File:Some flooded houses and yards during the start of the rainy season in Lusaka
Government has appealed to residents of flood prone areas of Lusaka district to relocate before the onset of the rains.
Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Harry Kalaba, made the appeal in Lusaka today during the ‘Wash your hands with soap’ sensitization programme.
Mr Kalaba observed that unplanned settlements are one of the major factors that have hindered government in the delivery of social services to the residents of Lusaka.
He said this has led to residents building houses in quarries that flood during the rainy season and tenants are the most affected.
The Deputy Minister observed that if this campaign is promoted it will drastically reduce the cholera epidemic which affects many compounds in the city.
Mr Kalaba further called on the residents of Lusaka to improve on sanitation, hygienic habits and behavioural change.
Mr Kalaba said government will endeavour to promote good health services to the people through education of the dangers of indiscriminate disposal of waste and garbage.
Over 75 fuel tankers which were scheduled to enter Zambia this morning from the port of Dar-es-salaam through Tunduma on the border with Nakonde are marooned on the Tanzanian side.
This is because business has come to a standstill at Nakonde border in Muchinga Province following a protest by customs clearing agents .
The agents are protesting to press for the removal of assistant commissioner for the Zambia Revenue Authority-ZRA Mundia Sibote for alleged inefficiency and frustrating the process of collecting revenue.
Meanwhile, police in full riot gear have been deployed at the Nakonde customs yard.
The customs agents have also cited the alleged increase in the duty values for vehicle clearance, among other operational issues
Both Nakonde District Commissioner James Singoyi and Zambia Freight and Forwarders Association (ZAFFA) national chairman Emmanuel Mutale have confirmed the development in separate interviews with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali today.
Mr. Singoyi said in a telephone interview that he has since summoned representatives of the clearing agents to his office to discuss how best the matter can be resolved.
And ZAFFA national chairman Emmanuel Mutale said it is unfortunate that his members have decided to protest without informing the national office.
Mr. Mutale told ZANIS in an interview that he was informed by one of the agents at the border this morning about the protests adding that his office is still waiting for a briefing from the district chairman in Nakonde, a Mr. Mbulo.
Mr. Mutale advised his members to find a better way of sorting out issues other than resorting to protests which affect the smooth collection of revenue by the ZRA.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that customs clearing agents at Nakonde border have staged a protest but we are yet to receive a full report on the matter,” said Mr. Mutale.
And one of the agents who declined to be named for fear of victimization said work at the border has literally come to a standstill.
The agent said about 75 fuel tankers which were about to cross into Zambia have been turned back and they are currently parked at Tunduma border.
He added that newly imported vehicles are also not being allowed to enter Zambia from Tunduma border.
Efforts to get a comment from ZRA assistant commissioner Mr Sibote failed by press time.
Yesterday, customs clearing agents in Kazungula also protested to press for the removal of the assistant commissioner Moses Mfune for allegedly hiking tariffs for vehicle clearance.
Leader of the opposition UPND Hakainde Hichilema has described Zambia’s issuance of a USD 750 million Eurobond as the country’s biggest financial scam.
And NAREP President Elias Chipimo has challenged the Ministry of Finance to disclose how much was paid to the book runners, lead arrangers and transaction advisers for the sovereign bond.
Mr. Hichilema said Zambians are being made to celebrate the acquisition of a sovereign debt which he said will eventually cost the nation.
He said Zambia may only benefit around USD 450 million from the reported USD 750 million when transaction fees and amortization are considered.
Mr. Hichilema was speaking this morning when he featured on Radio Phoenix’s Let the People Talk radio programme on the topic, “the role of the opposition in a democracy.”
“This is the biggest financial scam that Zambia has ever seen. The PF is celebrating Kaloba because they have a huge appetite for reckless borrowing,” Mr. Hichilema said.
Mr. Hichilema said Zambians should realize that the country has the potential to realize over USD 700 million from mining revenue if a properly structured tax regime for the mines were in place.
“With simply a windfall tax in place and the revised mineral loyalty tax, this country could have raised close to a billion dollar from mines but this government is failing to think in those lines because it does not have capacity,” he said.
And NAREP President Elias Chipimo wants the Ministry of Finance to disclose the full details of the Eurobond transaction.
Mr. Chipimo who called for prudent use of the funds said Zambians deserved to know the real cost of acquiring the sovereign debt.
“They have to tell us how much was paid to the lead arrangers and the book runners including all the technical people that helped with this process,” Mr. Chipimo said.
“It’s a call for transparency, we want this government to give us the true cost of this debt so that Zambians could follow through. The late Mwanawasa worked so hard to reduce a huge external debt from around USD 7 billion to almost negligible levels and we should guard against sliding back into that position,” Mr. Chipimo said.
File picture: 2010 PF cadres block Ridgeway road by sleeping on the tarmac outside the Drug Enforcement Commission offices
Here is my school of thoughts of Zambian politics in general.As we all know that success is not built on resentments, aggrieved feelings caused by a sense of having been badly treated and fear of unknown but, is built on moral courage, tact, enthusiasm and passionate interest including the eagerness of delivering on what the masses would want to see, and diplomacy.
I very much aware that, I’ll receive serious criticism from both the ruling and opposition party bloggers on this great site where neutral persons would wish to air their views.
Aggression is the focus of poor politics and aggression in the first instance is armed attack which violates a political opponent’s rights and in the most critical instance, is an armed attack which violates human rights of people to live in security and freedom.
Both the ruling and opposition parties have decided to turn the Zambian people as victims of political circumstances recently.Hence justice and state rights has been seriously violated. The minimally just societies have been seriously affected with selfish political characters from the ruling and opposition parties.
How politicians have affected ordinary Zambians
The first thing that is affecting the neutral Zambians is their recognition in this nation due to political parties assuming ‘the above the law ‘supremacy and not allowing the citizen a peaceful life style.
Second, is that people’s moral and legal rights have ceased due to a lost political sovereignty caused by an undistinguishable line between the ruling and opposition parties.Currently I do not know who is in the opposition, shame.
Third, is the national integrity has seriously been violated left,right and center hence making it very difficult for the Zambian people to distinguish between fools and normal politicians.
In view of the aforesaid, the human rights theory on how society should be shaped is thinner, more inaccessible, and above all, more widely beneficial to rivalry doctrine on political legitimacy.[pullquote]national integrity has seriously been violated left,right and center hence making it very difficult for the Zambian people to distinguish between fools and normal politicians.[/pullquote].
It is thinner because, politicians focus only on the most elemental aspects of good personal gains, leaving everything above the baseline to disarray.
Human rights stand to benefit everyone but in Zambia people like GBM, HH, and other few characters overlook this aspect and violate us.
What form of politics is this were none of these fellows has respect for the Zambian communities?
Useless politics and the country is heading for doom should we fail to resolve this chaotic environment. The council of elders is seriously found wanting. Many of you might be thinking am crazy no am not but am referring to the so called House of chiefs to be the council of elders. These traditional leaders are actual doing nothing and are just busy posing as great thinkers of the nation when they are just seeing politicians taking our country backwards.
Therefore, if the chief cannot sit down the ruling and opposition parties and harmonize things, then let them not be receiving a salary for just moving
around in tax payers vehicles.
In fact they should be no minister looking after these chiefs because they are more matured and can simply decide on their own if they want
to contribute to the development of the nation.
Ruff Kid has been nominated at this year’s BEFFTA AWARDS UK under Best International Act where is nominated alongside Zahara, Camp Mulla, Cover Driver, D’banji and Grace Galazy .
Voting starts on the 7th October and end on Sunday 21st October.
Police in Lusaka have arrested a 32 year old man believed to be Musician Kay Figo’s brother in connection with a robbery at the business premises of Kay’s ex-lover, 60 year old Jon Van.
The two former love birds are entangled in a bitter feud with Kay suing Van for compensation for wasting her time after the Australian born business man allegedly failed to honour his marriage proposal.
Yesterday, Francis Kangwa, believed to be Kay’s brother was arrested by Chawama Police and was charged with theft by servant after he allegedly masterminded the robbery of iron bars valued at K33 million from Rock Pro Steel, the business premises owned by Mr. Van where Kangwa worked.
Police Spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela confirmed the development in an interview this morning.
This afternoon, 26-year-old Kayula Bwalya, popularly known by her fans as Kay Figo will be back in court where she has dragged Mr. Van to give her a house and a car following irreconcilable differences that have led to their love affair coming to a crashing and bitter end.
Kay reportedly caused a stir last Friday at the Lusaka Boma Local Court when her compensation case came up.
The facts before the court are that because she lived with Mr. Van and now things have fallen apart, she must be paid for the time she put into the relationship.
The ruling PF is said to have mobilized hundreds of its youth cadres to beat up MMD Mwandi MP Michael Kaingu as he enters Parliament this afternoon.
But the MMD says over 2,000 of its cadres have offered to protect Mr. Mwandi from the PF cadres.
And Mr. Kaingu has appealed to Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Solomon Jere to send officers to protect him saying he is very vulnerable and cannot defend himself.
Intelligence reports show that the PF’s provincial leadership in Lusaka has mobilized the youths to go and block Mr. Kaingu’s entry into Parliament grounds and later beat him up.
The PF youths are apparently angered by Mr. Mwandi’s action in Parliament recently when he tore President Michael Sata’s speech.
The youths are planning to beat up the Parliamentarian as a way of showing displeasure over Mr. Kaingu’s behavior.
But the MMD says its youths in Lusaka will not sit idle and watch their Vice President being beaten up by the PF cadres.
MMD National Youth Secretary Tobias Kafumukache said the youths have mobilized themselves are gearing up to protect Mr. Kaingu at Parliament this afternoon.
He said over 2,000 of the MMD cadres will be in hand to protect Mr. Mwandi at Parliament.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kaingu said in Lusaka that he has asked Lusaka Police Chief Solomon Jere for protection.
He said he is vulnerable and cannot protect himself at his advanced age.
The Mwandi MP maintained that he does not regret tearing up the speech because he believes that the speech that people are saying President Sata delivered is not the one that he tore up.
“My body, my soul and my fresh was alive when I made that decision to tear up that speech and I don’t regret my actions. The integrity and decorum of the House needs to be protected,” Mr. Kaingu said.
FORMER President Rupiah Banda’s son Andrew and Italian businessman Antonello Locci have appealed against the decision by High Court Judge Evans Hamaundu to refer their case back to a subordinate court.
Banda and Locci said through their lawyer Jack Mwiimbu that they have appealed to the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of the charges that have been levelled against them.
This is in a matter in which Banda and Locci are jointly charged with two counts of gratification for giving assistance on contracts contrary to the law.
The duo through their lawyers Eric Silwamba and Sakwiba Sikota had asked Chief Resident Magistrate Joshua Banda to quash their indictment on grounds that they were charged under the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act number 38 of 2010, which has been repealed by the recently enacted ACC Act number 3 of 2012.
But Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mutembo Nchito, who is the lead prosecutor in the matter, argued that there was nothing wrong in charging Andrew and Locci using the repealed law because the law used was the one existing at the time the alleged offence was committed.
File:Andrew Banda (in red) and his lawyer Sakwiba sikota after signing bond documents at Woodlands Police station when he was formally arrested
In his ruling earlier in September, Magistrate Banda referred the matter to the High Court and halted the criminal proceedings against the pair pending the determination of the matter by the High Court.He said it was inevitable that the matter be halted in the subordinate court while awaiting guidance by the High Court on constitutional matters arising from the case.
Magistrate Banda, said it was his view that in the light of the question raised by the defence, theirs was a proper case for his court to invoke Article 28 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Zambia and refer the matter to the High Court.
“The question the High Court is being invited to determine is that of constitutionality of charging the accused persons on repealed legislation and the applicability of section 14(3) of Chapter 2 of the ACC Act,” Magistrate Banda said.
However last week the High Court referred the case back to the subordinate’s court.Judge Evans Hamaundu said there was no need for Chief Resident Magistrate Joshua Banda to invoke Article 28 of the Constitution and refer the matter to the High Court.
He said magistrate Banda should be able to refer to the several authorities cited by both parties and make a decision on the application.
The matter came up yesterday for mention before senior resident magistrate Joshua Banda in the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court.
Defence lawyer Mwiimbu said the matter cannot proceed in the subordinate court until the Supreme Court determines the constitutionality of the charges against the duo.
“The matter that is under consideration in the Supreme Court pertains to the constitutionality of the charges against the two accused persons and the same cannot be determined and resolved by this honourable court,” Mr Mwiimbu said.
He said the accused persons have appealed to the Supreme Court and that the date for hearing of the appeal has not yet been set.
But State prosecutors said they are aware of the appeal to the Supreme Court but that the proceedings in the subordinate court cannot be stopped.
They said the High Court sent back the matter to the subordinate court to make a decision on whether it should quash the indictment or not.
Magistrate Banda has set October 11 as the date for ruling on how the matter should proceed.
SCORES of residents in Chief Nkana in Lufwanyama yesterday ran amok and blocked all the roads leading to the mines in protest against the alleged tendency by local mining firms to employ people from other towns.
And police in Lufwanyama yesterday arrested two people in connection with the protests that took place around 07:00 hours.
Lufwanyama district commissioner Alex Kalela confirmed the development in an interview yesterday.
Mr Kalela said the residents burnt tyres at the junction of the roads to Grizzly, Kagem and Chibuluma mines.
“This morning, the residents in Chief Nkana’s area rioted. The residents are not happy that the mines are employing people from the surrounding towns instead of the local people,” he said.
Mr Kalela said the residents are angry that the local people are not benefiting from the district’s rich mineral wealth.
He said the local people want the mining firms to employ the youth who are just idling in villages due to lack of employment.
And police officers in riot gear were quickly deployed to the scene to quell the riot as most motorists were stranded because of the blocked roads.
Mr Kalela said two people have been arrested in connection with the protests and are detained at Kalulushi police station.
And Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Tembo confirmed the development but she could not give further details as she was still waiting for a report from the officers in Lufwanyama.
Mkushi DC Christopher Chibuye(in suit) pleading with angry Farmers at FRA main shed
Irate farmers in Mpulungu district have given government up to Wednesday to be paid their money for the maize supplied to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) failure to which they will lock up the offices of the District Commissioner and District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO).
The farmers, who stormed the DCs offices today, demanded her intervention over the payments for their maize, lamenting that they had gone through untold suffering.
Group spokesperson, Patrick Sikasote, said they supplied their maize to the FRA on 3rd August, 2012 but have not received their money from the agency although they were promised to be paid within two weeks of supply.
Mr Sikasote said the farmers borrowed money to transport the maize to the satellite depots and the money lenders were now pestering them for repayment.
‘’We have incurred huge costs in travelling from our areas to the township because of the promissory notes from FRA. There is also the cost in food and lodging here as we wait for the money which is not forthcoming,’’ he complained.
Most of the farmers complained that they had lost household property including television sets, beds, mattresses and sofas among others to the money lenders because of their failure to fulfil the promise to settle their credits in time.
They also complained of hunger in their homes and failure to send their children to school because of lack of school fees, adding that they were also being evicted from their houses because they were unable to pay house rentals.
The farmers, mostly from Chitimbwa, Vyamba, Chinakila, Kopeka and Mpulungu wondered how they were going to buy fertilizers and other agro-inputs in time if they could not be paid their money now when the rainy season was just around the corner.
They said if the government was not in a position to pay them, they were willing to be given back their maize to supply to other interested buyers locally and in neighbouring countries.
But when reached for comment, both the District Commissioner, Juliana Chuzu and District Agriculture Coordinator, Kennedy Sinkamba, said the money would be paid within two weeks, according to the information they had.
Mr Sinkamba added that from the 1,300 farmers who supplied maize to FRA, only 130 were paid on 22nd August, 2012.
He said the department of agriculture was equally worried by the delay because it was defeating the concept of food security at the household level as farmers were forced to sell their reserves to survive because of lack of money to live on.
A traditional leader in Luapula province has called on government through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to accelerate the process of paying farmers.
And Chief Chisunka of Mansa district wondered why government was taking too long to the farmers who he said play a key role in boosting the country’s food security.
In an interview with ZANIS, Chief Chisunka, however, praised government for its commitment of offering support to agriculture in his area by establishing satellite depots.
The Traditional leader stated that it was saddening to note that farmers have not been paid their dues especially that the rainy season will soon be approaching and farmers need to prepare for the next farming season.
He further implored government to construct feeder roads that would make it convenient for farmers to ferry their maize produce.
He further disclosed that some parts of Luapula province have started receiving rainfall which very soon will pose a threat to the maize stock if not well secured.
He called on government to critically look at ways of how the maize grain can be safeguarded even as government mobilises resources to pay farmers.
Southern Province Permanent Secretary Dr Chileshe Mulenga
Southern province PF political secretary Brian Hapunda says the continued clandestine activities and wild demands by a group calling itself Tongas Under Oath is very unfortunate .
Mr Hapunda has also warned in a statement to ZANIS in Livingstone that if left unchecked the group could bring about tribal hegemony in Zambia.
He said that the PF condemn the Letters being written by this Clandestine group calling upon all Bembas to leave Southern Province with immediate effect or else they be killed.
Mr Hapunda urged all well meaning Citizens and Political Parties Players who believe in the One Zambia One Nation philosophy to condemn the clandestine activities of the group.
“As a party in southern province that is in government, we will not get intimidated by clandestine groups that want to brew tribal hegemony as our focus is to deliver real developmental to the people because the PF government is for all Zambians’’, he said.
Mr. Hapunda’s remarks follows last Thursday’s incidence where southern province permanent secretary Dr Chileshe Mulenga received a letter and made available to ZANIS ordering him to leave the province.
The letter signed by a Mr. H.Mweemba and had a postal address of Mazabuka municipal council read that Mr. Miles Sampa was asked to leave he left on time because Mr. Michael Sata did not want his nephew to die in the conflict.
It further read that this is the last time the Tongas on oath was dealing with the matter adding that the government was aware of the position on the alignment on chirundu and Itezhi-tezi.
“This group has written a letter to new Southern Province Permanent Secretary Dr Leonard Chileshe Mulenga ordering him to vacate Southern Province with immediate effect or else they will kill him.
As the PF we describe such letters from this Group and their demands as cowardice, unzambian and a tribal hate speech, “he said.
Government says it is committed to ensure speed and smooth implementation of the provincial television station project which will see television studios established in every province.
Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Mwansa Kapeya, said yesterday that government is keen to see the provincial television project succeed and completed without any delay.
Mr Kapeya said that President Michael Sata has high passion for effective media outreach through television to rural areas because the head of state recognises the importance information plays in national building and development.
He said given this kind of political will in government and the expertise of the eight-member team put in place to spearhead the project, the implementation will succeed and completed in record time.
Mr Kapeya also said ZNBC has an existing strong infrastructural base to enable government roll out the provincial television project.
He was speaking at Solwezi civic centre today when he launched the provincial television project which will be rolled out to all provinces.
The deputy minister said the Patriotic Front government inherited a scenario where television coverage was only concentrated along the line of rail.
Mr Kapeya said this restricted coverage of television signal denied the rural population access to important information which is needed if they are to effectively participate in national development.
Mr Kapeya said the PF government is in a hurry to reverse this state of affairs, hence the launch of the provincial television project today in Solwezi.
He said the provincial television project which will be implemented alongside the digital migration project with the first station established in Solwezi and later rolled out to the rest of the country.
He disclosed that President Sata has personally directed him to ensure the project is urgently implemented and once established the provincial television stations should air 80 per cent content in local languages and only 20 per cent will be broadcast in the English language.
The deputy minister said the television project will create employment during construction of the stations and once operational which is in line with the PF manifesto of job creation and putting more money in people’s pockets.
Chiefs, leaders of various churches, business community and several residents from Solwezi witnessed the launch of television project.
And speaking earlier, Information and Broadcasting services Permanent Secretary, Amos Malupenga, described the launch of the television project today in Solwezi as a memorable historic event.
Mr Malupenga said the project demonstrates the PF government’s commitment to realise a free flow of information in the country.
He said the project will succeed because there is a lot of zeal in the Ministry of Finance to mobilise funds for implementation of the undertaking.
And the provincial television project spearheading committee chairperson, Ducan Mbazima, said that North Western Province is an appropriate province to be a launch pad for the project.
Mr Mbazima said this is because Solwezi, the provincial headquarters, is experiencing phenomenon investment in the mining sector and related enterprises.
Kamfinsa referee Milton Mweemba on Sunday abandoned the Faz Division One North match between Mufulira Wanderers and Kalulushi Modern Stars after his assistant Kenneth Bwalya was assaulted by suspected home supporters at Shinde Stadium in Mufulira.
This week 29 fixture was halted in the 88th minute when Modern Stars were leading 1-0.
Erick Chisala gave the Kalulushi side a lead late in the game before Bwalya was stoned.
Modern Stars coach Lawrence “Big Jim” Mweemba has since claimed victory even though the match was abandoned.
Mweemba said match officials indicated after the game that Modern Stars had won the match.
” We won the game. The referee told us to write in the result book that we have won the game even though it ended two minutes before full time,” he said.
Wanderers secretary Fernando Bwalya declined to comment on the matter.
Coming into Sunday’s game Modern Stars were second on the log with 49 points in 28 games.
Leaders Lime Hotspurs have collected 64 points.
Zanaco coach Keagan Mumba says the Super Division leaders will continue working hard in order to realise their dream of winning their sixth league title.
Mumba was speaking on Sunday after Zanaco beat Konkola Mine Police 1-0 away in Chililabombwe to restore a five point lead at the top of the table and increase their tally to 51 points.
Striker Steven Phiri scored the lone goal for the Bankers.
Mumba said Zanaco will not relax knowing that there are only six fixtures before the league ends.
” We will continue working hard. This win will not go to our heads. We have to continue fighting,” he said.
Mumba saluted his side for beating Mine Police at Konkola Stadium.
” Job well done to the boys, it is not easy to get maximum points especially in Chililabombwe, I am happy that we have won but it was tough,” he stated.
“We are not fighting any body in the league, we are taking all our games as they come. We are not fighting Zesco, Power, Arrows not even Green Buffaloes.”
