Information and Broadcasting minister Ronnie Shikapwasha’s deceased mother Estelle Kanengene Shikapwasha and niece Lonika Mwambo have been put to rest.

And President Rupiah Banda has conveyed a message of condolences to the Shikapwasha family on the death of their mother Mrs. Estelle Kanengene Shikapwasha and niece Lonika Mwambo.

The late Mrs. Shikapwasha and Mrs. Mwambo were put to rest at Mupondwa Cemetery in Keembe on Saturday.

On hand to witness the duo’s burial was Works and Supply Minister, Mike Mulongoti who is also MMD Acting spokesperson. Opposition Heritage Party leader Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda, and Secretary to Cabinet Joshua Kanganja and several Permanent secretaries also attended the burial.

Others were traditional leaders from Central Province, MMD party officials, defence, and security personnel.

The late Estelle Kanengene Shikapwasha died on December 30, at the age of 95 and is survived by seven children and 61 grandchildren while the niece Mrs. Lonika Mwambo died at 61 years and is survived by six children.

And President Banda said he was saddened by the death of the duo adding that their death was a great blow not only to the family but the nation as a whole.

Mr. Banda has thanked the late Mrs. Shikapwasha for giving them a leader by Lieutenant General Shikapwasha who he said is among the hard working ministers in cabinet.

He said the late Mrs. Shikapwasha 95, was a symbol of wisdom and promoted peace adding that she also had children who are very helpful to society and the nation as a whole.

He said it was because of this that government was saddened by the death hence the decision to help the family through prayers and other support to lighten their burden.

The President said this in a speech read on his behalf by his Presidential Affairs Minister, Ronald Mukuma.

Mr. Banda has meanwhile appealed to the family to emulate their late mother and preserve family values, paece and love among themselves.

And traditional leaders in Central province have said they were saddened by the death of the Mrs. Shikapwasha and Mrs. Mwambo who died within short spaces.

Chiefs Representative, Banarbas Musopelo said the death of the duo was a loses to them becusa of their contribution in society.

He has meanwhile thanked government for mourning with the people of Keembe on the death of their subjects.

ZANIS

The Zambian government says it has forseen a number of challenges in the year 2010 owing to the rising illicit drug trade and human trafficking.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS, today, Home Affairs minister Lameck Mangani says the new year will be challenging for his ministry in providing security.

Mr. Mangani said in view of the forth coming 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2010 World Cup in Angola and South Africa, Zambia was most likely going to be used as transit route for human trafficking and illicit drug curtails.

The minister explained that in in an effort to curb this, government has tightened security at border posts and other border areas.

Mr. Mangani noted that security personel at border posts are also being educated on human trafficking and how to address the vice if found in such a situation.

He said travellors were also being scrutinized at the various border posts to lessen chances of dugs or human trafficking.

Meanwhile the Minister says the crime rate reduced during 2009 becuase of the efficient and professional work done by the Zambia Police.

Mr. Managani has also commended the migration department, Zambia police, the prisons department for there professionalism in the manner the handled situations that have to do with the law in the nation during 2009.

Mr. Magani has since urged the Zambians to continue promoting peace in the country and desist from conducts that hamper peace in the nation.

ZANIS

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has expressed concern over the dry spells experienced in some parts of Livingstone and Kazungula district.

District Agricultural and Cooperatives Coordinator (DACCO) for Livingstone and Kazungula, Richard Nambwalu said his office was worried about areas like Katapazi, Sikaunzwe and Mambova in Kazungula district as there had been no rainfall for the past three weeks.

Mr. Nambwalu who was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Livingstone today said the situation had negatively affected farmers that did not plant early and resulted in other farmers opting not to plant at all in a bid to protect their seed.

He, however, said most crops affected by the dry spell had not yet reached permanent wilting point and could recover if the rains became consistent.

ZANIS

Government has dispatched a team of agriculture experts to Chikankata constituency to investigate the suspected grain borer that is reported to have wrecked havoc on maize crops.

Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba told ZANIS in Mazabuka today, the experts would concentrate their investigations in Chikankata, Upper Kaleya and Mabwetuba wards where massive devastation has been reported.

Mr Hamaamba said his office is worried and concerned with the presence of suspected grain borer because Chikankata constituency is the main food basket for the district and the province.

He said the district risked being plunged into a serious food crisis if no meaures are put in place by the Ministry of agriculture to come to the rescue of the affected farmers.

Meanwhile, Chikankata area member of parliament, Munji Habeenzu has called on the office of the vice President to declare Chikankata area a disaster area because of the high level of devastation on crops by the suspected grain borer.

Mr Habeenzu said government should move in quickly and send officers from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) to assess the extent of damage caused so far.

He said the long dry spell being experienced in most parts of the constituency is also threatening household food security in the area.

ZANIS

The New Delhi court has acquitted three Zambian women, who were arrested in India seven years ago on charges of drug-trafficking.

Sepiso Lubinda 51, Stella Mwanza 47, and Maureen Banda 37, all of Lusaka, were arrested in June 2002 as they were about to board a flight to Lusaka from New Delhi.

The trio were acquitted after it was established that there was no evidence to convict them on drug-trafficking charges.

This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS by First Secretary for press Zambian Commissioner to India Bwalya Nondo in Lusaka today.

Mr. Nondo explains in the statement that this was when Acting Zambian High Commissioner to India, Brig. Gen. Allan Kalebuka and other officials from the Zambian High commission in New Delhi visited the trio and donated some money for their up keep.

Brig Gen. Kalebuka confirmed that the incarcerated women were in good health and did not complain of any ill-treatment during their term.

He however reiterated his warning to Zambians especially women who travel to the Asian sub-continent for business, to guard against associating with people who may use them for ulterior motives.

The Acting Zambian High Commissioner to India said the trio are staying at a charitable home awaiting administrative clearance before flying back to Zambia.

Drug-trafficking in India carries a maximum of ten years imprisonment on conviction.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Allan Kalebuka has called on all Zambians coming to India to make their presence known to the Zambian embassy.

He noted that this will ensure that the mission extends necessary Consular services to Zambian citizens who come especially for specialized treatment in India.

Brig. Gen. Allan Kalebuka said, it should be noted that, the mission’s obligation to extend consular duties, is not only to VIP patients, but to ordinary Zambians as well.

He said Zambians should not only approach the Mission when they are in distress.

Indian is increasingly becoming the world’s preferred medical tourism destination because of its competitive treatment costs in highly specialized hospitals.

ZANIS/