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President Hakainde Hichilema has with immediate effect removed Lilian Siyuni from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ( DPP ).
President Hichilema says the removal of Mrs. Siyuni follows recommendations contained in the report presented to him by the Judicial Complaints Commission ( JCC ).
He added that the removal of Mrs. Siyuni from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is also in exercise of the powers vested in the President pursuant to articles 182 (3) 143 (b) and 143 (c) of the Constitution of Zambia.
And President Hichilema has since appointed Gilbert Hanford Phiri as Director of Public Prosecutions subject to ratification by the National Assembly.
The appointment of Mr. Phiri is in exercise of the powers vested in him pursuant to article 180 of the constitution of the country.
This is according to a statement issued to the media in Lusaka yesterday by Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya.
The embattled DPP has in recent times been embroiled in a number of judicial issues one of them being on entering nolles in all cases before her brought by either the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) or the Anti-Corruption Commission, where arrests were made without receiving instructions to arrest from her.
Zambia on Friday afternoon qualified to the Under-20 Africa Cup for the first time since 2017 after beating Angola on penalties in the 2022 COSAFA U20 Cup semifinals in Eswatini.
The Junior Chipolopolo secured their place at the U20 AFCON Egypt 2023 after beating Angola 3-2 on post match penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time at Somhlolo Stadium.
The game was decided on penalties after Songa Chipyoka’s 40th minute equaliser canceled Angola’s lead propelled by Domingos Bandeira’s 30th minute goal.
Meanwhile, coach Chisi Mbewe’s Zambian side will play Mozambique on Sunday in the final of the COSAFA Cup.
Zambia advanced to the semi-finals after winning Group A with nine points while Angola finishing as the group best runners-up with six points.
Zambia has not been to the U20 AFCON since winning it as hosts in 2017.
Leader of the opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile has expressed his displeasure with the decision by ECZ to reject the nomination of PF candidate in the Lusangazi council by election saying that it is a violation of the constitution.
Reacting to reports that the ECZ had rejected the nomination papers of PF candidate, Mr Mundubile slammed the Attorney General and the Solicitor General for allegedly conducting themselves unconstitutionally.
“When you are talking about Kabushi and Kwacha, you are talking about Lusangazi, you are talking about Luangwa, you are talking about Mkushi, there is this huge appetite by our friends in the UPND to cause an assault on our constitutional democracy,” he said.
“Office of the Attorney General and Solicitor General is supposed to be in charge of public interest. Now if you pick strong members, active members of the UPND, they will fail to differentiate between the interest of Zambians and those of the UPND. When you go to the JCC, the Commissioners of the JCC were active members of the UPND, the majority of them. We raised these concerns, we knew we were going to have a problem that we are having today.”
Hon Mundubile said the Attorney General and the Solicitor General are failing to differentiate between the said interests.
“Solicitor General and Attorney General, yours is to act for the Zambians and not for political parties. I want to call upon the Attorney General and the Solicitor General to realize that they are now civil servants. They can no longer continue to serve UPND interests,” he said.
“The drama we are seeing in the courts today it’s because Solicitor General and Attorney General have taken the interest of the UPND in this electoral process above the public interest. We have a problem even in the Judicial system because of who is sitting at the JCC. He called on the President to look at who is sitting in the AG office and the JCC. For us what it seems is it has been a long time scheme to try and manipulate the electoral system so that the UPND is the only participant in these elections.”
He also castigated the ECZ for disregarding the court order over the Kabushi and Kwacha by-elections.
The Lawmaker charged that the actions of the UPND is a constructive admission that Zambians are not happy with how they are governing the country. He added that it will be very difficult for the UPND to win an election going forward as he demanded that the drama at ECZ should be put to an end.
“The recent letter that ECZ sent ……..disregarding orders of the court, we all know who is doing that. On one hand, they are busy giving flowery reports about what they have done and how they have transformed this country,” he said.
Ruling UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda has condemned all sorts of violence by some youths yesterday in which UPND members are reported to have attacked PF members during the filing of nominations for the Lusangazi and Mkushi Council Chairperson by-elections.
Mr. Imenda, however, says that the Mkushi incident in Central Province was a result of provocation from the PF who after filing their nomination went straight to the UPND camp to provoke their colleagues, and at this point, UPND youths reacted.
He said that the party has witnessed high levels of political provocations by disgruntled opposition parties with intentions of testing the party’s tolerance as evidenced by numerous cases where some opposition members have been showing total disrespect for President Hakainde Hichilema.
Mr, Imenda says the UPND was overwhelmingly voted into government on August 12th, 2021, to restore the rule of law, among other leadership commitments and it was on the basis of strict adherence to the rule of law that President Hichilema declared that there will be no caderism in public places.
He said that so far, the UPND is satisfied with the levels at which its members have embraced President Hichilema’s directive of nonviolence adding that the party has not deviated from this position, especially since they suffered extreme levels of political violence under the PF regime.
And All People’s Congress Leader Nason Msoni said the reported violence in Mkushi and Lusangazi in Central and Eastern Provinces respectively is regrettable, unfortunate and must be condemned regardless of who the perpetrators may be.
Mr. Msoni said violence undermines the rule of law and discourages the full participation of decent citizens.
UPND Cadres Fighting running battles with Zambia Police
Meanwhile, he Governance, Elections, Advocacy, Research Service-GEARS- Initiative Zambia has condemned the acts of violence experienced during the filing in of nominations for the Mkushi and Lusangazi District Council Chairperson by-elections yesterday.
GEARS Initiative Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi has told Phoenix News that his organization strongly believes that political and electoral violence should have no room in the new government which suffered such fates while in opposition.
Mr. Chipenzi says though, majority of nomination processes that took place yesterday were generally conducted in a peaceful manner by the Electoral Commission of Zambia-ECZ-, the ugly scenes of violence and confrontations witnessed in Mkushi and Lusangazi are extremely unfortunate and unacceptable.
And Mr. Chipenzi is concerned about the conduct of the police at Lusangazi nomination Centre where they blocked the PF candidate entry to the nomination Centre and later arrested him on account of inadequacies in his academic qualifications.
Meanwhile, the Patriotic Front in Southern Province says their candidates that were scheduled to file for nominations in yesterday’s Bbondo and Chibuwe ward by elections in Gwembe District are nowhere to be seen after they were allegedly blocked from filing in the nominations by suspected UPND cadres.
Party Provincial Secretary Golden Nyambe tells Phoenix News that the party members yesterday scampered after they were chased by some known UPND officials who blocked them from contesting the by-elections.
But Gwembe District Electoral Officer Maliwa Machu says despite the PF complaining of being blocked from filing in the nominations, their members were not seen within the radius of the polling station.
And Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya has reiterated and reassured citizens, that president Hakainde Hichilema does not condone, promote or espouse the culture of violence in Zambian politics, in all its forms, regardless of who is involved.
Mr. Bwalya says the head of state will continue to urge citizens to exercise maximum civility in the course of enjoying their political freedoms, while encouraging the police to be bold, proactive and decisive in dealing with all forms of violence in Zambia’s politics and beyond, and ensure that perpetrators are held fully accountable and brought to justice.
PHOENIX NEWS
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The National Pensions and Scheme Authority-NAPSA says it has targeted to register about 250,000 workers in the informal sector in its 5 year Strategic Plan.
Speaking to Journalists during an outreach campaign at Lusaka’s Comesa market today, NAPSA Manager Extension of Coverage to the Informal Sector Kalaba Mwimba said his organisation has embarked on a robust and ambitious program to ensure that every Zambian working has a form of Social Protection.
Mr. Mwimba noted that over 70 percent of workers in the country are in the informal sector and lack Social Protection.
He said it is against this background that NAPSA has made a resolve that Social Protection should not only be a preserve of those in the formal sector but should also cover those in the informal sector such as farmers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, traders and domestic workers among others.
Mr. Mwimba disclosed that NAPSA has partnered with the Cross Boarder Traders Association to sensitive their members on the importance of registering for social security and how they can make their monthly contributions.
He further disclosed that this ambitious program will be extended to all corners of the country to ensure that everyone in the informal sector is registered for the Social Protection program.
And speaking on behalf of the traders, Cross Boarder Traders Association National Program Coordinator Tony Ng’uni said his organisation is delighted to partner with NAPSA and will ensure that all their members are registered for the social Protection program.
Zesco United coach Mumamba Numba is confident they will end their three-match competitive drought this Saturday to keep Zambia’s only interest in continental action alive.
Zesco and their South African opponents meet in a 2022/2023 CAF Confederation Cup second round, final leg match at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The two sides finished 0-0 in the first leg played last Sunday in Durban.
That match saw Zesco collect their third straight scoreless in all competition.
“Our fans should expect a goal that will take us to the next stage. We had a post-mortem on the first leg that we played and everyone knows where we lacked in South Africa,” Numba said.
“It is a game we created numerous chances but our technical abilities eluded us but we have been working on our finishing and we hope we will be technically better on Saturday.”
The Drug Enforcement Agency says it has taken keen interest in the latest 2021 Auditor General’s report.
To this effect the Commission says that it will continue to collaborate with other law enforcement agencies such as the Anti-Corruption Commission and the office of the Auditor General in following up cases that border on its mandate highlighted in the 2021 report.
This is according to a press statement issued by DEC Deputy Public Relations Officer Delight Haangala on Friday.
Ms. Haangala explained that DEC will ensure that the cases are comprehensively investigated.
“The Commission will work together with the office of the Auditor General and the Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) to ensure that criminal cases that border on the mandate of the Commission are thoroughly investigated , “she stated.
She has since advised that members of the public will be informed accordingly once the investigations are concluded.
The Auditor General’s Office in its audit of government payroll for the financial years ended 31st December 2017 to 2021 has revealed accounting related irregularities in amounts totaling over 2.6 billion kwacha.
Auditor General Dick Sichembe disclosed recently tthat over 9,800 ghost workers from 19 government ministries were paid K7.7 million between 2017 and 2021.
The Anti- Corruption Commission has arrested former Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development Permanent Secretary Charles Mushota and former Chief Procurement and Supplies Officer at the same ministry Dorothy Katongo over irregularities in the procurement of a building at over US$5 million.
Mr Mushota and Ms Katongo have been charged with five (5) counts of Willful Failure to Comply with Applicable Law contrary to Section 34 (2)b of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 and three counts of giving false Information to a Public Officer contrary to Section 125 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Details are that Mushota and Katongo, whilst serving in their respective capacities at the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development, willfully failed to comply with the law and applicable procurement procedures and guidelines in the procurement of Stand No. 237 United Nations Avenue, Longacres, now known as Infrastructure House, which was procured by Government through the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development at US$5.35 million from a company called Zamworth Construction.
Mushota and Katongo facilitated the procurement of the building without clearance from the Government Valuation Department and failed to ensure that adequate funds were available prior to initiating the procurement process contrary to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act No. 12 of 2008.
In addition, the duo did not establish an Evaluation Committee to evaluate the bid submitted by Zamworth as prescribed in Regulation 114 (a) of the Public Procurement Regulations of 2011, and that they further inserted a clause prohibited by law in the contract, stating that a compounded interest of 5% per month would be charged to the Ministry for any unpaid balance.
This clause was neither subjected to negotiation with Zamworth nor was it authorized by the Ministerial Procurement Committee.
Mr Mushota and Katongo have been charged for giving false information to a public officer on three occasions: firstly, when he authored a letter to the Secretary to the Treasury stating that the Ministry on 4th November 2016 had engaged Government Valuation Department to value the named property when he in fact only requested it on 18th
November 2016; secondly, when he authored a letter on 3rd January 2017 to the DirectorGeneral, Zambia Public Procurement Authority, stating that the Ministry of Finance had confirmed availability of the funds, when the Ministry of Finance only got to confirm the availability of funds on 27th March 2017.
In the third instance, Mr Mushota is alleged to have, authored a letter to the Secretary to the Treasury on 10th January 2017, stating that the Government Valuation Department had cleared the said property for purchase when in fact the Acting Permanent Secretary Works and Supply had requested for a final valuation to be conducted on the whole building before it could give its final advice.
Mushota and Katongo have been released on Bond and will appear in court soon.
The Mongu High Court has found former PF Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri and her co-accused Shebby Chilekwa with a case to answer.
This is in a matter in which the two are accused of murdering a UPND supporter, Lawrence Banda, during the council chairperson by-election in Kaoma District in 2019.
The matter has since been adjourned to December for the next session where the two are expected to defend themselves.
Ms Phiri and her co-accused Shebby Chilekwa pleaded not guilty to a murder charge of United Party for National Development (UPND) cadre Lawrence Banda.
The two who have been in incarceration without trial for over eight months finally had their day in court were they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Ms Phiri was in arrested in February together with Mr Chilekwa over the murder of Mr Banda but had not been in court since despite pleas from various stakeholders to have her taken to court.
Early this week, A state witness , Donald Malimba led a team of defense lawyers and High Court Judge, Charles Zulu, to the crime scene where the alleged murder of Lawrence Banda took place in Kaoma’s Site and Service area in
The prosecution team visited two crime scenes within the Site and Service area which are approximately 500 meters away from each other.
One crime scene was said to be the point where Banda was allegedly shot and killed while the other one was alleged to be where an attempted murder of the then UPND Kaoma District Chairman, identified as Chola Simwawa, was committed.
Mr. Malimba, who is also a Kaoma District Investigations officer, told the court that investigations he conducted revealed that the person who shot at Banda came out of the vehicle that was stationed at the scene he however did not name but was able to narrate how the suspect moved from where the suspected PF vehicle was parked to where the deceased and others were.
He told the court how difficult it was to get witnesses from the neighbourhood because no one was willing to testify for fear of being arrested by the police.
Mr. Malimba further testified that all the information he had was from his own investigations through people who were at the scene.
But when asked by the defense lawyer, Makebi Zulu, as to whether the state witness brought an expert crime investigations officer at the scene at that time, Mr. Malimba told the court that no expert was brought.
At the second scene for attempted murder of Chola Simwawa, Mr. Malimba told the court that one empty cartridge was picked approximately 100 meters away from the UPND camp.
Mrs. Phiri and Mr. Chilekwa are represented by Makebi Zulu, Charles Changano and Jonas Zimba from Makebi Zulu and Associates.
The National Conflict Management Committee has called for the timely resolution of electoral disputes while cases are still at latent stage.
National Committee Chairperson Rodwell Chomba said it is important for conflict management committees to examine and track the early indicators of impending electoral disputes with the purpose of foreseeing possible dangers in time and acting effectively before cases escalate into crises.
Bishop Chomba noted that resolving early warning indicators offer an opportunity to prevent the occurrence, escalation and re-occurrence of electoral disputes.
He said conflict management committees must therefore continuously conduct a stakeholder mapping of different electoral actors in order to identify and create a stable and peaceful environment in society.
Bishop Chomba was speaking in Kalabo district in Western province during an orientation of the district conflict management committee ahead of the forthcoming Muchatanga ward by-election scheduled for 4th November 2022.
“Strategically, there are different measures of early response available for conflict management committees at primary and secondary levels. At primary level this involves taking proactive measures with the view to building on the values and strengths of a community. At secondary level this involves taking action by resolving or referring cases when a conflict has happened,” he explained.
He noted that complexities of long delays, high legal fees, inflexibility and congestion of the litigation process are some of the factors which prompt aggrieved parties to increasingly turn to mediation as the best mechanism for resolving electoral disputes.
“Mediation has various advantages in that it is confidential, less costly and quick, flexible, produces or promotes greater degree of party control over the process and outcome as well as produces or promotes greater opportunity for collaboration and creative problem solving,” he said.
Bishop Chomba further said mediation produces and promotes the expression of emotions unhindered and therefore hastens the healing process and rebuilding of positive relationships.
He stressed that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has established national and district conflict management committees pursuant to section 113 of the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016 to resolve electoral disputes.
Meanwhile, the Kalabo District Conflict Management Committee has appealed to the Electoral Commission of Zambia to consider actualising the committees’ mandate to undertake preventive initiatives such as training, sensitisation, stakeholder engagement and other information, education and communication (IEC) programmes as provided for under the conflict management guidelines.
The Muchatanga ward seat fell vacant following the recent resignation of UPND councillor, Kaselo Kawewe, to join the civil service.
Three candidates namely Kahalu Bulombo of the Socialist Party (SP), Francis Mungomba of the United Party for National Development (UPND) and Nasilele Nasilele of the Patriotic Front (PF), are contesting the local government by-election.
Muchatanga ward has six polling stations with a total number of 3,624 registered voters comprising 1,433 males and 2,191 females.
The Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) has given emphasis to new measures and approaches in the procurement system to enhance transparency, and accountability and promote a level playing field for all suppliers.
ZAMMSA Director General Billy Mweetwa said that the Agency has set rules and regulations that will enable it to operate on values and serve the public in a more accountable and transparent manner in its procurement processes.
Mr Mweetwa also reiterated the need for local suppliers to deliver quality essential medicines and medical supplies within the stipulated period.
“This will enable the Agency to fulfil its mandate of procurement, storage and distribution of medicines and medical supplies to all public health facilities across the country,” he said
Mr Mweetwa stated this when he met with the Zambia Pharmaceutical Business Forum (ZPBF) and local suppliers to discuss issues surrounding the supply of essential medicines and medical supplies in Zambia.
And the Zambian Pharmaceutical Business Forum (ZPBF) Chairperson Sadik Seedat said that the Association will commit to ensure that all essential medicines and medical supplies that are delivered to ZAMMSA are of high quality, safe and are on time.
Mr Seedat assured ZAMMSA that his association will work towards promoting compliance to laws and regulations of doing pharmaceutical business especially to the local pharmaceutical players in the country.
“We shall work to offer competitive, reasonable prices for the supply of essential health commodities without compromising on quality,” Mr Seedat said
The government through the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation with support from its cooperating partners have launched the National Water Resources Strategy and Plan aimed at assisting in the sustainable management and utilization of water resources for national socio-economic development.
Speaking at the Launch held in Lusaka, Minister of Water Development and Sanitation Mike Mposha stated that the Strategy and Plan will assist in the sustainable management of the water resource at a time when the country is experiencing extreme effects of climate change.
Mr Mposha said that climate change has evidently adversely compromised the predictability of water availability, water quality and exacerbated the scarcity of water.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation Permanent Secretary Eng. Joe Kalusa, the Minister noted that water is critical to all life and livelihoods, adding that the water sector makes critical contributions to Zambia’s economic growth and development and ultimately, the well-being of all citizens.
Mr Mposha has assured the country that the government through his Ministry will continue to prioritise water resources because it plays a vital role in supporting the social economic pillars such as agriculture, mining, energy and tourism thereby contributing to human development and better health outcomes.
The Minister disclosed that the National Water Resources Strategy and Plan is developed in line with the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) pillar on improving water utilization while working towards healthy water ecosystems.
“The Strategy and Plan is anchored on international and national policies and goals including the SDGs 2030 which calls for a sustainable management of the country’s water resources,” he said
Speaking at the same event, the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) Director General Eng. Kenneth Nyundu expressed concern on the minimal recognition and support the water resources sub sector is receiving from cooperating partners and technocrats.
“Much investments and recognition in the water sector is diverted to water supply and sanitation while the water resource as the bedrock of water supply receives less funding,” he said
The Director General warned that if not properly managed, water resource risk depleting resulting into minimal to no water for domestic use, he has therefore, appealed to the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation to consider the inclusion of catchment protection in various projects and programmes to safeguard Zambia’s water resources for future benefits.
Eng. Nyundu added that the water sector through the Water Resource Management Act, has good provisions that are not being implemented hampering decentralisation of some water resources functions.
“The decentralisation agenda is the panacea for the establishment of catchment councils, sub- catchment councils and water user’s associations,” he said
Meanwhile the European Union (EU) Head of delegation Matthias Reusing said that the EU attaches great importance to the proper management of the water in Zambia because water resources drive the economy.
Mr Reusing mentioned that factors such as population growth have a bearing on the increasing demand for water hence the need to strategize and plan for its effective management and utilization.
The European Union (EU) and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) funded Accelerate Water and Agricultural Resources Efficiency (AWARE) project supported the development of the Strategy to ensure equitable and sustainable utilization of water resources.
In the recent past, water resources have been on the agenda of various local and international key players because of its vital role it plays in unlocking the country’s potential to drive the economy forward. It is evident from the Water Resources Regulator that water resources in Zambia are coming under intense pressure on various fronts.
Numerous factors such as population growth, urbanization, encroachment on headwaters and environmentally unfriendly practices have proven to put water resources on the ledge, more often than not, concerted efforts channeled towards effective management of this resource prudently is of the essence.
Here is a wrap of Thursday’s Europa action in which Emmanuel Banda stole the spotlight.
=DENMARK
Midtjylland were in Holland for their UEFA Europa League tie where they drew 2-2 with Feyenoord in Rotterdam.
Midfielder Edward Chilufya came on in the 88th minute of the game.
Feyenoord and Midtjylland are first and second respectively in a tight Group F where all the sides plus Lazio and Sturm Graz are all tied on 5 points.
=SERBIA
Midfielder Kings Kangwa came on in the 26th minute of Red Star Belgrade’s 2-1 away loss in Hungary to Ferencvaros in Budapest.
Red Star Belgrade remains bottom of the UEFA Europa League Group H with 3 points from four games after losing to the leaders.
=BELGIUM
Emmanuel Banda scored Djurgarden’s third goal in the Swedish clubs’ 4-1 home win in Stockholm over Gent of Belgium.
Banda played the full 90 minutes.
It was Banda’s third Europa Conference League goal and seventh in all competition this season.
Djurgarden leads Group F with 10 points, Gent is third with 4 points, three points behind Norwegian club Molde.
=SCOTLAND
And on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League, striker Fashion Sakala played the opening 76 minutes of Rangers’ 7-1 home loss to Liverpool.
Rangers are bottom of Group A without a point after fourth successive defeats.
The government says it will ensure that it enhances systems and mechanisms that will detect early climatic disasters in the country.
Acting President Mutale Nalumango notes that once disasters, which have a negative effects on the country , are detected early the impact can be reduced.
Mrs. Nalumango explains that systems will be strengthened so that the citizenry are provided with early warning information for early actions.
The Acting President said this on Thursday during the commemoration of the 2022 international day for disaster risk reduction held under the theme: enhancing the provision of early warning information for early action.
“ As government we will make sure that we strengthen the mechanism systems that will enable us detect early warning disasters in the country”. Ms Nalumango noted.
The Acting President has since appreciated the private sector for its contribution it has rendered to fight disasters in the country.
And Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit ( DMMU ) national coordinator Gabriel Pollen said Zambia has been experiencing hydro-metrological hazards with most persistent being floods and droughts.
Dr. Pollen noted that this situation has resulted in displacements of several communities, loss of life, livelihood and damage to critical infrastructure in most parts of the country.
He noted that Zambia has leant lessons and is proactively engagingly in early warning actions and information dissemination so that communities can act early enough once equipped with information.
This year’s event was celebrated under the theme enhanced the provision of early warning information for early action”
