Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
typhoidTyphoid has broken out in Luanshya and one person is reported to have died while 25 others have been hospitalized.
Luanshya District Health Environmental Technologist Raymond Mukonde disclosed the development during an urgent epidemic preparedness committee meeting held in the District Commissioners office on Jan 15th.
Mr. Mukonde said Roan hospital has 9 cases while Luanshya mine hospital has 19 adding that Thomson hospital has no facilities to diagnose typhoid.
He, however, said that there were two suspected cases at Thomson hospital.
He said that epidemic is likely to spread to all the parts of the district if Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company does not chlorinate and repair the leakages on their supply pipes.
Mr. Mukonde said his office had carried out tests on samples of tap water in the affected areas of Mpatamatu and Roan townships and discovered that the water was not fit for human consumption because it had bacterial contamination.
And Luanshya mine hospital chief medical officer Dr. Borniface Zulu said the water utility company should strengthen chlorine dosages, unblock sewer lines and repair leaking pipes to avoid the spread of the disease.
Luanshya District Commissioner George Kapu said there was need to sensitize residents in the district over the need to boil and chlorinate their drinking water.
The chat below is a temporary arrangement for your comments so that you do not have to refresh the whole page and disrupt the game you are watching. Pick option 1 or 2 when prompted to login. Option 2 lets you set your temporary userID
President Rupiah Banda has left the country for Kigali, Rwanda where he is due to hold talks with that country’s President Paul Kagame.
The two Presidents are expected to discuss issues concerning the security in the Great Lakes Region.
President Banda left Lusaka international Airport at 14:50hours aboard a presidential challenger and was seen off by Vice President George Kunda, Service chiefs, Cabinet Ministers, government officials and MMD carders.
President Banda, who is Chairman of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), will meet President Kagame as part of his final consultations on the security situation in the Great Lakes ahead of the African Union (AU) ordinary summit of Heads of State and Government scheduled for month end in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The President is expected to present a report to the summit on the security situation in the Great Lakes Region.
President Banda and his delegation are expected to return to Lusaka after the meeting with his Rwandan counterpart, which is scheduled for Monday.
Last Friday, President Banda held similar consultative talks with His Excellency, Mr. Joseph Kabila President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Maputo, Mozambique.
And while in Maputo, President Rupiah Banda observed that continued political squabbling in Zambia might retard national development if it is not stopped soon.
President Banda said Zambians should avoid spending more time on arguing about politics but should instead work hard and plan towards economic development.
He has therefore urged Zambians to unite on issues that relate to national development regardless of their political party affiliations.
He told ZANIS in Maputo last week that Zambia and her citizens should mature politically by concentrating on developing the country and avoiding politicking at the expense of development.
A DISCONTENTED member of the Patriotic Front (PF) has left the opposition political party and condemned its president Michael Sata’s statement that he will re-nationalise companies that are being privatised.
Mubanga Chileshe said such statements could cause consternation in the private sector and among potential investors.
Mr Chileshe, who announced his resignation in a statement to PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba, urged Mr Sata to desist from inflammatory statements against investors because that could stir economic instability.
Mr Chileshe was beaten with Samson Zulu on June 5, 2009, by suspected PF cadres and bundled into a motor vehicle in the middle of a press briefing they held to question the party’s policies.
He wondered what would stop Mr Sata from re-nationalising the mines if he could talk of reversing the engagement of a strategic partner in Zamtel.
He said Zamtel needs to be revitalised through the engagement of such a strategic partner.
“MTN and Zain are new on the scene, but they are doing far much better than Zamtel. We don’t need to sell it off completely, but it’s necessary that a strategic partner comes in to boost the operations of Zamtel,” Mr Chileshe said.
He said it is unfortunate that Mr Sata is talking about the re-nationalisation of state enterprises at a time the mines are just recovering from an expedited privatisation process.
Mr Chileshe wondered what solution Mr Sata would offer to issues arising from privatisation when he was Minister Without Portfolio when then President Frederick Chiluba’s administration started the privatisation of state enterprises.
“The mines are just recovering from a rushed privatisation during which Mr Sata was Minister without Portfolio and Mr Hichilema (United Party for National Development president) was a consultant on privatisation. How can he say that he has a solution to privatisation?” Mr Chileshe said.
He said Mr Sata should have challenged privatisation when he was in Government because his position was as good as de facto vice-president.
Mr Chileshe urged politicians to be careful with the statements they make on national issues.
Meanwhile, Mr Chileshe said he has decided to leave PF because there is no commitment from the party leadership to addressing alleged escalating violence.
He said the recent harassment of a party member, Oppa Hamiyaza, by suspected PF cadres when he was expressing divergent views on Mazabuka FM was evidence of growing intolerance in the party.
Mr Chileshe said the press briefing he co-hosted with Mr Zulu was in good faith because they wanted the PF to address certain issues so that the party forms the next government.
“I had the democratic right under the Zambian constitution to express myself over these concerns. Unfortunately, this resulted in my being beaten, assaulted and kidnapped in front of cameras and full view of journalists and police officers,” Mr Chileshe said.
At the press briefing, Mr Chileshe and Mr Zulu voiced out the need for the PF to have a national convention and make amendments to party constitutional provisions, which they feared are allegedly undemocratic.
In reaction to Mr Chileshe’s resignation, Mr Kabimba urged Mr Chileshe to go and partner with a party that has no rules.
Mr Kabimba said he has never known an organisation that accommodates people who betray its cause or rules.
He said the PF was not undemocratic as Mr Chileshe was claiming, because if it were, it would not be growing and winning elections.
Mr Kabimba said PF is the only political party that is growing and the public has growing interest in it.
He said the PF will be holding a general conference before the end of this year to elect national leaders in a democratic manner.
The conference will follow elections from the section up to provincial level.[quote]
Mr Kabimba said he released party election rules a few days ago for the lower organs to follow.
He supported Mr Sata’s statement that the party will re-nationalise Zamtel if it comes into power.
Mr Kabimba said the PF supports privatisation which benefits the people.
And in an interview yesterday, Mr Chileshe said the PF is not short of leaders for Mr Sata to court Mr Hichilema for presidency if he wanted to hand over power to a younger person.
Mr Chileshe said the PF-UPND pact will crumble because their memorandum of understanding (MoU) does not state how they will share Government positions if elected into power.
He said there is no guarantee that if one wins, he will appoint the other as vice-president if that is not enshrined in the MoU.
POLICE in Livingstone have arrested and charged Sun International Zambia resort facilities manager Dean Pitt for allegedly using abusive language against staff at the hotel.
Southern Province Police Commanding Officer Lemmy Kajoba said yesterday that Police summoned Mr Pitt to Linda Police Station and a statement was recorded from him.
“I can confirm that Mr Pitt was called to Police after which a statement was recorded. He was charged for using abusive or insulting language. The matter goes to court next week,” he said.
Mr Pitt, too, confirmed in a telephone interview that he was called to the Police Station in relation to confusion and alleged use of insulting language to staff at the resort last Wednesday.
“Yes I can confirm but am not in a position to give any details because I have to sort out issues with management now,” he said.
The resorts assistant financial manager David Chisupa said in a separate interview yesterday that the insults were allegedly uttered after some workers went into a frenzy when a snake got into one of the offices.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all”
(Psalm 34:19, NKJ)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Aren’t you glad we serve a Deliverer today? You might feel afflicted today, but God is working to bring you out of that difficult situation. It may not be in the way you thought, but you have to trust that God has your best interest at heart.
Afflictions can take on many forms—a sickness or hardship, a temptation, a coworker or family member. There are so many things that can come against us, but God promises in His Word that no weapon formed against us shall prosper! Those afflictions are only temporary. Stand in faith today believing that God is on your side. Remember, you and God are a majority. It doesn’t matter what your circumstances look like, get up every morning and say, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” As you stand and trust the Lord, He will deliver you out of all your afflictions, and you’ll see His hand of blessing in every area of your life.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father in heaven, thank You for being my Deliverer. I trust that You have a good plan for me and that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. Thank You for Your strength and peace in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
Patriotic Front president Michael Sata has re-stated that that his party has never been against the Chinese investment in general.
Mr Michael said his party is only concerned with the conditions of service the Chinese offer to the Zambian workers.
He said that though Chinese investment could be encouraged, the investors from that country should respect Zambian laws.
Mr. Sata says that Zambian workers have continued to be paid low wages at the expense of the so called investment.
Mr. Sata also said in an interview with QFM that government should not be boasting about opening new mines.
He noted that what the government is simply doing is only recycling old mines and not opening news ones.
Mr. Sata further stated that if Luanshya Mine was sold on principle other than through corruption means, it would not have been changing ownership.
He has advised government to engage in proper management skills in the selling mines other than through corrupt means.
QFM
The case of the gay couple that have decided to co-habit publicly in Malawi is interesting. Homosexuality in Malawi is a criminal offence and so it is in Zambia. Amnesty International publishes a world map where they colour red any country in which there are human rights abuses. Zambia is in red, not because of political prisoners but because it criminalises homosexuality.
Many developed countries no longer consider homosexuality as a criminal offence but consider this as a human rights issue. Africans tend to be conservative and traditional on this matter and many of the readers will find the practice ‘offensive’ and ‘barbaric.’ On top of this, Zambia, has declared itself a ‘christian nation.’ There is no doubt that once this issue is brought up, there will be many who will come up with an arms length of Biblical quotations in support of the ban against the practice.
Let me make it clear from the outset that I have no doubt in my mind that homosexuality is un-natural. Indeed I go further to say that its practice is morally wrong. But, what I question is whether it constitutes a criminal offence. There are at least three main questions that should be considered before an act or practice is made illegal.
First: Is it an offence to persons?
Second: Is it destructive to property?
Third: Is it an offence to the State, i.e. does it interfere with governance?
I may be mistaken, but nearly every good law must fall into one or more of theses categories. There are many things that are morally repugnant but they are not criminal offences because they fall outside these principles. Adultery is morally wrong and illegal and rightly so, because ‘another’ person is offended. So are slander, abortion and murder. Libel is an offence against a person by attacking his character. Theft is illegal too because it concerns property and persons. Treason is offence against the State. There are some illegal practices that one would not classify as immoral. For example, drink-driving and over-speeding, but there is a potential to harm another person.
So, coming back to homosexuality, can it be classified as a criminal offence? The practice is arguably immoral but should the taxpayer’s money be spent on taking these people to court and incarcerating them in prison for something that they have no natural power to overcome on their own and is between mutually consenting adults? Wouldn’t resources be better spent to understand why people come to have this alternative sexual outlook? Homosexual practice is a moral issue that one has to answer to in their heart and before their Maker.
I do not think that the State should get involved in this. It may not be long before Zambia is in the world news again with another ‘comedy of errors’ trial, just like Malawi. In actual fact, it may be that the law enforcers in Zambia are casting a blind eye to this ‘breaking of the law’ going by the Vice President Rt. Hon. G. Kunda S.C.’s statement to the House of Parliament. Homosexual practice is rife in Zambia. Issues of sexual health are not adequately tackled if we hide our heads in the sand and pretend that this does not happen. There may be a case to revisit this archaic colonial law and expunge it from our statutes.
Frederick Chiluba in The Syagogue, Church Of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria recently .
THE Supreme Court has set February 11 for the ruling in a preliminary matter in which former President Frederick Chiluba is challenging the enforcement of the London High Court judgement in the Zambian courts.
In the preliminary matter, Dr Chiluba, through his lawyer John Sangwa, is questioning whether the Zambian laws allow for a foreign judgement to be enforced in the country.
Dr Chiluba appealed to the Supreme Court after High Court judge Evans Hamaundu refused to hear the preliminary matter, stating that the court could only hear the issue together with the main case.
The former President is asking the Supreme Court to make an order to force the lower court to hear the preliminary matter.
The bench comprised Deputy Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima, sitting with justices Dennis Chirwa and Sandson Silomba.
Mr Sangwa told the court that he will rely on the heads of argument as grounds of appeal.
Solicitor-General Abyudi Shonga also submitted that he will rely on the heads of argument.
Two years ago, London High Court judge Peter Smith reduced damages against Dr Chiluba to US$57.4 million from the US$58.3 million he was earlier ordered to pay the Zambian government in connection with the Zamtrop and BK conspiracies, and for the breach of fiduciary duty.
And the case involving Minister of Education Dora Siliya has been adjourned to February 17, 2010.
The appellant’s lawyer, Bonaventure Mutale, told the court that the record of appeal was incomplete and asked for more time.
A tribunal was appointed to probe alleged breach of the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act by Ms Siliya at the time she served as Minister of Communications and Transport.
Ms Siliya was found with no case to answer on all the charges, which judgement former Minister of Communications and Transport William Harrington is appealing against.
Meanwhile, the matter in which directors of the defunct Access Financial Services Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe have appealed against a High Court judgement in which they are seeking the disclosure of a memorandum of understanding between the Task Force, Government and donors comes up on February 17, 2010, for hearing.
THE National Constitutional Conference (NCC) has rejected articles in the Mung’omba draft Constitution which would subject members of the National Assembly to a recall when they are not performing to the expectations of their electorate.
The conference voted unanimously to have Article 188 and Article 189 deleted as they could promote anarchy in the country.
In the Mung’omba draft Constitution, Article 188 stipulates that the National Assembly may censure a minister by resolution, supported by two-thirds of the votes of all the members of the National Assembly.
And Article 189 specifies that the electorate may recall members of the National Assembly who hold a constitution-based seat in a constituency.
Contributing to the debate, Commissioner Lucy Changwe said the articles, if included in the new Constitution, would be a recipe for power struggles.
Ms Changwe said the process can also have an effect on policy implementation as many programmes can be disrupted.
She said allowing 50 percent of the registered electorate to petition the removal of an MP who fails to perform can also be retrogressive to national development because it will be betraying the majority of the electorate who are not in favour of the petition.
“I am in full support of having these articles deleted completely without making any changes because they are a threat to development,” Ms Changwe said.
She said MPs have a parliamentary code of conduct which regulates them, and there is no need for them to be recalled by the electorate.
Commissioner Daniel Munkombwe said adopting the article will be dangerous for the country because people will start to look for faults just to get rid of certain individuals in Parliament.
Mr Munkombwe said the electoral system provides for MPs to work for five years and that the electorate are there to make choices regarding MPs during an election.
“If an MP does not work according to people’s expectation, the electorate will be free to speak through the ballot paper instead of petitioning their removal before the elections are held,” he said.
Commissioner Benson Chingombe commended the committee members for deciding to do away with the articles, saying they are a threat to democracy.
Mr Chingombe said if the articles were to be adopted, Zambia would be headed for disaster.
Earlier, Commissioner Richard Mwitwa argued that the articles should be included in the national Constitution because this would make MPs accountable to their electorate.
Mr Mwitwa said if Article 189 is reinstated, the electorate will be given power to offer checks and balances.
“As it is now, MPs can choose whether to work for the people or not. I am in support of this article as people will have the authority to remove MPs who don’t perform,” he said.
Zambia national soccer team coach Herve Renard and the technical bench watching the international friendly match against North Korea at Nkoloma stadium recently
Zambia team physician Dr Joseph Kabungo has given the squad at the Africa Cup in Angola a clean bill of health ahead of the match against Cameroon on Sunday.
Dr Kabungo said in an interview from Lubango where the team is based that all the players were fit with no major injuries.
However, winger Clifford Mulenga missed Friday’s training session due to a stomach upset.
“Some players have slight knocks but nothing that can stop them from training and are all ok except for Clifford (Mulenga) who has a stomach upset and didn’t train,” Dr Kabungo said.
Meanwhile, the team returned to full training on Friday after taking Thursday afternoon off but not before a light midday workout the day after drawing 1-1 in their opening game on Wednesday evening in Lubango.
Zambia face Cameroon in a must-win match on Sunday in the two sides penultimate Group D game in Lubango.
Cameroon are bottom of Group D with 0 points, while Zambia and Tunisia are joint second on 1 points each, two less than leaders Gabon who beat the Indomitable Lions 1-0 on January 13.
Meanwhile, LT will carry live video streaming of Sunday’s match that kicks off at 20:30 Zambian time.
Seven foreign firms, including Kuwait’s Independent Petroleum Group (IPG) have submitted bids to supply 1.4 million tonnes of petroleum feedstock to Zambia over two years, the procurement authority said on Friday.
The preferred cargo mixes for Zambia’s Indeni Refinery and TAZAMA Pipeline operations and the Zambian market is a blend of standard export grade crude, naphtha or condensate and straight run gas oil, the tender document said.
The southern African country 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.
IPG, whose deal for the supply of oil to Zambia expired last month, is competing with Lukoil International Trading and Supply Company (LITASCO) of Russia, Glencore Energy UK Ltd, Vitol SA, Trafigura SA, Addax Energy SA and Kenya’s Gulf Energy Ltd.
“They are now given 21 days starting on Monday in which they should submit their evaluation and recommendations for award of contract,” Shadreck Shawa, the head of purchasing at the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) said.
“We should be able to select the preferred bidder within a month because even if there are issues that will arise, these should be negotiated within two weeks,” Shawa 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-Saalam in Tanzania, the ZPPA said.
The 1,440,000 tonnes buyer’s option will be brought in cargo lots of 60,000 to 90,000 tonnes at evenly spread intervals, according to tender specifications.
Shawa said BNP Paribas has given bid security amounting to $2 million each for IPG, LITASCO, Glencore, Vitol and Addax. Trafigura has a $2 million cover by ING Bank of Holland and Gulf Energy the same amount by PTA Bank.
Stagecoach to help road safety in zambiaPerth-based transport giants Stagecoach are helping to improve road safety standards in Zambia by providing vital training for bus and coach drivers.
The company is providing funding for Stagecoach Driving Instructor Neil Rettie to spend 12 months helping to make driving standards in the African state better as part of Transaid’s Professional Driver Training Project.
Having spent three months in the Lusaka region of Zambia last year during which he trained more than 60 bus and coach drivers, Neil has now set off for a second three-month spell in the country where he will continue to deliver a “Safe and Skilled Driving” course to transport operators.
He will also be working alongside the Zambian Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to help them develop and implement their curriculum.
Neil said: “I’m looking forward to getting back to Zambia. I’ll be working with some of the same companies as previously as well as some new ones, to try and help improve the driving standards of bus and coach operators.
“I am thoroughly enjoying the challenge and it’s a great opportunity for me to share my skills with others. We received very positive feedback the first time round and all the drivers are very keen to learn and to improve their skills.
“It’s so important to ensure that driving standards are high, not only to protect the drivers and their passengers but also to improve the safety of other road users.”
The aim of the project is to address the huge shortage of skilled drivers through improving driver training and safety standards, in order to reduce the number of road crashes which occur in the Lusaka region.
Road crashes are the third highest cause of premature death in Africa after HIV/AIDS and malaria.
In Zambia, the Road Transport and Safety Agency estimates that road accidents cost the country around £167million each year, which equates to around three percent of Zambia’s GDP.
Many accidents can often be attributed to poor driving skills and poor vehicle maintenance which Transaid’s project is trying to address
Optical assistant Pauline Coldwell and manager Reinhard MuckenhubekHELP is in sight for millions of Zambians thanks to a Specsavers campaign to raise money for a new eye clinic in the poverty-stricken country.
The Specsavers branch, on Little Westgate, has been donating £1 for every eye test, and will continue to do so throughout January, with the aim of raising more than £3,000.
The money will go to eyecare charity Vision Aid Overseas, who plan to build a dedicated eye care clinic and teaching facility in the Zambian capital, Lusaka.
A quarter of Zambia’s 12 million population is estimated to have eye health problems, and the new clinic will help deal with life-limiting but treatable conditions that are rife in the country.
Philip Mokrysz, director of the Little Westgate store, said: “I would like to thank our customers for their ongoing and truly lifesaving support. The difference we are able to make with a pair of glasses can be as simple as whether someone is able to work or not.
“Our store and the local community in Wakefield are really getting behind this project and we’re delighted to be able to assist the Zambian people and their government.”
Specsavers Wakefield has joined stores across Britain to raise more than £300,000 to fund the new facilities.
Since 2003 more than a quarter of a million glasses have been collected and recycled by Specsavers stores for Vision Aid Overseas for use in developing countries.
