Veteran football commentator Dennis Liwewe has died.

Liwewe, 78 died this morning at Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital in Lusaka.

“He passed away this morning in hospital,” his son Ponga Liwewe confirmed en route to Lusaka from the Copperbelt.

“He has been in hospital with a Liver aliment.”

Ponga said a full statement will be released after a family meeting on Tuesday afternoon in Lusaka.

Liwewe was the voice of Zambian football for the last 45 years covering over 14 Africa Cup finals.

His most defining moment was in April, 1993 when he gave one of the most moving eulogies ever seen on Zambian television following the Gabon Air Crash.

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya says the former ruling party should de-register itself if it fails to raise money for holding of an extraordinary convention to elect new office-bearers.

Some senior MMD members have called for an extraordinary convention to usher in new leaders after observing that the entire national executive has failed to lead the party.

Ms Siliya said the money for holding the extra-ordinary convention can be found if there are ideas, good leadership and vision.

“If that argument [not having money for the convention] goes, then, I mean, we should go for a voluntary de-registration and do other things,” she said.

She said when she featured on Muvi TV’s The Assignment programme on Sunday that MMD at the moment is at its worst, adding that the only way to move forward is to go for the convention.

Ms Siliya said it will be irresponsible for members to wait until 2016 even if things are not going well.

“It will be utmost irresponsibility; this is why we are saying it can’t even just be about the president…we are saying this is not about an individual, it is a collective leadership,” she said.

Ms Siliya said the MMD leadership has to own up and agree to go for extraordinary convention to elect leaders who can inspire others with a shared vision and find traction among the people.

She said since Dr Nevers Mumba was elected MMD president there has been a lot of infighting in the party and wondered why he has been having problems with almost everyone in the party.

“There was a fight with Kachingwe and Namugala versus Nevers Mumba…again there was the Kaingu and Chituwo fight versus Nevers Mumba…you can’t fight all the time,” Ms Siliya said.

She also said going for an extraordinary convention is the only way divisions in MMD would end, adding that if MMD members want to wait until 2016, there would be no party but just a name.

“There will be no party on the ground because members will be leaving defecting to PF, UPND or even other political parties because they would have been frustrated,” she said.

Ms Siliya said over the last one year, there have been a lot of calls from MMD members throughout the country that MMD does not have the right leader to lead the party to the next election.

She said reconciliation among MMD leaders means nothing unless the party allows members in constituencies, districts and provinces to make their stance known about the current situation.

Ms Siliya said in politics the only way to resolve an issue is to go for an election, adding that it is the only way to determine someone’s popularity.

“MMD constitution provides for conventions within five years but it also provides for an extraordinary convention which can be called at any time as long as a third of provinces have petitioned,” she said.
Ms Siliya said she has no doubt that MMD will bounce back in power in future if its leaders can put their house in order.

She said MMD is not short of people who can occupy any position, stating that once an opportunity is availed people will come out in the open and express interest for various positions.

SOME public transport operators in Ndola have increased fares by 10 percent following the hike of pump price of petroleum products by 7.2 percent.

Last week, The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) announced the hiked the pump prices of all petroleum products by 7.2 percent following the cumulative depreciation of the Kwacha against the United States Dollar Taxi driver at the illegal taxi rank at the junction of Kwacha and Kalewa roads have increased the fare from K3 to K4.

But bus fares at Mulungushi and Chisokone bus stations in the town center of the city have remained the same.

Taxi drivers at the rank who preferred anonymity in an interview yesterday said that it was right for them to hike the fares by 10 percent.

They said in separate interviews that they were free to charge any amount because they were using private and comfortable vehicles.

“From here to town its K4 and for those that drop on the way up to Misundu Road its K3 only. We make our own prices and we do not follow fare charts from the council,” they said.

A check at the Mulungushi and Chsikone Bus Station found operators using the old fare chart from the council.

Mike Mubanga, one of the mini bus drivers at Chisokone bus station said the bus fares would only increase after they have a negotiating meeting with the council today.

He said drivers cannot hike bus fares without consultation from the local authority and other stakeholders.

“We are likely to come up with a new chart fare tomorrow after the meeting we will have at the council, at the moment we cannot hike despite the hike in fuel because it is illegal.

Effort to get comments from Ndola City Council Public Relations Manager Roy Kuseka proved futile as his phone by press time went unanswered.

And the Road Transport and Safety Agency(RTSA) has warned that it is illegal for bus operators to increase bus fares without following laid down procedure.

Some TAXI operators in Livingstone have increased fares by one Kwacha following the recent hike in the pump prices of petroleum products.

But RTSA Director Zindaba Soko says his agency has not met any officials representing bus operators or commuters on proposals to increase bus fares.

He says his office has not received any proposals from any organization to increase fares.

Some TAXI drivers spoken to in Livingstone say the increase in the price of fuel has forced them to increase the fares.

BUT other drivers say the increase has not been agreed upon with relevant offices such as the council and the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA).

Meanwhile the Public and Private Drivers Association of Zambia has appealed to its members NOT to increase bus fares.

Association president Josiah Majuru says doing so will be illegal adding that bus fares can only be increased after consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

Last week, the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) announced an increase of the pump price of petroleum products by an average of 8 percent.

The new pump prices per liter are now 10 kwacha 63 ngwee for petrol from 9 kwacha 91 ngwee, diesel will be 10 kwacha 1 ngwee from 9 kwacha 20 ngwee while kerosene is now sold at 7 kwacha 48 ngwee from 6 kwacha 83 ngwee.

Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance fears rising food costs will worsen nutritional status of Zambians.

The Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance says recent fuel hikes will lead to further increases in food prices and reduce access to nutritious food and worsen nutritional status and health of people in Zambia.

Alliance National Coordinator William Chilufya say the recent fuel hikes have come on top of high food prices as seen from the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) food basket.

“As seen from JCTR the cost of the food basket has increased, this will force households to reduce quality and quantity of food consumed. Resulting in many people at risk of being hungry and many more unable to afford the dietary required to perform, develop and grow well,” Mr Chilufya said.

He said, “The large, sudden and unexpected increase in cost of living is forcing people to adjust quickly and negatively when it comes to food consumption. People’s purchasing power is going to go further down and households will be pushed into poverty as their income levels have remained largely unchanged. This entails that savings will become a mammoth task.”

Mr Chilufya stated that the decreased purchase of more expensive foods typically equates to consumption of fewer nutrient-dense foods, such as animal source foods like meat, poultry, eggs, fish, milk including fruits, and vegetables.

“When ‘savings’ brought about by this coping strategy are insufficient, households may also reduce expenditure on basic foods.”
He added, “We are witnessing poor households spend a higher proportion of their limited incomes on their food needs. They often consume smaller quantities, less frequently; and in many cases the foods they consume are less nutritious.

If not addressed promptly, the increasing food prices will continue to negatively infringe on the poor as they may end up eating less than they already are, while others eat only what they can afford to buy, irrespective of quality putting them at risk of malnutrition.”

Mr Chilufya said, “We believe people have a right to make good food choices, and when this is not possible due to severely low purchasing power, it not only affects the quality of life but also affects their dignity.”

“When households replace meat, fruits, vegetables and other micronutrient-rich foods with high carbohydrate staples, their energy intake may remain above the minimum requirement, but both macro and micronutrient intake is compromised, thus increasing risk of stunting malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and associated poor health outcomes.”

He said, “Population most affected are those with the highest requirements, including young children, pregnant and lactating women, and the chronically ill particularly people living with HIV. Because under nutrition during the First 2 years of life have lifelong consequences, even short term price rises will have long term effects.”

Mr Chilufya wanted that when nutrition needs are not met, people become prone to illness, perform worse at school and have lower productivity.

“It also means that at national level, prevalence of stunting, underweight and other forms of malnutrition may increase, slowing human development and economic growth. These outcomes also threaten the achievement of many national development interventions such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Thus, measures to mitigate the impact of the food prices are urgently required.”

Mr Chilufya has since recommended the designing of various instruments, with varying degrees of efficiency and effectiveness to stabilize food prices, make food more affordable for targeted populations, and provide social protection to all vulnerable population throughout the country.

“Investment in nutrition is among the most cost-effective interventions, which not only affects the individual but also the growth prospects of the country.”

 Erixon released a video for the song “Anti-virus” that features  B1 and Red linso 

BY KAPA187

Copperbelt University (CBU) visiting research professor Clive Chirwa noted that most Zambian engineers were maintenance engineers and not innovative.

Prof Chirwa was speaking at Zambezi Sun Hotel in Livingstone on Saturday night during the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) 2014 National Symposium and Annual General Meeting (AGM) Gala Dinner.

Prof Chirwa said it was sad that Zambia had to import products such as spoons which could be produced locally from copper.

Professor Clive Chirwa said there was need to move the engineering profession in Zambia to a higher level of excellence.

And Transport, Works, Supply and Communication Minister Yamfwa Mukanga urged Engineers in Zambia to ‘resurrect ‘and take up their
correct positions of promoting in the country.

Mr Mukanga said engineers needed to know that they had solutions to whatever problems that society faced and hence they should ‘resurrect’ by taking up their correct positions in the economy.

Mr Mukanga, who is also a qualified engineer, said it was time engineers ‘resurrected’ and ensured that they contributed effectively to the development process of the nation.

Mr Mukanga urged engineers to carry out self introspection on their contribution to the economy as there would be no sustainable development in the absence of engineers.

“As engineers, we need to know that we have the solution to whatever problems that this nation may have.

All solutions we need are supposed to be engineering solutions. Without engineering, nothing can be done,” he said.

He said he was wondering why EIZ picked the Easter period for its symposium and AGM when the entire world were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ but he later understood that engineers needed to resurrect in the manner they worked.

“Next time when we meet as engineers, we should have moved from one place to a higher level.

[pullquote]Transport, Works, Supply and Communication Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said he wanted to be innovative and not only being a mere maintenance engineer.[/pullquote]

Time has come when we need to inspire our children and those in schools to become engineers. I want to be one of the engineers who will have contributed to changes in the country,” he said.

Mr Mukanga said he wanted to be innovative and not only being a mere maintenance engineer.

And speaking at the same dinner, EIZ president Bernard thanked the Government for being supportive to the Institute in terms of funding.

“This year, the Government allocated K2.1 million to EIZ and we are grateful. There has been an appreciable movement in terms of membership and increasing profitability in the last two years,” he said.

Mr Chiwala has been re-elected as EIZ president while George Sitali is vice president for policy, public relations and national development.

Peter Kapala went unopposed as vice president for finance and administration and Stephen Simukanga is vice president for membership and continuing professional development.

Other council members Abel Ng’andu, Duncan Ngoma, Patrick Kampengele, Robinson Misitala, Muya Mundia and Christopher Mubemba.

During the dinner, some students from Livingstone Institute of Engineering Studies (LIBES), Choma Trades, Lusaka Business and Technical College (LBTC) as well as Northern Technical College (NORTEC) won various awards from the just ended 2014 Engineering Skills Competition.