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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.
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.
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.
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.
Power Dynamos and Red Arrows will face DR Congo opposition should they successful negotiate their preliminary round continental ties.
Power kickoff their Caf Champions League campaign against Japan Actual of Madagascar and will be away to the Indian Ocean islanders during the first leg during the weekend of February 17-19.
The return leg will be played at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe on March 3.
Winner will face TP Mazembe of DR Congo whom they will host in the first leg during the weekend of March 24.
Meanwhile, Caf Confederation Cup representatives Red Arrows will host Royal Leopards of Swaziland in the first leg n February.
Winner of this preliminary round fixture will advance to face US Tshinkunku of DR Congo.
Cup finals are won by special and individual brilliance, and that’s the summation of the Under-20’s victory in Gaborone after the Keagan Mumba coached side came from a goal down to beat the stubborn Angolan youngsters in what was a nerve wrecking final.
The match looked as though it would be headed for the lottery of a penalty shoot-out with the teams locked at 1-1, but Young Chipolopolo found a winner in injury-time to seal their third win in a row in this competition.
Angola deservedly took the lead on 32 minutes when Paciencia Cristovao headed a looping effort into the net as Zambia battled to get out of first gear in the game.
Ronald Kampamba then shot wide minutes into the second half as Zambia came out of the blocks quicker in the second period, and they were level on 66 minutes when Evans Kangwa netted his seventh goal of the 2011 Metropolitan COSAFA Under-20 Youth Championships.
After finding space on the right, he blasted the ball into the roof of the net from the angle.
Adriano forced a fine save from Zambian goalkeeper Moses Mapulanga late on as he showed good feet to get his shot away from the edge of the area, but minutes later it was the Zambians who scored.
Kampamba showed calmness under pressure to provide a perfect lob over Angolan keeper Francisco Lirio in the 91st minute and hand the trophy back to the jubilant Young Chipolopolo.
Kangwa was also named player of the year and now join the national team camp on Tuesday with Sate Sate and Bruce Musakanya.
Zambia will keep the trophy after winning it three times in a row.
Meanwhile, hosts Botswana collected the bronze medal when they beat Malawi 1-0 in a hard-fought clash that ended with the Young Flames reduced to 10 men.
Botswana have shown themselves to have resilience in defense in this tournament – the only two goals they have conceded in four games in the competition came in the semifinal defeat to Zambia.
They were solid at the back against Malawi again, bar some early nervous moments, and managed to nick an all-important goal themselves on 38 minutes.
Ogomoditswe Baoleni smashed the ball home after an attack that originated from the right. Malawian goalkeeper Carlington Msomali punched a cross straight into the path of the striker and he made no mistake with his finish.
Dalisto Sailesi really should have brought Malawi level in the second period, but missed an excellent chance after being set up by the lively Tony Chitsulo.
Malawi’s Kondwani Lufeyo received his marching orders four minutes into injury-time after a bad tackle on Tshwanelo Mojanaga, and the Young Flames are unable to force an equaliser to send the game to a shoot-out.
The Former Ruling Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has been warned over its hidden intentions to come up with an interim president for the MMD.
Some members of the MMD have accused the NEC of wanting to come up with an interim president.
They have also warned the NEC that the former ruling party will only regain its lost glory if the party president is elected through the convention.
Former MMD Kanchibya Member of Parliament Sunday Chanda says the ruling party has funds to host the national convention.
He says the party will also need to amend the constitution to bring back the position of vice presidency.
Mr. Chanda reveals that some MMD members have been holding secret meetings to usher in an interim president.
He appealed to Former President Rupiah Banda to let the party come up with a convention.
And Youth Evangelical Fellowship President Reverend Moses Lungu warned that some members who have been in the forefront to have the former ruling party have an interim leader should not be allowed to take part in the interest of the party.
He said that the MMD has chance to redeem itself from the loss.
Reverend Lungu also appealed to President Banda to step aside from the party activities.
And The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has urged the opposition movement for multi-party democracy (MMD) to be focused as it chooses its party president.
FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi says the MMD should ensure that it picks a leader that will be accepted by the people and all party members.
Mr. Chipenzi says this will help the party in competing favorably with leaders from other political parties in elections.
In an interview with QFM, Mr. Chipenzi has since appealed to the MMD to carry out the selection process in a transparent and fair way to avoid confusion.
Five candidates successfully filled in their applications for the position of party president, among them, former envoy to Canada, Dr. Nevers Mumba, former finance and national planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane and former commerce, trade and industry minister Felix Mutati.
The other one is Chisamba Member of Parliament, Moses Muteteka
The technical committee on the drafting of the new constitution has announced that the draft constitution will be ready June 2012.
Committee spokesperson Simon Kabanda revealed in Lusaka yesterday morning that the technical committee commenced its sittings on the 1st of December, 2011.
He said that so far, the committee has prepared the rules of procedure of the meetings and consultations and the programme of work, which have since been adopted for use.
Mr. Kabanda stated that in light of the various efforts in the past aimed at reviewing and reforming the Zambian constitution, the main task of the committee is to review Zambia’s previous draft constitutions and come up with a draft national constitution based on the technical committee findings from the previous processes.
He said that the committee has been tasked to review the mung’omba draft constitution of 2005 and use it as the basis on which to develop the national constitution.
He further said that the technical committee has begun the process of developing working documents, taking into account the reports and draft constitutions of the previous review commissions.
And the technical committee on the drafting of the new constitution has dismissed reports that it is getting hefty allowances during its sittings.
Committee spokesperson Simon Kabanda said that the allegations are not true as being alleged by some reports.
Mr. Kabanda said that contrary to the assertions, the committee has not yet gotten any funds from government since they started sitting.
He says that government is still handling the matter, and that the committee will ensure that accountability is applied.
He said that the committee has pledged to ensure that it makes public how the funds are being applied.
Mr. Kabanda has further called on Zambians to support the committee in coming up with a people driven constitution.
Tulile was born in Zambia 20 years ago, and is currently based in Malaysia . She is in university majoring in Analytical economics.
KAPA187:What influenced you to express yourself using poetry as opposed to other art forms?
Tulile : Believe it or not I started off by writing rap lyrics in high school, inspired by my sister who at that time had quite a fascination by that music genre, had asked me to pick up a pen and try it, as it was a hobby she regularly did. Before I knew it I started to get a knack for writing rhymes and entered one competition for my high school. But despite all that felt lacking in the sense that I realized rap was all about competition and lacked the depth I wanted to convey about myself what I felt about the world around me, so slowly rap turned into poetry.
KAPA187:What types of poems do you find yourself writing most? Do you have a recurring type?
Tulile: Mostly Lyrical poems but I try not to make them too personal and at the same time not detach myself too much from the poem itself .Example if I right about something I haven’t been through myself Id imagine what I would do if say I was in that situation.
No I don’t have a recurring type, Ideas just come to me and I write. I never associate any new material with what ive written in the past because writing its self is also a skill that I’m trying to master, so I ‘move forward’ so to speak.
KAPA187:What do you think is the biggest misconception about poets?
Tulile: To be honest I really have no clue. I’ve never seen life from that point of view and I haven’t come across anyone who’s had any misguided ideas about poetry ‘yet’. But I will tell you this, the day I do hear any I’ll be more than happy because poets are artists that are not recognized by most back home (Zambia)… “Bad press is better than no press”
KAPA187:How was it like when you performed your poetry for the first time?
Tulile: Definitely shook up, had butterflies in my tummy and made it pretty obvious I was nervous wreck. But as soon as I began reciting it all seemed to go away and became an amazing experience for me.
KAPA187:What is ‘Poets Passport’ all about?
Tulile: In Cyberjaya, the city I live in, Poets Passport began as a small group of students that shared a passion for poetry and would meet in different homes to recite and share their pieces. Over time word spread and the attendance at our poetry sessions grew to 50 or sometime 70 people. Moving from houses to more accommodating scenes at restaurants, the poetry sessions continued to go on strong and now, three years later, Poets Passport has become one of the most recognized poetry scenes this side of Malaysia, producing poets that have won numerous slam poetry awards including the Asia-Pacific slam poetry championship. And although I have only been with Poets Passport a mere few months I’ve found myself surrounded by truly inspiring poets. I feel it’s truly an honor for me to be a part of this movement.
KAPA187:Are you poems drawn from personal experiences or from other sources?
Tulile: I write both personal poems which I tend to keep to myself and performance poetry which relates to common experiences we all go through as a better way to connect with the audience.
I find it important not to mix the two because a friend once taught me that if you are too attached to what you create you’ll never leave room for improvement.
KAPA187:They say that to see the world with complete honesty one should look to comedians, artists and poets, what do you think emerges naturally from your work?
Tulile: Nothing hits home like the truth. When you look at a form of art and your able to see yourself in it? That! Is the mission of all artists’ comedians and poets. When you speak truth you evoke emotion whether it’s pleasant or painful.
Point is that when you leave that stage no will forget that YOU did that.
KAPA187:Is there a poem that you have written that you will never forget, if so tell us why.
Tulile: I will never forget all my poems…literally. I’ve memorized them so much its practically impossible for me now. All are different in their own way so none really stand out to me as special.
KAPA187:Do you have any hidden talents?
Tulile: Hidden??…Not any more. For those who didn’t know I guess the cats out of the bag, I love to sing.
KAPA187:If you were told you only had 6 months left to live , what would you do?
Tulile: Stop School…haha jokes… (Not really). I would keep appreciating life the way I do. Make decisions like I’l live forever. And keep loved ones close to me through it all.
KAPA187:In 10 years i will be….
Tulile: Happy with the career path I’ve chosen
HER WORK
Some powerful poetry
” I personally haven’t heard of any poetry slams being held back home but i know there’s a need, and a lot of people who would like to express themselves in the same way that i have, but have not had the chance to because of a lack in exposure to such kind of events.so thats why i want to do this, to inspire, and that hopefully someone who reads it will be moved to do something about it. ” – Tulile Siyumbwa
“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.”
(2 Chronicles 32:8, NKJ)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
In scripture, the enemy was coming against Hezekiah, causing him all kinds of trouble, trying to keep him from his destiny. But Hezekiah didn’t get all upset. He just kept abiding, being faithful and putting God first. In Second Kings 19, God said, “Hezekiah, I myself will come against this enemy. He will receive word that he is needed at home, and I will cause him to want to return and he will be defeated.”
Notice that when you abide in Him, the Creator of the universe says, “I myself will come against your enemies. I myself will come against that sickness. I myself will come against those who oppose you.” It says God is the one who caused Hezekiah’s enemy to turn around. That means God can cause that unfair boss to take an early retirement. God can cause that neighbor that’s giving you so much trouble to decide to pack up and move. God can cause that classmate to be transferred to another school.
Today, no matter what’s coming against you, keep pressing into God. Put His Word first place in your life. Honor Him in all that you do. Let Him fight your battles and bring you into the land of victory He has prepared for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, I bless You and praise You today because You are good! Thank You for Your good and precious promises. I submit my ways to You; I surrender my will to You knowing that You are working in my life. Thank You for fighting my battles as I keep myself in covenant with You in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Relatives of a 27 year old man who was shot dead in Lusaka west land riots yesterday have demanded for a report on the events leading to their relative’s death.
Father to the deceased Henry Mulenga Sindala says he deserves to know who sent the named police officer who fired the gun that killed his son Richard.
And brothers to the deceased Emmanuel Sindala and Mulenga Sindala have charged that they will not burry their late brother until a comprehensive report is availed to the family.
The relatives have since displayed more than ten used bullets and one unused bullet allegedly picked from the scene of crime.
Meanwhile a man who has declined to be named for security reasons has narrated that a named police officer who allegedly killed Richard confessed that he was send by CK marble limited managing Elijah Kasonso to disperse a crowd that was clearing a land earmarked for the construction of the market.
According to the eye witness the named officer from Lilayi police after finding the crowd clearing the land in question, started firing live bullets, thereby killing Richard who was a passerby.
The witness further says that the group became angry and proceeded to Mr. Kasonso’s house, burning the building and some vehicles.
He has further disclosed that Mr Kasonso has been in conflict with the group in question over a piece of land he claims to be the legitimate owner.
The Zambia Police Service has instituted a committee to probe the causes of fire that gutted the Comesa headquarters in Lusaka recently.
Inspector General of Police Martin Malama has told Muvi TV News in an interview that the committee has so far not yet arrived at possible reasons that could have ignited the fire.
Dr. Malama said the committee will nonetheless issue a report soon after investigations are completed.
Operations at the COMESA Secretariat have come to a halt due to the fire that destroyed property on the top floor of the Comesa building.
Yesterday, property worth billions of Kwacha was damaged following an inferno that swept through the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) secretariat in the late hours of Thursday.
A spot check at the secretariat around 13:00 hours yesterday revealed that Young and Rubicum at the American Centre and the COMESA administration wing and their contents were extensively damaged, reducing some of them to rubble while smoke was seen smoldering in some areas besides heat being felt.
Some workers in a somber mood were seen seated outside the gutted infrastructure which the late second Republican president Frederick Chiluba inaugurated on December 8, 1998.
According to Inspector General of Police Martin Malama who rushed to the scene and witnessed the Lusaka City Council (LCC) fire brigade struggle to put out the fire, preliminary investigations indicated that the fire might have started from the American Centre around 23:00 hours and that the cause was not yet known.
The LCC fire brigade failed to contain the fire and only managed to do so after seeking reinforcement from the Zambia Air Force (ZAF).
COMESA secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya who had also rushed to the scene around 23:00 hours said in an interview yesterday as he walked through the rubble that the inferno damaged property worth more than US $2.5 million at the secretariat and equally extensively damaged property at Young and Rubicum among others. The infrastructure is estimated at US $22 million.
The visibly shaken Mr Ngwenya, who described the incident as a great tragedy and loss to the COMESA member states, said the cause of the fire was not yet known but that the building and its contents were insured.
“It’s a very big tragedy to COMESA member countries which will result in unbudgeted expenditure,” he said.
Mr Ngwenya said among the burnt items were personal documents, computers and COMESA documentation.
LCC public relations officer Henry Kapata attributed the council’s failure to quickly quench the fire despite being at the scene on time to the COMESA secretariat fire hydrants not having water, thus prompting the officers to fetch water from “elsewhere”.
“Can you imagine that even the filling station on the other side also did not have water? That could have been a very big disaster in the Central Business District had the fire crossed over to the filling station,” he lamented.
Mr Kapata said that currently the LCC only has one fire engine to cater for the entire city, adding that LCC sought reinforcement from ZAF, which he said had a much larger fire engine stationed at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
He urged shop owners, among others, to ensure that they had fire hydrants filled with water at all times to avoid such accidents.
Residents in Lusaka’s Hellen Kaunda, Kalingalinga and Kabwata Townships have repeated calls for improved drainage systems following the recent rehabilitation of their roads in the areas.
The road improvements in the locations are believed to have brought misery due to flooding caused by lack of proper drainages.
The residents are calling on their parliamentarians to utilize the Constituency Development Funds-CDF to urgently resolve the challenge of flooding they have been subjected to.
They have bitterly complained that the continued flooding has further led to the damaging of property in their houses.
And a check by Muvi TV News in parts of Lusaka’s Kabwata township found that residents have merely created improvised drainages to divert the rain water while contracted works on the drains have stalled.
Labour, Sports, Youth and Gender Minister Fackson Shamenda
Sports minister Fackson Shamenda has directed the National Sports Council to call a tripartite meeting with the Football Association of Zambia.
With the Africa Cup just over the horizon, Shamenda is seeking to defuse a potential standoff with Faz after a difference of opinion between his ministry and Faz over the firing of Dario Bonetti and rehiring of Herve Renard.
Faz president Kalusha Bwalya said firing and hiring process was carried out with due process and that Shamenda is being misled by people around him at the ministry with other agendas.
“I have asked National Sports Council Zambia to sit down with Faz and my ministry,” Shamenda said.
“We are not going to be answering each other no one can mislead me, no one can misinform me.
“These problems have been going on for a long time. Does it mean other administrators were misled?
“That is why I have called NSCZ to call for a meeting to resolve this.
“We are avoiding a situation where ministers start interfering that is why some people think the NSCZ is weak that is why people were busy running to state House.
“We want the laid down procedure to be followed. It is nothing personal.”
