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William Banda castigates Sata for missing Africa Freedom Day celebrations

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MMD Lusaka province chairman William Banda

MMD Lusaka province chairman William Banda said that the failure by the Patriotic Front President Michael Sata to attend the Freedom Day Celebrations shows that he was a prisoner.

Mr.Banda said that Mr.Sata did not want to interact with the people of Zambia because of his alleged past.

He also stated that Mr. Sata had no idea about the commemoration of the African Freedom Day because during the African liberation time, Mr. Sata was doing things against Africans.

He added that he was not surprised that Mr. Sata failed to show up for a celebration that should not be marred by politics. On Mr UPND leader’s absence, Mr. Banda said Hakainde Hichilema does not understand the celebrations as he was too young. He said the only idea the UNPD leader can have about the celebrations is because he might have read it somewhere.

However, the Patriotic Front has pleaded with the Lusaka province MMD chairman to stop provoking its party leaders. Erick Chanda, a Lusaka province youth leader said Mr. William Banda should not take the respect granted to him by the PF for granted. Mr. Chanda said that Mr. William Banda cannot match with Mr. Sata describing him as too small for the arguments.

[pullquote] Mr Lubinda said by the time Mr Banda, who he said is a foreigner, wakes up from his slumber, he will at the boarders of the country facing deportation.[/pullquote]

And PF spokesperson Given Lubinda has charged that MMD Lusaka province chairman William Banda is boot licking President Rupiah Banda to buy his stay in Zambia. Mr Lubinda said the MMD Lusaka Province Chairman is working hard to impress Rupiah Banda lest he thinks of deporting him.

Mr Lubinda said by the time Mr Banda, who he said is a foreigner, wakes up from his slumber, he will at the boarders of the country facing deportation.

He has since advised the MMD provincial chief to calm down his ego and stop living in a fantasy island. Mr Lubinda told QFM in an interview that Zambians know that he is buying time to live in Zambia and that he should not think the people of Zambia are dull.

QFM

I’ll continue to offer myself as 2011 candidate — HH

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UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema yesterday said he will continue to offer himself as a presidential candidate to lead Zambia because the Pact has not chosen a candidate for the 2011 presidential polls.

And All People’s Congress (APC) leader, Ken Ngondo has said political parties in Zambia that have formed a pact were just wasting their time because people of Zambia do not want a pact but an alliance.

Mr Hichilema said yesterday he had ambitions to take over Government next year considering the immense qualities and capabilities he wields but Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata was also allowed to express his desire to lead.

The UPND leader said candidacy for the UPND and Patriotic Front (PF) Pact remained open to any of the two partners in the alliance formed in 2008 but only announced last year.

His declaration was based on the fact that a candidate to run the Pact into the 2011 presidential election had not been chosen by the technical group involving the two parties.

Asked when the two leaders would announce the candidate, Mr Hichilema said it would remain a secret until the right time came.

“The message is that we have not chosen a candidate for the Pact. When a candidate is chosen things will be clear,” Mr Hichilema said.

Mr Hichilema on Sunday declared he was the best candidate to lead Zambia next year because of the younger age and urged Zambians to take a leaf from countries like Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States of America and Germany that had elected leaders with modern leadership postures.

Mr Sata has also made similar declarations, raising questions about the extent of confusion and power struggle between the two leaders as the election fast nears.

Mr Hichilema said suggestions by 11 districts in Southern Province for his party to forge an alliance with the MMD lacked background and clarity considering that his party already has an alliance with PF.

He said the resolution to forge an alliance with PF was passed by the national management committee in consultation with the general membership and the new dimension by Vernon Mwaanga had never been on the party’s agenda.

Mr Ngondo during a Press briefing in Chipata on Thursday said he would not support any pact because the current pact could not form Government even in 2011 tripartite elections.

He said the current pact (UPND/PF) was not a factor in the Zambian politics because there were two leaders who had different divergent views with different manifestos.

[Times of Zambia]

Zambia records $1.3bn investment pledges

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Zambia Development Agency Acting Director Muhabi Lungu (left) is flanked by Communications Manager Margaret Chimanse at a press briefing in Lusaka.
Zambia Development Agency Acting Director Muhabi Lungu (left) is flanked by Communications Manager Margaret Chimanse at a press briefing in Lusaka.

THE Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) says the country recorded about US$1.3 billion in investment pledges for the first quarter of 2010.

ZDA communications and public relations manager Margaret Chimanse said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that the investment pledges were mostly in the tourism sector.

The investment was mostly targeting the tourism sector and specifically infrastructure and services.

Ms Chimanse said the pledges were in view of the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the tourism opportunities that it promised the region.

She was speaking from the ZDA stand at the on-going Copperbelt Mining, Agricultural and Commercial Show (CMACS).

Ms Chimanse emphasised that the pledges did not mean the actual investment but simply plans for investment.

She noted that 50 per cent of last year’s investment pledges were not implemented in various sectors.

“Last year we undertook a check on the pledges and established that not all the pledges had been implemented,” she said.

And the agency said K24 billion had been reserved under the Business Development Services (BDS) programme to assist small-scale organisations develop their businesses.

She said the money was made available by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Finnish and Netherlands governments and Government contributed K3 billion.

Ms Chimanse said the funds were being used to train small-scale entrepreneurs in business and the beneficiaries received services and not the actual money.

She said the agency was also encouraging rural entrepreneurship because the businesses were not required to pay income tax for five years from establishment.

[Times of Zambia]

Police Officer jailed four years for Corruption

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The Livingstone subordinate court has sentenced a police officer to four years imprisonment with hard labor for corrupt practices.

Sergeant Mbuyoti Mundia, aged 49, of House Number A5 Victoria Falls Jack Compound in Livingstone was convicted on one count of corrupt practices by public officer.

Particulars of the offence were that Sergeant Mundia on the March 30th, 2009 while in Livingstone corruptly solicited for five hundred thousand Kwacha cash gratification and did receive two hundred and fifty thousand
Kwacha from Abel Chitenta as a reward or inducement for having released him.

Chitenta had been detained in Police Custody on suspicion of having committed a criminal offence, a matter or transaction that concerned the Zambia Police service a Public Body.

Sergeant Mundia was arrested by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officers on March 30th, 2010 following a surveillance operation and has since been appearing for trial before the Courts of Law until his conviction on May 26th, 2010.
[ MUV TV ]

ERB Approves Upward Electricity Tariff Adjustment

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The Energy Regulation Board has approved an upward increment in electricity tariffs amounting to 285.6 kwacha per kilowatt hour.

And the ERB has fined the north-western energy corporation 2.7 million kwacha for charging unauthorized tariff residential consumers.

Energy regulation board chairman Sikota Wina told MUVI TV that the tariff increase is effect from 1st may 2010.

Mr wina said the tariff increase has been approved because the regulator would like to have all utilities charging cost effective tariffs although this will have to be done prudently with what he terms minimal shock to consumers and the economy at large.

Mr wina explained that the North-western energy corporation will also need to compensate consumers for the unauthorized tariff up to 30th April 2010.
[ MUV TV ]

World acclaimed gospel musician Michael W Smith to perform in Zambia this Sunday

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WORLD acclaimed gospel musician Michael W Smith, who has sold over 15 million CDs, arrives tomorrow evening around 17:00 hours from South Africa for Sunday’s concert at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka.

The US Grammy-award winning artiste, best known for his highly awakening worship and praise songs like Above All, Healing Rain, Love Me Good, Draw Me Close, Let It Rain, will perform from 14:00 hours to 20:00 hours.

The high definition music equipment for the concert arrived yesterday by road in four heavy-duty trucks from Johannesburg, South Africa.

Andrew Chola, director at Christian Arts Promotions (Chapro), the organisers of the show, told Times Entertainment that Zambians should look out for what he called an “explosive Sunday.”

Smith, who is on a New Hallelujah world tour, remains one of the most popular artistes in contemporary Christian music with 21 albums to his credit, three Grammy Awards and 13 nominations, 36 Dove Awards and five Platinum and 15 albums.

“All is set, it’s a great achievement to have Michael come for a concert in Zambia. After listening and watching his music on CDs and videos, Zambians will have a chance to watch the man live,” Chola said.

“The guys from South Africa will set up the stage and put up all the lighting and other technical equipment needed to produce quality sound.”

The concert, which Chapro is organising in conjunction with Bizlink, a South African music promotion company and Sounds Investment, will also feature local gospel artistes like BM Sampa, Suwilanji, Zambian Voices, Potipher and Mweshi Mulusa among others. Charges for the concert are K50,000 for ordinary seats and K100,000 for VIP.

“Those in the VIP section will have a chance to shake Michael’s hand,” said Chola.
Besides, the one-day concert, Smith also holds a workshop with local artistes on Monday morning at Southern Sun Hotel in Lusaka.

In his two-decade career, Smith, born in 1957, has had the opportunity to sing for presidents, national leaders, community gatherings, memorials, the Billy Graham Crusades and on national and international television.

[Times of Zambia]

Govt in the process of introducing a social pension for senior citizens

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GOVERNMENT will spend over US$899,750 on 10,000 senior citizens under the social programme by 2012.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Austin Liato said Government and co-operating partners are in the process of introducing a social pension for senior citizens aged 60 and above.

He said the social pension programme will initially target Katete in the Eastern Province.

Mr Liato said this in a speech read for him by his permanent secretary Winnie Mwenda at the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Southern Africa regional technical cocktail on Wednesday.

“Government is committed to extending social security coverage and has agreed with co-operating partners to have a joint financing agreement to upscale the social cash transfers countrywide,” he said.

Mr Liato said the technical workshop had come at a time when countries worldwide are grappling with the challenge of identifying and drawing cost-effective strategies of extending social protection in the informal economy.

He said one of the key problems affecting social security is that half of the world’s population is excluded from any type of statutory social protection.

Mr Liato said in low-income countries such as those in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, more than 90 percent of the population is not covered.

He said it is important that policy-makers, pension administrators, social security experts and researchers meet regularly to share knowledge and experience on social security.

Mr Liato said Zambia has been implementing a number of programmes with a view to determining the most appropriate approach to cover workers in the informal economy.

He said studies in Luapula, Northern, Eastern and Lusaka provinces have been undertaken with interesting findings.

And ISSA regional chairman Joseph Ewane Ejuba commended the nine countries that are in Zambia to share knowledge on social security.

He said social security is important in every country because it does not only benefit the present but the future as well.

Mr Ejuba commended Zambia for accepting to host a three-day conference under the theme ‘Extension of social security coverage to the informal economy’.

Countries participating in the conference are Ghana, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Mauritius and Zambia.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Zambia to Sell First International Bond of $1 Billion

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Zambia, Africa’s biggest copper producer, plans to sell its first international bond this year, raising $1 billion for rail and power projects, Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said in an interview with CNBC Africa.

The government expects to have its first sovereign credit rating by the third quarter and will proceed with the bond sale soon after that, Musokotwane said in Abidjan, the commercial capital of Ivory Coast.

Zambia abandoned a plan to seek a credit rating and sell a bond abroad in 2008 after the global financial crisis sparked a sell-off of emerging market assets. The southern African nation joins countries including Kenya, Ghana and Angola that want to tap international capital markets to help finance the building of power plants and railways as economic growth accelerates.

“We have issues with energy,” Musokotwane told CNBC. “There are a number of roads that have to be rehabilitated.”

The minister said he expects a credit rating of higher than B+, which was awarded by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings to Angola last week. B+ “should be the minimum,” Musokotwane said.

The minister signed an agreement with JP Morgan Chase & Co. today to help the government prepare for the credit rating. Zambia is working concurrently on the rating and the bond sale, he said.

Copper and Growth

The economy will probably expand more than 6 percent this year, boosted by higher copper prices and a bumper grain crop, Musokotwane said. Copper prices have more than doubled since the beginning of last year and reached as high as $6,935 a ton in London today, while the government expects a 42 percent surge in grain output this year.

Musokotwane said he wasn’t overly concerned that the European debt crisis would make it difficult for Zambia to sell its bond.

The kwacha has dropped 5.7 percent against the dollar since the beginning of this month and was trading as high as 5,090 per dollar today.

–Editors: Philip Sanders, Karl Maier

To contact the reporters on this story: Nasreen Seria in Abidjan at [email protected].

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Peter Hirschberg at [email protected]
[Bloomberg]

Dr Kalumba granted K500 million bail

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MMD national secretary Dr Katele Kalumba

The Lusaka Magistrate Court has granted convicted former finance minister and MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba and three of his co-convicts K500 million bail each.

High Court Deputy Director of Court Operations Edward Musona sitting as Magistrate, granted Dr. Kalumba, former Finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda, former Access Financial Services Directors Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe bail in their own cognizance with two reputable working sureties each.

The K500 million bail conditions also apply to each of the working sureties for the convicts.

Magistrate Musona granted the quartet bail when the matter came up for bail application hearing in chambers today.

And Ms Chibanda’s lawyer Nicholas Chanda confirmed to journalists that the convicts have been granted bail worthy K500 million each.

The convicted have since been ordered to surrender their passports to the clerk of courts.

On Wednesday, Mr. Musona convicted Dr. Kalumba together with his co-accused on corruption charges and sentenced them to five years imprison each.

The corruption charges relate to the irregular payments made to US security companies Systems Innovations and Wilbain Incorporated amounting to US$20 million.
[ QFM ]

AVAP urges youths not to be used in 2011 polls

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Chingola Youths enjoying roasted goat meat at Chingola’s Town center bus Stop.
Chingola Youths enjoying roasted goat meat at Chingola’s Town center bus Stop.

The Anti-Voter Apathy Project(AVAP)has urged youths in the country to avoid being used as mercenaries of political violence during the forthcoming 2011 elections.

AVAP Director General Bonnie Tembo told youths from various political parties in a training workshop at Fairmount hotel in Livingstone to desist from politics of insults and violence.

Citing the example of what transpired during the Mufumbwe by-elections in Solwezi recently,Mr Tembo advised youths to be messengers of democracy and not perpetrators of lawlessness.

“You see if you are sent to electorates in certain community you do not have to go there with pangas,machetes,stones and the likes because you are not going to the game park but you are going to a community where people live so avoid such kind of intolerance,” he said.

Mr. Tembo also challenged political parties in the country to place youth leadership skill at the centre of the 2011 elections.

He said AVAP wishes to see a country where political leaders are democratically mature unlike ones who breed politics of violence.

And government has pledged to support organizations that aim at promoting democracy and good government in the country.

Southern Province permanent Gladys Kristafor thanked AVAP for its consistence in supplementing government’s effort towards the realization of a liberalized Zambia.

“We must work together for us to make this country a better place so say no to violence we do not take pleasure to see what happened in Mufumbwe,”she said.

Ms Kristafor also urged the youths to take keen interest in understanding issues in politics such as the K5 bn that government allocated to the youth empowerment fund.

She said this when she officially opened the AVAP training workshop in Livingstone.

Recently President Rupiah Banda pledged to rebuild the churches and shops that where destroyed during the Mufumbwe by-elections.

ZANIS

ERZ fines NMEC K 2.7m for illegal charging

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The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has fined North-Western Energy Corporation (NWEC) K2.7 million for charging an unauthorized tariff to residential customers in Lumwana.

The ERB has since approved a tariff of K285.6/kwh effective May 1, this year far below the unauthorized K452.2/kwh the utility company was charging its customers.

ERB Board Chairperson, Sikota Wina has ordered NWEC to refund all residential customers that were charged the unauthorized tariff the difference between the approved rate and the disallowed rate from the time that they started charging the unauthorized rate.

“With effect from 1st May 2010, the approved tariff to be charged by NWEC is set at USC6/kwh; this translates to a tariff amounting to K285.6/kwh at the rate of K4,760/USD.

“The ERB further orders as follows: that NWEC be fined K2,700,000 for charging an unauthorized tariff to residential customers;

“that NWEC refunds all residential customers that were charged the unauthorized tariff the difference between the approved rate and the disallowed rate from the date that they started charging the unauthorized USC9.5/kwh up to 30th April 2010,” Mr Wina said.

Mr Wina said this during ERB meeting on the application by NWEC to effect electricity tariff held at Lumwana Mine in Solwezi today.

He further directed NWEC to work out and furnish the ERB with a mechanism by which it will compensate customers for the unauthorized tariff within 60 days and that the compensation must be made in full to all affected customers within 24 months thereafter.

Meanwhile, the ERB has commended NWEC for taking up the initiative to supply power to Lumwana and urged the utility company to expand its customer base.

ZANIS

Faz Week 12 Fixtures and Standings

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Here are the fixtures and standings for Faz Super Division week 12 matches to be played 28/o5/2010.

FAZ Super Division week 12

28/05/2010

Lusaka Dynamos-Konkola Blades

Nkwazi-Zanaco

Red Arrows-Green Buffaloes

City of Lusaka-Choma Eagles

Nchanga Rangers-National Assembly

Roan United-Power Dynamos

Nkana-Kabwe Warriors

Forest Rangers-Zesco United

Decisive Moment For Esther

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Female boxing sensation Esther Phiri

Esther Phiri enters the ring on Saturday to face Duda Yankovich of Brazil for the WIBA welterweight title at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.

For most fans, this is fight is expected to be the bout that defines Esther’s status after a string of modest opponents from her 11-fight unbeaten run.

Victory for Esther against champion in recess Duda will also earn her the respectable WIBA title which is the top tier in the long list of women’s boxing organizations.

Esther enters the ring on the back of a dramatic draw at Mulungushi against American Terri Blair last November in a bout she failed to land a decisive punch against the 8th ranked fighter on the WIBA welterweight class.

A decisive win winthin the distance of this 10-round bout will go some way in restoring some faith in her prowess in the ring from a public that enjoys a love-hate relationship with the fighter.

Meanwhile, Duda returns to the ring for the first time since June last year when she lost to Holy Holm in her first fight outside Brazil and injury later kept her of action before making the trip to Zambia.

With one defeat from 12 fights the Serbian-born Brazilian has vowed to bounce back this weekend after losing to Holm when she faces-off against Esther.

Family of Ukrainian Doctor found dead in Solwezi express gratitute

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Dear Mr. President Rupiah Banda, Mr. Kabinga Pande, Dr. Mumba, Mr.Fabian Katiba, Mr. Simon Kunda and other concerned parties.

Dr, Valeriy Priyma’s family is grateful to all of you for all the assistance you have provided concerned with Dr. Priyma’s death and transportation his body to Ukraine.

We appreciate the information and advices you have given, as well as the connections you have shared with us. Your expertise and help have been invaluable during this process.

Again, thank you so much. We sincerely appreciate your generosity.And we hope for your further countenance in investigation of this accident and communications.

Best Regards,

Dr. Valeriy Priyma’s family”

MTN wants ZCC to probe charges

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MTN Zambia has submitted a request to the Zambia Competition Commission (ZCC) to investigate the underlining costs for local calls to bring down the high charges of communication.

Company chief marketing officer, Ernst Fonternel said ZCC should determine the causes of high interconnectivity rates in Zambia, to help to come up with solutions on how to reduce the costs.

“We have put up an application through ZCC to look into the high connectivity rates within Zambia between the local players,” he said.

Mr Fonternal said measures were being put in place to address concerns that customers were raising in terms of lowering the cost for local calls.

He said Pricewaterhouse Cooppers was also conducting a study on the high interconnectivity rates which would be completed by the end of June this year.

Speaking after the Launch of the MTN Blackberry mobile phone in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Fonternal said customers should expect reduced rates once the two reports were finalised.

And Mr Fonternal said it would soon operationalise the international gateway once the operators licence was granted by the Government.

[ Times of Zambia]

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