Here are six tests to find out your fitness levels.

PLANK
What it targets 
Your core strength

How to do it 
Hold your body in a straight line from head to heels. Keep your feet together and your elbows beneath your shoulders. Look straight down and brace for as long as you can. Focus on keeping your hips from sagging. When they do the test is over.

To improve 
Perform the plank with your hands, feet or both on an unstable surface such as a gym ball. You won’t be able to hold it for long, but it’ll make doing this test on stable ground easier.
Time                    Level
More than 2min     Excellent
75sec–2min          Good
45–75sec              Average
Less than 45sec     Poor

BODYWEIGHT SQUAT
What it targets 
Your core, quad and hamstring strength

How to do it 
Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and toes turned out slightly. Brace your core and lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are in line with your feet. Push back to the start through your heels. The test is over when you can’t maintain perfect form.

To improve 
Perform walking lunges with light dumb-bells to build muscular strength in your glutes and legs.

Reps             Level
50 or more    Excellent
30–49           Good
16–29           Average
15 or fewer    Poor

PRESS-UP
What it targets 
Your chest, shoulder ?and triceps strength

How to do it  
Keep your body in a straight line and your elbows pointing back, not to the sides. Lower until your chest is a fist’s height off the floor, then push back up. The test is over when you can’t maintain perfect form.

To improve 
Complete a set to failure, rest for a few minutes and start again. This will overload the targeted muscles, making them grow stronger.

Reps              Level
50 or more     Excellent
25–49            Good
16–24            Average
15 or fewer     Poor

1KM RUN
What it targets 
Your cardiovascular system

How to do it 
Set the treadmill elevation to one degree. Keep a constant pace.

To improve  
Do sets of all-out sprints of between 500m and 800m to improve your ability to maintain a maximum speed for longer.

Time                               Level
3min or less                    Excellent
3min–3min 29sec            Good
3min 30sec–4min 29sec   Average
4min 30sec or more         Poor

500M ROW
What it targets
Your cardiovascular system and muscle co-ordination between the upper and lower body

How to do it 
On a Concept2 rowing machine, select level ten resistance. Sit upright with your shoulders back and core braced. Drive with your legs.

To improve 
Perform sets of max-?effort 250m rows, separated by a ?few minutes of gentle rowing, to improve your endurance.

Time                                Level
1min 30 sec or less           Excellent
1min 31sec–1min 44sec    Good
1min 45sec–1min 59sec    Average
2min or more                   Poor
    
PULL-UP
What it targets 
Your upper back strength

How to do it 
Grip the bar overhand, extend your arms fully and let your body hang. Pull up until your chin is over the bar, squeezing your lats. Lower again without swinging. The test is over when you can’t maintain perfect form.

To improve 
Do a max set, rest for a few minutes and repeat. Try lat pull-downs on a machine to build back strength.

Reps                    Level
12 or more           Excellent
8–11                    Good
4–7                      Average
3 or fewer             Poor

(mensfitness.com)

MMD Mbala Central Member of Parliament and former Northern Province permanent secretary Mwalimu Simfukwe has been arrested and charged with abuse of authority of office contrary to the law.

Simfukwe has been jointly charged with a former procurement officer at the provincial administration Elias Simukonde.

Northern Province Police Commissioner Mary Chikwanda confirmed the arrest of Simfukwe in an interview yesterday.

Ms. Chikwanda said Simfukwe was summoned by the Provincial Taskforce on Corruption comprising officers from the Zambia Police, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) for questioning in relations to abuse of office during his tenure as permanent secretary.

She said Simfukwe and Simukonde have since been remanded in police custody at Kasama Central Police Station and will appear in court today.

And in a separate interview, Simfukwe claimed that his arrest by police was politically motivated.He however expressed confidence that justice will prevail his case.

Last week, Mr. Simfukwe failed to appear before the Provincial Taskforce on Corruption after being summoned on grounds that he was unwell.

However, yesterday he made himself available to law enforcement officers at Kasama Central Police Station in the company of his lawyer Robbison
Malipenga of Malipenga and Company from Lusaka.

MMD Mafinga MP Catherine Namugala, MMD provincial Chairman Steven Mukuka and other party cadres and sympathisers were on hand to offer solidarity to Simfukwe.

The Provincial Taskforce on Corruption has been investigating Simfukwe in connection with alleged abuse of office during his tenure as provincial permanent secretary.

In January this year, the Taskforce recorded a warn and caution from him.

Simfukwe is accused among others things of not following laid down procedure in the awarding of contracts to contractors for various capital projects worth billions of Kwacha.

[ZANIS]

MALAWI’s new President Joyce Banda has called for the strengthening of relations between her country and Zambia.

Mrs Banda made the call at a press conference in Lilongwe yesterday when she gave an update on the funeral and burial arrangements for President Bingu wa Mutharika.

According to a statement released by the first secretary at the Zambian High Commission in Lilongwe Chansa Kabwela, Mrs Banda told the media that she had a lengthy telephone conversation with President Sata on Monday and talked about relations between Zambia and Malawi.

Mrs Banda said much as the relations between the two countries were not severed, it was important for the two nations to cooperate because of historical ties and proximity.

“I also spoke with President Sata and he offered his condolences to the bereaved family and the people of Malawi. We both committed ourselves to the restoration of cordial diplomatic relations between our two governments,” she said.

Ms Kabwela said President Banda had dispatched Malawi’s Health minister Dr Jean Kililani to South Africa to oversee the entire process of bringing the body of President Mutharika to Malawi and the details of the burial arrangements would be announced as soon as the ministerial committee finalises its work.

The remains of the President are expected in Malawi on Thursday.

During the press conference, President Banda assured the nation that the government was working for the people, with a two-pronged approach focusing on giving President Mutharika a dignified burial and addressing the economic challenges the country is facing.

Mrs Banda said she has already had discussions with Britain, the European Union, the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) chief executive officer Daniel Johannes, regarding Malawi’s diplomatic relations and withheld funding.

She said Malawi faced numerous economic challenges and was prepared to address the issues that led to donors withholding aid.

She said cooperating partners were ready to assist Malawi.

Last year, donors froze aid to Malawi over what they termed the country’s failure to address concerns about economic management and governance.
Malawi also expelled Britain’s envoy Fergus Cochrane-Dyet over leaked diplomatic cables.

Britain retaliated by expelling Malawi’s envoy to that country.
[Zambia Daily Mail]

PRESIDENT Sata yesterday said he found it strange that a victim of robbery could not know how much money was stolen from him, in an apparent reference to MMD presidential hopeful Nevers Mumba, who reported a break-in at his apartment to the police on Monday.

“Some MMD ministers stole money and another pastor from a church called Zambia Shall be Saved, does not know how much money was stolen from his bedroom,” President Sata said as he vowed to step up his anti-graft fight.

But in an interview, Dr Mumba revealed that he lost up to US$2,900, K2 million cash and four cellphones. The pastor said all the stolen money and items were in a bag containing his personal effects.

Earlier, media reports quoted Dr Mumba accusing the government of playing a role in the reported break-in but Home Affairs Minister Kennedy Sakeni says accusations by the reverend are “baseless”.

“Dr Mumba’s allegations are baseless. He is a political upstart. What would be the motive of the State to steal from him?” he asked.
Mr Sakeni said thieves prey on anybody and they sometimes attack innocent people like Dr Mumba.

He said the Patriotic Front government has the mandate of Zambians to govern and will not waste time on MMD politicians.

“Dr Mumba is overrating himself. He is not a political giant and so he must not accuse the State,” Mr Sakeni said.

Mr Sakeni challenged Dr Mumba to test his popularity by vying for a parliamentary seat, instead of accusing the government of fighting him as he tries to become MMD president but also expressed regret regarding Dr Mumba’s robbery misfortune.

“It’s regrettable and unfortunate that thieves broke into Dr Mumba’s house,” he said.

On Monday, thieves broke into Dr Mumba’s rented apartment on Thabo Mbeki Road in Lusaka. He alleged that the Government has been against him since he was recalled from Canada, where he was Ambassador.

Dr Mumba accused President Sata and the Government of harbouring evil intentions against his life. Dr Mumba said it is shocking that someone could break into a very secure place.

“Security here is unparalleled. It’s a tightly secured place,” he said.

And the commission of inquiry into the cancellation of radar contracts has recommended that action be taken against Dora Siliya and others for their involvement in the cancellation of the contract to deliver airport surveillance radar equipment that resulted in Zambia losing K2 billion.

In an interview yesterday ahead of today’s presentation of the commission’s report to President Michael Sata, justice minister Sebastian Zulu said action must be taken against people who did not follow advice on matters relating to the purchase of airport radar equipment. When asked if the report would not border on contempt since Siliya was in court, facing charges on similar matters, Zulu said it was entirely up to the President to make the findings of the report public.

“She (Siliya) is facing criminal proceedings and the report is saying action must be taken for people who acted contrary to advice resulting in government making losses so there is no conflict of interest unless the report has recommended that people facing court charges are guilty,” Zulu said.

“In the report, we are not commenting on offences she is facing in court and we are not saying she is guilty of a particular offence.

Besides the report was compiled in January 2012, way before court cases started, so the findings can be subjected to contempt if we had referred directly to criminal proceedings she is facing but our report is saying people found wanting should be accountable for not following advice, resulting in the country losing billions of kwacha.” Zulu explained that the Attorney General had various options to take against any public officer found wanting.

“In case of committing government to making losses, the Attorney General can recommend recovery of that money through administrative means or he can institute criminal proceedings, so in this case, the findings of the commission are recommending that action be taken and action can be taken in various forms,” he said.

In 2009, Siliya, then as communications and transport minister allegedly ordered the cancellation of a duly-awarded contract for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of Zambia Air Traffic Management Surveillance Radar System (ZATM-RADAR) at Lusaka, now KK and Livingstone, now Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula international airports to accommodate SELEX Sistemi Integrati of Italy, which was single-sourced, to carry out the works. Siliya’s conduct was allegedly contrary to professional advice from officials in her ministry, the National Airports Corporation Limited (NACL) and the procurement authority.

The initial contract was awarded to Thales Air Systems SA of France but Siliya allegedly cancelled it.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe has appealed to party members to be level-headed and desist from issuing statements that can destroy the reputation of the former ruling party.

Major Kachingwe said it is unfortunate that some members of the party have continued to attack the party leadership in the press instead of privately engaging it on matters affecting the party.

He said in an interview in Lusaka on Monday that he is disappointed that some senior party members have continued issuing statements in the press that are allegedly putting the name of the MMD in disrepute.

“I’m very disappointed to learn that some of the senior leaders in our party are washing their dirty linen in the press. This is very sad and it is not helping us in re-organising the party.

“I want to advise them that there is a procedure to be followed whenever there is a problem in the party. We should at all times desist from attacking each other in the press because this is destroying the good standing of our party,” he said.

Maj Kachingwe said it is disappointing that while the national executive committee is working hard to re-organise the party in readiness for future elections, some members are frustrating such efforts which could help it to bounce back to power in 2016.

He has since cautioned members against issuing derogative statements about the MMD as this could affect the party’s performance in future elections.

“We want to rebuild our party in order to make it the way it was when it was formed. This is why we are going to the provincial conventions to select the president, who will help to propel it to greater heights.

“But we are concerned that some members want to cause confusion in the party by issuing reckless statements in the media. As national secretary, I want to tell them that I will not be emotional but I will ensure that I work with everybody so that we strengthen the party,” he said.

Maj Kachingwe called on party members to continue working hard and start recruiting new members in readiness for future elections.
He said MMD can only be revived and bounce back to power if all members work together in harmony and desist from issuing reckless statements on matters affecting the party.

Maj Kachingwe also called on members vying for the position of party president to avoid campaigns of character assassination but instead stage issue-based ones that will give renewed hope of the MMD getting back into power in 2016.

“My appeal to all members vying for the position of party president is to avoid campaigns of insults but engage in politics that will help to develop this nation of Zambia,” he said.

{Zambia Daily Mail]

The Commission of Inquiry constituted to investigate the operations of the Energy Regulation Board and the procurement of crude oil has revealed that from 2007 to 2011 the country lost about K2 trillion through acts of malpractices in the procurement system.

Commission chairperson Wynter Kabimba says the alleged corruption in the oil procurement system involved officials from the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) the Ministry of Energy and the ERB.

Mr. Kabimba noted that the commission also learnt that the companies that were allegedly corruptly engaged in the procurement oil have since bid again for a tender to supply fuel.

Mr. Kabimba has since recommended that the officers allegedly involved in corrupt activities be brought to book.

Another commission of inquiry tasked to investigate the installation of a Radar system at the Kenneth Kaunda Airport noted that the ministry of communication and transport interfered in the awarding of the contract by quashing the contract that had already been finalized by the ZPPA and given to Thales Air Systems of South Africa.

Commission chairman Sebastian Zulu has since recommended that the contract awarded dubiously awarded to Salex an Italian Company.

And President Michael Sata in commenting on the reports presented to him noted that they were too technical and directed the Secretary to the Cabinet to institute a technical committee that will prepare a cabinet memo to allow the government to study and come up with a decision on the matter.

Meanwhile President Sata has sworn-in Pastor Godfridah Sumaili, Dr. Steven Moyo and Irene Lamba as ACC commissioners and deputy Director General of the ACC respectively.

The president has also sworn-in veteran broadcaster Frank Mutubila as the Zambia’s ambassador to Italy while Ogeon Gondwe is the new senior private secretary for State house.

[QFM]