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Here are all the results from Wednesday’s action at the on going Africa Zone 6 Under-16 Championship currently taking place at the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka. Thursday and Friday fixtures included.
Africa Zone Six Junior Basketball Championship
Olympic Youth Development Centre
13/04/2011
Boys
Angola 44 South Africa 35
Zambia 52 Zimbabwe 55
Botswana 25 Mozambique 110
Women
Botswana 6 Zimbabwe 126
South Africa 96 Zambia 37
14/04/2011
Women
15:00
Zimbabwe-South Africa
Men
17:00
Zambia-Angola
19:00
Mozambique-South Africa
15/04/2011
Men
Zimbabwe-Botswana (17:00 hours)
Women
Zambia-Mozambique (19:00 hours)
20:30 hours
Closing Ceremony and Presentation
Nchanga Rangers won their first game of the season in contentious circumstances after rallying to beat Zanaco at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola today.
And at Trade Fair Grounds, Zesco United extended their unbeaten run to six matches after beating Kabwe Warriors 2-0 in Ndola.
Rangers defeated Zanaco 2-1 in the two sides delayed Faz Super Division Week 1 match.
However, it was Zanaco who took the lead thanks to a 41st minute goal scored by Makundika Sakala.
Rangers defender Gift Sakuwaha equalized five minutes after the break.
Rangers winner meanwhile came under controversial circumstances after Zanaco seemingly won a penalty in the 88th minute when Sakuwaha tackled midfielder Henry Banda in the box.
However, referee Bernard Chabala ruled for no-foul before Zanaco players accosted him.
And no sooner had the fracas ensued than Chabala allowed play to resume and Rangers striker Kabwe Chileshe scored the winner in time added on.
Rangers two goals were the teams first this season after three successive defeats.
And in Ndola, Zesco sent Warriors reeling with goals from ex-Zanaco striker Winston Kalengo and Alfred Luputa in the 54th and 78th minutes respectively.
Government has released ten Million Kwacha for clearing water channels from Lealui to Limulunga in preparation for the Kuomboka ceremony.
The ceremony takes place this Saturday.
Mongu Harbor Master Sternly Simwaka disclosed this in an interview Wednesday morning.
Mr. Simwaka said his office has made boat surveys in three districts of the Province to make sure that all coxswains are competent and licensed.
He says his office is yet to receive a team of officers from the office in Lusaka, and marine police officers to beef up on water transport operations.
This year’s Kuomboka traditional ceremony will graced by the Vice president George Kunda.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Brian Chituwo
Local Government and Housing Minister, Brain Chituwo has appealed to multi-lateral agencies, development partners and the private sector to support Zambia’s urban renewal and development programmes which are aimed at upgrading and preventing informal settlement.
Speaking during the 23rd session of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, Dr. Chituwo said Zambia, like most developing countries, was facing a serious challenge of high urbanization which had resulted in the mushrooming of unplanned settlement with inadequate basic services for human habitation.
According to a statement issued to ZANIS by Local Government Permanent Secretary, Timothy Hakuyu today, Dr. Chituwo said Zambia had developed urban renewal and development programmes and strategies to upgrade some shanty compounds.
He has therefore called on various development partners such as the United Nations Human Settlement Programmes (UN-Habitat) to support such programmes so that lives of the majority of citizens in high density areas are improved.
Dr. Chituwo is leading a Zambian delegation attending a week-long 23rd session of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat whose theme is “sustainable Urban Development through expanded access to land, housing, basic services and other infrastructure”.
The Minister also presented Zambia’s reform initiative such as land and housing policy reform, the reviewing of the Town and Country Planning Act, the enactment of the Public-Private Partnership Act to facilitate infrastructure development, including housing and the development of integrated development plans.
On the sidelines of the 23rd session of the Governing Council of UN- Habitat, the ministers also attended the African Ministers’ Conference on Housing and Urbanisation Development (AMCHUD), SADC Consultative meeting for the ministers responsible for housing development and the Ministerial commonwealth Consultative Group on Human Settlement where countries resolved to put access to land, housing development and upgrading of unplanned settlement high on their development agenda.
During AMCHUD, SADC, Commonwealth and (UN-Habitat) meetings, member countries observed with grave concern that many developing countries were not putting housing development as one of the priority sectors of sustainable development and poverty alleviation which was a recipe for an urban development crisis in the face of the high urbanizing world and climate change.
Member countries recognized the role housing development played in sustainable social-economic development and poverty alleviation and urged government to give housing development the priority it deserved and start to seriously plan for sustainable urban development in order to prevent the mushrooming of slums without basic services such as clean and safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
The 23rd session of the Governing Council UN-Habitat was officially opened on Monday 11th April by Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, and is being attended by about 80 countries from all over the World. It is scheduled to officially close on 15th April 2011.
Zambia assumed her seat as the fifth Vice Chairperson and Rapporteur of the Bureau of AMCHUD for the next two years following her elections in Bamako, Mali in November last year 2010.
USAID mission Director Melisa Williams says the high mortality rate in developing countries is a source of great concern.
Ms. Williams notes that estimates show that over half a million women, mostly in developing countries die each year during pregnancy.
She said most of these deaths could be prevented if women have access to quality care during pregnancy and childbirth.
She commended Zambia for recording a decrease in maternal mortality since 2000 but however noted that the current ratio of 591 deaths per 100,000 live births is still high and more needs to be done.
ZANIS reports that Ms. Williams was speaking when USAID handed over tents and various medical and laboratory equipment worth K1.5 billion kwacha to the Ministry of Heath in Lusaka today.
She explained that the tents will provide a clean, safe and private environment for physical exams during antenatal care and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV activities in Zambia‘s rural communities.
Ms. Williams stated that the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, commonly known as PEPFAR, provides financial and technical support to strengthen HIV prevention, care and treatment services throughout the country.
She added that the US government was pleased to partner with the Zambian people by continuing to support comprehensive, quality HIV prevention, care and treatment services, including interventions aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality.
And Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr. Peter Mwaba said the donation has come at an appropriate time when his ministry was doing everything possible to improve on health service delivery as stated in the Fifth National Development Plan and the National Health strategic plan of the ministry.
Dr. Mwaba said the ministry is committed to providing Zambians with equity of access to affordable cost effective and quality health services as close to the family as possible.
He thanked PEPFAR through USAID and Zambia Prevention Care and Treatment Partnership (ZPCT) for the donation.
Dr. Mwaba noted that the equipment received will significantly improve on the much needed resource supplies, leading to improved health care.
He added that the ministry of health acknowledges the vital role the cooperating partners play in the development of the country.
The tents will be taken to five provinces identified by the Ministry of Health namely Copperbelt, Northern, North-Western, Luapula and Central provinces.
Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande and Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia Salah Sadek make a toast after receiving computers from the Egyptian government
Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia Salah El-Sadek has advised Zambian local companies to network with companies from other African countries to produce goods that meet international standards.
And Ambassador El-Sadek has called on the country to work hard and produce goods that match international standards for the country to fully reap the benefits of hosting the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Ambassador El-Sadek says there is need for African countries to work together to address challenges they have been facing in having their products penetrate the American and European markets.
He said there is need for African countries to form synergies with each other and learn from one another on how they have been able to penetrate international markets in order to boost economic growth in the region.
And the Egyptian envoy has said Zambia needs to utilize the AGOA facility to improve the quality of products earmarked for the American market under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that the world especially the United States expects a lot from Zambia ahead of the AGOA forum.
Ambassador El-Sadek said the US has expressed great trust and confidence by choosing Zambia as the venue for the forthcoming AGOA conference and therefore Zambia needs to live up to the expectations and host a successful conference that will reap benefit for the country.
He said the country should use the AGOA conference to measure the potential the country has in penetrating the American market.
The Non Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has reiterated its call for a new constitution to be in place this year.
NGOCC Board Chairperson Beatrice Grillo said that her organisation can not deny the relationship that exists between good governance and a good constitution adding that it is the custodian of the citizen’s rights and responsibilities.
Mrs Grillo has since called on all women in the country to continue advocating for a complete replacement of the current constitution with a new one but stressed that NGOCC will remain truthful to its core values of being non partisan in conducting this campaign.
She stated that women from all walks of life should sensitise the Zambian people on the need to have a new constitution in place if peace is to be upheld in the country.
Mrs Grillo explained that the Green T-shirt campaign is meant to send a signal to the planners of the National Constitution Conference (NCC)’s failed constitution that women of Zambia demand for a new constitution that will carry their views.
She said the Green T-shirt will be worn by all women countrywide every Wednesday.
The NGOCC Board Chairperson added that the campaign will take place countrywide in the next two weeks adding that the exercise will symbolise their commitment and peaceful demonstrations.
And speaking in an interview by telephone, Chief Government Spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha told ZANIS that that ever since people of Zambia demanded for a new constititution, Government had always been willing to give the people of a new constitution and that is why the process was started and allowed almost 500 Zambians from all walks of life in the NCC to represent other Zambians to debate recommendations of the Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission.
General Shikapwasha has since advised NGOCC to go to the opposition political parties and convince them to pass the constitution in Parliament and observed that they boycotted the NCC.
He observed that those that were not willing to have a constitution boycotted the NCC and that as Government brought the draft constitution to Parliament, which is the Legislature, the opposition political parties rejected the constitution.
”Whatever the NGOCC is planning to do, there are laws in Parliament. The bill was rejected by the opposition MPs and it takes about six months to restart the process in Parliament. Government has no problem but let the NGOCC talk to the opposition MPS. Govt was willing to have a new constitution and it met all the costs.” He advised
Two weeks ago, the Constitution of Zambia Bill failed to pass through the second reading stage in Parliament after failing to garner the minimum two thirds majority .
This was after only 93 Members of Parliament voted in favour of the Bill of the required 106.
Twenty Members of Parliament abstained from voting which was conducted through a physical division after the electronic voting system developed a technical fault shortly before voting could take place.
Speaker of the National Assembly Amusa Mwanamwamba told Members of Parliament that the failure of the Constitution Bill to go through the second reading stage meant that the 1991 constitution as amended substantially in 1996 will remain in place in its current form.
Earlier, Vice President George Kunda told the House that the Constitution of Zambia Bill sought to preserve laws in existence before the coming into effect of the constitution as amended.
The Patriotic Front has accused the ruling MMD of getting people from Tanzania and issuing them with National Registration Cards NRCs and voters cards.
PF leader Michael Sata says the MMD is desperate to cling to power and is trying everything possible to find a way of rigging the elections this year.
Mr. Sata has told QFM news that his party has evidence indicating that the MMD is getting people from Tanzania and issuing them with Voters Cards and NRCs.
The PF leader says his party is watching the situation and will soon take action against such activities.
And Mr. Sata has written to President Rupiah Banda to intervene and put to a stop the hate speeches vice president George Kunda has been making on him.
According to a copy of the letter made available to QFM news Mr. Sata has observed such speeches if left unchecked have the potential to breed anarchy in the nation.
He adds that for the past six months the state controlled media has been writing articles that are meant to tarnish his image.
Mr. Sata has also wondered why the minister of information and broadcasting services has been issuing threats to radio stations that are airing political adverts.
He argues that the adverts that that have been running in the media about the developmental achievements of president Banda equally amount to campaign messages.
Zambia renew recent Olympic rivalries with Algeria whom they face in a second round pre-group stage qualifier in June.
According to the pre-group stage draws made today in Cairo by Caf, Zambia will travel to Algeria in the first leg during the weekend of June 3-5.
Zambia will later host Algeria in the return leg a fortnight later to decide which team advances to the group stage qualifiers to be played at the end of 2011.
“They are a good team and we just have to fight and work very hard,” Msiska said.”Every game is tough away whether you play Botswana or whatever team.”
Zambia and Algeria’s last meeting in an Olympic qualifier was in 2003 in a 2004 Athens Group D qualifier.
Peter Kaumba’s side lost 1-0 away before defeating Algeria 4-2 at Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe but Ghana went on to win in Group D to qualify to the Greece finals.
PF cadres THE Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has said the Patriotic Front (PF) manifesto does not provide any new ideas to improve the mining sector.
MUZ acting president Charles Mukuka said in an interview that the manifesto’s segment on mining did not represent any ideas that were not tackled in the MMD’s 2007 manifesto.
Mr Mukuka said it was disappointing that the PF lifted similar plans from the ones that the MMD had in 2007 to implement in the mining industry instead of working on different ideas that would attract support from the public.
He said various policies and frameworks that the PF were referring to in their new manifesto had already been or were being successfully undertaken by the Government.
“It is surprising that the PF’s manifesto talks of uncertainty in the mining industry when in fact Government has managed to woo a lot of investors to the sector,” he said.
Mr Mukuka said the PF manifesto talked of failure by the MMD Government to diversify the mining sector but he said various new mine activities had been established including manganese and nickel mining in Luapula and Southern provinces respectively.
He said Government had undertaken various policy changes, which had galvanised and increased mining investment in Zambia and that it was unfortunate that the opposition did not provide convincing new policy plans for the sector.
“This is simply a replica of the MMD’s 2007 manifesto which also tabulated how the party would provide among other things revolving funds for small-scale miners,” he said.
Mr Mukuka said under the MMD manifesto also contained plans to diversify mining activities from the traditional copper mining and a review of the legislative frame work.
Meanwhile, the Sub-Saharan Gemstone Exchange (SGE) has said there has been unprecedented investment in the mining sector in the last five years.
SGE president Phesto Musonda said in an interview that the high levels of investment could only come about with the implantation of good economic policies and an attractive investment environment.
Mr Musonda said investment confidence was clear through the amount of pledged investment by mining companies, especially on the Copperbelt.
“Already we have Luanshya Mine committing US $300 million to its expansion, with Mopani and Trident announcing billions of dollars in investments,” he said.
Mr Musonda said the long-term tax regime in Zambia had played an important role in attracting more investment because it in turn allowed the investors to recoup the investment, make their profits and remit the required taxes.
He said policy on small-scale mines had also improved with a focus on empowering Zambian entrepreneurs, especially those in the gemstone industry.
“In the past there had been challenges in implementing diversification but it was realised that the small scale mining industry was a major contributor to the success of the process,” he said.
Mr Musonda said the Government had put up policy that ensured that all artisan licenses such as construction in the industry were given to Zambians.
And some civil society organisations have described the PF manifesto as inadequate and hollow because it was mostly a replica of the MMD and UPND manifestos, with most of the proposals already being implemented by the current Government.
Committee of Citizens executive director Gregory Chifire said in an interview yesterday that his organisation was disappointed that the PF manifesto wants to promote a secular State.
“The manifesto and the party constitution contradict themselves, in their constitution they are saying that State institutions would be run by party loyalists. Instead of giving a proper road map of their own of how they want to manage the affairs of the country, they keep referring to the MMD which means it is a copy cut,” he said.
The PF manifesto did address the real issues and does not inspire confidence that the opposition party would be the alternative Government.
Forum for Leadership Search executive director Edwin Lifwekelo said most of the proposals in the PF blueprint were already being implemented by the MMD Government.
“I have read through the manifesto which the PF is circulating and clearly it is a copy cat of the MMD manifesto which RB (President Rupiah Banda) and the MMD are already implementing even better,” he said.
He said with the revision of the MMD manifesto at the party convention in Kabwe, the ruling party was well placed to move the country forward.
“The PF manifesto is a duplicate of the MMD manifesto, Mr Michael Sata has no capacity to write his own manifesto, he had copied the UNIP constitution as well, so it is a blank cheque,” he said.
Bishops Council of Zambia spokesperson Gibson Nyirenda said the PF manifesto was a confirmation that the ruling party was on the right track in developing the country.
“We have seen how the economy has been growing under the MMD Government and am sure that the PF manifesto is an acknowledgement of that the economy is growing,” he said.
The PF recently launched its manifesto which they have been circulating.
Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko MusokotwaneMinister of Finance and National Planning, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane arrived in Washington DC on Tuesday morning to attend the proceedings of the joint IMF/World Bank Spring meetings to be held on April 16 and 17, 2011.
Dr. Musokotwane who represents Zambia as Governor within the World Bank Group is heading the Zambian delegation which includes Secretary to the Treasury who is also Alternate Governor of the World Bank Mr. Likolo Ndalamei, Special Advisor to the President for Economy and Development, Dr. Richard Chembe and the Permanent Secretary (Budget and Economic Affairs) Mr. Emmanuel Ngulube and other officials from the Ministry of Finance. This is according to a press statement made available to Lusakatimes by Ben Kangwa Press secretary to Zambian embassy in Washington DC
Also attending the Spring meetings is a team from the Bank of Zambia- Bank of Zambia Governor and Alternate Governor of the IMF, Dr. Caleb Fundanga, will join the Zambian delegation on Friday.
The Washington program for the Minister of Finance includes meetings with the management of the IMF and the World Bank to discuss recent economic developments in Zambia as well as areas where the two institutions can assist in the achievement of Zambia’s development agenda.
The Minister is scheduled to meet with World Bank Managing Director Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to share views on Zambia’s Sixth National Development Plan, its macroeconomic reforms, infrastructure needs and other projects in the pipeline.
Other issues likely to be discussed include Irrigation projects and its impact on food security, employment creation and economic growth.
He will also meet with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Mr. Dominique Strauss- Khane, the Nowergian State Secretary Ms. Fiska Ingrid and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Vice President for Compact Implementation, Mr. Patrick Fine.
Dr. Musokotwane will also attend an IMF Panel discussion on the performance of the Brazil , Russia, India and China (BRICs) serving as a new growth model for Low Income Countries (LIC) such as Zambia as well as attend a meeting of the Africa Group1 Constituency.
Reports that will form part of the agenda for discussion at this year’s Spring meetings will include among others an update on the “World Bank Group Modernization “, the Global Monitoring Report for 2011, the 2011 World Development Report, the Global Food Prices and Governance and Accountability.
A 45 year-old watchman who was badly injured by armed bandits in an attack at the guest house in Nakonde on Wednesday last week has died.
Both Nakonde District Commissioner (DC) Billy Silwimba and the police have confirmed the development to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS today.
Mr. Silwimba said Noel Sikaonga of Gabon area of Ntindi Village in chieftainess Nawaitwika’s chiefdom died in Kasama yesterday.
He said burial for the late Sikaonga, who worked as a security guard at Quiet land guest house will take place in Nakonde today.
And Mr. Silwimba says police have intensified their search and investigations for the suspected bandits who attacked Quiet land guest house last week.
Five others, all Businessmen from Chiengi in Luapula Province who were attacked by the same bandits on the same morning have since been discharged and are recovering from home.
He said police in Nakonde are working with their counterparts in Tanzania in hunting for the bandits believed to be hiding in that country.
The DC has appealed to the members of the public to help the police with information that would lead to the arrest of the wanted men.
FIVE businessmen and watchman of Quiet land guest house in Nakonde district were in the early hours of Wednesday last week attacked and injured in the head by bandits armed with a pistol and matchets.
The bandits forced open 12 rooms at the gust house, beating up occupants and stealing cash and other valuables before sneaking into the neighbouring country.
Nchelenje District residents are living in fear of their lives after a three year old girl was found dead with some of her body parts servered in what is suspected to be aritual murder.
Confirming the incident to ZANIS in Nchelenge,today, Luapula Province Police commanding Officer, Godwin Phiri said the deceased body was found without her right leg and left hand, adding that there was also found deep hole in the left armpit.
Mr. Phiri, who identified the deceased girl as Dorcas Kapunga of Chipulwe Village in Chief Nshimba’s area on Lake Mweru’s Kilwa Island , said she was found about 25 Kilometres away from her home.
The body of the girl was discovered hidden among some overgrown reeds on the shores of Lake Mweru by Fishermen.
The Police commanding officer said the toddler had gone missing for close to three weeks before her body was discovered.
“She went missing on 21st March this year and the matter was reported to Police by the girl’s mother on 29th March this year, only to
discover her body on Saturday 8th of April 2011,” Said Mr. Phiri.
The Police Chief told ZANIS that remains of the girl has since been buried on a marked grave.
“The girl has been buried on a marked grave but we expect to have her body exhumed or forensic examination as investigation into the
matter progresses” said Mr. Phiri.
And Mr. Phiri revealed that the Step-father to the deceased girl identified as 32 years old Raymond Kanengwa also of Chipulwe Village
on Kilwa Island has been picked up by Police to help with nvestigations into the matter.
He said Mr. Kanengwa has been detained at Nchelenge Police Station.
Meanwhile, there was commotion at Kilwa Island when a mob of villagers descended on the step Father of the deceased girl in the hope of meting out instant justice after accusing him of killing the girl for some rituals.
One of the Villagers who sought to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation told ZANIS that mobs from several villages on Kilwa
island accused the step-father identified as Raymond Kanengwa of using the missing body parts to carry out some rituals to enable him to become Wealthy.
The witness said the angry mob attacked Mr. Kanengwa with stones and other missiles and was only saved through quick action by the neighbourhood Watch Committee which whisked him to safety and later handed him over to the Police.
The parliamentary committee on Local government and Housing yesterday took Mwense district council management to task over its ( the local authority) to utilise K 500 million to construct of new offices.
The committee was also not happy with the failure by the Mwense district Director of works Patrick Chishimba to prepare a bill of quantities for the renovation works on the council guest house.
The parliamentary committee,led by its chairperson Regina Musokotwane, heard during the meeting that K500 million is lying in the bank since last year and has been reducing due to interests charges.
Mwense district council secretary Bruce Mujajati informed the parliamentary committee that so far the K500 million has been reduced by K3.2 million in form of bank charges.
[pullquote]Mwense district council secretary Bruce Mujajati informed the parliamentary committee that so far the K500 million has been reduced by K3.2 million in form of bank charges.[/pullquote]
It was learnt that what was delaying the engaging of a contractor was a standoff between the council secretary and the district commissioner over who was supposed to chair the tender committee meetings in the district.
The District Commissioner Benjamin Chama is reported to be in possession of a letter from the permanent secretary’s office instructing him to chair the meeting, but the council secretary Mr Mujajati said the local government act allows him to chair the meeting.
The committee directed the council secretary to go ahead and chair the meeting, warning that should the misunderstanding between the DC and the council secretary continue the parliamentary committee will have no option but to take appropriate measures.
FLASHBACK: Shoprite Zambia employees perched on trolleys behind the Manda Hill staore
The tripartite meeting, which met to resolve recent happenings at Shoprite, has resolved to give amnesty to all Shoprite workers who went on a work stoppage recently.
The meeting included Shoprite management, leaders from the National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers and officials from the Ministry of labour and social Security.
The meeting also resolved that Shoprite Management should immediately withdraw all disciplinary charges against 24 workers who were accused of having organized the protest.
Minister of Labour, Austin Liato disclosed the contents of the meeting saying the stakeholders had also resolved that the labour movement should also sensitise its members on the procedure of handling grievances.
On Monday, government summoned Shoprite management following reports that the chain store had allegedly issued letters of suspension and gross misconduct to some union officials and workers who participated in the recent countrywide strike.
