Government has cautioned marketeers operating in Soweto market to refrain from paying market levy to political cadres.

Local Government, Housing Early Education and Environmental Protection Deputy minister Steven Masumba made the plea when he addressed marketeers at new Soweto market.

Mr Masumba who was accompanied by Lusaka province deputy permanent secretary Kazeya Zulu warned that government will not hesitate to prosecute any cadre found collecting market levy regardless of their political affiliation.

He said it’s wrong for any cadre to harass marketeers with the aim of collecting market levy from the traders.

Instead, Mr Masumba urged the marketeers to report such cadres to the police so that the law can take its course.

He insisted that only the local government is mandated and allowed by law to collect market levy and not cadres.

Meanwhile the Deputy Minister has challenged marketeers at new Soweto market to keep their trading area clean.

He said the marketeers should not wait for the council but rather take up the challenge to clean their business premises.

And marketeers who took turns to complain to the Deputy Minister said they are often harassed by cadres when they come to collects market levys.

They disclosed that the cadres charge them as much as fifty thousand kwacha per stand.

The marketers saluted government for coming to their aid as most of the time they are victimised by the cadres to pay market levy.

QFM

President Michael Sata has conveyed his and the nation’s gratitude to the Chipolopolo boys for their remarkable achievement of qualifying for the final of the prestigious 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in a press statement released by Statehouse to the media today.

And President Sata has called on the corporate world to motivate the Zambia National Soccer Team ahead of this weekend’s final match with Ivory Coast.

In his message to the Chipolopolo boys, the President said the team rose to the challenge at a critical stage to eliminate one of the finest teams in Africa, Ghana, whose historical stature is bigger than Zambia having won the tournament four times.

“But that rich history did not cow you into submission, instead it added to your resolve to write a different chapter on African football. On behalf of all Zambians, I wish to congratulate you on this breath-taking feat. You are the pride of our beloved country,” the President said.

“I am cognisant of the fact that this is the first time in 18 years that we are reaching the final and only the third in the history of the tournament. We lost 1-2 to Nigeria in 1994 and 0-2 in the twice played final of 1974 against Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), when Zambia competed for the first time.”

President Sata said the quality of football the team is displaying defines the true character and spirit of the Zambian people, who always strive to be winners.

“As you go into the final, I urge you to fight for the nation in getting rid of the pain of losing your gallant colleagues who perished off the coast of Gabon in 1993. Continue with your hard work, dedication and determination to the job at hand,” the President said.

“You stand at a very emotional point with your eyes firmly fixed on the title. And the nation believes in your collective ability and shares your desires and aspirations. Go for it, it’s Donchi Kubeba all the way!” the president said

Zambia play Ivory Coast in Sunday’s final, the first time the teams are meeting at this stage of the tournament. But Zambia beat Ivory Coast 1-0 in the quarter-finals of the 1994 edition; two years after the West Africans had won their first and only title.

And President Sata has invited the corporate world to join forces and find ways and means of motivating the Chipolopolo boys ahead of this weekend’s final match with Ivory Coast.

FORMER Republican vice-president George Kunda allegedly wrote a letter to former Finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane objecting to the decision to award a tax deferment facility to Varun beverages, it has emerged.

Mr Kunda, in his letter a few days before former president Rupiah Banda summoned a meeting at State House on March 15, advised that companies that wanted a tax holiday should arrange with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).

He had contended in the letter that a “face-less” tax deferment was illegal. Mr Kunda was also Justice minister at the time.

Sources said when he appeared before a team of law enforcement officers, Mr Kunda was asked to read the letter and confirmed that he authored it because it was his duty.

A letter from Mr Banda to Dr Musokotwane in April 2010 directing the ministry to facilitate the awarding of tax holiday was written after Mr Kunda’s advice against the deferment facility.

The former president’s letter has, however, allegedly disappeared from the Ministry of Finance in unexplained circumstances.

The special combined team of security personnel investigating allegations of corruption has attempted in vain to trace the letter dated April 24, 2010.

The letter was a follow up to a meeting that allegedly took place at State House on March 15, 2010 called by Mr Banda in which he allegedly asked Dr Musokotwane to ensure that the tax holiday was granted.

Those who attended the State House meeting included Dr Musokotwane, former Commerce minister Felix Mutati, and Mr Kunda.

Others were Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Director-General Andrew Chipwende and former chief budget analyst in charge of tax revenue who is now director of economic management, Felix Nkulukusa.

In an interview in Lusaka on Tuesday, Mr Chipwende said he was just called to attend the State House meeting and could not discuss the matter in detail.

“We do not operate like that. I was called to that meeting and what is said is for the Government and not for the public,” Mr Chipwende said.

Mr Kunda declined to comment on the matter saying it would be hard for him because a warn and caution statement had been recorded from Dr Musokotwane.

Value Added Tax (VAT) is not on the list of taxes available for deferment to companies according to the Zambia Development Agency Act (ZDA), but was offered to Varun.

[Times of Zambia]

KENYAN police commissioner, Mathew Iteere, has said that son of former Zambian president Rupiah Banda, Henry used two different passports for entry and exit while official records indicate that he left the East African country on November 23, last year.

According to the Daily Nation of Kenya quoting Mr Iteere: “Since then, there are no records to show that he has visited again.”

Contrary to this, the newspaper recently visited one of the business executives who is said to have links with Henry in Spring Valley, Nairobi and learnt that the son of the former president instead left the country on January 26 and it was not known when he would be back.

Mr. Iteere was quoted as saying that should it turn out that Henry was still in that country as claimed by Zambian authorities, he then must have gained entry using an illegal route.

Kenyan police have been looking for Henry following a request by Zambia through the global police organisation, Interpol, to have him for alleged corruption.

“If he is in Kenya, he did not pass through designated entry points. We did enquiries and established that he visited Kenya three times last year and left,” Mr Iteere is further quoted as saying.

He said records showed that Henry used two passports on different occasions, with the last update showing he left Kenya on November 23 last year.

The Daily Nation reports that the Kenyan police commissioner corrected reports by his Zambian counterpart Martin Malama which indicated that Henry was hiding in Kenya.

“The report I got from Zambia does not indicate that he is in Kenya.

It says that Mr Banda had left South Africa and could be headed to Kenya,” Mr Iteere said

Kenyan police have been on the lookout for Henry though they were not keen to arrest him immediately so as not to break international laws and procedures.

The newspaper states that Kenyan authorities would have to wait until Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France, issues a red notice, even after receiving a warrant of arrest.

Though a wanted man at home, Henry enjoys close connections with prominent Kenyans and is linked to many businesses.

He was widely accused in Zambia in 2009 of brokering a deal in which a Kenyan oil trading company, Dalbit Petroleum Ltd, clinched a multi-million-dollar contract to supply finished petroleum products to Zambia.

There were claims in the media on how the Kenyan businessmen who had attended the tender opening ceremony in Lusaka had been given aide de camps by the Government.

The former President’s son has been linked to the illegal sale of Zamtel to Libya’s Lap Green Networks.

When contacted, Zambia Police Service Inspector General, Martin Malama, said that the latest information that police had remained as earlier indicated that Henry was still in Kenya.

[Times of Zambia]

THE four Chinese Nationals charged with defilement of young girls in Luanshya have chosen to remain silent.

The four were due to start their defense before magistrate CHITUNDU KALUNGU Wednesday morning after they were found with a case to answer.

This forced the Magistrate to adjourn the case.

Magistrate KALUNGU has set February 27th as date for judgment.

The four Chinese nationals working for 15 MCC in Luanshya are facing charges of defilement involving young girls of Luanshya’s section nine area.

ZNBC

Vice President GUY SCOTT has said that government lost three trillion kwacha through scams under the maize marketing and fertiliser subsidies last farming season.

Dr. SCOTT, who is also PF party Vice President, said that the money, which government lost could have been enough to provide free education for many Zambians from grade one to twelve.

The Vice President was speaking in an interview with ZNBC news in Msanzala constituency in Petauke District in the Eastern Province shortly before he left for Lusaka.

Dr. SCOTT explained that the money that has been lost is much more than the budget for health, military and the Zambia Police Service.

He further explained that the Food Reserve Agency-FRA staff have been taking out Tarpaulins so that the maize can go to waste.

Dr. SCOTT said the FRA staff have been puling out tarpaulins so that the money they steal can not be audited.

And Dr SCOTT said that government will prioritise infrastructure development in rural areas.

Dr. SCOTT said that because most roads in rural areas are impassible and people travel long distances to access health facilities and schools.

The vice president also urged Zambians of Asian origin to be more involved in the country’s economy. Dr. SCOTT who is also PF party vice president says Zambians of Asian origin have been very useful, but that they need to increase their participation.

The vice president was speaking last night when he met the business community in Petauke, the Eastern province.

Dr Scott said government is happy that the Asian community is providing employment to Zambians and assured them that their investment is safe.

He explained that people who thought PF was radical towards investments from the Asian community have been proved wrong.

Agriculture EMMANUEL CHENDA said the PF government has an open door policy and is inclusive.

AND proprieter of GOOD LUCK bakery RIZWAAN PATEL said the business community in Petauke is happy with the positive step that the govenment has taken.

And proprieter of Petauke Bargain centre RASHID LULAT urged the PF government to seriously look at the way the constituency development fund is being used.

Dr. SCOTT has described his three-day campaign trail in Petauke District as sucessful.

The Vice President wound up his campaign Wednesday after he held two public rallies at Sandwe and Chiwale Basic Schools.

He was in Petauke District to drum up support for PF Msanzala candidate Colonel Joseph Lungu.

The MMD is fielding Peter Daka, Shadrick Banda is standing on the the UNIP ticket and Usuman Maumba is contesting the seat as an independent candidate.

The seat fell vacant after Colonel JOSEPH LUNGU resigned and joined the Patriotic Front party.

The Msanzala parliamentary by-election takes place on 16th February, next week.

ZNBC

Pompi,Mag44,Tio and Abel Chungu – released a video for their song “Chipolopolo Africa Unlimited” in time for the count down to the tonights bit match against Ghana.

Pompi,Mag44,Tio,Abel Chungu – Chipolopolo Africa Unlimited

BY KAPA187