FARMERS in Kapiri Mponshi district are owed over 10 thousand bags of Urea Fertiliser by Nyiombo Investment for the 2012-2013 farming season.
Kapiri Mponshi district commissioner Beatrice Sikazwe disclosed that of the 10 thousand bags that are owned to the farmers in the district only 1200 bags were delivered to the farmers yesterday.
Ms Sikazwe explained that the district received 1200 bags of Urea of which 150 bags were damaged and couldn’t be given to the farmers.
She added that it was unfair for the farmers who have been spending nights at the bus stations as it had become expensive for them to travel each and every day to check on their fertiliser.
Ms Sikazwe said it was unfair that farmers had to wait this long for their fertiliser and Nyiombo had decided to be distributing the fertiliser in smaller bits.
She has since advised the farmers that stormed her office to wait till Wednesday as Nyiombo investment had assured her that the fertiliser would be delivered to the district.
Meanwhile in Kabwe district farmers are still waiting for their fertiliser despite been promised that they would receive the input by last week.
Kabwe district commissioner Patrick Chishala however said Nyiombo Investment had promised him that the fertiliser would be in by Wednesday as the trucks were on their way.
Mr Chishala added that the Government was aware of the farmers predicament and measures were been put in place to address the matter.
Last week farmers in Kabwe gathered at Nyiombo Investment warehouse demanding their fertiliser.
The farmers have since threatened to match to state house should Nyiombo Investment fail to deliver the fertiliser to the district.
Our Africa Cup destiny is in our hands says Herve Renard.
Zambia on Tuesday play face their biggest Africa Cup test when they take Burkina Faso in a must win Group C match at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Renard side must beat Burkina Faso while a draw will spell doom for the defending champions who could end a 20-year record that saw Algeria fail at the same stage in 1992.
“Of course we have more pressure than Burkina Faso meaning that they only need a draw,” Renard said.
“We are strong enough because we know this situation.”
Renard said the team could repeat its 2010 feat of qualifying with one draw, a defeat and a win.
“In 2010 we drew 1-1 against Tunisia, we lost to Cameroon and we beat Gabon and we learnt a lesson,” Renard said.
The Zambian Voice have written to the Director General of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Rosewin Wandi, demanding an update on the case the commision was investigating involving Minister of Justice Hon Wynter Kabimba and Minister of Defence Hon Geoffrey Mwamba.
In the latter signed by Chilufya Tayali, the Zambian Voice reminded Ms Wandi that the people of Zambia had given her all the power and authority to investigate corruption allegations that are committed by the weakest and the strongest citizens in this country.
Below is the full letter
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL-ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION
P.O. BOX
Lusaka.
28/01/13
Dear Madam,
RE: DEMAND FOR AN UPDATE ON THE CORRUPTION INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING HON WYNTER KABIMBA AND HON GEOFREY MWAMBA
The above subject matter refers.
We are hereby demanding for an update on how far the Anti- Corruption Commission has gone concerning the serious corruption allegations leveled on the Minister of Justice Hon Wynter Kabimba and Minister of Defence Hon Geoffrey Mwamba.
Between September and October 2012, the two Cabinet ministers accused each other of corruption and your Commission did indeed issue a statement that investigations in both cases were underway.
To our great dismay, Hon Kabimba went on rampage intimidating the ACC in an attempt to force the ACC to release their findings, failure to which he threatened to take legal action.
Both Ministers were summoned to appear before ACC investigating team. Hon Mwamba did appear before the ACC officers were he was interviewed on the corruption allegations leveled against him by His Justice Ministry counterpart.
When it was time came for Hon Kabimba to appear before the ACC investigating team all hell broke loose!
Monday, December 3rd 2012 a day that will live in infamy, as regards the unprecedented and brutal assault on our criminal justice system in Zambia, Hon Kabimba, did report to the ACC offices in the company of a mob of PF cadres.
The Minister of Justice demanded that he be interviewed in the presence of the cadres who had accompanied him.
ACC officers did inform Hon Kabimba, that interviews are not conducted in such a manner.
The combative and charged Minister refused to be interviewed in the absence of his disruptive and noisy supporters.
We believe that Hon Kabimba’s conduct at the ACC offices amounts to obstruction of justice which in itself is a very serious criminal offence under the ACC Act.
To our horror and disappoint, you have done nothing to bring him to book for his lawless conduct at the ACC offices, which if left unchecked will bring the ACC and law enforcement as we know it, to its knees.
Should we assume that the easiest way to escape serious corruption allegations and possible prosecution in Zambia is to rent a mob and intimidate the ACC into submission?
As an organization that is dedicated to good governance, transparency and accountability in Government. We demand to know why the ACC has seemingly grown cold feet in the investigation of the alleged serious corruption allegations leveled against Hon Kabimba.
We wish to remind you, that the people of Zambia have given you all the power and authority to investigate corruption allegations that are committed by the weakest and the strongest citizens in this country.
Nothing in your conduct should suggest to the country that Hon Kabimba is above the law or he is a sacred cow that is too holy to be made accountable for his actions.
If that was to happen it will put into motion events that will threaten the rule of law as we know it in Zambia.
It will be tragic, if the ACC is perceived to be investigating petty corruption and frightened to tackle grand corruption that involves Government Minster like Hon Kabimba.
To ensure that you do your job effectively, the ACC Act Cap 91 of the laws of Zambia gives you the security of tenure and insulates your office from the interference and intimidation that may come from the powerful in society.
We therefore see no reason, why you should not do your duties as enshrined in the ACC Act.
We demand that you give us an update, as soon as possible, on how far you have gone in your investigations concerning the grand corruption allegations leveled at Hon Wynter Kabimba and Hon Mwamba.
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along,’ Eleanor Roosevelt.
Some Chipata resident have questioned the quality of the new rebased Kwacha saying the new money has already started fading when it has only been in circulation for a month.
A businessman who operates at the Central business district, Charles Tembo, charged that the new money easily fades off and when comes into contact with water or sweat the ink easily fades.
And a trader Richard Banda of kapata market expressed concern that the money may be faded before the old kwacha is completed phased out because the quality of the new notes is questionable.
Mr Banda said there is need for the Bank of Zambia to monitor the new notes and ensure that the money is durable because changing the money again would be costly for the government.
Meanwhile, some residents have commended the Bank of Zambia for introducing the new money saying it is easy to handle.
Georgina Phiri of Magazine compound said she has been able to carry out her business without difficulties as it is not only easy to calculate but also easy to carry.
Another trader of Navutika compound Betty Mulenga said the money is easy to handle though there was need for more sensitization to be done in regards the coins.
Asked how she carries out her business using coins; Betty said she does not accept the coins because she did not want to get confused.
“I cannot handle the coins because I still do not understand how the K100 has been converted to the Ngwee,” she said.
Betty appealed for more sensitization on the rebased currency saying she would only accept the Ngwee as a legal tender when she understands its value.
Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) at Nakonde border in Muchinga Province has intercepted over 1000 x 25 kilogram bags of mealie-meal.
The contraband which has since been seized was about to be smuggled into Tanzania.
This comes barely 7 days after Patriotic Front (PF) Senior District Party Officials in the border town intercepted another contraband of 40 x 25 KG bags of mealie-meal which were about to be smuggled into the neighboring country.
ZRA Assistant Commissioner of Customs at Nakonde border post Waner Chilembo confirmed the development to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Nakonde today.
Mr. Chilembo said that an alert team of ZRA officers over the weekend intercepted a total of 1,130 x 25 KG bags of mealie meal which was about to be smuggled into Tanzania.
Mr. Chilembo said that the contraband was intercepted at the customs yard exit gate, nicely concealed under empty crates of soft drinks in the Zambian registered truck number ACH 3273.
Mr. Chilembo further disclosed that the vehicle involved which belongs to a local business man Musuku Siame has also been seized.
The Commissioner has since warned people involved in such businesses that ZRA does not only collect revenue on behalf of the Government but protects the nation as well by ensuring that it checks all the goods leaving the country.
He added that ZRA will not allow anyone to use Nakonde border for illegal businesses.
Government says it will soon build more tertiary institutions in all the provinces in order to improve education standards in the country.
Education Deputy Minister David Mabumba said this when he addressed Senior Education Officers from Northern and Muchinga Provinces at Mwenzo Girls secondary school in Nakonde.
Mr. Mabumba said government has embarked on a programme to build more higher learning institutions in all the provinces in order to improve education standards in the country.
He said that so far construction of two tertiary institutions in Muchinga Province has commenced and nearing completion.
Mr. Mabumba said that a University is being constructed in Chinsali district and a skills training institute at Isoka.
He said this is in line with the PF government policy of building more learning institutions in order to allow more people to have access to education in the country.
The Deputy Minister also noted that education standards in the country had started going down because of the limited number of schools.
The Minister further explained that it was for that reason that the PF government embarked on the construction of more secondary schools and universities in the country.
“As PF Government we are committed to build more secondary schools, Colleges in the country,” said Mr. Mabumba.
Southern Province Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga (middle) emphasise a point as Provincial Local Government Officer Alex Bwalya (left) and Provincial Chief Planer Linda Siwale (right) look on in Choma yesterday during a PDCC meeting.
The Technical Committee on Drafting the Zambian Constitution (TCDZC) has began its seven day final provincial constitution convention in Southern province with
over 200 delegates in attendance.
Southern Province Permanent Secretary Dr. Chileshe Mulenga says government is committed to ensure that the long waited true Zambian constitution if formulated within the specified time.
ZANIS reports that Dr. Chileshe said this during the official opening of the provincial convention in Livingstone today.
He however explained that there is need to ensure that people play an active role in actively recommending necessary changes to the first draft constitution, for the country to produce a constitution that will stand the taste of time.
He urged delegates to ensure that resolutions are carefully considered by putting aside personal interests and work for the common good of the Zambian people in the formulation of the constitution of Zambia.
Dr. Mulenga also called on the delegates to actively represent important views of the members of the public particularly those who could not be afforded the opportunity to attend the conference.
Meanwhile, TCDZC Provincial Conventions Coordinator Reuben Lifuka said the technical committee will strive to adhere to the wishes of the Zambian people by considering clauses that deem necessary.
Mr. Lifuka also urged delegates to adopt a long perspective in debating the constitution so that the new constitution should not only suit the short terms but of the long future to come.
Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Mr. Maxwell Nkole has refuted claims in a news story published by the Zambian Watchdog suggesting that former Commissioners of Police Ms Brenda Muntemba and Mr. Antonneil Mutentwa have been fired for saying yes to the UPND rally which was held on Sunday.
Mr. Nkole said in a statement made available by Ministry of Home Affairs Spokesperson that the story was not only false but also misleading.
He said the truth of the matter is that only Mr. Mutentwa had his contract terminated while Ms Muntemba has been transferred to Cabinet Office.
The Permanent secretary revealed that the contract of Mr. Mutentwa, who was Commissioner in charge of Administration, was terminated to allow him continue running his private security company based on the Copperbelt so as to avoid a possible conflict of interest with his appointment as Commissioner.
He stated that as of Ms Muntemba who was in charge of Operations, her contract with government still stands except that her chore duties will be defined by Cabinet Office.
The two senior officers have since been communicated to through correspondences over this development.
We urge the media to be factual and objective in their reporting unlike basing their reporting on rumours or false information as this is not only unethical but a danger to media practices.
According to The Zambian Watchdog sources at police headquarters said that the two senior police officers had been fired for saying yes to the UPND rally which was held yesterday.The sources said the two had been against blocking of political rallies by the PF regime.
The Patriotic Front has said that the UPND rally in Kabwata Constituency was just an assemblage of insults directed at the President Michael Sata and the PF.
Lusaka Province PF chairman and Member of the part Central Committee Geoffrey
said that again the UPND paraded its bitterness and their prolonged failure to recover from their defeat in the 2011 elections.
In a statement to the media, Mr. Chuumbwe said that it was unacceptable that former Katombora Member of Parliament, Regina Musokotwane, chose Sunday’s rally to vent her frustrations after allegedly failing to hoodwink President Sata to give her a job.
Mr. Chuumbwe accused Mrs. Musokotwane of making numerous attempts to lobby for a job from President Michael Sata adding that she cannot deny this fact.
Mr. Chuumbwe further said that the UPND meeting also exposed the partisan behavior of some civil society members, who he said are well-known sympathisers of the UPND.
Mr. Chuumbwe says SACCORD Information Officer Obby Chibuluma and FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi for being tribal.
[pullquote]“The meeting was poorly attended even from inside the UPND, as only very few of their MPs and senior party leaders were in attendance, reducing the meeting to a tiny congregation of bitter tribesmen and women.“[/pullquote]
“The UPND meeting also exposed the partisan behavior of some civil society members, who are well-known sympathisers of the UPND, such as SACCORD Information Officer Obby Chibuluma and FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi, who showed up at the meeting to show solidarity to their tribesmen and tribeswomen,” the statement read
Mr. Chuumbwe further says PF is happy that the UPND got an opportunity to attest for themselves that they have no following, as evidenced by their very poorly attended rally in Lusaka’s Kabwata Constituency.
“But the PF is satisfied that the UPND got their much needed reality check after seeing for themselves that Lusaka has continued to reject their politics of tribalism, bitterness and insults,” Mr Chuumbwe.
“The meeting was poorly attended even from inside the UPND, as only very few of their MPs and senior party leaders were in attendance, reducing the meeting to a tiny congregation of bitter tribesmen and women.”
He says UPND have continued misleading themselves by importing people to attend a rally in an area they do not reside adding that people of Kabwata and Lusaka in general have sent a clear message to the UPND, that they are not interested.
The Egyptian match official who refereed Nigeria’s Group C game against Zambia last Friday at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, Gehad Grisha will take no further part at the 2013 Afcon in South Africa.
Grisha awarded a highly controversial penalty to Zambia late on in the game leading to an angry reaction from the Nigerian camp.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) subsequently dispatched a strongly-warded protest to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
CAF has ostensibly ruled in favour of the NFF and Grisha has been sent home from the Afcon.
An official of CAF confirmed the news on Sunday.
“He (Grsha) has been sent home. He will have no further action at this Nations Cup. His decisions did not tally with best practices of the refereeing profession and we would not allow anyone to start re-writing the rules of the game here,” said the official.
Nigeria needs a win on Tuesday in Rustenburg against Ethiopia to confirm its place in the quarter finals of the Afcon.
Confusion characterised the much awaited United Party for National Development (UPND) public rally in Lusaka’s Kabwata yesterday as police in riot gear apprehended more than 10 unruly suspected Patriotic Front (PF) cadres for attempting to disrupt the gathering.
The unruly youths assembled at the Kabwata Basic School grounds two hours before the rally started and were chasing away people wanting to attend the rally.
Residents in the vicinity of the grounds locked themselves in their houses as the unruly youths took control of affairs, beating up unsuspecting members of the public and forcing nearby shop owners to close their business prematurely.
The situation returned to safety when close to 100 armed police officers in riot gear arrived at the scene and apprehended several youths for causing disorder ahead of the public rally addressed by party leader Hakainde Hichilema.
The Police officers bundled the youths into waiting vans and transported them to Kabwata Police Station.
As calm returned, some pockets of the unruly youths confronted police while chanting PF slogans and charging at UPND supporters that had assembled in readiness for their meeting, but they were restrained and ordered to leave the premises.
Police officers in verbal confrontation with the youths warned the youths that they risked facing arrest over their continued unruly behaviour.
“We will not tolerate this behaviour and if you continue thinking that we are being entertained with your conduct, just leave this place. We will only give you a few minutes to leave,” said one uncompromising officer.
The situation deteriorated when UPND supporters charged at their opponents throwing stones, leading to police intervention and apprehending of more suspects.
Inspector General of Police, Stella Libongani briefly visited the scene and held talks with UPND’s Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament, Garry Nkombo.
Mr Nkombo complained of alleged incompetence by police to control the youths who were accused of belonging to the ruling party.
But Ms Libongani assured the opposition MP that reinforcements would be deployed to provide adequate safety.
Casualties were minimal during the fracas lest for a ZNBC news crew that was attacked by the uncompromising youths. The youths also threatened to manhandle a Times news team that was covering the incident at the time.
And Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa when contacted by press time said she was still awaiting a full report on the incident before issuing a comprehensive statement.
“I haven’t yet received a full report, I am still waiting, so I can’t give details right now of how many have been arrested,” Ms Kasosa said.
MMD president Nevers Mumba says there are no internal wrangles in the former ruling party and those fanning the alleged confusion are wasting their time.
Dr Mumba said those that caused confusion in the former ruling party had been expelled and therefore the perceived wrangles were not within the MMD.
He told Journalists in Kitwe yesterday that it was not the former ruling party’s responsibility to take action against those causing confusion and stated that the MMD was re-organising itself and a new team was emerging.
He claimed that if Home Affairs minister Edgar Lungu was failing to ask what certificate those causing confusion were using, then the Government was exposing itself by failing to discipline such people.
“The thought of threatening to de-register our party came from President Michael Sata. But there are no internal wrangles in the MMD, and the person that was bringing confusion has been expelled so those perceived wrangles are outside the MMD and it’s no longer our responsibility,” he said.
Dr Mumba advised the Patriotic Front (PF) Government to concentrate on addressing issues affecting Zambians and desist from playing political games.
On accusations that he belonged to the Reformed Party (RP), Dr Mumba said the issue was non-existent because he relinquished his position as RP leader in 2008 when he contested for MMD presidency and further contested in 2011.
He accused Major Richard Kachingwe of practising sour grapes as he was the one that received his nomination papers.
He said Zambia was a country of rules and that those claiming they would field their candidates in the Livingstone and Mpongwe by-elections had nothing to do with the MMD.
He said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) had a list of registered parties and therefore the MMD would not involve itself in such issues.
Dr Mumba said the National Executive Committee (NEC) was embracing all members and mobilising itself to unite and work hard.
Earlier in his sermon at victory Bible Church, Dr Mumba urged the church to take its position and speak against injustices.
He said religion was the opium of the people and therefore the Church should take its stand and speak against oppression and dictatorial tendencies.
Dr Mumba advised the congregation to fight for freedom saying there were three steps that enhanced ones freedom namely religion, political and economic power.
He said he would continue to fight for everyone until the battle was won.
And Victory ministries Vice president Lubuto Nsofwa said the church deserved to play a role in the economy of the nation.
FIRST Quantum Minerals Limited (FQML), Zambia’s largest copper mine, will this year start the construction of a US$230 million (KR1.22 billion) power transmission line from Lusaka West to Solwezi in North-Western Province for their latest mine, Sentinel at Kalumbila.
FQML Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Matt Pascall said in Solwezi that his company was in talks with Zesco over the 330 kilovolts transmission line that would cover a minimum distance of about 400km.
Mr Pascall said FQML had already agreed terms with Zesco who were just awaiting a go-ahead from the Zambia Public Procurement Agency (ZPPA) to get started and hoped the project quickly got approval.
“We are in talks with Zesco for the construction of a power transmission line from Lusaka West in Lusaka up to our new mine Sentinel here in Solwezi. This will cost at least $230 million and projected to be done by June next year.
“It’s really a race against time and we are anxiously waiting for Mr Cyprian Chitundu (Zesco MD) to call us and give us the good news. Otherwise, we are ready to start,” said Mr Pascall who was flanked by Kansanshi Mine assistant General Manager Alan Delaney.
FQML, the largest tax paying company to Government, were investing more than $2billion into Sentinel Mine at Kalumbila and would be Africa’s biggest copper mine with a capacity to produce well over 500 000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year .
FQML pays an average $1.5 million in taxes to Government everyday which comes to about 12 per cent of taxes government collects and more than 80 per cent of all taxes Government collect from mining companies.
Zambia is faced with a power deficit and has been pushed to new heights by the increase in the mining sector whose production levels were nearing record figures for Zambia.
And with Sentinel coming on board which would be Africa’s largest single copper project, the challenge is made bigger prompting FQML to fund the construction of a Zesco power line.
Mr Pascall said Zesco had a number of projects to increase Zambia’s power generation capacity with expansion to Kariba North Bank as well as the Kafue Lower Gorge and that once these two and a number of others like the Itezhi-tezhi coming on, the country would have sufficient power.
“But for now, we are the ones who need the power soonest, so we are ready to fund this project upfront. All the $230 million we shall give to do up the power line and we shall recover the money over a period of five years,” he said.
He said the power line would pass through and tap power from the Tata owned 120 megawatts Itezhi-tezhi hydro-power station currently under construction, to Kalumbila Minerals limited (KML) which should become operational in June 2014.
He said Zesco would ultimately own the power line after five years when the repayment programme was completed and that half of the money would be paid as cash while the other half would be recovered through bills for power supplied to the mine.
Asked if the delay by the ZPPA to give the project a go-ahead would jeopardise the mine, Mr Pascall said the firm would look for partial power supply from other sources while waiting for the new one to come alive.
He named the newly constructed 120km power line from Kansanshi to Kalumbila, some power from the Copperbelt Energy Company (CEC), Kabompo Gorge and the Maamba Thermal plant as some of the projects to that could in the meantime feed the Sentinel mine.
“We have faith in Zesco. We told them we want a good project with good tender procedures. We know that once the ZPPA approves, we shall have a good project. Zesco engineers are excellent, we have worked with them before and they are better than engineers from other countries,” he said.
