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Eight investors to bid for ZAMTEL(Updated)

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zamtel-lamyahouse

More than eight foreign companies and consortia’s have shown interest in acquiring 75 percent of Zamtel shares.

Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Director General Andrew Chipwende says the response from potentials buyers of the government owned Telecommunication Company was overwhelming with more than 30 companies expressing interest.

Mr. Chipwende, however, says the Agency only settled for eight companies who prequalified to participate in the privatizing process.

He explained at a media briefing in Lusaka today, that the eight companies and consortia’s met the set criteria of having more than three million subscribers and an operational license of not less than five years.

He named the companies as Vimpelcom of Russia, Bharat Sanchar Nigam limited of India, LAP Greencom of Libya, Mahanagar Telephone of India and Portugal Telecom of Portugal.

Others are Telkom limited of South Africa, Orascom Telecoms holdings of Egypt and UNITEL of Angola.

Mr. Chipwende said the eight companies have already paid the US$20,000 million as prequalifying fee.

He also noted that Zamtel needs a suitable strategic partner that will effectively take over its operations.

Mr. Chipwende said this is why the listed companies will be issued with processing letters, confidential information and memorandums that will best describe the current set up and operations of the firm.[quote]

Meanwhile the ZDA chief said that in order to enhance transparency and total confidentiality, the Agency has established a secure virtual data room which will allow the prequalified participants chance to examine all key Zamtel documents remotely and make site visits to key facilities.

He stated that companies will also be invited to participate in the due diligence process set for Monday 2nd November 2009 after which they would be asked to submit a bid of 51 % and 75% of the equity in Zamtel based on their own evaluation of the company and market opportunities.

Mr. Chipwende further added that after this process ZDA would on 11th January 2010 announce the short listed bids adding that successful companies or consortia’s will be invited to take part in selection process of the final company that will take the 75 % shares of Zamtel.

In September this year, ZDA in conjunction with RP capital advisors invited prospective bidders to submit applications for pre-qualification to participate in the proposed partial privatization of Zamtel.

ZANIS

Over 40 Miners’ wives stranded, starving in Luanshya

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Over 40 Mpelembe Drilling employees’ wives from Mufulira are spending nights in the cold in Luanshya after failing to convince management to pay their husbands’ outstanding seven months’ salary arrears.

Group Spokespeorson, Lydia Kunda, said they were stranded and spending nights at the police station following management’s failure to repatriate them to Mufulira.

Mrs Kunda said that the women had been reduced to beggars as they could not afford decent meals and were failing to send their children to school. She said management at Mpelembe in Luanshya could not attend to them and asked them to go back next week on Monday.

Mrs Kunda said she expected the employers of their husbands to pay them at least some money for food because they were starving.
The women, who have camped at the District Commissioner’s office, have vowed not to go until their demands were met.

ZANIS

Queen Elizabeth sends independence annivesary message

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queen-elizabethQueen Elizabeth II of Britain has congratulated President Rupiah Banda and the people of Zambia on the country’s National Day which falls on Saturday October 24.

Queen Elizabeth has since wished the people of Zambia happiness and good fortune in the coming year.
This is contained in a press release made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by the Press and Public Affairs Section of the British High Commission in Zambia.

“It gives me great pleasure to send Your Excellency my warmest greetings on the celebration of your National Day, together with my best wishes for the good fortune and happiness of the people of Zambia in the coming year”, Queen Elizabeth said.

And delivering the Queens Message, British High Commissioner to Zambia Tom Carter added his congratulations to the people of Zambia on marking the 45th anniversary of the country’s independence.

Mr Carter said Zambia and the United Kingdom share a great deal in common, adding that the relationship between the two countries is as warm now as at any point in the 45 years of independence.
He said he has a pleasant task of working with the government and the people of Zambia to ensure that the special relationship between the two countries continues to thrive into the future as well.

He further acknowledged that Queen Elizabeth retains a warm and happy memory of her visit to Zambia in 1979 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting that was held in the same year in Lusaka.

Zambia will on Saturday October 24 celebrate her 45th independence anniversary since gaining her independence from British rule in 1964.

ZANIS

Kansanshi increases copper production

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FIRST Quantum Minerals, owners of Kansanshi Mine and Bwana Mkubwa, have announced copper production of 93,500 tonnes for the third quarter and 275,300 for the first nine months of 2009.

First Quantum president, Clive Newall said in a news release posted on the company website that the production levels represented an increase of about 14 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively.

“First Quantum today reported copper production of 93,500 tonnes for the third quarter and 275,300 for the first nine months of 2009. These production levels exceed those of the equivalent 2008 periods by 14 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively,” Mr Newall said.

Kansanshi Mine in Solwezi contributed the bulk, weighing in with a production of 61,300 tonnes during the third quarter, up from 53,400 during the same period last year, and produced 182,500 after the first nine months of the year against 153,300 tonnes produced last year.

After producing 1,600 tonnes in the third quarter last year and 5,300 tonnes after nine months, the closed Bwana Mkubwa operation in Ndola has not produced anything this year.

The Guelb Moghrein operation in Mauritania produced 7,400 tonnes in the first quarter of this year and 24,800 after nine months, while Frontier in the Democratic Republic of Congo produced 24,800 in the first quarter and 68,000 after nine months.
Meanwhile, stockpiles of copper concentrate as at September 30, 2009 decreased by 30 per cent to about 25,500 tonnes of copper in concentrate (Kansanshi 21,900 tonnes, Frontier 3,100 tonnes and Guelb Moghrein 500 tonnes) from the June 30, 2009 level.
Mr Newall said a 35 per cent decrease in the Kansanshi stockpile reflected a full quarter of export shipments following the receipt on May 18, 2009 of a Government exemption on the 15 per cent concentrate export levy.
He said production and stockpile numbers were preliminary and may be subject to final adjustment, adding that further information would be published in the company’s third quarter operating and financial results.
[Times of Zambia]

Bottom Road works stalled

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The grader operators working on the Controversial Bottom Road in Sinazongwe district in Southern Province has abandoned the work.

Sinazongwe District Council Director of Works, Mathews Mashapi, confirmed the development to ZANIS today.

Mr Mashapi said that lack of fuel to continue grading the dilapidated road has caused the operators from the Rural Roads Units (RRU) to abandon the work.

Mr Mashapi also said the workers have not been paid their allowances for about three months because of the lack of funding from the Livingstone Provincial Administration.

He disclosed that the operators have only graded a stretch of 37km for the past fours that the grading equipment has been in the district.

The Director of Works said the RRU has a programme of working on 200 kms of roads in the district.

He said the Bottom Road from Siabaswi to Sianpondo and Kafwambila was first priority to be worked on, adding that with the onset of the rains, it would be difficult for RRU to complete if the work stoppage continues.

Mr Mashapi said the operators would only resume work once fuel was purchased.

The Bottom Road from Siabaswi, through Kafwambila and Sianpondo has not been graded for more than a decade and the last grader that went there was hit by a landmine planted during the liberation war in Zimbabwe.

[ZANIS]

Mansa Milling Company in trouble for locking up workers

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Government has threatened to take action against management at Mansa Milling Company Limited (MMC) for locking-up its workers in the milling plant.

The management yesterday locked-up 13 workers in the milling plant as a security measure to curb the suspected increased stealing of mealie-meal bags at the company.

The general workers were locked-up in the plant from 18:00 hours to 07:00 hours today and had no access to the keys incase of an occurrence of an accident, such as a fire break-out, inside the plant.

Mansa District Commissioner, Major Chibwe Nsakasha, who rushed to the company after receiving a report, seized the keys from the Company’s Milling Manager, Andrew Miti, to unlock the gates to the milling plant and freed the workers.

Major Nsakasha strongly condemned the measure by MMC management, describing it as inhumane and degrading to human dignity.

He said government will not condone company management that flouted the country’s labour laws which he said were clear and easy to implement.

Major Nsakasha stated that reported theft cases of mealie-meal at the plant could not warrant locking-up workers in the plant, saying the measure was against the Zambian labour laws.

He noted that the measure could result in loss of lives through fire, noting that there have been fatal accidents at plants where a similar measure had been taken in the country.

The DC said the management at the company could have reported the theft cases to the relevant wings of government in order to commence investigations rather than locking-up the workers.

“Government strongly condemns the locking-up of workers in the plant. The action by management at the company does not attract any sympathy, especially that you did not even report the theft cases to the police to investigate,” Major Nsakasha said.

Company Milling Manager, Andrew Miti, said the management decided to start locking-up the workers inside the plant because of increased pilfering of mealie-meal.

Mr Miti said the company experienced theft of over 13 X 25 KG bags of mealie-meal last week and strongly suspected its workers on duty to have stolen the commodity.

ZANIS

ZESCO Pre-paid unit points to increase

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The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) says it is working on increasing pay points for prepaid units to bring power nearer to its customers.
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ZESCO Public Relations Manager Lucy Zimba said the cooperation was putting in place measures to ensure that it puts up more pay points for prepaid units customers to have easy access to power.

Ms Zimba told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the corporation is also considering awarding tenders to street vendors to enable customers access prepaid units anywhere.

Ms Zimba said the problem of traveling long distances in search of prepaid units will end by the end of this year.

Residents from Mazyopa compound have for the past few weeks been complaining about the corporation’s failure to put up prepaid unit points near their area.

The residents have been traveling long distances to Chaisa and Matero ZESCO points for the units.

The residents had since appealed to the corporation to look into their plight.

ZANIS

UNZA launches e-learning project

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University of Zambia vice chancelor professor Stephen Simukanga
University of Zambia vice chancelor professor Stephen Simukanga

The University of Zambia (UNZA) in partnership with the African Virtual University (AVU) has launched the Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL) project to train teachers in mathematics and sciences.

Speaking at the launch of the project in Lusaka today, UNZA Vice Chancellor, Professor Stephen Simukanga, said fast track programmes will see UNZA train and offer degrees to 6,000 teachers who are junior secondary teachers but are currently teaching at high schools due to poor staffing levels in schools.

Professor Simukanga said the University has been engaged by the Ministry of Education in Zambia to mount this project and has found it prudent to use distance learning to offer the degrees to the teachers.

He said UNZA has a big responsibly to provide higher education to every qualified person in the country but was however hindered by inadequate infrastructure at the school.

He however said the partnership with AVU to offer open and distance e-learning to students will provide an innovative and practical way of extending access to University education to people around the country.

And African Virtual University (AVU) Rector, Dr. Bakary Diallo, said open distance and e-learning has the potential to improve the quality of teaching in Africa.

Dr. Diallo called on African governments, cooperate partners and universities to mainstream the Information Communication Technology (ICT) in their educational policies and higher education to increase access to university educations.

Meanwhile the African Development Bank has provided UNZA with 30 computers, internet connectivity, power generator and other equipments that will be needed in carrying out the project.

ZANIS

Renard Gives Sakala A Chance

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Striker Enock Sakala made an immediate impact today upon arrivial in the Zambia camp after his shock call-up for the squad’s Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup duty.

The erratic Zesco United striker who scored six Orange Caf Champions League goals for his club in this year’s competition scored a brace just hours after arriving in camp in Lusaka during a training game against Green Buffaloes.

Zambia won the game 3-1 at Independence Stadium as they wind-up training camp prior to departure for Zimbabwe on Friday by road ahead of Sundays Cosafa Cup quarterfinal match against Namibia at Rufaro Stadium in Harare.

Sakala is one of two late call-ups to the team by Herve Renard for the Cosafa training camp including Power Dynamos midfielder Luka Lungu.

Renard had earlier snubbed Sakala saying the striker was not ready to play at a higher level other than Zesco.

Should Sakala make the final 20-member team to be released prior to departure, he will be under pressure to make an impact on Sunday as Zambia hope to avoid an early exit from the Cosafa tournament following their recent dismal showing the 2010 qualifiers.

RB concerned with logistics on fuel imports

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President Rupiah Banda flanked by his vice George Kunda talks to reporters when he arrived from North western province at Lusaka City airport.
President Rupiah Banda flanked by his vice George Kunda talks

President RUPIAH BANDA has directed Oil Marketing Companies to import more fuel because duty on all imported fuel has been waived.

The President has also directed Energy minister KENNETH KONGA to immediately improve supply logistics of imported petrol.

President BANDA has further instructed authorities at all border posts to expressly clear oil tankers.

He said police vehicles should escort fuel tankers until they reach their destinations.

The President was speaking to journalists at Lusaka International airport shortly before departure for UGANDA.

Mr BANDA is in UGANDA to attend a two day special African Union Summit on Refugees and Returnees in Africa.

And President BANDA has apologised to the nation for the shortage of petrol.

He said he is disappointed and upset that the shortage has inconvenienced motorists.

President BANDA however said that the nation has not been given a correct picture of what has caused the shortage of petrol.

He said government has imported enough fuel but that the problem has been on the supply side.

President BANDA said he held several meetings last week with fuel stakeholders at State house on how best to find a lasting solution to the problem.

The President said he will not take any punitive measures on anyone for the shortage of petrol.

Mr BANDA said he wants to give chance to people entrusted with responsibilities to play their role.

Some parts of the country have been experiencing a shortage of petrol for over a week now.

[ZNBC]

President Banda maintains KUNDA as veep

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President RUPIAH BANDA has dissmissed reports that he intends to replace Vice President GEORGE KUNDA with Livingstone Member of Parliament SAKWIBA SIKOTA.

The President says he has no intentions of replacing Mr KUNDA with Mr SIKOTA.

President BANDA says he believes he made the right choice for the nation when he appointed Mr KUNDA as his vice.

He said Mr. KUNDA is a hard working person who has performed well since his appointment.

The President also said although Mr SIKOTA is a very good and patriotic person has not considered him for Vice Presidency.

Mr BANDA was responding to a question from journalists at Lusaka International airport shortly before departure for UGANDA.

The President is in UGANDA for a two day special African Union Summit on Refugees and Returnees in Africa.
[ZNBC]

Zesco, Power Drawn in Barclays Cup Quarterfinals

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Zesco United and Power Dynamos will meet in the “final before the final” when they face-off in the quarterfinals of this years Barclays Cup this Saturday.

The two sides have been drawn together in the initial stage of this years Barclays Cup after playing each other in the final of the same competition last year.

Zesco won that match 1-0 at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka to clinch their second successive Barclays Cup title.

The two sides are set to meet in Ndola this Saturday an Independence Day doubleheader at the Trade Fair Grounds in a 12:00 kickoff.

The first quarterfinal match at the same venue will see Zanaco take on Roan United at the same venue in a 15:00 kickoff.

And at Woodlands Lusaka, Division 1 North promotion chasers Nkana will face-off against Choma Eagles at 15:00.

2008 losing semifinalists Green Buffaloes and Division 1 South promotion chasers National Assembly clash in the other Barclays Cup quarterfinal doubleheader to be played in the Capital.

RTSA warns PSV operators

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The Road Transport and safety Agency (RTSA) says Public Service Vehicles (PSV) without sliding windows are a health hazard and are not fit to be on the road.

RTSA Principle Publicity Officer Mercy Khozi-Mwila says the agency will soon swing into action to ensure that Public Service Vehicle Operators put sliding windows on their vehicles.

Ms. Khozi-Mwila told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Public Service Vehicles without sliding windows are a source of concern to RTSA.
She said operators need to know that it is their duty to ensure that passengers are comfortable as opposed to waiting for directives from the agency.

Meanwhile, Ms. Khozi-Mwila has urged members of the general public to continue reporting any unsafe road developments to RTSA so that correctional measures can be instituted.

She said RTSA was depending on the general public to bring sanity to the public transport sector and ensure all operators abide by the safety rules and regulations that RTSA has put in place.

ZANIS

Condom ‘rivals pill’s popularity’

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The condom has now caught up with the pill as women’s preferred method of contraception, latest figures suggest.

A quarter of the 1,093 women under 50 surveyed opted for condoms, which is identical to the proportion who plumped for the oral contraceptive pill.

Experts said the Office for National Statistics figures were good news since condoms prevent sexually transmitted infections as well as pregnancy.

Almost half of the condom users cited STIs as their motive for using them.

And half of the 2,557 people surveyed in England, Scotland and Wales said TV programmes and adverts had been their main source of information about STIs.

Sexual behaviour

However, more than half the men interviewed who said they were not in a long-term exclusive relationship, but had had a sexual relationship in the last year, said information on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections had no effect on their behaviour.

The majority of women under 50 (75%) were using contraception, with younger women preferring the pill or male condom, and older women often relying on sterilisation or their partner’s vasectomy.

Almost all of the women surveyed said they had heard of the emergency contraception pill, or “morning after pill”.

People should be aware of the rising rates of STIs when making a decision about contraception – ditching the condoms could leave you and potentially your partner at risk
Victoria Sheard of the Terrence Higgins Trust

But awareness of the emergency intrauterine device (IUD), which can be inserted up to five days after intercourse, had fallen from 49% eight years ago to 40%.

Natika Halil of the Family Planning Association said: “It is encouraging to see that access to information about contraception and contraceptive services is improving.

“Whilst women are using very safe and reliable methods of contraception such as the condom and the pill, there are 15 methods of contraception available.

“Women should be able to access all of them in equal measure.”

Victoria Sheard of the Terrence Higgins Trust said: “An increase in condom use is very good news as they offer double protection – against sexually transmitted infections as well as unwanted pregnancy.

“People should be aware of the rising rates of STIs when making a decision about contraception – ditching the condoms could leave you and potentially your partner at risk.”

Meanwhile, the NHS Information Centre has found the number of people using NHS community contraception clinics rose by 7% to 1.3 million in the year to March 2009.

The biggest rise was among men with 13%, or 17,000, more attending in 2008/09 compared to the previous year, bringing the total to 140,000 – approximately one in 10 of all those attending.
[BBC]

Six nabbed over fake Hawkers’ Licenses

Guest Editor
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The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has nabbed six people for allegedly using fake hawker’s license.

LCC Public Relations Manager, Henry Kapata says the six were nabbed in Mtendere after they were found trading in different merchandise using fake licenses.

Mr. Kapata told ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday that the council has discovered that some people are illegally issuing out the licenses which they are photocopying from the originals and giving to traders.

He said two people who are believed to be the original owners of the hawkers licenses have also been arrested and are in custody to help with investigations.

Mr. Kapata said there has been an increase in the number of hawkers trading in undesignated places in Lusaka and are trading without licenses or have illegal licenses.

He said the council has only issued licenses to those selling utensils and not food stuffs adding that they are only allowed to operate from residential and industrial areas and not in town.

Mr. Kapata has since warned that the council would soon start going around arresting those who will be found guilty by operating outside the provisions of the license.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kapata has disclosed that the council has summoned the parents of the children who were arrested over the weekend to discuss some issues of concern.
He said the council will discuss with parents and hear from them why they allowed underage children as young as twelve years to patronize bars.

Mr. Kapata said the council would use the same children to testify against the bar owners in the courts of law.

ZANIS

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