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Riot Police in running battles at Lusaka’s notorious Chibolya market, with suspected illicit drug dealers
The Zambia Police Service says it will not relent in the fight against criminal elements in the country.
Police Spokesperson Charity Chanda has warned that Gerald Musalale alias Seven Spirits that place will crack down on him and any other criminals terrorizing the people.
In a statement, Ms Chanda said the advocacy that Seven Spirits is spreading of trading in drugs will land him in trouble with the law.
“The police will not sit back and watch people promoting the commission of crimes. We want to warn all those criminal elements that the police has the ability to repeat the crackdown of May, 29th as long as it may take to get rid of illicit drugs and criminal elements in Chibolya,” Ms Chanda said.
Chibolya resident Gerald Musalale alias Seven Spirits has dared the police to arrest him saying marijuana had become part of the lifestyle of the youths in Chibolya.
Seven Spirits said in the absence of jobs, schools and recreational facilities in the compound, the youths would continue trading in drugs.
He said the Drug Enforcement Commission was not formed to send people to prison but rehabilitate them, pointing out that he had been to a rehabilitation institution before.
Seven Spirits said marijuana was still available in the compound and being sold openly despite the crackdown, adding that the trend would continue.
A new survey released by the Zambia Medical Association has revealed that majority of all deliveries at UTH are conducted on the floor.
The survey on the State of Maternal and New Born Health Care Services in Lusaka Province has revealed that UTH on average records 60 deliveries per day while the labour ward only has capacity for 17 deliveries.
The survey also shows that UTH labour ward with its 17 bed delivery space has remained the same since inception in 1969.
According to the survey, UTH maternity and theatre space which was designed for a small population has been remarkably reduced by 25 percent.
“The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) has expanded in recent years and has been relocated from ward C22 to ward D11. There has been a reduction in the maternity space since ward C11, C13 and B 21 has been taken away from Obstetrics and Gynecology. Ward B21 is now used as a cancer ward, C11 is female highly cost ward and ward C 13 is now female surgical; high cost ward,” the survey says.
It said there has been a reduction in the operating theatre space since phase III theatre 7 which used to be elective gynecology space was taken away and given to surgery C block theatre, consisting of three operating rooms, was originally designed for Obstetrics and Gynecology emergencies.
It says currently with the repossession of theatre 7 in phase III, all emergency and elective Obstetrics and Gynecology cases are being conducted in C block theatre of note, only one operating theatre is allocated for emergencies and only two theatres are being used for elective gynecology cases.
On human resource, the survey shows that there is a glaring shortage of midwives on the labour ward with a midwife patient ratio translating to 1.6.
It also shows that there is a shortage of nurses with an average of three nurses per shift, making it impossible to fully optimize the Obstetrics and Gynecology theatre at any given time.
The survey also revealed that there is a critical shortage of nurses in the Neo Intensive Care Unit with an average of only three nurses against 60 patients per day giving a nurse patient ratio of 1:20.
It also revealed that currently, UTH has no nurses that are specifically trained in neonatal care.
The trained neo natal care nurse to patient ratio is supposed to be at 1:1 in the Neo Intensive Care Unit setting.
Government has urged Zambians to be patriotic and sacrifice their services for the economic development of the country.
Southern Province Acting Permanent Secretary Douglas Ngimbu says citizens need to emulate the work culture of cooperating partners such as China among others who send their staff to Zambia for their expertise aimed at uplifting the living standards of Zambians.
“No one will come from heaven or other countries to develop the country for us. But I would urge you to emulate the work culture of staff sent by our cooperating partners to uplift our living standards,” he said.
He said Zambians especially those in the medical profession were held in high esteem in other countries due to their good work culture but wondered why they did not exhibit the same work attitude in Zambia.
ZANIS reports that the Acting Permanent Secretary said this when he officially opened the 2015 to 2017 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Provincial Planning Launch for the Ministry of Health at Livingstone Lodge, today.
The Acting Permanent Secretary also stressed the importance of public relations in the health sector, adding that its absence affected treatment of patients.
“Public Relations is very important in the health sector. Bad attitude by health personnel should be avoided as it affects the effectiveness of treatment and puts patients off,” he said.
Mr Ngimbu urged Ministry of Health personnel and its stakeholders to work towards offering efficient services that will compete favourably with those in neighbouring countries.
He said he was aware of challenges facing the Ministry of Health but stressed that resources would never be enough and as such, the institution had to operate within its budgetary allocation.
Earlier, Southern Province Medical Officer Jelita Chinyonga said the launch was historic as it was being done in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health and was taking place in the Independence Golden Jubilee year.
Dr Chinyonga said planning was an important component of the health sector as contents of the National Health Development Plan were derived from action plans and national health strategic plans respectively.
She however, bemoaned the inadequate and erratic funding in her ministry as it made frontline health personnel work under difficult circumstances.
“Frontline health workers are the ones providing the services to the communities under very difficult circumstances sometimes due to inadequate and erratic funding. Others don’t even have accommodation.
“ But I want to thank them for their good service delivery under challenging circumstances,” she said.
Government has advised to small scale farmers who have for a long time been dependant on Fertiliser Support Input Programme [FISP] to graduate so that new people could come on board.
Mumbwa District Commissioner Sunday Shamabanse says time has come for some farmers to graduate from FISP program as some of them have benefited as some of them have benefited for over 10 years.
Mr. Shamabanse disclosed that the idea of FISP is to support small scale farmers for at least two years and they must be able to stand on their own so that more people benefit from the program.
He said government will not continue to support same farmers for over a decade as there are more people who need the assistance to make Zambia a food basket.
The DC appealed to farmers in the area to voluntarily win out themselves before the government does so because it cannot continue supporting the same farmers who do not develop to sustain themselves.
ZANIS reports that the Mumbwa DC said this during the official launch of the Seed-co limited company’s in Mumbwa District, today.
Mr. Shamabanse commended Seed-co for establishing a seed sales point in Chipa area as it cut on long distance to the boma to buy seeds as they will be able to save and have more money in their pockets.
And Seed-co Agronomist Baldwin Chande said his company is moving with government policy of decentralization by bringing services closer to the people.
He said farmers must utilize the facility by buying genuine seed at the K140.00 regardless to where they are buying from.
Mr. Chande added that farmers must not be cheated by fake seed dealers who will offer low prices because genuine seed has its prices fixed.
Speaking earlier, Chief Chibuluma called on his subjects to utilize the sales point and avoid vandalizing it.
He said it will be sad to see the company moving out of his chiefdoms as this is the development people cry for.
Opposition APC President Nason Msoni has called on the international community to help the nation locate the whereabouts of Republican President Michael Sata and help the country move forward.
Mr. Msoni says the country’s constitutional and legal means to compel the President to avail himself to the public seems to have “ruthlessly and brutally” closed hence the need for the international community to the nation as the continued mystery surrounding the president’s whereabouts maybe a crisis in waiting.
He appealed to regional groupings such as SADC to show leadership and ensure that they help the country locate its leader as the current regime (PF) is using deception and lies so as to cling on to power by using old images posted on facebook taken a long time ago to deceive the public.
“We have a regime that is now relying on deception and lies to maintain itself in office using old visual images of the president which were taken a long time ago to deceive the Zambian public and we think that with regional efforts and international efforts we can kick start the process of making a replacement of a substantive head of state who can help drive the national agenda of this country.
“We are perturbed that from the last reported trip of the president having gone to Israel on or about 20th June up till last week when it was claimed that he was back in the country; no one has confirmed literally seeing him or seeing his arrival so naturally we are concerned. We want the global community of dignified states to help us locate where the Zambian head of state is; we have no doubt that where he is, he is incapacitated to continue as head of state,” Mr. Msoni said.
Mr. Msoni added that the country is too poor to have an invisible president further calling on the international community to help the country to jump start a political process to hold flesh elections.
“This country has citizens who are too poor who can not afford to have a president who is invisible, we cannot afford to have an invisible president; it has turned out that President Sata is behaving so mystic that people don’t know whether he is here, whether he is alive, whether he is dead, nobody knows and naturally as citizens of this country we are concerned that is why we are appealing to our global friends to assist us jump start a political process of holding credible elections that will allow for the election of a new president of this country,” Mr. Msoni said.
He said regional leaders should not just watch as the situation is slowly getting out of hand.
“We want to call upon our brothers and sisters in the region to provide leadership, they can not adopt a position of let’s wait and see when the situation is already spinning out of control.
“We think that they are desperate efforts by remnants of the PF government to cling on to power indefinitely until 2016 which we think is unconstitutional, you cannot try to run government without the person who was elected president being known where he is, we think that we are living a lie and something ought to be done quickly,” Mr. Msoni said.
Emmanuel Mayuka this evening scored his first goal under new Southampton coach Ronald Koeman.
The Zambian striker was on target in the second half of Southampton’s 6-0 away win in a pre-season friendly over Belgium lower league side Sporting Hasselt on Thursday evening.
Mayuka come on after halftime to score Southampton’s fifth goal from the penalty spot in the 78th minute.
The 27-member Southampton first team now wraps up their five-day two-match visit to Belgium that began with a 4-0 win over Dutch lower league club EHC Hoensbroek on Tuesday.
Mayuka was not on target in that pre-season friendly.
Meanwhile, Mayuka and his team mates head back to the South coast to continue their preseason buildup and host Swindon Town on Monday and German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen next Saturday.
The striker has returned to England after a season loan spell at demoted French club Sochaux.
Law Association of Zambia president George Chisanga cools off with a bottle of mineral water after delivering a speech on behalf of his organisation
The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) says people demanding to know President Michael Sata’s well being and whereabouts are justified.
LAZ President George Chisanga says justifiable and convincing reasons must be given to the people if the person holding the highest office in the land is missing in action.
Mr Chisanga says the President is the number one public servant in the country and therefore must be visible to the people.
Mr. Chisanga has told QFM News in an interview that the issue of the President’s absence from the public eye should not be left to public speculation.
He says the ball is still in government’s hand to come out in the open and tell the nation what is exactly happening to the President.
Mr. Chisanga says whether the President is resting or un-well, the government should tell the people of Zambia stating that it is normal for the President fall ill just like any other person.
Meanwhile, the LAZ President has expressed concern over the delayed swearing in of the Attorney General and Solicitor General.
Mr. Chisanga says even though there is no legal implication of such delayed swearing in, it is only right that when parliament ratifies an appointment the vacant position is substantively filled.
Zambia continues to trail 2015 AFCON Group F qualifier opponents Cape Verde on the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday.
Two points separate Zambia and the 2013 AFCON tournament debutants on the rankings released by FIFA after Chipolopolo dropped one notch on the July charts.
Zambia are 77th in the World while Cape Verde are just below them in 75th.
The two teams will meet on match-day-two of Group F during the weekend of October 9.
Zambia’s other Group F opponent Niger are at number 99.
Group F prospects Tanzania and Mozambique are 106 and 114 respectively on the FIFA rankings ahead of their second round, first leg match in Dar-es-Salaam on Sunday.
The winner of the two-legged, knockout tie will visit Zambia in a Group F opening fixture on September 6.
The Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) has charged that demands by Members of Parliament to have their salaries increased are outrageous and tantamount to highway robbery.
FDD spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says MPs should take time to understand their role as public servants and not turn politics into fund-raising ventures for enriching themselves at the expense of poor voters.
Mr. Mwanza explained that their demands are unwarranted as MPs do not only enjoy hefty allowances but that most of their services and goods are subsidized by tax payers.
“The call by some Members of Parliament to have their salaries increased yet again is outrageous and tantamount to highway robbery.
“From the reasons advanced, it is very clear that these MPs do not fully understand their role as public servants and they view politics as a
fund-raising venture and not as a selfless service to the people.
“To begin with members of Parliament enjoy hefty allowances and subsidized services and goods. The cars they drive are tax- free; the National Assembly Motel they sleep in is tax- free even the beer and the buffets they enjoy are tax – free,” Mr. Mwanza explained.
Mr. Mwanza wondered what job the MPs are doing to deserve such huge amounts when they are already getting K250, 000 for just sitting around for two and half years when no civil servant in the country earns so much money in such a short time.
“Secondly these MPs are entitled to
hefty gratuities. Imagine they will each get K250, 000 for sitting and yelling ‘Hear! Hear!’ for two and a half years. Which public service employee can get K250, 000 for working for two and half years?
Thirdly, what job are they doing to deserve all these luxuries that they are waxing themselves in at the expense of their voters? Can they first prove their worthiness to their voters before they ask to eat?” Mr. Mwanza noted.
Mr. Mwanza challenged the MPs to remember that politics is a noble calling to serve and not to eat and that they should not turn the sacred vocation of serving people into a money- making venture.
He further challenged the MPs who are not satisfied to quit politics and venture into entrepreneurship.
And the opposition party has proposed that a body be established to deal with the emoluments and entitlements for constitution office bearers so as to curtail the greed that has crept into constitutional institution.
“1. That an Independent Service Commission should be established to be the body tasked to deal with the issues of emoluments and entitlements of MPs and all Constitution Office Bearers to bring an end to this greed and self -aggrandizement
“2. That legislation should be passed to compel each MP to have periodical visits and community meetings in his/her constituency to converse important issues with the electorates and that such undertakings should be financed by the state to crack down on ‘absentee’ MPs.
“3. That National Assembly Constituency Offices should be properly funded and equipped in order to serve as avenues that electorates can use as resource centers to keep themselves abreast with the happenings in the House.”
This is contained in a statement released to the media by party spokesperson Antonio Mwanza.
Chadiza Magistrate Fabian Likulunga has accused the district administration of delaying the construction of the seventy six kilometres chadiza-Chipata road.
Magistrate Likulunga says the delay was particularly due to the District Commissioner Paul Phiri’s office and not his court.
ZANIS reports that Magistrate Likulunga said this in an interview in Chadiza District, today.
He was reacting to recent media reports that the construction of the Chadiza- Chipata road under the link Zambia 8000 project is likely to be delayed following a court order to China State Engineering Company (CSEC) to stop getting gravel from a pit along the road.
The Magistrate said the court ordered the construction company to stop getting gravel from the pit because contractor failed to appear before the court after being sued by a resident who is claiming compensation for trespassing on his land.
“I ordered the company to stop excavating gravel because the contractor and some headman at Kamseche village failed to appear before the court even after being served with the summons.
“ And according to the records we have here at the court, the District Commissioner seized those summons and is still in possession of the summons up to now”, he said.
Mr Likulunga said it was not in order for the District Commissioner to seize the writs that were delivered to the defendants.
And China State Engineering Company, Contract Manager Yim Wang said he was directed by the District Commissioner not to go to court.
And when asked for a comment Chadiza District Commissioner Paul Phiri said he had nothing to comment on.
Last Thursday, John Banda of Kamseche Village in Chief Zingalume’s area sued China state Engineering Company and Timothy Banda the village headman claiming compensation for trespassing on his land and getting gravel without his knowledge since June 2014.
Mr Banda Contended that the trespass on his land has left him without anywhere to continue with his farming career and wondered how he was going to sustain his family because that was his main source of income.
However, both the Contractor and the Headman failed to appear before the court contending that they were told not to appear before the court by the district administration.
A survey conducted by the Zambia Medical Association in Lusaka province has revealed that an average of 20 women give birth on the floor per day at the University teaching hospital – UTH- labour ward.
The report also says only an average of 40 deliver on the bed due to inadequate bed space at the highest health institution.
This is because the increase in population in the province has not been matched with expansion in health infrastructure and human resource.
The report released in Lusaka shows that UTH- labour ward has always had 17 bed spaces for delivery since 1969 when the maternity wing was opened yet the hospital has an average of 60 deliveries per day.
The report on the “State of Maternal and Newborn healthcare in Lusaka Province” commissioned in February this year has also discovered that UTH has a glaring shortage of midwives and theatre nurses which makes service delivery a challenge.
Making a presentation on the findings during a breakfast meeting today, Dr Swebby Macha who was taskforce secretary conducting the situational analysis said the picture at UTH is the same at other health facilities in Lusaka.
And in receiving the report, community development mother ad child health minister Emerine Kabanshi says government is determined to address maternal and new born health challenges.
Ms. Kabanshi has praised the Zambia Medical Association for carrying out the survey and said government will look at addressing the issues established by the survey.
Northmead Assembly of God Church Bishop Joshua Banda
National Aids Council – NAC says Zambia is poised to win the fight against HIV and AIDS within the generation.
National Aids Council Chairperson, Bishop Joshua Banda says the optimism to overcome the battle on the spread of HIV is evidence based.
Bishop Banda has explained that based on the global report on AIDS for 2013, Zambia is ranked as one of the top six countries recording reduction in new HIV infections particularly in the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS.
Meanwhile, NAC has appointed Jabbin Mulwanda as its new Director General.
Bishop Joshua Banda says Dr. Mulwanda’s expertise in managing national public health programmes including HIV-AIDS spans over 15 years.
Bishop Banda was speaking at the media briefing held at the National Aids Council in Lusaka.
FILE: Kabwata MP Hon. Given Lubinda (l) discussing with Human Rights Commisioner Isabel Katongo Simukonda during the Launch of the Parliamentary Caucus on Children Strategic Plan 2012-2016 at Raddison blu Hotel
The Grand Coalition on the people driven constitution has called on members of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) to emulate Kabwata Member of Parliament Given Lubinda and support calls for the release of the new constitution.
Speaking in an interview Grand Coalition Vice Chairperson Beatrice Grilo said Mr. Lubinda should be commended by all stakeholders for his bold step to support calls for the release of the constitution and that PF members should emulate his boldness.
“We are calling all PF members to actually come back and say we made this promise to people and we cannot turn around because next time when we promise something people will not take us seriously?
“We commend Mr. Lubinda and that is what everyone should be doing. There is no reason why the PF should not honor commitments they made within their party manifesto as well as the promise they made to the people before they were elected into office,” Ms. Grilo said.
She noted that the promises made by the then opposition PF was something which was thought through as it was not just a word of mouth but was put down in writing hence the need for the ruling party to deliver on their promise of enacting a new constitution.
“Everybody in the PF should be saying we made a commitment and we should honor the commitment. Tell me if they don’t honor this serious commitment which is in their manifesto what are they going to tell you in 2016.
“This not something that was just said so that you can say maybe it was a slip of the tongue; it is something which was thought through and put down in their manifesto and a manifesto of a party is what you use to sale yourself to the people,” she said.
Ms. Grilo added, ” now if you tell people that this is what we are going to do for you and you put it in writing for everybody to read and then you make a U-turn on the promise isn’t that a betrayal to the people so he is just telling us that this what they promised and he does not agree that they should U- turn.”
Ms. Grilo was commenting on recent remarks by the law maker who has been quoted in some media circles saying the needs the constitution “as soon as yesterday.”
Yesterday, Mr Lubinda, has backed calls for the immediate release of the final draft constitution.
“Zambia requires to end the constitution making process like yesterday and government should ensure that whoever is holding on to the draft constitution must release it to the President and the people of Zambia,” Mr Lubinda who is Patriotic Front member said on Tuesday at Pamodzi hotel in Lusaka during the launch of the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) state of Democratic Accountability in Zambia.
He said Zambians should not abdicate their responsibility of demanding for the new constitution.
Mr Lubinda was reacting to Alliance for Better Zambia Secretary General Shula Mulenga who proposed that the member of Parliament should be given a Green Ribbon so that he could demand for the immediate release of the constitution to the people of Zambia.
The Kabwata legislator said he still maintained his position on the constitution and that he was still a strong advocate of a people driven constitution.
“I want to say to the whole country that my position is the same, the same as I had in 2002. Zambia requires ending this process, and ending it yesterday not tomorrow. We cannot continue to waste time, effort and resources. We ought to bring it to a close in Parliament. I have not changed positions, I didn’t agree to a motion that government should give a road map because that will be contrary to the aspirations of the Zambians for a people driven constitution.
“The amendment I proposed to my friend Garry Nkombo is to let the motion lead, Can government ensure that whoever is holding on to the draft releases it to the Head of State and to the people so that the stakeholders may come up with the roadmap leading to the giving of the Zambians a people driven constitution, that is my stand and no one and no circumstances shall change that because that is me and what I believe in and I am afraid others don’t believe in that but that is me,” Mr Lubinda said
Botswana have sneaked into the country ahead of Sunday’s 2015 CAF Under-17 Youth Championship qualifier against Zambia in Lusaka.
FAZ spokesperson Nkweto Tembwe confirmed that the Young Zebras arrived in the country on Wednesday evening.
Zambia and Botswana clash in the second round first leg match of the 2015 CAF Under-17 Youth Championship qualifiers at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka.
Botswana had kept FAZ in the dark on their arrival prior to landing in Lusaka.
“Zambia’s opponents in the Niger 2015 Under Seventeen qualifier have arrived in the country. The Botswana national team touched down at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport this evening at 18:00 and were met by FAZ officials who immediately took them to Lusaka’s Golden Peacock hotel
where they have been accommodated,” Tembwe stated.
Meanwhile, the Junior Chipolopolo squad has intensified preparations for the Botswana encounter.
The Chris Kaunda coached side has been in camp in Lusaka for over a week.
The team:
Goalkeepers: Daniel Sikanyika (Damiano Academy), Derrick Sichangwe (Butondo Western Tigers), Jackson Kakunta (Kabwata Dynamos).
Defenders: Benson Chali (Forest Rangers), Elias Kapembwa (Luanshya United),), Prosper Chiluya (Olympic Youth Development Centre), Edward Chimfwembe (Zesco Victoria Falls), Gift Sikaonga (Nchanga Rangers), Salati Lungu (Sable Bulls), Gilbert Ngulube (Chaisa Academy), Wayne Museba (premium Sports), Garry Mwelwa (Gomes)
Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President George Mpombo has advised government to issue a comprehensive and detailed statement on President Michael Sata’s wellbeing in order to clear the skepticism surrounding the recently released pictures.
Chief Government Spokesperson Joseph Katema and the President’s aide for press and public relations George Chellah have both confirmed that the recently released pictures of President Sata chairing a Cabinet meeting on Monday are the recent pictures of the President.
But Dr. Mpombo said pictures are not enough to make people believe that the Head of State is doing fine and did indeed chair the said Cabinet meeting held at State House.
Dr. Mpombo told Qfm News in a telephone interview that unless government issues a statement on the said Cabinet meeting, people will treat any information from State House with a pinch of salt.
He said government should not continue handling the issue of the President’s wellbeing in an awkward manner.
Dr Mpombo added that government should also be mindful that it still owes the people of Zambia an explanation as to why the President’s arrival from his working holiday in Israel was not publicized.
