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Two Police officers involved in the death of the soccer fans in Mazabuka last night have been arrested and charged with murder.
Police Spokesperson Ndadula Siamana told ZNBC News in Lusaka today that Police have ordered the transfer of all senior officers from Mazabuka district.
Ms Siamana said that Zambia Police Command regretted the death of the two youths. Her sentiments were also echoed today in parliament by Home Affairs Minister Mkhondo Lungu who issued an apolgy to the nation and the families of the two people who were killed in a stampede when police tear gassed a tavern were the patrons were watching the Barclays premier league match between Manchester United and Chelsea.
According to Ms Siamana, the incident happened when the two officers, in the company of two reserve officers, attempted to close the bar as it was operating beyond the legal hours.
Ms Siamana said the patrons refused to leave the bar as the football match was still going on.
She said it was at this point that the police officers tear gassed the bar leading to a stampede that resulted into the death of the two soccer fans.
Mazabuka residents this morning run amok, following last nights incident. All shops in the town centre including banks and some filling stations remained closed for business due to the riot.
The situation in the district is now calm and police officers are keeping vigil.
Faz has said Nkana instead of Nchanga Rangers will face Zesco United in the final of this year’s Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Memorial Charity Shield final.
This is after Nchanga Rangers forfeited they chance to play Saturdays final at Arthur Davies Stadium due to a two-week training camp commitment in South Africa that starts on Thursday.
Faz communication officer Erick Mwanza said this evening that Rangers had requested for clearance to travel to Pretoria for a training camp on the eve of the final forcing Football House to pick Nkana as a replacement.
Nkana secretary Stan Kaseko also confirmed that Faz have officially informed them that they will face Zesco in the final this weekend.
Rangers beat Nkana 4-3 in the semifinals last Saturday at Arthur Davies.
However, the decision has not gone down well with Rangers officials who insist that they still have the right to face Zesco in the final when they come back from South Africa on March 16.
Meanwhile, Rangers will on their training camp in South Africa play Orlando Pirates in a friendly game on March 8 at Johannesburg Stadium at 15:00.
Rangers will the next day’s play Division 1 team Amatuks at the University of Pretoria Stadium at 15:30 in Pretoria where they will be camped at the High Performance centre.
A tentative date against Kaizer Chief is scheduled for March 13 before Rangers fly back to the Copperbelt on March 15.
Rangers will later leave for Lubumbashi on March 16 ahead of their March 19 Orange Caf Confederations Cup first round, first leg date against Lupopo.
ScoutsThe idea for this article has been stewing in my mind for some time. After being in Kasanka for 7 months I have heard gun shots, seen set snares in the woodland, viewed bloody recently poached warthogs, and old carcasses of antelope trapped in snares and left to slowly die.
Regarding how poaching affects the baboons there are both direct and indirect consequences. Baboons are eaten in this region of Zambia and are even more prized across the border in the DRC. Baboons are hunted with dogs and spears. Poachers come into the park looking for baboons. The dogs are used to help find the animals and to trap them in trees, the poachers than use spears or home-made guns to shoot the animals. Warthogs and bush pigs are also hunted in this way. They are cornered into holes by the dogs. Obviously from my perspective this type of poaching is inhumane and wrong. It causes severe stress to the animal and is illegal.
In October, poachers with dogs were just near to our camp. My scout managed to chase after them and shoot one of the dogs. The poachers fled and dropped their poached meet. Three bush pigs. The poachers themselves were later apprehended by Kasanka scouts and prosecuted.
During the dry months, poachers use snares to catch their prey, mainly antelope. The poachers set up wire snares in the woodland and then return several days later to remove any animals that have been unlucky enough to walk into their traps. In the meantime while the poachers are away any animal caught in the trap receives a very slow and painful death. They struggle for hours until they finally die of exhaustion, hunger, thirst or strangulation. Sometimes the poachers don’t make it back to their snares and the trapped animals are left to rot in the forest. Snares may be meant for certain animals but they are indiscriminate, any animal or person for that matter can get caught in a snare. Mushamo - Juvenile baboon with a snare around his neckDuring the rainy season poachers mostly use guns. Sometimes they are paid in advance and given weapons by middle men. For example, recently a man from the Congo was paying local men up front to bring him Zebra. Unfortunately Kasanka National Park is surrounded on all sides my local communities. The Kasanka scouts work 24 housr 7 days a week to try and control poaching (Figure 2) but funds to do so are limited.
Although baboons are hunted in the park, the biggest affect that poaching has on kinda baboons, at least in Kasanka, is indirect. One day in September we noticed that one of our group members, a male juvenile, had a wire snare around his neck (Figure 1). We decided to name him Mushamo, which means “unlucky” in Bemba. Although the snare was loose, it was a death sentence. As Mushamo grew the snare would tighten until he was strangled to death. Unfortunately, upon my return from a trip to the United States, my scout Kingston informed me that Mushamo had disappeared. From the evidence we have, we assume that he died because of the snare.
As I said raising this topic has been on my mind for several months. The death of Mushamo as well as hearing gun shots near camp every day, including 9 shots in just one night, compelled to address this issue now.
I am curious to read your comments on this subject. Not comments about Bemba people eating baboons but about poaching in Zambia, how it is not sustainable, and how can we teach future generations other ways in which to survive and thrive. Zamia is one of the few remaining countries in Africa to have such a large diversity of wildlife and wildlife tourism is one of Zambia’s most profitable industries. We don’t want to lose these rare and unique animals to a small greedy and corrupt group of people
If you are inclined to help, Kasanka gladly accepts donations for is efforts to curtail poaching. Visiting Kasanka, which is absolutely beautiful, is another way you can help support anti-poaching efforts. Visit their website at www.kasanka.com for more information. In addition, the Kasanka Baboon Project is working with the local community schools to start a science club and is partnering with the Kasanka Conservation Centere to help run the Chingolo conservation clubs in the area.
I remain sincerely yours,
Anna Weyher
Fulbright Scholar
Kasanka Baboon Project
www.kasankababoonproject.com
Thirty eight fishermen are feared dead on Lake Mweru in Nchelenge district, in Lupaula Province after a boat they were in capsized as they were fishing on Tuesday night.
Lupula Province Minister Besa Chimbaka told ZNBC News in an interview that 42 fishermen were fishing on the lake when the boat capsized.
Mr. Chimbaka said of the 42 fisherman , 4 have been rescued alive and the search for the remaining 38 fishermen is still ongoing.
He told ZNBC News that the cause of the accident is still not yet known.
Mr Chimbaka says government officials together with security wings are doing everything possible to search for the remaining bodies.
Mr. Chimbaka said the search is taking place at Kabuta in Nchelenge district.
The United Party for National Development-UPND has confirmed that it has received a letter from PF leader Michael Sata stating that his party has stopped dealing with UPND.
UPND Deputy Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa confirmed the development to ZNBC news in a telephone interview.
Mr. Mweetwa said Mr. Sata said his party will not deal with the UPND until UPND National Youth Chairperson Joe Kalusa apologises to Mr. Sata over his alleged attacks on him in the media.
He said the UPND is studying the content of the letter and will soon issue a comprehensive statement.
Mr. Mweetwa however, expressed disappointment that the PF can hold the UPND party to ransom over an individual person’s statement.
Riots have broken out in Mazabuka district following the death of two people in a stampede after the police allegedly tear gassed a packed tavern were they were watching the English premiership match between Manchester united and Chelsea last evening.
The police have moved in the city center to disperse the unruly crowd forcing business in the Sugar town to come to a standstill.
Sources told QFM from Mazabuka that all trading outlets have been closed, after some shops were attacked by the rioters who broke windows.
The main police station in Mazabuka is also said to have been demolished by the rioters.
The death of two people happened around 23:00 hours last night when soccer fans gathered to watch the two English soccer giants at Social place tavern in Mazabuka.
Some eye witnesses who were found at the scene disclosed that some unidentified police officers allegedly tear gassed the tavern causing the death of two people who have been identified as Nasilele Kwalombota, 20 and Masauso Nyirenda, 21.
The incident sparked a lot of anger by the surviving soccer lovers who scampered to different directions for safety as residents of Stage two and overspill compounds joined them to protest against the act.
The residents who marched to Mazabuka police station around midnight demanded an address by Mazabuka district commissionner Tyson Hamaamba to explain what happened.
Mr. Hamaamba in the company of Mazabuka district police officer commanding Lizzy Machina controlled the situation and dispersed the angry mob so that the police could establish the cause of the deaths.
The Chinese food contamination freak show is back in full swing with new reports out of Singapore indicating that certain Chinese companies are now mass producing and selling fake rice to unwitting villagers. According to a report in the Korean-language Weekly Hong Kong, the manufacturers are blending potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic industrial resin to produce the imitation rice.
A report in Very Vietnam states that an official from the Chinese Restaurant Association has announced that eating three bowls of this fake rice is the equivalent of eating an entire plastic bag. Consuming such plastic material is obviously a serious health hazard, and officials are allegedly gearing up to conduct an investigation into the factories accused of producing the phony rice.
The scandal is not a surprise when considering China’s long legacy food problems, including the 2008 melamine-tainted milk incident where roughly 300,000 people were injured and at least six infants died as a result of being poisoned by the toxic chemical. Other tainted food from China has included melamine-tainted pet foods, lead-tainted children’s cups, and even another fake rice case where a Chinese company added synthetic flavorings to ordinary rice to trick people into thinking it was the more expensive “Wuchang” variety.
Some media commentators have already begun to run wild with the fake rice story, comparing the imitation rice to what they say is the imitation reality in which the world lives.
“Fake stimulus, fake money printing, fake GDP growth, fake goods and services being produced, is … forcing us to consume fake food because we can’t afford real food, because we have no real growth, we have no real economy, we have no real industry, we only have fake stuff,” bemoaned talk show co-host Stacy Herbert from Russia Today. “So it makes sense that we’re only eating fake food.”
VICE-PRESIDENT George Kunda yesterday told Parliament that the disbanded Taskforce on Corruption raised K92.4 billion from the sale of assets seized during its investigations while it spent K23.3 billion provided by the Government on operations and US$11.8 million (about K57 billion) from the United States of America (US) as donor support.
Responding to Lukulu East Member of Parliament (MP) Batuke Imenda who wanted to know how much was realised by the Taskforce on Corruption and how much was spent on operations between 2002 and 2009, Mr Kunda said K92.4 billion was raised while the Government spent K23.3 billion on operations, with $11.8 million coming from the US as donor support.
The vice-president said of the K92.4 billion raised, K72.7 billion was realised from the sale of real estate and K5.8 billion was from movable assets while cash at the Bank of Zambia amounted to K1.6 billion.
He said the Government remitted about K12.3 billion to the Ministry of Health for the construction and rehabilitation of labour wards country-wide.
And Agriculture and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Allan Mbewe told Parliament that more than K75 billion had been spent on construction and rehabilitation of grain storage facilities in various parts of the country from 2006 to date.
Mr Mbewe said the Government was not happy with the current storage arrangements, as it was inadequate.
He said the country had about two million tonne grain storage capacity but only 1.3 million was being utilised while the other was not in good condition.
Mr Mbewe was answering a question from Kanchibiya MP Davies Mwango who wanted to know how much the Government had spent on repairing grain storages country-wide from 2006 and whether the Government was satisfied with the current storage facilities.
And Agriculture Minister Eustarckio Kazonga has urged the business community to assist the Government in leasing out and building new grain storage to secure the grain that the country had yielded and is expected to harvest in the next farming season.
He said the Government was in the process of constructing and rehabilitating more storage facilities in the phase two project this year.
Mr Kazonga said the Government would construct six extra silos and rehabilitate the existing ones, and that would construct 98 extra sheds country-wide.
And responding to Itezhi-Tezhi MP Godfrey Beene, who wanted to know why the Government was concentrating on maize storage facilities and not for other crops, the minister said storage for all other crops was being considered and the emphasis on maize was because it was the staple food.
And the Water Resources Management Bill number 50 of 2010 yesterday passed through the second reading after the MPs unanimously voted for it.
The Government approved the revised national water policy in February 2010, which would provide for streamlined and focused guidance to the water sector in the country.
Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga said the Bill sought to repeal and replace the Water Act of 1949 through a comprehensive review due to the nature and scope of issues that had developed over time.
Meanwhile, Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Moses Muteteka said the ministry had entered into public-private partnership to develop parking spaces in Lusaka central business centre to ease parking problems that the city had been experiencing.
Mr Muteteka said the business community had expressed interest to embark on the exercise and land had been identified within the central business district for the exercise.
He was responding to a question from Pambashe MP Benard Chisha who wanted to know if the ministry had any plans of creating more parking areas in Lusaka city centre.
Flashback: SACCORD executive director Lee Habasonda presenting a report on tribal politics in Zambia
The Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) says it is inappropriate for the government to condemn Netherlands ambassador to Zambia Harry Molennar over his advise on the need for the government to consider resolving the impasse on the Barostseland agreement using the decentralization policy.
SACCORD executive director Lee Habasonda says what the Dutch envoy said is not different from what the people of Zambia want.
Mr. Habasonda has told QFM news that the decentralization policy is key because it will accord the people of Zambia an opportunity to participate in national development.
He adds that the people of western province have clearly indicated through the report submitted to government that they do not have any intentions of seceding from the rest of the country but that all they want is to see meaningful development in western province.
Mr. Habasonda notes that government also needs to reconsider its decision on the Barotseland issue and deal with the matter effectively to avoid instability in the country.
On Monday Netherlands ambassador to Zambia Harry Molennar said that the Barotseland impasse which recently led to a fracas in Mongu district could be resolved through implementation of the government decentralization policy.
But Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande warned diplomats against commenting on internal matters of the country saying the people of Zambia are well- placed to handle such matters.
A FORMER Patriotic Front (PF) official has disclosed that Kabwata Member of Parliament Given Lubinda will shortly after Parliament is dissolved together with several district party officials’ defect to the United Party for National Development (UPND).
Former Mandevu PF treasurer Alex Mulenga said Mr Lubinda had now realised that he had fallen out of favour with the PF leader Michael Sata who did not want to be challenged as party presidential candidate at the convention.
“Mr Lubinda is seriously de-campaigning Mr Sata and PF and he is therefore planning to defect with a lot of PF district officials to UPND immediately when Parliament is dissolved.
“This is because Mr Lubinda has seen, experienced and heard what the MCC and Mr Sata are saying. They are saying that he is not an indigenous Zambian and cannot stand as national president on the PF ticket,” he said.
When contacted for a comment Mr Lubinda declined to comment saying he did not want to be dragged in fortune telling stories.
“If he (Mr Mulenga) is practicing fortune telling, let him go ahead and do so. I will not participate in fortune telling,” he said.
Mr Mulenga said Mr Sata’s camp was alleging that Mr Lubinda was a hired gun by the UPND to destabilise the PF and that he should be fired from the party.
“That is why they have started with his party portfolio. They further said the pact was not an initiative of the PF but that it was Mr Lubinda’s idea who is still pretending to insist that the pact should be maintained,” he said.
Mr Mulenga said he had been vindicated by the statement he issued last month that Mr Lubinda would be stripped of his position as party spokesperson.
He said this clearly showed how the differences between Mr Sata and Mr Lubinda had widened.
Mr Mulenga said Mr Sata thought he was clever by manipulating Mr Lubinda to abandon the United Liberal Party (ULP), the party which enabled him earn a seat in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Mr Mulenga has said that Mr Sata has finally decided that the PF would contest the 2011 general elections as a single party and that during one of the party meetings which was held recently he admitted that president Rupiah Banda had worked extra hard.
Mr Mulenga said Mr Sata said it would be difficult to convince the Zambian people not to vote for the MMD.
Some sex workers in Lusaka are calling on relevant authorities to help stop police harassment. In an interview with MUVI TV News, the sex workers have accused the police of harassing them by arresting and charging them.
They have further claimed that the police behavior borders on violation of human rights.
And when contacted for a comment, Police Service spokesperson, Ndandula Siamana said any immoral act is against the Zambian laws.
Ms. Siamana explained that the police will not allow lawlessness in the country to be the order of the day.
File: UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa talks to police officers when he was blocked from entering the results centre for Chilanga constituencyThe United Party for National Development UPND has said that it was utter nonsense to insinuate that it can only survive through political alliances.
UPND deputy spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said that the party was capable of existing on its own despite its involvement in the PACT.
Mr. Mweetwa dismissed assertions that the UPND was secretly working with the MMD in order to forge an alliance with the ruling party.
He said people have taken advantage of the squabbles that have rocked the PF/UPND pact to malign the UPND.
Mr. Mweetwa re-emphasized that the UPND was capable of going it alone in the forthcoming elections because it is still a popular party.
He told QFM news that it’s only Zambians who can make political judgment on the behavior and conduct of the two political parties in the PACT.
MR Mweetwa noted that Zambians are disappointed with the unfolding events in the PF/UPND pact especially that it was considered a window of hope for most Zambians.
Meanwhile the Patriotic Front in Mansa have said the current trend of exchanging words in the media between the two parties in the pact was not healthy.
PF member of the central committee in Mansa, Rasford Mwale said the party in the province had decided not to discuss the pact to avoid making conflicting statements.
Mr Mwale said there was need for party officials to refrain from issuing statements concerning pact and leave everything to the top leadership to resolve.
He told QFM in Mansa that it was better that the issue concerning the pact is left to the top leadership of the two parties to discuss so as to avoid confusion.
Mr. Mwale said the top leadership of both parties should be given time to talk about the issues instead of unnecessarily issuing statements.
He said it was unfortunate that UPND members in other provinces have continued to issue statements which are contributing to the misunderstanding.
Flashback: Bank of Zambia Governor Caleb Fundanga and head of public relations Kanguya Mayondi during the central bank's quarterly media briefing
The Bank of Zambia has started the process of selling off Finance Bank Zambia Limited, in line with the Banking and Financial Services Act.
The Central Bank has asked interested parties to either make oral or written submissions during a public hearing that will be held at the Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka, on March 9th 2011.
The Bank of Zambia says the legal rights of depositors and creditors will be honoured during the transaction.
This is according to a statement released to ZNBC News in Lusaka on Tuesday by Bank of Zambia Head of Public Relations Kanguya Mayondi.
Mr. Mayondi says the Central Bank would like to ensure that the branch network of Finance Bank is maintained and employment safeguarded.
He said the assets and liabilities of Finance Bank still remain solvent.
Mr Mayondi however, revealed that Finance Bank has a shortfall in the regulatory capital as prescribed by the Central Bank.
Government took over operations of Finance Bank in December last year.
The Egyptian Government has pledged to increase investment in ZAMBIA as part of honouring the YOUTHs that lost their lives during the recent protests in that country.
And a book of condolences to honour the YOUTHs that died during last month’s revolution has been opened at the Egyptian Embassy.
Egyptian Ambassador, SALAH EL-SADEK has assured ZAMBIANS that the government will ensure that transparency prevails to achieve good governance in EGYPT.
Ambassador El-SADEK was speaking in an interview in LUSAKA today.
He said that EGYPT has come out of the revolution more UNITED, and STRONG.
The protests led to the resignation of President HOSNI MUBARAK.
The Patriotic Front (PF) has announced the expulsion the 16 rebel members of parliament from the party.
The expulsion of the rebel MPs follows the High court’s decision to dismiss with costs the consolidated action against the PF.
PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba announced the expulsion of the rebel MPs in Lusaka today during a media briefing.
Mr. Kabimba named those expelled as Matero member of parliament Faustina Sinyangwe , Celestino Chibamba of Shiwan’gandu Constituency and Kawambwa’s Elizabeth Mulobeka Chitika.
Other are Besa Chimbaka of Bahati constituency, Ernest Mwansa of Chifunabuli , Joseph Kasongo Bangweulu, and Dr. Peter Cachungwa of Luapula constituency.
Percy Chanda of Kankoyo Constituency, Bernabas Chela Wusakile constituency Michael Nyirenda of Kafinsa constituency,Lombani Mschili Kabushi constituency, Joseph Zulu of Bwana mkubwa have also been expelled .
The party has also expelled the Benson Bwalya of Chifubu constituency posthumously, Anson Simama and Violet Sampa Bredt of Kalulushi and Chawama constituencies respectively.
And Mr. Kambimba has said the PF has launched a system of registration for its members and supporters.
Mr. Kabimba says the registration system will be done via mobile phones of Airtel subscribers adding that subscribers to this facility will be kept updated on the operation of the party ahead of this year’s elections.
