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Zambia congress of trade unions President Leonard Hikaumba has said there is nothing wrong for the church to monitor the 2011 elections.
Mr. Hikaumba sais the decision by the catholic church to try and monitor the elections should not be politicized.
He said the idea by the Catholic Church was to ensure that they is transparency in the 2011 elections.
Mr. Hikaumba has since advised the church to re-consider their decision to show that they they were not taking sides.
On friday, Center for Elections and Governance (CEG) Trustee Gershom Musonda says the church has abandoned its functions and has instead concentrated its efforts on politicking.
Mr. Musonda was commenting on a statement by the Catholic Church that it would participate in the monitoring of the tripartite elections next year.
The ZCTU president has however welcomed the decision by the church to participate in the electoral process in the country.
PRESIDENT Banda yesterday returned home from China where he had gone for a State visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.
Mr Banda, who touched down around 17:10 hours aboard the presidential plane, was accompanied by his wife Thandiwe.
Mr Banda described his visit to the Asian economic giant as a great experience and revelation.
“Going to China was a great experience. It was a great revelation. We saw how China has developed and learnt something from the experience,” he said.
President Banda said he is also impressed with the interest China has in investing in Zambia.
He said China is also open for trade and investment and that the agenda Zambia took to that country has been fulfilled.
“China is ready to invest in Zambia and open trade and investment. We had an agenda and achieved that agenda,” President Banda said.
On hand to receive the President were Vice-President George Kunda, Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani, Defence Minister Kalombo Mwansa, Labour Minister Austin Liato and Works and Supply Minister Mike Mulongoti.
GOVERNMENT has instituted investigations into reports that Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata was allegedly imprisoned for breaking the law.
Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani told the Sunday Mail in an interview yesterday that if the allegations against Mr Sata turn out to be true, then he will not be eligible for future elections.
Mr Mangani said Government decided to investigate the matter after a former freedom fighter Jackson Ngoma claimed that he once shared prison cells with Mr Sata.
Mr Ngoma, 77, the last district governor for Mambwe, said he shared the same prison cells with Mr Sata at Bwana Mkubwa and Mukobeko prisons in the early 1960s.
The former freedom fighter said he and other youths were rounded up for the role they played in the Chachacha uprising during the independence struggle. At the time, Mr Sata was a policeman and was brought in the cells in Ndola for a case review and later transferred to the maximum security prison in Kabwe.
Mr Mangani said Government would like to establish whether Mr Sata was tried and convicted of any crime or was merely one of the political detainees during the freedom struggle.
Mr Mangani said as a former police officer Mr Sata should know very well that he is not eligible to contest elections if he was convicted of a crime.
The minister said the Zambian law does not allow a former convict to run for elections.
“If indeed Mr Sata served a prison sentence, it means he does not qualify to stand for elections, then all these years that he has been standing, he has been doing it illegally,” Mr Mangani said.
He said, however, that there could be no better witness to the alleged incarceration than the people who shared a prison cell with Mr Sata.
He said although the incident happened before independence, government will get to the bottom of the matter to establish the truth.
Mr Sata could not be reached for a comment, but PF general secretary Wynter Kabimba accused Mr Mangani of not understanding constitutional provisions.
“Who says that if a person was convicted 20, 50 or 100 years ago he cannot stand for election?” Mr Kabimba asked.
He could not state whether Mr Sata was convicted, but said the constitution only bars presidential aspirants who were convicted five years preceding an election.
“There is nowhere in the Constitution where it says that anyone who has been convicted can never stand for elections. The Constitution says that the person who has been convicted five years leading to an election cannot stand for presidential elections,” Mr Kabimba said.
Meanwhile, KANGWA MULENGA reports that MMD youths on the Copperbelt and a non-governmental organisation (NGO) have challenged Mr Sata to withdraw from the Presidential race following revelations that he has two children outside marriage and allegations that he was once incarcerated for criminal offences.
Party provincial youth chairman Evans Chibanda said in an interview in Ndola yesterday that it is worrying that a person aspiring to become a Republican President could have such a record.
“We challenge Mr Sata to withdraw from the Presidential race until he clears himself from all the things that have surfaced against him,” Mr Chibanda said.
He has since cautioned Zambians to be careful with politicians aspiring to lead the country.
National Moral Advocates for a Better Zambia chairperson Alex Mubanga said there is need to establish the nature of the case that led to Mr Sata allegedly being imprisoned.
He said Mr Sata should inform the nation on the alleged criminal offence.
Aggrey Chiyangi has said he is delighted to have won his first cup honor of his coaching career.
Chiyangi on Saturday led Green Buffaloes to a 1-0 win over Zesco United in the final of the season-opening Samuel “Zoom” Ndhlovu Memorial Charity Shield played at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
“It feels very good to win but the game was very tough,” Chiyangi said who took up his first head coaching role at Chambishi in 2005 after leaving Power Dynamos.
Ex-Chambishi Chiyangi was appointed Buffaloes coach in January as permanent replacement for George Lwandamina who was fired last August.
“People will now expect a lot from us and we will prepare hard for our next game,” Chiyangi said.
Chiyangi’s first league match will come on March 13 away to Roan United at Kafubu Stadium in Luanshya.
Meanwhile, buffaloes beat Zesco courtesy of a Liniker Mwikisa goal in the 95th minute of time added-on of the final.
“A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed”
(Proverbs 11:25, NIV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Do you need refreshing today? So many people go around overwhelmed, tired, worn down, barely getting by. But that’s not God’s best. He wants us to prosper. He wants us to be refreshed. Here’s the key: be generous and refresh others. Is there someone at the office you can be a blessing to? Can you lighten someone’s load? Maybe a family member is going through a hard time. Can you help them out? Can you cook them a meal? Refreshing someone can be as simple as a smile or an encouraging word. Don’t wait until you feel like doing it, that day may never come! Do it because the Scripture tells us to. Do it because it blesses the Lord.
Today, look for someone to be a blessing to. As you step out and refresh others, as you live a life of generosity, you will be refreshed and experience His blessing in your own life in return.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy in my life. Thank You for blessing me so that I can be a blessing to others. Teach me to be generous. Show me how I can refresh others and bring glory to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
(Reuters) – Zambia has chosen Glencore Energy as the preferred bidder to supply 1.4 million tonnes of petroleum feedstock to the southern African country over two years, the procurement authority said on Saturday.
Zambia is the continent’s top producer of copper and uses a lot of diesel in the mining operations that are the backbone of its economy.
“The central tender committee granted authority to the Ministry of Energy and Water Development to enter into negotiations with Glencore Energy UK Limited,” Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) spokeswoman Hazel Zulu said in a statement.
“The Ministry of Energy and Water Development is expected to report back to the central tender committee within 21 days after which a decision will be made whether to award the contract to Glencore or not,” she said.
Zulu said the issues to be agreed with the winner would include the timeframe for the supply of the first cargo through the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Other companies that tendered for the contract are Kuwait’s Independent Petroleum Group (IPG), Lukoil International Trading and Supply Company (LITASCO) of Russia, Vitol SA, Trafigura SA, Addax Energy SA and Kenya’s Gulf Energy Ltd.
IPG’s deal for the supply of oil to Zambia expired in December.
Government says the Ministry of Education’s plan of action aimed at ensuring that girls are given equal opportunities in accessing education at all levels in bearing fruits.
Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Stephen Bwalya said currently the ratio between boys and girls in accessing education from Grade 1 to 12 in Lusaka Province has remained the same in the last five years.
Mr Bwalya said this today during a School Debate to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day between Rhodes Park School and Kabulonga Girl High School under theme “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All”.
He said the positive shift in accessing education has enabled girls and women to meaningfully participate and contribute to national development in various sectors of the economy.
Mr Bwalya has however noted that much need to be done to level the playing field in order to accord more women equal opportunities as the male counterparts.
The permanent secretary urged society particularly the youths to take a leading role in changing the perception of some people on girls and women if the campaign is to be successful.
And speaking at the same function, Kabulonga Girl High School Deputy Head teacher, John Shakafuswa said the commemoration underscores the progress that have been recorded since the historic Beijing Conference 15 years ago.
Mr Shakafuswa called on educationalists to fuse in women issues in the development of school curriculum as a way of appreciating the women’s role in all human endeavors.
Rhodes Park School scooped the first position and walked away with K 500,000 while Kabulonga Girl High School emerged as runners up and also walked away with K 250,000 as consolation prize.
The Debate is one of various activities that government has lined up aimed at sensitizing communities on contributions made by Women to Humanity throughout the ages.
On Monday, March 8, 2010, Zambia joins the rest of the International Community in commemorating the International Women’s Day under theme: “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All”.
At the beginning of this year, carbon tax was introduced in our nation. I totally oppose this theft in broad daylight as it is highly exaggerated and just another ploy by governments to squeeze even more money out of the pockets of tax-paying individuals. In Zambia, government has been quick to implement this carbon tax; most of the people don’t know what carbon tax is, much less carbon or its compounds.
Some officials even say it has been introduced to deal with carbon emissions. Since when did man begin discharging carbon into the environment? Carbon? The first correction to be made is that it’s compounds of carbon (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide) being discharged and not the element itself. It is quite a challenge to begin to imagine how Zambian authorities can use this tax to reduce the effects of climate change. Human beings really think they can buy themselves out of decades of deforestation and massive factory emissions. It is very laughable.
This government efficiently thought up a method of collecting this tax, but plans have not been laid out as to how they will use this new resource. Will they patch up the sky? With pieces of ozone? Or will they use it to install a big air conditioner over the nation? And what about charcoal burners? Will they be taxed too? Personally I think the large manufacturers and the mines are the biggest polluters. They are the ones that should bear the larger chunk of this environmental debt.
It should be observed that in this nation, other areas of tax collection have not produced the results they purport to render, take for example “Musonko” (Road Tax). Every year billions of Kwacha (millions of dollars) are collected from car owners in form of tax which is meant to build and repair roads. If you were to drive to the Kitwe office of the Road Transport and Safety Authority today, I assure you will find that the road leading up to their office is not even maintained. Picture a slice of cheese in your mind, remove the yellow, paint it black and you have the road I am talking about.
Surely, if a government department fails to use road tax to fix roads, how can one possibly expect any other department to ‘mend’ the environment? The plain fact is that one feels the roughness of the road every time they make their way to this Road Transport Authority. Yes, everyone, including government-employed road tax collectors. If the potholes on that road are so evident and still nothing has been done about it, how can one start to believe that the government will mitigate the effects of a very gradual climate change, one so gradual you don’t even feel it. If there has been damage to the environment due to man’s activities, it is a mistake to think that money can solve this problem. Some things are just too big for man to accomplish. You can never make a pump big or strong enough to drain an ocean, or create a water tap large enough to flood the world.
At this point it should also be stated that there have been some serious errors made by some scientists computing figures. It comes as no surprise that while rushing to make the case for carbon tax and other green revenues, these scientists have, made tremendous mistakes such as switching the positions of a 35 and a 0 when compiling a report on the rate of melt of Himalayan glaciers: 2035 comes within a quarter of a decade while 2350 is 3 whole centuries away. It would not be paranoia on my part to suggest that the 2035 timeframe excited members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, because it made a very strong case for the green cause, a scenario bearing close resemblance to that of a prime minister using a 45 minute timeframe to force his case for war through a parliament. Environmentalists need to be careful with how they analyze such data. The information coming from such panels must be carefully scrutinized before it is disseminated to the public. Organizations and governments, while making their case, should be careful not to instill fear in the public; the consequences could be very grave.
Needless to say, I get this feeling that all governments will eventually endorse this tax. What a window of opportunity, it couldn’t have come at a better time for Zambian policy makers. In effect, the total money paid out in tax per car-owning family has risen. Wouldn’t one suggest tax has somehow gone up, regardless of what it is for? Carbon tax collection will prove to be a very innovative means of introducing some kind of tax into the economy, in the place of openly hiking taxes. Carbon tax is the going to be the greatest trick this devil of a government pulled in the 21st century.
————————————————————————— Extract from the author’s article:Carbon Tax – The Greatest Trick The Devil Pulled In The 21st Century, And A Few Other Tweaks Zambia Needs To Move Forward
The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) says it is not aware of the Mazabuka commercial farmers who were forced to donate food stuffs and ferry people to Chief Mwanachingwala’s palace when President Banda visited the area recently.
Party spokesperson Dora Siliya says the party has better things to do than engage in activities that do not benefit the grassroots.
Ms. Siliya told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that President Banda had a wonderful visit to Chief Mwanachingwala’s palace.She said it was strange that some people would think that when huge crowds of people flock to welcome the head of state whenever he visits an area, then they are being forced to do so.
Ms Siliya was reacting to allegations by some commercial farmers in Mazabuka that they are always directed to contribute towards party activities when they have nothing to do with politics.
And Mazabuka Central UPND Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo has accused the ruling MMD of being irresponsible towards issues that affect their party.
Mr. Nkombo alleged that the MMD has continued to intimidate the white farmers and investors in Mazabuka forcing them to contribute towards MMD party activities.
Mr. Nkombo noted that Government has Ministry of Works and Supply which can repair vehicles adding that taking a government vehicle to a farmer for repair is unfair.
He has since appealed to the MMD and President Banda’s government to take responsibility of issues that affect the party and the government as a whole.
Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao yesterday told parliament that government would this year construct five new district hospitals in selected districts around the country.
Mr. Simbao said it was government policy to construct new district hospitals in the country every year in order to ensure that each and every district had a hospital to enhance people’s easy access to health care.
He said government has designed a strategic plan in coming up with names of districts that would benefit from the construction of hospitals this year.
Mr. Simbao said if districts like Chiluba, that did not have a district hospital were not on this year’s plan, they would definitely benefit from the programme next year.
The Minister also disclosed that government has allocated sufficient resources to complete the construction of district hospitals that are still under construction before embarking on the construction of new ones.
He stated that all district hospitals that are been put up are being built in three phases, adding that most of the hospitals under construction such as Chongwe District Hospital are in their last phase of construction.
Meanwhile, Health Deputy Minister Solomon Musonda told parliament today that Chilubi District spends about K72 million a year in referring patients to hospitals in other districts due to the non-availability of a district hospital in the area.
Dr. Musonda said the money was being used to cater for staff allowances and transport costs in ferrying patient to other districts.
The Deputy Minister was responding to a question raised by Chilubi MP Obby Chisala who wanted to know how much money Chilubi district has been spending in referring patients to Lubwa Mission and Luwingu District Hospitals.
The Zambia China Mulungushi Textiles (ZCMT) which was closed in 2008 will be re-opened before the end of this year.
Defence Minister, Kalombo Mwansa told parliament yesterday that the re-opening of the textile in Kabwe will create over 1,000 jobs for the local people.
He said government is in talks with China to see how much the two countries that are joint owners of the textile company will each contribute as working capital for the operations of the company.
He said government is also thinking of taking a majority share holding in the company to have major control of the company and avoid closures in future.
Dr. Mwansa said government is through the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) also looking for a third partner to acquire the shares in the plant to reduce the percentage ownership by the two countries
He said the government will also ensure that the textile acquires the state of the art technology and produce products that will penetrate the international market.
Dr. Mwansa said this in response to Kanchibiya Member of Parliament Davies Mwango who wanted to know when the Zambia-China Mulungushi Textiles in Kabwe will be re-opened.
He further disclosed that the partner pulled out of the company because the company was not making profits and that the machines were obsolete.
The Textile which was closed in 2008 is jointly owned by China and Zambia who have 66 percent and 34 percentage share holding respectively.
Parliament yesterday heard that Government has no intentions of legalizing street vending in the country.
Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Moses Muteteka said government has no intentions of legalizing street vending because the trend is illegal and makes cities look dirty.
Mr. Muteteka said this in response to a question from Chilubi Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament (MP) Obby Chisala who wanted to know whether government intends to legalize street vending following the global recession which has affected many families.
Mr. Muteteka said legalizing street vending would allow many marketeers to move from designated markets to the streets adding that this is what the government does not want to see happen.
Meanwhile, Mr. Muteteka has disclosed that 11,000 marketeers have applied for stands at the New Soweto Market.
He, however, said the number of applications does not correspond with the number of stands at the New Soweto Market adding that the demand for stands at the new market is very high.
Mr. Muteteka said he did not have the amounts as to how much each trader will be paying for a stand at the market.
Mr. Muteteka also advised the opposition Political Parties to stop politicizing the allocation of stands at the New Soweto Market.
He said government shall ensure that the allocation of stands at the market is done in a more fair and objective manner.
Mr. Muteteka said once the allocation of stands at the New Soweto Market is not properly done, his Ministry will always intervene to restore order.
THE board of directors of Finance Bank Zambia Limited has voluntarily dissolved itself in order to facilitate for the restructuring process.
Finance Bank Zambia Limited board chairman Jacob Mwanza announced this in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday.
Dr Mwanza said the decision was made during a meeting held yesterday.
“Following the restructuring of the shareholding in Finance Bank Zambia Limited, the constitution of the board of directors of Finance Bank Zambia Limited will consequently change to suit the new shareholding,” he said.
Dr Mwanza thanked the retiring board in their individual capacities and collectively for the valued contributions made in developing the bank.
He observed that Finance Bank is one of the fastest growing banks in Zambia and this is also owing to the leadership provided by the retiring board of directors.
Dr Mwanza hoped that the retiring directors will make themselves available to the shareholders if called upon to render further service to the bank.
Peter DakaBELGIUM has written off K34 billion of Zambia’s debt.Government procured the Euro 5, 100,000 interest-free loan from Belgium in July 2000 for the rehabilitation of Lusaka International Airport.
The interest-free loan had a grace period of 10 years, implying that the country was due to start paying back the principal amount in instalments beginning next year over a period of 20 years.
Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning Peter Daka and Belgium ambassador to Zambia Paul Jansen made the announcement after signing the debt cancellation protocol in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Daka said at the ceremony that the cancellation of the debt is evidence of Belgium’s commitment to foster economic development in developing countries like Zambia.
“This occasion no doubt brings back to our minds memories of how efforts by the international community drastically reduced Zambia’s sovereign external debt to manageable levels upon reaching the completion point in 2005.
“ The gesture shown today by your Government to cancel all outstanding amounts due on the loan provided to Government in 2000 amounting to K34 billion is evidence of Belgium’s commitment to foster economic development in countries like Zambia,” Mr Daka said.
He said the cancellation of the debt means Government will not have to allocate resources in the budget for the repayment of the loan.
Mr Daka said the present stock of debt, which stands at over US$1 billion, will automatically be reduced by the amount cancelled.
He said the debt relief will allow the country to channel resources to other areas of development such as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“What Belgium has done today is a clear testimony of confidence and trust that you have in our economy .This ceremony signifies that you have given credit to economic management of the country,” Mr Daka said.
He said Government has put emphasis on effective public resource management to ensure that the desired benefits of economic development are realised.
Mr Daka said Government believes that as long as there is no commitment to prudent use of public resources, the benefits of debt relief will not be realised by the masses.
“Government has thus been embarking on the implementation of the public debt reform programme, which among others, includes the implementation of a debt strategy which will ensure that debt is contracted at low cost and minimum risk to maintain sustainable levels of sovereign debt which will prevent the country from falling back into the debt trap,” he said.
Mr Daka appealed to other countries which have pledged to provide debt relief to Zambia under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) framework to emulate Belgium and follow through with their commitments.
And Mr Jansen said the written-off debt is under the agreement of the HIPC initiative.
Mr Jansen said the Belgian Government had made a commitment to cancel debt of countries which have reached the HIPC completion point.
He said his Government believes Zambia is on the right path of economic recovery hence the cancellation of the debt.
Mr Jansen said his country is pleased to cancel the debt as the country has shown positive signs of economic recovery.
He said Belgium will keep its commitment of writing off debt despite Europe having not been spared by the global economic crisis.
“Despite the challenges that we are facing as Belgium, we will stand by our commitments of writing off debt of countries that have reached HIPC completion point,” he said.
Libya’s LAP Green Networks is one step closer to making its final bid for a 75% stake in Zamtel, the Zambian government-owned telecom operator.
The Lybian operator will compete alongside Angola’s Unitel/Angola Cables, Russia’s Altimo Holdings/VimpelCom and Bharat Sanchar Nigam of India, to acquire a majority stake in Zamtel.
Zambia’s mobile penetration is around 33% in a population of 12,2 million people. With only 200 000 subscribers, Zamtel has been lagging behind rivals Zain and MTN.
Zain Zambia has 2.3 million subscribers, which translates to a massive 75% market share.
Moreover, the Zambian operator carries a debt burden of $125 million and an annual operating deficit of $17 million.
“We know it’s indebted, but those things can be sorted out”, commented LAP Green chief commercial officer, Hans Paulsen.
LAP Green Network owns 62% of Uganda Telecom and has recently bought 80% of Sudanese operator Gemtel. Besides Zamtel, the operator eyes stakes in Rwandatel of Rwanda, Sonitel and Sahelcom of Niger and Cote D’Ivoire and Ambitel GreenN of Sierra Leone.
