THE Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has with immediate effect started implementing Uniform Petroleum Pricing (UPP) for diesel, petrol and kerosene, a policy that has seen fuel prices in rural areas being reduced.

And Energy Minister Kenneth Kaonga has said that the UPP, which will be implemented on cross-subsidisation, will contribute to stimulating economic development and raise the standards of living in rural areas.

At a press briefing held at the ERB offices in Lusaka yesterday, board vice chairperson Ida Nkhoma said the uniform pump prices are K7,639 for petrol, K6,999 for diesel and K5,008 for kerosene per litre.

Ms Nkhoma said the uniform petroleum prices will relate to petrol, diesel and kerosene only.

She said in light of this change, the cost Plus Pricing Model will continue to be used to determine the wholesale prices of refined petroleum products, while UPP will be applied on pump prices in order to cushion the rural and outlying areas against high fuel prices.

“The ERB will ensure that these changes are strictly adhered to by all retailers of petroleum products with immediate effect,” Ms Nkhoma said.

At a separate press briefing at his office in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Konga said that in order to cater for differences in the cost of delivering fuel between urban and rural areas, the UPP mechanism will spread additional costs of delivering fuel to rural areas among all fuel consumers.

“Government desires to ensure that rural areas have access to reliable and affordable petroleum products. As a result stimulation of economic development will rise in these areas and people’s standards of living will improve,” he said.

Mr Konga said consumers of petrol, diesel and kerosene closer to Indeni Oil Refinery in Ndola will pay slightly more than they did in the past so that rural consumers of petroleum products could reap from the benefits of uniform pricing.

He said this is the same principle that Zesco has been using for the pricing of electricity for consumers at different locations from power generation stations.
Mr Konga said high levels of poverty in rural areas prompted Government to implement the UPP.

He hopes that lower fuel prices in these areas will spur more economic activities among rural farmers, mining companies and cottage industries that have been negatively affected by the high fuel prices because of their being far from oil refinery.

Government expects that farmers in rural areas will cultivate more land and contribute to food security.

Mr Konga said the cost of fuel is influenced to a large extent by the distance from the refinery in Ndola to the point of consumption; hence pump prices varying across the country. This has deprived rural areas of the much-needed investment.

The minister said that to address this, the new National Energy Policy adopted by Government in 2008 to improve petroleum pricing in rural areas seeks to address the matter by setting up an incentive mechanism to mitigate high fuel prices in remote areas.

Mr Konga said the implementation of uniform petroleum pricing was a long sought national aspiration because other stakeholders have also emphasised the need for the National Energy Policy to address the issue.
He said oil marketing companies (OMCs) have been

consulted on how to implement the UPP to benefit the country, and expects all fuel consumers to support the noble programme.

Mr Konga said his ministry will address any teething problems that may occur during the early days of UPP implementation.

The current fuel prices for Kasama, which is the furthest point from the refinery, are K8,390 for petrol, K7, 639 for diesel and K5, 598 for kerosene.

In Ndola, which is closest to the refinery, the current prices are K7, 461 for petrol, K6,786 for diesel and K 4,798 for kerosene.

Consumers in Lusaka have been paying K 7,573 for petrol, K6, 898 for diesel and K4,893 for kerosene.
All consumers will now pay K7, 639 for petrol, K6, 999 for diesel and K5, 008 for kerosene per litre.

The Patriotic Front (PF) says the uniform fuel prices which government announced yesterday is an economic drawback to industries in Lusaka and the Copperbelt.

Party Youth Committee Secretary, Eric Chanda said the idea is welcome but government should have settled for a lower pump price as opposed to increasing fuel in Lusaka and the Copperbelt.

Mr Chanda said the MMD should realize that the country’s production and the economic industries are based in Lusaka and the Copperbelt.

He explained that the uniform fuel price which has been settled across the country has become like increasing the price of fuel in Lusaka and the Copperbelt.

Mr Chanda this would result in increasing the cost of production in Lusaka and the Copperbelt, making it difficult for industries in the two provinces to produce as expected.

He added that the costs in transport will also increase in Lusaka and the Copperbelt respectively.

He expressed doubt as to whether the MMD government understands the country’s economic indicators, adding that the country will not make any development strides with this kind of thinking by those in authority.
[QFM]

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“I have seen that everything [human] has its limits and end [no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent]; but Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity]”
(Psalm 119:96, AMP)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Did you know you can limit your life by dwelling on the wrong things? So often, wrong thinking keeps people stuck right where they are. If you think you’ll never accomplish your dreams, those thoughts will hold you back. If you think you don’t have the talent, the connections or the funds, then you are limiting yourself. You are blocking what God can do in your life.

It’s time to take the limits off and trust God. He isn’t limited to this earthly realm; His ways are higher than our ways. We serve a supernatural God. Just because you don’t see a way doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a way. God can bring one opportunity across your path that will thrust you to a whole new level. He has explosive blessings in store that can blast you out of where you are and into a place of abundance. If you’ll shift your focus from this earthly realm and start looking with your eyes of faith, you’ll see His unlimited possibilities for your future. Take the limits off by setting your thoughts on what God Almighty can do in your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, today I lift my eyes to You. You alone are the source of my strength, peace and provision. I choose to delight myself in You knowing that You will give me the desires of my heart. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

– Joel & Victoria Osteen

The electorate in Chilanga constituency are bracing themselves for a by election following the expulsion of their Member of Parliament, Ng’andu Magande by the ruling MMD.

Some Voters talked to have vowed to vote for a parliamentary representative who is more conversant with the area.

They alleged that the area has seen little development as seen in poor state of roads, critical water shortages and insanitary conditions.

On Saturday September 4th 2010 the ruling MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) expelled Chilanga Member of Parliament, Ng’andu Magande and his seat has since been declared vacant.

Mr Magande together with his Kafulafuta counterpart George Mpombo were expelled from the MMD for allegedly brining the party in to ridicule and disrepute.

Mr Mpombo is challenging his expulsion in the courts of law.
[ MUV TV ]

The Patriotic Front has described President Rupiah Banda’s speech to the National Assembly on Friday as empty.

Patriotic Front Youth Committee Secretary, Eric Chanda, told QFM that the president’s speech did not give any hope to the Zambian youth.

He said the President’s speech failed to outline how the MMD government is going to create jobs for the youth in the country from 2011 and beyond.

Mr Chanda said the President’s Speech means that the MMD government has no agenda for the youth in the country, adding that Zambian youths should now realize that the MMD government has run out of ideas on how to improve the well being of the youth.

He called on the youth movement countrywide not to make a mistake of voting for the ruling party because doing so would be suicidal.

Mr Chanda added that the PF has a policy to develop youth industrial zones in to create employment for Zambian youths, and to decongest the major cities in the country.

And Party Spokesperson, Given Lubinda, said there is nothing new in President Banda’s commitment to allocating 30 percent of land to women.

Mr Lubinda said the President should have talked about whether his government has achieved the 30 percent allocation of land to women as opposed to talking about how his government is committed to land allocation to women by 30 percent.

He said the 30 percent land allocation to women is outdated because even late President, Levy Mwanawasa, talked about the same thing in 2004.

Mr Lubinda noted that the 30 percent land allocation to women is no longer a new policy because Zambians now are expecting to see this policy which was initiated by Dr Mwanawasa implemented.

And Mr Lubinda said the party did not want to hear President Banda talk about how decentralization policy is in Zambia.

He sid what was expected of the President is when the dissolution of power would take place in the country.

Mr Lubinda was speaking in an interview.

Yesterday, President Rupiah Banda addressed the Fifth Session of the Tenth National Assembly where he highlighted a number of programmes which his government intends to do in the coming year.

He also said in an unexpected circumstance campaigned as his speech was about to end, sending the opposition Members of Parliament in the house to uncontrollable uproar.

[ QFM ]

by Gerald Nkisu Katayi

Is wife battering a criminal act in Zambia? This one question can be answered by different opinions across the nation. The diverseness in answering this question can be justified by different sources that inform Zambians. As it has been said, “who educates you controls you”.

One of our own law makers is allegedly to have battered his wife. He is not the first nor is he going to be the last man to lay his hands on his spouse. Zambian women are battered in marriages and even during courtship by their boy friends. But who says these acts are criminal?

Zambia is a country of ethnic diversity; this means Zambians can have the same question, yet give different answers and none of the answers will be wrong. Tradition, Religion and English Law are the main sources of information where decisions are derived from. Both of these institutions are alive and well; they are both entertained by the society and politicians yet in some cases they antagonize each other.[pullquote]Zambian women are battered in marriages and even during courtship by their boy friends[/pullquote]

In some Zambian traditions wife battering is part of showing love, in fact some women complain when violence is absent in their marriage; meaning they don’t feel loved. English Law (State) will interpret the same scenario as criminal and punishable offence, while the Church will say love is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, love has patience, love is kind, (1 Corinthians 13:5-7), avoiding any form of violent.

In one society we give recognition to traditional and civil marriages, we have traditional healers and medical doctors; we have local courts to deal with cultural matters, chiefs to rule over their tribes, culture to interpret the norms of a tribe. On the other hand we have the police to enforce the Law, criminal courts to determine the State Law and politicians to rule. In case of wife battering, when tradition says yes, the State will say no! In this case who is right and who is wrong?

Tradition sees hunting as a way of survival, the State calls it poaching and is a punishable offence, tradition in some places supports early marriages, the State brings in girl child education, witch battering is acceptable in some chiefdoms, the State says that is an assault, tradition has it that a woman should endure pain, even when ill she should cook for her husband, the state has women’s rights.

Polygamous marriages are allowed by some traditions, the Church and the State say no. Should the State then arrest the traditional follower who is polygamous? If a chief who is a follower and the keeper of tradition and culture beats up his wife, are the society and the Law going to demonize him? Or is it that some animals are more equal than others?

If a man is empowered by his tradition to batter his wife as away of showing love or solving family disputes, why should the Law come in? Is this then a divided society?

It is tantamount to persecution to try a Christian by sharia law which is Islamic. Why is it in order to try an ardent traditional follower in the courts of law for wife battering? Can this be seen as persecuting the traditionalist?

Both the Church, tradition and the State are institution that influences people’s decisions. Are these three institutions on the same standing? If not; when does tradition becomes inferior to the Law in the case of wife battering? These institutions must be harmonized like in Kenya where chiefdoms are abolished in order to create a more “united conscience society”. If the Law and traditions are allowed to operate without clear distinction, how is the society that is so diverse going to know if wife battering is an offence or not?