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Zambia has recorded a 1.6 percent decline in the annual inflation rate.
The decline translates to 9.9 percent in December from 11.5 percent in November, 2009.
Central Statistics Office (CSO) Director Efreda Chulu says the decline in the annual inflation rate is due to the decrease in some food prices on the Zambian market.
Ms Chulu announced this in Lusaka today when she unveiled the CSO monthly bulletin for the month of December.
Ms Chulu also observed that price increases recorded between November and December are lower compared to price increases between the same months in 2008.
Ms Chulu however, said price increases in most essential consumer goods such as mealie-meal, maize grain, cereal products, cooking oil among other processed food stuffs were recorded this month.
She stated that the national average price of a 1 x 25 kg bag of white roller meal increased by 3.1 percent from K46,289 to K47,736 while the average price of a 20 litre tin of maize grain increased by 6.1 percent from K24,325 to K25,806
Meanwhile Ms Chulu has disclosed that Zambia’s major exports in November 2009 were copper, slag and ash which accounted for 81.1 percent of the country’s export earnings while sugar confectionery accounted for 2.0 percent of the total export earnings.
Zambia exported goods last month (November) mainly to China, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Switzerland.
Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Villie Lombanya has urged private colleges in the area to offer skills that were still relevant to the country’s economic agenda.
Mr. Lombanya said there was need for private skills training centers to strive to offer quality courses that would add value to the economic development of the country.
He said this in a speech read for him by Assistant Secretary Steven Lindunda during the second graduation ceremony for Coppertone University in Kitwe today.
He said no country can attain a meaningful development without recording positive strides in the education sector.
Mr. Lombanya further said it would be unfortunate for a tertiary institution to produce half baked graduates because such would create chaos in the country.
He added that government should develop effective measures that would be used to monitor quality of education in private training institutions.
And speaking earlier, Coppertone University Vice Chancellor Sitwala Mundia said Zambia would not realise the vision 2030 without having proper tools of education.
Dr Mundia said education was a major developmental tool which must be taken seriously and supported with appropriate legislation if it was to contribute to economic development.
He called for the immediate review of the education act saying the current one had outlived its usefulness.
About 30 students graduated in various disciplines, among them, business, Information Technology and Communication.
Senior Chief Ishindi of the Lunda people of Zambezi district in Northwestern province has appealed to government to come up with a legal framework that would enable them take part in the governance system of the country.
Chief Ishindi said even though traditional leaders have a say in the affairs of the country, there should be a legal backing given to them especially on matters of resources in their chiefdoms.
He was speaking during a meeting with the new Northwestern province minister Daniel Kalenga in Solwezi yesterday.
He said noted that there was no chief representation in the governance system at any level, adding that their contribution was important.
The traditional leader expressed sadness that there was no chief sitting on the national petroleum board, which is looking into the issue of oil exploration in three districts of the province.
Meanwhile, Chief Ishindi has said people had blown the issues of wrangles between the Lunda and Luvale tribes out of proportion.
He said the picture was so negative that it seemed as though there is total chaos between the two tribes when in fact not.
The senior chief wondered why tribal wrangles in Zambezi are top on the agenda when in fact these exist even in other districts and provinces in the country.
He called on government to identify the problem and find solution to the wrangles as it has done in other chiefdoms.
BUSINESS in most parts of Lusaka yesterday temporarily came to a virtual standstill after a commercial airliner apparently had crashed at the Lusaka International Airport.
The route to the international airport, about 20 kilometres from the city centre, was clogged with traffic as curious onlookers watched in awe as emergency vehicles, including police cars and ambulances, hurtled to and fro with sirens blaring apparently transporting the injured and dead to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
It was, however, only after several hours that it dawned to the city dwellers that the whole dramatic episode was a mere routine simulated emergency evacuation exercise conducted by the National Airports Corporation (NAC) and the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to prepare different sectors of society in the event that a real plane crash occurred.
In a media brief soon after the exercise, director of civil aviation, Chitalu Kabalika said the exercise was appropriate and in line with airline industry that routine mock emergency evacuation exercises were carried out to assess the levels of preparedness at the country’s airports.
Mr Kabalika said in fact, such mock evacuation exercises should normally be carried out once in two years to ensure that the country kept in line with international aviation standards.
The plane crash was assumed to have occurred at the Airport/Great East Road roundabout and caused unsuspecting residents, who were visibly shocked and gripped with fear, believe they would find grotesque scenes of mutilated bodies strewn all over.
According to eyewitnesses, some human “bodies” were found hanging in trees and around nearby bushes with tattered and soiled clothing which looked like blood as emergency workers retrieved them, fastened them on stretchers and loaded them onto waiting ambulances to the UTH and the Airport clinic.
Ambulances from Zambia Police, Zambia Air Force (ZAF), MARS and STS were involved in the exercise.
Telephone lines at the Times of Zambia offices in Lusaka were jammed with calls from members of the public who tipped reporters about the crash as some emotional callers immediately piled blame on the Government for keeping old and obsolete equipment at the international airport.
A check by a Times of Zambia crew that rushed to the airport to investigate the supposed crash, found frantic scenes of medical personnel from the Air Rescue crew, the Zambia Army and police medical teams applying emergency treatment to the injured.
Journalists who were researching at the High Court premises reported that judiciary workers abandoned their offices to witness the relentless screams of blaring sirens speeding towards the hospital as news of the disaster spread like wild fire.
At the UTH, nurses and other medical operatives were on hand at the casualty department receiving the injured and dead as some stretchers were passed on straight to the brought-In-dead (BID) section.
Some residents who were later interviewed complained that they expected the DCA to notify them that the crash was actually a mock exercise rather than to cause panic and anxiety among many.
Some local radio stations were overwhelmed with callers who expressed mixed feelings about the exercise as announcers were at pains to confirm the tragedy to them.
Mr Kabalika, however, insisted the exercises would continue without notice to see the level of preparedness at the airport in an event of a crash, hijack or unexpected fire, among other eventualities.
He said the mock crash was meant to see whether Zambia was ready to meet the international aviation standards.
NAC airport manager, Friday Mulenga said the emergency exercise was meant to see how prepared Zambia was to tackle airline emergencies.
THE Bemba Royal Council (BRC) has banned Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata from meeting Paramount Chief Chitimukulu in the absence of his counsellors.
BRC secretary Alex Chimba-Nkole told the Daily Mail that the establishment is disappointed with Mr Sata’s disregard for the Chitimukulu.
Mr Chimba-Nkole said the decision by Mr Sata to shun the BRC court is a clear testimony of disrespect for traditional authority.
“We don’t want him to come and meet Chitimukulu in privacy, unless in our presence,” he said.
Mr Chimba-Nkole said the council did not deliberate much on Mr Sata’s alleged derogatory remarks against the Chitimukulu because the opposition leader turned down the summons.
“We didn’t say much because we wanted Mr Sata to be present to answer to the charges. Mr Sata is a Bemba, so we cannot be quarrelling with him in the press.
“He has insulted our paramount chief and so we wanted him to come and tell us why he did that,” he said.
Mr Chimba-Nkole said the BRC will meet on January 5 to decide on the way forward.
Mr Sata was quoted in the media as saying he will meet with Chitimukulu at his own convenient time.
The BRC convened a court on Tuesday, December 29, 2009, to deliver judgement in a case in which Mr Sata is alleged to have uttered derogatory remarks against the Chitimukulu.
The council summoned Mr Sata to appear before it to exculpate himself of derogatory remarks attributed to him against the chief.
But Mr Sata said he sees no reason to appear before the BRC because the council has neither the power nor jurisdiction over individuals like him.
THE Government, economists and the communications union have condemned Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata for saying he will renationalise Zamtel once elected into office in 2011.
They advised him and other opposition politicians to stop issuing statements that may scare away would-be investors for Zamtel.
Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha, who is Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said it was wrong for Mr Sata to warn would-be investors when the decision to sell the company was done in good faith.
Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) president, Mwilola Imakando and National Union of Communication Workers (NUCW) general secretary, Clement Kasonde criticised Mr Sata and said his statements had the potential to scare away investors.
Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha advised the PF leader to stop politicking over Zamtel, saying if Mr Sata had the interests of the workers and Zambians as a whole, he would not issue such careless statements.
Gen Shikapwasha was reacting to recent comments by Mr Sata who was quoted by Reuters that should he be elected to the presidency, he would reverse the sale of Zamtel.
Gen Shikapwasha said the decision to sell the company was done after consultations and was aimed at saving the company from total collapse.
“We are concerned that Mr Sata has continued to issue statements that can scare away the would-be investors for Zamtel because the decision as Government is that it has been done in good faith,” he said.
If the Government did not want to be transparent in the sale of Zamtel, it would not have called for tenders, and wondered why Mr Sata was objecting to the sale.
The minister said the PF leader should find better ways of selling his party other than taking a confrontational stance of condemning and attacking the Government in power.
Zambians should be wary of such leaders who were ready to bring to a halt development programmes put in place to better the lives of people just to get to State House.
“The threats over Zamtel sale is mere politicking and this shows how Mr Sata is trying to win political support using Zamtel. Sadly this is being done at the expense of development,” he said.
Recently, Reuters quoted Mr Sata as having said that he would renationalise Zamtel, if elected as president in 2011, because the decision to privatise the company was not in the best interest of the country.
Mr Sata said the sale of Zamtel was unacceptable because, apart from it being a strategic organisation, the new majority owners were likely to close the rural branches and concentrate on urban areas.
“Those bidding for Zamtel are doing so at owner’s risk. The PF in government will reverse the decision to privatise Zamtel. Even if it is sold, we will renationalise it,” Mr Sata said.
MrKasonde wondered what solution Mr Sata would have for Zamtel if he blocked the sale.
Mr Kasonde said Mr Sata should not make statements that he knew would not have solutions for the company that was heavily indebted.
Mr Imakando, who also voiced the same sentiments, said people opposed to the sale of Zamtel should avoid making statements that may affect investor confidence which the country had enjoyed.
An independent economic analyst, Oliver Saasa said renationalising Zamtel would scare away other investors and was not in the best interest of the country because the sale was legally binding.
India’s Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Angola’s Unitel and Libya’s LAP Green Networks on Wednesday last week submitted bids to acquire between 51 and 75 per cent of the stake in Zamtel.
The Islamic Council of Zambia has encouraged the Muslim community and other religious leaders to work with the government of the day in promoting peace and unity in the country.
ZANIS Ndola reports that the Islamic Council of Zambia Deputy Mufti (Chief Priest) Sheikh Isaa Bonomali said this during a one-day Leaders’ workshop aimed at seeking a new beginning among Muslims in Zambia.
The workshop was aimed at based upon mutual interest and respect for all religions.
Sheikh Bonomali said the core interest of all religious leaders and politicians was to ensure that the people they lead had unity and peace.
The deputy chief priest further observed that there was need for religions in the country to work together and not compete since they share common principles of justice, progress, tolerance and the dignity of human beings.
He explained that there was a misconception by people that Islam was a violent religion just because of few individuals that were engaging into violent activities.
He explained that Islam was not a violent religion but a peaceful one and that it was not competing with any other religion.
Sheikh Bonomali further said Islam had a proud tradition of tolerance, which was evidenced by Muslims’ participation in interfaith meetings in the country.
He said Muslim community has been participating in candlelight memorial services, which are held in churches on the eve of December 1 every year to commemorate the World AIDS day.
Sheikh Bonomali further praised government for creating providing freedom of worship among different religions in the country.
He further called upon the Muslim community to be good citizens and abide by the laws of the present government.
He said the Islamic Council would not protect any Muslims who will break the law of the land but would instead urge government to take stern action against those found wanting.
FDD President Edith Nawakwi campaigning for RB in 2008 elections
The Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) in Livingstone has passed a vote of no confidence in the party’s top leadership accusing it of failing to organize the members at grass root level.
According to a statement made available to ZANIS in Livingstone today, Livingstone District FDD chairman Allan Shawa observed that the party has been static at grass root level.
Mr. Shawa said the FDD district leadership will soon embark on recruiting new members and form new branches and ward committees in readiness for the 2011 general elections.
“The party is not moving. It is dead at grass root level because national FDD leaders have abandoned the party. They are stuck in Lusaka,” he said.
He said the party in Livingstone will use its own initiative and start organizing the party before the next general election and called on party national leaders to be proactive.
He said FDD official should consider coming in the open and explain the position of the party and the plans for 2010 general elections.
Mr. Shawa further claimed that lack of finances has contributed to failure by the top FDD leadership to reorganize the party at the grass root level.
Vice President George Kunda has urged all eligible voters in the country to register during the forthcoming voters’ registration exercise.
Speaking at Kanona Basic School in Serenje today, Mr. Kunda said there are many citizens who have reached voting age in Zambia.
He said it was for this reason that they must take advantage of the next voter registration exercise which will be conducted by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to register as voters.
He also said it was time the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) to restructure itself in readiness for the 2011 general polls.
Mr. Kunda, who is also Minister of Justice, emphasized the need for the party to keep record of how many members it has countrywide.
He explained that it was for this reason that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the MMD will send a number of registers to various parts of the country to ascertain the exactly number of its members.
Earlier, the Vice President met a number of traditional leaders, among them Chief Mailo, Chieftainess Serenje and senior Chief Chitambo.
Mr. Kunda assured the chiefs of continued government support because traditional leaders are government’s developmental partners.
He said it was encouraging that traditional leaders were also supportive of President Rupiah Banda and his government.
Mr. Kunda said this when he met chief Mailo at his palace in the outskirt of Serenje district today.
And Chief Mailo expressed gratitude to the MMD government for many developmental projects in his chiefdoms.
The traditional leader says the MMD was the only party which had the vision to develop the country.
He however said there was need for Zambians to continue supporting the MMD government even in future.
He further said he has read the MMD government’s Vision 2030 of making Zambia a middle income country, noting that this was a progressive vision.
The traditional leader said he was praying hard to God to extend the MMD’s leadership for a better Zambia.
He also said Zambia was lucky to have continued enjoying peace and attributed the development to the MMD government.
Meanwhile, Education Deputy Minster, Richard Taima has expressed sadness at the state of some schools in the area.
Mr. Taima said some classroom blocks in the areas are in a deplorable state.
He said it was for this reason that his ministry will soon hold a budgetary meeting with stakeholders to build more one by three (1 x 3) classroom blocks throughout the country.
He reiterated government’s commitment to increasing the number of schools around the country.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Health, Solomon Musonda has disclosed that plans were underway to build more health centres in the country to take health services closer to the people.
Dr. Musonda said his ministry will build more hospitals as close to the people as possible.
He said this at Serenje district hospital after he conducted a tour of a new theatre at the health centre worth K70 million.
He has however stated that there is need for the community to participate in the construction of health centres especially that there are budget constraints.
Dr. Musonda said his ministry, through the Poverty Reduction Programme, has limited funds to cater for all requisites of new health centres.
He advised that it was in this vein that the community should construct health centres on self help basis and not to expect government to buy equipment such as furniture and other medical equipment.
And Acting District Medical Officer Jerry Sinyangwe thanked government for government’s support to his institution.
He disclosed that other than the construction of the new theatre at his institution, government is constructing a new health centre in the district.
Over 300 small scale farmers in Luanshya district have cried foul over the non- receipt of fertilizer and seed under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Spokesperson for the 300 farmers, Godfrey Ndalima, told ZANIS that the affected famers had paid in full for their packs but to their surprise, they did not get their allocation.
Mr. Ndalima, who is also a trustee at Kankwiba cooperative society, said about 160 x 10 kilogrammes of seed and 768 x 50 kg of compound “D” fertiliser were not issued to the affected farmers.
He lamented that most of the peasant farmers who depend on farming will face starvation.
He noted that even if Nyiombo Investments had to replace the inputs, it would be too late to use them in this farming season.
Luanshya District Commissioner George Kapu said he had received a report on the matter.
And Nyiombo Investment Copperbelt regional manager Martin Chaikatisha said the problem was caused by the theft that allegedly took place where the inputs were kept before distribution.
Mr. Chaikatisha said he carried out a forensic audit about the missing inputs and got a report from his officers that there was a break-in at the shed.
He said his company will do everything possible to replace the inputs which will eventually be distributed to the affected farmers.
Civic leaders in Nakonde district of Northern Province have appealed the government to consider paying them gratuity at the end of their term of office.
The ward councilors said government should consider paying them gratuity at the end of their terms in office as a way of appreciating their contribution to development at local level.
They made the passionate appeal during a full council meeting held in the council chambers yesterday.
This followed a report by the acting Council Secretary Titus Walima on the meeting of the Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) which was held in Livingstone in Southern Province early this year.
Nakonde district council chairman Luka Simusamba said councilors do a lot of work on a daily basis and contribute greatly to the development of the country.
Mr Simusamba said no meaningful development could take place if people at the grass root level are not involved adding that the country has continued to record success in various economic sectors of the economy because of the involvement of people at various levels.
“Councilors do a lot of work in the district on daily basis and this is the reason why we are humbly requesting the government to consider paying councilors gratuity as a way of appreciating their efforts,” said Mr Simusamba.
He said councilors were not asking for hundreds of millions of Kwacha but suggested that they could be given even as little as K50 million each at the end of the term.
The Movement for Multi Party Democracy MMD has expressed displeasure at opposition political parties continued insults and attacks on the Republican President.
MMD national Chairman Michael Mabenga has since advised opposition political parties to direct their energy to tell the Zambian people what they will do when they come into power.
Mr. Mabenga said President Banda has made visible efforts to ensure the country achieves enhanced economic Development.
He noted that the MMD as a party has a passion for the efforts the President has made in a short time that he has saved in office since his election.
Speaking at a press briefing, Mr. Mabenga cited the growth in the mining sector, the oil explorations and the re introduction of the Fertilizer Support Input Program in the Agriculture sector as some of the many development efforts scored by President Banda.
He noted that all these achievements are an indication that the President is working and wondered why some people are saying the President has failed.
Mr. Mabenga further said the opposition political parties were using bad language because they have taken advantage of the democratic environment in Zambia.
He called on Zambians to support President Banda because he meant well for Zambians.
Meanwhile, the MMD has said the recent tour of Western province by United Party for National Development- UPND President Hakainde Hichilema was unsuccessful.
Mr. Mabenga also reiterated that former Gender Minister Patricia Mulasikwanda’s resignation from the MMD party was a good move adding that she was just there to detract the party.
He noted that her moving to the opposition UPND/PF Pact will not make any impact saying Ms. Mulasikwanda failed to improve her political career from as way back as the time she was with UNIP and MMD.
Chief Government Spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha
Chief Government Spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha says government performed well in most sectors in 2009.
Gen. Shikapwasha who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister pointed out that there are numerous achievements that the country recorded this year especially in the education and health sectors.
He said in 2009 alone government managed to construct high and basic schools in all provinces in the country.
Gen. Shikapwasha noted that the construction of hostels at the University of Zambia is another major achievement scored in 2009 in the education sector.
The Information and Broadcasting Services Minister said an average of about six thousand teachers have since been employed to supplement the teacher ratio in peri-urban and rural areas in an effort to improve the education sector in the country.
Gen Shikapwasha highlighted these achievements scored by government through 2009 in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He also pointed out that government had embarked on electrification of schools in rural areas to try and improve the education sector in remote areas.
Meanwhile, Gen. Shikapwasha disclosed that in 2009 government constructed more hospitals and clinics in most parts of the country.
He said the construction of a cancer hospital at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and the ongoing construction works of a general hospital in Lusaka are some of the many projects that government embarked on in 2009.
A ministry of health representative was on Monday ordered to leave a full council meeting in Mazabuka, for failing to provide answers to the failed Microbicide Gel research.
The councillors had demanded to be briefed on the outcome of the clinical trial.
But Environmental Health Technician, Mushabati Mushabati, failed to provide answers.
It was at this time that Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba, ordered him to leave the meeting.
However, after consultating his superiors, Mr. Mushabati informed the meeting that the ministry of health had instructed that no official statement should be issued until after a report on the matter has been scruitnised.
The Microbicide Gel drug was used by the MDP under its clinical trials to determine its efficacy in blocking HIV transmission.
According to MDP Principle Investigator, Dr. Maureen Chisembele, 46 women contracted HIV and AIDs virus after the research.
The district commissioner said he was particularly disappointed with the district director of health for failing to heed to his directives to produce MDP officials before the councillors
Here is Zambia’s 23-man team list for the 2010 Orange African Cup of Nations.
Zambia are in Group D in the January tournament together with Tunisia, Cameroon and Gabon and will be baserd in Lubango.
Herve Renard’s side open their Group D campaign against Tunisia on January 13.
Goalkeepers: Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, South Africa), Kalililo Kakonje (Amazulu, South Africa), Jacob Banda (Zesco United) Defenders: Dennis Banda (Green Buffaloes), Kampamba Chintu (Amazulu, South Africa), Hichani Himoonde (Zesco United), Emmanuel Mbola (Pyunik Yerevan, Armenia), Joseph Musonda (Lamontville Golden Arrows, South Africa), Thomas Nyirenda (Zanaco)
Midfielders: Isaac Chansa (Helsingborg, Sweden), Noah Chivuta (Maritzburg United, South Africa), Rainford Kalaba (União de Leiria, Portugal),Francis Kasonde (Al Suwaiq, Oman), Felix Katongo (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Clifford Mulenga (Mpumalanga Black Aces, South Africa), Stophira Sunzu (Zanaco), William Njobvu ((Hapoel Kiryat Shmone, Israel)
Strikers: Christopher Katongo (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Jacob Mulenga (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), Emmanuel Mayuka (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel), James Chamanga (Dalian Shide, China), Given Singuluma (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Collins Mbesuma (Moroka Swallows,South Africa)
