Copperbelt Welfare and Environment Protection Association (CWEPA) President Sydney Njamba has come out in support of Vice President George Kunda’s anti-violence stand in the Solwezi Central by-elections.

Mr Njamba said his organisation is supportive of Mr Kunda’s remarks that the violence being experienced in the Solwezi Central by-elections campaigns are being perpetuated by the PF/UPND pact.

He has charged that there is need for the opposition to base their campaigns on issues and what they will do for the electorate like the MMD has been doing.

In statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today, the CWEPA President alleged that the opposition PF/UPND leaders Michael Sata and Hakainde Hichilema have been exporting cadres to Solwezi just to instigate violence.

He said that it is clear that Mr. Sata was now using the UPND to penetrate North Western Province where he has less support.
He noted that there is no way Mr. Sata would now want to participate in the Solwezi central by-elections after saying that he does not need the support of people from North Western province.

Mr. Njamba stated that his organization also agrees with Mr. Kunda who exposed Mr. Sata’s tactics of wanting to befriend people of North Western province by slowly selling his popularity through Mr. Hichilema.

He said people of North Western province know what is good for them and will not entertain double-tongued politicians like Mr. Sata who is not honest.

Mr. Njamba has since urged Mr. Hichilema to realize that he is merely being used by Mr. Sata adding that his political future is likely to be dented before he achieves his goals.

ZANIS

Youth Sports and Child Development Minster, Kenneth Chipungu has observed that the packaging of the brandy in sachets has resulted in the drink by the youths.

Mr. Chipungu told Journalists in Lusaka that government will meet the distillers and ask them to start packaging the brandy in larger bottles to make them out of reach of children.

He said that the youths are now drinking the tujilijili even in classes, saying this has led to the excessive abuse of alcohol in the country.

He said government is concerned with the way youths have been abusing alcohol in the country, adding that the situation needs urgent attention.

Mr. Chipungu said what was more worrying was that the youths who are abusing alcohol were mainly under the age of 18 years.
He said if the situation is left unchecked, it might result into the country having illiterate people who have no vision for the future.

Mr. Chipungu has since advised youths to look after themselves properly and stop abusing alcohol but instead concentrate on completing their education and prepare their future.

Over 150 under age youths have in the last two weeks been arrested in Lusaka, Ndola, and Nchelenge for abusing alcohol and patronizing bars.

ZANIS

Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Leslie Mbula, has appealed to the South African Police Service (SAPS) to establish the circumstances under which a 19year old Zambian student at Monash University in Roodepoort near Johannesburg met his death.

The student, Ponjee Sendwa went missing on October 24 after an argument with friends at a night club where he had gone to attend a function to celebrate Zambia’s Independence Day.

This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka on November 11, 2009 by the Second Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in South Africa, Philip Chirwa.

Mr. Mbula said after a ten day search, his father Noel Sendwa, an engineering manager with BP in Lusaka, the student’s body was found at Roodepoort Police mortuary, as an unidentified body on 5th November.

He disclosed that according to Mr. Sendwa, his son’s body had some head injuries which indicated foul play.

Mr. Mbula has since conveyed condolences to the bereaved family, saying it was very important for SAPS to establish the truth so that the family could know exactly what happened to their son.

Mr. Mbula expressed confidence that SAPS will do something about the suspected murder case.

Meanwhile Ponjee’s body was expected to have arrived in Zambia today in readiness for burial in Lusaka tomorrow.

ZANIS

The Lufwanyama Municipal Council has suspended its Director of Works and Supply Benson Sihulume and two other senior officers for allegedly stealing K338 million meant for the construction of seven low cost houses in the area.

Both Lufwanyama Member of Parliament Lwipa Puma and Copperbelt Provincial Local Government Officer, Solomon Sakala, confirmed the development to ZANIS in Kalulushi today.

Dr. Puma, who is also Deputy Minister for Local Government, said the full council meeting which sat yesterday resolved to suspend Mr. Sihulume, Council Treasurer, Jay Chituta and an Accountant Bridget Munankombwe to pave way for investigations.

He said the audit report revealed financial irregularities in the construction of the seven houses and the misappropriation of the funds allegedly took place at the time Mr. Sihulume was acting council secretary.

He said the local authority was supposed to use the funds to construct a total of seven low cost government staff houses but only five structures, which are not complete, have been put up.

Dr. Puma further said the three officers have since been asked to hand over all the council properties that came into their possession by virtue of their employment. He said the local authority must take stern action against the three officers if found guilty.

He expressed great disappointment that the three senior officers, who were charged with the responsibility of implementing government programmes, were allegedly involved in stealing funds meant for such developmental projects.

And provincial Local Government Officer Solomon Sakala said the due process of the law must take its course in the matter.

Mr. Sakala said the three officers have since been asked to exculpate themselves before the next course of action is taken.

ZANIS

Acting Itezhi Tezhi District Commissioner Hampende Hichilema has asked traditional leaders in the district to respect the government of the day and desist from confrontational acts and making divisive statements.

Speaking at Luubwe Basic School during the commissioning of an K80 million 1×2 classroom block in chief Musungwa’s area, yesterday, Mr. Hichilema said chiefs in the district should work with the government of the day and play a positive role in promoting development in the district.
He said chiefs should promote harmony and development in the district instead of promoting conflict and divisions which retard development.

“I am asking all traditional leaders in the district to respect the government. Chiefs should make it their solemn duty to respect the government of the day and desist from peddling conflict,” he said.

Mr. Hichilema said chiefs should be neutral and encourage their subjects to respect government leaders and cooperate with them in enhancing development projects which were initiated by the current government.
He said if the people are not happy with the current government, an appropriate time will come during elections for them to make a decision.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hichilema has rebuked parents in Luubwe ward, who are reportedly marrying off young school girls in exchange for herds of cattle.

“Cows are not the only wealth that is there in the world. Let the girl children get an education and contribute positively to the development of this country,” he said.

And speaking at the same function, Itezhi Tezhi District Education Standard Officer, Ray Siabunkululu revealed that the district is short on accommodation for teachers.

“Itezhi Tezhi district is faced with an acute shortage of houses for teachers. Of the 414 teachers in the entire district, there are only 78 houses for teachers. This is a major challenge the district is faced with,” he said.

Mr. Siabunkululu said out of the 71 schools in the district only 35 had permanent structures while the rest have temporary structures.
He said government has funded the district to build 27 classrooms, adding that 24 schools out of the targeted 27 have been completed.

ZANIS