Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
First Lady Dr Christine Kaseba greets First Republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda as President Sata looks on. This was when the First Family visited the former president at Lusaka Trust Hospital on Feb 23,2014 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
FORMER President Kenneth Kaunda has been discharged from Lusaka Trust Hospital (LTH), his daughter Cheswa confirmed yesterday.
Dr Kaunda was admitted to LTH on Thursday after complaining of fatigue.
“Yes I can confirm that the old man has been discharged,” Ms Kaunda said.
She said the nation must not worry about the founding president as he is in high spirits.
“You know age has caught up with him. So it is normal that once in a while, he complains of fatigue,” Ms Kaunda said.
She said doctors have only asked him to observe total bed rest and conduct no interviews.
On Sunday, President Sata and First Lady Christine Kaseba visited Dr Kaunda and wished him a speedy recovery.
President Sata said he and the First Lady were elated to see Dr Kaunda in high spirits.
GOVERNMENT has suspended operations at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM)’s Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP) in Chillilabombwe.
This follows last Friday’s underground accident which left seven miners injured with one of them in a critical condition.
Mines, Energy and Water Development Deputy Minister Richard Musukwa said yesterday that Government had with immediate effect suspended normal hoisting activities at KDMP pending detailed investigations.
Mr Musukwa said preliminary investigations in the accident revealed that there were high levels of negligence by KCM.
He said in a statement in Kitwe that an inspection of the shaft conducted by senior inspectors of machinery and explosives, in the company of KDMP engineers revealed that the balance rope was severely damaged at multiple points.
He said apart from that, the rope was also completely cut at one point as well as entangled to the steel structures in the shaft at another point.
“The bottom of the shaft was filled with spillage from about 1500 metres level up to about 1,478 which is over 20 metres of spillage,” he said.
He said the source of the massive spillage into the shaft and circumstances leading to the multiple rope damage were being investigated.
“Rising from this, Government has with immediate effect suspended normal hoisting activities at number four shaft pending detailed investigations, thorough risk assessment of the affected area, safe
clearance of spillage at the shaft bottom and eventual change of the damaged balance rope,” he said.
Mr Musukwa said from the summary report of the accident, the seven miners were in the cage that was moving at eight metres per second from ground to surface when it was brought to a sudden stop, followed by snapping of the balance rope.
He said the cage had a capacity of 50 people but had only seven passengers at the time of the accident.
“This meant that there was a lot of room, free room for the men to be thrown to and from the edges of the cage until it stabilised and this caused injuries to all persons on board,” he said.
Mr Musukwa said it was clear that the safety of miners at KDMP could not be guaranteed hence the decision to suspend the hoisting activities.
KCM public relations manager Shapi Shacinda when contacted said he was not in a position to comment by press time.
Mr Shacinda, however, said the company would today issue a statement over the matter.
The injured miners included Thomas Mukopa, 34, a cage tender, who sustained serious head injuries and had since been evacuated to South Africa for specialist treatment.
The others are Francis Chola, 35, Jokonoa Tembo, 45, Francis Mondo, 28, Desmeil Mwale, 39, Ackim Zulu, 38 and Hector Sinkamba, 33.
Lusaka City Council Acting Town Clerk Moses Mwelwa says the local authority has commenced the construction of a wall fence around the Chunga dumpung site.
Mr. Mwelwa said this is in a bid to improve the sanitary conditions at the site and to control garbage from spilling over.
In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Mwelwa said this would also deter scavengers from flocking to the dumpsite.
He said the dumpsite will now only have one entrance and activities that will be taking place inside will not be visible to the people outside.
Mr. Mwelwa said the scavengers, who are the ‘waste pickers’ will now have to be registered with the City council so that only authorised persons will be allowed entry.
He said these scavengers will also be given protective clothing in order to prevent the spread of any infections.
Mr. Mwelwa has meanwhile said the council has no plans of relocating the dumpsite because according to its plan, that is the designated area for dumping waste.
He argued that many of the people that have built in the surrounding areas of the Chunga dumpsite are illegal settlers.
Mr. Mwelwa said there have been calls from those that have built houses around the dumping site to relocate it to another area.
Acting Chief Chiundaponde Newton Nguni has condemned some bizarre events in his chiefdom after 23 people were arrested for breaking the fish ban, beaten and forced to eat raw bubble fish with Mazoe.
Chief Chiundaponde revealed that the suspects were later taken to court and 12 were sentenced to 30 days. The other seven went in for 40 days while one three year old was fined and discharged on account of age.
“How can this be happening in Zambia 50 years on? I just came back from the village, Chiundaponde where I’m acting as Chief Chiundaponde, ” Acting Chief Chiundaponde said.
He also revealed that one suspect was shot dead by allegedly ZAWA officers and left to be eaten by Hyenas and vultures.
“This suspect’s remains were picked the next day and buried at Chiundaponde and the case was hashed up. I was told that so far 5 people have lost lives this way and cases ended up the same way, ” he said.
“I have spoken to the Officer-In-Charge of Mpika Police and the Fisheries Officer. Both are claiming ignorance, but clearly they are not being sincere. On Monday I will raise the stakes because clearly such things are not supposed to happen in Zambia 50 years on. One of the victims has been so traumatised that he has been mentally disturbed and needs immediate medical attention. Hopefully the Human Rights Commission and the Police Service itself, ZAWA and the Fisheries department will take keen interest in this matter.”
Hosts Simba International School won the 2014 FQM Schools Invitational 15’s Rugby Tournament staged in Ndola at the weekend after silencing Chifubu 7-0 in the final.
Promising youngster Moses Chali placed a lone try that was converted by Alex Chungu as Simba walked to the winners podium.
Simba kicked off their campaign at the annual event with a 3-0 victory over Kitwe’s Mpelembe before thumping Masala 14-0 and later beat debutants Masaiti 10-0.
Meanwhile, Chiwala walked away with the Plate after beating Mpelembe 3-0 in the plate final.
The Shield went to Masala and Masaiti won the Bowl.
Saturday marked the beginning of the 2014 local rugby season.
Zambia are set for a gruelling three-month-long Morocco 2015 Africa Cup qualifying race in the last quarter of 2014.
Zambia will enter the race in the group stages where they will play six matches compacted from September 5 all the way to November 19, 2014.
Patrice Beaumelle’s side enjoys byes from the three knock-out qualifying rounds thanks to their top 21 ranking heading into the qualifiers.
And September’s initial group stage round will have two match dates as will the subsequent two months.
Match-day-one will be held during the weekend of September 6 while match-day-two will follow a week later on September 10.
October’s qualifiers will see match-day-three played during the weekend of October 10 and match-day-four will follow during the week-ending October 15.
Match-day-five will take place during the weekend of November 14 while the final round of qualifiers will be played during the weekend of November 19 to decide the top two teams from each of the seven groups and one best third placed side to join Morocco in the finals.
CAF said in a statement on Monday that in case of equality between two best third placed sides, a play-off will be staged in Morocco to decide the fifteenth team.
Meanwhile, CAF has also officially announced that the draws for the second, third and group stages will be held on April 27 in Cairo.
The first round draws are already known with Mauritius visiting Mauritania and Eritrea hosting South Sudan in a regional derby in April with first leg dates set for the weekend of April 11.
The return legs will be played during the weekend of April 18.
Second round qualifiers will be played in May and June while the pre-group stage qualifying matches are set for the weekend of July 18 while the return legs will be held during the weekend of August 1.
WEEKEND SCORECARD
2014 Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Memorial Charity Shield Final
22/02/2014
Arthur Davies Stadium, Kitwe
Nkana 3(Simon Bwalya 54″ 77, Evans Kangwa 90″)-Red Arrows 1(Dube Phiri 5″)
2014 TOP SCORERS
After games played
15/02/2014
CUP
Dube Phiri (Red Arrows): 2
Simon Bwalya (Nkana): 2
Kelvin Mubanga (Nkana): 1
Francis Kombe (Nkana): 1
Cletus Chota (Zesco United): 1
Shadreck Malambo (Red Arrows) 1
CONTINENTAL
Simon Bwalya (Nkana): 3
Ronald Kampamba (Nkana): 2
President Michael Sata is deeply concerned with the high number of road traffic accidents occurring on Zambian highways and other road links in the country.
President Sata has since urged the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA), the Zambia Police Service and other government agencies to intensify education campaigns and other interventions to reduce the rate of accidents on the roads.
In his latest facebook posting today, Mr. Sata said he strongly believed that there was need for an urgent, pragmatic and integrated approach to address the road carnages occurring across the country.
President Sata’s concerns come in the wake of 14 people that perished last week in two separate accidents in Mazabuka and Kaoma in Southern and Western provinces respectively.
Twelve people died in an accident that happened in Mazabuka in Southern Province while two others died in Kaoma in Western Province.
The Mazabuka accident happened when a Marcopolo bus carrying 72 passengers collided head on with a South African Truck.
Zambia Police Spokesperson Charity Munganga-Chanda said the Mongu accident happened when a Toyota Haice mini bus overturned after a rear tyre burst.
23 passengers sustained injuries in the Southern Province accident while seven were injured in Western province.
The Head of State reiterated the PF government’s commitment to develop infrastructure in ambitious programmes such as the Link Zambia 8,000 where huge sums of money are being spent.
He said government sympathizes with the families of the people that have perished through these road mishaps and assured that his administration was doing the very best to arrest the situation
“As government, we commiserate with the families of the people that have perished through these road mishaps and we commit to do our very best to arrest the situation,” Mr. Sata said.
LUSAKA South Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) chief surveyor Christopher Sinyangwe addresses the Japanese Investment and Trade mission delegation which included Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Kiyoshi Koinuma and Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industries in South Africa vice chairman Hiroshi Okado during the conducted tour of the MFEZ last week.
An environmental watch group has criticized Government’s decision to allow the development of the Lusaka South Multi Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) before any environmental assessments are conducted in accordance with the law.
The Zambia Community Based Natural Resource Management Forum said it is shocked and alarmed to learn that Lusaka South MFEZ is already signing deals with external developers before submitting the necessary environmental assessments as directed by ZEMA.
In a letter addressed to Lusaka South MFEZ Managing Director Fortune Kamusaki, Forum Spokesman Vincent Ziba said the Lusaka MFEZ has potential to pollute and contaminate Lusaka ground water.
Mr Ziba said his organisation has information from ZEMA that the Lusaka MFEZ has been directed to conduct the necessary Environmental Assessments in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Management Act before proceeding with any of the area.
“We are shocked and alarmed to learn from media reports that you are already signing deals with Zambian Breweries and going ahead with your illegal developments before you conduct and submit the necessary environmental assessments as directed by ZEMA and in accordance with the Environmental Management Act,” read part of the letter.
It said, “Your impunity and wanton disregard for our Zambian Laws by a public owned company is simply amazing, this is totally unacceptable.”
Mr Ziba said as many studies have shown, the Lusaka South National Forest Area, where the proposed site is situated is critical to Lusaka’s ground water recharge saying 60 percent of Lusaka’s current water supply is ground supply.
“From the colonial times through to the Kaunda and Chiluba administrations, it has been an article of faith that no anthropogenic activities such as the factories proposed by MEFZ project should be cited in the Lusaka South ground water recharge area,” he said.
He warned that once ground water is polluted, it is impossible to clean it up.
“Let us learn lessons of history. Over 50 years ago, the then colonial administration made a decision to start discharging Lusaka’s sewerage and other influents into the Ngwerere River, a tributary of Chongwe River. Today, as they say, ‘the chickens have come home to roost.”
Mr Ziba said the Chongwe Rover has had to shut down and abandon the water treatment plant on the Chongwe River because the water is too contaminated for the plant to treat to acceptable standards for human consumption.
United Party for National Development candidate,Jonas Shakafuswa arrives at the nomination center during the nomination of candidates in Katuba.
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has commended Zambia police officers for fairly applying the Public Order Act during the Katuba by-election campaigns.
FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi said from FODEP’s observation, no political party was denied permission to hold any rally throughout the campaign period.
Mr. Chipenzi said in a statement that the general peace that has been observed and experienced in Katuba is a sign that those who were mandated to maintain law and order at public meetings and processions did so fairly.
He said the deployment of about 200 police officers to the area could also have had a contributory effect to the peace that was experienced in the area.
Mr. Chipenzi however said his organisation was incensed by the police’s summoning of Alliance for Better Zambia (ABZ) candidate Patricia Mwashingwele at the heat of campaigns over a case purportedly committed two years ago.
He described this development as unfortunate, saying the police should have scrutinised Ms. Mwashingwele’s status before her nomination or they should have waited until after the election.
The FODEP chief said this act alone showed signs of political victimisation on Ms. Mwashingwele.
He suggested that in future, serious scrutinisation of candidates should be done prior to nomination.
Mr. Chipenzi further stated that as much as it was the role of the police to enforce the law, the timing of the summons on Ms. Mwashingwele was wrong.
He said the police should be professional, ethical and able to read the times and this can be done by exercising patience on matters of this nature to avoid people misinterpreting their actions.
And Mr. Chipenzi has meanwhile commended all political parties participating in the Katuba by-election for exhibiting high levels of inter-party tolerance which consequently resulted in the general peace characterising the campaigns.
He however regretted that political party rallies were mostly devoid of messages targeted at addressing the needs and interest of the people of Katuba.
He noted that instead, political party presidents focused more of their energies on attacking each other as if it was a presidential race.
Mr. Chipenzi said political party leaders should in future by-elections, focus their messages on addressing the needs of the given constituencies.
The Katuba by-election takes place tomorrow, February 25, 2014 to fill up a parliamentary seat that fell vacant in December 2013 after the death of the then Member of Parliament for the area, Patrick Chikusu.
Seven candidates are contesting the seat.
The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) has fielded Moses Chilando, the United Party for National Development (UPND) has Jonas Shakafuswa as its candidate and the former ruling party, Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has fielded Cecil Holmes while the Alliance for a Better Zambia (ABZ) has Patricia Mwashingwele as its candidate.
Other candidates are Friday Malawo of the oldest political party in Zambia, the United National Independence Party (UNIP), Shakespeare Mwakamui of National Revolution Party (NRP) and Joseph Mushalika of National Restoration Party (NAREP).
Masebo arriving at the Supreme Court for the tribunal hearings
Former Tourism Minister William Harrington this morning testified before the Roydah Kaoma led tribunal that Tourism Minister Sylvia Masebo breached the ZAWA Act and the ministerial code of conduct when she dismissed the ZAWA Board and 5 senior directors.
Mr. Harrington told the tribunal that the ZAWA Act does not allow the Tourism Minister to dismiss any officer at ZAWA.
He explained that the ZAWA Act clearly stipulates that the Minister is only mandated to appoint the ZAWA board of directors.
Mr. Harrington disclosed that the board is empowered to appoint the ZAWA Director General who in turn appoints the management team.
And Mr. Harrington further revealed that ZAWA should always have a board of directors in place in accordance with the ZAWA Act to avoid political interference but that ZAWA operated without a board for six months under Ms. Masebo.
Mr. Harrington told the tribunal that he was fairly conversant with the ZAWA Act considering that he served as Tourism Minister for close to two years under the MMD administration.
He further noted that the appointment of Glen Vlahakis as ZAWA Director General by Ms. Masebo was a breach of the ZAWA Act as she is not mandated by the law to do so.
Meanwhile, Mr. Harrington this morning requested the tribunal to call eight additional witnesses.
Tribunal Chairperson Justice Kaoma said the tribunal will consider the request in due course.
Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda appointed a tribunal to probe Tourism Minister for alleged interference in the operations of ZAWA.
Masebo with her supporters leaving the Supreme Court after the tribunal hearings.
Zambia’s currency, the Kwacha continued its retreat against the United States dollar last Friday due to the continued dollar demand on the interbank market.
The local unit opened trading at K5.755 to K5.785 before depreciating to K5.770 to K5.800.
According to Cavmont Capital Bank market report released today, the local currency is likely to continue being under more pressure in the coming days from strong importer demand.
This is according to the market report posted on the bank’s website and monitored by ZANIS in Lusaka today.
The bank’s aggregate current account balance reduced by K565.03 million to K1, 438.99 million while the cost for interbank borrowing was up by 0.04 percent to 10.04 percent.
Funds traded on interbank were K119.50 million.
The Bank of Zambia (BoZ) on Friday opened the open market operation (OMO) market offering term deposits to assist reduce excess liquidity experienced in the last two months.
Health authorities have intercepted an international passenger bus from South Africa to Lusaka after diarrhoea broke out among passengers.
Kafue District Medical Officer, Wyson Munga, confirmed the development to ZANIS, saying Intercape Bus registration number ICG342 GP was intercepted in Kafue where affected passengers were treated.
Dr Munga said the district hospital had attended to 18 of the 31 passengers who were complaining of abdominal upsets.
The medical officer said the Intercape Bus was initially intercepted by Chirundu district environmental officers after a report from some of the passengers.
He added that the bus crew did not adhere to directives issued by Chirundu environmental officers to take the affected passengers to Mtendere hospital for medication but were later cornered at Kafue Bridge check-point and took the patients to Kafue District Hospital.
Dr Munga further said preliminary investigations had revealed that the passengers were given some food and drinks by the bus crew and some samples were taken to Lusaka Food and Drugs Lab for suspected poisoning.
He said the district hospital will establish the cause as soon as results from the lab are out.
Meanwhile, the District Medical Officer revealed that the Intercape bus lacked adequate water supply, disinfectants, soap and tissues.
The patients have since been discharged as they were all out of danger.
GOVERNMENT will soon embark on building infrastructure in schools built from grass and mud in Shiwang’andu district of Muchinga province.
Shiwang’andu District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Annie Mutambo named Chimbwese and Bubende primary schools as having been identified for the new learning infrastructure and teacher’s houses. Ms. Mutambo said this in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Shiwang’andu today.
In another development, Mufolo Primary School Head Teacher has called on Government to give the School a face lift by constructing additional classroom blocks.
Edmond Mutauli said the construction of more classroom blocks at the School would enhance the recommended pupil learning environment which Would also help to promote the delivery of quality education in the area.
He said currently the school only has a 1×2 classroom block made out of pan bricks and mud hence the need for standard structures to be built to motivate teachers and pupils.
Mr. Mutauli however bemoaned the pupil teacher ratio at the school saying there are about 128 pupils against 2 teachers, which he believed to be affecting the performance of the pupils.
Mr. Mutauli has further called on Government to consider deploying teachers to Mufolo primary school in order to curb the problem of
inadequate teachers.
Shepolopolo Under-17 teams Monday departure for their USA training camp has stalled.
The team was due to fly out to Miami today where they were due to start a two week training camp en route to Costa Rica ahead of their debut outing at the FIFA Womens U17 World Cup next month.
A visa delay is said to be the major issue with FAZ general secretary George Kasengele stating to local media that the application process has been tedious.
The team is now tentatively expected to depart for Miami this Thursday, February 27.
Shepolopolo Under-17 is the first Zambian female national tem to qualify for a major women’s tournament.
In Costa Rica, Zambia are in Group A together with Italy, Venezuela and the host nation.
Shepolopolo face Italy in their opening game on March 15 in San Jose before playing against Venezuela three days later.
Shepolopolo will wrap up their preliminary round fixtures against Costa Rica on March 22.
