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Disability, HIV and AIDS Human Rights Activist, Elijah Ngwale, has urged persons living with disabilities in the country to play down rumours alleging that government intends to repatriate all people with disabilities to the villages.
Mr Ngwale said it is not true that the Patriotic Front government (PF) has come up with a secret repatriation program that will see all persons with disabilities taken to the villages as published by some online publications.
In an interview with ZANIS today, Mr Ngwale disclosed that he is always in touch with the Director General of Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD), Felix Silwamba, and that he would not fail to notify him if there were such programmes as being speculated online.
And Mr Ngwale has since called on Dr Silwamba to immediately convene a meeting to discuss various issues affecting persons with disabilities in the country.
Mr Ngwale has also appealed to cooperating partners to continue assisting person living with disabilities with their different various needs.
Two weeks ago ZAPD undertook a tour to check on the impact of floods on persons living with disabilities and how they could be assisted.
Two schools in Mumbwa district where yesterday closed by the district health team following floods which have hit most parts of the district.
Mumbwa District Commissioner, Sunday Shamabanse, named the two schools as Naluvwi Basic School and Namunde Primary school.
Speaking to ZANIS in a telephone interview, Mr Shamabanse said the affected schools have been closed by the district health team following the rising water levels in the area which have seen the flooding of the school toilets leaving pupils and teachers with no room to answer the call of nature.
The District Commissioner said pupils in the affected schools will only report back to schools once the water levels subside.
Mr Shamabanse, who expressed worry at the learning curriculum, said it is sad that pupils will not have to close schools at the same time as projected by the national school calendar as they will have to catch up with the syllabus.
He said the district education board and the health team have on many occasions tried to dig up new toilets but that such effort has not produced any positive results as the toilets also get flooded when water levels rise.
He further told ZANIS that his office will this week hold a meeting with the world vision who expressed interest in helping flood victims and see how the two schools can also be helped.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set Tuesday, 23 April, 2013 as the date for the Kapiri Mposhi and Lukulu West Constituencies parliamentary by elections and local government by elections in various wards.
This is according to a statement made available to ZANIS by ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna.
This follows the nullification of the election of Lawrence Zimba, Member of Parliament for Kapiri Mposhi Constituency, and Misheck Mutelo, Member of Parliament for Lukulu West Constituency by the Supreme Court on 30th January, 2013.
Mr. Akufuna explained that the vacancies in the four wards were due to resignations and deaths.
He said Aspiring Candidates should lodge in completed and attested statutory declaration and nomination papers subscribed before a magistrate, Local court Magistrate, Head of a government Primary or Secondary School, College Principal, Commissioner of Oaths , Election Officer or Returning Officer on 28th March 2013 between 09:00 and 15:00 hours.
Mr. Akufuna also disclosed that voter registration at the ECZ Voter Registration Centre in the Lusaka Show grounds has been suspended until after the by elections.
The Second Session of the Eleventh National Assembly which adjourned sine die on December 12 last year has today resumed sitting.
And the house has considered 25 questions for Oral Answer and two Government Bills that include the Higher Education Bill and the Teaching Profession Bill.
Education Minister, John Phiri presented the bill to the house which provides for the establishment of the higher education authority and defines the functions and powers and also provides for quality assurance and quality promotion in higher education.
The bill further provides for the establishment, governance and regulation of public higher institutions plus registration and regulation of private higher education institutions. The bill repeals and replaces the University Act of 1999.
The Education Minister also presented the Teaching Profession Bill which seeks to establish the Teaching Council of Zambia and defines its functions and power and provides for the regulation of the teachers, their practice and professional conduct.
The Education Minister explained that the bill also provides for the accreditation and regulation of colleges of education.
The House has resumed sitting without Former Mpongwe MP, Gabriel Namulambe and Rev Howard Sikwela of Livingstone, both of whom defected from MMD and UPND respectively to join the ruling Patriotic Front.
The two former MPs have created vacancies that will be filled through by elections that will be conducted on February, 28 this year, to usher in new members.
Meanwhile, the House saw Itezhi-Tezhi Member of Parliament Greyford Monde shift from the opposition back bench to become the first UPND MP in the House to take up a government position as Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
In the previous sitting, the House considered and passed nine Bills, 309 questions for oral and written answer and one private member’s motion.
Other items considered were two motions to adopt parliamentary select committee reports, with 15 ministerial statements presented to explain government position on various matters.
The previous sitting also saw Wynter Kabimba, the PF Secretary General, take up oath as a nominated MP and Stephen Masumba as a PF Mufumbwe MP after he resigned from the MMD and subjected to a by election which he won.
The opposition Movement for Multiparty and Democracy (MMD) says all its Members of Parliament from Eastern Province who are currently serving as Deputy Ministers in the Patriotic Front (PF) Government have continued to be loyal to the party that took them to parliament.
MMD Provincial Secretary, Samuel Lugomo Phiri told ZANIS in interview that Mkaika constituency MP David Phiri, Kapoche’s Nicholas Banda and Nyimba constituency MP Forrie Tembo have continued to follow the party’s guidelines.
He stated that they have remained loyal and followed the party’s ideals.
Mr Lugomo stated the three MPs do not support some of the ideas of the PF government, such as the lifting of immunity of former President, Rupiah Banda.
And The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) in Eastern Province has described calls to remove the immunity of fourth Republican President Rupiah Banda as a serious violation of the rule of natural justice.
CSPR Provincial Coordinator, Maxwell Nkhoma says the organization finds calls to remove Mr Banda’s immunity as premature because there is no evidence of corruption against him.
Mr Mwale explained that CSPR strongly believes that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and other law enforcement agencies have not done enough up to this stage to show causes why the immunity of Mr Banda should be removed.
Mr Nkhoma said that there is need for law enforcement agencies to provide evidence to the public showing wrong doings by Mr Banda while he was in office.
He however, has advised those opposing the removal of the immunity of Mr Banda that Zambians are equal before the law regardless of status and the office one occupied.
Mr Nkhoma said that it is in this regard that necessary measures including removal of the immunity should be considered if the former head of state is found wanting.
Meanwhile the CSPR has demanded updates on investigations involving Justice Minister, Wynter Kabimba and Defence Minister, Geoffrey Mwamba on alleged corruption if equality before the law is to be seen.
Embattled Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Copperbelt Chairman Joseph Chilambwe says the party will not support any calls for former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity to be lifted.
Mr Chilambwe said in an interview yesterday that the party was against the removal of Mr Banda’s immunity because it would set a bad image for the former head of State.
“We will not support the lifting of Mr Banda’s immunity because his legacy as a former President is not being respected,” he said.
Mr Chilambwe bemoaned the fact that the charges levelled against the former president where not brought to light during his tenure of office.
He observed that Government must set up a surveillance system that would monitor the conduct of heads of State during their tenure of office.
Mr Chilambwe said the setting up of a monitoring system would help heads of State maintain the nations trust even after their tenure of office.
Mr Banda’s immunity has been in the limelight of public debate with civil society organisations urging that Government must lift the former head of State’s immunity to enable him answer to the corruption charges levelled against him.
Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) and the Open Society Foundation are some the notable organisations advocating for Mr Banda’s immunity to be lifted.
Republican President Michael Sata has challenged United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema to explain to the Commonwealth the source of his wealth when they visit Zambia.
Speaking this morning at State House the during the swearing-in ceremony of Deputy Ministers and Diplomats, the president said that the invitation of the Commonwealth by the opposition to probe his government’s alleged human rights violations will be an opportunity for opposition UPND leaders Hakainde Hichilema to explain to the Commonwealth the source of his wealth.
The president has had issues with the source of wealth of the UPND leader. Last year during another swearing in ceromony at State House, President Sata said that he was shocked by revelations that opposition leader Mr Hichilema may be worth as much as $72 million.
“You have worked for a long time but you are not as rich as some politicians. Surprisingly in Zambia, some politicians are richer than workers in formal employment, ” the president said at the time.
Meanwhile, President Michael Sata has noted that the country is blessed with abundant natural resources and yet the levels of unemployment are still high in the country.
The head of state said the country should not be facing issues of unemployment 49 years after independence.
The President was speaking at State House today when he swore in newly appointed Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Davies Mwango and Deputy Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Malama Mwiimba.
Mr Sata also swore in Zambia’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Eva Fundafunda and High Commission to Malaysia Miles Kaweche Banda.
He urged the two deputy ministers to ensure that the levels of unemployment in the country are reduced considering the resources that the country has.
The President also urged the newly sworn in Ambassador and the High Commissioner to be wary of investors that are coming into the country for their personal gains.
He disclosed that most of the investors that are coming into the country are interested in the copper that the country depends on economically.
Mr Sata also appealed to Mr Banda and Ms Fundafunda to go and sell Zambia abroad.
Those who witnessed the swearing in ceremony include Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Kennedy Sakeni and Lusaka Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe.
Former transport and Communications Minister Dora Siliya was yesterday summoned to appear before the Government Joint Team of Investigations team .
In a statement released to Qfm News, Ms. Siliya confirmed that she exercised her constitutional right to remain silent on the issue relating to the engagement of RP Capital Partners of the Cayman Islands relative to the sale of ZAMTEL.
Ms. Siliya said she was therefore advised that the Joint Team of Investigators would contact her in due course.
She stated that the matters relating to the engagement of RP Capital Partners on the sale of ZAMTEL are all in the public domain and were subject of the proceedings of the Tribunal constituted by the Honourable Chief Justice of the Republic of Zambia whose findings are contained in a Report submitted by the Tribunal to the Republican President.
[pullquote]Ms. Siliya further said when the Patriotic Front took over Government, a Commission of Inquiry was constituted to investigate the same issue and that the findings of the Commission of Inquiry are yet to be made public.[/pullquote]
She added that she was absolved of any wrong doing and duly exonerated of allegations of Abuse of Office even after the matter was subjected to the High Court and the Supreme Court of Zambia.
Ms. Siliya further said when the Patriotic Front took over Government, a Commission of Inquiry was constituted to investigate the same issue and that the findings of the Commission of Inquiry are yet to be made public.
She said the engagement of RP Capital Advisors and the final transaction for the sale of ZAMTEL have been subjected to various approval authorities inter alia; Cabinet, The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and the Ministry of Justice.
Ms. Siliya said the matter has been settled in the past but that it appears the matter has a tendency of being rekindled over and over again.
She expressed hope that State Agents will consider the abundant material at its disposal in a professional manner so that a full inquiry is made and not just to embark on a witch hunt designed to persecute what are deemed as political opponents
Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) president Nevers Mumba has charged that his party will not allow vote-buying and other electoral malpractices in the forthcoming Livingstone and Mpongwe by-election to go unpunished.
Dr Mumba said the MMD would keep vigil for electoral malpractices even if it meant engaging the party’s security wing to supplement efforts by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and Zambia Police Service.
“Sometimes our police don’t react but this time we won’t allow it.
MMD will protect the vote using our own security. Whoever we find dishing out money, will be brought to book,” Dr Mumba said at a campaign rally at Kabumbe Middle Basic School in Mpongwe on Sunday.
Dr Mumba vowed that the former ruling party would not sit idle and watch the MMD being robbed of victory like was the case during the Mufumbwe by-election which Patriotic Front (PF’s) Stephen Masumba won.
He said in a democratic dispensation like Zambia, voters should be allowed to make an intelligent choice without arm-twisting them into voting for a candidate against their better judgement.
The MMD president called on the Mpongwe electorate to vote for MMD candidate Miniva Mutesa to show their former MP Gabriel Namulambe that he took them for granted by causing the unnecessary by-election.
“You the people of Mpongwe showed in 2011 that despite the amount of deceitful promises the PF came with, you stood with MMD. Do the same on February 28 by electing Miniva whom you have already worked with here,” he said.
While jogging around, Dr Mumba said he was already warming up like a footballer on the substitutes’ bench ready to take over from President Michael Sata in 2016.
The MMD candidate Miniva Mutesa, who knelt before the people to ask for a vote, said it was disgraceful that the PF were busy marking campaign messages on the Luanshya Mpongwe road which was built by MMD.
MMD treasurer Mwansa Mbulakulima said having a ruling party MP was never the yardstick for development adding that when he was Copperbelt minister, he took development to the whole region even though it was a PF stronghold.
Others who attended the rally include Muchinga MP Howard Kunda,Masaiti MP Michael Katambo, his Lufwanyama counterpart Anne Chungu,and former Matero and Kawambwa MPs Faustina Sinyangwe and Elizabeth Chitika respectively.
Lusaka business executive Mathew Mohan was yesterday convicted of corruption charges in absentia as he again refused to appear before court.
Mohan, in his letter to the court insisted that a Supreme Court Judge and an officer from the Directorate of Subordinate Courts Operations are corrupt.
Mohan also challenged the court to cite him for contempt if it found his reason of not going to court unreasonable and disrespectful so that the fora could afford him an opportunity to spill more beans against the duo.
But the Lusaka magistrate’s court went ahead to pass judgment and convicted him of the charges in his absence.
And Mohan‘s lawyer Kennedy Kaunda from Ellis and Company and Zambia Prisons Assistant Commissioner Chris Kaonga told deputy High Court Registrar Chilombo Phiri who sat as a magistrate that there was nothing they could have done with Mohan’s refusal to attend court because they could not act contrary to his instructions and that it was the duty of the police to bring Mohan to court.
But State prosecutor James Mataliro accused Mohan’s lawyers of endorsing their client’s illegality arguing that the best they could have done was to withdraw from representing him.
Mohan is in this matter jointly charged with Mary Gibbons and court interpreter Maxwell Jiki of corruption involving K10 million (KR10, 000).
Mohan was not the only accused person absent before court as his other co-accused Jiki was equally absent but sent word through his sister who is not a surety to inform the court that he was unwell.
Ms Phiri has since issued a bench warrant against Jiki returnable today while she had on the other hand, ordered that Mohan be brought before court to hear the final verdict of his judgment.
She has, however, threatened to go ahead and pass sentencing even in an event that Mohan sticks to his refusal.
When the matter was called up yesterday, Mr Mataliro informed the court that the matter was scheduled for judgment but only Gibbons was present.
Mr Mataliro said after the court had issued a bench warrant to have Mohan brought before court yesterday, attempts were made as far as going to prison twice but Mohan refused to come along.
He said he was informed by prison offices at Lusaka Central Prison that Mohan had instead sent a letter to the court explaining his reasons for refusal.
According to the letter dated February 14, this year, addressed to Ms Phiri and made available to the media under the headline “My decision not to appear before your court” Mohan said he was refusing to appear before court because corrupt and rotten elements facing criminal charges were still working within the judiciary.
“Your honour I may be in prison but I am fully aware of what is going on in the areas of my concern. I am sitted on a mountain of information about some two officers of the court and I know their tactics and dealings,” said Mohan who is also a murder suspect awaiting judgment.
He continued “it is with deep regret that I have decided not to appear before your court. Your honour I have been a businessman for over 10 years and I know how I and several businessmen have dealt with the two senior officers of the judiciary.”
Mohan said he knew how much it costs to get an order or decision in one’s favour He insisted in the letter that he was on firm ground not to appear before court for as long as the corrupt elements who considered themselves powerful continued to walk and work within the judiciary.
Magistrate Phiri had in convicting Gibbons, Mohan and Jiki stated that there was collaborating evidence that the trio committed the offences.
She said it was not ACC who sent the accused to commit the offence and as such the commission’s conduct in placing surveillance at Long acres where money exchanged hands was appropriate.
Ms Phiri is today expected to sentence the trio after they give their mitigation.
Lawyer Keith Mweemba has pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption with a public officer.
Mweemba, 33, of Chilenje South Township told Lusaka resident magistrate Joshua Banda yesterday that although he understood the charge against him, he was not guilty.
Mweemba is facing one count of corrupt practices with a public officer contrary to section 19 (2) as read together with section 41 of the Anti Corruption Commission Act number 3 of 2012.
It is alleged that Mweemba on dates unknown but between January 2, 2013 and February 13, 2013 in Lusaka, corruptly promised to give gratification to Monica Mwansa, an assistant senior State Advocate at the national prosecutions authority, as an inducement.
The gratification was for Ms Mwansa to act favourably by supporting the appeal in the case of Jorge Padilla and Jacqueline Pedraza vs the people at the High Court for which Mweemba is the advocate representing the pair.
Earlier after magistrate Banda allocated Mweemba’s case before a new magistrate scheduled to come from Northern Province, one of Mweemba’s defence lawyers Marshal Muchende applied for the court to review its allocation.
But magistrate Banda said the allocation stood though he invited the defence to make an application if at all they had any.
At this juncture, magistrate Banda asked Mweemba for his details after which he read out the charge to Mweemba.
After he took plea denying the offence, Mr Muchende applied for bail for his client saying the offence he was facing was not only bailable but Mweemba was also of fixed abode.
Mr Muchende said Mweemba was ready to meet bail conditions and would raise sureties if any required.
ACC legal and prosecution officer Mateyo Kamanga who is co-prosecuting the matter with Maqueen Zaza said the State had no objections as long as Mweemba meets the bail conditions.
Magistrate Banda granted Mweemba a KR15, 000 bail with two working sureties from recognised institutions either public or private and adjourned the matter to February 26, 2013.
Mweemba is represented by five lawyers namely, Martha Mushipe, Mr Muchende, Mr Makebi Zulu, Mr Nicholas Chanda and Mr Gilbert Lungu.
Some United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres and some lawyers were on hand to give moral support to Mweemba.
Mweemba is one of the defence lawyers representing UPND president Hakainde Hichilema in some matters before court.
UPND Itezhi-tezhi Member of Parliament (MP) Greyford Monde
UPND Itezhi-tezhi Member of Parliament (MP) Greyford Monde has finally received a letter from his Party demanding that he exculpates himself on a number of allegations.
Mr Monde who was sworn-in as deputy minister of Agriculture and Livestock on Friday last week has been given a three day ultimatum in which to exculpate himself on four allegations.
Both Mr Monde and United Party for National Development (UPND) secretary general Winston Chibwe confirmed the development in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.
The four issues raised in the letter were allegations over his failure to carry out party duties in the constituency, destabilising the party, putting the name of the party in disrepute and issuing unauthorised statements.
“I have received the letter today (yesterday) and it was delivered in my mail box at Parliament Motel by our secretary general at 09:25 hours. I am currently studying it, making consultations and would respond as soon as possible,” Mr Monde said.
Mr Chibwe said the letter was only delivered to Mr Monde yesterday, as they could not reach him on Friday and the party expects him to respond to the charges within three days.
“Initially Mr Monde was supposed to have responded to the charges by today, (yesterday) but since the letter was not served to him on Friday and was only delivered to him today (yesterday), we expect him to respond to the charges within three days,” Mr Chibwe said.
Mr Chibwe confirmed that the party demands that Mr Monde should state why he had put the the party in disrepute, failed to carry out party functions and why he was destabilising the party in his constituency.
“We will wait for the response and if it does not come, the next course of action would be taken,” Mr Chibwe said.
Mr Chibwe, however, confirmed that the exculpatory letter had nothing to do with his appointment as deputy minister saying accepting the position was his personal decision.
Last week President Michael Sata appointed Mr Monde to serve in Government in a spirit of being all inclusive in spearheading development regardless of one’s political affiliation.
Mr Monde who is the first UPND MP to be infused into Government maintained that his appointment would benefit the people of Itezhi-Tezhi in a short and long term.
He would stick to his philosophy that he was a free man and a Zambian and a public servant and a member of his Party.
Information and Broadcasting Services minister Kennedy Sakeni
Chief Government spokesperson, Kennedy Sakeni has said that Government is not ready to take former President Rupiah Banda case to parliament because the Government needs to put the facts together, adding that MPs cannot support the motion unless they are given convincing reasons as to why Mr Banda’s immunity should be lifted
Mr Sakeni said that Government will will tread cautiously before it can recommend that former republican President Rupiah Banda’s immunity against prosecution should be lifted by Parliament.
Mr Sakeni said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that although the public and concerned stakeholders were calling for the lifting of Mr Banda’s immunity, Government would deal with the matter cautiously.
Mr Sakeni said Government would ensure it puts facts together so that by the time it takes the recommendation to Parliament, it would have concrete facts to have Mr Banda’s immunity lifted.
[pullquote]“We cannot go to Parliament before putting our facts together. MPs cannot support the motion unless we give them convincing reasons as to why we should lift his immunity.[/pullquote]
“We cannot go to Parliament before putting our facts together. MPs cannot support the motion unless we give them convincing reasons as to why we should lift his immunity.
“We want the people to appreciate what we will do once we are through with the whole process,” he said.
He said Government had already indicated that it would take the matter to Parliament but it would not rush the process despite the pressure from the public and other concerned stakeholders.
He said Government would ensure all the necessary steps were followed in order for the move to yield tangible evidence.
Several stakeholders including civil societies have called for the lifting of Mr Banda’s immunity to accord him the chance to exculpate himself on alleged corrupt activities that he might have committed during his tenure of office.
Mr Banda recently snubbed summons from the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) to interview him claiming that he was insulated against investigations.
FILE: Former republican President Rupiah Banda is and MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya after he attended the party’s national executive committee meeting in Lusaka
THE Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) has thanked His Excellency Rupiah Banda, the Fourth President of the Republic of Zambia, for the role he has played in preparing Kenya for the general elections set for 4th March, 2013.
And the Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF) has described President Banda’s appointment to lead a 50-person Carter Centre international election observer mission in Kenya as hardly surprising.
In a letter to the immediate past Zambian head of State , EISA Kenya country director Felix Odhiambo says President Banda’s willingness to attend the election preparation conference and deliver the keynote speech in Nairobi last month made a great deal on the success of the conference and re-engineering of the EISA work towards supporting democratic free and fair elections in Kenya and the African continent.
The election preparation conference was held in partnership with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission of Kenya, the Judiciary working Committee on Election Preparations and the Kenyatta University School of Law.
“Excellency, your presentation and wise counsel did enrich the electoral discourse in our country in the run-up to the general elections. Your choice of words and sagacious advice on electoral preparations and peaceful conduct during the electoral process will surely go a long way in radiating our country’s path towards peaceful, free and fair elections,” reads part of Mr. Odhiambo’s letter.
ZANIS reports that this is contained in a statement signed by the former Republican President ‘s Acting Administrative Assistant Kennedy Limwanya.
Mr. Odhiambo adds that the EISA family is forever indebted to President Banda for the support he has accorded the pursuit of its mission to strive for excellence in the promotion of credible elections, citizen participation, and the strengthening of political institutions for sustainable democracy in Africa.
“No amount of words can express our sincere gratitude; thank you Mr. President.”
Mr. Banda last year led an EISA election observer mission to the National Assembly elections in Lesotho.
And Millennium Excellence Foundation chairman Ashim Morton says President Banda’s commitment to creating an enabling democratic environment at the regional, sub regional, national and local levels in order to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development, is seen in his support for African efforts for peace, stability and security.
“As we can all see, how you so eloquently accepted defeat from the loss of the electoral campaign in Zambia and endorsed the incoming president, shows maturity and one that all current heads of State in Africa should emulate when they lose elections.
“ Your new position to lead a 50-man Carter Centre team in Kenya is a just nomination and we wish you well,” wrote Ambassador Morton.
The Millennium Excellence Foundation is the organiser of Africa’s most prestigious international awards event that recognises individuals who have selflessly devoted themselves to bringing about change in the lives of Africans within the last decade.
In appointing President Banda as leader of the Carter Centre election observation mission to Kenya, former United States President and chairman of the Carter Centre Jimmy Carter said his staff had reported about the former Zambian head of State’s “immense contributions to Sierra Leone’s recent election, where his leadership and diplomacy contributed to acceptance of results and a peaceful post-election period.
“I invite you to serve as a leader to our delegation. Your experience, knowledge and political leadership would be invaluable to the mission.”
Zesco United coach Tenant Chembo says his team was itching for this Saturday’s Charity Shield semifinal match against Power Dynamos set for Lusaka.
Zesco and Power clash at Nkoloma Stadium in a 13:00 hours kick-off match while Zanaco will take on Napsa Stars in the second semifinal at the same venue.
In an interview, Chembo said he was looking forward to the match against Power.
“It is a very good draw and we expected to be drawn with any team. We’ve got respect for Power Dynamos they are a good team but this is a game of competition,” he said.
“We are looking forward to it (Charity Shield) and we are looking forward to the new season,” Chembo added.
He expressed happiness with Zesco’s pre-season training ahead of the 2013 campaign.
“The preparations have been going on very well so far so good and the new players have fitted in so well.”
Meanwhile, Congolese striker Patrick Kabamba has completed his move to Zesco.
Kabamba was a free agent after his recent spell in Angola.
