VICE President Guy Scott has said Government will construct 12 new health centers in Mufumbwe District.

Speaking when he attended a church service at Chizela New Apostolic church yesterday, Dr Scott said Government noted with concern that despite Mufumbwe being a district for the past 20 years, development still remained scanty.

“We are here for you and we want you to be here for us, we note that Mufumbwe has been a district for 20 years but nothing much has been done, we have already designated to build 12 new health centers here,” he said.

Dr scott said President Michael Sata was also scheduled to arrive in the district on Saturday an indication that the Patriotic Front (PF) government wanted to see how districts were developed and ensure that national wealth was shared equally.

And Dr Scott sent the congregation to laughter when he said the first thing the PF would do when their candidate Steven Masumba won was to advise him to stop dancing to Congolese rhumba but to concentrate on how best Mufumbwe should be developed.

“We want North Western to be in the house also so that together we can start building the district, we shall always be there for you and you should be there for us also, that is how development works,” he said.

And earlier, Apostle Patrick Phoho asked the church and Mufumbwe residents to ensure that they maintained peace and order in the district.

He said the church played a cardinal role in ensuring that peace prevailed in the country hence the need for Christians to be examples of being in the forefront of championing peace where ever they may be.

“Without peace we wouldn’t have been here, so am urging you church members to be examples of peace to the outsiders, once you do that the rest will follow,” said the apostle.

The Vice President who arrived in Mufumbwe yesterday morning was accompanied by Tourism Minister Sylvia Masebo and her Agriculture counterpart Emmanuel Chenda and was welcomed by PF candidate Mr Masumba, Provincial Minister Josephine Limataa, Provincial Permanent Secretary Augustine Seyuba and PF campaign manager Jean Kapata.

NAREP leader Elias Chipimo today launched an ambitious programme aimed at creating job opportunities for the millions of unemployed young people in Zambia.

Under the plan, Mr. Chipimo is proposing that government sets aside 10 percent of its supply contracts to the public sector for enterprises run by young people and women as a way of empowering them.

Mr. Chipimo stated that the PF came to power on a promise of jobs and more money in the pockets of the people but noted that after a full year in power, it has become increasingly clear that this was a false hope.

He was speaking in Lusaka this afternoon during a media briefing to launch the NAREP employment and empowerment Initiative.

Mr. Chipimo said NAREP has developed the NAREP empowerment and employment Initiative that would create immediate jobs and help to draw many current and future vendors off the streets by promoting sustainable livelihoods.

“The initiative involves the adoption of a policy by government to allocate 10 percent of all its procurement of goods and services to youth and women enterprises that would also specifically target street vendors. This would in time be extended to the private sector,” he said.

He said Government spends over 10 trillion Kwacha per year on procurement of local goods and services adding that it is estimated that this move alone would deliver up to 1,000 billion (or one trillion) Kwacha worth of orders to youth and women’s enterprises each year.

“In order to benefit, these enterprises should be made up of between 5 and 10 people and be registered with PACRA, Workers Compensation, ZRA, NAPSA and other such entities through an established youth or women’s NGO,” said Mr. Chipimo.

“There will be a fast-track system for registering the youth and women’s enterprises with PACRA, NAPSA, Workers Compensation, ZRA etc.) and vendors would only be required to pay for these charges once they had executed their first orders and been paid.”

The NAREP leader said members of these youth and women’s enterprises will be trained to enable them to deliver on these orders through established NGO’s that are registered.

“In order to deal with political interference and partisan selection for contracts, the system would be administered through 4 banks and financial institutions that would be invited to bid to administer the funds for procurement,” he explained.

He said once adopted by government, the NAREP empowerment and employment Initiative will go a long way towards reducing unemployment and its negative effects on society.

“We have set ourselves the task of collecting one million signatures to support the implementation of the NAREP Empowerment and Employment Initiative by 2 March 2013 a date which will coincide with the 3rd anniversary of the launch of our Party.”

“If the government fails to implement this plan, they would have said no to the wishes of over 1 million people and come election time, you know where those 1 million people would be voting,” he warned.

Ruff Kid won an awrard at last nights BEFFTA awards ,he won Best International Act beating out other African music heavy weights such as  Zahara, Camp Mulla, Cover Driver, D’banji and Grace Galazy .

This is great news for Zambian music as a whole .

CONGRATULATIONS RUFF KID

By Kapa187

Veteran mercenary Samson Gaul (Jean-Claude Van Damme) knows that in the heat of battle, every bullet counts. He retired from combat when his actions resulted in the deaths of helpless victims, but now he’s the last hope for a desperate father. Mixed Martial Artist, Andrew Fayden (Joe Flanigan) knows how to fight, but alone he’s unprepared to navigate the corrupt streets of a foreign city to find his kidnapped daughter. Together, these warriors will stop at nothing to tear apart a vile network of criminals that prey upon the innocent.

PROS

• Exciting movie from beginning to end.
• exhilarating action scenes

CONS

• Predictable story line

CONCLUSION

Great movie by the legendary action hero Jean Claude Van Dame .It is action packed from beginning to end ,and has a few twists and turns . The only problem with it , is that the plot is very similar to the movie “Taken” another thing is ,i have no idea why it was called 6 bullets ,he used a lot more than that .

It is a good Saturday night action movie

RATING

4 out of 5

By Kapa187

Vice President Guy Scott has said that Zambia has become a grain hub for the entire Southern African region because of the good agriculture policies being implemented by the government.

Dr. Scott says neighbouring countries are importing maize from Zambia making it a ‘power house’ in the region.

Dr. Scott said Zimbabwe and Kenya are among countries that are buying maize from Zambia.

The Vice President said this in Chongwe yesterday when he officiated at this year’s Chakwela Makumbi traditional ceremony of the Soli people at Makuyu palace for Chieftainess Nkomesha Mukambo II .

He however regretted that despite this good record payments to farmers in Chongwe who sold maize to the Food Reserve Agency-FRA was caused by bureaucratic tendencies.

Dr Scott however assured the farmers country-wide that government has released over K1.1 trillion to pay those who supplied maize to the FRA before the crop marketing season ends on October 31st.

He further disclosed that government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives has delivered 47,850 x 50 kilogram bags of basal dressing fertilizer and an additional 13,200 metric tones of both ‘D’ compound and urea (top dressing).

Dr. Scott said government has started distributing the 2012/2013 farming inputs.

And Dr. Scott says government will soon do away with the culture of taking gifts to the chiefs but instead take development closer to the chiefs.

He explained that empowering traditional leaders with decent accommodation is better than giving them donations.

Dr. Scott also disclosed that Chongwe district Hospital which is in phase-two of construction will cost K14 billion when completed and fully fledged.

And speaking earlier, Chieftainess Nkomesha Mukambo II commended the government for the development projects in agriculture, health, education and other sectors in the district.

Chieftainess Nkomesha who spoke through her representative John Luputa further said the re-alignment of Sibuyunji and other three districts in Lusaka province would give local people an opportunity to benefit from government programmes and commended President Michael Sata for the decentralisation policy.

Lusaka Province Minister Gerry Chanda said government recognizes the role chiefs play in national development and advised them against engaging in politics.

Colonel Chanda said Zambia was founded on the ‘One Zambia, One nation” motto which entails love and unity adding that it was therefore inappropriate for chiefs to dwell on politics of ‘divide and rule’.

Chakwela Makumbi, literary meaning gathering clouds to bring rains, is a ceremony where Chieftainess Nkomeshya asks ancestral spirits to provide rains to her people.

Area Member of Parliament Sylvia Masebo, Ministry of Chiefs cabinet ministers, Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Permanent Secretary Colliad Chibbonta, Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga , visiting chiefs and tourists were among those who attended the rich and colourful ceremony.

ZANIS

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
(Luke 6:37, NKJV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Did you know that the ability to forgive others is a gift from God? The Bible tells us that if we don’t forgive others, we cannot be forgiven. If we don’t forgive, we are blocking the ability for God to work in our lives. But when we choose to forgive, we are choosing God’s way and opening the door for Him to heal our hurts and restore our souls.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that what that person did was right or that you even have to get back into a relationship with that person. Forgiveness simply releases the debt they owe you so that God can release the debt you owe Him. Ask the Lord to search your heart and show you if there is any unforgiveness blocking His blessing in your life. Ask Him to show you more about this gift of forgiveness so that you can walk in the freedom and victory He has for you today.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

God, I know that You have called me to forgive others. Today I choose to release those who have hurt me and trust that You will be my Vindicator. I choose to forgive knowing it opens the door to Your healing in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Iris Kaingu the woman convicted of producing an obscene video has asked for forgiveness from Zambians. Iris said that she is grateful for the support and sympathy she received from Zambians during her trail.

She said that she would not want another person to be caught up in a similar situation as hers. The daughter of MMD vice President Michael Kaingu said that she will now concentrate on her school and developing her business.

The 21 year old said that her parents are already making efforts to secure her a place in school outside the country.

Iris was this week found guilty and convicted on one count of making obscene cinematography films tending to corrupt morals by Lusaka Magistrate Prince Mwiinga.

ZNBC

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has asked the PF government the ruling Patriotic Front Government to explain why it has been failing to pay farmers in the past three months.

And Mr. Hichilema has charged that Zambia is headed for a poor harvest in the 2012/2013 farming season owing to poor agricultural policies.

Speaking when he featured on Petauke Explorer radio’s special program this morning, Mr. Hichilema said that the PF government should clearly explain to Zambians for failing to implement their promises.

He has therefore accused the PF government of mistreating farmers in Petauke by not paying them for the maize they supplied to the Food Reserve agency (FRA).

Mr. Hichilema has since assured Petauke Residents that once voted into power, he will pay particular attention to the agriculture sector and ensure that small scale farmers benefit.

QFM