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AFRICAN Rainbow Minerals (ARM) is set to create about 3,000 jobs at its new mine in the north of Chingola where construction for the production of copper by 2015 has started.
Mines and Minerals Development minister Maxwell Mwale said in an interview in Lusaka that the company would start producing copper in the next five years.
The minister said construction has already started at Konkola North to produce 45,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate in the first phase of the project but this would increase in the second phase to 100,000 tonnes.
And ARM executive chairperson said in a media release on its website that the company was building the new mine in the country with its partner, Vale and described the project as exciting to its diverse commodity portfolio.
The partners had a three-year exploration programme to supply material into that expansion.
The two mining firms were in talks with Mopani Copper Mines, Chambishi Copper Mines and Vedanta Mineral Resources to treat their concentrate.
ARM and Vale spent 18 months studying the copper market and the expectation was for them to grow.
The price of a three-month copper contract on the London Metal Exchange rose 9.75 to 7314,25 a tonne last week.
The reason for the anticipated rapid growth at the new mine was that Anglo American operated Konkola until the late 1950s, when it sunk a 420m-deep shaft there.
ARM and Vale hope to rehabilitate and re-equip the mine, which was forecast to have a life span of 28 years.
Second Republican President Dr Frederick Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba urged Zambians to avoid misinterpreting the former president’s recent statement that he is smiling over the decision by the High court not to register the London judgment.
Mr Mwamba said what Dr Chiluba meant by saying that he is smiling is that he had maintained his innocence from the first day he was taken to court.
Mr Mwamba said Dr Chiluba smiled even the first day he appeared in court when the charges against him were being readout to him because he knew he was innocent.
He described the former president as a positive person who brings positive drama in every situation.
Mr Mwamba said his statement that he was smiling after the decision by the High court to throw out the London judgment should not bring controversy.
Speaking in an interview with QFM, Mr Mwamba added that Dr.Chiluba has always been joyful and cheerful.
He further said that Dr Chiluba remained optimistic that his legacy will be restored as time goes on.
[ QFM ]
President Rupiah Banda with Chinese deputy minister of Foreign Affairs at Beijing International Airport in china on his arrival
By Daimone Siulapwa
Ever wondered why the Chinese are willing to pay so much for a small piece of land? Well, it is now common knowledge in Zambia that if you want to sell your piece of land, just look for the Chinaman. They will pay top price for it.
But the million dollar question is whether they are really paying top price? And if the answer is in the affirmative, then we ask must ourselves WHY?
Trade and investments have in the recent times been the main drivers of the Sino-Zambia relations. In fact, that is the case for most African countries. China as an emerging global economic powerhouse is interested in securing primary products such as copper to feed its industries.To ensure that it has first consideration ahead of the West, it has increased its aid to Africa, increased preferential loans, eliminated tariffs on more than 500 products from Africa and have canceled more than $2 billion of debt from over 30 African countries.
These offers from China have made headlines in most African countries.
Just recently in Zambia, the head line was “Chinese Bank to lend ZESCO $430 million”. Most African countries are happy to receive the aid from China because it comes without conditions attached to it. The only one, which in any case carries little significance is that the country severs formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, regarded by mainland China as a renegade province.
For many African countries, that is nothing compared with array of economic benefits they are likely to get from China and far less daunting than a number of liberal economic policies and standards of governance now required by traditional donors.
However, there is a flip side of this.
Experts are warning that these interest free but massive loans African countries such as Zambia are getting from China could saddle African economies with a new generation of unsustainable debts. Well, perhaps China is prepared to write-off these loans again.
But how is Africa paying China back for its hospitality?
This is what I personally think is happening.
China will give the Government /Zesco a loan to do ABC. The money will come in the country. China will then re-commend a Chinese company to do the job. The Chinese company will receive payment and that money will be sent back to China, as that is were all materials will be coming from.
What they are simply doing is selling us material, labour and technology.
Or else, do you think that China would agree to give Zambia a huge loan then allow it to bring the Americans to come and build, say, a hydro-power station?
The answer is NEVER, and a big one for that matter.
Still, Zambia should start looking at ways in which it can get maximum benefits from China. Basically, the relations between China and Africa are based on the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which it must be admitted, has created new opportunities and challenges in the country’s development effort. At work cost, we are yet to see. I hope we are not selling the souls of our children and grand children. GOD FORGIVE US.
According to experts, the opportunity created includes tapping into China’s experience in acquiring technology and financial resources needed to scale up the country development effort while the challenge lies in turning and regulating Chinese interests in the country to the mutually benefit of both China and Zambia without endangering the country’s social-cultural heritage and environment.
However, there is great concern that Zambia will not get the expected benefits.
A study by Naidu and Davies (2006) examined critically China’s acquisition of and investment in Africa’s natural resource sector and the short to medium term political, economic, social and environmental implications.
The main findings are that China’s engagement with Africa is full of contradictions.
For instance, African producers have been marginalized and displaced from the market because of the influx of Chinese goods. This we know, at least from the Zambian perspective, to be true.
Further, as consumers, these same individuals have gained because of the affordability of Chinese goods.
However, as China entrenches itself within production of high-tech goods, these same consumers will not be able to afford to purchase such goods as their livelihoods would be eroded by Chinese goods.
These are the challenges that the country faces. But the main challenge is in addressing them.
Zambia’s presidency and presidents have dominated much of post-colonial analysis of politics and history. This is very well understood, considering the power that the presidency wields and the central role that it plays in the political and economic life of the nation. As such, political leadership in Zambia has been discussed from the ambit of its presidents and the times they lived and ruled. As such we categorise Zambian political history in terms of the Kaunda Era, the Chiluba Era, the Mwanawasa Era or indeed the Banda Era. One of the areas of political analysis I think that we have neglected is to look at the republican vice-presidents, and appreciate the lessons they teach us about politics and leadership. This article therefore seeks to look at the vice-presidency, and indeed specifically the vice presidents that Zambia has had since 1964. The vice-presidents and the times they served provide for us perhaps the greatest insight into politics and the nature and character of the presidents they served. From looking at the people who served in that office, we can come up with general rules or principles that we can extrapolate to either predict future political trends or indeed get some lessons that can help move our nation forward.
Gender
The first element of analysis shall be the gender composition of the vice-presidents. It is indeed quite telling and revealing that none of the vice-presidents since independence is a woman. In terms of our country, it is not enough that we have had an all-male contingent of presidents, but to think that even their deputies were all-male does tell us a despicable story of our gender imbalance. We’ve only had names such as Reuben, Simon, Mainza, Alexander, Enoch, Augustine, Godfrey, Christon and George for Government House. In spite of the fact that women make up 51% of Zambia’s population and are still the biggest demographic of voters, it is quite unfair that Zambia has had no woman president, worse still that Zambia has had no woman vice-president. This gender imbalance in my opinion could explain why we are faced with all this economic and political turmoil—we have given women very little opportunity to rise to the top, or even to the second topmost. Women are not just good for dancing at the airport, but rather they are equal partners in development. Kaunda, Chiluba, Mwanawasa, and Banda have all shown us lamentably that they are all male chauvinists for failing to use their prerogative to give the vice-presidency to a woman! I think we must do better and if we are to be a truly balanced nation it may be time to give the womenfolk a chance. As such, the time may be ripe for names such as Inonge, Edith, Maureen, or even Judith to rule. If they cannot yet have a shot at State House, we can at least give them the opportunity to have the shot at Government House.
Political weaklings
The second element has got to do with modalities by which these vice-presidents are chosen. As a rule, it looks like most of the vice-presidents were never chosen from very politically popular candidates. They were mostly chosen from among the most politically unpopular cadres. It remains for another time to explore why this is so. Suffice here to mention, however, that the most unsuccessful vice-presidents have been those that garnered a lot of political support while in office or those that went to the position of vice-president with a huge political base. When Kaunda appointed Reuben Kamanga as vice-president in 1964, it was widely held that KK so chose Reuben for his lack of popularity and political base than for any other reason. This is the reason why, even today, Reuben is not considered a political hero of Zambia’s independence. Zambians can easily recall Kapwepwe than their first-ever Vice-president Reuben Kamanga. Kaunda could not have chosen a powerful candidate for vice-president.
In 1967, when the Bemba-Tonga alliance in UNIP beat the Nyanja-Lozi alliance at the first post-independence UNIP conference, Kaunda was left with no choice but to drop Kamanga as republican vice-president and appoint Kapwepwe instead. But Kapwepwe did not last very long in that position. He was too powerful and too politically popular to be a vice-president. He had to be forced to resign.
When Mwanawasa, a man of great influence within the MMD latter became the republican vice-president, he too like Kapwepwe, could not successfully discharge the duties of his office. He had to resign simply because the MMD government and President Chiluba could not handle a powerful and influential vice-president. Unfortunately, the same reasons why Mwanawasa resigned as Vice-President resurfaced when he was now in power. He appointed Nevers Mumba, a man who had no strong political base. Of course Mumba was going to be a good vice-president as long as he played it small and unpopular. But that was not to be for an American trained tele-evangelist. He became a little bit more larger than life. While in office, he developed a huge constituency, and rose in popularity. Perhaps as a mix of both chance and opportunity Nevers Mumba was beginning to eclipse his boss—a bad omen for a vice-president. Zambian presidents generally have a dislike for a very powerful vice-president. It was not very long after Nevers had addressed a press conference, while Mwanawasa was away, that he was fired from his position. A vice-president must be dismal!
It still remains to be studied why Mwanawasa, left all the popular cadres within his party and chose to cross party lines and appoint, Nevers Mumba, and repeat the same feat later by appointing Rupiah Banda for Veep. But Mwanawasa’s eccentrics did not end there; after he had fired Mumba he then went for Augustine Festus Lupando Mwape Katoloshi, to be his vice-president. Not only was Mwape lacking a political base, but he was also not even a member of cabinet. He had in fact been fired by Mwanawasa just a few months earlier, only to be reinstated as a junior minister responsible for Northern Province. Mwape’s political unpopularity was proved later by his failure to retain his parliamentary seat in the 2006 elections. It is unpopular candidates who seemed to make very good vice-presidents in Mwanawasa’s regime. But this does not just apply to Mwanawasa it is also true for Kaunda, Chiluba, and even Banda. The Banda affair is even more telling, when Mwape lost his parliamentary seat, Mwanawasa went to a farm in Chipata district and fished out a retired politician-turned-farmer, perhaps two decades his senior, to come and serve as vice-president. According to Mwanawasa’s calculation, good vice-presidents should be taken from the bush and not from the bloom of urban political life. For his part, when he started to rule, Banda did not look to popular candidates within the MMD for a vice-president. He instead looked to George Kunda, a political novice to become a vice-president. He had in choosing Kunda by-passed the more politically astute and popular cadres such as Mumba, Magande, Mpombo, and even Kalumba.
Constitutional roles
The third element concerns, constitutional roles that vice-presidents have fulfilled in the course of Zambian history. As least three vice-presidents were lawyers by profession. These are Chona, Mwanawasa and now Kunda. All of these three served at a time that the republican constitution was being reviewed. Of the three however, Mainza Chona has perhaps played the most visible role of all vice-presidents in pushing through dramatic changes to the constitution of the Republic. The famous Chona Commission was responsible for the implementation of the one party state. It is rather ironic that Kaunda appointed his Vice-President to be chairman of a constitution review commission instituted under the National Inquiries Act. It is still to be seen the constitutional contribution that the current vice-president will make to the current constitution under review. From all indications, it is clear that as Vice-President and Minister of Justice concurrently, George Kunda’s constitutional role is far from minimal. Learning from 1973, the current constitution is very likely to go Kunda’s way!
How Not to get fired
Fourthly, I should now comment on general observations about Zambia’s vice-presidents. They tell us quite a bit more about the characters of the bosses they served. The most unstable and unpredictable of all these bosses was Mwanawasa who had four vice-presidents in the seven years of office. That is to say he had a different vice-president every one and half years. Mwanawasa’s most intriguing moments with his vice-presidents concerns how he fired his first two, Kavindele and Mumba. Kavindele was let go at the same time that Mwanawasa was intensifying his fight against Chiluba’s corruption. It remains to be seen whether Kavindele was fired for anything to do with Chiluba. As for Mumba, he was fired for simply showing independence, ingenuity, and political astuteness. When Sata advised Mumba to relax and simply enjoy tea at Cabinet Office, Mumba vehemently refused and instead worked even harder for the good of the government. As a political novice Mumba needed to understand that a Veep should only jump as high the president says jump. You jump higher than you were told to; some close confidantes of the president will be there to report you. As such, Sata was quite prophetic; it was Mumba’s vice-presidential hard work that landed him into trouble. A vice-president should just be drinking tea and waiting for the president to say, “Help me here.” That is exactly what one Augustine did and he was dearly loved by Mwanawasa for it.
When making the choice of Vice-president, Presidents must take into consideration serious ethnic calculus. Kaunda lacked this calculus in the first few years after independence in his choice of both Kamanga and Kapwepwe. Kaunda’s tribe or ethnicity was not easy to categorize at independence. This worked both ways—positively and negatively. On the positive side, he was taken as a neutral arbiter between tribal tensions; on the negative side his choice of political friends would attract accusations of siding with one side of his heritage over the other. As such when he chose Kamanga as the first Veep, the Bemba-speaking section lamented that he had brought his Malawian brothers to top positions in the nation. However, when he reluctantly appointed Kapwepwe to the vice-presidency, after the 1967 UNIP conference similar accusations surfaced, two Bembas could not possibly hold two top positions in the country. He had to accept Kapwepwe’s resignation and appointed Mainza Chona, a Tonga, as his replacement. After Mainza Chona, Kaunda continued to emphasize his Bemba heritage and completely sidelined any other Bemba to any top position in the Second Republic. He then concentrated on having other tribes share the national cake. The position of Vice-president was abolished and the functions of the office were split between the Secretary General of the Party and the Prime Minister. The Secretary General functioned more like a first-vice president, while the Prime Minister was more like a second-vice president. The Prime Ministerial positions were the preserve of either a Lozi or Tonga speaking citizens. The position of Secretary General went to Mainza Chona at the inauguration of the Second Republic and Alexander Grey Zulu took over the position for much of the Second Republic. Grey Zulu was Kaunda’s deputy and a de-facto vice president and natural successor to Kaunda. Zulu was the best candidate for a de-facto number two since he lacked political clout to develop a political following of his own. It is men like Grey Zulu who make good vice-presidents and fortunate enough this rule has been proven true in the more democratic Third Republic.
Provinces of origin
Another matter of particular interest with the vice-presidents is their provinces of origin. Chinsali District has the honor of being home to two vice-presidents in the history of Zambia. Interestingly, of all 72 Districts in Zambia, Chinsali has produced more top two leaders per capita than any other district in Zambia. It is from Chinsali where both Kaunda and Kapwepwe hailed from. And in the Third Republic, Mwanawasa looked to Chinsali when he had the second shot at choosing a Veep. Of all the nine provinces, only Luapula and Lusaka Provinces are yet to produce a vice-president. Northern Province has had three, Kapwepwe, Mumba and Mwape. Central Province has had Mwanawasa, and George Kunda. If we consider Prime Ministers in the Second Republic to have been vice-presidents (in their own rights) then we could say that in Mundia, Lisulo, and Masheke Western Province has had its representatives. Mainza Chona and Musokotwane are among the most eminent representatives of Southern Province. Copperbelt produced Mwanawasa who had both Lamba and Lenje heritage. Northwestern Province’s Kavindele has served the country very well too. Eastern Province has had Kamanga, Banda, Tembo, Miyanda and Grey Zulu. There should be something about the people of the East that should explain why they have had more vice-presidents than any other province in Zambia. However, I leave that to others to explain why this is so.
Professions
In terms of professions, the vice-presidents have been very diverse. Both Miyanda and Christon Tembo were soldiers. Prime Minister Malimba Masheke was also a career soldier. It is said that Augustine Festus Lupando Mwape Katoloshi served in the Air Force as well. I have already mentioned that three vice-presidents where lawyers—Chona, Mwanawasa, and Kunda. Prime Minister Daniel Lisulo practiced law as well. One preacher, Nevers Mumba is among this rank. Kavindele leads the vice-presidents as the wealthiest of them all—his wealth surpasses the wealth that all of the vice-presidents have had combined.
No doubt that without their deputies, Zambian Presidents could not have discharged the functions of their offices effectively. Of all the presidents of Zambia, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa is the one who delegated the affairs of state to his vice-presidents the most. Vice-President Lupando Mwape is one who received the most of all these delegations. At one time when the estimates of the expenditure of his office were announced Mwape’s office had in one year spent more money than the office of president Mwanawasa. Cabinet office was quick to run to Mwape’s defence by explaining that they had not expected Mwanawasa to delegate so much state responsibilities to his vice-president.
Whats in it for them?
In terms of the law of retirement, the Zambian law only singles out Zambian presidents for a special retirement package which includes a 100% gratuity, an executive mansion, a string of luxury cars, security, a cadre of staff and seventy-five percent of the incumbent’s salary. As for the vice-presidents there is nothing special—no special gratuity and no executive mansions. This is unfair especially for people like Lupando Mwape who were de-facto Heads of State at a time when Mwanawasa was barely functional. As we honor the office of President, it may be time for Zambia to equally honor the men these presidents hired and fired to be their number two!
UPND_PF_PACT
The Citizens Forum has advised the UPND/PF pact partners to merge into one political party if they are to pose a serious challenge to the ruling MMD in the 2011 tripartite elections.
Citizens Forum executive secretary Simon Kabanda said the UPND/PF pact is faced with challenges which if not addressed will cause serious damage.
Mr Kabanda noted that issues such as the pact’s presidential candidate and the sharing of parliamentary seats to contest have the potential to bring the pact crumbling.
He warned that the pact would be history if the two parties the UPND and the PF do not heed to calls for the presidential candidate to be named.
Mr Kabanda said the only best possible option for the two parties is to fully merge into a single party.
He pointed out that as long as the two political parties remain as individual entities united through UPND/PF pact, there would be continued friction in the pact.
[ QFM ]
MMD Spokesperson Dora SiliyaMovement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) spokesperson, Dora Siliya has challenged Mongu Catholic Diocese, Bishop Paul Duffy to tell the nation who the people of western province want instead of simply saying that the people want a change of government.
Ms Siliya told a media briefing in Lusaka on Friday that Bishop Duffy who is quoted in today’s edition of the Post Newspaper as saying that the people of western province want a change of government.
Ms Siliya has described the statement by Bishop Duffy as shocking, baseless,and misleading to the general public.
She said the MMD is comfortable with the people of western province and with the unprecedented level of development currently undertaking in the area, there is no possible way that people of Mongu would want the ruling party out of power.
The MMD spokesperson said it is clear that a lot of work still has to be done in the province but that government is on course and that people should learn to appreciate its commitment.
Meanwhile, Ms Siliya has said Chilanga Member of Parliament, Ng’andu Magande has disqualified himself for the MMD presidency by claiming that he was handpicked by late President Levy Mwanawasa as his preferred presidential candidate.
She said Mr Maganda and his Kafulafuta counterpart, George mpombo are both welcome to leave the party because they are not committed to making it work.
Ms Siliya said Mr Mpombo has remained in constant bitterness with the ruling party when no one asked him to leave government, while Mr Magande knows clearly that he had a lot of troubles to convince the people of Chilanga to vote for him.
Ms Siliya has since challenged the two to take leave from the party if they feel uncomfortable with the ideologies of the ruling party.
[ QM ]
United Party for National Development (UPND) youths have observed that the vacancy in the UPND/PF pact presidency is contributing to fueling squabbles in the partnership involving the two biggest opposition political parties in the country.
Speaking when he featured on the Public’s Last Say on QFM, UPND Lusaka province youth coordinator Brian Hapunda said during the period the pact has been in existence, the two political parties have worked together and have known each other’s strengths and weaknesses and that the next stage should now be the selection of the pact president.
He says there is need to pick the presidential candidate to offer guidance to the UPND/PF pact.
Mr Hapunda stated that it is not possible to have two heads of the house,hence it is high time that the PF/UPND pact selected the presidential candidate systematically.
He added that the UPND/PF pact should select a presidential candidate to avoid being caught unaware in the event the elections date for 2011 is announced abruptly.
And speaking on the same programme, Patriotic Front national youth secretary Eric Chanda had a different opinion on the need to pick a presidential candidate for the pact.
He said the issue of selecting the pact presidential candidate is not the biggest issue but selling the UPND/PF pact to the Zambian people.
Mr Chanda said the two political parties are not in the pact to sale an individual but what they two political parties together will do for the Zambian people.
He said selling the UPND/PF pact to the Zambian people first will make it easy for whoever will be picked as the presidential candidate to win the 2011 elections.
President Rupiah Banda has directed newly appointed Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Finance in-charge of Financial Management and Administration Anthony Undi to ensure that developmental projects are accelerated and implemented as the country goes to the polls next year.
President Banda observed that Mr. Undi ‘s appointment had come at the right time in ensuring that funds are channelled to the projects as budgeted for when Parliament approves the 2011 national budget this year.
President Banda expressed happiness and confidence that the new PS would deliver and that the Ministry of Finance run smoothly with his capabilities.
President Banda said this in Lusaka when he swore-in Mr. Undi as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Percy Kangwa Chato as new Commissioner of Prisons at State House in Lusaka today.
“I congratulate you Mr. Undi for the position you occupy in Government because you are key to taking development in this country in ensuring that projects embarked on by Government are implemented with the funds allocated from the national budget. I have no doubt that this job requires none any other but yourself bearing in mind that next year the country goes to an election,” President Banda said.
And President Banda has said the Prisons Service played an important role in looking after inmates in the country.
When swearing in Mr Chato, The President said he appreciated, the services of the Prisons Service in meting out correctional sentences on people.
“I also congratualate you Commissioner Chato and l have no doubt that your selection as Prisons Commandant was done in good faith and l know you will deliver,” Mr. Banda said.
Yesterday, President Banda made a mini reshuffle to his government at Deputy Minister and Permanent Secretary levels.
The President transferred Southern Province Minister, Daniel Munkombwe to the Office of the Vice President as Deputy Minister taking over from Guston Sichilima who has been moved to the Ministry of Home Affairs in the same capacity.
Local Government Deputy Minister, Elijah Muchima was moved to Southern Province as Minister. The President also appointed Dr Samson Phiri, as new Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services taking over from Ngosa Chisupa who is yet to be redeployed.
He further appointed Ambassador Kelly Walubita, as Chairman of the Police and Prison Service Commission. Ambassador Walubita has been Zambia’s High Commissioner to India.
The President’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations, Dickson Jere announced the changes that were made with immediate effect, Thursday evening in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka.
A child receives measles immunisation during the child health week in Lusaka
The Ministry of Health has disclosed that cases of measles in the country have been decreasing with cases now standing at 7,682 since the disease broke out nationwide.Measles first broke out in the country in April this year.
Ministry of Health Spokesperson Dr. Kamoto Mbewe said most of the cases had been recorded in Lusaka.
Dr. Mbewe further disclosed that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of deaths resulting from measles as compared to other provinces.
He disclosed this to ZANIS in a telephone interview in Lusaka today and noted that measles cases across the country were going down and very few cases were being recorded. He attributed the reduction to the recently held child health week and measles campaign.
Dr Mbewe said in week leading to August 23, 2010, the ministry recorded four deaths in Lundazi, while Nyimba recorded two; Chibombo had 1, and Lusaka 121 deaths which brought the number to 128.
He advised parents and guardians to ensure that they take their children not only for measles vaccinations but for other vaccinations to ensure the well being of their children.
He encouraged people who suspected that they may have measles to rush to the nearest health centre to be checked.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health Spokesperson has confirmed to ZANIS that no new cases of measles have been recorded at the Evelyn Hone College.
Last month, cases of measles were reported at the institution which affected several students.
The Ministry of Health had set a target to vaccinate 1.6 million children countrywide, during the child health week conducted from July 19 to 24, this year.
PRESIDENT Banda says he will continue travelling abroad because this attracts foreign investment in the country.
The President told off those who criticise his trips that they do not know how Government operates.
He wondered why some sections of society can criticise him even when he travels to attend meetings for Heads of State and Government for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the Southern African Development Community.
I have to move. I am a President who is uncomfortable about not developing the country because the tenure of the President is not long. So, I have to prove that I am doing something. I have to prove that I am fulfilling my obligations,” he said.
Mr Banda said opposition political leaders who have been criticising what his Government is doing could have been doing the same if they were in power and advised them to wait for elections rather than continue talking ill about Government development programmes.
Mr Banda said people who have been saying Government is doing nothing to develop the country have been answered by the completion of the Choma-Namwala road and the commissioning of the Chipata-Mchinji railway line last week.[pullquote]I am a President who is uncomfortable about not developing the country because the tenure of the President is not long. So, I have to prove that I am doing something. I have to prove that I am fulfilling my obligations
[/pullquote]
He said he does not want the country to enter into an election year without abundant food and that is why his Government’s commitment to improving the agricultural sector has resulted in a maize bumper harvest this year.
Mr Banda said at the time he became President, the country only had 59 depots but now has about 165 depots, which are still not enough.
The President said he is encouraged that Zambians have responded to his call for them to work hard to produce more food and urged them to continue with the same spirit.
And President Banda said one of the biggest projects his Government has embarked on is the power generation project at Kafue Gorge and thanked the World Bank for assisting in conducting a feasibility study for the programme.
He said Government has already found a market in South Africa and is also talking to Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have a critical shortage of electricity.
Mr Banda said Government will further construct houses for teachers, police officers and defence personnel in various parts of the country.
He said Government will construct 5,000 houses for defence personnel and about 1,000 new schools around the country.
And President Banda said the MMD took a strong stance during deliberations of the National Constitutional Conference to allow dual citizenship for Zambians.
He said that is why each time he travels out of the country, he meets Zambians to encourage them to come back home or send money to their country to prepare for their return.
President Rupiah Banda yesterday tabulated development projects that his Government had embarked on saying Government was currently talking with a Turkish company for the refurbishment of the Livingstone – Chililabombwe rail line underscoring the need for infrastructure development if economic growth is to be attained.
Speaking in a special interview with ZNBC’s Kunda Mando and Frankin Tembo Jr last night, President Banda said the country could not realise its vision of prosperity without a good road and rail network.
He said Government was talking to a Turkish company to undertake a study on the refurbishment of the Livingstone – Chililabombwe rail line and that a delegation from that country would be in Zambia this week
“The roads and rail line are important to the country for the movement of goods and for the movement of people and I am happy that the Namwala–Choma Road has finally been completed,” he said.
He said the Namwala–Choma Road had been outstanding for the past twenty years.
“Even our friends who were saying that we are doing nothing now are driving on something,” he said in reference to the completion of the Namwala–Choma Road.
He said the Chipata–Mchinji rail line had been built using the country’s resources.
“With regard to the Mchinji – Chipata rail line it was an old dream of Dr Kenneth Kaunda that we must have an alternative route.”
President Banda said he had been able to respond to his critics through the many development projects dotted across the country.
He said the Government had already allocated money for the Mutanda–Chavuma Road and that three contractors had already moved on site.
“Zambia is a big country; there are many other roads we won’t do all but we want to complete most of them. We want to work on the Chipata–Lundazi Road and the Lundazi–Chama Road. For the Chipata–Lundazi Road we are going to put money in the Budget,” he said.
The president said Government would work on the roads to open up the North-Western Province.
“The North-Western Province is the new Copperbelt, there is so much to move from the Copperbelt to Kapiri Mposhi to Dar or to Lusaka, Namibia and to South Africa. We want to be free to move in any direction,” he said.
President Banda said he was happy the country had produced a bumper harvest of 2.7 million tonnes of maize this year.
“We had up to 59 buying depots last year, now we have 165 but still they are not enough,” he said.
There was a delay in the start of the purchase of maize because of the moisture content.
Mr Banda said he was happy Zambians responded positively when they were encouraged to produce as evidenced from the bumper harvest.
He said he has had to work hard within the limited tenure of his presidency because he did not have the luxury of time given that he assumed presidency mid-way.
On his foreign travels, President Banda said Zambia has obligations it had to fulfill as a member of international organisations.
“We belong to SADC, COMESA and the AU and we have obligations,” he said.
He said criticism was good because it reminded Government they needed to do something.
President Banda said the Government was working with the World Bank on the Kafue Gorge power generation station.
He said so far market had been found where the extra power generated could be exported.
“We have linked up well with South Africa and we are talking to Tanzania and Congo so that we can export the power,” he said.
The president said Government would work with investors to work on the Chingola–Lumwana Road.
He said the Government would build 5,000 housing units for the army and other defence forces.
“We also want to build additional houses for the police,” he said.
On the Kalabo-Mongu Road, he said Government had signed all the necessary documents and down payments would be done by this week so that works start.
On the privatisation of Zamtel, President Banda said the country was already getting the benefits through the reduced rates on international calls.
“When privatising we knew that some workers would have to lose jobs but the idea is that they will be paid unlike in other privatisations when people were told that they would be paid later,” he said.
He said some people had a tendency of opposing Government projects.
“It’s not the first time that we have tried to do something and people have opposed. Ask the workers at Zanaco they are now confident and more efficient,” he said.
He said Government was careful with how resources are being allocated concentrating only on those that would result in sustainable development of the economy.
Patriotic Front, PF, president, Michael Sata, has mockingly praised President Rupiah Banda for being sincere in his statement that the benefits from the privatization of ZAMTEL have already started coming in.
The PF leader has accused President Rupiah Banda of using the money from the sale of ZAMTEL to send First Lady, Thandiwe Banda, to go round the country to campaign for him.[pullquote]Mr. Sata explains that all the money that came from the sale of ZAMTEL has been consumed by President Banda.
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In an interview with QFM, Mr. Sata says President Banda’s sincerity that the sale of ZAMTEL has already started benefiting the country is good.
He says so far one of the benefits the President is talking about is the loss of 1, 669 jobs at ZAMTEL.
Mr. Sata further says the President is the only one who has benefited from the privatization of ZAMTEL by government.
Mr. Sata explains that all the money that came from the sale of ZAMTEL has been consumed by President Banda.
He adds that ZAMTEL is still using Zambian tax payers’ money despite the new owner Lap Green Networks taking over running of the company.
He has since challenged president Rupiah Banda to show Zambians the benefits of ZAMTEL’s privatization, apart from the loss of 1, 669 jobs at the company.
Comoros coach Jean Paul Rossignol is concerned the holy Islamic month of Ramadan will affected his players performance in this Saturdays afternoon kick-off against Zambia in the two teams opening match in the 2012 African Cup of Nations Group C qualifier.
Rossignol said his team is predominately made up of Muslims who are currently fasting during the day while observing the holy period of Ramadan that ends on September 9.
“All my players are affected by Ramadan we have problems,” Rossignol said in Lusaka on Thursday evening just after arriving in Zambia for Saturdays game.
“It will be difficult for the player’s, all the players will lay without eating. We will only eat one time in the day and that is in the night after that nothing. Sure it will be difficult.”
The game will kick-off at 15:00 Hours Central African Time (GMT+ 2) and will be played at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka.
Asked about his sides’ chances of beating Zambia, Rossignol said the likelihood of his side winning were slim but that Comoros will give it their best shot.
“A draw will be a very good result for us,” the Frenchman said. “Your team has the advantage of playing a lot of professionals playing abroad in the national team our team has none.”
Deputy Minister in the Vice President's office Gunston Sichilima standing on a flooded Muchindushi river bridge in Lukanga North resettlement scheme in Mpongwe district during his tour of government developmental projects in Mpongwe
Government has said it will not compensate illegal settlers whose houses will be demolished. Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Gaston Sichilima said the demolition process will start soon and those that bought plots from individuals without title deeds will lose their houses without compensation.
Mr. Sichilima told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that Government will instead arrest illegal settlers and prosecute them for trespassing on other people’s land without compensating them.
He said Government will go ahead with the demolition exercise throughout the country to restore sanity in the issuance of land.
The Minister pointed out people who have encroached garden area along Mumbwa Road, Chinika and Chalala area risks losing their houses if they have no valid title deeds.
He said people should follow right procedure whenever they want to acquire land and not buy from cadres or people who have fake title deeds or no titles at all.
Mr Sichilima however, said Government will not take appropriate action against cadres involved in illegal land selling regardless of their political affiliation.
He added that Government through the Ministry of lands is the only rightful authority to give land adding that people should either verify with the Council or Ministry of land before building a house to avoid inconveniences.
He said that the demolition process is not the issue of Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) but that Government wants to bring legality to land acquisition in the country.
Hichani Himoonde and Fwayo Tembo have been given the greenlight to make the final 18 for Zambia in the teams African Cup of Nations Group C qualifier against Comoros on Saturday at Nkoloma stadium.
Both players came through without any problems in a training game early on Wednesday evening at Woodlands stadium in Lusaka.
Fwayo arrived in camp from his Swiss club FC Basel complaining on a knock but gradually made his way back into the team by Tuesday with light training.
Himoonde who has had a calf strain sustain in action with his DR Congo team TP Mazembe 2 weeks ago but came through without any hitch in a practice match involving all the players at Woodlands.
However, Israeli based Roger Kola has been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury in the training game that ended 1-1 in which he scored the equalizer after midfielder Stopria Sunzu had put the opposing side ahead.
It was a sad end to his prospective second game for Zambia under Dario Bonetti in his first workout with the team since joining them in camp earlier in the day on Wednesday.
And Comoros are expected to arrive in the country late on Thursday evening at 23:00 Hrs.
