Truck drivers at the Mukambo border post in Mufurila District have protested over continued alleged harassment by Congolese Nationals. Scores of unhappy drivers alleged that some unscrupulous Congolese have been attacking and killing truck drivers whenever they fail to pay the demanded amount at the checkpoint in the Democratic Republic Of Congo (DRC). One of the victims has told LusakaTime News that for a long time now, attacks have been reported but authorities from that country are unresponsive yet international truck drivers are the cornerstone of its thriving economy.

He adds that the move taken is in response to the latest attacks that have not only infuriated Zambians but other drivers from as far as Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzanian among others. According to the drivers, the alleged attacks have been happening for some years now and the situation has become worse leading to drivers being killed nearly every month. As a result truck drivers have decided not to enter into the neighbouring DRC until security measures are put in place to protect them.

Saturday morning social media was flooding with images of truck drivers who were shutting down the Mukambo border post. The drivers are appealing to the UPND Government to intervene in this matter and ensure that the challenges being faced by truck drivers are addressed.

And confirmed reports are coming in that another Zambian truck driver was attacked and killed by unknown people in the neighbouring Democratic Republic Of Congo (DRC). Efforts to get a comment from the SADC Drivers Association proved futile as phone calls went unanswered during broadcast time.

Meanwhile in the Ndola district truck drivers at Sakanya Border Post on the Copperbelt Province have bemoaned insecurities in the Decorticate Republic of Congo (DRC) where cross-border trade has become a deadly cat and mouse game. The drivers revered to Lusaka Times News that even in some cases police officers of that country are allegedly involved in the extortion of armed drivers who are brutalities if they don’t comply with bribes. The groups that dispersed traders during the protest have vowed to have their concerns heard because they feel the issues have been prolonged and are being ignored by leaders in the SADC Region. A clearing agent Joshua Moyo complains that the continued harassment once inside the DRC is affecting businesses such as his because not many are keen to cross the other side of the border. Mr Moyo says the Zambian government must urgently engage its neighbour to end the unprovoked attracts that are disrupting regional trade.

The government says it is the responsibility of every individual to ensure that local tourism is promoted in the province.

Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Henry Mukungule says the promotion of tourism by the locals is vital to economic development of Muchinga Province.

ZANIS reports that the Permanent Secretary said this during a phone in radio program at Radio Delight Kwitonta anchored by Cecilia Kayaya , on Friday.

This was part of the activities to commemorate tourism week in the province.

“ Economic development through tourism can only be attained if everyone involves themselves in the tourism sector locally by visiting tourist sites dotted around the province .

” Let us not leave touring of these tourism sites to foreigners only as these sites are ours and we should own them by visiting them regularly,” He said.

He said the government in promoting tourism in the country has reduced viewing fee for the local people than that of foreigners in a bid to encourage them to be visiting these tourism sites adding that the people of Zambia should take advantage of the gesture.

Mr Mukungule adds that Government will soon improve on road networks and signage of local tourism sites in Muchinga for tourists to have easy access to the areas.

And speaking during the same program, Provincial Culture Affairs Officer for Muchinga province Euden Sikaubwe says local tourism helps to promote oneness and unity.

Mr Sikaubwe said local tourism adds value in promoting tourism sites and the area.

Periodical visits to various tourism sites also help to reduce stress which is why the sector has a segment of medical tourism among other tourism segments.

” It is very important to visit tourism sites near us even those in other areas from time to time for the sector to manage tourism well which in turn will bring about economic and infrastructure development,” He said.

The purpose of observing the tourism day and week is to increase awareness about tourism to locals and foreigners as well as increase it internationally.

The 2022 World Tourism Day which falls on September 27 annually is being held under a theme: Rethinking tourism.”

Government has advised newly recruited teachers against a laissez-faire attitude towards work and substandard work.

Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Technical Services Joel Kamoko warns that government will no longer entertain inept attitude towards work advising teachers to promptly report and knock off at official time.

Mr. Kamoko says that it will be no business as usual in the new dawn government which will require maximum input and commitment to duty from not only the newly recruited teachers but the entire civil service personnel.

The Permanent Secretary said this in Solwezi on Friday in a speech read on his behalf by North-western Province Permanent Secretary, Grandson Katambi during the seventh graduation ceremony for University of Zambia in association with Solwezi College of Education.

“Guest of honor I would also like you to know that it is no longer business as usual where workers do things as they please and do not care and this is common in our schools, they only report at nine o’clock and thereafter you don’t know where they go . They melt.

“This government means business in all areas therefore, there is no room for lazy civil servants in this government,” he said.

He said the new dawn government requires hard working teachers and committed civil service.

” You should begin to conduct meaningful research which will form decisions at college level and indeed beyond, focus on research which will give information about some of the challenges you are facing,” Mr Kamoko said.

Officiating at the event University of Zambia acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Anne Sikwibele said teachers are agents of change who shape and mold learners into responsible citizens.

“We entrust teachers with the responsibility of inculcating good morals in learners so that the learners become good citizens of the nation” Prof. Sikwibele said.

Stressing that it is not about the numbers of teachers being employed to feel positions in schools in the country but quality, Prof. Sikwibele commended Solwezi college of education for striving to produce quality teachers that will benefit the nation.

And Examination Council of Zambia Director, Micheal Chilala, said the country has been grappling with high illiteracy levels for a long time which is unacceptable for learners who are going to school but are unable to read in English and worse still local languages.

In a speech read on his behalf by Council Secretary, Teza Musakanya, Mr. Chilala urged the graduates to go and serve selflessly

Meanwhile Solwezi College of Education Principal, Andrew Mutobo said the 181 teachers who have graduated in early childhood education, primary and secondary diploma, respectively, are of high quality and ready to serve society.

Dr. Mutobo urged the graduates to be good ambassadors of the institution through positive contributions to society.

Meanwhile, Chinsali District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Pardon Tesho has emphasised on the need for school infrastructure development following government’s recent recruitment of over 30, 000 teachers.

Mr. Tesho says the demand for infrastructure development in Chinsali Town is increasing especially in some schools around the Central Business District ( CBD).

Mr. Tesho says this is where the private sector plays comes in as it plays an important role in supplementing government’s efforts in infrastructure development.

The DEBs said this through the Education Standard Officer Gibson Phiri during a donation of 1,000 building blocks by Unifi , a local financial entity, for the construction of an administration block at Choshi Primary School, on Friday.

He said the move by Unifi signifies the collaborated efforts of the private sector in improving the working environment of teachers.

“We want to call upon other private entities to emulate the step that Unifi has made in the donation of these building blocks,” He added.

He further appealed to the members of Staff at Choshi Primary school to use the building blocks for their intended purpose.

And Unifi Branch Manager Ouzman Kasakula, said the donation is meant to supplement the efforts of Government after the recent massive recruitment exercise.

Mr. Kasakula said the institution will continue to render help where necessary, stressing that their engagement with the Ministry of Education also increases their clientele.

“The school had applied to us and we managed to help them with 1,000 building blocks,” He added.

Meanwhile, Choshi Primary School Head teacher, Joram Mulenga says the donation is a significant step towards the construction of an administration block which the school has been lacking.

Mr. Mulenga also assured the donors that the building materials will be put to good use.

Choshi Primary School has over 900 pupils with only 24 teachers operating at the institution without an established administration block.

The government says it is concerned with the high levels of moral decay such as, sodomy, teenage pregnancies, alcohol abuse, and gender based violence ( GBV ) in the country.

Vice President, Mutale Nalumango says the church should therefore join hands with government to aggressively fight the prevailing social ills.

ZANIS reports that speaking when she joined hundreds of Adventists at Pamodzi Central Seventh Day Adventist Church during a fundraising function, Mrs. Nalumango said government is concerned with the levels of the vices.

“I want to assure you that government is taking critical steps towards making Zambia a Christian nation that we all desire. A nation where there is peace and harmony, respect for the rule of law and order, and above all, our Christianity is reflected in our everyday actions.

“ When I engaged the leaders of the church mother bodies last week, I was assured of this commitment. For this, government remains grateful, ” she said.

Mrs. Nalumango also assured the church that government will and shall uphold the tenets of Christianity.

She added that the church should collaborate with government in delivering inclusive developmental programmes which are designed to empower people.

Meanwhile, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Elijah Muchima has assured the over 300 families who were displaced in Chingola’s Kasompe Township after their houses built near the airstrip were demolished of being given alternative land.

Mr. Muchima told journalists in an interview that the alternative land has been identified and is being numbered at the ministry.

He said Government will ensure that all the displaced families are resettled accordingly and issued with title deeds.

“Regarding the issue in Kasompe, there is a good hand from somewhere, there is land which has been set for numbering now at my ministry. We will soon come to Kasompe and those people will be settled nicely and given title deeds,” Mr. Muchima said.

The Chingola Municipal Council recently demolished over 300 structures illegally built on the Kasompe Airstrip, a land on title and belonging to Zambia Civil Aviation Authority.

The development unsettled a cross section of society out of which arose calls for compensation of the affected families that had settled on the piece of land.

And Mr. Muchima says his ministry is set to investigate the matter in which some residents in Ndola’s BwanaMkubwa constituency burnt a front end loader after an attempt to demolish some structures on disputed land.

He said he will soon be constituting a team from his ministry to establish the contention and chart the way forward on the matter.

“As Government, we want to take care of our people, this matter is going to be investigated thoroughly and I will be coming back to Ndola to find out whatever it is then we shall take corrective decision but we do not interfere with the court’s decision.

“Of course if there is court order, we have to discuss with my colleagues in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to see how we can handle the situation. We don’t want our people to be thrown away just like that,” Mr. Muchima said.

HIGH Court of Zambia has ordered the country’s central bank to pay back US$139M to Jayesh Shah. The High Court of Zambia has ordered the Bank of Zambia to pay back US$139, 191, 386 seized in 1998 to Zimbabwean business tycoon, Jayesh Shah, and his company Al Shams Building Materials Limited.

The judgement follows a protracted legal dispute stretching over the past 24 years.

Justice Edward Musona sitting at the High Court Thursday found the bank at fault, bringing an end to the long-running dispute.

“This is proper particularly since the history of litigation, in this case, dates back to 1998. It is 24 years old in the courts. The Bank of Zambia has unduly and unjustly perpetuated this case,” said the judge in delivering his ruling.

He added, “This dispute has been in a back and forth movement, from High Court to Supreme Court.

“This is sad. Litigation must have an end. 24 years in court is too long. Bank of Zambia has abused its immunity against execution. This should end because it is not good governance.

“Now, therefore, I order that leave to appeal is granted but subject to a deposit by the Bank of Zambia into the court of 30% of the judgment sum being US$139, 191, 386 within the period during which an appeal may be lodged. Parties may proceed to uplift this judgment,” ruled Musona.

Shah has vast business interests in Zimbabwe, Zambia and India, among other countries.

The background

On January 16, 1998, Zambia’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) informed Al Shams Building Materials Limited’s bankers – First Merchant Bank Zambia Limited – and the Attorney General that it had seized the firm’s accounts with over US$1 million pending investigations.

According to court papers, just months later, the bank was placed under receivership and on March 16, 1999, the Bank of Zambia ordered its liquidation.

Al Shams Building Materials Limited and Shah instituted legal proceedings in the Zambia High Court, which on October 12, 1999 ruled that the money should be returned to the owners since the seizure was unlawful and illegal.

The court ruled that in the case of First Merchant Bank failing to reimburse Shah and his company, the Bank of Zambia was held liable and, in the alternative, the Attorney General was ordered to pay if the funds could not be found.