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Musokotwane’s pay out package could be reduced or rejected-Lubinda

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Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Minister GIVEN LUBINDA
Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Minister GIVEN LUBINDA

Government may reject or reduce the ‘out-standing’ payout package to former Minister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane until it is established whether the economist-turned-politician was really on a double salary – an allegation he has vehemently denied.

Chief government spokesman Given Lubinda in an interview yesterday said Dr Musokotwane, who on Saturday spoke on the privately-owned Radio Phoenix where he denied the ‘double salary’ story, should slow down before denying the allegations.

“I don’t think a person in the position of the President Michael Sata can make a baseless allegation against the former minister,” Mr Lubinda said.

“He knows what he is talking about when he raises these issues but the Finance Minister (Mr Alexander Chikwanda) would probably be best suited to speak on this matter.”

Dr Musokotwane refused to discuss the matter when the Daily Mail called his mobile phone yesterday saying “I am in South Africa…call me when I return on Wednesday”, before he hang up his phone and switched it off. Mr Chikwanda could not be reached via phone as he officially owns no mobile phone.

Conversely, Dr Bwalya Ng’andu, the BoZ acting governor – the institution that is supposed to have been paying Dr Musokotwane’s other salary, declined to comment, saying: “I need more time to make consultations before I can comment on that. Call me tomorrow please.”
[pullquote]“I don’t think a person in the position of the President Michael Sata can make a baseless allegation against the former minister,” Mr Lubinda said. [/pullquote]

President Sata on December 9 questioned why Dr Musokotwane had been drawing two salaries – one of them amounting to K55 million and a ministerial one just below K10 million – when his colleagues were on one salary. He said this when he swore in Commerce and Industry permanent secretary Stephen Mwansa.

“You Mr Mwansa are not going to be like Situmbeko Musokotwane who was getting two salaries – K55 million from the Bank of Zambia and a salary from the government,” President Sata said.

If Dr Musokotwane gets his benefits based on the BoZ wage, accounting analysts state that he could easily pocket up to K5 billion while fellow former Cabinet ministers that served with him could carry home just under K500 million each depending on how long they worked and in what capacity.

The Daily Mail, however, has been informed that a ‘thorough’ investigation has to be carried to establish whether the former Finance minister currently being investigated for being in possession of some more 1,200 bicycles was on one wage.

Depending on the outcome of investigations prompted by President Sata’s red flag, the accountants believe Dr Musokotwane’s final payout could be reduced to be in line with what other former ministers that worked on one salary may earn.

On Saturday, Dr Musokotwane featured on a special Radio Phoenix programme that cost about K2.3 million and denied everything.

Dr Situmbeko is one of the former ministers that have found themselves being investigated after President Sata declared a fight against corruption which he said he is ‘allergic to’, earning himself some enemies especially from the opposition.

Before the denial, he called a press conference, cast aside political decorum and used strong language against President Sata whom he accused of continuing to operate like an ‘opposition’ leader instead of a national President.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Levy Stadium Handover Pushed Back

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The Inside view of the New Ndola Stadium
The New Ndola Stadium renamed to Levy Mwanawasa stadium

THE hand-over of the US$65 million Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola by the Chinese to the Zambian Government was yesterday deferred to a later date.

And as it became apparent that there would be no hand-over ceremony, journalists from the public and private media were barred from interviewing Chinese vice-foreign minister, Zhai Jun.

Having earlier been assured of interviewing Zhai when he arrived at the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola, journalists were blocked from entering a stadium conference room after a tour of the $65 million structure.

Protocol officers from both the Zambian and Chinese governments said Zhai’s visit of the 40,280-capacity stadium was private and that he could therefore not be interviewed.

Zhai was accompanied by Copperbelt Minister, John Kufuna, Permanent Secretary Christopher Mutembo and other senior Government, political and civic leaders during the tour of the stadium.

As as if taking advantage, former construction workers besieged the site in an effort to seek audience with Government officials about their terminal benefits but were kept at bay by police officers.

Recently, Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister, Yamfwa Mukanga said Government would soon send a team of experts for a thorough inspection of the stadium before commissioning.
[Times of Zambia]

Kitwe Hospital Management Disappoints Police Probe Team

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Kitwe City Centre
POLICE on the Copperbelt say they are disappointed with Kitwe Central Hospital (KCH) management for refusing to cooperate in the on-going investigations into the missing theatre patient monitor machine at the health institution.

And preliminary investigations have indicated that more equipment and drugs have been stolen from the hospital.

Copperbelt deputy police chief, Milner Muyambango, said yesterday that KCH management had not been cooperating with the officers carrying out the investigations.

Mr Muyambango said there were many unanswered questions on the failure by the hospital management to report the matter to the police when they discovered that the machine, worth K40 million, was missing from the theatre.

The hospital management also failed to inform the Ministry of Health on the missing machine until the TIMES sent a query to ministry spokesperson, Kamoto Mbewe.

Mr Muyambango said the theatre machine went missing between October 9 and 10 this year but hospital management did not report the matter to the police.

He said preliminary investigations had revealed that the missing machine was part of the equipment the Government recently bought to improve health services in the country.

He said the probe had further revealed that some employees were stealing drugs from the pharmacy using fake documents.

“There is a lot of dishonesty at Kitwe Central Hospital but the police are on the ground and will ensure that the law takes its course,” he said.

Recently, Dr Mbewe said the Ministry of Health had constituted a team to audit equipment at KCH to determine what had gone missing, but the team had not travelled to Kitwe by Press time.
[Times of Zambia]

Don’t attack each other in public, VJ tells MMD

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Vernon Mwaanga
Vernon Mwaanga

VETERAN politician Vernon Mwaanga says only a strong, responsible, articulate and visionary person can bring the embattled former ruling MMD back to its glory.

Mr Mwaanga said those aspiring for the party’s top position should ensure they convince MMD members that they will re-organise and reposition the embattled party and restore it as a serious political player.

Mr Mwaanga said this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday as the race for the opposition party presidency peaked with politicians such as preacherman Nevers Mumba showing interest and others such as Situmbeko Musokotwane and Felix Mutati.

“They need to show party members what they are capable of energising, rejuvenating and repositioning the party to its past glory,” Mr Mwaanga said without mentioning any specific aspirant.

He said there is no need for the candidates to attack each other because it does not portray a good picture of the party.

Mr Mwaanga said the country needs a strong opposition that will ensure checks and balances on Government, the development he said is only possible when the MMD has a good leader.

He said a strong opposition is required to enhance democracy in the country and that the MMD can do this by remaining visionary regarding the country’s development.

“The country needs a strong and responsible opposition to enhance democracy. Therefore, the MMD needs a visionary leader,” he said.

Mr Mwaanga said the fact that people can aspire to lead the MMD shows that the party is still popular but that all it needs is to reposition itself.

He said attacking each other in the media will not benefit anyone because people will lose confidence in the ability of the aspiring leaders to re-organise the party.

“This is not a campaign for the whole country but for the MMD and, therefore, those aspiring to lead the party should hold civil campaigns,” Mr Mwaanga said.

The politician, who in the past has on record ruled himself out of contention of national leadership because he would ‘rather be a king-maker than the king himself’ again did not state whether he would want to run the party.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Zambia reviews mining license ban

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Mines Minister Wylbur Simuusa
Mines Minister Wylbur Simuusa (L)
Zambia is reviewing a government suspension on issuance of new mining licenses.

The ban was imposed in October by Mines Minister Wilbur Simuusa so that the government could look into allegations of corruption in the minerals extractions sector.

Simuusa this week said the ban was being reviewed.

The ban is on issuance of new mining licenses, renewals and transfers of licenses.

Minister Simuusa said the present licensing processes were inefficient and led to irregularities, litigation and The minister reiterated that the government was looking at ways of increasing the state’s stake in foreign mining companies, in addition to revamping the tax system to improve transparency and maximize benefits for the country.

The existing tax collection process is difficult to administer and its revision would lead to greater tax compliance by miners, he said.

The government has also suspended metal export permits ahead of the release of new guidelines.

President Micheal Sata, who ascended to power on September 20 this year, has often expressed his dissatisfaction with the manner in which the mining sector has been administered in recent years.

Mining companies are accused of under-receipting and transfer pricing while not investing enough to develop the communities surrounding the areas they operate in.

The government wants all export payments be routed through the central bank for greater accountability.

However, the Chamber of Mines has resisted these moves. Chamber of Mines GM Fred Bantubonse has also said he is not aware of any bans in place or any material changes to the operating environment.

He said they had not received any official communication from the government to that effect. Mining is the biggest economic sector in Zambia but contributes only about 10 percent of its tax revenue.

According to figures from Zambian state authorities, most of the country’s copper is bound for Switzerland but little of it shows up in Swiss customs data.
(Southern Times)

Government antagonizes Zambian Medical doctors

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Dear Editor,

I would be grateful if you provided me the opportunity to be heard on your forum. As you may perceive from the (PDF) document accompanying this message, I do not speak for myself, but for a group – a group of medical doctors who have sacrificed time away from family for the sake of furthering their careers and gaining skills to better the quality of service delivered to all Zambians; a group whose families back in Zambia have been taken to the edge of desperation by the thoughtless action of the (at the pertinent time) Permanent Secretary at Public Service Management Division (PSMD).

The community of Zambian medical doctors has collectively fought long and sometimes bitter battles to improve conditions of service purely in the interest of being better able to deliver their very best to the community.

The casualties of these battles are not the Zambian doctors scattered in Botswana, Namibia and in every part of the world, but the Zambian tax payer who paid for the at least 7 long years of training that other countries receive on a silver plate every time a Zambian trained doctor is employed away from Zambia. [pullquote]The simplified version of this is that we are so petty and too busy engaged in squabbles about how large the ego of a permanent secretary should be that we forget that the currency we are dealing with is human life not US dollars or Kwachas.[/pullquote]

One of the major hurdles we encountered along the way was (and still is) the government ceiling of no other civil servant being able to exceed the salary scale of (not so) permanent secretaries.

The medical doctors on-call allowance initially worked on number of hours clocked attending to patients whilst on call.

The pattern of work done from on-call records over many years demonstrated the need to have a uniform or flat rate according to the level of proficiency.

The cardinal point is that on-call allowance primarily serves to improve doctors conditions of service above the clearly ridiculous and outdated policy that makes permanent secretary conditions of service the salary scale limit.

The doctors in management positions at Ministry of Health Ndeke House or in management positions all over the country may not (and in many cases do not) attend to calls (as in actually attending to patients at odd hours), but are also recipients of this call allowance based on this very same principle. It is for this very reason that the removal of on-call allowance for doctors on study leave as directed in the accompanying letter is (without mincing words) criminal.

This directive will not make Zambian doctors studying abroad want to come back home, but has the boomerang effect of raising resentment for an action that ultimately penalises innocent families back home by denying them much needed income and makes us more determined to get our suffering families out of Zambia.

In summary, what is called medical doctors on-call allowance is effectively part of a medical doctors’ salary and it is malicious, illegal and fundamentally immoral to deny us this without prior warning and without negotiations with our representatives.

The PS PSMD at the time may not have been privy to this aspect or fundamental nature of so called on-call allowance and I am sure that if this was explained to him or her, the (mis)directive would never have been issued.

The other possibility is that they were fully aware of the nature of medical doctors on-call allowance and had either a fit of malice (knowing they wouldn’t be re-appointed) or a directive from an election campaign team to beef up the brown envelopes.

I am therefore appealing to you Mr Peter Lesa Kasanda, PS at PSMD to review this (mis)directive and institute the necessary investigations that reversed and negated decades of hard fought conditions of service battle ground in less time than it takes to say “bwafya”. If, Mr Kasanda, you determine that government is still within its rights to deny us part of our salary, I hope that this will be effected in all future contracts of medical doctors going on study leave so that they know well in advance what will take place and thus prepare themselves mentally and financially (and are able to make an informed decision about whether to go on study leave or not) instead of it coming as a sudden shock to their dependants and families.

Many Zambians have false pictures and illusions about what life on a student’s allowance abroad amounts too. It is even harder when that barely enough student allowance has to be stretched to care for family back home and the neighbours in your country of study are not neighbourly enough to go and ask for some salt or sugar.

I was privileged to be an intern at Ndola Central Hospital when our now national President Mr. Michael Sata came and addressed us as we staged a go-slow (which I am not so proud of). We (however) had our then miserable salary of a junior doctor raised from fifty thousand kwacha (K50,000) to two hundred and fifty thousand kwacha (K250,000). I therefore have every confidence that this error will be sorted out with the same speed it was effected.

It is my sincere hope that (in the medium rather than the long term) the mischievous policy that prevents highly skilled Zambian trained labour worth billions of US dollars on the global labour market (and whose value in terms of Zambian lives lost no one appears to care about) from rising above the monetary and material precincts of a glorified party cadre (permanent secretary) is scrapped away with the contempt it rightly deserves.

The simplified version of this is that we are so petty and too busy engaged in squabbles about how large the ego of a permanent secretary should be that we forget that the currency we are dealing with is human life not US dollars or Kwachas. One other alternative would be to eventually detach medical doctors from the civil service with conditions peculiar to their profession and have this detachment enshrined somewhere in the constitution – the constitution protects human life and rights thereof and medical doctors spend their entire career protecting this life. It therefore seems fairly logical that we of all professions should have more than a mere foot in the constitutional door (as always some smarty pants will read this as my ego).

I must acknowledge the efforts of my colleagues in medical leadership who over the years have committed many hours outside their normal hours to negotiate our collective conditions of service. I have no doubts also that as the First Lady, Dr. Kaseba, is numbered amongst us, the dim light at the end of the tunnel that our most needy patients see will steadily grow brighter.

Yours in national service,
Seriously pissed off Medical doctor on study leave.

Change with Economic Continuity

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Some projects started by the MMD government that the PF government may have to continue for the benefit of Zambia

By Chibamba Kanyama

The success of the economic policies of the Michael Sata-led government will depend on the speedy and open adoption of the programmes initiated by the previous regime.

It has been a common practice in Zambia that whenever there is a regime change, leaders embark on wholesome and sudden reversal of economic priorities instead of adopting a much more effective strategy of ‘change with continuity’.

While it holds true that some of the economic programmes may have been corruptly executed, reversing them in totality would be like throwing away the baby with bath water. It should be clearly understood that Zambia will never experience significant economic gains if every government that comes into power starts to build the economy from the foundation by failing to incorporate programmes that may have yielded positive gains.

It is against this backdrop that I support the offer by former Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane that he be consulted on the utilisation of funds that will be realised from the issue of the international bond.

The proposal to issue the US $500 million bond was initiated by the MMD government. The fact that Finance Minister Alexander Chikanda has included this money in the 2012 budget is sufficient testimony that the success of the current government will depend on collaboration and organic transition of economic policies and priorities of the defunct MMD government.It was against this very backdrop that Mr Chikwanda told parliament during the budget announcement that his government still faced the obligation to finish some projects contracted by the MMD government .

However, it is not enough to just fulfill contractual obligations but to carry on with these projects because some of them were well crafted and already have a positive impact on the Zambian economy.

This can be done without compromising the need to investigate and prosecute corrupt activities of the previous regime during the project implementation processes.

ZONE FAM WIN BIG AT BORN N BRED AWARDS

Entertainment Editor
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Zone Fam are ending their phenomenal year on a high note . They were big winners at this years Born n Bred awards , Winning 3 awards in the categories of  Best Upcoming, Best Collaboration and Best Video of the Year .  

Earlier this year they performed at the Big Brother show , they were nominated for a Channel O award , released their album ‘The Business: foreign exchange ‘ and have been receiving heavy radio play on local radio stations.

Other winners at the Born n Bred awards were :

  •   Mutinta for Best Female
  • Mr Veezy for Best Hip Hop
  • Mc Wabwino for Best Dancehall
  • JK for Best Rnb
  • Macky 2 for Best Zed Song
  •  Kayombo for Best Foreign Rhythm

BY KAPA187

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Police Officer accused of killing a resident admitted to UTH

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The Police Officer accused of killing a resident in Lusaka’s CK Marble area over land is reported to be admitted at the University Teaching Hospital-UTH

This follows injuries the officer sustained from residents who assaulted him after the alleged shooting incident.

The police officer was stoned and almost set ablaze by angry residents before he was rescued.

He is admitted at UTH under police guard.

But Zambia Police service spokesperson, Elizaberth Kanjela declined to confirm saying police are still investigating the incident.

The officer is accused of killing a resident when he went to the area to quell attempts by residents to allocate a piece of land belonging to CK Marble Managing Director, Elijah Kasonso.

The shooting incident lead to riots in the area in which Mr. Kasonso’s house and three vehicles were set ablaze.

MUVITV

E.U bank lifts sanctions on Zambia

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The European Investment Bank has lifted restrictions on its activities in Zambia.

This is in-recognition of the strong stance against corruption taken by the PF Government under the leadership of President Michael Sata.

Meanwhile, government and the European Investment Bank have signed an 80 million Euro’s financing contract for the rehabilitation of the Great East Road.

European Investment Bank President, Philippe Maystadt says a third public sector operation, involving a 64 million united states loan for the Itezyi-tezyi power project, is under preparation for submission to the banks governing board, within this month.

According to the letter to Zambia’s Finance Minister, Mr. Maystadt says the bank will soon submit a proposal for a 30 million United states dollars loan for the Kafue -Livingstone power transmission line.

He says this is also in recognition to the substantial efforts made by government to strengthen public service governance.

The estimated cost of the Kafue -Livingstone power transmission line currently stands at 103 million United States dollars.

The project aims at addressing power supply challenges in Livingstone and to facilitate transmission of thermal power from Maamba into the National grid.

And Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda says government is hopeful that other prospective co-financiers of the project namely, the World bank and the African Development Bank , will move expeditiously to ensure that the Kafue -Livingstone power transmission line project progressed smoothly.

Mr. Chikwanda has told Representatives of the Bank in Lusaka, that the Zambian government is irrevocably committed to the principles of good governance and strict fiscal compliance in the utilization of both local and external mobilized resources.

This is according to a statement released to ZNBC News by Ministry of Finance and National Planning Public Relations Officer Chileshe Kandeta.

[ZNBC]

Fertilizer distribution resumes countrywide

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Minister of Agriculture Emmanuel Chenda says the distribution of fertiliser for the 2010-2011 farming season, which was temporarily suspended has resumed countrywide.

Mr. Chenda says the distribution of fertiliser and seed resumed on Thursday last week after government had paid a substantial amount to suppliers.

The Minister told ZNBC news in an interview in Lusaka on Sunday that government is yet to pay the remaining forty- four million United States dollars.

He has asked depot supervisors countrywide to extend operating hours to weekends to catch up with the lost time.

Mr. Chenda has also clarified that farmers will still get four bags and ten Kilogramme of seed each and that those who are getting more or less than that are doing it dubiously.

Suppliers had suspended the distribution of farming inputs under the government farmer input support programme for the 2010-2011 farming season for two weeks.

The Patriotic Front government, which has only been in office for about two months, has had to hold meetings with suppliers and financial institutions the whole of last week to ensure that the distribution resumed.

ZNBC

KCM plans to restock Hippos

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Konkola Copper Mines says plans to restore a Habitat for Hippos on Kafue River to support tourism.

Director of Finance Vinod Bhandwat says the mining company has submitted a proposal to the Zambia Environmental Management Authority seeking approval to restore the Hippo pool on the Kafue river, between Chingola and Chililabombwe.

Mr Bhandwat says the natural habitat has in the last few years been affected by natural and human activities.

He says once an embankment, which previously attracted hippos is repaired, environmental experts expect hippos to once again troop to the area.

Mr Bhandwat said this in a statement released to ZNBC News in LUSAKA.

He says KCM will continue to provide necessary support to the tourism sector and that the mining company will continue to play a role in the development of the tourism sector in Zambia.

Mr Bhandwat says Zambia is a beautiful country endowed with immense natural resources, including the famed Victoria Falls, South Luangwa and Kafue National Parks, which are habitats to rare species birds and animals that must be promoted.

ZNBC

Levy stadium commissioning soon

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The Inside view of the New Ndola Stadium
The New Ndola Stadium renamed to Levy Mwanawasa stadium

Government has reassured that the handing over to the state and officially opening of the Levy Mwanawasa stadium in Ndola will be done as soon as a date is set.

The Chinese contractor which built the marvelous multi billion Kwacha stadium is expected to officially hand the facility over to the state.

Copperbelt Province Minister John Kufuna told ZANIS in an interview in Ndola on Sunday that it is not correct to insinuate that the hand over of the stadium to the state by the Chinese contractor has failed.

Kufuna explained that government was ensuring that everything necessary should be put in place before the handover is done.

He says government has rescheduled the hand over of the stadium from today to a date to be announced later when until the state is ready.

Kufuna, who was flanked by Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Christopher Mutembo, reaffirmed government’s commitment to paying terminal benefits to Zambian workers that were employed to construct the stadium.

He says government has already calculated workers’ dues but was only waiting for the release of the money.

He says workers should be patient as government has not given a deaf ear to their plight.

And speaking earlier when he met Chinese Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Zhi Jun at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola, Kufuna appealed to the Chinese government to support Zambia’s agriculture sector.

Kufuna said China has been an all weather friend in supporting Zambia’s development process.

And Zhi says Zambia’s economic policies have encouraged a number of Chinese companies to set up businesses in the country.

He says as result for this, Zambia had continued to develop.

Zhi says his government will always encourage Chinese investors to respect the laws and cultures of the country.

The Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister was accompanied by Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao.

Zhi later inspected the Levy Mwanawasa stadium and held private talks with the contractors and Zambian government officials.

ZANIS

Sata invites Russian Investors

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Patriotic Front Leader Michael Sata
President Michael Sata

President Michael Sata has invited Russian government to send a business delegation to Zambia to explore various areas of investment.

This was during a meeting at State House on Friday, December 9, 2011 when he met Mr Mikhail Margelov, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Cooperation with African Countries.

Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, George Chellah disclosed this in a media statement.

Mr Margelov was in Zambia on a mission to promote of trade and cooperation between Russia and Zambia.

During the meeting, President Sata recognized the important role Russia played in the freedom struggle for African nationalism.

The President attributed the apparent quiet period in relations between Russia and African countries in the post Soviet-era to Russia’s need to attend to its own social challenges.

The Head of State noted that at independence, Zambia had less than 100 university graduates but this number increased soon after, through the many scholarships offered by the USSR.

President Sata identified agriculture, mining (copper and coal), civil engineering, oil exploration and tourism as critical areas where the two countries could cooperate.

He informed the Russian delegation that there were no facilities for producing gas in Zambia yet the country was rich in mineral reserves. The President said Zambia has underutilized its hydroelectricity generation potential.

The President invited Russia to send a business delegation to Zambia to explore various areas of investment.

In response, the Russian President’s Special Envoy said that Russia wanted to pursue pragmatic rather than ideological relations with African countries.

He introduced the CEO of Russia’s largest Gas Company (GAZPROM) which was interested in exploring areas for cooperation with Zambia.

Keagan Mumba Salutes Reynold and Kangwa

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Keagan Mumba has saluted his two Under-20 strikers for riding the pressure in the Cosafa Youth Championship final.

Zambia rallied to beat Angola 2-1 in the final played in Gaborone on Saturday to lift the trophy for a third successive year.

Nkana strikers Evans Kangwa and Reynold Kampamba each scored second half goals to hand Zambia the victory.

“The attack was composed even under extreme pressure,” Mumba sad.

Mumba singled out Kampamba’s cheeky long range lob over the Angolan goal that killed off the contest.

“It paid -off and we got the killer goal from Reynold, It was a gem,” he said.

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