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.
The COSAFA Cup Zambia 2013 has suffered a set-back after Equatorial Guinea withdrew at the 11th hour.
COSAFA said in a statement issued on Monday that Equatorial Guinea has confirmed that they will not be sending a team to the regional tournament that runs from July 6-20.
Equatorial Guinea’s withdrawal has reduced the field to 13 teams and has left Group A With three teams-Namibia, Mauritius and Seychelles.
According to COSAFA, the Equatorial Guinea FA cited lack of funds for their withdrawal from the July event.
“We are obviously disappointed with the fact that Equatorial Guinea have withdrawn because they would have added a lot to the event,” said Timoth Shongwe, the chairman of the tournament organising committee.
Shongwe added:” It was too late to call in another replacement, so we have to cut Group A to three teams which will no doubt make the pool even more competitive with every match vital.”
Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe will host COSAFA Cup matches.
President Micheal Sata has with immediate effect appointed newly elected Feira Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament Patrick Ngoma as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education.
This contained in a statement released to the media by the president’s special aid for public relations and press George Chellah.
This is according to President Sata’s letter to Mr. Ngoma dated June 24, 2013, which was also copied to the Vice-president Dr Guy Scott, the Speaker of the National Assembly Justice Dr. Patrick Matibini and the Secretary to the Cabinet Dr. Roland Msiska among others.
President Sata said that he was confident that Mr. Ngoma will perform to his expectations and that of the Zambian people in general.
The Head of State has also maintained that his government will continue taking practical steps to revitalize the education sector.
The president noted that in line with the PF manifesto, his administration will keep on prioritizing the education sector and provide opportunities that will facilitate substantial growth and qualitative improvement in the education and training system of the country.
File:The innaugural flight for Emirates Airlines touches down at Kenneth Kaunda international airport
The National Airports Corporation has introduced a new Infrastructure and Development charge in addition to the current departure tax and security tax.
All passengers departing from KK , Mfuwe, Harry Mwaanga and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe airports are now required to pay the new tax, effective immediately.
International passengers departing from these airports will be required to pay K52.80 (about US $10.00) and domestic passengers, K26.70 (about $5.00).
Tickets issued before 15 June 2013 will be exempt from the new tax.
Schedule passengers with a ticket issued after 15 June 2013 booked via one of the major Global Distribution Systems will have the tax included in their ticket.
Earlier this year at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, President Michael Sata opposed the introduction of a US$10 tax on air tickets purchased by travellers leaving or entering the African continent as a measure to help fund the African Union.
The president explained that Zambia was working towards promoting her tourism industry and that this will not be achieved if the ticket and accommodation levy was introduced.
“We would like to attract tourism in Zambia, if hotels become expensive, then some people are going to rise against us, the airlines are going to be less profitable,” the President explained.
President Sata said Zambia wants to encourage people doing business and attract more tourists to visit the country.
The air ticket levy was among the two proposals suggested by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjoo’s panel during a meeting held in Addis Ababa . The second option suggested to introduce a US$2 hospitality levy applicable on all hotel accommodations within Africa.
Opposition Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) has described as a noble cause the decision by the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) to reject some of the MMD Members of Parliament that ditched the former ruling party join the PF.
The PF has for the July 25 by-elections adopted Peter Ilunga for the Solwezi East on account of Richard Taima who held the Parliamentary seat under the MMD before defecting to the ruling PF while Ingrid Mpande has been adopted for Mkushi North on account of Mutale Musonda who also was the area MMD MP before defecting to the PF.
MMD president Nevers Mumba noted that the sidelining of some of its rebel MPs should serve as a strong message and lesson for MMD MPs that the honey moon for defecting to the ruling party with the view to having their alleged wrong doing covered has come to end.
Dr. Mumba further noted that any other MMD MP that is planning to resign and defect to the ruling party should now realize that time has come to build on their party and strengthen the country’s democracy.
The MMD president was speaking in an interview with Qfm.
Zambia International Trade Fair Chairman Emmanuel Hachipuka (L)
Zambia International Trade Fair Chairman Emmanuel Hachipuka says the trade fair that is starting on June 26, 2013 will depict what Zambian companies are able to produce.
Mr Hachipuka told ZANIS in an interview today that a trade fair is about a country show casing what it can produce and that this year’s trade fair will have more products and foods and less of literature.
“We have built solid buildings around the trade fair and the board and management have been working hard day and night to see to it that we have an exciting and life changing trade fair that people who will attend the show will appreciate. A trade fair is about showcasing the capacity of a country what it is able to produce,” he said.
Mr Hachipuka said 15 foreign countries have confirmed participation and 257 local exhibitors excluding vendors are going to take part in the show.
He said daily tickets will be sold at KR15 while school tickets will be sold at KR10.
“The show is starting on Wednesday and these are business days, the official opening is on Saturday. This trade fair will be different because Zambia is going to show the rest of the world its products,” he said.
Mr Hachipuka said exhibitors should pay for their stands early as well as commence working on them.
He said the trade fair management needed to work together with exhibitor to avoid the culture of last minute preparations.
“Next year we will be very strict with this and we will also require a 50 per cent down payment on participation fees. We have had incidences where companies book space and they pull out at last minute. This is not acceptable,” he said.
About 4,000 out 8,000 Angolans living at Maheba refugee camp in Solwezi district whose refugee status ended last year have collected forms from Ministry of Home Affairs to apply for residence permits in Zambia.
Maheba Refugee Officer Joseph Musonda disclosed this to ZANIS in Solwezi over the weekend.
Mr Musonda told ZANIS that there is a total of 10,000 Angolans whose refugee status expired last year but are still living in Zambia waiting for integration.
He said 8,000 of these Angolans are living at Maheba refugee camp in Solwezi while the remaining 2,000 are at Mayukwakwa in Kaoma district.
He said so far a total of 1,500 out of the 4,000 who have picked up forms to apply for resident permits have been screened by security officials and 245 of them have been issued with alien registration cards by the department of National Registration.
Mr Musonda explained that issuing alien cards to former refugees is the first step being taken in the normal process of moving the Angolans from refugee status to Zambian citizens.
He said that after getting the alien cards, the Angolans will be required to apply for resident permits and that only about 8,000 of these former refugees will have their applications approved.
He mentioned that although government has been generous to these former refugees, it has however not opened the gates to all of them to remain in Zambia as only those who arrived between 1966 and 1986 together with their children born in Zambia will be eligible to be reintegrated into the Zambian community.
“Close to 2,000 who arrived after 1986 will not qualify but those with money can apply for investment permits while professionals like teachers can also ask for work permits,” Mr Musonda said.
Mr Musonda also said that the United High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has set aside undisclosed amounts of money to government to enable the former refugees to process documents that will allow them to stay in Zambia and get integrated.
He said normally a resident permit costs KR4,500 but the former Angolan refugees to be reintegrated into the country will only pay KR1,500 for the permits and Kr51.00 for the alien identity cards.
And Solwezi UNHCR officer-in-charge Towa Chaiwila said the refugee status of 3,500 Rwandans at Maheba will cease on June 30 this year.
Ms Chaiwila said negotiations are already underway for voluntary repatriation but UNHCR is also recommending to government the reintegration of some who will have genuine reasons not to return to Rwanda.
Zambeef Products Plc has reiterated its commitment to providing safe, high quality affordable meat to the people of Zambia.
And the company has stood by its insistence that its imported offal products do not contain any prohibited substances whatsoever. Imported products are transported to Zambia from the country of origin via a strict frozen cold chain kept at minus 18 degrees celsius, and with full official documentation.
“Zambeef prides itself in maintaining world-class standards of food hygiene and safety and it is a responsibility that everyone in the company takes very seriously,” said Zambeef Chief Executive Officer Francis Grogan. “The company continues to work closely with the authorities to demonstrate conclusively that its imported products are safe.”
“We are deeply concerned for the distress this scaremongering has caused to our customers and I wish to reassure people that Zambeef continues to supply them with the safest, highest quality food,” he added.
Mr Grogan praised the professionalism of Zambeef’s 5,500 employees and emphasised the company’s contribution to the economy of the nation in terms of the considerable tax revenue paid annually to the government; its pivotal role in providing a link between small-scale farmers and consumers; and in being a linchpin for national food security.
He also commended the efforts of officials for their thorough investigation into the allegations and reiterated that the company was working closely with the Ministry of Health to demonstrate that all imported products are free from any harmful substances.
He also emphasised that the allegations were related solely to a small quantity of imported offal – liver and kidney – and that Zambeef’s local beef products were not affected by the claims.
The company also restated that all the imported items have been withdrawn until conclusive tests are completed.
President Michael Chilufya Sata during the swearing-in-ceremony of Tranpor, Works, Supply and Communication permanent secretary Charity Kaande Ngoma at State House
President Michael Sata has observed that Zambia’s transport system was bad especially for the poor people.
Mr. Sata said there was therefore need to improve the transport system in the country.
He was speaking at State House in Lusaka today when he swore in Charity Kaande Ngoma as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications.
“Congratulations, I hope you will improve the transport system which is very bad in the country especially for the poor people,” Mr. Sata said.
And speaking in an interview shortly after being sworn in, Mrs. Ngoma pledged to revamp the transport system in Zambia.
She said she would take advantage of the Link Zambia 8,000 road project and the railway system in the country to improve the transport system in the country.
And Mrs. Ngoma bemoaned alcohol abuse among bus drivers in the country.
She said this situation was unfortunate especially that even public transport drivers are involved.
She disclosed that she would introduce more sensitization programmes for minibus drivers in order to reduce road traffic accidents.
“We need more sensitization for the minibus drivers if we are to end these road traffic accidents,” she said.
Mrs. Ngoma replaces Dr Muyenga Atanga who is now Zambia Railways Chief Executive Officer after the retiring of Prof Clive Chirwa.
Former US President George W. Bush will next week visit Zambia to help refurbish a clinic, and then head to Tanzania, where his wife, Laura Bush, is organizing a forum for African first ladies.
Last year, Mr. and Mrs. Bush helped refurbish a clinic in Kabwe, Zambia, where nearly 30,000 women have been treated since, according to his presidential center.
His team will help renovate and reopen another clinic on July 1, this time in Livingstone, Zambia; a team of four Southern Methodist University students left Friday to work on the reconstruction.
Africa was a personal priority for Mr. Bush during his presidency, overshadowed by Iraq, terrorism and other issues but one of the few areas where he drew praise across party lines.
His Millennium Challenge program steered billions of dollars in development aid to countries that committed to reform. His President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or Pepfar, directed lifesaving drugs and other care to millions with HIV and was called the largest humanitarian health effort ever undertaken by any country.
As a result, Mr. Bush remains more popular in Africa than at home, and he has taken pride in his efforts here. He devoted a substantial part of his newly opened presidential museum, outside Dallas at Southern Methodist University, to an exhibit about Pepfar. And global health has been a top focus of the former president’s public policy institute.
Teaming up with Pepfar, the United Nations, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and pharmaceutical companies, Mr. Bush helped form Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon, which is devoted to curbing cervical cancer and breast cancer. It started in Zambia in 2011 and expanded to Botswana in 2012.
Mr. Bush’s interest in Africa coincides with that of his own predecessor, Bill Clinton, who has spent much of his own time since office on programs to provide help there. “It was a critical part of his administration,” Ms. Abney said of Mr. Bush. “It’s also something he and Mrs. Bush feel personally about. They feel a commitment to the people there.”
TOURISM and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo has assured Livingstone residents that street vendors will not go back to streets after the August 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly.
Ms Masebo said it was the intention of the Patriotic Front (PF) Government to create good trading places for vendors and hence the issue of vendors going back to streets won’t arise after the UNWTO conference.
She said a two-storey building ultramodern market was currently under construction in Livingstone and some vendors would be taken to the new market once construction was completed.
Ms Masebo was responding to questions Livingstone residents on Saturday afternoon during the commemoration of the International Cultural Arts Festival at Royal Livingstone Golf and Country Club.
This was during a public debate organised by the Press Freedom Committee of the Post Newspapers.
Senior Chief Mukuni, international and local artists as well as tourism operators among others attended both the public debate on Saturday and the arts dinner on Friday night.
“We won’t allow vendors to come back to streets in Livingstone after the August 2013 UNWTO conference.
Vendors will continue trading in designated trading centres such as Green Market and COMESA markets where they were relocated to,” she said.
Ms Masebo said the PF Government wanted all vendors to have better jobs and trade from clean places which had water and sanitation facilities.
During the same debate, Southern Region United Vendors Foundation (SRUVF) secretary Patrick Mubanga supported Ms Masebo’s sentiments that vendors would not go back to streets after the UNWTO conference.
Mr Mubanga said his Foundation wanted to encourage vendors to trade in designated places even after the global tourism summit.
On the involvement of the local community in Livingstone in UNWTO conference preparations, Ms Masebo said people were already involved through the local organising committee which comprised of all categories of locals.
“Government already released money and that money is already in Livingstone. There is already participation in Livingstone and maybe it is the amount of participation.
Now we have more artists and women participation from all corners of Livingstone as can be seen at this festival,” Ms Masebo said.
She also assured residents that the various works being constructed or upgraded in the city were being done professionally.
Ms Masebo said all infrastructure developments taking place in the city were supervised by the Livingstone City Council as well as the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication.
On measures put in place to improve local people’s access major hotels such as Sun International Zambia, Ms Masebo said her Ministry had already agreed with Livingstone Tourism Association (LTA) for tour operators to lower their rates.
She said Livingstone hotels and lodges were currently competing very well with Zimbabwe while some rooms were currently cheaper compared to those in Zimbabwe.
“Even flights from Lusaka to Livingstone have become cheaper at KR250 for Proflight and all we need to do is to send the information,” she said.
On calls for more bands from Livingstone to participate in the UNWTO shows, Ms Masebo said the tourist capital would have 50 per cent of artists and other artists participating in shows while the remaining 50 per cent would come from other parts of the country.
“The co-hosting of the UNWTO conference is an opportunity for Livingstone and Zambia to market its tourism products abroad.
I have always asked operators not to inflate prices because if they hike their prices because of the UNWTO, they will lose out,” she said.
Ms Masebo also commended the media in Livingstone for relentless efforts to promote the UNWTO conference.
FIRST Quantum Minerals (FQM) Copper Mine in Solwezi
Government says the intentions by First Quantum Minerals (FQM) to lay off 500 workers under its Kalumbila Mine Projects is unacceptable.
And Musele community Taskforce Vice Chairperson Morris Sankisa urged government not to lift the protection order issued to FQM to stop the construction of Chisoal Dam by ZEMA under political expediency.
On the other hand, Senior Chief Musele appealed to government to consider revising the constitution and give powers to traditional leaders to have absolute authority even on land with minerals.
Northwestern Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu says government deeply regrets the development and will not succumb to such decisions which are tantamount to blackmail.
ZANIS reports Mr. Mubukwanu was speaking in Solwezi when he graced this year’s Nkisu Ya Nzambi Traditional ceremony of the Lunda speaking people in Senior Chief Musele chiefdom in Solwezi District , yesterday.
He said this intention by the mining company aimed at exerting undue pressure on government to make a rush decision is unacceptable.
“We learnt with deep regret the intention by FQM to lay off 500 workers at its Trident project as a result of the protection order issued by Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA)stopping the construction of the Chisola Dam because the company did not get appropriate approval such as acquiring the water rights, ”he said.
He said that government is aware of many gaps that have negatively affected both the implementation of the Kalumbila mining project and the livelihood of the local community and assured the community that it is doing everything possible to resolve the matter.
Speaking at the same event, Musele community Taskforce Vice Chairperson Morris Sankisa urged government not to lift the protection order issued to FQM to stop the construction of Chisoal Dam by ZEMA under political expediency.
“We strongly commend government through ZEMA’s protection order to FQM under its Kalumbila Mining project to stop their bid to build another dam across Chisola Dam River,” he said.
Mr. Sankisa said the people of Musele have no doubt that government under the leadership of President Michael Sata will protect their interest as a matter of priority.
“Your active engagement as government in this matter gives us hope that justice shall prevail and our rights as citizens of Zambia shall be adequately protected”. He added.
Mr. Sankisa appealed to government to quickly resolve the issue of the mining surface rights between FQM and the Musele community which he said has raised a lot of anxiety and speculation among the people.
“We want government to quickly intervene and resolve this issue so that the people will know what next step to take to normalize their livelihood. Our identify as people is bound to the land. The survival and continuity of present and future generation is dependent upon our land, this is an undisputable fact that is proven by our cultural history. “He noted.
Meanwhile, Senior Chief Musele appealed to government to consider revising the constitution and give powers to traditional leaders to have absolute authority even on land with minerals.
Senior Chief Musele said owners of the land are stakeholders in whichever way of activities that take place in their God given Land and that such should reviewed as the initial capital for investment to partner with would be inventors.
He said this through his representative pastor Gilly Kakunta.
Senior Chief Musele also appealed to government to consider connecting his chiefdom to the national grid and, give Musele a district status following an increase in population in the area.
TWO Zambeef trucks transporting meat products, have been impounded by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) at the Katima-Mulilo border post in Western Province.
Zambeef, a leading meat supplier is under the spotlight for allegedly flooding the local market with products believed to contain dangerous levels of aromatic aldehydes, a chemical used to embalm dead bodies which could cause organic cancer in humans.
According to ZNBC news monitored yesterday, the trucks were believed to be carrying kidneys and offals imported from Ireland and being transported through, the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia enroute to Zambia.
The alert ZRA officials also detained 12 trucks carrying Tilapia-Fish belonging to Capital Fisheries that were entering the border post in Sesheke.
Sesheke District council secretary, Given Muleya said the Zambeef trucks had been impounded following instructions from the Ministry of Health and Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).
Mr Muleya said in an interview with TV2, that the trucks would only be released after inspections on the products, were conducted.
The meat supplier had withdrawn all imported beef products from its outlets in Zambia until Government fully investigates the allegations against it.
With 103 retail outlets across the country, Zambeef had since sent samples for testing to internationally accredited laboratories in South Africa and Germany and insisted that its products were fit for human consumption.
Chief executive officer Francis Grogan said lastweek that only local beef and beef products were currently on sale in all outlets.
DEPUTY Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Miles Sampa
DEPUTY Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Miles Sampa has attacked two former former ministers of finance Ngandu Magande and Edith Nawakwi for claiming that the Government burst had collapsed.
Mr Sampa has also described as unfortunate and unnecessary, the two former ministers’ decision to deliberately mislead the nation on the matter for the sake of playing politics.
He was reacting to recent media reports attributed to Mr Magande and Ms Nawakwi charging that Government had “burst” the budget beyond the planned expenditure line.
“The former ministers of finance Ngandu Magande and Edith Nawakwi’s claims that the PF Government has burst the national budget into an overrun are both untrue and mischievous,” Mr Sampa said in an interview yesterday.
[pullquote]“The two are merely waffling and deliberately ignoring basic principles as regards cash flow management within figures in the approved budget,” Mr Sampa said.[/pullquote]
Mr Sampa expressed concern at the fact that despite both politicians-Ms Nawakwi and Mr Magande-being former finance ministers, they still “greatly lack the ability to make an argument based on factual figures and statistics.”
They instead “deliberately” chose to mislead Zambians with “wild statements,” according to Mr Sampa.
“The trade of dealing with finance issues demands that one is always factual by quoting figures to support any allegation or statement made.
“Both former ministers have not told the nation the period and quantum of the alleged budget overrun,” Mr Sampa, a retired merchant banker, he said.
“The two are merely waffling and deliberately ignoring basic principles as regards cash flow management within figures in the approved budget,” Mr Sampa said.
[pullquote]He challenged Mr Magande to explain how he presided over a “Ponzi” scheme of maize subsidies and the so-called bumper harvests when the treasury was in fact losing tax payers money through the subsidies.[/pullquote]
He explained that the factual position is that salary increments for civil servants have been struck at levels higher than those anticipated or budgeted for.
Mr Sampa said: “This is because salary negotiations only materialise mid-stream the budget cycle and no finance minister can predict what the unions will bargain and agree as settlement.”
The PF Government has recently given civil servants “more money in the pockets” according to Mr Sampa, with the lowest paid civil servant taking home a minimum of KR3,000 which translates into a de facto 200 percent wage hike, the highest adjustment civil servants have gotten since independence.
Mr Sampa said: “A Government can only estimate negotiation figures. In the case of 2013, agreement was settled at KR860 million more than was budgeted for.”
He said the amount is, “in excess but it’s a worthwhile development” because Government had to plug “discrepancies” in the salary structures of the legislature, judiciary and executive arms of Government.
For instance, drivers of the same grade were highly paid in the legislature than was in the executive and judiciary.
Mr Sampa said, “this was the distorted structure left by former Finance Minister Ngandu Magande. The current Finance Minister is bold enough to do the correct things and this expenditure will however only crystalise in September 2013.”
He challenged Mr Magande to explain how he presided over a “Ponzi” scheme of maize subsidies and the so-called bumper harvests when the treasury was in fact losing tax payers money through the subsidies.
Mr Sampa said Mr Magande, used to practically spend KR2 billion to produce and package maize which only realised KR1 billion after each farming season.
He said, “in the end, Mr Magande handed over a treasury that owed local banks over $300 million tailored around consumption subsidies.”
[pullquote]He said, “in the end, Mr Magande handed over a treasury that owed local banks over $300 million tailored around consumption subsidies.”[/pullquote]
Mr Sampa said unlike Mr Magande or Ms Nawakwi, Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda has been “brave enough” to run the budget within means.
He said the PF Government will meet the KR860million shortfall on civil service salary increment by enhancing income streams and cutting costs within the budget lines by for instance reducing on ministerial international trips among other measures to be taken.
President Sata has for instance cut many of his obligatory trips and delegates some to the Vice President whose entourage is less costly. Mr Sampa said President Sata was expected to meet with other regional Presidents in Tanzania at the end of this week for the Smart Partnership Forum but he will not travel in line with the austerity measures imposed within the executive.
He said salaries for June have already been disbursed to all ministries and other spending agencies.
As for Ms Nawakwi, Mr Sampa said, “it’s sad to hear her scream from an anti-hill without figures or facts in her argument.”
He advised Mr Magande and Ms Nawakwi to acquire copies of the 2013 yellow book so that they can check figures and speak with facts.
Mr Magande declined to comment while Ms Nawakwi’s phone went unanswered. The two have been cited by some sections of the media criticising the national budget and suggesting that there is an over run.
Vice President Guy Scott has said that government will table the access to information bill in parliament tomorrow.
Officiating at the Public Service day in Lusaka today, Dr. Scott also said that government will continue to implement various measures aimed at improving the performance of the public service.
Dr. Scott further noted that the Patriotic Front (PF) government attaches great importance to the role that the Public Service plays in the attainment of the Social and Economical Goals of Zambia.
He added that it is the desire and commitment of the PF government to transform the public service into a credible and vibrant institution that will be able to not only meet the expectations of the citizenry and government but also address the challenges associated with the new political world in order which calls for an open government.
Earlier today, opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has cast doubt on the Patriotic Front government’s promise to pass the Access to Information Bill in the current seating of Parliament.
UPND Deputy Secretary General Kuchunga Simusamba said that it will come as a surprise to his party if the PF keeps its promise of passing the Access to Information Bill because the PF has once before pulled out from passing the same Bill at the last minutes.
Mr. Simusamba has however told Qfm in an interview that his party will pursue other means to ensure that the bill is passed.
The PF had promised to pass the Access to Information Bill in the current seating of parliament.
