Outgoing Eastern Province Minister, Charles Banda, has reiterated that government will dismantle civil servants who have not accepted the change of government and want to derail government’s plans of developing the nation.

Mr Banda said all civil servants need to accept the change of government in order to continue with the implementation of developmental programs in all sectors of the economy.

The minister was speaking to journalists in his office this morning.

Mr Banda stressed that it is important for public workers to remain non partisan and support government if they are to deliver services in an efficient and effective manner.

He, however, noted that most civil servants in the province have accepted the change of government and its developmental agenda, saying it is for this reason that the province has seen positive participation in development activities.

Mr Banda cited the road rehabilitation projects on both feeder and major roads as some of the successes that have been made since last year.

Mr Banda noted that works are going on smoothly on the Chipata/Mfuwe and the Chipata/ Lundazi Roads and that 80 per cent of the works have completed.

He stated that the contractor stepped up works on the two roads and expressed optimism that works will be completed according to schedule.

Mr Banda also stated that government is opening up most of the chiefdoms which had poor road infrastructure across the province.

He said the Rural Roads Unit (RRU) has rehabilitated and is in the process of rehabilitating the Mfuwe/Malama road and Sinda /Nyanje road among others.

He stated the 19 rural roads have been budgeted for rehabilitation works.

Meanwhile, the outgoing provincial minister says the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has improved the marketing system of maize in the province.

Mr Banda acknowledged that there have been a number of shortfalls in the marketing of the product in the 2011/12 marketing of the product.

He disclosed that the province is remaining with less than K30 billion to finish paying off farmers who sold their maize to the agency.

Mr Banda said government will finish paying what it owes the farmers before the end of the week and K29 billion was to the province last week.

He said government intends to continue improving the maize marketing system and the distribution of inputs to the farmers.

ZANIS

President Michael Sata has said that the state will defend and protect the Litunga and the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) from any attempts of aggression being created by a clique of misguided individuals.

This is contained in a media statement made available to the media by State House.

The Head of State said that he had credible information that there are certain frustrated and ill-advised persons that are manoeuvring to bring strife to the Litunga and the BRE.

President Sata has warned that the state security wings will not sit idle and watch reckless people sow discord in Western Province.

“This Government is committed to ensuring peace and stability in Western Province and views the Litunga and the BRE as an important part of that process. The Litunga and the BRE symbolises national unity and identity,” President Sata says.

“Therefore, those seeking to undermine the Litunga and the BRE using unlawful means will be dealt with firmly. As responsible elected officers of the people we pledge that urgent and practical measures will be engaged to nip these illegitimate schemes in the bud.”

Why do the Zambian authorities torture foreigners like the kabwalala and put them in prisons like CHIMBOKAILA and KAMWALA REMIND PRISON for 5years or 3 years because of travel documents.They stay there with out DEPORTATION.It is not fair because all of us we are AFRICANS.

Why the peoples of Zambia live in peace in our countries,they are not treated like the way Zambia Immigration treat the foreigners from others countries
like Tanzania,Burundi,Rwanda,Uganda,DRC,Kenya etc…..

I can ask for President Sata we was together in the prisons KAMWALA and CHIMBOKAILA in 2006.He knows how is it to put innocent peoples in prison.He was innocent that time like us foreigners.President Sata now is your time to save the foreigners.

By N.D

In August this year Times of Zambia carried a story that 11 Ethiopians have been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment each with hard labour after they pleaded guilty to the offence of Consenting to being smuggled into Zambia.

The Lusaka High Court sentenced the 11 who included a woman after the 11 took plea to the offence which is contrary to the Laws of Zambia.

The 11 had also been sentenced to nine, six and three months for admitting the charge of failing to appear before the nearest Immigration office upon entering Zambia, contrary to the Immigration and Deportation Act.

The convicts who had been in custody would have their sentences run from the day of arrest in December last year.
High Court judge Mungeni Mulenga, however, reserved judgment to the 12th accused person Berenet Abebe because he had been hospitalised to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), and his judgment was set for September 7, this year.
This was in a case in which, Daboba Habibi, Amenule Desale, Tagasse Selamu, Abdulahi Debiso, Biruk Alimue, Hussein Rahima, (only female), Abdi Aliyi Ahmed, Mubarek Ahmed, Abdurah Mante, Muta Kasim and Arab Tajure had been convicted on the said charge.
In count one, the 12 were facing a charge of Consenting to being smuggled Contrary to Section 9 (1) of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act Number 11 of 2008 of the Laws of Zambia.
In count two, the convicts pleaded guilty to failing to appear before the nearest Immigration officer upon entry into Zambia, contrary to Section 12(2) and Section 51(1) as read with Section 56 (1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act Number 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia.
The convicts had earlier appeared before senior resident magistrate Aridah Chulu who could not pass sentence in the first count due to jurisdiction but sentenced them to various months in count one.
She then referred the matter to the High Court for sentencing in the first count where they were now jailed 15 years each with hard labour.
Facts before the court were that a group of Ethiopians left for South Africa where arrangements were made with an agent who was paid an undisclosed amount of money to take them to their desired destination.
The same agent on unknown dates but around December 2011 made the accused persons to cross borders without passing through the Immigration Department offices for their clearance as they were put in a container.
They then found themselves in Lusaka where they were apprehended and handed over to the Immigration and investigations revealed that the convicts had consented to being smuggled from Tanzania to Zambia.

Newly appointed North western province minister Stephen Masumba has urged MMD sympathizers in the province not to feel insecure to join the ruling Patriotic Front-PF.

Mr Masumba appealed to the opposition party members to also consider the development agenda of the PF government as a move that should attract them to join the ruling party.

Mr Masumba said there is nothing wrong for people from the opposition parties who are willing to align themselves with the Patriotic Front government to do so because its development agenda is all inclusive and beyond political interests.

The minister was speaking in Kabompo when he addressed MMD and PF district officials at Suwuluka lodge yesterday.

He said the grass root structures of the PF has to grow by increasing the membership and that anyone willing to join should feel free to come on board.

And Kabompo east MMD member of parliament Danny Chinyimbu who accompanied Mr Masumba on his tour to the district said he is still consulting party officials in the constituency before he considers resigning from the former ruling party.

Mr Chinyimbu said he has realized that he cannot deliver his development agenda to the expectations of the people in the area if he remains in the opposition.

He disclosed that the PF in the province has approached him over his intention to cross over to the ruling party but that he is still weighing the sacrifice before accepting the offer.

Meanwhile, senior chief Sikufele of Kabompo district has thanked Mr Chinyimbu for his intention to leave the opposition MMD.

The senior chief said it is no long making sense for the MMD MP to remain in opposition when government has changed.

ZANIS

A Matero resident Opper Hamiyanze says opposition UPND president Hakainde Hichilema is exhibiting double standards over the allocation of K1.5 billion towards the construction of a retirement house for President Michael Sata.

Mr Hamiyanze wondered why the UPND leader is now against the allocation of funds for the Head of State’s retirement house when during the Rupiah Banda administration the UPND 2010 and 2011 approved K7. 2 billion allocated for the former president’s retirement house.

In an interview with ZANIS yesterday, Mr. Hamiyanze advised Mr. Hichilema to instead concentrate on building his party rather than venting his anger and frustration on the sound economic policies the Patriotic Front government has for the Zambian people.

He urged the opposition UPND leader to be objective and mature if he is to succeed in his political career.

Mr Hamiyanze further noted that the PF government embraces divergent views but that if the views are always marred with unnecessary verbal attacks then such kind of critique will not be welcome.

The Opposition UPND president has been quoted in some sections of the media as having criticised the allocation of funds towards the construction of a retirement house for President Michael Sata.

ZANIS