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Chipata district to attain city status soon – Banda

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The Chipata Municipal Council has made headway in its efforts for Chipata district to attain city status.

Town Clerk, Golden Banda, told ZANIS that the local authority has already engaged the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to declare Chipata a City.

Mr Banda said that late Local Government and Housing Minister, Ben Tetamashimba, had promised that Chipata would soon be given city status.

The Town Clerk said in preparation for city status, the council, through Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province, acquired 10 hectares of land along the town boundary for township expansion.

Mr Banda said that the local authority is now in the process of re-planning Chipata town with the aim of making it bigger.

He said the local authority has also managed to convince the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) to build a Cathedral along Umodzi Highway at the hill near Chipata Police Camp.

Meanwhile Chipata district will have second traffic lights along Umodzi highway at the junction of Church Road, which leads to the second class trading area.

Mr Banda who revealed this to ZANIS in an interview, said that the council was by yesterday, expecting to receive K200 million from the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, which it intends to use in putting up street and traffic lights.

He also revealed that the council has managed to convince proprietor of PROTEA Hotel and Spar Group of companies, Mark O’Donnell, to build a hotel in Chipata.

He said that plans have already been approved for the hotel to be situated along Airport road in the industrial area.

And, Mr Banda has revealed that the local authority lost more than K500 million in revenue collection from various receipt books that have gone missing.

The Town Clerk stated that about four workers from the finance department have been dismissed from employment after being found with a case to answer on the missing receipt books and defrauding the local authority.

Mr Banda said the council decided to fire the four workers from the finance department because they failed to exculpate themselves.

He said that only three workers have been returned although they have been demoted from their positions.

Mr Banda pointed out that among those fired are temporary workers who were engaged on contract bases while the fate of permanent workers involved in the same scum will be known after the full council meeting.

“Some employees in the accounts department defrauded the local authority millions of Kwacha some two months ago” he added.

Mr Banda said market General Receipt books, bus station receipt books, stall license books, and trading retail licenses books are among those which to date have not been surrendered to the local authority by officers involved in the scum.

He said that if all the receipt books were surrendered to the local authority, Chipata Municipal Council would have collected more than K500 million.

Mr Banda said that the council has since invalidated all the receipt books.

ZANIS

Lily T’s Funeral in Pictures

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Shawa castigates PF in Kasama

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MMD campaign manager in the Kasama Central by-election Charles Shawa has castigated Patriotic Front officials and cadres for their unruly behaviour during today’s filing in of nominations papers by aspiring candidates at the civic centre.

Mr. Shawa said it was unfortunate that PF members attempted to hijack the work of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) during the nomination process.

He warned that politics of violence and intimidation would not be tolerated.

Mr. Shawa made the remarks after PF leader Michael Sata, who was present at the filing in of nominations papers by aspiring candidates, asked his supporters to storm the Council Chamber and complain over the delays by the ECZ to announce the successful aspiring candidates for the vacant Kasama Central seat.

Mr. Shawa said people should allow the Electoral Body to conduct the by-election in a peaceful atmosphere.

He said it was unacceptable for the PF officials to threaten to take the law into their own hands over straight forward issues.

Mr. Shawa, who is Lusaka province minister, urged, the PF leadership not to be in the forefront of inciting violence but instead advocate for non-violent campaigns.

Earlier, Mr. Sata had asked PF aspiring candidate Geoffrey Mwamba and other party cadres to storm the council chamber and complain over the delay by the ECZ to announce the names of the successful candidates to contest the Kasama Central seat.

However, Mr. Shawa advised Mr. Sata to show political maturity and not incite his supporters to cause confusion because ECZ was screening the successful aspiring candidates before making the announcement.

Six candidates successfully filed in their nominations to contest the Kasama Central seat.

The By-election takes place on October 15, this year.

ZANIS

We are for peaceful campaigns – Mulongoti

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The ruling MMD has called peaceful campaigns ahead of the October 15 Kasama Central by-election.

MMD National Chairman for Elections Mike Mulongoti made the call in Kasama yesterday .

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Works and Supply Minister, said violence should not be entertained in a democratic society like Zambia.

He has urged Kasama residents not to be used as agents of violence by selfish politicians who want to gain political mileage in the by-election.

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also acting MMD spokesperson, said there was need for political parties contesting the Kasama Central seat to conduct clean campaigns so that electorates could choose their Member of Parliament in a peaceful manner.

He also advised MMD members to ignore attacks from the opposition and concentrate on marketing their candidate to the masses.

Mr. Mulongoti further appealed to the electorates in Kasama Central constituency to vote for MMD candidate Burton Mugala because he was a credible person, who could stir development in the area.

The Kasama central by-election is being contested by the ruling MMD, opposition PF/UPND, UNIP and independent candidates.

Meanwhile, an independent candidate Pastor Christy Ntalasha has with chickened out of the race to contest the Kasama Central seat, citing personal reasons.

The seat fell vacant after incumbent MP Saviour Chishimba resigned from the National assembly last month.

The by-election takes place on October 15, this year.

ZANIS

Public interest in CBU pleases Vice Chancellor

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Copperbelt University Vice-Chancellor Professor Mutale Musonda is overwhelmed with civil society’s interest in the affairs of higher education.

Prof. Musonda said this is true testimony that the Vision 2030 on ensuring access to education by all is attainable.

Responding to the question on what the CBU senate was doing to address people’s demand to have the expelled students at the Copperbelt University reinstated, Prof. Musonda said he was not obliged to comment on a senate issue which he said was under discussion.

He said he was impressed with people’s interest in the affairs of the University.

Prof. Musonda said it was the University’s desire to ensure an educated cadre if the 2030 Vision on education was to be attained.

However, Prof. Musonda observed that there was need to have an educated and productive cadre that is fit for the purpose.

He also noted the need to attach value to education at any level if the intended education purpose was to be realized.

The Vice Chancellor said parents have a responsibility of inculcating moral values in their children at a very tender age.

Prof. Musonda further observed that institutional managers also are obliged to impart values for education from primary school to tertiary level.

“There is need to have value inculcated at a tender age in children and continued imparting of education value at any levels of child development to ensure an educated cadre, fit for the purpose,” he said.

He told ZANIS in Livingstone that parents and institutional managers are challenged to ensure that children grow into responsible citizens for future socio-economic development.
ZANIS

Petition to remove chief Justice Ernest Sakala thrown out

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Chief Justice Ernest Sakala
Chief Justice Ernest Sakala

The Lusaka high court has dismissed a petition to remove chief Justice Ernest Sakala and Supreme Court Judge Peter Chitengi from their offices.

High Court Judge Munalula Lisimba dismissed the petition by Lusaka lawyer John Sangwa after a two hour judgement on Thursday.

The Judge dismissed the petition on grounds that article 98 of the Zambian constitution does not provide for ratification of re-appointed judges.

He told the court that this is not with-standing that article 93 of the Zambian constitution requires judges appointed for the first time to be ratified by parliament.

Judge Lisimba said relying on article 98 of the constitution, a Supreme Court judge can be re-appointed under the president’s pleasure, without parliamentary ratification.

He further contended that Supreme Court judges cannot be subjected to the judicial service commission for scrutiny, before being re-appointed because they are members of the commission.

Judge Lisimba rejected the petitioners’ submission and contended that the petition was calculated to embarrass Justice Sakala and Judge Chitengi.

Recently Lusaka Lawyer John Sangwa petitioned Chief Justice Sakala and Judge Chitengi to vacate their offices.

Mr. Sangwa submitted that the two have attained retirement age and have not been ratified by parliament.

[ZNBC]

RB USA, Cuba bound

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President Rupiah Banda is on Saturday expected to leave for New York to attend the 64th Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere.

Mr Jere said the President is expected to deliver his maiden address to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly under the theme ”Effective Responses to Global crises: Strengthening Multilateralism and Dialogue among Civilizations for International Peace, Security and Development.”

He said President Banda and other World leaders will also attend a High Level Dialogue on climate change, which will assess the progress in the implementation of the programme of action and dialogue in preparation for the forthcoming Copenhagen conference on climate change.

Mr Jere further said the President and other African heads of State and Government will later travel to Caracas, in Venezuela to participate in the 2nd Africa-South American Summit.

He added that after the summit President Banda will travel to Cuba for a three-day State Visit at the Invitation of Cuban President Raul Castro Ruz.

President Banda will return to Zambia after the state visit in Cuba.

ZANIS

Mufulira MMD cadre eyes Solwezi Central seat

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Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) aspiring candidate in the Solwezi Central Constituency by-election has said the flourishing mining activities at Lumwana and Kansanshi mines have influenced the political climate in the district.

Mufulira District Party Secretary, Esiyasa Mwelumuka, said the mines have made Solwezi district economically competitive and therefore in need of a person with eloquent and vibrant leadership qualities to aspire for the seat.

He said the battle in the constituency by-election would be an uphill one, but expressed confidence that the MMD would scoop the seat despite the PF/UPND pact having a bit of a following.

In a statement to ZANIS in Mufulira today, Mr Mwelumuka said with that scenario in mind he has declared his intention to contest the forthcoming Solwezi Central parliamentary by election.

Mr Mwelumuka stated that party members in Solwezi and his relatives from Chief Kapijimpanga and Kalelemba villages have endorsed his candidature after wide consultations with them.

He said his intention to contest the seat has also been prompted following the death of the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Benny Tetamashimba, who passed away early this month.

He said he has adequate experience to win the by-election if nominated as he has closely worked with the former MPs, including Dr Ludwig Sondashi and the late Humphrey Mulemba under the National Party, as a strategist.

He added that he is a founding member of the ruling party in the province and had equally worked with the late Mr Tetamashimba.

ZANIS

Suspected swine flu breaks out in Luanshya

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Three pupils from Luanshya Mine Trust school have been quarantined at Luanshya Mine Hospital for suspected swine flu.

Luanshya Mine Hospital Chief Medical Officer, Boniface Zulu, told ZANIS in an interview that the three were showing symptoms such as fever, coughing and sneezing.

Dr Zulu said he has also recommended for the closure of the school as a measure of preventing the spread of the disease.
He said the specimens of the admitted children have been taken to Lusaka for examination and the results will be known today.

He said the flu-like illness has affected over 100 children, adding that all have been screened and the three who are admitted were serious.

And Luanshya Trust school headmistress, Joyce Muleya, could neither confirm nor deny an outbreak of a flu-like illness at her school.

A check at the school revealed that the school authorities were sending the children home.
ZANIS

UNPF bemoans low condom use in Serenje

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United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) HIV and AIDS Officer, Florence Tembo-Mulenga, has urged people of Serenje to extensively use condoms when having sex.

Mrs Tembo disclosed that about 250 people were being infected with HIV every day due to lack of information on how to use condoms, especially female condoms.

Mrs Tembo was speaking during a monitoring visit in the council chamber in Serenje on Tuesday with District Aids Task Force (DAFT) members based on how to use both male and female condoms.

She said most of the people across the country were still shy on the use of condoms due to lack of information, a situation she described as worrying
She called on all organizations involved in HIV and AIDS awareness campaigns to put Serenje as a priority on their programmes before many lives were lost.

It was discovered in the meeting that in Serenje there were more male than female condoms and most woman do not know how to use female condoms.

Mrs Tembo, however, said everyone has the responsibility of protecting himself or herself with condoms, and lamented that the low rate of condom use could increase the HIV and AIDS infection.

She also urged men in the district to go for male circumcision and use the recognized condoms which were approved by the government and Medical Stores of Zambia.

And speaking at the same meeting, Serenje District Commissioner, Stanly Chibwana said people in Zambia should change their attitudes towards sex and culture and stop having more than one sex partner.

Mr Chibwana noted that having multiple sex partners increases the spread of HIV and AIDS because one would not know who would have infected the other.

The DC also expressed happiness with the performance of the DATF members in the district and urged them to be conscious of the deadly HIV/AIDS pandemic.

ZANIS

Christian Coalition condemns cremation

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The Christian Coalition (CC) says the proposal by the Kitwe City Council (KCC) that dead bodies should be cremated and not buried is unfortunate.

Christian Coalition Pastor Clergy Chombela said that Zambia being a Christian nation such a proposal should never be allowed due to culture complications.

Mr Chombela pointed out that Zambia should not imitate other countries as it is their culture to burn dead bodies and not Zambia’s.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today Pastor Chombela said even in the Bible it is not written anywhere.

He also said that the dead deserve respect hence the need to bury them honorably.

Mr Chombela urged the council to take responsibility by allocating enough land where the dead are to be buried.

He said that Zambia is blessed with plenty of land and there is no need to burn dead bodies but bury them.

Pastor Chombela advised the council to be consulting Christian Mother Bodies and Non- Government Organizations (NGOs) every time they come with a complicated proposal.

He explained that may be in the near future the proposal can be adopted when every one will be convinced that there is no more land left for burial sites.

ZANIS

Painting of shops start next week

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The exercise of painting shops in Lusaka’s trading areas starts next week.

Lusaka City Council (LCC) spokesperson Henry Kapata says the painting exercise will commence despite the delay by the business community to come up with the uniform colour.

Mr Kapata urged the shop owners in the city center and Kamwala trading and other business centres to organize themselves in readiness for exercise.

He further said the uniform colour is not a problem but shops are to be painted with effect from next week.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday Mr Kapata further said that the three car washes along Burma Road were given permit by the council to construct temporary structures.

However, Mr Kapata said the car washes along Chilimbulu road operate illegally.

Mr Kapata said the area along the roads is meant for road expansion and not construction of permanent structures like car washes.

And Mr Kapata further said that the council will next week carry out inspection of fire equipment in the city center starting with the Kamwala shopping mail.

He added that each shop owner should have their own fire equipment and not borrowing.

Mr Kapata said that the shop owners should be sincere with their dealings as they are the ones who suffer loss in terms of fire accidents.

He observed that people think the council is corrupt, adding that shop owners borrow fire equipment so as to be issued with fire certificates.

LAZ backpedals on chief justice re-appointment bid

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THE Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has given a second expert opinion stating that the chief justice requires to be ratified by Parliament if he is re-appointed after reaching the retirement age.

LAZ, as a friend of the court seeking to help the bench arrive at a fair decision, earlier gave another opinion from an expert who was of the view that there was no need for a judge reappointed after retirement to be ratified by Parliament.

This is in a matter in which Lusaka businessmen, Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu have petitioned the continued stay in office of Chief Justice Ernest Sakala and Judge Peter Chitengi.

The latest opinion is contained in an application by LAZ honorary secretary, Margaret Chalwe seeking to file the views the association obtained from constitutional lawyer, Eva Jhala.

Ms Jhala said the president could appoint a judge who has attainted the age of 65 for a further period not exceeding seven years.

In her legal opinion on constitutional matters regarding the chief justice and Judge Chitengi’s continued stay in office, Ms Jhala said the discretion of the president was subject to the advice of the Judicial Service Commission.

She said the legal requirement for a judge to vacate office under Article 98(1) was mandatory at attaining 65 years, but the same article qualifies the requirement in the proviso by vesting the president with the legal competence to permit a judge to continue in office for such a period as may be necessary to enable him deliver judgment or do any other thing in relation to proceedings that were commenced before he/she attained that age.

“This means there must be evidence showing pending work and indicating how much time will be required to complete that work so that the president can effectively exercise his legal competence to set the period required,” Ms Jhala said.

She said this permission is derived from the notion that the period would be short to complete existing work and that no new work would be undertaken by the judge during such period.

Ms Jhala said in the second scenario, the president has powers to appoint the chief justice and judge of the Supreme Court under Art 98 and has further power to re-appoint a judge under special conditions, that is a judge who has reached retirement age under Art 98 (1) (b) subject to the conditions laid out in the substitutive appointing provision.

She said any new appointment to office after vacation, for whatever term, should comply with the conditions for appointment and that the National Assembly should ratify the appointment.

The Article maybe used not as an exception to the retirement clause but to circumvent the age of retirement, thereby defeating the intentions of the people in coming up with a retirement age for judges.

“In addition, as stated above, it will be important to take into account the issue of validity in so far as the exercise of judicial competence is concerned during any period that a legal competence was not exercised or improperly exercised.

[Times of Zambia]
“The consequences must be analysed and a solution found even if Parliament has to pass a validation instrument,” Ms Jhala said.

EU under fire over Zambia aircraft ban

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THE Aircraft Owners and Operators Association (AOOA) has condemned the action by the European Union (EU) to blacklist Zambia’s aviation sector from flying into the Euro Zone.

The AOOA has described the blacklisting of Zambian aircraft from entering the EU flying zone as unjustified and high-handed.

The operators said in a statement that the damage done by the adverse publicity on the ban had continued to threaten Zambia’s fragile but positive economic progress.

They said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recently posted a significant safety concern for Zambia as a result of the Government’s delay in replacing its Air Service Permit (ASP) certification procedures with the ICAO’s Air Operating Certificates (AOCs).

AOOA said it was unfortunate that the EU blacklisted Zambia’s aviation sector without attempting to assess its performance.

“Unfortunately, this adverse publicity is peppered with inaccuracies and potentially
libellous statements to the extent that Zambia’s AOOA has been moved to issue this statement to clarify the position in Zambia,” the statement states.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Board of Airline Representatives has also indicated its concern over the blacklisting of Zambian planes into the Euro Zone, which is being discussed by the members’ executives.

The Government has not yet completed the switch from ASP to AOC certification procedures within the time frame agreed with ICAO and all Zambian scheduled and non-scheduled air operators currently operating in and out of the country are properly certified by the Zambian authorities under Zambian laws.

The laws are regularly updated to accommodate ICAO’s recommendations and Zambian expectations in the ongoing process of compliance.

The statement further states that at the time of writing, no Zambian air operators were in default of any pertinent aviation regulations materially affecting their operational safety.

“International media references to dubious Zambian airlines are, therefore, considered unjustified and libellous. In point of fact, Zambia has one of the most favourable safety records on the continent,” the statement reads.

The EU’s blacklisting of Zambian aviation means that EU travel agencies have been advised not to book their clients on any Zambian-registered aircraft, suggesting that their travel insurance policies might not cover their clients on Zambian aircraft.

[Times of Zambia]

Mpombo Vs Rev Lungu: Clergyman ‘spills the beans’

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EVANGELICAL Youth Alliance (EYA) president, Moses Lungu has said former Defence minister George Mpombo and other senior MMD members allegedly approached him requesting that he launches a series of attacks on President Rupiah Banda shortly after the elections last year.

Speaking at the lapse of the 48-hour ultimatum that he gave Mr Mpombo to resign from the MMD and state the reasons for quitting Cabinet and the national executive committee (NEC) of the ruling party, Reverend Lungu said leaders should strive to remain with integrity.

He said Mr Mpombo was part of a group that paid him and another non-governmental organisation (NGO) about K2 million for them to start attacking President Banda.

Rev Lungu said he declined to embark on the mission despite getting the money.
He challenged Mr Mpombo to explain queries raised at the Ministry of Defence over unretired imprest when he was still minister.

He said the tension the former minister was causing against the MMD and President Banda was unnecessary and that he should respect people elected into public office.[quote]

“I expect Mr Mpombo to speak the truth, all I request him to do is to tell the nation the true reasons for his resignation,” he said.

Rev Lungu dismissed allegations of receiving financial aid from Mr Mpombo on account of destitution.

He also denied ever being excommunicated from the Baptist Association as alleged by Mr Mpombo, saying he was still a credible clergyman.

However, Mr Mpombo described Rev Lungu’s allegations as cheap and unsubstantiated propaganda.

He said Rev Lungu was being used for negative propaganda by some MMD members.
On allegations on unretired money, Mr Mpombo said Rev Lungu should know that imprest was recoverable and not treated as a crime.

“I was just informed of the unretired imprest money by my former PS [permanent secretary] long after I had resigned, so that cannot be a reason for my resignation,” he said.

He said a month ago, he held a meeting with Secretary to Cabinet, Joshua Kanganja, Ministry of Works and Supply Permanent Secretary, Bizwayo Nkunika, and his former PS to resolve the matter.

“This matter was resolved because unretired imprest is recoverable anywhere and is not a crime,” he said.

Mr Mpombo said it was even laughable that Rev Lungu could talk of such petty allegations when he threatened to spill the beans about him just a few days ago.

He described Rev Lungu as “toxic political material trying to earn a living through impersonations and malicious attacks”.

Mr Mpombo said whoever had evidence linking him to any malpractices when he was at the Ministry of Energy was free to take him to court.

He also said he was aware of an article on the Internet suggesting that he had oil dealings with former first lady, Maureen Mwanawasa when he was Energy minister.

[Times of Zambia]

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