Science Technology and Vocational Training Minister Gabriel Namulambe says scientists in the country should ensure that scientific knowledge is used properly to find solutions for the country’s challenges.

Mr. Namulambe said though scientific and technological advances have opened up many opportunities much more is needed to ensure national development. He noted that there is need for the science community to help find appropriate solutions to the many problems the country is currently facing especially in the fight against poverty, energy sector, housing and management of the environment that are encountered in all societies in different forms and degrees.

The Minister said this in Lusaka yesterday when he officially closed the 7th National Science and Technology Forum.

And speaking earlier, Zambia Open University Deputy Chancellor Dr Henry Kaluba said the biggest challenge the country is facing is the transformation of the current education system to meet the needs of science and technology development.

Dr. Kaluba said there is need for the nation to take critical examination of the philosophy, vision and strategy of science and technology in the education system of the country as it is going to be the basis of knowledge for the future.

This years Science and Technology theme was “Science, Technology and Innovation: Knowledge for the Future.

ZANIS

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda is today scheduled to leave for Rome, Italy, to attend the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) annual summit.

Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations, Dickson Jere said in a statement yesterday that Mr Banda would join other heads of State and Government officials and was scheduled to address the summit on issues which would include food security and climate change.

On his way to Rome, President Banda would make a brief stop-over in Libya for bilateral consultations at the invitation of Libyan leader, Muammar Gadafi, who is also African Union chairperson.

First Lady Thandiwe Banda and Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, Brian Chituwo will accompany the president.

[Times of Zambia]

A Lufwanyama based lawyer Fairchild Fundanga has bemoaned the dilapidated state of the local courts in the area.

Mr. Fundanga told ZANIS that some residents are shunning to take judicial complaints due to the dilapidated state of the courts.
He said even though proceedings are conducted in these courts, the structures pose serious danger to the lives of the public and the court employees as they can collapse any time especially now that the rain season has begun.

He appealed to government through the ministry of Justice to rehabilitate the court infrastructure before a calamity is experienced.
He said the rehabilitation of the courts will also enhance delivery of justice to the public as suspected criminals and other civil offenders will be prosecuted.

Mr. Fundanga also appealed to government to recruit more court presiding officers to the district as the current officers manning the courts are not enough to handle the overwhelming criminal cases in the district.

He said the insufficient number of prosecuting offices at the courts makes criminal cases to take too long to be prosecuted which in some cases lead to distortion of the needed evidence.
ZANIS

The Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) President George Chabwera has condemned the strike action taken by unionized workers at Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) on the Copperbelt province.

Dr.Chabwera said during a Press briefing in Lusaka, today, that the strike is unZambian as it alarms the nation.
He said reckless behavior by the miners should be discouraged at all costs because it scares away potential investors who want to invest in the country.

Dr Chabwera noted that Zambia desperately needs investment in order to create wealth and jobs for those completing their education.He said ZFE is concerned with the deteriorating industrial relations climate in the country adding that there is need to create good industrial relations to attract investment.

Commenting on the 38 KCM miners who were nabbed yesterday during the strike, Dr Chabwera said miners should not resort to destroying company or private property adding that the strike is illegal and those damaging property will be dealt with according to the law.

Dr Chabwera noted that instead of protesting, miners should have waited for their union leaders to complete negotiations in the remaining three months of the collective bargaining period.

He said workers should concentrate on work and desist from acts of violence as this will not help the country develop and that Zambians should graduate from mere mining to manufacturing using their minerals.

He said that Zambia may not reach the stage of locally using the minerals the country has in manufacturing things if the striking behavior continues. He has since called on the tripartite parties to negotiate freely in order to resolve the outstanding issues.

Unionized workers are demanding better conditions of services and 30% salary and wage increment among other things. The strike entered its fourth day today.

ZANIS

Chief Macha of the Tonga speaking people in Southern Province has scooped an African Sanitation Leadership Award in South Africa.

The award follows the traditional leader’s outstanding commitment to promoting good sanitary standards in his chiefdom.
The event took place during the Second African Week Conference on Sanitation at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. Chief Macha attended the conference and received the award.

And Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Leslie Mbula has commended the Chief for being the first recipient to be awarded an African Sanitation Leadership Award for his role in promoting good sanitation and hygiene practices among his subjects.

Mr. Mbula says Zambia is humbled by Chief Macha’s recognition beyond Zambia’s borders and that government feels extremely proud.
He thanked the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) for nominating the traditional ruler to receive the top prize in the leadership category.

Mr. Mbula said this in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today signed by his Second Secretary for Press Phillip Chirwa.

Mr. Mbula made the remarks at the occassion on Wednesday.He urged other royal establishments not only in Zambia but through out the African continent to emulate Chief Macha.
He stated that the recognition of Chief Macha was not about prestige but a call to duty and service for the betterment of the welfare of the people who had entrusted their leaders with the responsibility to preside over their affairs.

“Zambia remains committed to implementing the February 2008 Thekweini Durban Declaration that seeks to assist African countries to accelerate and achieve national and regional goals on water, sanitation and hygiene. These efforts deserve commendation because they are in the best interest of improving the living standards of our people,” Mr. Mbula said.

And the organizers of the award described Chief Macha as a major force and driver of change in the implementation of community-led Total Sanitation not only in his chiefdom but also attained Open Defecation Free status which authorities in Choma district and the province as a whole appreciated.

Chief Macha’s efforts on sanitation coverage doubled from 50 to 100 percent at household level in less than two years. He came up with a deliberate slogan, “One Family, One Toilet’ that saw government adopt the Make Zambia Clean and Healthy campaign that is designed to improve sanitation across the country.

In receiving the award, Chief Macha said he is humbled and privileged to see his efforts in championing good practices in his chiefdom being recognised beyond Zambia’s borders.

“This award does not belong to me alone as a traditional leader, I only played an influential role and I thank my people and all those who helped and supported me for without them I wouldn’t be getting this award today,” Chief Macha said in a statement.

ZANIS

The United Nations General Assembly has declared that 18 July of each year is to be observed as Nelson Mandela International Day with effect from 2010.

This declaration was arrived at after the Assembly came up with a draft resolution A/64/L.13 entitled “Nelson Mandela International Day” on November 10th, 2009.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS,signed by First Secretary for Press at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Moses Walubita

The resolution recognizes Mr Mandela’s leading role in the support for Africa’s struggle for liberation and contribution to the creation of a non-racial and democratic South Africa.
The resolution also recognizes South Africa’s first black President’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity.

Mr Mandela President served humanity in the fields of conflict resolution, promotion and protection of human rights as well as uplifting poor and underdeveloped communities.

Introducing the draft resolution , Permanent Representative of South Africa Baso Sangqu thanked in particular the Heads of State and government of the Non- Aligned Movement(NAM) member states for their support and endorsement of the initiative.
He also gave a brief account of Mr. Mandela’s struggle during the days of apartheid and his leadership through South Africa’s most terrible and triumphant times.

Meanwhile, Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Lazarous Kapambwe also welcomed the declaration of Mandela day saying that Mr. Mandela has done a lot and therefore deserves what is due to him.

Mr. Kapambwe said that Mr Mandela is a world treasure and Zambia was proud to be one of the co-sponsors of the resolution declaring 18 July, his birthday as Nelson Mandela Day.

ZANIS