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.
Nkana striker Evans Kangwa is in a serious fitness race before Wednesday’s friendly between Zambia and Angola.
Kangwa who has only played three games for Nkana this season picked up a knock and was substituted late in the second half as his side draw 1-1 against Red Arrows in Sunday’s league match.
Faz Communications Officer Erick Mwanza said Kangwa is set for a late fitness test before Zambia departs for Angola on Tuesday.
“We are aware of unconfirmed reports suggesting that Kangwa is injured but national team doctors will asses him before the team leaves,” Mwanza said.
The young star is among several local players Chipolopolo coach Herve Renard has called for the friendly against Angola.
Little known Zimbabwean-based defender Aaron Katebe has been drafted into the Zambia team to face Angola in a friendly on May 16.
The ex-Afrisports player who plays for Zimbabwean club Hwange joined the team in training on Monday.
Herve Renard said after training at Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka that he will start Katebe against Angola.
“If he does well against Angola he will come with us to Johannesburg and will have to compete against Stophilla Sunzu, Hichani Himoonde, Chintu Kampamba and we will see,” Renard said.
Zambia will setup camp in Johannesburg on May 20 ahead of their 2014 Fifa World Cup Group D qualifying games against Sudan and Ghana away and at home on June 2 and 9.
Meanwhile, Katebe’s inclusion brings to three the number of foreign-based players in the team.
Midfielder Chisamba Lungu of Russian club FC Ural Sverdlovsk Oblast is already in camp while Felix Katongo awaits the team in Luanda where he plays for Petro Atletico.
MMD presidential hopefuls (from l) Moses Muteteka, Felix Mutati and Kabinga Pande confer during the party’s national executive committee meeting in Lusaka at the weekend.
The Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) says it will tomorrow hold initial filing in of nominations for candidates wishing to contest the position of party president.
MMD deputy National Secretary Chembe Nyangu says the nominations will be conducted to help the party come up with a list of candidates before the printing of the final ballot papers ahead of the May 25, provincial conventions.
He said five candidates who include, Felix Mutati, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, Kabinga Pande, Dr. Nevers Mumba, and Moses Muteteka have confirmed their participation in the filling in of nomination and have already paid nomination fees.
He said a new entrant Kapembwa Simbao has also expressed willingness to file in his nomination and has promised to pay the nomination fees during the filing in process.
Mr. Nyangu told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka the MMD will, however, allow other candidates who will not manage to file in their nominations tomorrow to do so 48 hours before the convention date.
He explained that this was in line with the party constitution and that late inclusions will however be included on the ballot paper in ink.
The Deputy National Secretary has reiterated that the party will conduct the provincial conventions and that presidential candidates will have to get a 50 plus 1 vote to be elected.
He said that this will not be difficulty as alleged by some stakeholders stating that the convention will be held in less than five hours which will make it possible for a re-run on the same date.
Mr. Nyangu, however, admitted that this might be difficult considering that this will be the first time a presidential position will be contested by more than five candidates since the party was formed.
He said the position of party president was mainly going un-opposed in favour of sitting presidents.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nyangu has disclosed that preparations for the conventions have advanced and all groups are ready for the meetings.
The MMD which is scheduled to hold provincial conventions to choose a successor after former president Rupiah Banda retired from active politics.
Nigerian Artist Wizkid will be having an autograph signing at News Cafe on the 24th of May and performing on the 25th of may at Barclays Sports Center.
WASHINGTON DC, 14 May 2012 – On Friday May 11th, the offices of international lawyer Robert Amsterdam received correspondence from legal
representatives of Zambian President Michael Chilufya Sata threatening litigation and demanding compensation in response to public statements made by Mr. Amsterdam.
“President Sata’s crude efforts to silence and bully opponents with threats and intimidation will not work, and we would in fact welcome the
opportunity to lead a serious public debate on the unlawful conduct of this administration,” said Mr. Amsterdam. “As a public figure, I had no idea that President Sata was so sensitive to criticism, but given this government’s stance toward freedom of the press, it shouldn’t come as a
surprise.”
The letter, which was also addressed independent newspaper The Daily Nation, states, “We have been retained by Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, the
current president of Zambia and of the Patriotic Front political party, to act for him in a matter concerning your defamation of him in the article in the Nation Newspaper edition published on 8th of May, 2012 (Vol. 2, Issue 175) entitled ‘Sata Shielding Crooks.’” The letter threatens to initiate civil proceedings unless the Daily Nation and Mr. Amsterdam retracted the article, issued a written apology, and paid damages of K500 million (approx. US$97,000.00).
The president’s threat toward Mr. Amsterdam comes on the heels of a request for Urgent Appeals submitted to the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers of the United Nations following threats and intimidation by Wynter Kabimba of the Patriotic Front party, who accused Mr. Amsterdam of a slew of unsubstantiated allegations for acting as legal counsel to Henry Banda, the son of the former President Rupiah Banda.
According to Mr. Amsterdam, the latest threats from President Sata represent the culmination of a series of attacks on the political
opposition and independence of the judiciary. “This is the same administration that has attempted to force the de-registration of the
largest opposition party, conducting a phony witch hunt in the name of anti-corruption to eliminate competition, and firing judges who rendered
inconvenient verdicts against political allies. The staggering number of irregularities, violations of protocol and due process by this government is causing serious damage to the country. Is it too much to ask that this government be required to observe the law and uphold the constitution?”
Amsterdam & Peroff LLP along with law firm Brian Kahn Inc of Johannesburg, South Africa represent the Former President Rupiah Banda and his son Henry Banda. The legal team is in the process of presenting appeals before the relevant international bodies to expose the unlawful conduct undertaken by the current administration against the political opposition. Documentation and further information can be found at
http://www.robertamsterdam.com/zambia.
A GROUP calling itself the MMD “True Blues” has backed Lunte Member of
Parliament (MP) Felix Mutati as the preferred candidate for the party presidency. The Group has also advised MMD presidential aspirant Nevers Mumba to respect the Presidency and leadership.
The Group secretary Dominic Kaonde said this in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the group has consulted widely on the matter adding they reached a conclusion to support Mr Mutati.
Mr Kaonde stated that the group resolved to support Mr Mutati because he had been in touch with the party members and structures for a long time.
He said Mr Mutati has also proved that he cared for the party. Mr Kaonde further stated that if elected Mr Mutati would be easy to market due to his consistency unlike Mr Mumba who he said has changed parties “like jackets”.
“If pastor Mumba was elected to become president ,what will stop him from doing to it what he did to National Citizen Coalition (NCC) and reform Party (RP),”he wondered.
He has since appealed to Zambian’s to discard the desperation being championed by Mr Mumba. “As MMD grassroots, we take great exception to politics of hatred and
bitterness exhibited by pastor Mumba,”he said.
Mr Kaonde also said the working group was committed to returning the party to its founding principles. “We are committed to an amended MMD constitution, introduction of two vice presidency positions and the electing of a credible leader to win in 2016,”he said.
File: President Sata meets Rackson Jere and Mwila Lumbwe who are members of the commission of inquiry on the operations of the Zambia National Building Society at State House
Four directors at the Zambia National Building Society (ZNBS) have resigned with immediate effect for unknown reasons.
The Zambia Union of Financial and Allied Workers Union (ZUFIAW) smells a rat but is hopeful that the resignations was not a calculated move to cause panic at the institution.
ZUFIAW President Cephas Mukuka said the union was surprised that the directors chose to resign abruptly when management, ZUFIAW and Union
Brach officials held a meeting last Wednesday at the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Labour to chart the way
forward on ZNBS.
Mr Mukuka said the union was saddened by the directors’ failure to show leadership which he said was tantamount to holding the institution at ransom.
“We would like to assure the unionised members at ZNBS and clients that ZUFIAW is closely engaged in discussions with management and the
ministry of Labour to ensure industrial harmony.
“The tripartite consultative meetings we have been holding have been helpful in moving the process forward regarding industrial relations
issues which employees wanted to be addressed,” Mr Mukuka said.
Last week, four directors at ZNBS tendered in their immediate resignations from the institution but did not state the reasons for
leaving work.
Recently, President Michael Sata appointed the Mwila Lumbwe led commission of inquiry to investigate operations at ZNBS.
The ZNBS report submitted to President Sata indicated that the institution has been running at a loss.It also noted that adding since inception, it had only managed to give 15,000 mortgages against the 2 million deficit of housing units currently being faced.
Commission chairperson Mwila Lumbwe said during the hand over of the report that the ZNBS did not qualify under the financial regulation
Act to run as a building society because of its capital inadequacy.
ALL is set for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to launch its inaugural flight direct to Lusaka, Zambia tomorrow, May 15th 2012. This is according to a press statement released to the media by Lambwe Kachali, First secretary for Press and Public Relations for the Embassy of Zambia in Brussels, Belgium
According to KLM programme, the Royal Dutch Airlines will serve Zambia three times a week.
Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Given Lubinda and his counterpart, Minister of Transport and Communication Mr Yamfwa Mukanga will officiate at the inaugural flight in Amsterdam, Netherlands on Tuesday.
Mr Lubinda and Mr Mukanga are expected to arrive in Amsterdam this morning (Monday) and will hold meetings with top KLM executives in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
Later in the day, Mr Lubinda will depart for The Hague where he is expected to hold bilateral talks with Netherlands Secretary General of the ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ed Kronenburg.
Further meetings will also be held between Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) Managing Director Felix Chaila and KLM market development manager for Africa and Middle East, Axel Metslaar.
On Tuesday, May 15th 2012, KLM flight will depart Amsterdam at about 12:30 hours and is expected to land at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka at about 22:10 hours. Other days for KLM flight to Lusaka include Thursdays, and Saturdays at 12:30 hours, arriving in Lusaka the same day at 22:10 hrs. The return flight will depart Lusaka at 23:55 hours on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights and arrive in Amsterdam at 09:55 hours the next morning.
Zambia is experiencing strong growth, in many economic sectors, which include the vigorous mining industry. Moreover, this new destination for KLM will create a direct link between Zambia’s flourishing flower industry and the Netherlands, which is the largest junction in the worldwide flower industry.
Zambia, which is the home of the might Victoria Falls, offers a wider variety of tourist attractions. So far, Zambia is regarded as the millennium investment destination in Southern Africa.
The establishment of a direct flight between Lusaka and Amsterdam is expected to boost the volumes of trade between the two nations and the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg) region as a whole.
The successful opening of this route is a major triumph for the Zambian mission in Brussels which championed the need for a direct link between the two countries. The mission has since urged Zambians to take advantage of the strong agro-processing technology and skills in the Netherlands and make good use this direct flight link.
KLM becomes the first airline to establish a direct flight from mainland Europe.
I felt compelled to write today after I watched on ZNBC prime news of 12th May 2012. I am shocked to see police officers using guns on the
defenceless dogs.How can they be killed in such a way. I write to you out of deep concern about current plans for dog killing in the capital of
Zambia Lusaka.
We understand large numbers of stray animals can cause disease and annoyance to the neighborhood, but killing is not the solution for overpopulation of unregistered dogs.
Think ahead because you’ll have to kill the new generation of dogs.Killing may be easy but it is also ineffective. Besides, it shows a
total disrespect to life. You work in the name of the people of Zambia. If the killing goes ahead, you will bring shame on us and the
nation.
One proven and effective method to overcome overpopulation is through asking well wishers to adopt some of these stray dogs.
We urge you to work together with animal welfare organizations to ensure the whole process accords with good animal welfare practices. We
believe international organizations would be more than happy to have the opportunity to help.
Carefully planned dog control programs will prevent stray dogs from multiplying. If rabies still poses questions, still mass rabies
vaccination should be carried. And never forget both to educate and to apply laws and punishments strictly to irresponsible pet owners.
I always hope Lusaka will set the example for other local governments in animal policies.
I also hope, in the name of all people concerned about humanity, we will hear from you about this matter at the earliest possible
opportunity.
Some soccer fans, perched on the turf watching the game between ZANACO and Nchanga Rangers at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka.
THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has said all offensive items and alcohol beverages will not be allowed inside the new Levy
Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola during this weekend’s dress-rehearsal matches.
After conducting drills for ushering and evacuating spectators at the stadium at the weekend, FAZ vice-president Boniface Mwamelo said the
association would strictly adhere to the world governing body, FIFA’s safety requirements.
Mwamelo said the spectators would be screened 100 metres from the stadium and that only those with tickets would be allowed entry for
the trial matches involving top MTN Premier Division League teams.
“We went through the drills for ushering and evacuation of fans. We are satisfied with preparations according to the rehearsals. We will
do it in accordance with FIFA safety requirements,” he said.
In this double-header MTN Premier Division League Week 12, leaders Zesco United will clash with Nchanga Rangers in the first game before
Nkana face-off with arch-rivals, Power Dynamos.
He said private vehicles would also not be allowed near the stadium and advised the fans to find alternative parking spaces elsewhere.
FAZ wants all 52 exit points at the picturesque stadium to be clear of any obstacle and that in case of an emergency, the more than 40,000
spectators need to be evacuated within 15 minutes in an orderly manner.
Mwamelo, who was flanked by treasurer, Kelvin Mutafu at the stadium,said FAZ wanted to ensure a violence-free atmosphere and that any
items which could dilute the enjoyment of football would not be tolerated at the stadium.
The FAZ vice-president appealed to the fans to cooperate with the match organising team which would be screening for tickets and that
alcohol and some offensive objects would not be permitted at the stadium.
Mwamelo said many volunteers had come on board to assist with fire emergency procedures and implementation of tight security measures.
He said the rehearsals would continue this week for the double-header and that they would be a joint meeting involving FAZ match organisers,
representatives from the four clubs and the a steering committee from the ministry of Youth and Sport.
Mwamelo said FAZ was grateful to the Government for taking up the costs of the mock session on May 19.
He added that FAZ would do an assessment after this weekend’s dress-rehearsal on all aspects of match organisation and other areas
in readiness for Zambia’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against Ghana on June 9 in Ndola.
File:Former President Banda sharing ideas with Northern Provincial MMD Chairman Griever Sikasote,Chieftainess Chomba Wakasaba of Mpulungu district and Tourism Minister Catherine Namugala during the inspection of Kasaba Bay
Former Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) Northern Province Chairman Griever Sikasote has resigned from his party to join the Patriotic Front.
Mr. Sikasote announced his defection together with hundreds of other MMD members at a public rally addressed by Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba at Muzabwera ground in Mpulungu yesterday.
He said the former ruling party is in disarray and has no future in Zambian politics.
Mr. Sikasote claimed that he was ill-treated during his time in the MMD despite contributing greatly to the success of the former ruling
party.
Mr. Sikasote said the PF is anchored on the tenets of democracy as seen from the way it is administering the affairs of the country while
in government.
He congratulated President Michael Sata for winning last year’s presidential elections, adding that he has no doubt that the Head of
State will succeed in developing the nation.
Mr. Sikasote also revealed that the new Government has finally given him his terminal benefits he worked for from ZESCO, which the previous
administration failed to do for 16 years.
And welcoming Mr. Sikasote and hundreds of other defectors to the PF,Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba said the ruling party is an all
embracing party with a clear vision for national development.
Mr. Mwamba has declared that the MMD is completely finished in Northern Province and will never bounce back to power again.
He observed that PF has a national character as compared to some opposition parties that only enjoy popularity in certain regions
alone.
He urged Zambians to support President Michael Sata and his administration in order for the country to achieve sustainable development.
Mr. Mwamba said President Sata has a fatherly-heart of looking after every Zambian regardless of their status in society.
He has since urged Zambians to maintain the country’s peace and unity in solidarity of the aspirations of the fore-fathers and mothers who
fought for the country’s independence from colonial rule.
The Lusaka High Court has sentenced two former Zambia Army officers to death by hanging after convicting the duo of murdering two Finance
Bank employees and stealing more than K900 million in Kaoma in 2009.
Kabwe based High Court judge Eddie Sikazwe convicted the two former staff sergeants Festus Shandulu and Namushi Ngundamai based at Luena
Barracks and sentenced the duo to hanging until pronounced dead for killing Chisala Chishimba, a driver and Chrispin Mushele, a bank
teller.
The duo also got away with K958, 550, 000 from John Kaunda an employee of Finance Bank.
The Zambian Constitution under Part III on the Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedom of the Individual allows for the death
penalty.
Article 12 in this section, dealing with the protection of the right to life, clause (1) states that: “No person shall be deprived of his
life intentionally except in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence under the law in force in Zambia of
which he has been convicted”.
The Justice Annel Silungwe Technical Committee on Drafting the Zambian Constitution has equally upheld the death penalty but, as a Christian nation, Zambia has in the past 15 years not witnessed the actual hanging of convicts since 1997, when the last executions took place.
Then, former president Frederick Chiluba authorized the hanging of eight prisoners, the only executions he assented to during his ten
years in office.
The current position of the law gives Zambian judges the powers to convict such criminals to death by hanging as has been done by Mr
Justice Sikazwe although some sectors of society feel Zambia should abolish the death penalty.
Delivering his judgment in Lusaka recently, Mr Justice Sikazwe noted “there is no other punishment for aggravated robbery with a weapon
according to the laws of Zambia and also being on account that two people were shot dead at the scene of the accident; I have no other
option rather than sentence to death the two convicts until they are pronounced dead”.
Mr Mushele and Mr Chishimba were killed at Namusheshe area on their way from Mongu to collect money meant for Government workers’ salaries
in Kaoma.
It was alleged that Shandulu and Ngundamai who were charged with two counts of murder and one count of aggravated robbery contrary to the
laws of Zambia, while armed with an AK 47 rifle, shot dead the duo while they were still strapped in the vehicle seats.
Mr Justice Sikazwe said “ I have no doubt ‘this type of robbery’ was organized by a band expert armed robber as could be seen from the way
the murder and aggravated robbery was committed. Mr Chishimba and Mr Mushele were shot dead in cold blood and whoever killed them must have
known that such act would cause death or grievous bodily harm”.
He said that the guns which the convicts used were within the meaning of the firearms Act Cap 110 because they were lethal barreled weapons
from which shots were discharged.
Mr Justice Sikazwe noted that the witnesses brought by the prosecution were true and reliable and such the prosecution proved the offences
against Shandulu and Ngundamai.
He said that it was not in question that the money that was found in a different situation could have been part of the money robbed from the
cash in transit van to Kaoma.
“The AK47 rifle GC 1674 and 30 live ammunition which were recovered in the bush where Shandulu led a team of police officers was part of the
guns used to shot the occupants of the cash in transit van’ said Mr Justice Sikazwe.
Mr Justice Sikazwe said that there was overwhelming evidence that the armed men who robbed the cash in transit vehicle were the same ones
who murdered Mr Chishimba and Mushele.
THE Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) says it has never received instructions from any quarters to write off the money which is subject of a case involving the bank versus JCN Holdings Limited, Post Newspapers and Mutembo Nchito.
DBZ Managing Director, Abraham Mwenda said the decision to discontinue the matter was arrived at on April 18, following the advice and guidance of the Attorney-General.
Dr Mwenda clarified in a Press statement yesterday that Finance and National Planning Minister, Alexander Chikwanda, did not instruct DBZ to write off any money.
“Our understanding is that the Honourable Minister of Finance desired an opinion of the Attorney-General on wider issues of public interest touching on complaints unrelated to the merits of the case but related to the conduct of the matter and public interest issues relating to justice delivery,” he said.
Some opposition parties on Friday called for the resignation of Solicitor-General, Musa Mwenye and Mr Chikwanda alleging that the two instructed the withdrawal of a court case in which DBZ sued JCN Holdings and the Post Newspapers.
Dr Mwenda explained that the letter of undertaking was executed by the defendants guaranteeing DBZ’s right to later pursue the matter.
He said the letter, which has since been made public to avoid speculation, was obtained on advice of the Attorney General’s Chambers.
The letter of undertaking from Nchito & Nchito Advocates, dated April 18, 2012, titled, ‘JCN ETAL AND DEVELOPMENT BANK OF ZAMBIA:2009/HPC/0322’ and signed by Nchito & Nchito, states that “We refer to the captioned matter and would like to undertake that when the matter is discontinued to enable the State review our complaint we will not object to the matter being recommended should the review so determine nor make a claim for costs.”
Dr Mwenda also emphasised that there was a judgment in favour of DBZ in this case but that the bank could not comment on the merits of the same because the matter was subjudice owing to the fact that there was a pending appeal over the same.
Post Newspapers Limited and JCN Holdings have been in court with DBZ over K14 billion which the bank is claiming arising from a loan.
Medical personnel at the opening ceremony of Lusaka General Hospital
By Daimone Siulapwa
THE ad-hoc committee at the country’s biggest health institution, the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) may not have thought it necessary to send late immediate Vice President George Kunda for specialist treatment, either in South Africa or India or indeed any other country.
While it was certainly saddening to the country to lose one of its best legal brains, George Kunda will always have his place in the pages of this country’s history. Unlike most political leaders, who have had to be flown as passengers abroad for so-called specialist treatment only to return home as cargo, George Kunda died right here at home amongst his people. If you look at it, more have come back as cargo as compared to those that have been healed.[pullquote]But what is important is for us as a country to take the late Vice President’s death, as a starting point for a whole new policy initiative altogether[/pullquote]
Whether his life would have been secured had he been flown abroad is another matter. But what is important is for us as a country to take the late Vice President’s death, as a starting point for a whole new policy initiative altogether.
Put differently, never again should tax payer’s money be used to fly our political leaders (who are actually supposed to be our servants) abroad for specialist treatment when we have the UTH here. Forget the point on whether the UTH is sufficiently equipped to deal with complicated cases or not. It is certainly not the responsibility of the average citizen of this country to ensure that the country’s biggest as well as small health centres are equipped with the necessary equipment and human personnel.
On the other hand, it is the responsibility of the government of the day to do so. In fact, we pay tax so that those who seek political public office and want to get paid through our tax, can be able to fix these institutions.
If however, for their own reasons, certainly selfish being among them, they feel the conditions at UTH or any other local health institution are not sufficient to treat them, then we demand that they stop using our money to fly themselves abroad.
In fact, this has been long-over due. We want to start seeing our leaders being treated at home. Whether they die, or get healed, is another matter. In fact, as President Sata said at the requiem mass of the late George Kunda at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus, in reference to why the late Vice President was not taken abroad for specialist treatment: ‘No science is greater than God.” In other words, if it is the will of God that these leaders die, then it will be so, whether it is in UTH or Milpark Hospital.
This may sound unAfrican, but it is definitely patriotic, perhaps not until they start dying at UTH will something ever be done to improve the pathetic state of facilities and quality of health care that is offered at our biggest hospital in the country UTH and other referral hospitals round the country.
It has almost become a status symbol for our leaders to want to be evacuated for treatment out of the country even when some know that their chances of survival are near to zero. Again, this is no way a wish of bad luck on our leaders or indeed on my part, but I would look forward to a day when I would share a ward with some Member of Parliament or Cabinet Minister, much the same way we do with our sisters and brothers.
Maybe, that way, they will come to realise our pathetic the conditions are at UTH, where one who has been admitted for cerebral malaria risks coming out of hospital with an air borne disease upon discharge.
But just in case none of our leaders are willing to risk all this, they are free to seek specialist treatment, but only on condition that they pay for these services from their own pockets, just like we ordinary citizens do. By the way, we do this from our meagre resources, a fraction of what our leaders get.
Otherwise, why should we be always exporting our high ranking political leaders for specialist treatment when they are unable to do anything to improve our local health service delivery system?
Many of our people are lucky to get attended to by a medical doctor in our so called hospitals while some die while on the queue to see a specialist. For others still, they die because there is no doctor to attend to them despite travelling from as far as Chongwe, sacrificing their meagre resources so as to save their own life.
As if that is not enough, others are unable to even access simple medication as panadol. For those of our leaders who seek treatment at UTH, they are always accorded special treatment in the majestically called Presidential wing of the UTH where they will be attended to by group of more than five Senior Doctors while we have some people in the same building in the casualty ward standing in the queue for more than five hours only to be told to go back to Matero clinic and get a referral because there is no Doctor to see them.
To add salt on the wound, as if that the presidential wing was not presidential enough, we now want to evacuate these same people to another country, and an equally expensive hospital.
What an injustice. Maiko Zulu’s song, Morning Side, is spot-on.
Zambia’s Mohammed Essa this afternoon scooped the drama-packed Puma Energy Zambia International Rally to open up a 27-point lead in the eight-legged FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).
The Puma energy Zambia International Rally is the third round of this year’s African championship after the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge and the Sasol Rally South Africa held in March and April respectively.
The 22-year-old Essa, who started the day two minutes 39 seconds down in second position, took the laurels in the very opening stage of the day, SS12, when overnight leader Giancarlo Davite of Rwanda retired his Subaru Impreza N11 after the drive shaft gave up.
Essa timed two hours 55 minutes five seconds in his recently acquired Prodrive-built Madison/ Puma Energy Subaru N12B to win his maiden Zambia International Rally on his sixth outing in this annual rally having come close to victory during the 2009 and 2012 editions.
Muna Singh’s 19-year-old son Jassy put up a gallant fight aboard his father’s Net One Technologies Subaru N10 to finish second with a time of 03:03:31 seconds and was followed by Zimbabwean Jamie Whyte who suffered a 10 minutes penalty for taking a shortcut on stage 12 to finish on 03:10:44 seconds.
Zambian Azim Ticklay grabbed fourth position on 03:31:27 seconds ahead of countrymen Dani Beaini on 03:40:22 seconds and Muna’s 17-year-old son Muna jr. who settled for sixth position on 04:04:48 in his second rally while Massimo Sellicato took seventh place on 04:20:56 seconds.
A delighted Essa said he was pleased by winning the rally and thanked his sponsors Madison Insurance Company Zambia (MGen) and Puma Energy Zambia for the support while Davite, who remains on 22 points, said crashing out was part of the rally.
The Italian-born Davite said he would be heading for the Safari Rally a charged up driver and was optimistic of increasing his points tally in the African championship.
Essa overcame two scares today when the front sump guard of his car was smashed by a rock he landed on and uprooted after taking a jump in the notorious 24.67-km Chartonel SS12 that also claimed Davite, Zambians Paul ‘Poncho’ Monge and Imran Ticklay also aboard Subarus.
Like yesterday, the 2009 and 2010 Zambian champion lost another five minutes in the 14.62-km Bull SS16 when he did almost the entire stage and the full Waterfall 7.45km SS17 on a flat tyre.
