Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
As the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) national convention gets underway at Mulungushi Rock of authority in Kabwe today, former Republican Vice president Enock Kavindele will not attend the conference.
Mr. Kavindele recently expressed interest in contesting for the position of party vice presidency which has been frozen for years now.
The former vice president has confirmed to QFM in Lusaka today that he has withdrawn from the MMD vice presidency race but has declined to disclose the reason for his move.
He has in the recent past faced criticism from the party leadership who have referred to him as a member not in good standing to contest for any top position.
Republican Vice President George Kunda and former Kabwe Central Member of Parliament Patrick Musonda have successfully filed in their nominations for the position.
The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) says it has contributed over K670 billion to the Treasury in the last five years in revenue collection.
RTSA Deputy Director Robert Mtonga says RTSA’s contributions have been increasing yearly due to its timely and consistent collection of revenue from clients.
Mr. Mtonga said this in Lusaka yesterday when parliamentarians sitting on the Parliamentary select Committee on Communication, Transport, Works and Supply toured the institution to familiarize themselves with its operations.
RTSA in collaboration with the Zambia Police Service (ZPS) Traffic unit has in recent years put in measures to ensure safety on roads in the country with offenders being punished by having their vehicles impounded for failure to follow traffick rules.
Various penalty fees are charged on the impounded vehicles before they are released to their various owners.
Meanwhile Mr. Mtonga has stated that RTSA is faced with numerous challenges in its efforts to deliver desired results to the public.
He cited the challenge of seconded police officers at the institution who normally connive with members of the public to defraud the institution of viable resources.
Mr. Mtonga explained that it is difficult to discipline police officers at the institution claiming that they don’t report to RTSA but to the police command.
He has since appealed to the parliamentarians to help harmonize the impasse that has rocked the institution and seconded police officers at the institution.
And Parliamentary select Committee on Communication, Transport, Works and Supply Chairman, Batuke Imenda assured RTSA management that it will table their concerns when parliament resumes.
Mr. Imenda said RTSA is a very strategic institution to the country’s social and economic development.
The parliamentarian has since called on RTSA to computerize most of their systems if they are to avoid lose of time and revenue through manual operations.
World Soccer governing Body- FIFA has warned that the Football Association of Zambia FAZ April 30 Annual General Meeting should not fail to take place again.
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke says should the 30th April AGM fail, the case will immediately be referred to the FIFA Emergency Committee for appropriate sanctions.
This is according to a letter addressed to FAZ President Kalusha Bwalya and obtained by ZNBC Sport in Lusaka on Monday.
Valcke hopes FAZ will overcome the present difficulties and fully focus on the development of football in the country.
Meanwhile, the Andrew Kamanga led FAZ Executive on Monday said ignoring its existence by the Kalusha Bwalya led committee would only undermine all efforts aimed at resolving the crisis at Football House.
The Interim Committee has observed that the attitude by the Kalusha Bwalya led executive to ignore its existence will only work against the spirit of unity and harmony in the game of football.
This is according to a statement released by Interim Committee Press and Liaison Officer Lwanga Mwilu in Lusaka on Monday.
Mwilu said the interim committee finds it unfortunate for FAZ Vice President Boniface Mwamelo’s sentiments expressing that the Interim Committee does not exist.
US President and Mrs Barack Obama with Zambian Ambassador to the USA, Mrs. Sheila Siwela
By Ben Kangwa
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was enacted by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton on 18th May, 2000 as a component of the Trade and Development Act 2000.
The Act seeks to enhance trade and investment between the United States and Africa by providing for one way trade preferences to products originating from eligible AGOA countries.
AGOA builds on the existing Generalized System of Preferences program to allow eligible AGOA countries to export over 6,000 eligible products to the United States of America duty-free, with a special focus on value-added and non-traditional products.
As a result of this initiative, the volume of trade between the United States and Sub Saharan African countries has increased, with notable successes in the oil, clothing, footwear, textiles and agro-processing sectors creating over 400,000 jobs and supporting millions of poor and vulnerable communities across the continent engaged in exporting industries.
Initially, AGOA was set to expire in 2008. In 2004, the United States Congress passed the AGOA Acceleration Act which extended AGOA to 2015.
There are currently ongoing consultations in the US Congress and among the African Diplomatic Corps in Washington DC. regarding reforms to trade preferences and as to what happens to AGOA after 2015.
Some of the trade preference reforms that the African Diplomatic Corps are currently pursuing with the US Congress include extending AGOA on a long term and sustainable basis, making the third fabric rule permanent, granting duty free and quota free access for all agricultural products from AGOA eligible countries except for sugar, to provide trade development assistance and capacity building and revise the AGOA rule of origin for canned tuna.
In 2010, as Zambia took over the Chairmanship of AGOA , the Zambian Ambassador to the United States of America, Mrs. Sheila Siwela was appointed Co-Chair of the Economic Development Committee of the African Diplomatic Corps in Washington DC. teaming up with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Ambassador David Rantekoa as the other co-chair
With added and unwavering support from her economic and trade officers at the Zambia Embassy in Washington DC, one of her current major responsibilities and ongoing efforts are to engage the US government and Congress on the improvement and review of AGOA trade preferences on behalf of and for the benefit of all AGOA eligible countries.
Zambia will become the fifth African country to host the AGOA conference after Kenya, Ghana, Senegal and Mauritius from 6th – 8th June, 2011
The 2011 AGOA theme is loud and clear, “Enhanced Trade Through Competiveness, Value Addition And Deep Regional Integration”
The AGOA Forum is held annually bringing together several government leaders and private sector stakeholders from Africa and the United States. It is held interchangeably between Washington DC and in an AGOA eligible African country.
“The choice for Zambia to host the AGOA Forum has come at the right time considering that the country’s economic performance and governance record have been on the positive in the past three years,” says Zambia’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Her Excellency Mrs. Sheila Siwela.
She observes that Financial institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) are agreed that Zambia is on the right footing.
Additionally, she further notes that top US international Credit Rating agencies Fitch and Standard and Poor have, in the recent one month, independently given Zambia a “B plus” rating, a sign that Zambia is a good destination for foreign direct investment and that the country could be eligible to access funding from international bond markets.
Early in March, Zambia was rated B+ for long-term foreign and local currency issuer Default Ratings by Fitch Ratings, placing the country in the same league as Ghana, Kenya and Angola.
Against this background, Ambassador Siwela adds that Zambia should not miss this opportunity of showcasing her potential as the next best destination in investment at this Forum considering that the country is enjoying increased construction and rising copper prices, a rebound in tourism, improved agricultural performance and most of all the peace and political stability that the country has enjoyed since independence.
She adds, ”The bottom line is that Zambia is now ready for business. The AGOA Forum will be a great opportunity for business people from Africa and the USA to interact for the sole purpose of creating partnerships and opening up new businesses in both continents.
Zambia’s exports to the US markets under AGOA Act initiative have rebound to $1.4 million in 2010 representing a year on year increase of 1,093 percent.
Exports to the USA market increased to US$1.4 million from a major decline with paltry export figures around US$121,000 in 2009.
Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Hon. Felix Mutati was recently quoted in the media as saying that Zambia’s export figures to the USA including the General System of Preferences (GSP) provisions of the AGOA Act had risen steadily to US$10.9 million in 2008 from US$361,000 in 2006.
He however said the decline in exports posted in 2009 of US$33.7 billion is consistent with a decline from US$66.2 billion worth of exports from all AGOA eligible sub-Saharan African countries in 2008 due to the global financial crisis.
He said currently, 90 percent of all AGOA exports to the USA are energy related exports. Other notable products are textiles and garments, automobiles. Processed agricultutral products, leather products, machine parts, metals, gemstones and handicrafts.
Mr. Mutati said this in a speech read for him by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Davis Sampa at a breakfast meeting for Ambassadors accredited to Zambia from AGOA eligible countries in Lusaka on March 23.
And according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in Washington DC, for the period 2009,Zambia’s main exports to the US included base metal (cobalt), precious stones (emeralds), spices, coffee, tea and metal ores.
Zambia’s major imports from the US in the same year were machinery, rubber, organic chemicals and aircrafts.
The USTR states that Zambia was the 167th largest goods trading partner of the USA with $67 million in total (two way) goods trade during 2009.
According to the USTR website, the USA exported $59 million worth of goods to Zambia and that in return Zambia exported a total of $9 million of goods to the USA making the US goods trade surplus with Zambia at $50 million in 2009
Zambia is yet to take advantage of AGOA and translate its benefits through to increased non-traditional exports (NTEs).
At present, most of Zambia’s AGOA exports are dominated by the mining sector, unlike its neighbours such as Malawi and Mozambique which have managed to export agricultural products to the US.
Within the Sub –Saharan region, countries that have fared significantly well under AGOA include Angola, Nigeria and South Africa whose collective exports for the year 2010 were valued at over US3 billion according to official statistics from the US Department of Commerce.
Exports from the three top AGOA countries include sectors such as energy, mining and agriculture. Other countries such as Lesotho and Kenya have also done well under the textile and apparel sectors.
Expected to be attended by 37 African countries and the US, the 2011 AGOA Forum will attract between 1,500 and 2,000 delegates
The countries to attend are Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and of-course Zambia.
Other delegates will include businessmen, international organizations and many private sector and civil society organizations
By hosting the AGOA Forum, Zambia will be at the centre stage of the global trade and investment arena.
The Zambia Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) also supports the hosting of the 2011 AGOA Forum conference at it will help Zambian entrepreneurs to understand how to penetrate the US market.
ZACCI President Geoffrey Sakulanda says the benefits from AGOA would be clear for all to see because Zambian entrepreneurs would have an opportunity to discuss partnership arrangements with their US counterparts which would enable them to export high quality products into the American market
Mr. Sakulanda was also of the belief that the AGOA Forum in Lusaka would give local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) an opportunity to exhibit their products and at the same time make business linkages with international SMEs
As time ticks closer to June 2011, it is important to ask a question, “ How can Zambia best benefit in the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA)?
There is need to take stock of the current industry infrastructure, the role of modern technology, the quality of Zambian products in order to fully exploit the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) provisions.
Zambia needs to use the position as current Chair of AGOA to lobby for fair trade between Zambia and the USA considering that the initiative’s lifespan is ending in 2015.
Orthodox Church Bishop Edward Chomba at a PF Rally recently in Lusaka
EXCOMMUNICATED Orthodox Church Bishop Edward Chomba struggled to defend his campaign against the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation yesterday when callers to a live phone-in radio programme took him to task over his social life.
And a church mother body has warned Zambians against voting for Patriotic Front president Michael Sata in this year’s tripartite elections because he has the potential to turn the country into a secular state.
Even attempts by Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata to save the former clergyman from the wrath of callers proved futile as they kept demanding an explanation for his alleged five wives.
Trouble started when former President Frederick Chiluba’s press aide Emmanuel Mwamba phoned QFM radio to contribute to the live phone-in programme that featured MrSata, Mr Chomba and PF Munali member of Parliament Mumbi Phiri.
Mr Mwamba said Mr Chomba should not use abusive language on radio, but respect the country because it is a Christian nation.
“Mr Chomba should not speak as a clergy, but as Mr Chomba because he is embarrassing the church mother bodies of the country,” Mr Mwamba said.
He said Mr Chomba is not a bishop, and does not want to accept what he is.
Mr Mwamba said he has known Mr Chomba for a long time and knows that he is not what he claims to be.
He told Mr Chomba to stop using the title bishop because he was excommunicated a long time ago by his church.
He also said Mr Chomba is wanted in America over an offence he committed related to marriage.
Mr Mwamba challenged Mr Chomba to deny that he has five wives in Zambia, Nigeria, South Africa, Malawi and the United States.
He also challenged Mr Chomba to sue him if what he was saying was not true, and asked Zambians to search for the name Bishop Chomba from Zambia on the internet to see for themselves his moral record.
Another caller from Mufulira told Mr Chomba to be honest because he knows his past, including what he did at a secondary school and a church in the district.
He threatened to expose what Mr Chomba did in Mufulira if he continues telling people that he is a bishop.
But Mr Chomba said he has only one wife and did not want to dwell on his personal problems, but discuss national issues.
Mr Sata tried to tell the callers to stop attacking Mr Chomba over his marital record, and accused them of being sent to steer the programme from the real issues.
He, however, changed the language when more callers phoned in condemning Mr Chomba.
Mr Sata told the former clergyman to defend himself and tell the callers that he has repented.
And Independent Churches of Zambia director David Masupa said any leader who advocates turning Zambia into a secular nation should not be given an opportunity to rule the nation because most Zambians are Christians.
Reverend Masupa said Zambians cannot accept to turn the country into a secular nation.
New Electoral Commission of Zambia Director Priscilla Isaacs (L)
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has appointed Priscilla Isaac as director of elections with effect from April 1, 2011.
ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna announced the appointment of Mrs Isaac, who was deputy director of elections and voter education, in a statement released in Lusaka on April 4.
MrAkufuna said Mrs Isaac joined the commission in 2000 as public relations officer, and rose to the position of deputy director of elections in 2002.
He said Mrs Isaac has vast experience in election management, having participated in the 2001 and 2006 tripartite elections as well as the 2008 presidential elections.
Mr Akufuna said Mrs Isaac has a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and another one in law.
Mrs Isaac has observed many elections in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and beyond.
Mr Akufuna said the commission would like to congratulate Mrs Isaac on her appointment and wish her success in her new position.
Meanwhile, the commission has said it will not extend the mobile voter registration.
MrAkufuna said in an interview in Lusaka on April 4 the calls to extend the exercise are unjustified.
Mr Akufuna said currently, the commission is collecting statistics for the just-ended mobile registration exercise.
He said such programmes require enough money and manpower.
And Mr Akufuna said the commission is busy preparing for the tripartite elections, and the calls by some members of the public cannot be attended to now because there is little time left.
He said people should learn to be considerate, especially that the programme has been extended twice, and people were given enough time to register.
He said Zambians should learn to appreciate instead of politicising everything.
Mr Akufuna said if there will be need to extend the programme, the commission will announce, but at the moment it is busy collecting data on the just-ended mobile registration exercise.
INMETALS Resources (MMR) Limited, a Hong Kong-listed company, intends to make an all cash offer to acquire Equinox Minerals Limited and its Lumwana Mine for approximately 6.3 billion Canadian dollars.
Under the terms of the proposed offer, MMR will acquire all of the outstanding common shares in Equinox not already owned by it for $7.00 Canadian dollar in cash per Equinox share.
MMR chief executive officer Andrew Michelmore said, “Our offer for Equinox aligns with our strategy for growth and enhancing our global production portfolio.
For Equinox shareholders, the offer is compelling since it provides a substantial premium and certainty of value and provides a superior alternative to the proposed acquisition by Equinox of Lundin.
Mr Michelmore said this in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday.
He urged Equinox shareholders to reject the Lundin acquisition at the shareholders’ meeting to be held on April 11 and tender their shares into MMR’s offer to take advantage of MMR’s forthcoming offer.
The offer includes Equinox’s Lumwana Mine in North- Western Province. Lumwana mine is a substantial copper producing asset, with current production of 145,000 tonnes per annum and a stated mine life of 37 years.
Equinox has indicated the potential ability to expand Lumwana to 260,000 tonnes per annum of copper within the next five years.
In addition, Equinox’s Jabal Sayid project in Saudi Arabia, with a forecast average copper production of 60,000 tonnes per annum, is expected to commence production in 2012.
Mr Michelmore said through the application of its own management and technical expertise that it can deliver and enhance Equinox’s current operations and stated expansion plans.
In response Equinox Minerals Limited says its has noted Minmetals Resources Limited unsolicited offer to purchase all of the outstanding common shares of the company and the board of directors will be meeting to consider the proposal and will comment further following careful consideration of the terms and implied value for Equinox.
Former Minister of Finance & National Planning N'gandu Magande
Ng’andu Magande has explained that he did not ever at any point abet tax evasion by the now defunct Zambian Airways. He elaborated that he did not in fact even know the owners of the airline until Post Newspapers Proprietor, Fred M’membe and lawyer, Mutembo Nchito approached his then ministry.
Mr Magande said the two people introduced themselves as Zambian Airways Directors, seeking the deferment of a 1.9 million US dollars tax arrears payment to government. He further explained that Mr M’membe and Mr Nchito told him of their earlier meeting with then Minister of Transport and communications, Dora Siliya over the same matter.
Mr Magande also said he however objected the closure of the airline because it owned government huge amounts of money therefore he proposed the formulation of a mechanism in which the company would pay the tax arrears.
Meanwhile, Mr Magande also denied ever knowing why he was expelled from the MMD because he believes he espoused the party ideals. The former Finance Minister has since formed his own political party, the National Movement for Progress, whose concept was birthed when he was still in the MMD.
President Rupiah Banda has said that the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) will emerge stronger and united from its national convention which begins on tomorrow in Kabwe.
President Banda said that after the convention the party will continue to preach peace and unity as it has done in the past.
The President was speaking when he addressed thousands of people at a public rally held at new Kapiri Mposhi market grounds on today.
The President said that he wanted this year’s elections to be held in a peaceful atmosphere where people will be free to exercise there rights.
Mr Banda said that even investors who come into the country testify to the peaceful atmosphere which prevails in Zambia.
The President further said that he will not be distracted with his pursuits to develop the country by negative critiques from some sectors of society.
Meanwhile, the president’s convoy and that of the vice president has moved from Kapiri to Mulungushi University the venue for the MMD convention.
Preparations at Mulungushi University in Kabwe, Central Zambia where the landmark Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) sixth extraordinary convention is billed to officially open tomorrow are progressing well.
A check at the venue by ZANIS this morning found work on various sections among them accommodation, health and communication had reached an advanced stage with workers in different categories putting finishing touches to structures.
Security at the venue is tight with people entering the Convention Centre going through the check point formalities while vehicles were equally undergoing screening.
A Media centre was also being prepared while a mobile hospital had equally been stationed to provide health services.
The Convention which is scheduled to be officially opened by President Rupiah Banda is expected to usher in new office bearers for the country’s ruling party’s top leadership portifolios which include the Party presidency, vice presidency, National Secretary, Elections Chairman and various organs of the MMD.
The high level meeting which would run from April 5 to 7 under the theme: Fulfilling The Promise of Good Governance and Prosperity for all Zambians’ was also expected to be attended by eminent figures from various sectors including Zambia’s envoys to missions abroad.
The MMD recently held Provincial conferences in all the country’s nine provinces as a precursor to the Convention to be attended by about 1, 372 delegates. The Provincial Conferences ushered in new executive committees which constitute an electoral college to decide on the MMD’s leadership at the convention ahead of this year’s upcoming Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections.
The ruling party has undertaken various exercises to consolidate MMD structures leading to the convention with the Provincial Conferences being preceded by the national membership card renewal.
The nine Provincial conferences passed resolutions that President Banda be the preferred candidate for the party’s top position which has since been endorsed by the National Executive Committee.
President Banda who has been acting Party President since the demise of President Levy Mwanawasa in 2008 recently filed in his nomination papers for the party presidency at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Other party members eyeing various positions also undertook the exercise.
During a media briefing recently, MMD Spokesperson Dora Siliya said that the party was planning to mobilise about K4 billion to be spent at the convention.
The ruling party has also categorically stated that only those in good standing with the party would be allowed to attend the convention in line with the MMD’s constitution which stipulates that ‘’only people who are members of the party and are in good standing will contest for positions and attend the convention.”
This convention is being held six years after the April 2005 gathering where late President Mwanawasa was elected Party President with the position of MMD Vice presidency being frozen following reports that some candidates at the convention engaged themselves in bribery.
Meanwhile, Forum for Progressive Politics (FPP) has wished President Banda and the MMD party a very successful convention.
FPP Secretary General Charles Kafumbo in a Statement to ZANIS today asked God to guide the President and the MMD at the convention.
Education Minister Dora Siliya interacts with pupils during the Youth symposium in Lusaka
Government has set aside K 83 billion in this year’s National budget to pay off teacher’s outstanding salary arrears.
And the Ministry of Education has announced that it will write a proposal to cabinet on possible recapitalization of the Zambia Education Publishing House (ZEPH).
Education Minister Dora Siliya disclosed that out of the K83 billion set aside, government has already released K10 billion towards the payment of teachers’ salary arrears.
Ms Siliya said government attaches great importance to the welfare of teachers in the country hence government’s commitment in addressing their plight.
The Minister said this during the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC’S) Culture remodeling programme last night.
And Ms. Siliya said government was losing huge sums of money printing examination papers abroad.
She said there is need for government to find a lasting solution to the problems affecting ZEPH if the institution is to serve the country to its best ability.
The minister observed that ZEPH was still a viable institution in the education sector adding that her ministry was in a process of writing a proposal to cabinet for possible recapitalization of the institution.
Meanwhile Ms. Siliya disclosed that for every new school government will construct it will also be constructing 20 houses for teachers.
She said this is in a bid to address the accommodation problems that most teachers go through at government schools especially in rural areas.
Ms. Siliya said this will also act as a motivating factor for teachers intending to apply for jobs in rural areas.
The minister further said government is among other things, currently addressing the conditions of service for teachers working in rural areas such as the timely payment of rural hardship allowances.
A CATHOLIC Church Priest in Lusaka has urged the people of Zambia to vote for a presidential candidate who will bring development and better their lives in this year’s general elections.
St. Joseph Catholic Church Parish Priest Fr. Gabriel Mwanamwalye said people should critically analyse all presidential hopefuls offering themselves to be voted into office this year saying some of them were not honest.
Speaking when United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema attended Mass in New Kanyama Township yesterday morning, Fr. Mwanamwalye said political leaders should desist from insulting one another at the expense of national development.
He also implored politicians to deal with issues of tribalism that have characterized some political parties and advised them to embrace one another.
Fr. Mwanamwalye also called on political leaders not to use young people to peddle violence during campaigns.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has said education remains the main engine of the development of any country.
Visiting UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova has since congratulated President Rupiah Banda for adopting the Education bill.
Speaking in Lusaka today when she met United Nations Country Team (UNCT) Head of Agencies, Ms Bokova said the adoption of the Education bill shows government’s commitment to improving the education standards in the country.
She noted that with the country’s vision of becoming a middle income country by 2030, a good education system will play a critical role in realizing the dream.
She has also urged government and other stakeholders in the education sector to put in place workable implementation policies that will bring about equal access to educational for the children.
Ms. Bokova has since appealed to all political leaders to play an active role in supporting the sector especially for the girl child in order to enhance the country’s economic development.
And United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representative Owusu Sarfo said Education should be regarded as tools towards wealth creation.
Mr. Sarfo said this is why there is need for other cooperating partners to work closely with government in improving the education system in the country.
'POWERHOUSE' Lusaka Rugby Club and Zambia Sevens coach Owen Busange's wife Mulenga laying wreaths on the grave of her husband at Kakoso Cemetery in Chililabombwe
2.
A patient recuperating in the new Chongwe District hospital
3.
Nurses and other medical personnel captured at the Reception in the new Chongwe District hospital
4.
President Banda visits patients at the new Chongwe district hospital
5.
President banda with Dr Welani Chilengwe during the launch of the mobile hospitals in Chongwe
6.
Gender Deputy minister Lucy Changwe, Deputy minister in the office of Vice president Daniel Munkombwe and MMD secretariat employee Augustine Chapota(sent by LT blogger)
7.
King Imwiko Lubosi (II) sitting on his thrown in the Kuta (Traditional Court) in Limulunga royal village in Mongu contrary to reports that he had died.
8.
His Majesty the king of Barotse land King Imwiko Lubosi (II) waking majestically to the Kuta (traditional court) in Limulunga royal Village in Mongu
9.
Some residents of Mongu queue to obtain their National registration and voters cards
10.
UNESCO director general Irina Bokova with Science minister Peter Daka when she arrived in Zambia.
11.
Police officers trying to control the flow of traffic along Lusaka's Freedom way after word went round that there was a riot in the city last Thursday
12.
Police officers trying to control the flow of traffic along Lusaka's Freedom way after word went round that there was a riot in the city last Thursday
13.
The Barotse Royal Establishment Indunas dance for the Litunga ( King of Barotse land) in the Kuta (Traditional Court) at Limulunga Royal village in Mongu contrary to reports that he had died.
14.
Central Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Denny Lumbama with United Nations country co-ordinator Kanni Wignaraja when she visited the PS's office in Kabwe.
15.
Central Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Denny Lumbama with United Nations country co-ordinator Kanni Wignaraja
Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata has questioned of what benefit it would be for him to legalize homosexuality if elected President in this year’s elections.
Speaking when he appeared on QFM this morning Mr Sata said, in Zambia, being a Christian nation, homosexuality is unheard of.
Mr Sata said that the marriage act does not allow people of the same sex to get married. He said that his position on homosexuality has been twisted by the MMD stating that what he said in an interview with the Danish journalists was that there are laws in Zambia which restricts Zambians from engaging in homosexual acts.
Mr Sata said that the people want to tarnish his image by scandalizing him that he wants to legalize homosexuality when he comes into power.
And Mr Sata has challenged the United Party for National Development (UPND) to write to his party and point out their differences over the collapsed PF/UPND pact.
He said that as far as he is concerned the PF/UPND pact is still in existence because the UPND has not written to his party informing them about the pullout from the pact.
And speaking on the same programme United States based Bishop Edward Chomba has maintained that it is not necessary for Zambia to continue being a Christian nation.
[pullquote]But Mr Emmanuel Mwamba who called in during the programme maintained that Bishop Chomba is married to five wives and that he is wanted in the United States for bigamy.[/pullquote]
Bishop Chomba added that there was need to allow for debate on whether Zambia should continue being a Christian nation or not.
He has also denied allegations by second republican president Fredrick Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba that he is married to five women and that he was excommunicated.
But Mr Emmanuel Mwamba who called in during the programme maintained that Bishop Chomba is married to five wives and that he is wanted in the United States for bigamy.
He also maintained that Bishop Chomba was excommunicated.
Former first lady Vera Tembo is the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Kasenengwa Constituency
CHIPATA District Women’s Lobby Group has castigated village headmen in Kasenengwa Constituency urging their subjects not to vote for any women candidate as a parliamentarian during this year’s polls alleging that women have failed them in the past.
Last Tuesday, more than 54 village headmen drawn from senior Chief Nzamane, Madzimawe, Mishoro and Chiefs Chikuwe issued a statement that they would not support any woman to contest for Kasenengwa parliamentary seat.
Senior Chief Nzamane’s representative, headman Kapachika said they would not support any woman who is going to be adopted.
Former first lady Vera Tembo is the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Kasenengwa Constituency.
Chipata District Women’s Lobby Group chairperson, Diana Tonga said in Chipata yesterday that the statement by the headmen condemning female parliamentarians was unfair to the women.
Ms Tonga said it was unacceptable for village headmen to start demonising female parliamentarians ahead of the 2011 tripartite elections.
She said women parliamentarians have never failed but have performed extremely well than their men counterparts.
Ms Tonga said there were a lot of men who had failed to perform in their positions as MPs.
“The statement by some village headmen in Kasenengwa Constituency that female candidates should not be supported during the elections is not fair, I took it to be a very strong statement. Women have also performed exceptionally than some male counterparts,” Ms Tonga said.
She said the village headmen should learn to support female candidates in order for Zambia to meet the 30 per cent mark for women representation in decision-making positions as required by the Southern African Development Community Protocol.
Ms Tonga said her organisation was currently training women and encouraging them to run for various positions in this year’s elections. Ms Tembo declined to comment.
