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FIRST Lady Thandiwe Banda has awarded scholarships to 10 Zambian scholars under the Binary First Lady of Zambia Post-Graduate Scholarships initiative.
Mrs Banda said during the awarding ceremony at State House yesterday her passion for an educated and knowledgeable nation inspired her to get interested in the scholarship programme.
This programme will, without doubt, open up a whole new world of opportunities for the recipients.
The Binary scholarships are an initiative of a Malaysian university known as Binary.
Mrs Banda said education is the backbone of nation-building because it enhances individual progression and contributes to national development.
“In this global village, advanced human capital leads to positive growth through education and its various components of research, innovation and technology, leading to enhanced social well-being of citizens.
“As Zambia aspires to become a middle-income country by 2030, it is imperative that education should move a step further by adding to general certificates, diplomas and degrees,” she said.
Mrs Banda said specialised training is important because modern industry uses modern machinery and technology, which require updated skills.
She said specialised training, therefore, plays a pivotal role in post-graduate education.
Mrs Banda thanked Professor Joseph Adaikalam, the founder of the Binary University College and his wife Datin Rohini Revi for coming to Zambia to contribute to the country’s education sector.
Prof Adaikalam advised the 10 students to always remember Zambia when they acquire skills, especially that there will not be bonded.
CONCERNED scrap metal dealers have appealed to the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry to lift the ban on exports of scrap metal because local buyers are paying too little for it.
Reacting to an announcement that Government has banned exports of scrap metal in order to create reserves of raw materials for local iron and steel manufacturers, the dealers said the ban has come without consultation to their association.
Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Felix Mutati announced at the just ended 47th Zambia International Trade Fair in Ndola that Government has with immediate effect introduced incentives aimed at protecting the local steel-iron and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries.
But a scrap metal dealer, Patrick Nyambe, said it would have been fair enough for Government to consult exporters and not only manufacturers.
He said “banning scrap metal exports will disadvantage local dealers. The reason we export is that this brings more income to us and also contribute positively to the economy.”
“Local manufacturers are buying scrap metal from local dealers cheaply, they should attract us with good prices, then we will not export to other countries,” he said.
Another concerned scrap metal dealer, Stanley Mutinta, said local traders have stopped selling cast steel and cast iron due to lower prices, adding that it is not beneficial to sell locally.
[pullquote]”Local manufacturers are buying scrap metal from local dealers cheaply, they should attract us with good prices, then we will not export to other countries,” he said.[/pullquote]
And Fabian Chisulo added that the reason they export was due to non availability of good markets and prices offered.
He said the banning of scrap metals export will bring about unemployment adding that plans are underway to export scrap metals to India.
New slogan "Let’s Explore Zambia" , replacing the old "Zambia the Real Africa"
THE World Bank has said the launch of Zambia’s new tourism brand name and slogan ‘Let’s Explore’, will increase foreign currency earnings and make the country a preferred tourism destination.
World Bank senior private sector development specialist Marie Sheppard said Zambia’s new brand is a creative innovation that will attract more tourists from across the globe.
Ms Sheppard said the tourism sector will generate more jobs for the locals as more local and foreign tourists sample the unexplored tourism sites.
She described the re-branding initiative as a potential foreign exchange earner, saying many people will visit areas they have never seen before resulting into more viewing of wildlife and waterfalls among other tourist attractions.
The country had been marketed for over 30 years under the brand name and slogan ‘Zambia the Real Africa’, which has since been replaced with ‘Let’s Explore Zambia’ as of last week.
“The re-branding of ‘Zambia the Real Africa’ into ‘Let’s Explore Zambia’ is timely because even before the brand was launched, over 10,000 people across the world participated in the initiative during the pre-launch period,” she said.
She said the World Bank was one of the partners the Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) engaged in coming up with a new brand for the sector.
She said the sector will flourish under a new brand name but urged Government to ease the cost of doing business, which is still high for most tourism operators.
Ms Sheppard said doing business in the country is still high considering the poor state of the road network and lack of air transport to tourism attraction areas.
She said frequent changing of policies such as taxes, visas and levies in the sector are making it difficult for the tourism operators to price their products favourably.
“The poor state of Zambia’s roads in most tourist attraction areas is negatively affecting tourism operators who are currently struggling to price their products so that they can attract more local and foreign tourists,” she said.
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has expressed concern at the outcome of the recently held political party conventions.
FODEP Executive Director, Macdonald Chipenzi has observed that all the respective conventions outcomes had the parties top leadership go unopposed.
Mr Chipenzi says there is need for competition within political parties in order to grow intra-party democracy, which in turn will cultivate high quality calibre of leadership.
Meanwhile, Mr Chipenzi has called on other political parties, which have not held their respective conventions to do so.
PF Secretary General Secretary Wynter Kabimba unreservedly apologized to MUVI Television
Supporters of the Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) yesterday harassed a MUVI Television crew which was assigned to cover the party’s general Conference in Kabwe.
Inutu Mwanza and Bruce Mwale were verbally harassed by convicted PF leader, Michael Sata’s body guard, Judge Ngoma in the presence of Post newspapers journalist, George Chellah while covering the proceedings of the conference.
Ngoma, who was last year convicted on two counts of assault in the Lusaka Magistrate’s court further issued death threats to defenceless, Inutu Mwanza.
The Crew was accused of filming for freelance journalist, Chanda Chimba III’s controversial programme “Stand Up for Zambia”.
The duo confirmed the development in Lusaka.
And Muvi Television Management described the action by the cadres as unfortunate. Company Director for Human resource and Administration, Alfred Tembo has since demanded an apology from the opposition party with immediate effect.
A visibly annoyed, Mr Tembo added that journalists should be allowed to operate in an environment which is free from political interference and intolerance.
But the Patriotic Front(PF) has Unreservedly apologized to MUVI Television for the incident. Secretary-General, Wynter Kabimba issued the apology in Lusaka.
Nchanga Rangers say they are excited with the appointment of ex-defender Elijah Tana to the Chingola teams coaching bench.
Tana was appointed assistant coach to Bruce Mwape earlier this week to replace Israel Mwanxz who will instead now coach Nchanga’s junior team.
“Nchanga is where Tana started his playing career and the club he left to start his professional career,” Nchanga chairperson Richard Kazala said.
“I am sure the fans will be happy to see Tana on the bench and we hope to see him contribute to the team’s progress at large.”
Tana’s international career spurned a nine-year period starting in 2000 and captained Zambia to winning bronze at the inaugural Caf African Nations Championship tournament held in Cote d’Ivoire.
His last club was Angolan side Clube Recreativo da Caála whom he left at the end of last season.
Caala was his second Angolan club after earlier playing for Luanda giants Petro Atletico.
Tana has also played for El Merriekh in Sudan and Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates.
He joins the Nchanga coaching bench with the team currently in 10th place after 13 games played on 15 points, 10 less than leaders Power Dynamos.
Felix Katongo is in Egypt attending trials at Cairo giants Zamalek.
The midfielder arrived in Cairo on Monday and will be at Zamalek until the weekend where he is hoping to impress coach Hossam Hassan.
Katongo returns to the North African region where he played for Libyan club Al Ittihad since the start of 2010 on a two-year contract.
The Zambia midfielder returned to Zambia in early April due to the armed upheavals in Libya and has been featuring for Green Buffaloes.
SHEPOLOPOLO WIN..FINALLY
The Zambia women’s team bowed out of the Cosafa Women’s Championship currently taking place in Zimbabwe with a 4-1 win over Botswana in their final group B game played at Rufaro Stadium in Harare.
A brace from Mupopo Kabange in the 10th and 49th minutes plus one goal each by Noria Sosala and Gift Lishika handed Zambia their formality win to finish on 3 points from three games played.
The team returns home tomorrow after losing their first two Group B games to this year’s tournaments semifinalists South Africa and Tanzania.
Patriotic Front Kabwata Member of Parliament Given Lubinda has called on Zambians to be steadfast in the quest to remove the MMD from power.
Mr. Lubinda says it is clear that the MMD government has completely failed the Zambians.
He cited the failure by the local authorities to deliver necessary services to the people as an example that the MMD has failed.
He added that the continued blame by the ruling party on the Patriotic Front run-councils is an indication of failure on the part of the MMD.
Mr. Lubinda says Zambians should wake up and turnout in numbers on the day of elections to remove the failed administration of the MMD from power.
He says the failed developmental policies of the MMD have resulted in the ruling party hoodwinking Zambians with last minute promises of development such as the installation solar geysers.
[ QFM ]
Hope for Human Rights has advised managements at the Zambia Daily Mail, Times of Zambia and ZNBC to take the barring of their Editorial staff at the just-ended PF conference as a wake-up call.
Organization’s executive director smart Chanda said that the PF cannot be blamed for having barred that reporters from the public media because they have in most cases been used to scandalize the PF leader Michael Sata.
He said that what the public media needs to do is to ensure that it upholds high professional standards by giving equal coverage to people with divergent Views saying this will help in restoring public confidence.
And Foundation for democratic process has observed the need for the media bodies such has Media institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia, and the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) to mediate for reconciliation between the media and political parties in the country.
FODEP executive Director McDonald Chipenzi says that the journalists are committed to their job and that they have nothing to do with the biased editorial content that is published.
Mr. Chipenzi has since called for harmony between the political parties and the media in the country especially at a time when the country is heading to the polls.
[ QFM ]
President Rupiah Banda
Republican President Rupiah Banda will this Friday travel to Sinazongwe district for a ground breaking ceremony of the re-opening of Maamba Collieries Limited (MCL) that was sold to an equity partner of Nava Bharata Singapore.
The MCL Management has intensified preparations from ground breaking ceremony, and some old infrastructure at the company premise have been demolished to pave for the modern structures that are constructed.
MCL Director Ashwin Devineni told journalist at Maamba’s Izuma Lodge that full production of mining of coal will start in August as at the moment the company is clearing the overburden in readiness for coal extraction.
Mr Devineni said the large scale operations of extraction and transportation of high-grade coal has been contracted to GRN Constructions (Zambia) who have extensive experience in environmental conscious Coal Mining.
He disclosed that GRN (Zambia) have initiated the hiring of over 100 employees from within Maamba region in Phase one and have undertaken to train suitable personnel on the operations and handling of Heavy Machinery in coal mining
He said MCL will be supervising the operations of the contractor who is expected to be producing 50,000 metric tones per month once the thermal power plant is constructed.
Mr Devineni who is also the Chief Executive Officer for Nava Bharat Singapore said the new Coal Processing Plant (CPP) which has been bought at the cost of US$ 23 Million from South Africa will start operating in September this year.
The Director disclosed that procurement of the equipment for the construction of a thermal Power plant which will be using coal has reached an advanced stage and it will be completed in 2013 or 2014 as construction will take three to four years.
He said phase one of the power plant will be producing 300 mega watts of thermal electricity and it will cost US$750 million for construction and in phase two another 300 mega watts with be constructed.
Mr Devineni said the power will be channelled through Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) for distribution to customers.
He said their will be a lot of employment opportunities in Maamba and many companies will be set as a result of investment.
Mr.Devineni also disclosed that the company has since spent US$ 36 million on retirement, salaries arrears, Voluntary Employee Separation Scheme and other liabilities.
He said Maamba Development Trust has been put in place to ensure that social services such as education, water, sports were provided to the communities.
The director also pointed out that the mining will be done in an environmentally friendly as water will be recycled and all the overburden materials will be buried to avoid pollution.
Nava Bharat (Singapore) Pte Ltd. (NBS) joined as a strategic equity and technical partner by acquiring 65 percent equity stake in MCL from Zambia Consolidate Copper Mine –Investment Holding (ZCCM-IH) in April 2010.
Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) are back. This time they travel to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. After what happened in Vegas, they are playing it safe, this time and are planning simple pre-wedding brunch. But things don’t go as planned.
This film is darker , but is almost a scene for scene remake of the first.
PRO’S
There were some very funny moments in the film.
CON’S
There were very few original funny situations, the majority were simply copied from the first movie and pasted here.
Some scenes in the movie were unnecessarily crude, instead of being funny, they were just disgusting.
The producers of this movie had no original ideas; even the music was the same as the first movie.
No meaningful additions were made to the cast, just the same characters ….and mike Tyson …really ? it was nice when he was in the first one , as it was so unexpected . But in this one, it’s a case of been there done that.
The ending of the movie was exactly the same as the first one.
CONCLUSION
If you have watched the first Hangover, there is no real reason to watch this one, as it is basically a carbon copy. It does have some hilarious moments, though they are few are far between. It is a movie to watch, have a few laughs, then forget about it, unlike its predecessor which I have personally watched over 10 times.
FLASHBACK: Dr Dan Pule and his wife walk away with a meal at the Africa Freedom Day celebrations in Lusaka
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu has dismissed remarks by former deputy minister of finance Dan Pule that the people of Luapula have decided to vote for the Patriotic Front (PF).
Mr Nyangu said in an interview on Tuesday that Zambians have no confidence in Pastor Pule of Dunamis Christian Centre because he has no credibility left in him.
“Most Zambians consider Mr Pule as a joker. Which sane Zambian can believe in Dan Pule when everyone is questioning his credibility?” he asked.
Mr Nyangu said the ruling party has made remarkable inroads in Luapula Province because of the various development projects President Banda’s government has delivered.
He said Pastor Pule should stop bringing the name of his church into contempt and ridicule as he has done before.
“Let him concentrate on recreating his image which is so dented in the eyes of right thinking members of society. I thought he knew what the general public think of him,” Mr Nyangu said.
Mr Nyangu also said some sections of the private media have become so desperate, and are parading discredited people as sources of information.
“Journalists should choose their sources of information. Surely can Pastor Pule be considered a credible source?” he asked.
Mr Nyangu said he was not very surprised with Pastor Pule’s support for the PF because he has something in common with the party, a record of wishing misfortune on other people.
“Birds of the same feather flock together. So we are not surprised with Dan Pule’s support for the P F They have something in common and that is inconsistency,” he said.
Mr Nyangu wondered who was more credible between Pastor Pule and their royal highnesses from Luapula Province who recently declared support for the MMD and President Banda.
Pastor Pule was quoted in Monday’s Post Newspaper as saying the people of Luapula have already made up their minds to vote for the PF.
PRESIDENT Banda has urged Zambians not to allow a person with divisive ideas to cause confusion in the country.
And President Banda has directed the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services to include support to organisations working with the vulnerable in its future budgets.
“You should not allow anyone to divide the nation. You should not allow anyone to divide our nation. You need to continue working in a peaceful environment,” he said.
The President, who was speaking in Lusaka yesterday at the opening of the 2011 Seventh Day Zambia Union Conference National Dorcas Rally, thanked the church for working with and supporting the government of the day.
“My prayer is that you earnestly pray for peace so that we can have peaceful elections this year. Peace is important so that we can all continue with our normal lives,” he said.
He said women can contribute greatly to peace-building in the nation.
President Banda, who was addressing 13,000 Dorcas mothers at Muluse SDA camp site off Great East Road, said their work addresses the needs of the poor in communities according to available resources.
“Your work is special as it complements Government efforts to help the poor and all who need help in the country. As Dorcas mothers, you follow the footsteps of the Biblical Dorcas. The book of Acts Chapter Nine verses 36 says this woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. This is noble and deserves encouragement and commendation,” he said.
President Banda commended the Dorcas mothers for preparing clothing, food and supplies for the poor and underprivileged in the community.
“But your work as Dorcas mothers includes more than giving material aid. It encompasses adult education, visiting the elderly to give them hope, home nursing, home counselling and taking care of orphans,” he said.
President Banda said Government appreciates the kind of work done by Dorcas mothers.
He said government is committed to helping societies such as Dorcas mothers so that they can do more for the needy.
Mr Banda directed Community Development and Social Services Minister Michael Kaingu to incorporate support to organisations such as Dorcas mothers in the future, so that more vulnerable people can get help.
Last year alone, the Dorcas mothers are reported to have spent 55,375 hours on community based activities and also distributed food and clothing worth more then K130 million.
President Banda said the SDA Church in Zambia has done a lot to compliment government efforts in community service.
In the education sector, the church has built schools throughout the country including Chimpempe in Luapula, Mupapa on the Copperbelt, Emmanuel School in Central and Rusangu High School and University in Southern Province.
The SDA church also has health institutions—Mwami Hospital in Eastern Province, Yuka Hospital in Western Province and the eye hospital and dental and urban general clinic in Lusaka. These works are important and critical in helping our people,” he said.
And leader of the SDA in Zambia Harrington Akombwa thanked God for thanked God for the peace in the country under the leadership of President Banda.
“If there was war, we would not have gathered here. I appeal to all members to pray for peace and prosperity to continue in our country,” he said.
And Southern Africa Indian Ocean president Paul Ratsara thanked government for the peace and freedom the country is enjoying.
And giving a vote of thanks, the Dorcas mothers rally Steering Committee chairperson Catherine Siamaundu thanked President Banda for the directive given to the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services to support organisations assisting the vulnerable.
