Malawian Vice President Joyce Banda has arrived in the country for a private visit. Vice President Banda arrived at Dr Kenneth Kaunda International Airport aboard an Air Malawi flight at exactly 10: 10 hours amid tight security.

Vice President Dr Guy Scott was on hand to receive his Malawian counterpart and immediately proceeded to greet ruling Patriotic Front (PF) cadres who were dancing and singing solidarity songs.

Lusaka Province Minister Miles Sampa and Acting Lusaka District Commissioner Martha Mwitumwa were also on hand to receive Vice President Banda. ZANIS reports that upon arrival Vice President Dr Scott and his Malawian counterpart where immediately driven to Lusaka’s Pamodzi Hotel where she will be lodging during her visit.

While at Pamodzi Hotel, Vice President Dr Guy Scott and his Malawian counterpart held private talks and journalists who followed from the airport to have an interview with the visiting Vice President were advised to leave as Ms Banda would not brief them on her mission to Zambia because she was in the country in her private capacity.

Recently, Zambia and Malawi have come under spotlight following President Michael Sata’s refusal to honour an invitation by that country’s President Dr Mbingu Wa Mutarika to attend the just ended COMESA summit. The President instead delegated Vice President Dr. Guy Scott who attended on behalf of Zambia.

President Sata’s refusal to honour the invitation followed his un-ceremonial ejection from that country in 2007 when he was an opposition leader and was invited to Malawi by former president Bakili Muluzi.

To this effect, Mr Sata demanded that the Malawian government should furnish him with reasons for his deportation.

The Malawian government has since revoked the ban on Mr. Sata to that country where he was declared a prohibited immigrant and said President Sata would be accorded all entitlements of a Head of State.

Malawi, like many other neighbouring countries have enjoyed cordial relations with Zambia since independence from the British colonial masters on 24th October, 1964.

ZANIS

Vice President Guy Scott has assured farmers in the country that Government would finish paying them their dues through the Food Reserve Agency by 31st October this year.
Speaking during the Kulamba Kubwalo traditional Ceremony of the Lenje speaking people held in Chibombo yesterday, Dr Scott said if there would be cases of some farmers not paid their dues by the specified date, his office should be informed so that he could direct FRA to do as stated.

He also informed farmers that all the farming inputs for the 2011/2012 farming season were in place and that Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives would ensure that the inputs were distributed by November this year.

The Vice President said contrary to what the former ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) indicated in their quest to de-campaign the Patriotic Front (PF) that it would terminate free distribution of farming inputs once it came to power, Government would continue with the Fertiliser Support Programme and that this time Soya Beans has been included in the package to allow farmers to widen their horizons.

Dr. Scott said it was Government’s intention to see a better Zambia with economic values and that it wanted proper farming methods for farming and hoped that the inclusion of Soya Beans on the FSP programme would enhance crop diversification and subsequently boost the country’s economy.

He thanked the people of Chibombo for their support during the elections and said the main reason he was attending the ceremony was not because he was Vice President but because he grew up in Lenje land and just wanted to know how his tribesmen were doing after the elections.

Dr. Scott, was accompanied to the ceremony by Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Deputy Minister Mary Kawandami.

Later, speaking when he met PF party officials at Chibombo District Council Chamber, Dr. Scott said the victory experienced by the ruling party was not a mere victory but the hand of God.

He said the PF faced a lot of intimidation and character assassination by the ruling MMD and that it was never possible for the PF to emerge victorious without the glorious hand of God which he said he would forever be grateful to.

The Vice President said PF was happy to have won three Parliamentary seats out of the 14 seats in Central Province especially that Central Province was an MMD stronghold.
He said PF would have actually done much better in many constituencies and even scooped the Muchinga Constituency seat had it not been for the fact that former Vice President George Kunda had spent a lot of state resources to win the elections.

However, Dr Scott said his Government was happy with the people of Central Province and would ensure that they delivered on their campaign promises.

Also in attendance at the ceremony was Central Province Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama, Opposition MMD Provincial Chairlady Grace Mulando, Kembe MMD Member of Parliament Ronnie Shikapwasha, Former Member of Parliament for Kapiri Friday Malwa, among others.

ZANIS

Vice President’s wife Charlotte Scott has emphasised the need for young people to have vital information that would enable them live better so that they could make informed decisions to unplanned teenage pregnancies.

Mrs. Scott noted that these unplanned pregnancies in young girls mostly led to unsafe abortions and high prevalence rate of HIV.

ZANIS reports that speaking when she officiated at the Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) general conference at Andrews Motel in Lusaka today, the second lady observed that if the country did not pay particular attention to the young people’s sexual and reproductive health needs, it’s future was being risked.

She said it was therefore important to enforce and safeguard the reproductive health rights of the young people by creating an environment in which they would easily access information and services needed.

Mrs. Scott also called upon young people in Zambia to fully participate in programmes that were meant to benefit them.

She further noted that the association had served Zambia for a long time trying to meet the reproductive health needs and aspirations of the Zambian people.

Mrs. Scott observed that the role of PPAZ was to promote good reproductive health among women, men and the youth.

And The Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) has urged teenage girls in the country to be responsible and have protected sex if they cannot abstain.

Executive Director Edford Mutuma said there is need for young people to have critical information that will enable them to lead empowered lives in the country.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS on the sidelines of the PPAZ general conference in Lusaka today, he said there is need for the country to continue providing services to the communities to help young people realise their rights and achieve goals.

He added that this will facilitate a society whose people have access to equal and affordable sexual and reproductive health services.

Mr. Mutuma also called on teenage girls to desist from unprotected sex as it leads to unplanned pregnancies and abortions which can endanger their lives.

He also implored young people to make informed decisions at all times.

Mr. Mutuma further noted that Zambia is currently faced with a high number of maternal mortality adding that having teenagers being pregnant at early stages is a clear indication that they lacked information.

He also appealed to young girls to be partners with various stakeholders in reducing the number of early pregnancies in the country.

ZANIS

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith will it be done to you’ ”
(Matthew 9:29, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

God created us as visual beings. He is a creative God, and He’s given us the ability to create as well. It all starts with what you see in your mind’s eye. Everyone has their own mental picture of the way they see themselves, their family and their future. This picture determines what kind of life you live. If you have an image of success, victory, health, happiness and abundance, you will naturally gravitate toward that. But if you have an image of lack, defeat and mediocrity, that negative mental picture will keep you from God’s best.

Remember, if you’re going to be successful, you have to first see yourself as successful — the way God sees you. According to your faith, it will be done to you.

Faith comes by hearing the Word. That’s why it’s so important to take time every day to study and meditate on God’s promises. Let His truth sink down deeply into your heart. Open your eyes of faith so you can see yourself rising higher. Choose to have a vision of victory and be all that you can see!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, I pray today that You would open the eyes of my heart and reveal Yourself to me. Show me Your ways. Show me Your love. Help me to see myself the way You see me so that I can be all that You have created me to be in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Commerce Minister Robert Sichinga says he will not hesitate to recommend the dissolution of non-performing Board of Directors of Parastatal companies. Mr Sichinga has given parastatal companies that fall under his Ministry three months to create sector codes, saying Government will impose sector codes if they fail to do so.

He said parastatal companies have a critical role to play in realising the Patriotic Front’s dream of putting more money in people’s pockets through the creation of employment.

Mr Sichinga said this dream cannot be realised if the country fails to create employment for people in the country. The minister was speaking in Lusaka yesterday after conducting a familiarisation tour of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) and the Consumer Competition and Protection Commission (CCPC).

He noted that CEEC has not been discharging its mandate to the expectation of the Zambian people saying only 40 percent of its loans were being paid back.

He urged management to ensure that loans it disburses to the people are paid back to service others.

The Minister also urged CEEC to ensure it comes up with a minimum amount of loan for disbursement to public to avoid giving huge sums to one individual.

Mr Sichinga said the PF Government would demand for transparency in the manner empowerment funds were disbursed to the public to ensure equitable distribution of funds among citizens.

He also promised to ensure there was no political interference in the operations of the Commission.

And Mr Sichinga has given parastatal companies that fall under his ministry three months to create sector codes, saying Government would impose sector codes if they failed to do so.

He stated that sector codes were important because they gauged the performance of institutions hence the need for every sector in the country to develop these..

Speaking earlier, CEEC Board Chairperson Overs Banda bemoaned the erratic release of funds to CEEC for its empowerment programmes.

Mr Banda disclosed that Government had this year only released K18 billion of its K40 billion budget saying the K22 billion balance had not yet been released until now.

He said CEEC was ready to support Government in realising its dream of empowering citizens to enable their contribution to the country’s economic development.

Mr Banda said the Commission was fully committed to ensuring that it addressed the economic imbalance existing among people in the country.

Meanwhile, Mr Sichinga has urged the Consumer Competition and Protection Commission (CCPC) to be professional, impartial and to stick to the law in the execution of its mandate.

Mr Sichinga said Government wants zero tolerance to corruption in an effort to ensure that public resources were prudently utilised.

He further urged the Commission to remain steadfast in protecting consumers against counterfeit products that were being imported into the country.

And CCPC Board Chairperson Benard Chiwala said the Commission had set four objectives that it would endeavour to implement in the next five years in a bid to contribute to the country’s economic growth.

Mr Chiwala said the Commission would ensure that there was consumer protection, and that its effectiveness was strengthened.

He said the Commission would further enhance its visibility and ensure that companies complied with the law on competition.

ZANIS

Former Minister of Finance and National Planning Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane and MMD Liuwa Member of Parliament has advised the Patriotic Front Government to cool down and get to work as it was elected to carrying on where MMD left. Dr Musokotwane was speaking yesterday in Parliament when he contributed to the debate on the president’s speech.

Dr Musokotwane further said that the MMD will support the PF government because its successes will benefit all Zambians. Dr Musokotwane said the PF should take up the development projects the MMD has left and ensure the country maintains its status of being one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.

Mafinga MMD member of Parliament (MP) Catherine Namugala urged the Patriotic Front (PF) government not apologise to anyone for creating a 10th province to be called Muchinga.

Ms Namugala said when she contributed to the President’s speech in Parliament yesterday that Northern Province is a big province, and President Sata’s decision to divide it into two is right.

“The PF government has my full support in creating a 10th province because Northern Province is too big to remain one province. My appeal to Government is not to apologise to anyone for making such an important decision,” she said.

Ms Namugala said there are 13 districts in Northern Province, but the region receives budgetary allocations similar to provinces with less than seven districts.
She said dividing the province will accelerate development in the area.

Ms Namugala also urged Government to maintain law and order because it is a prerequisite for tourism attraction. She said Government should concentrate on maintaining the peace the country has enjoyed over the years.

And Mwembeshi MP Austin Milambo (UPND) said the Constituency Development Fund allocation should be increased to K5 billion from K720 million so that parliamentarians can implement development projects in their areas.
Mwandi MP Michael Kaingu (MMD) said PF leaders should heed President Sata’s advice to concentrate on work and not finger-point to develop the country.

[Zambia Daily Mail]