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THE Road Development Agency (RDA) board of directors has sent chief executive officer Erasmus Chilundika and three other senior managers on forced leave to pave way for investigations into allegations of mismanagement of resources.
RDA board chairperson Luambe Mondoloka announced in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday that the four were sent on forced leave based on consideration of the Auditor Generals report covering the period 2005 to 2008.
Mr Mondoloka named other officers sent on forced leave as senior manager construction and maintenance Stephen Malubila, senior manager planning and design Daniel Mulonga and manager procurement Charles Mushota.
He said the decision to send the quartet on forced leave was arrived at following a special board meeting held in Lusaka on Monday.
“Other reasons that have been cited for the action include: the parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) recommendations regarding the disregard for the 2008 Annual Work Plan resulting in over commitment of the Zambian Government K1 trillion, the non observance of Acts governing the sector, procurement irregularities and unsubstantiated payments to contractors,” he said.
Mr Mondoloka said senior manager technical and commercial services Nason Balashi would act as chief executive officer for administrative convenience.
Mr Mondoloka said the relevant sub committees of the RDA board had started meeting from yesterday to deliberate issues surrounding this development.
He said the committees were expected to report back to the main board on October 12 with appropriate recommendations.
Example of a Mobile Hospital recently donated to Zambia
Vision 2011 has observed with great concern the misconception by opposition political parties and some members of the society on the procurement of mobile hospitals by government.
Vision 2011 Executive Director Patrick Mukosha said it very saddening that the opposition and some people do not appreciate the mobile hospitals that the state has bought.
In a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday, the Vision 2011 Executive Director said the mobile hospitals were part developmental programmes that the government was undertaking.
He added that the mobile hospitals would work in the interest of the most disadvantaged especially in most parts of the rural areas.
Mr. Mukosha said the problem was that certain people were quick to condemn and criticize government and say it was a sheer waste of resources without analyzing the idea behind such an acquisition.
He was quick to note that the Vision 2011 was pleased that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has a technical team capable medical personnel who shall ensure that the mobile hospitals are operated and utilized efficiently and effectively.
Expelled Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo
The National Youth League (NYL) has challenged expelled Kafulafuta Member of Parliament and former Defense Minister George Mpombo to come out in the open and declare himself a Patriotic Front (PF) member.
And the NYL says it is happy with the manner in which President Rupiah Banda in has maturely handled criticisms by sections of society .
The organization’s Secretary General Lucky Soko charged that Mr. Mpombo is being used as a pawn to smear propaganda exhibiting traits of hatred, bitterness and jealous on President Rupiah Banda’s government.
Mr. Soko says it is unfortunate that Mr. Mpombo who had a good time during the tenure of government would like to blind himself to the fact that there has been a change of leadership style in the country to that of President Banda.
In a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Soko said It was very interesting to note that Mr. Mpombo who has been portrayed by the Post as ‘Brave’ has actually proved to be a coward.
“It is an open secret that Mr. Mpombo was favoured by the late President Mwanawasa’s administration but it could be wise enough for him to realize that status quo has changed for him. Let Mr. Mpombo come out in open and declare himself a PF sympathizer,” Mr. Soko said.
He claimed that Mr. Mpombo has been portrayed by the Post Newspaper a ‘Brave’ but actually proved a coward who is dead afraid of running for a by election on PF ticket of which he is currently a member.
Mr. Soko reminded Mr. Mpombo that he was expelled from the MMD Party for gross indiscipline and failure to respect party rules and procedures and the NYL finds it immature for Mr. Mpombo to comment on MMD issues.
“The National Youth League finds the behavior of Mr. Mpombo to be childish and immature which is nothing short of that of a toddler. Mr. Mpombo at his age is expected to show maturity and not bitterness as a result of loss of pecuniary benefits as a result of change of government. Mr. Mpombo needs to realize that Mr. Banda is the Head of State for 12 million Zambians” he said.
According to Mr. Soko he named education, road infrastructure, the Farmer Input Fertilizer Programme as some of the notable economic development achievements set in place by the MMD government’s good policies.
The American Central Intelligence Agency -CIA- has ranked Zambia’s economic performance in 2009 as number 15 in the world.
According to the CIA fact book which gives data on all countries, Zambia’s 6.3 percent growth rate in 2009 was the 15th best in the world.
Zambia’s performance was far much higher than that of regional economic giant South Africa, whose negative one percent growth in 2009 was ranked at number 145.
Zambia like many other countries in the world experienced the effects of the Global Financial Crisis during the period in question, but managed to register substantial economic growth.
[ ZNBC ]
President Rupiah Banda has declared Thursday 23 September 2010 as a day of National morning in honor of the late Special Envoy and National Coordinator for the Great Lakes Region and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Siteke Mwale from 06:00 hours to 18: 00 hours .
This is according to a press statement made available to ZANIS by Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja in Lusaka yesterday.
Dr Kanganja said during this period of national mourning, all flags will fly at half mast and activities of an entertainment nature should be postponed or cancelled during the period .
Radio and Television Stations should play solemn music during the period of National mourning
The late Dr Mwale‘s funeral church service will be held at Cathedral of the Holy Cross and all mourners should be seated by 09:30 hours after which burial will take place at the old leopards hill Memorial park
Dr Siteke Mwale passed away after an illness on Sunday 19th September 2010 at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka .
UNIP LOGO
Several political parties in the country are already expressing their confidence and readiness of winning the Chilanga parliamentary by-election slated for October 28.
Among these is the former ruling but now renamed as United National Independent Party (UNIP) which rates its chances of scooping the seat very highly asserting that no other party is as popular in Chilanga as it is.
UNIP Secretary General Jemimah Banda told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that her party is confident of victory adding that it would leave no stone unturned to ensure it grabbed the Chilanga seat.
Mrs Banda said her party has embarked on a vigorous preparation exercise since area MP Ng’andu Magande was expelled by the ruling MMD.
“Immediately we heard that MMD had expelled (Mr ) Magande from the party and he accepted the expulsion, that was the time we started preparing ourselves for the Chilanga by-election”, she said.
She said the party’s internal organs have been to all the wards in Chilanga identifying possible candidates that are to be adopted to contest and out rightly win the elections.
Mrs Banda has since revealed that the party has so far received two applications from would be candidate but stressed that many more are in the process of applying.
She said UNIP has done its homework and would continue doing so until the by-elections are held to ensure a landslide victory.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set October 28 as the date for voting in the Chilanga parliamentary by-election, necessitated by the expulsion of Ng’andu Magande from the MMD.
UPND CadresPressure has continued being mounted on embattled UPND Namwala Member of Parliament, Major Robbie Chizyuka to step down and join MMD.
UPND cadres marched to Parliament on Tuesday to air their demands, charging that Major Chizyuka is not a member of parliament claiming he has continued insulting the party president Hakainde Hichilema.
The cadres who were led by UPND Lusaka Province Chairperson Shell Mulyata demanded that the UPND Namwala MP joins the ruling MMD.
Police in riot gear, however, blocked the irate placard carrying cadres who wanted to meet the embattled MP at Parliament buildings.
Major Chizyuka has fallen out of favor with his party for strongly opposing the UPND/PF pact.
[ MUV TV ]
Zanaco returned home today from Tunisia with coach Wedson Nyirenda declaring that it was win or bust in their penultimate Caf Confederation Cup Group B clash against leaders FUS Rabat of Morocco.
Zanaco host FUS on October 2 at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka in a match the home side must win to stand a chance of finishing second in Group B to stay in the hunt for a historic semifinal place.
“I think there will be nothing like a draw nothing like a loss, there is no excuses but to win at home,” Nyirenda said whose side was beaten 2-1 away by second placed Sfaxien on Friday in Tunisia.
“They (FUS) have nine points but I think at home, We just have to carry the day. ”
The two sides first Group B meeting finished 1-0 in favor of FUS in Rabat last month.
Meanwhile, FUS maintained top spot in Group B after a 2-1 away win over Egyptian club Haras el Hodod on Sunday in Alexandria and need just a point against Zanaco next weekend in Zambia to book their semifinal place in the Confederation Cup.
A 34 year old man of Zambezi district in North-western province died on the spot in a crocodile attack.
Alex Kang’ombe of Mayeng’u area in Mazaza village in senior Chief Nshima’s area in Chitokoloki Sub-Boma mate his fate when the banana boat he was in capsized on the Zambezi river.
The incident occurred over the weekend around 16 : 30 hours when Alex was fishing in Zambezi river.
Both Zambezi District Commissioner (DC) Bisalom Luwaile and the father to the deceased, Mr Kang’ombe Kang’ombe confirmed the incident in separate interviews with ZANIS in Zambezi district.
They narrated to ZANIS that Alex, who suffered several body injuries, died at Chitokoloki Mission hospital.
The deceased body was retrieved on Sunday but unfortunately he died on the same day of profusely bleeding.
“Yes, I can confirm that my son Alex lost his private parts and died in Chitokoloki Mission hospital after he was caught by the crocodile on a fishing spree on the Zambezi river. We burried Alex over the weekend,” Mr. Kang’ombe said.
Mr Luwaile has appealed to the Zambia Wilde life Authority (ZAWA) to consider cropping the reptiles in the crocodile infested river.
Mr Luwaile said barely a month passes without the animals claiming a life in the district.
“ZAWA should crop the crocodiles because it is finishing our population. People are afraid of doing household chaos on the Zambezi river,” Mr. Luwaile lamented.
Efforts by ZANIS to get a comment from ZAWA failed because the phone was allegedly not being answered by the authorities.
Electoral Commission of Zambia ( ECZ ) has extended the mobile Voter Registration exercise for a period of 72 days.
The Commission says it continue with the exercise from the 19th September up to the 30th November, 2010.
The ECZ explained that the exercise has been extended in order to meet the targeted number of 2.5 million new applicants in the voters register.
This is contained in a press release made available to Zanis by ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna in Lusaka today.
Mr Akufuna said that the commission has also observed that most people did not have the Green National Registration card which is a pre-requisite for one to qualify to register as a voter.
He noted that during the extended period of registration of Voters , the Commission will work with the department of the National D.N.R to ensure that more people are issued with NRCs to enable them register as voters.
Mongu Diocese Bishop Paul Duffy (right) Church-state tensions have escalated over a U.S.-born bishop’s statement that the people of his diocese felt it was an appropriate time to change the government.
Members of the government’s Movement for Multiparty Democracy has threatened to “physically harm” the bishop if he does not apologize for his remarks, while the Zambian bishops’ conference and individual priests have defended the prelate.
Bishop Paul Duffy of Mongu said Sept.3 that the general feeling of the people he interacted with in his diocese was that Zambian President Rupiah Banda’s government should be voted out of office next year because it has failed to improve their living conditions.
“Here in Western province, people think it is time for change,” Bishop Duffy told a reporter from the Post, the country’s leading daily tabloid.
Government spokesman Ronnie Shikapwasha accused the bishop of “being used by opposition political parties” to campaign against “a popularly elected government,” and others asked him to apologize.
On Sept 13, senior Movement for Multiparty Democracy officials, referring to themselves as the “MMD crack squad,” threatened to travel to Mongu to “physically harm” Bishop Duffy.
Bishop Duffy, 78, said he owed no one any apology over the statement because he was merely voicing the people’s feelings.
“Why should I apologize? Moreover, I have received a lot of solidarity messages over my statement,” said Bishop Duffy, who was born in Norwood, Mass., and has worked in Zambia for 26 years.
On Sept. 13, Bishop George Lungu of Chipata, president of the Zambian bishops’ conference, said the president deserved to know the truth about the state of the nation through listening to credible people like bishops who are in constant touch with the people.
“I deeply sympathize with my brother bishop with regard to reactions which his statement has elicited … but as bishops and shepherds of the people, our prophetic voice is motivated by our divine obligation and wish to see (the) government do better and succeed,” he said.
“This has nothing to do with any perceived dislike or preferences for any particular sitting president or government,” Bishop Lungu added. “The collective voice of bishops, speaking on behalf of the Catholic Church in Zambia, is always clear … when we speak as bishops, our message is distinct.”
Oblate Father Godfrey Mpundu, the order’s treasurer general, said the government was using the “so-called ‘crack squad'” to wage violent attacks on people with divergent views and those who wanted to promote the common good in the nation by criticizing the wrongs of the movement.
He urged the police to take seriously the threats on the bishop’s life, and he called on Catholics in the Mongu Diocese to be on alert and ensure that Bishop Duffy is protected from disgruntled political cadres.
Meanwhile, Caritas Zambia condemned the ruling party’s threats on Bishop Duffy’s life and expressed shock at the police’s lack of action on the perpetrators of such criminal acts.
“Caritas Zambia will not sit and watch ruling party officials insult Bishop Duffy, who works tirelessly to uplift the lives of people in the diocese,” said a Sept. 17 Caritas statement. “Every person has the right to expression, which should be respected as contained in the laws of Zambia.”
Milimo Mwiba, the head of Caritas Zambia’s justice and peace unit, said the threats demonstrate “the growing intolerance to divergent views as we approach the 2011 general elections.”
“It is a fact that Western province still remains one of the poorest provinces in Zambia. Yes, people are tired, and someone has to stand up for them; this is what the bishop has been doing and will continue to do,” Mwiba said of Bishop Duffy, who heads the board of Caritas Zambia.
The Bank of Zambia (BOZ ) has advised the general public to only deal with licensed micro financing institutions to avoid being exploited and falling victim to fraudsters
Bank of Zambia Non-Banks Financial Institutions Supervision (NBFIS) department officer Moonga Mizinga said the central bank has adequate mechanisms in place to regulate the micro-finance institutions and protect customers from being exploited.
Mr Mizinga said it was for this reason that members of the public must only borrow from institutions licensed by Bank of Zambia because they operate under set procedure and could be held liable if they are exploiting clients.
He was speaking in Mansa during a financial education meeting held at Mansa Hotel yesterday.
Mr Mizinga also urged Mansa residents to report any unlicensed institution that is lending money to the general public or asking people to deposit money with it.
He said the central bank issues licenses to all non-bank financial institutions after assessing their viability, and all institutions that have its mandate are required to display an original or copy of the license issued by Bank of Zambia.
Mr Mizinga also disclosed that all individual money lenders who have financial capital of above K25 million are supposed to register with the central bank, adding that those who have lend out at that threshold but have not obtained a license are illegally carrying out their business.
Meanwhile acting senior inspector for NBFIS department Sylvester Mutale also cautioned members of the public not to be enticed to give out their money as down payments to any financial institutions that promise to be lending loans.
He said there have been cases in the country in which people have been swindled by financial institutions that have disappeared after collecting a lot of money from members of the public on the pretext that it would issue them with loans.
It also came to light during the one day financial education meeting that an unlicensed micro-financing institution is reported to be going round collecting money from traders with a view of giving them loans.
The participants said the named financial institution is asking for 15 percent down payment for a loan of K100,000.00 which the traders have to repay in installments of K15,000.00 within seven days.
In response, Mr. Mizinga said he does not remember any financial institution by the name of Montice being registered by the central bank and promised that the department was to do its home work and investigate the matter.
The Bank of Zambia team comprising Non-Bank Financial Institution Supervisory Department employees is on a tour of Luapula province conducting financial education meetings targeted at people in the formal and informal sector.
The team held its first meeting in Mansa and will hold similar meetings in three other districts which include Kawambwa, Nchelenge and Samfya.
Zambia national team will set up training camp in Italy starting on October 2.
The week-long training camp will be held in Bologna that will be used by the team to prepare for their 2012 Africa Cup Group C qualifier against Libya to be played in Tripoli during the weekend of October 8-10.
Coach Dario Bonetti is back in Italy organizing for the training camp after overseeing Zambia’s 1-0 win over Yemen in a friendly game last Saturday.
The team is due to leave Lusaka on October 2 with home-based players while the foreign based players will join the team on the 4th in Bologna.
Zambia currently lead Group C on three points, while Libya and Mozambqiue are on one points following their scoreless draw ain Maputo on September 5 on the same day Bonetti’s team beat bottom placed Comoros 4-0 in Lusaka.
Friendly International
18/09/2010
Sanaa
Yemen 0- Zambia 1(Rainford Kalaba ?”)
CAF Confederation Cup
Group B
17/09/2010
Sfax
CS Sfaxien 2( Ibrahima Toure 26″, Uche Agba 61″)- Zanaco 1(Henry Banda 43″)
Former State House Press Aide Richard Sakala is seeking a court order to have his OMEGA Television Station re-opened.
Mr Sakala has argued that the closure of OMEGA TV was illegal, unconstitutional and a severe derogation from the principles of good governance and democracy.
He claimed that he was not given an opportunity to defend the closure of his TV Station in 2002.
This is according to a petition filed in the Lusaka High Court.
Mr Sakala has claimed that government concealed the reasons for closing his TV Station.
He is claiming compensation for the loss incurred due to the closure of OMEGA TV.
Second Republican President Frederick Chiluba has described as liars, people claiming that President Rupiah Banda is enjoying achievements of past leaders.
Dr Chiluba says President Banda has drawn the attention of critics because of his hard work.
The former President says Mr Banda is following up on the aspirations for a better country, as contained in the MMD manifesto.
Dr Chiluba was speaking to ZNBC news in Lusaka Monday.
He said that President Banda has worked extra hard in his two years in office as President.
He has urged the media and the Ministry of information to help publicise the achievements made by the MMD government.
