Dr Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba said it is a pity that the sovereignty of Zambia is not being respected.

He said that the donors in Zambia should respect the dignity of Zambia as it is an independent country.

In an interview with QFM, Mr Mwamba further accused the British government of trying to use Dr Chiluba as an example to punish former heads of state cited in corruption.

He added that as much as the donors help in alleviating poverty in Zambia, the country should be respected.
[ QFM ]

THE United Nations (UN) Programme on Human Trafficking has cautioned Zambians to be wary of fraudulent job or education offers in foreign countries because they would end up being victims of human trafficking.

UN Programme on Human Trafficking training coordinator and secretariat focal point, Chana Chelemu Jere said job or education offers in foreign countries were being used to lure people to foreign countries to engage in prostitution and other undesirable activities.

She was speaking at Jasmine Guest House in Kitwe during a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) media capacity building workshop on human trafficking, gender-based violence and forced labour, which was also attended by officers from the judiciary and Ministry of Home Affairs.

Ms Jere said Zambians should not be excited about job or education offers in foreign countries, but should instead seriously verify such offers before accepting them to avoid being trafficked to other countries to perform undesirable activities.

“Job or education offers from foreign countries may look lucrative and nice, but it is important to verify them because it is from such offers where human beings have been trafficked to other countries to do prostitution and other undesirable activities,” she said.

And UN Joint Programme on Human Trafficking coordinator, Daniel Banda said cases of human trafficking, child labour and gender-based violence affect the development of the victims.

Mr Banda said UNICEF, International Labour Organisation and other stakeholders, with sponsorship from the European Union, decided to hold workshops with the media so that they could help in information dissemination and sensitisation of the people on the dangers of human trafficking, gender-based violence and forced labour.

He said the media played a vital role in sensitising and educating the people on various issues and was hopeful that journalists would play an important role in fighting human trafficking.

[Times of Zambia]

Kabwe Municipal Council (KMC) Town clerk (TC) Vivian Chikoti said today that the court is expected to be opened on Monday next week and warned that there would be no sacred cow but that anyone found wanting would face the wrath of the court.

ZANIS reports that Mrs Chikoti said she was hopeful that once implemented, people would fear committing any nuisance thereby helping in keeping the town clean and avoiding outbreaks of diseases such as cholera.

She further explained offenders would be prosecuted and once found guilty a fine would be slapped on them and in default sent to jail.

Mrs Chikoti explained that prosecutors and magistrates to handle the court proceedings were already set while Council police and State police were ready to start arresting the offenders starting Monday next week.

‘We have worked well with the police, the courts and everyone else. All is set foe the court to start. The vendors, those who like to spitting in public, urinating anyhow and motorists who park anyhow, would face it,’ she said.

And District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) has welcomed the move by the Council to open up fast track court.
[pullquote]‘We have worked well with the police, the courts and everyone else. All is set foe the court to start. The vendors, those who like to spitting in public, urinating anyhow and motorists who park anyhow, would face it,’ she said.[/pullquote]
The meeting chaired by Kabwe District Commissioner (DC) Jonathan Kapungwe observed that the move would help contribute greatly to cleanliness in the town.

This was after Deputy Council Health Director Mary Zgiambo told the meeting that the Council would next week on Monday open the court.

The announcement follows concern raised by the DDCC over the truckers and other motorists who were parking their vehicles anywhere they found space instead of designated parking areas.

[ ZANIS ]

The 2010 Census Publicity Technical Committee has declared that all is set for the National Census on Housing and Population which starts this October.

Committees Chairperson Gilbert Maimbo said all the census material, including bicycles and vehicles that would be used for transport during the exercise have already been procured and set in readiness for the census.

He said the master trainers for the census have been trained while enumerators who would be gathering information in the field will be trained starting next week.

Mr. Maimbo who is also Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) Director said this during the recording of ZANIS radio programme called Zambia Today in Lusaka today.

He also explained that ZANIS which had offices in all the nine Provinces was also working hand in hand with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and other stakeholders to sensitise the public on the importance of the census.

He said the census was an important Government undertaking because it would provide data for the development of the nation.

Mr Maimbo said it is through these statistics that Government will know what type of infrastructure, and social services to provide to the people.

“The data provided from the census will help government plan for the citizenry in education, health and others sectors It is from this that government will the budgetary allocations for the different sectors, know how many schools to build, infrastructure, and many other things which will help meet the needs of its citizens” He said

Meanwhile, Mr Maimbo called on the public to fully cooperate with enumerators to ensure the success of this year’s national census.

He said the committee had received reports on people in some areas, who were fearing to give correct information due to cultural and religious beliefs.

“During the pre-census exercise we had people in certain areas, who refused to give correct information because they feared that once they give correct information say on livestock government might get parts of their livestock’s and give others”

“In some areas people do not comply because they said they were already counted by God, but I must emphasis that the census is important. Biblically Jesus’ parents were counted and many such examples in the bible” he said.

Mr. Maimbo also disclosed that the census committee had also partnered with Journalists from community radio stations who have been trained and helped to sensitise the community on the importance of the census.

Government said it would spend about K226 billion to successfully conduct the 2010 National Population and Housing Census scheduled to kick off in October this year.

This year’s census will be the fifth after the country successfully conducted four other similar exercises in 1969, 1980, 1990, and 2000.

In the first census conducted in 1969 the country’s population was 4.1 million, it was 5.7 million in 1980, 7.7 million in 1990 and the last one being in 2000 when the population was estimated to be at 10 million (9.9 million).

[ ZANIS ]

Government has said it is aware of the many hardships rural communities were facing in accessing health services.

Kafue District Commissioner Winford Ngoma said there was therefore need for rural communities to realise that Government resources were minimal to take care of all citizens’ needs.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Ngoma said this in Kafue’s Chipapa area today where a Japanese Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Association for AID and Relief (AAR) donated eight bicycle ambulances, 16 ordinary bicycles for care givers under Kuchafwana Home based care group during a handover ceremony.

Mr. Ngoma said Government would welcome partnerships such as the one it had created in Chipapa with AAR Japan because they filled gaps where the state was unable to cover. He said it was pleasing that the Japanese NGO had now been working in Kafue district for the past nine years.

Mr. Ngoma said rural communities such as Chipapa were the hardest hit by diseases such as HIV and Tuberculosis putting families under immense pressure. He said the support to the community in Chipapa was timely adding that it would go a long way in mitigating their suffering.

Mr. Ngoma said his office was aware that Chipapa covered a very wide catchment area and the ambulances would help people access health care in most desperate circumstances.

He added that it was also encouraging that among those who have been trained to maintain the bicycle ambulances were women.

Mr. Ngoma commended the NGO for having continued to work in Kafue after phasing out in Chilanga area. He said Government would always value any assistance cooperating partners provided.

And Kafue District Health Director Dr Mwila Lembalemba thanked AAR Japan for the gesture. He noted that one of the biggest hindrances to accessing health care had been long distance.

Dr Lembalemba noted that the handover of the ambulance was timely and a clear testimony of good public private partnership which the Ministry of Health and Government were encouraging. He said such initiatives would contribute to the fulfilling of the ministry of health’s vision of providing equity of access to cost effective health care as close to the family as possible.

Speaking earlier AAR Japan Country Director Takashi Ashida stated that his organisation‘s main objective was to carry out various international cooperation activities including relief on disasters to promote self reliance of vulnerable people. He said AAR had now been in Zambia for the past 26 years since 1984.

Mr. Ashida said the donation was made to increase access to VCT, HIV and TB treatment and also prevent new infections through community mobilisations, sensitisation and access to medical health services.

He said an assessment and analysis conducted revealed that Chipapa clinic’s catchment area was vast as people walked for as long as 35 km to access medical treatment and other services. He said both HBC caregivers and patients have to cover long distances on foot due to no reliable transport in the area.

Mr. Ashida said the bikes and ambulances would provide another option for locals. He said the bicycles were made in such a way that they provided comfortable transportation of chronically ill patients and people in need at minimal costs.

He said the community has agreed to contribute K3, 000 per person every year which would go towards maintenance of the ambulances and make the project sustainable.

ZANIS

And the JCTR has also wondered why President Banda reacts to donors’ concerns in the way he does if there is no truth in what they say.

Speaking in an interview with QFM todayJCTR Deputy Director, Leonard Chiti, said President Banda must respond to donors’ concerns using established channels.

Mr Chiti was reacting to President Banda’s sentiments yesterday telling donors to pack their bags and go where they came from if they are fed up.

He said President Banda as Head of State is expected to handle issues in a sober manner.

Mr Chiti note that the emotions exhibited by the president raise more concerns from the general public because there is a message behind it.

He wondered why the President reacts the way he does whenever donors raise concerns on issues that affect them in some way.

Mr Chiti said there is no need for someone to react to an issue if there is nothing wrong in the way such an issue is being handled.

He pointed out that the President must learn to respond, to people’s concerns to instill confidence in them.

The Deputy Director noted that the president must first of all find out who is saying what, why they are saying it and make a comprehensive statement in response to what is being said.

Mr Chiti said in that way, there would be transparency and credibility in all that the government engages itself in.

Yesterday, President Rupiah Banda before his departure for the Eastern province at City Airport said Zambia is not a banana republic, telling donors to pack their bags and go where they came from if they are fed up with Zambia.

He said Zambia is an independent state, adding that donors should give Zambians the chance to follow the laws which they left behind.
[ QFM ]

And Lieutenant General Shikapwasha has warned the Post against misleading people in their reporting because he expected the media in Zambia to be neutral in their reporting and not to be in the fore-front misleading the masses.

He observed that of late the Post Newspaper had played a role of being image builders of Patriotic Front/United Party for National Development (PF/UPND) Pact leaders Michael Sata and Hakainde Hichilema as well as some of the out-spoken civil society organisation chief executive officers.

Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, challenged the Post to display professional ethics when writing stories.

In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said it was not true that Government had failed to address some of the contentious issues of political governance, economical and social issues but maintained that Government was on track because it was a listening Government.

The Minister said Government was aware of the double standards the Post was playing.

He complained that negative stories were written on President Rupiah Banda while PF/UPND Pact leaders Mr. Sata and Mr. Hichilema received good coverage instead of being fair in their reporting.

“Government is saddened and we are aware of the Post Newspaper in their reportage. The Post Newspaper is playing double standards in their reportage and it has become the image builders of PF/UPND Pact leaders Mr. Sata and Mr. Hichilema,” Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said.

The Chief Government Spokesperson reminded the media on its role to educate, inform and entertain the masses describing it as a noble calling as opposed to exhibiting double standards.

Efforts to get Post Newspaper Managing Editor Amos Malupenga failed as his phone was just ringing.

Meanwhile, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha disclosed that he would soon be meeting media heads to discuss the way forward noting that the forth coming 2011 tripartite elections are very critical to the development of the nation.

ZANIS