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THE Chabuka-Aba-Ushi Cultural Traditional and Development Association has praised the Government for releasing more than K250 billion for tarring Pedicle Road in Luapula Province.
Copperbelt region chairperson Stephen Chitwa said in Kitwe yesterday that the road had been in a deplorable state for a long time and upgrading it would improve and promote trade with other provinces and neighbouring countries.
Mr Chitwa said Luapula Province had the potential to improve the country’s economy through agriculture, tourism and mining sectors.
He said the tarring of the road would also create employment for the local people especially the youths and women and subsequently create wealth for all Zambians.
“We would like to commend the Government under the leadership of President Rupiah Banda for releasing funds for the tarring of Pedicle Road which has been untarred since independence and therefore the development would improve and promote trade in the country,” he said.
He advised all stakeholders to ensure that the road was worked on properly.
Last month, Luapula Province Minister Besa Chimbaka announced that the Government had released K250 billion for tarring of the 70 kilometre Pedicle Road to connect Luapula Province to the Copperbelt through the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mr Chimbaka said this during the installation of Benson Shapi as Chief Chimese of the Ushi people in Mansa District.
He said another K150 billion for the re-surfacing of Mansa-Kashikishi Road was being awaited.
Mr Chitwa further appealed to Chief Kalasa Mukoso of Bangweulu to find a solution to the selection and installation of Chief Mulakwa’s throne, which had been vacant for the past three years.
He said it was important that Chief Kalasa Mukoso, who is the senior chief, spearheads the selection and installation of a new chief as quickly as possible.
FLASHBACK: Mothers wait for turn to have their babies attended to at Chainda clinic
THE Government has said it will continue supporting all efforts aimed at promoting maternal and child healthcare because of its determination to meet millennium development goal (MDG) number four, Livingstone District Commissioner Francis Chika has said.
Mr Chika said the Government had not just put up the required infrastructure in the health sector but it had made sure that midwives were trained to take care of mothers during delivery so that they could give birth to healthy children.
He said this in Livingstone yesterday during the launch of this year’s Child Health Week, which starts from Monday to Friday next week.
“The Zambian Government has put up clinics, hospitals and even provided mobile hospitals which are fully equipped to take care of any situation that can be handled by a general hospital.
“All this has been done to ensure that healthcare is brought at the door steps of all Zambians,” he said.
Mr Chika said it was a pity that despite the Government’s efforts in improving the living standards of Zambians, some people were bent on criticising everything.
He said President Rupiah Banda deserved much more than just a pat on his back for his visionary approach to dealing with national issues.
“I have seen a lot of correspondence pertaining to clinics such as Simoonga, Dambwa North, Highlands and a few others here in Livingstone.
“I wish to give you assurance that what the Government is doing is far from campaigning,” he said.
Mr Chika expressed disappointment at the failure by several Livingstone heads of Government departments to participate in the launch of this year’s Child Health Week.
At the same function, Livingstone District medical officer Cliff Hara urged parents and guardians to take their children to various health centres during the Child Health Week for medical attention.
Lusaka Province MMD chairperson William Banda has said the party in the province has recommended to the national policy making body to expel Ms Masebo without delay for breaching the trust that was bestowed on her during the national convention.
Ms Masebo, who is MMD national chairperson for women’s affairs, has been accused of flirting with the Patriotic Front (PF).
MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya confirmed that a recommendation had been passed urging NEC to expel Ms Masebo following her misconduct.
Ms Siliya said MMD members in Chongwe were wondering how Ms Masebo could have joined PF when she carried a mock coffin against Mr Sata during the inauguration of late president Levy Mwanawasa to demonstrate the embarrassing defeat the PF leader had suffered.
Meanwhile, in the scheme that has been exposed, Ms Masebo has been courted by Mr Sata to contest in Munali Constituency following his decision to remove incumbent MP Mumbi Phiri, who has fallen out of favour, while a national executive committee member in his party, Geoffrey Chumbwe has been nominated to contest the Chongwe seat.
At her Press briefing either today or tomorrow, Ms Masebo would accuse President Rupiah Banda of having told her not to contest the position of MMD chairperson for women’s affairs because he wanted to nominate her even when he knew he was not going to do so.
She would also claim that the president did not like her and that access to him was always denied while the programme of activities was not given to her.
Both MMD deputy national secretary, Chembe Nyangu and Forum for Leadership Search executive director Edwin Lifwekelo confirmed this in separate interviews in Lusaka yesterday.
The mass defections were being organised by some constituency executive committee members and district MMD officials who had also decided to resign alongside the former minister of Local Government and Housing.
Senior Chief Nkomeshya Mukamambo II of the Soli people has been reported to have been organising village headmen to denounce the Government.
“It is good riddance. We are aware that she is contesting in Munali because Mr Sata who has been appointing candidates as an individual has dropped Mumbi Phiri.
“The idea is that Munali has too many voters so they hope to reduce on RB’s presidential figures using Masebo but we will take them on,” Mr Nyangu said.
And Mr Lifwekelo said the MMD delegates who voted for Ms Masebo as chairperson for women’s affairs had been betrayed.
The Movement for Mult-party Democracy (MMD) has suspend Chongwe Member of Parliament Sylvia Masebo who is alleged to have plans of defecting to Patriotic Front (PF).
The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) reports that MMD’s National Secretariat said Ms Masemba has been suspended for giving false information to the party.
Major Richard Kachinggwe said in a press release that Ms Masebo who is also MMD National Chairperson for women will remain suspended until her matter was addressed.
Yesterday Forum for Leadership Search Executive Director, Edwin Lifwekelo says his organization had information that Ms Masebo is likely to cross over to the PF on Saturday or Sunday.
He says Ms Masebo has betrayed MMD members who voted for her as chairperson at the MMD convention.
FLASHBACK: Frederick Chiluba in The Syagogue, Church Of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria.
Former Zambian president Fredreick Chiluba died Saturday at the age of 68 for causes not known yet. According to the Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Chiluba died at 0:05 a.m. after a normal day on Friday.
Chiluba started complaining of heart pains on Friday evening, ZNBC quoted Chiluba’s spokesperson as saying.
The spokesman said that the doctor was called and attempted to save Chiluba’s life but failed.
“He died five minutes after midnight at his home,” Emmanuel Mwamba told AFP.
Fredreick Chiluba had been suffering from heart and kidney problems but Mwamba said he had earlier complained of stomach pains.
“We will release more details later in the day,” said Mwamba.
Fredreick Chiluba was born on April 30, 1943 to Jacob Titus Chiluba Nkonde and Diana Kaimba and grew up in Kitwe, Zambia. Chiluba was married twice. Frederick Chiluba did his secondary school of education at Kawambwa Secondary School in Kawambwa, where he was expelled in the second year for political activities.
He became co-boy and later a bus driver. It was there that he found his ability to became a politician due to his charismatic personality. He later worked as city councilor before becoming an accounts assistant at Atlas Copco, and rose in his rankings, in Ndola where he joined the National Union of Building.
Frederick Chiluba and his first wife with whom he has nine children, Vera Tembo, divorced in 2000 after nearly 30 years of marriage. Chiluba married his second wife, Regina Mwanza, shortly thereafter.
Chiluba’s personal appearance and dapper dress had been noted by both his supporters and opponents throughout his career, as had his short stature. His careful appearance and taste for fine suits became a trademark, and was noted during his corruption trial. Dr Chiluba had also been described by the BBC as “a fervent born-again Christian…” whose “…private life was the subject of much gossip.”
He went on to win the chairmanship of the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). Chiluba and several leaders in ZCTU were detained in 1981 by President Kenneth Kaunda for calling a wildcat strike that paralyzed most of the Zambian economy. The union leaders were released after a judge ruled their detention as unconstitutional. In 1987, he successfully withstood challenge to his chairmanship of NUBEGW that would have put his ZCTU position in jeopardy.
In 1990 he helped form the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), a party that, with Chiluba as its presidential candidate, went on to successfully challenge Kaunda’s rule in the 1991 elections. Chiluba was a powerful speaker with a natural charm and charisma.
Chiluba took office on November 2 of that year. He won re-election to a second five-year term in 1996 despite a lawsuit questioning his birthplace and hence his eligibility for the post. Some candidates in the 1996 presidential elections challenged his eligibility on these grounds, claiming that he or his real father was born in Zaire. There was, however, no doubt that he was raised in the Copperbelt of Zambia and this contributed to his taking up of unionism.
Despite his party’s overwhelming majority in parliament, he failed to win support in his bid to amend the constitution allowing him to run for a third term.
No member of parliament ever moved the motion in the house to amend the national constitution, the government never presented any paper on the matter nor was there any referendum to amend the national constitution. The third term debate was between different groups within and outside the MMD. Chiluba himself was quiet about it.
He stepped down at the end of his term on January 2, 2002, and was replaced by Levy Mwanawasa, his one-time vice-president. Chiluba started out as a socialist, but accepted some economic reforms.
Chiluba can be said to have left both an economic and a political legacy. Economically he started the process of ending Zambia’s socialist command economy. He presided over various economic reforms. There are mixed feelings in Zambia on the effectiveness of the economic transformation initiated by the Chiluba government.
He helped broker a peace agreement to end the war in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo, but failed to stop the escalating crime and poverty in Zambia.
Chiluba opposed international economic institutions. His successor Levy Mwanawasa re-established relations with IMF and World Bank that were abolished during Chiluba’s government.
After leaving office, Chiluba was a target of Mwanawasa’s campaign against corruption: in February 2003, he was charged along with his former intelligence chief, Xavier Chungu, and several former ministers and senior officials, with 168 counts of theft totalling more than $40m.
It was alleged that money was diverted from the Ministry of Finance into an account held at the London branch of the Zambia National Commercial Bank (Zanaco). Chiluba said the account was used by the country’s intelligence services to fund operations abroad. Investigators said it was a slush fund, used to meet Chiluba and Chungu’s private and personal expenses.
In early 2006, Chiluba was flown to South Africa for medical attention for a heart condition. After resisting the government’s call for him to return to Zambia for what they termed as long-term treatment, he returned on July 15.
On 4 May 2007 he was found guilty of stealing $46m (£23m) in a civil case by a UK court. Chiluba, however, continued to plead innocence and refused to recognise the verdict of the Judge Peter Smith who he accused of having been bribed by the Mwanawasa government.
Most of the charges that were made against him were later dropped and he was eventually freed on those charges that remained.
KAPA187: Welcome to this interview, you came onto the scene in 07 after coming second place in a singing competition, which competition was it and how was the experience?
Paul Da Prince: It was the Teen Star competition on muvi TV. It was a great experience coz that was my first time performing in front of a large audience and also my first time on TV.
KAPA187: How did you get signed to K-army and how is it working with them?
Paul Da Prince: Well K-smash introduced me to KB in 2009 at a Bleksem concert, from then on I have been with the label. It has been a very educational and exciting experience working with k-army coz I learn a lot from Daxon who produced my whole album.
KAPA187: You have a song called “Dance” as I listen to that song I can feel a heavy Chris brown influence . Is he someone you look up to?
Paul Da Prince: Yes indeed I get inspiration from Chris brown, Usher, Trey songz and Ne-yo. All my life I have had keen interest in R&B, I listen to a lot of artists. Hence the mixtape I have being all R&B focused.
KAPA187: Was the video you did with Ruff kid ,for the song “Boss lady”, your first video . How did it feel making the video?
Paul Da Prince: Yes the Boss Lady video was the first I did. It was great coz we shot on top of a building and the director was very receptive to ideas and the time period was quick. So I had fun in those 2days that we shot the video. I’m looking forward to my video shoot soon.
KAPA187: Do you get nervous before a performance, and what has been your most memorable performance?
Paul Da Prince: Getting nervous is really normal. But I have a good relationship with cameras and the stage so the second I step onto the stage I am way over the feeling of being nervous. The most memorable performance for me was Miss Cavendish 2010. It was awesome because the crowd was electric and motivating. And our routines were on point.
KAPA187: Do you think Zambian music is headed in the right direction, will a Zambian ever win a Grammy?
Paul Da Prince: Zambian music is definitely heading in the right direction. With artists doing different genres I think in the next 10 years one of us may find ourselves on the American center stage to win international awards.
KAPA187: Besides music, what other interests do you have?
Paul Da Prince: I have a passion for TV presentation and entertaining the youth. Besides that I also love computers, technology is what interests me a lot.
KAPA187: Which 5 songs are most played on your iPod right now ?
Paul Da Prince:
1. Dru Hill – We’re not makin love no more
2. Tyrese – come back to me shawty
3. Chris Brown – Next to you ft. Justin Beiber
4. J rox feat. Zone Fam – Chikali (remix)
5. Tio – Nimwe
KAPA187: If you only had six months left to live , how would you spend your time?
Paul Da Prince: I would go bungee jumping in Livingstone. Sensitize the youths more on HIV/Aids. Release an album with 20 songs so I can be remembered. And I would really like to visit the States, UK, and go back to see Monte casino in Jozi for the last time. Finally buy my dad an amazing car
KAPA187: In ten years I will be….
Paul Da Prince: Married probably have a son and name him Paul Da ‘Prince. And I will have won at least 5 awards by then B-). I will still be doing R&B.
KAPA187: Any last words to your fans
Paul Da Prince: Much love and appreciation to the people that support me, I will always be grateful because you made this possible and all the music I do is for you. God Bless
The Music
The music has an R&B/Pop feel to it.
Number one
“Tell me that you gonna be my number one” he tells his girl on the chorus. It is a nice mid tempo song that you can dance to with your special someone.
You
“You” is a stand out track , also for that special someone in your life. He has taken care to develop his vocal skills and it shows. Very nice song.
The Zambia Soccer League has been registered with the National Sport council of Zambia.
NSCZ announced the ZSL affiliation to the sports motherbody during a press briefing in Lusaka today.
The ZSL was formed by the Andrew Kamanga group after the FAZ AGM of April 30.
However, the NSCZ has set guidelines for the ZSL before it can start operating.
´The application was tabled before the full-board of the council on June 16,” NSCZ spokesman Mwitwa said at Fridays press briefing.
“The application was found to have met the criteria of registration as an affiliate of the National Sports Council of Zambia,´ subject to the following conditions: a) That the Zambia Soccer League will only be implemented at the end of the season. b) That before implementations of the leafue, they need to hold elections to ursher in the permanent executive committee. c) that the Zambia Soccer League shall not disprupt the running of the current league.”
Mwitwa said the formation of an autonomous league structure like the NFL was not unqiue to Zambia as it also existed in England and South Africa and that it would operate under FAZ statutes as an affiliate.
Lunshya copper mines (LCM) one of the foreign owned mine
The Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has said that there is nothing wrong with nationalizing the companies such as the mines in the country as long as they are able to run profitably.
CDP executive Director Dr. Neo Simutanyi told QFM news that the government should also consider owning its own mining companies alongside those owned by the private investors.
Dr. Simutanyi observed that the state can manage to own and run the mines only if they adhered to strict business principles.
He added that there is need for the state to discuss and review issues surrounding the current ownership of the mining industries in the country.
Dr. Simutanyi noted that there was the need to address the externalizing of profits by the foreign investors adding that there is also need for the government to increase the stake in the in the mining industry.
He also added that the mines should be keeping their money in the Zambian banks to ensure that the money is used in the country’s economy.
Yesterday some of the panelists who appeared on the BBC world Debate programme in Lusaka observed that the Zambian government was getting a raw deal from the proceeds of the mines.
However, the Zambian government objected to suggestions that there was need for nationalization of the mines saying nationalization would cause the mines to crumble.
President Rupiah Banda has commissioned a 48 billion kwacha (US$10m) China-Aid Agricultural Technology demonstration Centre at the University of Zambia Liempe Farm in Chongwe district.
The centre will train farmers and students in various farming technologies using maize, soya beans, and wheat.
This is in line with the University of Zambia strategic Plan which places priority not only on teaching and research but also public service.
President Banda says the centre will increase agriculture production in the country and contribute to economic growth and attainment of the vision 2030.
He said this is a speech read for him by Education Minister Dora Siliya.
Mr. Banda says the agriculture sector is critical to ensuring that every Zambian has food.
And Ms Siliya says the MMD government is committed to investing in infrastructure.
Ms. Siliya says the government is also committed at placing a premium on institutions of higher learning.
And Agriculture Minister Dr Eustarckio Kazonga says the centre will add value to the agriculture sector.
Earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao said agriculture is one of the key sectors that can help Zambia to achieve economic diversification.
Ambassador Zhou also disclosed that about 2-hundred pieces of equipment for the centre is currently at the port in Tanzania en route to Zambia.
[ ZNBC ]
Forum for Leadership Search Executive Director, Edwin Lifwekelo says Chongwe Member of parliament; Sylvia Masebo is planning to defect to the opposition Patriotic Front (PF).
Mr. Lifwekelo says his organization has information that Ms Masebo is likely to cross over to the PF on Saturday or Sunday.
Ms. Masebo is currently Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Chairperson for women.
He told ZNBC News in an interview that Ms Masebo has betrayed MMD members who voted for her as chairperson at the MMD convention.
Efforts to get a comment from Ms Masebo failed as her mobile phone went unanswered.
Ms. Masebo has also not applied to re-contest her Chongwe parliamentary seat in this year’s elections under MMD.
The Secondary School Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) has commended government for recruiting over 4, 900 teachers across the country.
SESTUZ President Nyambe Sefulo says the move taken by government will help reduce the abnormal workload being experienced by teachers.
In an interview with QFM, Mr. Sefulo observed that it is gratifying to note that rural areas have been given top preference in the posting of teachers.
He has since urged government to accelerate the payment of settling in allowances to teachers to avoid unnecessary suffering in their new areas of deployment.
Government, through the ministry of education has recruited over 4, 900 teachers in both high schools and basic schools across the country.
COPPERBELT Province mobile hospital coordinator Alex Makupe has said the unit has continued recording successes in healthcare provision because the Government is providing adequate funding.
Dr Makupe said in Ndola yesterday that a detailed report on the findings of the team of doctors and medical specialists assigned to provide mobile health services to the rural communities in Mpongwe and Masaiti districts had been submitted to the Ministry of Health.
He said after reviewing the report, the Government was expected to come up with ways to further improve service delivery and effectiveness.
“The Government has shown its political will, there is a growing demand for the mobile services and this is really challenging to the team of doctors and other support staff,” Dr Makupe said.
He said the mobile hospital unit would this month-end be stationed at the Zambia International Trade Fair in Ndola to provide treatment to visitors to the Fair.
Dr Makupe said it was important to allow members of the public a chance to appreciate the operations of mobile hospitals and at the same time get treatment.
“From June 30 up to July 5, we are going to be at the Trade Fair Grounds where we will be attending to some minor health problems and emergencies during the show period,” he said.
Dr Makupe said the hospital unit would next month be shifted to Lufwanyama District to resume its normal rural healthcare provision.
[Times of Zambia]
Thor is a must see movie. It has action, humor, drama and a bit of romance. One could call it a full package.
The movie centers on Thor and his mighty hammer. He is about to inherit the throne from his ailing and aged father Odin, when an unexpected incursion by the Asgardians’ longstanding foes, the Frost giants, disrupts the coronation. Thor does not heed his father’s words so the powerful but arrogant god of thunder is banished to earth where he is forced to live amongst the humans.
There is pleasure to be plundered from some of the battle scenes, especially when Thor is confronting frost giants with blood-red eyes, and from the culture clash that resounds when he is banished to present-day Earth.
PROS
Chris Hemsworth was a good choice of actor to play Thor, he played the role perfectly.
There was an interesting twist about Thor’s brother Loki.
The visual effects were excellent.
CONS
Not enough time was given to develop the relationship between Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Jane fosters (Natalie Portman).
The storyline was a bit predictable.
CONCLUSION
Thor is a very entertaining super hero, adventure movie that will leave wanting more of the hammer wielding god of thunder and is guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face. FAVORITE QUOTES
Odin: He has disobeyed his king. His fate is in his own hands now.
Fandral: Our dear friend is banished to Earth! Loki sits on the throne of Asgard as our King! And all you have done is eat two boars, six pheasants a side of beef and drink two barrels of ale! Shame on you!
Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane
The Government has maintained that pressure to force it to impose higher taxes on mining companies is unrealistic because the Zambian law on taxation is a replica of the laws in developed countries such as Canada and Australia.
Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has also maintained that the Government’s decision to privatise the mining companies is irreversible because the current poverty levels and under-development in the mining hubs had resulted from the mistakes made in the 1970s when the mining companies were nationalised.
Speaking during a recording of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) television debate at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Musokotwane said African countries were encouraged to nationalise for them to become rich but the opposite was true.
He said the mining companies had matured and were able to pay more taxes that had helped the Government raise more money for various development projects.
He said the windfall tax being agitated for would make Zambia less attractive to foreign investors and lead to massive job losses.
Apart from Dr Musokotwane, the debate featured former British secretary of state for international development, Claire Short, Andrew de Simeone from the Brazilian mining giant Vale, and Mopani Copper Mines chief executive officer Emmanuel Mutati, and was moderated by BBC broadcaster Tihabi Redi.
Ms Short said Africa’s wealth had become a curse instead of it being a tool for poverty reduction, but Dr Musokotwane opposed the view and said minerals had done a lot for Zambia by creating jobs while the money from taxes was being used for poverty reduction.
He said the value of mining declined because of the poor management of the companies, especially when they were nationalised, but that the fortunes had changed drastically.
Dr Musokotwane said the law guiding the mining systems in Zambia was similar to the one obtaining in countries like Canada, Australia, and South Africa and that it was wrong to demand that Zambia should have a special tax that was not applying to other mineral-producing countries.
Some Livingstone residents have asked former Zambian ambassador to Libya Mbita Chitala and former Works and Supply minister Mike Mulongoti to retire from active politics because they have become irrelevant to Zambian politics.
The residents said the two were currently attacking the MMD and the Government because they were out of the ruling party.
But Dr Chitala and Mr Mulongoti, who featured on a phone-in programme on Zambezi FM in Livingstone yesterday, insisted that they had a right to actively participate in politics and claimed that the MMD Government had failed to run the affairs of the country.
A resident, Neto Halwabala said Mr Mulongoti had been in Government for a long time and had nothing new to offer to Zambians.
Mr Halwabala wondered why the former minister was currently supporting Patriotic Front (PF) and its leader Michael Sata and yet he criticised Mr Sata when he served as a minister in the MMD Government.
Contributing to the programme, Mr Halwabala described Mr Mulongoti as a person who was ever changing positions on national issues.
“You used to call Mr Sata all sorts of names but all of a sudden you are now supporting the PF leader simply because you are out of Government. Is Mr Sata now different from the person you used to criticise some years ago?” Mr Halwabala asked.
Other callers said Mr Mulongoti was a double-tongued and arrogant person who could not be trusted.
Some callers, who preferred to remain anonymous, said Mr Sata was known to be a violent man and it would, therefore, be wrong for Dr Chitala or anyone to support the PF leader.
In response, Dr Chitala said he decided to endorse PF because it was the only party that had higher chances of winning this year’s elections while Mr Mulongoti said he would officially announce his endorsement after the dissolution of Parliament this year.
They both maintained that MMD had failed to run the affairs of the country and that the United Party for National Development (UPND) had no chances of winning the elections.
[ Times of Zambia ]
