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Parley adjourns sine die

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PARLIAMENT yesterday adjourned sine die after sitting for 19 days.

Moving the motion for the House to adjourn sine die, Vice President George Kunda said during the 19-day sitting, Parliament considered 215 questions, three private members motions, and one motion to adopt the Public Accounts Committee’s report on the outturn and appropriation accounts for the year ending December 31, 2007.

Mr Kunda said the House further considered two motions to adopt reports on Presidential appointments.
He said Parliament also considered 37 reports from government and quasi-government institutions.

“The House also passed 21 bills. The House has performed diligently and it is time to take a break,” Mr Kunda said.

He said the break will allow MPs to attend to other national duties outside Parliament.

The Vice President called on fellow MPs to go back and work with their electorates and monitor ongoing projects.

Mr Kunda said floods have affected some constituencies, thereby making it difficult for government to distribute relief food and drugs to flood victims.

“Some bridges have been washed away, some of our people have been rendered homeless, and it is important for MPs to assess the damage and help government work out with mitigating measures,” he said.

Contributing to debate, Bangweulu MP Joseph Kasongo appealed to all MPs to carry the message of peace to their electorate and not that of instability.

Mr Kasongo said Zambians can only address problems facing the nation in an atmosphere of peace and stability.

He observed that some politicians are desperate for power and can do anything just to get to State House.
“But they should wait because we only have 15 months to go…,” he said.

Mr Kasongo challenged clergymen who have political ambitions to come forward because doors of the National Assembly are open to anyone.

On the NCC, Mr Kasongo said some government critics should not dictate the pace of the constitution-making process because they refused to participate when the government invited them.

Mr Kasongo further castigated those accusing the government of paying lip service to the fight against corruption.

“The government is ahead and has presented bills that are aimed at enhancing the fight against corruption,” Mr Kasongo aid.

He said Zambia needs peace to prosper politically and economically.

“Economic development can only be there if there is peace. We won’t allow those who want to use shortcuts to go to State House,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Phase one of the computerisation of the Judicial Court System launched

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VICE President George Kunda yesterday launched phase one of the computerisation of the Judicial Court System.

And Mr Kunda said Zambia will be the first African country to employ the usage of computerised judicial system.

Mr Kunda said in Lusaka yesterday that phase one of the project will see the computerisation of the Supreme, High and Magistrate courts in Lusaka.

“There is no doubt in my mind that this launch marks the beginning of a new era for the administration of justice in this country,” Mr Kunda said.

He said this is an important move towards streaming the administration of justice through effective and efficient court management.

Mr Kunda said he is certain the faith and confidence reposed by the citizen of this country in the judiciary would be greatly strengthened by the modernisation project launched yesterday.

The project launched yesterday was made possible with a 75 percent grant of the total cost amounting to US$500,000 by the Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF) while the Government provided the rest.

“May I, therefore, take this opportunity to thank the Investment Climate for Africa for the support rendered to our Judiciary through the grant,” Mr Kunda said.

He said he is particularly happy that the grant was put to good use, resulting in the successful implementation of phase one .

“As Government, we are committed to ensuring that the Judiciary’s autonomy is protected and shall do all we can for the Judiciary to work effectively and efficiently.

“To this end, I pledge my Government’s support towards this project by providing the 25 percent counterpart funding on time,” Mr Kunda said.

Earlier, Chief Justice Ernest Sakala said Zambia Justice Information Management System (ZAJIS) appreciates the efforts Government attaches to the Judiciary.

Justice Sakala said the funding from both ICF for Africa and Government had been timely under the project.

[pullquote]“Firstly, it was felt that technology was going to be an important ingredient to the change we sought in our operations by improving the rate of disposal of our cases and also improve the quality of judgements by having accurate records for all proceedings and on time for all citizens,” Justice Sakala said.[/pullquote]

He said the gesture enables the management team to execute its mandate efficiently.

“My appeal to both ICF for Africa and Government is that this trend should continue in the next phase,” Justice Sakala said.

He said the vision of ZAJIS came about by way of an introduction by former Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Dipak Patel, who is now a member of ICF.

“Firstly, it was felt that technology was going to be an important ingredient to the change we sought in our operations by improving the rate of disposal of our cases and also improve the quality of judgements by having accurate records for all proceedings and on time for all citizens,” Justice Sakala said.

Meanwhile, ICF chief executive officer for Africa Mary Issa said the modernisation of the Judiciary falls under one of her organisation’s priority areas, property rights and contracts enforcements.

[Zambia Daily mail]

I am going to stand for the presidency in 2011-RB

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President Rupiah Banda

PRESIDENT Banda yesterday re-affirmed his decision to stand for the republican presidency in the 2011 general elections and has called on the people of Southern Province to work with the ruling MMD.

“I am going to stand for the presidency in 2011. I am going to fight and am going to ask the conscious of the people of Zambia to give me another mandate so that I can fulfil the development programme of the country,” he said.

Mr Banda was speaking on arrival at Mazabuka’s Munali Nickel Mine.

He said during the last presidential election, he came second from United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema while Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata was relegated to the bottom in all the constituencies in Southern Province.

Mr Banda wondered why the people of Southern Province have allowed themselves, through Mr Hichilema, to join hands with the PF in a pact when it offers nothing.

“In the last election, I was number two to UPND in the province, and I beat Mr Sata. Why should UPND go into a pact with Mr Sata, a person who was rejected?” he asked.

Mr Banda said Southern Province, like Central and Eastern provinces, should also one day work towards producing a president instead of being duped.

“You are being duped by Mr Sata to participate in blocking me from completing my tenure as President. Mr Sata is telling your president (Hakainde) to work with him, is that fair? No,” he said.

Mr Banda said it is unfortunate to see hatred and insults being introduced in the political arena.

The President took a swipe at Change Life Zambia executive director Frank Bwalya, whom he accused of abusing Radio Icengelo and advocating a red card to be flashed against him.

Mr Banda advised Fr Bwalya to flash the red card against people who have broken rules of politics and those who are fond of abusive language.

He said every game has rules to be followed, and anyone who breaks them should be shown a red card.

Mr Banda said he has not done anything wrong to warrant the raising of a red card against him.

The President said he understands the anger and frustration that is being exhibited by the two opposition leaders as it comes from their experience of having lost previous elections.

Mr Sata has lost elections in three previous presidential elections while Mr Hakainde has lost in two.

Mr Banda called on Zambians to reject any leader and politics of individual ambitions and bitterness as they are not productive to the nation.

He assured the people of Southern Province that from his recent trip to China, and the discussions he had with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, he is hopeful that Zambia will also develop.

[pullquote]

“This province has as many rich minerals as any other provinces in the country. My government will not rest until we re-open the Maamba Coal mine also.

I will come to commission it. Please, give us a chance; no-one can be a magician that they can do everything at once. They are busy telling lies that when they come to power they would bring development in 100 days, it is not true,” he said.

[/pullquote]

President Banda said there is need to explore the rich minerals in Southern Province to develop the industry for the benefit of the people.

Mr Banda said the re-opening of the Munali Nickle mine will provide employment for the people in the province, who had to travel all the way to the Copperbelt Province in search of employment.

“This province has as many rich minerals as any other provinces in the country. My government will not rest until we re-open the Maamba Coal mine also.

I will come to commission it. Please, give us a chance; no-one can be a magician that they can do everything at once. They are busy telling lies that when they come to power they would bring development in 100 days, it is not true,” he said.

He urged Zambians to commit themselves to hard work and emulate the Chinese.

“Please, work well with the Chinese investors. Welcome them with both hands. I know their dedication towards work. I was there recently and saw how serious they are at work,” he said.

Mr Banda criticised opposition political leaders who are fond of claiming that the Chinese are not good investors, saying great nations like Britain and the United States of America are all rushing to China to attract investment.

He said he attached great importance to national development, and urged the people to rally behind his administration.

“I am the kind of President who focuses on national development,” he said.

And Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe called on President Banda to speed up elections at all MMD party levels before the convention.

“You, as chairman of the MMD national executive committee, please, quicken the process of elections in the party because some people are scandalising others for nothing,” Mr Munkombwe said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Vatican backs Bishop Mpundu

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Archbishop of Lusaka Telesphore Mpundu

THE Vatican Ambassador to Zambia Nicola Girasoli says the entire congregation of the Catholic Church in Zambia is in full support of Lusaka Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu.

But concerned members of the Catholic Church have vowed to go ahead with their planned demonstrations at the Vatican Ambassador to Zambia’s residence to compel his office to remove Bishop Mpundu.

Apostolic Nunciature Archbishop Girasoli said the Catholic Church supports Bishop Mpundu contrary to some statements from some people he described as non-Catholics.

Some concerned Catholics have petitioned Pope Benedict XV1 to remove Bishop Mpundu as head of the Catholic Church in Zambia.

Archbishop Girasoli said in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday that the Catholic Church is a universal church with its own rules and norms based on more than 2,000 years of tradition, which are collected in the Code of Canon Law, which can only call for the removal of any Archbishop who violates it.

Archbishop Girasoli said the Catholic Church in Zambia will not support calls for the removal of Bishop Mpundu because any kind of genuine action or claim in the Catholic Church should be sustained by the procedures indicated in the Canon Law.

The Vatican Embassy in Zambia denied that the Apostolic Nuncio ever met anybody or a group of Catholics who petitioned the removal of Bishop Mpundu.
But the petitioners have vowed to go ahead with their demonstration at the Vatican Embassy in Lusaka.

Group Spokesperson Edmond Zulu said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the concerned members of the Catholic Church will not relent until they ensure that Bishop Mpundu is removed as head of the Catholic Church in Zambia.

[pullquote]“I think the people who are saying that the petitioners are not members of the Catholic Church want to taste our wrath, let them see what will happen on Wednesday, and their statements will not intimidate us until Bishop Mpundu is removed from his position,” Mr Zulu said.[/pullquote]

“I think the people who are saying that the petitioners are not members of the Catholic Church want to taste our wrath, let them see what will happen on Wednesday, and their statements will not intimidate us until Bishop Mpundu is removed from his position,” Mr Zulu said.

He said all well-meaning Catholic Church members in Lusaka and other parts of the country have indicated their willingness to take part in the demonstrations to pressure for the quick removal of Bishop Mpundu.

“Let them know that we are not joking but that we are very serious. We have given the Pope a one-week ultimatum to act on our petition failure to which we will demonstrate in masses,” he said.

Last week, some concerned Catholic Church members petitioned the Pope to remove Bishop Mpundu as head of the Catholic Church in Zambia for allegedly tarnishing the image of the Church.

In a letter of petition presented to the Vatican Ambassador to Zambia, the concerned Church members from Chainda and Kamanga Parish called for the immediate removal of Bishop Mpundu for allegedly issuing alarming statements in the press.

They also called on the Pope to issue a public apology on behalf of the Catholic Church over Bishop Mpundu’s stand towards Government.

The concerned Church members further asked the Vatican to restore the relationship that the Catholics and Government used to enjoy over the years to enhance development in the country.

[Zambia Daily mail]

RB re-opens Munali Nickel Mine

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President Rupiah Banda re-opening the Albidon Nickel Mine in Mazabuka
President Rupiah Banda re-opening the Albidon Nickel Mine in Mazabuka

President RUPIAH BANDA today officially re-opened the Munali nickel mine which was closed due to the global financial crisis.

Nickel mine has been acquired by a Chinese company JINCHUAN mining group who have invested about 37 million united states dollars in the Mine and will employ 350 workers.

Munali Nickel becomes the second mine to reopen after the Luanshya Copper Mines which closed at the peak of the global crisis and resumed operations last year.

And the Mine Union of Zambia has commended Government for ensuring that Munali Nickel Mine in Mazabuka is re-opened.

MUZ President Rayford Mbulu said the opening of the mine which has been under care and maintenance for close to a year is a relief to the Zambians especially the employees that were working at the mine.

Mr Mbulu said that his union will represent ex-workers and address fears and concerns the ex-employees have over the new owners.

He says MUZ will engage the new mine operators to ensure all ex-workers are taken back. Mr Mbulu told QFM in an interview that though the local Zambians did not take keen interest in the bidding for the takeover of the mine because of economical problems, the opening of the mine has brought a sense of comfort to the union.

He has urged the Government to ensure that indigenous Zambians benefit from the mining activities in that area.

The Munali Nickel Mine has been taken over by a Chinese firm.

QFM

Those were the days!

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Dear Bloggers,

Do you remember how much fun we had growing up? Remember how…

1. We ate fritters at the market and do you remember buying cooking oil from some fat woman in the market who had a big drum of it connected to a tap or hand pump (‘CI DUMBO MALIKETI KA POMPA SALADI’)

2. We went hunting in the bush with our dogs and did not fear snakes, deep holes and even quick sand.

3. We went into the compounds looking for a fight from the compound boys and quite often came back badly bruised and beaten.

4.We only watched English Soccer on Fridays and it was always sponsored by Barclays. Liverpool and Everton were the best teams in England and not Manchester United and Arsenal.

5. You could name the starting line up of Green Buffaloes, Mufulira Wanderers and Kabwe Warriors. When we played football we called ourselves Simutowe, Ucar, Tools, Chola, or one of the local stars and not some foreigner we only saw on TV.

6.We always put stones in the Coca Cola to make it fizz.

7. We always harassed soldiers for canned beef.

8. Remember the days when we would line up from 08 00 hrs -16 00 hrs waiting for Kaunda to pass in the streets just to wave at him.

9. We thought only KK was President. My cousin once asked me if I knew the Kaunda of Kenya.

10. Chloroquine worked as a treatment for Malaria. You knew because when you went to the village (every 2 or 3 years) you came back with it.

11. When you always came back from the village all your friends wanted some of the peanuts, maize, intoyo, millet, pumpkins, finkubala and all the village produce you came back with. You could keep the playground entertained for weeks afterwards with your stories from the village.

12. Remember when we would go to the streams to swim and we never used to get sick because of the bad water.

13. Remember when we used to glimpse through the neighbours windows, just to have a glimpse of a TV and remember how they used to make us sit on the floor when watching TV by the neighbours.

14.Remember how we used to go for school assembly every Monday and had a parade for exercise (up, sideways, forward and down, clap! clap!) the shortest person being in front and the tallest at the back.

15.Remember how we used to watch video shows on civilian day sitting on the floor in rows and how we used to cheer at kung-fu (uuuuwaaaaaaaaa! uuuuwaaaaaaaaa!)

16. We always tried to switch off the escalator (the only ones in Zambia) at Mwaiseni .

17. We wore pink shirts with big collars, platform shoes, crimplene trousers and shirts, bell bottom jeans with massive cowboy belts with brass buckles.

18. Remember DPB’s milk chocolate biscuits

19.We didn’t have Play stations, Nintendo 64, X boxes, video games, DSTV, VCR’s, surround sound, cellular phones, computers, online chartrooms, instead we would have tons of FRIENDS and played CHIDUNUUUH, GEMU & TOUCH… utubambo (slapping your friend with fingers then after that licking them), it was always zero kunja, one, two….

20. Four of us would share a drink, we would all drink from the same bottle and that wasn’t disgusting nor would anyone get sick.

21.- We would eat cake, bread and butter, drink sugary drinks, and we weren’t overweight nor worry about cholesterol or diets because we were always outside playing .

22.Riding on the back of a vanette was an adventure that we still remember!

23. Do you remember Tarino and a mabuyu! I remember how we would play until we heard mum’s hooter, then we would run (top speed) into the house and smear vaseline all over your face and change our dirty clothes before mommy got into the house. But we always forgot to clean our feet and mum always noticed and would always smack us.

RDA requires K3 trillion for road Maintenance- Mulongoti

Entertainment Editor
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Works and Supply minister Mike Mulongoti has disclosed that the Road Development Agency (RDA) needs about K3 trillion annually to keep the country’s core road network of approximately 67,000 Km in a maintainable condition.

Mr Mulongoti told parliament today in a ministerial statement on the operations of RDA that only K1.2 trillion per year has been approved by parliament in the past three years.

He said the implication of such low levels of funding has contributed to RDA’s reducing works on its core road network by half .
He said there is need to increase the funding levels to enable RDA fulfill its mandate since roads are a prime engine of national economic growth.

Mr Mulongoti noted that the need to double the funding levels for road infrastructure development cannot be overemphasized if the RDA is to achieve the objects of ROADSIP II by 2015.

The Minister added that one way to generate more funds for the sector is to introduce tollgates on some of the country’s roads.
He disclosed that government intends to do away with fuel levy once tollgate levy was introduced.

Meanwhile. Mr Mulongoti has said that Zambia’s cooperating partners should not expect any bombshell from the audit of the RDA.
He also called for the speedy closure of the protracted audit process of RDA so that the suspended financial cooperation by the cooperating partners could be resumed.
He said RDA has been in existence for a short period and it would not help for anyone to judge them harshly.

QFM

Pictures of the Week

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1.

South African national defence force Chief Godfrey Ngwenya with Zambia Army Commander Isaac Chisuzi at Arackan Barracks in Lusaka

2.

An unideitified man carrying his furniture from a flooded house in Kanyama area

3.

4.

Women in business... Two women selling cooked and raw cassava along Kalambo road in Lusaka

5.

Local government deputy minister Moses Muteteka participates in the destruction of pirated DVDs in Lusaka.

6.

An unidentified man inspects a set of pirated DVDs in Lusaka.

7.

A fake fanta drink packaged in a bottle of Coca-cola was seized in Lusaka .

8.

AN unidentified job seeker displaying a placard along Church road in Lusaka

9.

Kitwe Town centre before independence

10.

Some residents of Kasama marching during World Tuberculosis Day commemoration at Mulanshi area in Kasama.

11.

KASAMA District Commissioner Felix (r) donates second hand clothes to Benard Mulenga (l) who received the bag on behalf of other Leprosy patients Kawama resettlement center

12.

Some residents of Kasama marching during World Tuberculosis Day commemoration at Mulanshi area in Kasama.

13.

Orphans at Luyando orphanage look into the camera inside the 'kitchen' at the transit home.

Pope given a 7 days ultimatum to respond to a Petition on Archbishop Mpundu

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Archbishop of Lusaka Telesphore Mpundu addressing a press briefing

SOME members of the Catholic Church who petitioned Pope Benedict XVI to remove Lusaka Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu as head of the church in Zambia have given the Vatican a seven-day ultimatum to respond to their request.

Group spokesperson Edmond Zulu said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that if the Pope fails to discipline Bishop Mpundu within seven days, they will then go ahead and demonstrate at the Vatican Embassy in Lusaka.

Mr Zulu said his group is still saddened and disappointed with Bishop Mpundu’s alleged misconduct.
He said the concerned Catholic Church members will not relent until the archbishop is removed from his position as head of the Catholic Church in Zambia.

“I spoke to the Apostolic Nuncio over the weekend and he assured me that the Pope has acknowledged receipt of our petition, but we have decided to give the Vatican one-week of which to act but failure to which we will go ahead and demonstrate at the Vatican Embassy in Zambia,” he said.

Mr Zulu said the concerned Catholic Church members are waiting to hear from the Vatican before deciding on the way forward.

“This time around we have decided to go and petition the Pope through his representative Apostolic Nuncio because we want to create sanity in our Church. All the parishes in Lusaka have indicated that they will take part in the demonstrations,” he said.

Last week, some concerned Catholic Church members petitioned the Pope to remove Bishop Mpundu as head of the Church in Zambia for allegedly tarnishing its image.

In a letter of petition presented to the Vatican Ambassador to Zambia, the concerned church members from Chainda and Kamanga parishes called for the immediate removal of Bishop Mpundu for allegedly issuing alarming statements in the press.

They also called on the Pope to issue a public apology on behalf of the Catholic Church over Archbishop Mpundu’s stand towards Government.

The concerned church members asked the Vatican to restore the relationship that the Catholics and Government used to enjoy over the years to enhance development in the country.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Vatican defends Pope’s handling of sex abuse cases

Guest Editor
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Pope Benedict XVI

Revelations that the Vatican halted the investigation of a Wisconsin priest accused of molesting some 200 deaf boys have eerie echoes in Italy, where 67 deaf men and women accused two dozen priests of raping and molesting children for years.

Only now — a year after the Italian case became public — is the Vatican directing the diocese to interview the victims to hear their testimony about the accusations, The Associated Press learned Thursday.

The two cases are the latest in a burgeoning abuse scandal on both sides of the Atlantic that now threatens to tarnish the papacy itself. The office charged with disciplining clergy was long led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, and a church prosecution in the Wisconsin case was stopped after an appeal to Ratzinger.

The Vatican strongly defended Benedict on Thursday and denounced what it said was a concerted campaign to smear him and his aides for a problem that Rome insists is not unique to the Catholic Church.

Benedict’s actions have been marked by “transparency, firmness and severity in shedding light on the various cases of sexual abuse committed by priests and clergymen,” the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano said in a front-page article. It lashed out at what it said was a “prevailing trend in the media” to ignore facts and spread an image of the Catholic Church “as if it were the only one responsible for sexual abuses — an image that does not correspond to reality.”

The Vatican was responding to the release of documents, first reported by The New York Times, that showed how the pope’s former office told a Wisconsin bishop to shut down a church trial against the Rev. Lawrence Murphy, a Milwaukee priest accused of molesting some 200 deaf boys from 1950 to 1975.

Murphy died in 1998, two years after Ratzinger first learned of the accusations, and more than 20 years after they came to the attention of the Milwaukee diocese.

While the Vatican has not directly addressed the Italian abuse case, first reported as part of an AP investigation last September, it bears marked similarities to the allegations brought in Wisconsin. Both involve some of society’s most vulnerable: deaf children for whom the admonition “never tell” is easy to enforce because they have difficulty communicating. And in both, the major priority of church officials grappling with how or whether to discipline accused predators appeared to be protecting the church from scandal.

In a signed statement last year, the 67 former pupils at a school for the deaf in Verona described sexual abuse, pedophilia and corporal punishment from the 1950s to the 1980s. They named 24 priests, brothers and lay religious men at the Antonio Provolo Institute for the Deaf.

While not all acknowledged being victims, 14 of the 67 wrote sworn statements and made videotapes, detailing abuse, some for years, at the hands of priests and brothers of the Congregation for the Company of Mary. One victim, Alessandro Vantini, told the AP last year that priests sodomized him so relentlessly he came to feel “as if I were dead.”

“How could I tell my papa that a priest had sex with me?” Vantini, 59, said through a sign-language interpreter. “You couldn’t tell your parents because the priests would beat you.”
MSNBC

Simataa ban lifted

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THE FAZ appeals committee has lifted the suspension of Amakumbi Stars proprietor, Simataa Simataa and thrown out all petitions for the removal of some executive committee members and president Kalusha Bwalya.

Appeals committee chairperson William Nyirenda made the announcement in Lusaka yesterday at Chrismar Hotel after the committee met to look at the appeals.

Nyirenda said petitioners would have the right to present their cases at tomorrow’s FAZ Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for the Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

He said Simataa’s suspension had been lifted because FAZ did not follow laid-down constitutional procedures when enforcing the ban on the Amakumbi Stars proprietor who is also Zambia Football Coaches Association (ZFCA) general secretary.

Nyirenda said according to the constitution, a person should be accorded an opportunity to defend and exculpate themselves before finally being suspended.

The appeals chairperson said some rules in the constitution were flouted by the FAZ executive and declared the ban on Simataa from all football activities null and void.

“The suspension of Simataa has been lifted because FAZ did not accord him the opportunity to defend and exculpate himself. The executive did not follow the right procedure, some rules in the constitution were flouted and so the suspension has been lifted and we have restored on him the full rights as a member of FAZ with immediate effect,” Nyirenda said.

The appeals committee chairperson said Simataa and Medical Stars chairperson Alex Mambwe’s petitions were thrown out because they lacked the seriousness of such a move.

Nyirenda said discussing issues like these would be duplicating the FAZ AGM agenda where aggrieved parties had a right to present their cases against any issues pertaining the running of football matters.

He said FAZ general secretary George Kasengele and head of competition and administration Julio Chiluba’s petitons could not go to the AGM because they were employees of the association.

“The position of general secretary was duly adopted at the last AGM according to the findings of our committee, so that appeal has been rejected because it lacks merit,” Nyirenda said.

Simataa had petitioned to have FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya removed, while Division Two (North) Police Eagles petitioned the removal of vice-president Emmanuel Munaile and committee member Pivoty Simwanza.

Mambwe wanted Kasengele, Chiluba and treasurer Boniface Mwamelo removed for allegedly breaching the FAZ constitution.

Nyirenda said the petitions were improperly submitted and they all lacked the seriousness.

He said even the petition against Mwamelo should be an issue for the AGM. The committee that sat to make a ruling over the petitions comprised retired soccer commentator Dennis Liwewe, retired Brigadier-General William Shonga, former FAZ general secretary Herman Mpashi, former FAZ president Evaristo Kasunga and Nyirenda.

[Times of Zambia]

Kabwe PF councillor arrested

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POLICE in Kabwe have arrested Patriotic Front (PF) Bwacha ward councillor Saidi Chibwana for allegedly issuing two cheques worth K10 million on an insufficiently funded account to retired Zambia Army Brigadier-General, Patrick Mulwanda.

Central Province police chief Simon Mpande confirmed the arrest of Mr Chibwana who issued two cheques of K5 million each last month this year contrary to section 33/1 of the national payment system Act number one of 2007.

“I can confirm that Councillor Chibwana of house number 6 RD7, new Ngungu was arrested on February 27, 2010 after he issued two cheques to Brig-Gen Mulwanda and he will today appear in court for this offence,” Mr Mpande said.

He explained that Brig-Gen Mulwanda reported the matter to the police after he discovered that the two cheques had bounced at the Finance Bank branch in Kabwe.

[Times of Zambia]

RTSA rakes in K5.6 billion in carbon tax

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THE Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) raked in K5.6 billion in carbon emission tax in January when the agency started collecting on behalf of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).

ZRA commissioner for customs Muyangwa Muyangwa said in Lusaka yesterday that the authority itself collected K1.8 billion, although this was just new car entries through the border posts.

Mr Muyangwa said the use of RTSA for collecting the carbon emission tax had proved effective just in the first month of administering the taxation through that point, noting that the move was a wise decision.

“We have actually noted good collection through RTSA, which brought in far much higher than what we collected ourselves in that month,” he said.

The carbon tax was introduced in 2006 and the ZRA had been collecting the tax only from border points when vehicles are imported into Zambia or on transit, but the authority was not following up the vehicles to pay the annual tax.

The Government later decided that RTSA starts collecting the tax from all inland vehicles at the time motorists were renewing their road taxes.

Mr Muyangwa said compliance had been overwhelming because the system was working well to capture all cars registered in Zambia.

He said though there were challenges in the collection, because RTSA was currently only issuing receipts to the motorists, ZRA and RTSA were currently working out mechanisms to have the tax reflect on the road licence disc itself.

“We are still working on the procedures, so that by next year it will be reflected on the same disc for road tax instead of RTSA issuing receipts or issuing separate discs,” he said.

The Government has included revenue collected from motorists through the carbon emission tax in this year’s Budget, but has not mentioned which projects it would implement using the proposed K30.7 billion to be raised from the tax.

A carbon emission tax is an environmental tax on emissions of carbon dioxide, as the gas is considered to be a heat trapping ‘greenhouse gas’ and the purpose of a carbon tax is to protect the environment by penalising emissions of carbon dioxide, which may cause global warming.

[Times of Zambia]

RB expected in Mazabuka tomorrow to re-open Munali Nickel Mine

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President Rupiah Banda will tomorrow officially re-open the Munali Nickel Mine, in Mazabuka which was closed as a result of the global financial crisis which led to the collapse of metal prices on the foreign market.

The President will travel to Mazabuka to re-open the mine, which has been acquired by a Chinese firm JINCHUAN Mining Group and is expected to employ over 350 workers in the area. The Chinese company has invested about US$ 37 million in Albidon Zambia Limited, the owners of the Munali Nickel Mine.

President Banda had promised, in his address to Parliament in September last year, that he will do everything possible to find an investor to re-open the closed mine so that more jobs can be created in the country.

Munali Nickel Mine is the second mine to re-open as a result of Government efforts to safeguard jobs in the mining sector despite the global financial crisis.

Last year, Luanshya Copper Mine, which was also closed at the peak of the global financial crisis, resumed operations after it was acquired by a Chinese company China Non-Ferrous Metal Company Group (CNMC).The mine now employs over 2,100 workers in Luanshya.

This is contained in a statement released to today by special assistant to the president for press and public relations Dickson Jere.

Police deny the Consortium of Civil Societies permit to hold a rally

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Citizens Forum executive director Simon Kabanda

The Consortium of civil society organizations has put off their planned good governance rally which was scheduled to be held in Mandevu this Saturday 27th March 2010.

This follows the refusal by the Zambia Police to grant them a permit for the rally. In a statement released to QFM today, Citizens Forum Executive Secretary Simon Kabanda says despite having notified the Police, they have refused to allow them to hold the rally.

He says as law abiding citizens they will not be tempted by the Police’s refusal to grant them a permit to break the law by going ahead with the rally.

Mr Kabanda however said that they will do everything legally possible to ensure that their constitutional right to assemble is not blocked in perpetuity. He says the civil society reiterates their commitment to demanding for good governance and a good constitution in Zambia.

He added that consortium of civil society is further committed to ensure that Zambia does not promote bad laws and corruption in all its forms.

He further stated that the Red Card Campaign is still going ahead and will move to another province from the Copperbelt, and ensure that people sensitized to participate effectively in the Red Card Campaign.

QFM

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