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Police yesterday charged and arrested five more suspects persons in connection to in connection with the Northmead Secondary School incident that occurred on 31st august this year.
Police Acting Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga says the development brings the total number of persons arrested so far to six.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Hamoonga disclosed this in a statement, in Lusaka today.
He identified those arrested as Victor Kalichi aged 32 years of house number 32/11 Kanyama compound and Faraih Zulu aged 38 years of house number 16227/1080, Kamwala South.
The Police Acting Spokesperson said the suspects have been charged and arrested for five counts of assault contrary to section 248 .
They are also charged with three counts of malicious damage to property contrary to section 335 sub-section( 1) of the penal code of the laws of Zambia.
Mr. Hamoonga said the two have been jointly charged with Mr. Innocent Kalimisha and will appear in court on 9th September, 2013.
He said the trio has since been released on police bond.
He identified others as Joseph Tamba aged 41years of house number 373/03 Chipata compound, Sebastian Mulenga aged 42 years of house number 1227 Kabanana compound and Lemmy Bwalya aged 37 years of house d716 Marapodi.
Mr. Hamoonga said the trio have been jointly charged for proposing violence which is contrary to section 91 sub section ( a) of the penal code of the laws of Zambia.
He said the suspects are scheduled to appear in court on the 11th September 2013 and have since been released on police bond.
polling assistants verifying the details of a voter at omelo mumba basic school in Katete district yesterday
A Ndola clergyman says the Mkaika constituency parliamentary by election poll result should send a signal that Zambians were interested in championing development and not by-elections.
The opposition Movement for Multi – party Democracy (MMD ) has scooped the Mkaika parliamentary by election with its candidate Peter Phiri polling in 9 054 votes beating his closest rival and incumbent David Phiri of the Patriotic Front (PF) who got 1 712 votes.
United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Reverend in Charge Albert Bowa told ZANIS in Ndola that the poll result is an indication that the Zambian people are not
interested in by elections but were instead merely seeking development.
Rev Bowa further noted that the poll results in the Mkaika constituency by election should give the ruling Patriotic Front-PF party an opportunity to go
back to the drawing board.Reverend Bowa has described the presidential endorsement debate as uncalled for.
He stated that the endorsement debate that has engulfed the PF has potential to divert it from the numerous issues that the country is facing such as sustainable development and economic growth.
“Everyone knows that the Head of State is mandated to rule for two terms, PF members will only hurt themselves through this debate”, said Rev Bowa.
Meanwhile, Rev Bowa has advised the opposition not to be pre-occupied with forming government.He stressed that the mushrooming of new political parties in the country is an indication of selfish interests from members of the opposition.
“if anything Zambia is only supposed to have 3 political parties,there are so many political parties and it is uncalled for , they have taken their own interests first.’’
Rev Bowa has since advised opposition political parties to stick to their mandate of providing constructive checks and balances to the government.
Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma (right) and his Deputy George Zulu (centre) inspect the Lusaka fuel storage depot with Lusaka Province Minister Obvious Mwaliteta before commissioning of the plant
LOAD SHEDDING will be history by December next year, Mines, Energy and Water Development minister Christopher Yaluma has said.
Mr Yaluma said Government had set December 2014 as the target to end constant power cuts that had rocked the country for the past six years.
He was speaking during a media briefing after touring the ongoing construction of Phase one of the 300 mega watts of a thermal power plant at Maamba Collieries Limited (MCL) in Sinazongwe district, on Wednesday.
“By December next year load shedding will be a thing of the past. This is because of the future planning the Government and ZESCO have committed themselves to and as government we appreciate the work that has been done by MCL,” he said.
“There has been wholesale load shedding by the national power utility company. The country has experienced serious problems, instead of carrying out reasonable rationing of power,” he said.
Mr Yaluma said this was because of the way the power network had been configured which he said had extended constraints to the manufacturing and mining sectors.
He urged MCL management and staff to maintain high safety standards at all times.
MCL resident director Ashwin Devineni said 50 per cent of the work on the thermal power plant had been done and that Phase one was earmarked to be complemented by August 2014.
Mr Devineni said the company would be briefing the Government on the progress of the power plant on a quarterly basis.
ZESCO Managing Director Cyprian Chitundu said the partnership between ZESCO and MCL would go an extra mile in reducing outages in the country.
Mr Chitundu said ZESCO would continue exploring all avenues which were aimed at increasing the quantity of electricity adding that the successful completion of the first Phase of the thermal power plant would increase the capacity of power transmission.
Sinazongwe District Commissioner Dodo Sindaza said the new investors at MCL had brought life to the district and appealed to ZESCO to ensure that the district benefited from the electricity that would generated at MCL.
FINANCE Minister Alexander Chikwanda with Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta
Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda says resource mobilisation should be accelerated to quickly complete developmental projects in western province.
The minister said the projects would significantly contribute to the improvement of economic prospects, employment creation and poverty reduction in the province.
He said this yesterday when he opened the 25th inverstust Bank branch in Mongu .
“The Patriotic Front government is determined to put an end to this glaring omission, and it is in this context that the government is working on a number of infrastructure development projects in the province,” he said.
Mr Chikwanda said the province had resourceful people who unfortunately had lacked adequate logistical support in the past.
He said government had since accelerated infrastructure projects in the province among them was the Mongu-Kalabo Road, King Lewanika University, Mongu stadium, health centres, and school infrastructure.
“It is also worth noting that apart from resources which have directly been channeled by the line ministries and State supported projects for the period January to august 2013,the treasury released K28 million through the provincial administration for development programmes and operation of various public service departments,” he said.
Mr Chikwanda said out of the total funding channeled through the provincial administration, K1.5 million was for infrastructure development, K256,000 for agriculture support, and K405,000 for livestock and fisheries development.
He said government was happy that the bank had in 2013 managed to invest K21 million in its bank expansion programmes resulting in the construction and commissioning of six more branches.
Bank Managing Director Friday Ndhlovu had attributed the bank success to the support of the government.
He said all the proceeds made by the bank remained in Zambia as the bank was purely owned by Zambians.
“The arm of this bank is to supplement government efforts in fostering development by creating employment to the local people and also help in infrastructure development,” he said.
President Michael Sata inspects a guard of honour mounted by the Officer Cadets before being commissioned at Kohima barrack in Kabwe
President Michael Sata has commended Zambia Army for maintaining peace and security in the country.
President Sata said the army has a challenge of ensuring that Zambia is a beacon of peace in Africa.
The Head of State acknowledged the critical role the army has played in maintaining peace and security that the country is enjoying currently and that their efforts deserve recommendation.
The Head of State said this in Kabwe today when he commissioned 138 Zambia Army officer cadets at Kohima barracks.
He urged the newly commissioned Zambia army officers not to take part in active partisan politics.
President Sata told the officer cadets that their role was to support the Government of the day and to uphold the constitution of the land.
He also urged the army command to ensure officers are kept busy by engaging them in productive activities like farming.
And Zambia Army Commander Paul Mihova thanked government for the financial and material support that was availed to the army during the training programme of the officer cadets.
Lietenant Mihova also commended the officer cadets for their commitment, endurance and successful completion of the training.
He also acknowledged the efforts Government is making in addressing the accommodation situation for defence personnel in the country.
Lt. Gen Mihova disclosed that the Zambia Army was recently officially handed over 275 housing units in Kabwe and 125 housing units in Mufulira by the Ministry of Defence under phase one of the Sinomach housing unit project.
He said Zambia army is therefore grateful to Government for the gesture as it will greatly improve the living conditions of the officers and soldiers.
ZANIS
The Supreme Court has granted a stay of execution of the High Court judgement that ordered the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to accept nomination papers from former Petauke Central Member of Parliament (MP) Dora Siliya and two others.
This means that the filing of nominations set for Tuesday would not go ahead until the determination of the appeal to the Supreme Court against High Court Judge Mungeni Mulenga’s decision.
Acting deputy chief justice Florence Mumba granted Solicitor General Musa Mwenye the stay yesterday after the High Court had earlier declined to grant the application.
On Thursday, Ms Justice Mulenga declined Mr Mwenye’s application to stay the execution of her judgment that quashed ECZ’s decision that purported to block the trio of re contesting their seats.
Ms Justice Mulenga had refused to stay the execution of her judgement which she delivered on Tuesday ordering the ECZ to accept nomination papers of Ms Siliya and two others.
She quashed the decision of the ECZ that purported to block Ms Siliya and former Malambo MP Maxwell Mwale and former Mulobezi MP Hastings Sililo and ordered that the three be allowed to re-contest their seats.
But the State on Thursday appealed against Ms Justice Mulenga’s decision while on the other hand applied before Ms Justice Mulenga for the stay of the execution of her judgement.
Ms Justice Mulenga declined to grant the relief sought on behalf of the State by Solicitor General Musa Mwenye.
“I have considered the ex-parte application affidavit in support for stay of the judgement granted herein dated 3rd September 2013. I hereby decline to grant the sought relief. Leave to appeal against my refusal is granted,” read order dated September 5, 2013.
Mr Mwenye of Stand number 22858 Lake Road Kabulonga had in his affidavit in support of ex-parte summons to stay execution, asked Ms Justice Mulenga to stay the execution of the judgment claiming if it was stayed, persons who have been adjudged to have been involved in corrupt and illegal practices would be allowed to contest elections without the law being clarified.
He said allowing the trio to re-contest their seats without the law being clarified could lead to an erosion of confidence in the electoral system thereby impacting negatively on the drive to have free, fair and clean elections.
The Supreme Court has set September 11, 2013 for inter-parte hearing.
Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah said it was great relief to win after a second half comeback by Zambia.
The Black Stars beat Zambia 2-1 to advance to the final playoff round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers that kick off next month.
“Zambia is a very good side and we expected a very difficult game. Our ambition was to win though we knew a draw could even send us through,” Appiah said.
“Tactically, we planned to attack and defend together and the boys were on point. There were times they had difficulties because Zambia also have that much quality but the most important thing is, they worked as expected.
“We did not want to concede a goal, but that was not to be. We could not get all our chances of target. The team did well in the end.”
Ghana are chasing their third successive World Cup appearance after qualifying for the 2006 and 2010 editions of the tournament.
Herve Renard has described Zambia’s 2014 World Cup qualifier Group D exit as a shame.
Ghana beat Zambia 2-1 in Kumasi to finish top of Group D on 15 points while the latter trailed four points behind to finish on 11 points from six games.
“It is such a shame that we did not believe enough in the first half,” Renard said after the game.
Ghana stamped their authority in the first half that saw them take the lead in the 17th minute through Majeed Waris after some poor defending by Hichani Himonde and Stopilla Sunzu.
“That would have been the turning point. And when we began believing in the second half, things got a lot difficult and it was almost too late,” Renard said.
“We are very disappointed but we also know that we just played against a difficult Ghana side.
“We needed a win to go through, though we knew it will be difficult we were very determined.”
Kwado Asamoah extended Ghana’s lead in the 62nd minute with an unstoppable long range shot before Nathan Sinkala scored Zambia’s consolation ten minutes later.
Zambia’s 2014 World Cup dreams came to a conclusive end on Friday with a 2-1 away loss to Ghana in Kumasi.
Ghana’s win sees them through to next month’s final playoff qualifier place on 15 points as they chase their third successive World Cup appearance.
The Black Stars took advantage of an unsettled Zambia in the first half to take a 1-0 lead into the break through Majeed Waris who headed in from close range after beating his marker Hichani Himonde.
Nathan Sinkala had Zambia’s best effort in the first half when in the 38th minute his long range shot was parried by Fatawu Dauda.
Fwayo Tembo’s introduction for defender Hicahni Himonde in the 46th minute added some much needed life to Zambia’s flat attack of Emmanuel Mayuka and Chris Katongo.
However, despite the second half pressure from Zambia, midfielder Kwado Asamoah made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute against the run of play.
Ten minutes later, Sinkala made no mistake finishing off a Rainford Kalaba corner but Ghana held on to get their valuble win despite Herve Renard throwing on additional firepower in the form of James Chamanga for Davies Nkausu.
President Michael Sata has congratulated the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) on their victory in the Mkaika Constituency parliamentary by-election.
President Sata says people of Mkaika Constituency have exercised their democratic right and made their choice of who should represent them in parliament.
He warned Patriotic Front (PF) Members of Parliament from the ruling party that they risked losing elections if they did not keep in touch with the people and listened to their concerns.
The President this in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations, George Chellah.
Mr. Sata has since advised the opposition to be as magnanimous as the PF in accepting defeat instead of always crying foul and unfairly scandalizing the country’s electoral process each time they lost elections.
“This time it is the PF which has lost the election, but what we have done is to congratulate our colleagues in the MMD. We hope they will do the same in future elections when they lose,” the President said.
President Sata reaffirmed the PF’s commitment to democracy as well as free, fair and credible elections.
The opposition MMD has retained the Mkaika Parliamentary seat through its candidate Peter Phiri who polled 9,054 votes to beat his closest rival David Phiri of the PF who came second ad got 1, 712 votes.
National Restoration Party (NAREP)’s Nigel Mpakateni got 161 votes followed by Nelson Mwale of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) who polled a pantry 136 votes in the fourth position.
The Mkaika constituency had 33 polling stations in which 11, 295 votes were cast. A total of 232 votes were rejected.
The by-election came as a result of PF’s David Phiri, who was then an MMD Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister in the PF government, defected to join the ruling PF.
President Michael Sata has declared three days of national mourning in honour of the late Information and Broadcasting Services Minister and Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni who died in the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) yesterday.
President Sata said the three days of national mourning commence on Sunday, 8th September and will run through to Tuesday, 10th September, 2013.
This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska.
The Head of State said during this period, which starts from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours until the burial day, all flags will fly at half-mast and activities of entertainment nature should be postponed or canceled.
The late Mr. Sakeni, who died at the age of 56, will be put to rest on Tuesday, 10th September, 2013 and burial arrangements will be communicated later.
He said the burial of Mr. Sakeni will be preceded by a requiem service at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus on Sunday 8thSeptember at 12:30 hours.
Mr. Sakeni has since been accorded a state funeral in accordance with guidelines on state functions.
The late minister was also Mansa Central Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament and party’s chairman for Luapula province.
Mr. Sakeni was transferred to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services as Minister on 6th July 2012 from the Ministry of Home Affairs where he served in the same capacity.
Mr. Sakeni died yesterday at the University teaching (UTH) in Lusaka and leaves behind a wife and thirteen children.
The funeral is being held at his residence, house number 5369, Brentwood Drive in Lusaka’s Woodlands area.
Meanwhile, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has said the death of Mr. Sakeni was a blow to the media industry.
MISA chairperson Nalumino Nalumino said the late Mr. Sakeni had a heart for the media and journalists at large.
In a message of condolences to the late Mr. Sakeni’s family, President Michael Sata and the nation, Mr. Nalumino said the late minister believed in dialogue and engagement on issues of freedom of expression.
He stressed that late Mr. Sakeni understood the importance of the press in sustaining Zambia’s democracy and good governance.
MISA has since described the death of late Information and Broadcasting Services minister as shocking.
Here is Zambia’s starting eleven against Ghana in this evening 2014 FIFA World Cup Group D qualifier in Kumasi.
Zesco United midfielder Kondwani Mtonga is the only home-based player in the start eleven and is set for his third successive World Cup Group D qualifying match.
FILE: PF Secretary General Wynter Kabimba,Northern Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe and Provincial Treasurer Chomba Chipili shows a party symbol to the delegates after he officiate at the Party Provincial Indaba in Kasama
Patriotic Front –PF Secretary General Wynter Kabimba has advised PF members to avoid forming parallel structures in the party.
Mr Kabimba has also warned party members that the bickering that was currently going on in the party could cost the PF in the 2016 general elections.
ZANIS in Ndola reports that Mr Kabimba said this during the official opening of a two-day Ndola district PF consultative meeting at the Zambia International Trade Fair grounds this morning.
Mr Kabimba said it was important that party officials understood that they have to work with the members that have been appointed or voted into office.
“My advice to you is to avoid forming parallel structures in the party, work with party members that have been appointed or voted into office, if we are not careful the current bickering that is going on in the party can cost us the 2016 general elections, “ he said.
Mr Kabimba further called on all PF party members to exercise high levels of discipline so that they can maintain the confidence of the electorates.
He said the party and its leadership does not entertain any form of violence and that any party official found wanting in that area will be dealt with by the law.
“As your Secretary General I am asking you to exercise high levels of discipline, we need a crop of leaders that are disciplined and don’t engage in any violence acts, I can assure you the President Sata I know will at no time condone or protect anyone involved in violence, you will just end up in jail,’ he said.
The PF Secretary General further advised founding PF members not to be misled by the opposition political parties that are alleging that the party leadership has forgotten about them.
“Let me tell you, I can even bet my money on this, the opposition will not win in 2016, so they have resorted to misleading and misguiding you, we know our party founders we can never forget you,” he said.
Mr Kabimba further said the practice of embracing“outsiders” at the expense of founding members of the party should be discouraged.
“The practice of bringing outsiders to supersede long standing members is wrong,’ he said.
And speaking earlier, Ndola district PF chairman George Chisulo explained that the party had embarked on a mobilization programme in the area.
Mr Chisulo said the party in Ndola district had realised that party mobilization was an on- going process and that the party was very strong on the ground as could be evidenced by the wining of all the four parliamentary seats in the district and 26 out of the 28 wards.
The conference drew participants from all the four constituencies in the district and officials from other districts in the province.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba says the Patriotic Front (PF) does not have any enemies as it is a party giving leadership to all Zambians.
Mr. Kabimba stated that as a ruling party, the PF remains committed to developing the country adding that this cannot be achieved unless government officials work in unity.
He said this when he paid a courtesy call on Copperbelt provincial minister Mwenya Musenge, Ndola Mayor Davies Chiwala, and District Commissioner Rebby Chanda in Ndola today.
The Justice minister noted that government officials were appointed to their positions by the President whom he said expected them to work as a team.
Mr.Kabimba noted that in the past 20 years, the country has recorded very little development adding that Zambians must see change now that the PF is in government.
He urged Ndola District Commissioner Rebby Chanda to keep an open door policy and give residents a sense of belonging as his office was critical in the government set-up.
“Government is ready to develop the district and wants to see to it that things change in the city of Ndola because in 2011 Patriotic Front campaigned and people must see change,” he said.
Mr Kabimba also urged Ndola Mayor Davies Chiwala to work hand in hand with the Town Clerk in order to sort out any challenges the city council was facing.
