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Speaker of the National Assembly Amusa Mwanamwambwa
National Assembly Speaker Amusaa Mwanamwambwa has said he is not aware that the uniforms for the Zambia Police Service have changed.
Mr. Mwanamwambwa said if this was so, Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs would have to table it in Parliament to have the uniform gazzetted as well as other defence forces like the Zambia Army, Zambia National Services (ZNS), Zambia Airforce (ZAF), Prisons and Zambia Wildlife Aauthority (ZAWA).
Mr. Mwanamwambwa also said the uniforms for the rest of the defence forces should change.
ZANIS reports that the Speaker said this in Parliament in response to a point of order raised by one of the opposition Member of Parliament who asked if it was in order for the Minister of Home affairs to keep quiet and not inform the House that Uniforms for the Zambia Police Service have changed to blue from the current green and khaki colours.
“There is no obligation on that but if the line Ministry wants to sort out the uniform then the public should be informed. But if a Police Officer is in blue uniform manning a check point it requires gazetting in this House. Let Zambia Army, ZNS, ZAF, Prisons, and ZAWA also try to catch up….,” the Speaker said.
And the Speaker cautioned MPs against using ‘unnecessary titles’ and using unpalatable language during parliamentary debates.
In cautioning Mazabuka Central UPND MP, Garry Nkombo who addressed himself as ‘Professor’, Mr. Mwanamwambwa said Mr. Nkombo is not known as a Professor.
“There is no professor Nkombo in this House and secondly cynicism is not allowed in Parliament,” warned Mr. Mwanamwambwa.
Mr. Nkombo later withdrew the ‘Professor title’ but told the House that he was known by that title in his home village where he comes from.
“Mr. Speaker, Sir I withdraw my Professor title from this Parliament and replace it with Mister (Mr.),” Mr. Nkombo said.
The MMD says National Executive Committee (NEC) Interviewing Team will this weekend sit in Mpulungu district in the Northern Province where its preferred candidate will be named.
MMD Elections Chairman Mike Mulongoti says it has received applicants from its members with intentions to contest the Mpulungu Parliamentary seat.
Mr. Mulongoti told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the party was satisfied with the favourable response it was receiving from both the people and those wishing to contest on ruling party ticket.
“As a party, we are naming our candidate to contest the Mpulungu parliamentary seat this coming weekend. Our NEC Team will be travelling to Mpulungu to name our preferred candidate and we are happy with the response the MMD is receiving from the applicants,” he said.
And Mr. Mulongoti has disclosed that the ruling party will soon name its candidate to contest the Chilanga Parliamentary seat.
He explained that the MMD started the naming process very late and attributed the delay to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) declaring the seat as vacant very late.
And Mr. Mulongoti has dispelled media reports that MMD Northern Province Chairman Grievous Sikasote has been requested by the party to step down to enable him contest the Mpulungu seat.
He however said the MMD is a democratic party that allowed divergent views from the people.
The ECZ has set October 28, this year as the date for Parliamentary by-elections for both Chilanga and Mpulungu seats respectively.
The Mpulungu seat fell vacant following the death of area MP Mr. Chibombamilimo while the Chilanga seat fell vacant after the expulsion of area MP and former Finance and National Planning Minister Ng’andu Magande from the ruling MMD party for gross indiscipline.
Mr. Chibombamilimo who died in India after an illness was Deputy Minister of Energy and water Development.
FUS Rabat of Morocco caught Zanaco officials an aware with their early arrival on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s penultimate CAF Confederation Cup Group B match.
Zanaco officials were expecting FUS at midday on Wednesday but the Moroccans decided to travel to Lusaka 24 hours earlier than scheduled.
The Moroccan side landed just before 13:00 on a South African Airways flight on Tuesday.
Zanaco officials rushed to the airport after being alerted of the surprise arrival of their opponents this weekend whose Tuesday landing according to sources was known by FAZ.
FUS later undertook their first training session late on Tuesday afternoon at Barclays Sports Complex where they trained for an hour.
Third placed Zanaco are on four points from as many games played, host FUS at Nkoloma Stadium in a match Wedson Nyirenda’s side need to win to stay in the hunt for a semifinal place in this year’s Confederation Cup.
FUS currently lead Group B on 9 points and need just a draw away against Zanaco to book one of the top two places in their group to qualify for the semifinals to be played at the end of October.
The Zambian High Commission in New Delhi, India is now satisfied with sanitary conditions in lodging facilities at the Commonwealth village where Zambia has been allocated Tower 28.
The third inspection of the facilities conducted Tuesday afternoon revealed that the living quarters given to Zambia were now in a habitable state.
Acting High Commissioner to India Brigadier General Allan Kalebuka expressed happiness that the mission’s demands for adequate and quality accommodation for the Zambian contingent have finally been met.
This is contained in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka by first Secretary for Press to the Zambian High Commission in India Bwalya Nondo.
Mr. Nondo has since confirmed that Zambia’s contingent to the 19th Commonwealth games is expected in New Delhi tomorrow.
Vice President George Kunda is tomorrow expected to travel to Solwezi in North-Western Province where he would meet visiting King Mwata Yamvwa of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who is in the country for a visit with four other chiefs.
While in Solwezi, the Vice President is also expected to meet senior Government officials.
This is according to a media statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Senior Private Secretary to the Vice President, Kenneth Ngosa.
Mr. Kunda will be accompanied to the province by Presidential Affairs Minister Ronald Mukuma, Energy Minister, Kenneth Konga, Local Government and Housing Minister Eustarkio Kazonga, Gender Minister Sarah Sayifwanda and Southern Province Minister Elijah Muchima and some senior Government officials.
“The Vice President is tomorrow expected to travel to Solwezi in the North-Western province. Mr. Kunda will meet His Majesty Mwanta Yanvwa, other Royal highness and senior government officials in the province. He will be accompanied by some cabinet ministers including senior government officials,” Mr. Ngosa said.
The Vice President is expected back to Lusaka the same day.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Belgium Inonge Mbikutsita Lewanika has called on King Albert II of Belgium to use his royal influence to encourage Belgian investors to invest in Zambia.
Speaking shortly after presenting her credentials to the King at the royal palace just outside Brussels, Dr. Mbikutsita Lewanika also told the monarch that Zambia would further appreciate Belgian support for the education of women and children.
Dr Mbikusita Lewanika’s day with the monarch was characterised by equal pomp, an elaborate ceremony where she was escorted from her residence by a royal motorcade.
The Ambassador who was clad in an authentic Lozi royal ‘’Musisi’’ was received at the palace by trumpet sounds with 30 horsemen around the motorcade.
And King Albert thanked Zambia for her hospitality to refugees and its role in the Congo peace process.
The King called on the Ambassador to explain to the Belgians Zambia’s potential.
He said she should share the African experience on women involvement in development and peace process.
He has further called on Zambia not to relent in its pursuit of peace in the Great Lakes Region.
And at her residence in Brussels, the Zambian embassy expressed delight at the ambassador.
Embassy Minister Counsellor, Henry Mbushi said the presentation of credentials would enable Dr. Mbikutsita Lewanika work tirelessly for the Zambian embassy.
Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has implored striking resident doctors at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) to leave politics out of the health sector and immediately resume work.
And Lieutenant General Shikapwasha has expressed sadness saying the doctors have breached the Industrial Act.
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, challenged the doctors to immediately resume work as Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao was addressing their matter.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha accused the doctors of having been sponsored by the opposition to discredit Government’s achievements scored in the Ministry of Health.
He reminded the health personnel to adhere to their calling of saving lives as opposed to being used as ‘conduits for political minions.
“My plea to the Doctors at UTH is that they should remove politics out of the health sector. The strike action is illegal and as Government we are saddened by the development,” he said.
Resident doctors at the largest health institution in the country, UTH have downed tool pressing for better conditions of service.
And Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha has lashed out at National Revolution Party leader Dr. Cosmo Mumba who is reportedly to have said that President Rupiah Banda and the entire Cabinet should resign on moral grounds because of what he said Government failure to run the country.
The Chief Government Spokesperson reminded Dr. Mumba to visit some of the developments Government had embarked on across the country in the health, education, tourism, mining and agriculture key sectors unlike speaking from what he termed as a ‘frustrated’ point of view.
“It is not true that Government has failed to address some of the contentious issues of political governance, economical and social issues but as Government, we are on track. It is surprising that Dr. Mumba has got no ears and eyes to see what government is delivering to the Zambian people.
Information Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha : MISA report is inaccurate and biased.
MISA Zambia 2010 report has revealed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services is the most secretive government institution for having an outdated website and failure to respond to written requests.
The 2010 report on the Most Open and Secretive government institutions in Zambia revealed that none of the government and public institutions qualified to be awarded the most open.
It also pointed out that out of the government line ministries; which include Ministry of Education, Transport and Communication, Finance and National Planning, Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) and Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ as a public institution) surveyed non of them qualifies to be the most open.
Launching the Report in Lusaka today, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Interim Chairperson Fanwell Tembo said the research conducted indicates that the Ministry of Education could have been the most open institution for 2010 if it had not failed to provide functional website which he described was the major criteria for the research.
Mr Tembo disclosed that Ministry of Education was closer to openness and responded to the citizen’s request for information despite not having a functional website.
He named the Ministry of Communications and Transport, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, and ECZ for the well resourced websites which he said were bent on providing the public with necessary and useful information.
He noted that had the three institutions provided information to those who may not have access to ICTs through proactive disclosure and responded to written requests, they would have been among the most open.
[pullquote]He accused MISA personnel of diverting public attention from the problems, the organisation was facing.[/pullquote]
ECZ scooped this year’s newly added award called e-Governance Award, which was for institutions utilising Information Communication Technology (ICTs) for the better provision of information to the public.
But Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has described the MISA report as inaccurate and biased. Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha challenged MISA-Zambia to sort out its internal wrangles first than ‘witch’ hunting. Commenting on the Report released to the media today, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha dismissed the report saying it lacked accuracy and was unfounded.
He accused MISA personnel of diverting public attention from the problems, the organisation was facing.
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said MISA was being insincere by choosing to overlook positive developments, policies, and legislatives that Government had continued to undertake and to enhance public access to information.
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said in a statement released today that: “it was clear from the tone of the report that MISA’s primary aim was malice and ill will against government.”
[pullquote]Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said in a statement released today that: “it was clear from the tone of the report that MISA’s primary aim was malice and ill will against government.”[/pullquote]
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister noted that information was the primary product of any media organisation adding that the multiplicity of media houses was an indication that information was not only available but also accessible with Government being a principal source.
He said efforts and measures taken by Government in information provision confirm its unwavering commitment to facilitating the growth of the media and information sector in the country for a well informed populace.
He said Government appreciated the important role information played in national development and that it would continue working and investing in the media industry to ensure an informed and enlightened society.
Government will spend K5 billion towards the installation of 52 transmitters country-wide under the Rural Television Project.
And Government has said the Rural Television (TV) project which is in phase 4 and allocated to the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) would enable 13 stations to be earmarked for Digital Migration project.
Information Deputy Minister Angela Chifire disclosed in Parliament today that ZNBC would soon start the procurement processes and that the funds include the purchase of television transmitters under the Rural Tv project.
ZANIS reports that Ms Chifire said in accordance with the ZNBC planning provision of TV service, the Musonda falls which also comprises of the 13 TV relay stations had been planned for.
She said the average cost of each of the phase 4 rural TV sites is U$$25,000, an equivalent of about K125 million.
The Deputy Minister was responding to a question by Chipili PF MP Davies Mwila who wanted to know when ZNBC will extend its television coverage to the Musonda falls in Luapula Province and what caused the delay in introducing TV coverage to the area.
Ms Chifire, however, bemoaned lack of funds to expedite the installation process but reiterated Government’s commitment to providing quality television programming to the people in the nation.
And Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Deputy Minister Vera Tembo today told Parliament that Government approved a K6.050 billion budget for the Forestry Development Credit Facility (FDCF) Programmes between 2006 and 2007.
Ms Tembo said of the funds, K3.333 billion was released to her ministry adding that in 2008, the FDCF was discontinued after the establishment of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC)
Ms Tembo, however, said there were no successful applicants who accessed the funds from 2006 to 2008 because the Credit facility was transferred to the Commission.
She was responding to a question by Katanshi Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament (MP) Yamfwa Mukanga who wanted to find out the total funding to the facility programme from 2006 to 2008 and the number of successful applicants who accessed the fund during the same period.
Commerce Deputy Minister Lwipa Puma told Parliament that the Commission has utilised K111.5 billion so far.
Dr Puma said his ministry was now working on easing modalities to the form which required people to fill in when accessing the funds from the Commission in adherence to President Rupiah Banda when he recently opened the Fifth Session of the Tenth National Assembly.
And Vice President George Kunda emphasised that the CEEC encompasses all areas of economic development in its quest to improve the livelihood of the Zambian people.
Mr Kunda said the Commission was a clear testimony of one of the long term measures by Government in alleviating poverty among the people.
President Rupiah Banda has made changes to his Government by transferring three Cabinet ministers.
And President Banda has appointed Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General Chriticles Mwansa as new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The President has transferred Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Peter Daka to the Ministry of Science Technology and Vocational Training where he has taken over from Dr Brian Chituwo.
Dr Chituwo has been transferred to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing taking over from Dr Eustarcio Kazonga who has also been moved to the Ministry of Agriculture.
This is contained in statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relation Dickson Jere.
Mr Banda has appointed Chriticles Mwansa as Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Science and Technology.
He has also transferred Science, Technology and Vocational PS Sherry Thole to the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.
Ms Thole takes over from Tiens Kapoma who was until now the PS while Mr. Kapoma will be redeployed within the Public Service.
The transfers are with immediate effect.
[ ZANIS ]
THE Central Statistical Office (CSO) recruiting Supervisors and Enumerators for 2010 national census. Here, applicants line up to tender their applications at the office of the District Commissioner-2
By Wesley Ngwenya
I have been privileged to have previously participated in the Population and Housing Census of 1990. I was only grade eleven by then. Those of us who were recruited were purely given the jobs on merit. There could have been a few who were there because they knew someone. Overall, the recruiting was very transparent where we even had to write a test as part of the interview process. I remember the K4000 I made that August holiday was so sweet. It was my first salary ever.
Twenty years later the ball game has changed. There are hundreds of thousands more people who are unemployed and are interested in participating either as Enumerators or as Supervisors. The selection process has equally changed. Now, it is done through District Commissioners who are appointed by the president and oftentimes belong to the ruling party.
In Lusaka alone, over five thousand applications were submitted to the DC’s office. According to my source, the MMD through the Lusaka Province Chairman, William Banda, submitted about two thousand names. Then there were ministers, deputy ministers, permanent secretaries and the like who each brought about five names. In the end, the job winners were only two thousand—a coincidence to the two thousand names submitted by “honorable” Banda? I don’t think so.
In Kafue, over nine hundred applications were submitted and only less than three hundred selected. I am sure there is a similar pattern, with statistics, all over the country as far as the number of applications submitted and those accepted. Is this telling us something on the state of affairs in this country? Yes, it does. The unemployment rate has risen so much in this country to uncontrollable levels.
One young man who applied as an Enumerator in Lusaka showed me his grade twelve results. He had all distinctions. He met all the other requirements. Does it mean all those given the jobs had the same or better results than this young man? I very much doubt that. The lack of jobs in Zambia has left many people wonder about on the streets doing nothing. Many of these people are told to do something. What can they do if they cannot access finance, have no housing, have no food, etc? Many graduates are languishing the streets hoping someone can give them a buck or two. Meanwhile, their so called president and his buddies are busy flying all over and telling us there is no money.
We spent so much...Justice deputy minister Todd Chilembo explaining how much government paid foreign and local lawyers at the taskforce on corruption
The Zambia land alliance ZLA has charged that the perception created by government’s decision to remove the abuse of office clause from the anti corruption commission ACC act will leave a negative dent on the fight against corruption.
ZLA executive director, Henry Machina disclosed that the decision will soon have devastating effects on the already porous system of land allocation in the country.
Mr. Machina told QFM in an interview that there had already been serious allegations of theft and crookedness in the land allocation process in the country.
He said the removal of one of the most significant deterrents of such behaviors by those heading over public institutions and departments, will only worsen the situation.
Mr Machina added that it would lead to further inequity in land allocation too.
Mr. Machina said that government should have been discreet enough to ensure that the clause stays within the ACC act and that the removal of the clause is currently tantamount to having legalized corruption in this country.
Mr. Machina was Commenting on the government’s removal of the abuse of office offence from the revised ACC Act.
PF leader Michael Sata
United Party for National Development (UPND) National youth coordinator, Joe Kalusa has said Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata is a “tired old man” who should never be allowed to rule this country.
Mr Kalusa also described as insulting and disappointing the statement by Patriotic Front (PF) National youth Secretary Eric Chanda, that Michael Sata is more popular than Hakainde Hichilema.
Mr Chanda has been quoted in a daily tabloid as having stated that the UPND’s claim for the Pact presidency beats common sense because the PF leader is more popular that the UPND one.
[pullquote]He has also accused the PF of “sugar coating” its stay in the pact adding that the recent suspension given to Mr Chanda was just a way of hoodwinking the UPND.
[/pullquote]
The UPND National youth chairperson said things are not alright in the pact and the PF should take responsibility for the predicament that the pact has found itself in because they are the ones who have continued attacking the UPND leader.
Mr Kalusa said the PF general secretary, Winter Kabimba has contributed to the killing the pact.
The pact leadership has remained mute over the wrangles despite calls by various stakeholders that they speak out and be heard to provide harmony to the shaky political marriage the two parties have gone into.
He has also accused the PF of “sugar coating” its stay in the pact adding that the recent suspension given to Mr Chanda was just a way of hoodwinking the UPND.
But Mr Kalusa last week showered words of praise on Mr Sata stating that he was equally good to stand as the 2011 elections candidate.
