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Two Civil Society Organizations and one political party have dismissed an opinion poll that was released by Synovate research Company in Lusaka predicting victory for Republican President Rupiah Banda in the forthcoming general elections.
Anti Voter Apathy Project Executive Director Bonnie Tembo has told Qfm that Zambia has not reached a level of having credible opinion polls.
Mr. Tembo says opinion polls are mostly based on assumptions and may not represent a true reflection of the reality on the ground.
He has since urged Zambians not to be swayed by the findings of the Synovate opinion poll but wait for the 20th September poll which will determine who goes to plot one.
And Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi has charged that people should not be discouraged by the opinion polls as they are carried out on a sample group of individuals.
Mr. Chipenzi has however advised political players to use the opinion poll to improve in areas where they are still lagging behind.
Meanwhile, National Restoration Party (NAREP) acting National Secretary Charles Mwenya has said his party is not moved by the Synovate findings as it is an opinion that anyone can express
Energy Permanent Secretary Teddy Kasonso says the closure of Indeni oil refinery on October 1, 2011 will not affect fuel supply on the market.
Mr Kasonso says the TAZAMA Board of Directors is currently meeting in Lusaka to ensure that no disruptions in supply of fuel occur during the maintenance period.
He was speaking in Lusaka on Thursday when he officially opened a Renewable Energy Forum.
And Mr Kasonso says government is keen to see growth of Renewable Energy so that it helps reduce the national energy deficit.
He has also announced that Government has approved the blending of bio fuels with fossil fuels.
This means that all diesels sold at the pump will now have a five percent content of bio diesel.
And Biofuels Association of Zambia Vice President, Kamal Desai says the approval of the blending ratios will result in increased investment in bio fuels production.
He has told ZNBC News in an interview that currently there is already increased interest from Chinese investors in producing bio fuels.
Renewable energy represents energy generated from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, plants or geothermal heat.
Transparency International Zambia chapter (TIZ) says cancellation of the UPG contract for the printing ballot papers is a possible option following the corruption allegations leveled against the company.
TIZ president Rueben Lifuka has told a media briefing in Lusaka today that contrary to the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s position ruling out the cancellation of the UPG contract, it is possible to dos because the country cannot afford to face the consequences of going through an electoral process that is marred with suspicion.
Mr Lifuka has proposed that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) should consider calling for a stakeholders meeting were corruption allegations surrounding the Universal Print group, a South African firm which is printing ballot papers can be addressed.
He says the corruption allegations leveled against UPG may lead to voter apathy due to loss of public confidence in the country’s electoral process.
Mr. Lifuka has wondered why the ECZ as a contracting party with UPG did not request for Mr. Vik Vaid the UPG operation manager not to manage the contract signed until he was cleared of the allegations involving money laundering.
And Mr. Lifuka has also challenged the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to consider raising the allegations against UPG with the South African authorities in an effort to try and investigate the matter.
He says South Africa would be of help in setting the record straight on the allegations involving UPG stating that the country is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption which criminalizes bribery of foreign public officials.
Meanwhile, transparency international Zambia says the courts have granted his organization an injunction restraining Chanda Chimba and ZNBC from producing and broadcasting the controversial Stand Up for Zambia programme.
This is in a matter in which the TIZ had applied for an injunction to the Lusaka high court to restrain ZNBC and producer Chanda Chimba from airing the programme.
Meanwhile,the ten political party representatives and the Electoral commission of Zambia ECZ officials have spent the last few days proof reading data for local government candidates in Durban South Africa.
The process aims at ensuring that the printer gets the correct information when printing the ballots.
Printing of presidential ballot papers has already been completed.
ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna has told ZNBC News in Durban that the party agents have also spent time improving picture quality of the respective candidates.
Currently local government data from the Copperbelt, Eastern and Central provinces is being proof read.
Political parties represented in Durban include United Party for National Development, Movement for Multi Party Democracy, Forum for Democracy and Development, Zambians for Empowerment and Development and National Movement for Progress.
Others are the Patriotic Front, United National Independence Party, Alliance for Democracy and Development, National Restoration Party and the Heritage Party.
Other observers present include the Islamic Council of Zambia, the church and the Foundation for Democratic Process representing civil society groups.
Ballot papers for the September 20 presidential, parliamentary and local government elections are being printed in Durban South Africa by Universal Print Group.
Nchanga Rangers this afternoon recorded their first league win over Zesco United since returning to top flight football last season.
Nchanga beat Zesco 1-0 at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola in the two sides rescheduled Faz Super Divsion Week 14 game.
A 50th minute goal scored by Levy Zulu handed Nchanga the three points in a match the home side dominated the Faz Super Division defending champions.
Nchanga rise to 27 points and exchange places with Roan United from 10th to 9th place
Meanwhile, 6th placed Zesco on 29 points are feeling the pressure following the loss with another away game coming up this Saturday against 7th placed Nkana in a week 20 fixture in Kitwe.
Kitwe United’s first trip to Lusaka in over six years today ended on a poor note after losing away to struggling Lusaka Dynamos this afternoon.
Dynamos beat United 1-0 in a rescheduled Faz Division 1 North Week 20 game played at Nationalist Stadium in Lusaka t record only their fourth league win of the season.
Cassius Mumba scored the all-important goal in the 15th minute for struggling Dynamos who are rooted at the bottom end of the table.
Dynamos were demoted from the Super Division last season.
And Dynamos coach Lucas Siame said it was a great relief to see the financially troubled club win under difficult circumstances in the wake of their eviction from their home for 30 years Queensmead Stadium after failing to pay rentals.
“The boys still possess the fighting spirit and the win is a morale boaster ahead of our weekend game against Mufulira Blackpool,” Siame said.
United Party for National Development UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has laughed at the Synovate opinion poll released yesterday predicting a Rupiah Banda victory in the forthcoming elections. Mr Hichilema says the opinion poll is just MMD propaganda.
He wonders why the MMD has been losing by-elections in the last few months if it was that popular.
He has accused the MMD of paying people to issue such opinion polls in order to sway the people of Zambia on the election outcome.
Mr Hichilema says the UPND is not bothered with the opinion polls because the party is on the ground campaigning for its election victory.
Mr. Hichilema has told QFM in an interview that the Zambian people will not be distracted by the opinion polls because they are determined to change government come September 20.
Yesterday , Political consultancy and research-based organisation tipped President Banda and the MMD to win the September 20 tripartite elections with at least 35 percent.
The Management Intelligence Organisation (MIO) said in its 2011 Polls Research Project the opposition will share 40 percent of the ballot, while 25 percent of the registered voters will not turn up to cast their votes for various reasons.
“RB (Rupiah Banda) and MMD will win this year’s elections with 74 MPs,” Francis Margaret Daka, an election methodologist at MIO, said in the forecast.
“Thirty-five percent of Zambian people will turn up to vote for Rupiah Banda so that he can finish the projects that are currently going on. Forty percent of Zambian people will also turn up to vote because they want the change of government. They will vote for UPND (United Party for National Development), PF (Patriotic Front), UNIP (United National Independence Party) and other political parties.”
Mr Daka said tha the forthcoming ballot will mostly be a two-horse race between the MMD and the PF, but tips the ruling party and its presidential candidate to emerge victorious.
Five stronghold provinces were sampled for each of the two political parties.
“Rupiah is going to win this year’s election by pulling 30 percent from Lusaka, 40 percent from Copperbelt, 90 percent from Eastern, 80 percent from North-Western, and Central 80 percent,” he said.
“PF shall pull 65 percent from Northern, 35 percent from Lusaka, and 50 percent from Coppebelt, Central Province six percent, and North-Western seven percent.”
Mr Daka also dispelled fears that next month’s elections will be marred by violence. He said there will be no violence in the country during and after the elections.
Mr Daka said most of the members of the MMD, PF, UPND and other parties have resolved not to fight each other, but that the ballot should speak.
MIO said the ongoing development projects initiated by the MMD government have put President Banda in a strong position ahead of the poll, in which 10 candidates are contesting the presidential slot.
“Zambians are very happy with the development which the President has put in place, which is now trickling down to the less-privileged people. Most people doubted the projects, but now are convinced that they are serious projects. Everywhere you go, you see development taking place,” MrDaka said.
He observed that while the UPND has in recent elections been recording sweeping wins across Southern Province with open-ended margins, the tables are now changing in favour of the MMD, with most southerners generally conceding that their ‘home’ party has no chance this time around.
“People from Southern (Province) have made their mind that they will love to vote for Rupiah Banda because on HH (UPND president HakaindeHichilema) they have been wasting their votes. This time they will get it right first time by voting for MMD. They know that HH can’t win this year’s election,” he says
Most men dream of having a nicely built ,busting-out-of-the-t shirt chest . It takes a lot of hard work and discipline but it can be done. Lifting weights is not just for men , women should also lift weights to build a toned, sculpted, feminine body, and build stronger bones.
BEST CHEST EXERCISES
BARBELL BENCH PRESS
The bench press is the most popular chest exercise. The main muscle it works in the chest , other muscles worked are the shoulders and triceps.
There are 3 variations of the Bench press. Using an inclined bench , flat bench and declined bench. For beginners i would recommend you to start with the flat bench .
It is done as follows:
Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions. It is recommended to do a set containing 10 repetitions.
Precautions
If you are new at this exercise, it is advised that you have someone to help you. If there is no body to help, then be conservative with the amount of weight used.
Also, beware of letting the bar drift too far forward. You want the bar to touch your middle chest and nowhere else.
Don’t bounce the weight off your chest. You should be in full control of the barbell at all times.
DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS
The dumbbell bench press is similar to the barbell , but in my opinion more effective. There are also 3 variations; inclined , flat and declined. Chest ,shoulder and tricep muscles are worked on.
It is done as follows:
Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on top of your thighs. The palms of your hands will be facing each other.
Then, using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width.
Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. The dumbbells should be just to the sides of your chest, with your upper arm and forearm creating a 90 degree angle. Be sure to maintain full control of the dumbbells at all times. This will be your starting position.
Then, as you breathe out, use your chest to push the dumbbells up. Lock your arms at the top of the lift and squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then begin coming down slowly. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.
Precaution
Always have someone to help you , if there is no body to help use weights that you will not have trouble lifting.
For those who do not have access to a gym , the best chest exercise you can do at home are as follows.
MILITARY PUSHUP
Pushups work the chest, arms and back; they also work your abs because you have to keep them very tight to keep your back from sagging during the exercise. military pushup may be difficult for beginners but they are very effective.
Its done as follows:
Kneel on the floor, then lean forward to place your hands on the floor. Your fingers should face forward.
Tighten your abdominal muscles and raise your body until only your hands and toes are in contact with the floor. Ensure that your hands and elbows are directly below your shoulders and your arms are perpendicular to the floor. Keep your feet together
Take care not to let your back sag. Keep your back straight and your hips above your knees.
Bend your elbows and lower your body until your forearms are parallel to the floor. Pause for one second, then push yourself back up. Don’t lock your elbows at the top of the pushup.
Repeat the exercise in sets, resting briefly in between. You can put your hands closer together or further apart to increase and decrease the difficulty .
DIPS
Dips are a push-type exercise which work on your chest, shoulders, and arms at the same time.
It is done as follows:
For this exercise you will need access to parallel bars if you do this at home then you can use two chairs . To get yourself into the starting position, hold your body at arms length (arms locked) above the bars.
While breathing in, lower yourself slowly with your body leaning forward around 30 degrees or so and your elbows flared out slightly until you feel a slight stretch in the chest.
Once you feel the stretch, use your chest to bring your body back to the starting position as you breathe out. Tip: Remember to squeeze the chest at the top of the movement for a second.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions
Precaution
If you are doing this for the first time , have somebody to help you be lifting your legs.
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has called on Zambians to denounce violence by rejecting leaders that are promoting fighting ahead of this year’s elections.
And Mr Banda has wrapped up his four-day tour and campaign programme on the Copperbelt with a rally at Mishikishi Basic School in Masaiti yesterday where he asked the Zambian people to vote for him, his parliamentary and local government candidates for continued development.
Speaking when he addressed a mammoth rally at Kamuchanga grounds in Mufulira yesterday, President Banda said Zambians should reject violence because it had the potential to reverse all the economic gains the country had achieved.
He said every leader was obliged to condemn any form of fighting and that the best way to reject violence was to vote against leaders promoting violence.
President Banda said no leader should be permitted by the Zambians to bring hatred against one another and that every leader should not practise politics of name-calling.
“I saw on television and heard on radio that some opposition leaders are encouraging violence, but let us denounce violence by rejecting leaders that are inciting people to fight back when provoked.
“Make your point and let people decide, Zambians are intelligent people and so don’t underrate them,” he said.
President Banda said Zambians should remain united regardless of their tribe and that the primary objective of every Zambian during and after elections, should be to build the country further so that citizens enjoy better lives.
He urged the electorate not to be provoked into fighting others with different political views. He said this year’s campaigns should be enjoyable and a basis to build the foundation for the construction of a better country.
The president urged the electorate to vote for him and all MMD parliamentary and local government candidates so that appropriate laws could be passed for the benefit of the country.
He reiterated that Copperbelt Province residents should not vote for opposition leaders, especially councillors because they had failed to perform in their respective councils in the last five years.
Mr Banda said Zambians should vote for him for continued peace and promised that his Government would continue building schools throughout Zambia.
He said the country’s population was growing and there was therefore need to grow the economy by building more schools, hospitals and factories so that the Government could collect more revenue and improve the country.
Mr Banda said the Government would continue improving the road network, fix bridges throughout the country and ensure that good, clean water was provided to the people.
He also said the Government would continue providing farming subsidies so that farmers could grow enough food for the whole country.
“Elect me so that we can have peace and so that we look after our country because things are looking good and the country is doing well economically,” he said.
At the same rally, President Banda said offer letters to sitting tenants of Kamuchanga and Mine Basic School houses were ready while those for Mokambo customs would be given out next week.
He said he had continued receiving petitions throughout the country, especially on the Copperbelt Province requesting him to assist them.
Mr Banda said the Government would continue responding to the petitions positively and noted that many families had suffered for a long time without houses while others were living in dilapidated units.
He further said the Government had decided to issue letters of offer to demarcate forest areas and also demarcate areas such as Ipusukilo and Bwana Mkubwa in Kitwe and Ndola, respectively.
And after the rally, President Banda visited the residential area of the 46 relocated Zambia Railways families for whom the Government constructed houses in Kamuchanga Township.
Later, the president toured Kankoyo, Buteko and Kamuchanga markets with a view to familiarising himself with the challenges facing marketeers in the district.
Meanwhile, President Banda castigated the opposition for failing to appreciate the development which the MMD Government had brought into the country.
He told a huge crowd of MMD supporters in Masaiti that since 2008, the country had become better where even the international community had appreciated the development.
President Banda said the Government had allocated resources to all the people of Zambia in the nine provinces and serviced them with facilities to build infrastructure.
“To my amazement, the opposition denies to talk about these facts, that the country is making progress. When the opposition says there is nothing happening, ask them to open their eyes so that they can see. The people of Zambia are seeing that there is change,” he said.
President Banda said real change was already happening in Zambia and that his administration wanted change to continue if voted back into power.
He said his party would not stop building quality infrastructure, improve access to health facilities and work on providing clean and safe water to the people so that they could enjoy a better life.
He said a leader was supposed to be a servant of the people and not their master and that the only basis upon which a leader could stand in front of the voters and ask for their vote was to work for them.
He thanked the Zambian people for their dedication to hard work, saying much of the development and agricultural revolution could not have taken place without their cooperation, hard work and discipline.
And three losing MMD aspirants for Masaiti Constituency have pledged their support to the adopted candidate, Michael Katambo.
The trio, who included Jazzman Chikwakwa, Robert Lwebesha and Michael Musonda and had been co-opted in the campaign team for Mr Katambo, said they would campaign for the party’s adopted candidate.
Speaking at the same rally, sister of the late third Republican president Levy Mwanawasa, Eva appealed to the people of Masaiti to give President Banda another term.
Ms Mwanawasa said President Banda was brought in by the Lamba people, hence the need for them to give him a new term of office.
MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe urged the MMD members to remain peaceful to ignore those provoking them.
Zambians are clever people they would not give votes to people who threaten violence but if MMD members practise peace they would get more votes.
“My colleagues go to the people and beg for their vote for President Banda based on humbleness, they will give you their vote,” Major Kachingwe said.
Former Home Affairs minister, Newstead Zimba cautioned the people against listening to some opposition leaders whose messages had nothing better to offer to them.
And former vice-president Enoch Kavindele urged Zambians not to vote for opposition leader Michael Sata because he failed to work when he was a Cabinet minister.
Retired former Mongu Catholic Diocese Bishop Paul Duffy is dead.
Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) spokesperson Father Paul Samasumo has told QFM in a statement that Bishop Duffy died of Leukaemia yesterday at 18:30 hours, at the Oblate retirement home in San Antonio, Texas, USA.
And the new Bishop of Mongu Evans Chinyemba has urged Catholics and all those who loved Bishop Duffy to pray for the repose of his soul and called on everyone to mourn the late Bishop with dignity.
And the new President of the Zambia Episcopal Conference, Bishop Ignatius Chama of Mpika Diocese, has described the late Bishop Duffy, as an eloquent voice who spoke on behalf of the poor in the Western Province and the under- privileged in all of Zambian society.
Bishop Chama hopes that the nation will honour Bishop Paul Duffy by championing the causes that he stood for.
The late Bishop Paul Francis Duffy was born on 25 July, 1932 at Norwood, Massachusetts, USA. He entered the Catholic religious congregation of Oblate Priests and Brothers in the USA in 1952 and was ordained priest on 22 December, 1962.
He came to Zambia in 1984 and served as parish priest in the Catholic parishes of Lukulu and Kalabo, Western Province until 1997.
Bishop Duffy was ordained as the first Bishop of Mongu Diocese on 31August, 1997.
Bishop Duffy retired in February 2011 and formally handed over the Diocese of Mongu to his successor, Bishop Evans Chinyemba on 28 May 2011.
[QFM]
Western Province Police Commanding Officer Fanwel Siandenge has called on all political parties in the Province to denounce all forms of violence during their campaigns.
Mr. Siandenge said there is need for political parties to maintain law and order as the country goes to its polls on September 20th, 2011.
He told Journalists in Mongu yesterday that so far, the campaigns are going on smoothly in the Province and no cases of violence have been reported to police by any political party.
Mr.Siandenge said police is happy that all political parties are following the code of conduct adding that he met youths from different political parties to educate them on how they should conduct themselves during their campaigns.
He said he has advised all Police Officer-in-Charges in all Districts of the Province to avoid giving police permits which have clashing dates to political parties in order to avoid violence and damage to property.
Mr. Siandenge said his office is open 24 hours every day, and has since urged all political parties in the Province to report any problems faced during their campaigns to the police.
South Africa has taken an important step toward hosting the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Its MeerKAT radio telescope being built by the South African team preparing the country’s bid for the SKA has passed its first test with flying colours.
Zambia is among the other partner countries in the region that would participate and host stations should the South African bid prove successful.
An international panel of experts has declared that the MeerKAT has passed its Preliminary Design Review with distinction. This is a major milestone in the construction of the 64 dish radio telescope in the Karoo Astronomy Reserve, in the Northern Cape, and follows the successful passing of the MeerKAT Concept Design Review, carried out by another top-level international panel in July 2010.
With 64 offset dishes, each 13.5m in diameter, the MeerKAT will be one of the largest, most sensitive and scientifically most exciting radio telescopes in the world. It has already grabbed the attention of the world and has attracted tremendous international interest from scientists, engineers and industry.
This is yet another indication that South Africa continues to live up to its reputation as a nation that can deliver – whether in hosting world-class events or engineering scientific feats, commented Miller Matola, CEO of the International Marketing Council, custodians of Brand South Africa.
Says Matola: “If South Africa does become the host for the SKA, it will be a tremendous boost for the nation’s brand as it will underline the exceptional abilities of our engineers and emphasise that we can handle the most involved scientific projects. This will position South Africa as a global leader in science and technology. ”
The Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was carried out in Cape Town by a panel consisting of some of the world’s leading radio astronomers from India, the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Chile and Australia. The panel was convened to evaluate all aspects of the design of the MeerKAT, the system engineering development process, risk potential and satisfaction of user requirements.
The panel unanimously concluded that the PDR has been successfully passed and congratulated the project teams. “We note with great appreciation the exceptional openness and transparency of the project management and teams, which is of very great importance also for the SKA telescope. We are extremely impressed by the quality of the project team, and the continued tremendous progress in realising KAT-7 and bringing MeerKAT to its current stage,” they said.
The panel noted that the South African team working on the MeerKAT is exceptionally capable and skilled and extremely enthusiastic and committed. It commended the project team for the intelligent approach towards systems engineering, looking after the fundamental technology development while at the same time implementing formal procedures. It highlighted in particular the thorough approach towards the design of the infrastructure for the telescope.
The report suggested focused initiatives to minimize the risk before deployment of the full system, including the need to ensure mechanical and structural tolerances at a reasonable cost, and to avoid self generated radio frequency interference. The panel noted the critical role of KAT-7 as an engineering test-bed and science verification system in the risk mitigation for the MeerKAT. It concluded that there are no unacceptably high risks and that the project has a well-defined risk management structure which was adhered to throughout the project.
Now that the MeerKAT has passed this crucial milestone, tenders will be issued from October 2011 for the construction of the infrastructure for the telescope, including roads, power and optical fibre reticulation, buildings and foundations for the dishes. The telescope subsystems will now also proceed to develop detailed specifications to enable the development and procurement of these systems. Some major components with long lead items, such as the antenna structures, will go out soon as requests for information.
“The successful PDR has again confirmed that South Africa has world-class scientists, engineers and industries, which is why global leaders like Intel, IBM and Nokia Siemens Networks want to work with the team,” said Dr Bernie Fanaroff, project director for the SKA South Africa project.
“The PDR has confirmed that the MeerKAT will be among the most competitive telescopes in the world. It will provide African and international scientists and engineers with a cutting edge instrument for revolutionary science and technology. It has already strengthened the African bid, led by South Africa, to host the Square Kilometre Array – the “SKA in Africa”, Dr Fanaroff concluded.
The news follows the earlier announcement that the KAT-7 telescope is reaching engineering completion, that commissioning and learning will be ongoing and that an operational baseline will be established by the end of the year. With the completion of KAT-7 the project team will focus on the construction of the bigger MeerKAT.
Close to 100 young scientists and engineers are working on the MeerKAT project. The MeerKAT is a world-class radio telescope designed to do groundbreaking science. It will be the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the southern hemisphere until the completion of the SKA in 2024. The SA Government has already committed funds to build the telescope.
Most Doctors and students who passed through UNZA School of medicine will always remember Prof Karashani fondly.Prof Karashani died suddenly on Saturday August 13 at around 23hrs.It came as a great shock to the Zambian medical fraternity especially those who had been with him the previous day at the UNZA school of Medicine symposium.
Prof Karashani taught one of the most challenging courses in medical school- Anatomy.He taught it with dedication commitment and passion.
He was an an amazing gentleman,full of humour and related well to all people.
‘They don’t make them like that anymore,’ one doctor said ‘ We were privilaged to have been taught by him.’
One of Prof Karashani’s outstanding attributes was his ability to remember peoples names.He knew the names of ALL the students who passed through his class and he would still know them years later.
Amazingly even upon meeting his former students 20 years later he would greet each of them by name.
One doctor recounts… ‘I had not seen him for more than 10 years and when we met, he was able to call me by name. And everyone around me was also called by name. That was simply amazing..’
Another narrates’ Prof Karashani didn’t take my Anatomy class when I was in 3rd year so I did not expect him to know me.But I once bumped into him at wedding in Kitwe and went to greet him.He had an expression on his face of surprise.I guess he was trying to figure out if I was one of his students.Later he walked up to me with a look of of triumph and called me by my first name.I was totally blown away!To this day I do not know how he managed to know my name.’
At the time of his death he was the respected Patron of the University of Zambia Medical students Association(UNZAMEDA) and several former students had him as the guest of honor at their weddings.
Born on 20th September, 1940 at Karagwe Tanzania,Joseph Karashani did his primary education at Berega Rubungo and Mugeza Primary schools.He did his Secondary education at Nyakato secondary school and St Andrews College in Dar es Salaam where he obtaiined the Cambridge school certificate with several distinctions.He went to Makerere University Medical School Kampala between 1958 and 1965 where he obtained the MB ChB degree of the University of East Africa in March 1965.He entered the department of Anatomy at the Queens University of Belfast in 1969 and was allowed to enter a direct PHD program which he obtained in 1972.He attended several courses in Oxford,UK Fukuoka Japan and USA
He started his university career as a tutorial fellow in Anatomy at University college of Dar es Salaam in 1968 after doing his rural posting in Mpwapwa and Iringa.He was appointed lecturer in Anatomy in 1973 at University of Dar es Salaam.He was promoted to Assosiate Professor in 1976 and Professor in 1979.
Prof was a family man with 4 children.
Prof Karashani first came to UNZA School of Medicine in 1976 as external examiner.He came back repeatedly after that in 1981,1984,and 1985 before being persuaded to accept an appointment in 1986 by Prof Kopano Mukelabai the Dean of the school of medicine at the time.
He arrived in Zambia with his family on 5th March 1986.
He contributed immensely to the academic processes of the School heading the Department of Anantomy and facilitating the training of several Zambians to take over from him.
He was appointed assistant Dean (post graduate) in 1995.Notable virtues for this appointment were recorded as ‘academic stature,commitment and respect he commands in the School and abroad and also accessibility and approachability.
He was dearly loved by students in every generation.Of the 1514 medical graduates from UNZA School of medicine since 1973,1211 directly passed through his instructional care(accounts for 80%) an immense contribution indeed.
He was very instrumental in the establishing of the UNZA Biomedical Research Ethics committee which he headed from 2001 to 2007.
He was an accomplished organist and once choirmaster at St Albans Anglican Church in Dar es Salaam and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka.He played chess,badminton and loved swimming.
He will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of meeting him.MHSRIP
file: Zambian soldiers at Arakan Barracks in Lusaka on parade
MMD chairperson for communications and transport Peter Daka has condemned Patriotic Front (PF) Kanyama parliamentary candidate Gerry Chanda for attacking security forces and described his statement as irresponsible.
Mr Daka, who is a former minister of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, said the statement by Colonel Chanda had exposed the PF for what it was as an irresponsible party that would bring chaos to the nation.
He said it was irresponsible for Col Chanda to drag the security forces into politics as they had serious issues to address in ensuring the nation remained peaceful.
Mr Daka said Col Chanda had behaved like an immature person by stating that Zambian soldiers were just lazying around when in fact all the soldiers were the backbone of Zambia’s peaceful atmosphere.
He was reacting to Col Chanda’s alleged remarks at a briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the Government had brought in Zimbabwean soldiers as if there was a State of emergency and called security chiefs a club of cadres.
Mr Daka, who is MMD Msanzala aspiring parliamentary candidate, said such negative utterances by Col Chanda were tantamount to espionage.?He said Col Chanda’s remarks were an insult to Zambian soldiers and all defence chiefs because his statement undermined the protective work of all soldiers.
He said Col Chanda was a failed Zambia Air Force officer who contributed minimally while his colleagues proceeded for further studies in countries like the United Kingdom, and should therefore not involve soldiers in his failures.
“It is purely an offence for Col Chanda to allege that Zambia has no army but only a club of cadres. That’s an insult because it is him who is a failure and his negative utterances are tantamount to espionage,” he said.
Mr Daka said soldiers were also human beings and such malicious statements made by a former officer could injure their professional work.
“These insults on innocent soldiers including the defence service chiefs simply show what type of leadership PF has because his statement dilutes the work of soldiers, who are working professionally.
“Col Chanda is very wrong to start attacking the noble work of our men and women in uniform. They are currently working hard to ensure all Zambians including Col Chanda are protected,” he said.
THE rehabilitation works of the 60-km Kalulushi-Lufwanyama Road which President Rupiah Banda commissioned on Monday has cheered the residents of the two districts who have said it will cushion the transport problems they have been facing for a long time.
Some residents interviewed in Kalulushi and Lufwanyama yesterday said they were delighted with the action taken to upgrade the road and pledged to support President Banda and the MMD Government in the September 20 elections.
Mulenga Kapapula said a superior Kalulushi-Lufwanyama Road would enhance development in the Lufwanyama because many traders from cities such as Kitwe and Ndola who had been shunning the area due to the poor state of the road would seek to establish their businesses in the rural district.
Mr Kapapula, who is a contractor, said Lufwanyama had much potential for different business undertakings but because of the dilapidated road from Kalulushi to Lufwanyama, the area had remained under-developed.
He said the distance from Kalulushi to Lufwanyama boma could normally be covered within one hour but because of the poor road, motorists took more than three hours.
Mr Kapapula said after the upgrading of the road, more farmers would be attracted to Lufwanyama which he observed had much potential for agriculture.
‘’I am telling you as people of Kalulushi and Lufwanyama who use that road we are extremely happy with the MMD Government under President Banda for flagging off the rehabilitation and construction of that road.
“What I can tell you is that you will see how Lufwanyama District will develop in terms of the economy. There is a lot of wealth in Lufwanyama but the bad road has made a lot of business persons shun the area,” he said.
Another resident, Job Hajindila said the upgrading of Kalulushi-Lufwanyama Road, which is popularly known as Kalengwa, would be a “dream come true” for the people of Lufwanyama.
Mr Hajindila said Lufwanayama had potential to become the food basket for the Copperbelt Province as many people in the district were farmers whose main hindrance to their businesses had been the poor state of the road, especially during the rainy season.
He said the people of Lufwanayama were rescued because the MMD had adequately attended to their transportation problem which they never thought it could come to an end at this time.
Mr Hajindila, who is a former Lufwanyama District Council chairperson, said apart from enhancing development in Lufwanyama, a rehabilitated road would help reduce accidents on Chingola-Solwezi Road as some motorist from the Copperbelt and Lusaka travelling to North-Western Province would be using it.
On Monday, President Banda flagged off the rehabilitation and construction of Kalulushi-Lufwanyama Road to bituminous standard at a cost of K123 billion.
Mr Banda said he was aware that the road was in a dilapidated state and that it had been taking travellers longer time to move between the two districts, hence his Government’s decision to source funds and find the contractor to work on the road.
The president said that it was his Government desire to ensure all infrastructure in Zambia were worked on to improve the living standards of the people.
[Times of Zambia]
