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Processed Fines of Coal that could be wasted at Chinese Collum Coal Mine (CCCM) if they are not sold before the onset of the rains
The Chinese Collume Coal Mine (CCCM) General Manager Cai Yue Zhong has bemoaned that lack of market for thousand tonnes of processed coal he says would be wasted if not purchased.
Mr Zhong told ZANIS in an interview that with the onset of the rains 20 thousands tones of Fines and five thousand tones of Peas and Nuts coal brands would be destroyed if not marketed.
He said in the past one week, customers have been failing to buy coal from the mine resulting in the reduction of coal production.[quote]
He said the mine has had difficulties in selling the Fines as most customers were only interested in buying the type of processed coal that has Peas and Nuts.
“We are worried that with onset of the rains our coal will be wasted after investing so much in its production,” Mr Zhong said.
He appealed to government to assist in convincing Zambian companies that were buying coal from Zimbabwe to start buying from them.
Mr. Zhong said the workers were the most affected with lack of market because their income per month was reduced.
The General Manager noted that at times workers were told to be on break when the market for coal was affected because they could not keep on producing when they can’t sell it.
Maamba Collieries (MCL) Plants Manager Famous Kabwe also confirmed that the problem of market for Fines was also affecting them.
He said most companies such as Larfurge were getting their Fines from Wankie Coal Mine in Zimbabwe.
Mr. Kabwe said few companies in Zambia that were using Fines in their furnaces such as Ndola Lime were also getting it from Zimbabwe.
Herve Renard has said Zambia must show more character and spirit in the midst of the teams scoring woes.
Renard said this during the post-match press briefing after Zambia lost 1-0 at home to Egypt in the two side’s penultimate 2010 Worlds/Africa Cup Group C qualifier.
Egypt scored their winner with their only tangible chance of the game through midfielder Hosni Abd Rabou of Al Ahli Dubai in the UAE.
“We have to be strong in our minds, I saw some players with shoulders low. A low spirit will make things difficult,” Renard said.
“We have a problem, statistic will show how many chances we had and Egypt just had one.”
Zambia dominated Egypt for most of the first half led by an inspired Rainford Kalaba but could not breakthrough the visitors’ talismanic goalkeeper Essam Al Hadari.
Meanwhile, Renard said he was still confident Zambia will qualify to the Africa Cup in Angola.
“I can tell you we will qualify to Angola,” the Frenchman said.
Zambia play Rwanda in their final game on November 14 in Kigali.
Rwanda are in Algeria whom they face on Sunday night in the other penultimate round Group C match in Blida.
World Bank Country Representative, Kapil Kapoor, says he is happy with the the 2010 national budget presented yesterday afternoon to Parliament by Finance Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane.
Mr Kapoor told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that the 2010 budget was impressive.
He added that the change in the financial cycle of the budget would reduce the pressure of putting the budget into effect.
Mr Kapoor, however, said he is worried with the decline in revenue as indicated in the 2010 national budget.
He urged government to increase the national budgetary allocation of different sectors, saying it is difficult to run a nation with such financial constraints.[quote]
Mr Kapoor said it is worrying to note that 50 per cent of the budgetary allocation goes to salaries and personal emoluments.
He explained that at the end of the day there is not so much left for developmental issues issues.
Mr Kapoor also observed that the increase in the cost of petroleum products will result in the increase of transportation of major agricultural products.
And Bank of Zambia (BoZ) governor, Caleb Fundanga, has welcomed the 2010 national budget, adding that Zambia performed well in 2009 despite the global economic crunch down.
Dr Fundanga says government’s efforts should be commended for projecting a 4.1 per cent economic growth for next year.
Dr Fundanga said in an interview with ZANIS shortly after the budget was presented that government needs to maintain the good policies despite passing through difficult economic conditions.
And former Finance and National Planning Minister, Ngandu Magande, said Zambia requires to sit down with its cooperating partners to mend the economic gaps arising from deficits mainly through exports.
Mr Magande explained that there is need to address the down-fall of revenue targets and diversify from copper, noting that the mining of copper is Zambia’s main export for its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He further welcomed the budget change cycle, saying he proposed it when he was a Cabinet Minister because Zambia needed to offset the huge debt Zambia had experienced.
Mr Magande, however, commended his predecessor for achieving $1.8 billion national reserves and quickly admitted that it was difficult to score it during his six-year tenure of office.
Finance and National Planning Minster, Stumbeko Musokotwane
The 2010 national budget unveiled in a speech delivered to the Zambian National Assembly on October 9, 2009 by the Honorable Minister of Finance and National Planning is not inspiring at all, given the depth of socio-economic woes the country has been facing since the 1970s. It is not possible for our beloved country to make any headway in socio-economic development with such a mild budget, not even by the year 2030 when the MMD government is dreaming of turning Zambia into a middle-income country.
For reasons of brevity, let me comment on a few highlights of the budget.
Inflation and Taxes:
The attainment of single-digit annual inflation (of 8%) is a target that would be appropriate for countries that have already achieved a high level of job creation and socio-economic development. Zambia is clearly not one of such countries.
There is a need to reduce PAYE, VAT and interest rates in order to stimulate both the supply of goods and services and the demand for goods and services and, in the process, bolster job creation and economic growth. We need to reverse the recurrent emphasis on stabilizing inflation at the expense of job creation and economic growth.
Value-added tax, for example, could have been reduced to 12.5% from 16%. The increase in the PAYE exempt threshold from K700,000 to K800,000 is not adequate; this should have been increased to at least K1,000,000. And the income bands should have been expanded to make them fairer to tax payers as follows:
2010 Income Bands and Tax Rates:
K0 – K800,000 per month 0%
K800,001 — K1,335,000 per month 25%
K1,335,001 — K4,100,000 per month 30%
K4,100,001 and above per month 35%
Proposed Income Bands and Tax Rates:
K0 – K1,000,000 per month 0%
K1,000,001 — K1,435,000 per month 10%
K1,435,001 — K1,970,000 per month 15%
K1,970,001 — K2,370,000 per month 20%
K2,770,001 — K3,170,000 per month 25%
K3,570,001 — K3,970,000 per month 30%
K3,970,001 and above per month 35%
Lower taxes and interest rates could have functioned as an effective economic stimulus that could have spurred economic activity and job creation, as well as create a new class of tax payers. There is really no other obvious way in which a country can jump-start an economically beleaguered economy like ours.
Dependency on Foreign Investors:
There is too much emphasis in the budget on creating opportunities for foreign investment with little or no emphasis on promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by Zambians. As the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has maintained, a growing body of empirical evidence supports the widely held view that SMEs are instrumental to socio-economic development. They can, as such, play an important role in improving the socio-economic welfare of a lot of people in a country.
There are many ways in which SMEs can positively contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic well-being of a country’s people, such as the following:
(a) They can create employment opportunities for talented citizens and family members who cannot find jobs in large business establishments;
(b) They can function as a vehicle through which a country’s government can economically empower its people by enabling them to participate actively and directly in their country’s commercial and industrial activities;
(c) They can facilitate the generation of wealth for all sectors of the national economy and thereby reduce existing income disparities;
(d) They can contribute to the improvement of the social and economic welfare of people in their host communities through the provision of various kinds of needed goods and services; and
(e) They can function as the backbone of a country’s economy if they are mainly operated by citizens, as they would be both indigenous and permanent, as Andrew Sardanis has maintained.
Negative Thoughts:
If Zambians “spend lots of their time on negative thoughts,” as the Minister has claimed in his budget speech, it is because over 65% of them cannot find jobs and are eking out a mere living. I cannot imagine people who are wallowing in abject poverty singing empty praises glorifying a government that is incapable of addressing their basic needs.
Government says it expects the agriculture sector to grow by 5.2 percent in 2010 compared to the 1.9 percent in 2009 following the bumper harvest in maize this year.
Finance and National Planning Minster, Stumbeko Musokotwane, said the maize production rose from 1.5 million metric tones to 1.9 million metric tonnes the country the biggest the country has recorded in the last ten years.
Dr. Musokotwane said this in Parliament today during the presentation of the 2010 national budget adding that government views the improved performance of the agriculture and the livestock as the most powerful tool to reduce poverty and stem the rural-urban divide.
Government has increased the allocation to agriculture and livestock sector from K1, 096 trillion in 2009 to K1, 139 trillion in the 2010 national budget.
The minister told parliament that the creation of the newly created Livestock and Fisheries ministry will ensure that the sector receives focused attention.
He added that its potential will be supported by targeted intervention aimed at controlling animal disease and improve veterinary services.
Dr. Musokotwane said through this intervention the sector will become the next priority sector to contribute to the national GDP after cooper.
He said government will continue with the create of disease free zones (D.F.Z)throughout the country to facilitate livestock exports.
He has announced that government has allocated K430 billion to the revised Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP), K100 billion to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and another K10 billion towards Food Security Packs.
He added that government will complete the remaining works on the Nansanga farming block in Serenje and has since allocated about K 40 billion to step up development of the block.
Dr. Musokotwane has also disclosed that government wills also commence similar infrastructure development in Luena Farms block in Kawambwa district where they will be growing sugar.
He further said that government will this year continue rehabilitating grain silos across the country to improve grain storage and protection.
Government says increased the allocation to the education sector to K3.320.9 billion representing a 26.4 percent increase.
Announcing the increase in Parliament today, Finance and National Planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said this is because government places much importance on education to make it the second largest sector of priority in the 2010 national budget.
He said, during the presentation of the 2010 national budget in parliament today, that government has since devoted substantial resources to the sector in order to raise the standards of education and provides better opportunities to the children.
He revealed to parliament that the country is on course of achieving the Millennium development Goals (MDG) on achieving universal access to primary education by 2015.
He has attributed this to the critical role communities’ schools and the private sector has played in increasing access to education for all.
Dr. Musokotwane has further disclosed that K 215.2 billion from 2009 budget has been used to complete 12 basic schools across the country while 2,500 classrooms for basic schools which were planned last year will be completed early next year.
He said an addition of 20 high schools are in their advance stages around the country and will be completed soon.
He added that government has allocated K553.5 billion for the construction of an additional 2,900 classrooms to provide school places for over 250,000 students across the country.
The Minister said K 21.4 billion has been allocated towards the procurement of books, desks, and other educational materials.
He further said government has allocated the three public universities with 317.9 billion for operations, infrastructure development and bursaries for students.
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Ronnie Shikapwasha
MMD Chairman for Security, Lt General Ronnie Shikapwasha, has likened utterances made by former defense minister, George Mpombo, to a danger that puts the nation’s security at risk.
And Lt Gen Shikapwasha says he is dismayed that former Cabinet Ministers are abrogating the Ministerial Code of Conduct instead of defending the code at all costs.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Chief Government Spokesperson and Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, says former ministers are mandated to adhere to the ministerial code of conduct and any departure from the it attracts disciplinary action against erring former ministers.
He disclosed that Mr Mpombo and his counterpart, Ngandu Magande, who is former Finance and National Planning Minister, have had their cases submitted to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for disciplinary action.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the two cabinet ministers should not feel superior and untouchable but wait for their ‘axe’ to fall on them.
He expressed disappointment that Mr. Mpombo was ‘stealing’ the limelight of peace and tranquility that Zambia is currently enjoying.
He implored the police and other law enforcement agencies to be on high alert in order for the Zambia citizens to enjoy peace.
The minister admitted and was convinced that honking by the civil society and opposition political parties who are aggrieved by the acquittal of former Second Republican President, Frederick Chiluba, was born as a result of the remarks made by the two former cabinet ministers.
Both Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande have continued issuing disgruntled remarks in the media against the ruling MMD and government of the day.
Government has unveiled a K 16.7 trillion (about US$3.55 billion) budget for the year 2010 as compared to the approved budget of K 15.27 trillion for this year.
Presenting the budget to parliament today, Minister of Finance and National Planning, Situmbeko Musokotwane disclosed that government would constrain lower priority expenditures but direct more resources to programmes aimed at stimulating growth and diversifying the economy.
Dr. Musokotwane said government’s economic agenda for 2010 and beyond would be to overcome the current recession and restore growth back to the pre-global economic crisis trend levels.
He said macroeconomic policies will in 2010 continue to focus on consolidating the recovery of the domestic economic base and protecting key social expenditures in the education and health sectors.
“This will be done by continuing with our economic diversification programme, thereby laying a solid foundation for higher sustainable growth and building resilience to external shocks,” he said.
He said out of the K16.7 trillion 2010 national budget, K12.1 trillion will be raised through domestic revenue collection, representing 72.4 per cent of the budget.
He added that K2.42 trillion, which is 14.5 per cent of the national budget, would be raised from grants from Zambia’s cooperating partners while the balance of K2.18 trillion or 13.1 per cent will be financed through domestic borrowing.
Government will borrow K1.48 trillion from domestic sources and K697.1 billion from foreign financial institutions.
Dr. Musokotwane told parliament that the general public services will consume the largest share of the 2010 national budget at 32.1 per cent.
“This is slightly higher than the 31.8 per cent share in 2009, as a result of the need to finance certain key expenditures such as voter and national registration at a cost of K 128.5 billion, the national census at a cost of K97.6 billion, and the constitution making process at K50 billion,” he explained.
He added that these programmes will collectively consume 1.7 per cent of the 2010 budget.
The presentation of national budget in advance of the financial year follows a change in the budget cycle after a constitutional amendment.
This will ensure that the budget is implemented over a full one year as opposed to previous years when the budget for a particular year was presented in March of the financial year.
And Dr. Musokotwane has proposed that the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) threshold should increase from K700,000 to K800,000 per month while the tax bands have remained unchanged.
“This means that those earning below K 800, 000 per month will be exempt from this tax. This measure will return K 85.0 billion to pockets of our workers,” he said.
He said the tax credit to the differently-abled persons has been increased from this year’s K 900, 000 to K1, 560,000 per annum, adding that this will result in minimum revenue loss.
These measures will be effected in April 2010.
Meanwhile, Dr. Musokotwane has expressed optimism that Zambia’s economic growth for this year has been projected at 4.3 per cent, which is a downward revision from the 5 per cent he announced in his 2009 budget address.
He said although the country suffered adverse effects of the 2008/2009 global economic crisis, the country will achieve and exceed the 5 per cent economic growth if the economic conditions continue to improve in the final quarter of 2009.
The minister said government’s macroeconomic objectives in 2010 are to exceed 5 per cent economic growth and reduce end-year inflation to 8 per cent.
He said government will limit domestic borrowing to 2.0 per cent.
Dr. Musokotwane has since called on Zambians to continue working hard in order to economically prosper the country.
“It is imperative that we do not lose the ground that we have gained. It is therefore essential that we continue to pursue business friendly macroeconomic policies in order to strengthen and sustain the investor confidence needed for economic growth and job creation,” he stressed.
Rural Electrification Authority (REA) Public Relations Manager Justin Mukosa has said the grid extension project and the solar installation under the 2009 rural electrification programme is progressing well.
Mr Mukosa said that the sixteen grid extension project sites which were handed over to contractors for commencement of implementation would cost over K58 million.
He added that the Rural Electrification Authority in line with the Rural Electrification Master plan (REMP) handed over various projects to different contractors and that the hand over took place early last month after approval by the REA board of directors.
Mr Mukosa further said the approved 2009 projects would include installation and serving of 41 solar energy systems at various public and social institutions including health centers, schools, community centers and chief’s palaces across the country at a cost of over K7 billion.
He said that both the grid extension project and the solar installation would be completed soon as most of the contractors engaged have shown commitment towards work.
Mr. Mukosa said the projects would be undertaken in all the nine provinces of the country by private contractors on behalf of the Authority.
He further said the Authority remains committed to realizing government’s vision of increasing access to electricity for rural communities through implementing projects identified in the REMP.
Government says it has reduced the allocation to the sector from K 1.823.4 billion in 2009 budget to K1, 362.5 in 2010 representing a 25 percent decrease.
This is as a result of the State realigning its domestic resources to mitigate the short fall in the sector as a result of donors’ suspension of aid to the sector.
Finance and National Planning, Minster Situmbeko Musokotwane, said this during his presentation of the 2010 national budget in parliament today.
The move by some cooperating partners to withdraw funding to the health sector, recently, followed a financial scum in the health ministry where over K 7 billion funds was reportedly embezzled by some named health personal some of whom are serving suspension to allow for police and other national security organs.
Meanwhile, Dr Musokotwane says access to quality health has significantly improved in the country due to various interventions by both government and the cooperating partners as evidenced by falling incident of malaria, reduced maternal, infants, and child mortality rate.
He has however said the suspension of donor funding is likely to jeopardize progress that government had made but was however quick to mention that government remains steadfast to bring health care to its people.
He has disclosed that government has held several meetings with the cooperating partners on the need to resume funding after meeting all obligations under the first plan and is now waiting for favorable response from donors.
Dr. Musokotwane said despite suspension of funding in the sector, government will continue with the construction and rehabilitation of health posts across the country and has allocated K 135.5 billion toward this.
He has disclosed that government has since released K128.4 billion for the completion of nine district hospitals and 21 health posts, and a further K134 billion for the continued construction, expansion and rehabilitation of 16 district hospitals and staff houses.
He has added that K83.8 has been allocated for drugs and medical supply while, K33.7 has been allocated for the procurement of essential medical equipments.
Dr. Musokotwane said government is committed to expand access to quality health care and has since allocated K13.7 billion for the recruitment of frontline medical staffs.
North Western Province Permanent Secretary Eustern Mambwe has directed Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) to immediately reconnect power to the immigration department building at Chingi border post in Chavuma district.
Dr. Mambwe has also given ZESCO and North Western Water and Sewerage Company up to the end of next week to complete the installation of power and water respectively at Chingi police camp.
He said it was disappointing for ZESCO to disconnect power at the border post when they knew the risks involved in doing such acts.
Dr. Mambwe said border areas are very sensitive and therefore need to lit 24 hours per day to ensure security as people cross the border at any time.
He gave the directive when he addressed heads of government and parastatal companies in Chavuma yesterday during his familiarization tour of the district.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mambwe expressed disappointment that police officers at Chingi police border post were still drawing water from a well instead of using piped water.
Dr. Mambwe said police officers play a bigger role in ensuring that there was peace and order in the country.
He said there was not going to be peace and security in the nation without police officers hence the need for them to work in a conducive environment.
Dr. Mambwe also directed the district administration to ensure that offices and houses at Chingi police post were given a face lift by painting them.
[ZANIS]
Despite a long rivalry that has spurned 20 meetings, Egypt this weekend marks their first visit to Zambia in over 20 years.
In that time, Zamalek, Al Hilal, Ismaili, Al Mokaoulun, and ENNPI have all have their share of highs and lows against Zambian clubs.
Between Zambia and Egypt’s last meeting in a two-leg friendly in 1988 in Lusaka that saw the former win 2-1 and the latter also won the other match by the same margin, the two teams have met 10 times
Zambia has since then won three and drawn one match while Egypt taking the spoils in the remaining meetings.
Their last clash was a 1-1 draw in the first leg of this Saturday’s 2010 Group C qualifier played on March 29 in Cairo.
The two sides meet at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe on Saturday with separate objectives in mind.
3rd placed Zambia on 4 points need to beat 2nd placed Egypt on 7 points to confirm their Africa Cup place while Egypt also need an away victory to keep their World cup qualifying hopes alive.
Coach Herve Renard has rallied his charges to win at all costs and not leave qualification to their last meeting against bottom placed Rwanda on 1 point on November 14 in Kigali.
Rwanda visit leaders Algeria on Sunday.
The game at Konkola will mark the return to the fold of Collins Mbesuma who has been struggling with both fitness and confidence issues over the last 24 months.
Rainford Kalaba also returns from suspension to midfield where the shadow of one Mohamed Aboutrika looms.
However, Renard will miss Felix Katongo through suspension while Jacob Mulenga is out through a groin injury.
Kasama, October 9, 2009, ZANIS — Opposition United National Independence Party (UNIP) chairperson Hellen Mulenga says campaigns in the Kasama Central are going on smoothly in the seven wards her party has so far covered.
Mrs Mulenga told ZANIS in Kasama yesterday that the former ruling party has been campaigning in the outskirts of Kasama till the polling day on 15th October for the Kasama Central by- elections.
She said UNIP has been smoothly campaigning encouraging people to vote for their candidate Alexander Chansa and the party’s message is on the promotion of peace and tranquility in the nation.
She urged other political parties to campaign peacefully adding that tribal politics have no room in Zambia and should support the One Zambia One nation motto.
The UNIP Northern Provincial Chairperson also said the party will keep reorganising itself in readiness to national convention later this year.
The International Rivers Network has released a new report damning the Mozambican project to dam the Zambezi river and build a huge hydro-power station at Mphanda Nkuwa.
The network has said while the choice is to create more power, the region would be without water in the future critiquing that it is a choice Southern Africa could face in a few years if current plans to build more large dams on the Zambezi proceed.
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According to the Non Aligned News Agency (Nam news network)the network noted that the US$2 billion Mphanda Nkuwa Dam on the Zambezi River which will mostly serve neighbouring South Africa’s power needs, would be like exporting social and environmental impacts in Mozambique, and ignoring climate-change warnings that show major hydrological problems ahead for Southern Africa.
The Zambezi, Africa’s fourth largest river, is expected to be especially vulnerable to climate change. Millions of people depend upon it for their livelihoods, said the network.
In the report which will be officially released in Mozambique’s capital city, Maputo on Oct 19, author Mark Hankins, a Nairobi-based renewable energy expert, describes how that country could develop a domestic electricity supply system based on market-ready, clean-energy options that are low-cost, rapidly implementable, and well-suited to the geographical distribution of local demand.
The plan, the report says, focuses on distributed renewable energy and energy efficiency that would meet the energy needs of the far-flung parts of the country that do not now have access to electricity. Most of the technologies described in the report are also well-suited to meeting the growing need of urban areas already tied to the grid. Currently, 80 percent of Mozamibique’s population does not have access to electricity, the author also observes.
“It’s time we begin to address our own energy needs, and in ways that will protect our important natural treasures like the Zambezi River,” said Anabela Lemos, the director of the Maputo-based NGO Justica Ambiental (JA!). “Clean, decentralised energy for all should be the top priority, not damming the Zambezi to support energy-hogging industry and cities in South Africa.” JA! is the sponsor of the report.
Mark Hankins also said, “As long as the Mozambique’s power planners focus on the huge consumer next door, they will never adequately meet the needs of their own country, which remains largely off-grid and unconnected. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
The report notes there is significant potential for green biomass with five large sugar farms that could contribute considerable bagasse from sugar cane waste to bio-mass fired electricity, adding that converting sugar waste into biofuel could put another 60MW on the grid that could extend electrification to rural areas.
The report also details the nation’s potential for solar, wind, small-scale hydro, and biomass. It describes key energy efficiency measures that could help Mozambique reduce its energy load going forward, and also describes steps needed to help its energy sector develop these kinds of decentralized energy systems.
“Eskom is the fifth largest power company in the world and South Africa has been very successful in giving people access to electricity. Green energies tend to be more expensive, but they create jobs and don’t damage the environment. In Kenya electricity costs three times what it does in South Africa. Getting South Africans off cheap electricity is like getting Americans off cheap gasoline,” notes Mr Hankins.
ZANIS]
