The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA)has described as appalling the behaviour by some Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) in the wildlife industry who are claiming credit for works they did not do so as to deceive donors.

In press statement released to the media by ZAWA Communications & Public Relations Officer Mwila Readith Muliyunda the Authority says it is outrageous, unfair and disrespectful to the organizers for some NGOs to claim ownership of works done by others in a bid to appease donors.

Ms. Muliyunda questioned the credibility of such organizations which she said did not show any interest during the planning phase of the event.

“The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) is appalled at the level of dishonesty by some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the industry, which go to the extreme of claiming credit for works they did not do in their quest to appease donors.

“ZAWA last week collaborated with Green Rural African Development (GRAD) to put up a colourful conservation and education awareness initiative and fun day for kids in commemoration of World Lion Day.”

She added, “Surprisingly, ALERT, a local NGO and its sister organisation, Lion Encounter through an article they posted on their website made false claims and gave the impression that they were behind the organisation of the event when in fact they were not.

“This may seem immaterial at glance. However, it is important to note that the organizing phase of the event was met with so much apathy and lack of interest from certain individuals and Alert, which is now claiming to have spearheaded it. It also speaks volumes about the credibility and caliber of such organisations.

“For them to want to claim credit for the occasion after it turned out to be a success is completely outrageous, unfair and disrespectful to the real organizers and contributors, especially GRAD, which was the major sponsor. Other contributors included Stanbic, Tongabezi, Game Rangers International, Grassroots Trust, Ranan Trading and the Livingstone Majorettes.”

And the Wildlife Authority has warned individuals trying to use the wildlife for personnel gratification as the industry is not a playground for amassing personal wealth from well wishers.

She also notes that the industry has been exploited for a long time hence the need for people to discourage by all well meaning Zambians.

“ZAWA would like to warn that the Wildlife industry and Zambia as a whole is not a playground for NGOs seeking to fulfil selfish motives, or those which are only interested in amassing personal wealth from well-wishers.

The industry has for a long time been subject to such shameless exploitation, and this shall not be tolerated. ZAWA is always happy to give credit to deserving partners. But any attempts by some organisations to reap where they did not sow shall not be allowed to continue,” she said.

She added, “The Authority is also very keen to partner with organisations that are honest, fair and with a genuine desire and passion for conservation of the country’s wildlife and natural resources. This is critical for the benefit of communities, not only locally, but across continents.

ZAWA understands that Zambia and Africa in general holds the last hope for the preservation and sustainability of our environment, wildlife and natural resource. The entire human species depends on the preservation and conservation of this limited resource for survival.”

Government says it is pondering giving/issuing chiefs diplomatic passports to ease their challenges when they area abroad.

Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Deputy Minister Suzan Kawandami says the matter is under discussion with her ministry and other stakeholders.

Ms. Kawandami confirmed having received the proposal from Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II of the Soli speaking people in Chongwe district.

The Deputy Minister said her ministry would engage the Passport Office department under the Ministry of Home Affairs before the matter is tabled to Cabinet.

ZANIS reports that the deputy minister said this in an interview in Lusaka today.

She reiterated that Government attaches great importance to the welfare of traditional leaders in terms of fostering national development in the country in chiefdoms.

Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II has advised government to consider giving traditional leaders diplomatic passports to ease hardships they encounter when travelling abroad.

Chieftainess Nkomeshya noted that whenever traditional leaders travelled abroad, they were not recognised because of their ordinary travel documents.

She made the remarks at the just ended Southern Africa Traditional Leaders’ Conference held at Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka.

The traditional leader said when chiefs travelled abroad, they faced a lot of challenges as people fail to recognise them as traditional leaders.

She said chiefs’ respect must be upheld every-where they go home or abroad.

“Our National Registration Cards have birth names but once we ascend to the throne as your royal Highnesses, we inherit our respective titles coming with various chiefdoms as you know as chiefs our respect must be upheld wherever we go,” Chieftainess Nkomeshya said.

Government says the re-introduction of arts subjects in all school across the country will encourage creativity among pupils.

Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata said the reintroduction of arts subjects such as needlework and home craft is an excellent way of preserving the country’s heritage.

Ms. Kapata made the call after a Tapestry Exhibition held at the Parliament Buildings in Edinburg, Scotland.

ZANIS reports that the tourism minister said this in a statement released in Lusaka, today.

Ms. Kapata was in Scotland where she was attending the Second Edinburg International Cultural Summit which ran from the 9th to August 14 2014.

The Minister added that arts subject area also a productive and creative way of bringing up the youths in the country.

And Ms. Kapata has called on Zambian tour operators to partner with the Scottish counterparts to develop tour packages targeting routes undertaken by late Scottish explorer David Livingstone.

Ms. Kapata sentiments come after a group of tourists, scholars and history students decided to embark on an exploration of retracing the trips made by David Livingstone.

The former ruling party the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has stated that the party is not satisfied with the Mangango by-elections results.

MMD National Secretary Mhabi Lungu has said he is still waiting for a full report with regards to Mangango by-elections on what exactly transpired there.

Mr Lungu hinted that his party will hold a press briefing tomorrow to give a detailed report concerning the just ended by-election in Mangango.

And the Patriotic Front (PF) says its party is delighted for scooping the just ended Mangango Parliamentary seat in Western Province.

PF Media Director Chanda Mfula said the ruling party welcomes its victory with humility because people of Mangango and the entire nation are pleased with the PF agenda in developing Zambia.

Mr Chanda told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that some political parties were saying the Mangango by-elections were going to be a litmus test for the 2016 general election, a thing which he said has come true.

He stated that this has shown the opposition clearly that the PF will no doubt scoop the 2016 elections without difficulties.

Mr Mfula thanked the people of Mangango and electorates in the local government elections in which the PF won 18 out of the 25 ward by-elections.

Government wishes to congratulate the people of Mangango for choosing to work with the ruling party in developing their constituency.

Chief government spokesperson Joseph Katema says by electing the PF candidate, the people of Mangango have shown that they are happy and satisfied with the PF’s programmes, policies and projects aimed at improving their well being.

Dr. Katema says the victory signifies the trust and commitment the people of Mangango have in the PF Government.

The people of Mangango have further shown that they value good leadership and detest opportunistic and self- centred leadership, says the spokesperson.

“ Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate the political parties that took part in the by-election. This is a sign of Zambia’s flourishing and competitive democracy, “ he said.

Dr. Katema, who is also Information and Broadcasting minister says this in a statement realized in Lusaka, this evening.

PF has scoped Mangango seat after getting 2,971 votes, UPND 2,336, ADD 611, UNIP 377, MMD 147, FRP 29 from 32 poling stations out of 33 polling stations.

Opposition Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) Lusaka District executive committee has called for the immediate expulsion of its outspoken youth leader Bowman Lusambo from the party.

Lusaka district MMD chairman Blackson Lungu said Mr. Lusambo should be expelled for his senseless attacks on senior leaders of the party.

ZANIS reports that this is according to a petition letter over Mr. Lusambo signed and addressed to the MMD provincial executive committee made available in Lusaka today.

Mr. Lungu also asked the provincial executive committee to take quick disciplinary measures against Mr. Lusambo for his recent attacks on former president Rupiah Banda.

And Mr. Lungu said that Mr. Lusambo has clearly breached the party manifesto by forming an organ called Die Hard MMD Youths which he said is not in the party structures.

But efforts to get a comment from Mr. Lusambo failed by broadcast time as his mobile phone was off.

THE opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has scooped all the four Local Government by-elections held in the four districts in Southern Province on yesterday.

In Batoka Ward in Choma District, UPND councilor, Judge Hambayi polled a total of 1,481 votes against his closet contender Maxon Simwami of Patriotic Front (PF) who got 164 from all the four polling centres in the ward.

MMD aspiring councillor Victor Mwiinga polled 38 votes. Batoka Ward returning officer Chiko Chileshe declared Mr Hambayi as councilor for Batoka Ward seat which fell vacate after recent resignation of UPND area councilor Mr Simwami who joined PF.

Mr Hambayi said shortly after he was declared winner around 23; 00 hours on Tuesday at Batoka Basic School polling centre that he would work hard to improve the lives of local people.

“ I am happy I have won n I want to assure the people of Batoka that I will represent the ably at Choma Municipal Council in line with their expectations,” he said.

In Chitongo Ward in Namwala District, UPND candidate Joseph Chvwanga polled a total of 857 votes again this closet contender Steurt Banda of PF got 159 while MMD candidate Happious Mwaka got 44 from the four polling centres in the ward.

In Moomba Ward in Monze West, UPND candidate Clement Hamakala got a total of 1,380 votes while his opponent PF’s Francis Hangonga polled 221 votes.

In Siavonga District’s Mulinda Ward, however, the returning officer was unreachable by press time, but PF Southern Province Chairperson Daniel Mukombwe said the party had lost the seat.

‘We have lost all the four seats in the province but PF is a strong and the biggest party in Zambia. The party is growing from strength to strength and we have won the Mangango seat in Kaoma,” he said yesterday when Local Government deputy Minister Forrie Tembo paid a courtesy call on him.

Former Mozambican President Joachim Chisano last evening dined with Zambia’s former freedom fighters and shared memories of the freedom struggle which the two countries underwent.

President Chisano was happy that he could still recognize almost all the Zambian freedom fighters and called them by their names as he joked in Chinyanja one of the Zambian local languages, when greeting each one of them upon entry into the venue.

The former head of state noted that protocol during the dinner was not necessary as he took over from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary George Zulu and demanded that freedom fighters be given chance to remind the gathering how they contributed to the struggle in the two countries.

And freedom fighters took the chance to narrate how in their various capacities helped the two countries gain independence.

One of the freedom fighters Mr. Sikota Wina narrated that the fight for liberation started like a joke as some elders were adamant to start the fight against colonies but were influenced by youths.
And General Malimba Masheke who commanded the soldiers who helped Mozambique in the struggle noted that he would not have regretted losing his life to serve many lives.

And former Zambia National Defence Force (ZNDF) Commander Lieutenant General Peter Zuze said that during the period of liberation struggle of Southern Africa flying jets on various operations was his calling and a way to pay back to the people of Zambia for the free education he enjoyed from the era of the United National Independence Party (UNIP).

He stated that he grew up as a strong youth who was used by freedom fighters to set properties of the colonial master ablaze which earned him education sponsorship from the UNIP.

Veteran Politician and freedom fighter Vernon Mwanga disclosed that he joined the struggle for liberation as a young boy and was part of the team that launched the popular Cha Cha Cha campaign in 1961.

Former UNIP Secretary General Grey Zulu boasted that he helped Mozambique gain liberation and attended their independence which was shunned by many Presidents due to security reasons.

Mr Zulu expressed gratitude to the visiting former head of state for considering celebrating the country’s jubilee.

The former President of Mozambique is in the country for a three-day state visit to commemorate Zambia’s Golden Jubilee anniversary which will be held on October 24 this year.

The Zambia Bus and Taxi Workers’ Union (ZABUTWU) has backed the Road Traffic and Safety Agency (RTSA) directive to public operators to paint or fix a 10 centimetre diameter reflective ribbon on their vehicles by end of August 2014.

ZABUTWU President James Lyambai said RTSA should enforce the law to ensure safety of both public transport service vehicle drivers and the traveling publics.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr Lyambai said the August 31st deadline would bring sanity and reduce traffic contravention and piracy on the roads countrywide.

Mr Lyambai observed that some taxis and mini-bus drivers were not paying tax to the government through RTSA.

He observed that in the recent past, some taxi and mini-bus drivers were murdered by unsuspecting bandits because of using unregistered vehicles.

Mr Lyambai appealed to his members to comply with RTSA regulations to avoid being in conflict with traffic law enforcement officers.

RTSA has maintained that 31st august, 2014 is the final deadline and ruled out any possibility of extending the grace period given to public service vehicle operators to paint or fix a 10 centimetre diameter reflective ribbon on their vehicles.

RTSA Information Officer Fredrick Mubanga said that the new regulation aims at addressing the concern of pirate taxis and mini-buses or vehicles that are being used for the conveyance of passengers on hire without being licensed.

Mr Mubanga urged public service vehicle operators to comply with the Statutory Instrument No. 39 of 2013 of the Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002 which took effect on 31st August, last year.

Mr. Mubanga is however, impressed with the compliance coming from bus operators but regretted that taxi operators were reluctant in fixing the ribbons.

He emphasized that the new colour schemes for passenger public service vehicles is making it easy for passengers to identify public transport vehicles from private ones and added vehicles without the approved colour scheme are at risk of being easily hijacked by criminals.

In Lusaka, buses and taxies are required to have orange ribbons, sky blue for Luapula, emerald green for Eastern, while Copper belt buses and taxies will have copper ribbons.

Central province will have yellow, Northern Province red, North-western silver, Muchinga wispy or lime green, Southern province purple-amethyst, and Western province light brown ribbons.