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.
Council Public Relations Officer, Henry Kapata
The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has embarked on an exercise of constructing more public toilets in Lusaka’s central business district.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka, LCC Public Relations Officer Henry Kapata said the project was meant to deal with the problem of people urinating in drainages and in the streets of Lusaka.
Mr. Kapata said the exercise is expected to be completed by June this year.
He however said there was need to sensitize the public on the disadvantages of urinating on the streets if the problem was to be eradicated.
Mr. Kapata said currently, the council was putting up public toilets at four places in the central business district.
He added that more toilets will be constructed once other places are identified and funds are made available.
He also revealed that the council has received proposals from business entities on where the LCC can put up parking slots.
President Michael Sata has appointed Charles Banda as Zambia’s High Commissioner to Malawi and conferred Lusaka prominent lawyer, John Sangwa, with the status of State Counsel.
President Sata has since implored the duo to exhibit exemplary behavior in their discharge of national duties.
He said this at State House today shortly after swearing in the duo.
President Sata further advised the duo to desist from bad behaviour while holding important offices.
The head of state reminded Mr. Banda to represent Zambia well in Malawi.
And Mr. Sata urged Mr. Sangwa to exhibit good behaviour as he serves as a State Council.
Meanwhile President Sata today handed over bus keys to beneficiaries of Higer bus loans.
Over 1,000 buses have been procured from Higer Bus Company with the assistance from the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ).
The beneficiaries will be required to repay the loan over a period of five years to DBZ who are the financers of the bus loans.
President Sata said the buses will help improve the transportation system in the country.
He has since appealed to beneficiaries not to default but to repay the loans.
Meanwhile, Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Deputy Minister Colonel Panji Kaunda explained that government was not involved in the procurement of the buses.
Col. Kaunda told journalists that his ministry only facilitated the loan through DBZ to enable the Public and Private Drivers Association of Zambia (PPDAZ) purchase the buses.
He said the onus was on PPDAZ to identify drivers who were legible to get the buses on loan.
And PPDAZ president Josiah Majuru praised government for facilitating the loans noting that the development has created employment for drivers.
He said the buses will help end casualization in the transport sector as drivers will be empowered.
Meanwhile, one of the beneficiaries, Stella Nghuvu, expressed optimism of repaying the loan within the stipulated time.
An ambitious married woman’s temptation by a handsome billionaire leads to betrayal, recklessness, and forever alters the course of her life.
PROS
Great acting by the cast especially Jurnee Smollett-Bell ,who plays the character of Judith .
Excellently written story line which grabs the attention on the viewer immediately .
It is good to have a Hollywood movie with an all black cast which is rare , but is Tyler Perrys trademark .
CONS
The inclusion of Kim Kardashian in completely unnecessary .Her character added little to nothing to the plot. She was basically there just to sell the movie to a specific target audience .
Vanessa Williams french accent sounded so fake and forced .
CONCLUSION
In the midst of all the summer blockbusters ,this stands out as a great couples movie . This is just a good old-fashioned story, simple but very effective , as it asked the question “is it greener on the other side?” . The movie has a bitter-sweet ending but leaves one thinking whether they are doing enough in there own relationships . It is definitely one of the best Tyler Perry movies i have watched .
President Sata with first president Dr Kenneth Kaunda during the Labour Day Commemoration at Freedom Statue in Lusaka on May 1,2013-Picture by THOMAS NSAM
President Michael Sata is tomorrow expected in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the AU 50 Celebrations and 21st Ordinary Session of the African Union which is scheduled to take place from the 25th to the 27th of May, 2013 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
The Summit, which is being held under the theme “Pan Africanism and African renaissance”, is aimed at celebrating Africa’s past, present and future and to energize Africa’s population to accelerate the agenda of Pan-Africanism and renaissance in the 21st Century in tandem with NEPAD.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Susan Sikaneta said President Michael sata is scheduled to arrive tomorrow at Bole International Airport.
President sata’s delegation comprises First Lady, Christine Kaseba, who will be attending the Organization of African First Ladies (OAFLA) General Assembly on the sidelines of the AU heads of state summit.
Ms Sikaneta said the 50 years celebrations will be a historical event, adding that 50 y ears ago , much of Africa was still under the yoke of colonialism and apartheid and today it is gratifying to note that the continent has been liberated from all forms of subjugation.
“We all know that the last 50 years have been fraught with so many challenges, but through it all we are proud of our achievements,” Ms sikaneta said.
She said the summit will look at the successes scored and the challenges still being faced as the continent tries to develop.
‘’It will be an opportunity to rebrand Africa and take it to the next level,” She said.
Other programmes on President Sata’s agenda will include the 10th Heads of State UN reform meeting which Zambia is a member, the 19th summit of the African Peer Review forum (APRM) and the 29th session of the NEPAD Heads of State and government orientation committee meeting.
President Sata will also attend the African leaders’ malaria alliance to review the progress made in combating malaria on the continent which will be concluded with landmark proclamation of the 50th Anniversary of the OAU/AU. The proclamation is a vision for Africa in the next 50 years.
Besides being a partner of nations which pioneered the formation of the African Union, Zambia was the chosen host of the transformation of the Organisation of the African Union into the African Union in 2001 at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre.
Meanwhile, First Republican President, Kenneth Kaunda, is this weekend expected to be hounoured by the African Union (AU) for his immense and selfless contribution to the liberation of Southern Africa.
Dr Kaunda is one of the founding fathers of what used to be called the Organization of African Unity, (OAU) which led to the liberation of the African continent.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Susan Sikaneta, says honouring of Dr Kaunda will be part of the activities to Celebrate 50 years of the African Union existence from inception when it was Organization of African unity (OAU).
Mrs sikaneta said honouring Dr Kaunda will be a great honour for Zambia. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday 25th of May which is Africa Freedom Day during the Golden Jubilee celebrations, after which Dr Kaunda will address the gathering on the topic ‘’back in time”.
Dr Kaunda will also address an African youth and children’s integrated forum which will constitute an opportunity for intergenerational exchange, where young people will interact with current leaders and some of those who founded the OAU like, Dr Kaunda .
In addition to his efforts in Zambia, Dr Kaunda was in the forefront of the efforts to liberate all of Africa, serving as the President of the Pan African Freedom Movement for east, central and southern Africa (pafmesca) in 1962 and as chairman of the Organization of the African of African unity (OAU) from 1970 to 1973.
Dr Kaunda also played key roles in the mitigation of territorial disputes between Kenya and Somalia and the liberation movements in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) in Eastern province has urged government to extend the removal of similar allowances from officers in other ministries to ensure a full clean-up of civil servants’ payroll system.
AVAP Regional Coordinator, Maumba Ngoma said there were a lot of workers in other ministries apart from education who were getting allowances which they did not deserve on their salaries.
In a statement dated 21st May, 2013 made available to ZANIS in Chipata yesterday, Mr Ngoma said the stance taken by government so far to remove some allowances from teachers’ salaries should be commended by all well meaning Zambians.
He said this was not a new trend as the Pensions Association in the region was also asking its members to submit their details so that ghost pensioners were removed from the system.
“What government is doing is to ensure that public funds are protected and the clean-up system should be extended to other ministries,” Mr Ngoma said.
He noted that some government workers such as those in the judiciary, education and health were getting rural hardship allowances which they were not entitled to as the areas where they were operating from were not rural but peri-urban areas.
Mr Ngoma observed that government was losing millions of Kwacha from payment of allowances to undeserving public servants adding that, the money could benefit the majority poor Zambians.
Last week the Ministry of Education removed double class and responsibility monthly allowances respectively from teachers’ salaries, a move which has sparked anger by the educationists.
Some Teachers’ Unions have urged government to expedite the cleaning of the payroll system of teachers to remove ghost workers so that deserving teachers could start receiving their allowances again.
Mulungushi University Great North Road main campus students have vowed not to sit for end of semester examinations until they are addressed by the government over several outstanding issues affecting their studies.
Academic Affairs Secretary Jessen Siamutwa told ZANIS yesterday that the union has since written to the government seeking to be addressed over a number of issues among them, the University’s infrastructural developments, students’ bursaries and the removal of subsidies on fuel and maize.
Mr Siamutwa said the students are deeply disturbed and that they have therefore resolved to boycott examinations that commenced on Monday 20th 2013 until they get answers on the prevailing issues from Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba.
And construction material and other items worthy over Sixty thousand (KR60,000) rebased was yesterday gutted at the campus under unknown circumstances, allegedly to be in connection with the students reaction over the prevailing issues.
Ten people have been seriously injured when a Lusaka bound mini bus collided head on early today with an oncoming truck at Demu area on the Choma-Monze highway.
Pemba District Commissioner Reginald Mugoba who confirmed the accident to ZANIS in Choma this morning said 10 of the eighteen passengers on board the mini bus sustained serious injuries.
Mr Mugoba said four others including the driver of the truck were also injured in the accident that occurred around 01.30 hours.
There were three female passengers travelling on the truck and, all the injured were rushed and admitted to Choma general hospital.
According to Mr Mugoba, preliminary investigations by Pemba police have revealed that the mini-bus was being driven by an unlicensed conductor who was allowed to drive while the driver slept.
He said police have established that the unlicensed driver of the mini bus lost control after the oncoming truck flashed full beam.
Mr Mugoba said Pemba police had a tough time organising transport to rush the injured to hospital because the station does not have transport.
The District Commissioner has appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to seriously consider allocating transport to Pemba police.
The National Restoration Party (NAREP) has described yesterday’s violent attack meted on Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) officials by some Patriotic Front (PF) cadres as an unacceptable reminder of the notorious vigilantes of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) era.
In yesterday’s PF attack, MMD’s Bowman Lusambo who was among others that were attacked, disclosed at a press briefing that when he was apprehended by the PF mob he was allegedly beaten, threatened with death and forced to support the PF government’s decision to lift subsidies on fuel and maize.
NAREP National Secretary Jevan Kamanga said that the assault on Mr. Lusambo by PF cadres must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by the PF leadership and all right thinking Zambians.
In statement released to Qfm Rev. Kamanga also noted that silence on the part of the PF will confirm the widely held suspicion that this violence is being conducted with the full blessing of the senior-most leadership of the ruling Party.
Rev. Kamanga has charged that Zambia cannot have a situation in which such levels of political intolerance are accepted by those who have been tasked to offer leadership to the nation.
He said his party NAREP demands that the full measure of the law is applied in order to restore order and sanity to the country’s badly deteriorating political environment.
The NAREP National Secretary has since appealed to the PF government to investigate the alleged ruthless attack meted on MMD members by the PF cadres and facilitate bringing to book the people alleged to have abducted and assaulted Mr. Lusambo.
Freedom Way in Lusaka was yesterday a scene of running battles between Police and Bus drivers.The chaos was sparked off after Police beat up a minibus driver who later abandoned his bus on Freedom Way.Angry bus drivers and call boys protested by blocking the road further by dumping bricks and logs alongside the stationary bus.
The angry mob shouted anti Police slogans and others expressed their anger on the removal of maize and fuel subsidies by Government.Business came to a standstill as shop owners closed their shops in fear of possible looting.
The crowd later turned violent and started throwing stones at the police who had arrived at the scene and were trying to move the stationary bus off the road.The Police in turn fired blanks and teargas canisters to disburse the mob.
“We wont allow police to brutalize us on top of getting money through their ‘fake’ check points, they were just fortunate today ,” said one bus driver.
The situation returned to normal a few minutes after the police successfully removed the stationary bus off the road though many shoppers were left choking with teargas.
FORMER Republican President Rupiah Banda’s son, Andrew said that he came to know the Locci family around 2006 way before his father became president and that the issue of giving him two percent for any services rendered to the company started way back.
Opening his defence before Chief Resident Magistrate Joshua Banda yesterday, Andrew refused soliciting and receiving 2% gratification from Fratelli Locci, an Italian company contracted by Zambia Road Development (RDA) Agency.
Andrew Banda vehemently denied soliciting and receiving the money from Fratelli and said at no time did he influence the awarding of a contract to Fratelli.
“Your honor I played no role at RDA and no official from RDA came in this witness box and stated that I prevailed on them that they should give this contract to Fratelli Locci because I am the son of the president.” Andrew said.
[pullquote]Your honor I played no role at RDA and no official from RDA came in this witness box and stated that I prevailed on them that they should give this contract to Fratelli Locci because I am the son of the president[/pullquote]
Andrew who equally denied receiving $US25, 000, K30 million and K20,000 from Fratelli Locci as payment towards the two percent agreement said the monies were paid to AB Logistics for services the company had rendered to Fratelli and not to him personally because he was a private individual and not a company.
Andrew explained that when he was appointed to be first secretary for political and administration in Rome, Locci and his family approached him in his private capacity to consult on their intentions to do business in Zambia.He said even the times when he was invited by the Loccis to visit Morocco to go and see their investments, he never drew air tickets and allowances from the embassy because he was doing all those things in his private capacity.
“ I am surprised that I am standing here as a receiver without a giver because the person who is alleged to have given me that two percent denied having done so” Andrew said.
Andrew also told the court that that he intended to sue Fratelli Locci for the failure to pay him his two percent for consultancy services because as far as he was concerned he had not been paid for the services rendered Fratelli Locci in his private capacity.
This is in a matter Andrew is charged with corrupt practices. Andrew, 53, now a farmer of Chasimpa Farm in Chipata, is charged with one count of soliciting two per cent gratification amounting to K171 million on all payments made by RDA on current and future road construction projects contrary to the law.
Andrew said he would seek legal redress on how to proceed on payment which Fratelli Locci has not paid thus far for services rendered to the firm.
He said among the services that he rendered to Frateli Loci were setting up an office, consultancy on business investment in Zambia and when doing all those things, he was using his personal money which he was entitled to be paid.Trial continues today
Green Eagles made their intentions of bouncing back to the Super Division known on Sunday when they opened a six point lead at the top of the FAZ Division One South despite recording a draw.
Eagles went six points clear off second placed Lusaka City Council after settling for 1-1 draw with Lusaka Dynamos to amass 26 points.
LCC who have 20 points were on Sunday held to a goalless draw by visiting Livingstone Pirates at Nationalist Stadium in Lusaka.
Nakambala Leopards dropped into third place following their 1-0 defeat at Panza Chiefs.
Panza’s first win of the season aided them to move two places up from the bottom of the table.
Elsewhere, City of Lusaka maintained their uninspiring form as Riflemen stunned them 1-0 in the Lusaka derby.
Division One South teams have played ten games each so far in the season.
Kalusha Bwalya has recounted that it was not easy for him to retire from active football.
The ex-Chipolopolo skipper officially announced his retirement in 2001 before coming out briefly to score a lone goal in Zambia’s 1-0 win over Liberia in a 2006 World Cup qualifier in Lusaka in 2005 when he was national team coach.
In his latest Forbes Magazine column, Kalusha said he was lucky to last long in football.
“I was fortunate to prolong my career past 40 years and did so because of my love for the game.
“I am very proud of the fact that I scored my last international goal at the age of 41 in a World Cup qualifier against Liberia (2005),” wrote the ex-PSV Eindhoven striker.
The FAZ president added: “It was a difficult thing to give up and I always said that when I was no longer as asset to my team on the field, I would call it quits. It was a sad day when I did, but I have managed to create a different life for myself now, where I am still in the game and still helping it to develop.”
“For that I am thankful. It was a lot of hard work to do though and required dedication and sacrifice and not everybody has that in them.”
Kalusha is said to have begun his career in 1979 with Mufulira Blackpool.
US Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storrela follows proceedings during the post elections thank giving prayers
UNITED States Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella says the recent removal of maize subsidies in Zambia is justified because both the Government and farmers could have suffered serious financial repercussions in future had the trend continued.
Meanwhile, The World Bank says removal of subsidies will give the Government an opportunity to realign public resources to meet the country’s development goal of achieving inclusive growth.
Mr Storella said the Zambian Government had to make a correct and hard decision to remove maize subsidies because the country could not afford to keep subsidizing one crop at a huge cost.
He wished the Government great success in ensuring that Zambian farmers diversify by focusing on growing different crops besides maize to provide better nutrition and have steady incomes.
Mr Storella was speaking in an interview in Livingstone after he toured vegetable fields for Nsongwe Women’s Association funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“I don’t want to comment on specifics of the proposals but I want to say that maize subsidies could not continue because soonner or later the Government could have gone bankrupt and farmers were also going to be bankrupt.
“You can’t just keep subsidizing maize forever. Your Government right now is making hard decisions on agriculture and it should be supported,” Mr Storella said.
He said Zambians should not just rely on one crop but it should embrace crop diversification to enhance food security.
“If you rely on one crop and suddenly there is a crop failure in a particular year, then you will have nothing to eat. I really wish Government great success. What we really hope to see in the future is that Zambian farmers will have more and different crops which will bring about better nutrition and better income,” he said.
Mr Storella said a long time ago when Europeans came to Zambia, they brought maize and most Zambians currently thought that it was a normal thing for everyone to eat maize.
And World Bank country director for Zambia Kundhavi Kadiresan said the removal of subsidies would allow the Government to realign public resources to meet its development goals of inclusive growth but would not in itself translate into poverty reduction.
In a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday, Ms Kadiresan said there was a consensus within the country that the Zambian economy needed to diversify from its dependence on copper and to tap the enormous potential of the agriculture sector.
“Some of the ways that savings generated through subsidy reform could benefit poor farmers include investments in rural feeder roads to improve access to markets, livestock disease control, small-scale irrigation, agricultural research and extension and other support for relatively neglected agricultural products such as cassava, tobacco, cotton, and aquaculture,” she said.
Ms Kadiresan said the public was rightly concerned that the savings need to be used strategically with the poor in mind.
She said there was need for the Government to communicate its intentions and spell out in concrete terms what the benefits for the poor would be so that the population was convinced and can hold the Government accountable.
Ms Kadiresan said in case of fuel the Government should work towards improving the efficiency of the fuel supply system consisting of fuel imports, transportation and processing saying that more competition in the wholesale supply of fuel could bring prices down at the pump as happened in the case of the telecommunication industry in Zambia.
Ms Kadiresan said a well thought-out use of savings generated by the removal of subsidies could not only mitigate the impact on the poor but also create opportunities for growing out of poverty.
Recently the Government made two policy decisions -removal of the fuel and maize subsidies to millers–with the stated intention of redirecting resources towards the poor.
This has generated considerable debate since the reforms have the potential to create significant impact on Zambia’s development and affect large sections of society.
The fuel subsidy has for years kept fuel prices artificially low and masked several inefficiencies in the wholesale fuel supply chain.
In 2012 the Government spent about KR 750 million on fuel subsidy and the estimated cost in 2013 would have been in excess of KR 1100 million.
The agriculture subsidies that account for more than 60 per cent of the agriculture budget have directed scarce public resources to two large programmes, FISP and FRA that together cost the Government over KR 2 billion in 2012.
FORMER Zambian High Commissioner to Nigeria George Mpombo apologised to Chief resident Magistrate Joshua Banda for temporally abandoning his theft by public servant and forgery case.
When he appeared after the police executed a bench warrant issued against him Mpombo yesterday said like any other person he was not above the Law and that the mix up and the subsequent issuing of the bench warrant against him was due to miscommunication.
In this case, Mpombo, who is former defence minister is charged with theft by public servant, forgery and uttering a false document involving K18 million (KR 18,000).
The court in its ruling placed Mpombo on his defence but could not proceed claiming that he had relied on his lawyer Abraham Mwansa as well as his sureties on any updates concerning his case.
Mpombo said he flew into the country on two occasions but that he had mixed up dates for the trial.
“ I want to state that no man is above the Law in this country if people are going to willfully disregard the court then it will lead to jungle existence, there was a total mix up of dates, I did not stay away willfully, Iam a Law abiding citizen and I tender my apologies to the court,” he said.
Mpombo said the other reason why he could not respond to the bench warrant on time was because he was recalled recently but could not return on time as he was still waiting for transport arrangements to come back from Nigeria.
“My sudden recall which created brouhaha in the minds of the people meaning I was in a state of confusion on my part which I needed to settle before coming since I had already received a letter from ministry of foreign affairs requesting me to come back,” he said.
And Magistrate Banda accepted his apologise and sympathized with him over the miscommunication with his lawyer and sureties.
“I have heard your explanation and the predicament you have found yourself into, this is a serious miscommunication issue but ensure that next time such does not occur because the case has delayed,” he said.
The matter has been adjourned to May 31, 2013 this year for opening of defence.
United States Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella riding a bike on a 20 km stretch from Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport to Nsongwe in Livingstone to promote international tourism, economic growth, and wildlife conservation in Zambia and Zimbabwe
THE United States ambassadors to Zambia and Zimbabwe today began a three-day cross-border bike ride between the two countries to promote tourism.
Ambassadors Mark Storella and Bruce Wharton, the US envoy to Zimbabwe were joined by diplomatic staff and celebrities from both countries including comedian Carl Joshua Ncube, ZiFM DJ Lorraine Bgoya and the reigning Miss USA Nana Meriwether, who is currently visiting Zambia.
Ahead of the expedition, Ambassador Wharton said: “Zimbabwe and Zambia share one of the great natural wonders of the world: Victoria Falls.
“With spectacular landscapes and wildlife, this area is truly a world treasure and should be protected and nurtured for future generations from every country to cherish. It is also the foundation for a growing eco-tourism industry that can and should create jobs and bring development to the people of the area.”
The bike ride is being held to highlight the economic and conservation merits of tourism in the area ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly set to be held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and Livingstone, Zambia, in August this year.
According to the Zimbabwe Tourism Association, Americans make up the largest group of non-African international tourists to Zimbabwe.
The diplomats and their celebrity cyclists began the ride in Zambia today and will finish on the Zimbabwe side of the Victoria Falls on Thursday.
Along the route, the two diplomats and their group will visit the national parks on both sides of the border, learning about snare clearing and endangered vultures, and meeting with disabled handicraft makers.
They will also meet local government officials, tour a U.S. government-funded family planning clinic, and visit the medical clinic that assists American tourists in the unfortunate need of medical evacuation.
Zimbabwe and Zambia will co-host the 20th UNWTO General Assembly from August 24-29 in Victoria Falls and Livingstone.
This is only the second time that Africa will host the UNWTO General Assembly, after Senegal in 2005.
