And the campaigners have expressed concern at the continued depreciation of the country’s currency.

Speaking during a press briefing Black Friday Campaigners Spokesperson McDonald Chipenzi said the Campaigners have been
vindicated as the concerns they raised last year have come to pass.

Mr. Chipenzi explained that Zambians from all walks of life have now come
to appreciate the Campaign as evidenced by many institutions calling for the reinstatement of the Subsidies.

“As we are speaking today, we are proud that we have been vindicated because the concerns we had last year have come to pass and now many Zambians have come to appreciate the campaign as evidenced by many institutions calling for the reinstatement of the subsidies,” Mr Chipenzi said.

Meanwhile Mr. Chipenzi has implored on government to arrest the continued depreciation of the Kwacha as it is harming the country’s economy.

He challenged the Bank of Zambia and Ministry of Finance to
tell the Nation exactly what is causing the unprecedented depreciation
of the Kwacha.

“This depreciation has spurred an increase in commodity prices across the country. It is important that government quickly arrests the situation before it harms the economy any further. This is the first time local currency is hitting a record K11.00 per pound and the relevant authorities seem to have no clue on how to contain the problem.

We challenge the Bank of Zambia and Ministry of Finance to tell the nation exactly what is causing this unprecedented depreciation of the Kwacha. The silence that is coming from these two public offices is surprising,” Mr Chipenzi added

The Campaigners have also challenged government tell the nation where the 44.2 million allocated towards the constitution has gone if it is saying it has no money for the referendum.

“We also want to know where K44.2 million for the constitution which was allocated in the 2014 estimates of expenditure is, for the government to say that it does not have money for the referendum. Has it diverted it to support the bloated Cabinet?” Wondered Mr Chipenzi.

The Black Friday Campaigners are a consortium of NGOs formed to immediately after the removal of subsidies to demand for the reinstatement of fuel and agriculture input subsidies.

The Anti-Corruption Commission in Kitwe has arrested a man of Mufulira for impersonating an ACC Officer and extortion. Allan Simumba of house No. 18 A, Butondo, Mufulira has been charged with one count of impersonation and one count of extortion contrary to Section 18(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act no. 3 of 2012 and section 296 of the Penal code respectively.

Details in the first count are that Simumba, on dates unknown but between 1st January 2013 and 31st January 2014 in Kitwe, presented himself to be a person employed as a Chief Intelligence Officer in the Anti -Corruption Commission and assumed to have had the power to receive and investigate allegations of Corruption from the Zambian Public. Further, that Simumba actually directed ZAKO Engineering Ltd to surrender a vehicle, Mitsubishi Pajero registration number AAK 2704 to Government through a named Mundia Mundia, A matter or transaction that concerns the Anti-Corruption Commission, a Public body.

In the second count, details are that Simumba, on dates unknown but between 1st January 2013 and 31st January 2014 in Kitwe, with intent to extort money from Jinsuk Yoon a Director at ZAKO Engineering Ltd caused the said Jinsuk Yoon to receive a letter containing threats of injury or detriment to Yoon if the said did not surrender a Motor Vehicle Mitsubishi Pajero Registration Number AAK 2704, A matter or transaction that concerns the Anti-Corruption Commission a Public body.

Simumba appeared in court on Wednesday 28th May 2014 for plea, and trial commences soon.

And the Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested a Zambia Revenue Authority Employee of Kabwe for corrupt practices involving K260.

Joseph Mwila, 37, of House No. 8 Kasempa Road, Lukanga Township, a driver at ZRA, was arrested on 28th May 2014 and charged with one count of Corrupt Practices with Public Officer, Contrary to Section 19(2) as Read with Section 41 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.

Details are that on dates unknown but between 28th September 2013 and 30th September 2013 in Kabwe, Mwila corruptly gave K 260 gratification to Misheck Lungu, a Senior Traffic Inspector at the Road Transport and Safety agency (RTSA) in order for the said Lungu not to report him to the Zambia Police for traffic offences of Reckless Driving and Drunken Driving, for which he was found liable, a matter concerning the RTSA a public body.

He appeared before the Kabwe Subordinate Court on May 29, 2014 for Plea.

Meanwhile, The Anti-Corruption Commission in Solwezi has arrested an Accounts Assistant and a former Deputy Head Teacher at Kabompo High School for theft involving over K 95, 000.

Jailos Ndalama, 43, an Accounts Assistant, and Berry Simonda, 57, former Deputy Head Teacher have both been charged with Theft Contrary to section 272 as read with section 265 of CAP 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Details of the offence are that Ndalama and Simonda, jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown, on dates unknown but between 1st August 2010 and 31st October 2010 in Kabompo, stole K 95,497 meant for the procurement of Diesel for the Generator Set at Kabompo High School, money belonging to the Government of the Republic of Zambia.

The duo appeared in Court on 29th May 2014 and pleaded not guilty to the charge. Trial commences on 24th June 2014.

And the Solwezi Magistrates Court has sentenced a Solwezi man to Three (3) Months simple imprisonment for corrupt practices involving K 1, 000.

Solwezi Magistrate Pethious Muyambango found Peter Siamweemba, of Solwezi guilty of Corrupt Practices with Public Officer contrary to section 19(2) as read with Section 41 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.

Details of the offence are that Siamweemba, on 26th August 2013 in Solwezi, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown corruptly gave K 1,000 Cash gratification to Mundia Muketoyi, a Public Prosecutor at Solwezi Central Police as an inducement or reward for Muketoyi to facilitate the issuance of Bail to a certain Glevious Chimwanga and have his charges withdrawn, a matter or transaction that concerned the Zambia Police Service, a Public Body.

Siamweemba, who pleaded guilty when the matter came up for Plea, was sentenced to Three (3) Months Simple Imprisonment effective 28th May 2014.

This is contained in a statement released to the media by ACC public relations manager Timothy Moono.

The Forum for Democracy and Development FDD has called on government to give in to the 45 percent meal allowance increment demands by Copperbelt University students.

Speaking in an interview FDD spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says the demand by the students is justifiable as the cost of living has significantly increased due to the poor economic management of the current government.

He says the K750 accommodation allowance and K22 per day for meals given to the students is too meager for some one to survive on for the whole year hence the need for government to consider increasing the allowance for students to have a decent life during their time in school.

“The call for increments by the Copperbelt University students is justified looking at the high cost of living obtaining in the country. We all know that a student can not live on a K22 per day and there is no accommodation that any student can rent for k750 per year hence we are pleading with the government to release the funds and increase the allowances for students,” Mr. Mwanza said.

Mr. Mwanza further called on government not to let the situation at the institution deteriorate into anarchy by ensuring that the situation is resolved immediately.

And Mr. Mwanza has urged government to increase its budgetary allocation to the ministry of Education in the next budget.

He noted that education is the foundation for development in any country world over hence the need for the government to ensure that the sector is well founded.

Students at the second highest learning institution in the country has gone on class boycott demanding a 45 percent increment in meal, project and accommodation allowances.

Bishop John Phiri of the Living Waters Church says the stance taken by government to get rid of illicit trade in drugs in the shanty compound should be commended by all well meaning Zambians as the move will not only bring sanity to the compound but reduce the number of youths abusing drugs as there will be no ready market and access to drugs.

Bishop Phiri said the move by the law enforcement agents will also help reduce the levels of crime in the city as most criminals come from such areas.

He added that the law enforcement agencies should be concentrating on such operations as opposed to harassing innocent citizens such as the opposition leaders.

And several residents in the same compound have commended yesterday’s police action saying the move was long overdue.

Police in a joint operation with the Drug Enforcement Commission DEC on Wednesday raided Chibolya compound and arrested more than 290 drug dealers for the second time in days.

Professor Clive Chirwa has offered to be part of the investigations team probing the cause of the plane crash in which ZAF Deputy Commander Major General Miliokela Miliokela and his co-pilot Colonel Brain Mweene were killed.

Professor Chirwa who is former Zambia Railways Limited Chief Executive Officer, says if government does not invite him to be part of the investigations team, he will ask the families of the two senior ZAF officers to use the courts in order to establish the truth about the plane crash.

He has told Qfm News in an interview that he is particularly interested to know what caused the plane crash as he understands the current fleet of planes the country has is an ordinary and is prone to engine failure caused by crankshaft fracture.

Professor Chirwa says he suspects that it could have been the same crankshaft fracture that may have caused the plane crash, but that he does not understand how it could have happened considering that both Maj Gen. Miliokela and Col. Mweene were said to be good pilots.

He says he does not understand how they managed to stay in the air for three hours when the plane was said to have a failing engine while in the air.

Professor Chirwa says an ordinary thing and a norm in aviation was to crash land the plane when it was realized the plane’s engine was failing.

And Professor Chirwa who is also a leading engineer in the field of Structural Crashworthiness and Impact has described Zambia’s Highway Code as a fraud.

He says this is the reason why the country has continued to have many traffic accidents as any driver trained using the current Highway Code is bound to make many mistakes on the road.

Professor Chirwa has since suggested a complete overhaul of the country’s Highway Code in order to avoid further traffic accidents and carnages in the country.

Opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has added his voice to calls for Malawian President Joyce Banda to concede defeat in the recently held disputed Presidential elections.

Mr. Hakainde says Ms. Banda should step aside given the fact that the opposition won the disputed elections.

Mr. Hakainde has told Qfm News that Ms. Banda should also take a leaf from former Zambian President Rupiah Banda who stepped aside and moved on after he lost the 2011 general elections to President Michael Sata.

He says if Ms. Banda decides to cling on to power even after the opposition’s clear victory, she will be exhibiting a dictatorial mind set.

The UPND leader says as a mother, Ms. Banda should be cautions not to endanger the peace of her country.

Mr Hakainde says this especially that Zambia and Malawi as well as Zimbabwe were once one country under the federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and are still connected by blood and family.

A PLATOON of security personnel has raided the notorious Chibolya Township to crush an illicit drugs cache during a well-planned and executed operation that netted hundreds of suspects.

The team of police and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers combed the crime-prone township and arrested hundreds of residents found with cannabis and other drugs in an operation that lasted from midnight on Wednesday to late yesterday.

The operation, led by Lusaka Province Commissioner of Police Lemmy Kajoba, was aimed at ridding Chibolya of illicit activities.

“We want to rid this township of illegal activities and bring sanity,” Mr Kajoba said in a post-raid interview.

Those arrested were taken to Lusaka’s Edwin Imboela Stadium for screening.

Police in riot gear sealed off the township, searched homes and hauled bags full of dagga.

The officers, armed with teargas canisters, batons and rifles, swept through the dreaded “Gazza” street of Chibolya, where they faced minimum resistance under the cover of the night.

With the aid of search lights, the police officers went into targeted homes and seized the drugs.

DEC public relations officer Theresa Katongo told the Daily Mail team which went to the township at 06:00 hours that the operation would be extended to other towns.

In one house, a man in an intoxicated state was found with a 90kg bag full of dagga.

When asked by police about the bag, he said: “I cannot see any bag. You guys must be crazy!”

At dawn, a few residents mobilised themselves and started throwing stones at the officers but the resistance was quickly quelled.

And police razed makeshift structures which were being used for selling illicit drugs.

Mr Kajoba said police sourced two bulldozers from Lusaka City Council (LCC) to raze the structures.

“All the illegal structures which were being used for smoking and trafficking in drugs have been razed. We want sanity in this city,” he said.

A man in his early 20s caused laughter amongst police officers as he was being led to the holding vehicle when he claimed that he is a schoolboy.

“I am innocent, I am a Grade Seven pupil and I was going to school,” said the man, who was not in a school uniform as police shoved him into the vehicle.

He told the police that he was 24 years old and this triggered laughter among the police, who wondered what a man that age would be doing in Grade Seven.

Some residents told the Daily Mail that they were happy that the police had made such a thorough operation.

“The police have really done well to arrest these thugs because when they run out of money, they come here to harass us at this market,” said Jainta Mweemba, a charcoal trader.

Ms Mweemba was proud of the police for the operation.

Motorists in the vicinity cheered each time police led suspects to holding vehicles.

“Boma ni boma,” said Douglas Mulenga, a taxi driver, touting Government’s extensive authority.

“These thugs here thought they were untouchable but today they have felt the weight of boma [authority],” said Mr Mulenga, who briefly abandoned his business to witness the police action, albeit at a safe distance.

Mr Mulenga said the thugs in Chibolya forced motorists to pay “fines” each time they drove through the township.

“This is a lesson that you cannot outwit the government. I hear the cops came in when most of them were asleep and combed through houses,” he said.

Thirteen suspected dangerous criminals escaped from Chibolya Police Post about two weeks ago, days after police had retreated in a battle with residents suspected to be drug dealers.

But in yesterday’s operation, the suspects meekly submitted as police officers bundled them into pick-ups and ferried them to Imboela Stadium for screening.