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Labour and Social Security Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba
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.
INFRASTRUCTURE at the Nitrogent Chemicals of Zambia is becoming obsolete. The firm needs needs K120 billion to recapitalise but the government has insists the fertiliser plant is not viable
Government says the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) is on course of producing over 20 000 metric tones of Compound D fertilizer in readiness for the 2010/2011 farming season.
Lusaka Province Minister Charles Shawa said government has since funded the company in order to revamp its operations and produce the fertilizer which will be delivered to Lusaka, Central and Southern provinces.
Mr. Shawa disclosed this in a speech read for him by acting Lusaka Province Assistant Secretary Chileshe Kasoma at the official opening of the 5th Annual General Meeting of the Kafue District Cooperative Marketing Union in Chilanga, Kafue today.
The provincial minister observed that resumption of fertiliser production at the company will create new employment opportunities and guarantee existing ones for the locals in the district.
He commended the cooperative union for purchasing 40 000X 50 Kg of maize from small scale farmers at the cost of K2.6 billion in addition to what the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has purchased in the current marketing season.
Mr. Shawa challenged the cooperative union to take advantage of government’s various business incentives by engaging in the processing industry to add value to farm produce.
And speaking at the same function, Lusaka Province Cooperative Marketing Union Chairperson John Nsandwe commended government for assisting small scale farmers with subsided agricultural inputs.
Mr Nsandwe said the increase in the number of recipients of agricultural inputs under the Fertiliser Input Support Programme (FISP) is testimony of government’s commitment to the sector.
He hailed FRA for increasing the satellite depots from 7 to 9 in the area aimed at reducing the distance for farmers to access the market.
Over 122 delegates drawn from primary society that are affiliated to the district union have convened in Kafue District to elect a new executive committee following the expiry of mandate to the outgoing one.
-Equinox Minerals has generated an operating profit of $91.1 million during the second quarter ending June 30, this year, an increase of 11 percent over the first quarter of and an after tax profit of $73.4 million, representing an increase of 128 percent over the first quarter at its Lumwana mine in Solwezi.
According to the quarterly web report obtained by ZANIS in Solwezi today, copper production increased 44 percent over the first quarter and by 80 percent over the second quarter of 2009, with 43,835 tonnes (96.64 million pounds) of copper in concentrate produced.
The report further says the Company has achieved the lowest quarterly operating cost to date of $1.19 per pound of copper and has also achieved recoveries of 94 percent and mine head grade of 1.02 percent copper.
It further states that the company has increased cash resources to $212.2 million, an increase of $92.1 million over the first quarter.
As a result of positive operating cash flows, the Company has achieved Lumwana Mine design output levels for the first time with an excess of 5 million tonnes of ore mined while total material movement increased by 77percent over first quarter.
“[pullquote]We are extremely pleased to have delivered record copper production and operating profits this quarter. With improvements in all areas of mining and processing operations, our committed hard work over the past year is now paying off; Lumwana is starting to show its true potential,” Mr Williams said.[/pullquote]
The output levels also increased by 28percent compared to the corresponding quarter last year and ore mined increased by 65percent over the first and by 68 percent compared to the corresponding quarter last year.
Commenting on the results, Equinox President and Chief Executive Officer Craig Williams expressed extreme pleasure on the positive record copper production and operating profits in the second quarter of this year, saying Lumwana is starting to show its true potential.
“We are extremely pleased to have delivered record copper production and operating profits this quarter. With improvements in all areas of mining and processing operations, our committed hard work over the past year is now paying off; Lumwana is starting to show its true potential,” Mr Williams said.
Vice president George Kunda this morning led scores of people from all walks of life who turned up at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka for the memorial service of the late president Levy Mwanawasa.
Today marks two years since the death of Dr Mwanawasa. Speaking during the memorial service, vice president George Kunda said government will continue standing by the legacy of the late president.
He said government will continue to remain grateful to the late Dr Mwanawasa for his contribution to the country.
Mr Kunda adds that Dr Mwanawasa’s legacy will stand for generations to come. He further disclosed that government is still working on the policy guidance on how best to remember the late president.
And former first lady Maureen Mwanawasa challenged Zambians to learn to live in a truthful way for that is what the late president stood for. She says the Mwanawasa family is proud of what the late president achieved despite threats on his life and his family for his zero tolerance to corruption.
The memorial service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross was followed with the laying of wreaths at Embassy Park were the late president is buried. Dr Mwanawasa died on August 19,2008 at Percy Military Hospital in France after suffering a stroke while attending an African Union summit in the Egyptian Resort town of Sharm El-Sheik.
The late president was credited for his strong stance against corruption during his tenure as president.
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.
Ambassador Siwela (l) with CCA President Stephen Hayes(r) at the Zambia Embassy in Washington DC
The Cooperation Council on Africa (CCA) has expressed interest in promoting investment opportunities in Zambia.
The CCA President Stephen Hayes said the council was interested in “business match-making” between companies in the United States of America and Zambia.
Mr. Hayes said this when he paid a courtesy call on Zambian Ambassador to the United States of America Sheila Siwela at the Zambian Embassy in Washington DC. USA yesterday.
This is according to a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by First Secretary for Press at the US Embassy in Washington, Ben Kangwa.
“Our interest would be to find legitimate American companies that can do business with their counterparts in Zambia” Mr. Hayes said.
Earlier, Ambassador Sheila Siwela commended the CCA for its efforts in strengthening commercial relationships between Africa and the USA .
Ms. Siwela hoped that the CCA would work towards building investment partnerships between business people in America and those in Zambia.
The CCA was established in 1993 and has a membership of about 200 US companies that work closely with governments, multilateral groups and business to improve trade and investment climate in Africa and raise the continent’s profile among the business community in America.
The organization is dedicated to bringing together potential business partners and to showcase business opportunities on the Africa continent.
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.
Communication and Transport Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa
The governments of Zambia and Mozambique have yesterday signed eight legal instruments on bilateral relations which will enhance the living standards of the people of the two countries in many areas.
And President Rupiah Banda and President Armando Guebuza have reaffirmed their governments’ commitment to ensure that the instruments that have been signed are implemented for the benefit of the two countries’ citizens.
The instruments include agreements on transport and communications, tourism and civil aviation and five memorandums of understanding (MoU).
The MoUs are on mineral resources, education, disaster management and early warning, establishment of cooperation ties between chambers of commerce of the two countries and the last one on exchange of students of National Institute of Mozambique and Diplomacy Institute of Zambia.
Minister of Communications and Transport Geoffrey Lungwangwa signed the instruments on behalf of the Zambian government while Mozambique Minister of Foreign Affairs Oldemiro Baloi and Paulo Zucula, Minister of Communication and Transport for Mozambique signed for their country.
The signing of these instruments at the Office of the President of Mozambique was preceded by private talks by the two presidents and discussions by ministers and government officials from the two countries.
At the State Banquet held at the Ponta Vermelha Palace, an official residence of the President of Mozambique, President Banda said the instruments will further strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
He said the two countries share a lot of cultural, political, social and economic relations hence the need for them to increase their cooperation in many areas of economic and political development.
He said the two countries have made a lot of progress in many areas, including the central banks’ plans to repatriate their local currencies when trading.
President Banda said this will undoubtedly increase the two countries’ wealth and consequently improve the living standards of their peoples.
He has also praised Mr. Guebuza for promoting good and democratic governance in his country.
Earlier, President Guebuza congratulated President Banda for being elected to chair a SADC committee on defence and security policy, saying this will help improve peace situation in some countries of the Southern African region.
He paid profound tribute to the role Zambia and her citizens played in helping liberate a number of countries in the region.
He said Lusaka was and will remain in the political liberation dictionary of many countries in Southern African region because of hosting many freedom fighters from other countries.
He added that Zambia was one country that was key in the promotion of regional integration.
President Guebuza also praised Zambia for her economic growth registered in the recent past and expressed confidence that President Banda’s leadership will further enhance these developments.
President Banda, who arrived yesterday morning in Maputo for a three day state visit, will today travel to Beira to tour facilities at the port in the northern part of the country.
First Lady of Zambia, Thandiwe Banda and her Mozambican counterpart, Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza, also attended the State banquet hosted in President Banda’s honour by Mr. Guebuza.
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.
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 ]
The National Revolution Party (NRP) has observed that Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has a personal vendetta against former second republican president Dr Frederick Chiluba.
NRP Secretary General Kelly Walubita Jr. said the continued attacks on the former Head of State were regrettable and unfortunate.
Mr Walubita Jr. said the attacks on Dr. Chiluba by Mr Sata were setting a bad precedent on the Zambian politics.
He was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He described the attacks on Dr Chiluba as immature and without merit.
And Mr Walubita Jr. has advised both the opposition leader and civil society organisations to respect the verdict on Dr. Chiluba by the court of law.
Mr Walubita Jr. said it was uncalled for Mr Sata to maintain that Dr Chiluba is a thief and a non-repentant person when the courts of law have vindicated him.
He said that the judiciary is an autonomous body which operates independently.
Meanwhile, Mr Walubita Jr. has disclosed that his party is over-whelmed by the youths who have so far registered as voters in next year’s tripartite elections.
He disclosed that his party is working closely with the Electoral Commission f Zambia (ECZ) sensitizing the youths on the importance of voting.
Mr Walubita Jr. added that he toured Chawama and Kanyama where he was pleased to see many young people participating in the national programme.
Dario Bonetti has unveiled an initial list of 21 players to report to camp in Lusaka next week ahead of Zambia’s opening 2012 Africa Cup Group C qualifying match against Comoros Islands on September 4.
The list is wholly made up of foreign-based players with three of them currently unattached.
The clubless trio in the team is goalkeeper Kalililo Kakonje, defender Noah Chivuta and midfielder Rainford Kalaba, the latter who has not played competitively since the end of the Africa Cup in Angola in January.
Also in the team is midfielder Jonas Sakuwaha from French side Lorient who returns to the fold after a 12 months absence and also skipped the Africa Cup to try and secure a first team place at his European club.
Meanwhile, Bonetti is expected to unveil a list of home-based call-ups in the coming days.
Team
Goalkeepers: Kennedy Mweene (Free States Stars, South Africa), Kalililo Kakonje (Unattached)
Defenders: Kampamba Chintu (Amazulu, South Africa), Emmanuel Mbola (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Francis Kasonde (Al Hadez, Saudi Arabia), Joseph Musonda (Lamontville Golden Arrows, South Africa)
Midfielders: Christopher Katongo (Xanthi, Greece), William Njobvu (Hapoel Kiryat Shmone, Israel), Noah Chivuta (unattached), Fwayo Tembo (Basel FC, Switzerland), Felix Katongo (Al Ittihad, Libya), Rainford Kalaba (Unattached), Jonas Sakuwaha (Lorient, France), Sebastian Mwansa (TP Mazembe, DR Congo),
Strikers: Emmanuel Mayuka (Young Boys, Switzerland), Jacob Mulenga (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), Roger Kola (AS Ashdod, Israel), Signs Chibambo (El Masry, Egypt), James Chamanga (Dalian Shide, China), Fwayo Tembo (FC Basel, Switzerland), Given Singuluma (TP Mazembe,DR Congo).
Zesco United coach Fighton Simukonda has rued his sides chances against City of Lusaka after suffering their second Super Division loss of the season when they went down to a shock 1-0 defeat away at Woodlands stadium today in a rescheduled Week 14 game.
Zesco found a resilient City under new coach Fewdays Musonda had to breakdown as the new man on the bench at Woodlands confounded critics.
Simukonda on the other hand blasted his charges for failing to get the three points that would have seen them go top of the Super Division table today supplanting leaders Nchanga Rangers until this Saturdays week 22 games.
“We were playing as if we had won the game,” Simukonda said in a post-match interview after the match at Woodlands. “We have to change our attitude.”
Simukonda warned that he expected a better game from Zesco who face difficult assignment against Green Buffaloes on Saturday at Edwin Emboela stadium in their second straight league match in Lusaka in a space of four days.
“Buffaloes also want to win the league so it will be a tricky if the same attitude we take we are going to lose again,” Simukonda said.
City secured the three points to collect their fifth win of the season thanks to a 50th minute goal tapped in by their new boy from DR Congo Fabrice Mbimba who joined them two weeks ago.
City rise from the bottom of the table from 16th to 15th after today’s win.
Meanwhile, this was City’s second spirited display.
Coincidentally, City looked inspired with one Dario Bonetti turning up in the stands to watch the match after earlier watching them against Nkana in a game they lost 1-0 on Saturday while playing with the same determined zeal.
City travel to Ndola on Saturday to face former coach Hector Chilombo’s Forest Rangers at Dola Hill.
And in the other rescheduled Week 20 match played today in Lusaka, Nkwazi and Red Arrows played out to a scoreless draw at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka.
Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) says the registration of the London Court judgment must go all the way to the Supreme Court.
TIZ executive director Goodwell Lungu in a statement released to QFM today says it is TIZ’s unwavering position that this is a matter of immense public interest which cannot be abandoned at this hurdle.
Last week High Court Judge Evans Hamaundu dismissed an application by the State to have the London Court judgment against former President Fredrick Chiluba and his co-accused in which they were found liable of defrauding the Zambia government of US$46 million registered.
Mr Lungu says it is unimaginable that the Attorney General can abandon the cause at this stage given the rather large judgment sum which should be recovered from the judgment debtors.
He says the Attorney General should pursue the registration of the London judgment to its logical conclusion.
Mr Lungu reminds that Zambian public that government has already used the same London High Court judgment to extract payments from defendants such as Atan Shansonga,Bimal Thaker,Cave Malik and their insurers in the United Kingdom and that properties in Belgium were recovered with a gross value of US$8 million in a claim against four European defendants on the same allegations against Dr Chiluba and others.
He adds that as far as TIZ is concerned, the finding against Dr Chiluba and his co-accused by the London Court remain valid, and that the ball is back in the court of the Attorney General and the Zambian Government.
FLASHBACK: President Banda swearing in new Home Affairs minister Mkhondo Lungu at State House
By Henry Kyambalesa
I am shocked by the National Constitutional Conference’s decision to retain Articles and Clauses in the 1996 Republican constitution which require the president to make appointments to ministerial positions from elected or nominated members of parliament. Such Articles and Clauses are outdated, backward and outrageous for a burgeoning democratic system like ours.
The appointment of the Vice President, Provincial Ministers and Deputy Ministers should be from Zambians who are qualified to be elected as members of parliament (MPs), but who are not MPs for the following reasons:
(a) It can afford a Republican president or President-elect a larger pool of competent people from which he or she can appoint ministers;
(b) It can provide for greater separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of the government;
(c) It can afford presidential aspirants enough time to identify potential ministerial appointees well before tripartite elections rather than waiting for parliamentary elections to be concluded;
(d) It can lead to distribution of income to more citizens and thereby reduce existing income disparities; and
(e) It can reduce the apparent work overload on government officials who have to handle both ministerial and parliamentary functions. (Instead of increasing the number of constituencies because some constituencies are assumed to be too large to be handled by a single MP, would it not be wise for MPs to tend exclusively to their legislative functions?)
Apart from failure to discern the benefits of such a change and the apparent resistance to change, the opposition to the proposal concerning the appointment of ministers from the general public at large seems to be aimed at according greater control of the legislative arm of the government by the Republican president through ministers, and protecting the president from impeachment.
McDonald Chipenzi, for example, has quoted Ms. Mutale Nalumango as having said that the government rejected the recommendation to appoint ministers from outside parliament, saying doing so would put the president in a precarious position because he or she would have no control over parliament and, in the case of an impeachment motion, he or she would be vulnerable. (McDonald Chipenzi, “Government Rejects Recommendation by ERTC to Reduce Voting Age,” The Post Online, February 26, 2005.)
And the argument by Gabriel Namulambe that “it would be difficult for ministers who are appointed outside parliament to execute their duties as they would not understand issues affecting people at the grassroots tells us volumes about the emptiness of some of the government officials who are appointed to serve the people. This is clearly an insult to so many competent and hardworking Zambians who actually understand the problems facing the citizenry and are diligently serving their fellow citizens every day in various positions, but are not MPs.
One does not really need to be an MP in order to understand the socio-economic problems facing the common people. It is, therefore, foolish for anyone to belittle the intellect and competence of Zambians who are not MPs to effectively serve their fellow citizens in ministerial positions.
There is actually the possibility that the ruling political party would want to use the Articles and Clauses relating to the appointment of government ministers as a campaign tool in 2011 by telling voters that they should not vote for presidential candidates from political parties which do not have a majority in parliament, because such candidates will have problems in finding competent individuals among their few MPs to form government.
We should, therefore, not be surprised if the MMD adds this issue to its current arsenal of rehearsed campaign tools, including the following: that we should not experiment with leadership; that the president needs more time to complete his projects and programs beyond 2011; that voters should not vote for presidential candidates from political parties which do not have a majority in parliament because they will not be able to pass new laws; that voters should vote for parliamentary candidates fielded by the ruling party because such candidates will have ready access to funding; that voters should not expect development to take place in their areas if they vote for candidates from opposition political parties; and that one can never become president unless he or she is meant to be.
I have a few caveats for voters who are likely to be hoodwinked by such meaningless campaign tools: many of the current crop of government leaders are deadwood and, therefore, do not hold the key to Zambia’s future; any new Republican president would be obliged to adopt and implement projects and programs initiated by previous administrations which are designed to benefit communities nationwide; any new Republican president would be able to run the country with existing laws; Zambia needs leaders who recognize citizens’ right to vote for candidates of their choice without being threatened that their communities will be excluded from the development process if they do not vote for candidates fielded by the ruling political party; and an individual can become president if he or she is meant to be only through coronation, not through genuine elections!
