Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
The Association of Zambia Mineral Exploration Companies (AZMEC) says it supports the decision by Zambezi Resources to appeal the decision by ZEMA to reject mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
The Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) recently rejected environmental impact study (EIS) submissions for the proposed US$494 million copper project citing environmental concerns.
Once fully operational, the mine would have created over 400 full time jobs.
But Zambezi Resources, which owns the Kangaluwi Copper Project has since lodged an appeal to the Minister of Environmental Protection seeking a review of ZEMA’s decision as provided for in the Environmental Management Act of 2011.
And AZMEC President Gilbert Temba said his association fully supports Zambezi Resources in its appeal process.
Mr. Temba said the decision by ZEMA to reject the project out rightly was not fair.
He said the project should be allowed to proceed because the many social and economic benefits it will provide to the local community.
FILE: Silvia Masebo with Mr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the UNWTO
The Livingstone Tourism Association has insisted that the Zambia is still far behind in preparations for the forthcoming UNWTO general assembly.
Last Friday, Tourism and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo told Parliament that Zambia is on course in preparations to co-hosting the biggest tourism indaba in the world slated for August next year.
But Livingstone Tourism Association Chairman Kingsley Lilamono maintained that Zambia still has a long way to go to prepare for the general assembly.
Mr. Lilamono attributed the delays in preparations to a lack of an autonomous local organising committee with executive powers.
“We do have a big challenge as far as preparations are concerned, from the outside, it appears we do have a local organizing committee but that is not the case. There I nothing happening on the ground,” Mr. Lilamono said.
He said roads are still in a deplorable state in Livingstone while the demolition of the filthy Zimbabwe market is still pending.
“The truth is that our friends in Zimbabwe have made significant progress and we don’t seem to be moving at all. The only progress we have recorded is the modernisation of the Harry Mwaanga International Airport.”
And Mr. Lilamono has stated that Southern Province Permanent Secretary Dr. Chileshe Mulenga’s “Know it all” altitude is negatively preparations for the general assembly.
“We worked very well with Minister Lubinda when he was in charge of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, we all worked very well with other past PS’s for Southern Province over the general assembly but since the coming in of Dr. Mulenga, things have not moved.”
“The PS is overlooking input from the private sector and undermine our efforts, we worked on the bid document for the general assembly and we know what it takes but the PS has this know it all altitude which is not helpful,” Mr. Lilamono added.
He has advised government to authorize the private sector in Livingstone to take the lead of the preparations for the general assembly.
He said Cabinet Office should quickly appoint a local organising committee spearheaded by the private sector in Livingstone which should be responsible for handling preparations for the grand event.
Over 2,000 delegates are expected to attend the general assembly to be hosted by Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls town and Zambia’s Livingstone.
Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings has announced plans to enter into exploration of base metals with the creation of an in house exploration arm to oversee the venture.
ZCCM IH Chairman Willa Mungomba told Reporters that the company is interested in venturing base metal exploration in Zambia as part of its reinvestment programme.
Mr. Mungomba said necessary documents has been developed and submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Mines and the Attorney General’s office for legal opinion.
He said ZCCM IH hopes that the new exploration firm would be operational by January 2013.
Mr. Mungomba said ZCCM IH would welcome local and foreign investment into the venture as a way of a stake.
ZCCM IH, with a market capitalization of USD 178 million is an investment holdings firm for the Zambian government and holds minimum equity in most of the mining companies operating in the country.
Police in Choma have arrested a Head teacher of Saint Mark’s Secondary School in the district after he shot and wounded a grade 12 pupil as he attempted to quell a violent pupil protest on Monday night.
District Commissioner Golden Nyambe confirmed the development to ZANIS in Choma today and identified the head teacher as Frederick Njamba who is currently detained at the main police station.
He said police are still investigating circumstances leading to the bizarre incidence in which the school teacher opened fire on protesting pupils.
Mr Nyambe said the head teacher allegedly opened fire on a group of protesting pupils Monday night, wounding 19 year old Lemmy Hamusonde.
He said Hamusonde who was shot in the chest sustained a fractured rib and is currently admitted to Macha Mission, about 70 kilometres from Choma town
The DC explained that trouble at the school started when Hamusonde earlier in the week attempted to force himself into a girls’ dormitory to see his girlfriend but was restrained by an alert watchman.
Hamusonde is reported to have physically assaulted the watchman in the ensuing scuffle resulting in his arrest.
Mr Nyambe said after Hamusonde was arrested and detained by police, his parents pleaded for his release so that he could continue writing his grade 12 examinations.
He said after his release from police custody, Hamusonde later mobilized other school boys and launched an attack on the watchman in the night.
The watchman raised alarm to attract help from teachers in the school compound.
The DC explained that when teachers rushed to the scene, they were pelted with stones forcing them to retreat.
Mr Nyambe said it was at this point that the head teacher rushed to his house and pulled a fire arm.
He first fired a warning shot but the protesting pupils could not retreat, forcing him to open fire on the group of protesting pupils.
Mr Nyambe said hospital authorities at Macha mission hospital have described Hamusonde’s condition as stable.
A 28 year old Zambian national resident was found dead in the Czech Republic in Vltava river on November 6, 2012 in the City of Roztoky.
The deceased has been identified as Malitela Sikwebele.
According to a police report obtained from Prague Police Department in Czech Republic, the body of Mr. Sikwebele was found floating in Vltava River with a bag contained some rocks strapped on his body at the time of discovery of the remains.
In a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Germany Embassy, Yvonne Shibemba, indicated that the body was identified yesterday on November 13th by close friends to the deceased who are resident in the Czech Republic.
Ms. Shibemba said police however, suspects that the deceased may have committed suicide given the circumstances in which the body was found.
She said the Investigations on the matter are still ongoing.
Ms. Shibemba explained that the deceased is believed to have gone to Czech Republic in 2005 on a privately sourced scholarship to further his studies in the field of medicine.
She said family members to the deceased have since been informed and further instructions are being awaited from them.
President Michael Sata has urged newly appointed government officials to uphold the oath of secrecy or risk being fired.
President Sata said the oath of office was clear and that permission to release confidential information in the discharge of duty could only be done so with permission from the President.
“And the most important thing in this job which you have been given is secrecy. Secrecy as you have said there (in the oath), me, I will not give you any permission to reveal anything.
“So, if I don’t give you any permission to reveal anything, no body else will give you permission not even your spouses. What you know, keep it to yourself,” he said.
Mr Sata was speaking at State House today during the swearing in ceremony for North Western Province minister Stephen Masumba and five board members of the newly established Financial Intelligence Centre at the Ministry of Finance.
The five board members are Raphael Mungole, Cecilia Zimba, John Kasanga, Samuel Mulafulafu and Joseph Chikolwa.
He urged the newly appointees to be brave and not to be swayed by blank criticism.
[pullquote]“For example, we appoint Mr Emmanuel Mwamba as PS for Eastern Province and some rascal a Mr Chuzu from UPND, he says Mr Mwamba is not fit to be PS for Eastern Province. He is talking of economics and yet that boy did not even pass grade seven.[/pullquote]
Mr Sata said there were many critics who claimed to be more intelligent and had acquired wealth without working for it.
“For example, we appoint Mr Emmanuel Mwamba as PS for Eastern Province and some rascal a Mr Chuzu from UPND, he says Mr Mwamba is not fit to be PS for Eastern Province. He is talking of economics and yet that boy did not even pass grade seven.
“So you have to be very brave and where you are not very sure of what you are doing consult. You have the Permanent Secretary, you have the honourable minister and the honourable MP,” he said.
Mr Sata urged Mr Masumba to be a man of the people as politics entailed that he should mix freely.
“And you Mr Minister, you can go to Kipushi (Village) and dance, but that is part of politics, you must go and dance with everybody and you must be a man of the people,” the President said.
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has threatened to submit names of President Michael Sata and deputy Inspector General of Police, Solomon Jere to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for alleged selective justice and violation of human rights.
Mr Hichilema said at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that despite President Sata having immunity he would submit his name to the ICJ, and the same applied to Dr Jere who he attacked on accusations of selectively harassing opposition political members.
But Chief Government spokesperson, Kennedy Sakeni said there was no crisis in Zambia that would warrant the attention of the ICJ.
Mr Sakeni advised Mr Hichilema not to trivialise the operations of the ICJ by claiming that the situation in the country had deteriorated.
He said Mr Hichilema should learn from countries that had taken such a channel of seeking the ICJ’s intervention and observe the gravity of the matters compared to what was pertaining in Zambia.
He disputed assertions that Zambia had a crisis which required the attention of the ICJ and advised Mr Hichilema not to mislead the international community by making false alarms.
“He (Hichilema) is a wrong person to start talking about the ICJ. If he doesn’t understand how it operates, he should just keep quiet and concentrate on preparing for the 2016 general elections. As Government we will continue on the development path we have taken for the country instead of listening to continued attacks from the opposition.
“There are no problems in Zambia that warrant the attention of the ICJ. He should not mislead people in the manner that he claims. The ICJ doesn’t tolerate such lies. He should go to countries that have people that have been taken to the ICJ, and see the seriousness of offences in their countries, that is what is taken to the ICJ,” Mr Sakeni said.
Mr Hichilema said his party members did not take part in the fracas that took place in Rufunsa where a Patriotic Front (PF) member Menyani Zulu lost his life.
He accused the police following arrests of party members including Lusaka Province chairperson, Adrian Bauleni, of harassment in the manner the arrests were being instituted.
Mr Hichilema speaking from his party secretariat in Rhodespark Township accused Government of using the police to ‘silence’ the opposition through arrests, which he described as unwarranted.
“I called Dr Jere, the other day and I asked him, what can stop me from taking him to the ICJ for his conduct against our people and promoting violence in the country, when he doesn’t have immunity. The President has immunity but we will still submit his name, what for Dr Jere who doesn’t. We should have taken Dr Jere’s name a long time ago, infact we have been very slow, but we are still compiling the list of people before taking their names,” Mr Hichilema said.
He reiterated accusations that the PF was turning the country into a police state.
On his party’s relations with the MMD following the loss to PF’s Stephen Masumba, Mr Hichilema said that he would address issues of concern between the two parties through a meeting unlike discussing matters through the media.
“I will not discuss through the media, I prefer we discuss any matters in a meeting and find a way forward. I campaigned in Mufumbwe with other party members for the MMD candidate and in most areas where he claimed victory, I was on the ground campaigning,” he said.
On accusations, Mr Sakeni advised Mr Hichilema to be patient on the arrests of his party members and allow the due process of the law to take its course.
“The Police do not segregate, they apply the law equitably and if his people were involved they will face the law and if they are not found guilty then it will come to the fore. The Police does not act on party stances but they arrest individuals that were found at the scene of the crime and the people in detention were there,” Mr Sakeni added.
President Michael Sata speaks with MMD members of Parliament,Folly Tembo, Patrick Ngoma, Nicholas Banda, Dr PatrickChikusu, Richard Taima, Elijah Muchima, David Phiri, Josphine Limataa and Keith Mukata shortly before a meeting at State House. Looking on are Mufumbwe member of parliament Steven Masumba and Gender deputy minister Jean Kapata during a meeting at State House
Three opposition MMD members of Parliament currently serving in Government have said no amount of pressure will stop them from pursuing their dreams of serving the people who elected them and the country in general.
The three MPs said in separate interviews yesterday that time for political campaigns was long gone and that energies should be directed towards serving the majority of poor Zambians.
Ikeleng’i MP Elijah Muchima said it was now time to concentrate on matters that affected the people instead of politicking.
Mr Muchima who is Lands, Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister said the MMD was a champion of democracy in Zambia and should appreciate the fact the republican Constitution facilitated for the appointment of opposition political party leaders to ministerial positions.
“There is no harm for us (MMD MPs) to be appointed as deputy ministers. We must lobby for development and it will not help the country in any way if we just want to criticise for the sake of criticism.
“For me, I really don’t regret my action. Development of Zambia and that of my constituency is important,” he said.
Mr Muchima said he had at one time spoken to constituency officials from the MMD, United Party for National Development (UPND) and Patriotic Front (PF) on the need for them to work together and that they had agreed to do so.
He said during the meeting with major political players in his constituency, it was appreciated that time for politicking was long gone hence the need to embrace one another to foster development.
Solwezi East MP Richard Taima said he was aware that some officials were going to his constituency in an effort to sway the electorate.
Mr Taima who is Commerce, Trade and Industry deputy minister said he had remained loyal to the MMD and he had continued to remit his monthly contributions to the party.
He said that his victory in Solwezi East was done on a clean slate and was ready to defend his seat.
“I am very ready to defend the position. I am a peoples choice and won on a clean slate,” he said.
He however said he did not support the idea of causing unnecessary by -elections as they were a cost to taxpayers money.
Another MMD MP who sought anonymity said the decision to work with the Government of the day was meant at propelling national development as well as local development.
The MP said the decision to accept to work with the government was not political but rather aimed at serving the Zambian people.
“Wherever I go, I preach development and not politics. Politics is for 2016, but if they (MMD) don’t trust us that is sad,” he said.
The MP said it was unfortunate that the MMD was going in an alliance with a political party that wanted to use it.
“They (MMD) are being cheated by other people who have never ruled and their aim to form government is not clear,” the parliamentarian said.
Other MMD MPs in Government are Keith Mukata (Chilanga), Josephine Limata (Luampa), Dr. Patrick Chikusu (Katuba), David Phiri (Mkaika), Nicholas Banda (Kapoche), Patrick Ngoma (Feira) and Forrie Tembo (Nyimba).
THE Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) has welcomed the revocation of the deportation of Rwandese Catholic priest Viateur Banyangandora.
ZEC General Secretary Fr. Cleophas Lungu said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the Catholic Church was happy with the good news of the revocation of the deportation of Fr. Banyangandora.
“We are happy with this good news. We have been praying and hoping that Government reconsiders the deportation of the man of God,” Fr Lungu said.
He said the Catholic Church had made its mandate clear that it would never participate in partisan politics but continue advocating about good governance.
Fr Lungu said Catholic Priests worldwide had a God given mandate to speak the truth about the ills in society regardless of who was perpetuating them.
“Sometimes as clergy we preach to people who are affected, so when you point out a wrong whether perpetuated by a politician or an ordinary member of society it should not be misconstrued to mean that we are engaging in partisan politics,” Fr Lungu said.
He stressed that the Catholic Church did not harbour any grudge against the Government over the deportation adding that the revocation had been welcomed in the spirit of continued good relations between the Church and the State.
He was hopeful the Government and the Church would continue to work together through dialogue and resolve issues amicably in the spirit of forgiveness.
He said just as Government had forgiven Fr. Banyangandora, the Church also continued to bear with all those with whom misunderstandings may exist.
Council Churches in Zambia (CCZ) Secretary- General Suzanne Matale also welcomed the revocation of Fr Banyangandora’s deportation stating that it was a welcome development.
Ms Matale however reiterated that the Church would not shun from commenting on matters of governance as the church was directly affected by Government actions.
“We preach to beings that are affected by politics. Their concerns are our concerns therefore we cannot shun from talking about them,” Ms Matale said.
She urged the government not to stray from its promises of restoring people’s dignity adding that the church would never abrogate its responsibility to the people.
Innscor Africa regional director Leighton Shaw, has been ordered by the Lusaka Boma court to pay his employee K3 million for calling him a kaffir.
Magistrates Marble Mwaba, Petland Mwansa and Lazarus Mwape ordered Shaw, 42, to pay George Tembo, 32, the money as compensation because of the derogatory language he used on Mr Tembo.
But Shaw said the reason he was dragged to court was not because of using the derogatory term but that he had suspended Mr Tembo from work.
He said he had never uttered the word Kaffir but that the plaintiff had a grudge against him because he stole some money as well as taking company property.
“The reason I have been dragged to court is because of the fact that I accused him of stealing K1.8million from the company’s safe and not because I called him a kaffir,” he said.
But Mr Tembo maintained that Shaw referred to him as Kaffir and that the incident happened barely two months after two senior personnel from INNSCOR were deported to their countries of origin.
He said the company’s top individuals had a reputation of abusing employees and something had to be done to help the employees.
The magistrates said they were convinced that the defendant had used abusive language which prompted them to find him guilty of the offence and mete out the judgment.
Magistrate Mwaba said the amount was even smaller because the language was so derogatory and was known to refer to Africans in the apartheid era.
A 47 year old security guard of Laufing Waters Lodge in Lusaka West has pleaded not guilty to nine counts of defilement contrary to section 138 chapter 87 as read together with Act 15 of 2005 of the laws of Zambia.
Before Magistrate Exhildah Chanda was Sylvester Zulu of Lusaka west who appeared in the magistrate court for plea yesterday.
After the charges were read out to him, Zulu said he understood the charge but said he was surprised as count one was read out to him.
And magistrate Chanda told Zulu that there was nothing to be surprised about and ordered that he should listen to the charges and answer accordingly.
In the fifth count, Zulu is charged with committing unnatural offences between August 2012 and October 23, 2012 and alleged to have had unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor against the order of nature.
He also pleaded not guilty to the charge of unnatural offences and swore that he did not commit it.
He is alleged to have committed the said offences on unknown dates but between August 2012 and October 22, 2012.
Zulu allegedly defiled the children aged between seven and 12 years after luring them into the guard room as they passed through the lodge premises to their homes.
He allegedly used biscuits and sweets to lure the children who are pupils at a named basic school in Lusaka west.
The matter has been adjourned to November 22, 2012 for mention and November 27, 2012 for commencement of trial.
Meanwhile, the same court has set November 21, 2012 for the production of previous records for Pasco Mwansa, who the court has established as a second offender charged with being in unlawful possession of 207.8 grams of marijuana contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Pasco Mwansa was found in possession of 160 balls of marijuana weighing 207.8 grams and loose vegetable matter wrapped in a black and white plastic bag.
Particulars of the offence are that on October 26, 2012, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) officers received information in Chaisa compound of Lusaka that linked Mwansa to the offence.
When the officers approached him, he allegedly tried to escape at a place called Humanism Bar but they managed to apprehend him.
The consignment was then ceased and taken to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) where a specialist certified it as marijuana.
Magistrate Chanda said her hands were tied since the accused was a second offender.
She said she had no jurisdiction to sentence him and therefore he has to be referred to the High court for sentencing.
The Private Sector Development Association (PSDA) has said the assigning of B-1 rating to Zambia by Moody’s shows that one year after elections, the country has maintained a stable focus on growing its economy.
Moody’s is an international agency that provides credit ratings, research and risk analysis.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS yesterday, PSDA chairman Yusuf Dodia said the rating B-1 corresponds with other rating agencies who also gave Zambia B ratings.
Mr. Dodia said the rating also shows that the country is perceived in a positive light by the outside world.
He said this is an opportunity for Zambia to market itself and attract investors into the country.
Mr. Dodia said it should however be noted that it is not foreign investors but indigenous people who should develop the country.
He called on government and the private sector to put measures that will ensure that Zambians benefit from loans and other financial services in order to contribute to building a stable economy.
Yesterday, Moody’s assigned ratings of B-1 to the government of Zambia, which means that the country has a stable economic outlook.
Moody’s also expects Zambia’s economy to grow by 7.3 per cent in 2012, up from 6.6 per cent in 2011, on the back of strong growth in copper and agricultural output in addition to the government’s expansionary fiscal stance.
GDP growth averaged 6.5 per cent over the past five years, reaching a peak of 7.6 per cent in 2010.
Forum for Democracy and Development FDD leader, Edith Nawakwi
Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President, Edith Nawakwi has alleged that UPND President Hakainde Hichilema does not want a woman to be a president because he thinks that women should be in the Kitchen.
Ms Nawakwi said this during a testimony in a case where former UPND national youth chairperson, Joe Kalusa has been found with a case to answer over a charge of conduct likely to cause breach of peace, when on September 14, this year in Ndola, allegedly issued the threat through the Post Newspaper of September 17 to the effect that he would organise cadres to “gang rape” the opposition leader.
Ms Nawakwi told Ndola acting Chief Resident Magistrate, Collins Lundah, that she had not been able to perform her duties effectively as a politician because of the same statement.
Ms Nawakwi told the court that she was unable to freely perform her duties as party president especially that violence was on the increase in the country.
[pullquote] Kalusa is under UPND president Hakainde Hichilema who does not want a woman to be president because he thinks women should be in the kitchen. This is serious. Rape is war not pleasure,” she told the court.[/pullquote]
She testified that it was not the first time that Kalusa had threatened her and alleged that UPND was a violent party that would inflict actual bodily harm on any person.
“I’ve limited myself from movements because I have been living in fear. I do not need this insecurity anymore because Zambia is a peaceful country. Kalusa is under UPND president Hakainde Hichilema who does not want a woman to be president because he thinks women should be in the kitchen. This is serious. Rape is war not pleasure,” she told the court.
Another witness, Abigil Chaponda, a Post Newspaper reporter who authored the story in question, told the court that Kalusa had said he would organise cadres to gang rape Ms Nawakwi.
Ms Chaponda said this was when he asked Kalusa for a comment on statements by Ms Nawakwi about Mr Hichilema.
“Mr Kalusa called and asked me to withdraw the story but I had already sent it to the editors in Lusaka. The story was finally published and attracted a lot of interest,” she said.
Kalusa, in his defence, said Ms Chaponda misquoted him in the story published under the headline ‘Kalusa vows to organise UPND cadre rapist to gang rape Nawakwi.’
Kalusa said he resigned from UPND last year and that he was non partisan.
He said he did not recall saying he would organise opposition youths to gang rape Ms Nawakwi in his comment.
Mr Lundah adjourned to December 28, this year for judgment and Kalusa is on bail.
MINISTER of Sport, Youth and Child Development Chishimba Kambwili
Acting Minister of Labour Chishimba Kambwili has directed officials in the ministry to print copies of the statutory instrument on the minimum wage and avail them to business houses.
Mr. Kambwili, who is Minister of Youth and Sport, said government will not relax till the business community complies with the minimum wage.
He was speaking today after he conducted a random inspection to check if shop owners were complying with the statutory instrument on the minimum wage.
He said the minimum wage has been enacted into a law and therefore, the business community should comply with the law.
Mr. Kambwili reiterated that government wants to see to it that Zambian workers are paid a decent normal wage.
He stressed that government will not hastate to deal with any business firm that would be found wanting.
Mr. Kambwili said all firms conducting business in Zambia should abide by the Zambian labour laws.
