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Zambia has been handed a preliminary group stage bye going into Fridays 2013 Cosafa Castle Cup draw in Lusaka.
Zambia will instead enter the competition at the quarterfinal stage with six other top ranked countries.
South Africa, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and defender champions Zimbabwe will all enter the competition at the last eight stage on July 13.
However eight other countries will battle in two groups for the two quarterfinals spots up for grabs from July 6 to 11 in preliminary group games to be played at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka and Godfrey ‘Ucar’ Chitalu Stadium in Kabwe.
Botswana, Mauritius, Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho, Seychelles including guest teams Tanzania and Kenya will go into the group draws to be held at Southern sun Ridgeway starting at 18:00 on May 3.
Kenya and Tanzania have been seeded going into the draws.
Meanwhile the quarterfinal games too will be played in Lusaka and Kabwe while the losers will drop to the plate competition to be played at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe on July 16 and 18.
The semifinals and final will be played at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on July 17 and July 20 respectively.
Levy will also host the third and fourth playoff on July 20.
Solwezi East Member of Parliament, Richard Taima has with immediate effect resigned from the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) and joined the ruling Patriotic Front (PF).
Mr Taima who, is also Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, said he has decided to join the PF so that he could push for more developmental projects within the government unlike what he termed wearing two jackets.
Mr Taima announced his resignation during a press briefing held at his Hill View Lodge in Solwezi today.
He said by resigning from the MMD party, he has consequently relinquished his position as Member of Parliament for Solwezi East.
Mr Taima has since called on all political giants and traditional leaders in the province to consider getting close to work with the Patriotic Front for the common good of the province.
He said it is sad to note that during the September 2011 general elections the whole North-western province emerged as an opposition province as no single seat was given to the Patriotic Front.
Mr Taima said it is, therefore, unfair to expect President Michael Sata or the Patriotic Front in general to include people from a region of the country that did not provide him the primary source of human resource from which he can pick people to include in government.
He said Solwezi East Constituency has lagged behind in development because it has had more opposing members of parliament than those working with the government of the day thereby, resulting in having very little trickling in the constituency in terms of development.
Mr Taima, who was accompanied by over 150 people from his constituency who have defected to the ruling Patriotic Front, said the entire constituency is in support of his decision to join the ruling party because they are interested in seeing development.
Former Solwezi District Commissioner, Frobisher Fulayi and proprietor of Food 24 Restaurant, Frederick Foloshi, also announced their joining the ruling Patriotic Front.
In received, the defectors, PF Provincial Treasurer, Richard Kamboyi, assured Mr Taima the party leadership’s support to him and that they will offer massive support to him even during the campaigns so that he retains the seat.
Mr Kamboyi appealed to the party leadership in the province to be accommodative to all those that join them because they are contributing to the party’s growth.
Mr Taima becomes the second Member of Parliament in the province to resign from the opposition and join the ruling Patriotic Front after Mufumbwe Member of Parliament, Stephen Masumba, who did the same late last year.
President Michael Sata says the removal of the subsidy on petroleum products will enable the state to have more finances available for spending and guaranteeing proper implementation of all government programmes and projects.
The President said it is necessary that the subsidy on petroleum products, which has been a burden on state coffers for a long time, is removed and consequently the price of fuel adjusted upwards in order to attract wider social benefits for the general populace.
Mr Sata said in 2012 the treasury redirected resources amounting to KR 754 million from implementation of other programmes and activities in the budget to finance the fuel subsidy.
President Sata further noted that for the 2013 budget, government has already paid a sum of KR571.5million in fuel subsidies as at January 18, 2013, adding that an estimation of about K1.1 trillion will be paid in 2013 as subsidies if no adjustment is made to the price build up or the pump price.
This is contained in statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, George Chellah.
The President noted that people may wish to know that the estimated K1.1 trillion subsidy can go a long way in financing the construction of more than 100 new rural primary schools or over 120 new rural health centres to help the majority marginalised Zambians.
He further explained that the funds are diverted from expenditure on social sector and infrastructural development that if spent would have accelerated poverty reduction and employment creation especially for the youths.
Mr Sata said the removal of the subsidy will also make more finances available for spending and guarantee job creation and the development of the infrastructure such as schools, universities, hospitals as well as the Link Zambia 8000 project, which will open up the rural areas for increased trade and investment.
The Head of State added that the decision will also make funds available for the upgrading of Indeni Oil Refinery to enable it process pure crude oil which is cheaper to import and will result in cheaper imports by about US$10 million while providing other by – products to be used in plastic, road and fertiliser industries.
President Sata said he is confident that the overall short and long – term benefits to Zambians of this action outweighs, by far, any perceived negative consequences.
The President said in its pursuit to improve the livelihood of all Zambians, the PF government remains committed to ensuring that there is a transparent and equitable distribution of resources to all sectors to facilitate greater economic growth.
Meanwhile, President Sata is this Friday expected to flag off the commencement of the construction of the 61km Chalimbana road project, another project under the Link Zambia 8000, which will provide shorter route to the Leopards Hill road passing through Chiawa to Chirundu.
On the same day, the Head of State is also expected to lay a foundation stone for the construction of Chalimbana University which is a part of his vision to overhaul and develop the education system by increasing the number of public universities as espoused in the PF manifesto.
Government has decided to bury the 17 Chibombo road traffic accident victims in a Mass grave in Kabwe where all the deceased came from.
Briefing the press in Kabwe today, Central province Permanent Secretary Annie Sinyangwe said government in the province will take over the burden responsibility of burying the accident victims from their families.
Mrs Sinyangwe said the government authorities at the province have visited all the homes and identified the deceased who happened to have been all Kabwe residents and traders of the market, adding that the day they met their fate they were all going to Lusaka to order
merchandise for sale.
She said the burials which will take place on Saturday 4th May will be conducted by the government at the old St. Mary’s cemetery in Kabwe, after the church service to be conducted by the Zambia Army Chaplains and the Church mother bodies at Railways grounds where all mourners will assemble.
She said some families have requested to bury their deceased relatives elsewhere and that government will not restrain them from doing so, adding that the Municipal council has already issued the burial permits to all the families.
The Permanent Secretary welcomes everyone who wants to attend the burial to Kabwe and that for further details, they could contact Kabwe District Commissioner, Mr Patrick Chishala.
Earlier Kabwe District Commissioner who was accompanied by His worship the Mayor, Moses Mwansa, two Members of Parliament, Honorables Sydney Mushanga and James Kapyanga and the Councillors gathered in a meeting with the deceased families to discuss the funeral arrangements.
And Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit Regional Coordinator Ingribet Bondo said his office has given to each deceased family five 50 kilograms bags of mealie-meal, 10 litres of cooking oil, a 50 kg bag of Kapenta and 50 kg bag of beans to help out at the funeral.
On Tuesday 30th April, 17 people died in the traffic road accident which involved a Kabwe- Lusaka bound Mini bus in Chibombo district in Central province.
Secretary General of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Wynter Kabimba
Justice Minister Winter Kabimba says Zambia shall remain a democracy for now and in the future in accordance with the will and aspirations of the people.
Mr Kabimba noted that in order to attain that, the judiciary must be an instrument of social change and move along to fulfill the aspirations of people.
He said this when he officially opened a two day annual conference for the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) held at Zambezi Sun in Livingstone.
The justice Minister said the Law Association of Zambia as a professional body advocates has played a very important role in guarding the tenets of the legal profession and the professional conduct of its individual members.
He explained that government believes in strong civil societies who are a group of consultative partners to the government in the execution of its mandate to serve the people.
He said it is government’s desire to exchange views with civil society movement which is intent on promoting a locally driven agenda for the good governance in line with the social conditions.
“Civil society stand in a position which is in contrast with opposition political parties and are not in a political power contestation with the PF and government” he said.
Meanwhile Mr Kabimba has noted that the justice system must also respond to the social and economic inequalities predicated on the social conditions of the society if it has to win the confidence of the citizens it serves.
“It is unjust if the poor continue to languish in prison because their records of appeal have gone missing out of no fault of theirs but the justice system itself”, he pointed out.
He added that as lawyers attending the conference they should be determined to promote civil liberties and the rule of law in the country.
And LAZ President James Banda said the legal practioners act needs to be amended and that lawyers should conduct themselves in a professional manner.
Vice President Dr Guy Scott receives a gift from Oxfam Zambia Director Nellie Nyang’wa at the New Government Complex in Lusaka yesterday during the official opening of the Oxfam conference on Preparing Zambia to Create the Future
Reuters reports that South Africa’s foreign ministry said it summoned Zambia’s ambassador on Thursday after its vice president was quoted telling a British newspaper that South Africans were arrogant and “I hate” them.
Relations between Zambia and South Africa are normally cordial. But Vice President Guy Scott’s comments reflected the reality that many of South Africa’s neighbours feel they live in the shadow of its dominant economy, which makes up about two thirds of the GDP for southern Africa.
Scott told the Guardian newspaper: “The South Africans are very backward in terms of historical development.
“I hate South Africans … They really think they’re the bees’ knees and actually they’ve been the cause of so much trouble in this part of the world.”
He also likened President Jacob Zuma to FW de Klerk, leader of the apartheid government that ended in 1994.
South Africa, seeking a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, has been throwing its weight around the continent, with three overseas military deployments and a successful campaign to place a South African as the leader of the African Union.
Zambia and South Africa, two of Africa’s stronger democracies, have been working to make sure elections planned this year in Zimbabwe are held peacefully after a disputed 2008 poll caused a flood of refugees.
“South Africa has taken note of the negative remarks on South Africa attributed to Mr Guy Scott, the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia,” foreign ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said in a statement.
The spokesman said the ambassador had been summoned “… to seek an explanation behind the remarks and what it means in the context of our bilateral relations.”
Zambia’s High Commission in Pretoria said in a statement the two countries “enjoy very warm relations” and are “long standing partners in the liberation struggles.” It did not mention the summoning of its envoy.
Scott is one of Zambia’s more popular politicians. He became vice president after Michael Sata, nicknamed “King Cobra” for his sharp tongue, was elected president in 2011.
“I dislike South Africa for the same reason that Latin Americans dislike the United States. It’s just too big and too unsubtle,” he said.
Zambia was the main overseas base from the 1970s for the African National Congress, which now rules South Africa, when it was a liberation movement trying to oust the white-minority government.
Striker Jacob Phiri’s first half solitary goal propelled Kitwe United to a 1-0 win over visiting Bresmar United on Wednesday.
This was in a FAZ Division One North Week Seven match played at Garden Park Stadium in Kitwe.
Phiri tapped in from close range eight minutes before the break to register his fifth goal of the season.
Kitwe could have been up much earlier when defender Levy “Successor” Makungu’s 5th minute powerful shot hit the side net.
Meanwhile, this match started 30 minutes late after Bresmar arrived at Garden Park Stadium three minutes after 15:00 hours.
Kitwe have now collected 14 points in six matches and have a disputed match against Kansanshi Dynamos which coudn’t be played after Mufulira referee Amos Chalwe failed to travel to Solwezi last Saturday.
Elsewhere, promoted Grineker held Mufulira Wanderers to a goalless draw at Central Sports Grounds in Mufulira.
In Solwezi, Kansanshi Dynamos beat Alex Musungu’s Mufulira Blackpool 2-1.
NAREP leader Mr. Elias Chipimo has been arrested and formally charged for unlawful assembly in Kitwe.
Mr. Chipimo was on the Copperbelt to meet the party’s provincial and district officials.
He was in the company of the Vice President Charles Maboshe, National Chairman Joseph Mushalika and staff from the NAREP Secretariat in Lusaka.
Mr. Chipimo and other officials are being held at Kitwe Central Police.
Police in full riot gear descended upon a guest house where Mr. Chipimo was holding a strategic planning workshop for the Copperbelt Province executives.
In an interview from the police station, Mr. Mushalika said a police officer had approached Mr. Chipimo just when the meeting was about to start and requested for a permit before the meeting could proceed.
“We explained to the officer that we did not need a permit to hold an indoor meeting and the officer left and 30 minutes later we were informed that we had been surrounded by officers in riot gear,” Mr. Mushalika said.
“As we are speaking, the officers are taking a statement from Mr. Chipimo.”
Acting Central Province medical officer Abel Kabalo said by midday yesterday only four people had been identified out of the 17 who died in a tragic accident on Tuesday near Ibis Garden turn-off.
Residents have however continued to inspect the bodies at Kabwe General Hospital mortuary with the view of identifying the deceased.
Dr Kabalo said in an interview yesterday that he was hopeful that the remaining bodies would be identified before the end of the week.
Meanwhile, there was confusion at Kabwe General Hospital mortuary after word went round that 17 people had died in a road traffic accident involving a Kabwe minibus.
Quick action by the police saved the situation from degenerating into pandemonium.
A check by the Times of Zambia on Tuesday evening at the Kabwe General Hospital found several residents busy trying to identify the bodies with others openly wailing as they could not hold their emotions.
Health personnel had a tough time to control the situation and police had to be called in to help.
The accident occurred after a Lusaka-bound Toyota Hiace minibus collided with a Volvo truck around 06:00 hours on Tuesday after a tyre burst.
The Ministry of Local Government and Housing Community Development Officer, Paul Mbosha said over 80% of diseases in Zambia emanate from lack of access to improved sanitation.
According to the 2012 World Health Organisation (WHO) monitoring report, over six million people in Zambia live without access to toilets and improved sanitation.Out of these six million people, 2.5 million practice open defecation.
This came to light during a Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) workshop in Kapiri Mposhi at which 28 community pioneers drawn from across the district were trained to spearhead sanitation activities aimed at discouraging open defecation in their respective communities.
CLTS is a UNICEF funded approach which is aimed at encouraging and empowering local communities to stop open defecation (OD) and start building and using latrines.
[pullquote]Millions of people are still using bushes to defecate because they do not have toilets[/pullquote]
Mr. Mbosha said lack of access to improved sanitation contributes to the high prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases adding that there was need for local solutions and innovations aimed at enhancing sanitation and ending open defecation.
“Open defecation is not a reflection of poverty but a traditional practice which has continued to exceedingly contribute to the high cases of disease outbreaks such as cholera in our communities. We need effective public education so that people understand the hazards of open defecation,” Mr. Mbosha said.
He said Zambia risks not achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) No.7 which aims at reducing by half the number of people who don’t have access to basic sanitation if open defecation was not stopped.
“Millions of people are still using bushes to defecate because they do not have toilets. We need to sensitise people to build basic and affordable toilet structures if we are to achieve MDG number seven and reduce diarrheal diseases,” he stressed.
CLTS triggers the community’s desire for change and propels them into action to develop local solutions to improve sanitation in their localities.
And Kapiri Mposhi District Council Secretary Hamwende Mpande challenged the trained community CLTS pioneers to implement their acquired skills to address various sanitation challenges in their communities.
Mr. Mpande has since urged community leaders to persuade residents in their communities to construct and use toilets.
He also urged headmen to monitor sanitation change movements in their villages.
FILE: Patriotic Front cadres flashing Father Bwalya’s red card
Youths from the ruling PF held a street demonstration in Lusaka against Catholic Priest Fr. Frank Bwalya for allegedly insulting Michael Sata.
Youths led by their provincial leadership have since challenged the outspoken clergyman to come out in the open and state his true political ambitions.
Fr. Bwalya has fallen out grace with the PF government after he criticized its style of governance following his resignation as ZESCO Board Chairman.
But PF Lusaka Province Vice Youth Chairman Daniel Kalembe Fr. Bwalya should come out and organise a rally in Lusaka to prove his popularity.
“This man is deceiving himself that he is popular. The truth is that Fr. Bwalya’s red card campaign was only successful because it rode on the PF’s popularity during campaigns for the 2011 general elections,” Mr. Kalembe said.
[pullquote]“As youths we helped organise the red card campaign, we used our structures and today he wants to turn around and insult our President.”[/pullquote]
“As youths we helped organise the red card campaign, we used our structures and today he wants to turn around and insult our President.”
“Those crowds he saw were PF crowds,” he stated.
And PF Lusaka Province Youth Information and Publicity Secretary Stanley Chiumya vowed that youths in the party will not sit and watch Fr. Bwalya insult the party leadership.
“We are watching him and will follow him up wherever he sleeps,” warned Mr. Chiumya.
“This disgraced Priest should call for a public rally here in Lusaka and see how many people will turn up.”
During a live interview on Sunday on Muvi TV’s Assignment Programme, Fr. Bwalya said he could govern better than President Sata whom he accused of running the country without involving his colleagues.
Zambian coach is the third highest ranked coach from the Africa zone.
According to the Institute of Football Coaching Statistics, Renard is perched higher than Stephen Keshi who yanked the Africa Cup trophy from the Frenchman in South Africa.
Renard is at number 24 while Keshi is 27th with legendary Egyptian coach Hassan Shehata, who won the Africa Cup for The Pharaohs in 2006, 2008 and 2010, at 26.
Egyptian coach Bob Bradley is the top ranked coach from Africa in 5th place.
Guinea coach Michel Dussuyer, whom IFCS have wrongly labelled as Equatorial Guinea trainer, is second coach from Africa at number 19.
Meanwhile, Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque is number one followed by German trainer Joachim Low.
Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda, President Sata, First president Dr Kenneth Kaunda and acting Chief Justice Florence Mumba during the Labour Day commemoration at Freedom Statue in Lusaka
President Michael Sata has called on both public and private workers in the country to be dedicated to duty in order to develop Zambia economically.
President Sata said the Patriotic Front (PF) government will not tolerate lazy and malingering workers because government was in a hurry to develop the country.
Mr. Sata said this today when he officiated at the Labour Day celebrations at Freedom Statue in Lusaka.
He said this year’s labour day theme of “transforming the economy through job creation, labour law reforms, better conditions of service and improved work culture ‘’ was in line with the PF government’s manifesto.
He stressed that full and total commitment to work from both public and private employees would help develop Zambia to acceptable levels.
Mr. Sata stated that transforming the economy requires hard working and dedicated citizens and not lazy employees.
The Head of State emphasised that government was geared to achieve sustainable development, increased production, and job creation for the benefit of the Zambian people.
President Sata said for the past one and half years the PF government has been in power, it has made a lot of policy changes aimed at improving the economy which the MMD government failed to do despite having ruled the nation for 20 solid years.
Mr. Sata expressed that this year, government has raised the minimum wage for the lowest paid civil servant from K1.4 million to almost K3 million.
He said the increased wages for the lowest paid public workers was also in tandem with the food basket standards as calculated by the Central Statistical Office.
And Mr. Sata has said many developmental projects such as road expansion, infrastructure development in the health, education sectors were currently under way across the country.
On corruption, President Sata has reiterated that government will not relent in the fight against this scourge which he said was a cancer to the nation.
President Sata said those involved in diverting public resources for selfish gains will not be spared but dealt with severely.
Mr. Sata said former President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda never entertained corruption adding that people should emulate him for tirelessly working for the development of the country.
“Emulate people like the former head of state Dr. Kenneth Kaunda who worked tirelessly to develop Zambia at a time when things were difficult,” Mr. Sata said.
He also congratulated hard working workers in the country saying they were part of the team which is eager to develop their nation.
He added that hard working employees deserved to be rewarded for their dictation to duty.
