The council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has appealed to the government to exercise maximum wisdom in dealing with issues surrounding the alleged fraudulent privatization of parastatal companies.
In a pastoral letter read out in Lusaka today by CCZ president Reverend Moses Mwale, the church mother body is calling on government to ensure that the interests of Zambians are protected and that Zambians working in Parastatals under scrutiny do not lose their jobs.
Reverend Mwale urged government to be cautious in the way forward in dealing with companies that are under investigations adding that some decisions may reverse many of the gains scored through the privatization process.He said the government should not forget untold suffering and misery that Zambians went through during the privatization process.
The clergyman further said that CCZ has noted with sadness the wrangles that have engulfed the nation as a result o f unilateral decisions being made by government without the regard of parliament, political parties and the affected stakeholders.
The church also observed that most of government’s pronouncements are not based on wider consultation which has caused anxiety and uncertainty in some areas. Reverend Mwale has cited the re-alignment of government portfolios and districts as some of the decisions that have sparked criticism in the country.
Meanwhile CCZ has expressed concern on the escalating incidents of Gender Based Violence, child defilement, dumping of newly born babies and the general fall of morality and values in the society.CCZ president Reverend Lungu explains that the country needs to move quickly from only condemning the scourge to immediate action.
He says the gender based violence needs clear leadership, guidance and adequate resources both human and financial to enable the nation confront the vice.
A team of medical experts drawn from different health institutions in Zambia is currently in Western province to deal with special medical cases.
Federation Health Institutions Managing Administrator Epiphany Mubanga said the team will in the next five days operate on patients with different conditions.
Mr. Mubanga told ZANIS in Mongu today that the team will handle conditions ranging from surgery, urology, neurology and orthopedics among others.
He said this was a deliberate move by the Ministry of Health to reduce the number of referrals to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), which is congested.
He said that have been patients identified from all the district in the province have already started arriving in Mongu adding that 37 have so far been registered.
Mr. Mubanga said while in the province, the team will also train local doctors, medical licentiates and clinical officers on trauma management.
He observed that accident related conditions that cause trauma are on the increase in the country hence the need to train health workers at all levels on how to handle such cases.
Mr. Mubanga has since called on people with complicated health conditions in the province to register with the team and cut on their travelling costs to UTH in Lusaka.
President Michael Sata has said that he has not made any statement over former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity because it would be prejudicial.
Mr Sata said that there would be no justice for Mr Banda if he as President made a statement over his immunity .
Mr Sata said this at State House this morning when Paramount Chief Mpezeni and chief Mazdimawe of the Ngoni people called on him.
Paramount chief Mpezeni said that he had brought with him Chief Mazdimawe to State house to reconcile with President Sata.
Chief Mazdimawe was named as one of the Ngoni chiefs challenging Paramount Mpezeni’s statement that former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity should be lifted.
But Paramount Chief Mpezeni clarified to President Sata that it was Chief Nzamane and not chief Mazdimawe who was involved in quarrels with him.
And President Sata said that government will protect Paramount chief Mpezeni against any threats.
[pullquote]But Paramount Chief Mpezeni clarified to President Sata that it was Chief Nzamane and not chief Mazdimawe who was involved in quarrels with him.[/pullquote]
Mr Sata said that it is government duty to safe guard the interest of all traditional leaders.
He says Paramount Chief Mpezeni was entitled to voice out his opinion on Mr Banda’s immunity.
Meanwhile, Chief Madzimawe told President Sata that traditional leaders will work with government of the day and also compliment the state in delivering services to the people.
And Minister of Chiefs and traditional Affairs Inonge Wina says the quarrels among Ngoni chiefs were instigated by outsiders.
Government has evidence indicating that former Information Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha directed the production of the infamous Stand Up for Zambia TV program by Chanda Chimba the third.
Chief government spokesperson Fackson Shamenda says there are also people who are ready to testify that Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha and his former Permanent Secretary Sam Phiri gave instructions for the production of the infamous TV program.
Mr. Shamenda who is also information and labour minister says the Secretary to the Treasury will seek permission from the Attorney General to proceed and surcharge Gen Shikapwasha and Dr Phiri along with several others.
Mr Shamenda was speaking when he opened a workshop for trainee journalists at the Post Newspapers in Lusaka on Monday morning.
Yesterday, Former Information Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha has distanced himself from the infamous Stand Up for Zambia which was produced by freelance journalist Chanda Chimba the Third.
Lieutenant General, Shikapwasha said at a Press briefing on Sunday that he had nothing to do with the program adding that he had never met Mr Chimba at his office when he was minister.
Government has surcharged General Shikapwasha and his Permanent Secretary, Sam Phiri for legal fees amounting to over 900 million kwacha as a result litigations against Stand Up for Zambia.
The TV program was aired on ZNBC TV prior to the general elections last year.
The program was highly critical of the PF government and President Micheal Sata.
Operations at Kansanshi mine in Solwezi have started normalising following a 15 per cent salary increment that management has offered unionised workers.
A check at the mine by ZANIS this morning revealed that buses were seen taking miners into the mine plant while others were walking through the main gate going to work.
Kansanshi Mine Workers Union of Zambia branch chairperson Billy Mushoke confirmed in an interview that a few workers have reported for work today.
Mr. Mushoke however said negotiations among government, Mine Workers Union of Zambia, National Allied and Mine Workers Union and Kansanshi mine management are still going on in Lusaka.
And Deputy Commissioner of Police for North-western province, Hudson Namachila, said the situation at the mine plant was quiet and normal.
Mr. Namachila however said police are still keeping vigil along the Kansanshi road and the mine entrance.
Unionised workers at Kansanshi mine have been on strike since Thursday last week demanding among other things a salary increment of at least 30 per cent and the mine to employ on permanent and pensionable basis those miners that are on contracts.
Earlier, the mine workers were offered 13 per cent increment by management which they rejected.
We would like to express our concerns about the rise in the cases of child defilement in last few months in our country. It is indeed disheartening that our men continue such activities with impunity despite the massive sensitization against this evil and the harsh punishment of minimum of 15 years imprisonment that comes with it once arrested.
UTH reported recently that the number of defilement cases being recorded has been on the increase and that now it’s an everyday situation especially among girls between the ages of 12 and 14 years. We are aware that child defilement has been in existence for a lot of years back but with much awareness nowadays, we expect the tread to be going down instead of having an upward gradient.
It is in our view that this evil will not be won through stiffer punishment and sensitization only but also by personal effort and change of mentality by the citizens to stop the activity. This is an evil that has everything to do with myths of cure for some STI and AIDS or Cleansing from some evil spirits of some sort and/or mere lack of self control. We are making an earnest appeal to our men to brash these myth’s away and face reality to say that these acts are wrong and should not be allowed to continue at all.[pullquote]ICHIKU TACHIPALAMA NAMULILO[/pullquote]
We further would like to appeal to our parents and guardians to ensure they are not loose on their children especially when going and coming back from schools. Let’s ensure that our children are escorted and collected at reporting and knocking off times respectively. It is also important that our teachers live up to the trust that people have in them as parents or guardians leave their children in their hands for hours.
Teachers therefore need to find time to explain to the children that they need not to be silent about men touching them in certain ways or even having sex with them but should tell the parents or/ and the teachers about it immediately no matter what even if the abusers give them sweets, money or even threaten them.
We have seen situations where school going children are busy hiking vehicles asking for a lift from strangers.Our children need to be taught to fear people they do not know.We also should be wary not to let our children loose on every relative just because it’s an uncle, cousin or brother because these have been found to be the main culprits seeing that they are trusted.
Once the matter is reported no matter who is evolved, father, uncle, grandfather, friend, brother must be reported to the police so that it acts as a deterrent to other would be perpetrators.
It is also a serious concern to note the number of small girl’s patronizing clubs and taverns and drinking alcohol while implicitly dressed. These are some of the main reasons why you find even big men are being tempted to have carnal knowledge with small girls. We should not let things to chance, Bemba’s say;” ICHIKU TACHIPALAMA NAMULILO”. Girls need not to take themselves to the sacrificial alters they need to respect, keep themselves and concentrate on things that will positively affect their lives not alcohol consumptions and illicit relations with big men all for the love of goodies and money. Parents need to ensure they provide for the needs of their children and avoid too much child bearing if they do not have the capacity to look after them.
We further urge all clubs owners to strictly stop underage patrons in their premises but further we urge the councils not to relent in enforcing the law. We urge religious organizations and business communities to talk against these evils in their congregations during their preaching and meetings so that the message can go across as we need every one to rise up and fight this wrong tooth and nail.
We on the other hand, would like to recommend parents, guardians and everyone who has come out in the open to report to the relevant authority’s and speaks against such a vice.
Zambians for Empowerment and democracy Leader Fred Mutesa has charged that president Michael Sata has failed to show his political and governmental experience in his governance system.
Dr. Mutesa says the continued changes in the ministry portfolios is a source of concern as it the practice is most likely to cost more at the expense of other developmental programmes.
The opposition leader notes that Zambia has been implementing the public service reforms which have over the years have seen structural changes to suit the operations of the governance system.
Dr. Mutesa who described the recent changes in the ministrys by President Sata as costly experiments, questioned the rationale behind the continuous re-alignment of ministries.
Dr. Mutesa has told QFM that the PF is now reversing to the system that the MMD left after its experiments of trying to make the ministries suit its ill- conceived agenda failed.
He added that the PF stands to miss its opportunity to improve on the MMD record of failing to deliver to the expectations of the Zambian people.
President Sata last week announced the changes in the portfolios of selected ministries which also saw a mini cabinet reshuffle.
The Ministry of Local Government was changed to Ministry of Local Government and Housing with Professor Nkandu Luo carrying on as Minister.The Ministry of Education will now be known as Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education and will be Presided over by Dr John Phiri as Minister.
Additionally, the President transferred Christopher Yaluma to the new ministry to be identified as Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development.
Wilber Simusa was made the Minister in-charge of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.
President Sata transferred Dr Ngosa Simbyakula from the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Home Affairs as Deputy Minister with a special responsibility of spearheading the creation of district attorneys’ chambers countrywide.
Dr Simbyakula replaced Obvious Mwaliteta who was transferred to Southern Province as provincial Minister taking over from Miles Sampa who was brought to the Ministry of Finance as Deputy Minister.
President Sata also reassigned Finance Deputy Minister Alfreda Kansembe to the Ministry of Justice in the same capacity.
File: One... two...one two... Ministry of labour employees rehearsing for the May Day match past outside the ministry's premises in Lusaka
THE Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) has appealed for calm among members over delayed negotiations for improved salaries and conditions of service.
CSAWUZ general secretary Joy Beene said in Lusaka yesterday that members should remain calm as the union was waiting for a response from the Government over submissions which were presented in January this year.
The union negotiating team submitted proposals to the Government in January but there has not been a response yet.
The current collective agreement will expire this monthend.
Mr Beene said there was mounting pressure from civil servants across the country who were anxious to know the latest on the negotiations.
He said workers were losing patience because under the law, the unions and the Government were supposed to commence and conclude negotiations within 90 days before the end of the current collective agreement.
” By law, we are supposed to commence and finish negotiations within 90 days before the end of the current collective agreement but that is not the case now,” he said.
He, however, appealed to members across the country to remain calm as the union would engage the Government about the delay.
On the calls by health workers for the Government to implement the 100 per cent salary increment, Mr Beene said if the State was going to do that, it would only be fair to award all civil servants “because all workers were equal.”
[Source: Times of Zambia]
THE African Nations Poverty Fund (ANPF) has pumped K75 billion into the launch of the Marketeers Business Expansion Revolving Fund aimed at fighting poverty in Zambia and other countries on the continent.
Fund governor Tresford Chomba said the funds to be invested during the first phase of the project, would benefit more than 50,000 marketeers in Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe.
He said the marketeers were supposed to access a minimum of K5 million which was expected to be paid back within six months.
The exercise was set to kick-start in April this year.
Marketeers would be required to form groups of 5 to 10 in their market areas according to their already existing relationships to ensure the revolving funds were paid back on time and that the same could be reached out to many beneficiaries as soon as possible.
Mr Chomba said the essence of the facility was to enhance growth in the formal sector and supplement Government efforts in the promotion of local investment and productivity.
“It is evident that Government has put in place good economic policies aimed at supporting small and medium entrepreneurs accessing finance for their business expansion, but this has not benefited many marketeers, especially women and the youths,” Mr Chomba said.
He said his organisation wished to support Government and ensure youths and women fully benefited from the facility.
Apart from marketeers benefitting from the facility, ANPF would employ field officers particularly school leavers to implement the undertaking.
He said at least 700 people would be employed to undertake the task which was a powerful tool of job creation.
Mr Chomba said Zambians were hard working and needed support from the business community and civil society organisations as that should not be left for Government alone.
He called on financial lending institutions to consider revisiting the lending policies such as collateral which only favoured the rich in society.
“Interest rates should further be reduced to enable borrower’s access the loans,” he said.
Kansanshi MineThe Kansanshi Copper Mine and the workers unions have agreed on a 15% salary increase but the negotiation teams have differed on the tenure of the agreement.
While management has proposed two-year tenure, the unions want the agreement to last for 12 months.
Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) president Charles Mukuka confirmed the standoff in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday.
“The decision taken by management at Kansanshi and First Quantum Minerals (FQM) mining to seek court’s guidance in resolving the 2012 negotiations standoff will worsen the situation at the mines.
“As MUZ and NUMAW we strongly believe that this route taken by management will worsen the situation at Kansanshi and FQM mining.
“The union feels the best option is for management and the unions to seek further immediate interventions or mediation from Government,” Mr Mukuka said.
He said management of both Kansanshi and FQM proposed a two-year period to cover for the items that the parties agreed upon with them.
Mr Mukuka said the proposal was against the one year usual agreement but management have decided to declare a dispute on the item.
The MUZ president said the unions have so far engaged Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Labour Fackson Shamenda and Vice-President Guy Scott in trying to resolve the matter.
He said management at the two mines have remained adamant on the two-year tenure of the agreement.
Mr Mukuka said management at Kansanshi and FQM has allegedly displayed highest levels of dishonesty by bringing the tenure of agreement at the eleventh hour during the negotiations which the union rejected.
He said moving to a two-year period will disadvantage members as there will be no increment in 2013 because the merit of increment proposed by management will be determined by them.
Mr Mukuka said in national interest, the two parties should engage Government to ensure the agreement runs for one year and end the impasse.
He said the one-year period is applicable to all mining companies and allied employers throughout Zambia.
Miners at Kansanshi Copper and Gold Mine have been on strike, which entered its fourth day yesterday.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Alert immigration personnel in Livingstone have rescued 7 children about to be trafficked to South Africa from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
All the seven children, five of them boys, did not have documentation.
The Immigration Department in Livingstone has since arrested five Congolese who were with the children.
Immigration Department spokesperson Justine Siame said the Congolese nationals comprising two females and three males were picked from Hams Guest House in Livingstone. They have been charged with human trafficking.
According to Department of State statistics, approximately 800,000 to 900,000 victims are annually trafficked across international borders worldwide.
The people affected are forced to work for the profit of others, for example by begging, prostitution, involuntary servitude, working in sweatshops, even becoming child soldiers.
Mr Siame said in a statement that the five suspects entered the country with the children on February 18, 2012 through Kipushi Border Post in Solwezi en route to South Africa.
“The perpetrators are currently in detention pending prosecution while the children are under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare,” he said
And Mr Siame said seven Somali nationals have been arrested in Nakonde aboard a truck in another suspected human trafficking case.
He said the Somali nationals entered the country through concealment and without any clearance from the immigration officials and are currently in detention awaiting prosecution.
The Zambia Under-20 and Under-17 teams will face Southern African opposition in their respective 2013 qualifiers following draws made on Sunday in Cairo.
Zambia Under-20 will face Lesotho in the 2nd round of the CAF Youth Championship qualifier in July.
Incidentally, Zambia have also been drawn against the Lesotho senior team in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
Lesotho will host Zambia in the first leg at the end of July.
Winner will face either Mali who await the winner between Namibia and Rwanda from the first round for a place at the Algeria tournament in 2013.
And in the CAF Under-17 Cup, Zambia will face South Africa in the second round with the latter hosting the latter in the first leg.
Winner will face winner between Gambia and Ghana in the 3rd final round for a place in the Morocco tournament next year.
Power Dynamos are through to the first round of the CAF Champions League after beating Japan Actuel 3-0 at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.
Power took the lead as early as the 4th minute through defender Govender Simwala from a free kick past Actuel goalkeeper Zoa Andriamiarintsoa.
Midfielder Kennedy Mudenda extended Powers lead in the 22nd minute when he fired-in a looping shot from just outside the area.
Power sealed their win four minutes before half time when striker Felix Nyaende scored Powers third goal from another free kick.
Power will host Mazembe on March 24 in the first leg at Arthur Davies Stadium.
Former Information and Broadcasting Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha has vowed never to pay the nine hundred million kwacha over Chanda Chimba’s documentaries Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said that he had no hand in the airing of the infamous Chanda Chimba prior the 2011 elections.
At a press briefing in Lusaka where he read the letter he wrote to the Secretary to the Cabinet, the former minister says the claim to pay the said amount are baseless.
He added that the controversial stand up for Zambia programme was purely a business deal from which the National Broadcasting derived revenue.
He further states that he was never the recipient of the moneys as to bring about any loss to the national broadcaster or government.
Recently, Information Minister Fackson Shamenda announced that Lieutenant General Shikapwasha and his permanent secretary Sam Phiri were surcharged Nine Hundred Million Kwacha for authorizing the airing of the Chanda Chimba documentaries.
The Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) has said that they will seek the court’s intervention if the Patriotic Front (PF) ruling party decides to freeze from republican president Rupiah Banda’s entitlements.
MMD Chairperson for legal George Kunda told Muvi TV that the former presidents should be let to enjoy their constitutional rights.Mr Kunda said that the former ruling party will soon consult the former president Rupiah Banda on the way forward but said they will seek the court’s interpretation in the matter.
In a press statement released to Muvi TV, president Sata through his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations George Chellah stated that cabinet will soon give its position regarding the former president Rupiah Banda entitlements.
Meanwhile, preparations for the former ruling party’s extraordinary convention have heated up with the card renewal exercise launched in provinces. The MMD was recently in some provinces for the card renewal exercise that saw party leaders calling for unity.
In central province the exercise was characterized by some dancing among the party members. Present at the card renewal exercise were former republican Vice president George Kunda who is also Muchinga MP, Mumbwa MP Dr. Brian Chituwo and MMD presidential candidate Felix Mutati.
And speaking when he addressed the party members Mr. Mutati said the September 20th tripartite election defeat assisted the MMD to identify the true members of the party. He stated that following the long reflection on the defeat MMD is also reorganized itself and is ready to lead again.
MMD Mumbwa Central Member of Parliament Dr. Brian Chituwo warned the former ruling party not to pick on strangers to lead the party. Dr Chituwo has warned that hopes for the former ruling party to bounce back into power may not come to fruition if they rush into picking on strangers to lead the party.
Dr. Chituwo on the other hand advised the party members not to look at the financial muscle of the candidates but the leadership qualities. He said this at the MMD card renewal exercise for the Central Province held in Kabwe recently.
