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FILE: Muchinga provincial minister Charles Banda (l ) visiting the launch site in the company of his permanent secretary Charles Sipanje (second left) China China Jiangxi chief engineer Peng Xuan and other government officials to ensure that preparations for the launch are well done
The Road Development Agency (RDA) has directed the contractor engaged to work on the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriageway China Jiangxi to re-do the works on sections of the road that have developed potholes on his own expense.
Reacting to complaints by motorists over the shoddy works carried out on the road, RDA Senior Public Relations Manager Loyce Saili says the RDA is aware of the poor quality roads the contractor has done on the road.
Ms. Saili has told QFM News in an interview that engineers have since been instructed not to certify the work that has been done so far because the concerns of the people are justified that the contractor has failed.
Ms. Saili says government through the RDA is spending huge amounts of money on road works and will not accept shoddy works by contractors.
She adds the Solwezi-Chingola road and the Zimba -Livingstone road as some of the roads that have cost government huge sums of money.
Ms. Saili says the RDA will not waste money paying for shoddy works.
Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Deputy Minister Colonel Panji Kaunda says the kwacha has continue to depreciate partly due to huge profits in the construction industry leaving the country.
Col. Kaunda says this development was as a result of most contractors in the construction industry being foreigners.
“Today the kwacha is struggling because most jobs worth billions of kwacha in the construction industry are awarded to foreigners and they also take the huge profits they make back to their home countries,” he said.
He warned that the trend would continue if government did not take deliberate steps to minimize the trend.
Colonel Panji said it was for this reason his ministry had come up with the Affirmative Action for Youth Empowerment in the Construction Sector Program to address the situation.
ZANIS reports that Col. Kaunda said this yesterday during an extra-ordinary District Development Coordinating Committee Meeting held at Livingstone City Council Chambers.
He further said there was no properly organized labour force in the country despite youths being trained as artisans, bricklayers, carpenters and power electricians among others.
“There is no properly organized labour force in this country. We train so many artisans, brick layers, carpenters, power electricians and hope they get jobs but available jobs have so many conditions attached which our youths don’t have and this disadvantages their job prospects,” he said.
The deputy minister described this situation as a social and skills problem which would be addressed by the effective implementation of the Affirmative Action for Youth Empowerment in the Construction Sector Program.
Earlier, the Deputy Minister paid a courtesy call on Livingstone District Commissioner, Omar Musanje.
Mr. Musanje expressed concerne over Ministry of Works and Supply officers who certified shoddy works by some contractors and appealed to Colonel Panji and the National Council for Construction to intervene as government was losing colossal sums of money due to sub-standard works.
FORMER Minister of Defence Geoffrey Mwamba has allegedly assaulted Collins Mudayi, Logistics Officer at Arizona at Arizona Marketing and Distributors.
Mr Mwamba, who is also Kasama member of Parliament, is alleged to have slapped and punched Mr Mudayi on May 14, 2014 at his company premises.
Lusaka Province commissioner of police Lemmy Kajoba confirmed that Matero Police Station in Lusaka has received a complaint of assault from one of Mr Mwamba’s workers.
Mr Kajoba said Mr Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, was summoned to appear for interviews at 14:00 hours yesterday but will be at the police station tomorrow.
“Mr Mwamba was summoned today [yesterday] at 14:00 hours for interviews but sent in an excuse.
However, both parties have agreed to appear here in the morning on Friday,” he said.
However records have shown that Mr Mudayi, while employed at Arizona forged GBM’s signature to steal fuel worth K920.00 and this matter was reported to the Police 7 days ago. The records at the police further reveal that Mr. Mudayi went to police to report about the alleged assault 3 days ago. However, the police have not arrested Mr. Mudayi for forgery despite the documentary evidence submitted to them showing the forgery by GBM’s office.
Sewe Sport have shocked Nkana by arriving at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport from Abidjan unannounced at lunchtime on Wednesday.
The Cote d’Ivoire side kept Nkana and FAZ officials in the dark over the last week as to when they would arrive for Saturday’s 2014 CAF Confederation Cup Group B game at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
“Sewe have arrived but the thing is they have failed to respond to any of our mail nor that of the Football Association of Zambia for the last week as to when they will be exactly arriving in Zambia,” Nkana club secretary Ken Mwansa said.
Meanwhile, the visitors passage to Kitwe was facilitated by Zesco United after a bus rushed to Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe to pick them up was impounded on the Ndola-Kitwe Dual Carriageway for overspeeding.
Nkan are bottom of Group B are losing 2-0 away to leaders Al Ahly of Egypt on May 17 in Cairo while Sewe are third on one point after drawing 1-1 with Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia on May 18 in Abidjan.
Festus Mbewe has returned to Nkana following the expiry of his six-month loan deal at South Africa PSL club Golden Arrows.
Mbewe joined his Nkana team mates in training on Wednesday morning after arriving back in Kitwe on Tuesday.
Speculation is he might make his return this Saturday when Nkana host Sewe Sport of Cote d’Ivoire in a 2014 CAF Confederation Cup Group B match in Kitwe.
“It is good to be back but I’m not guaranteed that I will play this Saturday because I have not played for the last two weeks,” Mbewe said.
Mbewe is eligible to play for Nkana in continental club action following his registration by the club before before he left for South Africa in January.
Statement by the MMD president on KCM taxation Debacle
(The Buck stops with the PF Government)
The PF government is currently firmly in its third year of governance and should therefore begin to take full responsibility for every aspect of the Governance structure of our country. Passing the buck or blaming other actors for their lack of competency is not going to resolve the numerous problems facing this country. They were voted into office with a clear understanding by the voters that they would fix our problems, correct the mistakes made by the MMD government and improve the working conditions and general standard of leaving for our people. At this point in their governance, they can no longer continue to give excuses and to externalize problems, most of which are as a result of their own making.
The above advice holds true in specific reference to the KCM debacle. I wish to remind the PF government that they had promised the people of Zambia an immediate up scaling of revenue from the mining sector. This was to be done through the introduction of a Windfall Tax. They also undertook to introduce a more effective and efficient tax regime, overall, that would guarantee more money in people’s pockets. More money through an effective tax regime and the creation of 5 million jobs were their core promises to the people of Zambia. They also undertook to change the structure of the mining sector, particularly to bring about a positive relationship between Mine owners and wage earners; a relationship which would tilt towards greater advantage for the working class. Contract employees were also promised better conditions of engagement, through government intervention, by the large mining houses.
None of the above has happened in the three years that President Michael Sata and the PF government have been in Office. MMD therefore is of the view that PF’s lack of capacity to collect appropriate taxes remains a PF scandal. It is for this reason that great lamentations have been expressed by the ordinary mining worker.
The MMD does not condone and strongly condemns the reported comments by the KCM CEO Mr. Anil Argawal. The alleged revelations of the company cheating the Zambian Government are very sad. However, this only serves to expose the incompetence of the PF government. Although the MMD is a firm believer in healthy relations between government and investors, we believe that the dignity of our people should not be ridiculed by any person locally or abroad.
While the statement of Mr Anil Argawal is atrocious and its consequences are deplorable, the onus is on government to ensure that no individual or group of individuals, corporate or otherwise manipulate our existing tax laws. If all we do is to cry foul, then we have failed as a nation to implement our own laws and regulations. It is the Zambian government that must ensure that we are receiving equitable taxes from all companies operating in Zambia.
It is the PF government’s responsibility to ensure that all business houses abide by all labour and taxation laws. They can not be allowed to give any more excuses three years down the line. When this matter first came up, some time in February 2014, The Vice President of the Republic, in fact made an attempt to defend the company and indicated that the situation was so bad at KCM that they did not want to instigate a receivership by putting undo pressure on the firm.
Given what has now transpired, The MMD demands that verification of these revelations be done by relevant government agents and if confirmed to be true, severe penalties must be applied. While government pursues this case, our submission is that extreme caution is taken so as not to bring discomfort to well meaning and law abiding investors in the entire Zambian economy. We must continue to create a conducive investment atmosphere in the nation while taking to task those who abrogate our laws. We also join those who are asking for a Forensic Audit to be done through out the entire mining sector in order for government to develop a platform for a fair and equitable Mine Tax Regime. It is our hope that the mining sector will in the future contribute its fair share to government revenue while giving it enough room to breathe so that it is able to reinvest, expand and employ more of our youth in Zambia.
Dr Nevers Mumba
President
The Movement For Multi Party Democracy
A policeman struggles to tame a pitch invader during the FAZ-KCM premier league games in Lusaka
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) says it is deeply saddened with the rising number of violent incidences at various stadiums during league matches.
FAZ Communications Officer Nkweto Tembwe said the association has since urged clubs to ensure that they maintain law and order in the interest of safeguarding the integrity of the game of football.
Tembwe said FAZ will take appropriate disciplinary action against any team that will be found wanting.
He has since called on the teams to deter any individuals perpetrating violence.
ZANIS Sports reports that the FAZ communications officer was speaking at a press briefing held at Football House in Lusaka today.
Tembwe said if the violence at various stadia’s is not fully controlled, it will paint a bad image for the country especially that Zambia is bidding to host the 2019 African Cup of Nations tournament.
Meanwhile, Tembwe has disclosed that the Senior Women’s National Team will tomorrow leave for Harare ahead of the second stage first leg game for the Namibia 2014 African Women’s Championship qualifier against Zimbabwe to be played on Sunday.
The Shepolopolo will then host Zimbabwe in Lusaka on 7 June, 2014 with the winner qualifying for the final tournament to be hosted by Namibia from October 11-24 this year.
Political activist Dante Saunders delivers a speech during the gathering to demand for the release of the Zambian constitution
A political activist Dante Saunders has observed that calls for the president to fire under performing government officials will always fall on deaf eyes as long as the country continues to be governed under the same constitution.
Speaking in an interview Mr Saunders the country continues to have a number of challenges in dealing with ministers and other government appointees because the president has been given too much powers under the current constitution.
He said the country needs the new constitution which should help the people participate in the governance of the nation as opposed to the current situation were the president is the only person who is allowed to drop under performing ministers and other government appointees.
And Mr. Saunders says the call for Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda to resign or be fired by the president is a waste of time as that will not happen.
He said president Sata can not fire Mr. Chikwanda because he is a relative and that Mr. Chikwanda has no morality to resign by himself.
He said this is the more reason the country needs the new constitution which will limit the powers of the president and empower the citizens to have a say in the way they are governed.
Yesterday former Special Assistant for Policy and Project monitoring to late republican president Levy Mwanawasa, Jack Kalala demanded for immediate resignation of Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda for calling people who were agitating for the re introduction of the windfall tax lunatics.
Mr Kalala said if Mr Chikwanda does not resign on his on then Zambians should force him out office as letting him continue would vindicate his statement that Zambians lunatics for demanding for their rightful share from their mineral resources.
In the past week we were treated to a shock revelation by Anil Agarwal the Chairman for Vedanta, how his company is making an annual average of USD500 million from its Zambian subsidiary, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM). The reaction of many Zambians to this revelation is that of shock and anger. And rightly so! It is beyond belief that such a huge amount of money can be made with little or no benefit to the country whose poverty levels stand at over 60%.
For us the scandal is not in selling KCM at USD25 million. Those charged with the responsibility of disposing of the asset may argue and even prove that, at the time that was the best price they could get. The price of copper was very low then, with copper trading at USD1,500 a ton compared to the 70’s where copper was trading at USD4,800 a ton. The copper prices remained depressed until 2005 when the world copper prices started rebounding, by 2011, Copper was selling at over USD8,000 a ton. Be mindful that average copper production costs are about USD4,900 a ton.
UPND would like to urge the PF Government to take immediate steps that will address concerns of the stake holders, if Zambia is to get any meaningful benefits from the exploitation of our country’s mineral resources. The scandal is not words coming from KCM owner, the scandal is in government’s failure to benefit from the high copper prices that have been prevailing since around 2006 despite that being a campaign promise. The Mwanawasa administration was able to bring in USD480 million in one fiscal year at the introduction of windfall tax. When Mwanawasa and Magande were collecting the USD480 million, we were producing less than 600,000 metric tons of copper per annum. The mines are projecting to hit one million tons a year by 2015, which means Zambia could easily get USD1billion if we reintroduced windfall tax from the mines.
There is need for the PF Government to increase an understanding of how best to deal with mining corporations using blackmail and deceit in covering up costs of mining projects and equipment that are brought into the country resulting in mining corporations not paying anything to government by exaggerating costs. We need to do a lot of work in strengthening the Ministry of Mines which lacks the capacity to adequately supervise the exploitation of the country’s mineral resources.
The mines need well trained and highly experienced engineers and economists who are able to interpret feasibility studies of these Mining Companies. This experience is needed to analyze and bring out issues which will benefit the country. The Zambia Revenue Authority must also monitor these mining projects and equipment brought into the country to avoid losing revenue through the so called hidden costs. Our vision as UPND is to create capacities in the local industries to ensure that local companies are able to supply quality goods and services to the mines.
We therefore, urge Government to consider the introduction of the windfall tax to address the ever rising youth unemployment in the country instead of engaging in rampart borrowing to cover for Government inadequacies of addressing the economy which is currently in I.C.U (Intensive Care Unit) going by the raising cost of living.
President Sata leaving the High court after appearing on the witness stand in an unprecedented move
Opposition Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) president Dr. Nevers Mumba has described today’s court appearance by republican president Michael Sata as shameful deplorable and retrogressive.
Speaking in an interview in Kabwe, Dr. Mumba added that the president has confused priorities as there is no way a president with the right priorities would have time to sue private citizens when the country is facing so many challenges such as high meal mealie prices.
He further encouraged the Daily Nation news paper not to be intimidated by the president saying Mr. Sata should realize that when one agrees to be president then they are suppose to be open to criticism.
“This is one president with confused priorities. Zambia people right now as we speak are complaining about the fact meal mealie is going at K80 instead of the K37 we left it at, people are complaining for lack of jobs, people complaining because the government has gone south and he lives state house goes to court and he calls cadres like an opposition leader.
He is the republican president, what he has done is deplorable, unfortunate and retrogressive and I think that we are shaming the very politics of our country.
I would like to encourage the Daily Nation that they should not be intimidated by the president. When you agree to be president you also agree to criticism,” said the opposition leader.
[pullquote]He is the republican president, what he has done is deplorable, unfortunate and retrogressive and I think that we are shaming the very politics of our country.[/pullquote]
He added, ” A president will be challenged on the policies, will be challenged on the tie you wear, will be challenged on the shoes you wear, you can’t sue every body. This a very sad day for Zambia and a dark day for Zambia and who so ever advises the president need prayers because he is the one really misleading the president because the he has no business going to court to sue private citizens we are all very ashamed of this move and we hope that this will be the last time.”
And Dr. Nevers Mumba has challenged republican President Michael Sata to have his immunity removed so as to make it a level playing field legally.
Dr. Mumba said if the president misses going to court so much he should have his immunity removed so that he can be taken to court every day like he has been doing to his friends in the opposition who are appearing in courts almost on a daily base.
“The problem we have is that we have Mr. Richard Sakala a private citizen standing in court against the president who has got immunity, what are we dealing? You are actually victimising your own people.
If he really loves courts that much let us remove his immunity so that he can be going to court every time he insults me which he does every time, so that he goes to court every time he interferes in all our cases in court. Let him have his immunity removed so that he can go to court as often as we do under his direction,” Dr Mumba challenged.
President Sata leaving the High court after appearing on the witness stand in an unprecedented move
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) is closely following the defamation case between the Republican President H.E. Michael Sata and the Daily Nation proprietor Mr. Richard Sakala with keenest interest.
This is so because the case is unique and unprecedented and exposes the weaknesses in Zambia’s legal framework.
The fact that the current legal framework under Article 43 (1) and (2) of the current Constitution protects a sitting President from legal proceedings but is mute on what happens if the sitting President wants to take legal action against a citizen exposes its greatest weakness in a democratic society like ours.
Instead, the current law promotes the administration of selective justice where some people are above the law while others are under the law which is undemocratic and against the principles of the rule of law.
This case alone highlights a constitutional lacuna in the sense that an aggrieved citizen cannot institute legal suit against a sitting President but a sitting President can institute legal action against a citizen when aggrieved. This is the reason Zambians should intensify their demand for a new people driven constitution to seal up such constitutional gaps that favors one section of society against the other.
We hope that the judge handling the matter will not be intimidated to dispense justice on such a classic case but be overboard especially that the person involved in the case is the appointing authority.
We further pray that the case will not send intimidatory signals to upcoming media institutions from carrying out their functions as mirrors of society. Finally, we hope this case will not stifle press freedom and freedom of expression in Zambia due to fears of facing the powerful in society.
UPND Deputy General Secretary Kuchunga Simusamba has advised ruling Patriotic Front youth national secretary Chishamba Kambwili to remove the log in his eye before trying to help others to remove the stick.
Mr Simusamba observes that Mr Kambwili seems to have deliberately chosen to ignore what has been happening in his party as regards to political violence in the country as youths in the PF are the worst culprits that the nation has ever seen.
He says the party that should be worried of being extinct is the PF as recent by elections have shown that the ruling party is fast losing popularity while the UPND is wining the hearts of many voters countrywide.
“Mr. Kambwili must check his campus again, he is the one who is going in the wrong direction because him and his party into extinction. I think the recent electrol results show that we are on the raise and we can not be distracted by Mr. Kambwili’s cheap propaganda.
There is no record of any UPND cadre who have evaded people’s farmers to go and share land it is only the PF, we don’t have record of UPND cadres moving in the streets with panjas and daring the police its the police so if Mr Kimbwili wants to address the issue of violence he must first remove the log in his eyes before he tries to deal with the stick that is the other part’s eyes,” said Mr. Simusamba.
Mr. Simusamba was reacting to Mr. Kambwili’s attack’s on the UPND during a press briefing on tuesday in which he described his as a tribal party that will never form government because of its violence.
The Minister further likened the opposition party to South Africa’s Inkhata freedom party which he said has gone into extinction because of its violent nature.
Alliance for Better Zambia president Father Frank Bwalya blows a whistle against the government’s refusal to release the Zambian draft constitution
Alliance for Better Zambia president Father Frank Bwalya has called on government to take stock of the country’s military planes and get rid of all old and unreliable planes and related equipment.
Commenting on the plane crash which claimed the life of ZAF Deputy Commander Muliokela Muliokela and Colonel Brian Mweene on Monday, Fr Bwalya tells QFM News in a statement that his party is deeply saddened by the continued loss of life on the country’s roads and now through ZAF plane crashes.
Fr Bwalya says every life is highly valued whether highly trained or not, young or old and that everything should be done to save life.
He recalls how as ZESCO Board Chairman he witnessed some government officials cheat death in Shiwang’andu when a ZAF plane crash-landed as it tried to takeoff after President Sata commissioned the Shiwangandu mini-hydro power station in December 2012.
He points out that a few months later a ZAF chopper carrying a senior government official to North-Western province was reported to have undertake emergency landing in Kabwe after developing a fault.
Fr Bwalya says these seemingly isolated incidents should have called for drastic measures to address relevant safety issues to prevent loss of life.
He has since called on government to address this problem with the urgency it demands.
He says deaths of Major General Muliokela and Colonel Mweene are saddening, and has wished the bereaved families God’s consolation at this time of great loss.
President Michael Sata is accompanied by Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba (left) and Lusaka Mayor Mulenga Sata as he left the Lusaka High Court
President Michael Sata this morning made a surprise appearance at the Lusaka High Court to attend trial in the matter in which he has sued the Daily Nation newspapers for defamation in his personal capacity.
This relate to an article published on 16th May 2012 in the Daily Nation alleged that the decision by the Development Bank of Zambia to cancel instructions of engagement of their lawyers Malambo and Company was a corrupt act done by the President. The Article alleged that the President’s decision was merely intended to protect his criminal friends namely Fred Mmembe,Mutembo Nchito and Nchima Nchito who owe DBZ more than K14 million.
Speaking when he took the witness stand this morning in a matter presided by Judge Florence Lengalenga, President Sata told the court how aggrieved he was by the article published by the newspaper which he said tarnished his image.
President Sata arrived at the High court at around 09:30 hours in the company of his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah took to the witness stand to testify in the matter.
The matter has been adjourned to the 24th and 26th June for continued trial.
This was after the Daily Nation indicated to the court that they intend to beef up their legal team ahead of president Sata’s cross examination.
President Sata is demanding Five hundred thousand Kwacha in damages from the Daily Nation newspapers and its proprietor Richard Sakala.
And scores of Patriotic Front cadres besieged the High Court grounds to give solidarity to President Sata as armed Police kept vigil.
Patriotic Front cadres try to catch a glimpse of President Michael Sata at the High Court in LusakaPolice keep Patriotic Front cadres in check outside the Lusaka High Court
Recalled Chipolopolo midfielder William Njobvu will miss Zambia’s June 6 friendly against Japan in America after sustaining a thigh injury during training in Lusaka on Tuesday.
Njobvu was a late inclusion in the provisional Zambia squad getting ready for the Japan friendly before tearing his right thigh muscle in training.
Zambia Physiotherapist Dr. Mwila Lupasha confirmed that Njobvu that has been ruled out of action for at least three weeks after tearing his right thigh muscle in training.
“On a sad note I wish to confirm that William tore his muscle in training this afternoon and unfortunately, he will have to miss action for at least three weeks, I shall inform his club doctor and officials immediately of this sad development” he said.
Njobvu joined Red Arrows last month after leaving demoted Cypriot side Enosis Neon Paralimni after a one year stint at the club.
