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Zesco United coach George Lwandamina says his club was still in contention to advance further in the 2014 CAF Confederation Cup after Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Ghana’s Medeama in Sekondi.
Zesco have been handed an uphill battle after losing 2-0 away in the second round first leg tie and must now beat Medeama 3-0 on Sunday at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola to ensure their passage to the pre-group stage of the competition.
Lwandamina said Zesco have a chance to upset the table in the return leg.
“It was a very interesting game both teams played quiet entertaining football,” he said.
“Of course our hosts have won but we are not out we still have another half to go,” Lwandamina told a post match media conference.
He added:”I think in my preamble I said that we have lost but we are not out so the question of scoring three goals or more than three goals is out because we have another half.”
Goals in each half from Nathaniel Asamoah and Michael Helegene gave Medeama a significant win in an action packed 90 minutes.
Nkana skipper Sydney Kalume says his side wants to get a good result from Sunday’s away 2014 CAF Champions League second round return leg against Egypt’s Zamalek in Cairo to secure a place in the group stage.
The FAZ Super League champions left for Cairo on Tuesday afternoon via Ndola’s Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport.
Before departure, Kalume said Nkana are prepared for the match against Zamalek.
The two teams drew 0-0 in the first leg tie at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe last Saturday.
“We are going there to get a good result. We are always prepared for battle,” he said.
Kalume said Nkana are not going to Cairo as tourists.
“Playing football is our job so we are not going to Egypt to sleep we have to work hard so that we go and get maximum points so that we can go to the group stage.”
Nkana have never eliminated Zamalek from continental competitions.
Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Bert Mushala
Government has bemoaned the lack of specialization among journalists in the country.
Speaking when he officially opened a media workshop organized by Zambia National Commission for UNESCO information permanent secretary Bet Mushala said the trend of having ” jacks of all trades and masters of none” is worrying as it is affecting the quality of reporting by journalists.
Mr Mushala said because of the lack of specialization journalists tend to report half truths as they do not understand the issues they are reporting on.
“What we see in many of our news rooms, is that at 10:00hrs a reporter is covering a UNESCO workshop, at 12:00hrs the same reporter is sent at Bank of Zambia and at 15:00hrs the same reporter is at Sunset stadium. No specialization”.
“In so doing, Journalists end up reporting the smoke and not the actual fire”. He said.
He further said the trend has led to journalists becoming experts in coping and pasting statements and speeches adding that reporters are not trying to examine and exhume the truth behind the nicely worded presentation.
“The end result of this is that people are fed on shallow and half baked information leading to an ill-informed and misinformed public”. Mr Mushala added.
The permanent secretary said this in a speech read on his behalf by ministry of information director of press and media development Isaac Chipampe in Lusaka today.
A 30 year old Drill Rig Operator at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Chililabombwe has died after being hit by a machine underground.
KCM Manager Public Relations and Communications Shapi Shachinda confirmed the development.
Mr. Shachinda said Kafukanya Ngosa an employee of one of KCM’S contractors CMC Bomar, succumbed to injuries sustained after he was hit by a boom of a Jumbo underground around 23 hours last evening.
He said operations at the scene of the accident have been suspended to pave way for both internal investigations and by the Mine Safety Department.
Mr. Shachinda said the next of kin have been informed about the fatality.
He has since wished the bereaved family God’s guidance during this trying time.
ZESCO Limited officials inspect the waters at Lake Kariba where the utility firm generates power
THE Zambian and Zimbabwean Governments have assured that there is no need to panic over the state of the Kariba Dam.
In a joint Ministers’ communiqué issued at Caribbea Bay Resort in Zimbabwe today, the two Governments said the Kariba Dam was stable.
Reading the communiqué on behalf of the two Governments, Zimbabwean Energy and Power Development Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire said the Dam was monitored and maintained in line with international standards.
“The Governments of the Republic of Zambia and Zimbabwe represented by…would like to inform the general public and all stakeholders that the Kariba Dam is in a stable state.
“The Kariba Dam is monitored and maintained in line with international standards. The Dam wall is equipped with several instruments which monitor its well-being and safety,” the communiqué read in part.
Some of the instruments were installed during the construction of the dam while some were added and continued to be added as advances in dam engineering and technology occur.
According to the communiqué, the analysis of data from those instruments coupled with visual inspections, observations and evaluation of the Dam’s safety in line with the current practices in dam engineering gave early warning signs of potential risks to the safety of the Dam wall long before they occurred.
The information used to prescribe remedial or corrective measures which are then implemented to mitigate the potential risks and that the current maintenance requirements for Kariba Dam wall were as a result of the exhaustive process and were aimed at mitigating against potential risks to the safety of the dam.
“The two Governments take all maintenance needs of the dam seriously no matter how small they maybe and will continue to do so throughout the life of the Dam to ensure that the Dam continues to operate safely and does not pose a risk to the public,” the communiqué read in part.
The two Governments, Mr Mavhaire said, had been proactive in addressing dam maintenance and that tender designs for some works were completed at the end of 2013 and their implementation was expected to start at the beginning of 2015 with support from cooperating partners.
“The reshaping of the plunge pool is expected to be completed by the end of 2017 whilst spillway refurbishment will take about six years as only one gate can be worked on per year so as to allow for the possibility of spilling. These works are estimated to cost US $230 million,” he said.
The maintenance works in progress and requiring implementation include among others installation of an additional pendulum to the current instrumentation used for measurement of dam reflections, plunge pool reshaping and spillway refurbishment.
Zambezi River Authority projects and dam safety director David Mazvidza described the cracks on the Dam walls as “superficial” as they were shallow and only existed on the surface of the concrete.
Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma, who represented the Zambian Government, assured that there was no need for people to be alarmed over the Kariba Dam as everything was under control.
Mr Yaluma, however, warned that in an event that the walls collapsed, that would affect more than 3 million people beyond Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The issuance of the communiqué was preceded by a closed door meeting lasting more than one hour in Zimbabwe’s Kariba town as well as the tour of the Kariba Dam.
Other officials representing the Zimbabwean Government were that country’s Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere as well as Energy, Power and Development Deputy Minister Munacho Mutezo.
Main road in Nsama district(formerly Kaputa) 20/3/14
Government has stepped up efforts in getting relief food to more than one thousand people displaced by floods in Kaputa through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) that has released 12 tonnes of maize.
A boat has also been deployed to the area after a bridge on the Mporokoso-Kaputa Road collapsed.
Northern Province minister Freedom Sikazwe said a Zambian National Service (ZNS) land development unit based in Mansa in Luapula Province has also been dispatched to assess and put up an emergency temporary crossing.
“As far as food is concerned the disaster management unit has begun distributing the relief food a fact that was confirmed to me by the district commissioner in Kaputa,” Mr Sikazwe said.
While 30 tents had been put up to provide shelter to the 1063 were left homeless after their homes floods while others collapsed following unrelenting rains in the area, Mr Sikazwe said an additional 100 tents where needed.
Mr Sikazwe who was in Kaputa to assess the situation directed the disaster management unit to begin the distribution of food and other materials to some of the families accommodated at a school.
The minister who toured the collapsed houses described the situation as dire.What he feared most was an outbreak of diarrheal diseases because toilets had been submerged and fecal matter had contaminated water sources.
A medical team had been dispatched but was making slow progress because of the bad condition of the road.Mr Sikazwe who assured the affected families that Government would provide necessities required to see them through the trying period.He asked the provincial medical office to consider dispatching some mobile hospitals to the area because they were four wheel drive and could easily traverse the areas least affected.
The State has discontinued a case in which Ndola lawyer Gershom Mubanga is charged with fraud.
When the matter came up for plea before Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Paul Chisha yesterday, State prosecutor Francis Ntulile told the court that the State was discontinuing the case.
“We are entering a nolle prosequi against the accused person. We have finally received instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who has called for a case record,” he said.
Mr Chisha, after perusing through the docket, granted the order for the case to discontinue.
“I have perused the instruction from the DPP. In light of the same, I order that the accused be discharged,” he said.
Mubanga, 64, of 4283 Tanzania Road in Northrise residential area in Ndola, between March 25 and May 19, 2008 was alleged to have fraudulently uttered a certificate of title number 2817 of the Copperbelt lands office.
He was alleged to have fraudulently transferred property belonging to Zambia Legion Registered Trustee, the owners of Belcel Properties in Ndola and Chingola to the Ex-Servicemen League of Zambia, where he was the Copperbelt Province chairperson.
Chinese company, China Jiangsu International the company linked to Chieftaness Nkomeshya has been summoned by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) to explain why it had ignored a High Court order restraining it from conducting the mining activities.
ZEMA public relations officer Irene Chipili confirmed that China Jiangsu International Limited and Vikram Investment Limited, the rightful owner of the land in question were summoned last week but that the Chinese company refused to report to the agency.
Chipili said the agency had summoned the two companies with the hope of resolving the matter but the Chinese company had continued to ignore the summons.
Chipili said China Jiangsu International, Busoli Development Company, Skyline Quarry Limited, Economic Technical Co (Z) Limited and George Mwamba, the brother to former Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba have disregarded a High Court injunction and have grabbed a mining area dully given to Vikram Investment Limited and have started quarrying and mining activities without a valid licence.
It has been established that the named companies have encroached Vikram Investment Limited prospecting area 16703-HQ-LPL which was formerly given to the company by the Ministry of Energy and Water Development.
Paper trail obtained shows that Vikram Investment Limited was awarded a large scale prospecting licence number 16703-HQ-LPL in Shantumbu area in Chongwe but before the company could commence its mining activities, China Jiangsu International Limited unscrupulously moved on the site and started quarrying.
Vikram Investment Limited had gone to court seeking a court injunction to restrain Jiangsu and Skyline Quarry Limited from conducting mining activities its large scale prospecting area but even after the injunction was granted, the Chinese company along with some local companies have continued quarrying.
Vikram had applied for the large scale prospecting licence and the ministry of mines dully gave the company the licence and the Zambia Environmental and Management Agency had approved the environmental project brief and granted Vkiram to commence its mining activities.
Last week, the Chinese almost shot investigative journalists from MUVI Television and the Zambia Daily Nation for attempting to interview the illegal mining and to collect footage of the illegal mining activities.
On Saturday 22nd March 2014, the Minister in charge of Finance, Honourable Alexander Chikwanda gave a press briefing on the state of the economy. The press briefing was in response to concerns from various stakeholders regarding the recent performance of the economy particularly with regards to the sharp depreciation of the Kwacha against major international currencies.
It is highly recommendable that the Minister of Finance issued a statement to explain the state of the economy. In the JCTR’s view, the minister’s intervention is timely enough to prevent speculations which have the potential to further destabilise the economy. It was particularly impressive to hear the Minister acknowledge clearly the threat that may be posed by poor fiscal and debt management on the economy. Such press briefings should become regular in order to address people’s concerns and spur confidence in government policies.
Notwithstanding the Minister’s assurances in his address, the JCTR wishes to highlight some concerns in economic management so far. While the Minister assured the nation of government’s commitment to ensuring fiscal discipline and debt management to prevent further borrowing beyond sustainable levels, the recent upward adjustment of the ceilings on both foreign and domestic borrowing levels is inconsistent with the Minister’s pronouncement.
Tightening fiscal policy to ensure adherence to deficit levels of 3% of GDP and the upward adjustments of debt ceilings through parliament seem contradictory. To maintain high levels of confidence in the economy, it is important that the government is viewed to be consistent in both word and deed when it comes to economic policy. The role of policy consistency in economic stability cannot be overemphasized. Economic policy inconsistency sends wrong signals to various economic agents whose response can destabilize the economy.
As part of the measures to stabilise the Kwacha against major currencies, Honourable Chikwanda revoked statutory instruments 33 and 55. Inasmuch as the government has revoked the statutory instruments and initiated consultation, much of the damage already done to the Kwacha, which has increased the cost of living to most households, especially the poor, would have been avoided had government consulted widely before effecting the statutory instruments. In fact, the non-consultative manner in which these statutory instruments (whose intentions were good) were introduced gave rise to negative perceptions about government policy direction which have contributed to the depreciation of the Kwacha.
We therefore urge the government to embrace consultation on key economic policies. If wide consultation had been done before the introduction of SI 33 and SI 55, the current confusion of revocation and then consultation afterwards would have been avoided. Social dialogue with various stakeholders will ensure that interests of all, especially the poor, are fully considered in key economic policy decisions.
The Human Rights Commission has commenced investigations into the case in which some villagers in Mpika were forced to eat raw bubble fish for breaking the fish ban.
The Commission has also commenced investigations into the reported killing of five villagers by suspected ZAWA officers.
Newton Nguni, the Acting Chief Chiundaponde confirmed that investigators from the Human Rights Commission have started their investigations.
“Maybe there is some hope for Zambia. The Human Rights Commission went to Chiundaponde to investigate the matters I raised. The Commission did that without even waiting for my official report to reach them. Officers from Kasama went to the village to investigate,” Mr Nguni said.
He added, “For me this is a good sign. At least there are other people who will look at the authenticity of the allegations. May be not all public institutions are gone after all.”
Mr Nguni reported on 23 February 2014 about extra-judicial killing of people in Chiundaponde by ZAWA officers.
“I was informed that 5 people had lost lives at the hands of these trigger-happy officers. There are people who witnessed the shooting to death and others who buried the partially eaten up body. And there are also those who were forced to eat raw bubble fish and later sent to jail. I met them including the one who has been sick since then. “
Mr Nguni said he has no doubt that the HRC will render a credible report and therefore, all the people who know something about these matters shall co-operate fully with officers investigating the matter.
One cadre was shot dead and two police officers suffered serious injuries following a clash over a land wrangle in Lusaka West.
Lusaka Police were responding to plaintive cries for assistance by farmers raided by Patriotic Front cadres who were demarcating land and burning the ripening maize fields belonging to farmers who had refused to acquiesce to land grabbing by the cadres.
The cadres who were armed with machetes and shovels attempted to intimidate and beat back the police officers when the confrontation occurred.
A farmer told the Daily Nation that it was very sad that the rule of law had virtually broken down in the country as the cadres believed that they were above the law and could take over titled land without being challenged by the law including police officers on whom they had poured scorn.
However the determined police proceeded to confront the cadres and fire live ammunition to dislodge them from the land they were invading.
Lusaka has been a hot spot of land wrangles with former Minister of Lands Harry Kalaba vowing that the Government would not give in to land invaders who were acting in the name of the ruling party.
Zambia Episcopal Coneference representative Father Chiti makes a speech
The Grand Coalition has resolved to take the campaign for a people driven constitution in Zambia to a higher level in view of the delaying tactics exhibited by the Government.
Members of the Grand Coalition are drawn from over 300 institutions comprising Civil Society Organisations, the church, youth movement, political parties, labour movement and other stakeholders campaigning for a people driven constitution in Zambia.
Following a strategic meeting in Lusaka on 24 March, the coalition announced that the Patriotic Front Government’s continued delaying-tactics and apparent lack of willingness to deliver a people-driven constitution was against the general expectations of Zambians.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Chairperson of the Grand Coalition’s Steering Committee, Fr. Leonard Chiti said they would not retreat until the final draft is released.
“A lot of public time, money and other resources were invested into this process, which was supposed to be completed within 90 days but has now dragged on for more than two years,” said Fr. Leonard Chiti.
“As a Grand Coalition, dedicating ourselves and our organisations to continue to fight for the release of the final Draft Constitution until the draft is released by whoever is holding it. We commit ourselves to work together with all like-minded entities to campaign for a people driven constitution in Zambia. We will not rest until the final draft is released.”
As part of the efforts to take the campaign for a people driven constitution to a higher level, the coalition has established two structures to strengthen the campaign.
“We have established a Technical Working Group which will serve as a think tank for the group, and a Steering Committee Executive comprising Fr Leonard Chiti as Chairperson, Ms Beatrice Grillo as Vice Chairperson and Mr. McDonald Chipenzi as Spokesperson. We are not deterred by the Government’s ongoing reactions to frustrate and discredit our campaign through intimidation, blackmail and misinformation,” added Fr. Chiti.
Chawama MP Edgar Lungu, Incoming Lusaka District Chairman Mulenga Sata and Provincial Youth Chairman Kennedy Kamba
THE State says it is still finding it difficult to secure witnesses to testify in the case in which Patriotic Front Lusaka Province youth chairperson Kennedy Kamba is charged with assault and unlawful assembly.
Kamba, 39, a businessman of Rockfield, Lusaka, is facing one count of proposing violence and unlawful assembly.
When the matter came up for trial before magistrate Wendy Chibesakunda, the state said it was not ready to proceed because none of the witnesses summoned, including the arresting officer, were in court.
The state said fresh summons were sent to the arresting officer and to all witnesses but was surprised that none had shown up.
The state asked for a last adjournment saying that an appropriate application would be made if the witnesses do not come to court.
Ms Chibesakunda ordered the court to ensure that the arresting officer is summoned and brought to court before the application is made.
Principal magistrate Obbister Musukwa has recused himself from hearing the case.
At the last hearing in December last year, Mr Musukwa had threatened to revoke bail granted to Kamba if it was proved that he was interfering with witnesses.
Mr Musukwa’s threats came after reports by the state that the defendant was allegedly threatening witnesses who were now scared to appear in court to testify.
Kamba is alleged to have made a statement indicating or implying that it would be incumbent or desirable to do any acts calculated to cause death or physical injury to any person or any class or community of persons namely, to other PF members in Lusaka on November 7 last year.
The case is set for April 11 for commencement of trial.
EASTERN Province Minister, Malozo Sichone, speaking when a team Samsung Field Engineers from South Africa, paid a vourtesy call on him at his office in Chipata last Thursday. Looking on is Cycorp Managing Director, Kingsley Nkonde who was the team leader. Mr. Nkonde also leads the fight against counterfeit products in the country
EASTERN Province Minister Malozo Sichone has condemned Grand Coalition comprising of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and political party members for using the church to achieve a secret agenda.
Mr Sichone said the church should always play the role of uniting the people instead of taking part in such situations.
He said what transpired at St Atanazio Catholic Church in Chipata on Saturday where opposition political parties, the churches and CSOs met to hold what he termed a secret prayer meeting was not good.
Mr Sichone said the Government was not informed about the prayer meeting which he said it was not healthy for the peaceful country like Zambia.
The minister said the CSOs should come out in the open and state clearly what they hope to achieve over secret meetings they were holding with opposition leaders.
“It is very unfortunate that they went into a church to pray for the immediate release of the constitution and as far as I am concerned the church should not accept to be used by the CSOs and politicians,” he said.
He said holding what he termed as dark corner meetings to push the Government to release a final draft constitution was not a solution but dialogue between the Government and CSOs was the best.
He said the constitution should not be driven by people with terrible ideas.
During prayer meeting Grand Coalition member Andrew Ntewewe said people were demanding for the new constitution because President Michael Sata promised Zambians to deliver a new constitution within 90 days after getting into power.
Mr Ntewewe said that Mr Sata also assured people through the National Assembly that the draft constitution would be adopted through a national referendum.
And Caritas Chipata Director Fr. Vincent Daka said more freedom was needed for Zambians and that this could only be achieved with a good constitution in place.
Fr Daka pointed out that freedom could be manipulated if a constitution was not very clear.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) Representative, Bishop William Banda stated that people were concerned with what was happening in the nation.
Bishop Banda stated that the gathering should not be misunderstood as the clergy speak for the voiceless for justice.
Meanwhile Chipata Central Member of Parliament Reuben Mtolo Phiri said promises made before the people should be fulfilled at all costs.
Police confront late Harrison Chanda’s murder suspect Henry Lungu as he resisted to be taken in court cells in Livingstone
THE case in which a Livingstone resident Henry Lungu is charged with the murder of a Patriotic Front (PF) Monze official Harrison Chanda yesterday failed to take off for a third time in the Livingstone High Court due to non-availability of State witnesses.
Lungu, 26, is alleged to have killed Mr Chanda in March 2013 during the Livingstone parliamentary by-election which was won by PF candidate Lawrence Evans.
And defence lawyer Solomon Muzyamba said that it was unfair for the state to continue failing in bringing witnesses because they were denying his client justice due to a delayed commencement of trial.
Mr Muzyamba said the continued delay in the trial meant that his client would remain in custody, a thing he described as persecution.
“In view of this, I object to the application by the state to adjourn this matter and I pray to the court to give us an alternative,” Mr Muzyamba said.
And in passing ruling, High Court Gaudentia Salasini said she was adjourning the matter to the next High Court Session for the last time because it had dragged for too long.
Judge Salasini advised the prosecution to provide witnesses in the next session otherwise she would make a decision over the matter.
“This is the last adjournment of this case and the case will be referred to the next session,” she said.
