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Felix Katongo will get a chance to stake a claim for a place at next year’s Africa Cup after he was named in Zambia’s 2011 Cecefa Senior Challenge Cup-bound team.
The Green Buffaloes midfielder has been out of favor under ex-Zambia coach Dario Bonetti due to poor fitness for the last five months.
Katongo has suffered from a dip in match fitness since abandoning his Libya club Al Ittihad at the height of the conflict there in February.
The midfielder has now settled down with buffaloes in the second half of this season.
Also named to the 24-man team is Nkana’s prolific duo of Reynold Kampamba and Evans Kangwa.
Kangwa and teenage striker Kampamba have scored 16 and 9 goals respectively for Nkana this season in all competition.
The team will go into camp in Lusaka this Sunday at the Faz Technical Centre to begin the first week of training.
This year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup will be held in Tanzania from November 24 to December 12.
Cecafa Team
Goalkeepers: Davy Kaumbwa (Green Buffaloes), Rabson Muchele’nganga (Nchanga Rangers), Jacob Banda (Zesco United), Kalililo Kakonje, Joshua Titima (Power Dynamos)
Defenders: Nyambe Mulenga, Daudi Musekwa (Both Zesco United), Dennis Banda (Green Buffaloes), Jimmy Chisenga (Red Arrows), Lawrence Chungu (Power Dynamos), Charles Siyingwa (Zanaco)
Midfielders: Nathan Sinkala, Felix Katongo, Allan Mukuka (All Green Buffaloes), Bruce Musakanya (Red Arrows), Simon Silwimba (Zanaco), Thomas Nyirenda (Konkola Blades), Joseph Sitali, Kennedy Mudenda (Both Power Dynamos)
Strikers: Alfred Luputa, Chakwa Lungu (Both Zesco United),Evans Kangwa, Reynold Kampamba (Both Nkana), Luka Lungu (Power Dynamos)
President Michael Sata has castigated cabinet office for leaking state information and breaching security.
Mr Sata said that he was disappointed that there is no confidentiality at Cabinet office and security information is being leaked to the media.
President Sata was speaking during the swearing in ceremony for three permanent secretaries for Northern, Central and Western Province.
Mr Sata has also warned the new permanent secretaries against peddling rumours at the expense of work as they risk being removed.
He directed the permanent secretaries to tour all the districts in their provinces to understand the needs and suffering of the people.
President Sata says the new officers should not reveal any information they receive because they are under oath.
President Sata has appointed Edwin Zumbunu as Central Province Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Mwamba for Northern Province and Augustine Seyuba as Western Province Permanent secretary.
THE Commission of Inquiry established to probe irregularities at the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) has heard that Meanwood Property Development director Robinson Zulu was well-connected to former president Rupiah Banda and that the two sat next to each other to watch the Zambia National Soccer team in training before the transactions started.
NAPSA director of investment Joseph Ngosa testified before the Sebastian Zulu Commission of Inquiry that NAPSA director-general Stanley Phiri asked him if he knew how connected Mr Zulu was before he handed him a letter from Zulu.
This is in a mater in which NAPSA is alleged to have purchased 1,500 hectares of land from Meanwood Property Development in disregard of tender procedures and in the absence of a business development plan.
Mr Ngosa said soon after he was informed that Mr Zulu sat next to President Banda during the soccer training match at Edwin Imboela Stadium, Mr Phiri produced a letter authored by Mr Zulu offering land to NAPSA at K50 million per hectare.
Mr Ngosa also revealed that Mr Phiri further told him to immediately start making arrangements to meet Mr Zulu and discuss the land issue in detail so that NAPSA could purchase it.
He told the commissioners that during the transactions and preceding meetings, he had in mind the statement by the director informing him that Mr Zulu was well-connected and sat next to president Banda at the national soccer team training session.
Apparently, Mr Ngosa explained that, there was no investment at the time by NAPSA but he went ahead and discussed with Mr Zulu.
Director of finance, Doreen Chiwele also testified that there was political pressure in the acquisition of NAPSA land in which Mr Phiri also confessed to her that he was being pressured to ensure that NAPSA bought the land.
During the testimonies by the two officials, Mr Phiri was also present at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre.
She said it was clear that Mr Phiri was under political pressure and looked stressed as he continued pushing for the payment to Meanwood Property Development.
Ms Chiwele said Mr Phiri even confessed to her that he was under political pressure to buy Meanwood land at K75 billion.
Ms Chiwele said at that time, she refused to process the initial payment of K35 billion towards the deal.
She revealed that there were several other offers for land with lower costs but the decision could not be altered because of the political pressure.
Ms Chiwele said Mr Ngosa had written a memorandum to Mr Phiri for the attention of the investment committee of the board of directors but he was told to amend it and remove the aspect of the reservations.
She said in the memorandum to Mr Phiri, Mr Ngosa was explaining the correct procedures and that there were other offers with lower prices.
When asked by Mr Zulu, who is also Minister of Justice who exactly issued political instructions, Ms Chiwele said she was not told by Mr Phiri.
She said there was no evaluation process used to buy the 1,500 hectares of land because other institutions that offered land were excluded.
Ms Chiwele said the procedure used to procure the land was irregular.
Its the most popular sport in the world . Everywhere you go you will find people playing football , from the streets to stadiums. Those who play professionally have to follow a strict workout plan in order to maintain their endurance ,speed and power.
This work out will concentrate on balance ,power and muscle control. This will be helpful whatever position you play.
WORKOUT
Knee raising pull up
3 sets , 10 reps
How its done
Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width apart.
Bend your elbows to pull your body upwards and simultaneously bend your right knee to lift it toward the bar.
When you chin is above the bar, lower yourself back down and repeat on the other side.
Superleap
3 sets, 10 reps
How its done
Stand with a wide stance on a thick exercise mat.
Bend at your hips and knees to quickly lower your body halfway into a squat position.
Swing your arms overhead as you explode upward.
Land as softly as possible and then immediately drop down to the half squat position.
Weighted back extension
3 sets, 10 reps
How its done
Lie face down at a back-extension station with your feet anchored.
Hold a pair of dumb-bells with your arms hanging down.
Keeping your abs tight, raise both your torso and arms until your body is in a straight line.
Hold and then lower yourself.
Barbell duck-under
3 sets, 20 reps
How its done
Set a barbell at waist level on the supports of a power cage or Smith machine.
Stand side on to it. Take a long stride beneath the bar then duck underneath.
Stand up on the other side and repeat the motion to return to the starting position.
Go back and forth until you’ve passed under the bar 10 times in each direction.
THERE is good news and bad news regarding Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) decision to sell a 2.28 percent stake it held on behalf of ordinary Zambians in Lumwana Mining Company (LMC) located in North-Western Province.
The good news is, ZCCM-IH that had acquired a stake in LMC from Australia’s Equinox Minerals Ltd, (the first owners) bagged an instant US$167.5 million when LMC was taken over by the world’s largest gold digger, Barrick, in exchange for a minority stake it paid US$30million in just under six years.
The bad news is learning from Wylbur Simuusa, the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, is that the Barrick Gold cash out cannot be traced or it could have been used for something it was not intended for. In Kwacha terms, the money stands at about K850 billion.
“The money Barrick Gold paid for Lumwana for our 2.28 percent stake is not with us as a government. “I can safely say it is missing because constant calls I have made for a report regarding how the money has been used or what is remaining have not been heeded up to now,” Mr Simusa said.
“Because of the urgency of the matter and the magnitude of the money involved, I am giving ZCCM-IH one week to place a report on my desk explaining where the money is or how it has been used if it has been used”. The transaction was concluded just under five months ago before the polls.
Mr Simuusa said: “the money is supposed to be used for clearly stipulated projects and I have received no co-operation regarding the use so far. I asked questions about the money when I was in the opposition, I was given none, and since I was sworn into office last month, I have received no co-operation. This money belongs to Zambians. It ought to be accounted for.”
On June 1, ZCCM-IH issued a statement in local media announcing that “after due consideration and consultation, the board of ZCCM-IH has accepted the offer to sell,” its 2.28 percent stake in LMC to Barrack Gold, the largest gold miner in the world at US$167.5 million.
Reactions were mixed regarding the ‘sale’ of the minority stake in the largest open-cut mine in Zambia with the anti-trust – Zambia Consumer Competition Commission – on May 27 asking the gold miner to let Zambia “keep its minority stake” in the company but the Peter Munk-owned Barrick Gold prevailed after some “discussions” with State House.
If ZCCM-IH had been allowed to keep its stake in LMC, by extension, Zambia would have owned a stake in the multi-billion dollar JabalSayid copper and gold project in Saudi Arabia but now that is history and reasons for not rising to this occasion remain elusive.
What is certain though is that a highly powered Canadian delegation comprising a former Canadian prime minister and a Zambian living abroad paid intensive meetings at State House to “explain” why it was important for Zambia to give up its stake in both LMC and Jabil by extension.
The money realised from Barrick is supposed to be used for “recapitalisation projects in companies like Ndola Lime, for instance, Maamba Collieries and Konkola North Copper (KONOCO), including the repayment of ZCCM-IH loans,” Mr Simuusa said.
The other part of the money was to be used for “exploration of oil and gas, and for investing in Greenfields and diversification projects. This list I have on my table shows that this has not been done yet that’s why I want a full report on my desk.”
The Daily Mail contacted Mr Mukela Muyunda, the ZCCM-IH chief executive officer, to seek clarification on the Barrick Gold money yesterday but he referred queries to company secretary Chabby Chabala.
Mr Chabala said, “We (ZCCM) cannot release ‘market-sensitive’ information without authorisation from the share-holders or the Lusaka stock exchange.”
Mr Reuben Lifuka, Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) president, in an interview said it would be sad if the money had been “misapplied given the high poverty levels in Zambia because that amount of money has the ability of immediately changing people’s lives for the better”.
Mr Lifuka said it is cases such as “this one that we have been calling for greater transparency and for the strengthening of whistle-blowing regulations so that over-sight systems can be strengthened by way of regulation”.
But just what can one do with some US$170 million in a country like Zambia whose poverty levels stand at more than 65 percent and rural poverty peaks at more than 70 percent and more than 400,000 children of school-going age do not attend school according to a United Nations study?
A quantity surveying expert with a government ministry told us that the money can build about 7,000 classrooms at a cost of about K150 million each. It can also sink a huge number of bore-holes (at K20 million each) to provide access to clean water, which still remains a challenge in many parts of rural Zambia.
But without the report on Mr Simuusa’s desk, the rest will just be speculation. No-one will ever know whether the money is still ‘intact’ or has been used partially or in its entirety.
The only other way Zambians would know how the money was used would be through a parliament order according to legal experts or by coersion through the Minister, who so far has hit a brick wall.
THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has been allowed to sell a million tonnes of maize at a reduced price to ensure that excess maize does not go to waste.
Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Emmanuel Chenda said the excess maize was accumulated over the last three years when the country experienced successive bumper harvests.
“As you may be aware, the country has had three successive bumper harvests starting from the 2008/09 season. Over the years, the capacity of the FRA to secure markets for the huge maize surplus has been over-stretched,” he said.
He said due to the urgency of the situation, Government has allowed the FRA to sell 1,067,000 tonnes of maize at a much reduced price of from US$170 to US$180 per metric tonne to a range of US$135 to US$170 per metric tonne depending on the location of the maize.
“At this lower price range being recommended now, Zambian maize will be competitive within the SADC and COMESA regions. The southern African regional commodity exchange (SAFEX) is currently quoting maize at a range of US$296.64 to US$298.51 per metric tonne,” Mr Chenda said.
He said as at October 14, 2011, the total maize stocks under the custody of the FRA were 1,927,912 tonnes valued at K2.506 trillion.
Mr Chenda said the FRA also has 300,000 metric tonnes already secured as strategic food reserves by the FRA, which are sufficient for national consumption needs for three months at a monthly rate of 80,000 tonnes including provisions for unforeseen demands.
Zambia consumes about 960,000 metric tonnes of maize per year.
He said to ensure that maize does not go to waste, Government transported the commodity to secured storage facilities, and where this has not been possible, to cover all the remaining maize to secure it from the imminent rains in most rural depots with unsuitable storage facilities.
“Government has further partitioned the market for the surplus maize into four segments, each with a competitive price, that can be relied upon to quickly boost the demand for the commodity,” Mr Chenda said.
He said localised community sales in most districts have been allocated the most grain with 10,000 tonnes while exporters, mostly grain traders, will get 600,000 metric tonnes.
“The category of millers, stock-feed manufacturers and other processors has been allocated 432,000 tonnes while the disaster management and mitigation unit has been given up to 25,000 tonnes,” he said.
THE Zambia Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) has bemoaned the suspension of Zambezi Airlines and called on the airline to quickly put its house in order and re-apply for an operating licence.
In an interview, ZACCI president Geoffrey Sakulanda said the suspension of Zambezi Airlines will deprive Zambians of an airline that offered low rates to business travellers.
Mr Sakulanda said the airline has contributed to the creation of jobs and tax contribution to Government despite the money it owes National Airport Corporation Limited (NACL).
Zambezi Airlines owes NACL K10 billion.
He said the suspension of the airline will not just affect travellers but also the different suppliers that did business with it. He said globally all international airlines are facing problems and are surviving because of the support from their respective governments.
“Clearly, running a business is very expensive, it is unfortunate that this has happened to Zambezi Airlines. The challenge must have been accessing funds in Zambia and borrowing externally is difficult,” he said.
Mr Sakulanda said the best way to sustain the operations of local airlines is either through partnership with international airline brands or Government pumping in money to save them from collapse.
He cited South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and British Airways as some of the airline that are supported through public funds. “You cannot finance an airline from own resources, it’s expensive and given the number of travellers in Zambia, airlines sometimes just burn fuel. It’s impossible,” he said.
Meanwhile, a check at the Zambezi Airline offices at Kenneth Kaunda International airport found workers locked up in a meeting with the airline’s chief executive officer Maureen Dlamini.
And Ms Dlamini said she could not talk to journalists because the airline chairman Maurice Jangulo had earlier issued a statement. She said the meeting was not open to the media.
“I can not talk to you, the chairman issued a statement on ZNBC (Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation) news last night (Sunday) and we will maintain that statement,” she said.
Some workers who sought anonymity said management has assured them that, their jobs are secured as management engage Government on the way forward.
On Sunday, Dr Jangulo told ZNBC that Zambezi Airline has learnt with shock about Government’s decision to suspend its air operating certificate but is working round the clock to ensure that its licence is re-installed.
Government over the weekend suspended Zambezi Airline operator certificate citing serious safety concerns and that it will soon institute a tribunal to make inquiries on the airline’s operations.
Meanwhile a passenger, Violet Nakamba who was supposed to fly to Harare this morning, described the services of the airline as pathetic. “I was supposed to fly to Harare for a meeting which starts tomorrow (today) but I have been inconvienced. I will fly via South Africa and it will take me four hours to Harare instead of one hour,” he said.
Ms Nakamba said it is sad that many Zambian do not support local industries and products due the poor services and standards.
VICE-PRESIDENT Guy Scott has encouraged Australian business houses to consider investing in Zambia’s various sectors of the economy and help Government create more employment opportunities for Zambians.
Dr Scott said foreign investors are welcome to Zambia but quickly warned them against exploiting local people. He said there is massive investment potential in various sectors in Zambia which foreign investors can exploit.
Dr Scott was speaking in Perth when he met business people drawn from various sectors. He said it is important for investors to clearly understand that the Patriotic Front government will not allow investors who exploit Zambian workers.
And Minister of Commerce Bob Sichinga said Zambia has a stable political, economic and legal system in which foreign business investment can thrive.
Mr Sichinga said the country has a thriving private sector environment, a stable macro-economic situation and an unlimited repatriation of proceeds from companies.
He said Government will work towards improving infrastructure to support these investment opportunities.
Meanwhile, Australian High Commissioner to Zambia Matthew Neuhaus, who is, however, based in Zimbabwe, expressed satisfaction at Zambia’s business environment saying the country has good policies.
The Vice-President, Mr Sichinga, Foreign Affairs Minister Chishimba Kambwili and Labour, Youth and Sports Minister Fackson Shamenda were in Australia to attend the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting which has since closed.
BARELY a month after the MMD lavished the Zambian electorate with an expensive campaign involving branded T-shirts, chitenge materials, vehicles and bicycles, the former ruling party now says it has no money to hold a convention to elect its president, Rupiah Banda’s successor.
MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu says the former ruling party has no money right now to hold an extraordinary convention to elect a party president.
But MMD Copperbelt provincial chairman Joseph Chilambwe has insisted that the party should find money to hold a ‘mini-convention’ to ensure that the majority members participate in choosing Mr Banda’s successor.
Mr Nyangu said the MMD will use the current practice in which the party’s national executive committee nominates a leader to act as party president before the next convention is held.
“We have just come out of elections and we only held our national convention in April this year. In the absence of resources, we will use the practice of allowing the national executive committee to elect a leader in an acting capacity in between conventions,” Mr Nyangu said.
[pullquote]“There has been no written application except for Mr Moses Muteteka (Chisamba member of Parliament), who has come out clearly that he wants to stand,” Mr Nyangu said[/pullquote]
He said MMD members should be mindful of the cost implications of an extraordinary convention and allow its NEC to nominate a leader in an acting capacity until the party secures funding to hold a national convention to elect Mr Banda’s successor.
Mr Nyangu said members should understand that the MMD needs to re-organise but cannot do so without transport as the police have seized its vehicles. He said the NEC has in the past nominated leaders to act as party presidents in between national conventions in accordance with the MMD constitution.
Mr Nyangu said the MMD did so in 2002 when Levy Mwanawasa took over from Dr Frederick Chiluba and in 2008 when Mr Banda was nominated acting party president after Dr Mwanawasa’s death.
“Without resources, they will have to do with the current practice,” Mr Nyangu said.
But Mr Chilambwe said money should be found to ensure the majority members participate in choosing Mr Banda’s successor. “The issue of money should not bar us from using a broad-based approach to elect our leader and that is why we as leaders should find means to do that,” Mr Chilambwe said.
He said the MMD started consulting its structures on the Copperbelt on the leader they want to take over from Mr Banda because it wants all members to participate in the process.
Meanwhile, Mr Nyangu says the MMD has not yet received any applications from members wishing to contest the party presidency. “There has been no written application except for Mr Moses Muteteka (Chisamba member of Parliament), who has come out clearly that he wants to stand,” Mr Nyangu said. He said all members in good standing are free to apply for the position of acting party president before the November 9, 2011 deadline.
File: National Constitutional Conference chairman Chifumu Banda receives a submission from a Barotse Royal Establishment representative in Lusaka
The Barotse Royal Establishment(BRE) has said that it is aggrieved by the continued abrogation of the Barotseland Agreement of 1964. The BRE has said that it is behind the wishes of the people of Barotseland over the Barotseland Agreement of 1964.
The BRE made the submissions through Induna Mayuni and Induna Namando to the Rodger Chongwe led Commission of Inquiry in Mongu Monday morning.
Induna Mayuni said that the BRE has engaged the central government over the Barotseland Agreement but without tangible results since 1969. He said that the BRE now wants the voice of the people of Barotseland to be heard and respected.
And Induan Namakando has said that the BRE will soon call for a national council where the all leadership of the Barotseland will make submissions on the Barotseland agreement whose resolutions will be forwarded to the Central government.
And in responding to the submissions, Commission Chairperson Rodger Chongwe said that it was clear from the BRE’s submission that it is not the Litunga and the BRE that let the people down but the Central Government.
The Commission has moved its sittings from Mongu to Limulunga.
Konkola Blades coach Keagan Mumba has admitted that he has become a better coach after taking charge of a Copperbelt club.
Mumba made his Copperbelt coaching debut when joined Blades at the start of this season from defunct Choma Eagles.
Blades is currently 4th and in a top five battle for runner-up spot with two games to go before the season ends.
Furthermore, Blades are in the Barclays Cup final, the Chililabombwe clubs first appearance in a cup final since 2003.
“For me I was not a complete coach that why I said I want to go and work on the Copperbelt there is something I thought I was missing,” Mumba said.
“Midlands and Copperbelt football is different. I can’t reveal that secret because I would be selling myself.
“I have been exposed to competitive football, real game situations. There is more to it there (On the Copperbelt) than that meets the eye.”
Meanwhile, Mumba said he was also happy to see promoted Konkola Mine Police become the second Chililabombwe club in the Faz Super Division starting next year.
“They train with us and I am happy that we have been part of their success and am also happy now that Chililabombwe has two teams in the top flight,” Mumba said who has coached City of Lusaka and Green Buffaloes include Zimbabwean giants Dynamos.
21 year old striker Emmanuel Mayuka stock in Switzerland is rising after entering double digits on the top scorer’s charts in the Swiss league for his club Young Boys over the weekend.
The former Kabwe Warriors striker scored a brace on Sunday for BSC Young Boys in a 4-1 home demolition of visiting bottom placed club Lausanne Sports.
Mayuka who started and finished the game scored Young Boys opening and final goals in the in the 22st and 79th minutes respectively.
Mayuka is now second on the Swiss top scorers list with 11 goals from 14 competitive games and is one behind Swiss international striker Alex Frei of FC Basel.
WEEKEND SCORECARD
2011 Barclays Cup Semifinals
29/10/2011
Nkoloma Stadium, Lusaka
Power Dynamos 2(Luka Lungu 42″, Simon Bwalya 57″)-Red Arrows 0
File:Some of the Mongu residents who marched to the Provincial administration offices to register their disapproval of treatment of their relatives who were arrested after the January 14 riots in Mongu
EMOTIONS were high yesterday during the ongoing sittings of the commission on the January 14th Mongu fracas as a witness recounted how he was arrested and lamented the alleged oppression of the people of Western Province.
And vice-chairperson of the commission, Willa Mung’omba has said President Michael Sata constituted the inquiry so that people of Western Province could speak out on issues that they had “bottled up” for a long time.“[pullquote]We contributed to putting President Michael Sata in that high throne, the people of Barotseland want self rule. We have lived in this land since 1600. We want President Sata to set Barotseland free. “How can we survive in a country where we are oppressed,[/pullquote]”
Muyangana Muyangana, 42, of Mulambwa Township, who was detained over the January 14 fracas, broke down as he told the commission that the people of Western Province had been oppressed by the previous administration.
This led to men and women breaking down and forced the chairperson of the commission, Rodger Chongwe to call for a break.
“We contributed to putting President Michael Sata in that high throne, the people of Barotseland want self rule. We have lived in this land since 1600. We want President Sata to set Barotseland free. “How can we survive in a country where we are oppressed,” he said as he broke down in tears.
Mr Muyangana, who is a businessman and a peasant farmer, said he was still living fear and that he was not even sleeping in his own house because he was afraid that the police could arrest him. He told the commission that the police acted unprofessionally during the January 14 Mongu fracas.
He said the Government should compensate all the people that had been detained and the families of the people whose lives were lost during the fracas. He also told the commission that former president Rupiah Banda, former minister of Home Affairs Mkhondo Lungu and the police command should be made to account for their actions over the Mongu fracas.
“All these people should be brought to book,” he said. Meanwhile, Mr Mung’omba said President Sata had constituted the inquiry to give an opportunity to the people of the province to speak out on issues that had been bottled up for a long time. “The reason why President Sata put the commission together was precisely that people should express themselves,” he said.
He said the January 14 incident was just a result of the underlying issues that had been bottled up for a long time. Mr Mung’omba said the result of the commission would depend on the submissions that the people were making.
Senior Chief Bright Nalubamba, one of the commissioners said the failure by the previous administrations to listen to the people was the cause of the problems in Western Province. He said the previous administration just wanted to be told what they wanted to hear and not the people’s wishes.
“Over the years this issue has been building up. We have been sent by an open administration and they want us to tell nothing but the truth. The president is prepared to listen and he is going to make a difference,” he said.
The traditional leader said President Sata should be commended for the things he had done during the first few days of his presidency because he meant well for the country. “After receiving recommendations from the commission his (President Sata) Cabinet will resolve the issue of the Barotseland Agreement once and for all,” he said.
Meanwhile, the commission yesterday observed a moment of silence in honour of the late Catholic priest Miha Drevensk and former Mongu Diocese bishop, Paul Duffy. Dr Chongwe said Father Miha had a heart for the people of Zambia and was a human rights activist. He said Fr Miha was an exceptional priest who stood for what he believed in. Dr Chongwe said like Fr Miha, Bishop Duffy stood for what he believed in.
He said both Fr Miha and Bishop Duffy spoke for the voiceless. Hearing continues today as the commission relocates to Limulunga.
Opposition Parliamentary Chief Whip Felix Mutati says the opposition will support the motion of the Public Accounts Committee following the appointment of the Secretary to the Treasury.
Mr. Mutati says President Michael Sata’s appointment of the Secretary to the Treasury is welcome as it complies with the conditions in the Public Finance act.
Mr. Mutati was speaking with ZNBC news in an interview in Lusaka.
He says the Secretary to the Treasury is very important as he is the controlling officer within government.
President Sata last week swore in Fredson Yamba as Secretary to the Treasury.
President Sata had threatened to dissolve Parliament if opposition political parties in the house continued to frustrate government efforts.
The General Overseer of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, Nigeria, T.B. Joshua has attributed the backwardness of the African Continent to the dearth of consultants and elder statesmen.
Lamenting the situation, T.B. Joshua said that former presidents of the African Continent should, by virtue of their experience and wisdom, become fathers to all political parties, corporate societies,the business class and individuals alike instead of attaching themselves to particular political parties or ethnic groups.[pullquote]the crises in Libya, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire,Tunisia and other countries could have been averted or minimized if ex-leaders had come together to form a union to curb the excesses of any current leader[/pullquote]
This is contained in a press statement released by The Synagogue Church Of All Nations.
The world acclaimed faith healer and philanthropist said each time incumbent presidents in any African country look around for advice, they are disappointed because those they should look up to are busy fighting for one political group, ethnic nationality or another.
T.B. Joshua advised that whenever an incumbent is leaving the seat of power, he should tell the whole world that henceforth, he is no more a member of any political party or group but father of the whole nation as an ex-president.
“As one who has been there, he is in the best position to tell the incumbent and other groups alike what they should do to succeed, since experience is the best teacher”.
As a former president, he is well placed to serve as a consultant to all these groups. Others will look up to him for counsel to avoid pitfalls in
the pursuit of success. In this way, he will bring harmony,cooperation and prosperity to the continent. The peace the continent requires for progress in all fields of endeavour will become a reality as a result. He urged ex-presidents and heads of state to come together and form a union which current leaders can look up to for direction.
This will serve as a beacon of hope and force of unity for the continent in general and the various countries in particular. The union will also ensure that current presidents have access to it and its pool of rich experience for better governance.
T.B. Joshua declared that the crises in Libya, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire,Tunisia and other countries could have been averted or minimized if ex-leaders had come together to form a union to curb the excesses of any current leader. He therefore calls for the urgency of this union for the good of the entire continent.
