suwali said government has engaged a team from Germany who are expected to arrive in the country next week to inspect the installation of the new equipment. He revealed that the highly advanced technological equipment is being installed today at the Ridgeway Passport Office Production in Lusaka ahead of the exercise.
Mr Suwali said the Germany experts are also expected to offer training to the Zambian officers who will continue with issuing biometric NRC to the public after the initiation of the project. He said other stake holders have also been involved in this exercise and that the total amount to be spent will be communicated at a later stage.
Mr Suwali said the issuance process will be done gradually adding that the ministry will embark on a massive sensitization programme to the public concerning the exercise. He said that the roll out plan of the new registration programme is also expected be distributed to the public.
Mr Suwali has however urged the public to continue getting and using the already existing NRC adding that information will be communicated to the public if need arises to phase them out.
University of Zambia Vice Chancellor, Professor Stephen Simukanga
The University of Zambia (UNZA) in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) has launched post graduate programmes for Masters Degrees and Doctorate in Philosophy through the Institute of Distance Education.
UNZA Vice Chancellor Stephen Simukanga disclosed that the key programmes include Master of Science in Peace, Leadership and Conflict Resolution, Master of Business Administration and Doctorate of Philosophy. Professor Simukanga said the partnership is anchored within the open and distance education framework for the two universities to promote research and consultancy.
He said the development is in line with the university’s vision of providing relevant higher education through teaching, research and community service. The Professor said the university was delighted to join hands with its sister university ZOU, for the benefit of the people in their respective countries. He stated the role to be played by UNZA in the partnership includes recruitment of prospective students and tutors, provision of learner support and administration of examinations while ZOU is providing curricula modules examiners.
Professor Simukanga said this in a speech read for him by his deputy Professor Enala Tembo. And ZOU Acting Vice Chancellor Alfred Ncube expressed happiness that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed four years ago with a view of offering post graduate programmes to the Zambian community has finally come into fruition. Dr Ncube said ZOU was looking forward to expanding programmes for the benefit of the people.
