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FILE: President Sata meets Poland Mp at Statehouse
President Michael Sata yesterday morning held a closed door meeting with Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk to discuss trade and investment issues following the prime minister’s visit to Zambia in October 2013.
The meeting between President Sata and Mr. Tusk was held at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels and it lasted for 30 minutes.
The President was accompanied to the meeting by Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba, Commerce Minister Robert Sichinga and Zambia’s Ambassador to Belgium Grace Kabwe.
The meeting between President Sata and Mr. Tusk follows the latter’s three days state visit to Zambia in October 2013 for bilateral discussions.
During the visit to Zambia last year, President Sata called on the Polish business community to explore several areas of investment in Zambia.
The President said government was committed to providing a conducive environment for trade and investment because Zambia was endowed with abundant natural resources.
He implored the Polish business community to take advantage of Zambia’s good investment climate and quality manpower to explore areas of investment especially in infrastructure and agriculture.
The President said he recognized Poland’s impressive growth in the European Union and called for increased exchange of trade delegations between the two countries.
During the same meeting, the Polish Prime Minister assured Mr. Sata that his government was eager to see strengthened bilateral relations with Zambia.
Mr. Tusk said his country looked forward to increased economic, social and political relations with Africa mostly Zambia.
The Polish Prime Minister said Zambia was included in his regional visit because of its growing reputation of being a symbol of stability and predictability on the international arena and Southern Africa.
ZANIS
Dr Mumba stops over at a local market to interact with marketers
MMD President Dr Nevers Mumba today toured Mongu, Western Province where he paid a courtesy call on the Litunga to offer his condolences on the loss of his wife, the Queen of the Lozi people.
Dr. Mumba who arrived at the palace at 10 Hours was met by more than 12 Indunas led by lnduna Inete Akapelwa Silumbu.
And speaking when he addressed the Indunas, Dr Mumba said his party valued the traditions and culture of the nation.
He pledged that the former ruling party would continue to stand by the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) in both the good and bad times such as this period in which the Establishment was mourning the loss of their Queen Mother.
He further explained that his courtesy call to the BRA was not meant to gain any political mileage but a show of support to his Highness in the difficult times the Royal Establishment was passing through.
And Induna Inete Akapelwa Silumbu thanked the Dr Mumba for the visit saying, “the BRE was honored and appreciated his visit.”
Iduna Silumbu said the Litunga needs prayers to strengthen him and his people in the predicament they are facing.
And Dr Mumba also toured Lewanika General Hospital which is one of the oldest health institutions in the country.
The Opposition leader commended the ruling Patriotic Front for not abandoning some of the projects the MMD left unfinished such as the construction of a new Eye Care Department at the Hospital.
He told Senior Hospital Administrator Mbeha Akabondo that as an opposition leader, it was his duty to ensure that government was providing the necessary health services to all Zambians regardless of their social status.
He said his visit was meant to give him a feel of the challenges at the health institution faced so that even when he reminds the government about their obligations he would be doing so from an informed position.
Dr Mumba also encouraged patients at the biggest referral hospital in Western Province where he told them that what they were passing through was temporal and that they would be fine in no time as God was with them.
The opposition leader earlier had a closed door meeting with Provincial and District Party officials who included Povincial Chairman Kantongo Kameya and Provincial Youth Vice Chairperson Manton Matuka Toyambe among others.
Dr Mumba visiting newly born babies at Lewanika General HospitalDr Mumba praying for the sick at Lewanika General HospitalDr Mumba and his entourage touring Lewanika General Hospital, Mongu
A twenty-six year old woman of Mbabala area in Samfya district with her six months old baby were last Sunday attacked and killed by a crocodile on Lake Bangweulu.
Luapula province police commissioner Malcom Mulenga who confirmed the incident said the woman has been as identified Sophia Nkwange of Wasaluka village was carrying her daughter Chiboni on her back were caught while trying to draw water in lake Bangweulu.
Mr Mulenga said the bodies have since been retrieved from the lake and advised the relatives to bury immediately.
He said a team of Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officers and the Police officers were assigned to the area to crop the reptiles but during the search they did not find any.
“Recently a combined team of Police officers and ZAWA officers went to Mbabala area with a view of cropping down the reptiles but unfortunately they were not seen them,” he said.
The British High Commission in Zambia has announced new VISA application Services that will require applicants to pay an additional 59 British Pounds for service charges.
Announcing the changes at a media briefing in Lusaka this morning, British High Commissioner, James Thornton disclosed that the embassy through the customer service company Teleperformance has subcontracted Fedex to start processing VISA applications on behalf of the embassy.
Mr. Thornton said with the changes in VISA application, new VISA priority services will cost an additional charge of 100 British Pounds.
He added that with the new changes, the embassy will target processing 90 percent of non-settlement VISA applications within 15 working days and 98 percent within six weeks.
Apart from the new premises for VISA application located at Corporate Park, the offer of the priority service and the new charge, VISA application process remains the same as before.
Mr. Thornton further told Journalists that the recent problems Zambia had been experiencing with regards the online application system was due overloading, and has since been resolved after the capacity of the system was substantially increased.
We the NAREP youths are sick and tired of this “Tom and Jerry” type of government that is taking Zambians for a ride. The PF is handling the constitution like a ball which can be kicked in all directions.
Just recently, we were informed that the draft constitution will be handed over to the Ministry of Justice, but today another story emerges in which the Ministry of Justice has denied ever receiving the draft constitution. The PF should stop playing these games as this is not a cartoon world.
The PF cannot outsmart the people by wanting to hijack the constitution making process because the people of Zambia will not allow them to hijack what rightfully belongs to them. The constitution is a very important document that must not at any time be discredited by anyone not even the PF themselves.
The Patriotic Front should stop playing mind games but should instead tell the nation why they instructed the Technical Committee drafting the constitution to hand over the draft constitution, constitution bill and the constitution report to the Permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice instead of delivering it to President Sata who is the appointing authority as stipulated in the terms of reference. The Justice Minister, Mr Wynter Kabimba is the very person that informed the nation that the committee was going to hand over the document to the President.
We demand that the PF to come out in the open and tell the nation why there have been delays in the handing over the draft constitution which they promised to give the people of Zambia within 90 days once elected into office. It is now clear that the PF lied and used the people of Zambia just to get votes.
President Sata and the entire PF administration should not tamper with the contents of the draft constitution. The Zambians who voted them into power will soon vote them out of power and put them back in the ranks of opposition were they best belong.
Wilson Banda NAREP Youth League Chairman 3 April 2014
File: Brian Chituwo and Dora Siliya (l) after receiving gifts from the Chinese embassy in Lusaka, Zambia
MMD vice-presidents Brian Chituwo and Michael Kaingu together with former Petauke Member of Parliament Dora Siliya, Senga Hill MP Kapembwa Simbao and former Solwezi Central MP Lucky Mulusa should not have taken their grievances to the media and should have endeavoured to resolve their differences with president Nevers Mumba internally, MMD national youth chairperson Howard Kunda has said.
Kunda has said allegations that the senior party members were working with the ruling PF to auction the MMD, were serious and needed answers, but this should be within the internal party systems and not in the media.
Kunda who is Muchinga MMD MP said the party was alert to the fact that Kabimba who is Justice Minister had positioned himself to take over the presidency of the PF before 2016 and was seeking the support of MMD members.
He said there were serious allegations that some leaders in the MMD government wanted to destroy the former ruling party and were working with Kabimba and M’membe and that was the reason why they were holding meetings at the Post Newspaper.
Kunda further alluded to the fact that because those calling for the resignation of Dr. Bemba were not of Bemba origin, the perception was that this was a tribal scheme to replace Dr. Mumba with a non-Bemba speaking member of the party.
The youth leader said, if the people calling for Dr. Mumba’s removal felt very strongly, they had the option to resign, but that they should not destroy the party for which they hard worked so hard for many years.
“Dr Chituwo, Dr Kaingu, Siliya, Simbao can resign on moral grounds rather than be linked to plans to kill the MMD so that whatever remains from the party would be auctioned to the PF under Kabimba who has positioned himself to take over the presidency of the ruling party. The fight against Dr Mumba appears tribal and unfortunately the names I have mentioned give credence to such allegations,” Kunda said.
He said Dr Mumba had been working hard to unite the party and would welcome constructive help in putting the party back on track but felt frustrated by people who were supposed to help him strengthen the party in readiness for the 2016 general elections.
Kunda said the MMD would remain the strongest opposition political party and that the PF and Kabimba were scared that the former ruling party would easily bounce back to power if it was left un-stabilized.
He said the MMD had provided effective checks and balances to the failed PF government and that it would continue doing so because Zambians were regretting having wasted their vote on a party that had turned out to be the worst government in the history of the country.
He explained that Zambians voted for the PF in 2011 because they wanted to experiment adding it was tragic that the country was being governed by people who had no knowledge about how to govern.
Efforts to get comments from Dr Chituwo, Dr Kaingu, Siliya and Simbao failed as their mobile phones were off.
OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION
Sunday Chilufya Chanda- Executive Director
PF REGIME WILL SOON PAY FOR ITS ARROGANCE ON CONSTITUTION
OSF is concerned that the PF Government has continued to speak in tongues over a matter as crucial as the Constitution. Attempts by PF to reduce the demands for a new constitution to an agenda of the elite are nothing but cheap propaganda, which is arrogant and vexatious. We wish to remind PF Government that such arrogance will turn around to haunt them not very long from now.
PF seemingly is taking pride in it remaining deaf to their factual demands considering the current constitution is a heart without a shell, inefficient and will not deliver the Zambia young Zambians hope for.
The glimmers of hope for a new constitution stands adulterated by inefficient and lack of political will. Zambians have repeatedly paid for constitutional commissions that by now should have delivered a good constitution but elected leaders have taken pride in betraying the citizens. When citizens speak out on the need for a new constitution, there Government accuses them of being traitors.
Zambians from all walks of life must stand up to demand a replacement of the current constitution with a new one founded on modern doctrines of good governance and respect for the ordinary citizens.
The current constitution in its shape is a threat to democracy and the future stability and prosperity of the nation. 50 years after Independence, Zambia is a country heading for self-destruction and becoming a serious embarrassment on the continent. 50 years after Independence, corruption and theft reign supreme in Zambia.
Intimidation and corruption have become acceptable traits of every Government we have had. Unless we give ourselves a new constitution, Zambia is beginning to almost resemble of a cesspool; a backwater.
Zambian politicians in general and in particular, those from UNIP, MMD and PF must take responsibility for all the failure of democracy in Zambia. Both the governing party and opposition parties are equally guilty of this decay, and their failure to stop the destruction.
OSF is concerned that while we are seated with a country whose corruption is spiralling out of control, we have citizens who would rather that we continue embracing a constitution that withholds democratic gains. Zambians must realize that poor service delivery, dysfunctional and corruption-ridden institutions in this country are offsprings of a bad constitution.
Zambia is in dire need of a constitution that gives power back to the people. Sadly, we note that the PF Government has failed to consult adequately and has ignored the opposing views of citizens, business, NGOs, political parties and even the churches.
OSF wishes to place it on record that demands for a new constitution are morally justified because over the past 50 years, Zambians have come to agree that there are no Good People at all- ranging from UNIP, MMD and PF. There can only be Good Institutions supported by a Good Constitution in order for Zambians to reap the benefits of Good Governance.
Education Deputy Minister, Patrick Ngoma, has described the forcing of pupils to drink urine in Western Province as inhuman, irresponsible and unacceptable.
Mr Ngoma said the government will not condone that kind of archaic and barbaric behaviour among by teachers.
He said the teachers, as mentors of the children, must be of exemplary conduct and warned that the government will not tolerate any lawlessness among this cadre of professionals.
He was speaking at Nchelenge Secondary School in Luapula Province when he officiated at the 2014 Luapula Province Sports Association Inter Districts Athletics Competitions on Sunday.
Mr Ngoma urged the teachers in the country to have the right attitude towards the pupils and help them to blossom into future leaders.
He said teachers are charged with the responsibility of mentoring the children and to force the pupils to drink urine is a serious violation of the children’s rights.
The deputy minister reminded the teachers to treat the children that they teach as their own and to respect the children’s rights.
However, Mr Ngoma has expressed his delight with teachers in Luapula Province for their sacrifice to serve in remote and hard to reach districts.
“I am happy that you are sacrificing and accepted to serve in the rural and hard to reach areas of the province to nurture children into leadership and productive citizens,” Mr Ngoma said.
He observed that many teachers, especially women, could have opted to work in towns but have demonstrated their desire to help the children in rural areas by accepting to serve in the province.
“Those of you that are contemplating to get transfers must postpone that intent and continue helping the pupils to become better citizens who will take up the reigns of leadership for this country,” he added.
Mr Ngoma said government was aware of the accommodation challenges that the teachers in rural areas are facing but was quick to say that his ministry was doing everything possible to address this problem.
He also said the government is improving the school standards through such interventions as upgrading of schools and the introduction of the new curriculum that provides for two pathways for the learners.
He further said that while the government was investing huge sums of money into education, the teachers must work to produce commensurate results at every grade.
Acting President and Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda flanked by Vice President Guy Scott and Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba
GOVERNMENT has created more than 300,000 jobs since the Patriotic Front (PF) came into office, Acting President Alexander Chikwanda has said.
Mr Chikwanda said it is important for Zambians to have faith in the Government’s ability to deliver and appealed to all to be role models in the path for the country’s growth agenda.
“People’s patience spans are overstretched. It is however, important that our people have faith in Government’s ability to deliver. Zambia is on the move and we should all ensure we are a role model in development in the same way we have been as a united and peaceful country that revolves on tolerance and accommodation,” Mr Chikwanda said.
He said the backlogs of development arrears that had unavoidably accumulated overtime could not be wiped out overnight and called for a resolve to work extra hard.
He reiterated that Government had prioritised job creation especially in view of efforts to boost investment in agriculture and forestry.
Mr Chikwanda, who is also Finance Minister, said Government would engage the expertise of farmers through the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) to explore the possibility of a sizeable kwacha dominated bond targeted at Agriculture and Forestry.
“The PF with the dynamic leadership of President Sata in the driving seat is moving the country’s agenda in ways never seen before. Real estates are booming throughout the country, infrastructure is expanding and social sectors of education and health are advancing to new frontiers.
“Agriculture is improving and there are big corporate agricultural investments which will have a very salutary impact on the economy,” he said.
He was speaking when he launched the Zambia Development Effectiveness Review Report which will provide an overview of Zambia’s development progress.
This is the first time that the report was done for the country covering data up to the end of 2012.
He said Government welcomed the review and expected it would optimize the spirit of innovation aimed at rendering greater effectiveness.
Mr Chikwanda said the launch of the 2013 report needed to be a platform for even more determined endeavors to extend the frontiers of our country’s development with the objective of banishing poverty.
He expressed concern over the African continent being at extremely low ebb of development especially seen against the background of pronounced incidences of poverty.
He said increase in inter African trade would widen the country’s development prospects and be a mutual strength in the process reducing that would reduce vulnerability to external shock.
He called for increased support to women in practical projects that would back the enterprise of the female folk which would make a difference to the country’s fortunes.
He said Zambian women constituted a vast reservoir of enterprise and creativity as they were the backbone of small scale agriculture in the rural community which accounted for the bulk production.
African Development Bank (AfDB) resident representative Freddie Kwesiga said the Bank would continue working with the country in order to move the development agenda forward.
He said Zambia’s economy had performed well over the past decade achieving macroeconomic stability and growth rates averaging more than 6.5per cent.
COMMENCE deputy Minister Richwell Siamunene has sued Government over a decision to cancel a piece of land which he says legally belongs to him.
Mr Siamunene who is UPND Sinazongwe Member of Parliament (MP) wants the Lusaka High Court to direct the Commissioner of Lands to re-register the piece of land on farm number 215 (a) in Lusaka into his name.
In a writ of summons filed in the principal registry’s office, Mr Siamunene said the decision by the Commissioner of Lands to cancel the certificate of title relating to the piece of land was illegal and as such, the court should declare him the rightful and innocent purchaser of the land without notice of any adverse interest.
Mr Siamunene who has sued Attorney General Mumba Malila and the Commissioner of Lands as first and second respondent respectively said that in 2008 he bought two five acre portions of land from Edmond Bwalya, who was now deceased.
He said a diligent search he conducted indicated that the late Bwalya was the beneficial owner and that there was no third occupant of the land.
Mr Siamunene however said that when he went to file documents to transfer the two farms in his name, the then Chief Registrar of Lands, Lynn Habanji informed him that there was a Court judgment that directed the Commissioner of Lands to issue the two portions of land in favour of a Gilbert Mwamba and Lovemore Mwale respectively.
He said that after a meeting was held with all the parties involved, it was resolved that the portions of land sold to Mr Mwamba and Mr Mwale were separate from those sold to him and as such he proceeded with the purchase.
Mr Siamunene said that it was not until the demise of Mr Bwalya in 2013 that he encountered problems.
This was when the Chief Registrar and Deeds acting on behalf of the Commissioner wrote to him informing him that they were cancelling the certificate of title issued to him as it was issued in error and that there was a judgment in favour of Mr Samba.
He said that despite his explanation in a letter that the cancellation of the title was illegal the Commissioner went ahead and canceled the title in the name of effecting the judgment in favour of Mr Sampa.
LABOUR Deputy Minister Rayford Mbulu has described the working atmosphere of employees at Choma Milling Company as ‘unconducive’ and has given management a one-week ultimatum to improve the safety standards.
Mr Mbulu yesterday took to task management for failure to improve safety standards of workers despite the company being in operation for about 34 years in Zambia.
The minister was speaking during an impromptu visit to the company where he found scores of workers in the milling plan with no safety kits such as gloves, helmets and boots.
“As management, do unto others as you would like them to do for you. These are your workers and you don’t need to be pushed around to improve their welfare.
“I am not happy to find them in this attire, I will come here on April 9th 2014 and I should find that you have provided them with safety facilities,” he said.
The company has about 140 permanent workers with many others on casual basis, who were found operating on machines without proper safety attire.
Mr Mbulu directed management to create a conducive work environment for their workers saying Government would not tolerate companies flouting labour laws.
He was not impressed to find one of the employees in management holding two positions of being a clinical officer and human resource officer at the same time.
The minister told management to break up the positions saying it was from such unwarranted combinations of positions that workers were not well looked after.
He said the milling company which had been in existence for many years, should lead by example and comply with labour laws of Zambia.
He told union members of the commercial and industrial workers an affiliation of Zambia Congress of Trade Union in Choma to closely work with management to improve the work atmosphere.
On compliance of recently introduced minimum wage by Government, he said, the law was being adhered to by companies, although, labour inspectors needed to intensify inspections.
Mr Mbulu further directed labour officers in Choma to be conducting about 29 visits of various companies in a month to ensure compliance on labour laws.
Company general manager James Kapikanya assured Government that management would comply with all directives to equip workers with required safety facilities
MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has charged that the defiance exhibited by embattled party leader Nevers Mumba to step down will force members to deploy ‘unorthodox’ means to oust him from his position.
Ms Siliya has also been joined by MMD Chisamba Member of Parliament (MP) Moses Muteteka in condemning Dr Mumba’s stance following mounting pressure for him to step down.
Ms Siliya said holding an extra-ordinary convention, was an honourable way of asking Dr Mumba to leave the helm of the party.
She said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Dr Mumba’s reluctance to step down was on the other end, merely testing the patience of members.
“But if he wants to continue being stubborn, we shall have no option but to find other ways of removing him from the top position, going to a convention is the most honourable way of asking him to leave the party,” she said.
And Mr Muteteka in a separate interview yesterday advised Dr Mumba to tone down on his language on senior party members saying daring them could lead to most of them ditching the party.
He said Dr Mumba’s call to senior party officials to leave the party, was an admission that the party had collapsed.
[pullquote]“But if he wants to continue being stubborn, we shall have no option but to find other ways of removing him from the top position, going to a convention is the most honourable way of asking him to leave the party,” she said.[/pullquote]
He said Dr Mumba should call for an urgent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to address the problems in the former ruling party.
“Dr Mumba doesn’t know how many will leave the party, his statement goes to show that the party is finished, those that have comeout in the open might not be the only ones displeased with his leadership, for now let him call for an urgent NEC meeting,” he said.
He said not all NEC members who were silent over the current wrangles, were satisfied with Dr Mumba’s leadership but were still in the party because of different reasons.
He said Dr Mumba should not take the persistent tiffs and the silence of other members for granted.
“He (Dr Mumba) should not be misled by the silence of other NEC members, to think that they are all happy. He should call for a meeting to discuss the current problems as his failure to do so, will only worsen the problem,” he said.
He said rushing to issue media statements was not helping the party but that such conduct was only worsening the problems.
Some NEC members led by party’s two vice presidents, Brian Chituwo who is in-charge of administration and Michael Kaingu in-charge of politics initiated calls to hold a convention to allow the party to elect new members after admitting that the current crop of leadership under Dr Mumba had failed to inspire the general membership.
Dr Mumba lashed out at members opposed to his leadership to leave the party, saying problems in his party were normal in any political party.
Meanwhile confusion engulfed at an MMD press briefing yesterday when some members who were suspended in 2012 stormed the meeting announcing that Dr Kaingu had reinstated them.
Those suspended district chairpersons, were William Nyirenda for Kitwe, Jackson Kawaya for Chingola, Obby Mwansa for Chambishi, Wynter Chilekwa for Mufulira, Sparton Musowayo for Kalulushi and Chililabombwe’s Goldwin Miyambo.
The chairpersons claimed that Dr Kaingu had reinstated them along with provincial chairperson, Joseph Chilambwe and declared that their first task was to back calls to hold the extra-ordinary convention.
Speaking through Mr Nyirenda, the members said there was need to have a new leader to take over from Dr Mumba.
“First and for almost First and foremost, those who came up with those resolutions did not form a quorum and since we have now been reinstated, our view is that an extraordinary convention be held where the entire NEC is dissolved to allow fresh blood in the party,” Mr Nyirenda said.
Ex-Zambia Under-20 and Zanaco coach Keagan Mumba was on Wednesday afternoon put to rest at Leopards Hill Memorial Park in Lusaka.
Mumba died on Saturday at the age of 52 after an illness.
Defence Minister and Chawama Member of Parliament Edgar Lungu led scores of mourners in paying their last respects to Mumba during a funeral service held at Chawama Primary School Grounds.
“Keagan was a candid and thruthful person, Keagan did not mince his words and called a spade, a spade,” Lungu told mourners.
The deceased was last year slapped with a three-month ban for speaking against a national wide talent identification programme started by former Zambia coach Herve Renard.
“I am sure some of you here know that he paid dearly for his truthfulness,” he added.
Chipolopolo coach Patrice Beaumelle attended the funeral together with several coaches, players and administrators.
Power Dynamos coach Tenant Chilumba has warned that his players must work hard to earn places in the starting line-up.
Chilumba said no player is guaranteed a place in the starting line-up.
He has reshuffled his squad in the two games the FAZ Super League leaders have played so far in the season.
Chilumba benched striker Felix Nyaende and winger Julius Situmbeko in their last match against Indeni in Ndola which his side won 3-1 on March 19 – just three days after the duo started in the 3-1 win over Kabwe Warriors in the league opener in Kitwe.
“We will continue trying out players because we have not chosen the best eleven. Every player must work hard to get the jersey. All the 30 players are guaranteed the jersey if they work hard,” he said.
Power this Saturday hosts Konkola Mine Police at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe hoping to maintain their perfect start to the 2014 Super League season.
The Ndeke outfit have assembled a good-looking squad for this year’s campaign.
