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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.
Business came to a standstill at Lusaka town centre along Freedom Way when angry bus drivers and other sympathizers blocked the road with a stationary bus, concrete blocks and tree branches in protest against police officer’s alleged assault on a fellow driver.
The angry mob shouted anti-traffic Police slogans while others took advantage of the confusion to air their opinions on the removal of maize and fuel subsidies by Government.
Shops near to the scene were closed in fear of possible looting in the mix of the confusion though an hour later, police in riot gear arrived on the scene to try and calm the situation.
However, the crowd turned violent and started throwing stones at the police who were trying to move the stationary bus off the road, forcing the police to fire blanks and teargas canisters to disburse the unruly crowd.
“We wont allow police to brutalize us on top of getting money through their ‘fake’ check points, they were just fortunate today (yesterday),” said one bus driver who preferred anonymity.
The situation returned to normal a few minutes after the police successfully towed the stationary bus off the road leaving many shoppers choked with teargas.
By press time, police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela could not be reached for a comment as her phone went unanswered.
The Law Association of Zambia has confirmed that High Court Justices Charles Kajimanga and Nigel Mutuna are well within their rights to challenge the constitutionality of the Chikopa Tribunal.
The two High Court Justice have again gone to court to challenge the constitutionality of the tribunal set up to probe their conduct and that of Supreme Court Judge Philip Musonda.
LAZ Honorary Secretary Linda Kasonde said the two Justices are entitled to commence the said proceedings as contained in the court action commenced by them.
“We confirm that we have had sight of the court documents. Without commenting on the merits and demerits of the action, the Council of the Law Association of Zambia wishes to confirm that Justices Charles Kajimanga and Nigel Mutuna are well within their rights and are entitled to commence the said proceedings to challenge the constitutionality of the Tribunal as contained in the court action commenced by them,” she said.
Ms. Kasonde further confirmed that the State as represented by the Attorney General is equally entitled to oppose the application if they so wish.
She said the association has been inundated with numerous press queries concerning the judicial review proceedings commenced by the two Justices challenging the constitutionality of the Chikopa tribunal set up by President Sata.
Ms. Kasonde has since advised members of the public not to speculate on the matter but to allow the courts of law to handle the matter without fear or favour.
Mpulungu, May 21, 2013, ZANIS—The Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) in Mpulungu has condemned the removal of special responsibility and double class allowances by government.
In an interview today, ZNUT district secretary Amos Chileshe said teachers in the district had received the news with displeasure especially that government had not given valid reasons warranting the removal.
Mr Chileshe claimed that the action was illegal because the allowances were budgeted for adding that the action would subject teachers to harsh conditions.
He further added that the action had no justification and was de – motivating to the hard working teachers.
Mr Chileshe has appealed to government to consider rescinding the decision as the removal of the allowances was sending a wrong signal to the deserving teachers.
Most teachers in the district have complained that there had been a reduction in their take home pay after special responsibility and double class allowances were removed from their pay checks as indicated on their May, 2013 payslips.
Mr Chileshe however added that the teachers’ union would soon engage the government to establish why allowances the budgeted for allowances could have been be removed.
Meanwhile, government explained its decision to remove the allowances as a measure aimed at cleaning the system invaded by ghost teachers.
Opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has challenged President Michael Sata to rescind the decision to lift fuel and maize subsidies or resign from being head of state.
MMD president Nevers Mumba says it is immoral and hypocritical for the PF government to continue implementing capitalist policies when they draw up a socialist contract with the Zambian people before forming government.
Dr. Mumba has charged that if the PF wants to govern the country with a type of governance that leans to that of capitalism contrary to what it promised the Zambia people to govern with, it should call for a general election and ask the Zambian people to vote for it on a different platform and contract.
Dr. Mumba notes that the PF won the 2011 general election on the premise that it will implement socialist policies that will reduce the cost of living of the people but that the capitalist leaning it is embarking on is a deception that Zambian people should not accept.
The MMD president was speaking at press briefing in Lusaka this afternoon.
Meanwhile the MMD president has condemned in the strongest terms the harassing of MMD members by the PF cadres at Lusaka City Market this morning.
Dr. Mumba has expressed sadness with the continued attempt by the ruling PF to try to stifle the expression of the Zambian people through the practice of violent politics as was exhibited today when a mob of PF cadres pounced on four MMD officials.
And one of the MMD members that was harassed bowman Lusambo has confirmed having been abducted for about one, a period in which he was forced to support government’s move to lift fuel subsidies.
Government has procured over 200 ambulances and medical equipment that will be distributed to all hospitals and other health facilities throughout the country.
Deputy Minister of Health Christopher Mulenga has disclosed that the 202 ambulances, utility vehicles and medical equipment will start arriving in the country by June this year..
Mr. Mulenga explained that the acquisition of ambulances and other equipment was aimed at enhancing referral health services and efficiency in the delivery of health services throughout the country.
He said this after touring the newly constructed Choma General Hospital in Choma District of Southern province today.
Mr. Mulenga, who is also Patriotic Front (PF) Chinsali Central Member of Parliament, further explained that ambulance will assist the country to expeditiously deal with medical emergency services especially accidents and other related medical complications.
He noted that most of the victims that have died in the recent road accidents would have survived if the country had an efficient emergency medical response system.
He said preliminary findings by his ministry revealed that most of the victims died from bleeding and would have survived had the medical personnel arrived at the accident scene on time.
And Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe has commended President Michael Sata for deciding that out of the 650 health posts that will be constructed under the India credit facility, 99 should in Southern province.
Mr. Munkombwe said the people of Southern Province were grateful to President Sata for allocating the highest number of health posts to the region despite the PF party failing to win a seat in the 2011 tripartite elections.
He has since implored Zambians not judge the province by the behaviour of some named politicians who come from the region.
Meanwhile, outgoing Southern Province Medical Officer, Lutangu Alisheke has disclosed that phase one of the constructions of Gwembe and Kalomo district hospitals has begun.
Dr. Alisheke said the contractors for the two projects have already started civil works while the Ministry of Health was yet to select a contractor to start the construction of Kazungula district hospital.
He explained that construction works for Kazungula district hospital have delayed due to protracted debates on the proposed site for the project.
Mr. Mulenga is in the province to check on new and ongoing construction works of health facilities.
He has since toured Mazabuka, Monze, Namwala, Choma and Kaloma districts in Southern Province following President Sata’s directive to ministers to regularly tour provinces to understand and appreciates the challenges of the people so that government can act accordingly.
People in Muwele area of Mpika district are reportedly drinking methylated spirit following the banning of tujilijili alcohol by the Government which became so popular, especially among the youths.
The newly introduced methylated spirit has already claimed one life of a 16-year-old boy of Moolo village within Muwele area in Lukulu Ward who was found dead in his small house.
Abel Chifita Junior died last month after exchanging his dry fish with methylated spirit from Copperbelt traders through batter system.
The incident was disclosed and confirmed by Lukulu Ward councillor, Webster Chishala, when the area Member of Parliament, Davies Mwango visited the area over the weekend to explain the development projects that have been approved by government for his constituency which will benefit the Muwele people.
Mr Chishala said Muwele area has a population of more than 12,000 people who earn their living through fishing, cultivating and selling of cannabis which he said has resulted in a lot of crimes.
He explained that Muwele is an old village set up which was established 40 years ago but that it is the worst neglected area, adding that from UNIP through MMD, the area has not seen any development.
Mr Chishala said the roads in the area have not been graded in a long time and there is no police to curb crime.
He said that murder cases in Muwele, which is about 200 km away from Mpika, are on the increase and that such cases are handled by village headmen whose judgements are done in a traditional way.
Meanwhile, area Member of Parliament, Davies Mwango, who is also Resettlement Scheme Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, assured the people of Muwele that the road from Chiundaponde turn-off to Muwele will soon be done.
Mr Mwango explained that the Chiundaponde-Muwele road is part of the link Zambia 8000 km project.
Muwele is one of the controversial villages found in Bangweulu wetlands bordering with Luapula, Province, Masaiti district of Copperbelt and Congo DRC.
