Police in Sesheke Town , Western Province have picked a body of an 18 year old girl who has been found dead.

Western province deputy Commissioners of police Fwambo Siame has confirmed and identified the deceased  as Naomi Wamuwi of airport compound in Sesheke Town.

Mr Siame disclosed that Naomi’s body was discovered dead near Nalisa grave yard in the early morning of  last Saturday.

The body was found stripped with multiple deep cuts and  she suspected to be murdered by unknown person.

A blue jean skirt and a maroon ladies pant was also found besides the body which has since been deposited in Yeta district hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.

.Meanwhile, Nandala Sitali, the boyfriend to the deceased aged 21 of village Nalisa in Sesheke  has been picked to help with investigations as he was the last person to have been seen with the deceased.

In another development,  a grade eleven (11) pupil of Sesheke Secondary School  has committed   suicide by hanging herself with a chitenge wrapping material she wore.

Kumoyo Pelekelo aged 18 who lived with her parents in Kashongami compound in Sesheke district of western province decided to take her life shortly after her mother disciplined her allegedly for fighting her young sister over a domestic dispute with her sibling.

Shockingly,  Kumoyo was later found  hanging soon after being whipped by their mother for fighting with her sibling over porridge.

By the time she was rushed to Yeta district hospital, she was pronounced dead on arrival ( DOA ).

A Mansa based resident has cautioned students from public Universities to avoid engaging in riots whenever government delays to pay them their meal allowances.

Ms. Gloria Chibwe observes that in the past the issue of meal allowances for students was a major source of problem in public Universities.

She said in an interview on Monday noted notes that students should always know that there are so many pressing issues affecting the country hence the need for them to exercise patience whenever government delays to give them their meal allowance.

“ The public expects University students to be conducting themselves in a responsible manner whenever they want to air their grievances, “ she said.

She noted that resorting to breaking private and public property should be allowed to continue regardless how aggrieved the students may be.

Ms. Chibwe has since thanked the government for considering re-introducing the meal allowance for tertiary students.

She observes that the move will relieve some pressure from parents and guardians who  find it difficult to sponsor their children to universities.

On Friday 30^th September, 2022 the Ministry of Finance Dr. Situmbeko Musukotwane presented the 2023 National budget worth  K167.3 billion where he indicated that the government will reintroduce the meal allowance for students in Public Universities for 2023.

Zambia Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) has called on local investors, independently or as consortiums, with interest in the infrastructure business space to capitalize on the proposed reforms targeted for the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) in Zambia.

The likelihood of the State-Owned Enterprises embracing Public Private Partnership models cannot be far-fetched, in his budget speech, the Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane spoke on the introduction of a State-Owned Enterprises Policy that is believed to a greater extent will enhance the governance in these institutions as it is a necessary measure and the government is applauded for this support mechanism to the State-Owned Enterprises.

In a statement issued to Lusaka Times, by the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Chabuka Kawesha, stating that, their institution is calling on the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as they undertake the State-Owned Enterprises reform processes and policy enhancement to closely embrace the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for multinational enterprises.

Mr Kawesha noted that the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines must be at the core and be followed by Zambia’s State-Owned Enterprises, in principle they are recommendations from governments and in some cases key stakeholders to multinational enterprises on responsible business conduct that in many cases with attract capital, commercial and technical investment, as they can play a major role in job creation threefold through secondary operatives.

He cited that the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines set standards for responsible business conduct across a range of issues such as human rights, labour rights, and the environment.

Mr Kawesha added that the reformed State-Owned Enterprises must build their capacities to undertake Bankable Feasibility Studies and Reports (BFSR) and within agreed timeframes look at expansions, public listings and tangible contributions to Zambia’s enterprise initiatives.

“The State-Owned Enterprises must also attract affordable financing,” Mr Kawesha said

Mr Kawesha mentioned that the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry recognises and will closely follow the efforts the government plans to deploy with regards to Value Added Tax (VAT) concessions and other incentives, notable is the milk sub-sector and the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sub-sector.

“We call upon private sector players in this marketspace to make their mark by increasing trade volumes as well as network capacities and ancillary services respectively,” Mr Kawesha said

Last week, Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane announced in the National Assembly during the 2023 National Budget address on the State-Owned Enterprise Management.

Mr Musokotwane noted that the government is concerned about the performance of the state-owned enterprises. In this regard, the government is developing a state- owned enterprise policy to strengthen their governance and improve performance.

Mr Musokotwane added that the Policy will also provide a framework for conducting periodic assessment of state-owned enterprises to ensure appropriate interventions.

Mr Musokotwane stated that stronger governance is also required because of some questionable investment decisions that were made by state enterprises. In particular, cash rich state enterprises shall not be allowed to buy businesses that are of no strategic value or being made to buy existing businesses where the vendors believe only a state-owned enterprise can agree to pay an inflated price.

Government has unearthed a scam where some named senior members of staff have been illegally cutting down School trees for their private charcoal business at Bulaya primary school in Lufwanyama district in the Copperbelt province.

A team of district government officials led by Lufwanyama District Commissioner, Justin Mwalikwa, visited the school after a tip off from concerned community members.

Mr. Mwalikwa said he was shocked to discover that many trees, which were acting as a wind breaker for the school infrastructure, have been indiscriminately cut for illegal charcoal business.

He further expressed disappointment that a teacher, who is expected to teach learners on the importance of protecting the trees, is the one doing the opposite.

  Mr. Mwalikwa has since instructed relevant authorities to bring the culprit to book.

Meanwhile, Lufwanyama District Forestry Officer, Darius Angolwishe, who accompanied the DC, explained that over one and a half hectares of land has been destroyed so far for charcoal activities at the school.

Mr. Angolwishe said a kiln of about 24 cubic meters has also been found at the scene containing the first and second generation of trees.

However, the school Parents Teachers Association (PTA) has distanced itself from the act.

Bulaya is one of the government schools which recently had its roofs blown off by strong winds, leaving some pupils injured.

 storm has blown off the roof of a classroom block at Kamapanda primary school in Mwinilunga district.

The strong winds and heavy rains blew the roof off the one by two classroom block on Friday.

The storm also blew off the entire roof of a nearby Jordan church in the same area.

Mwinilunga District Education Board Secretary (DEBS), Derby Jipila, confirmed the development to ZANIS when he, together with members of the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), assessed the damage yesterday.

Mr. Jipila said the incident happened on Friday around 16:00 hours when heavy rains, accompanied by strong winds, blew off the roof of a classroom used by early childhood learners.

Fortunately, no one was injured as the learners had already knocked off at the time the incident happened.

Mr. Jipila expressed hope that the District Disaster Management Committee will replace the roof before the onset of the rain season.

Earlier this week, another classroom at Kabanda primary school had its roof blown off by heavy rains and strong winds.

Last week heavy rains blew off another classroom block at Kabanda School in Mwinilunga district.

President Hakainde Hichilema says he is determined to work with traditional leaders in transforming the economy of Zambia.

President Hichilema says the unique cultural heritage of various traditional ceremonies are a valuable product for attracting both domestic and foreign tourists.

President Hichilema said this through Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary, Henry Mukungule, during this year’s Chinamanongo traditional ceremony of the Bisa people in Kanchibiya district.

The President said the Kopa chiefdom has a lot of potential tourism attraction sites such as the recently identified Mumbotuta water falls.

He said the waterfall can contribute significantly to the development of the tourism sector in Zambia if it is well developed and marked.

President Hichilema added that there is also great need to appreciate the Bisa culture which is being exhibited through the Chinamanongo traditional ceremony.

The ceremony helps the Bisa people to appreciate their culture and heritage.

He said as Muchinga province holds its expo and investment forum next year, government expects that such tourism attractions will be well marketed so as to attract tourists and investors to the district and the province at large.

He said government, through the Ministry of Tourism, has been implementing the Zambia Tourism Master Plan (ZTMP 2018-2038), which is a road map to realigning the sector’s vision and strategies to the national vision of the tourism assets.

“The Zambia tourism master plan identifies a number of interventions that could be implemented to enhance the sector’s contribution to the country’s long-term objectives as outlined in the vision 2030,” President Hichilema said.

He has since called on residents of Kanchibiya district to preserve and celebrate their cultural heritage, saying a nation without culture is like a tree without roots.

President Hichilema added that government will remain committed to uplifting the living standards of the people, including those of Kopa chiefdom through fulfilling its campaign promises.

He explained that the free education policy, increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the employing of over 40,000 teachers and health workers are some of the benefits Kanchibiya residents have received so far.

And speaking earlier, Chinamanongo traditional ceremony organising committee chairperson, George Katongo, appeal to government to consider working on Mpika-Kopa road and other roads in the district.

Mr. Katongo said it is difficult for people in the area to access the palace due to the road that is in a dilapidated state.

He added that the government should also consider constructing more health posts as the population in the district is growing.

“The clinics and mini-hospital we have here can not cater for the increasing number of Kanchibiya residents hence the need for more health posts,” he said.

And Mr. Katongo said there is need for a boarding school in Kanchibiya in order to guarantee the safety of pupils, especially girls.

He has since thanked the government for fulfilling some of its campaign promises to the people of Kanchibiya district saying the district is slowly taking shape.

And speaking on behalf of the sponsors, Chance Kabaghe, SEEDCO Board Chairman, assured the government and the traditional leadership that more companies will come on board to sponsor the Chinamanongo traditional ceremony in future.

Mr. Kabaghe said traditional ceremonies are important in promoting national development.

He said the business community should work together with the traditional leadership and government.

“I therefore call upon other business communities in the district and outside to come on board so that next year’s Chinamanongo will be a success again,” he said.

Among those who attended this year’s Chinamanongo traditional ceremony are chiefs from various chiefdoms in the province, Kanchibiya Member of Parliament, government heads of departments at both provincial and district level.