Five herds of cattle have died after grazing on fields that were sprayed with cypermethrin, a chemical used to kill army worms that have invaded farms in Kapiri Mposhi district.
Kapiri Mposhi District Livestock Officer, Patrick Kawambwa, who confirmed the incident to ZANIS, said the animals belonging to a farmer in Kabwale area in Chief Mukonchi’s area died on the spot yesterday after eating the toxic grass which was sprayed with cypermethrin.
Mr Kawambwa said the chemical was sprayed on the pastures near a maize field to prevent army worms from going into the farm.
The Livestock Officer advised farmers in the district to follow instructions on spraying the chemical as it was lethal to the lives of grazing animals and humans.
And Mr Kawambwa has cautioned people in the district not consume the meat from animals that have died from consuming cypermetrin or any other chemical being used to exterminate army worms.
He said human beings alike can be severely affected after consuming animals that have died from the chemical.
Mr Kawambwa warned butchery-owners in the district to be on the look-out and not to buy and stock carcasses of animals that have died from consuming cypermetrin.
He said his office will soon conduct inspections of slaughter permits of animals in butcheries.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and World Vision- Zambia are distributing cypermethrin and lambda – wipe to farmers in the area to spray against the pests that have invaded many farms and eating newly planted and budding crops.
Over 4000 small scale farmers in Kapiri Mposhi district have had their fields invaded by army worms.
Zambia Information and Technology Authority has maintained that mobile phone users have no option but to register their simcards.
Acting manager for consumer protection Edgar Mulauzi says registration of simcards is law.
Mr. Mulauzi was speaking at a media briefing at Southern Sun Hotel in Lusaka.
He has noted that the sim registration is not unique to Zambia alone because 52 countries in Africa have done so.
Mr. Mulauzi has further said the idea to register simcards is aimed at enhancing relationships between users of mobile phones and their provider and also help enhance national security.
The simcards that have been registered would be easily traced in case of theft of mobile phones.
Mr. Mulauzi has noted that those simcards that will not be registered at the deadline to be announced will cease to be functional.
There is no guarantee that once dismissed that the simcard will be allocated the same number.
He has called on mobile phone subscribers to ensure that they register their simcards as one way of supporting government programmes that are being implemented.
Government has suspended the export of maize to all the markets in the region.
Agriculture Minister Emmanuel Chenda says this has been done in order to secure the available stocks in case of a reduction in crop yield in the next harvest.
The minister told ZNBC news that the country may experience a drop in maize production due to the invasion of army worms that have devastated maize fields.
Mr Chenda says all maize export permits which have been suspended will be reviewed next year after a crop market survey is conducted.
He says the revison will help assess whether the country will have produced enough maize for domestic consumption and export.
Opposition political parties have opted to re-submit a fresh joint notification to the police for their impending public rally in Lusaka’s Mtendere Township.
UPND Deputy Spokesperson Edwin Lifwekelo has told ZNBC News in Lusaka on Thursday that the opposition will soon notify the police again after the earlier notification was turned down.
But Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa says her office has not yet received a fresh notification from opposition.
Ms. Kasosa says the opposition were yesterday advised to furnish the police with more information about their intended public rally as required by the law.
Ms. Kasosa was speaking in a telephone interview with ZNBC News in Lusaka on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani disclosed that the opposition political parties’ joint notification for a planned rally was not valid.
Ms Libongani had said this was because the notification did NOT specify the time for the rally and names of the Marshals as required under the Public Order Act.
She has advised the concerned political players to re-do their notification and submit it to the office if the LUSAKA Province Commissioner of Police.
Five political party leaders from the MMD, UPND, United Liberal Party, Alliance for Democracy and Development and the ZAMBIA Direct Democracy Movement intend to hold a joint public.
Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili pauses for a photo in front of the 90 days legacy swimming pool
All Zambian medal winners from the just-ended 2012 Zone Six Youth Games in Lusaka have received a message of goodwill this Christmas in form of incentives from the Ministry of Sports.
Sports minister Chishimba Kambwili said all Gold medal winners will get K15million each.
Silver medal winners will receive K10 million each while those that won Bronze medals will be rewarded with K7.5 million.
Zambia won 12 Gold, nine Silver and eight Bronze medals to finish third on the medals table as hosts of the Zone Six Youth Games that run from December 4-17.
South Africa and Namibia finished first and second with total of 132 and 65 medals respectively.
Kabimba with PF cadres at the Anti-Corruption Commision Offices
By M. Makalu
As if the shortages of mealie meal and fuel, the misuse of the Public Order Act to suppress people’s political rights, the failures to implement election promises, etc were not enough doom and gloom in the nation, one Wynter Kabimba has embarked on a crusade to blanket our democracy under a heavy winter.
To begin with, no sooner had he become Minister of Justice than he banned NGOs from conducting constitution sensitization meetings unless under the supervision of the technical committee. And this is a committee of just about 18 people. How do you expect them to supervise massive constitution sensitisation programmes by various NGOs which must endevour to reach millions of people? How people-driven can such a constitution be?
He was asked, correctly and morally so, by some sections of society to relinquish either the ministerial post or the party post. In his defence, he cited a mediocre precedent set during the days of ‘political engineering’ under Chiluba, when we were dribbled into having Sata as both MMD Secretary General and Cabinet Minister. Should we be dribbled now just because we were dribbled then?
[pullquote]he defended this immorality by saying by-elections are budgeted for… we can have as many as possible, the budget will cater for them[/pullquote].
Then allegations of corruption were leveled against him. He quickly wrote a letter to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), giving them a 7-day ultimatum to investigate him and announce their findings. He argued that as a citizen, he had the right not to have his name tarnished by baseless accusations. But this argument was fake. His real motives were to intimidate the ACC into not investigating him. This he proved when he went with an entourage of PF cadres to the ACC and refused to be interrogated except in the presence of his cadres. How does a Minister of Justice turn an institution intended to advance justice into a theatre for political fame?! Is he really a Minister of Justice or he is a Minister of Jokes? Not only that, how do you, as an executive, who claim to be allergic to corruption, intimidate the very institution that treats corruption allergies from checking you to ensure you are indeed free from the allergy?
Actions speak louder than words: Our leaders are allergic to fighting corruption.
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) was recently conducting constitution awareness activities in Kasama. Mr. Wynter Kabimba wrote them a letter, copied to the IG of Police, threatening them with arrest.
Clearly, spreading winter – ukwingisha abantu impepo – is the modus operendi for this Minister.
Fully aware that Given Lubinda was out on government business, Mr. Wynter hoped against hope that his 7-day winter (intimidation) notice to Given to exculpate himself of baseless accusations would pass without him doing so. He hoped he would then use this as an excuse to freeze Given out of PF, but Given knows better and he is smarter. He beat the winter, wrote the exculpatory letter and emailed it.
GBM must be laughing with pity as he watches Wynter’s one-man-against-the-party-and-country crusade, as Wynter mobilized PF cadres to demand that Given be expelled from the party, just to intimidate him (Given) further. Wynter should be eternally grateful to Kambwili for the courage and leadership he (Kambwili) has provided against pathetic foolishness (PF) in their party.
To crown it all, Wynter was quoted in the media telling blatant lies that the people of Zambia want one-party state. When he was challenged on radio that the PF were creating unnecessary by-elections with their ‘poaching tactics,’ he defended this immorality by saying by-elections are budgeted for… we can have as many as possible, the budget will cater for them.
Such comedy from a Minister is unacceptable. We want a Minister of Justice not a Minister of Jokes. Mr. Wynter Kabimba must not throw our democracy back into winter. The dark ages of UNIP and the corrupt ages of MMD were freezing enough!
No to Wynter! No to winter! Is there a Man of Action somewhere??!
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has described the year 2012 as progressive in terms of corruption prevention.ACC Director General Rosewin Wandi said the commission performed well in ensuring that corruption prevention methods were enhanced as a way of reducing the scourge.
Ms. Wandi told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that prevention was vital in achieving zero tolerance on corruption.She said the commission did not only concentrate on carrying out investigations but also made sure that prevention information was disseminated countrywide.
She has since appealed to the media and other institutions to help the ACC in providing information on the dangers of engaging in corrupt activities.
Ms. Wandi disclosed that the anti corruption integrity committees have played an important role in sensitizing people on corruption within institutions.She explained that to this effect, the levels of unprofessional conduct in institutions have greatly reduced.
She further said ACC has also developed a monitoring and evaluation system which will be used to monitor the performance of integrity committees in various institutions.Integrity committees are internal institutional committees established in accordance to a government programme which is contained in the National Anti-corruption Policy where ACC draws its prevention mandate.
The committees are charged with the mandate of spearheading the prevention of corruption within their sphere of control and hence the institutionalization of corruption prevention.
Government has terminated a K13 billion contract awarded to Healers Construction company to work on Magrade Road in Solwezi.
North Western Province acting Permanent Secretary, Douglas Ngimbu said that the government has terminated the contract because the contractor has breached the terms of the contract.
Mr Ngimbu said the contractor has lamentably failed to meet the terms by failing to complete the works within schedule while the workmanship on the road is poor.
He said government will look for another contractor to continue with the works.
Meanwhile, Mr Ngimbu has assured the people of North Western Province that no money allocated to the province will be taken back to the treasury because everything is being done to ensure all contractors are paid on time.
There has been growing fear among stakeholders that North Western Province may have to take back about K27 billion to the national treasury due to failure by concerned departments to utilize the funds.
The Rural Roads Unit (RRU) is one of the spending agencies that had been noted to have unutilized funds to the tune of K10 billion, while the provincial administration had K2 billion lying idle.
Mr Ngimbu said that the actual balance of the funds was K13 billion and not K27 billion as earlier suggested.
He said even the K13 billion has already been committed for payments to suppliers and contractors whose certificates of completion for various contractual jobs are being cleared.
He said the permanent secretary’s office is on top of things to ensure that all fund that the province received this year go into addressing the major developmental challenges the province is facing, hence no single ngwee will be returned to the national treasury.
Home affairs minister Edgar Lungu says none of the opposition members condemning the Public order Act has approached the government to see how best the piece of legislation can be applied.
Mr. Lungu has said government has called on all the people with concerns to seek an audience with it but that none of them has shown interest.
Mr. Lungu has further indicated that the Public order Act is not a law but that what matters is how it is applied.
The minister has noted that the PF government will not compromise the national peace and stability by quashing laws that are meant to protect the citizens from lawlessness.
[pullquote]Mr. Lungu has further indicated that the Public order Act is not a law but that what matters is how it is applied[/pullquote]
And Mr. Lungu says government has nothing to do with the operations of the police and will not in any way intervene in their operations.
He added that it is therefore illogical for the opposition to claim that their planned rally would be a big test to the PF government to prove whether it respects the rule of law.
File: Safety wasn’t an issue as the these fans clambered onto a billboard….the only thing on their minds was catching a glimpse of the Chipolopolo boys and the AFCON trophy and appreciating them for a job well done at the 2012 Africa Cup of nations tournament in Gabon
By Mazala Zulu
Many of us are used to looking out for things that are going wrong. After all, if something is wrong, it needs to be fixed.
But do you actively look out for things that are going right? And how often do you show your appreciation for people who are performing well, even if you’re not close to them?
Many people don’t give enough praise especially in the workplace. However, almost everyone – including team members, colleagues, customers, suppliers and your boss – loves to get sincere recognition for a job well done.
Why Give Praise?
There are many reasons why you should regularly give praise.
First, people who feel appreciated and respected are more motivated than those who think their efforts go unnoticed. They’re more engaged in the work they do, and they’re more committed to their teams and organisations, because they know that they’re making a real difference. This is especially important if you’re working in an organisation where budgets are tight, and where you can’t afford to reward your people with raises or bonuses.
[pullquote]people who feel appreciated and respected are more motivated than those who think their efforts go unnoticed[/pullquote]
Sincere praise also helps you develop good relationships with colleagues, customers, friends and family. These same people are often very willing to return that feeling of goodwill: this means that they’re more likely to lend a helping hand or share some useful information when you need it.
An interesting aspect about praise is the chemical reaction it causes in us. When you praise someone else, not only does that person feel great, but it leads them to want to experience that same feeling again. Giving praise cements good working habits and behavior, both chemically and intellectually.
On the other hand, some people find it very difficult to give compliments. For instance, if they were raised in an environment where giving praise wasn’t the norm, it might not occur to them to praise people. Other people feel uncomfortable giving praise, because they have low self-esteem, or because it makes them feel embarrassed.
If you don’t feel comfortable giving praise, it’s important to think about why it’s difficult for you. Once you’ve discovered the root of the problem, you can start taking steps to overcome it.
If you’re simply not used to giving others praise, set a goal to recognise someone’s good work at least once each day. Remember that you don’t have to be face-to-face with someone to praise good work; you can send an email, call the person, or even praise her hard work to others when the person isn’t around.
While giving praise is important, it’s equally important not to go over the top. If you praise others too often, it will lessen the impact of your message and make others question your integrity. Follow these strategies to give memorable and sincere praise.
Be Specific
Praise often and sincerely.
Praise Appropriately
Spread Your Praise
It is so important not to praise someone and then ask for a favor in the same conversation. The other person might suspect that the praise is meaningless, and that you’re simply “buttering them up.”
Praise is an essential part of keeping people motivated and engaged in their work, and it’s also good for building good working relationships with team members, customers, and colleagues.
In some places, praise can embarrass people or even cause them to look at you with mistrust. In these situations, it’s important to be sensitive in the way that you give praise.
Wisdom becomes knowledge when it becomes your personal experience
Driving into the Kariba North Bank Power Station under ground system
Zesco has completed the refurbishing and upgrading of generator number four at Kariba North Bank Power Station which has added 180 megawatts (MW) electricity generating capacity, hugely easing load-shedding.
The additional 180 mw from Kariba North Bank Power Station has reduced the national daily deficit that was initially at 250 mw to about 70 mw.
This is according to a statement by ZESCO public relations department.
[pullquote]Since last weekend, however, several parts of Lusaka, for instance, have not experienced the regular interruption in the power supply on respective days.[/pullquote]
“Out of the current projected national demand of 1700 mw, ZESCO has now the capacity to generate enough power through the available machines at Kafue Gorge, Kariba North Bank and Victoria Falls Hydro-Power Station to meet the demand,” partly reads the statement.
This means, therefore, that load-shedding as a result of insufficient power generation capacity is expected to reduce significantly.
“However, we would like to make an appeal to our customers on the need to conserve energy by switching off appliances and equipment that they are not using.”
Other mid-term projects aimed at enhancing generation capacity to cushion the increasing demand for power would include Kariba North Bank Extension Power Station earmarked to be commissioned by late 2013.
This will add 360 mw to the current electricity generation capacity in the country.
The other one is the Itezhi-Tezhi Hydro-power Station which is planned to be commissioned by late 2015 and will add another 120 mw power generation.
For several months, ZESCO customers have been suggested to power outages as the result of the 250-mw power generation deficit.
Since last weekend, however, several parts of Lusaka, for instance, have not experienced the regular interruption in the power supply on respective days.
Government says it will soon start clearing land along Mongu – Lusaka road where the 20, 000 capacity ultra-modern stadium in Mongu in Western province will be constructed.
And The Provincial Minister Obvious Mwaliteta said the PF government has shown it commitment by embarking on various projects in the province.
Minister of Youth and Sport Chishimba Kambwili yesterday inspected the land and was impressed with the location of the land for the stadium.
He said the stadium is well located along the road so that people will be able to see it as they enter the town of Mongu which is the heard quarters of Western province.
ZANIS sports reprts that the minister, who visited the site for the first time, said his Ministry will next week supply the Rural Road Unity with fuel so that they can start clearing the bushes at a 50 hectares piece of land.
Kambwili noted that the land is big enough to accommodate all the infrastructures that go along with a modern stadium.
He said his government is serious on building an ultramodern stadium is a shortest possible time adding that by late next year should be completed.
He assured the people of Western province that the Patriotic Front government will ensure that it delivers on its promises adding that the stadium will be one of the many projects his government wants to implement.
The Minister visited the site in a company of his deputy Minister Mubukwanu, the Provincial Minister Obvious Mwaliteta, his Permanent Secretary and other provincial officers.
And The Provincial Minister Obvious Mwaliteta said the PF government has shown it commitment by embarking on various projects in the province.
The Zambian government and the African Development Bank (ADB) have signed a US$50 million loan which will be used to support the Itezhi-Tezhi hydro power and transmission line project.
The loan will be used towards financing the construction and operation of a 120 megawatt hydro plant at Itezhi Tezhi dam along the Kafue river.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lusaka today, Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda said once completed, the project will significantly increase the country’s power supply which at the moment stands at 1000 megawatts.
Mr. Chikwanda explained that the increase in electricity generation and distribution will assist in reducing the erratic power supply which is currently being experienced in the country.
He said it will also contribute to providing adequate energy to complement the country’s fast growing economy.
Mr. Chikwanda added that ADB has been a significant partner to Zambia through the provision of support in infrastructure and strengthened management systems in various sectors of the economy.
He cited the development of the Victoria Falls power transmission project in the energy sector, the establishment of Lukanga water in the water and sanitation sector and the formation of Kaleya holdings in the agriculture sector as some of the valued contribution the bank has made to Zambia.
He hoped that preliminaries that are necessary to launching the project will be met so that site works can commerce soon.
And ADB Vice President for Operations, Infrastructure, Private Sector and Regional Integration, Gilbert Mbesherubusa, disclosed that the Itezhi Tezhi hydro power project was economically attractive adding that its development will help address Zambia’s growing power deficit.
Mr. Mbesherubusa said the project was a milestone as it will open Zambia’s first Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the energy sector.
He said the project was also critical for planning the long-term and sustainable performance of the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO), equitable tariff structures and the provision of a reliable service that underpins the economic growth of the nation.
He explained that the whole Southern African region is experiencing power deficit.
Mr. Mbesherubusa further charged that this was why the Itezhi Tezhi hydro power plant project will improve the reliability of electricity supply and enhance energy security in Zambia.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Bob Sichinga has said the Patriotic Front (PF) government’s manifesto is bearing fruits which many Zambian have started benefiting from.
Mr. Sichinga said many Zambians did not believe the PF manifesto during its vigorous campaigns prior to last year’s elections because they did not understand it.
He said this doing a consultative meeting with business communities in Mansa and Samfya yesterday.
Mr. Sichinga also disclosed that his ministry will initiate five industrial clusters in every province in the country based on the comparative advantage.
He also revealed that his ministry’s priority was to increase value additional programmes which will result in job creation thereby putting more money into people’s pockets
Mr. Sichinga said soon after the PF came into power last year, the party embarked on formulating a strategic plan for 2011/2015 which will incorporate its manifesto.
Residents of Chibwemkunga area in Mkushi district have called on Government to take immediate action against a named land investor for allegedly intimidating the locals by firing gunshots.
Chibwemkunga headman, Edwin Mwape, told ZANIS that residents were demanding action against the land investor, identified as David Bunda, who is said to have used gunshots against the locals to vacate a stretch of land.
Headman Mwape explained that the land dispute involving Mr Bunda and the locals precipitated last Saturday when the investor allegedly gave an ultimatum to the locals to vacate a 3 km square area surrounding Chibewemkunga School in Chalata Ward.
He said prior to issuing this ultimatum, the investor had allegedly fired gunshots on the previous night, and had then sent his workers to inform the villagers that some armed men under his command would go to enforce the eviction.
The headman said although the investor had openly claimed to have bought the land in question, he could not produce any document to support his claim when the locals demanded to see the Land Title Deed.
Secretary for Chibwemkunga Concerned Residents, Frank Mate, mentioned that there was need for Government to thoroughly scrutinize Mr Bunda’s claim for ownership of the land, adding that the area was located in Chief Shaibila’s customary land.
Mr Mate observed that Mr Bunda could not have obtained this land via customary procedures as this Chiefdom was still without an officially installed Chief since 2009.
He implored Government to intervene into the matter, charging that it was not right for residents who have lived there for decades to be evicted from the area by an investor with questionable claims on the land.
Meanwhile, Acting Chief Shaibila, Alice Mashamo, expressed solidarity with the Chibwemkunga residents, saying their stay in that area had been acknowledged by the late Chief Shaibila who died in 2009.
Acting Chief Shaibila advised the residents against retaliating to Mr Bunda’s alleged intimidation tactics, saying there was need to leave such matters to law enforcement agencies.
She strongly pointed out that the Chiefdom was currently plagued by cases of illegal sale of land, adding that there was need for relevant authorities to quickly finalise the official installation of the chief.
She said that according to the Shaibila Chiefdom laws pertaining land, it was compulsory for ownership of land to be endorsed by the Chief only.
And Mkushi District Commissioner (DC), Christopher Chibuye, saluted Chibwemkunga for having opted to seek a solution to this matter through lawful means.
Mr Chibuye pledged that he would treat the matter with urgency by involving the higher echelons of the Government machinery.
He also directed the Police Command in Mkushi to commence immediate investigations into the allegations of firearm use by Mr Bunda, saying such behaviour could not be tolerated anywhere.
The Shaibila Chiefdom has been without an official chief since the demise of the late Chief in 2009, and the official installation procedure is currently being delayed by a succession wrangle involving two claimants to the throne.
