Advertisement Banner
Thursday, August 14, 2025
Subscribe
Advertisement Banner
Home Blog Page 4858

RB to commission New Soweto Market

editor
-
31
New Soweto Market

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda will today officially commission the K36-billion New Soweto Market, undoubtedly the capital city’s nerve centre for all marketeers.

Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Moses Muteteka said in a pre-launch interview in Lusaka yesterday that the Government was excited that the market would finally be launched as it was one of the ways to empower Zambians.

“This is a definite way to put money in the people’s pockets and we are so glad that as a ministry we have achieved such a milestone to give our people infrastructure they can use to better their lives,” he said.

After months of waiting and sometimes acrimony over the allocation of stands in the market, President Banda will today cut the ribbon to officially allow for trading in the 2,100 capacity modern market.

Despite the construction of the new market being over, the trading place could not start operating because of the controversies over stall allocations given the number of applicants.

The interest in the market is high given that as at March 2009, Lusaka City Council had received more than 10,000 applications from traders in the new market, constructed with the help of the European Union.

That should have sent panic into the traders who owned stalls in the old market and partly explains the high number of litigations over the allocations.

LCC public relations officer, Mulunda Habeenzu said in Lusaka yesterday that most of the court cases had been resolved outside court and that the stall allocation had been concluded.

“We are happy that most of the cases have been resolved outside court and now the stall allocation has been concluded,” he said.
Some marketeers spoken to yesterday expressed happiness with the opening of the market.

Regina Mwaka, a fish trader, said she was happy that the market was finally being commissioned.

[Times of Zambia]

Kitwe mayor under probe

editor
-
40
Kitwe

KITWE Mayor Elias Kamanga is being investigated for abuse of office after he allegedly obtained K1.7 million from the council to buy suits for himself and another K3 million to dine and wine with some of his fellow councillors at a guest house in Kitwe.

Copperbelt provincial local government officer Solomon Sakala and Ministry of Local Government and Housing Permanent Secretary, Timothy Hakuyu confirmed receiving reports of Mr Kamanga’s alleged abuse of office.

Mr Sakala said he received a report from the council about the alleged abuse of office by the mayor. Mr Hakuyu was handling the matter.

“Yes, I can confirm that my office received a report that when Mr Kamanga was elected mayor, he got K1.7 million to buy himself suits and later took some of his colleagues to wine and dine at Shebourne Guest House in Kitwe where they spent K3 million, but I can’t say much because Mr Hakuyu is handling it,” Mr Sakala said.

Mr Hakuyu said he had received a copy of the report and was cross-checking it with the town clerk to establish under which circumstances the mayor received the money.

“I can confirm receiving a copy of that report but what I usually do, when I receive such kind of reports, I normally cross-check. I want to know under which circumstances he got the money,” Mr Hakuyu said.

When contacted, Mr Kamanga, who is opposition Patriotic Front Bupe Ward councillor, said he could not comment on the matter.
Some documents availed to the Times in Kitwe and signed by Brighton Mbaimbai, who was then acting town clerk, and Mr Kamanga confirmed the latter’s request for the said money.

[Times of Zambia]

Zambia remains poor amid economic progress – Prof Seshamani

editor
-
24

A University of Zambia (UNZA) professor says there is need for the government to realize that despite Zambia making economic strides in the past decade, the country remains one of the poorest nations in the world.

Professor Vankentesh Seshamani who is a lecturer in the school of Economics says it is important not to lose sight of the country’s poor status when analyzing public policies especially at a time when the country wants to attain the middle income status.

Professor Seshamani says according to the United Nations, Zambia is classified among the least developed nations whose economies are vulnerable in the world.

He says it is not easy for the country to shrug off characteristics of vulnerability adding that this needs concerted efforts and political will from the leadership in graduating Zambia into more than a middle income status nation.

The professor has further said that in the past 15 years, Botswana and Kenya have graduated from least developed countries status adding that Zambia has to aim at achieving genuine development rather than the middle income status.

QFM

Litunga ready to discuss Barotse Agreement

editor
-
80
Royal Highness the Litunga of the Lozi people Lubosi Imwiko II talk to Vice President George Kunda at the Lealui Palace during the kufuluhela traditional ceremony in Mongu

THE Litunga of the Lozi people of Western Province is ready to engage the Government on issues surrounding the Barotse Agreement, provincial Minister Richard Mwapela has said.

Mr Mwapela said in a telephone interview from Mongu yesterday he had met the Litunga who advised the Government and the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) should discuss the matter.

He said the Government should constitute a commission of inquiry that should go round the province to collect views from the people and engage the BRE on the 1964 Barotse Agreement.

“I met the Litunga as provincial minister and he advised we should engage the BRE as Government. “The issue of cessation is out, but Government must constitute a commission of inquiry so that it can go round the province to collect views from the people,” he said.

And Chisamba Member of Parliament (MP) Moses Muteteka has advised his colleagues from Western Province to consult with the Litunga and the BRE in order to resolve the impasse over the Barotse Agreement.

Mr Muteteka said as representatives of the people of Western Province, the MPs should immediately seek audience with the Litunga so that the matter could be resolved.

“Just as a citizen I feel that the MPs from Western Province should immediately seek audience with the Litunga because they are elected representatives of the people of the province,” he said.

Mr Muteteka, who is Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister, said it was unfortunate that Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata was trying to use the agreement to gain political mileage.

He wondered why emotions around the Barotse Agreement were being stirred now, when the matter had long been closed.

[Times of Zambia]

King Julian of Wikidascar: Why Wikileak’s Cablegate is just ridiculous

editor
-
34

By Elias Munshya wa Munshya

One of the most comedic characters of the movie Madagascar is the self-proclaimed Sovereign of the Madagascan wildlife, King Julian. In real life, however, we have another King Julian. This time it is Julian Assange, an Australian who styles himself as the king of “holding governments accountable.” In fact the motto of his wikileaks organisation is “open government.” He says that he is fighting for open governments all over the world. Wikileaks has indeed, as a whistleblowing website, been instrument in exposing American government corruption. It had been instrumental in pointing out specific matters of government cover-ups in its operations. It was quite instrumental in exposing the fact that the Apache helicopters deliberately killed Iraq civilians in the long running Iraq war. Those efforts at exposing specific government corruption and cover-ups are commendable and should be encouraged. But the latest episode, which wikileaks has dubbed “Cablegate” is ridiculous and should be condemned by all. This is for several reasons.

First, the so called Cablegate betrays the function and role of legitimate whistleblowing. Whistleblowing is an activity that should be directed towards specific illegal matters that a government or any government body engaged in. However, with the latest 251,000 cables are not explicitly revealing any specific corruption. In fact, the major driving force behind the cables is simply to leak them because King Julian can. In the context of Zambia, we need whistleblowers to expose corruption at State House and in ministries. But such exposition must be specific. It would be ridiculous for someone to leak thousands of files of government communication, simply because they can.

Second, King Julian is wrong because his Cablegate has exposed more human gossip than anything else. It is definitely sexy and interesting to expose how ambassadors gossip about Gaddaffi’s blonde nurse. But that it just what these cables are, gossip. I must here mention that gossip is necessary to the healthy function of human society. The least as well as the greatest among us need a little gossip. We all need a little filling in the blanks, and a little bit of conspiracy theories to thrive. And in so doing we want the assurance that our gossip will be private. However, exposing what these world leaders where saying behind each other’s back is ridiculous because it exposes the most common and bane element of humanity. We all want our gossip to be secret. But when someone comes up with the power to expose all that gossip, he becomes an enemy of humanity. And that it is what King Julian is potentially becoming.

Third, King Julian is pontificating himself as a good man. For him, he feels that governments and the people behind them are trying to do evil to the world. And as such the world needs a saviour like him to save it. But there is a saying that says that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. When King Julian comes out to expose the skeletons of governments and the people who serve in those governments, he forgets that he too is just human who equally has even worse skeletons. Of course, the most ridiculous of the whole Cablegate affair is that while King Julian was busy championing for more open governments, he had some serious opening to do with two Swedish women. One accuses him of having sex with her, while she was sleeping and another accuses him of not using a condom when told to do so. This is so much more for the man trying to hold governments accountable.

And now King Julian is threatening to release even more embarrassing cables as long as the Swedish and the British police continue to victimise him with these allegations. For him then, the 251,000 cables are a way to blackmail the governments into dropping the rape charges he faces. May be he needs advice that the next time he needs a leak, he had better wake her up and use a condom if she so asks. At least the American government did not get the chance to demand that he wears one when he illegally accessed the 251,000 cables. Or maybe it is okay because the American government is in fact not a Swedish woman.

Next year’s elections will be free, fair- kabonde

Entertainment Editor
-
16
Inspector Genaral of Police Francis Kabonde
Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde

Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde has assured Zambians that next years tripartite elections will be free and fair.

Mr. Kabonde says even though past by-elections have been marred by violence, Police and other Defence forces are working out modalities to ensure that peace prevails during the elections.

Mr. Kabonde said this in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when he addressed Zambians living in Ethiopia.

He addressed the Zambians at the residence of Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Albert Muchanga.
This is according to a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian mission in Addis Ababa, Dorcas Chileshe.

Mr. KABONDE said Zambians living in Ethiopia and other parts of the world should continue to pray for continued peace in Zambia.

And Zambia Army Commander Lieutenant General, Wisdom Lopa commended Zambians living in Ethiopia for exhibiting the spirit of unity.

General Lopa said the team spirit among Zambians in Ethiopia has made them a shining example amongst other foreign nationals based in Ethiopia.

And Ambassador Muchanga urged Zambians living in Ethiopia to continue exhibiting traits of peace and unity, as Zambia is a beacon of peace in Africa.

General Lopa, Mr. Kabonde and Zambia Air-force Commander Andrew Sakala are in Ethiopia to attend the 7th Meeting of African Chiefs of Defense Staff and Heads of Security.

The Meeting is focusing on reviewing mechanisms that will make the African Standby Force operate effectively
[ ZANIS ]

Thandiwe,Mazombwe meet

Entertainment Editor
-
28
File:Cardinal Medardo Mazombwe celebrating his first mass as a cadinal in Lusaka

First Lady Thandiwe Banda this morning held a closed door meeting with Cardinal Medardo Mazombwe at State House.

Cardinal Mazombwe, who was accompanied by Vatican Ambassador to Zambia Nicola Girasoli held a meeting with the First Lady which lasted for about 30 minutes.

After meeting the First Lady, Cardinal Mazombwe also met President Rupiah Banda for a few minutes, shortly before leaving State House.

The former Lusaka ArchBishop was recently appointed by Cardinal by Pope Benedict the 16th, to become the first indigenous Zambian Catholic Cardinal .

And President Rupiah Banda recently praised Cardinal Mazombwe for the successfully campaigning for the cancellation of Zambia’s 6. 2 billion United States dollars foreign debt.

He said this in a speech read on his behalf by Vice President George Kunda, during the thanksgiving mass to celebrate Pope Benedict’s appointment of Cardinal MAZOMBWE over the weekend.

[ ZANIS ]

Ethiopia Stun Zambia

sports
-
44

Losing to Ethiopia 2-1 is a difficult result to swallow, Zambia assistant coach Lucky Msiska has conceded.

Ethiopia delivered the knockout blow on Zambia today in Dar-es-Salaam to eliminate Dario Bonetti’s side from this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

The defeat left Zambia’s 6-0 crushing of Somalia last Friday a mare distance mirage after Ethiopia’s dominating display against their opponents as frustrated Zambia was reduced to 10-men after midfielder Thomas Nyirenda was showed his second yellow card of the day.

“It is sad that we lost because we wanted to go all the way,” Msiska said from Dar-es-Salaam after the game. “We are disappointed; it is a difficult result to understand.”

Ethiopia punished Zambia with two first half goals to confine their opponent to a second successive elimination from the last eight of the Cecafa Cup after Zanzibar also did so last year.

Goals from Tesfaye Alebachew and Omodi Okwary in the 17th and 37th minutes respectively stunned Zambia whose consolation goal was scored by Felix Sunzu Junior in the 58th minute who exited the tournament on five goals.

Meanwhile, Zambia is tentatively expected back in the country on Wednesday but that is subject to seats being available on the Zambezi Airlines.

Stanbic opens in Livingstone

editor
-
6
File:Southern Province Permanent Secretary Gladys Kristafor

Southern Province has recorded growth of investments in the Banking sector owing to a number of economic developments that Government has embarked on in the region,Southern Province Permanent Secretary Gladys Kristafor has said.

Mrs Kristafor said a number of major players in the banking fraternity have extended their services to the Southern Province community in the recent two years because of the growing business potential of the tourism and entrepreneurship sector.

She was speaking during the official opening of Stanbic Bank Branch Office in Livingstone at the Mosi-o-Tunya Shopping Square today.

Mrs Kristafor said the competition in the banking sector will bring about easy accessibility of loans and other services among members of the business community in the province.

The Permanent Secretary,who mentioned a number of developmental projects going on in the Province said Livingstone is a fast growing town with the socio-economic standards of people improving each day.

Mrs Kristafor said one of the aids to trade that has facilitated the growth of the banking sector in the province has been the Zimba-Livingstone road.

Stanbic Bank Livingstone branch is the 17th in Zambia.

Stanbic Bank Managing Director,Dennis Kennedy said the commercial bank decided to open a branch in Livingstone to supplement Government’s efforts in the improvement of the tourism and business sector in Southern Province.

Mr.Kennedy said Stanbic Bank has seen a growing potential of financial demand in the tourism sector because of the economic development in the province.

The MD identified some the developmental projects that has influenced Stanbic Bank to open a branch in Livingstone as the rehabilitaion of Livingstone -Zimba road,the maintenance works done on the Livingstone -Sesheke road,the consturction of Kazungula bridge and the recent launch of a One-Stop Border post between Zambia and Namibia.

Mr.Kennedy disclosed that Stanbic Bank is set to open another branch in Choma and Mazabuka by January next year.

Meanwhile Livingstone Tourism Association(LTA)Chairperson,Kinsley Lilamuno has said the opening of Stanbic Bank would help to boast tourism in the town.

Mr.Lilamuno who was speaking on behalf of tour operators said in the previous years people in Livingstone only managed to access financial services for consumptive reasons as opposed to developmental purposes.

He said many companies in the tourism industry still struggle to access loans for business purposes because most banks offer prohibitive interest rates.

Stanbic Bank which is a subsidiary of Standard Bank Group of South Africa was earlier this year named the best bank in Africa for 2010 by The Banker -a journal on banking and finance industry.

Court acquits Regina Chiluba

editor
-
151

The Lusaka high court has quashed the conviction of former president Dr Fredrick Chiluba’s wife Regina who was convicted by a lower court on five counts of receiving stolen property.

Among the stolen properties Mrs Chiluba was suspected to have received is a Toshiba television a property of State House.

A panel of three judges, Evans Hamaundu, Catherine Makungu and Eddie Sikazwe made the ruling this morning.

In overturning her three-and-a-half years prison sentence they said there was no proof that her goods and cash were stolen nor obtained illegally
The court also ordered the forfeiture of properties, mostly on the Copperbelt, and a Toshiba television set.

Regina was facing three counts of failing to account for properties involving US$188,000 suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, and one count of failing to account for a motor vehicle in her possession.

The other charges were receiving a Toshiba 61-inch colour television set suspected to have been feloniously stolen or obtained and failing to account for cash amounting to K474 million suspected to have been stolen.

On March 2, 2010, Chief resident magistrate, Charles Kafunda, jailed Regina after he found her guilty on five counts of failing to account for properties suspected to have been stolen.

QFM

KCC grave diggers battered

Entertainment Editor
-
16

Some unruly Mulenga Township residents in Kitwe at the weekend beat up Kitwe City Council grave diggers at Chamboli Cemetery and grabbed picks and shovels from them after they were allegedly stopped from burying their colleague in the high cost burial site.

Kitwe Town Clerk Ali Simwinga said the “thugs” from Mulenga Township who were among mourners who had gone to bury their relative beat up the grave diggers after they were denied access to high cost site because they had not paid for any space there.

Mr Simwinga, who rushed to the cemetery said in Kitwe yesterday that all well-meaning Zambians should condemn the lawlessness exhibited by the youth.

“We all know that there are high-cost and low-cost sites at the cemetery, and to resort to such behaviour was the worst form of lawlessness.

“It is sad that some people could just wake up and decide to go and beat up people who were doing their work,” he said.
Mr Simwinga said it was unacceptable that while some people were desecrating graves, others had now resorted to attacking innocent workers at cemeteries.
[ Times Zambia ]

Fresh team to probe Ndola Girls sexual abuse claims

Entertainment Editor
-
11

THE Ndola District administration has constituted a fresh team of experts from various Government departments and other stakeholders to come up with a detailed report on the alleged sexual abuse of pupils at Ndola Girls Technical High School.

This follows the misgivings of parents over the authenticity of a report that would be produced by investigators from the office of the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS).

Ndola District Commissioner, Joshua Mutisa said in an interview in yesterday the anxious parents had wondered how the DEBS office would probe alleged misdeeds of their colleagues without being biased.

Mr Mutisa, who refused to disclose what had been established so far, said the findings of the DEBS team would now be treated as a preliminary report.

He said district administration authorities working in close collaboration with the provincial administration had resolved to constitute a comprehensive team of experts that would include officers from the social welfare department, child and youth development department in the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development, and Victims Support Unit of the Zambia Police Service, among others.

“What we want is a report which is not only based on the questioning of the suspected culprits.

“My view is that the experts should talk to all members of staff starting with the office orderly to the senior most employees during the investigations,” he said.

He said investigations were expected to be concluded within a period of 10 days to establish all the factors leading to the alleged abuse of girls.
[pullquote]“What we want is a report which is not only based on the questioning of the suspected culprits.

“My view is that the experts should talk to all members of staff starting with the office orderly to the senior most employees during the investigations,” he said.[/pullquote]
Three teachers accused of sexually molesting 36 girls at the school situated on the Ndola-Kitwe, next to the Dag Hammarskjoeld Memorial Site, were recently banned after Education Minister Dora Siliya ordered thorough investigations into the allegations.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Zambia has made great strides in malaria fight – Veep Kunda

editor
-
4

Vice President George Kunda says Zambia has made major progress in scaling up high impact interventions for combating malaria since the Heads of State Summit on malaria in Abuja, Nigeria in 2000.

Mr Kunda said the country has scaled up key interventions among them the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), distribution and use of Insecticide Treated Mosquito nets, case management and the Malaria in Pregnancy Programme.

He said the IRS which initially had been implemented in five urban districts as a pilot programme in 2003 has now been implemented in 54 of the 73 districts in the country.

The Vice President said government has since 2003 distributed over seven million mosquito nets to its citizens across the country, saying this has increased ownership of mosquito nets among citizens from 38 percent in 2006 to 64 percent this year.

He added that Zambia has also scaled up access to diagnostics and treatment of malaria at community level by using community health workers through home management of malaria and has also recorded an improvement in the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment from 59 percent in 2006 to 70 percent in 2010.

He said these interventions have resulted in the country recording a decline in malaria cases by 66 percent as highlighted in an assessment that was done by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2008.

Mr Kunda said with this achievement, Zambia has surpassed the set targets by the Abuja Declarations by Heads of States in 2000 of reducing malaria illnesses and deaths by 50 percent and the RBM goal of reducing the global malaria burden by 50 percent by 2010.

The Vice President was speaking in Lusaka today when he opened the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partnership board meeting at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka today.

Mr Kunda said that the country has recorded a reduction in severe anemia in children by 56 percent between 2006 and 2010 and malaria parasitaemia from 22 percent in 2006 to 16 percent in 2010.

He further stated that under-five mortality decreased from 168 deaths per 1000 live births in 2001 to 119 deaths per 1000 live births in 2007.

Mr Kunda said the Zambian government remains committed to fight malaria as evidenced by the strong political will and leadership, increased financial resources, strengthened and well coordinated partnership as well as enhanced community engagement.

And speaking earlier, RBM Partnership Executive Director Awa Marie Coll-seck praised Zambia for successfully implementing an effective malaria response.

Prof Coll-seck said Zambia now faces a promising future with regard to malaria control and the reduction of the number of malaria cases and deaths.

She said the country has achieved the 2010 RBM target of the Universal coverage as called for by the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Prof Coll-seck said the case of Zambia serves as an example not only for other countries in the region by sharing its best practices, but is also an inspiration for the partnership to reach the 2015 Millennium Development Goal targets.

ZANIS

Govt calls on COMESA to harmonise seed trade

editor
-
1

Government has called on the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region to harmonise seed trade across borders to remove obstacles to seed trade.

Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Permanent Secretary Abednego Banda says the seed industry in Eastern and Southern Africa is not very strong and posed challenges to small scale farmers.

He said small scale farmers in the region, who make up about 75 percent of the farmers, are being hindered from having quality seed and engaging in good agricultural practices that would help them increase crop production.

Mr. Banda said it is therefore imperative to have harmonized processes that will make the regional markets in Eastern and Southern Africa more attractive and viable.

Mr. Banda said this in a speech read for him by Director of Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Julius Shawa during the opening of the COMESA seed certification harmonization workshop in Lusaka yesterday.

He has also challenged the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) who are facilitating the workshop to work closely with relevant seed institutions in COMESA on the matter.

And ACTESA Acting Chief Executive Officer, Gizila Takavarasha said quality is the key to increased agricultural productivity.

Ms Takavarasha said lack of harmonized and rationalized seed trade in the region has also affected seed development in the COMESA region.

She has meanwhile commended Zambia for good policies which she says have helped enhance public and private seed initiatives to operate freely.

ZANIS

Zambezi River Basin Initiative Project Launch

editor
-
2

The Zambezi River Basin Initiative Project (ZRBIP) which seeks to reduce the impact of disasters and other challenges on communities living along the Zambezi River has been officially launched in Sesheke yesterday.

Officiating at the launch, Sesheke District Commissioner Mwiya Wanyambe expressed gratitude that the launch of the project comes barely seven months after the new Disaster Management Act was assented to by President Rupiah Banda.

Mr. Wanyambe explained that the new Disaster Management Act provides for the maintenance and operation of a system for the anticipation, preparedness, prevention, coordination, mitigation and management of disaster situations.

He said government is very excited at the initiatives being introduced by the Zambia Red Cross Society aimed at not only saving the lives of the most vulnerable communities but also promoting their dignity as well.

The District Commissioner stressed that the Zambia Red Cross Society has demonstrated to be a true partner to government in the humanitarian field adding that the Society has done a number of interventions in Sesheke where a number of communities have been assisted with farm inputs while orphans have been assisted with school requisites.

Mr. Wanyambe also mentioned that early this year, the Zambia Red Cross Society also played a pivotal role in the relocation of flood victims from flood areas of Lusaka to the temporal Independence camp site and managed the camp for five months in a very professional manner.

He said it is for this and many other reasons that for the first time in the history of the country, under the new Disaster Management Act that the Zambia Red Cross Society has been given a permanent seat on the newly created National Disaster Management Technical Committee largely because of the organization’s crucial role in disaster management programmes.

Mr. Wanyambe disclosed that other than Zambia, the Zambezi River Basin Initiative Project targets other countries like Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe adding that the project is targeting to reach more than 600, 000 acutely vulnerable people in the next three years.

He said the programme reflects a regional approach along the river basin recognizing that communities in the seven countries share many of the same challenges and resources and could therefore, benefit from similar solutions, including regional support systems for the provision of information, methods and tools and the sharing of the lessons learnt.

“We all know that the Zambezi River offers tremendous health, agricultural and economic benefits for the 32 million people living along its basin as a source of drinking water, fishing, irrigation, transport, hydro-electric power and tourism,” the District Commissioner explained.

Mr. Wanyambe however, said the Zambezi River is known for some of the most pronounced vulnerability in sub-Saharan Africa saying climate change coupled with environmental degradation has worsened the annual flooding seen along some stretches of the river displacing and affecting hundreds of thousands of people each year.

He said once the water recede, impoverished communities are then exposed to outbreaks of water borne diseases such as cholera and vector-borne diseases such as malaria adding that countries and communities along the Zambezi are also faced with exceedingly high rates of HIV infection and other communicable diseases.

Mr. Wanyambe said it is against this background that government fully welcomes and endorses this project by the Zambia Red Cross Society which will on the pilot basis be implemented in Sesheke and Kazungula Districts.

Earlier, Zambia Red Cross Society National President Kelvin Chiposwa said his organization will always work with government in handling cases of disasters in affected communities across the country.

At the same function, Zambia Red Cross Society Public Relation Manager James Zulu said in order to manage the project effectively, there is need to come up with a sustainable initiative to be driven by the people affected.

And in a vote of thanks, Sesheke Branch Red Cross President Masiliso Kufakwandi said there is need to work as a team in order to succeed in the implementation of activities under the Zambezi River Basin Initiative Project.

ZANIS

1...4,8574,8584,859...5,653Page 4,858 of 5,653

Company

Trending

Categories

© Lusaka Times