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I wish to express my displeasure at the way the Chilanga police station is being manned by the Officer in Charge. First of all he has no respect from his officers and staff. The wife is in charge of the station. Officers who have complained are channelled through the wife who has been running the station for sometime now. She is untouchable because she is related to higher people at Headquarters.
Some officers hardly report for work because they are paid full monthly salaries while skeleton staff are left to man the station. The officer in charge was transferred some time last month just to be told he spoke to higher authorities at Headquarters and he is not going anywhere.
Can the IG investigate this please as I am sick and tried of this type of behaviours in our police force. The President wants to see a working police office and then you see people like him hindering his progress. If he is tried please retire, there are a lot of junior who want to want in the police force.
I will not stop here until I see a change on that station and I am always mentoring the situation. If the IG needs more information I am happy to provide.
File picture: Old mates… Chiluba meets Steven Manjata at Lusaka international airport.
Former Community Development and Social Services Minister Stephen Manjata, who died on Sunday this week, has been buried at Old Mulamatila cemetery in Kaoma district in Western province.
The late Mr. Manjata died at Lusaka Trust Hospital after an illness.
Hundreds of Kaoma residents, who were led by Minister of Gender Inonge Wina and several other senior government officials, turned up in their large numbers to bid farewell to the former minister and former Luampa Member of Parliament at the church and burial services.
Speaking at the church service at Kaoma Evangelical Church of Zambia (ECZ), Mrs. Wina, who was representing government, said President Michael Sata learnt of the sudden death of Mr. Manjata with great sorrow and sadness.
She said immediately after hearing about the death of Mr. Manjata, President Sata instructed government to make necessary arrangements to ensure that the former minister was granted a state funeral in recognition of his great service to the country.
She said the late Mr. Manjata was a great grassroots man who was able to interact and mix with everyone from the lowest to the highest levels in society.
Mrs. Wina said the late Mr. Manjata also had a great understanding of politics and was able read the prevailing political climate in the country.
She said early in his political career, Mr Manjata played a great role as an activist in the UNIP youth wing adding that he was also very instrumental in bringing back multiparty democracy when he joined the MMD in 1991.
She said the late former minister will be greatly missed in the political circles as he was a unifying voice even amidst high political tension.
And Western Province Minister Obvious Mwaliteta said the untimely death of Mr. Manjata was a great loss not only to his family and the people of Western Province but the nation at large.
Mr Mwaliteta said as a local entrepreneur in Kaoma, Mr. Manjata played a role in creating employment for the people of Kaoma through his timber business.
He urged the family to look up to God as they mourned their beloved relative.
And giving an emotional tribute, his son, Musenge stated that his father was truly a man of the people as he embraced everyone in society regardless of their social standing in society.
Musenge said his late father’s home was always open to everyone and that he always instructed his children to allow anyone who came to his house to see him irrespective of what time they came.
He said his father also taught all his children to take each other as one although they came from different mothers.
Times of Zambia has issued an apology to Former First Lady Thandiwe Banda over a story which they alleged that the State had seized properties worth billions of Kwacha, including a hotel in neighbouring Malawi and some apartments in Tanzania allegedly belonging to former First Lady Ms Thandiwe Banda.
Below is the full apology
In the Times of Zambia edition of December 20th 2011, issue number 15, 244 under the banner headline, “State Seizes Thandiwe’s Properties,” and quoting impeccable sources, it was stated that:
“The State had seized properties worth billions of Kwacha, including a hotel in neighbouring Malawi and some apartments in Tanzania allegedly belonging to former First Lady Ms Thandiwe Banda.”
It was further stated that,
“Government investigative wings were working in liaison with authorities in the host governments for properties suspected to have been plundered and were outside Zambia’s jurisdiction.”
The Times of Zambia is now satisfied that the above statements were wholly unfounded and desires to express its regret to Ms Thandiwe Banda and to unreservedly apologise to her and any other third parties for any embarrassment and inconvenience which the said article may have caused.
Accordingly the said article is withdrawn forthwith.
Kapiri Mposhi District Council has not received its 2012 Constituency Development Fund-CDF- because it has failed to account for the One point three billion received in the last two years.
This came to light during the Third Full Council Extraordinary meeting when it was reported that the local authority had failed to spend and retire over 1.3 billion Kwacha CDF that it received for various projects in 2010 and 2011.
The funds are still lying idle in the Council’s account and the Central government has ordered that the Council utilizes and retires the carry-over funds.
Incoming Council Secretary Hamwende Mpande disclosed that the council has failed to utilize the funds because of procurement requirements for some projects.
Mr. Mpande says most of the funds were budgeted for the procurement of a Grader, Community Radio Station Equipment and several on-going projects.
But Kapiri Mposhi Member of Parliament Lawrence Zimba wonders why the council has failed to utilize the money which were disbursed in the first quarter of 2011.
Quick action by police yesterday prevented residents of Zamtan Township in Kitwe from administering instance-justice on a man after he allegedly threatened to kill one of their colleagues following a dispute over land.
The residents got incessant after the man, only identified as Mr Mate who claims ownership of land hosting over 500 residents produced a suspected gun and threatened to shot one of the residents resisting eviction.
It was then that the residents ran amok and started rioting by throwing stones and all sorts of missiles causing commotion in Zamtan.
A media crew that rushed to the earlier around 18:00 hours found the irate residents who armed with stones trying to lynch Mr Mate who was only rescued by police after they came in and fired tire-gas canister.
Kitwe district police chief, Chibesa Musa confirmed the protest but could not give details referring the matter to Copperbelt police commissioner Mary Tembo, who by press time could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, Calm has returned to Serenje following a night of riots by irate residents.
The residents ran amok yesterday upon hearing that Police had arrested three suspects behind the murder of a young taxi driver who was reported missing on Monday 15th October 2012.
Gideon Kunda aged 22 of College compound was hired by passengers who later murdered him.
The incident happened on Saturday 13th October, 2012 around 16hrs.
Police managed to arrest three suspects in connection with the gruesome murder.
Two of the suspects were apprehended from Ndabala Check point as they were trying to escape.
Police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela has told ZNBC News that the situation in Serenje town is now under control.
Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini yesterday ruled that Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda was in order to present the 2013 budget while at the same time acting as republican President.
Dr Matibini made the ruling after UPND Monze Member of Parliament Jack Mwiimbu rose on a point of order as to whether the Government was right to allow an acting President to present the budget.
Mr Mwiimbu wondered whether the Government was in order to abuse the processes of Parliament with impunity and setting precedence that demeaned the integrity of the House.
But in his ruling the Speaker said Mr Mwiimbu’s argument did not hold as Mr Chikwanda continues to be minister of Finance even when acting as President.
Dr Matibini said President Michael Sata had authorized Mr Chikwanda to present the budget speech as was usually the case.
“The presentation of the budget is always executed by the minister of Finance. The fact that he is acting President does not entail him to vacate the position. The President instructed the minister of Finance to deliver a message and he did just that.
“There is really nothing un-parliamentary and the House is not undermined. He (Mr Chikwanda) has not vacated that position. President Sata is still President of the republic of Zambia,” he said.
The Speaker also said the President under the provisions of the law could appoint a member of his Cabinet to act in his position during his absence.
Parliament also heard that Zambia currently has 2289 registered medical doctors as of June 30, this year.
Health Deputy Minister Patrick Chikusu was responding to an oral question by MMD Chipata Central MP Reuben Mtolo who wanted to know how many medical doctors are currently registered and practicing in Zambia.
On the number of Chinese medical doctor’s practicing in Zambia, Dr Chikusu said there were 132 conventionally trained doctors and 15 herbalists who are registered with the Traditional Practitioners Association of Zambia (TPAZ).
Of the 132 doctors Chinese Doctors, 64 are fully registered while 58 are on temporal registration.
Parliament also heard that government spends an average K9 million to educate a single student in the school of education at the University of Zambia (UNZA) while a Humanities and social Sciences student cost K12 million.
Responding to a question by PF Chilubi MP Obius Chisala, Education deputy minister Nevelyn Wilomba said a school of Medicine student’s education was pegged at K40 million, Mines student at K46million and Agriculture at K35 million.
The House further heard that 511 stray dogs had been killed in Lusaka from the time the exercise started to date.
Local Government deputy minister Forrie Tembo said 7995 dogs had been registered in the same period.
Mr Tembo said as a result of the registration exercise which costs K55, 000 per dog, the Government had raised over K439 million.
Faz has canceled all planned mid-week league matches which were scheduled for Wednesday.
Faz spokerperson Erick Mwanza said the association has postponed the midweek games owing to Wednesday’s national government has declared for ex-minister Stephen Manjata who died on Sunday.
Acting Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska announced on Monday that acting President Alexander Chikwanda had declared a day of mourning for Manjata,67,who would be buried on Wednesday in Kaoma .
Mwanza said the cancellation of midweek league matches affects all divisions.
“In view of the period of national mourning declared for former minister honourable Manjata, the games will not go ahead, including Super League matches that were supposed to take place across the country. In short all games are off,” he said.
By the time Faz made this announcement, Power Dynamos and Forest Rangers had already set-off for Lusaka and Mazabuka respectively.
Power had reached Kapiri Mposhi before making a u-turn.
THE Livingstone City Council has rejected Minister of Youth and Sport Chishimba Kambwili’s directive to repossess the town centre swimming pool from former Southern Province Minister Alice Simango.
The local authority has maintained that the swimming pool was legally and transparently sold to Ms Simango.
But Mr Kambwili says the resolution of the Livingstone City Council to reject his directive for it to repossess the swimming pool is null and void.
The minister said the swimming pool falls under his ministry and not the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.
He said any decision made by councillors can be overturned by the minister in charge of facilities.
“We are getting the swimming pool back for the people of Zambia,” he said.
On Monday, the local authority unanimously upheld the resolution of a full council meeting of September 4, 1998 which offered the swimming pool to Ms Simango and A1 Butchery to former councillor Henry Sibalwa.
In a full council meeting convened to come up with a response to Mr Kambwili’s directive, the councillors said the minister had by-passed the Ministry of Local Government and Housing under which the council falls.
They made the resolution after debating the report submitted by Town Clerk Vivian Chikoti, which stated that the swimming pool was legally sold to Ms Simango and that all procedures were followed in the transaction.
“The swimming pool was sold to Ms Simango through a competitive bidding process at a price of K9 million under minute number LCC/644/98 of 1998. It was sold at the same time as A1 Butchery to Mr Henry Sibalwa,” Ms Chikoti submitted.
She said her office submitted all the documentation concerning the sale of the facility to the Ministry of Youth and Sport after the ministry requested for information regarding the sale of the swimming pool.
Ms Chikoti’s report was supported by the documents Ms Simango produced when she appeared before the councillors.
“I bought the swimming pool after it was offered to me following a full council meeting. The truth will prevail,” Ms Simango said.
And Livingstone mayor Aggrey Njekwa, who chaired the meeting, said Mr Kambwili should have liaised with Minister of Local Government and Housing Emerine Kabanshi, who would have written to the Livingstone City Council through the permanent secretary to hold a full council meeting to discuss the sale of the swimming pool.
Electoral Commission of Zambia ( ECZ ) spokesperson Chris Akufuna
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it is receiving reports of violence in Mufumbwe ahead of the November 8 parliamentary by-election.
Public relations manager Cris Akufuna has since warned that the commission will not tolerate any electoral violence ahead of the by-election.
Mr Akufuna said in an interview in Lusaka on Monday that the commission will not hesitate to invoke the provisions of Section 28 of the Electoral Act, which provides for the postponement of a by-election in the event of escalating violence.
“We are receiving reports of violence in Mufumbwe where party cadres are reportedly fighting but this should be avoided at all costs.
“We are appealing to all political parties contesting the Mufumbwe seat to respect one another. When aggrieved, they can go to the district conflict management committee where they can have their problems sorted out,” he said.
Mr Akufuna however said the commission has engaged the police to provide maximum security for the by-election to be successfully conducted.
He said the commission also wants police officers to conduct themselves in a professional manner when administering the Public Order Act.
Mr Akufuna appealed to police officers to apply the law fairly to all political players during campaigns ahead of the by-election.
He also urged all political parties to conduct peaceful campaigns for the by-election.
Mr Akufuna said all political leaders should restrain their supporters from engaging in acts of violence to help foster peace and unity in the country.
He said the country’s young democracy can only flourish when all political leaders become tolerant to one another and avoid practising politics of character assassination.
FILE: Mpulungu resident draws water from an unsafe well at Sakamulwa village where cholera has broken out near Lake Tanganyika
The cholera situation in Mpulungu district has persisted with 196 cases being treated since the outbreak in August, this year.
This came to light when Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Mwamba, addressed a District Epidemic Preparedness Committee meeting in Mpulungu today.
Mr Mwamba said Government is seriously concerned with the rising number of cholera cases in Mpulungu and urged relevant authorities to do everything possible to bring the epidemic under control.
He, however, expressed shock to learn that K800 million emergency fund released by government to Mpulungu District Council to contain the cholera outbreak had allegedly been misapplied.
The Permanent Secretary observed that the move by the council to buy a tractor and pay
allowances to its officers at the expense of combating the disease is unacceptable and a waste of government resources.
Mr Mwamba, who was visibly annoyed, also expressed displeasure that despite the Department of Water Affairs sinking boreholes in Mpulungu, the District Council has also gone ahead to hire a private firm to sink a single borehole at a cost of K100million.
The PS has since demanded for a full report from Mpulungu District Council Secretary, Jonathan Simbeye, on why the funds meant for containing the cholera outbreak were misapplied.
Mr Mwamba is in Mpulungu to check on the intervention measures put in place by the district authorities to contain the cholera outbreak which has so far claimed three lives.
United Party for National Development president Hikainde Hichilema and Muyunda Ililonga after filling in his nomination at Ushaar Basic School Picture by ROYD SIBAJENE-ZANIS
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has filed in a notice of appeal against the Magistrate Court’s decision to refuse to refer his case to the High Court.
Mr Hichilima contends in his notice of appeal filed before the court that Lusaka chief resident Magistrate Joshua Banda erred in law and fact when he ruled that there were no constitutional issues in his application as what he could only see was a criminal charge against the opposition leader.
This is contained in a notice of appeal filed on his behalf by his lawyers Sakwiba Sikota,Martha Mushipe, Keith Mwemba, Milner Katolo, Chad Muleza, Marshal Muchenda and others.
Hichilema said Margistarte Banda’s conclusion that he did not find any constitutional issues to warrant the reference of the matter to the high court was an error in itself.
He said his application to have the matter referred was for the high court to determine the constitutionality of section 67 of the penal code under which he had been indicted on a charge of publication of false news.
Hichilema further said that Magistrate Banda misdirected himself and fell in grave error when he declined a constitutional reference to the high court without making a finding as to whether the application was frivolous and vexatious.
He added, “the trial magistrate also misdirected himself when he failed to appreciate that the constitutional issues raised where of public interest which needed to be fully inquired into and determined by the high court”.
This is in a case where Hichilema, 50 was charged with one count of publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
It is alleged that Hichilema on June 11, 2012 in Lusaka, orally published statements in which he said, inter alia, that “PF had signed an arrangement for the militia in Sudan to train PF youths.
President Sata with Sumsung MENA/Africa Business Development Division Vice-President Chao Sung Jun, Sumsung marketing division manager Jeon Min Woo (second from left) and Executive Vice-President for Investiment Business David Kim and foreign affairs minister Given Lubinda (l) shortly before the meeting at Shilla Hotel in Seoul, South Kore
President Michael Sata has held bilateral talks with senior executives from Samsung Engineering, the world’s leading electronic company based in Seoul, South Korea.
The closed-door meeting was held soon after the President addressed a high level Zambia-Korea business forum luncheon held at the Shilla hotel and attended by 70 Korean business persons and 30 Zambian experts.
Zambia expects to receive investment pledges and enquiries from influential Korean investors following the visit by President Sata.
During his presentation to the business forum luncheon, President Sata pointed out that Zambia is anxious to invite Korean companies such as Samsung Engineering which manufactures a range of automobiles to invest in the country by setting-up manufacturing plants.
The delegation from Samsung Engineering, which held talks with the President, included the Executive Vice President for investment business David Kim, Vice President for Africa Business Development division Cho Sung Jun, and Jeon Min-Woo, Manager PMP-MENA Marketing division.
The closed-door meeting lasted for about 20 minutes and was also attended by Commerce Trade and Industry Minister, Bob Sichinga, Foreign Affairs Minister Given Lubinda, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Emmanuel Chenda, and Tourism Minister Sylvia Masebo.
Earlier during the business forum luncheon, Commerce Minister Bob Sichinga prodded the Korean business community to come to Zambia and invest in the various sectors of the economy.
Mr. Sichinga regretted that Korean investment in Zambia is low and the balance of trade was in favour of the Asian country which imports copper and gold for its manufacturing companies.
And the chairman for the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kyung-Shik Sohn said his country is currently showing a robust economic growth and that the visit by President Sata will lead to opening-up of more areas of cooperation between investors in the two countries.
Mr. Kyung said the trade balance between Zambia and Korea has remarkably increased from US$ 300 million in 2008 to US$520 million last year in 2011.
Meanwhile, President Michael Sata is this evening expected to attend a private dinner hosted for him and participants to the third Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation forum which opened in Seoul yesterday.
The President will be been joined by delegates from over 50 African countries at the welcoming dinner.
President Sata will tomorrow on Wednesday give his key note and inaugural speech to the third Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation forum at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Seoul.
The President was invited by his Korean counterpart to be special guest and the only African Head of State to address the forum which is held bi-annually and is composed of senior government officials at the level of cabinet ministers.
By tradition, the KOAFEC forum invites only one Head of State to its bi-annual meeting to address the ministers on key common economic and developmental issues as well as adopting programmes that are financed and implemented in the Action Plan for a period of two years coordinated by the Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the Export and Import Bank of Korea, and the African Development Bank-ADB.
President Sata will tomorrow also hold bilateral talks with Korean President Lee Myung Bak at State House before attending a luncheon that will be held in his honour.
The President, who is on a four-day working visit, arrived in Seoul, South Korea yesterday accompanied by the First Lady Dr. Christine Kaseba, three cabinet ministers and his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations, George Chellah.
Anti-Copper Theft Squad keeping vigil of the copper ore at Shunxin Enterprises in Chingola
A Chinese national in Kitwe attempted to bribe police officers with K100 million in a desperate move to secure the release of his colleague, who was arrested for theft of copper.
Police had earlier impounded a truck laden with stolen copper and apprehended a Chinese national along with a Zambian.
The copper was diverted from Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) in Chingola, but alert anti-copper theft squad laid an ambush until they pounced on the truck and apprehended, Chien Guandian, 28, and Perryman Mwape, 27, on Monday evening.
Copperbelt police commissioner Mary Tembo confirmed the incident.
Ms Tembo said Mr Chien’s friend appeared on the scene and offered K100 million as a bribe so that the anti-copper squad could release his colleague.
“The anti-copper team yesterday (Monday) got a tip from members of the public who had seen a vehicle ferrying copper from Konkola Copper Mines open-pit to premises along Chingola-Chililabombwe Road,” Ms Tembo said.
She said police laid an ambush until evening when they saw a truck registration number ACL 3548 leave the premises.
Ms Tembo said the police trailed the truck up to a garage in Kitwe at plot number 3131, Government Road in the industrial area.
“It was at this point that the police entered the garage and confronted the Mr Chien and Mr Mwape,” Ms Tembo said.
She said upon searching the premises, they discovered several 25kg sacks of bags containing copper-ore while the other contraband was still on the truck.
“When Mr Chien was apprehended, his friend attempted to bribe officers with K50 million which he raised to K100 million on condition that they release his colleague,” she said.
KCM manager public relations Joy Sata also confirmed the impounding of the truck laden with copper-ore, which was parked at Kitwe Central Police Station.
“I am aware about the impounding of the truck, which is parked at Kitwe Central Police Station but I cannot tell whether the material belongs to KCM or not because we have not yet done an assessment,” Ms Sata said.
The World Bank in Zambia has said that it is not aware of reports indicating that effective next year, it will stop offering budgetary support to the country following its graduation from lower income nation to a lower middle income country.
Finance Deputy Minister Miles Sampa is quoted in some sections of the media saying that the World Bank has indicated to stop offering budgetary support.
But World Bank Country Director Kundhavi Kadiresan has said that she is not aware of such developments stating that the bank will continue to be engaged in Zambia.
Ms. Kadiresan said that Zambia is still a low middle income country and is still eligible for concessional loans.
She told journalists in Lusaka today that her office is currently in talks with the Government to see how best it can help in financing the 2013 national budget.
Ms. Kadiresan said that once the talks are concluded, the World Bank will base its support on key policy priorities.
File :Nurses receiving medical equipment and medicine at Chainda clinic
The Non-Governmental Organizations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has observed that Zambia still falls short of the Abuja Declaration of 15 per cent total allocation to the health sector.
The council says allocating fewer resources to the health sector will not adequately address access to good health services and reduce maternal and child mortality rates.
In a press statement issued by the Council’s Gender Budgeting Team and released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, it says more than one woman dies every minute every day, translating to 585,000 women dying in a year.
It further indicates that Zambia is far from reaching the 2015 UN Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality to 162 deaths per 100,000 births.
Finance Minister, Alexander Chikwanda, unveiled a K32.2 trillion national budget. Mr Chikwanda announced more than K1 trillion increment to the health sector allocation from 9.3 per cent in 2012 to 11.3 percent next year.
The budget, however, has received mixed feelings from amongst stakeholders.
The statement said women and children die from pregnancy, child birth and unsafe abortion in the country due to complications which are preventable.
It says Zambia’s maternal mortality ratio which stands at 591 deaths per 100,000 live births shows an un-acceptable and a worse condition.
And the Council says Zambia has not fulfilled the Maputo Declaration of 10 per cent funding to the agricultural sector.
Government allocated 8.3 per cent of the total budgetary allocation for the year 2013 compared to 7 per cent in 2012.
The statement says 67 per cent of the labour force is employed in the agricultural activities.
The NGOCC, however, welcomes K50 billion allocation to empower un-employed and vulnerable youths with vocational skills.
