Sex workers or prostitutes who parade the streets at night to sell sex to desperate men will be handed jail terms or fines in a crackdown that shall commence soon. This is according to Inspector-General of Police Stella Libongani.

Ms Libongani described prostitution as a ‘public nuisance’ that will see the offenders get charged with either idling or disorderliness or both contrary to Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
The offence attracts a fine or a possible jail sentence depending on the circumstances and evidence produced.

“As you may be aware,” Ms Libongani said, “There is no offence known as prostitution under our laws rather the act itself is a ‘nuisance’ under the Public Order Act Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.”

Ms Libongani said, “Those who will be caught will either be fined or taken to court. But for second and third offenders, they will be taken to court directly even if they have money to pay so that the court can mete out stiffer punishment.”

She was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday where she spoke tough against prostitution, which she said is getting out of hand in the country, especially amidst HIV/AIDS whose numbers in Zambia are dropping, according to the Ministry of Health.

Ms Libongani also warned police officers that are fond of asking for ‘sexual favours’ from prostitutes to stop the habit because they will be charged with various offences alongside the prostitutes they coerce into sex in return for freedom after they arrest them.

She said police officers are supposed to behave in an exemplary manner during their course of duty. Ms Libongani was responding to reports that some police officers are fond of abusing sex workers in their custody.

But plans by the police to round up sex workers have received mixed feelings from some non-governmental organisations that look at the rights of women in Zambia. Women for Change executive director Emily Sikazwe said the intention by the police is welcome but that sex workers should be given alternative jobs before they are ‘stripped’ of their livelihoods.

Ms Sikazwe said yesterday that she believes sex workers are not even happy with the tough and often dangerous ‘job’ but only do it because they have no alternative or decent way of earning money and so they end up ‘selling’ their bodies to men they do not even love.

“It’s not all sex workers who enjoy being in that field of prostitution. In fact, most of them are driven into it due to lack of decent income- generating activities,” Ms Sikazwe said. “So the move by the police is welcome but we need to give them (sex workers) alternative jobs.”

The Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) said arresting sex workers will not solve the problem of prostitution. Chairperson Beatrice Grillo said as along as men have money to buy sex, the vice shall continue.

“So, the police cannot just say that they would round up the sex workers. If men were not going after these women, there will be no prostitution around the streets,” she said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

New Zambain music videos were released recently.

Muzo ,a zambian rapper released the video for his song “Success City”

Singer Tambu released the video for her song “My Boo” which features Uniq

Singer Saboi Shatel released her video for the song “Mema Awo”

(videos courtesy of zedbeats)
By Kapa187

INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police Stella Libongani yesterday said the noose around the neck of fugitive son of former President Rupiah Banda is tightening following Police’s latest engagement with Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) in addition to already existing co-operation with Interpol.

Ms Libongani revealed this at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday but she declined to disclose the specific nature of discussions that the Zambia Police Service have had with the regional police.
She dismissed assertions that Interpol have failed to capture Henry.

Ms Libongani said Zambia Police have now engaged SARPCCO to ensure “no stone is left unturned in efforts to bring Henry back home to come and answer fraud allegations levelled against him.

“We have decided to engage South Africa on a bilateral level through SARPCCO to enforce investigations into the matter.

It is not that we have let go of Interpol. We are still working with them.

“This root to engage SARPCCO is meant to intensify our search so that we don’t leave a stone unturned,” she said.

Ms Libongani also said Henry’s photograph has not yet been displayed on the Interpol website because the Zambia Police have not been requested to submit it.

The Attorney-General and Police have issued a red alert for Henry who is wanted for questioning on fraud-related charges, which Minister of Home Affairs Kennedy Sakeni describes as ‘white-collar’ related allegations.

Henry is linked to the Cayman Island-registered company, RP Capital, which according to the Sebastian Zulu-led commission of inquiry put together an ‘unnecessarily complicated’ transaction to sell Zamtel to Libya’s Lap GreenN after allegedly grossly under-valuing it.

Henry is also linked to some East African companies that were given contracts to supply petroleum products to Zambia.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi says the indication by the technical committee drafting the country’s constitution that it will include the 50 plus 1 clause in the draft is welcome.

Ms. Nawakwi says it is only wise that the technical committee considers most of the submissions made because the country can only progress if the outstanding issues are addressed.

In an interview with QFM, Ms. Nawakwi said the 50 plus 1 clause and making elective the position of vice president, were the main point of difference between the opposition and the former ruling party, the MMD.

She said it is honorary to listen to the calls of the people, especially on the submissions they have made to the constitution making process.

The FDD leader has since called for a quickened constitution making process for the country to move forward.

[QFM]

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has challenged the patriotic front government to clearly state the allegations leveled against Henry Banda. Mr. Hichilema said that it is very difficult for someone to understand Henry’s case because government has not been clear about it.

In an interview with QFM, Mr. Hichilema said that the PF government should first state clearly the allegations leveled against Henry because the law is very clear that someone is innocent until proven guilty.

He said that he is better off not commenting on speculations as what the PF government is doing on Henry’s case. The UPND leader said that government should not run the country as if it is theirs alone but should realize that it belongs to Zambian of different affiliations.

And Zambia has engaged the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs’ Organization-SAPCO- to speed up the arrest of Henry Banda, son of former president, Rupiah Banda.

Banda has been placed by the Zambian government on international police –Interpol- red list as a wanted person in connection with alleged fraud.

He is reported to be in South Africa and government officials there have since said they would co-operate in having him extradited to Zambia to face charges.

However, Banda has hired a high profile international lawyer Robert Amsterdam to halt the Interpol bid to have him arrested and extradited to Zambia.

Inspector General of Police Stella libongani said that police are using all channels to bring back Henry.

She was responding to a question from journalists during a news conference in Lusaka yesterday.

QFM

AFTER three months of attempting to get on stage in a foreign country, C.R.I.$.I.$ (Mr. Swagger) who is on tour of duty in the USA is set for his maiden performance in Los Angeles, California, where he will be a supporting artiste to one of US top rapper, E-40 on Thursday.

The performance will be starting at 21:00 hours at the Key Club, 9039 West Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood Los Angeles.

The show is one of C.R.I.$.I.$’ campaign to get music deals in America and get hooked up to America’s most happening rappers.

According to C.R.I.$.I.$,  he is excited to be accorded this opportunity to showcase the Zambian rapping skills. This is the time for Zambia’s leading rapper to show what he is made of and what he can do on stage.

The self-acclaimed Zambian International Hip-Hop artist,has been invited by popular Los Angeles promoter, Sean Healey to be guest star at veteran Los Angeles, Bay Area rapper, E-40 who will be promoting his new album titled ‘Block Brochure.’

E-40 has been known for developing his own rap style and slange. He has worked with such notables as 2 Pac, Drake, Too Short, Dru Down, Spice 1 and many others.
This will be the first performance by a Zambian Hip-Hop artist in Hollywood.

The rapper is excited to be making his first appearance and says that it is an honour to be received with open arms by International promoters as well as fellow Zambians.

“It’s a great opportunity to network and develop relations with fellow industry people” said C.R.I.$.I.$.

The event was initially scheduled to take place on April 4, 2012.

The Key Club has hosted some of the biggest names in Hip-Hop. Most recently, new comer Kendrick Lamar made an appearance during which Dr. Dre came out on stage to show his support. Other notable names that have appeared at The Key Club include Snoop Doggy Doggy, Big Sean, J. Cole and many others.

C.R.I.$.I.$ has also been invited to make an appearance in Long Island, New York for an event called The Real Radio show which will be performed live, recorded and then podcast for the rest of the world to watch.

[Zambia Daily Mail]