Zain Zambia has today donated K 50 million to three traditional ceremonies namely, Kulamba Kubwalo of the Lenje people, Kunda Malaila of the Kunda people and Kulamba of the Chewa people.

Speaking during the handover of the cheques to the chairpersons of the three organizing committees, Zain Zambia Commercial Director Mark Ocitti said the three ceremonies have a special role to play in Zambia’s history and should therefore be preserved not only for future generations but for tourists and scholars who want to know the country’s cultural diversity.

Mr. Ocitti said Zain has planned to spend three quarters of a billion kwacha to sponsor traditional ceremonies on the calendar this year.

He disclosed that this year alone Zain has spent a total of K 250 million in sponsoring traditional ceremonies such as N’cwala, Kuomboka, Umotomboko, Builile, Lwiindi, Kazanga of Kabompo and Kazanga of Kaoma.

Mr. Ocitti has since announced that the telecommunication company will be conducting activities at the ceremonies so as to encourage and educate people on the use of mobile phone in order to enhance their lives.

He noted that the usage of mobile phones in rural areas was low adding that Zain would like to empower people with phones and also educate them on how to maximize the usage of handsets.

And receiving the donation, Kulamba ceremony organizing committee chairperson Lameck Mangani, Kulamba Kubwalo organizing chairperson Bishop Luputa and Malambo Cultural Association Chairman Robert Kamuzimbi all thanked Zain Zambia for the donation.

They noted that Zain is one of the companies committed to promoting Zambia’s traditional ceremonies adding that the gesture should be commended.

Lameck Mangani who is also Science and Technology Deputy Minister said government will always appreciate and support companies that help local people preserve their cultural and heritage.

Kulamba Kubwalo of the Lenje people which will take place on October 2, was given K10 million while Kulamba of the Chewa people got K 30 million and Kunda Malaila ceremony of the Kunda people which will be held on 28th august got K10 million.

ZANIS

Labour and Social Security Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba has called on employers in the country to ensure that they promote a decent working culture for their employees.

Mr. Kachimba noted that while government has put in place investment and economic policies meant to create employment, such jobs should be decent.

Speaking in Chongwe today in a meeting with farm employers and farmers union, Mr. Kachimba advised employers to ensure that they are not in conflict with labour laws.

He also warned employers not to engage in cheap labour as it usually leads to child labour adding that such activities call for prosecution.

The Deputy Minister urged employers to treat workers as human assets or capital, as well as strategic partners in the expansion and growth of their respective organizations.

He, however, appealed to workers to exercise discipline at all costs and channel their grievances in a proper way.

And Chongwe District Commissioner Japhen Mwakalombe noted that any concerns of labour are of great importance to the nation.

ZANIS

The Media Liaison Committee (MLC) has postponed the launch of the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) which was set for August 26.

MLC Chairperson Joseph Mkandawire said the launch has been postponed to a date to be announced later citing developments that have emerged in the last week after announcing ZAMEC launch.

He said the committee has also decided to put off the launch to allow for wider alternatives and options to be expressed on the matter before the new body is finally launched.

Mr. Mkandawire who is also Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Acting Chairperson said this at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

He said Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha had requested for dialogue to be exhausted with the committee on ZAMEC.

He added that the Society for Senior Citizens (SSZJ) had also proposed an indaba where it asked the committee to discus with the minister on the apparent deadlock on media regulation in the country.

“The launch has been moved to another date to be announced in due course because of new developments that have emerged in the last one week since we made earlier announcement of the launch. The first is that the Minister requested the Media Liaison Committee to dialogue further with him on ZAMEC because in his view the discussion had not been exhausted. The second issuer is that the Society for Senior Zambian Journalist has proposed an indaba where they have asked the ministry and MLC to discus the apparent deadlock on media regulation in the country” he said.

Mr. Mkandawire has meanwhile called on people to give chance to the media self regulatory mechanism that has been developed after consultations with all media bodies and institutions.

He said the media resolved during its national conference that the performance of new media regulatory body to be launched should be judged after an interim period of 18 months.

Mr. Mkandawire has further disclosed that nominations for members of ZAMEC national governing council has reached advanced stage.

The MLC had announced that they would launch ZAMEC on August 26 after consensus with media bodies, and institutions.

ZANIS

Concerned teachers in Kabwe have expressed their concern at the unfair manner the rural hardship allowances are being processed by Education authorities in the area.

The aggrieved teachers told ZANIS in an interview today, that it is unfair and discriminatory for some of their colleagues to continue receiving rural hardship allowance while others were not all serving in the same area.

They said it was sad that government would allow some teachers continue the allowance despite teaching in Kabwe, which is in a peri urban area.

“We are surprised that some of our colleagues in schools within Kabwe are still getting rural hardship allowance and yet Kabwe is a town where you find all the services such as banks, post office, hospitals including many clinics. But some of us are not getting, what is happening,’ wondered one teacher.

But when contacted, Kabwe District Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) chairperson, Shatemba Maala urged teachers not to worry saying the matter was receiving serious attention from government.

Mr. Maala explained that the office of the district education board secretary (DEBS) had already submitted the required information to the ministry of education to correct the situation.

He described the situation as an anomaly, which the union was aware of and was working with the office of the DEBS to ensure it was corrected as soon as possible.

The ZNUT official noted that the irregularity was there because the end users were not allowed to submit such required information about who should get the allowance and not but this was only allowed to be submitted by super end users who did not know what was happening on the ground.

‘It is true that teachers in some of the schools here in Kabwe are still benefitting from the rural allowance and this has dragged because our people at district were not allowed to submit the required information, because these are the people who know us but it was done by people in Lusaka,’ he said.

Mr. Shatemba appealed to teachers to be patient about the matter saying he was hopeful that pay slips for this month-end, would distinguish who should get and who should not get rural allowance.

ZANIS

The U.S Embassy in Lusaka has signed a grant with FORGE a U.S based non government organization that supports refuges to establish internet service at Maheba Refuge Settlement in North Western Province.

The internet connectivity is aimed at empowering residents of Maheba Settlement with an easy gate way to the rest of the World without obtaining gate passes.

The internet connectivity is also aimed at allowing Refuges at Maheba Settlement to research information about their legal rights and information regarding their countries of origins.

Speaking after the signing ceremony in Lusaka today Charge d’ Affairs at the U.S Embassy in Lusaka Stephen Schwartz said internet services make people understand issues well hence them making informed decisions.

Mr Schwartz also noted that communication is vital as it lifts people from poverty due to the knowledge they acquire and apply on sustainable issues.
He said connecting Maheba Settlement will encourage stakeholders to peruse initiatives that will lead to lasting solutions for refuges at the settlement adding that it will encourage self sufficiency.

He said the facilities will not only make refuges make informed decisions on certain issues but will help them to peruse solutions to their daily challenges as refuges and take control of their livelihood.

FORGE has been working in Zambia for the past seven years providing various services to refuges with a focus on preparing them for repatriation to their countries of origin.

Among the services FORGE has been involved in include early childhood education, agricultural finance, health care, women’s empowerment and computer technology.

[ ZANIS ]

A 42 year old widow in Livingstone has gruesomely been murdered by her Land lord in unexplained circumstances.

Southern Province Police Commander Remmy Kajoba was not reachable for comment on the matter but a family spokesperson Martha Mwanamwalye confirmed the murder with ZANIS.

Mrs Mwanamwalye, who is the elder sister to the deceased said her younger sister whom she named as Veronica Mwase aged 42 and a widow was murdered by her Landlord on Friday 13th August 2010.

According to Mrs. Mwanamwalye , her young sister who was a resident of Dambwa Site and Service Kashitu in Livingstone knocked off on the evening of Friday 13th August, 2010 around 20:00hrs.

“When she arrived home from work, her land lord who is physically challenged in the company of his named brother assaulted her with knife for the simple reason of bugging on the door, “she said.
The murder took place between 21:00hrs – 23:00 hrs when she got home.

And According to eye witnesses the Landlord asked why she had banged the door when she entered the room she occupied, the Landlord who is a lame man on crutches then knifed her.

The Landlord had been seen walking with a knife the whole day. The Landlord was with his young brother who people suspect held the late Veronica as his brother knifed her.

The two brothers have since been arrested and charged with murder.
The deceased widow is survived by three children and one grandchild.

The grandchild is from her 15year old daughter who was defiled last year at school.
The named landlord is in police custody pending court appearance for a murder charge
[ ZANIS ]