President Banda assured Mrs Clinton that the elections would be held within the next few months and that they would be transparent. President Banda said this is a very special year for Zambia as it goes to the polls.

He said since 1964, the country has had good, fair and transparent elections. “Of course, the country has grown, the population has moved from three million in 1964 to 13 million now.

The economy itself has grown and the opposition parties have also increased and they are challenging us in these elections as it should be,” he said. The President said Government will work with all partners, including the United States, to ensure that elections are free, fair and transparent, and held in a peaceful atmosphere.

“We had a few hiccups over the by-elections we have had and I personally made sure that I went to court to challenge results of one of these elections where violence was observed…,” he said.

President Banda also invited investors from the US to explore Zambia’s vast potential. Earlier, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there is a positive sign that Zambia will hold free, fair and transparent elections.

And Mrs Clinton said the US hopes to become a better partner in helping develop the economy of Zambia. She was speaking yesterday during a press conference shortly after having a closed door bilateral meeting with President Banda at State House.

Mrs Clinton said as Zambia approaches another national election, the country has a chance to set a model for the rest of the world. “We discussed with President Banda the importance of conducting the upcoming national elections peacefully, transparently and fairly and freely in a manner that reflects the will of the Zambian people,” she said.

She is pleased that President Banda has invited both international and local observers to monitor the elections, and that he has repeatedly said in his campaign messages that he is against election violence. “That is an important message for all Zambian citizens including the one million young people voting for the first time. I congratulated Zambia for registering more than 82 percent of your eligible voters.

You know, too often the news is dominated by what is wrong with Africa, not about what is right,” she said. Mrs Clinton said when the people of Zambia adopted multi-party democracy in 1991, they sent a powerful message to Africa and the world. “Political leaders are answerable and accountable to the people, not the other way round.

Candidates may express passionate differences in campaigns but they must accept the people’s vote and join together for the sake of the country,” she said.

Mrs Clinton also said the US values Zambia’s role as a regional leader. “Since your independence, Zambia has helped Africa evolve into a continent of peace, stability and tolerance across the region. Thanks for hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees, including many Angolans who seek refuge and peace inside your country.

Thank you for supporting a peaceful transition in Madagascar,” she said. Mrs Clinton said Zambia has shown it is on the right path to tackle its challenges. “We have achieved important results together through our close collaboration on health issues, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and yesterday the United States joined other global leaders in calling for action towards eliminating pediatric HIV by 2015.

We are getting closer to the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV in Zambia, and we see people living with this disease now leading increasingly productive lives,” she said. Mrs Clinton assured President Banda that the US is fully committed to supporting Zambia’s progress. She said the US has always valued its partnership with Zambia, both globally and regionally.

“Zambia has joined the United States and the international community in support of human dignity, freedom of speech and religion. I would like to thank Zambia for joining in the international community’s strong stance on behalf of the rights of the people of Syria and Iran at the Human Rights Council,” she said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

The Zambia Widows Network Association (ZAWNA) has today launched its three year strategic plan in Lusaka today.

Speaking at the launch , ZAWNA president Florence Mwewa said the 2011- 2015 strategic plan is aimed to ensure that her organisation successfully implements its programmes and operations in a more efficient and cost effective manner.

” This will enable the organization respond positively to the needs of its members and existing inequalities affecting widowed women,” said Mrs Mwewa.

She noted that the organization’s partnership with the government, media, civil society, and private sector is pivotal in allowing women in Zambia attain social economic independence.

She said the organization has a vision to create a society were women are empowered to attain sustainable livelihoods.

Mrs. Mwewa said the launch showcases the value and significance of facilitating an enabling process to engage vulnerable women such as widows in strategic and productive livelihoods.

“Our strategic plan 2011 to 2015 is an agreement with many such development women empowerment process such as the millennium development goals, gender policy, enterprise development policy and vision 2030, ” she said.

She pointed out that it is the mandate of ZAWNA to contribute positively towards those challenging statements and commitments by way of implementing the strategic plan and annual action plans.

The organization has a membership of 3000 that work in organized groups in all the nine provinces of Zambia.

Its membership generally engage in various productive work such as agriculture, poultry, and cloth making.

ZAWNA is optimistic that the 2011 to 2015 strategic plan will be harnessed with successful key results to be able to be a model organisation to champion the needs of widows in Zambia.
[ ZANIS ]

The Ministry of Education says it has launched an electronic knowledge centre at the Curriculum Development Centre in Lusaka that will help learning institutions in the country to access the Internet.

The knowledge centre focuses on professional development, distance education and Information Communication Technologies (ICT) integration in education and was set up with the support from the Flemmish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB).

Speaking at the launch today, the ministry’s Acting Director for Teacher Education and Specialised Services James Silwimba said the centre aims at improving the training of Basic School Teachers.

Mr. Silwimba said his Ministry and VVOB plan to distribute more than 350 refurbished computers and desktops, 35 beamers and 59 printers to selected resource centres, Zone and community schools in Central, Copperbelt, and Northern provinces.

And VVOB Programme Advisor for ICT Bart Cornille said the centre has been set up to make teaching and learning more attractive and effective.

The launch of the centre is part of a three phase programme embarked on by the Ministry of Education and VVOB and runs up to the year 2013.

[ ZANIS ]

MMD Lusaka Province Chairman William Banda has challenged all opposition political party leaders to condemn political violence ahead of this year’s tripartite elections.

Mr. Banda told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the growing culture of political violence in the country should be condemned by all political leaders before, during and after the elections.

He advised opposition leaders especially to emulate President Banda who has on many occasions spoken against any form of violence.

The provincial chairperson said all political players in the country should embrace dialogue whenever they have grievances and not resort to violence.

He advised the youth to be wary of political leaders who may want to use them in violent activities before, during and after the elections.

Mr. Banda said Zambians should preserve the peace the country has enjoyed by ensuring that violence is not entertained at any point in the electoral process.

ZANIS

And visiting American Ambassador at Large for Global Women Issues Melanne Verveer has commended the Zambian government for its efforts in addressing the problem of girl’s child in schools.

Ms. Siliya said this is as a result of immediate suspension to all teachers found wanting in sexual harassment related cases while pending investigation.

She said Ministry of Justice was collaborating well with her ministry by intensifying the prosecution of under age sexual offenders.

Ms. Siliya said this in a speech read for her by Education Deputy Minister Dr. Boniface Kawimbe. This was during the Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) event in Lusaka today.

She said government is also encouraging girls who drop out of school because of pregnancy under the re-entry policy.

The minister, however, stated that despite the achievements made, government is still facing challenges in keeping the girl child in school.

The education minister has since called for concerted effort in discouraging early marriages especially among school going children who are below 18 years.

Ms. Siliya said the programme of keeping girls in schools should be encouraged by families, community, the church,and traditional leaders.

“The challenge of keeping the girls in school has to be met at several levels; at the level of the family and community. This should not be left by the government or the ministry of education alone.

There should be continuous sensitization of the importance of girl child education targeting the parents, church, traditional and civil
leaders.” He said.

The minister has also commended the Forum for African Women Educationist in Zambia (FAWEZA) and Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) for supporting the vulnerable children in schools through provision of scholarships.

And Ambassador Melanne Verveer has commended the Zambian government for its efforts in addressing the problem of girl’s child in schools.

Ms. Verveer , who also met with girls and teachers from selected schools Peace Corp offices , said education for a girl child remains the best possible way of fighting problems in the world.

She said women and girls continue to face the same problems of illiteracy and abuse world over but noted that most African countries have since started making strides in addressing the problems.

The Ambassador has also advised government to continue investing in the education of girl children for them to have meaningful development.

“Educating a girl child still remains the biggest investment for a nation especially a developing nation like Zambia to attain growth.
By educating women we are educating the family and the nation, ” she said.

She has also applauded the girls for their determination and vision in life.

And Forum for African Women Educationist in Zambia (FAWEZA) National Coordinator Daphne Chimuka said her organization is working with other cooperating partners in providing scholarship to needy girls.

Ms. Chamuka also said they are having problems in returning girls in schools because of the safety problems.

She said the provision of scholarships has,however, helped the girls to remain in schools.
[ ZANIS ]

Six suspected criminals last night abducted Zambia Daily Mail Executive Director, Evans Milimo before getting away with his vehicle.

Ms. Siamana has explained that the criminals abducted Mr Milimo at the gate of his house in Avondale and they later dumped him in Linda compound in Chilanga area.

She has further explained that the criminals got away with Mr Milimo’s vehicle, a Toyota Prado registration number ABR 3302.

Police have since launched a man hunt for the criminals.
[ MUVI ]

Movement for Multiparty Democracy(MMD) Deputy National Secreatry Chembe Nyangu has dispelled allegations that government is funding the ruling party’s campaign activities ahead of the 2011 polls.

Mr. Nyangu said assertions that the ruling party was using government resources to finance its political campaigns in this year were untrue.

He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that former Kafue constituency parliamentarian Bob Sichinga’s accusations are baseless.

Mr. Sichinga is according to media reports to have stated that the MMD was abusing government resources to fund the MMD campaigns ahead of the 2011 tripartite elections.

However, the MMD Deputy Secretary general said his party is greatly dismayed with Mr Sichinga’s assertions, warning him to desist misleading the Zambian.

He challenged Mr.Sichinga to show evidence to the general public so that the the law could take its course.

Mr. Nyangu said Mr Sichinga knows very well how government operates adding that the ruling party has it’s money for it’s campaigns not as reported in the media.

” Mr Sichinga is a bitter man who has never worked in Government in all his political career because of aligning himself with the opposition political parties which will never win any election, ” he said.

Mr. Nyangu lameneted that Mr Sichinga is a desperate politician who has joined the Patriotic Front hoping that the opposition party will win this year’s elections .

He stated that it was wishing thinking by any one to believe that the PF will ever rule this country because it has no economic agenda to improve the well being of all Zambians.

Mr. Ngangu noted that Zambians has seen what President Rupiah Banda has done for this country to deserve to be re-elected during this year’s elections.
[ ZANIS ]

North-West Railway Company (NWR) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tagos Group of Companies, a United States (US) based company.

The MoU is for the implementation of the 405 Kilometre rail project at a cost of US$500 million.

ZANIS reports that NWR Chairman Enock Kavindele said the project is important for the country as it will open up North Western Province to a lot of mining activities.

Mr Kavindele disclosed that North Western Province now produces about 66 percent of the country’s copper but that there is no means of bringing ore to smelt the copper.

The North West Rail Company Chairman said during a Press Briefing in Lusaka today at Mulungishi International Conference Centre on the sidelines of the 10th Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum that a lot of work has been made.

He said the Province has been been depending on trucks to haul the ore adding that this had resulted in congestion on the road.

Mr Kavindele said the implementation of the North West rail will give a different outlook to the province.

He said about 4000 jobs are expected to be created from the project that will largely be financed by the American company.

He further said Government has given a lot of licences to various mining companies for mining rights and explorations in the province hence the project will help enhance mining activities in the area.

Mr Kavindele described the project as big and that it will require the support of all stakeholders including Government, the Private Sector among others.

Speaking at the same briefing, Tagos Group of Companies Chairman Milton Scot said transparency and a good democratic government was the yard stick for US investment in any particular country in the world.

Mr Scot said Zambia’s positive democratic and transparency record has helped the country attract capital investment from the US.

He urged the Zambian Government to continue upholding transparency and good democratic principles for accelerated US investment in the country.

ZANIS

United States of America (US) State Secretary Hillary Clinton is this afternoon expected in Zambia where she will address the ongoing 10th Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum which officially opened in Lusaka yesterday.

According to a media release at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, the venue of the Forum, Mrs Clinton is scheduled to arrive here at 16 hours (4PM) and will address the high level meeting at 16: 45 hours (4 45 pm).

Mrs Clinton is the first Secretary of State who is visiting Zambia in over 30 years and she also expected to officially close the high level meeting.

ZANIS reports that the US Secretary of State while in the country is also expected to launch the American Chamber of Commerce at Hotel Intercontinental tomorrow morning.

On the same day, Mrs Clinton together with President Rupiah Banda will also grace the official opening of University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Paediatric Centre of Excellence.

AGOA, a US initiative comprises 48 eligible member African countries but only 37 are attending represented by their Ministers at Government level, Private Sector and Civil Society and entrepreneurs.

President Rupiah Banda yesterday officially opened the Forum stating that economic dividends that member states seek from the initiative can best be realised when all African countries strengthen and entrench sound democratic practices and uphold good Governance.

And in a speech that was delivered on behalf of US President Barack Obama during the official opening of the Forum, Mr Obama assured that next year, his administration would be looking at ways to ensure that Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) eligible countries were helped to unleash their growing dynamism of economies.

The Forum is being held under the theme: ‘’Enhanced Trade Through Increased Competitiveness, Value Addition and Deeper Regional Integration,’’ has attracted over
3 000 delegates.

Hosting of AGOA meetings alternates between the US and member African countries. So far, Mauritius, Senegal, Ghana and Kenya have hosted the forum.

AGOA is an American initiative that was coined in 2000 and signed into law by former US President Bill Clinton. The initiative allows eligible African member countries to export selected goods to America duty free.

ZANIS

INSIDIOUS

The creators of the SAW franchise and the producers of paranormal activity came together to try and scare the living daylights out of you. I can say that they were successful, Insidious has many scary moments.

The movie finds a teacher and his wife, move into a new house with their three children. Things are seemingly going good for them, but there is something amiss in the place they call home. It starts with little things like books mysteriously falling off the shelves, household items disappearing only to appear someplace else. Their young son starts to hear voices in the walls and is drawn to the attic, where he has an accident. He just has few bruises so nothing is made out of it until it he goes to sleep that night and falls into an unexplainable coma. That is when horror starts, as baby monitors pick up strange voices, locked doors suddenly open, alarms go off for no reason. Best line in the movie “It’s not the house that’s haunted………..it’s your son!”

PROS

It puts a twist on the haunted house cliché.

Creative camera work and lighting enhance the scares.

Provides genuinely scary moments that will make your heart skip a beat.

CONS

The ending scenes were a bit over the top.

The comedy moments were not necessary as they did not add to the plot.

CONCLUSION

Insidious is a horror movie that will get your heart pumping, provide a few laughs, and give plenty of skin crawling scares.

FAVORITE QUOTES

Dalton Lambert: “Last night I watched myself sleep, and then I flew away.”

Elise Rainier: “its not the house that’s haunted…it’s your son..”

BY KAPA187

A WITNESS has testified that despite The Post Newspapers Limited and JCN Holdings signing an undertaking to pay back the K14 billion debt and having documents relating to the same, the duo failed to so.

?And another witness, Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) managing director Abraham Mwenda testified that The Post Newspapers and JCN Holdings were liable for the obligation they assumed as shareholders.?

DBZ head of credit Hephzibah Nainwiindwa Beyani, 47, of house number 953 Y2K, New Avondale, told the court yesterday that JCN Holdings were in court because they did not honour their obligation to pay back a debt it owed DBZ.?

Ms. Beyani, testifying before High Court Judge Albert Wood in a matter in which DBZ has dragged The Post newspaper, JCN Holding, MNB lawyers Mutembo and Nchima Nchito to court for failing to pay back a K14 billion loan.

?In continued cross-examination, Mr Mutembo Nchito asked Ms Beyani why JCN and The Post newspapers were in court, she responded that the duo was in court because when Zambian Airways ceased operations, DBZ asked them to honour their debt payment to the bank but they disputed the bank’s agreement.

?DBZ is claiming K14 billion and interest at the contractual rate and that in the alternative, an order that Mr Mutembo Nchito executes a guarantee or be deemed to have executed a guarantee under clause 8.6 of the syndication of the loan agreement.

?The bank has also asked the court to issue an order that in the alternative, Mr Nchito should pay back K14 billion under the personal guarantee clause.

?According to the statement of claim, JCN Holdings, The Post Newspapers, Mr Nchito and his brother Nchima were shareholders in Mine Air Services Limited, which used to trade as Zambian Airways.

?Ms. Beyani said her understanding was that the process of acquiring the shares was not completed because the airline was defunct while the process was still going on.?“So the issue is not about shares but the undertaking by the shareholders, namely The Post newspapers and JCN Holdings who had signed an undertaking to pay back the DBZ debt,” she said.?

She said the bank sometimes took a risk of financing and investment and at the same time got collateral as a fallback position in case the project failed, adding that in the case of Zambian Airways, the bank assessed the situation before giving out the money.?

Dr. Mwenda said the payback guarantee was intended to safeguard the interests of the bank and its subsequent exit.

?Mr. Nchito suggested to the witness that what the bank wanted was that if JCN Holdings and The Post Newspapers were held liable as guarantors of the debt, one of the directors of Zambian Airways (Himself) should be compelled by the court to sign a guarantee that they will pay back the debt, Dr Mwenda said it was about paying back the debt.
[ Times of Zambia ]