Chipolopolo keeper Kennedy Mweene has finally returned to action after a one-month lay off necessitated by the head injury he sustained in Zambia’s friendly against Uganda on March 5.
Mweene collapsed after suffering a concussion in the match Zambia won 2-1 in Ndola before he was rushed to Ndola Central Hospital.
He was in goal last evening as his South African club Mamelodi Sundowns beat Kaiser Chiefs 1-0 in an away league match.
Mweene was wearing a rugby helmet as he kept a clean-sheet in a match played in Johannesburg.
While recovering from injury the ex-Kitwe United and Lusaka Celtics shot stopper missed more than four games for Sundowns.
Mweene had also sat on the bench before earning a place back in the Sundowns best 11.
Fit-again Mweene back in action
It will take 50 years for HH to reach Sata’s popularity in the country-Kabimba
Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba says UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema needs 50 years to catch up with President Michael Sata’s popularity in the country.
Mr. Kabimba says the PF is still popular and that not even magic can make the UPND win the forthcoming 2016 elections.
He says the UPND is slowly dying and that the party is divorced from reality by painting itself as a growing party and a force to the PF.
ZNBC’s Inutu Mwanza reports that Mr. Kabimba was speaking in Choma on Sunday were he held a meeting with Southern Province PF party officials.
Mr. Kabimba notes that the winning of the position of Deputy Mayor in Livingstone by the PF is an indication that the ruling party is popular in the Southern province.
But UPND Secretary General Winstone Chibwe says party President Hakainde Hichilema’s popularity has escalated.
Mr Chibwe who is also in Southern province says if an election would be called on Sunday, Mr Hichilema would win due to his popularity.
Lwandamina tips Himonde
Zesco United coach George Lwandamina has described the performance of Chipolopolo defender Hichani Himonde in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Nchanga Rangers in Ndola as okay.
Himonde made his debut for Zesco on Saturday since rejoining the Ndola side on loan from South African club Mamelodi Sundowns last month.
The ex-TP Mazembe player was deployd in the central defence together with Togolese defender Emmanuel Mathias who is also on loan from Sundowns.
In a postmatch interview, Lwandamina expressed hope that Himonde will regain his old form.
“He was OK although he is still lacking game fitness. With more games I am sure he will get back to the levels where we expect him to be,” he said.
On Emmanuel’s display, Lwandamina said:” He has vast experience, he is an experienced player. He played well together with Hichani they coordinated well.”
Meanwhile, goals from Bornwell Silengo, Maybin Mwaba and Jackson Mwanza aided Zesco to clash Nchanga 3-1 in Saturday’s FAZ Super League match in Ndola.
Indeni hold Arrows to earn first point
A brace from Congolese striker Djunese Kanda proved insufficient as Indeni squandered a first half lead to draw 2-2 with Red Arrows in a delayed FAZ Super League match at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka on Sunday.
Indeni led after 25 minutes when Kanda rounded up two defenders before unlishing a powerful strike that hit the crossbar before rolling into the net.
He completed his first half brace with a low header after connecting a Perry Mubanga cross ten minutes before half time.
Kanda has now scored three goals so far in his maiden Super League season.
The two teams went into the break with a 2-1 score-line after Shadreck Malambo scored for Arrows from close range thanks to a pass from Adubelo Phiri.
Ex-Zambia defender White Simwanza ensured that Arrows earned a point in their home match when he headed in Evans Musonda’s corner for an equaliser.
Arrows now move to five points from three games while Indeni now sits on one point in three matches.
TABLE
[standings league_id=1 template=extend logo=false]
The blood shed for Zambia’s freedom from injustice
By Pezzy Kudakwashe
The sacrifice and blood paid by the ordinary Zambian is now enough to see Zambia become a better place to live.Our former freedom fighters share our rich history with stories of how they fought to remove the colonial masters of a bad grip they had on Zambia.Although the fight was not as bloody as most African countries experienced, the sacrifice was as legitimate to warranty Zambians full rights to independence.Furthermore our independence gave all of us an entitlement to a good decent life.
There is no doubt that our country has made some scores of achievement in some areas since independence.These include, Zambians becoming middle class income families. More people at least live in better housing than the days of shanty towns.Zambia has maintained peace with pleasant social and political stability in the last forty-nine years.
Our country has moved from one party dictatorship to multi-partism with a strong vision that one day, we shall have a strong people driven constitution.Zambia is now capable of exporting local produce and heavy industry metals to the region.
However, while this year marks Zambia’s year of jubilee since breaking away from Britain, we still find ourselves going around the same mountain.The mountain of sheer poverty, dIsease, illiteracy, starvation, tragic road accidents, name the list, we have seen it all.
On the other hand, the politicians try to paint a different picture, they want to convince us that things are fine, well and okey.Cheap talk always dominate campaign trails and false promises and slogans are still the order of the day.Quarrels and squabbles overlay our politics, characterized by selfish moves aimed at advancing personal political agendas.These fights continually place more innocent and naive Zambians at a further disadvantage.
The blood we Zambians have paid not just during the fight to independence but also through the injustice in Zambia today, is enough to buy all Zambians a better life.
What blood am I talking about? I am talking about, deaths that could have been prevented in our hospitals, simple cases such as malaria, HIV, TB, hepititis, malnutrition, tragic road accidents due to poor roads, unqualified drivers and lack of strict traffic police supervision.Crime is unbearable, the vigilantes are back on our streets, over crowded prisons, low standards of education, focus on building health facilities with very poor service quality, has become synonymous to the Zambian way of life.
Time has come to say NO to this circus.
We have paid with too much blood. The debt for these inadequacies we find ourselves in, was already paid a long time ago.We cannot continue living on promissory notes while our lives waste away.How long and how much more shall we pay to make Zambia a better place.
The almost 50-year-old mother Zambia, still grapples over lack of clean drinking water, jobs with
decent wages, access to quality health care.The wealthy and the politicians at least have alternatives as they can be evacuated to South, India or Pakistan for specialist treatment.God has given us the ability to chose what we should change to make our country better.
Let us start with a people driven constitution!
In Christ’s love
Some MMD members calling for the return of RB at the helm of the party
Some individual party members in Lusaka district are calling for the reinstatement of Rupiah Banda as MMD president following persistent divisions that have engulfed the former ruling party.
Sources said although no official approach has been made to ask Mr Banda, some members of the party feel that he was the right man who could save the former ruling party from the total collapse.
The MMD has been engulfed with constant confusion after senior members including two vice presidents – Brian Chituwo and Michael Kaingu – rebelled against party president Nevers Mumba.
The senior officials say Dr Mumba has failed to run the party and it was only important that an extraordinary convention is held where the members can elect the new leadership.
Dr Mumba has repeatedly defied calls for leadership change in the MMD and insisted recently that the party would not go for an extraordinary convention as long he was in charge.
“We want RB to return because this man (Dr Mumba) has failed to run the party,” said one of the officials from the Lusaka District. “He has brought his own people that are not adding any value to the party and it is only RB who can restore our pride.”
The official said Dr Mumba’s interest was personal as he was a broke man who could manage to run a big political party like the MMD.
But MMD national youth secretary Tobias Kafumukache said although he was not aware about the calls for Mr Banda to return, he had no problem with that because the former president was eligible.
Mr Kafumukache who has been one of the strong advocates for extraordinary convention, said the constitution allowed Mr Banda to contest the presidential elections.
“We have not sat as youths to analyse on whether RB should come back, but he is not banned by the constitution although that will come with the repercussions like losing some of the privileges he is currently enjoying.
“But even if no one has come out to express interest in the presidency of the party, Mumba must know that we have plenty of leadership in MMD who can do better than him,” Mr Kafumukache said.
Lusaka district MMD chairperson, Emmanuel Lungu said rumours that Mr Banda would return was a mere speculation.
“Yes people are missing Mr Banda but I think what our leaders should have been doing was to bring him close and seek advice where they are not sure for the sake of unity in the party.
Mr Lungu said Mr Banda should be allowed to rest after retiring from politics. The former president has stayed away from political limelight since stepping down when his party elected Dr Mumba as new leader.
ZUJ wants government to bail out struggling Times of Zambia
The Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has called on the Government to bail out Times Printpak Zambia Limited and save the nearly 170 unionised workers from the current hardships.
Currently, the ZUJ draws its membership from the Zambia Daily Mail, the Zambia Printing Company and the Times Printpak Zambia Limited, the publisher of Times of Zambia and the Sunday Times of Zambia newspapers.
And the Union has challenged the board of directors at the Zambia Daily Mail to expedite the recruitment of the Managing Director at the public media house.
ZUJ President James Muyanwa said the unionised employees at Times Printpak, the publisher of Times of Zambia and Sunday Times of Zambia newspapers, have suffered long enough and deserve a bail-out package.
“Our members at Times Printpak Zambia Limited, have suffered for a long time now. The workers have been getting their salaries late for about four years now. For instance, currently they are in two-month salary arrears, and have literally been surviving by the grace of God,” he said.
Mr Muyanwa suggested that through its subvention, the government should take up the repayment of the which the company contracted for the purchase of a printing machine and the payment of retirees’ terminal benefits which are taking up most of the monthly revenue for the company.
“From our analysis, the situation has been compounded by the huge outstanding terminal benefits for former employees, some of who left as far back as 2010 as well as the loan which was contracted from a local commercial bank for the purchase of a printing machine.
“The firm is currently paying more than K300,000 per month to the commercial bank while at the same time parting away with huge sums of money for the retirees most of who have sought court orders on the matter.”
He said these and many other liabilities including mismanagement by some past managers have helped to impoverish the journalists and other employees at the once-prestigious firm.
“Given this situation, we feel the Government should move from mere words to action on the matter to salvage the company from total collapse and also address the plight of our members.
We feel that the company, as a public institution, deserves the same treatment as Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) and Zambia Railway Limited (ZRL) have received. It requires a bail-out package in line with what was given to NCZ and ZRL. We realize that even if it is a limited company Times needs subvention from the sole shareholder – the government.”
On the issue of Zambia Daily Mail, Mr Muyanwa challenged the board to expeditiously recruit the new chief executive officer saying the current situation has been retrogressive.
Daily Mail has operated without Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for more than a month now following the termination of the contract for the immediate past position holder, Mr Anthony Mukwita.
“Notwithstanding the fact that there has been an acting managing director, we feel the absence of the substantive CEO has impacted negatively on the operations of this important organisation. There are some decisions which an acting CEO cannot make because of their sensitivity long-lasting implications, resulting in procrastination by the ‘headless’ management.”
Mr Muyanwa cited this year’s Collective Bargaining process between the Management at the institution and ZUJ as one such exercise which suffered that fate.
“We, therefore, call on the Board at Zambia Daily Mail to expedite the recruitment of the new CEO to ensure progress. The members’ patience is waning out.
“We equally take advantage of this opportunity to remind the Board and other relevant entities that newspaper publication remains Zambia Daily Mail’s core business and, therefore, members expect the institution to be headed by a professional journalist.”
Mr Muyanwa further called on the board to revisit the abolition of the position of Deputy Managing Director saying that the Union felt that the move to scrap off that important position was in bad faith and lacked any justification whatsoever.
“We are in receipt of a petition from three branch executive committees of our Union in Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe on the matter. Our Chapel leaders are demanding the restoration of the position of Deputy Managing Director.
He said that according to the members the current position of Director – Editorial is illegal because it did not exist anywhere in the establishment.
The position was scrapped off when the last substantive holder, Mr Mukwita was promoted to the position of managing director.
Guy Scott urges farmers to export more maize to help stabilise Kwacha.
VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott has urged farmers in Zambia to export more maize for the country to increase foreign exchange earnings to help the country stabilise the volatile Kwacha.
Dr Scott also urged farmers to embrace new farming technologies to enhance their production capacities and earn more income.
“Some people are saying the Kwacha is depreciating but what is causing this fall? We should understand that the strength of our currency is dependent on copper but instead let’s export maize to earn the dollar,” he said.
Dr Scott said as a country dependent on copper as the major foreign exchange earner, there is need to diversify so that Zambia can have several avenues to attract foreign exchange.
He said Zambia has not done so badly in being self-reliant in food production and hoped that the country would one day be the breadbasket of southern Africa.
“We want to be the breadbasket of the southern African region but we need to work hard to achieve this and do more to ensure that we are food-secure,” he said.
Dr Scott said buyers of Zambian maize this year will supply the country with the much-needed dollars to help cushion the weakened Kwacha.
He said Government is this year strongly inclined to the exportation of maize and urged farmers to venture into the market to offload their produce so that the country can earn foreign exchange.
Dr Scott said Government is this year targeting to assist hundreds of ordinary poor Zambians with resources to help them move out of their poverty status.
He said instead of giving out maize, vulnerable communities will be helped financially for them to move on.
Dr Scott said there is need to improve the lives of ordinary people to move them from their lower status into medium income levels.
He said farmers should embrace the new farming technologies to be competitive and be more productive to contribute significantly to the country’s food security.
Speaking earlier, Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) Evelyn Nguleka urged farmers to adopt new technologies to keep in line with changing farming methods.
She said the Agritech Expo Zambia is an eye-opener that has come at a time when Zambia’s agriculture sector is improving.
Dr Nguleka said farmers in Zambia embrace the opportunity opened up during the expo to work together and be agents of change in the way farmers should undertake their work.
Meanwhile, Agritech Zambia Limited board chairman Ashok Oza said the expo will be an annual event.
He said the successful hosting of the first-ever Agrictech Expo in Zambia and in Africa has paved way it being an annual event.
Mr Oza said the future of Zambia’s agriculture sector is bright and hoped that the interest generated by all participants to this year’s event will continue into next year.
“As a new company we want this event to be an annual event and we hope this interest from participants across the world will continue so that we build on it for further expansions,” he said.
Today’s Message: Your Future isn’t Defined by Your Past
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“…If God is for us, who can be against us?”
(Romans 8:31, NIV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
I heard somebody say, “Don’t let your heredity stop your destiny.” In other words, don’t let the way somebody treated you, or what they did or didn’t give you keep you from pressing forward and becoming all that God has created you to be.
The people who raised you may have had addictions, but that doesn’t have to be your future. You can be the one to break that negative cycle.
Your parents may have had anger issues or never amounted to much, but you don’t have to keep letting that curse be passed from generation to generation. You can be the one to say, “No more.
This is a new day! I may have had an unfair past, but I’m not going to have an unfair future. I know God put a blessing on me before anybody could put a curse, and I’m not going to let my heredity stop my destiny.”
Today, know that God is for you! Seek Him with a humble heart and break free from the bondages of the past. When you choose to put Him first in your life, then nothing can stop your destiny!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, thank You for empowering me by Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for giving me new life. I choose to let go of the past. I won’t let it define me, but I will let Your truth define me and lead me into victory in Jesus’ name! Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
Hunger is looming in Luena constituency as floods affect good harvest
Opposition ADD Luena Member of Parliament Mwambwa Imenda says hunger is looming in her constituency as floods as have affected the prospect of a good harvest.
She said floods have destroyed crops and that a lot of people in the area will be affected hence government through the Disaster Management Unit should come in and help the people in the area before the situation gets worse.
And Ms Imenda who was speaking in an interview in Mongu, said most of the places in the area are flooded hence making it difficult for people to move from place to another as the only mode of transport is ox carts which can not be used in such conditions.
She said the most affected groups are the school going children and women who have been cut out from their schools and health centers respectively.
She said women are not accessing medical services because health centers have been cut out while their children are staying home as schools have been cut out as well.
“People in Luena have to track long distance to access medical facilities so with the floods it makes the situation even worse. You can imagine if there is a pregnant woman in Nangili with a complication how does she get to the health center quickly with so much floods,” she wondered.
She called on government to consider digging canals in the area as a way of controlling floods.
She said making canals in the area will not only help control floods but reserve water for other usage such as winter farming.
Legal process required to hold a referendum cannot be completed before 2016-Kabimba
MINISTER of Justice Wynter Kabimba says it will cost Government K15 million to conduct a census for a referendum on the Constitution.
Mr Kabimba says the legal process of a referendum would also take more than 15 months to complete.
He was speaking in Choma yesterday during a special church programme to fundraise for the construction of a children’s chapel for the Choma central church of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA).
“The new constitution has been delayed by those who want to hijack the constitution-making process. I assure you that Zambia will have a people-driven constitution,” Mr Kabimba said.
[pullquote]“While we appreciate the offer of money for the constitution-making process, why should our co-operating partners not give us this money for development first?” he wondered[/pullquote]
The minister, who is Patriotic Front secretary general, said it appears that Zambia will have a referendum on the constitution but the legal process leading to that stage cannot be completed before 2016.
“A referendum under our present law requires that we should first conduct a national census of all those eligible to vote and this exercise alone is expected to take more than 15 months,” Mr Kabimba said.
Mr Kabimba said co-operating partners have offered money for the constitution-making process but Government wants first to ensure that it develops the country.
“While we appreciate the offer of money for the constitution-making process, why should our co-operating partners not give us this money for development first?” he wondered.
Mr Kabimba said the constitution-making process is important but the opposition must not play the political blame game.
The Minister of Justice has since called for unity and consensus across partisan politics.
“We must all rally together and promote advocacy on the constitution-making process,” Mr Kabimba said.
Mr Kabimba said he desires a new constitution the same way the opposition does but the law must be followed.
“None of the political parties in Parliament have two-thirds members and we need consensus and come together to have the constitution,” he said.
Mr Kabimba said the opposition has waged a political campaign against Government on the constitution when it is the very Government that started the process.
“Acrimony will not give us a new constitution, but unity and dialogue [will],” he said.
Mr Kabimba said President Sata has people’s interests at heart and has not back-peddled on the promises made during campaigns in 2011.
CSAWU to continue begging Government for unconditional re-instatement of Nurses
under a tree shade.
Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of zambia president Chiyobe Davy says the union has continued to engage government in bid to have the nurses who were fired reinstated unconditionally.
Speaking in an interview Mr Chiyobe said his union is trying to ensure that the nurses are reinstated and their benefits given back to them.
He said the union is optimistic government will listen to the pleas of the union and forgive the nurses unconditionally.
He said government has shown that it is a listening government by offering a way back to employment for the nurses who were fired.
He said the union will continue engaging the government on behalf of the nurses so that they get there full benefits as the reason for their dismissal was a misunderstanding which would have been ironed out if proper channels of communication was employed.
Mr Chiyobe Further urged the nurses to have patience and let their respective unions negotiate for them so as to avoid further misunderstandings.
Some nurses were dismissed by the government for taking part in an illegal strike.
Power outshine rivals Nkana on Saturday
Power Dynamos outshined their archrivals and defending champions on Saturday after they demolished Konkola Mine Police 6-0 at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.
And in Lusaka, Nkana continued to stutter in the league after drawing away to Napsa Stars at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka.
But it is at Arthur Davies where we begin after Power continued their fantastic start to the 2014 campaign to go two points clear at the top of the FAZ Super Division table.
A brace from Alex Ngonga in the 8th and 75th minutes and Jimmy Chisenga in the 34th and 56th minutes saw Power maintain their one hundred per cent start to the 2014 season.
Lubambo Musonda and Felix Nyaende added a goal each in the 68th and 90th minutes respectively to cap a dominating performance by Power in front of a packed house at Arthur Davies.
Meanwhile, Nkana again fired blanks in the league after drawing 0-0 away to unbeaten Napsa Stars.
Nkana have two points from as many matches played with a game in hand.
The defending champions have failed to find the target since March 8 when they beat KCCA of Uganda 2-1 away in Kampala.
And Zanaco moved into second place after a 2-1 away win over host Konkola Blades to dispatch the latter to their second successive league defeat on zero points from two matches.
TABLE
[standings league_id=1 template=extend logo=false]
2014 MTN/FAZ SUPER DIVISION WEEK THREE RESULTS
05/04/2014
Roan United 3-Green Buffaloes 4
Napsa Stars 0-Nkana 0
Zesco United 3-Nchanga Rangers 1
Konkola Blades 1-Zanaco 2
Power Dynamos 6-Konkola Mine Police 0
National Assembly 3-Kabwe Warriors 0
Nakambala Leopards 1-Green Eagles 0
06/04/2014
Red Arrows-Indeni
Zesco ends Nchanga’s unbeaten run
Zesco United eased past Nchanga Rangers with a 3-1 victory in Saturday’s FAZ Super League Week Three tie at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
This result is expected to be a relief to Zesco who are coming from a disappointing CAF Confederation Cup exit this week.
Zesco led five minutes into the first half with a Bornwell Silengo long range shot that beat keeper Toaster Nsabata.
On 22 minutes Nchanga wasted a chance to equalise when Larry Bwalya forced a save from Zesco keeper Lameck Nyangu from a well taken free kick.
Zesco made sure they went to the half-time break with a 2-0 lead when midfielder Maybin Mwaba tapped in from close range in a goal-mouth scramble.
After the restart Nchanga dominated play and it paid off when Patson Daka cut Zesco’s lead with a header after Levy Zulu’s initial shot had hit the cross bar.
But striker Jackson Mwanza ensured that Zesco won with a comfortable margin when he netted his side’s third goal seven minutes from full time.
Tony Grammz releases G.O.S.P.E.L mixtape
Upcoming So’ Good Entertainment Zambia, Christian Hip Hop/Rap recording artist, Tony Grammz is set to release his debut mixtape ‘G.O.S.P.E.L’ on 5th April 2014 . Hosted by Tha Jayman of FlavaFM Zambia, Tony has revealed that he has been cooking up this project since almost a year ago and it has finally matured into God’s Opportunity So People Eternally Live (G.O.S.P.E.L)
BY KAPA187