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GOVERNMENT says it will consider a full listing of ZCCM-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) shares on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LuSE) after the restructuring exercise is finalised.
ZCCM-IH has been a quoted company on LuSE for a long time and there are calls from various stakeholders to have the firm fully listed for the public to participate in the ownership.
Minister of Mines Wilbur Simuusa said a positive decision will be made as soon as the restructuring exercise is completed.
“Yes we are considering that (full listing) although it will be done after the restructuring process is completed. We have to ensure that the books, the balance sheet are worked on to enable us to do it,” he said.
Mr Simuusa said this in an interview in Lusaka on Wednesday.
He said ZCCM- IH has not posted profits or given dividends since its inception over 10 years ago and Government plans to re-brand the organisation to make it operate profitably and promote local participation in the ownership and management of mining assets.
He said a meeting will soon be convened with a technical committee to map out a way forward.
The minister, however, said currently Government is not in a position to decide whether the firm’s shares should be fully listed on the local bourse.
Mr Simuusa said ZCCM-IH is an important unit which, if properly managed, can help the country realise huge benefits from the mining resources.
Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) President Fred Mutesa
Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) President Fred Mutesa has observed that the Patriotic Front government’s fight against corruption will be in vain if the right channelS are not followed.
Dr. Mutesa said that the fight against corruption should not merely be a matter of accusing people of corruption without producing tangible evidence of the allegations.
He says the Patriotic Front government should fight corruption in a more professional manner by allowing investigative wings to carry out their functions freely rather than rushing to make unsubstantiated allegations in the media.
Dr. Mutesa says the PF government should fight corruption in a right way because Zambians believe in justice and fair play.
He tells QFM that being the head of State does not give President Michael Sata any powers to accuse people of wrongdoing without proper evidence.
The ZED president has since advised the PF government to let investigative wings in the country to investigate matters, and if there is enough evidence take the matters to court for the culprits to be prosecuted.
A TRADITIONAL ruler in Nakonde has banned beer drinking during working hours among his subjects until the end of the farming season.
Katozi Village headman Jairos Simukonda said in Nakonde recently that he has decided to ban beer drinking during working hours because people in his area are spending much of their time taking alcohol at the expense of farming.
He said beer drinking during working hours is retrogressive and that it fuels poverty in people’s households.
Mr Simukonda said he will not entertain laziness and unproductive behaviour among his subjects.
He said Government’s policy of putting more money in people’s pockets can only become a reality when people venture into productive activities such as farming.
The traditional ruler announced the ban during the burial of one of his subjects, Timothy Sichone, at Katozi cemetery in Nakonde recently.
“I have banned beer drinking during working hours in this village. I am very disappointed to see people, especially young ones, spending much of their time drinking beer instead of farming.
“We cannot allow a situation where people should be drinking beer from 05:00 hours up to the evening,” Mr Simukonda said.
He also advised individuals that have secured land and built big houses in his village to respect the traditional leadership and the people they have found regardless of their economic status.
He said the conduct of some people who have acquired land in his area is worrying as they allegedly do not respect the people they found in Katozi Village.
Mr Simukonda also said he will not allow lawlessness among people in his village.
He underscored the need for his subjects to live in harmony and make Katozi Village an envy of other surrounding villages.
FORMER Church of God regional overseer for eastern and southern Africa Bishop John Mambo has condemned former Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Edward Mumbi for reportedly leading a group of people circulating stories that President Sata’s health has greatly deteriorated.
Bishop Mambo said it is absurd that Mr Mumbi has decided to be part of continued efforts to frustrate President Sata and the PF government which was duly elected by the majority Zambians.
The clergyman, who is also founder of the Chikondi Foundation, said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that it is unZambian and uncalled for, for Mr Mumbi and his colleagues to spread falsehoods about President Sata’s health.
Mr Mumbi has denied that he is part of any such group peddling rumours about Mr Sata’s health.
He has accused the Daily Mail and Deputy Managing Director Anthony Mukwita of trying to alienate him from President Sata, following a story in yesterday’s edition, which linked him to circulating malicious rumours against the President.
In a letter addressed to Mr Mukwita in his official capacity, Mr Mumbi reckons the Daily Mail conduct shows that they want him to continue having political differences with the President and cause him anguish.
Bishop Mambo said he is disappointed that even after attacking and insulting President Sata before the September 20, tripartite elections, Mr Mumbi has reportedly continued to show disrespect to the head of State.
“We want to know who is supporting this group because it is unZambian for a person to discuss someone’s health or to wish him or her death. It is only God who gives and takes life. My advice to Mr Mumbi is that he should not continue doing what he was doing before the elections,” he said.
Bishop Mambo said the people behind the circulation of stories alleging that President Sata’s health has deteriorated should be dealt with by the law.
He said Mr Mumbi should have been remorseful for causing harm to Mr Sata through malicious statements in the run-up to the September elections.
“We want him to apologise to the nation for all the damage he has caused Mr Sata because even in the West, medical records are confidential. They are just between the doctor and the patient. This is a very sad development to a country such as Zambia, which is a Christian nation,” he said.
The Lusaka-based clergyman also called on the people spreading alarming rumours about the health of the head of State to stop.
Bishop Mambo said opposition leaders should stop criticising the President unnecessarily and that they should only offer constructive criticism to build a better Zambia.
He said Zambia can only develop meaningfully with concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
Reports indicate that the group which could be led by Mr Mumbi, a former MMD supporter, has given President Sata only about seven months to live due to an “unspecified” illness.
Revival Crew is a music group consisting of Ariel, Jesse ,Chim-Boy and Stevie G-.The group was formed in 2008 and they have done some shows in schools and a few church gigs. They are all solo artists but when we get together we are called Revival Crew.They hope to work on more tracks after their solo albums, as they have many songs together.
The song, “Show me your pain” was written by Glen Banda from personal experiences and also related it to the experiences of the other members. It talks about God being the hope of our lives in whatever we go through.
The song will be available on Youtube, Zed Beats, Hone Fm, Christian Voice,Pheonix,Unza radio,jamradio.co.uk and several other sites from today 6th January 2012.
SHOW ME YOUR PAIN – Revival Crew (Ariel,Jesse,Chim-Boy and Stevie -G) feat. Glen. (Produced by Nyno for Tym Line)
Former first lady Thandiwe Banda has filed a law suit in the high court claiming damages against the Times of Zambia and its editor-in-chief.
In her statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, Mrs. Banda states that the paper has refused to apologise over a story headline “State Seizes Thandiwe properties”.
She containds that the story was published on December 20th, 2011, and that it stated that the state seized properties worth billions of kwacha including a hotel in Malawi, belonging to her.
Mrs. Banda claims in their natural meaning, the said words meant the properties were acquired improperly and unlawfully hence the seizure.
She has accused the state owned newspaper of refusing to apologize and retract saying they did not get a verification from her before publishing.
Mrs. Banda has since asked the court to grant her an injunction,restraing the paper from publishing similar words defamatory of her and that she be awarded compensatory damages for libel.
She is also asking the court that all legal costs arising from the court action be borne by Times of Zambia.
President Michael Sata has called for strengthened cooperation with foreign partners this year and in the future.
President Sata says he firmly believes that no country can achieve its aspirations in isolation.
The President was speaking in Lusaka this afternoon during the annual cocktail organized for the diplomatic community in Zambia.
Mr. Sata says it is worth noting that democracy in any country is a pre-condition to social and economic development.
He adds that it is for this reason that the people of Zambia remain highly indebted to the international community for its valuable support rendered to the electoral process.
Mr. Sata says the Patriotic Front government will within the sixth national development plan;focus on five core programmes stipulated in its manifesto namely; education development, health services, agricultural development, local government and housing development and the fight against corruption.
He says he is confident that these key economic drivers will create multiplier effects and propel the development of the country.
President Sata has since committed governments continuous participation at all regional and international meetings that will be held to look at various important issues affecting the world.
And in a vote of thanks, dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ditlhabi Oliphant says cooperating partners are happy with the manner in which the government has embraced foreign direct investment as a means to create employment and contribute to the economic empowerment of the Zambians.
Summoned former transport and communication minister Dora Siliya this afternoon failed to avail herself for questioning before a combined team of law enforcement officers over the sale of Zamtel.
Ms. Siliya was expected to report at the task force offices in Lusaka’s woodlands area at about 14 00hrs.
Journalists waited in vain the whole afternoon for Ms Siliya who was expected by the law enforcement officers.
The officers from the investigative wings who were suppose to interrogate Ms Siliya were also made to wait in vain.
Reporters were later briefed by a police officer that Ms. Siliya was unable to come after waiting for her for about one hour, thirty minutes.
And when contacted via phone by QFM news, Ms. Siliya’s lawyer Sakwiba Sikota said he could not talk to QFM but later reversed his statement by promising to call back and give details concerning his client’s absence which he never did.
Police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela later told QM news that the police had been informed by lawyer Sakwiba Sikota that his client was unwell.
Ms. Kanjela noted that the police will consider rescheduling the dates for questioning to allow Ms. Siliya to recover.
Midfielder Justin Zulu has joined the Zambia national team at its Johannesburg training camp.
Zulu of Israeli club Hapoel LeZion arrived in camp on Wednesday.
The midfielders arrival means that Herve Renard is now only expecting his final Israel-based call-up striker Roger Kola this Saturday.
Meanwhile, SABC says it will not televise the South Africa versus Zambia friendly on January 11.
According to Kick.com, this is after the South African football Association downgraded that game and other against Ghana on January 15 to mare training games.
This is after Safa failed to secure the availability of players from Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Golden Arrows for the friendlies.
Sport Council of Zambia today disclosed that Faz had officially apologized to government over the way they fired Dario Bonetti.
Sports minister Fackson Shamenda two months ago indicated that government was not happy with the way Bonetti was fired that led to the subsequent rehiring of Herve Renard.
Bonetti was fired just 48 hours after qualifying Zambia to the 2012 Africa Cup.
NSCZ spokesman Smart Mwitwa made the disclosure at a press briefing on the Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation AGM impasse held at NASDEC on Thursday morning.
“We have a letter from the Football Association of Zambia in which they apologized for having not consulted the Nationals Sports Council of Zambia and Government as regard to the firing of the national coach as well as the employment of the new coach,” Mwitwa said.
“And I think you are very much aware that is what led to the tripartite meeting that we held with the honorable minister at which all the matters were resolved and we are now geared to working together.”
The meeting held on December 19 at the ministry of sport in Lusaka saw Shamenda recind his decision and committed to Government helping pay Renards salary.
Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Minister Given Lubinda has said that former Republican Vice President George Kunda should be the last person to give advice on how the media should operate.
Mr. Lubinda said that Mr. Kunda has no right to attack the operations of any media, whether private or public.
Speaking at a media briefing at his office, also attended by heads of public media, Mr. Lubinda said that it is surprising how Mr. Kunda can suddenly change his stance on the public media when he and former Information Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha were in the forefront agitating for the regulation of the media.
Reacting to Mr. Kunda’s attacks on the public media for allegedly being biased in its reporting, Mr. Lubinda reminded the former Vice President that he is on record of praising freelance journalist Chanda Chimba III of being a professional journalist.
And QFM reports that Mr. Lubinda has agreed with Mr Kunda’s advice to members of the opposition MMD to brace themselves for hard times following investigations launched by the PF government of former government officials.
He has since reminded Mr. Kunda that he should not expect the PF Government to investigate politicians that never served in government and stated that government is determined in its fight against corruption.
The Zambia Police service has confirmed the summoning of former transport and communications minister Dora Siliya for questioning.
Police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela has confirmed the development to QFM saying Ms. Siliya is expected to report at the former task force offices in Lusaka’s woodland area around 14:00 hrs.
The summoning of Ms. Siliya comes a few weeks after the commission of Inquiry that was constituted to investigate the sale of Zamtel established that the company was fraudulently sold as the then government did not follow that laid down tender procedures.
Ms. Siliya is also reported to have single sourced RP capitals of caymen islands to valuate the Zamtel assets which the commission’s report indicated was undervalued.
The commission established that the sale of Zamtel by the Zambia Development Agency was hastily done and that LAP Green failed to satisfy at least three of the procurement requirements and that it was shocking that they were awarded the tender.
Zambia’s life expectancy has risen from 37 to 43 years, partly due to various medical interventions, Ministry of Health spokesperson Kamoto Mbewe has said.
The Ministry of Health has also made significant strides in fighting Tuberculosis (TB) in the country.
Dr Mbewe said the improvement was mainly due to the many milestones his ministry has made in fighting pandemics such as HIV and AIDS which had previously reduced the life expectancy in Zambia.
In response to a press query on Tuesday, Dr Mbewe said the infection rate of TB has drastically dropped.
“The main reason for the reduction in the TB infection rate is the introduction of the National TB Control Programme, which focuses on addressing the problem and implementation of the TB control strategy in a consistent and effective manner,” Dr Mbewe said.
He said other factors that have led to a decline in the number of TB cases, include a good monitoring and evaluation system, quality assured drugs for patient management and care as well as availability of effective treatment.
Dr Mbewe said global health initiatives such as the Global Fund have also helped to reduce the prevalence rate of TB, as more resources for treating the disease are readily available.
He also said good programme management has led to a rise in the successful treatment of TB patients which in 2000 stood at 66 percent but rose to 86 percent in 2010.
Dr Mbewe said this is because many cases were identified early and treated successfully. The transmission rate of TB has also reduced in the communities.
He said because of the current interventions the Ministry of Health has embarked on combating TB, HIV and AIDS and other related illnesses.
He however said the burden of TB is still high despite the strides made so far, adding that there is need for more efforts in dealing with TB in children and prisons.
Dr Mbewe said laboratories should be well equipped so that many TB, HIV and AIDS cases can be detected early.
Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Minister GIVEN LUBINDA
GOVERNMENT has assured tourists visiting the Victoria Falls in Livingstone that the bungee jumping equipment at the falls is safe.
Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Given Lubinda said in an interview on Tuesday that tourists should not worry about the equipment as it has proven its reliability over the past years with only one mishap.
“The bungee has proven to be a very viable operation considering that more than 50,000 tourists jump on it every year. It has been in operation for 10 years. This is the first time I am hearing of an incident. The probability of an incident is one in 500,000 jumps,” he said.
Mr Lubinda was commenting on an incident where a 22-year-old Australian tourist plunged into the Zambezi River on Saturday after the bungee jumping cord snapped.
Southern Province commissioner of police Brenda Muntemba, who confirmed the incident, said the tourist managed to swim to the Zimbabwean side where she was treated and later evacuated to South Africa.
And Mr Lubinda said the safety record of the bungee jumping equipment at the falls is enough to guarantee tourists’ safety.
The minister, however, said he will soon engage the operator of the bungee jumping equipment, Bungee Extreme, to ensure the equipment is safer than it currently is.
“I myself will be engaging the operator on how we can make this exciting tourism event become totally incident-free,” Mr Lubinda said.
He said his ministry has already swung into action on the matter and that he is waiting for a report from his officers in Livingstone before further action can be taken.
FORMER MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba has advised former leaders under investigations not to rush to the media to defend themselves but instead wait for security wings to conclude their investigations.
Dr Kalumba said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that there was no need for the former leaders under investigations to cry foul but should instead defend themselves in the courts if at all they felt they were innocent.
“My advice to those under investigations is that they should not rush to the media to defend themselves.
“If they feel they are innocent let them defend themselves in the courts of law instead of fighting their battles in the media. That is my only advice to them,” he said.
Several MMD former ministers are currently under investigations over alleged abuse of public resources.
And CARITAS – Zambia executive director, Sam Mulafulafu has said all corrupt leaders from the previous MMD government should be brought to book without delay.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mulafulafu said corruption in the MMD government was rampant and that those who would be found to have abused public resources should face the law immediately.
He, however, said current leaders should be monitored to ensure they did not fall into the same trap.
Mr Mulafulafu applauded the Patriotic Front (PF) Government’s efforts to stamp out corruption saying, however, that the campaign against the scourge should be done within the rule of law.
He said the Government should sustain the fight against corruption so that the root causes of the vice were completely wiped out.
“Corruption in the last three years was rampant and as such former leaders found wanting should be brought to book. In the same vein, current leaders should also be monitored instead of waiting until they are out of office and this is where we go wrong,” Mr Mulafulafu said.
