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FORMER Minister of Finance and National Planning Ng’andu Magande
National Movement for Progress (NMP) President Ngandu Magande says he is happy with the infighting that has rocked the ruling Patriotic Front.
Mr. Magande says the differences within the ruling party will make it easy for the opposition to take over the running of government.
He adds that the PF should not waste time on quarreling but instead concentrate on delivering to the nation the promises they made prior to the 2011 elections.
He says the ruling party should not shift the nation’s attention to the infighting taking place in the party from development issues.
Mr. Magande reminds the Patriotic Front that the Zambian people are watching and that there will come a time when they will react.
Albidon Zambia Limited in Mazabuka has awarded new contracts to its employees with a salary deduction of 30 per cent across the board.
Meanwhile, the 60 workers at the company, who were scheduled to sign the new contracts last Friday, have rejected and refused to sign the contracts describing the 30 per cent deduction as too much and unbearable.
Sources within Albidon, a nickel mine owned by Jinchuan of China, disclosed that management at the company which has been placed under care and maintenance, on Friday awarded new contracts to the 6o employees with a 30 per cent salary deduction effective September1, 2013.
The workers, who declined to be named, complained in separate interviews that no employee has since accepted to sign the contracts on grounds that there were no consultations between management and employees.
They disclosed that as employees they would not accept excuses that are being advanced by management that employees at Albidon, should effect deductions on its employees just like its sister company in China due to lack of profit on its businesses.
“We are informed that they were instructions given by management of Jinchuan in China where the headquarters are that we should have our salaries deducted by 30 per cent just like the case is with our counterparts in China on grounds that the company is not recording good profits,” revealed the sources.
The workers further disclosed that according to the contracts, management has given a period of seven days in which to allow the workers to sign, saying it is, however, not clear as to what action management would take against those that refuse.
Meanwhile, labour experts have opposed to the action taken by Albidon to reduce salaries by because no mutual agreements were reached between the employer and the employee.
The experts disclosed that in a normal situation, both the employer and the employee needed to engage in consultations in order to agree on what percentage unlike a situation where the employer just imposes the changes.
Efforts to get a comment from management staff this morning proved futile as they were reported to be in a meeting.
Chipata Diocese Catholic Bishop George Lungu,Vice President Dr Guy Scott and Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone witnessing the blessings of the casket of Cardinal Medardo Mazombwe by Auxilliary Bishop Benjamin Phiri at Chipata Airport in Chipata
Paramount Chief Kalonga Gawa Undi of the Chewa speaking people of Katete in Eastern province has described the death of Joseph Cardinal Medardo Mazombwe as shocking.
Chief Gawa Undi said Cardinal Mazombwe will be difficult to replace considering that he was the only and first Zambian to be appointed as cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church.
ZANIS reports that the traditional ruler, who spoke through his Induna Joseph Chikuta Mbewe, said the people of Eastern province were deeply saddened with the untimely death cardinal Mazombwe.
Meanwhile, Induna Chikuta Mbewe has described the late Cardinal Mazombwe as inspirational to many young Priests and the faithful in the Catholic Church.
He said Cardinal Mazombwe was a pillar of the church who inspired many young men in the church to join priesthood in large numbers.
Induna Chikuta, who was in the same class with Cardinal Mazombwe at St. Mary’s in Chipata, has since wished the family of Cardinal Mazombwe God’s peace during this trying moments.
The late Cardinal Mazombwe died on Saturday last week at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka after an illness and will be put to rest tomorrow at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus in Lusaka.
And scores of catholic faithful yesterday broke into tears as Cardinal Mazombwe’s body arrived in Chipata for the requiem mass at St. Anne’s Cathedral.
During the homily for the late Cardinal Mazombwe, Chipata Diocese Auxiliary Bishop Benjamin Phiri described the late priest as a true servant of the church.
Bishop Phiri said Cardinal Mazombwe was a big inspiration to all the Catholic Church members not only in Zambia but the whole world at large.
File: A traffic policeman attending to a motorist at a roadblock near Chikankata in Mazabuka.
Choma Central Member of Parliament, Cornelius Mweetwa, is alarmed by activities of some traffic police officers in Choma who are openly soliciting bribes from motorists without any fear of the law
Mr Mweetwa says the behaviour of the police officers are tarnishing the image of the police service.
He claimed that the traffic police officers have been using private motor vehicles to pursue villagers coming into town with light trucks and farm produce.
Addressing a meeting of residents in Choma, Mr Mweetwa said corruption is a cancer that must be rooted out of society because it derails development efforts.
The MP, who is also a former police officer, said there is urgent need to curb the illegal activities of the police officers because they are a danger to the nation.
He said he would draw the attention of the police command to the matter.
Mr Mweetwa has urged Choma residents to fight all forms of corruption in public offices.
Ken Mukosa has won the 2013 Zambia Rally title with one rally to spare after clinching the Sable Rally in Chisamba on Sunday.
Three straight wins coupled with a third place finish on the first day of the season and second place national points on the Puma Rally was enough for Mukosa to claim his maiden Zambia Rally title with an unassailable 54 points.
The Monze based driver took the laurels after bringing home his Subaru Impreza N8 two minutes 30 seconds quicker than Farook Ticklay who placed second in a Ticklay Motorsport Subaru N10.
“Another victory for Team Kenneth. To all my fans, my sponsors, my service crew and everyone one around, I would like to say thanks for the support,” Mukosa said.
“To all my fellow drivers, Farook, Geoffrey, Yazdaan, Azim, Toofail, Shabbir and Chimanga, thanks for the competition. Looking forward to seeing all the drivers in Monze next month,” he added.
Ashish Patel was the only casualty from the rally after encountering mechanical problems on his Action Auto Subaru GC8.
Ken Mukosa and Nash Chisenga’s road to 2013 Zambia Rally title
Fringilla Rally (NRC1/6) – 3rd place
Puma Rally (NRC2/6 & ARC3/8) – 2nd place [4th O/A]
Barn Rally (NRC3/6) – 1st place
Fringilla Rally (NRC4/5) – 1st place
Sable Rally (NRC5/6) – 1st place
Sixth and final rally of the 2013 season is on October 13
The Southern African Center for the Constructive Resolution (SACCORD) has congratulated the four political parties taking part in the Mkaika parliamentary by-election for conducting their campaigns in a peaceful manner.
The political parties taking part in the September 5 polls are the ruling PF, the MMD, NAREP and UNIP.
SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe has disclosed to Qfm in an interview that his organization which already has monitors in the area, has not received any serious reports of violence or the abrogation of the Electoral Code of Conduct.
Mr. Cheembe has urged the four political parties to continue with their tolerance towards each other and the adhering to the Electoral law as they campaign for the poll which is due in two days.
Mr. Cheembe has also urged electorates to come out in numbers to vote on the polling day.
With 72 hours to go before the Mkaika by-election takes place, vice-President Guy Scott, has described the MMD as a ‘dead party’ whose performance in the poll is expected to be anything but dismal.
The vice-president also beseeched people of Mkaika to come to terms with the reality that former President Rupiah Banda is “history” and shall never return into office to help them so that they can start looking forward and back the ruling party under President Sata.
Dr. Scott further expressed confidence that the Patriotic Front (PF) candidate David Phiri will win Thursday’s poll with ease so that he can start contributing to the development of the constituency under the PF government.
He commended Mr Phiri, the PF candidate, as a courageous man who resigned from the MMD to join the ruling party so that his constituency can be developed based on the ruling party’s track record of delivery.
He said the track record includes road construction country-wide and other projects such as universities and 650 health posts country-wide being constructed at a cost of about US$48 million.
“Mr Phiri is a courageous man, loves the people in Mkaika and has joined a party committed to develop the nation. We have put up development projects that will be seen soon and our works will speak for us in the 2016 campaigns,” Dr Scott said.
He was speaking when he addressed a rally at Gaven Primary School in Mkaika Constituency to drum up support for Mr Phiri yesterday.
Dr Scott said Mr Phiri is hard working and that he has brought the social scheme fund for the people from 50 years of age and above in Katete.
He assured the people of Katete of more development if they vote for Mr Phiri.
Dr Scott said the road leading to Msoro village from Katete will be tarred soon and that a number of schools and health posts will be built.
And Dr Scott has described the MMD as a finished party which the people of Katete should forget about.
Dr Scott said the MMD is being led by failures, whose political fortunes have since dwindled and faded with time as people figure them out for what they are. Deputy Minister of Works and Supply Mwimba Malama appealed to the people of Mkaika to give the PF an MP it can work with to develop their area.
Mr Malama, who is Mfuwe MP said, “You have seen what we have started in less than two years we have been in power. So many projects are underway and the country will be linked soon for easy movement of people and transportation of goods.”
And Mr Phiri implored the voters in Mkaika to vote for him so that he can continue with his development agenda.
He said since the PF came into power it has been releasing money for many development projects such as roads and that many parts of Mkaika are now electrified.
Mr Phiri pledged to work tirelessly in developing Mkaika if he is re-elected.
The Mkaika seat felt vacant when Mr Phiri resigned to join the PF.
Other candidates standing in Mkaika are MMD’s Peter Phiri and Nigel Mpakhateni of NAREP.
Tourism and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo (right) and Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda (left) address journalists (not in picture) at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport
Acting Chief government spokesperson Fackson Shamenda has denied assertions suggesting that the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) still exerts political interference in the operations of the public media in the country.
This follows the latest observations by the Media Liaison Committee (MLC) which has suggested that all three public media, ZNBC, Times of Zambia and the Daily Mail are more inclined to giving coverage to the PF government than the opposition political parties.
Mr. Shamenda has however maintained that the PF government does not influence how the three public media institutions do their coverage of both the ruling party and the opposition.
Mr. Shamenda notes that the fact that ZNBC, Times of Zambia and Daily Mail have been perceived to be giving coverage to senior government officials more than they do to officials from the opposition, does not mean that ruling PF is being covered more than other political parties.
Mr. Shamenda has argued that the reason why the three media institutions may be observed to be giving more coverage to senior government officials, it is because government officials have a mandate to explain to the people the programs enshrined in the PF manifesto on which the country is being governed.
Mr. Shamenda adds that such a trend where public media institutions give more coverage to the government officials is not synonymous to Zambia alone as the public media in other countries such as the United States of America also do the same in terms of prioritizing coverage to the government.
MWENSE District in Luapula Province has been hit with a critical shortage of fuel, forcing motorists in Mwense and those from Kasenga district in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to be trekking to Mansa to fetch the commodity.
Mwense district only has one filling station and was always overwhelmed with demand from the local motorists and those from the neighbouring country who crossed into Zambia to buy the commodity. District Commissioner (DC) Victor Kasuba confirmed the development in an interview in Mwense yesterday.
Mr Kasuba said the district had been without both petrol and diesel for four weeks now, forcing motorists in the area to be covering a distance of more than 70 kilometers to Mansa to buy the fuel.
He complained that the situation had a negative impact on the community, because it had resulted in hiking of prices of transport and other commodities.
Mr Kasuba said the problem did not only affect the community members but also the running of Government programmes as Government motor vehicles were also facing the same challenge hence slowing down development programmes.
He said when the fuel problem started about four weeks ago, he had made frantic efforts to discuss with the management at the service station, but it proved that it was beyond their capacity hence the situation to reach such far of not having even a few fuel for account holders.
He appealed to dealers in the petroleum industry to explore and take their investments to Mwense saying the district was in need of more service stations to meet the growing demand.
“Here in Mwense we need more than one filling station due to the growing economy resulting in high demand for fuel. Many people have bought vehicles, others use fuel in their boats while others use it in hammermills.
“And being a border town our friends from Congo in Kasenga district come here to buy fuel because as I always say, the people of Kasenga district and Mwense live like one family,” he said.
POLICE have impounded a truck laden with 1, 200 bags of mealie meal at Kasumbalesa border post on the Copperbelt over documents.
The truck, a freightliner registration number ACP 3381 was impounded during the early hours of Saturday.
Copperbelt Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa in an interview yesterday confirmed the impounding of the truck which was executed on Saturday morning around 02:30 hours.
Ms Kasosa said police impounded the truck together with the mealie meal after the driver failed to produce documents for the contraband.
“I can confirm that Kasumbalesa police yesterday (Saturday) morning impounded a truck Freightliner ACP 3381 carrying 1, 200 bags of mealie meal without documents,” Ms Kasosa said.
She police had since launched investigations to establish the source and destination of the mealie meal.
Chipata Diocese Catholic Bishop George Lungu,Vice President Dr Guy Scott and Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone witnessing the blessings of the casket of Cardinal Medardo Mazombwe by Auxilliary Bishop Benjamin Phiri at Chipata Airport in Chipata
REPUBLICAN Vice President Guy Scott yesterday was among hundreds of mourners who thronged Chipata Airport to witness the arrival of the remains of the first indigenous Zambian Catholic Cardinal Merdado Joseph Mazombwe.
The Zambia Airforce Plane carrying the late cardinal’s casket touched down at the airport at 12:30 hours while accompanied by Chipata Catholic Bishop George Lungu, former Chief Justice Enerst Sakala, catholic nuns, priests and few family members.
The Vice President who also touched down at the airport few minutes later witnessed the arrival of the body.
Also on hand to receive the body was Chipata Catholic Diocese Auxiliary Bishop Benjamin Phiri, Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone, Provincial Permanent Secretary Bert Mushala, former Chipata Member of Parliament (MP) Lameck Mangani, catholic priests, nuns from different congregations as well as Christians from all walks of life.
However, sombre mood characterized the airport including the streets of Chipata as the body of the late cardinal was being ferried from the airport to St Annes Cathedral Parish where the requiem mass was conducted by Bishop Lungu.
The mourners who dressed in black attire , lined up from in the street to catch up a glimpsed on the casket of the late cardinal as a convoy meander through 15 kilometres (KM) stretch of the road.
As the casket was passing through the town centre, some people joined in the long procession to the cathedral parish as others wailed uncontrollably.
The late Cardinal Mazombwe was ordained in 1960 and was appointed Chipata Catholic Diocese Bishop in 1970.
He was then taken to Lusaka as Archdiocese Bishop in 1996 before retirement ten years later.
He was then conferred as cardinality in 2007 by then Pope Benedict XVI. During the homily, Bishop Phiri described the late cardinal as a beacon of wisdom.
He told hundreds of Christians who included Vubwi MP Dr Eustarckio Kazonga and Anglican Diocese of Eastern Zambia Bishop William Muchombo that the catholic fraternity had lost someone who was humble, courageous and a good advisor.
“He (Cardinal Mazombwe) was a beacon of hope who advised whenever there were problems or disputes in the church. It is sad that even in homes, the most reliable and dependable members of the family are the ones who die first and this brings a number of questions as to why God allows such things to happen,” he said.
Bishop Phiri said that on many occasions, Christians forget that life was a journey which was supposed to prepare them to be received by God.
He urged the church to remain united during the time of mourning. Bishop Phiri said the late bishop suffered for a long time saying it was his time to go through death.
He said despite his death, the late cardinal left a good legacy to both the catholic and non catholic in the country.
Meanwhile, a book of condolences has been opened at bishop residence in Chipata diocese with a number of prominent people describing the late cardinal as a unifying factor in the church and the nation.
Mr Mangani who is former Home Affarirs Minister described the late cardinal as a great leader saying he believed in developments.
He said the late cardinal was keen in the advancement of education in the country.
“A great tree indeed has been fallen which will be very difficult to replace.God almighty receive his soul,”Mr Mangani said.
St Monicas Girls High School headteacher Arthur Sakala said the school was deeply affected with the untimely death of Cardinal Mazombwe Mr Sakala said the contribution of late Cardinal Mazombwe was great.
Radio Maria Zambia Programmes Director Fr Bernard Zulu said the late cardinal being the founder of the catholic run radio station would be greatly missed by the volunteers and staff.
The body which lied in state was expected to be flown back to Lusaka today and readiness to be interred at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus.
Cardinal Mazombwe died on Thursday after a long spinal cold complication illness.
Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Nkandu Luo
Minister of Chief and Traditional Affairs Nkandu Luo says Government is interested in working with churches that will complement its efforts in promoting socio-economic development and uplifting people’s living standards.
Professor Luo said Government is looking for development partners who have a vision and positive attitude.
She was speaking on Saturday at the Bread of Life Church’s 21st anniversary celebration in Lusaka,
Prof. Luo commended Bread of Life for putting up a multi-facility Blessing Centre that provides hope to the unemployed youth, women and children through its education and health facilities which are yet to be built.
“Whenever you are in need of a facility you think will add value to this nation, the government of President Sata will be able to work with you,” Prof Luo said.
She said the church and Government need to complement each other in providing hope to the pepopel.
“That’s why when the Bishop said we want to build a facility that is going to provide facilities for health and education, I held his hand… I know that the changes that are taking place at this centre are going to add value to the development of the nation,” she said amid a rousing applause from the audience.
Prof. Luo lauded Bread of Life presiding Bishop Joseph Imakando for his exemplary leadership, saying the church’s 21st anniversary was a celebration for Zambia because he is a national icon.
She said Bishop Imakando and his wife Bernadette need to be celebrated for their work and the battles they have fought to get their church where it was.
“Let’s celebrate people when they are alive. This man and his wife deserve to be celebrated. If there are critiques seated in this church; in my church the Catholic Church, there is a place where we go for confession, I am inviting you to come and confess,” Prof Luo said.
The minister said she was proud that as Minister of Local Government and Housing in former President Frederick Chiluba’s administration, she stood with Bread of Life when it was bidding for the land where it has built the Blessing Centre.
Bishop Imakando thanked Prof Luo for the role she played when the church was “fighting” for the Vubu road piece of land.
He said he is also grateful to the minister for gracing the 21st anniversary and for making inspirational remarks.
Bishop Imakando said the 21-year journey has not been easy, but thanked God for his faithfulness.
“We are a living testimony that the gates of hell shall not prevail over the church,” Bishop Imakando said.
In its 21 years of existence, Bread of life has grown to 98 branches locally, eight international churches and 30 satellite churches or preaching points.
President Sata greeting Son Mulenga Sata in Livingstone recently
Lusaka Deputy Mayor Mulenga Sata is today expected to present a petition on behalf of some Patriotic Front (PF) cadres who over the weekend demanded for the resignation of some top party officials who they allege are against the endorsement of President Michael Sata as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2016 elections.
This was after the cadres presented Mr Mulenga Sata with the petition on Saturday. The Deputy Mayor, who is also the son of the President, promised to deliver it to the President.
Mr Sata said he would by the end of the today present the petition to his father on behalf of the youths. He said in an interview that the youths told him that they were among other things, concerned about the organisation and mobilisation of the party adding that the youths felt that being a civic leader and son to the President, it would be easier for their concerns to be conveyed to the Head of State.
“Yes the cadres came to present a petition hoping I can pass it on to the PF leadership …they are raising concerns about party mobilisation and organisational and you know as a civic leader and son of the President the best I can do is to hear them because the moment I refuse, I become irrelevant “ he said.
In the petition, the members also want President Sata to quickly intervene in the matter of endorsing him which they said was bringing divisions in the party.
The youths, led by provincial publicity secretary Ackson Nkhoma said they wanted some senior party officials to resign because they had failed to provide leadership in the perceived wrangles of endorsement.
According to the petition, the youths who earlier fought running battles with the camp accused of being against the endorsement at Northmead Secondary School said they were angered to find that the other group was carrying banners reading “No Sata 2016.”
They said they were further upset by a slogan by the other camp saying “aleisa, aleisa” wondering who that “aleisa” person was.
They called for the immediate dissolution of the district and provincial executives accusing them of being against the endorsement of President Sata and that they were suspending members that were endorsing Mr Sata.
They called on President Sata to give direction to the party so that the division of loyalty currently going on was resolved in the best interest of the party and not individual members.
Lusaka provincial chairperson Geoffrey Chumbwe said calls for the endorsement of Mr Sata are uncalled for because it was obvious that Mr Sata would be the party candidate.
Mr Chumbwe said what was worrying was the different levels of understanding the issue otherwise, there should be no misunderstanding on the matter because Mr Sata had only done two years in office.
Meanwhile police in Lusaka have apprehended one person in connection with the Saturday fracas where PF youths clashed, destroyed property and several others were injured in what was believed to be a misunderstanding on the endorsement of Mr Sata.
This follows a complaint by PF Mpulungu ward 23 councilor Christopher Shakafuswa that he was assaulted and had his vehicle damaged by the cadres.
Police acting spokesperson Rae Hamoonga confirmed in an interview yesterday that police had received a complaint of assault and malicious damage of motor vehicle from Mr Shakafuswa and a docket was opened.
Mr Shakafuswa had his unregistered Mercedes Benz CE240 extensively damaged while five other people were injured after the cadres fought running battles against each other.
The fight was ignited by a group perceived to be in support of the endorsement of Mr Sata that went on rampage beating the other which was supposed to hold a meeting to be chaired by PF Lusaka District chairperson Goodson Banda at Northmead School.
The Zambia Under-17 Women’s team has qualified to the second round of the 2014 Costa Rica World Cup after thrashing Botwana 3-1 in Lusaka on Sunday to go through 8-3 on aggregate.
The Albert Kachinga coached side thumped Botswana 5-2 in the first leg at Molepolole in Gaborone on 16 August.
Zambia’s Ireen Lungu opened the scoring after three minutes at Sunset Stadium before Gorata Morekolodi equalised for the visitors on the stroke of half time.
Later Zambia scored two late goals via Memory Phiri who inked a brace.
Zambia will now face South Africa in the second round in November this yea
Chipolopolo midfielder Rainford Kalaba scored a late goal to propel TP Mazembe to a 1-0 win over Tunisia’s CA Bizertin in a CAF Confederation Cup match in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
Kalaba scored the vital goal for the Congolese side inside the last five minutes to help Mazembe go top of Group B on seven points.
This was Kalaba’s first goal for Mazembe this year.
The midfielder was in the Mazembe starting line up along with his Chipolopolo team mates Stopila Sunzu, Hichani Himonde and Nathan Sinkala.
The four players have been named in coach Herve Renard’s Zambia squad to face Ghana in this Friday’s crucial 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Kumasi.
The quadruple is expected to join the Zambia squad which has set up camp in Johannesburg on Monday.
