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Hope for Human Rights has asked Government to treat the Lusaka central Prison as a disaster and quickly move in to provide a solution.
Organisation Executive director Smart Chanda says Hope for human rights is saddened by the revelations by the prison authorities that they are forced to come up with a sleeping timetable for the inmates at Lusaka central prison-Chimbokaila.
A group of prisoners is allowed to sleep and later exchange with the other group due to inadequate space.
He says the international human rights law dictates that all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect.
[ MUVI ]
President Rupiah Banda has praised Zambian farmers for recording another historic bumper harvest.
The President is impressed with the unprecedented three point two metric tonnes of maize, which represents a surplus of over one million tonnes.
President Banda says his government has worked hard to introduce effective agricultural policies which have contributed to steady growth and stable food prices in the country.
Mr Banda was reacting to the announcement by Agriculture Minister Dr Eustarckio Kazonga that Zambia has recorded another bumper harvest.
This is according to a statement released to ZNBC News by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere.
The President says his Government is in the process of working with the Food Reserve Agency, traders and farmers to identify the best ways to store and transport the huge harvest.
Mr Banda says his primary concern is to ensure the produce reaches the people who will most benefit from the harvest.
At the start of this year’s agricultural season, President Banda pledged increased budgetary allocation to the sector and a provision of 37 billion kwacha to build dams for irrigation and water supply to livestock.
The Economic Association of Zambia yesterday praised President Banda’s government for putting in place sound agricultural policies that have helped the country record another maize bumper harvest.
Last year Zambia produced another record bumper harvest of 2 point 8 million metric tonnes.
Choma District Education Board Secretary Annah Masilani has paid tribute to GLASCO Foundation of Canada for supplementing government efforts in increasing access to education in the district and the nation as a whole.
Ms. Masilani says shortening walking distances to school and increasing access to education for all is one of the major priorities of government which has built schools all over the country.
She said this yesterday during the hand over ceremony of a teacher’s house built under the donation of GLASCO Foundation of Canada at Katumbi Community School in Chief Macha ‘s area.
Mrs. Masilani pointed out that education has become a right and that every child is required to reach basic education from grade 1-9 by 2015, a target government is trying to achieve under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
She disclosed that her ministry is working with other partners in the district such as ADRA Zambia and GLASCO Foundation to ensure that it reaches its target before 2015 .
Mrs. Masilani revealed that her office is currently processing papers to try to gazette the community school so that it is upgraded from a community level to a basic learning institution in order for grade seven examinations to be conducted at the same facility.
She added that her office has already identified the school for farther help in form of grants to enable the institution procure chalk, books and pupils’ requisite.
Currently the school is running up to grade four and aims to reach grade seven as soon as it is upgraded to a basic level.
The DEBS assured the community of Katumbi that her office will send teachers since the school is slowly growing and will absored the increasing number of pupils due to good infrastructure which has been made possible by GLASCO Foundation in partnership with government.
She reminded the community to look after the newly built infrastructure with good care.
“I want to thank the donors for the job well done especially in the provision of solar panels for this will retain teachers in rural areas and as our wish is to make rural schools conducive to teachers,” she said.
And speaking at the same function GLASCO Foundation Chairman Colin B. Glasco said his organization will remain committed to improve the welfare of the under privileged in society.
He said he is overwhelmed with the response his organization has received from the local community.
President Rupiah Banda talks to President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola and President Ipukefinye Pohamba of Namibia
President Banda was this morning among SADC heads of State and Government who attended the opening session of the on-going SADC extraordinary summit in Windhoek, Namibia.
The meeting is the first SADC summated devoted to regional economic development.
Other leaders who attended the summit include Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, Amando Guebuza of Mozambique, Joseph Kabila of DRC, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Ian Karma of Botswana and host Hefikepunye Pohamba.
And speaking during the opening ceremony of the extraordinary summit, Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairperson Hefikepunye Pohamba called on SADC member countries to take an active role in global economic affairs.
Mr. Pohamba said this is important because it would be easy for the region to chart a clear course of the global economy with certainty.
ZANIS reports that the Namibian President said SADC cannot afford to be a passive bystander in the process of global economic transformation.
He said there was need for SADC member countries to actively help shape the global economic landscape and create better conditions for the citizens.
“We share a common vision for a region that is more closely integrated in line with our commitments as set out in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO) and the various protocol s that our Regional organization has adopted over the years in order to pursue our integration agenda more effectively,” he said.
Mr. Pohamba said today’s summit which has been devoted to the economic development of the region should be seen in the context of leaders’ recognition of the need for active participation in the global economy.
The SADC chair noted that over the years, substantial resources have been spent while many meetings on economic issues have also been held.
Mr. Pohamba noted that as the region looks at the efforts it has made in the last thirty years and to the future, there was need for leaders to remain focused on the fact that whatever they do, the aim at achieving the ultimate goal of improving the living conditions of citizens in the SADC region.
He noted that millions of people in the region have continued to live in abject poverty and suffer from hunger, preventable diseases, lack of access to quality education, health care and other basic amenities.
He said in order to address such challenges and other developmental gaps, there was need for leaders to take actionable decisions at the on-going summit.
“The challenges we face are manifold and indeed, formidable. But, they must be met, so that we may truly translate the vision of our founding fathers into material well-being of our people,” said President Pohamba.
He cited lack of adequate resources from the region and ineffective implementation of decisions taken by the regional body as some of the persistence challenges.
Mr. Pohamba said it was critical that the decisions taken by the leaders in SADC are seriously and effectively implemented for the region to move forward.
He called on SADC leaders to mobilize domestic resources and marshal the necessary political will in order to give concrete meaning to the regional integration agenda.
President Pohamba noted that while foreign funding by development partners has been generous and welcome, dependence on it alone could constrain development efforts.
Meanwhile, Mr. Pohamba has announced that in June this year, a tripartite summit to be attended by Heads of State and Government of SADC, COMESA and the Eastern African Community which will focus on the finalization of the process of establishing the envisaged tripartite free trade area will be held in South Africa.
He said the meeting will also look at the harmonization of trade arrangements among the three Regional Economic Communities, free movement of goods and people, joint implementation of intra-regional infrastructure programmes as well as institutional arrangements on the basis on which the three regional bodies would foster cooperation.
Mr. Pohamba stressed that the establishment of the envisaged Tripartite Free Trade Area was critical towards revitalizing the economies of Southern, Eastern and Central Africa besides being a crucial building block towards achieving the African Economic Community as outlined in the Abuja Treaty.
Meanwhile, President Banda is this afternoon expected to present reports to the closed door session of the Heads of State and Government on on-going mediation efforts in Zimbabwe and Madagascar.
President Banda is the chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation of SADC.
The Faz Super Division enters Week 9 with a couple of intriguing clashes taking place on Saturday.
Leaders Nakambala Leopards take on Red Arrows in Mazabuka knowing they will remain top whatever the outcome of their home match this weekend against their visitors from Lusaka.
Nakambala are on 19 points, four more than 3rd placed Arrows with the latter targeting to join Nkana as the second team to win in Mazabuka this season.
At Sunset Stadium in Lusaka, second placed Zanaco host Konkola Blades.
Zanaco, who like Arrows are on 15 points, come into this match on a big high after an important 2-1 home win over their rivals from the Copperbelt Zesco United.
More of the same is expected from Zanaco including another red hot display from their DR Congo winger and early candidate for 2011 player of the year Fabrice Mbimba.
And in Chingola, 4th placed Nchanga Rangers will be looking for their first league win over guests Green Buffaloes in six years.
Rangers can trace their last league win over Buffaloes to March 18, 2005 when they beat the latter 2-0 at the same venue.
FAZ Super Division Week 9
21/05/2011
Forest Rangers-Power Dynamos
Green Eagles-Nkana
Nakambala Leopards-Red Arrows
Nkwazi-Kalewa
Nchanga Rangers-Green Buffaloes
Zanaco-Konkola Blades
Kabwe Warriors-Roan United
Former Minister of Works and Supply Mike Mulongoti
Expelled former ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy MMD chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti has challenged Republican President Rupiah Banda to prove that he is legally ruling the country.
Mr. Mulongoti has said that President Banda should clear the air on whether he is qualified to rule the country or not.
Yesterday, MMD founder member and former Zambian ambassador to Malawi and Botswana Milton Phiri charged that President Rupiah Banda has been leading the country illegally.
Mr. Phiri said President Banda breached the Republican constitution by contesting the 2008 elections when he was not eligible.
Mr. Mulongoti has however distanced himself that he is behind the allegations brought forward by the former ambassador.
He wonders why his name keeps coming up each time certain allegations are made.
He says he is not a guardian to Mr. Phiri, and has no business in the allegations that were made by the former Zambian envoy.
Mr. Mulongoti adds that President Rupiah Banda should take a leaf from US president Barrack Obama who produced his birth certificate following questions on whether he was born in the United States or not.
Mr. Mulongoti said this in an interview with QFM this Morning.
Ryan Leslie has recently become one of my favorite RnB singers/producers. I wasn’t really a fan of his until I listed to his second album “Transition”. That is what I can consider a perfect album. All the songs are written, produced, arranged and engineered by Mr. Leslie himself. The album is said to be inspired by a lady whom he met during a rehearsal for a show at New York’s S.O.B nightclub.
The album that got me
Transition review
Stand out track: Something that I like
If you have never listened Ryan Leslie I would suggest you listen to “something that I like”. Leslie shows some diversity in this song, by both rapping and singing. That’s not say he is the best rapper, but merely tells listeners not to put him in a box. It has a smooth mid tempo beat and a funky baseline. Pasha t comes in with the third verse adding that extra something to the song.
What really stands out on this album is his production and arrangement, as the album to flow nicely from track to track. “You’re not my girl” is radio friendly and was made for the dance floor with its 80’s synths and harps.
His lyrics may seem simple and straight to the point, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In “All my love“, lyrics like “I want to give u all my love/ even if I don’t have all your trust” are simple but so effective.
The bonus track could have been left off the album as “I choose you”, while somewhat mediocre, is a perfect way to end the album.
Brief history of the man
At the age of 14, Leslie got a perfect score on his SAT’s. He applied to prestigious universities such as Stanford, Yale and Harvard. He was accepted to Harvard where he graduated at the age of 19 with a degree in Political science and macroeconomics. During his stay at Harvard he devoted a lot of time to creating and developing music. He spent many hours perfecting his craft.
Sometime after his graduation, as he continued working on his music, he got a 30 day internship with a producer named Younglord. Within a week a produced a song that would be performed by Beyonce, called “Keep giving your love to me”. Sean “Diddy” Combs was impressed with his production and offered him a management contract.
He was later offered the chance to have his own imprint under Universal music group. It is called Next Selection and his first artist was Cassie. Leslie wrote and produced Cassies break out record “Me & u”.
Leslie plays a number of instruments and produces all of his own song. Here is a video of the making of one of his hits “Addiction”
Making of Addiction
What’s he doing now?
Leslie has worked with and produced hits for a number of artists such as Fabolous, Lloyd Banks, Britney spears, Mary j Blige, and numerous others.
He is currently working on his third album tentatively titled les is more. The lead single for the project is “Glory”. He raps about how he is underrated but is determined to “…spill my guts so I could get my glory”
Glory Video
Other notable songs that may appear on the album are, “beautiful lie” and “Joan of arc”
Early this year Leslie performed “beautiful lie” in Paris.
The National Restoration Party (NAREP) has predicted an increase in corruption if the MMD government is voted back into power in this year’s elections.
NAREP president Elias Chipimo Junior told QFM that the MMD government has completely failed to curb graft which has led to increased levels of poverty in Zambia.
Mr. Chipimo has also condemned the move by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to drop money laundering charges against former Western Province Permanent secretary Ikanuke Nooyo.
He has described government’s commitment to fighting corruption in the country as a non starter.
The DEC dropped charges of laundering amounting to K46 million, through unretired imprest against Mr. Nooyo adding that the money has been recovered from his gratuity.
The NAREP president says it is unfortunate that government is letting loose those who pay back resources obtained through corrupt practices without prosecution.
He explains that the gesture shown by the commission clearly demonstrates how selective the law is being applied in the country.
Mr. Chipimo has further said once voted into power, his government will ensure that corruption in all systems of governance is eradicated and perpetrators will be brought to book
CENTRAL Province Minister Ackimson Banda has urged Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde to intensify the hunt for fugitive Mailoni brothers who have continued killing people in Luano Valley in Mkushi district.
Mr Banda said in an interview in Kabwe yesterday it is saddening that even after police officers were deployed in the area to hunt the serial killers after they murdered their first victims in December last year, they have to date not been captured.
“The IG should come out and let us know what is happening in Luano Valley. Police were sent there, and it’s worrying that the Mailoni brothers are still at large,” Mr Banda said.
He was reacting to concerns of Chief Chembe of Luano Valley, who on Monday appealed to Government to dispatch a combined team of soldiers and game rangers from the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to hunt down the marauding killers.
Mr Banda said Government is concerned about the plight of Chief Chembe and his people.
He said there are a number of technicalities that need to be considered, which include hearing the position of the police and the Central Provincial Joint Operations Committee on the security situation in Luano Valley before soldiers can be dispatched to the area.
The minister said he is waiting for Mr Kabonde, through the office of the Central Province commanding officer, to update his office on the operations of the police assigned to patrol the valley.
He also echoed the concerns of Chief Chembe and Mkushi district commissioner Musonda Chunga, who said if the elusive serial killers are not arrested soon, the turnout at polling stations during this year’s elections might be negatively affected as the electorate are living in fear of the Mailoni brothers.
Mr Banda said Government is concerned people living in Luano Valley are now living in fear.
“If they are not arrested soon,it’s possible that the turnout during elections will be affected. This happened during the mobile voter registration because the people were fearing the Mailoni brothers,” Mr Banda said.
He appealed to people in the valley to co-operate with the police and give them information on the whereabouts of the brothers.
In their latest attack, the Mailoni brothers murdered Chief Chembe’s advisor, Christopher Nyama Champe of Shimpupula village, and headman Mbalakawe Chipokolo of Shitambeni village last Tuesday, bringing to 11 the number of their victims.
Last year, Government dispatched over 20 police officers to Luano Valley to beef up security and to arrest the murderers, but the villians have continued to elude the security dragnet.
The Mailoni brothers are said to be taking advantage of their good knowledge of the forest to evade the law enforcement officers.
One of their victims is former Zambia Flying Doctors Service chief pilot Dr Modesto Masumba.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]
GOVERNMENT has unearthed a scam in which some top Patriotic Front (PF) officials in Chingola’s Mushishima area are allegedly trying to corruptly acquire ZCCM-IH houses following President Banda’s directive that outstanding balances on the units be written off.
This was brought to light when Chingola district commissioner Tobias Maliti addressed over 200 residents at Mushishima Basic School yesterday.
“Government has unearthed a scam in which some top PF officials in Kabungo ward wanted to take advantage of people in the settlement by buying the houses through corrupt means. Some of them started giving the houses to their daughters and other family members at the expense of the deserving sitting tenants,” Mr Maliti said.
He said some PF top officials are scrambling to buy the houses.
Mr Maliti said authorities have grabbed the house that PF Kabungo ward councillor Richard Katebe allocated himself and the property has been given to the sitting tenant
He said it is disappointing that individuals who have been criticising President Banda for empowering the vulnerable with housing are now trying to use corrupt means to acquire the houses.
“We are not saying PF members cannot benefit from the houses because they are also Zambians. What we are against is a situation where PF officials are taking advantage of their positions in certain areas to disadvantage other Zambians.
“These are the same people who condemned President Banda for empowering Zambians with houses, yet they are now in the forefront trying to benefit from the houses,” Mr Maliti said.
He said President Banda will continue implementing prudent policies to eradicate poverty in the communities.
He advised the PF not to politicise development programmes.
Mr Maliti warned that he will firmly deal with individuals who will use corrupt means to acquire houses in Mushishima.
But Mr Katebe said he has not benefited from the houses, and that he does not live in the area.
He said it is unfortunate that some people are trying to tarnish his image through accusations that he is trying to corruptly acquire houses.
Mr Katebe also said it is important for opposition political parties and Government to work together to develop the country.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]
MMD Lusaka Province Chief Information and Publicity Secretary Greenock Lupambo has advised first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda son , Panji, to emulate his father’s peace stance.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS, yesterday, Mr Lupambo said there was need for Colonel Kaunda to emulate his father’s spirit of creating peace with all.
He said the MMD is saddened by Col. Kaunda’s continued attacks on the MMD party and government in general instead of building peace among Zambians like his father.
Mr Lumpambo said the MMD in general was grateful to Dr Kaunda for appreciating and recognizing the leadership of President Rupiah Banda.
He noted that the media statement attributed to Dr. Kaunda cannot go without comment adding that all statesmen and eminent people should always appreciate their national leaders such as President Banda.
“Dr. Kaunda is a peace loving leader, He abhors wars and he is a peace maker, “ he said.
Mr. Lupambo told ZANIS in Lusaka today that President Banda has managed to deliver development throughout the country due to the peace that is preached by the first Republican President since independence in 1964.
He observed that without peace and unity, no development would ever take place in the country.
“Therefore, we want as many peace loving citizens as possible to follow and emulate Dr. Kaunda’s resolve in maintaining peace and stability through allegiance to government of President Rupiah Banda,” noted Mr. Lupambo.
He said the peace from loving citizens is contributing alot in bringing about national development.
Government says it will ensure that this year’s tripartite elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Kabinga Mpande also indicated that election observer missions help government to make up for shortcomings observed from past elections and help add credence to the country’s electoral process.
In a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Mpande stated that government has, in its effort to ensure peaceful polls, also sent invitations to all interested parties in observing the forth coming general and parliamentary elections.
“Zambia has enjoyed peace and wants to maintain the same. There is need for elections to be transparent and to be held in a peaceful atmosphere,” he emphasized.
Mr. Mpande was speaking yesterday when a visiting seven-man delegation from the European Union Elections Observer Team, which is in Zambia at President Banda’s invitation, paid a courtesy call on him.
Mr. Mpande thanked the delegation for responding to President Banda’s request to have an observer mission from the European Union.
“Zambia has enjoyed peace and wants to maintain the same. There is need for elections to be transparent and to be held in a peaceful atmosphere,” he emphasized.
And Delegation Leader Mark Gallagher said his team received the request from President Banda to come and monitor the forth coming elections.
Mr. Gallagher noted that the European Union sends observer missions to concerned countries before the elections to make sure that the missions are welcome and that they are deployed on time.
He said the missions are deployed two months before the election date once it is determined that the reception is positive.
Mr. Gallagher stated that the observer mission would have to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zambian government which would be done by mid July this year before observers are deployed.
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata (center)
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday disowned former Works and Supply minister Mike Mulongoti and Zambia’s former ambassador to Libya Mbita Chitala saying he found it hard to understand the two.
Mr Sata said in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala are some of the human beings who are very difficult to understand. He was responding to a question from the presenter of Hot FM’s radio’s Hot Seat live phone-in programme on whether his party is willing to accept the two who have declared support for the PF by campaigning for Mr Sata.
“Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala teamed up with former President Chiluba to dissect and shred me when I left the MMD in 2001. They did the same in 2008. They did everything they could do but they failed,” Mr. Sata said.
“We have a big problem in this country. The biggest problem we have is to understand human beings. Among the human beings who are very difficult to understand are people like Mike Mulongoti and to a certain extent people like Mbita Chitala,” he said.
He said even during their campaign for President Mwanawasa, the duo worked against him but still failed to achieve their aim.
And the MMD has described Mr Sata’s statement that Mr Mulongoti and DrChitala are difficult people to understand, as an indication that the opposition leader does not want to work with them in this year’s general elections.
“If I understand that statement correctly, it means Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala are not welcome in the PF,” MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe said yesterday.
He said Mr Sata’s statement on the duo is strong and should serve as a warning to Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala whom he said are trying to advance their hidden political agenda using the PF.
Major Kachingwe said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Mulongoti and Dr Chitala will pay a heavy price for being unprincipled political leaders as well as for resigning from the ruling party.
“Mr Sata’s statement is an indication that the opposition leader doesn’t want to work with these people. Mr Mulongoti and DrChitala will pay a heavy price for being opportunistic,” he said.
“It would appear these people wanted to form a faction within the ruling MMD but they failed. My advice to them is to come back and rejoin the party at branch level. The party is open as long as they come back and apologise for what they did before they were expelled,” Maj Kachingwe said.
Government has given a two week ultimatum to the Copperbelt Solid Waste Company (COPWASTE) to remove the waste from Uchi damp site to abate disease out breaks in the surrounding residential areas.
Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima says there is need for the firm to commence the waste removal immediately and clear the two kilometer stretch of waste that the company and others have been using as a damp site.
The minister was speaking in Kitwe when he toured the damp site as a follow up on complaints of fly inversion by residents in Natwange and Ndeke Townships.
ZANIS reports that the minister said there is need for companies that are using Uchi damp site for their waste disposal to protect the environment and the residents from the contaminated air coming from the damp site.
He said it was unacceptable and negligence on the part of solid waste companies to off load waste near the road instead of going inside the site.
‘I do agree with the residents complaints I am giving you two weeks to mobilize resources and move the waste to an alternative place so that the stench and flies can reduce, Mr Mbulakulima said.
Flies from the waste area have invaded the residential areas in Ndeke and Natwange located near the Uchi damp site.
COPWASTE managing director Collins Gwanu said his company has no recycling or compacting machine to use in its operations hence disposing the waste that it collects from residents in Kitwe at the damp site.
Mr Gwanu added that since 2007 when it started operations it has been using Uchi damp site for waste disposal together with other companies dealing in waste management.
‘” The company has only one landfill compactor vehicle that collects waste in the entire province and damps the waste in the same site, the waste is now two kilometers long, ” he stated.
And environment council of Zambia acting manager northern region Cliff Ngwata described the situation as unbearable because it has reduced the size of the road leading to the damp site due to the in discriminatory disposal of waste.
Mr. Ngwata appealed to COPWASTE to remove the waste, compact it, and bury it in an alternative site immediately.
Kitwe City Council acting deputy director of health Tom Kapeshi said the council is exploring other areas in Luangwa stage 2 and Malebeka areas that will be opened as damp sites for the districts.
Mr. Kapeshi admitted that it is an embarrassment and horrible to continue using Uchi damp site which is a few meters from residential areas.
