Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
Police in Northern Province are investigating a case in which a male inmate died in mysterious circumstances while in police custody at Makasa Tazara Police Station in Mungwi district.
And two police officers are reported to have fled to neighboring Tanzania for fear of being lynched by the irate residents of Makasa.
The two officers were on duty when the incident happened.
Police Sources revealed that the male suspect died in the early hours of Tuesday this week while in police custody.
They said the deceased, aged 35, was arrested and put in custody pending a court appearance.
Police sources said when people got wind of his death they ganged up with machetes and other weapons intending to shatter the police station.
But quick action by Mungwi police saved the situation from culminating into chaos.
The sources said the case has since been handed over to Tazara Police in Kasama for further investigations adding that the deceased’s body is lying in Kasama General Hospital awaiting postmortem and subsequent burial.
FORMER first lady Maureen Mwanawasa has declared that she will contest the 2016 presidential election but will for now support the candidature of President Rupiah Banda for the 2011 polls.
Mrs Mwanawasa has also called on the public to respect the decisions of the judiciary, saying insistent attacks on recent judgments were ultra vires the ideals of a democratic country that demands separation of powers.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Times, Mrs Mwanawasa said she now felt that she was ripe to take over the mantle of the high office of president.
She said, however, that she would only contest the presidency in the 2016 elections because her party, the MMD had already settled for President Banda as the candidate for the party in 2011.
“I want to make it very clear to the nation that I am an MMD member and I therefore subscribe to the rules and regulations. As a party, we have already made a decision to rally behind President Banda as sole party candidate for the 2011 elections.
“I have offered myself and I will be available to stand as president in the 2016 presidential elections, not now. I would like all those who doubt my capacities to give me a try, this country is now ready for a female president,” she said.
Mrs Mwanawasa said she had a great passion to lead Zambia and that it was important for any country to have a good reservoir of good and well-trained leaders alongside those in power.
She said good governance was like running a football team whose fans depended on players in the starting line up while also having a well-equipped and trained line up of substitutes on the bench who should rise to the occasion when the need arose.
She, however, said those in privileged positions such as herself and those serving in Government should never think they were the best because some of those among the substitutes could do even better.
Mrs Mwanawasa also said she wanted to dispel rumours which suggested that she was an immensely wealthy woman, adding that contrary to such views, she was a noble person who was also subjected to stringent financial regulations by her late husband.[quote]
On corruption, the former first lady said the judiciary should be allowed to work professionally without interference from the public because doing so would erode public confidence and respect.
She said the fight against corruption, which her late husband had a passion for, should not be misconstrued as having been a personal fight against any one individual but one that was wholesome to ensure that development trickled to the poor.
Mrs Mwanawasa also said she was ready to take up any appointment to work for the people of Zambia.
Meanwhile, three MMD provincial executive committees have said they are still consulting party structures before stating their positions on whether the party should hold its convention before the 2011 elections.
Five provinces have already petitioned the national executive committee not to hold the convention because President Banda had been adopted as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2011 elections.
Former Freedom Fighters League of Zambia (FFLZ) Secretary General Dickson Kaminda has appealed to Police Officers in Kitwe to stop detaining male and female offenders in the same cells.
Mr. said this in a statement released in Kitwe today. He said he was saddened when he found two males and a female sharing the same cell at night, in Kitwe’s Bulangililo Township’s station.
Mr. Kaminda said the practice is wrong and if continued would dent the image of the police service.
He further said some police stations have a tendency of detaining juveniles and hardcore criminals in the same cells.
Mr. Kaminda added that it is wrong for suspects to be detained for more than 48 hours in police cells, contrary to the laws of Zambia.
He advised relatives of the detained suspects to report such cases to higher authorities.
Power for Good, an organization based in Ireland has released has given 50, 000 euros to the Zambia Persons with Disability (ZAPD) to revamp two of its 17 farms across the country.
ZAPD Acting Secretary General Charles Mwape disclosed this in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.
Dr. Mwape named the two farms as Mitukuko in Solwezi and Linda in Livingstone.
He said his organization would ensure that the funds were used to support and help revamp the two farms.
And Dr. Mwape has said ZAPD has entered into a five year partnership agreement with the Zambia Federation of Disability Organisation (ZAFOD) to help his organization revamp its farms across the country.
He noted that once the all the farms were revamped, more than 1, 000 jobs for persons with disability are expected to be created in the country.
He said creating employment for persons with disability in the country would help to remove the disabled from the streets.
Dr. Mwape has also called upon other stakeholders to come forward and assist the agency with more funds for other farms to be revamped.
He named other farms earmarked for resuscitation as Kangonda in Ndola, Mimosa in Lusaka and Kambowa in Ndola rural.
Others are Kazembe and Mushota both in Luapula, Chitonkene in Mwinilunga, Masaiti in Luanshya and Sisenge also in Luanshya, among others.
Zambezi West Member of Parliament (MP) has called on government to extend the mobile National Registration Card (NRC) exercise in the constituency to accommodate more people.
Charles Kakoma says government should extend the exercise for a few weeks more to enable as many eligible people as possible to register.
MR. Kakoma told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the one week time frame given to the constituency for the exercise was not enough especially that many people do not have the NRCs.
He accused the registration officers carrying out the exercise in his constituency of not reaching many places in the constituency.
He said the team has abandoned the exercise in the area citing logistical problems without them reaching the targeted number.
He said the exercise also lacked publicity such that many people were not aware of the exercise making it difficulty for the communities to acquire the NRC at their door steps.
Mr. Kakoma said this had disadvantaged many people who also eligible voters.
He alleged that in some parts of Western Province the exercise had not been successful as those above 18 years could not be allowed to obtain the NRCs.
He the cards were only issued to those in the ages of between 16 and 17 while those from 18 years and above were being referred to their village headmen.
Government has started the mobile registration exercise to be carried out in all provinces.
Local Government and Housing Minister Benny Tetamashimba
A Ndola Clergyman has called on Christian believers countrywide to pray for the quick recovery of Local Government and Housing Minister Benny Tetamashimba who is reported to be in the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Zambia Teaching Hospital.
Covenant believers Church Pastor Yobe Chishimba told ZANIS in Ndola that Christians countrywide should pray for the quick recovery of the minister because he was a Servant of God in his capacity as minister of the people of Zambia.
He said the Christian bible scriptures urge those who believe in God to pray for their leaders all the time, including during times when the leaders are ill.
He said all positions of leadership and authority come from God and it is God only who chooses leaders at any given time.
Pastor Chishimba said Mr. Tetamashimba is a courageous man and a leader with immense influence on national issues.
He further described the minister as an honest person who needs the support of all peace loving Zambians for his quick recovery.
Another clergy of Bethsaida Church called on all Christians to remember the political leadership in prayers all the time for continued peace that Zambia has been enjoying for many years.
Pastor Emmanuel Nyirenda told ZANIS in Ndola that it is a duty and call for all believers to remember their leaders in prayers all the time for God’s guidance and direction.
He further said every leader serving in any capacity is servant of God and needs God’s anointing, wisdom and guidance to lead properly.
He said Christians should not join in public criticism of leaders, but pray to God to give the leaders good direction and guidance.
He said he was happy that Zambia has continued to enjoy peace and that the country is a shining example in the region, a scenario which he said should be sustained through prayers for the leaders at every level.
Mr. Tetamashimba was admitted to the UTH intensive care unit on Tuesday upon arrival from South Africa where he had gone to seek medical treatment.
Both UTH Public Relations Manager, Pauline Mbangweta, and Ministry of Health Spokesperson, Kamoto Mbewe, have confirmed that Mr. Tetamashimba is undergoing treatment at the hospital.
However, Dr Mbewe could not provide details on why Mr. Tetamashimba discontinued treatment in South Africa.
He described the condition of the Minister as stable.
The Supreme Court Sitting in Ndola has reduced the 40 year jail sentence slapped by the High Court on a 24-year-old man of Kasama to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour, with effect from October 18, 2004 the date of the arrest.
This was in a case in which Sole Sikaonga appealed to the Supreme Court against a Kasama High Court ruling in which he was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a three- year and 10 months old baby.
Supreme Court Justice Sandson Silomba told the court that the bench consisting of Supreme Court Justices Hilda Chilombo and Dennis Chirwa sat and deliberated over the case of appeal against the High Court ruling was too much and that it induced a sense of shock.
He further said the Supreme Court had taken into consideration that Sikaonga was a first offender who pleaded guilty and did not waste the court’s time.
He said, according to the laws of Zambia, generally a defilement offence attracts a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life sentence.
He however said, certain defilement cases such as those which result in a child contracting Sexually Transmitted Infections warrant the offender being imprisoned for many years.
Justice Silomba advised trial courts to take into consideration a number of factors when handing out sentences.
Facts before the court were that on 17th October, 2004, Sikaonga, then 19 when he was a grade seven pupil at Misamfu Basic School in Kasama had carnal knowledge of a three year and 10 months baby.
On the material day at around 21 hours, the baby’s mother went to a local clinic and left her baby in her house under the care of Sikaonga.
Upon her arrival from the clinic at 22 hours, Sikaonga informed her that the baby had cried for a long time and that he did not know why she was crying.
When the mother checked the baby, she found the child’s pants wet with semen and that her private parts were swollen.
When the mother asked Sikaonga what had happened to the baby, he said he did not know, before he fled from the house the same night.
The baby was later taken to the hospital where it was confirmed and proved that she had been defiled.
Later when he appeared in the magistrate’s court, Sikaonga confessed and pleaded guilty to the charge and was redirected to Kasama High Court for sentencing where he was handed a 40 year imprisonment sentence with hard labour.
Police in Namwala have arrested a 78 year-old man of chief Nalubamba’s area who has been on the run after he allegedly defiled a minor.
Simeon Hamapongo of Chinkola Village was arrested yesterday. He is alleged to have defiled a 13 year-old school girl and fled.
District Commissioner (DC) Wilson Siaduka confirmed the arrest to ZANIS in an interview adding that Hamapongo is in Police custody.
And Mr Siaduka thanked Hodi, a non-governmental organization (NGO) operating in the district for assisting Namwala Police with logistics to bring the culprit to book.
Herve Renard is hoping Zambia can repeat their feat against Egypt in Cairo last March when they face Algeria away in Blida this Sunday.
Zambia and Egypt drew 1-1 on March 29 in the two sides opening 2010 World/African Cup Group C.
Renard told Algeria newspaper L’Expression today that another good outing in North Africa will be a big boost for Zambia.
“We hope we can replicate what we did in Egypt, one knows that one can replicate it against Algeria,” Renard told L’Expression.
Renard however said his charges would be cautious and are aware of the task that lies ahead in Blida this weekend.
“It will be necessary that one is alert during the match and that we should be disciplined in our play to hope to do something in Blida,” the Frenchman said.
Meanwhile, Zambia drew 0-0 on Wednesday evening in a training game against French Ligue 2 side Nimes.
And Renard today expects two more players to join the team before heading to Algeria just before midday tomorrow.
Delegation leader Boniface Mwamelo said from France today that Renard was expecting Chinese-based attacking midfielder James Chamanga and first choice goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene on Thursday.
Algeria currently lead Group C on 7 points from three games played while Zambia are 3rd with 4 points, level with 2nd placed Egypt, also from three matches played.
Zambia lost 2-0 to Algeria in their first Group C meeting played at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe in June.
Residents of Milenge in Mansa are up in arms against District Council Secretary David Kangwa and three other senior officers whom they are accusing of embezzling over K200 million Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
And the residents on Tuesday forced Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Jazzman Chikwakwa and Provincial Local Government Officer Alfred Nyambose to direct Mr Kangwa and the three other officers to stop reporting for work until the issue is resolved.
The residents carried placards and marched to the council offices and interrupted a meeting in which Mr Chikwakwa and Mr Nyambose were trying to reconcile the community and the officers.
The residents sang songs and chanted slogans demanding the removal of the four officers from Milenge council accusing them of plundering the institution.
Milenge District Commissioner (DC), Rosemary Malutu confirmed to ZANIS today that the council secretary and his three subordinates who include the chief administrative officer, treasurer and director of works were directed to stop reporting for work.
She said the offices of the four council senior management staff have been locked and keys handed over to security officers in the district.
The DC said the four council management officials have failed to account for about K200 million which was meant to be shared among the four out of 10 wards in Milenge.
She said only six wards received the share of the K400 million CDF funds, but even out of that the council officials failed to justify receipts for K38 million.
The Immigration Department in Nakonde in Northern Province has arrested ten Somali nationals for illegal entry into Zambia.
The Immigration Department has also arrested and detained three people, including two Zambian nationals and one Tanzanian, for allegedly aiding the prohibited immigrants.
Nakonde District Commissioner, Edwin Sinyinza, confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Nakonde today.
Mr Sinyinza said the prohibited immigrants were intercepted by alert immigration officers near Wulongo police check point, about 6 km from Nakonde border.
Mr Sinyinza said the Somali nationals are currently detained at Nakonde police station and will appear in court today.
The District Commissioner added that three taxi drivers have also been charged with various offences ranging from human trafficking, and are also expected to appear in court today.
Mr Sinyinza said the problem of prohibited immigrants entering the country has of late become rampant, adding that there was an urgent need for the security officers to step up the efforts in curbing the trend.
Mr Sinyinza has also warned local people to desist from aiding prohibited immigrants and that those being lured into making quick money should be dealt with severely once arrested.
“I want to take this opportunity to warn people assisting the prohibited immigrants that it is a serious offence and any one found wanting will be dealt with severely as it is a security risk to do so,” he said.
Mr Sinyinza also appealed to the Nakonde residents to be on high alert and report any suspicious looking people to the law enforcement agencies.
On Monday this week, 72 prohibited immigrants who included Tanzanian, Kenyan and Somali nationals were deported through Nakonde border by the Immigration Department.
Efforts to get a comment from Immigration Public Relations Officer Pauline Mbangweta, failed.
The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) says ZESCO has been directed to comply with its decision of ensuring that parastatal’s employees begin paying for electricity just like any other consumers.
ERB financial analyst, Simweemba Buumba, says ZESCO has in the past ignored similar directives but hoped that this time around the company adheres to the directive given by the board.
Mr Buumba who was speaking at an ERB public meeting at crystal lodge in Choma yesterday said ZESCO had a policy which allowed its employees to enjoy free electricity but that this was defeating the company’s efforts to be financially viable.
He said as part of measures to ensure the new introduced tariffs are cost reflective, ZESCO employees would begin paying for the service.
He was responding to concerns raised by members of the public on why ZESCO employees continued to enjoy free electricity at the expense of other consumers.[quote]
He said among the key performance indicators given to ZESCO by ERB are that of ensuring that losses were drastically reduced by 2010.
He said the newly introduced tariffs are not only cost reflective but will improve the performance of ZESCO.
Mr Buumba said ZESCO is also expected to meter all its customers as part of measures to reduce on losses.
There is a very valid concern amongst the patriotic citizens
about our country’s future. Whilst it is indisputable that Zambia’s present quandary can be assessed from virtually any angle, the supreme issue and general agreement is that we have an inadequate political leadership influencing the nations’ direction. And when I refer to the country’s inadequate leadership, I do not specifically refer to the government of the day, but address the entire current political leadership, both in the opposition and government. In the limited space our wonderful site “LT” affords us, allow me to make my case dubbed “Cry my beloved Zambia ”.
Allow me to comment on both the government of the day, as well as our opposition. It seems to me that to make it as a “politician” working in the government of the day in Zambia, one has to exhibit high levels of ignorance, intolerance, and worst of all little appreciation of what the majority of our citizenry is going through on a daily basis. These traits allow one to live in a world of oblivion, where one believes that our government is working at optimum, and leaves little room for one to realize that Zambia is fast going backwards. It is a sure and proven fact that the moment a government political leader has his or her personal moment of truth and/or clarity, it is inevitable that the “wrongs” of government will overshadow any imaginary “good” of our government. And should our enlightened “government politician” point out these wrongs, he or she is immediately perceived to be an enemy of the MMD, and [even more absurd] an enemy of the state. George Mpombo anyone? Thus we find the nonsensical but true rule that there is no room for “enlightened” leaders in government.
Then we have the current opposition leadership. Zambia currently has what we may term as an “imaginary” opposition leadership. First of all, an ideal opposition is supposed to look and act like a government in waiting, and our current opposition looks more like a circus in waiting.
Our opposition, by simple virtue of not being in the present government’s world of oblivion does in fact live in reality. But for a reason which is certainly not lost on me and many other Zambians, our opposition leadership has failed to translate this state of reality to sensible and productive politics. And all things considered, the reason is pretty simple. Our opposition leadership is entirely made up people of like-mindedness with the current government leaders. Our opposition is in fact either students or architects of the current hopeless political landscape.
From Ludwig Sondashi wanting his family to also “enjoy” State House, to the young Henry Sialupwa not happy that RB is “not sharing the cake” after lending support to the MMD, to Mr. Michael Sata who prays that Zambians are suddenly afflicted with amnesia. Go figure why I do not mention HH….I digress. My point is our opposition fails to “oppose” and provide alternatives chiefly because they are not a genuine opposition.
The current opposition was chiefly borne of personal ambitions which were not fulfilled within the ruling government of the day, and not out of a genuineness to provide alternative governance. Thus it remains difficult for us to even believe that a true change can be provided by the current opposition. The Zambian political scene finds itself in quite a bundle! LT Bloggers speak on it.
President Rupiah Banda says Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata cannot influence government because he is not the Head of State.
President Banda has challenged Mr. Sata against rushing to the press when aggrieved but consult government using the normal established channels of communication.
Answering questions from Journalists soon after his arrival from Libya at the Lusaka International Airport, President Banda maintained that he had nothing to do with the acquittal of second former Republican President Frederick Chiluba.
Mr. Banda said Mr. Sata cannot influence government and advised the opposition leader to concentrate on putting his party in order by reconciling with his Members of Parliament (MPs).
He said it was not appropriate for the opposition to tell government what to do when he had expelled his members of parliament.
“I had nothing to do with the acquittal of Dr. Chiluba. Sata should know that he lost elections and he is not the President of Zambia therefore he cannot influence government. He should talk to us (government) accordingly than rush to the press. Let him fire his own MPs as he normally does than tell us what to do,” President Banda said.
PF president Mr. Sata is quoted in the press as having asked President Banda to fire the Director of Public Prosecutor Chalwe Mchenga and Vice President Kunda for alleged indiscipline in the handling of the acquittal of Dr. Chiluba.
And President Banda says he wholeheartedly respects the decision of the Provincial and National Executive Committees (PEC and NEC) calling for the postponement of the MMD convention.[quote]
Mr. Banda said when the ruling party is fully organised, the date for holding MMD convention will be announced.
He challenged the opposition to hold their conventions because the ruling MMD is exhibiting true democracy.
“Our MMD convention will be held and the nation will be informed but let the opposition tell us when they will hold theirs,” he stated.
Meanwhile President Banda has said he assented to the NGO Bill because the MMD was a democratic party that upholds the rule of law and good governance.
He called upon the civil society to work with government to foster good governance and the tenets of democracy.
The President was met on arrival by Vice President George Kunda, cabinet Ministers, senior government and MMD party officials.
Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja has warned civil servants of disciplinary action should they decide to stay from work tomorrow, September 3.
Dr. Kanganja maintains that September 3, the date on which President Levy Mwanawasa was buried is not a public holiday because government has not gazetted it.
The Secretary to the Cabinet says he expects a 100 percent turn-out tomorrow for both public and civil servants.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that workers should not be misled by calendars showing that September 3 is a public holiday.
Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha last night announced that September 3 is not a public holiday because government has not gazetted it.
He said civil servants should know that the General Orders regulates them therefore they should adhere and abide to it.
Dr. Kanganja warned that Labour Commissioners from the Ministry of Labour and Social Services will go round to monitor the private sector companies who will defy government’s directive by giving their employees leave tomorrow.
“I want to reiterate the sentiments of the Chief Government Spokesperson who yesterday announced that September 3 is not a public holiday. I expect a 100% turn-up tomorrow because government has not yet gazetted it as a holiday. It is a normal working day,” he said.
He explained that if government had gazetted September 3 a public holiday, he could have issued a circular from his Office.
“I could have issued a circular from my Office to announce to members of the general public that September 3 is a public holiday but it is a normal working day,” he said.