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The Patriotic Front party says it will not allow people with criminal records to join it as a way of getting away from the crimes committed.
PF secretary General Winter Kabimba says the PF party is not desperate for numbers and would not allow the people that allegedly committed crimes to use the ruling party as a scape – goat.
Mr. Kabimba has indicated that party will only welcome individuals that clean records are committed to drive the social economic policies of the ruling party for the benefit of the majority Zambians.
Mr. Kabimba was speaking at a consultative meeting held between the labor movement and patriotic Front Party.
And Mr. Kabimba has also noted the PF government will not intimate the labor movement but will view it as a partner in development.
And speaking at the same event the federation of the free trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) president Joyce Nonde – Simukoko advised the PF government to ensure that cooperate greed is addressed.
Mrs. Simukoko has also castigated the labor leaders that condemning the newly revised minimum wage.
The labor leader instead has described the minimum wage as low adding that employers in the country as well as parties such as the MMD have no moral right to accuse the PF government of not having consulted on the minimum wage.
Mrs. Simukoko has wondered why the employers did not call for dialogue when the minimum wage was set at K250, 000.
Mrs. Simukoko has also reminded the MMD it is one party that never consulted when it came up with laws that suppressed workers in the country adding that it is for this reason that the MMD lost favor from the workers.
And Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) president Leonard Hikaumba has also called for maximum wage.
He says currently there are so many disparities in most companies between the management officials and lower ranking employees describing the trade as unfair.
Mr. Hikaumba says ZCTU agrees with the policies of the PF on the workers and pledged support to efforts aimed at improving the welfares of the employees in the country.
Zimbabwe has arrived in the country ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Zambia scheduled for Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
FAZ Spokesperson Erick Mwanza who confirmed said Zimbabwe arrived on Tuesday morning.
Mwanza added that the Zimbabwe men’s team arrived alongside their women counterparts who will also the Zambia Women’s team in the first match to start at 15:00 hours at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
And Zambia coach Herve Renard has summoned Konkola Mine Police club leading scorer Mwape Musonda and Stanley Nshimbi of Red Arrows for the friendly after dropping three Zesco United players for reporting to camp late.
Musonda and Nshimbi have replaced Winston Kalengo, John Ching’andu and Charles Siyingwa who were not allowed to join their colleagues in camp after they reported late.
National Team Manager Lusekelo Kamwambi said that Kalengo, Ching’andu and Siyingwa had failed to observe the camp rules and regulations.
And Nyambe Mulenga is a doubt for the Zimbabwe friendly after missing yesterday’s training due to a knee injury he picked up more than a week ago.
Meanwhile sources in Zambian camp have revealed that Power Dynamos midfielder Joseph Sitali will lead the team as captain in the friendly which will start at 18:00 hours.
Full Squad
Kalililo Kakonje (Napsa Stars), Joshua Titima (Power Dynamos), Racha
Kola (Zanaco), Jimmy Chisenga (Red Arrows), Nyambe Mulenga (Zesco
United), Steven Kabamba (GBFC),Gift Sakuwaha (Zesco United), Michael
Bwalya (Zanaco),
Thomas Nyirenda (Power Dynamos), Joseph Sitali (Power Dynamos), Bruce
Musakanya (Red Arrows), Henry Banda (Zanaco), Lewis Macha (Zanaco),
Mwepya Kasongo (Nkwazi), Venecious Mapande (Zanaco), Jackson Mwanza
(Zesco United), Evans Kangwa (Nkana), Moses Phiri (Zanaco),
Reynold Kampamba (Nkana), Aaron Katebe (Hwange FC, Zimbabwe), Lawrence
Phiri (Progresso FC, Angola), Juma Mutale (Central Province), Musonda
Lubambo (National Assembly), Misheck Chaila (Konkola Blades),
Sebastian Mwansa (Power Dynamos), Graven Chitalu (Power Dynamos),
Godfrey Ngwenya (Central Province)
File: Coal Mine workers picking coal without protective clothes at Shaft One at the chinese collum mine
Chinese miners at the embattled Collum Coal Mine in Sinazongwe district in Southern province have petitioned government to provide maximum protection to them during riots.
The Chinese nationals, who mobbed Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda yesterday, complained that there was no protection given to them whenever there was a riot at the mine.
This follows the death of Chinese miner, Wu Shengzai, who was on August 3rd allegedly crushed to death by a trolley in shaft five mine.
The sad Chinese miners, who spoke through their representative, Wang Dong, an Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, observed that the mine was experiencing disturbances every after three or four months.
They said when such occur, a government official is sent to the mine but problems persist.
They demanded for a lasting solution to be found over industrial unrest at the mine.
Yesterday, Mr. Shamenda visited the mine where a Chinese miner was killed on Saturday.
They demanded that the Zambian government should provide them with a permanent answer that would provide 100 percent protection to the Chinese nationals because their lives were in danger.
The Chinese miners further appealed to the Chinese and Zambian governments to comprehensively dialogue over the matter saying they were gripped with fear.
Their interpreter, Mr. Wang, however sympathised with his nationals and assured them that the Zambian government was caring and that was the reason why it sent the Minster of Labour, Mr. Shamenda to the mine.
Chinese Military Attaché He Zhigian, who represented his government, advised Chinese workers to go back to work as the two governments find a lasting solution over the matter.
In response, Mr. Shamenda attributed the riots at Chinese Column Mine to the uncaring previous government which had a weaker labour policy.
Mr. Shamenda appealed to the both the Zambian and Chinese miners to give the Patriotic Front (PF) government time to address the problem.
The minister further assured that government has deployed a team of security officers to keep vigil at the mine.
He said he would from time to time dispatch labour officers from his office to ensure that labour misunderstandings between workers and management are resolved.
Police in Southern Province has so far arrested a number of suspects in connection with the death of Mr. Wu as investigations in the matter intensify.
Meanwhile, Chief Government Spokesperson, Kennedy Sakeni said the law must take its course on anyone who will be found guilty of causing the riots.
Mr. Sakeni, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said the issue of minimum wages allows employers and employees a platform to dialogue amicably.
United Party for National Development (UPND) special advisor to the president Douglas Siakalima says the opposition party will not hesitate to expel any of its Members of Parliament who will accept jobs in the Patriotic Front government.
Mr. Siakalima has told Qfm News in an exclusive interview that opposition parliamentarians must appreciate the importance of the opposition in the country’s democratic dispensation.
He says the ongoing trend where Republican President Michael Sata is appointing opposition MPs as deputy ministers is an assault on democracy and should not be allowed to continue.
Mr. Siakalima has charged that the UPND is committed to providing checks and balances on government policies and will not entertain any of its parliamentarians who will align themselves to the PF government.
He has however expressed happiness at the high level of discipline exhibited by the UPND MPs adding that even if President Sata extended his appointments to the UPND, none of its lawmakers will succumb.
The President is entitled by the republican constitution to appointment members of the executive from among Members of Parliament regardless of political affiliation
GOVERNMENT has finished the tendering process for the supply of fertiliser under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the 2012/2013 farming season.
Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development Emmanuel Chenda said Government concluded the tendering process last week and will this week announce successful bidders that will be engaged to supply fertiliser under the FISP.
He said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the distribution of fertiliser and seed to farmers will soon commence to avoid delays.
Mr Chenda said Government will monitor the distribution exercise and ensure that the inputs allocated to provinces reach designated depots and targeted farmers in a timely and transparent manner.
He said Government will work round-the-clock to ensure that the fertiliser and seed reach targeted farmers before the onset of the rainy season.
“We are happy as a ministry that we concluded the tendering process last week and we will this week announce the successful bidders which will be engaged to supply fertiliser under the FISP.
“We will closely monitor the whole process and ensure that the distribution of farm inputs is done in a more transparent manner. We don’t want corruption in this process,” Mr Chenda said.
He said Government is aware of the challenges faced in the distribution of farm inputs in recent years which made it difficult for many farmers to access the commodities.
Mr Chenda said Government will not allow a situation where unscrupulous business people cheat peasant farmers that they would cheaply supply them with seed and fertiliser.
He said Government has put in place measures such as the formation of camp fertiliser committees to ensure that inputs reach intended beneficiaries throughout the country.
Mr Chenda said through FISP, many parts of the country are now recording increased crop yields.
The minister said he is happy that the FISP is contributing to enhanced national food security and that Government will continue supporting farmers to ensure that Zambia becomes a food basket in
southern Africa.
Mr Chenda urged farmers to take advantage of the FISP to grow more food for their consumption and for sale to the Food Reserve Agency.
THE Bank of Zambia (BoZ) has attributed the recent appreciation of the Kwacha to the introduction of the statutory instrument (IS) number 33 that prohibits transacting in foreign currency for domestic transactions.
The Kwacha is now trading between K4,800 to K5,000 for dollar from the highs of K5,300.
BoZ International Reserves Management manager Kombe Soteli said the introduction of the SI number 33 has contributed to the increase in foreign exchange supplied on the market, hence contributing to the appreciation of the local unit.
“With the SI in place, we have taken off the artificial demand of the dollar that was there. All the companies or individuals that were paying services in dollars are complying with the policy,” she said.
She said this in Lusaka at the just-ended 86th Agriculture and Commercial Show .
The IS 33 was introduced to restore the use of the Kwacha as the main legal tender of the country to control the use of foreign currencies in the economy.
Ms Soteli said the reinforcement of the use of the Kwacha in the economy will make it easy for the central bank to implement monetary policy and control the amount of money available in the market.
“The appreciation of the Kwacha is just an effect of the implementation of the SI 33… Our function with regard to the exchange rate is not to fix or target a particular level, but manage the volatility that will help us have a lower and stable inflation rate,” she said.
She said the core objective of the central bank is to achieve and maintain price stability.
Commenting on interest rates, BoZ deputy governor Bwalya Ng’andu said average lending rates applied by commercial banks have reduced to about 19 percent following the introduction of the policy rate in April 2012.
Dr Bwalya said the central bank is currently conducting a survey to ascertain response to the policy rate by commercial banks.
“It is an issue we are dealing with and we are hoping to get more banks comply…as the central bank, we feel that the level of competition in the banking sector has not improved as it should be to further lower the cost of money,” he said.
He however hoped that the reforms being undertaken in the financial sector will stimulate competition and reduce current averseness to risks.
“The reforms undertaken in the financial sector are ongoing and we don’t expect them to produce measures immediately. The idea is not to have a lower interest rate but it should represent economic activities of the country,” he said.
ZAMBIA’s sprinter Gerald Phiri has said that he is disappointed that he did not make the final of the men’s 100m at the London Olympic Games, but that he is hopeful of better performances in future events.
Phiri, who was bubbling with confidence prior to the race, finished a distant fifth in the semi-finals in 10.11 seconds as Bolt qualified for the final in 9.87secs at the 80,000-sitter Olympic Stadium.
In the semi-final, the USA’s Ryan Bailey was second in 9.96secs followed by Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago (10.02secs), Great Britain’s Dwain Chambers (10.05secs), Antigua and Barbuda’s Daniel Bailey (10.16secs), Antoine Adams of Saint Kitts and Nevis (10.27secs) and China’s Bingtian Su (10.28secs). The top three progressed to the final.
A determined Phiri, who was in lane nine, got off with terrific speed but his pace could not march that of the top three.
“It was a terrible race. I did not execute the race as I wanted. It was not easy. I put pressure on myself and I wanted to qualify to the final. I have to see what happens next,’’ Phiri said in an interview.
He said he was not intimidated to be paired in heat two with the best runners in the world.
‘’For me to qualify to the semi-finals, it means I am among the best runners in the world. It was my first Olympics. I have to move on and feel proud. I am only 23 and I was the youngest in the race,’’ Phiri said.
He said it is always good to compete with Bolt whom he described as a great athlete. Phiri said he has already started focusing on the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. He said having graduated from A&M University in Texas in the USA, he will now concentrate on athletics.
Phiri is confident that one day he will put Zambia on the athletics map[pullquote].For me to qualify to the semi-finals, it means I am among the best runners in the world. It was my first Olympics. I have to move on and feel proud. I am only 23 and I was the youngest in the race,’’ Phiri said[/pullquote].
“I am not afraid to fail. That is why I had set myself a target of making it to the final. I train with fast runners such as Tyson Gay, who is the second fastest man in 100 metres. I will be disappointed for a while, go back home to be with my family and then move on. I have few races for this year,’’ said Phiri without naming the competitions he will compete in.
He said he is racing against time and will take advantage of every opportunity to improve. Athletics coach Felix Mbuye commended Phiri for putting up a brave performance.
“It was a tough race but the guy has tried. He was fifth with 10.11 seconds and if you see the difference in time with the other runners it is not much,’’ Mbuye said.
He called on the government to partner with the Zambia Amateur Athletics Association in grooming athletes for international competitions. Mbuye said with adequate preparations, Phiri could be the next Samuel Matete.
Matete, a 400m hurdles specialist, won a gold medal at the 1991 World Championship in Tokyo, Japan, and won a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Mbuye said Zambian runners are as good as their colleagues in Kenya and Ethiopia among others.
Zambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Bizwayo Nkunika saluted Phiri for reaching the semi-finals. Nkunika said by making it to the semi-finals, Phiri should be proud of himself as he competed with the best runners in the world.
“Gerald ran among the best in the world and he qualified to compete among the best. This being his first appearance at the Olympics was like being thrown to the deep end of the pool. But he floated through with confidence. Zambia needs to nurture and invest in this big boy. He put up a very good show and deserves commendation,” he said.
Nkunika urged Zambians to rally behind Phiri and the other athletes.
FILE: Catholic Church ordination ordination ceremony
Following the deportation of the Rwandan Catholic Church Priest , Father Viateur Banyangandora, for allegedly inciting the congregation to rise against the Zambian government, the Catholic has issued a letter to be read this Sunday in all Catholic Parishes of Chipata Diocese.
Below are the full contents of the letter
A Statement to Catholics on the deportation, by the Zambian Government, of Fr. Viateur Banyangandora to Rwanda
To be read in all Catholic Parishes of Chipata Diocese
DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED (John 14:1)
On 12 August 2012
1. To Priests, Religious Sisters, Brothers and the laity of Chipata Diocese. To all Catholics and men and women of goodwill in Zambia!
2. Let me from the outset express my deep appreciation to all of you who have sent messages of solidarity to me and to the Diocese of Chipata on the unfortunate deportation from Zambia of our beloved Parish Priest of Lundazi Catholic Church, Fr. Viateur Banyangandora by the Zambian Government. I am particularly grateful to messages of solidarity from my Brother Bishops in the various Catholic Dioceses of Zambia.
3. I first learnt of the abduction of Fr. Viateur on Monday, the 30th July around 17:00hrs when he, himself phoned me. He asked for permission to meet me in Chipata before proceeding to Lusaka where he was being taken. I met him at Chipata Police Station where I had a brief chat with him. He told me that the security officers who took him did not clearly explain to him the reasons for his arrest except that it was in connection with Sunday Homily in which he spoke about cotton prices. He assured me that he never attacked government in any way. His message was about the have sharing with the have nots as the readings of the day were saying. On the day before his abduction, Fr. Viateur spoke passionately about the plight and poverty of his parishioners and the people of Lundazi. He was exercising his prophetic ministry as any Catholic priest would and should (2Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15). He shared this with me in the presence of police officers.[pullquote]He told me that the security officers who took him did not clearly explain to him the reasons for his arrest except that it was in connection with Sunday Homily in which he spoke about cotton prices. He assured me that he never attacked government in any way. His message was about the have sharing with the have nots as the readings of the day were saying. [/pullquote]
4. I asked him as to whether he had eaten something before leaving Lundazi to which he said no. We then prepared something for him to eat. After his meal, he was on that very night driven to Lusaka. I informed Bishop Benjamin Phiri who was by then in Lusaka and Monsignor Joseph at the Nuntiature about this issue and asked them to pursue the matter and establish two things: (1) Why he was picked and (2) his destination because the Commissioner and her deputy here in Chipata expressed ignorance about the whole thing. They said that they were simply obeying orders from Lusaka.
5. In Lundazi, I am reliably informed that Fr. Viateur was interrogated on Monday 30th July, 2012 by various officials, including the District Commissioner (a politician!). Fr. Viateur was later that day brought to Chipata where he was further interrogated by a combined team of Immigration, Police and Office of the President (OP) agents. During his interrogation and traumatising ordeal, he was not availed a lawyer and not a single diocesan official was present nor notified of Fr. Viateur’s arrest. Without being charged, Fr. Viatuer was later that very evening, driven to Lusaka in the night. From then on there is a black-out of information. Where was Fr. Viateur taken? Was he beaten, tortured? Was he being fed? What did they do about his Diabetic medicine? His BP medicine? What really did the State do to Fr. Viateur? We will need answers. What crime did Fr. Viateur really commit? Has preaching the Gospel in a so-called Christian Nation become a crime?[pullquote]The Commissioner and her deputy here in Chipata expressed ignorance about the whole thing. They said that they were simply obeying orders from Lusaka.[/pullquote]
6. When Fr. Viateur was being held by the security wings, my colleagues and I at the Diocesan administration of Chipata Diocese made several and frantic attempts to secure the release of Fr. Viateur. We spoke to politicians, heads of the various security wings both in Chipata and in Lusaka. In most cases the people we spoke to were tight-lipped and did not want to give us any information. Most of them, their overzealousness notwithstanding, were clearly afraid for their jobs. All in all, we did not get a satisfactory answer from anyone we spoke to on the Tuesday of 31 July 2012. I personally even phoned and spoke to the Republican President on the issue. He only promised that he would get back to me..[pullquote]During his interrogation and traumatising ordeal, he was not availed a lawyer and not a single diocesan official was present nor notified of Fr. Viateur’s arrest. Without being charged, Fr. Viatuer was later that very evening, driven to Lusaka in the night[/pullquote].
7. In a desperate move, and working with our staff at the Catholic Secretariat in Lusaka, we engaged a lawyer, Mr. S. Mambwe and associates to comb all Lusaka Police cells and find Fr. Viateur. All was in vain. We have been kept in the dark about the safety and the whereabouts of Fr. Viateur for four days until the announcement after the deportation by the Zambian Government on the evening of Thursday 2nd August 2012 by the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Edgar Lungu who finally confirmed, through the media, of his deportation from Zambia to Rwanda. The reasons given were that our beloved priest was deported for violating the laws of Zambia and that his conduct was found to be a danger to peace and good order in Zambia contrary to Section 39(2) of the Immigration and Deportation Act, No. 18 of 2010. Even after this confirmation, there was no courtesy on the part of government to inform me about the plight of our priest. I too, heard it through the media.
8. To the parishioners and people of Lundazi. You have been unjustly deprived of your pastor. As your Shepherd, I grieve with you at this great injustice that has been done to one of our own by our Government. We all know and have lived with Fr. Viateur. He is a good priest and a man of peace and integrity. No amount of explanation will ever convince us that he would behave in a manner that would cause a breach of peace of this country. Despite this injustice done to him, I still appeal to you all to remain calm and peaceful.[pullquote]I personally even phoned and spoke to the Republican President on the issue. He only promised that he would get back to me[/pullquote]
9. Fr. Viateur was ordained in 2004 and thus he became our priest. He became a priest of Chipata Diocese. He chose to remain in Chipata as one of the diocesan priests till his death.
10. I, like the rest of the members of the Catholic Church, are still in a state of shock that such a thing can happen to him and government does not care to explain as to why he was abducted, where he was taken. We urge the government to seriously consider revoking the deportation order for the sake of unity.
11. I further wish to remind the Patriotic Government (PF) that; You were voted into government on a popular platform of correcting the injustices of the past and entrenching good governance and a democratic culture where the rule of law would reign supreme. The manner in which Fr. Viateur was abducted and deported has not only perplexed us but has shocked us to the bone. We never thought we would see the day in this current government when the freedom of expression, let alone at the pulpit, would be criminalized in Zambia. We earnestly urge the government to address the real issues that are today affecting the poor people.
12. Notwithstanding the fact that Fr. Viateur holds a Rwandan passport, his human and constitutional rights have been grossly violated by the state. The way he has been treated flies in the face of natural justice. He was not given opportunity to be heard; he was not allowed legal representation of his choice and he was detained in secret location.[pullquote]The manner in which Fr. Viateur was abducted and deported has not only perplexed us but has shocked us to the bone. We never thought we would see the day in this current government when the freedom of expression, let alone at the pulpit, would be criminalized in Zambia[/pullquote]
13. To the priests of the diocese, religious men and women, parishioners of Lundazi and Catholics in general, I appeal for calm. It may take one week, one month or many years but we will not rest until justice and truth are served in this matter. We believe that justice and truth will be served one day! Fr. Viateur will one day return to us.
14. A special appeal to our Catholic priests: Do not be intimidated by anyone. You were ordained to preach the Gospel and this must be done even in the face of persecution. In doing so, you will be carrying out the prophetic role of being the conscience of society. As Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both Soul and body in Gehena” Matt. 10:28. No one shall be allowed to silence our priests.
15.In conclusion, I commend you all to pray for Fr. Viateur Banyangandora, his family and also the Rwandan refugee community resident in Zambia. In the January 2012 Pastoral letter, we the Catholic Bishops highlighted the plight facing the Rwandan refugee community in Zambia. Could the deportation of Fr. Viateur signal the start of worse things to come for this community and for our priests? Only God knows.
United in prayer, for the unity of our Diocese and beloved country, Zambia.
“That they have life and life in abundance” (John 10:10)
Rt. Rev. George Cosmas Zumaile Lungu
Bishop of Chipata Diocese
c.c. Most Rev. Ignatius Chama, Archbishop of Kasama Archdiocese and ZEC President.
c.c. Most Rev. Telespore G. Mpundu, Archbishop of Lusaka
c.c. Most Rev. Julio Murat, Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi
c.c. Rt. Rev. Benjamin Phiri, Auxiliary Bishop of Chipata Diocese.
A farmer in Jiwundu Settlement Scheme in Solwezi district
Mpongwe Member of Parliament Gabriel Namulambe has cautioned government against adopting policies that will affect food production in the country.
Mr. Namulambe said any policies such as the scrapping off of maize subsidies would negatively affect the production of the staple food in the country.
The opposition parliamentarian said a drop in food production would cause the government to begin importing maize from other countries.
Mr. Namulambe said this would not only cost the country a lot of resources but would also create employment in the countries that Zambia would be buying maize from while narrowing employment opportunities locally.
And Mr. Namulambe has urged government to clarify its position on the procedure involved in the maize marketing system for 2012.
He added that right now there are rumors going round in his constituencies that one needs a voter’s card to open an account to get money from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
Mr.Namulambe noted that there is a lot of distortion of information on the maize marketing system a situation that seems to bother the farmers.
He has since advised the government to be consistent and clear in its policies in the agricultural sectors in order to continue boosting production of maize and other foods.
The London 2012 Olympics are well under way with the worlds best athletes in various sports disciplines competing for medals.
This series will show case the workouts for different sports . Today will start with the motivation and goal setting.
Finding motivation to train or stick with exercise on a regular basis isn’t always easy. Demanding schedules, burn-out, and illness are just a few of the things that may interrupt your fitness routine. However, sometimes motivation can be found by following a very simple formula. Goal setting based upon the S.M.A.R.T. approach, is a simple technique that provides structure for your training program. Many athletes and coaches successfully use this formula to set both short and long-term training goals.
The S.M.A.R.T. principle
Set Specific Goals. Research shows that specific goals are the most motivating. A specific goal is to reduce your 5K time by 30 seconds within 6 months. Many people just say they want to get faster. This goal is far too general to really motivate you in your training.
Set Measurable Goals. Simply saying that you want to get faster is not enough detail. You need to be able to chart and document progress toward your goal. One way to measure your progress is to document your performance at set intervals. In the above example you may want to time your 5K performance once a month so you have a good measurement.
Set Adjustable Goals. This means your goals are flexible enough to accommodate unexpected challenges without becoming obsolete. An injury may force your to modify your goal. If you goal is too run a certain marathon and you are injured, you may need to change your goal to do the half marathon, or some other event. An injury doesn’t need to mean you abandon all your plans. At the same time, you may find you are progressing quickly and need to raise your goal.
Set Action-Oriented Goals Another important aspect of goal-setting to to keep them focused on personal action. Don’t forget to consider not only what you want to achieve, but how you plan to acieve it.
Set Realistic Goals. Start where you are, and increase your goals accordingly. If you haven’t ever run a 5K it’s probably not a wise goal to say you want to run a marathon. While that may be your long-term goal, in the short-term you may want to shoot for the 5K and 10K and half marathon on the way to your marathon goal. This sort of progression is healthy and realistic. Also, keep in mind that as you become more and more fit and near your full potential the room for continued improvement gets smaller. Similarly, if your goals are too simple, you won’t feel much satisfaction by attaining them. Only you truly know what is realistic for you.
Set Time-based Goals. Look again at first example: reduce your 5K time by 30 seconds within 6 months. This is specific and time-based. Without a time line there is a tendency to procrastinate or get bored. You may also need to set interim goals with shorter timelines to keep you on track. Consider the previous example of working up to a marathon by completing shorter distances first. each of those because a separate goal with a shorter timeline. In general, goals that stretch out beyond 6 months are too long to keep you interested and motivated. Try to re-evaluate your goals every 2-3 months.Goal setting is an art as well as a science, but if you make sure your goals follow the S.M.A.R.T. formula, you will find you are more likely to stay motivated and reach goal after goal.
A 43-year-old man of Kalomo has been sentenced to a six months imprisonment with hard labour for defaming the President, contrary to Section 59 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
This is in a case in which the jailed man of Kalomo’s Makalanguzu was charged with bringing the name of the Republican President into hatred, ridicule or contempt by uttering derogatory words amounting to insults against the Head of State.
Appearing before Magistrate Litungi Litungi was Peter Mweete who on July 11 this year, while taking alcohol at a named guest house in Kalomo, publicly uttered derogatory words against the President.
Mweete was later arrested by security officers for defaming the President.
In his mitigation, Mweete said he looks after six children and a grandmother and that he was on antiretroviral treatment.
Mweete asked the court to exercise lenience on him, saying he committed the offence under the influence of alcohol.
However, Magistrate Litungi sentenced Mweete to six months imprisonment with hard labour from the date of his arrest.
Magistrate Litungi prayed that Mweete’s imprisonment should serve as a lesson to people who are in the habit of bringing the name of the President into ridicule.
He said the Republican Presidency is the highest office of the country and should be accorded the respect it deserves.
THE Bank of Zambia (BoZ) will by the end of this week be certain on when the new rebased Kwacha notes will be on the market.
BoZ deputy Governor for Operations, Bwalya Ng’andu said this during a media briefing at the on-going 86th Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show in Lusaka yesterday.
Dr Ng’andu said the two firms selected to print the new Kwacha notes and coins would be engaged in talks over the roadmap to introduce the revised currency.
Giesecke of Germany and South Africa’s Mint Printing Company (MPC) were selected to print the revised notes.
Giesecke was expected to print the notes while MPC was expected to print the coins.
“We will be certain of the day when the new Kwacha notes and coins will be ready by next week, we will be talking to the two firms on the roadmap. We also want to start a nationwide sensitisation campaign on the rebased currency,” Dr Ng’andu said.
He said the central bank was yet to hear from the printers when the sample for the rebased Kwacha notes would be ready.
He said the new notes would also have special features that would help avoid counterfeit of the notes.
THE new minimum wage has been misunderstood by some employers and other players in the labour industry, Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda has said.
Mr Shamenda said he would be sending Labour Commissioner and other officers in his ministry to visit some companies to explain fully the interpretation of the newly-revised minimum wage.
Last month, the Government revised the minimum wages and conditions of employment for domestic, shop and general workers by 100 per cent.
Domestic workers’ salaries have increased from K250, 000 to K420, 000 as basic pay and transport allowance of K102, 400 translating into a total of K520, 400.
Shop workers whose minimum wage was at K419, 000 has now increased to K1, 132, 400 with a breakdown of K700, 000 basic salary and 30 per cent housing allowance, transport allowance of K102, 400 and K120, 000 lunch allowance.
Similar conditions for shop workers would also apply to general workers.
The minister regretted that employers, trade union officials and the general workers did not understand the minimum wage implementation.
He said this when he toured Collum Coal Mine in Southern Province in the aftermath of rioting by irate miners.
He explained that the new minimum wage was only applicable to those workers who are not represented by any trade unions such as shop, general and domestic workers.
The minister condemned the rioting by workers at Collum Coal Mine, which resulted in the death of Mr Wu Shengzai.
Mr Shamenda was accompanied by Southern Province Minister, Obvious Mwaliteta, Labour and Social Security Deputy Permanent Secretary, Trevor Kaunda and some senior government officials.
Mr Shamenda directed the security personnel to ensure that the culprits were brought to book, noting that Zambia and China enjoy warm and cordial relationship that has continued to exist for many years.
He assured the Chinese nationals at the mine that Government would provide maximum protection when operations at the mine return to normal.
Mr Mwaliteta said the Government attaches great importance to the foreign investors.
Chinese Military Attaché, He Zhigian, who represented the Chinese government, commended the Zambian Government for the cooperation in resolving labour conflicts.
ZESCO LTD engineers inspecting power pylons at Kafue Gorge station’
ZESCO plans to spend about US$5.3 billion for power generation, transmission and distribution to mitigate the existing power outages in the country.
Zesco director generation Victor Mundende said the company has embarked on a five-year business plan that will enable it to increase generation capacity through the expansion of existing hydro power stations and the development of new generation projects.
In an interview at the on-going Agricultural and Commercial Show, Mr Mundende said the US$5.3 billion will be spent between this year and 2017.
He said the power utility has made progress in addressing the power deficit with various power expansion projects being on course.
He cited the Kariba North Bank power project to be completed in 2014, with an increased installed capacity of 1,080 megawatts (MW) from 720 MW.
Other projects include Itezhi- tezhi with the capacity of 120 MW and the Kafue Gorge Lower hydro power station with 750 MW.
“Apart from the major power stations, there are some small hydro power stations that we are upgrading across the country. These include Musonda Falls which is five MW to about 10 MW while Lunzua in Northern Province with less than a MW will be expanded to about 15 MW,” he said.
He said the Chishimba Falls hydro power station that currently has an installed capacity of six MW will be upgraded to 15 MW and Lusiwashi hydro power station in Serenje will be expanded to about 100 MW.
Mr Mundende observed that the private sector has also come on board to alleviate the power shortage with Maamba Collieries planning to set up a thermo plant that will generate 300 MW in the first phase and another 300 MW in the second phase.
File:NCHANGA Mine rescure Team B Captain Jonathan Kolala inspects air underground during the Zambia Mine Rescure Association competetion at Namundwe Mine
FIRST Quantum Minerals (FQM) Limited says the tax rates applicable to the mining industry in Zambia are the highest globally.
Company head of tax Adam Little in an interview in Lusaka said FQM has from 2005 to date paid over K 9 trillion (US$ 2 billion) of taxes.
Of the total taxes paid, about K390 billion (US$ 84 million) is Pay As You Earn and K1.97 trillion (US$ 234 million) mineral royalties.
Mr Little said despite the high taxes and high cost environment, mining prospects in Zambia remain bright for as long as Government does not try to kill the golden goose laying the golden egg.
“When you combine high existing taxes and high cost of production, it’s a country people will think twice before investing,” he said.
He described windfall tax introduced in 2008 as the worst tax he has ever seen, adding that it was retrogressive as it was charged on revenue rather than profits.
Mr Little said had the windfall tax persisted, a number of mines would have shut down at the time copper prices were high.
“I understand why people are calling for it (windfall tax) because they see what looks like a healthy industry and they see a contribution from the industry which isn’t high enough,” he said.
He said some companies are paying lower tax than people expect due to huge investment following privatisation.
Mr Little said once a number of companies reach tax paying levels and copper prices on the international market improve, tax and mining profits are expected to improve.
He said there is need to also improve capacity and capability levels of the Zambia Revenue Authority to collect taxes from the mines.
“Government should encourage future development, I don’t think that means offering individual incentives to the mines “No sweetheart deals” but coming up with consistent and fair tax environment,” he said.
Mr Little said because of the huge investments involved in mining, it is prudent that tax rates are stabilised as was in the old development agreements.
He said to operate new mines, citing the Trident project that includes Sentinel, Enterprise and Intrepid copper projects, one has to be efficient to control costs.
“Any additional taxes will make the next generation of mines that run on slim margins of copper very hard to succeed,” he said.
Commenting on corporate social responsibility, Mr Little said FQM has been involved in upgrading of the local general hospital, Solwezi technical institute, upgrade of the Solwezi-Chingola road, sports development in Solwezi and was the major sponsor of the African Cup of Nations.
“As much as it is important that our corporate social programmes get through to the media, the big thing for us is tax contributions. Once the mines pay tax, the money is in the hands of Government and how it spends that money is between the citizen and Government,” he said.
