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Second comings in football coaching are never very successful and on Tuesday Herve Renard is in a fight to buck the trend.
Renard begins his second coming on the highest of profiles when Zambia face Nigeria away in a friendly in Kaduna.
Nigeria are no strangers to Renard against whom he has technically never lost to in open play.
The two teams met in Durban, South Africa where they drew 0-0 in their first friendly in January, 2010 just before heading to Angola for the Africa Cup.
Their paths were soon to cross again in Lubango in the Africa Cup quarterfinals that Nigeria won via a penalty shootout after another scoreless result in the 90 minutes.
Renard has almost the same team from that last two meetings that this time includes a revived looking Collins Mbesuma.
The Frenchman has returned to find a more mature Emmanuel Mayuka but on a low note a half fit Felix Katongo.
And Renard has pinned his new plans around Felix whom he says he will most definitely be taking to Equatorial Guinea for the Africa Cup in January.
Meanwhile, midfielder Rainford Kalaba returns to the team after serving a one-match suspension that saw him miss the Libya game.
Kalaba’s dynamism will be key on Tuesday following lackluster performances by his substitutes against Libya in that scoreless draw at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola.
The Lusaka high court has ordered Konkola Copper Mines PLC –KCM- to pay 10 billion kwacha to 2000-Chingola residents for polluting the Kafue River with mining effluent.
Passing Judgment Supreme Court, Judge Philip Musonda, ordered that two thousand affected residents who dragged the mining company to court be paid five-million- Kwacha each.
Judge Musonda says in their countries of origin such recklessness would have attracted severe criminal and civil sanctions.
He said the residents had proved their case against KCM in common law and statutory law and that KCM is reckless and had no regard for human, animal and plant life.
He said KCM acted with impunity and immunity thinking that they were politically correct and connected.
Judge Musonda said he agreed with the residents’ pleadings that KCM was protected from criminal prosecution by political connections and financial influence, which he said put them beyond the pale of criminal justice.
He said the fine on KCM was to deter others who may discharge poisonous substances without diminishing their potency not to cause harm to the environment, human beings and animals.
Judge Musonda reiterated that KCM’s action amounted to lack of corporate responsibility and criminal and a tipping point for corporate recklessness.
He said there was gross negligence by KCM whether human beings died or not saying the company deprived the community the right to life, which said is a fundamental right in the country’s constitution.
“Here is a multinational enterprise which has no regard for human life for the sake of profit and turned the residents of Chingola into Guinea Pigs and showed no remorse,” judge Musonda said. “In their countries of origin such recklessness would have been visited by severe criminal and civil sanctions.”
Judge Musonda said the judgment against KCM may appear to be investor unfriendly but stressed that international standards needed to observe high environmental standards saying that was a global approach.
He said the fact that Zambia is in dire need of foreign investment to improve the well being of its people did not mean its people should be dehumanized by greed and crude capitalism which he said puts profit above human life.
The 2000 residents who were being represented by Lusaka lawyer Kelvin Bwalya sued KCM as the first defendant, Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) formerly Environmental Council of Zambia as second defendant and Chingola Municipal Council as third defendant.
According to the 2000 residents, ZEMA is alleged to have failed or neglected to carry out inspection or supervise the pipes that were discharging effluent into the river.
They claimed that Chingola Municipal Council failed to take adequate measures to mitigate and control the effects of pollution of water supply by maintaining sufficient water reserves.
They stated that this caused great pain and suffering to the residents as the local authority collects huge amounts of rates from KCM which benefits the residents needed to enjoy.
However, Judge Musonda said ZEMA did the best it could by shutting KCM operations adding that he found no negligence on its part and acquitted the agency.
City of Lusaka failed in their bid to make a quick return to Super Division football after falling short of the finish-line in the promotion race on the last day of the season.
City, who were demoted from the Super Division last season, drew 0-0 away to Livingstone Pirates on Saturday to finish 4th on 59 points in their final Division 1 South final fixture.
The Woodlands club failed to reach the 61 points mark needed to stay in with the chances of promotion.
The honor of who joined Profund Warriors from Division 1 South in the 2012 Super Division season belongs to National Assembly FC who have ghosted from 4th in their last two matches to finish 2nd.
Assembly secured their promotion on Saturday when they won 1-0 away to Profund who were promoted with a game to spare last week with 62 points.
Assembly and Profund were last in the top flight in 2010 and 2000 seasons respectively.
They will be joined by Division 1 North clubs Indeni who return for the first time since 2001 and first timers Konkola Mine Police.
THE windfall tax dreaded by mining companies in Zambia may return after discussions in Cabinet are concluded said Mr Bob Sichinga, the Commerce and Industry Minister when he spoke on Radio Phoenix in an interview yesterday.
Sichinga was responding to calls during the programme-Government and You-aired live on Radio Phoenix saying ways have to be found of bringing back the tax without hurting the mining companies that employ more than 40,000 miners.
“I was a supporter of windfall tax before elections and I am still a supporter of windfall taxes now,” Mr Sichinga said, “we are still looking at that (windfall tax) but at the moment I think we are okey with the increase in mineral royalties from 3 percent to six percent.”
Sichinga also said he wants interest rates presently at an average of 15 percent to come down to 10 percent so that more money can be freed in the economy following the government’s decision to reduce base rates through the Central Bank.
“I feel interest rates must go down to as low as 10 percent,” Sichinga said, “they could reduce even further in my view.”
Mr. Sichinga is the second cabinet minister to indicate that the windfall tax, which has been opposed by foreign mining companies, may return after his colleague Mr Alexander Chikwanda, the Minister of Finance spoke to accountants at hotel Inter-Continental in Lusaka on Friday night.
Zambia wants to raise money to create jobs and reduce poverty according to President Michael Sata whose election campaign was based on “more money” in the pockets.
Earlier, Mr Sichinga said Zambians should not be disappointed with the Patriotic Front (PF)’s decision not to reintroduce the windfall tax in the 2012 national Budget.
Mr Sichinga said the 2012 national Budget is not entirely within the control of the PF because it was swayed by the commitments made by its predecessor, the MMD administration.
“What the minister has said is that he has decided to play it safe by including the mineral royalty taxes, increase and double it from three percent to six percent.
“I believe the mineral royalty taxes will help raise us sufficient money while we examine what else needs to be done with regards to the issues of the windfall tax,” Mr Sichinga said.
He said the PF government will have to honour some of the agreements made by the previous administration because it is the government in power.
Mr Sichinga said by increasing the mineral royalty and not reintroducing the windfall tax means Mr Chikwanda had to do a balancing act.
He said Mr Chikwanda needs time because when the September 20 tripartite elections date was set the country had already past the stage of preparation of the budget and that is why it was not presented in October like it happened in the previous years.
Mr Sichinga said the PF government is tied up significantly by the activities and promises and commitments made the MMD and further changes to the collection of taxes in the mines become necessary after reexamination.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Communication, Transport, Works and Supply Kapembwa Simbao
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Communication, Transport, Works and Supply Kapembwa Simbao has asked Airtel to suggest to the committee how best the country’s communication system can be improved.
Mr. Simbao said mobile telecommunication providers should strive at enhancing the communication sector because it is key to national development.
He said there are many areas of communication that needed special attention such as mobile communication so that it can positively help to uplift the many lives of the people.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Simbao was speaking after he led the eight-member committee of parliamentarians on a conducted tour of the Airtel premises to check on its operations.
And Mr. Simbao has said the committee will present to parliament its findings and will look into the communication sector very seriously as it is beneficial to Zambians.
And Airtel Managing Director Fayaz King said his company has partnered with the Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) in the Universal Access Project that will see his company build over 350 sharable towers across the county.
Mr. King said 117 towers have been built and are already on air under the same Universal Access Project that has seen towns like Chiengi, Senga hill, Kabompo East, Lufwanyama and Chifunauli constituencies connected.
Meanwhile Mr. King has asked government to partner with his company in finding ways of salary payments through its recently launched Airtel money.
He said through Airtel money many civil servants could have easier and efficient ways of directly sending money especially to rural areas that have no Banks.
The opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) says it still has an opportunity to bounce back to power in future elections.
MMD Chairperson for Commerce Felix Mutati says the former ruling party has embarked on a process to cleanse the party before electing a new person to take over from former President Rupiah Banda as party president.
He said in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka that the party has since set up a postmortem committee to ascertain why it lost in the September 20 general elections.
Mr. Mutati, whose name has been floated by the general membership to take over from former president Banda, said it is important for the party to critically analyze its operations before electing new leaders to lead the former ruling party.
The Lunte Member of Parliament (MP) has also advised the party against rushing into electing a new leader of the former ruling party saying the issue should be handled carefully.
Mr. Mutati noted that the MMD needed to know what happened for it to lose the September 20 election and establish whether or not it lost contact with the people and learn from the reasons to build a stronger party.
MMD president Rupiah Banda has stated his intention of resigning from active politics following his defeat in the September 20 general election to Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front (PF).
The MMD is in this vein asking its general membership to apply for the position to take over from him.
Some MMD members have named Mr. Mutati, former Zambian Ambassador to Canada Dr. Nevers Mumba, and former Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande as possible candidates to replace Mr. Banda.
Vice President Guy Scott said the suffering of the people of Southern province was due to greediness of people who had helped themselves so much at the expense of development.
Dr. Scott noted that it is not only the people of Southern province who were suffering but all Zambians through out the country.
He said he has travelled all over the country and has seen how people were suffering not because of tribes but due to bad governance by the previous regime.
The Vice President says PF is not a party for the rich but a party for the poor people.
ZANIS reports that Dr. Scott was speaking in Magoye over the weekend where he was drumming up support for PF candidate in the Magoye parliamentary by-election Eugene Munyama.
Dr. Scott urged the people of Magoye to vote for the PF candidate saying change was very important adding that PF was here to stay.
He added that PF has only been in power for only less than 60 days and noted that it has already started working.
Dr. Scott said banks had already started reducing lending rates to encourage more borrowing for the people to start businesses.
He assured the people that PF allowed decentralization so that people in rural areas can take part in their affairs such as agriculture and other issues affecting them.
Speaking earlier Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Minister Given Lubinda said government had put more money in the budget to build roads and develop tourism.
He called on opposition UPND president Hakainde Hichilema not confuse the country by forming a pact with MMD.
And Mines Minister Wilbur Simuusa urged people in the area not waste time by voting for UPND.
Dr. Scott also paid a courtesy call on Chief Hanjalika at his palace were the Chief appealed for the reinstatement of Former ZANIS District Information Officer Henry Chibulu.
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) says the Trident Mine project will not add value to the locals of senior Chief Mesele in Solwezi unless the government acts to clearly defines compensation plans for the residents.
Early this year, FIRST QUANTUM Minerals (FQM) launched the US$1 billion (about K5 trillion) Trident Mine in Solwezi which will become Zambia’s largest single mine with production capacity of 300,000 tonnes of copper per year.[pullquote]CCZ finds it strange that the investors are the ones informing residents about relocations, and other related matters; where are the people’s representatives?[/pullquote]
The new mine would give birth to an equally new town with an airport, smelter and a Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) besides creating 2,000 jobs in the mines.
Construction of the mine and the new town is expected to commence at the end of this year.
The mine which should start copper production in 2014, would be located at Kalumbila in Solwezi district.
Despite the initial celebration of the coming of the new mine, residents of Mulele Village are now complaining of the looming displacements and demanding compensation.
The CCZ, as part of its Social and Economic Justice program, held a community meeting Chief Musele’s palace on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the Trident Mining project.
After the meeting, CCZ Social & Economic Justice Officer Juliet Ilunga presented a statement to North Western Deputy Permanent Secretary Joshua Kamanya in which the church is asking the government to quickly address displacement issues in the area.
“The Permanent Secretary for Northwestern province must without delay send a team of officials to Musele village in Solwezi, to go and hear the complaints that the local people have been raising regarding the displacements that are looming as a result of the opening of the new Trident (Kalumbila) Mine, situated about 155km along the Solwezi-Mwinilunga road,” the statement read in part.
Ms Ilunga noted that the government needs to address various issues which were currently affecting the local people in that area.
“Instead of celebrating the new investment, the surrounding community is complaining about the manner in which they have been treated,” she stated. “It seems the coming of the new mine has brought more misery among the local people who have said the new investors have destroyed their cassava fields and stopped the farmers from cultivating this season because the land now belongs to the Mine. If people cannot cultivate, what will they eat? Where will they get money to send their children to school? How will they pay their medical bills?”
Illunga stated that the State had the duty to protect the rights of its people and should not allow foreign investors to mistreat the locals who were the owners of the mineral resources.
“CCZ finds it strange that the investors are the ones informing residents about relocations, and other related matters; where are the people’s representatives?,” Ilunga stated. “The situation in Chief Musele’s area indicates that there is something seriously wrong with the way the mining program has been handled because the local people have a raw deal while the investors are smiling. CCZ will continue to follow up this matter until justice prevails.”
She also stated that CCZ had in the recent past raised ththe Trident Mine issue, with the Ministry of Mines under the previous government but there was no action taken.
“We want to reiterate that CCZ is not against foreign mine investors but we desire to see responsible investment where social justice and human dignity are upheld,” stated Ilunga.
The Social and Economic Justice program of CCZ advocates for transparency and accountability in the management of mineral resources to ensure that ordinary citizens benefit from the resources.
PF Secretary General and spokesperson Wynter Kabimba
Patriotic Front Secretary General Winter Kabimba has admitted that his party is weak in Southern Province and has since called for hard work and sacrifice among party leaders at various levels in vigorously marketing the ruling party.
And Mr. Kabimba has dismissed assertions from certain quarters that PF is a political party for Bemba speaking people only.
Addressing a meeting in Choma on Saturday to welcome people who defected from the MMD and UPND, Mr. Kabimba said figures from the just held presidential and general elections indicate a dismal performance in Southern province.
He said the PF leadership needed to work hard to win Southern province to the PF by aggressively marketing the values and manifesto of the party.
Mr. Kabimba said despite performing badly in Southern province, the PF government is resolved to bring about socio-economic development in the province.
He said the decision by President Sata to relocate the provincial capital to Choma shows the PF is committed to fostering development in the province.
He said all the leaders in the PF must emulate President Sata’s leadership style by being accommodative and forgiving as doing so will attract more members to the party.
And Mr. Kabimba has dismissed assertions from some quarters that PF is a political party for Bemba speaking people.
He said President Sata wants to unite Zambia by treating all citizens equally irrespective of their tribal belonging accusing UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema of being vindictive and unforgiving.
“Myself as Secretary General of the party, I am not Bemba but a Saala from Mumbwa, a tribe belonging to the Tonga speaking group,” he told the meeting.
Mr. Kabimba disclosed that Mr. Sata had invited UPND Monze Central Member of Parliament Jack Mwiimbu to serve as Southern Province minister but he declined the offer.
“The President never asked him to resign from UPND but told him to become minister while being a member of the UPND and serve the people of Southern province,” he said.
Mr. Kabimba said UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema on several occasions refused to heed advice on how to work with the PF when it was in opposition because he had only been bent on taking over the presidency of the UPND/PF pact.
He said it was sad that the people of Southern province had clung on to the opposition UPND even when it is abundantly clear that the party with its support only in one province cannot rule Zambia without the assistance of the other provinces.
Mr. Kabimba said this situation is not strange as UNIP in the post independent era faced similar resentment from the then African National Congress(ANC) whose leaders, however, exhibited maturity and selflessness by signing the Choma declaration to unite the province with the rest of the country.
[pullquote]He said the PF government’s 90 days meant that government was committed to initiating various developmental programmes within 90 days of assuming office.[/pullquote]
“We have examples of selfless and good leaders who in the past have tried to unite southern province with the rest of the country. The late Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula and Mungoni Liso signed the Choma declaration,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vice President Guy Scott has assured farmers in Southern Province that they will start receiving their money this week.
Dr. Scott disclosed that government has released K8 billion that is already in the banks for the farmers’ payments.
ZANIS reports that the Vice President said this in Mazabuka yesterday when he featured on a live radio programme on Mazabuka Community Radio.
He said the PF government’s 90 days meant that government was committed to initiating various developmental programmes within 90 days of assuming office.
He further said more money has been put in people’s pockets as evidenced by the tax relief on most workers as announced in Friday’s 2012 national budget.
Dr. Scott noted that the 2012 national budget was a quick budget as government had to move quickly to distribute the benefits.
He disclosed that other programmes to be initiated within 90 days include the Freedom of Information bill and the national constitution.
POLICE in Eastern Province have instituted investigations into reports that seven MMD officials are allegedly behind spreading rumours that President Michael Sata had died.
Eastern Province deputy commissioner of police Anderson Cheengo confirmed that the police had opened an inquiry into the matter. Last week, rumours circulated in the province that Mr. Sata had died and made many people panic.
“The police are investigating the matter and I will avail you with the details including the appropriate charge once the investigations are done,” Mr. Cheego said. He said the provincial secretary Eularia Mwale called him to inform him about the rumours that President Sata had died.
And Patriotic Front provincial chairperson Lucas Phiri alleged that the seven MMD officials, who included Chipangali Member of Parliament (MP) Vincent Mwale, spread the rumour about President Sata during a by-election campaign meeting for Rukuzye Ward in Chipangali Constituency held at Vizenge Village.
“The PF reported seven MMD officials to the police for defaming Republican President Michael Sata including spreading false information that he had died.
“They include MMD Chipangali MP Vincent Mwale and Rukuzye ward aspiring candidate and other party officials,” he said. But when reached for a comment, Mr. Mwale denied ever defaming Mr. Sata.
He said he never issued such a statement, adding that he was mature enough to know that such rumours amounted to a treasonable offence. Mr. Mwale challenged Mr. Phiri to produce evidence on the allegations levelled against him.
THE United Party for National Development (UPND) on the Copperbelt has resolved to maintain Hakainde Hichilema as its future presidential candidate.
Speaking in an interview in Kitwe on Saturday after the provincial meeting held at Pamo Lodge, party provincial chairperson Elisha Matambo said Mr Hichilema would continue to lead UPND until when it would form government because he was a visionary leader and for promoting unity in the party.
Mr Matambo said Mr Hichilema deserved to continue leading UPND because he was a humble man who has respect humanity. “As UPND on the Copperbelt, we resolved that Mr Hichilema should continue to lead UPND because he is a humble, visionary, mature and objective man. He is one man who has respect for Human beings.
“Speaking for myself, I joined UPND from MMD because of the visionary leadership of Mr Hichilema and so the resolution that he should continue leading UPND is good. I believe that no matter how long it takes, Mr Hichilema would one day become republican President,” Mr Matambo said.
Mr Matambo said the party in the province had also resolved that the party leadership in various districts of the Copperbelt should intensify campaigns for 2016 elections and also embark on a recruitment exercise. He said UPND was the only official and strongest opposition party and so its official and members should not give up after the September 20 elections loss, but should intensify campaigns for the 2016 elections.
“We are the official and strongest opposition party and so we should not give up after the loss in the September 20 elections. In fact we should intensify our campaigns hence our resolutions that the party leadership in various districts should engage in a serious recruitment drive,” He said.
Mr Matambo however said UPND would provide objective and mature opposition to the Government by providing positive criticism because it was a wise party.He advised the PF not to be carried away by politics of name-calling, witch-hunting, vindictiveness and hatred, but should correct the mistakes made by the previous MMD government and build on the good things it did whilst in government.
Vice president George Kunda represented Government at the Funeral
The Kingsley Chanda Commission of Inquiry probing irregularities at the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has summoned former republican Vice-President, George Kunda and former minister of Finance and National Planning, Situmbeko Musokotwane.
Mr. Kunda was also minister of Justice while Dr. Musokotwane was chairperson of the ministerial tender committee. Former Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Ngulube will appear on Friday at 10 hours and Ministry of Agriculture Permanent secretary Austin Sichinga who served as chief of staff at State House under former President Rupiah Banda has also been summoned and will appear
on Wednesday at 14 hours.
According to a schedule obtained by the Times of Zambia in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Kunda is expected to appear before the Commission on Friday at 14 hours on matters related to the awarding of tenders at ZRA. The commission last week heard that the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) was under pressure from the committee of ministers that made decisions that could not be questioned by experts in various strategic institutions such as Zambia National Tender Board and Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).
The manager for Cargo Scans Limited has also been summoned while Ms. Nana Mudenda of ZRA is expected to appear this morning. Dr. Musokotwane appears on Thursday.
Former ZRA commissioner Wisdom Nhekairo will appear on Wednesday at 15 hours while National Movement for Progress (NMP) president Ng’andu Magande who was minister of Finance during the presidency of late President Levy Mwanawasa will appear on Thursday at 15 hours. President Michael Sata, on 20th October, 2011 established a commission of inquiry to look into the operations of ZRA.
The decision was made under the Inquiries Act Chapter 41 of the laws of Zambia to establish alleged illegal activities at the institution. The President also mandated the commission to establish whether contracts were awarded in accordance with the applicable laws and procedures. The commission heard last week that contracts worth over US$ 40 million were single sourced and Cargo Scans, Nuctech and Zambia Border Protection Company (ZBPC) were named as beneficiaries.
ZBPC representative, Kelvin Orchard, will also appear to represent his firm tomorrow at 14 hours while ZRA commissioner general Berlin Msiska is expected to appear on Wednesday. Former ZRA ommissioner-General, Criticles Mwansa, was named as having authored a letter to PPP seeking authority to single source.
The Kingsley Chanda commission, however, rejected the justification by Mr. Mwansa because the scanners not acquired in a period of a state of emergency where single sourcing was legally permitted. Mr. Mwansa has also been summoned and will appear before the commission on Wednesday at 14 hours while former Secretary to the Treasury, Likolo Ndalamei, appears on Thursday at 12 hours.
Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Evans Chibiliti and Ms. Susan Wanjelani are also expected to appear before the commission that held their sittings on Saturday at Chirundu border post.
THE Zambia Environmental Management Authority (ZEMA) has ordered that construction works being carried out by a private developer on a plot at the junction of Kabwe road and Dag Hammaskjoeld drive in Ndola’s Itawa be immediately halted. ZEMA regional coordinator for the Copperbelt, Patson Zulu told the Times in an interview yesterday that the developer was working on the land without consent from the authority.
He said that ZEMA was supposed to be consulted so that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) could be conducted in order to establish the suitability of the place for the intended development. Mr Zulu said before any development of any area could be commenced, ZEMA had to assess the impact it would have in relation to the environment and had authority to allow or not allow developers depending on its findings.[pullquote]the proprietor of the land, a Mr Magaba Nyirenda said he had even been given title to the land by the ministry of lands and planned to set up a hotel, restaurant and offices at the area which he claimed had previously been a dungeon for criminals. “They should promote local investors instead of victimizing us about land which we are helping to add value to. I have spent a lot of millions on transforming this place into a more habitable place[/pullquote]
“We have not received anyone at out Copperbelt offices to tell us that they are interested in developing the place. So we have ordered that any development of the place should be stopped,” he said.
Mr Zulu further said that the area was close to the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco) pylons which posed a great risk to the area and also the presence of the stream on the land in question should be taken into consideration.
But the proprietor of the land, a Mr Magaba Nyirenda insisted that he got approval from the Ndola City Council to develop the land adding that officials from the local authority had toured the land several times before approving it.
He said he had even been given title to the land by the ministry of lands and planned to set up a hotel, restaurant and offices at the area which he claimed had previously been a dungeon for criminals. “They should promote local investors instead of victimizing us about land which we are helping to add value to. I have spent a lot of millions on transforming this place into a more habitable place,” he said.
Another concerned Ndola resident, William Wilima complained that the place would loose its scenic beauty unless the local authorities considered turning it into a park to preserve the environment.
He said that the local authorities should preserve some places in the city for people to be able to appreciate nature instead of offering it to developers who would turn it into an industrial area. Mr Wilima appealed to the minister of local government, housing, early education and environmental protection to put a stop to the intended development of the place into an industry.
File:Peasant farmers wait for the Food Reserve Agency to buy their maize
GOVERNMENT has said it will investigate contracts the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) issued for the construction of 98 storage sheds countrywide.
Transport, Works, Supply and Communication Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said yesterday that the Government was disappointed with FRA over its failure to engage the ministry in the project. Mr. Mukanga said in Kitwe yesterday that it was sad that FRA decided to involve the ministry, which is the Government’s principal engineer, at a later stage.
“This is a culture we don’t want to adopt as a new Government of not following procedures. We are not happy about what transpired,” he said. FRA awarded contracts to various companies for the construction of 98 storage sheds countrywide but allegedly did not involve the then ministry of Works and Supply.
The time frame for the completion of the projects had elapsed with only a few companies meeting their contractual obligations. Mr. Mukanga said there was need to follow procedure in order for the country to derive maximum benefits from the projects being implemented using tax payers’ money.
He said he was still studying the contracts in order to determine the way forward. But FRA public relations officer Mwamba Siame said FRA had involved the ministry from the time of inception of the projects.
Ms. Siame said in response to a Press query that FRA was carrying out the construction of slabs with technical assistance from the ministry of Works and Supply. She said the ministry engineers also provided the design for the slabs.
The engineers were involved in the monitoring of construction works and would be involved in certifying quality of work done upon completion.
She said the project delayed initially as approval of financing was only received in May 2011. “A lot of efforts were put in to ensure that the project remained on course as permission to shorten the floatation period for the tender was even sought from the Zambia Public Procurement Authority,” Ms. Siame said.
She said only a few contractors had not started works because the 50 per cent advance payment had not been released. However, some FRA insiders said the ministry of Works and Supply was not involved in the project.
The insiders claim that the biding documents were done before surveyors from the principal consultant, the ministry of Works and Supply surveyed the sites to come up with contractual details. They said 50 per cent advance payment was paid to some contractors some of whom had not moved on site to date.
[Times of Zambia]
Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Given Lubinda
Government has advised members of the former ruling MMD to be remorseful and apologise to the Zambian people for allegedly engaging disgraced freelance journalist, Chimba Chimba the third, to discredit others on their behalf.
This follows revelations that Government will have to pay K500 million in legal fees incurred by the fugitive journalist, who produced hate-speech-laced documentaries sponsored by the previous government.
Chief Government Spokesperson, Given Lubinda is saddened that MMD’s insatiable appetite to remain in power will cost Zambians tax payers colossal sums of money.
He says some distraught MMD members should therefore apologize for wasting tax payers’ money, which should have been channeled towards poverty reduction programmes.
Mr. Lubinda, who is also Information Minister, is optimistic that his predecessor at the Ministry, Ronnie Shikapwasha’s refusal that he was never involved with Chanda Chimba will not backfire once investigations are completed.
