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Lusaka Province Commissioner of Police, Joyce Kasosa
Police have charged UPND Lusaka Province chairperson, Adrian Bauleni and four others with the murder of Patriotic Front member, Crispin Menyani Zulu.
Lusaka Province Commissioner of Police, Joyce Kasosa and Mr Bauleni’s lawyer Martha Mushipe confirmed the development in Lusaka yesterday.
Ms Kasosa named those charged with Mr Bauleni, as Charles Mumena, Kelvin Ngulube, Francis Washeni and Isaac Zulu.
She said the four were charged on Friday while Isaac Zulu was arrested and charged yesterday. They are charged with one count of murder.
Ms Kasosa said police were still doing paper work and that the five would appear in court soon.
“Yes we have charged five suspects with the murder of Mr Zulu in Rufunsa and among them is Ambassador Bauleni. We had earlier apprehended seven people but as we said, we are still carrying out investigations,” she said.
Mumena, Ngulube, Washeni and Zulu (Isaac) are all Rufunsa residents.
She said some of the suspects who were earlier apprehended including two women had since been released.
When contacted for a comment, Ms Mushipe confirmed that her client had been charged with murder.
Ms Mushipe, however, said she could not say much because police opted to slap her client with a charge of murder in her absence.
“Yes I have been informed that they have charged my client with murder but I cannot say much because they did so in my absence. One wonders why police decided to charge my client in my absence when they were getting a statement from him in my presence” she said.
Bauleni, 66, of Ibex Hill area was detained at Lusaka Central Police Station while police also searched UPND offices for clues.
Mr Zulu who left behind a day-old baby, died on November 8, this year after being attacked by suspected UPND and MMD party cadres during a by-election in Rufunsa, Ward three.
He was buried at Old Leopards Hill Cemetery in Lusaka.
Government has said that it is committed to ensure that all international airports in the country are equipped with the state of the art fire fighting and safety equipments.
Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Deputy Minister Mwali Mutaba said government will endeavor to make the Zambian airports among the best equipped in the region.
Dr Mutaba was speaking when he officially handed over 17 Fire Fighting Trucks and 9 Trauma Ambulances procured at a cost of K170 billion to the National Airport Corporation Limited (NACL) at Kenneth Kaunda international airport in Lusaka yesterday.
The newly acquired Fire Fighting and Safety Equipments will be distributed among the four Major International airports namely Kenneth Kaunda, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Mfuwe International airport.
Dr Mutaba stated that Zambia being one of the State Party to the International Civil Aviation Organization, will adhere to the Chicago convention of 1944 which contains standards and recommended practices that prescribe the physical and associated characteristics to be met by the equipment at airports to be used for international air transport operations.
“The purchase of the new equipment is a clear demonstration to the global aviation community and the public at large that Zambia is committed to maintenance and achievement of safe air transport by making available huge resources and procuring state of the art airport fire fighting equipment in order to ensure safety and orderly growth of international air transport,” he said.
Dr Mutaba also said the procurement of the new equipment was government’s initiative to facilitate airports development for the new large passenger aircraft developed for commercial services such as the airbus A380.
He added that with this enhanced capability and status, Zambia stands ready to respond to airport emergency challenges which might occur within the airport boundaries.
Dr Mutaba further urged the Department of Civil Aviation and the NACL to ensure that the equipments are well looked after and maintained.
“To all emergency responders, we encourage you to join hands by maximizing care and professionalism in the use of the equipments so that their service life and Zambia’s safety record could be continuously improved,” he said.
Prior to the purchase, government in partnership with the department of civil aviation and the provider Albion Export Services of UK trained 30 rescuers and fire services personnel drawn from all the manned airports across the country on the operational, paramedical and mechanical aspects of the new equipment.
Dr Mutaba has since praised Albion Export Services for the quick supply of the equipment and urged the company to continue providing the after sales services and guidance on preventative maintenance.
And Albion Services Managing Director Robing Pickford said his company appreciated the 25 years business collaboration with the Zambian government of delivering fire tenders.
Mr Pickfold said his company is ready to offer technical support to the Zambian fire fighters whenever called upon.
Earlier, Fire Services Association of Zambia (FSAZ) Patron Ad Simwinga called on government to extend the purchase of the new fire fighting equipments to the local fire brigades across the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by FSAZ Vice President Lawrence Tubi, Mr Simwinga said in the past, the local authority has been faced with numerous challenges in the fire fighting service provision due to lack of new equipment and skilled manpower.
He further praised the patriotic front government for attaching great importance in the fire fighting system and safety delivery in the country.
“We want to praise government for this development because the purchase of this new fire fighting and safety equipment is the biggest procurement government has ever made since independence in 1964,” he said.
During the commemoration of the International Fire-Fighters Day (IFFD) on the 4th of May this year, President Michael Sata directed the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to decentralize the provision of fire fighting and rescue services in order to protect valuable infrastructure across the country.
FILE: A class meets under a tree in Mwalubemba village, Zambia
Pupils at Kalolwa primary school in Chongo area in Kabompo East are expected to close early before the learning calendar and will re-opening after the rain season due to poor state of the school infrastructure.
School Deputy Head Teacher Best Phiri said with the onset of the rainy season the school building becomes uninhabitable as the grass thatched roof has rundown.
Mr Phiri said the school infrastructure is a danger to the lives of both the teachers and the pupils and the only option is close early before the learning calendar and delay to re-open
He lamented that it is disheartening to see pupils still learning under a tree and in a pole and mud structure of ancient times 48 years after of independence.
Mr Phiri said this when North Western Province Minister Stephen Masumba and Area Member of Parliament Danny Chinyimbu visited the school which is about 85 kilometers from district business centre.
He appealed to government to construct a one by three classroom block and eight ventilated improved pit latrine toilets in order for the school to provide good and quality education to the pupils.
And Mr Masumba assured the pupils and the teachers that it is the intention of government to build more schools in the province as part of its promise to lift the living standards of the poor people.
Mr Masumba gave the school K3 million to purchase roofing sheets for the school.
The school which was opened in 1995 has a total of 259 pupils and goes up to grade seven.
Livingstone City Council has engaged nine private (9)companies to collect waste on its behalf in a bid to keep the city clean ahead of the United Nations World Tourism General Assembly (UNWTO) next year.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS today, Livingstone City Acting Public Relations Manager Emmanuel Sikanyika said the council has entered into an agreement with the companies to help in refuse collection as one of the measures to keep the tourist capital clean.
“ As part of our efforts to clean the city before the UNWTO we have since engaged nine private companies to help us in waste collection and management and are expected to begin work soon,” said Mr. Sikanyika.
And Mr Sikanyika said construction works and allocation of plots at Tandabale market will commence as soon as the Ministry of Local Government approves the necessary documents adding that a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tandabale market committee had already been signed.
Mr. Sikanyika also reiterated that the council will go ahead with the demolition of the town Market commonly known as Zimbabwe market to pave way for the construction of an ultra modern market.
He said the Council has identified two sites where traders will be re-located to once the current market is razed down.
Last month, government through the Local Authority released about K28 billion for the construction of a modern market in the Tourist Capital.
Meanwhile, Mr Sikanyika admitted that the local authority was facing some challenges in ensuring that all bar owners comply with the law regarding operating hours of their business due to inadequate transport for patrols.
He however cautioned bar owners to conduct their business within the confines of the law adding that the Council would soon pounce on offenders in bid to bring sanity in the Tourist Capital.
Over 300 small scale farmers in Kapiri Mposhi district have threatened to camp at the District Commissioners (DC) office if they are not paid the money for the maize they sold to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
The farmers who thronged the DCs office as early as 06:00 hours today have also demanded that the government gives them back their bags of maize which they supplied to the FRA.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, Damiano Haaninga complained that it was too much of government issuing promissory statements to farmers on a daily basis.
Mr. Haaninga stated that the payments to farmers have been deferred on several occasions despite government emphasizing that it had released the money to pay all of them before 20th November 2012.
The farmers have been frequenting both ZANACO and Barclays Banks for some time now but have been finding that there is no money in the Banks as both Banks have run out of money meant for paying the farmers.
“But what is this of government releasing money and then we are not paid because there is no money in the bank is the government lying to us’’ he said.
Mr. Haaninga said the farmers are in desperate need of their money because they want to procure inputs for the coming farming season stating that delayed payments will negatively affect the crop yield for the 2012/2013 farming season.
“It is very unfortunate that this is happening when we are in dire need of money to prepare for next season… they need to tell us the truth so that we look elsewhere,” Mr. Haaninga said.
Mr. Haaninga said the farmers are owed between K40 Million and K3 million each for the maize they supplied to the FRA.
But District Commissioner Beatrice Sikazwe has appealed to the farmers to remain patient as they wait to be paid their money.
Ms. Sikazwe who apologized for the delay in payments said the government will soon remit the remaining money to pay all the farmers in the district.
Government has so far paid out over K22, 8 billion to farmers who sold maize to the FRA in Kapiri Mposhi district leaving the balance of at least K14, 4 billion to fully pay the farmers in the area.
The FRA collected 572,094 by 50Kg bags of white maize from farmers in the district worth slightly over K37 billion.
Outspoken PF cadre Opper Hamiyanze was this afternoon ordered to apologise to Monze MP Jackie Mwiimbu over a statement he issued on Sky FM’s Open Forum alleging that Mr. Mwiimbu goes to Parliament drunk with Whisky.
Speaker Patrick Matibini ordered Mr. Hamiyanze to apologise to Mr. Mwiimbu, Members of Parliament and the nation as a whole for issuing disparaging and defamatory remarks against Mr. Mwiimbu.
This followed a complaint to the Clerk of the National Assembly by Mr. Mwiimbu in which the Monze legislator alleged that Mr. Hamiyanze had used derogatory remarks during a radio programme on Sky FM called Open Forum on 18 October 2012 regarding a point of order he raised in Parliament.
Mr. Mwiimbu had raised a point of order seeking guidance on who will present the 2013 national budget since Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda was then acting as Republican President.
But during the radio programme, Mr. Hamiyanze is alleged to have stated that opposition MP’s like Mr. Mwiimbu are derailing government programmes because they are always drunk when debating important national issues.
“Madam Presenter, these MP’s are childish and don’t want to see President Sata succeed. They come to Parliament with bottles of Whisky and Brandy, they are never sober. They consumer alcohol before entering Parliament” Mr. Hamiyanze is quoted as saying.
Quizzed further by the Presenter, Mr. Hamiyanze stated that MP’s such as Mr. Mwiimbu are always drunk further stating that it’s obvious that when the Finance Minister is not in the House, his Deputy would always act in his place.
The matter was referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges, Absences and Support Services which found Mr. Hamiyanze’s conduct disrespectful and wanting.
Delivering his ruling this afternoon, Speaker Matibini said Mr. Hamiyanze should not step foot on Parliament grounds for the remainder of the second session of the 11th national assembly.
In his written apology, Mr. Hamiyanze said he was remorseful for the disparaging remarks he made against Mr. Mwiimbu.
“Honourable sir, I have reflected on my irresponsible utterances against Mr. JJ Mwiimbu and I have found them to be demeaning to the House. I have carefully listened to your reprimand and the guidance you have given me and I would like to assure this August House that I will endeavor to conduct myself in future in a more responsible and respectful manner,” Mr. Hamiyanze said.
Mr. Hamiyanze was harsh critic of President Michael Sata before the 2011 elections when he served as a UPND official.
He currently poses as Spokesperson for Matero MP Miles Sampa.
Goalkeeper Brown Nyirenda will have an early chance to stake a claim on the 2013 Zesco United squad list after his successful six-month loan spell at Nkana.
Nyirenda is part of Zesco’s team that heads for Mozambique on Wednesday to take part in a four-club tournament that kicks off on Thursday.
He will be one of two goalkeepers in the travelling party of Zesco’s 20-member team heading for Songo together with first choice Jacob Banda.
The 19-year-old goalkeepers stock has risen after establishing himself as Nkana number one during his short-term stint in Kitwe.
Meanwhile Zesco, who finished third in the league this season, will face Ferroviario Maputo on Thursday and the winner will face either HCB Songo or Chingele Tete in the final.
Team:
Goalkeepers: Jacob Banda and Brown Nyirenda
Defenders: Charles Siyingwa, Gift Sakuwaha, Chalwe Kabamba, Lottie Bwalya, Daudi Musekwa, Perry Mubanga
Reynold Kampamba has finished as the 2012 season top scorer.
The 20-year-old Nkana striker finished on 15 goals in all competition this season to claim the golden boot.
This is after Power Dynamos striker Graven Chitalu failed to surpass Kampamba’s tally despite scoring over the week to finish on 14 goals.
Chitalu scored a brace for Power in the Barclays Cup finals against Napsa Stars that ended 4-4 after extra-time before it was decided on penalties that the latter won 4-2 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
2012 Barclays Cup Final
17/11/2012
Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola
Power Dynamos 4(Graven Chitalu 9″ 82″,Emmanuel Chimpinde 93″, Felix Nyaende 105″ pen)-Napsa Stars 4(Dube Phiri 44″, Vincent Mangamu 90″ , Spencer Ngalande 91″, 106″ pen)*
MMD vice president for administration Brian Chituwo
The Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) says the route taken by the ruling Patriotic front of luring opposition Members of Parliament is not good for democracy.
MMD vice president administration Brian Chituwo said in every democracy, the role of the opposition of providing checks and balances to government is respected.
Dr.Chituwo said democratic practices anywhere in the world demand that a leader of a particular government must be kept in check for the smooth running of government.
The MMD vice president said when his party was in power,it respected the existence of the opposition in the country.
He noted that the aspirations of the majority of voiceless in the country will not be met taking into account the rate at which the PF government is coercing opposition Members of Parliament.
Meanwhile NAREP has strongly condemned the unprincipled stand by Opposition members of parliament to cross the floor in order to protect their Deputy Ministerial positions.
NAREP president Elias Chipimo stated that each by-election costs the country in excess of K6 billion. He said in the midst of crushing poverty, persistent and increasing load-shedding, widespread lack of access to clean water, poor infrastructure in peri-urban and rural areas, appalling health services, deep-rooted corruption and massive unemployment it is nothing short of alarming for the PF government to be advocating the defection of MP’s from the ranks of the Opposition.This he said would trigger by-elections at enormous expense to our treasury.
Mr Chipimo said holding 10 by-elections (which is where we may end up before the second half of next year) could therefore amount to a staggering K60 billion in unbudgeted expenditure.
K60 billion exceeds half the average amount allocated for the refurbishment of the main hospitals in Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe next year.K60 billion exceeds half the average amount allocated for the refurbishment of the main hospitals in Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe next year.K60 billion is more than the money allocated to supporting youth empowerment programmes through skills training in this year’s budget. K60 billion is 20% of the funding allocated to the procurement of maize this year through the Food Reserve Agency.
The Government has completed compiling resource mapping data on the creation of industrial clusters in the country, Commerce Trade and Industry Minister Robert Sichinga has said.
Mr Sichinga said his ministry had finished collecting resource mapping data which was among other determinants towards the creation of industrial clusters.
Mr Sichinga said in Lusaka that the Government was determined to the create clusters as it would spread national development and wealth creation.
“The ministry has finished its resource mapping data in all the districts, this data will give us guidelines to what kind of industry and equipment to put at each cluster.
“As you may know this data is looking at what is available in each district that needs value addition that can create wealth for the country and the local community,” he said.
He said the Government intends to roll out a number of programmes primarily for the purpose of facilitating the creation of jobs and wealth.
The creation of industrial clusters would strengthen and widen Zambia’s manufacturing base with emphasis on the backward and forward linkages.
However, Mr Sichinga said this would require intensified development of resource based industries particularly those in rural areas with the aim of optimising value addition.
Earlier, Mr Sichinga said the Government would present to Parliament an Industrial and Value Added Act to pave way for the creation of industrial clusters in all the 75 districts.
“We want to put forward to Parliament of course after other approvals on what we are calling an Industrial and Value Added Act,” he said.
THE Government has given millers a one week ultimatum to ensure that there is sufficient maize bran to cater for Zambia’s stockfeed requirements or the export of the commodity will be revoked.
Agriculture Deputy Minister Rodgers Mwewa said yesterday that the Government met with representatives of the millers last Friday, where concerns of reports of shortages of maize bran were raised and Agriculture Minister Emmanuel Chenda directed the millers to prove that they were able to satisfy the local market, failure to which the Government would issue an export ban.
Mr Mwewa said the Government wanted to see to it that the country did not experience any shortages of maize bran which is used to manufacture stock feed while the millers’ were busy exporting the same commodity.
“During the meeting the millers association pledged to place advertisements in the local media announcing that they have sufficient stocks of maize bran and should assist farmers with details to avert any shortages of maize bran,” he said.
Mr Mwewa said he had spoken to some millers who assured him that they were boosting their maize bran production.
The deputy minister said he would this week start conducting an on the sport check on milling companies in Lusaka and the Copperebelt as a way of confirming if the millers were indeed committed to adhering to the measures they agreed to put in place to avert maize bran shortages in Zambia.
This follows numerous complaints from some farmers on the Copperbelt who had been experiencing a shortage of stock feed because most millers were now concentrating on manufacturing maize bran for the export market which was more lucratctive than selling locally.
Former Zambia Dairy Farmers Association chairperson Effatah Jele said the shortage of maize bran on the market was negatively affecting milk production in the country.
Ms Jele said the scarcity of maize bran has also contributed to the high prices of cotton cake making the cost of milk production in the country one of the highest in the region.
She said the farming community had already communicated with the Ministry of Agriculture asking the Government to consider suspending maize bran export.
“We are aware that the Government is doing something to address the situation and we want the authority to expedite their approach to the issue,” she said.
Ms Jele said the cost of milk production in Zambia was one of the most expensive in the region and she thanked Government for protecting the local milk industry from imported cheap product.
In September, Mr Chenda announced the lifting of the ban on maize bran exports which he said was being done because the country had sufficient maize and wheat stocks.
The impending parliamentary and local government by-elections in some seats held by MMD must be condemned by every well meaning citizen as this won’t only be a nuisance but a sheer drain on our young economy. If I may be precise; to encourage by elections at a time when the country is still grappling with a myriad of socio-economic woes would be outright immoral and an affront to the majority of poor citizens!
The plight of one Jackson Mwape would perhaps suffice to illustrate my view. Mr. Mwape recently wrote a moving letter to one of the daily newspapers. Unless your heart is made out of stone, you would easily be moved to tears! In his letter,Mr. Mwape cried that he retired as a teacher on September 12, 2011 but hasn’t yet received the package he is entitled to. According to him,government still owes him K25, 124, 659.83 and K23, 367, 603.58 in arrears and leave terminal benefits respectively. Mr. Mwape concludes his letter by wondering when we as citizens shall have more money in our pockets so that we can execute our plans effectively. How many more people out there, especially in the rural areas, are trapped in such a dilemma?
[pullquote] if development can only come to a constituency if one belongs to a ruling party, then it’s as good as doing away with multi party politics[/pullquote]
PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba who is also Justice Minister insists that “democracy is expensive” while his counterpart at the Ministry of Information Kennedy Sakeni observes that there’s nothing wrong for serving MMD MPs or councillors to resign from their party and join PF because the constitution guarantees them the right to freedom of association. What sort of leaders are these? Are they not aware that there are still hundreds of retirees out there such as Mr. Mwape wallowing in poverty while their money remains stuck in government coffers?
Yes, democracy may be costly as Mr. Kabimba wants us to believe but some costs such as by-elections arising from unnecessary defections can be avoided. Why can’t we learn from countries such as South Africa whereby they go into what they call a “window period” after holding elections?During this time, MPs are at liberty to decide whether they want to remain with parties that sponsored them to parliament or cross the floor of the house to political parties of their choice without unnecessarily provoking by elections.
Can people like Richard Taima convince us that they want to join PF because they want to develop their constituencies? Taima was deputy minister during the MMD regime for a long time, what development did he initiate in his constituency? And if development can only come to a constituency if one belongs to a ruling party, then it’s as good as doing away with multi party politics. The biggest problem we have in this country is that we don’t have political ideologies; that’s why people like Taima and Masumba can easily jump from one political party to another.[pullquote]What happened to the spirit of 1991? Didn’t we unanimously reject dictatorship and embrace multi-party democracy? Why then should we allow Sata’s PF to drag us back to the one party state by letting him continue poaching opposition MPs?[/pullquote]
According to my Oxford Advanced Learners’ dictionary, ideology is a set of ideas or beliefs that form the basis of an economic or political theory or that are held by a particular group or person.These individuals are joining PF not because they believe in the PF ideology, if at all it has one, but because they want jobs or protect their businesses. And if say support for the PF started dwindling a few years from now, such individuals shall surely be the first to jump ship – what hypocrisy! One would of course rightly argue that the problem of poaching opposition MPs started with Levy Mwanawasa, but if we may be fair was this in order?
What was Mwanawasa’s motive for appointing opposition MPs as ministers, for instance? To deliberately obliterate opposition; and he almost succeeded in doing so! Under his tutelage, MMD robbed Gen. Godffrey Miyanda of all his MPs and also managed to snatch a few from Mazoka’s UPND such as the likes of Dr.Sipula Kabanje. Are we saying we should continue treading on this retrogressive path as a nation? What happened to the spirit of 1991? Didn’t we unanimously reject dictatorship and embrace multi-party democracy? Why then should we allow Sata’s PF to drag us back to the one party state by letting him continue poaching opposition MPs? Fellow citizens, until next time I rest my case.
FILE: Steven Masumba showing his diploma to the media that is said to have been irregularly issued because the minister did not successfully complete his training programme.
A witness in a case involving newly appointed Minister for North-western Province, Steven Masumba, told a Lusaka magistrates’ court that the institutes erroneously awarded Mr Masumba a Diploma in Accounting Technician course.
National Institute of Public Relations (NIPA) Deputy Registrar, Academic Affairs, Musonda Chimya, said although he has not dealt with the matter to find out how the diploma was issued, Mr Masumba was not eligible to graduate as his examination results transcript indicated that he had arrears.
Mr Chimya, who testified before Lusaka Magistrate, Wilfred Muma, said Mr Masumba was served with a transcript where the subjects he sat for were indicated showing how many marks he obtained and the total marks.
He further said at the bottom of the transcript there was a comment which stated that Mr Masumba had arrears and not eligible to graduate.
Mr Chimya who could however not explain how Mr. Masumbas’ name was found on a list of students scheduled to graduate said he only came to know of the case when officers from the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC)went to his office to enquire about the matter.
In cross examination, Anti Corruption Commission prosecutor, Etambuyu Mwenda Zimba, asked if Mr Chimya was aware that the institute had not withdrawn the diploma from Mr Masumba, and whether it was still a valid document or not.
Mr Chimya told the court that he was not aware, adding that there are no records showing that the document was withdrawn but that since he was not there when Mr Masumba graduated, it could also be possible that he once attended the institutes examination centre.
However, defence Lawyer, Mutakela Lisimba, asked Mr Chimya whether Mr Masumba was served with any transcript, and whether the document he was referring to was not addressed to Mr Masumba or not or stated “To whom it may concern”.However, Magistrate Muma intercepted and warned the defence counsel to be practical in his questions, adding that Mr Masumba must have know that it was addressed to him if he received it.
Mr Lisimba further questioned Chimya if he was aware that his client had used the document in question to get a job.
In response Mr Chimya told the court that he only started working for the institute in 2009, adding that he could not have known that Mr Masumba was a former student who had been using a forged document if the matter was not unearthed by the Anti Corruption Commission.
Mr Chimya further told the court that it was wrong for Mr Masumba to use the document in question to obtain a job, adding that he was very much aware that he was not qualified.
Meanwhile Magistrate Muma has strongly warned the Anti Corruption Commission prosecution to put their house in order and never to come in court empty or unprepared for any case.Magistrate Muma warned Ms Zimba after she failed to furnish the court with the number of witnesses the commission was ready to bring in the matter involving Mr Masumba.
“You must have inquired when you took over the case not coming here empty. Look, you do not seem to know anything about witnesses; then how are you going to set dates” said magistrate Muma.
He said the public for a long time has been complaining of prolonged trials and left to wonder about justice and operations of the judiciary when it was doing everything possible to change the wrong perception.
He added that it was delays such as the one portrayed by officers from Anti Corruption Commission that lead to delays in trails.
“I adjourn the matter with bitterness to December 12, 2012. Make sure to bring all your witnesses on this date,” said Magistrate Muma.
Lea-Lui Member of Parliament Situmbeko Musokotwane
Former Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane says newly appointed Zambia Railways Limited Chief Executive Officer Clive Chirwa has an uphill battle to resuscitate the railway company.
Speaking in an interview with Qfm News, Dr. Musokotwane says Zambia Railways needs huge capital investment in order for it operate more efficiently.
He says it will be interesting to see how the new Zambia Railways Chief Executive Officer will execute his plan to boost the company’s relevance to the country’s economy.
Dr. Musokotwane has however noted that Professor Chirwa has the right credentials to take the company forward.
Professor Chirwa who was recently appointed by President Michael Sata has given himself three year in which to transform the railway company’s fortunes.
United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema says ZESCO’s concern on the long term supply contracts of power that it has with the mining companies is justifiable.
ZESCO has complained that the long term supply contracts it has with the mines which consume 50% of the total power generated are not cost reflective.
Mr. Hichilema has explained that the long term supply contracts were signed at a time when the copper prices had drastically reduced.
The opposition leader has noted that conditions to help resuscitate mines therefore had to be agreed upon.
Mr. Hichilema adds that now that the mining companies are reaping profits from the good copper prices on the international market, it is only fair that the supply contracts that they have with ZESCO are re-looked at.
Mr. Hichilema in an interview with QFM News has indicated the need for the mining industry to start paying reasonable tariffs noting that the mines are currently only contributing about 6 % direct taxes to the treasury per annum.
