TWO Zambian drivers who operate the long distance haulage bus, Zambia-Namibia, were arrested and detained in Katima Mulilo last week Thursday for allegedly contravening the Namibian Transport Act. A police source said Masauso Sakala and Lucky Mudenda were detained for 10 hours after traffic officers at a road block arrested them for picking up Namibian passengers on the way to and from Windhoek.
The police source also said the charges constitute a fine or imprisonment as the two contravened the permit issued under the Namibian Road Traffic and Transport Act.
“They were taken in after countless warnings on several occasions to stop picking up Namibian passengers,” said the source.
Sakala and Mudenda, who were charged for carbortage, are out on bail of N$5,000 each and the case was postponed to 17 August 2010 pending further investigations.
The Road Transportation Act, Act 74 of 1977 reads: “A person undertaking a public road transport service must have the necessary permit, operating licence or ad hoc authorisation; and be registered in terms of this Act in case of minibus taxi-type, metered taxi, bus-type and coach-type services…” the permit reads.
Some Zambia-Namibia bus conductors, who declined to be named, this week told Informanté that their transportation permit allows them to trade, that is to pick up passengers within the borders.
“There are many foreign buses trading in Namibia but they do not suffer the harassments that befall us weekly when we drive through the town. The permit does not limit us to board foreigners’ only,” they complained.
A tertiary student, Jane Malumo, who boarded the bus when the arrests were made, said the bus was trailed and stopped 20 km before Katima. She said the officers demanded all Namibian passengers jump out and luggage thoroughly checked adding that they were subjected to victimisation and harassment.
“This bus is always searched at the borders and in town every time they drive through. Chaos broke out when the police came and demanded that Namibian passengers dock out of the bus,” she said.
A local mini-bus operator, who declined to be named, said the Zambian Bus is allegedly causing mayhem at the town as they get local customers that they should be transporting to Windhoek.
“The Zambian bus is not profiting us local operators in anyway. The bus boards both foreign and local passengers depriving us of making a living too,” said the operator.

[www.informante.web.na]

The MMD losing candidate in the Chifubu by-election, Frank Ngambi , has pledged to work with the PF elected member of parliament Susan Kawandami and the people of Chifubu in poverty reduction programmes.

Mr. Ngambi , who made the pledge this morning during a press briefing, said he was still committed to fulfill his electoral promises saying he would achieve his goals by working with the newly elected MP.

He urged the Chifubu electorate with workable development ideas to submit proposals to him saying he and the new MP were going to access funds for women empowerment.

He said he will remain a servant of Chifubu people adding that the electorate in the area should feel free to approach him on matters of development.

And Provincial Miniter Mwansa Mbulakulima said the PF had won the seat with reported electoral malpractices in both Kaniki and Twatasha Basic School areas.

He said there was a PF Official who was dishing out K5, 000 notes to voters and when the police went for him, he was on the run.

Mr Mbulakulima called for neutrality and fair play from NGO’s monitoring elections to follow up the issues and to condemn any act that was bad whether committed by the ruling party or the opposition.

He said the MMD has started making inroads comparing the results of 2006, 2008 and 2010 because the support for the party in the area was on the rise.

He said the rate at which the party was going, it was evident that MMD will over run the opposition in the 2011 general elections.

Mr Mbulakulima added that though the MMD lost the MMD still feels that Ngambi was the best candidate from the four who stood.

He said the ruling party had put up a brilliant campaign despite intimidations on the voters from the PF.
He said the party would continue to re-organize itself for the 2011 tripartite polls.
[ ZANIS ]

MMD Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo has been suspended from Parliament for a period of seven days for calling George Kunda as the most stupid vice president in a story published in the Post newspapers edition of 5th July 2010.

This was after Mr Mpombo was found guilty by the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Support Services of breaching parliamentary privileges and etiquette.

Mr Mpombo was to have committed contempt of the house for attacking the vice president’s debate outside the House.
The Parliamentary committee recommended that he be suspended from the House for two months in accordance with the provisions of section 28(1) of the National Assembly powers and privileges Act.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mutale Nalumango in making the ruling however said that owing to the fact that parliament shall be prolonged after it adjourns sine die today, Mr Mpombo will only be suspended for a period of one week.

Mrs Nalumango further said that Mr Mpombo who was not in the House will in addition not take part in the business of the House or of its Committee.

She further said that the former defence minister will during the period of his suspension not receive any salary or allowance and will not be allowed to undertake any activity in his capacity as Member of Parliament in his constituency or anywhere else outside parliament.

She added that Mr Mpombo’s attacks on the vice president amounts to gross misconduct and was totally unwarranted.

Mwense Member of Parliament Jacob Chongo raised the point of order on 7th July 2010 on whether Mr Mpombo was in order to make derogatory remarks against the vice president who is the leader of government business in the House and insult him in the press on matters raised in the House.
[ QFM ]

The Opposition UPND has scooped the Kariba Ward Bye election beating their only contender the ruling MMD.

Announcing the results at the council chamber last night around 21: 00 hours, Presiding Officer Mulambwa Mwanan’gono declared UPND candidate Mubiana Lubinda as having been dully elected as Councillor for Kariba Ward.
Mr. Mubiana got a total of 875 votes beating MMD candidate Alfred Simakole who managed a total of 467 votes.

A total of eight votes were rejected by the presiding officer.

Meanwhile the ruling MMD has retained Mpima ward in Kabwe and Mailo ward in Serenje respectively after beating UPND/PF pact candidates in by-elections held yesterday.

MMD candidate Christine Mutale – Chilufya got 304 votes beating UPND/PF candidate Dorcas Munansangu Miyanda who only managed 299 votes out of the total of 3, 723 voters.

Returning Officer, Andrew Bwali declared Mrs. Chilufya as the duly elected councillor for the Mpima ward adding that 10 votes were rejected.

And speaking later, MMD national Youth chairperson, Patrick Musonda, commended Mrs. Chilufya for the victory as the opposition had applied too much pressure on the ruling MMD in the area.

Mr. Musonda urged his party to adquatly prepare for future elections to ensure victory adding that Mrs. Chilufya had experienced a number of challenges during the campaigns.

“MMD is still the only party that is democratic and the only party people want to continue ruling this country. Mrs. Chilufya you have brought pride to the party and therefore we congratulate you for your victory,’ He said.

Earlier, Provincial MMD chairperson Boyd Mutonka said the victory was just one of the many more coming and urged party members not to wait until there is an election but to start all the preparations now.
[pullquote]“MMD is still the only party that is democratic and the only party people want to continue ruling this country. Mrs. Chilufya you have brought pride to the party and therefore we congratulate you for your victory,’ He said.[/pullquote]

In Serenje district, returning officer Milton Sakala declared MMD candidate Douglas Mukosha as winner of the by –election who beat PF candidate Morison Mwape Mukando.

Mr. Sakala announced that MMD’s Kalunga got 401 against Mukando’s 378 out of the 788 voters who cast their votes.

Mailo ward has 1, 995 registered voters.

Kariba ward had a total of six polling centres.

[ ZANIS ]

THE Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, under the Mansa Research Station, has started developing cassava varieties which are resistant to diseases.

This is to counter the many diseases affecting cassava in Luapula Province, resulting in low yield.

Mansa Research Station root and tuber programme officer Martin Chiona said the disease-resistant crop will help farmers to harvest more cassava.
He said the cassava mosaic disease, which is transmitted by the white fly, is the most common.

“Cassava is the staple food in Luapula Province, but farmers are not harvesting enough because of diseases,” he said.

Dr Chiona said the cassava mealie bug and green mite are the other pests which affect cassava.

He said the government has realised that if diseases and pests are not controlled, they may spread to other provinces.

Dr Chiona said the other factor which makes cassava important is that the people of Luapula Province depend on its leaves as the most commonly eaten vegetable during the dry season.

He said the Mansa Research Station is also contemplating improving the protein content in cassava.

Dr Chiona said the improvement of protein in cassava will make it compete with maize.

He said it is important to increase the cassava yield, especially that some local and foreign companies have expressed interest in buying it for starch processing.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

PRESIDENT Banda is today expected in Luapula Province to grace the Bwilile traditional ceremony of the Bwile people of Chiengi.

According to a programme released by the Luapula Province administration in Mansa yesterday, Mr Banda is expected to land at Mansa airport at 08:00 hours.

Luapula Province minister, Boniface Kawimbe, senior Government and MMD officials will welcome him.
Mr Banda will address the people of Mansa before departing for Chiengi.

Mr Banda is expected pay a courtesy call on Senior chief Puta and later grace the Bwilile ceremony.
The President will depart Chiengi airport at 16:00 hours and arrive at Mansa airport at 16:50 hours.
Mr Banda is tomorrow expected to leave for Chipata.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

THE Copperbelt University (CBU) management is courting private construction companies to partner with them and enhance students’ accommodation under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) development progamme.

CBU public relations officer Grace Mikunga said the university was ready to partner with private construction companies to come up with business proposals that would benefit both parties.

“The university welcomes proposals for partnerships under PPP for the construction of students’ hostels to enhance accommodation at the Kitwe campus,” Ms Mikunga said.

And CBU management has spent K4 billion on the construction of two new students’ hostels at the campus.

Ms Mikunga said the construction of the school of business, office complex, lecture theatre, school of technology, the directorate of distance education and open learning had also been completed.

“CBU has so far completed construction of the new hostels at the campus at a cost of K4 billion and a separate project of the school of business, office complex, lecture theatre, school of technology and the directorate of distance education and open learning,” she said.

While the hostels’ project was funded by the Government and constructed by private companies, the university under its built-in environment programme used its own resources on other construction projects.

“The university through internally generated funds like fees and other sources managed to raise enough funds for the construction of the directorate of distance education and open learning,” said Ms Mikunga.

She said apart from the university construction team, other firms like Caisson of Kitwe, MSD and Lusaka’s Wah-Kong were engaged for the hostels project.

The construction project, which started in December 2008, has seen male hostels completed while the female hostels’ project, which started in 2009, was receiving finishing touches.

[Times of Zambia]