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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.
elephantSupport protection of our elephants and we’ll help you protect your bluefin tuna, 23 African countries told the European Union on Friday.
By contrast, if the EU does not back their case, they threatened to oppose Europe’s proposal to ban trade in the giant fish.
A nine-year ban on ivory sales was agreed in 2007 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), but two African nations — Tanzania and Zambia — want to reclassify their elephant populations, as a first step to resuming the trade, a leaked letter from the 23 countries says.
The group of African countries, which includes Kenya, Ethiopia and Nigeria, are concerned that most EU countries support Tanzania and Zambia’s attempts to restart the ivory trade, the letter says.
EU ambassadors met on Friday to finalise the bloc’s position at the next CITES meeting which starts on March 13.
The diplomats are expected to confirm support for an endangered listing for the Atlantic bluefin, which would effectively ban trade in the endangered fish which can fetch up to $100,000 each at market.
“Please do not force our collective hand to cast our 23 votes against the EU on any of the issues it is supporting such as, for example, the high profile proposed ban on bluefin tuna,” said the letter seen by Reuters.
After lengthy talks on Friday morning on bluefin tuna, ivory and polar bears, the bloc could struggle to reach a unified position by March 13, an EU source said.
Poachers in many central and west African countries continue to kill elephants for their ivory, which is used for trinkets and also as an aphrodisiac in countries such as China. The legal ivory trade fuels and provides cover for unlawful sales, the 23 African countries argue.
some cabinet ministers after receiving the body of late Home Affairs Deputy Minister Misheck Bonshe
Vice President George Kunda today led thousands of mourners who attended the burial of the late Mufumbwe Member of parliament (MP) Misheck Bonshe
The late Mr. Bonshe, who was also Home Affairs Deputy Minister died over the weekend in Nigeria.
MMD National Chairman Michael Mabenga, Education Minister Dora Siliya, Community Development Minister Michael Kaingu, Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga were among other senior government officials who witnessed the burial of the late minister.
Also in attendance was United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema former Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo among other national leaders.
Addressing mourners during the burial procession, the vice President urged Zambians to remain united in this trying moment.
Mr. Kunda said the multitude of people who attended the burial demonstrated that Zambians are united.
The vice president described the death of Mr. Bonbe missed by the party and the nation as a whole.
He said late Bonshe as a kind and caring man not only to his family and constituency but the country as a whole.
Meanwhile Northwestern Province Minister Daniel Kalenga has rebuked former Defence Minister George Mpombo for taking advantange of the death of Mr Bonshe for his political gain.
Mr Kalenga said reports attributed to Mr Mpombo in yesterdays Post Newspaper over his comments regarding the death of Mr Bonshe are not welcome.
Mrs Regina Chiluba comforts Mrs Regina Bonshe, wife of late Home affairs deputy minister Misheck bonshe
He said it was wrong for Mr Mpombo to allege that government had neglected Mr Bonshe during his sickness adding that such allegations are disturbing.
Mr. Kalenga said contrary to Mr Mpombo’s allegations, the late Mr Bonshe’s family said they are grateful to government for their support during the sickness and the untimely death of Mr Bonshe.
And speaking earlier Speaker of the National Assembly Ammusa Mwanamwambwa said the death of Mr Bonshe is not only a loss to the nation but parliament as a whole.
In a speech ready on his behalf by Deputy Chief Wip Aphrey Mwansa who is Solwezi MMD East MP said Mr Bonshe will be remembered in the manner in which he articulated and carried parliamentary issues.
On the other hand MMD National Chairman Michael Mabenga said the loss of Mr Bonshe is a blow to the ruling party.
Mr Mabenga said the party has lost third Member of Pariament to have died in a space of six months.
He described the death of the late Mr Bonshe as devastating because he was a man with good attributes.
Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has agreed to appear before the Bemba Royal Council after he was summoned for allegedly issuing disparaging remarks against Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba speaking people in Northern Province.
Speaking during a live Bemba programme on Radio Mano in Kasama today, Mr. Sata revealed that he would soon make himself available to the Shi-Lubemba’s traditional council to answer charges of allegedly attacking Paramount Chief Chitimukulu in public.
He claimed that he had not refused to appear before the Chitimukulu but wanted procedure to be followed in summoning him.
Mr. Sata said he has a lot of respect for Paramount Chief Chitimukulu, whom he regards as his relative and would therefore, not do anything to jeopardize their relationship.
And Mr. Sata has continued to remain silent over his alleged traditional marriage to Archbishop of Lusaka Telesphor Mpundu’s sister, Patronella.
Speaking during the same programme, Mr. Sata said he would not be drawn into discussing his relationship with Archbishop Mpundu’s sister.
Mr. Sata refused to respond to a text message from a listener who wanted him to explain his alleged traditional marriage to the Archbishop’s sister.
He argued that he would not respond to the ‘so-called marriage’ issue because only MMD cadres were asking questions bordering on his personal life.
Recently, former president Frederick Chiluba revealed that Mr. Sata had a traditional marriage with Archbishop Mpundu’s sister, Patronella.
Dr. Chiluba revealed that Mr. Sata has two children with the same woman, who is an employee of the Bank of Zambia in Ndola and the PF leader acknowledged the revelation.
Archbishop Mpundu earlier this week also admitted that Mr. Sata had fathered two children with his sister outside wedlock but could not state the relationship between the two.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sata has said he was ready to be challenged for the position of PF president at the party’s general assembly to be held later this year.
Mr. Sata has since urged those willing to challenge him to declare their interests now, adding that his party had started holding primary elections at lower organs.
He said all but one of the positions in the party would be contested for at the general assembly to be attended by 6, 500 delegates.
Mr. Sata explained that the post of Secretary General would not be elective but instead the party president would choose the person to take up the position.
He said the move was aimed at ensuring that the party leader worked with someone whom he or she understands well.
In another development, Mr. Sata has revealed that a technical committee would soon meet and advise the PF-UPND pact on which candidates to contest the parliamentary by-elections in Eastern and Northwestern Provinces following the deaths of incumbent Members of Parliament.
He said the committee would also weigh the strengths of each party in the particular constituencies where elections would be held before adopting an aspiring candidate to contest the by-election.
Mr. Sata further expressed confidence that the PF-UPND pact would scoop the forthcoming parliamentary by-elections in the two provinces claiming that it was strong on the ground.
Botswana Insurance Fund Management (Bifm)Botswana Insurance Fund Management (Bifm) will have to cut its stake in its Zambian asset management subsidiary from 71 percent to 49 percent before the end of the month.
This, according to outgoing Bifm CEO Victor Senye, will be done to comply with new legislation in Zambia that requires all asset management companies in the country to be at least 51 percent owned by Zambian citizens.
Speaking at the presentation of the results of parent company BIHL in Gaborone this week, Senye said they were in the process of identifying potential buyers of the stake and that priority would be given to current shareholders.
“The cutting down of our stake is one of the challenges that Bifm is facing at the moment,” he said. “We will try to compensate for the loss by fortifying that area of our business that has not been affected by the new legislation in Zambia.”
Apart from asset management, the BIHL group is into employee benefits and property development in Zambia.
Meanwhile, though he did not specify profit margins, Senye said Bifm had performed exceptionally well for the year ended December 31, 2009 after taking a sharp knock in 2008 as global financial markets collapsed.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to build on our achievements and focus on our key strategies of growth and profitability,” he said. “Our property activities have been extremely valuable and have enabled the company to take a leading role in the market.
“But while we are entrenched as a major property player in Botswana, our core business continues to be asset management.”
While Bifm reported profits at the same level as 2006, another member of the BIHL conglomerate, Botswana Life, reported a 45-percent increase in profits despite a difficult operating environment that was characterised by weakened disposable incomes for their clients.
Meanwhile, Botswana Life, whose CEO Regina Sikalesele-Vaka has just been rewarded with the plumb BIHL group CEO post, reported a 31-percent increase in net insurance premium income to P1.3 billion for the period, registering an operating profit of P218 million.
“We made excellent progress in the implementation of the Botswana Life 2009-2013 strategy,” she said. “This strategy has three key focus areas, namely, consolidation and retention of key clients, expansion and diversification.
I am proud to say that Botswana Life has succeeded in retaining all its major corporate clients as well as significantly increasing its individual sales business. Our results give us a justified cause for satisfaction.” As part of the group’s new strategy to maintain its dominance in the market, BIHL have announced a single substantive group CEO, Sikalesele-Vaka, who will oversee its five new subsidiaries that will embrace unit trusts and specific property and short-term insurance divisions in addition to Botswana Life and Bifm.
Until now, Senye and Sikalesele-Vaka were joint CEOs for BIHL. While Senye is being redeployed to head the property division, BIHL chairperson Batsho Dambe-Groth says the new heads of the other four divisions will be announced in the near future.
Children scavenging a dump siteKabwe District Commissioner Jonathan Kapungwe has observed that the increase in the number of homeless street kids has been as a result of breaking the culture of extended families.
Mr. Kapungwe said it was unfortunate that many children, who could have been kept by relatives of their deceased parents, ended up without any care because Zambians had abandoned the extended family system. He said this after donating K1 million (US $210) to a children headed household of Nakoli compound in Kabwe.
Mr. Kapungwe said while government was doing what it could within its means to help out such families, it was important that many other people and organizations, took it up to assist such situations.
John Phiri 19, is looking after his brother and sister, Abel 13 and Anna 11, who are in grade five (5) and two (2) at Danford Chilwa school where he is also doing his ninth grade.
He is providing for their education, meals and paying rentals. Phiri said the three were double orphans, who were struggling to make ends meet, as they depended on selling fritters.
He thanked Mr. Kapungwe for the donation, saying the money would go a long way in assisting them meet some of his family’s needs.
Phiri said he was planning to spend the money to build a house of their own since there was already a plot, adding that he would make bricks and only hire a bricklayer while spend some of the money on roofing materials.
He also commended Jesus Cares Ministry, which he said was doing a lot in assisting the family especially in the education field.
Court Bailiffs at Mazabuka magistrate’s court yesterday swung into action and seized a school mini bus belonging to Musikili private primary school following a court order to recover K 15.9 million owed to three retrenched workers.
A ZANIS news crew that visited the school witnessed the seizure of a TOYOTA Coaster mini bus registration number ABA 8885, which has since been parked at Mazabuka Magistrate court premises.
According to the bailiffs, the school management has been given five days in which to meet all the costs involved failure to which the bus would be auctioned.
Three members of staff, who were retrenched, took the matter to the Industrial Relations court after they failed to reason with school management over payment of their terminal benefits.
The Industrial Relations Court ruled in favour of the three retrenched workers by ordering management to pay interest to their claims.
The three employees are Franscisca Chisuta, Royce Hamalambe and Judicial Halubanza.
And Ms Chisuta told ZANIS in Mazabuka that she was happy that finally justice had been offered to her and her colleagues.
Musiklili primary is owned by two white sisters and offers classes from grades One to Seven.
ShikapwashaInformation and Broadcasting Services Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha has apologized to the Chona family and the nation for the pain caused by the inclusion of the late Mainza Chona’s name in a statement issued by the Ministry yesterday.
Lt. Gen Shikapwasha explained that his office yesterday issued a statement in reaction to former Defence Minister George Mpombo’s statement blaming the death of Late Home Affairs Deputy Minister and Mufumbwe Member of Parliament Misheck Bonshe on government.
In a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said in yesterday’s statement, the late Mainza Chona’s name was mentioned as one of the people the government has in the pasted helped to evacuate outside the country for specialist treatment.
“I wish to apologize to the Chona family, friends and relatives for the pain caused by the inclusion of the late Mainza Chona’s name. It is my prayer that the family accepts our sincere deep regret,” he said.
drunk and disorderly...A man showcases rare dancing skills with a beer on his groin
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USA based Heather Mwitanti in action, one day wants to play for the Zambia Women Football Team - Picture supplied by dad Elijah Mwitanti
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Old mates... Chiluba meets Steven Manjata at Lusaka international airport.
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Protocol and security officers usher vice president George kunda's motorcade
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Some actors from MUVI TV popular soap Banja in Chipata
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Raff Kid in action in Chipata
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Dandy Crazy dances with one his dancing queens in Chipata
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Cyclists wait for customers in Petauke. The cyclists charge K1000 for a one kilometre journey
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An enterprising youth peddling drinks for sale in Petauke
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The main street in Petauke and residents going about their businesses
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Father Frank Bwalya listening to proceedings during Bishop Mpundu's press briefing in Lusaka
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Kalomo UPND MP Request Muntanga about to take a seat behind Mandevu MP Jean Kapata and Munali counterpart Mumbi Phiri during Bishop Mpundu's Press briefing
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A female Impi (soldier) demonstrates a war dance
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A Ngoni warrior demonstrates his bravery by killing a bull with a lone spear.
National Restoration Party president Elias Chipimo junior and his vice Charles Maboshe during the launch of the political party in Lusaka.
The National Restoration -Party has dispelled assertions that it is being sponsored by the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD).
NAREP interim president Elias Chipimo Jr. says the party is not being sponsored by any organization but it is a financially independent party.
Mr. Chipimo, a prominent Lusaka Lawyer has since challenged those claiming that his party is being sponsored by the MMD to adduce evidence to substantiate their claims.
He has also defended his close relationship with the second republican president Dr Fredrick Chiluba’s press aide Emmanuel Mwamba.
Mr. Chipimo says there is nothing wrong to engage people that have been in politics for some time as he is new on the scene.
Featuring on the Public’s Last Say, On QFM last evening, Mr. Chipimo said he has been consulting and engaging politicians to see which path he can take.
Meanwhile , Former Church of God Overseer Bishop John Mambo has advised second republican president Frederick Chiluba to desist from using God to gain political advantage.
Bishop Mambo says it is wrong for Dr. Chiluba to claim to be a Christian when he is busy attacking others in public. He says attacks by the second republican president on others are disappointing especially coming from a person who declared Zambia a Christina Nation.
Bishop Mambo has since advised Dr.Chiluba to take a leave from active politics and concentrate on the needs of the church.
He says Dr Chiluba should now relax and enjoy his retirement other than going around attacking people; something he says is shocking for a born-again Christian.
He adds that Dr Chiluba should also desist from attacking other church leaders.
Sikalmab temporal bridge which has been swept away by floods in Sinazongwe district near Sinazeze Township Heavy rain has completely swept away a temporal bridge along Maamba/Batoka road leaving a deep gully and complicating the already desperate situation in Sinazongwe district which is already cut off from the rest of the country.
The Road Development Agency (RDA) made partial repairs to the bridge at Sikalamba stream near Sinazeze township last month after it was damaged and blocked several motorists.
Sinazongwe district, which was cut off yesterday for the third time this year, has two other culverts that have been washed away and a third one which was still being worked on by RDA.
Both Sinazongwe MMD District Secretary Jeff Kayamba and Nkanddabwe ward councilor Partson Mangunje confirmed the development.
Mr Kayamba said the situation was more serious than ever before and people were talking ill of government for failing to find a permanent solution for the past two years since the temporal bridge was fixed.
Last month the MMD condemned the Road Development Agency (RDA) for negligence over the collapsing of the temporal bridge at Sikalamba stream.
Mr. Kayamba said RDA officials were allegedly contributing to the weakening popularity of the ruling party in the area because of the bad state of the roads infrastructure in the district.
He said RDA should build a permanent bridge at Sikalamba stream where a temporal bridge was mounted two years ago when the area experienced floods.
The Maamba/Batoka road was rehabilitated last year at a cost of more than K26 billion.
In another development Mweezhya ward councilor Bernard Syanyambwe has disclosed that people in Siyalwala area have run out of mealie-meal, 15 houses have collapsed and roads have become impassable.
He said the situation has become pathetic if nothing was done people would die of hunger.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mutale Nalumango has challenged women parliamentarians to rise above partisan politics to enhance the rights and status of women in their respective countries.
Mrs. Nalumango said women are subjected to more training because of the culture where they are considered less than men in management and leadership while men were just accepted and propelled to positions as decision makers.
Ms. Nalumango said this when she contributed to discussions on the role of parliamentarians in enforcing Gender Equity and Human Rights, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) 15 years after Beijing.
The Deputy speaker also informed the side event of the 5th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) that Zambia was tackling gender violence which she said has continued to disadvantage women.
She said Zambia would enact a new constitution which has a lot of clauses aimed at uplifting the status of women giving them socio-economic empowerment and assures them of their rights.
This is contained in statement released to ZANIS by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Moses Walubita.
And UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, Rachel Mayanja said gender stereotyping, violence against women and under representation of women in decision making processes limits participation of women.
She said the inclusion of women and other under-represented groups is a critical component in a democracy.
Ms. Mayanja has further urged parliaments to strike a balance between men and women in all parliamentary committees including leadership positions.
President Rupiah Banda and First Lady Thandiwe Banda
PRESIDENT Banda said yesterday that his trip to China was successful, especially that there was a number of projects and opportunities discussed with the Chinese Government and investors.
Mr Banda, who completed his state visit to China on Wednesday by touring ZTE and Huawei Technologies, held two separate meetings with the companies’ top executives.
He urged the two Chinese telecommunication companies to consider setting up manufacturing firms in Zambia in addition to their operation offices.
This is contained in a statement issued from Shenzhen, China, by special assistant to the President for press and public relations Dickson Jere.
“The two companies assured the President and his delegation that they will positively consider the invitation to set up manufacturing branches in Zambia,” Mr Jere said.
The President also invited various telecommunication companies to set up international call centres in Zambia as the country has adequate human resource to handle such projects.
Mr Banda said he would like to see Zambia become a centre of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and urged the telecommunication firms to consider partnering with Government in establishing an ICT training centre which will cater for the African region.
He said his trip to China was successful, especially that there was a number of projects and opportunities discussed.
While in China, the President held meetings with his counterpart Hu Jintao and other senior Government officials where they discussed bilateral issues which mainly focused on political and economic co-operation.
The two leaders pledged to continue strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
And President Hu announced additional scholarships to Zambia of up to 164 students to study in various fields in China.
The two Presidents also witnessed the signing of five key agreements in different fields which include mining and geology co-operation, financing of the construction of a new stadium and the development of an economic sub-zone in Lusaka.
President Banda and the Chinese Government also discussed Zambia’s possibility of accessing financing from the US$10 billion set aside by the Chinese Government for projects in Africa.
Zambia presented projects for possible funding which include water and sanitation in Lusaka, drilling of boreholes in rural areas, improvement of urban roads, mobile hospitals and procurement of boats for Luapula and Western provinces.
The President invited Chinese tourists to consider Zambia as one of the priority destinations for tourism when they travel out of China.
Mr Banda said Zambia has beautiful sites which Chinese tourists should consider to visit, especially that over 40 million Chinese tourists travel outside their country annually.
President Banda, First Lady Thandiwe and other senior Government officials were yesterday due to leave China via Hong Kong on their way back home.
The Zambian delegation to Shenzhen included Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane and his Foreign Affairs counterpart Kabinga Pande.
Other ministers who were in President Banda’s delegation returned to Lusaka after completing their assignments.
CHIEF Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha says it is unwarranted for former Minister of Defence George Mpombo to allege that President Banda and his administration neglected the health of Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Misheck Bonshe.
Mr Bonshe, who was Mufumbwe MMD member of Parliament, died in Nigeria last Sunday from suspected high blood pressure.
Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Mpombo is merely politicking and advancing his political interests at the expense of mourning his departed colleague.
Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said he found it strange for Mr Mpombo to blame Government and President Banda over the untimely death of Mr Bonshe.
He said it is surprising that Mr Mpombo as a delegation leader of the Zambian team which travelled to Mbabane, Swaziland for a Southern African Development Community (SADC) security and politics meeting could not arrange for Mr Bonshe’s evacuation to South Africa for specialised treatment.
“This is so since Mr Mpombo says South Africa was just about 30 minutes away from where the meeting was taking place,” he said.
Gen. Shikapwasha said Mr Mpombo should have alternatively used his initiative to suggest even driving Mr Bonshe to South Africa for advanced treatment.
The minister said it appeared attending the SADC meeting was more important to Mr Mpombo than his friend’s health.
He said since Mr Mpombo said the Zambian delegation included some medical doctors, logistical arrangements could have easily been made in collaboration with the Zambian High Commission in South Africa and the Ministry of Health to have Mr Bonshe evacuated to South Africa.
Gen. Shikapwasha said Government is taken aback by Mr Mpombo’s narration that after the SADC meeting, the Zambian delegation was flown together with Mr Bonshe to Livingstone via Johannesburg for a Zambia-Namibia Joint Permanent Commission meeting.
He wondered why Mr Mpombo did not become considerate enough to suggest that Mr Bonshe be hospitalised in Johannesburg where their booked plane landed before proceeding to Livingstone to substantiate the former minister’s claims that the deceased was a very close family friend of his.
“I wish to make it clear that this Government pays meticulous attention to cases of critical sickness such as the one which afflicted the late Deputy Minister of Home Affairs,” he said.
Gen. Shikapwasha said there is no way that there would be negligence on the part of Government to let Mr Bonshe die without being subjected to good medical attention.
He said as far as evacuations of critically ill people are concerned, Government does not segregate.
The minister said Government pays undivided attention to all, including those in the opposition or the ruling party with high level examples being the cases of Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata and the late Mainza Chona.
Gen. Shikapwasha said it is Government’s view that Mr Mpombo is off the mark when he alleges that President Banda and his administration did not care for the health of Mr Bonshe.
He said Mr Mpombo’s utterances should be treated as unfounded verbiage aimed at politicising Mr Bonshe’s death to enhance his political image.
The minister accused Mr Mpombo of seemingly being desperate to mend his dented political career through his unguided and improperly researched statements.
Dr Chiluba addressing people at the Ncwala last weekFORMER President Frederick Chiluba left for South Africa yesterday for a two-week scheduled medical review.
The former President, who left aboard a South African Airways plane, was accompanied by his wife Regina, security staff and his spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba.
Confirming Dr Chiluba’s trip to South Africa at the Lusaka International Airport yesterday, Mr Mwamba said doctors had given the former President a period of one month after which he should undergo another review.
“The former President is going for a scheduled medical review to South Africa and he will be there for two weeks. Dr Chiluba last underwent a medical review in December last year,” Mr Mwamba said.
