TOURISM and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo has said Government is saddened by the number of ritual killings recorded in the country and that it is putting up stringent measure to curb the vice.

Ms Masebo said this after an emotional poem by Njase Girls Secondary School Poetic Club on increasing cases of ritual killings citing the gruesome murder of Ruth Mbandu, a student at National Institute of Public Administration in Lusaka.

Ms Masebo was speaking in Choma at the weekend during Njase Girls Secondary School Golden Jubilee celebrations.

A former pupil of Njase Girls Secondary School 30 years ago, Ms Masebo said the Government was taking firm actions against people involved in ritual killings and those found wanting would continue to be penalized in accordance with the law.

“As an official from Government, I want you to know that we are dealing with these cases of ritual killings in the country and we shall not relent but ensure those found wanting are dealt with,” she said.

Ms Masebo commended the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) for its significant role in fostering quality education at Njase since its establishment.

The school which was opened in 1963 had a total number of 900 pupils and was among the top schools in Southern Province that had continued to produce outstanding results.

Ms Masebo said the success of the school producing eminent women such as Zambia’s High Commissioner to Zimbabwe Ndiyoyi Mutiti, Regina Musokotwane, was as a result of commitment by staff and the church.

“Today, we are able to raise our heads high and gather in this manner because of the contributions made by these pioneers,” she said.

Ms Masebo said Government cherished the role of the church in establishing schools and assured that she would play a key role in addressing several challenges Njase Girls was faced with such as shortage of hostels.

The school was faced with shortage of water reticulation system, inadequate staff and classrooms and also required a modern computer laboratory while some people had encroached its land.

Ms Masebo advised the school management with its Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to develop a strategic plan that would serve as a tool for resource mobilization.

Earlier, UCZ Synod Bishop Mutale Mububwa said the church would remain a strong partner with the Government in delivery of education and health services in many areas in the country.

CHIEF Government spokesperson Mwansa Kapeya has asked Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi to take caution with her tone as she criticizes the government.

Mr Kapeya was reacting to Ms Nawakwi’s sentiments regarding the recent ‘cat fights’ in the ruling party which she said had the potential of distracting the government from developmental focus.

Mr Kapeya, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said the differences in the PF have not affected any developmental projects the government has embarked on such as roads, universities or stadiums.

He described Ms Nawakwi’s comments as “cheap politicking,” because PF issues according to him are basically club issues with no direct impact on government developmental projects.

He also reminded Ms Nawakwi that she had a myriad of problems in her party and yet no PF members bothered about her woes.

“When she had a problem in her own political party, did it send a wrong signal to the outside world? Mr Kapeya asked, adding that, “even in our own homes we have various problems, why does she want to involve herself in issues that do not concern her?” Mr Kapeya said.

He said the PF leadership will soon resolve the wrangles in the ruling party.

On Saturday, Ms Nawakwi told journalists in Kitwe that it is the duty of all citizens to pray for the PF leadership so that the differences in the ruling party can be amicably resolved.

Others such as political analyst Dr Alex Ngoma, however, have dismissed as mere sibling rivalry, the differences in the PF which they say shall soon come to pass.

On Sunday,FDD Leader Edith Nawakwi has urged to the church to pray the Government in order for peace to flow in the nation.

Ms Nawakwi observed that there was no peace in the country at large. She said the Church had a critical role to play in settling the ongoing wrangles in the ruling patriotic front (PF).

Ms Nawakwi was speaking during the closing of the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) southern Consistory Zone three retreats at Kavu congregation in Ndola yesterday.

She said lack of peace in the nation may result into war hence the need of the church to dialogue with Government and political leaders whenever there are problem.

“If the Church is in the forefront in spearheading the Government operations, we will see peace, let’s pray for our Government,” She said.

She said it was of great concern to note that to PF leaders who are in Government were fighting among themselves instead of taking development to the people.

Ms Nawakwi said there was need for the Government to start strategising on how they will give inputs to small scale farmers this year.

She said to it was sad to note that small scale farmers had not received farming inputs for this year’s farming season.

“The majority of our people here in Zambia are poor; there is need for the Government to quickly find ways on how they can avert hunger that has loomed in some parts of the country such as Luano valley, “She said.

Ms Nawakwi also donated a generator to the church which was used by the members during the retreats that started on Thursday last week.

INDEPENDENT Broadcasting Authority (IBA) chairman Emmanuel Mwamba has pulled breaks on radio licence permits to applicants wishing to broadcast Islamic religious programmes in Zambia.

Mr Mwamba said no further permits shall be considered until the IBA has completed a comprehensive consultation with the church, Government, the Islamic society and other interest groups.

Mr Mwamba did not say exactly what the nature of the consultation with stakeholders would involve but he indicated that guide lines would be top on the agenda.

And Mr Mwamba, who is also Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Service Permanent Secretary, has suspended the issuance of radio licences for Lusaka until after the digital migration exercise.

This follows advice by the Zambia Information, Communications and Technology Authority that the radio frequencies for Lusaka are full. Lusaka has 21 radio stations.

This is according to a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by IBA director general Josephine Mapoma.

“With the operalitionalisation of the IBA, we shall begin processing applications by way of making announcements where these frequencies will be available, and then allowing the applicants to bid for them as provided for under Section 26 of the IBA Act,” Mr Mwamba said.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwamba has announced the issuance of seven new licences for radio stations in various parts of the country.
The issued licences are for Walamu in Mpulungu (test transmission), QFM (national coverage), Power FM (repeater frequency for Kabwe), Chinvwano in Mfuwe (construction permit), Chimwemwe in Ndola (construction permit), United Voice in Lusaka (construction permit) and Rise Radio in Chingola (construction).

And Mr Mwamba has urged Ms Mapoma to ensure that a strategic plan for the IBA is done.

Mr Mwamba has also urged the IBA to heighten supervision and monitoring activities to ensure that radio stations operate in an ethical and professional manner.

He has directed that media institutions in the country should adopt a code of ethics as approved by the Zambia Media Council.
Mr Mwamba has also regretted that before the matter of cross-ownership of media could be resolved decisively through policy or legislation, the IBA had previously proceeded to issue licences to individuals or entities allowing for cross-ownership of the media.

He said the IBA Act Section 5(2b) (ii) prohibits monopoly of the industry by any entity and is also against the Competition and Fair Trading Act.

Mr Mwamba said the IBA had issued licences to entities without regard to the laid down provisions and that the stations that appear to be affected so far are Radio Petauke Explorer and Chipata Television, Joy FM Radio and Prime TV as well as Muvi TV and Komboni Radio.

Mr Mwamba has also put on hold the consideration for the application for QTV until the legal advice he has sought from the Attorney General and the Zambia Competition Commission is given.

KABWATA Member of Parliament Given Lubinda has defended protesting cadres, charging that there is nothing tribal about the call by youths in Lusaka for Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Wynter Kabimba to resign.

Mr Lubinda said in an interview that the protests by the youths in the ruling party in Lusaka were aimed at an individual and not any tribe as Mr Kabimba claimed.

Mr Kabimba has come under intense pressure from the party’s youths who are pressing for his resignation for allegedly harbouring ambitions of challenging President Michael Sata before the 2016 elections.

The secretary general, who is also Justice minister, has, however, reacted angrily to the protests and accused some senior party members of being tribal over the issue and sponsoring the youths to rise against him.

Mr Lubinda faced similar protests early this year before Mr Kabimba charged him with alleged treachery which ultimately led to his suspension although the cadres had called for an expulsion.

“When the protest was against me, he was in the forefront and nothing was said about tribalism,” said Mr Lubinda, who was hesitant to comment on the protests against Mr Kabimba.

“I wonder if that is tribal because as far as I am concerned, the protests are against an individual and not any tribe in Zambia, so he is in the better position to prove that the protests are tribal.”

The former Foreign Affairs minister said Mr Kabimba was an eloquent person who could easily prove to the nation that the demonstrations by some party structures were being sponsored by a tribal clique.

He said unless the party’s chief executive officer convinced the public that he was a tribe on his own, it would be difficult for people to believe that the demonstrations were sponsored by an ethnic grouping in PF.

Mr Kabimba said those wishing him out were just wasting their time because he would not go anywhere.