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The visiting Cosafa technical team on Thursday continued inspecting proposed match venues and other facilities for the 2013 Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup to be hosted by Zambia in July.
The team led by Cosafa chief operating officer Sue Destombes on Thursday inspected Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola and Kitwe’s Arthur Davies Stadium among other facilities.
The team accompanied by FAZ technical director Honour Janza visited Arthur Davies on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, the delegation met FAZ officials before inspecting Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka and other proposed facilities.
The revived Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup is scheduled to take place between 6 and 21 July.
Zimbabwe were the last winners of the regional championship in 2009.
Former President Rupiah Banda was today warned and cautioned by the Joint Investigative Team over his alleged involvement in the illegal acquisition of a piece of land in the prime Baobab area.
Joint Government Investigations Team Spokesperson Namukolo Kasumpa told Journalists in Lusaka that Mr. Banda was today warned and cautioned on the acquisition of the Baobab land.
“The former President was interviewed this morning under warn and caution over the acquisition of land in Baobab area,” Mrs. Kasumpa said.
Mrs Kasumpa however failed to give details on the next date of questioning attributing this to Mr. Banda’s pending courts cases.
“We communicate through the media the next dates for further questioning once we have agreed on the dates with his lawyers.”
The Former President arrived at the DEC offices around 10:15 for questioning that lasted closed to three hours.
He however opted not to speak to Journalists after the questioning session and quickly sped off.
Acting President Edgar Lungu has said that he is honoured to have been appointed Acting Republican President in the absence of President Michael Sata.
Mr. Lungu confirmed that he will be in charge of state affairs for the entire duration of President Sata’s absence.
“It is a remarkable honour for me, I feel humbled by the magnitude of the responsibility bestowed upon me to serve the people of Zambia,” Mr. Lungu said by phone.
He said, “The appointment is humbling and I’m grateful to his Excellency for allowing me to make my humble contribution to service of nation at this capacity.”
President Sata left the country for China Wednesday evening aboard Emirates Airlines along with Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda and Commerce Minister Emmanuel Chenda and other senior government officials.
Collins Mbesuma warmed up for Zanaco with a goal for Pirates on Wednesday night in the South African PSL.
Mbesuma was on target in the 4th minute with a sweet strike in Pirates 1-1 away draw at Amazulu in Durban.
His goal was only his fifth in the Premiership this season and had a couple of more chances in the 77 minute he was on the pitch for Pirates.
The Zambia striker was later replaced by Zimbabwean striker Takesure Chinyama.
Wednesday’s draw comes just three days before they hosts Zanaco in a Caf Champions League first round, return leg match at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg leading 1-0 away from the first leg in Lusaka on March 16.
Mbesuma, who was not on target in that first leg match, played for 70 minutes against Zanaco.
Meanwhile, Zanaco’s 18-member team left Lusaka for Johannesburg today.
Zanaco must win the match by 2-0 to advance to the second round of the tournament.
Team:
Goalkeepers: Racha Kola, Allan Chibwe
Defenders: Mwelwa Sakala, Kunda Mushota, Potipher Zulu, Ziyo Tembo, Lee Ngoma, Steven Phiri, Fackson Kapumbu, Samson Chilupe
THE Lusaka High Court has ordered that former First Lady, Thandiwe Banda be allowed to lease out the apartments whose rental proceeds would exclusively be for servicing of a bank loan.
This is in a matter in which Ms Banda and Access Bank Zambia Limited have asked the court to order with costs, the reversal or vary the restriction notice placed by ACC on the Mpundu Trust Limited on Leopards Hill Road in Lusaka.
The judge ordered that Ms Banda should be permitted to lease out the 13 flats at property number F/488a/29/A Leopards Hill Road and copies of the lease agreements between her and would be tenants should availed to the ACC.
Mr Justice Sichinga ordered that all rental proceeds should be deposited in Mpundu Trust Account Number 011001129311 held at Access Bank main Branch in Lusaka.
“The proceeds of rentals deposited in the said account shall be exclusively channeled towards the paying back of the loan facility owed to the 2nd applicant, Access Bank Zambia Limited,” he said.
He also ordered that except for the proceeds of rentals servicing the loan facility, all excess funds should remain in the said account pending the outcome of investigations or criminal proceedings.
Mr Justice Sichinga refused to award damages as asked by Ms Banda and Access Bank occasioned by the restriction notice because his court had no power to do so but that the applicants could seek damages or other relief in a fresh action.
Mr Justice Sichinga, however, awarded costs to Ms Banda to be taxed in default of the agreement.
Ms Banda of Villa Number Three, Plot 2758 off Leopards Hill Road, New Kasama who had sued in her capacity as director of the project, wanted the court to award her damages for the loss of time on the project claiming she was the lawful owner of the property.
She had told the court that she had applied to Access Bank Zambia Limited for a loan of up to US$600,000 for the completion of the construction of the 12 residential properties.
She had argued that Mpundu Trust Limited was established in 2009 to look after the interests of her twins and their future education and health needs.
But ACC had contended that their investigations were still ongoing and that Ms Banda was ‘highly’ likely to face criminal charges and be prosecuted in connection with the seized apartments and the property could be used as exhibit in the courts of law.
Information and Broadcasting Deputy Minister, Mwansa Kapeya (c)
The Government has maintained that they have created 195 000 jobs since 2011. In a media statement signed by Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting Mwansa Kapeya and in response to the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, (JCTR), that Government has not created 195 000 jobs, the Deputy Minister urged the JCTR to be objective and give credit when, and where it is due, as opposed to wholesale criticism of the Government.
Below is the full media statement
Republic of Zambia
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services
STATEMENT BY HON. MWANSA KAPEYA, MP, DEPUTY MINISTER OF INFORMATION AD BROADCASTING SERVICES ON INSINUATIONS BY THE JCTR THAT THE PF GOVERNMENT HAS NOT CREATED ANY JOBS SINCE COMING INTO OFFICE IN 2011
The Patriotic Front Government has continued to make steady progress in job creation with over 195,000 jobs having been created in various sectors since coming into office in 2011.
The sectoral breakdown of the jobs is as follows:
Central Government 9,716; Local Government 5,257 and private sector 24,098 jobs. A further 5,510 new jobs have been actualized through the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) pledged investment as well as 5,858 new jobs have been approved for recruitment in the newly created districts around the country.
Furthermore, jobs created in the parastatal sector totalled 29,305 while those created in arts were 116,000 with real GDP having grown by 7.3% in 2012 compared with 6.8% in 2011.
It is therefore surprising that the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, (JCTR), for reasons best known to itself, has chosen to underplay the foregoing and other landmark achievements this Government has, and continues to score in uplifting the welfare of the Zambian people as espoused in its Party Manifesto.
JCTR is a well placed and well respected organization which we least expect to misguide the public on important national issues as reported in the media where its National Coordinator Mr Leonard Chiti is quoted as saying all the 195,000 have been created in the arts industry and that this is of little impact on poverty alleviation and elimination.
This is untrue and unfortunate and we wonder what criteria JCTR used to arrive at this assertion.
I wish to state, however, that this Government is under no illusion about the enormity of the developmental challenges it inherited from the previous Government. But it remains resolute, as demonstrated thus far, in creating a better Zambia for all by putting in place a conducive environment for sustainable economic growth, job and wealth creation.
It is therefore expected of JCTR, as one of the leading civil society organisations in the country, to be objective and give credit when, and where it is due, as opposed to wholesale criticism of the Government.
Hon. Mwansa Kapeya, MP DEPUTY MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES
Riots have broken out in Katete in the Eastern Province with pupils from various schools looting shops in protest against the brutal murder of a Grade 12 female pupil last week in a suspected ritual killing.
Reports from Katete indicate that the Grade 12 pupil only identified as Naomi from Katete Day High School was last week brutally murdered as she was returning from her morning studies going home.
Pupils from various schools in Katete and Chipata were early this morning joined in by residents in setting ablaze various shops owned by suspects linked to the ritual murder of the teenage girl.
Police have been outnumbered by the protesting residents leaving one police officer with a broken leg.
Sources have disclosed that a shop known as Kaysons Wholesalers and another shop owned by an Indian have been set on fire.
Another shop called Mr Paris Shop belonging to a local businessman popularly known as Mr Paris who also owns Paris Lodge and many other shops in the district have been burnt to ashes.
Only PEP Stores and DAPP have been spared.
Police last week launched a man hunt for the killers and managed to nab one suspect who is alleged to have disclosed several names of local and Indian Businessmen involved in a string of ritual murders.
A parliamentarian yesterday laboured to convince experts and professionals on constitutional matters to consider a clause in the constitution that would bar Members of Parliament who cause unnecessary by- elections by resigning to join another political party.
Lubansenshi Independent Member of Parliament Patrick Mucheleka pleaded with delegates attending the sector groups convention in Lusaka to add
a clause that will stop defecting MPs from contesting by – elections and further bar them from being appointed into civil service as a way of
reducing on unnecessary by- elections.
The Law maker who is also part of the professionals and experts tasked to closely look at the representations of the people sector at the ongoing sector groups’ convention said some MPs are induced to defect from their political parties in order to take up positions in the civil service thereby causing by – elections.
He noted that by elections cost the country a lot of money which could be used on other developmental programmes but further noted that some
by – elections such as those that arise due to death are unavoidable.
And Chairperson of the group Francis Chigunta noted that the constitution provides for the holding of a by- election and that no article in the current constitution bars members who cause such from being appointed which he said could be stopped if an article or a clause is added to the existing articles to ensure that such MPs are pinned down.
Contributing to the debate Southern African Centre for Conflict Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) Information Officer Obby Chibuluma observed that some MPs feel they are not accountable to the public because they have no job descriptions which would be used to pin them down when
they go wrong hence the need to enact a law to regulate their privileges.
Mr. Chibuluma said the need to ensure that MPs stop crossing the floor should be looked into seriously adding that the trend can only be
stopped if there is a legal provision in place to stop them from defecting anyhow.
However, after a long debate, the convention unanimously agreed to the proposal but did not decide whether it will be a stand alone or as a
clause in an already existing article.
Earlier, the group facilitator Kasuka Mutukwa who is also an expert in governance issues observed that the country’s electoral system is very
weak to offer a free and fair election.
Dr. Mutukwa said there is need to strengthen the electoral system if the marginalized groups such as the disabled and women are to participate fully in an election.
He noted that the current electoral system only favours the politically strong and can be easily manipulated by the party in power because of the way commissioners are appointed and the funding system.
Meanwhile, contributing on the same topic, UPND Secretary General Winstone Chibwe said there is need to find a better system of appointing commissioners to serve at the Electoral Commision of Zambia.
He objected to the current system where the republican president is the appointing authority.
Both Mr. Chibwe and Mr. Mucheleka noted that it is possible for commissioners to favour the appointing authority in order to protect their jobs hence the need to change the system.
He said people have no confidence in the country’s electoral system which could be proved by the number of electoral petitions in the past elections.
He cited the 2006 elections as the worst elections ECZ has ever conducted where 65 parliamentary seats were petitioned while in 2001
41 parliamentary seats and 3 petitions in the Presidential elections were filed.
Commenting on the declining number of women participating in elections, Mr. Chibwe said political parties field best candidates who
could win a parliamentary seat regardless of their sex.
He said women are given the opportunity to contest elections but that they fail to win which leaves political parties with no option but to pick candidates who have the capacity to retain or scoop a parliamentary seat.
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Mr Chibwe said his party like others have been giving women, youths and the disabled persons chance to participates in elections but that it will not be forced to field a candidate based on their gender.
Delegates to the sector group convention have unanimously adopted the 50+ one system of electing a republican President.
The group has recommended that Article 99 (7) which states that a presidential candidate who has qualified for the second ballot dies or is disqualified for any reason under the Constitution should be amended so that the next candidate can assume the place of the first candidate.
During the sector group convention at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) yesterday, the delegates also proposed for the mixed proportional representative system for electing Members of Parliament (MPs).
Earlier, the delegates were reminded that Zambians are looking up to them to provide the best technical expertise that will help produce the constitution that will stand the test of time.
Chairperson for the Technical Committee on Drafting the Zambia Constitution Annel Silungwe said this to the delegates during the official opening of the three-day sector groups convention at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka yesterday.
Justice Silungwe told the participants comprising professionals and experts from various Governmental and Non-Governmental institutions that they should set a firm foundation that the subsequent generations would be able to build upon.
“I would like to underscore the fact that, as the majority of Zambians out there do not have the privilege of participating in this important process, they and we in the technical committee look up to you to provide the best technical expertise,” Justice Silungwe said.
He said this would only be achieved if all the delegates would be selfless and generously use their talent, skills and experiences to shape an admirable new Constitution for Zambia.
He said the sector groups’ convention was convened to assist the technical committee to technically improve on the content of the first draft Constitution.
He urged the participants to be broad minded, objective and above all put national interest first.
The recommendations of the convention together with submissions of local and international experts in constitutional law and practice as well as resolutions of the national convention would be used as the basis for producing the final Constitution.
He commended the people that had been given the opportunity to participate in the Constitution consultative process so far for doing so with great sense of patriotism.
He maintained that the final draft would be ready by June 30, 2013 and would be presented to the President and subsequently to the general public.
“During the period September 2012 and February 2013 the technical committee reached out to stakeholders and other interested parties at district and provincial levels by holding district consultative foras in 82 districts and conventions in all 10 provinces,” he said.
The Patriotic Front (PF) in Chadiza District has distance itself from allegations that its members are going round collecting money, goats and chickens from villagers as an inducement for them to be employed when the Chadiza/Chipata Road construction project begins.
PF Chadiza Constituency Chairman, Christopher Banda, said no cadre from the PF was involved in such an act because the party has no powers to employ anyone on the road construction project apart from the council and the contractor himself.
Mr Banda has since accused the opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres of spearheading the act and masquerading to be PF cadres in order to dent the image of the ruling party.
Mr Banda has since warned that anyone who will be found cheating the villagers would be dealt with accordingly by the laws that govern the country.
And Chadiza District Council Chairman, Richard Zimba, has confirmed that the local authority has also received reports of cadres who are swindling villagers over the road construction project.
Mr Zimba, who is also (MMD) Chadiza Ward Councillor, said it was only the local authority and the contractor that will have the mandate to employ people after having signed the contract forms.
The council chairman has since warned people of Chadiza not to be deceived by what he termed as cheap politics.
Yesterday, more than 300 people from the surrounding villages of Chadiza gathered at the Chadiza/Chipata Road junction waiting to be employed after claiming to have paid some inducements to some cadres.
David Phiri of Davite village and Moses Phiri of Chilenga were among the villagers who had gathered at the road junction as early as 04:00 hours with the hope of securing jobs.
David has since expressed worry over the move, adding that those people without money or chickens will not be employed because they have nothing to give out.
Secretary General of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Wynter Kabimba
Government has categorically stated that the Draft Republican Constitution currently under debate will be adopted through a referendum.
Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba said in Lusaka yesterday that the Patriotic Front (PF) constitution was clear that the republican constitution should be adopted through a referendum.
Mr Kabimba said the form the referendum would take was, however, dependant on the structure of the draft report adding that Government was yet to constitute a Referendum Commission as doing so now would be too costly.
He said Government would, however, not accept infusion of external ideas into the process and this would be met with the outmost resistance.
He dismissed assertions that the constitution process lacked a legal guiding framework saying the process had so far not been prejudiced by Government influence.
“The constitution process has not been prejudiced by lack of legislation to it, there has not been any government white paper to say what Government wants but the only caveat is that it should be devoid of external influences,” Mr Kabimba said.
He was speaking when he officiated at the launch of a study on political governance in Zambia.
And Government will soon dispatch a team of officials to the United States of America (USA) for a familiarisation study on operations of District Attorneys, Mr Kabimba has said.
President Michael Sata recently said Government would establish District Attorneys in Zambia to accelerate delivery of justice especially in remote areas.
Mr Kabimba said Mr Sata was determined to ensure the District Attorneys were established and that his ministry was also working diligently to materialise the Head of State’s agenda.
He was speaking in Lusaka yesterday when visiting USA counselor Jeffrey Minear to that nation’s Chief Justice John Roberts paid a courtesy call on him.
“We are hoping that we fast-truck judiciary reforms. We want to have a justice system that will deliver judgment fast. Soon, our officers will also be going to USA to learn more about District Attorneys,” he said.
And Mr Minear commended Zambians for their continued efforts to formulate the new constitution and was confident the document would be realised.
He called for continuous exchange of expertise citing the case where some officers from Zambia would travel to USA on a study tour of operations of the District Attorneys.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has postponed the by-election for Mushipashi ward in Mansa which was supposed to take place on April 23rd 2013 due to the untimely death of the UNIP candidate John Musonda who died on Saturday March 29th 2013.
ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said the commission will in due course set another date for nominations and the poll in Mushipashi and that stakeholders will be informed when the dates are determined.
Mr Akufuna said the nominations of candidates who were validly nominated on 28th march 2013 remain valid and that they will not require filing nominations papers again.
He has however stated that the by-election for Kapiri Mposhi and Lukulu West parliamentary Constituencies and 14 wards will proceed as planned on 23rd April 2013.
MINISTER of Sport, Youth and Child Development Chishimba Kambwili
Minister of Youth and Sport, Chishimba Kambwili has extolled Cuba for sponsoring Zambian students to train in that country in various fields including sports management.Kambwili observed that Cuba was a true friend of Zambia as demonstrated by the provision of scholarships to train Zambians some of whom have since graduated in the field of science and sports management.
“We are paying gratitude to this government (Cuba) for scholarships given to our students. We hope that more could be done,” he said.
Kambwili said this yesterday when he visited the International Physical Education School where a number of Zambian students are studying sports management and specialising in football, basketball, weightlifting and other disciplines.Nine Zambians have since graduated from this university since it was opened in 2001.
Kambwili assured the University management that the knowledge which Zambians have acquired from there was important in the development of sport in Zambia adding that government would want to send more students to study at the institution.
“I assure you that the Zambian students you are training here are a big resource to us. They will be useful to the country and to the ministry,” he said.The minister said his ministry would soon be decentralizing its operations, a programme which will require more sports management professionals to be employed.
He said the National Sports Council of Zambia was also in need of professional sports administrators for it to run smoothly and effectively.
Kambwili further explained that his delegation had learnt a lot about sports management and development during the tour of Cuban sports institutions and facilities.[pullquote]
The students also expressed concern over lack of jobs for them in Zambia when they graduate.They said this prompts some of them to seek jobs in the Caribbean and other parts of the world
[/pullquote]Kambwili is accompanied to Cuba by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sport Agnes Musunga, Chiefs Sports Development Officer Gibson Munyaule, Chairman of the National Sports Council of Zambia, Chifumu Banda and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Youth Affairs and Sport, Levy Ngoma.
He said some of the lessons learnt are the commitment and approach to sport, the use of simple facilities for physical education and the political will and patriotism towards sports development in the country.
And Kambwili has prodded students studying sports science and management and other sports related disciplines to return to Zambia after they graduate.He said the students should show patriotism by returning to Zambia to develop sport especially now that government has shown seriousness about improving sport in the country.
He said the Patriotic Front government has since increased the annual budget for his ministry from about KR53 million (K53 billion) in 2011-2012 to over KR70 million (K70 billion) because of its commitment to improve sport.The minister said this when he addressed sports management students studying at various universities in Cuba.
“We need your expertise which you have acquired here back in Zambia because the status quo of sports management should change,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, students studying sports management and development in Cuba have expressed concern over lack of basic equipment for them to use when doing practicals in various disciplines of sport while in Cuba.
One of the students, Nicholas Chipeta, whose sentiments were echoed by others, said government should consider buying them sports kits which they needed in order to perform to expectation.He said the kits should have been part of the bursaries which they get from Ministry of Education in Zambia.
Earlier, representative of sports students in Cuba, John Kashiba, thanked the Zambian government for its good physical education policies.
Kashiba however appealed to the Zambian government to learn from Cuba’s approach to improve sport through establishing sports academies in each province.The students also expressed concern over lack of jobs for them in Zambia when they graduate.
They said this prompts some of them to seek jobs in the Caribbean and other parts of the world which were ready to utilize their expertise.
But Kambwili said government was serious about sports development and that the students should not worry about jobs once they graduate.
There are currently 38 Zambian students studying sport science and management at various universities in Cuba.
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) has condemned the European Union for promoting homosexuality, lesbian and transgender practices in Zambia.EFZ Executive Director, Pukuta Mwanza, said the Church organisation in Zambia totally rejects the illicit act being perpetuated by the European Union which he said is against the Christian values in the nation.
Rev Mwanza said FEZ is extremely displeased with the letter written by the EU which seeks to promote homosexuality in Zambia.
In a letter copied to the Minister of Home Affairs and the Europian Union (EU), dated April 2, 2013, Rev Mwanza said the EFZ was responding to an advert which was placed in one of the media organisations, dated March 21, 2013.
Rev Mwanza stressed that the so-called advert was not welcome in the Christian Nation, Zambia.He said this in a Press Statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday.Rev Mwanza stated that all churches in Zambia firmly support the position that has been taken by the Zambian Government in rejecting this unnatural practice.
He said it is unlawful in Zambia to engage in homosexual acts, adding that the behaviour of the European Union in promoting the barbaric act in the nation is at variance with the law of this country and that it is unacceptable to the Zambian society.He further urged the Zambian Government not to succumb to such proposals which he said were trying to seek and interfere with the internal affairs of this nation.
Rev Mwanza stressed that by promoting the so-called human rights that are contrary to the country’s fundamental Christian values as well as African and traditional beliefs and practices was not doing good to the nation.Rev Mwanza said the position of Government has accurately reflected the popular and majority position of the Zambian people on this matter both religious and secular.
He added that the Christian community in Zambian is not pleased in totality with the said advert which was dispatched by the European Union in a named publication.He said the Christian Community will stand to protect the morality of this country and the Zambian society at large.
Rev Mwanza noted that in a democratic nation like Zambia, the interest of the majority must be respected, adding that the interest of the minority groups to pursue unacceptable practices and behaviours cannot supersede the interests of the majority.
He said the promotion of homosexuality in Zambia is a breach of the Republican Constitution, saying the audacity with which the EU is seeking to promote this illicit act raises grave concern to citizens in the nation.And Rev Mwanza has also reiterated that his Church organisation strongly supports and that it will continue supporting the statement from Minister of Home Affairs Edgar Lungu.
Minister Lungu recently indicated that Zambia rejects the move which has been taken by the EU on the promotion of homosexuality, lesbian and transgender practices in the nation in Zambia.Rev Mwanza advised the EU to rethink and reflect on this matter again and be sensitive to the nation’s local beliefs and acceptable norms by rescinding the decision.He said the EU should as well offer an ernest apology on this transgression they have taken in a sovereignty nation like Zambia.
[ZANIS]
Cosafa’s technical team is in the country to look into Zambia’s bid to host the 2013 Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup in July.
The team led by Cosafa chief operating officer Sue Destombes met with FAZ officials on Wednesday.
FAZ communications officer Erick Mwanza said the Cosafa team later inspected proposed match and training venues in Lusaka.
Nkoloma Stadium is one of the proposed venues together with Godfrey ‘Ucar” Chitalu Stadium in Kabwe, Arthur Davies in Kitwe and Levy Mwanawasa in Ndola.
Woodlands and Sunset stadiums are the proposed training grounds including the sports complexes adjacent to the latter stadium.
The proposed dates for the revived Cosafa Cup that was last played in 2009 are this July 6-21.
