President Sata has appointed Professor Clive Chirwa as Zambia Railways Limited Chief Executive Officer.

Prof. Chirwa replaces Mr. Knox Karima, who has been retired in national interest.

This is according to a statement issued by the President’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah

“I have deemed it appropriate and opportune to appoint you Chief Executive Officer of Zambia Railways Limited. Your appointment is with immediate effect for a period of five (5) years,” read President Sata’s letter to Prof. Chirwa in part.

The Head of State stated that the rail line has deteriorated beyond description during the concession to Railway Systems of Zambia, which the Government recently terminated.

“Millions of tonnes of both our imports and exports which should have been transported by rail were diverted to road transport in the process exerting a very severe toll on our roads. The costs to the economy has been and is unsustainable,” President Sata stated.

President Sata further stated that it would take a lot of effort to sort out the country’s rail line including the inter-mine rail, which is so critical to the efficiency of the mining sector.

“However, I have confidence in your ability to use your vast reservoir of knowledge to help our country to revamp the railway network that results in a rail system that will create the necessary economic impetus,” President Sata stated.

“Government has taken a positive move in this direction by allocating K640 billion for the rehabilitation of the rail line.”

Meanwhile, President Sata has given former Zambia Railways Limited Chief Executive Officer Mr. Knox Karima a one month notice in which to facilitate a smooth hand-over to the incoming Chief Executive Officer.

The President has thanked Mr. Karima for the services rendered during his tenure of office.

Prof. Chirwa is a distinguished Professor of Automotive & Aerospace Structures and Chair of Automotive & Aerospace Engineering. He is also Editor-in-Chief of The International Journal of Crashworthiness and Advisor to UK, Australia, USA, EU, Japan, Canada and Singapore Gov. on Trans Safety among many other internationally recognised credentials and achievements.

 HERE ARE THIS WEEKS POEMS .ENJOY!!!!!

DEEP LIKE THATby Baldwin Alaznis

On a normal day, another facebook spray

Of attention seeking and statuses, Such a disturbing array

What’s on my mind?

Frustration : I seek better

Another picture, Pose,I Press like, just being kind

Down down the wall, I crave deeper.

She’s single (why make it public) , he’s in america, McDonalds (am I supposed to care)

Further down to my only solace

Groups press

My poetry eden I find, a blissful place

Eyes darting lustfully from left to right

Eating words fast, thumb and middle fingers meet as the deeper connotations are gleaned

An engineer metamorphosed into a poet. A profession so hard yet words subtle, soft. The paradox that is isunge

Of the thunderbolts on life, love and lust jagoda testifies

Seeking not a soul like his Alexander betrays

Entranced by the midnight sun, how Gods creation crows and caws at its silver shine, chifwanti raps

And more thought invoking is two words attesting to the possibility of impossibility. What if? Mwape provokes

A trip down memory lane, ira bites down on nostalgia

And many more, my thumb and middle digits sore

The depth in a shallow virtual world

The ray of light in a dark day with pointless thoughts many a mispoken word

An oxymoron the word may be, BITTERSWEET,

but truth be told,

YOU ALL ARE DEEP LIKE THAT.

Join the Family @ https://t.co/YDjF1929

One <3 ya’ll. Keep doing your thing

£NIGM@ 13/11/12

MISSION: ATTITUDE GRATITUDE (AG) by Emmanuella Sakala

“Does this suffering have an end?

Does real love really exist?

Why am I even here?”

All around the clock, people tirelessly work at finding answers to these and many other questions that characterize this desolate world we live in.

All the while though, what we don’t realize is that it’s all in vain,

Only adds to the pain,

Making us feel a little insane,

Not knowing that if we look to the MAIN-ONE,

To pour down his rain,

That we never really earn,

Coz we are just way off lane,

But with him we gain,

More than enough to never strain,

If only we remain,

Abroad his train,

We will never be put to shame!!!

So let us aim instead at being grateful because an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE HELPS US EXPERIENCE THE MAGNITUDE OF GOD’S LOVE!

So am calling on all soldiers,

All who are ready to throw that grenade that will explode the greatness in others,

All who are ready to shoot themselves, if that is what it takes for others to live,

All who are ready to brave the landmine infested areas to retrieve a wounded soldier,

ALL WHO DON’T WANT TO BE WASTEFUL BUT GRATEFUL FOR THE HEARTFUL OF BLESSINGS THEY HAVE RECEIVED!!!

Do not be deceived this is not mission “Let’s take a walk in the park” this is….

MISSION ATTITUDE-GRATITUDE!

If you can’t bring the attitude then you probably belong to the multitude civilians.

Buckle up, if you want to jump on this band wagon because this warfare demands your all!

There is no aborting it; it is aneverlasting-life’ long mission.

So if at all you dare to care….

SIGN UP!!!

***Marvel*** by Taylor RandomGeek Pearce

Revel in your creation,

your faithful pet of doom,

The smile of a wretched nation,

Whose life is death too soon,

Marvel oh my love,

The scarlet of my veins,

Hell will soon  burn off,

Its walls shall hold your frame,

Revel still in us,

The horrors of true fate,

The sacrifice of trust,

The benefits of hate,

Marvel at the broken,

A heart which once could beat,

Maimed by words unspoken,

The honor of defeat,

Revel in my rage,

Which trepidation pruned,

Beastly more with age,

Solely meant for you,

Marvel as I smile,

In all disgust and pleasure,

The stench of you is vile,

You sicken me ‘yond measure,

Revel in this bliss,

The hope you once destroyed,

You aimed to never miss,

And turned my spirit void,

But marvel still my dear,

Your curse I cannot leave,

Till I can, without air,

teach myself to breathe…

By Kapa187

Opposition MMD has lost recognition as leader of the opposition in Parliament following dwindling numbers of members in the House resulting from losses the party has suffered in recent by-elections.

The revocation of MMD’s recognition was announced yesterday by Speaker of the National Assembly, Patrick Matibini.

Currently none of the opposition parties had the required 53 members to satisfy the quorum as provided for under Article 84 (4) of the Republican Constitution.

Dr Matibini had as at October 19, 2011 recognised the MMD as the Official Opposition, a decision that he had since revoked.

“Hon Members, as matters stand at the moment, none of the opposition political parties in the House have the required requisite 53 Members to satisfy the quorum as provided for under Article 84 (4) of the Constitution. In this vein, the decision I made to recognise the MMD as Official Opposition in the House is hereby revoked,” Dr Matibini said in his ruling.

The ruling follows a point of order raised on June 19, this year by Patriotic Front’s Obvius Chisala, Member of Parliament (MP) for Chilubi, who wanted to know whether it was in order for MMD Lunte MP, Felix Mutati to continue holding the position of Leader of the Opposition when the party did not meet the required 53 Parliamentary seats.

The position would remain vacant until Dr Matibini makes a decision as to who would take up the role.

At the time of recognising the MMD as the Official Opposition political party, the former ruling party had 54 seats, followed by the United Party for National Development (UPND) with 28, the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) and the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) which had one each while three seats belonged to Independent MPs.

The figures have since changed following by-elections in Livingstone Central, Chama North, Muchinga and Mufumbwe Constituencies.

The current membership representation in the House stands at MMD (51), UPND (30), ADD and FDD, both still with one seat each while Independent representation has dropped to two seats.

Dr Matibini said Mr Mutati had since resigned his post and tendered his letter to the Speaker’s office in line with Article 137 on July 18, this year and accordingly the National Assembly withdrew all the benefits that were accorded to him, in his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition.

“Since that time, there has been no replacement of Hon Mutati, due to the uncertainty over the number of MMD MPs. The House may wish to note that the power to recognise an official opposition political party in the House is vested in the Speaker,” he said.

For an opposition political party to be recognised as the Official Opposition in Parliament, it should satisfy the requirements of it having a distinct ideology and programme of work whether in the political, economic or social field, which was announced by it at the time of general elections and on which it had been returned to the House.

It should also form a homogenous unit capable of developing into a well knit entity and should have an organisation, both inside and outside the House, which was in contact with public opinion on all national important issues.

The other being that, it should, at least be able to command a strength which would enable it to keep the House running, meaning that, its number should not be less than the quorum fixed to constitute a sitting of the House.

Meanwhile seven Bills yesterday passed First Reading as requested by Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda when he presented the 2013 National Budget.

These were the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill, the Income Tax Amendment Bill, the Medical Levy Repeal Bill, the Mines and Minerals Development Amendment Bill.

Others were the Property Transfer Tax Amendment Bill, the Value Added Tax Amendment Bill and the Zambia Development Agency Amendment Bill which had been passed on to various Committees which would report back to the House by November 30, this year.

President Michael Sata  has announced that his administration has undertaken to construct and complete secondary schools in all the ten (10) provinces of Zambia in order to enhance access to quality education for all.

During the period 2011 to 2012, a total of 83 schools have been under construction countrywide. Out of the 83 schools; 44 are almost finished and are scheduled for commissioning in January 2013.

A further 35 secondary schools have been earmarked for construction countrywide in the period 2012 to 2013.

The number of secondary schools earmarked for construction in the period 2012 to 2013 Province by Province is as follows: Three (3) of the schools are in Central Province, Copperbelt (4), Western Province (3), Lusaka (3) and Luapula Province (5).

The rest are Eastern Province (3), Northern Province (4), Muchinga (4) North Western (3) and Southern Province (3).

The Head of State revealed that for the year 2013, the Government has further earmarked the construction on four (4) colleges to specifically train teachers in Mathematics and Sciences.

The four colleges will be located in Kabompo, Nchelenge, Senanga and Katete.

“Our aspiration is to put together a well-organized, valuable and reliable public education system through substantial investments in educational infrastructure. As Government we have an obligation to structure and shape the future of our general populace, particularly the younger citizens, who constitute a greater part of our population,” President Sata said.

“This Government will not leave out any part of the country in distributing development and will work towards unifying our people even in the share of resources, and this is but only the beginning of tremendous efforts directed at rebuilding Zambia as a prosperous and inclusive nation, whose people will work hard together in unity across their diverse backgrounds.”

Meanwhile, President Sata has transferred Lusaka Province minister Hon. Colonel Gerry Chanda to Northern Province in the same capacity. Hon. Col. Chanda has swapped with Hon. Freedom Sikazwe, who is now the new Lusaka Province minister.

And President Sata has also swapped Eastern province minister Hon. Charles Banda with his Muchinga Province counterpart Hon. Malozo Sichone.

The changes are with immediate effect.

The Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has announced that it will petition the results of the just ended Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election in which Patriotic Front candidate Steven Masumba emerged victorious.

MMD president Nevers Mumba disclosed this to Journalists at a media briefing in Lusaka this morning.

Dr Mumba says the by-election was marred by electoral malpractices perpetrated by the ruling Patriotic Front.

He says it was shocking that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) went ahead to declare the PF’s Steven Masumba as winner despite the alleged malpractices.

Dr Mumba says the MMD is seeking answers from the ECZ and will soon petition the seat after its provincial executive submits a report.

QFM