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East chiefs blast Kalala over his divisive remarks

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Paramoun Chief Mpezeni (second from right) and senior Chief Nzamane (r)

EASTERN Province chiefs have castigated former State House special assistant for policy implementation Jack Kalala for insinuating that President Rupiah Banda was pressurised by traditional leaders from the area to purge the late president Levy Mwanawasa’s tribesmen from his administration.

The chiefs said in an interview in Chipata yesterday that accusations by Mr Kalala were likely to divide the nation and bring the name of the traditioinal chiefs into disrepute. Paramount Chief Mpezeni, Chief Madzimawe, Chief Msoro and Chief Zumwanda said they were dismayed and disturbed by the statement by Mr Kalala which they said was a total lie and misleading.

Chief Mpezeni said he was saddened that Mr Kalala was not telling the truth about the position of the chiefs in Eastern Province.
He said Mr Kalala should not try to divide the 72 tribes with his cheap political statements because President Banda was the president of all the people of Zambia.

“President Banda is the president of all the 72 tribes of Zambia and whatever this man (Kalala) said is not true and we have never talked about it as chiefs of the province,” Chief Mpezeni said. He said Mr Kalala should not pretend to speak on behalf of the chiefs of Eastern Province because he has no part to play in their affairs.

Paramount Chief Mpezeni, who expressed disappointment, said as chiefs, they would not allow such nonsense from Mr Kalala to continue because it was likely to divide the nation. He said people like Mr Kalala, should learn to talk about development rather than portraying a bad picture of traditional leaders or those in leadership.[quote]

Chief Msoro of the Kunda people in Mambwe District described Mr Kalala’s statement as total fabrication and full of lies. He said it was unfortunate that Mr Kalala was peddling lies and advised people in the nation to treat Mr Kalala’s statement as baseless because it was lacking the truth.Chief Madzimawe who is also House of Chiefs chairperson, challenged Mr Kalala to disclose the venue where the meeting took place including the names of chiefs who attended such a gathering.

He said the chiefs were disturbed by such a statement from Mr Kalala which had the potential to incite confusion and divisions in the country. “That is wishful thinking by Mr Kalala and let him disclose where that meeting took place and include names of the chiefs who attended that meeting and at what time,” Chief Madzimawe said.

He said Mr Kalala should not drag the name of the Chiefs into his cheap politicking because the chiefs had never held such a meeting with President Banda. Chief Madzimawe said if Mr Kalala had run out of ideas, he should not bring his empty political rhetoric to accuse the chiefs because the traditional leaders were not cheap but expensive who should not be dragged into the political arena.

“And let me repeat. Let Mr Kalala disclose who was in attendance and the venue where that meeting took place and when telling the nation he should be speaking the truth as a human being,” he said.

Chief Zumwanda of the Chewa people of Lundazi district expressed disappointment with what Mr Kalala said in the private media.
He advised Mr Kalala to retract the statement because what was reflected in the Post Newspaper was not a correct picture.
“I don’t remember when we met President Banda and started talking about what Mr Kalala has claimed,” Chief Zumwanda said.
In yesterday’s Post newspaper, Mr Kalala was quoted as having said that, traditional leaders from Eastern Province instructed President Rupiah Banda to purge the late Levy Mwanawasa’s tribesmen from his administration.

Mr Kalala who challenged President Banda to deny his revelations said former Science and Technology minister Gabriel Namulambe’s initial statement over the late Mwanawasa’s legacy was deeper than meets the eye.

[Times of Zambia]

KCM purges 34 for riotous behaviour

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THIRTY-four employees at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) have been fired for their involvement in the recent riots at Nchanga Mine in Chingola where property worth millions of Kwacha was destroyed. KCM spokesperson Rahul Karkar, who confirmed the development in an interview in Kitwe said, 47 miners were charged by management and 34 of them were found wanting.

Mr Karkar said the 34 were dismissed after their case reached the last stage of the hearing process and it was proved that they were guilty of the charges slapped on them. He said the action follows the disciplinary hearing process instituted by management for the charged employees.

He said the remaining 13 employees were reinstated by management and had since resumed work. Mr Karkar said there was overwhelming evidence indicating that the dismissed employees were involved in the riot which left a trail of destruction hence the decision to fire them.

“47 employees were charged for being involved in the riot that took place at Nchanga Mine and management has since discharged 34 while 13 have been reinstated,” Mr Karkar said. National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) president Mundia Sikufele said the union has engaged KCM management with the view of having the fired members pardoned.

Mr Sikufele said the unions had included the plight of the dismissed employees as part of their agenda for the on-going negotiations for improved salaries and conditions of service. “The fate of the dismissed miners will only be determined when we conclude the collective bargaining process because we have included that as part of the on-going negotiations with management,” he said.

Late last year, KCM employees at Nchanga Mine went on rampage and destroyed property worth millions of Kwacha. The riots were sparked by protests against prolonged salary negotiations between the unions and management.

[Times of Zambia]

PF-UPND Pact is unstoppable and people driven-HH

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UPND president Hakainde Hichilema

United Party for National Development President Hakainde Hichilema has maintained that the UPND-PF is people-driven and unstoppable.

Yesterday Namwala Member of Parliament Robbie Chizyuka warned that Zambia risks degenerating into a totalitarian dictatorship should the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) pact form government in 2011.

Mr Hichilema explains that maneuvers by the ruling party and its sympathies to weaken the pact will not work because the pact is about Zambians and not Mr. Sata and himself.

He explains that the UPNDPF pact was formed on high reasoning and principles of offering the Zambian people a government which will address and respond to the fight against corruption, promotion of good governance and equality before the law.[quote]

He says Chizyuka is on the payroll of government to weaken the pact but that won work saying Zambians are resolved to vote out the ruling mmd in 2011.

Mr Hichilema says MMD government failed to maintain schools, health infrastructure, roads and other critical sectors of the economy which would help the country attain the millennium development goals (MDGs.

He says Zambia are suffering because the president rupiah banda and his cabinet doesn’t understand how to development the country.

[QFM News Zambia]

Zambia Copper re-lists on JSE with Mowana mine under its portfolio

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After securing a valuable asset in Mowana Mine outside Francistown, Zambia Copper Investments (ZCI) is poised to re-list on the JSE next week, subject to shareholder approval.

In a circular to ordinary shareholders, the company also wants to propose a name change to ZCI Limited.

The JSE listing requirements demanded that the company should have assets to remain listed, but by then it had disposed of its 28.4% share in Konkola to Vedanta for US$213.15 million.

“Pursuant to the disposal, the company was reclassified as a cash shell with effect from 10 April 2008 and in terms of the provisions of the Listings Requirements, permitted a six-month period to enter into an agreement to acquire a viable asset (on or before 10 October 2008), failing which the JSE would suspend the shares from trading for a period of three months following the said lapse,” the company said in the circular.

ZCI will tomorrow (Monday) seek shareholder approval that will clear the grass for re-listing on January 15.
Its shares had been suspended early last year as it sought to find new assets when it landed a lucrative investment on African Copper (82%), which owns Mowana mine.
It beat other suitor–Natasa Mining– in a fierce bidding war.

Meanwhile, African Copper said late last year that it has been advised that an Independent Competent Persons Report (CPR) on Mowana Mine and Thakadu Project in Botswana has been prepared by Read Swatman & Voigt (RSV) on behalf of ZCI.

The CPR was produced in accordance with Section 12 of the JSE Listing Requirements in connection with the preparation of a circular to ordinary shareholders of ZCI dated 17 December 2009 for a meeting of ZCI’s shareholders.

The meeting is being held to, among other things, approve and ratify the subscription by ZCI for 676,570,500 new ordinary shares in the capital of ACU (representing approximately 82% of the outstanding ordinary shares of ACU) which completed on 21 May 2009, the US$31,129,100 term loan facility granted by ZCI to ACU’s wholly-owned subsidiary Messina Copper (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited pursuant to a term loan facility agreement dated 18 June 2009, and the assignment to ZCI of certain outstanding debt of ACU by certain creditors of ACU, all as previously announced by ACU.

After recapitalisation from ZCI, African Copper is fast tracking production at Mowana mine at time when prices for metals are picking up.
The company executives told Sunday Standard last year it was planning to build a township along the Francistown-Maun highway as it moved to production.

According to the plan, African Copper would initially concentrate on the extraction of ore in the southern tip of the pit, which has an estimated 1.5 percent of copper against the pit average of 0.71 percent.

According to the current estimates, the open pit of the mine, which is 20 percent of the ore, is expected to be mined in a space of seven years while the remaining part could be between 20–to-30 years. Further, there is another proven reserve some 2 kilometers north of the pit while some investigations are ongoing relating to the southern side of the pit, which is also thought to be having some copper.

[Sunday Standard]

HH ought to be ashamed of himself for inciting tribal divisions-Mulongoti

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Mike Mulongoti

MOVEMENT for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) spokesman Mike Mulongoti has condemned United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema for allegedly attempting to promote tribal politics and divide the nation.

Reacting to media reports that quoted Mr Hichilema as saying that President Banda has caused the Lamba people a deep injury by firing Mr Gabriel Namulambe as Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mulongoti said the UPND leader ought to be ashamed of himself for inciting tribal divisions.

Mr Mulongoti said he was not surprised by Mr Hichilema’s utterances because he was not an elected leader. He charged that Mr Hichilema allegedly hounded certain people out of the UPND on tribal grounds for him to ascend to the presidency.

He said there was no injury on the Lamba people as Mr Hichilema was suggesting and wondered why the UPND leader allegedly wanted to incite them against Government.

Mr Mulongoti urged the UPND leader not to isolate Lambas because there were a lot of non-Lambas in that remote community on the Copperbelt Province.

“That hunger he is talking about is just a figment of his imagination. There’s really nothing.

He is not even ashamed to make such remarks. For him it’s normal,” Mr Mulongoti said.

He urged political leaders to offer constructive criticism instead of making tribal sentiments that cannot benefit the people.

Mr Hichilema was quoted as saying that the firing of Mr Namulambe injured the Lambas and that the appointment of Gladys Lundwe, another Lamba, as a cabinet minister would not calm them down.

[ Zambia Daily Mail ]

Senior Chief Nsefu’s Royal family condemns Sata

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SENIOR Chief Nsefu’s royal family has threatened to reject Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata and his political allies during the 2011 election campaigns if he does not apologise for allegedly likening people living in the Mfuwe-Mambwe area to animals.

In a statement issued yesterday, a member of the royal family and elder brother of the senior chief, Moffat Mbewe, said if Mr Sata does not want to apologise to the Kunda and Malambo people, he should at least show respect to their chiefs.

“If Mr Sata and the pact (alliance with the United Party for National Development) are so proud to apologise, we are not going to ask them to do so, but humbly ask them to respect all our chiefs in Eastern Province,” the statement reads in part.

Mr Mbewe reminded Mr Sata that the people of Malambo Valley have their children, relatives and friends across Zambia who read his statement and might be assessing what kind of alternative leadership he is offering.

He said although the people in the Malambo valley live with animals, they were human beings just like other people of Zambia.

“If they insist that we are animals, then let the Pact cut us off their campaign trail for 2011 because animals don’t vote,” part of the statement reads.

Mr Mbewe urged Mr Sata and his UPND counterpart, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, to tone down their anger against President Banda’s leadership because Zambians are tired of the everyday condemnations of the President.

“To the President Mr Rupiah Banda, please note that you have our total support in whatever developmental activities your government has embarked on,” Mr Mbewe said.

They urged the President to ignore Mr Sata’s criticism of the Chipata-Mfuwe Road because the people of Eastern Province are proud of the project.

Mr Mbewe said the Chipata-Mfuwe Road will not only benefit the people of the valley, but the business community in Chipata such as lodge owners, tourists and farmers among others.

He said the Mfuwe Airport, which has an international status, is also connected to the Chipata-Mfuwe Road which Mr Sata is allegedly trivialising.

Mr Mbewe said the development of the road in question will stimulate economic activities in the province as more tourists will drive to the area which is more adventurous and affordable than flying.

The road also passes through 12 chiefdoms in the province.

“Mr Sata must know that the road in question is the heart-beat of development in the valley as it is part of the road circuit from Lusaka to Nabwalya and Mpika; including Chitulika Village through South and North Luangwa National Parks,” he said.

Mr Sata is alleged to have accused President Banda of favouring the rehabilitation of the Chipata-Mfuwe Road, which leads to a game park where animals live at the expense of equal development of all provinces.

Pressure has been mounting on the PF president from the people in the province, including Paramount Chief Mpezeni, to apologise as they feel that he likened them to animals.

However, Mr Sata clarified that he did not liken the people to animals, but wanted Government to give priority to other roads in the province and not the road in question, which leads to a game park where animals live.

State to provide 16 000 more school places-Dora Siliya

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Mike Mlongoti and Dora Siliya

MINISTER of Education Dora Siliya has said that Government will this year embark on increasing basic classroom space by 16,000 as her ministry sprints towards meeting Millennium Development Goals for basic education by 2015.

Speaking during a recording of a television programme ‘Culture Remodelling’ at the Ministry of Finance in Lusaka yesterday, Ms Siliya said the K3.3 trillion budgetary allocation will enable her ministry to provide more classroom space and enhance quality education interventions.

She said Zambia is on course to meeting the MDG goal of universal primary education and that there is parity on the recruitment ratio at lower level, though more needs to be done to keep the girl-children in school.

Ms Siliya said the ministry is also working on improving the quality of education through provision of adequate learning materials and upgrading teacher qualifications.

She said the ministry would like to emphasise quality education by reducing the gaps in the teacher-pupil ratio from about 1 to 65 to about 1 to 40.

She said this will be done by the recruitment of about 5,000 teachers every year and continuous upgrading of teacher qualifications.

Ms Siliya challenged parents to make a commitment to take their children to school as Government plays its role of increasing school places.

“Let’s imbibe in education not in tujilijili (alcoholic beverage). It’s through education that a daughter of a maid will become a doctor. Through education a child of a miner in Lumwana will become the head of a mine,” Ms Siliya said.

She was glad that all the girls and boys who sat for Grade Seven examinations in Western and North-Western provinces qualified to Grade Eight.

“I am surprised when people say Government is not doing anything because all these things are not happening on their own. It seems some people always seem to be in an election-political mood,” Ms Siliya said.

She said the ministry will review the Education Policy by the end of this year to incorporate new technological advances and align it to the Vision 2030, MDGs on Education and the Sixth National Development Plan which is in the making.

Ms Siliya said the Government will continue clearing the backlog of unemployed graduate teachers and that 5,000 of them will be employed this year.

She said the target is to clear all the graduates that are waiting for postings so that Government can concentrate on employing teachers upon graduation.

The minister said Government has lifted the transfer freeze imposed on teachers last year.

She said the transfer freeze was not meant to punish anyone but to clear the backlog of transfers that had been pending.

On teachers faking marriages in order to be transferred from remote areas, Ms Siliya said it was not the intention of Government to intervene in marriages, saying theirs was to provide an opportunity for employment.

She said a teacher was eligible for transfer after serving for two years in their place of posting, but Government will, however, ensure that it fills up the gaps of inadequate teaching staff in rural areas.

Ms Siliya said over 4,000 teachers were deployed to remote areas last year and that Government would like to re-define the remote and the rural hardship allowances to determine who is eligible for these perks.

The minister urged the private sector to invest further in tertiary education to help absorb thousands of people in need of education.

She said that there are about 60,000 Zambians graduating from high schools every year but the three public universities have a capacity of only 36,000.

As schools open tomorrow, Ms Siliya counselled school children to concentrate on their studies and not on drinking beer.

She said her ministry will embark on a campaign to make education fashionable because it guarantees children a bright future.

Ms Siliya expressed disappointment over incidents of school children spending time in bars instead of studying.

“We will do a major campaign to make being in school fashionable. Like I said let’s imbibe education not tujilijili,” she said.

{ Zambia Daily Mail]

Government will propagate politics of development-William Banda

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MMD Lusaka Province acting chairman William Banda has said that as the party in Government it will propagate politics of development.

Mr Banda said that MMD members should redouble their efforts in helping to implement the well-planned Government programmes.

Speaking at an MMD meeting in Chongwe yesterday, Mr Banda said politics of laziness are long gone especially that there are many developmental projects that are underway and should be effectively implemented.

“People should not just talk and sit. They must be on the ground and develop the many projects that benefit people countrywide,” Mr Banda said.

He said that as Lusaka Province MMD acting chairman he will ensure that he helps to promote the implementation of the projects.

Mr Banda said that Chongwe district always has good economic and political results for the MMD and assured that with hard work the party would garner more than 16,000 votes in the 2011 general elections.

“I’m here to make MMD prosper and to ensure that we pull through again in the 2011 general elections. There are no jokes about this, because even some of the opposition parties know me very well.

I will bring some of the tactics that will ensure success. If you think you will be working with your tie on the neck, not with me,” Mr Banda said.

He also said that this was time to unpack the pact between the Patriotic Front and the United Party for National Development.

Mr Banda said that the MMD must avoid politics of insults and he urged members to support President Banda’s developmental projects.

“We shall not concentrate on the insults as our leader, as always, has not responded to any of them but concentrates on development of the country,” he said.

Mr Banda said that the MMD structure was intact and cautioned members against being cheated by the opposition.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

RB off to Angola

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PRESIDENT Banda leaves for Angola today at the invitation of his counterpart Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

Mr Banda will be accompanied by Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development Kenneth Chipungu.

He will hold talks with President dos Santos tomorrow and return to Zambia the same day.

Zambia will degenerate into a totalitarian dictatorship if PF-UPND pact wins 2011 polls-Chizyuka

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PF Leader (L) and UPND Leader (R)

NAMWALA member of Parliament Robbie Chizyuka has warned that Zambia risks degenerating into a totalitarian dictatorship should the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) pact form government in 2011.

Totalitarianism is generally characterised by the coincidence of authoritarianism where ordinary citizens lose their freedoms and other civil rights and have no significant share in state decision-making and ideology.

Major Chizyuka, a UPND MP, has advised Zambians to reflect deeply on the kind of government that would be led by the PF president Michael Sata.

Major Chizyuka said in an interview that Zambians should start praying that the PF/UPND pact does not form Government next year.

Major Chizyuka said it is unfortunate and disheartening that Mr Hichilema has lost the original vision of the founders of the UPND and has since sold the party to the PF.

He said there is no way that Mr Sata will consider Mr Hichilema as his deputy when he (Sata) knows that he is much stronger in terms of popularity than the UPND leader.

Major Chizyuka accused the PF of violence and that the abduction and beating of its party senior members and the harassing of journalists at the Mazabuka Radio was evidence of this.

“God forbid! Should the PF-UPND pact form Government in 2011 by any unfortunate reason, Zambia will degenerate into a totalitarian dictatorship.

Zambians must this year deeply reflect on what kind of leadership Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema would provide,” Major Chizyuka said.

Major Chizyuka charged that Mr Hichilema is going to be the most disgraced politician that has ever ascended the political platform by offloading his party to another opposition political party.

Major Chizyuka maintained that the PF and UPND are political parties with the leaders that are diametrically opposed both in their manifestoes and style of governance.

He said the PF/UPND pact is doomed to collapse because Mr Sata has already declared himself the presidential candidate for the 2011 elections.[quote]

“I see Mr Hakainde Hichilema being appointed as Minister of Tourism in Mr Sata’s administration. And all the UPND members of Parliament should realise that there shall be nothing for them. History has shown that political pacts have not favoured those from the minority in the pacts.

Often, those in the minority receive the remains of what is in Government and this is what Mr Sata will do,” Major Chizyuka explained.

He recalled that just before Zambia’s independence, African National Congress (ANC) president Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula threw his weight behind UNIP but was only awarded with the position of Minister of Education.

He also said that in 1991, Mr Baldwin Nkumbula, who was one of the major financiers of the MMD, was appointed Minister of Youth and Sports.

Major Chizyuka also said Mr Hichilema’s political strength depends on his riches.

“I have always analysed the strength of Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema and we all know that the PF leader controls mainly two provinces which are Lusaka and Copperbelt plus Northern and Luapula.

Mr Hichilema controls one province which is Southern and has a paltry 23 MPs while the PF have about 40 MPs. So what guarantee is there that Mr Sata will allow Mr Hichilema to lead the pact?” Major Chizyuka wondered.

But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma has told Major Chizyuka to stop making comments on the pact because he has ceased to be a member of the UPND.

Mr Kakoma said Major Chizyuka does not understand the tenets of democracy and is therefore not qualified to comment on the PF-UPND pact.

Mr Kakoma alleged that Major Chizyuka rejected the intra-party democracy when he opposed the formation of the PF-UPND pact.

Mr Kakoma said that it is out of bitterness at being expelled from the party that Major Chizyuka is charging that the country will degenerate into a totalitarian dictatorship should Mr Sata become president in 2011.

Major Chizyuka has also condemned Mr Hichilema for his continued attacks and insults against President Banda and his Government.

Major Chizyuka wondered what political capital gain Mr Hichilema is getting by peddling insults and lies against President Banda.

Major Chizyuka advised Mr Hichilema to get back to practicing politics based on issues rather than insults.

He said that as a man coming from the corporate world, Mr Hichilema should know the value of respecting other people saying you cannot start degrading the very people you wish to conduct business with.

Major Chizyuka said it is uncultured of Mr Hichilema, who is much younger than President Banda, to continue using unpalatable language.

He said traditionally, Tongas have respect for elders adding that Mr Hichilema should be reminded that he is still an African and cannot insult his father in public.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Zambia to export power to South Africa for World Cup

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Zesco Acting Managing Director Cyprian Chitundu (r)

Zambia has agreed to supply power to South Africa to help avoid power disruptions during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the head of the state power utility Zesco said on Saturday.

South Africa’s power grid has been under pressure for more than two years and experienced country-wide power cuts early in 2008. State-owned Eskom has said there would be adequate supply for the soccer tournament.

Zesco acting managing director, Cyprian Chitundu said on state ZNBC television Zambia would supply power to South Africa and the quantity would depend on Zambia’s surplus capacity as well demand from South Africa.

“We support each other with South Africa (and) what is going to happen is that when they need some power, we will be able to give them that power,” Chitundu said.

“But I have also realised that we are constrained and so, we are only going to give them power during the off-peak hours when we do not need so much power.”

Chitundu said the Zambia’s decision to export power to Africa’s biggest economy followed a meeting between the two countries last month.

“At that meeting, we showed them our commitment that we will be able to support them,” he said.

Zambia generates 1,400 MW of electricity and consumes about 800 MW but demand rises to 1,500 MW at peak times.

Eskom , which provided 95 percent of the South Africa’s power, Eskom has been rationing electricity since early 2008 when the grid nearly collapsed.
[Reuters]

Resist Fear

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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined]…”
(I Peter 5:9, AMP)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

The very moment you first feel fear, you have to resist it. You have to act against it. If you make the mistake of dwelling on your fears and start thinking about all the reasons why you can’t do what God is telling you to do, then it won’t be long before you develop a negative mindset that will keep you stuck where you are.

In the Bible, when God told David to go fight Goliath, it says that David moved quickly toward the battlefield. In other words, he didn’t think about it. He didn’t allow fear to grip his heart and talk him out of it. He just did what God wanted him to do.

So many people today are just sitting on the sidelines of life. They have tremendous potential on the inside, but they keep letting the enemy talk them out of doing what God wants them to do. Every time they get a vision of victory for their life, the enemy brings fear; and they just swallow his lies hook, line, and sinker. Don’t let that be you! Instead, obey quickly. Resist fear and boldly embrace every blessing the Lord has in store for you in 2010!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

” Father God, today I choose to resist fear. I choose Your Word. I choose Your love. I believe that with You, all things are possible. Thank You for giving me the power to live in victory in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

[Joel Osteen ministries]

TN Holdings to invest $250,000 (USD) in Zambia

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TN Holdings will “soon” be investing US$250 000 in Zambia in a development that will culminate in the launch of TN Medical Aid Fund in Zambia.

TN Holdings group chief executive Mr Tawanda Nyambirai confirmed the developments.
He added that the opening up of shop in Zambia is now at an advanced stage and the group is awaiting the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) approval, which is set to come any time “soon”.
“We will be launching our medical aid scheme in Zambia and we already have a management team in place. We intend to invest US$250 000 subject to RBZ approval and the Securities Commission,” said Mr Nyambirai.
He added that TN Holdings has already held meetings with Zambian medical authorities and the country’s securities commission respectively.
The latest developments come after the diversified company got off to a good start after 4 847 shares exchanged hands at 6 cents on its maiden trade on the local bourse, having opened at 2,3 cents.
Mr Nyambirai said he is happy with the acquisition of Tedco despite concerns in the market over the rationale of the transaction.
“There is talk that we bought a shell from Simba Mangwende (Tedco chief executive), but that is not true. What we have done is we have bought ourselves into the ready market through Tedco’s existing clientele and properties,” added Mr Nyambirai.
The listing of TN Holdings was completed through a reverse takeover of Tedco Limited by TN Holdings Limited resulting in the change of name to TN Holdings Limited.
Mr Nyambirai also said the new entity would exploit synergies between the furniture manufacturing and retail concern.
“We intend to create shops that sell world-class furniture and offer world-class banking services provided by our strategic partners, all under one roof,” he said.
Stockbrokers note that those with TN Holdings shares are not likely to sell in the near future.
“The price is quite good, looking at the last price Tedco traded, last week.
“However, we can say the counter is liquid, we are not going to see much change in terms of the movement of the shares as the price is likely going to revolve around that price,” said one stockbroker.
Tedco has one of the largest distribution networks in the retail industry comprising of Zimbabwe Furnishers shops, Sleep Eezy and Radio Limited.
On the other hand, TN Holdings has TN Asset Management (a financial advisory company), TN Financial Services, TN Medical Benefit Fund and TN Bank.

By Kudakwashe Mutandi

[The Sunday Mail – sundaymail.co.zw]

Korea Routed by Zambia

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South Korea began the new year on a negative note, as it was trashed 4-2 by Zambia Sunday (KST).

The Huh Jung-moo’s side allowed two goals early in the first half to midfielders Felix Katongo and Rainford Kalaba in its first friendly of 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa, but it cut the deficit to one on a Kim Jung-woo goal in the 34th minute.

However, the African side, which failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup finals in June, extended its lead to 4-1, as forward James Chamanga and midfielder Noah Chivuta found the target in the 58th and 71st, respectively.

Koo Ja-cheol, who will have a trial with Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League (EPL), added the other goal of the night for the Red Devils, but it was not enough to turn it around.

Dropping the match, which Huh hopes will help his team prepare for their match against Nigeria in the group stage, the Taeguk Warriors have compiled a record of 14-13-3 since the manager took the reign of the team.

By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
[Korea Times]

Conflicting statistics: Zambia Needs a Bureau of Statistics and Archives

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By Henry Kyambalesa:

I wish to comment on discrepancies in the reported levels of poverty in Zambia following a recent Zambia Daily Mail report in which the Director of Central Statistical Office (CSO) is quoted as having said that the poverty level in Zambia had declined from 68.1% to 59.3% between 1996 and 2006.

It is regrettable that, over the years, there have been serious discrepancies in the reported levels of poverty in Zambia. In this regard, I wish to cite a few of such reports, which may be paraphrased as follows:

Times of Zambia (October 2005), “Poverty Levels Drop to 68 p.c.,” by Times Reporter: Poverty incidence in Zambia has dropped from 73% in 1998 to 68% in 2005, a CSO survey has revealed. According to a statement released by CSO director Buleti Nsemukila, the preliminary results of the Living Conditions Monitoring Survey of 2004 revealed that the incidence of poverty in terms of head counts had reduced by 7%.

Times of Zambia (November 2009), “Poverty Levels Go Down,” by Times Reporter: Zambia recorded reduced poverty levels from 80% to 64% midway through the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP), according to Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane.

Zambia Daily Mail (January 2010), “Poverty Levels Drop,” by Nancy Mwape: Zambia’s poverty level has declined from 68.1% in 1996 to 59.3% in 2006, CSO director Efreda Chulu is quoted as having said this at a press briefing in Lusaka recently.

There is clearly a need for the government to create an autono­mous “Bu­reau of Stati­stics and Ar­chives” to replace the CSO so that it can freely and inde­pendent­ly collect, process, maintain, and publish essen­tial data and infor­mation about our country. The Bureau should also assume complete res­ponsibility over the operations of the National Archives of Zambia.

Such a Bureau is necessary if we are to forestall the potential for fudging and/or manipulating of vital data and informa­tion. The autono­my of the Bureau could also lend a great deal of cre­dence to the data and informa­tion publi­shed about the country. There is perhaps no other way in which leaders in the MMD, the ruling political party, are going to exonerate themselves from suspicions that they are trying to fudge national statistics for political gain.

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