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The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) plan a nationwide trophy tour for the newly-crowned African champions, officials disclosed.
According to officials at the Football House, FAZ plan to hire an open top double-decker bus from South Africa for the road show.
“Christopher Katongo is still around in the country for another two weeks and he will be part of the planned tour,”the official said.
The official said the trophy tour itinerary has yet to be announced.
The team, who returned from Gabon to a heroes’welcome, have already been rewarded with cash gifts, while coach Herve Renard has been proposed a new three-year deal.
In the meantime, Swiss club BSC Young Boys have given Zambia striker Emmanuel Mayuka a week off.
Young Boys reported on their website that they were expecting Mayuka back from Zambia next week.
Mayuka was an integral part of the Africa Cup of Nations-winning team to in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
He scored three goals for Zambia that saw him also win the top scorer award.
Meanwhile, Coach Herve Renard has said that as long as he is at the helm of the Zambia national team, midfielder Clifford Mulenga will not be in his plans. “To get another chance… not with Herve Renard. Maybe with another coach since I will not be in Zambia forever,” Renard said of Mulenga’s possible return to the Chipolopolo squad.
He said this on Thursday night during SuperSport’s Soccer Africa programme. Mulenga was expelled from the national team on January 31 after he and three other players sneaked out of camp. Mulenga’s expulsion came two days after he featured for five minutes in Zambia’s 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea to top Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The other players Hichani Himoonde, Jonas Sakuwaha and Collins Mbesuma apologised and Renard pardoned them. Renard said there is need for unity if desired results are to be achieved.
National team skipper Christopher Katongo said on the same programme that he felt sorry for Mulenga. Katongo said Renard informed him about Mulenga’s misconduct and he supported the coach’s decision to crack the whip as a way of instilling discipline in the team.
The water levels at the Kazungula border post across the Zambezi River has continued to rise making it difficult for the pontoons to dock.
The situation has resulted from the continued heavy rainfall that has beeng experienced in the area the past few days.
A check by ZANIS at the border post reviewed that pontoons are now taking as long as 15 minutes to cross over the Zambezi river as opposed to the usual five minutes journey to reach the other side of the river.
One of the truck drivers interviewed on condition that he remains anonymous, said the rising water levels at the border post has increased the water current making the pontoons’ movements across the Zambezi River to be slow.
He said the situation has added on to the already existing congestion of trucks at the border post.
The man wondered why the construction of a Bridge across the Zambezi river at the border post was taking too long to be implemented.
He however, expressed hope that the new government under the Patriotic Front (PF) would look into the matter and speed up the process.
In a related development, people of Kanchele area in Kazungula district are in dare need of a bridge across Ngwezi River as they are now cut off from the rest of the district.
Area Ward Councilor Bernard Siloka said people’s movements are now restricted following the heavy rainfall being experienced which has resulted in over flooding of the Ngwezi stream.
Mr Siloka said people in his area no longer cross the river on foot as they used to do for fear of being swept away by the strong current.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kazungula yesterday, Mr Siloka said there is need to construct the long awaited Nanyati Bridge across the Ngwezi stream to easy the movements of people.
Mr Siloka charged that people have now resorted to use a long route to connect to Livingstone town by Nyawa-Zimba route.
He said people from Makunka can no longer go to Kanchele and vice versa due to non availability of a bridge across Ngwezi River adding that school going children are the most disadvantaged.
In another development, Simango Ward Councilor Fackson Inonge has said expecting mothers in his ward are finding it difficult to use the only reliable route of Simango-Kabuyu road when referred to Livingstone General Hospital due to its bad state.
Mr Inonge said the road is in a terrible state especially during the rainy season and called upon relevant authorities to intervene on the matter.
Boxer Galagata Zulu addressing a press briefing at Butlers pub in Lusaka
Professional Boxing and Wrestling Board of Control (PBWBC) says plans are underway to identifying young and new talented boxers across the country.
PBWBC says plans have already been tabled to find ways of tapping into new talents.
Professional Boxing and Wrestling Board of Control (PBWBC) Chairman Nelson Sapi told ZANIS in a telephone interview in Lusaka today that identifying new talents is a big challenge that the country is facing currently.
Sapi said the country has only two stables which are Oriental Quarries and Exodus stables.
He however said the two stables are sponsoring amateur boxers adding that more needs to be done.
Meanwhile, PBWBC Chairman Nelson Sapi says yesterdays match between Ester Phiri and Monalisa Sibanda of Zimbabwe was encouraging.
Sapi said Ester’s victory proves that she is above Monalisa despite her over confident that she was going to beat Ester because of her past record where she had won a South African Boxing Champion.
Sapi said although the two had at one point trained together, Ester proved that she is a champion.
Esther Phiri yesterday evening capped her victory over Monalisa Sibanda with a rare intimate moment in the ring at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Esther knocked out Monalisa in the 7th round of the scheduled 10-round WIBO/WBA light welterweight title fight.
In another development, Heavy weight Boxer Francis Galagata Zulu has thanked the corporate world for the support rendered to him prior to yesterday’s fight.
Galagata disclosed to ZANIS in a telephone interview that he appreciates the support from the sponsors, the media and his fans who have been always there for him.
He said all the boxing men must work hard to bring the Championship in Zambia just like female boxer Ester has done.
Last evening, Francis Galagata Zulu won N’gandu Biselele of Exodus Stables in 12 rounds bout heavy weight title match.
Meanwhile, the Patriotic Front (PF) has scooped the Lueti Ward Local Government by-elections in Sikongo Constituency in Kalabo district.
Kalabo District Electoral Officer Kalaluka Kambole confirmed the development to ZANIS yesterday saying Sifaya Namenda of PF won with 474 votes beating his closest rival Shyatumbo Sililo of MMD who scored 270 while Nalishebo Kachaba of UPND only managed 18 and 32 ballot papers were rejected.
Mr Kambole however, bemoarned the low turnout of voters in some areas and attributed the situation to have been caused by the heavy rains the district received in the last two days.
Lueti Ward seat fell vacant after the death of Councilor Mwala Nyambe of PF who died in December last year.
Patriotic Front (PF) in Luwingu district has with immediate effect expelled its Mushituwamboo Ward Councilor in Lubansenshi constituency for allegedly interacting with Lubansenshi independent Member of Parliament Patrick Mucheleka during the high court secession in Kasama.
According to a letter of expulsion dated 25th January 2012 addressed to Patrick Chinyimba and signed by the party chairman Kephas Chofwe copied to the District Council Secretary, Provincial and Constituency Chairmen and made available to Zambia News and Information Services in Luwingu district Mr Chinyimba has been accused of supporting Mr Mucheleka.
“I am hereby informing you that you have been expelled from the party and no longer Mushituwamboo Ward Councilor since you opted to support the independent candidate,” read Mr Chinyimba’s letter.
Mr Chofwe also stated that Mr Chinyimba aggressively supported independent candidate Mr Patrick Mucheleka during the run up to last year’s tripartite elections making it difficult for PF to win Lubansenshi constituency in the area.
He further stated that Mr Chinyimba who is also Lubansenshi constituency chairman was seen by the PF provincial leadership with independent Member of Parliament and his group standing outside the High court premises in Kasama last month.
Mr Chofwe further advised the Ward Councilor to join any political party of his choice but not PF and thanked him for his wonderful service rendered to the party which saw opposition movement for multiparty democracy MMD losing the elections.
“Your services will be remembered, you are free to join any political party but not PF,” the letter ended.
Ministry of Information Broadcasting and Labour Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga
Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Labour Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga has said that all the appointments made in government are based on merit and not political affiliation or compensation for doing someone a favor.
His comments came after Shiwang’angu Member of Parliament Steve Kampyongo said most staff from the Post Newspaper have been appointed as compensation for covering the ruling party and cited Mr Malupenga as one of the beneficiaries.
The Permanent Secretary was taken to task for what they called underperformance of the Zambia News and Information Services staff in the districts whom they accused of not delivering to the expectation of the public.
Chairperson of the committee Kabinga Pande explained that ZANIS reporters in the district were never available whenever he and other MPs visits their respective area saying the merger of Zambia News Agency and Zambia Information Services have not worked to the advantage of the public as there have been no improvement.
But in his response Mr Malupenga said ZANIS which is a government mouthpiece was operating more than a mere a Public Relations department of government but noted that he will not take underperformance from his staff.
And Mr Malupenga has said that unprofessional coverage of the public media during the run up to the September 2011 polls has left government with debts amounting to billions Kwacha resulting from law suits.
Mr Malupenga said his ministry has so far settled about K20 million debts incurred by Chanda Chiimba’s documentary which was aired on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).
Speaking when he appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Information, Broadcasting and Labour yesterday, Mr Malupenga said his Ministry has a lot of debts resulting from unprofessional conduct of the Public Media which include ZNBC, Zambia Daily Mail and Times of Zambia.
Mr Malupenga told the committee that the Ministry has realized that Public resources were being used on such unbeneficial expenses and has written to the Attorney General to seek legal advice as to whether government should continue paying the debts or not.
[pullquote]Mr Malupenga said his ministry has so far settled about K20 million debts incurred by Chanda Chiimba’s documentary which was aired on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).[/pullquote]
He disclosed that the previous government committed itself to settling legal fees resulting from such law suits which he said was not fair for tax payers whose money is being used without their consent.
Mr Malupenga who appeared with his team to submit to the committee on the conduct of media houses during election time and whether they abided by the provision of the electoral code of conduct, he said the media operated below professional standards hence their failure to offer fair and balanced coverage to all players.
He noted that the media had in the past operated under the influence of politicians from the ruling party and the government which he said compromised their professional ethics.
He however observed that the Patriotic front Government has de-politicized the media by giving them a leeway to carry out their work professionally without any political interference.
He said the current government would like to leave the media operate independently hence the intention to offload 35% from the public media to the public so that government can have no control over the media houses.
He said the move will make the public media’s operations more professional and responsive to the expectations of the general public.
He further observed in his submission that the private media on the other hand were perceived to be pro opposition as they gave more coverage to the opposition than the ruling party which he justified that cannot be hanged as they are privately owned and controlled.
MMD presidential aspirant Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane has said the former ruling party is already tired to be in opposition.
Dr Musokotwane, who is former Finance and National Planning minister in the MMD Government, said the members were already tired in opposition and wanted to go back into power.
Addressing MMD members in Chipata yesterday, he urged the members to work hard in ensuring that they got back into power as soon as possible.
“The party feels that it is already tired to be in opposition and it is now time for the party members to work and get back into power as soon as possible probably in the 2016 general elections,” he said.
Dr Musokotwane said four other presidential aspiring candidates had already agreed to support whoever was going to emerge victorious at the party national convention.
He said the former ruling party had projected to retain its majority and wrestle power from the Patriotic Front (PF) in the 2016 elections.
Dr Musokotwane said during the MMD tenure, the money was sourced for the completion of the Chipata-Mchinji Railway line including the tarring of the Chipata-Mfuwe and Chipata-Lundazi roads as well as construction of many schools around the country.
He said MMD had proved to the nation that it was the most DemocraticParty as it was not involved in any violence after its defeat in the September 20 tripartite elections.
Earlier Lusaka Province MMD Women’s Chairperson Mary Phiri said theformer ruling party wanted a person who would not sell the party to other political parties.
She said the party in Lusaka province was behind the candidature of DrMusokotwane to succeed former republican president Rupiah Banda asparty president.
She said the MMD lost because many parliamentary candidates were campaign managers themselves.
And Chipata District MMD Chairperson Sinoya Mwale said the party in the district was still intact.
Meanwhile, there was a near exchange of bitter words between Eastern Province MMD information and publicity secretary Joseph Banda and MMD Kanjala ward councillor Jelasi Phiri.
This was after Mr Banda stood and started addressing MMD members in English and Mr Phiri told Mr Banda to speak in Nyanja to make it easier for the people who had gathered to understand.
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema has said his continued condemnation of the Patriotic Front (PF) Government is not out of bitterness or jealous but meant to represent the “voiceless”.
Mr Hichilema has also charged that the suspension of Siavonga District Council is malicious and a ploy to sort out those against the re-alignment process affecting Southern Province.
Featuring on the Radio Phoenix’s ‘Let The People Talk’ programme in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Hichilema said contrary to assertions by some callers and other sections of society, he was not in any way bitter or jealous about his party not being part of Government after it broke away from the pact it had with the PF before the September 20, 2011 tripartite elections.
“Bitterness does not arise,” he said.
Mr Hichilema said he would continue to criticise the PF Government when it was wrong and offer solutions to that effect, saying he was speaking on behalf of the voiceless people by being vocal and that fighting for national issues called for fearlessness and firmness.
He said he was not bitter because being a Republican president did not mean appeasing oneself, but service delivery for the benefit of the entire nation.
He charged that the coming into power of the PF had resulted in the depreciation of the Kwacha against the United States Dollar, attributing that to among others President Michael Sata and Commerce Trade and Industry Minister Robert Sichinga “attacking” of the local currency by alleging that the MMD Government had printed fake currency notes in China.
Mr Hichilema challenged Mr Sichinga to apologise to the former ruling party, the Chinese government, Bank of Zambia and the country as a whole for allegedly lying, alarming the nation and creating “pressure” on the Kwacha. He commended Finance and National Planning Minister Alexander Chikwanda for setting the record straight.
Mr Hichilema reiterated that President Sata was exhibiting dictatorial attributes as if he came into power through a military coup by, among others, allegedly making decisions without consultations and ordering the police to arrest certain individuals without first conducting investigations.
He said under the PF Government, people were deemed guilty before ruling from the courts of law and that the fight against corruption was selective, unprofessional and vindictive, wondering why former Msanzala MMD Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Daka had his bank
accounts frozen before taking him to court.
On the re-alignment process, the UPND leader said despite it being convenient there was no need to do that as what was important was to deliver development in affected areas.
He said re-alignment was a recipe of conflict over land and cited Chilanga where he said there was a land wrangle involving Chief Shakumbila, because Mr Sata was making “grave mistakes” of not consulting.
He said the move by Local Government, Early Education and Environmental Protection Minister Nkandu Luo to suspend the Siavonga District Council was malicious as it was an instruction from Mr Sata aimed at silencing councillors and other officials against the re-alignment of Chirundu District to Lusaka.
Mr Hichilema said the re-alignment of Chirundu District to Lusaka would benefit the capital city at the expense of Southern Province.
Mr Hichilema said the PF Government had failed on the score of de-politicising the civil service as it had emulated the MMD by appointing cadres as District Commissioners and others deployed into Foreign Service.
On the recent rebasing of the Kwacha, he said the move was costly as the printing of the new currency notes would gobble an unbudgeted K1 trillion, the money he said would have been channeled to other needy economic sectors such as health and education.
He predicted a budget overrun. On the suspension of funding to the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), Mr Hichilema said the move would render some youths benefitting or were about to gain from it jobless, saying the Government should have just corrected the wrongs the MMD had left instead of suspending funding.
On the appointment of Stella Libongani as Inspector General of Police, Mr Hichilema advised her to work professionally for the benefit of all Zambians and not to please the appointing authority or to work on instructions from the President.
The Descendants is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.
PROS
Hawaii was a very nice setting for the movie.
George Clooney did a good job in this movie , you will really feel for his character.
Amara Miller, a first-time actress, was an absolute natural as the naughty but lovable 10-year-old Scottie .
Sid (Nick Krause ), the some-what annoying friend of Alex ( Shailene Woodley) ,provides the comic relief in the movie
CONS
At times the movie seems to drag on with no direction.
FAVORITE QUOTES
Matt King: I don’t want my daughters growing up entitled and spoiled. And I agree with my father – you give your children enough money to do something but not enough to do nothing.
Sid: How often do adults just haul off and hit you like that?
CONCLUSION
This movie is supposed to be a comedy/drama , but it is more of a serious drama . This is a good thing because it touches on real life themes which would be cheapened if too much humor was put in the movie. Clooneys role as the absentee father who grows into the task of parenthood because of unexpected events , was portrayed excellently . It is quite a sad movie , but it makes you realize the importance of family .
File: A traffic policeman attending to a motorist at a roadblock near Chikankata in Mazabuka.
HOME Affairs minister Kennedy Sakeni says roadblocks at strategic points in the country must remain in place to enhance security but they won’t be mounted indiscriminately like the case was in the past.
Mr Sakeni said police must understand that there is no ‘blanket ban’ on roadblocks and checkpoints in Zambia.
He said in an interview yesterday that police officers should mount roadblocks in designated areas to curb crime.
He said mounting police check points and roadblocks in crime-prone areas is critical, to deter potential offenders and reduce the rate of crime.
Former Inspector-General of Police Martin Malama had banned roadblocks in some parts of the country because he felt that the checkpoints were fuelling corruption among police officers. He instead intensified patrols.
“I want to urge police not to go to sleep but ensure they put road blocks in strategic areas to control criminal activity such as stocktheft and smuggling. At no time did Government abolish roadblocks. All we did was to instruct police to put up checkpoints in strategic areas only,” Mr Sakeni said.
He said Government would like to maintain roadblocks that are aimed at combating crime, not irrelevant police checks which encourage bribery.
Mr Sakeni said it is sad that since the announcement of the ban on some roadblocks, police officers in the country have slackened in performing their duties.
“We never said all checkpoints must be stopped. Our aim was just to get rid of the irrelevant ones. Surprisingly, police officers in the country seem to have gone into a slumber and are performing their duties in a substandard manner,” Mr Sakeni said.
Mr Sakeni said it is important for the police to be vigilant and professional as they carry out their duties.
He said police officers should not wait for authority from his office to mount checkpoints and roadblocks in areas where they see a need.
“Once an officer reviews the security situation where he is stationed and discovers that crime is rampant, they can mount a roadblock or checkpoint to curb criminal activities,” Mr Sakeni said.
Mr Sakeni called for professionalism and integrity in the police. Dr Malama, who awaits redeployment, had made it clear that in the absence of roadblocks, patrols were going to be intensified but it’s unclear whether his officers intensified them.
File: Ila dancers from Namwala dancing at the Ncwala
Zambia’s Telecom giants, Airtel has put up approximately K300 million in activities set for the Eastern province to culminate in this year’s Ncwala celebrations to be held in Chipata. This is contained in a statement released by Airtel’s Head – Corporate Communications & Government Relations Dr. Chabuka Kawesha in Lusaka yesterday morning.
The Nc’wala festival to be presided over by Chief Mpezeni takes place at Mutenguleni village, near Chipata and is a celebration of the first fruits of the season.
In confirming the planned financial spend, Managing Director of Airtel, Mr. Fayaz King said, “Cultural understanding is critical to understanding who we are as well as understanding those around us. We cannot develop a truly comprehensive understanding of the people we interact with without having a clear understanding of our culture.”
“We are all living in cultures with different norms,” King said. “Culture affects human behaviour. The more our elders teach and share about traditional cultures, the better teachers, mentors, scholars or historians we all can be. Ultimately, understanding different cultures makes us better people.”
Airtel has continued to show its support towards traditional ceremonies to ensure the Zambian people particularly the youth and indeed the international community are empowered with understanding of Zambia’s heritage. “There is a correlation between the level of cultural awareness of a nation and the subsequent perception on the part of the tourist, thus we have to take advantage of this in order to attain economic liberation,” Mr. King added.
Mr. King has pledged Airtel’s continued recognition of cultural heritage and preservation through various meaningful initiatives when available to ensure our upholding and passing of knowledge to future generations.
The recently enacted Environmental Management Act 2011 has come up with stiffer penalties for environmental offences.
The Act, assented to by the President on April 12, 2011 and Enacted by Parliament three days later also re-named the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) as Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).
ZEMA Legal Services Manager, Chibesa Chibesakunda said under the new Act the offences of failure to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), contravening environmental standards or guidelines will attract a penalty of K126 million at the current kwacha value or five or seven years imprisonment respectively.
Ms Chibesakunda said failure to manage hazardous waste and materials will attract a penalty of K180 million or ten years imprisonment while other offences will attract penalties in the range of K18 million to K54 million or three to five years imprisonment sentences.
She nevertheless, said ideally the penalties are not made to punish the industries for non compliance to required environmental management standards but to ensure that they comply with necessary standards.
ZANIS reports Ms Chibesakunda said this in Solwezi today during a consultative meeting with Kansanshi Mine staff mainly from production and environment departments aimed at making them abreast with the new Act.
Meanwhile, Kansanshi Mine Environmental Manager, Richard Zyambo commended ZEMA for engaging them in the consultative forum so that they should be focussed and avoid being caught unawares with the new Act provisions because the penalties are stiff.
Mr Zyambo urged all the participants to thoroughly go through the new Act and share what they have gathered during the meeting with their colleagues so that they do not fall prey of the new penalties.
Church of God Bishop John Mambo has expressed sadness over the practice of homosexuality in the country.
He was speaking in a telephone interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Bishop Mambo said that Zambia is a Christian nation and such practices should not be tolerated in the country.
Bishop Mambo urged the government to engage the church and the civil society in fighting the vice that is slowly corrupting the country.
He noted that homosexuality is not in the Zambian culture and God created man and woman for intended purposes.
Bishop Mambo added that foreign rules should not corrupt the country’s good morals in order to eradicate poverty by involving the Zambian people in illicit activities.
He said that government should not accept donations from any donors who are advocating the performance of homosexuality in order to be assisted.
Bishop Mambo appealed to the public not to entertain such acts as it is forbidden in the bible and added that as a country we should emulate Christ.
He was commenting after two men from Matero township were found to be involved in homosexuality activities.
The United Party for National Development (UPND) says Chiefs Mukuni and Chikanta will be the ones to respond to Chief Mwanachingwala’s claims that the UPND forced some traditional leaders to reject the government’s realignment of some districts in southern province.
UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa has told QFM that it would not be right for the UPND to start exchanging words with Chief Mwanachingwala who has accused the party of having influenced the chiefs’ decision to reject the realignment of some districts.
Mr. Mweetwa adds that it would also be illogical for the party to respond to media reports as Chief Mwanachingwala has not officially communicated to UPND on his concerns that the party politically engineered a meeting for traditional leaders.
Last weekend some chiefs in southern province led by chiefs Mukuni and Chikanta resolved during a meeting not to allow government to realign Chirundu and Itezhi- tezhi districts Lusaka and Central provinces respectively.
However, Chief Mwanachingwala has urged the government to view the resolutions null and void saying the UPND had forced the chiefs to reject the realignment of the districts in southern province.
Meanwhile, Former Local Government and Housing deputy Minister Moses Muteteka has commended the minister of local government Nkandu Luo for suspending Siavonga district council on allegations of corruption.
Speaking to Qfm in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Muteteka said there is need to ensure that elements of corruption in the local governance system are discarded without hesitation.
Mr. Muteteka has however demanded for an explanation from the current minister on what she is doing about the report into corruption allegations involving the previous Lusaka City Council which he says had a number of flaws.
He says it will be prudent for government to take action on the LCC report before embarking on investigating other councils.
Yesterday, Professor Luo suspended the Siavonga district council with immediate to pave way for investigations into the alleged corrupt practices by senior officers.
She said her ministry has received reliable reports that some senior council officers who among them is the council secretary were involved in the illegal allocation of plots.
File:Boxing champion Esther Phiri talking to a MUVI TV crew
Esther Phiri capped her victory over Monalisa Sibanda with a rare intimate moment in the ring at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka on Friday evening.
Esther, who knocked out Monalisa in the 7th round of the scheduled 10-round WIBO/WBA light welterweight title fight, stole a brief moment in the ring to share an intimate kiss with ex-Chimwewe MP Willie Nsanda with whom she is alleged to be very close to.
Meanwhile back in the ring, it was Esther who had more gas in the tank after six rounds in a fight her patience and outfighting skills combined with fine body shots showed a class above Monalisa’s wild punching and poor defence.
However, Monalisa did give Esther something to think about in the 4th round that she dominated after the Zambian had won the first three rounds.
The 5th and 6th were all Esther as Monalisa clutched and grabbed at her opponent including one cavalier moment in the 5th when she lunged at her Zambian opponent in futile act to secure a knockout.
At the start of the 7th, Monalisa wobbled as Esther delivered a combination of body shots before the Zimbabwean succumbed and tumbled to the canvas.
The fight also put an end to any controversy regarding their first meeting seven years ago in Harare in a non-title fight that Monalisa won via a 2nd round stoppage that camp Esther denied saying it was a no contest after the latter fell ill in the ring.
“It was not bad (the fight) I wanted to play with her first. Now she must know that am a World champion and must give me respect,” Esther said.
Red Arrows and Power Dynamos will be in the spotlight this weekend just seven days after Zambia were crowned African champions for the first time-ever.
The pressure is on the two clubs to emulate the national team as expectant fans bask in what has now been labeled as the new dawn in Zambian football.
On Saturday, Red Arrows will be home in Lusaka to face Royal Leopards of Swaziland in a CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first leg match.
The game will be played at Nkoloma Stadium in what will be the two teams first ever meeting in the competition.
Leopards are not new to Zambian football after having lost 6-1 to Nkana in the old CAF cup in 1999 before bouting out 8-3 on aggregate at the same stage.
And on Sunday, Power will make their first return to continental club football since 2002 when they face Japan Actuel of Madagascar in Antananarivo.
Power are representing Zambia in the CAF Champions League a competition they have faltered in two previous outings since the revamping of Africa’s premier club event in 1997.
