The Lusaka Water and sewerage Company (LWSC)says it has embarked on a project seeking private sector partnership in its maintenance of its water networks.

ZANIS reports the Utility company ‘s Managing Director George Ndongwe explaining that the main objective of the

Project is aimed at improving efficiency of water supply networks.

Mr. Ndongwe explained that his company will subcontract certain functions or maintenance, to Small Medium

Enterprises (SMEs) specializing in water network repairs and leak detection

He explained that in order to achieve the objective LWSC and CDE have embarked on a programme to train SMEs in effective water network repairs and leak detection.

The Utility company’s chief was speaking at a media briefing held at LWSC headquarters in Lusaka today.

Mr. Ndongwe notes that vandalism and breakage of water pipes are some of the major challenges the company encounters.

He said due to vandalism and leakages, the company losses about K 50 billion annually.

“44 percent production is lost through physical losses like leakages which occur sometimes underground and cannot be seen and we have pipes that are which are quite old about thirty years old and can easily burst.

“ Commercial losses are encountered through administrative errors and sometimes incoherence’s in meters reading also lead the company to record losses,” he said.

He notes that empowered with training and skills SMEs be able to help the company address water leakages and will be able to compete on the local market and to become more active in subcontracting or alliances with foreign companies.

He added that the SMEs will be selected through an open and transparent procurement process.

And CDE Director of project Claude Jamati said the project will cost a total of 300 000 Euros.

Mr. Jamati explained that CDE launched a programme to strengthen the capacity in maintenance of water distribution networks in Djibouti, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Senegal and now in Lusaka, Zambia.

He said LWSC will benefit from the availability of a pool of trained and motivated subcontractors that will have been oriented to share the aspirations of the company in dealing with water losses.

The CDE is an African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP), European Union (EU) joint institution created in the framework of Cotonou Agreement. Its objective is to ensure the development of professional ACP enterprise operating in the private sector.

ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda says his administration is determined to create jobs for the people of Masaiti on the Copperbelt by attracting investors to the area.

Mr. Banda was speaking on arrival at the site of the ground-breaking ceremony for the $400m Dangote Cement Factory which will be located in Masaiti District near Ndola.

The President made the remarks as he talked to excited local people who gathered to witness the ground-breaking ceremony for the new factory that will produce one-point-five metric tons of cement per year.

Mr. Banda spent some time with the people including women, men and children who greeted him in the local language and ululated to show their appreciation for the cement factory.

In his speech, President Banda says the Dangote has come to invest in Zambia following President Banda’s efforts to lure foreign investors.

He says Dangote is the first big African company to invest in Zambia and that he is proud of the development.

Dangonte President and Chief Executive Officer Alhaji Aliko Dangote says the investment will further cement the relations between Zambia and Nigeria.

Dangote is a Nigerian based company.

Mr. Dangote says Africa should not wait for investors from outside the continent but promote the growth of local industries.

He has thanked President Banda and former Commerce Minister Felix Mutati for working hard to ensure that the company invests in Zambia

Mr. Dangote has described President Banda as a hard-working man who looks after the people well.

The Dangote President has promised that apart from establishing the cement factory, his company will also invest in its social responsibility obligations by building a hospital and a school in Masaiti.

And Senior Chief Chiwala says he is a proud traditional leader to witness the birth of huge company in his area.

The Senior Chief thanked President Banda and Mr Mutati for attracting Dangote to invest in Masaiti.

[ZNBC]

MAAMBA Collieries Limited (MCL) has submitted a power purchase agreement to the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) for regulatory consent to sell about 300 megawatts of electricity to Zesco Limited from its upcoming coal-powered generation plant.

According to the power purchase agreement, MCL intends to design, finance, build, commission, own, operate and maintain a coal-powered generation plant with a capacity of 300 megawatts (mw) at a cost of US$700 million.

This is contained in a statement issued on yesterday by ERB communications officer Kwali Mfuni.

She said under the proposed agreement, Zesco is expected to undertake the design, engineering and construction of the interconnection facilities for the transmission of power in line with the development and connection agreement between the two entities.

Ms Mfuni said in phase one, the power plant will be able to generate 300mw, and double that capacity under phase two of its development.

She said construction of phase one will soon begin.

“While phase one is set to start soon, phase two will only commence when an off-taker for the additional power to be generated has been identified,” she said.

Ms Mfuni said MCL is seeking regulatory consent as a pre-requisite for securing financing for the project.

The project is expected to be completed in 36 months after the contractor moves on site. A contractor is being identified by the coal firm.

Meanwhile, Ms Mfuni said the board has received another power purchase agreement from Zesco for the selling of power to Botswana Power Corporation (BPC).

She said the power Zesco will sell to BPC is for supplying Kasane, one of Botswana’s border areas.

Ms Mfuni said under the proposed agreement, Zesco is proposing to sell up to 10MVA on firm basis at a voltage of 66 kilovolts for a period of five years.

She said a joint technical committee comprising Zesco and BPC representatives will be established to address the technical and operational issues of the power purchase agreement between the two utilities.

Ms Mfuni said ERB is reviewing the two agreements.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

GOVERNMENT says it will revamp the ammonium nitrate plant at Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) at a cost of K20 billion before the end of this year.

Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Bradford Machila said the plant will enable NCZ to resume production of ammonium nitrate, used in explosives in mines and will meet the increasing demand for explosives by the mining sector.

Mr Machila, who is also Kafue member of Parliament, said in Kafue on Tuesday that the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry through Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) is currently looking into issues pertaining to revamping the plant.

He said the long-term plan is to ensure that the plant operates at its full capacity and produces both fertiliser and ammonium nitrate so that it performs its intended purpose of serving the mining and agricultural sectors.

NCZ has the capacity to produce 142,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser but currently produces between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes due to lack of working capital.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

GOVERNMENT has signed three agreements with foreign investors with one meant to facilitate the extension of Chipata-Mchinji railway line to Mpika via Petauke to be linked to TAZARA.

The other MoU is for a railway line covering a stretch of 1000 kilometres from Solwezi to Kasempa, Kaoma to Katima Mulilo up to Namibia through Walvis Bay.

The third agreement is for railway to cover Nseluka near Kasama in Northern Province from TAZARA to link to Mpulungu port.

Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Communication and Transport, Dominic Sichinga in an interview said Government has achieved a lot in the last couple of years in terms of focusing on what needs to be done in the railway sector.

The three memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed this year by the Ministry of Communication and Transport are part of Government’s plan to enhance development in the railway sector.

“This year alone, we have signed three major agreements for rail development. Last year Government completed the long awaited 24 kilometre Chipata-Mchinji railway line that was opened by President Banda,” he said.

He said the agreement for the Chipata to Mpika railway is for a year’s feasibility study and the potential investor is on the ground carrying out the works.

He said the railway line to connect Nseluka near Kasama in Northern Province from TAZARA to link to Mpulungu port is a stretch of 200 kilometres, signed with a company to carry out a feasibility study.

Mr Sichinga said the line once fully developed will open up Mpulungu port to greater volume of trade.

Mpulungu port is Zambia’s gateway to the great lakes region.

“The trade volume has doubled at Mpulungu port from the time Government took over; we have seen new products such as steel which we did not have during the time of the concession.

With the railway link, it will be a gateway to the great lakes region,” he said.

He said Government has also settled the dispute with North West railway that will build a line from Chingola to Jumbe, a border town with Angola adding that the new permit will soon be granted.

“These are not small projects but million dollar projects. Once they are fully functional, they will complement the two railway systems that we have in the country, Railway System of Zambia and TAZARA,” he said.

Mr Sichinga said Government is also interested in seeing the Njanji commuter services functional with modern equipment running through the metro district of Lusaka.

He said the Njanji project is being spearheaded by Zambia Development Agency and has attracted some interested investors that are being evaluated

[Zambia Daily Mail]

President Rupiah Banda will on Thursday officiate at the ground breaking ceremony of the US $400m cement plant by Dangote group of Nigeria on the Copperbelt.

The New cement factory by Dangote Industries in Ndola Rural will create one thousand direct jobs and 6 000 indirect jobs once completed.

The plant will also produce one point five metric tonnes of cement.

The President says he is happy to officiate at the ceremony as it shows that his international trips to attract investors are bearing fruit.

This is contained in a statement released to ZNBC News by the President’s for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere.

President Banda says the country is attracting quality and high level investment which is creating jobs for all Zambians.

Mr Banda says the investment has come at a time when his government has prioritised infrastructure development through out the country.

Dangote Group is among several firms which have invested in Zambia following President Banda’s personal initiatives through business fora and international engagements.

Meanwile, President Rupiah Banda has urged MMD adopted candidates to strengthen the party by embracing losing aspiring candidates.

The President says he has met some of the losing aspiring candidates to encourage them so that they do not disappear as the party goes to the polls.

Mr Banda says the MMD will remain focused during the campaign period to ensure that it wins as many parliamentary seats as possible during the general elections.

The President was speaking when he met all the adopted parliamentary candidates at Mulungushi international conference centre on Wednesday.

Mr Banda says he is confident that all the adopted candidates will win their seats and usher the MMD into office for another five year term.

The President says he wants to meet all the adopted candidates prior to the announcement of the election date to discuss matters related to how the campaign will be conducted.

The president says he is also happy that former MMD and Republican Vice President Enock Kavindele is actively supporting the party.

Meanwhile, Electoral Commission of Zambia Legal Counsel Mulubwa Mulenga introduced the MMD adopted candidates on the revised Electoral Code of Conduct.

Ms Mulenga says the revised code of conduct has given power to the commission to reprimand any political party that breaches the electoral code of conduct.

She says the commission has been given power to revoke the accreditation of any polling agent who does not follow the code of conduct.

ZNBC