Vice President George Kunda has disclosed that the huge investment that Government has pumped into various sectors of the economy has significantly helped to create employment in the country.

Mr. Kunda said investments in the agriculture, health, education and mining sectors have created thousands of jobs for Zambians.

Speaking when he officiated at this year’s Labour Day celebrations whose theme is “Creating Secure Employment with Freedom, Equity and Human Dignity” in Kitwe today, Mr. Kunda said Zambia was now a preferred investment destination because of its economic policies.

“Indeed Zambia is now a preferred destination for investment, this is contributing significantly to job creation,” he said.

ZANIS reports that he further said Government was undertaking massive infrastructure development in the Copperbelt Province which was also contributing to job creation in Zambia .

Mr. Kunda said in the education sector, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government was currently constructing high and basic schools in Lufwanyama, Mpongwe, Masaiti and Kitwe districts which have gobbled billions of Kwacha.

He explained that Government was constructing Lufwanyama and Mpongwe high schools at a cost of K23 billion each while Masaiti high school and Kamfinsa high school in Kitwe were costing K23 billion and K14 billion respectively.

In the health sector, the Vice President said Government was currently constructing Lufwanyama district hospital at a cost of K1.2 billion and upgrading Ndola-Kabushi health centre which had since gobbled K500 million

Mr. Kunda added that Masaiti district hospital was under construction at K1 billion while Ndeke mini-hospital in Kitwe had already consumed K500 million.

“Construction of Doctors’ houses and Nurses’ flats is in progress at Ndola Central Hospital , Kitwe Central Hospital and Arthur Davison Hospital ,” he said.

The Vice President, who is also Minister of Justice, further revealed that the construction of Doctors’ flats at Kitwe Central Hospital and Nchanga General hospitals was at K5.8 billion and K4.9 billion respectively.

Mr. Kunda said all these projects have created employment among Zambians.

“The MMD government is determined and committed to employment creation and uplifting of the standard of living and poverty reduction,” he stressed.

Mr Kunda said this year’s theme did not just highlight good labour management principles but was in line with the Sixth National Plan whose strategic focus was realising broad based pro-poor growth, employment creation and human development.

He said Government has put in place measures to ensure that citizens have access to secure and decent jobs that go with freedom and human dignity.

He said these measures include sensitisation of employers on the need to curb casualisation of labour in line with the current labour legislation.

The Vice President also called upon leaders at Provincial and District levels to denounce violence before during and after the tripartite elections.

Mr Kunda said for the country to develop there was need to maintain peace that people have lived to enjoy.

At the same event, Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima said the constant economic transformation taking place on the Copperbelt had helped to maintain a high employment level in the province.

Mr Mbulakulima said increased mining activities on the Copperbelt have seen employment levels to steadily remain high.

He said besides Government, the mining industry was the largest employer in the province and with the constant economic transformation taking place, the number of workers would continue to be the highest.

And Zambia Federation of Employers Representative Eugene Appel said the federation would endeavour to promote social dialogue among workers and was able to engage them and management to express their views.

Mr Appel said this engagement between employers and employees would lead to creation of sustainable enterprises which was a pre requisite of stable employment.

He called on workers from the public and private entities to seriously engage and exhaust every channel provided for in the process of social dialogue and not to wait for bargaining time.

Mr Appel noted that this would cement working relationships and understanding of business dynamics therefore avoiding confrontational engagement during the collective bargaining process.

He disclosed that during the first quarter of this year, the country recorded eight illegal strikes adding that this retarded national productivity.

Zambia Congress of Trade Unions first Deputy President Chrispin Munyukwa said it was in the public interest that the informal economy was not discriminated but a decisive move be taken to help transform the sector in wealth creation towards decent jobs.

Mr Munyukwa advised Government to set clear priorities and focus strategic action on employment promotion, poverty creation and skills development

He further said Government must address risks and uncertainty in informal economy given its strategic nature in development agenda.

On the political front, the union appealed to all political players in the country to embrace tenets of democracy by avoiding engaging themselves in war of words against each other at the expense of expending their energies on resolving problems facing the nation

He said the labour movement would not support an atmosphere of political violence and intolerance among political players in this year’s tripartite elections.

Mr Munyukwa said the labour fraternity would instead support and participate in various activities aimed at building peace justice and respect for human rights and dignity.

The speeches at the Diggers Rugby Club grounds were preceded by a match past and drive past by more than 30 Kitwe based companies and Government institutions.

Workers from Grizzly mining, Mopani Copper Mines, MOBA hotel, security firms, parastatal companies, the public and Government institutions among other organisations.

Vice President George Kunda who also presented some awards to deserving workers was accompanied to Kitwe by Community Development Deputy Minister Friday Malwa.

Grizzly mining workers received the best dressed employees’ award.

ZANIS

An official in the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has appealed to President Rupiah Banda to ensure enactment of a law that will deter former Cabinet Ministers from breaking oath when fired from Government.

Lusaka Constituency Chairperson Chilekwa Munkonge made the appeal saying the move will bring sanity to both MMD and Government.

Mr Mukonge also condemned politics of insults that were being perpetrated by some former Cabinet Ministers against President Banda.

In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, he also assured the President of 100 percent votes in this year’s elections sayng the opposition had nothing to offer.

The current Zambian Constitution stipulates oath of allegiance taken by every member of the National Assembly before taking their seat and they subscribe to it.

ZANIS

The British government will spend 48.5 Billion Kwacha to help the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) deliver free and fair elections during this year’s polls.

British High Commissioner to Zambia Tom Carter says part of the money will also go towards enhancing democracy in the country.

Mr Carter says the assistance which will be done through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will involve training of police officers to enable them handle elections in an effective manner.

High Commissioner Carter told ZNBC News in an interview that his country will also train election observers.

He is hoping that the elections will be free of violence and the political players will accept the election results.

Zambia’s government has allocated 322 billion Kwacha for the electoral commission to organize this year’s elections.
The exact date of the elections is determined by the President, who has yet to make an announcement.

And new director at ECZ says commission has begun “earnest preparations” for the general elections to be held later this year. Priscilla Isaac says the electoral commission will need over 60,000 “trained and tested” officials to conduct this year’s vote. She says the electoral body is implementing new training strategies for its officers to help “publicize and educate the electorate on what to expect in this year’s elections at the grassroots-level.”

Ms Isaac also rejected the demand of a PVT system , saying the electoral commission is “the only legitimate body mandated by the constitution to organize elections in Zambia.” She says the electoral process as it stands is “open and transparent enough.”

Click below to listen to her full interview with Clottey of the Voice of America

THE Ministry of Education has released K10 billion for payment of personal emoluments to teachers in all the provinces.Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary in charge of human resource and administration, Andrew Phiri said in a statement in Lusaka that K1.2 billion had been disbursed in Lusaka while K1 billion was allocated to Central Province.

The ministry allocated K1.5 billion to the Copperbelt Province, K1 billion to Western Province, K1 billion to Luapula Province and K1 billion to North-Western Province.

Southern Province was given K1.2 billion, Northern province had K1.1 billion while Eastern Province got K1 billion.Mr Phiri implored all provincial education officers to work with the teachers’ unions to promote accountability and transparency.“Old cases must take precedence over new cases.

Payments must be processed expeditiously, especially retirement and terminal cases.“Lastly but not the least, expenditure returns must be submitted to the Ministry of Education headquarters and the Ministry of Finance and National Planning,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) has welcomed the Government’s commitment to addressing issues affecting teachers.

ZNUT general secretary Newman Bubala said in an interview that the union was happy with the release of K10 billion to settle outstanding payments.

Mr Bubala said the release of the money by the Government was a good gesture which had given them hope that all the K83 billion allocated for clearing teachers’ allowances in this year’s Budget would be disbursed.

He said what was more pleasing was that the K10 billion was the second installment of the K83 billion allocation to be released within a shortperiod of time.

[Times of Zambia]

Chawama Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament (MP) Sampa Bredt has disclosed that about K785 million will be spent on the construction of a clinic in Freedom Compound.

Mrs. Bredt said the construction of the clinic has already commenced and was expected to be in operational by the end of this year.

She explained that of the funds, about K160 million was sourced from Constituency Development Funds (CDF), K25 milion from Ward Development Funds while the other K600 million came from the Swedish Embassy who were the cooperating partners in the project.

Reverend Bredt observed that residents of Freedom Compound Ward 4 were currently facing difficulties in accessing health services as they had to travel long distances to Chawama and Chilanga clinics respectively.

ZANIS reports that the MP said this in Lusaka yesterday when she toured developmental projects under construction in her constituency.

Rev. Bredt said there were also plans to construct a school near the clinic since the land which has been allocated for the project was big enough to accommodate other developmental projects.

Speaking earlier, Lusaka District Health Management Team (DHMT) Medical Officer, Roy Chavuma said inspections carried out by experts indicate that building project conforms to the set standards of health clinics.

Mr. Chavuma said two houses will also be constructed for staff that will be operating at the clinic.

Meanwhile Rev. Bredt has commended government for constructing a local court in Chawama compound saying it will go a long way in helping residents who have to move long distances to attend court sessions in other areas such as Chilenje.

And in another development, Lusaka District Health Management Team, Medical Officer Roy Chavuma says about K1.3 billion is needed for the construction of a surgical ward and extension of the maternity wing at Chawama clinic.

Mr. Chavuma says the maternity wing at the clinic needs to be extended besides construction of a surgical ward, administration block and a frontage that will make it look like a hospital.

He said construction works will start once all necessary resources have been put in place.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Chavuma was speaking in Lusaka yesterday when Chawama Member of Parliament Sampa Bredt inspected some projects in Chawama’s Jack compound.

And speaking earlier, Chawama Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Sampa Bredt said she has set aside K350m from the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to go towards the extension of the maternity wing at the clinic.

Reverend Bredt said the construction works have delayed because the Government through Ministry of Health wants to put up a modern structure which will also include a surgical ward.

She has since commended government for its efforts in improving health facilities in her area.

And Rev. Bredt said the construction of an ablution block at Chawama Market at cost of K306 million from CDF funds has been completed and was scheduled to be commissioned in the next two weeks.

ZANIS