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President Rupiah Banda answering questions from Kanyanya Basic School Reporting Team known as 'Young Journalists' who are participating in a training project being funded by British Broadcasting Corperation in Mongu. This was before the President left for Lusaka after a series of campaign meetings for MMD Luena parliamentary candidate Mwangala Maopu
President Rupiah Banda says Government is focused on alleviating poverty and bringing prosperity for the benefit of all Zambians.The President said this when he addressed a large gathering during a rally held at Ushaa Basic School to drum up support for the MMD’s candidate in the Luena parliamentary by elections, Mwangala Maopu scheduled for 5th August, 2010.
President Banda told the people of Ushaa that by voting for Mr. Maopu, the people of the area and Luena as a whole would reap a lot of benefits as they would have a representative working with the majority members of Parliament who have influence in allocating natural resources.The President urged the people of Ushaa not to give Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) candidate Charles Milupi a second chance as Member of Parliament because he failed to implement any major developmental projects for the benefit of the citizens in Luena.
Mr. Maopu is a former teacher who is said to have worked so well with the local people.Other contestants running for the Luena seat have been floated by the United Liberal Party, United National Independence Party (UNIP), United Party for National Development (UPND) and ADD.
Zambia’s inflation rate has increased from 7.4 percent in June to 8.4 percent in July, the central statistics office has announced.
The increase of the country’s inflation rate has been attributed to the increases in food and non food prices.
Justin Katumbi, acting CSO Director says that between June 2010 and July 2010, the annual; inflation rates increased for food, beverages and tobacco, clothing and footwear, household, fuel and lighting, furniture and household goods, TRANSPORT and COMMUNICATION, and other goods and services.
Mr. Kalumbi has further revealed that the annual inflation rates reduced for medical care, recreation and education.
He says of the total 8.4 percent annual inflation in July 2010, food products in the consumer price index, accounted for 2.0 percentage points, while non- food products accounted for 6.4 percentage points.
He adds that a comparison of retail prices between June 2010 and July 2010 shows that the national average price of 25 kg bag of white roller meal reduced by 5.9 percent, from 40, 161 kwacha to 37, 809 kwacha.
Mr. Kalumbi says that the average price of a 20 liter tin of maize grain also reduced by 5.1 percent, from 19, 570 to 18, 567 Kwacha.
It has also been revealed that the national price of 1kg tomatoes increased by 3.3 percent, from 3, 493 to 3,607 Kwacha.
He also says that the national average price of 1kg dried kapenta increased by 6.0 percent, from 50,710 Kwacha to 53, 748 Kwacha.
Some workers at Kasama Municipal Council in Northern Province have complained of non-payment of their salaries for the past four months now.
The workers at the Council have threatened to go on strike if management does not pay them their salaries arrears by this month-end.
Some council employees, who preferred to be anonymous, told ZANIS in Kasama yesterday that they have not received their salaries since March, this year.
The workers have since accused Council management of being insensitive to their plight.
They charged that management had deliberately chosen to render a deaf ear to the suffering of workers and their families.
The workers revealed that Council was collecting millions of Kwacha from revenue sources but wondered how the funds were being utilised.
They explained that despite management making promises to pay workers their monies nothing tangible had so far happened.
The workers have since appealed to Government authorities to intervene in the problems that have rocked Kasama Municipal Council.
Efforts to get a comment from Acting Council Town Clerk Victor Kakoma proved futile.
But Kasama Mayor Fidelis Chishoma yesterday also complained that Councillors had not been paid their sitting allowances for meetings that they have had in the last four (4) months.
Mr. Chishoma said the Councillors were entitled to sitting allowances each time they met for council meetings but regretted the non-payment of their dues.
He, however, claimed that Kasama Municipal Council currently did not have adequate funds to pay its workers and Councillors their monies and urged the affected individuals to be patient with the local authority.
The Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) has called on political players in the Chifubu, and Luena parliamentary by-elections to promote violence free campaigns.
ZCID Spokesperson, Njekwa Anamela said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), Zambia Police, and other security agencies together with other political players should ensure that they all do their part in calling for clean campaigns.
Mr Anamela told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that all stakeholders must ensure that they promote peace in the run up to the two by-elections adding that political parties should also abide by the electoral code of conduct.
“We urge the stakeholders in the electoral processes, political parties, ECZ, police and all security agencies to ensure that they promote violence free campaigns. We also call on our members, the political parties to go about their campaigns in peaceful manner and follow the electoral code of conduct” he said.
He has meanwhile described as peaceful the on-going campaigns in Chifubu and Luena.
[pullquote]“We urge the stakeholders in the electoral processes, political parties, ECZ, police and all security agencies to ensure that they promote violence free campaigns. We also call on our members, the political parties to go about their campaigns in peaceful manner and follow the electoral code of conduct” he said.[/pullquote]
He stressed that political parties should stick to their promise to condemn violence during campaigns which they pledged during the meeting with ECZ prior to the announcement of the by-elections date.
Mr. Anamela has meanwhile described as robust the current political situation in the country.
He said political parties have gone into full force in their campaigns and consolidating their parties ahead of the 2011 general elections.
He also challenged political parties to sensitise their supporters on the need to register as voters in the on-going voter registering exercise.
Mr Anamela said parties should encourage all their supporters and the public especially first time voters to register for next year’s elections.
Billy Mwanza has been recalled to the Zambia national team by new coach Dario Bonetti for the Italians first game in charge against Uganda away on August 11.
The Zesco United defender has not played for the national team since late 2008 under former coach Herve Renard.
Mwanza will be amongst 20 home-based players who will report to camp in Lusaka on Sunday.
There is also a recall for his clubmate Enock Sakala while club-less midfielder Rainford Kalaba has also been drafted into the team.
12 foreign-based players who include captain Chris Katongo who recently moved to Greece side Xanthi and striker Jacob Mulenga of FC Utrecht in Holland are in the team.
Zambia will be using the match as a build-up for their 2012 Africa Cup Group C qualifier against Comoros on September 4.
Struggling Afrisports have disclosed that they can beat demotion from Division 2 north.
Afrisports have won just two games this season in with nine draws from 15 matches and fourth from bottom in Division 2 after their demotion from Division 1 north at the end of last season.
“We have a bad start in our first half of the season and have won just two games,” Afrisports chief executive Gabriel Kaunda said.
“We came here to division two thinking we could do with our youth development but we got a rude shock with some of the experienced players some of the teams have.
Kaunda however said he was still confident Afripsorts will beat the drop to amateur Division 3.
“We still have 15 games to play and I am confident we can survive,” Kaunda said.
Should Afrisports drop further down the league ladder, it will mark a dark moment for one of Zambia’s most successful developmental teams that produced has established Zambia internationals Jacob Mulenga, Rainford Kalaba and Stophira Sunzu.
Example of a Mobile Hospital recently donated to Zambia
By Henry Kyambalesa
The recent castigation of critics of mobile hospitals by President Rupiah Banda that the issue is none of their business should be openly condemned by all citizens who care about the future of our beloved country.I surely thought President Banda’s decision to purchase mobile hospitals from the China National Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation was shelved after it generated so much controversy in the country! It has now become clear that President Banda is not only stubborn and arrogant; he also lacks good judgment. For how can a leader who has good judgment completely ignore the voices of so many citizens who are against the purchase of the US$53 million mobile hospitals through a loan from EX-IM Bank of China?[pullquote]“In a sense, we’re talking about … sending smart white boys in to tell them how to run their countries.”[/pullquote]
It is irresponsible, wasteful and unwise for President Banda to buy mobile hospitals which are likely to last only a few years, given the poor state of roads in rural areas. Also, there are a lot of rural communities today where there are no motorable roads. Moreover, it is hard to imagine how the mobile clinics will be used – would they be driven around in rural communities on a regular basis in the hope of finding a sick person?
Further, it will be very difficult to control the potential abuse of the mobile facilities and their contents. Besides, the recurrent costs of maintaining the mobile hospitals will be prohibitive after spending the following amounts (extracted from The Post Online article of April 27, 2009 entitled “Donors Question Government’s $53 Million Deal”) which are required to seal the two-year contract:
US$
36,260,356 Cost of the 9 Mobile Clinics
3,300,000 Spare Parts for 2 Years
6,000,000 Medicines and Medical Appliances
5,144,650 Chinese Engineers and Medical Staff
—————————-
50,705,006 (+ tax)
—————————-
As any genuine development economist would advise, loans, if there is really a pressing need to obtain them, should ideally be used to support the production and/or exportation of trade-able goods. However, the US$53 million loan would still have made sense if it was secured to cater for the following:
(a) Provision of free healthcare for all Zambians;
(b) Construction of more permanent healthcare facilities nationwide;
(c) Provision of adequate medicines, medical equipment and ambulances;
(d) Financing of research designed to find cures for HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, and other deadly diseases; and
(e) Hiring, retention and training of health personnel.
The mobile hospitals are, at best, a luxury Zambia cannot afford. No doubt, the procurement of such temporary facilities is going to be the most conspicuous case of misapplication of resources by a Republican president thus far. It is a clear case of misplaced priorities! Sooner or later, the President and/or members of his inner circle will be crossing national borders for medical treatment or check-ups after wasting the US$53 million!
And they want to rule Zambia beyond 2011 up to 2030 whether we like it or not—arrogant, stubborn, belligerent, and condescending as they are! That will surely be a testimony to the statement attributed to Dr. Frederick Chiluba by the late Dean Mung’omba that Zambians are docile!
The gross mismanagement of resources, among other forms of incompetence by the MMD government, reminds me of the following words of an anonymous official in an unnamed donor country quoted by L. Timberlake in his 1986 book: “In a sense, we’re talking about … sending smart white boys in to tell them how to run their countries.”
President Banda wants to continue to mortgage our country and the future of our children and grandchildren through such loans. He does not seem to see anything wrong with our country’s over-dependence on loans and donor funding to provide for public services and facilities.
He needs to trim the highly bloated government going through public expenditures line by line, program by program, agency by agency, department by department, and ministry by ministry in order to eliminate unnecessary application of public funds. There is a need for the government to perform existing and planned government functions with a smaller number of Cabinet Ministers, and to abolish the positions of Deputy Minister and District Commissioner.
Also, there is a need for him to reduce the number of Zambia’s foreign missions by having clusters of countries to be served by single embassies, and to initiate restrictions on leaders’ trips to foreign countries and the sizes of delegations on such trips.
The US$53 million deal has all the characteristics of an attempt by President Banda to use the mobile clinics as a campaign tool for the 2011 general elections, designed to woo voters in rural areas. He could win the Republican presidency, but he won’t be there to make a contribution to the re-payment of the loan!
And how does one explain the prominence of single-source procurement by the President during the short period he has been in office, if it is not to reap personal or political benefits from the deals involved? What is the use of having a procurement authority and technocrats in government ministries whose function is merely the acquisition of machinery, equipment and services that are prescribed by ministers or State House?
There is a need for Chinese government officials to guard against encouraging President Banda to borrow lavishly from their country’s state companies to finance projects which are conceived without consultation with Parliament and the Zambia Public Procurement Authority. He clearly wants to secure the US$53 million loan to buy mobile hospitals mainly to win the rural vote in the 2011 elections, and they will do well not to participate in this furtive scheme if they are interested in cementing the existing cordial relations between their country and the people of Zambia.
Former Luena Member of Parliament Charles Milupi after launching his new political party in Lusaka.
The Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) interim president, Charles Milupi has described republican President, Rupiah Banda’s call for the electorate in Luena not to vote for him as a distortion to democracy.
Mr. Milupi who recently relinquished the parliamentary seat to take up ADD presidency, said that his conduct is within the obligations of the constitution.
he said the decision he made was in the best interest of the people and his performance in that area still holds enough reputation for him to retain the seat.
Mr Milupi said that ADD is an effective opposition political party that could be able to give a new turn to national politics by according credibility to the democracy that this country has been built on.
He pointed out that his party is by far the most popular party in the LUENA at the moment and MMD is too unpopular to compete for the parliamentary seat.
The ADD president said he is building the ADD on issues and not character assassination as it has been the case with other political parties.
Mr. Milupi, however, said that he does not expect the republican president to take pride in insulting competitors.
[ QFM ]
A Lusaka magistrates’ court handling the case involving nine Ministry of Health employees, yesterday advised defence lawyer Keith Mukata not to argue with the court but wait for its guidance.
Magistrate Kenneth Mulife advised Mr Mukata, who is one of the defence lawyers in the matter after he alleged that Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor Dennis Simwinga was not serious with his re-examining of former permanent secretary Simon Miti.
This is in a case in which Ministry of Health human resources officer Henry Kapoko and eight others are facing a charge of obtaining money by false pretences amounting to more than K1.9 billion.
When Mr Simwinga was re-examining Dr Miti, Mr Mukata objected saying that he was not serious but the State prosecutor protested.
Mr Simwinga said it was not fair for Mr Mukata to purport that as a public prosecutor he was not serious in his re-examination.
He demanded an apology saying the State was serious with the matter contrary to Mr Mukata’s claims.
But as Mr Mulife was guiding the two parties, Mr Mukata continued addressing the court and Mr Simwinga.
This prompted Mr Mulife to advise, Mr Mukata not to argue with the court but wait for his guidance.
“Counsel shall not argue with the court because it is up to the court to provide guidance and not the lawyer. In the interest of time and the accused’s liberties, Mr Mukata should apologise,” he said.
Mr Mukata, however, apologised to Mr Simwinga and retracted the statement that the ACC prosecutor was not serious and sober.
And during continued re-examination, Dr Miti said he signed the contract to award the mother baby kits to Kahekam Limited, a company linked to Kapoko.
Dr Miti said the contract was also signed with Ministry of Health head of procurement and supplies unit, Able Katongo who is jointly charged with Kapoko.
Kapoko is jointly charged with head of procurement Katongo, procurement specialist Anthony Mwila, Justine Phiri, an internal auditor and assistant director of administration Norbert Peleti.
Choosing a presidential candidate for the Patriotic Front-United Party for National Development (PF/UPND) pact in 2011 will spell doom for the alliance, Luapula member of Parliament Peter Machungwa has said.
Dr Machungwa, who is spokesperson for the Patriotic Front (PF) members of Parliament attending the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) said yesterday that this is because neither PF leader Michael Sata nor his UPND counterpart Hakainde Hichilema is willing to deputise the other.
He however said in an interview yesterday that it is good Mr Sata has realised that the vacuum in the pact leadership is creating problems.
Dr Machungwa said Mr Sata’s suggestion that choosing a leader at this stage will rescue the pact is not feasible.
“Even assuming that one of the two leaders agrees to deputise the other, this will only solve half the existing problems. This is because their manifestos are very different from each other and it will be difficult to harmonise them,” he said.
Dr Machungwa challenged one of the two pact leaders to come out openly and state that he is willing to deputise the other, otherwise there will be no deal.
He said most of the senior members in both PF and UPND know that the pact is only on paper, although the charade will go on for a while.
Dr Machungwa said at the end of the day, it will be “things fall apart” for the pact.
Mr Sata has said that part of the solution to ending the wrangles in the pact is to choose a presidential candidate who will lead the two parties in the 2011 general elections.
The two parties in the pact said they will soon hold a meeting at which top on the agenda will be leadership of the pact.
A poster lauding government's women empowerment programmes
The Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has called on political parties to help bridge the gender inequality gap by adopting women candidates at 50-50 per cent parity ahead of the 2011 presidential and general elections.
At a media briefing to launch activities in preparation for the celebrations to take place on September 23 at YWCA in Lusaka yesterday, NGOCC board chairperson Marian Munyinda said political parties must adopt more women candidates.
Ms Munyinda said in comparison with other countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, South Africa and Mozambique, Zambia had a lower number of women Cabinet ministers despite being an old democracy.
She said efforts to improve women representation in decision-making positions at both political and other levels should be scaled up.
She said while the fight for gender equality was growing old since it was started on September 25, 1985, achievements on the ground remained static and cited bickering among the women as part of the reason for the stagnation in women’s advancement.
Ms Munyinda said through member organisations such as the Zambia National Women’s Lobby Group (ZNWLB), NGOCC would identify credible women to contest for positions and adoption for candidacy at both parliamentary and presidential levels next year.
Ms Munyinda said the decision to set up the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) was good but lacks a clear plan of action to allow women access the funds without difficulty.
She said NGOCC was displeased that many provisions that should have dealt with social challenges faced by women and children in part three of the Bill of Rights in the Draft Constitution had been rejected.
And NGOCC in North-Western and Copperbelt provinces launched activities to mark the commencement of celebrations the organisation’s silver jubilee in September.
NGOCC liaison officer for the two provinces, Priscilla Chama Mwansa said during the launch in Solwezi yesterday that the occasion provided an opportunity for the women to reflect on the organisation’s achievements and challenges.
In Livingstone, Ms Munyinda urged non-governmental organisations and other institutions to be transparent and accountable in their dealings to instill confidence in their members as well as beneficiaries.
Ms Munyinda said there was need for NGOs to be transparent and accountable to their members and beneficiaries of their programmes if they had to continue existing.
She said this yesterday in Livingstone in a speech read for her by NGOCC active human rights activist Jean Mweene at a Press conference to launch the 25th Silver Jubilee Anniversary celebrations.
The Zambia Police Services Victim Support Unit (VSU) has said economic violence and abuse was on the rise in most Zambian homes.
Speaking in an interview in Lusaka, VSU National Coordinator, Senior Superintendent Tresford Kasale said it was disheartening to note that economic violence had become a common trend in most Zambian homes to settle domestic scores.
He said in most cases bread winners in Zambian homes, male or female, took advantage of their economic position to economically abuse their spouses, children and dependents.
Mr Kasale said bread winners deliberately stopped buying food and other human necessities such as clothing , medical care and education, among others in order to make their spouses feel unwanted resulting in them leaving their matrimonial homes.
The VSU National Coordinator said this during a five- day Gender Awareness workshop for service providers at Red Roof Lodge in Lusaka’s Roma Township which started on Monday.
Mr. Kasale said that such trends were commonly practiced in both high and low density urban areas. He noted that such practices were also part of the issues that the VSU was handling on a daily basis as breadwinners attributed prevailing economic situation in the country as the cause of them not supporting their spouses and family in general.
Mr. Kasale however advised breadwinners not use their economic situation as the reason for not supporting their families saying they should instead be transparent and honest to their spouses and families on their situation.
The workshop sponsored by the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is aimed at empowering service providers with adequate information on Gender Based Violence (GBV) which is said to be on the increase in the country.
The workshop has attracted service providers from nearly all corners of Zambia mainly attached to the VSU’s of police stations.
And during the preliminary of the workshop, some participants expressed concern at the law that prohibited housewives from physically reacting to their husbands’ girlfriends.
The participants said this development had actually empowered girlfriends to have undue control of most men thereby creating domestic instability in most homes.
However, Mr. Kasale advised the participants that the affected housewives should take advantage of the law of Adultery which he said was as punitive as any other law.
Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba speaking people in Northern Province says he will soon call an urgent meeting with traditional rulers in the Bemba Royal Establishment to discuss the contents in the draft constitution.
The Paramount Chief said it is important for Chiefs to critically analyze the clauses in the draft constitution and make informed submissions towards the constitution making process.
He told ZANIS at his palace recently that he does not want to come up with his own position on certain issues contained in the draft constitution but instead wanted to build consensus among chiefs by holding a meeting with them on constitutional issues.
Paramount Chief Chitimukulu said he is aware that the 40 days given to people to make submissions to the draft constitution was fast elapsing hence his decision to hold an urgent indaba with his fellow traditional rulers on the subject matter.
The Paramount Chief also said traditional rulers at the indaba would critically analyze land issues in the draft constitution especially Article 290, which has so far proved to be contentious among traditional rulers.
According to article 290 Clause one in the draft constitution, customary land is described as land held by communities identified on the basis of tribe, residence or community of interest.
But Paramount Chief Chitimukulu said that while he does not support the clause he would allow other chiefs to make their recommendations before arriving at a conclusion on the issue.
So far, Senior Chief Mwamba and Chief Makasa have both condemned the clause, saying if allowed to stand it may destroy the existence of traditional leadership in the country.
The traditional rulers have since asked the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) to re-visit Article 290 in the draft constitution and make sure that traditional rulers were given back their powers to be custodians of customary land.
Meanwhile, Paramount Chief Chitimukulu has advised people in Northern Province to take keen interest in the constitution making process and make sure that their voices are heard by making valuable submissions on the draft constitution.
National Milling Corporation has said good agriculture policies by Government has helped the country to record bumper harvest this year.
National Milling Managing Director, Peter Cottan said Government has also facilitated various players in the agriculture sector to partner with small scale, peasant, and commercial famers to achieve stable agricultural policies.
Mr Cottan said good policies and the enabling environment in the nation had also enabled his company to work and partner with farmers in crop marketing.
He said his company has since put in place mechanisms aimed at providing farmers with a ready market to sell their crops.
Mr. Cottan said this when he presented a donation of 200 by 25 Kg bags of Roller meal to the Lunda Lubanza traditional ceremony of the Lunda people of Zambezi and the Maliko Malende Lwindi traditional ceremony of the Tonga people of Sinazongwe.
He said by providing markets for farmers, his company was helping farmers to stop dealing with briefcase buyers who exploited them by offering unfair prices for their produce.
He has since pledged his continued assistance to traditional ceremonies saying they were a major contributor to the national economy.
And receiving the donation, Senior Chief Ishindi of the Lunda speaking people said while the country was celebrating a bumper harvest, the people of Zambezi feared starvation as their crops were destroyed due to excessive rains.
The Senior Chief said the people may only have food to last for up to September this year.
The traditional leader also commended National Milling for extending its help to hosting of the traditional ceremony slated for next month.
And, Esau Nebwe a representative of Chief Sinazongwe also lauded the company for its continued support to national events.
Mr Nebwe said while the company was known for only sponsoring sports, National Milling had also shown serious commitment to national events like traditional ceremonies through donations towards such ends.
Fuel crisis has hit Kalomo District in Southern Province for the past one week following the closure of the only filling station in town under Kobil which was run by a local businessman, paralyzing operations of most motorists.
And a local businessman who was running the service station, Stephen Bwebya, when contacted for a comment said his contract with Kobil Limited has expired but said his company may resume operations soon.
The development has made fuel vendors to raise prices with a 20 litres container of diesel selling at K140,000 while the same quantity for petrol is selling between K180,000 and K200,000 .
Most motorists talked to have prodded the District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) to find an alternative big and viable company to run a filling station in the district because this was not the first time the town has experienced such fuel shortages.
The motorists, ferrying their maize for sale to the 15 satellite depots created by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for this year’s crop marketing season in the district, said the development would advantage unscrupulous buyers to penetrate into rural areas and buy their maize cheaply as they could afford other means of getting fuel to travel to rural areas.
Some government departments and their fleet of vehicles including those for the on going mobile voter registration exercise are getting fuel from Choma District which is 60 km away from Kalomo.
Meanwhile, the on going mobile voter registration exercise has so far managed to captured 3,382 new voters since it started up to June 21 to July 15 this year, District Electoral Officer, Allfred Mungalu has acknowledged.
