PARLIAMENT heard yesterday that the Patriotic Front (PF) in its campaigns in the run up to the September 20, 2011 did not promise to secede Western Province from the rest of Zambia but advocated the restoration of the Barotseland Agreement.

In his maiden speech to the House, Western Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu told the House that the PF promised to restore the Barotseland Agreement so that justice could be accorded to it that was why a commission of inquiry has been set up.

“In our campaign promises, we didn’t promise secession of Western Province; as PF, we are alive to our election campaigns to the Zambian people which include the Barotseland Agreement which the MMD government mishandled,” Mr Mubukwanu said.

The minister said the PF has since delivered on some of its promises it made over Western Province such as the release of the prisoners arrested during the Mongu riots; a commission of inquiry had too been set up in that regard and action was also being taken to fight corruption. “Up to now people of Mongu are still waiting for former Vice-President George Kunda who justified the shooting of a defenseless person to go there and demonstrate how a person could be carrying a burning tire,” Mr Mubukwanu noted.

He said the high poverty levels obtaining in Western Province and lack of development in general warranted the calls to have the Barotseland Agreement restored. “Poverty levels in Western Province have deteriorated and let me state here that politics of marginalization also caused calls for the restoration of the Barotseland agreement of 1964.

“People of Western want equal distribution resources; Western Province is the only of the nine that does not have a girls high school,” Mr Mubukwanu told Parliament. He appealed to the civil society and donors to join hands with the PF Government to transform Western Province for better.

And his Lusaka Province counterpart Miles Sampa has defended the Cabinet appointments President Michael Sata has made, stressing that there is a balance in tribe. Making his maiden speech to the House, Mr Sampa said that President Sata has appointed ministers almost from all the nine provinces, contrary to assertions that his Cabinet was tribal.

“Has appointed Mr Wilbur Simuusa from Southern, Ms Inonge Wina and Mr Given Lubinda from Western, Justice Minister Sebastian Zulu is from Eastern. Others are Vice-President Dr Guy Scott from North-Western and Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba from Northern,” Mr Sampa said. Mr Sampa also expressed sadness at the way he was hounded out of employment from Finance Bank by the MMD government without notice although he sued and won for wrongful dismissal.

Lunte Member of Parliament (MP) Felix Mutati (MMD) in his debate said the opposition in the House would accord the ruling party space to govern but stressed that the opposition would not compromise its role to providing proper checks and balances for the good of Zambians.

“As opposition, we shall give Government space to govern on three key principles in that we work with them in accordance with the aspirations of Zambians to ensure we remain as their beacon of hope; We shall remain and reserve our allegiance to providing checks and balances to ensure that governance does not meander.

“We embrace what President Sata said that Zambians deserve better and are entitled to a better life,” Mr Mutati who is also leader of the opposition in the House stressed. Mr Mutati welcomed the decision by the Government to consider floating 35 per cent shares in the public media on the stock exchange, stressing that such was a good governance idea which the opposition embraced.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini sent away Labour, Sports, Youth and Gender Minister Fackson Shamenda for improper dressing. Mr Shamenda entered the chamber without a necktie warranting a point of order from Kalomo MP Request Muntanga (UPND) as to whether he was in order to dress without a necktie.

Dr Matibini ruled that he was not in order and asked him to get dressed properly. The minister later came back wearing a neck-tie.

[Times of Zambia]

The Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia has asked government to reintroduce the windfall tax and reduce the tax burden on other sectors.

Union president Davy Chiyobe says government should bring back the windfall or the mineral royalty tax for the country to benefit from the increased copper prices on the international market.

Mr. Chiyobe told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today ahead of Friday’s presentation of the 2012 national budget that the country needs to benefit from the copper sales which he says is the number one income earner by introducing the taxes.

He noted that Zambia has not benefited much from the copper mining industry adding that this has resulted in government charging the ordinary Zambians with high taxes.

Mr. Chiyobe said there is need for government to find resources to finance programmes like infrastructure development and improved conditions of service for public service workers.

He has since requested government to also reduce the pay as you earn-PAYE tax and also increase tax income threshold from one million to one point five million Kwacha.

Mr. Chiyobe explained that the PAYE which stands at 35 percent is too much and suggested that it be reduced to about 25 percent.

He has meanwhile asked government to set a date for the commencement of negotiations for improved conditions of services for public service workers.

The Civil Servants Union President said the current collective bargain ends by December 31, and that there is growing pressure especially from the general membership who want to see new negotiations commence.

He has since advised government to come out in the open and state their position regarding next year’s conditions of service for public service workers.

[ZANIS]

THE National Restoration Party (NAREP) has observed that the announced Constitution-making roadmap by the Minister of Justice Sebastian Zulu beyond the 90 days will ensure that Zambians come up with a Constitution that will stand the test of time.

NAREP president Elias Chipimo Jr, however, said in Lusaka yesterday that the Government must come up with a clear roadmap that would guarantee a people’s Constitution. He said it would not be realistic to state that a people’s Constitution would be written within 90 days.

“We have always indicated that it was not realistic for the Government to say they would come up with a people driven Constitution within 90 days because it was not just feasible. So we are glad with the realisation that Constitution-making is not feasible within 90 days. “I am, however, restricted to comment because I have not yet seen the roadmap,” he said.

Mr Chipimo Jr said there was need for the Government to outline a detailed roadmap on the writing of a new Constitution. He said his party had some steps that it would recommend in the constitution making process to ensure that Zambians have a constitution that would stand the test of time.

On Friday, Justice Minister Sebastian Zulu outlined a roadmap to guide the Constitution-making process that would entail constituting a team of experts to carry out a comprehensive review of the recommendations by the Mvunga, Mwanakatwe and Mung’omba Constitution review commissions. The minister said this would be followed by a national referendum.

And a political activist Dante Saunders has welcomed the announced roadmap on the Constitution-making process by the Government. Mr Saunders said in Lusaka yesterday that Zambians had already spoken through the previous commissions and that the Government should now just proceed to put together a new Constitution. Mr Saunders who had been opposed to Parliament adopting the new Constitution said the current Parliament would be entrusted because the people’s views would be safeguarded.

[Times of Zambia]

UNITED Kingdom (UK) minister in charge for Africa Henry Bellingham is in the country for a three day visit. Mr Bellingham whose visit is aimed at strengthening the broad bilateral relations between Zambia and the UK has since congratulated Zambia for the transparent and peaceful conduct of the September 20 elections and the subsequent smooth transfer of power which he described as a major success for the country’s democracy.

He said the country was a model in the region and the continent as a whole. According to a statement released by the British High Commission in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Belligham said Zambia had an important role to play in the SADC and COMESA regions. “I am very much looking forward to my first visit to Zambia.

This visit provides an opportunity to strengthen trade links between the UK and Zambia, regional and international security issues as well as identifying areas for further cooperation and highlight where we can work together in the future,” he said.

I congratulate Zambia on the peaceful transfer of power following recent elections. The transparent and peaceful manner in which they were conducted, and the exemplary way in which power was transferred is a major success for democracy in Zambia and a model to others in the region and across Africa.

He said Zambia had an important role to play in SADC, COMESA and the Southern African region and that he would be discussing a range of important regional and international security issues and trade opportunities with members of the Government. During his visit, Mr Bellingham is expected to meet President Michael Sata, Vice-President Guy Scott, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry.

He will also meet the British and Zambian business community. Mr Bellingham will also visit Zambia Sugar plc in Mazabuka, Southern Province, and the UK’s biggest investment in Zambia. President Sata will also host lunch for Mr Bellingham at State House, to which he has invited members of the British business and resident community in Zambia.

And British High Commissioner to Zambia, Tom Carter said Mr Bellingham’s visit was the first by a minister from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in several years. He said the visit offers the opportunity to bolster trade and investment links between the two countries. “This will be the first visit to Zambia by a minister from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for several years.

It offers the opportunity to bolster trade and investments links between the two countries and highlight future investment opportunities for British businesses. It will also be the first British ministerial visit to Zambia since the change of Government in September and will enable us to forge a new and deeper relationship with the new Government.

”The UK enjoys strong trade, cultural and educational links with Zambia. Currently, the UK government, through DFID, is supporting the Government of Zambia to deliver better services and make better investment decisions, tackling malaria and maternal mortality and increasing opportunities for rural wealth creation. DFID will be spending an average of £59 million per year in Zambia until 2015.

[Times of Zambia]

In the last article , football workout ,i discussed a general workout for all players , more of a warm up . Today football fans can learn how to workout like ,arguable ,the best player in the world today, Barcelona’s  Lionel Messi . Messi is known for his speed ,agility ,and balance . Those are the aspects we will be working on.

THE WORKOUT

FOR SPEED

“W” Run

how its done;

• Lay 5 cones in a W shape, 10 metres across the top, and 5 metres deep.
•  Start on the furthest left point, jog backwards to the second point, sprint to the third, jog backwards to fourth and sprint away to the right point.
•  Wait 20 secs, then reverse.

Dead leg run

how its done;

• Place 8 hurdles or cones in a straight line, with the final one 5m out from the end.
•  Run down the cones, lifting one leg high over each.
• Use a good 90-degree arm drive and push your knee high.
•  Sprint out to the last cone, repeat with opposite leg

FOR AGILITY

Horizontal hops

how its done;

• Set out 6 cones: 3 in a straight line, at a hopping distance; then from the end, one at 9 o’clock, one at 12, one at 3, all 5m away.
•  Hop to each cone, then sprint out to one of the final cones.
• Walk back and alternate the hopping leg.
•  Do 3 sets of 8 reps

Get ups

how its done;

• This is great for leg drive. Lie on the floor (always alternate position: back, side, front, etc) count to 5, then get up as quickly as possible, then sprint 5m.
• Perform 3 sets of 8.
•  This trains total-body coordination.

Two footed bounds

how its done;

• Lay out cones the same as the horizontal hops exercise, but instead of hopping, bound with two legs over the first 3, then sprint and swerve through the 9, 12 and 3 o’clock cones and back to the start.
•  Perform 3 sets of 4

FOR BALANCE

Backward lunge with side flexion

how its done;

• Start with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent and core tensed.
• Step back into a deep lunge with right leg, extend your right arm overhead and side flex.
•  Push back to the start with left leg.
•  Do 8 reps of 6 each side

Shelf stacker

how its done;

•  Reach and lunge down with both hands to the outside of your right ankle
•  explode from there in a diagonal movement across the body, as if putting something from the floor onto a shelf.
•  Do 15 reps on each side.

Alphabet drill

how its done;

•  balance on your left leg.
• Extend your right leg in front and draw the alphabet, then repeat on the other side, maintaining posture and balance the whole time.
•  Repeat on other leg

BY KAPA187