A Witness has told the Luanshya magistrate’s court that six balls wrapped in paper of suspected marijuana were found in the vehicle belonging to famous Airtel sponsored musician, Moses Wisely Chibambo popularly known as ‘Dandy Crazy.’

Paul Chipasa, 39, an Assistant Security Officer at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in Ndola testified before Luanshya magistrate Edward Banda yesterday.

This is in a case in which Chibambo is charged with unlawful use of property contrary to the Laws of Zambia.

Chabambo was in March this year convicted by the same court for trafficking in marijuana upon his admission of guilt and he is currently serving an 18 months suspended sentence.

In this case, the convict on march 6 this year was alleged to have unlawfully used un-registered Toyota Progress by trafficking in a psychotropic substance namely marijuana a herbal product of cannabis sativa without authority.

Mr Chipasha testified that the accused on the date in question was seen disembarking from the vehicle that was parked at Bottoms Ups Night Club in Luanshya where the substance was found.

He said he and his colleague from DEC had received information from patrons within the area that the ‘donchi kubeba ‘ singer was trafficking in Marijuana.

In his testimony, Chipasha said the accused was approached at the same Club where he was found sited with his friend and that upon greeting him, the accused looked uneasy.

“We later asked him to accompany us to our vehicle, and while we were there, the accused was interviewed by my colleague. He then declared two balls of Marijuana wrapped in a brown paper and money from his pocket,” he said.

He told the court they later moved out from the place using his vehicle because their presence had attracted attention from his fans around the area.

Mr Chipasha said six balls suspected marijuana wrapped in a brown paper was found on the roof part inside the vehicle together with his driver’s licence.

He said some vegetable particles suspected to be marijuana were also found on the dash board in the same vehicle.

Another Witness, Crispin Mulenga, 34, an Assistant Security Officer at DEC told the court that six balls were found in the vehicle.

Magistrate Banda adjourned the case to June 24 and 28 for written submissions from both the defence lawyers and the State respectively and set July 10 this year as date for ruling.

Chibambo is represented by two Lusaka based lawyers,Arnod Chikoli and Paul Mulenga from P. Mulenga and Associates.

Road Development Agency (RDA) Director and Chief Executive Officer Bernard Chiwala has dispelled assertions that the procedure in awarding contracts under the Link Zambia-8000 Road project is marred with corruption.dispels

Mr.Chiwala has maintained that there has been no contract awarded irregularly since ever since he took over office as RDA Chief Executive Officer.

Speaking when he inspected the procured earth moving equipment for the Pave Zambia 2000 project, in Lusaka today, Mr. Chiwala says the awarding of road contracts by the agency is done in the most transparent manner with the Anti-Corruption Commission being part of the tender awarding process.

Mr. Chiwala has also disclosed to journalists that so far the agency has spent about sixty five million Kwacha rebased to buy equipment to be used in the Pave Zambia-2000 project to be implemented across the country.

He says of the procured equipment so far, thirteen Front-End-Loaders, fifteen Water Bowsers, fifteen Rollers, fifteen Motor Graders, and fifteen Low Bed Trailers and Trucks horses have arrived in the country and that thirty Tipper Trucks are on the way.

The Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) has identified schools as being the key components that could boost the campaign for Total Sanitation for Mkushi district.

National Trainer for CLTS, Moses Mutoka issued this statement to ZANIS when he facilitated for the School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) program at Mkushi’s Council Motel today.

Mr Mutoka explained that the essence of the School Led sanitation campaigns is aimed at preparing schools to be agents of triggering off hygiene related behaviour change in the communities.

He said that to this effect, the CLTS had embarked on a program to train some personnel from the school fraternities on matters related to the Total Sanitation efforts.

He said that this Trainer of Trainers (TOT) program was being piloted in Mkushi and Kapiri districts.

Mr Mutoka pointed out that the quest to attain Open Defecation Free (ODF) status was amongst the prime focus areas for this program, adding that the practice of Open Defecation posed a health challenge to the communities.

He said that the program had the full endorsements of government through the Ministries of Local Government as well as Education and was being sponsored by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

He explained that the schools fraternity had the potential to make a positive impact to the quest to attain ODF status, saying that schools had proved to be ideal platforms to effect behaviour change.

Mr Mutoka maintained that the major challenge that inhibited the success of sanitation campaigns was the mindset of residents.

He said that interventions such as the School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) were designed to influence a change of attitude towards bad hygiene practices such as Open Defecation, as well as encourage basic hygiene practice such as washing of hands after toilet use.

He revealed that to add some permanency to this program, the SLTS had been designed to culminate into the formation of sanitation committees with representation at schools as well as at District Education Board (DEBS) level.

Mr Mutoka elaborated that the TOT programs had contained theoretical as well as practical exposures that helped to enhance knowledge on the harmful effects of bad hygienic practice such as Open Defecation.

He said that in one of the field tours, the CLTS had taken some participants on a tour to a named farm in Mkushi’s Commercial Farm Block area.

He said that it was saddening to learn that management at this farm had not constructed a toilet in the workers compound which housed about 1000 workers.

Mr Mutoka also disclosed that, management of this farm did not accord any priority towards maintaining a clean surrounding for the workers compound as the grass was never slashed.

He said that owing to the combination of these factors, residents there practiced Open Defecation in the grass thickets that were close to the houses.

He stressed that SLTS was a useful intervention in such circumstances, explaining that all the children of school going age at this farm attended school at Farm Block school.

During a recent interview, District Medical Officer Rosemary Mwanza had confirmed the high incidence rate of diarrhea related cases in areas such as Munshibemba, Nkumbi and Tembwe Wards.

Dr Mwanza had mentioned that although diarrhea related cases were generally common in other parts of the district, the incidence rate in these areas that encompassed the Farm Block was amongst the highest in the district.

ZANIS

Outspoken Catholic Priest Father Frank Bwalya has charged that President Michael Sata is president by default.

Speaking when he featured on 5FM’s ‘The Burning Issue’ this morning, Fr Bwalya said that President Sata became president because Zambians wanted to get rid of the MMD at all costs because of the sufferings they were subjected under President Rupiah Banda’s leadership.

Fr Bwalya said that Zambians were prepared to vote for President Sata despite the smear campaign by the MMD based on his past political history.

He said that had someone else taken over from within the MMD after the death of former president Levy Mwanawasa and done a good job, President Sata would not have been president by now.

And Fr Bwalya who appeared to have toned down his criticism of the PF said he still supports the ruling party and President Michael Sata.

He said that he is forming a political party as another way of supporting the PF through constructive criticism.

He said that the best way to support the PF is by providing checks and balances so that they deliver on the promises they made to the Zambian people.

And Fr Bwalya has advised President Sata to stop associating himself with people like National Revolution party president Cosmo Mumba because people will not take him seriously.

And Kabwata constituency member of parliament Given Lubinda has appealed to government to construct Kasama road as it was a major road which would help to link to other areas.

Mr. Sikazwe said that PF is a different government which will not allow its members to be involved in illegal activities.

He added that councilors should not issue illegal plots because it is not their role to issue plots to citizens.

Mr. Sikazwe said that he was saddened to note that areas like Chawama and Chalala had no land left to put up developmental infrastructure such as schools and health centers.

ZANIS reports that the Provincial minister was speaking in Kabwata constituency yesterday during a tour of Lusaka District.

He said that some townships have built houses in roads making it difficult for government to rehabilitate the road network.

Mr. Sikazwe noted that such situations should be avoided because government is put in an awkward situation of buying houses from people so that they demolish in order to construct infrastructures.

He said that people should work with government in order to bring development in the country.

And Kabwata constituency member of parliament Given Lubinda has appealed to government to construct Kasama road as it was a major road which would help to link to other areas.

He said that developmental project will not only benefit the people of Kabwata but the country at large.

Mr. Lubinda said when the road is worked on it will help to decongest some roads that connect to town centre.

He said it was important to control sanity in the area because it was a fast growing constituency in Lusaka district.

Mr. Lubinda further appealed to government to deploy police officers to Mary Mwango police post because it was ready for occupancy.

He said that the infrastructure will be vandalized if it remains an occupied adding that the citizens where living in danger due to lack of police officers.

Mr. Lubinda assured people of Kabwata constituency that a lot of offices are coming to maintain order in the constituency.

ZANIS