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People waiting for fuel during the 2009 fuel shortage in Lusaka
Energy and water development Minister Kenneth Konga has dismissed reports that the country might experience a fuel shortage beginning this month end.
Mr. Konga told radio QFM in an interview that the country has adequate stocks of fuel at Indeni oil refinery in Ndola to last the country three months.
He says during the 40 days period Indeni oil refinery will be shut down for routine maintenance, the country will not be affected because there are enough stocks of fuel.
Mr. Konga has since assured the general public not to panic by what he terms as misleading reports of a looming fuel shortage in the country.
Zambia’s sole oil refinery, Indeni, is scheduled to close this month for routine maintenance.
The four-week closure will enable the replacement of old machinery at the state-owned refinery to make it more reliable.
The 23,750 barrels-a-day refinery is the main supplier of fuel to Zambia’s copper and cobalt mines on the Copperbelt and North Western provinces.
Esther Phiri (l) and Duda Yankovich squaring each other during the WIBA fight in Lusaka
Esther Phiri grew up helping her grandmother sell vegetables in a poor township in the Zambian capital Lusaka.
Today she is a world boxing champion and a household name in Zambia. She lives in a house given to her by her country’s former president Levy Mwanawasa and owns a small property empire bought with her prize money.
It is a rags-to-riches tale reminiscent of the Hollywood film Million Dollar Baby, but transported to a country where the average life expectancy is 38 — the second lowest in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook.
Phiri, 23, began her boxing career seven years ago and still trains at the gym where she started.
A biography of Phiri on the Women’s Boxing Archive Network describes how she dropped out of school and became a single mother at the age of 16 after her family fell on hard times.
It said she took up boxing as part of an HIV-awareness sport program run by an international NGO. She was the only girl on the program.
Phiri’s trainer Anthony Mwamba told CNN that when he first met Phiri, she was renting a one-room house, sleeping on the bare floor with her daughter.
“I wanted to cry. There was no food and I had no money either,” he said.
But Mwamba continued to invest in the fledgling boxer, even though his motives came under suspicion in a country where female boxers are not the norm.
Mwamba said: “At first when Esther came onto the scene everyone was saying, ‘No, no, he’s just spoiling her or maybe he’s sleeping with Esther.’ That’s what people were saying including the officials. But to me, I always had the vision, they didn’t know it, but I saw a champion the first time I saw Esther.”
Despite the rumors, the pair continued to train together and soon they were vindicated when Phiri won the Women’s International Boxing Federation’s Intercontinental Junior Lightweight title in 2006.
“Wow, I was so happy, I can’t even explain. It was a turning point for my life,” she said, showing off her title belts,” she said.
“I even promised my late president, he said ‘Esther, you’re not supposed to lose, you need to bring more belts’, and I’ve done it, I’ve done it.”
Today, despite having all the wealth and trappings of an international sports star, Phiri still lives in the community where she grew up and remains friends with the people she knew when she was selling vegetables in the market.
“This is my home township, it’s very close. I’ve got so many friends,” Phiri told CNN as passers-by call out to her in the street.
Phiri is currently Women’s International Boxing Association Light Welterweight World Champion. Her next fight is in January.
She has worked hard to gain her titles and isn’t about to rest on her laurels.
“I’ve got that courage to push myself, to say ‘let’s go Esther,’ because I don’t want to embarrass myself,” Phiri said.
Mwamba added: “Some boxers, you can tell them to wake up early and run for 20 km, and some refuse to do it. But Esther Phiri, she has the heart. She will run those 20 km, even 30 and finish. She has the heart to do it.
“In a fight, women go for two minutes, but I give her three minutes, just like a man. I treat her just like a man. It’s to her advantage.”
She can now drive in her car to the gym, a journey that used to take her four bus rides.
A man who was attacked by a crocodile a few months ago nursing wounds in the University Teaching Hospital
A 26 year-old man has been severely mauled by a crocodile in Sinazongwe district in Southern Province.
A Mweezhya ward councilor Bernard Syanyambwe confirmed that Victor Siapaka from Kayisha Village was caught while he was swimming on Lake Kariba .
Mr. Syanyambwe said the reptile broke the victim’s arms in two pieces and one finger was swallowed by the crocodile.
He said Maamba doctors have informed the victim’s family that he would be referred to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) for specialist medication.
On Thursday Sinazongwe villagers appealed to the Zambia wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to crop the crocodiles that have continued to kill people and leaving many people disabled.
Speaking through their Sinazongwe ward Councilor Abraham Hamoonga the villagers complained that the problem of people being killed and being amputated as a result of having too many crocodiles in Lake Kariba .
On 24 July this year a A 24 year old woman was severely mauled by a crocodile on Lake Kariba resulting in the amputating of both hands.
Juliet Siangombe of Ndolo Village in Senior Chief Mweemba area told ZANIS from her bed in Maamba Hospital that the incident occurred when she went to fetch water for household chores with her sister in law.
“While fighting with it I could feel it breaking my right hand and later it broke my left hand,” Mrs. Siangombe said
Hardly a month passes in Sinazongwe without person being either killed or disabled by a crocodile.
Mines minister Maxwell Mwale hugs an investor in the mining sector
Zambia has handed back an iron and gold exploration licence it withdrew from mining giant BHP Billiton and Blackthorn Resources to boost mining sector growth, Mines Minister Maxwell Mwale said earlier this week.
The government last week cancelled the exploration licence it awarded BHP Billiton and Blackthorn on grounds that it was in a military security zone but Mines Minister Maxwell Mwale said he overturned the decision after the joint venture appealed.
“BHP Billiton is the largest mining house in the world and to have them invest in Zambia has a lot of benefits for us. We are increasing competition in the local mining sector and competition brings international best practices,” he said.[pullquote]The government last week cancelled the exploration licence it awarded BHP Billiton and Blackthorn on grounds that it was in a military security zone[/pullquote]
Mwale said the government hoped BHP Billiton’s exploration activities in north-western and central Zambia would help diversify mining activities away from traditional mining belts like the Copperbelt.
Zambia is Africa’s largest copper producer and the mines are the country’s economic mainstay.
Foreign mining companies operating in Zambia include Canada’s First Quantum Minerals, London-listed Vedanta Resources Plc, Equinox Minerals, Glencore International AG of Switzerland and Metorex of South Africa.
WITH the recent expulsion of former finance minister Ng’andu Magande and ex-defence minister George Mpombo, it means the country will be going for by-elections, should the Speaker of the National Assembly Amuusa Mwanamwambwa declare the seats vacant.
The two by-elections in Chilanga and Kafulafuta will be in addition to the one in Mpulungu, which occurred as a result of the death of area member of Parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo. In the likely event of GBM resigning again under pressure, this will mean another by-election in Kasama.
Well, in case you have forgotten, the country has just returned from two by-elections in Luena, triggered by the resignation of the area MP Charles Milupi, who decided he was better being an MP on the alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) than be an Independent. The other by-election was in Chifubu, which was n unfortunate to lose its MP Jacob Chongo
Before that there were two other by elections in Mufumbwe and Milanzi. Other by-elections in recent times include Solwezi Central, Chitambo and Kasama Central.
And of course the biggest of them all was the presidential by-election, which involved more whose total cost is estimated to have been around K250 billion ( USD 50 Million, equivalent to the loan we received from China to buy Mobil Clinics). A staggering amount if you ask me.
While I do not know the cost of one Parliamentary by-election, I believe the cost is still astronomical. My poor calculation tells me, the cost of every by-election costs our people one complete school or a small clinic somewhere. Do not forget that there are also local government by-elections.
And before you forget, should Major Robbie Chizyuka and Jonas Shakafuswa lose their cases in court, then two further by-elections are supposed to be held. That is in addition to those 20-something PF rebel MPs, If Mr.Sata gets his way and gets rid of them, its trouble for mother Zambia.
And that is where my major concern is.
If indeed this country is in hurry to develop, why are we wasting these precious resources on these meaningless by-elections. Imagine how many clinics or schools K250 billion that was used for the presidential by-election would have been able to build in some needy areas of this country.
Announcing the expulsion of Mpombo and Magande from the ruling party, the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), Dora Siliya’s the party’s spokesperson, justified the move, and in effect the by-election.
She said something to the effect that although the party is aware of the costs of having a by-election, it had no choice but to expel the duo because of showing gross indiscipline to the party leadership.
In other words, these by-elections have been caused solely because some members of a club have differed among themselves.
And this has been the major cause of by-elections in Zambia. A few cases have been a result of death, but mostly its expulsions and defections. Surely, our politicians and our politics can do better than this. Why do they transfer the cost of their differences to the taxpayer? Are these the people interested in moving the nation forward.
Does it mean that if you differ with someone, then they have to be expelled? In fact, most of those expelled are a result of expressing their constitutional rights, which have to do with airing their views without fear or favour. When you look at the cases involving all the expulsions witnessed in recent times that is the case.
So, what is the solution to all this. Internal democracy within parties. And please underline the words internal democracy. Most of our political parties are deficient when it comes to that area. We have seen cases where, in the United States, some Republicans have voted with the Democrats without any repercussions whatsoever. Also in Britain, we saw some Labour MP’s openly differing with Gordon Brown prior to the elections there. But they never faced any recriminations whatsoever. After all, it is their right to disagree where they do not agree.
But beyond that, we need to have a robust electoral system, which can deal with these unnecessary by-elections that our selfish politicians have been deliberately creating. And that is the job one hopes the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) should have been able to deal with. Did they deal with it effectively?
We should not give the excuse of democracy being expensive, and that by-elections are some of the costs we have to incur for having chosen democracy as a system. For these are really foolish costs, and they have no place in this poor country’s books.
Patriotic Front (PF) Kasama Central Member of Parliament (MP) Geoffrey Mwamba[pullquote]
Kasama Central Member of Parliament (MP) Geoffrey Mwamba who resigned his parliamentary seat yesterday has dramatically rescinded his decision.
The MP announced his resignation in a letter addressed to Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata following his suspension from the party’s central committee after the battering of his wife.
Mr Mwamba said he resigned so that he could concentrate on his businesses which had been affected because of his active involvement in politics.
The MP said he would reconsider his decision to resign as MP if the electorates in Kasama ask him to do when he visits them during the Kusefya Pa N’gwena traditional ceremony of the Bemba speaking people tomorrow.
He said he had received a lot of calls from Kasama electorates informing him to reconsider his decision to resign as MP.
Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation also reports that National Assembly Liason officer Chikomeni Banda said he had not received a letter from Mr Mwamba for resigning his parliamentary seat.
Earlier, Mr Sata temporarily relieved Mr Mwamba of his position as Party Chairperson for the Elections portofolio.
This followed the assault and wife battering charges levelled against him.
PF Secretary General Winter Kabimba confirmed the development.
Mr Mwamba popularly known as GBM is accused of having battered his wife Chama, on Sunday following a marital dispute.
Police yesterday recorded a warn a warn and caution statement from Mr Mwamba
There has been widespread condemnation of Mr Mwamba from a cross-section of society following the incident which left his wife with a cut on her forehead.
The Human Rights Commission who has called on the Zambia Police and the Inspector General in particular,to show that the behavior exhibited by the Kasama central Member of Parliament is not to be condoned and that penal consequences follow.
And the Law Association of Zambia has described the conduct of Kasama central Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba who on Sunday battered his wife as unacceptable.
Education Deputy Minister, Crispin Musosha’s wife and young sister to Energy Minister Kenneth Konga have died in a road accident.
The accident happened last night around 21:00hrs in Kabalika area on the Samfya Mansa road.
Out going Luapula Police Commanding Officer Auxensio Mbewe confirmed the accident and the death of Mrs Musosha and Dorothy Chivunda in an interview with ZANIS in Mansa today.
Mr Mbewe said the accident is suspected to have occurred after the left wheel to the Toyota Prado registration number ABX 9485 they were in burst.
He said the vehicle which was being driven by Mrs Musosha was coming from Lusaka to Mansa.
Mr Mbewe said also on board was a baby, Emmanuel Chongo, aged one year and four months who also died this morning at the Mansa General Hospital.
He named the others on board the accident vehicle as Sombo Chongo 39, of Lusaka’s Sikanze police camp, and Dr Beatrice Amandu 55, also of Lusaka.
Mr Mbewe said Mrs Chongo is admitted to Mansa General Hospital where she is receiving medical attention, while Dr Amandu came out uninjured but is still on medical observation.
[ ZANIS ]
President Rupiah Banda President Rupiah Banda today swore in five High Court Judges who are part of nine judges that were recently appointed.
Those that have been sworn in today are Justices Justine Chashi, Isaac Kamwendo, Flavia Chishimba, Petronella Ngulube and Mugeni Mulenga as High Court Judges.
Out of the total of nine judges, two are for the Supreme Court while seven are High Court Judges.
The four judges that were sworn in yesterday are Justices Muyinda Wanki and Gregory Phiri as Supreme Court Judges while Gaundentia Salasini and Anessie Bobo were sworn in as High Court judges.
President Banda said at the swearing in ceremony today that government and the judiciary had a deliberate programme to ensure that women that are suitably qualified were appointed to perform such functions.
President Banda said he was well satisfied with the loyalty, integrity and the ability of the people he appointed to the positions of judges.
He urged them to work hard and according to the provisions of the constitution.
The judges swore and affirmed to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the President and to preserve, protect and defend the constitution of Zambia as by law established.
They further swore to deliver justice in accordance with the constitution when discharging their duties.
Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, Lusaka Province Minister, Charles Shawa were among other senior government officials that attended the swearing ceremony at State House today.
Labour and Social Security Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba
Labour Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba has warned Shoprite Zambia to desist from engaging workers on casual bases on the pretext of studying the country’s labour laws.
Mr. Kachimba said government will not allow the company to continue engaging workers as casuals and ripping from them while alleging to be waiting for guidance from the ministry.
He said government is concerned that the chain store has not implemented the agreement that was made despite assurance to do so.
Mr. Kachimba said this when he meet Shoprite Zambia management to follow up on issues which were agreed upon between the two parties. The issues agreed upon among others last year include casualisation and contracts.
He has since directed officials from his ministry and Shoprite management to quickly start working on the labour agreement and terms of contracts for workers.
“I call upon you (Shoprite management) to take the worker’s contract to my office on Monday and immediately start solving this problem of fixed term contract and casualisation. We need seriousness in the way we handle our issues because this will also avoid protests” he said.
He also asked the management to table the company’s Zambianisation report that was agreed upon to incorporate Zambians in senior management positions.
The Minister also toured Shoprite Manda Hill branch were some employees expressed dissatisfaction with their salaries and other conditions of service.
Ms. Tubesebo Musialela an Account Clerk said workers were made to work for long hours but were receiving little pay.
She said the chain store has ignored government advice to improve the conditions of service for workers despite repeated calls.
And Shoprite Zambia Acting General Manager, Charles Bota said the company has not resolved the issues of casualisation and fixed term contracts because it wanted guidance from the ministry.
He however said that Shoprite has clear laws on the treatment of workers such has discouraging the use of abusive language and any mistreatment of workers.
Mr. Bota who could not respond to many of the minister’s concerns however promised that the company would write to him once the General Manager comes from vacation.
Shoprite Zambia has over 1,000 casual workers countrywide.
FIVE Patriotic Front (PF) Chililabombwe councillors have been expelled while a councillor in Luanshya was arrested for alleged corruption as turmoil continues to haunt the opposition party.
The five councillors were expelled from the party for allegedly voting for MMD candidate Trudy Ng’andu as mayor early this week.
Ms Ng’andu was elected new Chililabombwe mayor after she got 12 votes when her party has only eight seats in the council.
Copperbelt Provincial Local Government Officer, Solomon Sakala, who confirmed the expulsion to the Times, said it was regrettable that the PF could exhibit such partisan politics.
Chililabombwe has 13 PF councillors, eight MMD councillors and one from the United Democratic Alliance.
An effort to get a comment from the Chililabombwe PF chairperson failed.
In Luanshya, police on Wednesday arrested and detained a PF councillor for alleged corrupt activities during the mayoral elections won by MMD’s Peter Phiri.
The arrest prompted the PF councillors to boycott the elections.
Adam Zulu, who was aspiring for the position of mayor, was arrested and detained in police custody when he allegedly offered K2 million cash as inducement to another councillor who he wanted to vote for him.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) spokesperson Wezi Chomba and Luanshya District police chief, Hudson Namachila confirmed Mr Zulu’s arrest in separate interviews yesterday.
Former Patriotic Front (PF) general secretary Edward Mumbi has said expelled Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo should not accuse President Banda of being tribal because late president Levy Mwanawasa was the one who had more relatives and friends in Cabinet.
Mr Mumbi said it was shameful that Mr Mpombo wants to challenge his expulsion at the convention and yet he dared the party to take action against him.
He said Mr Mpombo should not accuse President Banda of being tribal because it was alleged that late president Mwanawasa was the one who had more relatives and friends in Cabinet.
Mr Mumbi challenged Mr Mpombo to produce a list of President Banda’s relatives who were in Cabinet so that it could be compared with Dr Mwanawasa’s list.
“President Banda has made minor changes to the same Cabinet but the majority were still (late) president Mwanawasa’s contrary to Mr Mpombo’s assertion,” Mr Mumbi said.
He said Mr Mpombo and his Chilanga counterpart Ng’andu Magande should stop using late Dr Mwanawasa’s name because others who mentioned the late president were told to stop talking about the dead.
The two MPs should not talk about democracy because they adulterated the constitution so that they could succeed late president Mwanawasa.
“These people claiming to be relatives of the late president influenced him to adulterate some tenets of the constitution so that they could succeed him, Mpombo even claimed that (late) president Mwanawasa left instruments of power to him when he went to Egypt,” Mr Mumbi said.
Mr Mumbi said because of these reasons, Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande criticised Mr Banda.
But Mr Mpombo said it was out of principle that he challenged the expulsion to avoid leaving a bad precedent.
Mr Mpombo said he was waiting for instructions from his lawyer in Lusaka because he was at the farm in Ndola.
He maintained that he would beat the MMD should there be a by-election.
Mr Mpombo wondered why Mr Mumbi had become the spokesperson for MMD and Government.
First Lady Thandiwe Banda giving a hammer-mill to women in Luapula
Change Life Zambia executive director Father Frank Bwalya has warned First Lady Thandiwe Banda, that she risks being Zambia’s first former First Lady to be prosecuted.
Father Bwalya says if the money Mrs Banda was dishing out to women’s clubs in the northern and Luapula provinces is not accounted for, she will be prosecuted.
Father Bwalya says it is clear that the reason the first lady had gone to the two provinces was to campaign for her husband.
He says though it is not a problem for the first lady to campaign for President Banda, the gimmick used was wrong.
In an interview with QFM, Father Bwalya questioned Mrs. Banda’s failure to give money through NGOs for women’s support programme.
He said it is now clear that the first lady has become an MMD cadre from the way she has been questionably giving money to purported women’s clubs.
Football fans pondering their next move after the Zambia-Comoros Islands match was put off at Nkoloma stadium.
2.
Some players from the Zambia National soccer team in training for the Africa Cup qualifier match against Comoros Islands.
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Some players from the Zambia National soccer team in training for the Africa Cup qualifier match against Comoros Islands
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Some players from the Zambia National soccer team in training for the Africa Cup qualifier match against Comoros Islands to be played at Nkoloma Stadium
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Zambia Felix Katongo (centre) is brought down during the African Cup qualifier match played at Nkoloma stadium. Zambiw won 4-1.
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Zambia's James Chamanga under pressure from Comoros Islands' Muhamad Ali during the African Cup qualifier match played at Nkoloma stadium. Zambiw won 4-1
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Zambia skipper Christopher Katongo in action during the African Cup qualifier match played at Nkoloma stadium. Zambiw won 4-1.
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Police officers watch over at Nkoloma stadium after the Zambia-Comoros Islands match was postponed.
Lusaka lawyer Chifumu Banda (l) with businessman Geoffrey Mwamba (GBM)
Kasama Central MP Geoffrey Mwamba has with immediate effect relinquished his parliamentary position.
Mr Mwamba said he has resigned to concentrate on his business.He claims that his business has been affected due to his involvement in politics.
Mr Mwamba however regretted quitting without consulting the people in his constituency. He said he will soon travel to Kasama to explain to the people the circumstances regarding his resignation.
Mr Mwamba thanked the people of Kasama for electing him as MP. This is contained in a resignation letter addressed to Patriotic Front-PF President Michael Sata.
He thanked Mr Sata for according him chance to serve in the PF as Chairperson for Elections and member of the central committee.
Earlier, Patriotic Front President Michael Sata temporarily relieved Mr Mwamba of his position as Party Chairperson for the Elections portofolio.
This followed the assault and wife battering charges levelled against him. PF Secretary General Winter Kabimba confirmed the development.
Mr Mwamba popularly known as GBM is accused of having battered his wife Chama, on Sunday following a marital dispute.
Police yesterday recorded a warn a warn and caution statement from Mr Mwamba
There has been widespread condemnation of Mr Mwamba from a cross-section of society following the incident which left his wife with a cut on her forehead.
The Human Rights Commission who has called on the Zambia Police and the Inspector General in particular,to show that the behavior exhibited by the Kasama central Member of Parliament is not to be condoned and that penal consequences follow.
And the Law Association of Zambia has described the conduct of Kasama central Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mwamba who on Sunday battered his wife as unacceptable.
LAZ, Convener of the women’s rights, Kondwa Chibiya says violence against women cannot and should not be condoned.
Mrs Chibiya said that LAZ is saddened by the report of such an act as it touches on the very core of the fight to end violence against women in Zambia.
Mrs. Chibiya said as Zambia is considering the creation of the gender based violence legislation, such reports were very disturbing.
She added that it is the hope of LAZ that the relevant law enforcement agency will take this matter seriously and ensure that the law takes its course.
Samuel Matete has said he is looking forward to the challenge of helping discover the next 400 meters hurdle prospects from Zambia.
The 1996 Olympic Games 400 hurdles meters silver medalists has been invited by the management of the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka to offer technical help for the recently launched junior track and field academy at the facility.
Matete said he was excited about working with junior prospects during his brief visit back to Zambia while on break from Mauritius where he works as a coach at the IAAF Centre.
“We have never done this in Zambia. It will be the first time the kids will be interacting with the hurdles and that’s the part am really excited to see and what their reaction will be,” Matete said at a media briefing at the OYDC on Thursday.
Matete said the program wasn’t for instant results but to stimulate junior track prospects to hurdles now that Zambia had a world class facility for the event.
The OYDC has a world class eight-lane synthetic track, the first of its kind in Zambia.
“Then we will see their interest that will be developed over time,” Matete said.
“We are still a long way from that but the great part of all this it is the beginning. You know kids grasp things easily you never know what happens after that.”
He said the junior prospects will not run the 400 hurdles but start with the 300 hurdles because of the physical demands on athletes in the former.
Matete said he will also be taking the junior academy camp of athletes aged between 7 and 15 through the paces in 100, 200, 300 and 800 meter races.
However, the 3000 meters and 400X 4 relays including the hummer will be overlooked also because the juniors have not yet physically developed for the rigors of those disciplines.
And OYDC director Clement Chileshe said they were delighted to have Matate, who is also the centers’ ambassador, to help with his expertise at their junior academy.
Chileshe said the objective of the academy was to expose the juniors to training under professional guidance and the best competition opportunities at an early age.
He said the periodic training camps will also be graced by USA-based former runner Alick Musukuma.
