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Shikapwasha accuses Sata of hypocrisy over FTJ acquittal

Guest Editor
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shikapwasha

Government says the stance taken by Vice President George Kunda and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chalwe Muchenga does not amount to indiscipline.

Reacting to calls by Patriotic Front leader Micheal Sata, to have the Vice President and the DPP removed, Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha charged that the calls demonstrate Sata’s ignorance of the Zambian judiciary.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha says the calls to remove the DPP and Vice President, who is also Justice Minister, for alleged misconduct in the acquittal of former President Frederick Chiluba has further shown Mr. Sata’s hypocrisy.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka this afternoon, that although the PF leader has a right to express his opinion on the acquittal, he is not granted to demand the circumvention of the legal process.

He charged that it was hypocritical for Mr. Sata to assert that an appeal was obligatory for all acquittals when he did not demand an appeal against his own acquittal on theft charges seven years ago.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said Mr. Sata’s displeasure with the court’s ruling was not justifiable enough to charge Vice President and the DPP of misconduct.

“The Vice President as Minister of Justice and the DPP have rightly asserted the fact that an appeal arising from a prosecution that was being conducted on behalf of the DPP has to have the latter’s approval. Mr. Sata should also be reminded that in 2002 as PF leader smarting from resigning as Minister without portfolio a few months earlier was acquitted by the Lusaka Magistrate courts on charges of theft of a Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Land Cruiser valued at K15.8 and 40 million respectively” he said.

He said an appeal has to be approved by the DPP adding that lawyers from the Task Force on Corruption can only exercise their powers on his behalf.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha further said the DPP had stated that the Task Force on Corruption had no power to make an appeal without his approval and he would advise the way forward after studying the lower court’s ruling.

He has since advised Mr. Sata to conduct himself in an orderly manner and uphold the law and justice irrespective of the status of the person appearing before the courts.

He further stated that Mr. Sata’s statement had demonstrated that he could not be trusted to uphold the law.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said even the PF constitution clearly states how PF would control public institutions which includes the judiciary by ensuring that holders are committed to achieving PF goals.

ZANIS

Sinkala Joins Squad

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The list of players at Zambia’s training camp in the south of France swelled to 19 today.

Andrew Sinkala of 2.Bundesliga club Augsburg joined the team on Tuesday evening.

Today, defender Emmanuel Mbola from Pyunik Yerevan in Armenia joined the Zambia squad at 13:00, according to delegation leader Bonny Mwamelo from France this afternoon.

Zambia tonight take to the field to play a training game against French Ligue 2 club Nimes.

The team will leave for Algeria on Friday ahead of Sunday’s 2010 World/Africa Cup Group C match to be played at 23:00 Zambian time in Blida.

Court orders Mmembe’s arrest

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Some editorial staff from the Post Newspaper arrive at the Lusaka magistrate Court where they were summoned to appear
Some editorial staff from the Post Newspaper arrive at the Lusaka magistrate Court where they were summoned to appear
Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate, Charles Kafunda, has issued a bench warrant against Post Newspapers Editor in Chief, Fred Mmembe.

Mr. Kafunda issued the warrant of arrest on Wednesday after Mr. Mmembe failed to appear in court to answer charges of contempt.

Mr. Mmembe and the entire editorial staff of the Post newspaper were summoned on Monday over an article published by the newspaper recently headlined “the Chansa Kabwela case, comedy of errors”.

Post newspaper Editor, Chansa Kabwela, is in court for allegedly circulating a picture of a woman giving birth.

She has been charged with one count of circulating obscene material.

Some Post newspaper editorial staff turned up in court on Wednesday but Mr. Mmembe was missing.

This prompted Magistrate Kafunda to order his arrest.

Mr. Kafunda said although the defence has argued that the summons was not served on Mr. Mmembe, the Post newspaper Editor in Chief was fully aware of the call out.

He said Mr Mmembe’s failure to appear before the court is an attempt to distance himself from an article published in the newspaper last Thursday.

[ZNBC]

Mansa residents prefer traditional methods of child spacing

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The health sector in Mansa says modern family planning methods have dropped in the area because people preferred practicing traditional methods of child spacing.

This came to light yesterday during the Behavioral Change Communication (BCC) re-orientation workshop for Community Based Distributors (CBD) and Safe Motherhood Action Groups (SMAGs) which was organized by UNFPA in Mansa yesterday.

Giving a presentation on the importance of Family Planning, Senama Clinic Health Center staffer Marriet Mwale said that people are not in support of modern family planning methods which are a big challenge for the health institution.

Mrs. Mwale said that most women were not allowed to practice modern family planning by their spouses and resorted to traditional methods such as taking of marijuana seeds while others were using concoctions to prevent pregnancies.

She said that there were a lot of myths and beliefs surrounding the use of modern family planning which included the fear of contracting the HIV/AIDS virus because communities believe that injectable contraceptives contain the virus that causes AIDS.[quote]

She further said people also believe that contraceptive pills causes barrenness in women, continuous menstrual periods and that the pills allegedly caused cancer.

She added that on the use of condoms as a mode of contraceptive couples were not keen because they felt that there was no sexual satisfaction and that rural people believed that condoms were for those who are infected with the HIV/AIDS virus.

Mrs. Mwale explained that Senama Clinic with a catchment area of over 25 000 people has had about 754 women accessing antenatal clinic services between January and August 2009 adding that a total of 148 had tested HIV positive.

Mrs. Mwale said that 25% of the women accessed modern family planning adding the rest shunned the practices of family planning.

And Mansa UNFPA program officer Joyce Chabala said there was need to sensitize the communities on the importance and benefits of family planning.

Mrs. Chabala family planning reduced the risk of maternal deaths and that government wanted had put in place the policy of family planning in the health sector because women had the right to good health before, during and after giving birth.

ZANIS

Zesco blames national blackout on Zim bush fires

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Zesco Head Office
Zesco Head Office

ZESCO says it has put in place security measures to ensure the countrywide black out that plunged the country last year due to bush fires from the Zimbabwean side of the inter connector does not occur again.

Acting Managing Director, Cyprian Chitundu who disclosed this in Mazabuka when he addressed Commercial farmers and other business persons at Mazabuka’s Tennis club, yesterday, said the problem of bush fires requires urgent solutions because of the implications.

” Bush fires cause tripping which disturbs the system and to avoid this we have engaged our (Zimbabwe) colleagues in discussions to ensure the power lines on their side are cleared to avoid another problem,” said Chitundu.

Mr Chitundu said the measures put in place involve high level discussions with the Zimbabwean Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to ensure bush around the power lines from Kariba in Zambia at the border with that country to Harare is cleared.

He told the meeting, last year Zambia, was plunged into total darkness because of bush fires from the Zimbabwean side that affected the interconnection and disturbed the ZESCO power system that resulted in transformers tripping down.

Mr Chitundu said failure by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority to clear bush from the power lines, would force ZESCO to open the inter connector to protect the Zambian power system.

” ZESCO would be forced to open the inter connector for fear of plunging the country into total darkness that is if our counterparts from Zimbabwe do not remove the grass around power lines,” said Chitundu.

ZANIS

Hearse fees to start at K30,000 in Luanshya

Guest Editor
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Luanshya Municipal Council has approved fees for hire of its two hearses ranging between K30, 000 to K180,000 depending on the distance.

This is according to the circular signed by town clerk Andrew Mwanakulanga and obtained by ZANIS in Luanshya today.

The fares from Thompsom Hospital mortuary to the old cemetery is K30,000 while those to Walale ,Fisenge and Mpatamatu is K50,000 and K80, 000, respectively.

The circular revealed that the hire of the hearse from Roan hospital to Mpatamatu, Town center, fisenge and walale cemeteries will be K30,000, K60,000, K100,000 and K80,000 respectively.

The fees for inter- town burials from Luanshya to Ndola, Kitwe and Masaiti is pegged at K150,000, K180,000 and K130,000 respectively.

The two hearses are meant for Luanshya and Roan constituencies. 100 hearses were recently given to all councils by the ministry of local government and housing where the acting minister of local government Bradford Machila told the receipents not to charge over K300,000.
ZANIS

Grandson calls for arrest of his grandfather for defilement

Guest Editor
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A 25 year old man in Kawambwa district has urged police in the area to arrest his grandfather for allegedly defiling his 13 year old sister.
The girl is reported to be a grade seven pupil in the area.

Older brother to the minor, Moses Mwamba of Katungulu village in Chief Munkanta’s area confirmed the incident to ZANIS in Kawambwa yesterday.

He said Police should arrest his over 75 year old grandfather, Dominic Sememba for allegedly defiling his younger sister last month.

Mr Mwamba alleged that Mr Sememba who is a widower told his grand daughter to get charcoal for her mother from his bedroom.
He said after the minor entered the bedroom, the grandfather followed, pulled the girl and defiled her.

According to Mr Mwamba, Mr Sememba revealed to the girl’s parents on August 31 that he had defiled the grand daughter as a way of cleansing himself after he lost his wife.
He said the girl also admitted to her parents that her grandfather defiled
her.

Mr Mwamba said he has decided to report the incident to the police because people in the area wanted the case to die.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwamba has said his younger sister’s life has been ruined and asked government to punish defilers.

Police sources in the area today confirmed having received the report about the alleged defilement.
They could not give further details but said the suspect has been directed to report to the Police station today.

ZANIS

Zambia is playing down prophet’s warning

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By Kahalu Ngombo

Zambia’s body of Christ has done little about repenting ever since Prophet David Edward Owuor warned the nation, last May and June, of God’s wrath. Except for few undertones and far cries, no one is setting the ball rolling to reverse the situation like the people of Nineveh who were spared because they repented and proclaimed a fast.

Late last May, Owuor flew to Lusaka and spoke on Trinity Broadcasting Network Zambia (TBZ) television. He made another trip to the city, within two weeks, for a three day meeting at Edwin Imboela Stadium.

In all instances, his message called for the church to bring its evils to a halt, particularly sermons that centre on prosperity and not holiness. He said the love of money is leading the church not to focus on Jesus Christ but lies, false prophesies, witchcraft and sexual immorality.

While Zambia has increasingly become a permissive society with a casual attitude towards moral purity, the nation is playing down the prophet’s warning. In fact soon after Owuor’s message on TBZ, his host, chairman and CEO of the station, Apostle Dan Pule, said, “Don’t stop giving money to your churches. The church needs money to do its activities.” He added, “The prophet came by plane and is staying in an hotel. All that needs money.”

What is intriguing is fasting and prayer for matters such as the rains and peace usually take centre stage in the land. But why all the indifference? One certainty is that Zambians are too busy with the cares of this world.

Since most people are unemployed and Zambia, like many African countries, does not offer unemployment benefits, almost everyone has business aspirations or already doing business of some sort. Again, as most gross monthly salaries range between 250,000 to 1.5 million Kwacha (50 to 300 US dollars), everyone has joined the money-hunting party.

As such, Zambians today no longer rest on holidays. Rather they open their shops and market stalls, with some Christians staying away from church because of work. One Nigerian living in the country since the late 90s said of this, “Zambians have now woken up. They now know that in the real world you have to work on Sundays otherwise you eat nothing.”

Many have internalized this view. But Christians know it’s an apparent violation of God’s law with the intended effect of being hellbound. What’s more, making amends with The Most High is a must because when God speaks, the directions must be taken seriously and obeyed immediately. One is appalled when God’s people sin but try to justify themselves.

Elijah Seyama, a Pastor in Lusaka said, “What that man of God from Kenya said is true. We need to balance our messages and cut off the sins that he cited.”

Prophet Owuor’s track record is splendid. If the Christian nation does nothing at all, the world will witness great weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Government not happy with IMF-Chileshe Kapwepwe

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GOVERNMENT has expressed concern that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) instruments have not been fundamentally tailored to help meet fiscal requirements of Low Income Countries (LCIs).

Finance and National Planning Deputy Minister, Chileshe Kapwepwe said the IMF resources should be allowed to be used to meet fiscal needs and financing gaps in the budget as part of structural reforms in Low Income Countries.

Ms Kapwepwe said this in Livingstone today when she officially opened a Workshop on Formulation of a Strategic Framework and Action Plan for the Enhanced Engagement of Africa with the World Bank group at Zambezi Sun.

She said as regards to the Zambian experience, the World Bank’s rate of reaction to the global financial crisis has been lukewarm adding that the bank still has delays emanating from too many procedures and excessive conditions.[quote]

Ms Kapwepwe further noted that the World Bank lacked predictability in the disbursement of resources citing the US$20 million budget support facility that was agreed in January 2009 as having not yet been released as the bank has cited an unachieved conditionality.

She said this was despite the country being faced with huge revenue deficits in the budget caused by the crisis adding that the bank, unlike other International Financial Institutions (IFIs) has also been reluctant to frontload assistance to deal with the effects of the crisis.

”We have also noted that the bank has still maintained an excessive number of missions for feasibility studies on projects, which studies take long. These are followed by lengthy project designs and approvals. This practice has continued without reform. This has resulted in the undermining of the bank’s role as global leaders in development financing,” she said.

She further noted with concern that the IFIs in general were not putting in place long term support beyond the crisis stage to ensure full recovery.

Ms Kapwepwe said as part of the strategy, the Bank needs to show flexibility by allowing access to more funds for high return public sector projects rather than continue opposing alternative borrowing from new lenders such as China and India without offering lasting alternatives.

She commended the World Bank and the African Union for organising the three day workshop currently taking place in Livingstone adding that it would surely resolve some of the problems facing the Low Income Countries.

Ms Kapwepwe said the meeting was a prudent idea for Africa as it would soon position the continent in a way that would ensure that it benefits from the facilities that had been put in place.

She added that African countries should not allow current facilities to become political tools by some sections of the international community to manage the continents’ economies as had been the case in some instances.

Ms Kapwepwe urged participants at the workshop to ensure that strategies formulated from the workshop are accompanied by continued advocacy for greater voice and representation in the World Bank Group.

And speaking earlier, African Union Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Maxwell Mkwezalamba said the outcome of the workshop would be tabled at the G20 summit due to take place in Washingston later next month.

Dr Mkwezalamba noted that in as much as funds were available, African countries found it difficult to access the funds due to conditionalities attached to it.

He hoped that after tabling the resolutions of the workshop, the World Bank would consider easing conditions for accessing funds.

Dr Mkwezalamba said the AU was looking forward to the revision of the conditionalities to allow Low Income Countries to access the funds in the face of the financial economic crisis.

He also challenged Africa to look at the need of mobilising the continents’ own resources.

ZANIS

RB extends NCC time frame by 10 months

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NCC Chairman Chifumu Banda
NCC Chairman Chifumu Banda

President Rupiah Banda has extended by 10 month the period in which the National Constitutional Conference(NCC)is supposed to complete its work.

NCC Chairman Chifumu Banda says the extension is in accordance with section 22 of the NCC Act.

The NCC which started in December 2007 had a duration of 12 months which expired in April this year.

And Mr. Banda says the General purpose committee of the NCC will make recommendations to government on how best to speed up the work of the NCC.

President Rupiah Banda recently announced that he would meet the NCC to discuss ways of speeding up the constitution making process.

He urged the delegates to be sensitive to calls for prudent management of resources from various quarters of society.

[ZNBC]

Six arrested over radio presenter’s burnt house

Guest Editor
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Police in Nchelenge district in Luapula province have arrested six people in connection with the burning of a house belonging to a presenter at a local radio station.

Confirming the development to ZANIS, Luapula Province Police Chief, Auxencio Mbewe said the six men were picked up in the early hours of today in Kenani area.

The Provincial police chief said the men have been detained to help with police investigations in the case where Philip Kambiko, a presenter at radio Luapula lost property worth millions of kwacha after unknown  people burnt his house on Saturday night.

He said the men who were apprehended with the help of the community are being held at Nchelenge police station. Mr Mbewe has paid tribute to members of the public for the support they have rendered to the police in the investigation of the matter.

It is believed that Mr Kambiko’s house was burned by people who were not happy with his condemning of destructive fishing methods being used on Lake Mweru during one of his programmes.

ZANIS

Cifire commends CHIN’s report on children

Guest Editor
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Angela-Cifire-
Sports Youth and Child Development Deputy Minister Angela Cifire has called on the private sector to supplement government’s efforts in reaching out to the communities through awareness campaigns and other support activities.

Ms. Cifire was speaking in Lusaka today at the launch of the dissemination of reports on maximizing positive synergies between global health initiatives and health systems strengthening and other reports by Children In Need Network (CHIN) at Alliance Francaise.

She said government appreciated CHIN efforts in coming up with a report on children’s rights.

Ms. Cifire assured civic groups that her ministry would take time to study the report and find ways to address the many challenges faced by children.

And Ms. Cifire has said her Ministry is saddened by the high incidence of sexual abuse cases in the country.
She said acts of sexual abuse on children were detrimental to national development.

Ms. Cifire also said government was committed to meeting the health needs of children living with the HIV virus by providing free ARVs as a way of mitigating the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS in the country.

Speaking earlier CHIN Director Pamela Chisenga said the report was a tremendous achievement towards the strengthening of programmes that deal with the needs of children.

Ms. Chisanga said CHIN has worked hard to come up with a research to adopt a different approach in tackling issues that affect children.

She said CHIN has made various recommendations to several stakeholders like government and civil society on how to improve the livelihood of children.

ZANIS

Updated: Zambia Begin France Training Camp

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Coach Herve Renard’s side has began their week long training camp in the south of France with an almost full squad at the teams Mediterranean  base ahead of Sundays 2010 World/African Cup Group C qualifier away against Algeria.

Only three players are still begin expected and they include first choice goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene of Free State Stars in South Africa.

Others are midfielder Andrew Sinkala of 2.Budesliga club Augsburg and defender Emmanuel Mbola of Pyunik Yerevan of Armenia and Israeli based William Njobvu.

Delegation leader Boniface Mwamelo said from France today that Mbola was expected arrive in the Zambia camp early on Wednesday morning after completing his visa formalities in Lusaka today.

Sinkala on the other hand is expected this evening at 22:00 while Njobvu will land three hours earlier.

Mwamelo said Zambia will play French Ligue 2 club Nimes in a training game on Wednesday evening at 18:00 local time.

He said Zambia will later depart for Algeria on Friday at 11:00 ahead of  their Group C qualifier against their hosts in Blida on Sunday night.

State House surrenders monkeys to Munda Wanga

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STATE House has surrendered monkeys to Munda Wanga Trust and Born Free Foundation.

The move is aimed at decongesting the State House which has about 200 monkeys.

So far, 61 primates have been humanely captured and translocated to Munda Wanga where they are being accommodated, medically assessed and cared for.

“The President wanted some of them removed, relocated and released humanely back into the wild, so he turned to the Munda Wanga Trust and Born Free Foundation’s Lunga Luswishi Wildlife Project to ensure this was done professionally,” director of the Trust, Bill Thomas, said.

The Munda Wanga Trust, which has been working closely with the Born Free Foundation for over five years, and has considerable experience of rehabilitating and reintroducing monkeys and yellow baboons into the wild, immediately responded to this presidential request.

“Clearly, the grounds of State House were becoming overcrowded and some primates were escaping and becoming a nuisance to the Lusaka Golf Course, nearby hotel and local residential properties and embassies in the area. Naturally, we agreed to assist and the operation is underway,” Mr Thomas said.

The plan is to release as many of them as possible into the wild as part of integrated social groups.

The primates are prepared for their rehabilitation in a number of ways, including predator avoidance training and exposure to naturally occurring fruits and seeds so that they stand the best possible chance of a successful transition to their natural habitat.

“It is obviously incredibly heartening that the President himself has personally taken this humane course of action and that he has turned to the Munda Wanga Trust and Born Free to carry out Operation ‘Shining Example’.

It is a significant vote of confidence in our abilities.

“However, it has naturally placed a considerable strain on our resources, both human and financial, and I urge all those who care about the welfare and the future prospects of these animals to contact us and support us in whatever way they can,” founder of the Born Free Foundation, Virginia McKenna, said.

The Trust estimates that it will cost approximately US$50,000 to see the translocation through to a successful conclusion.

They further estimate that it will be necessary to remove approximately 200 primates from the grounds of State House to bring the problem under control.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Senanga hospital lacking incubators

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Senanga district hospital in Western Province has no incubators to keep premature born babies at the hospital.

This came to light when Western Province Permanent Secretary Ikanuke Noyoo visited the hospital at the weekend.

Acting Nursing Officer, Beatrice Mukambo, said the hospital has no incubators resulting in premature babies being kept close to their mothers as a way of keeping them warm.

Ms Mukambo appealed to government to consider purchasing incubator machines for the hospital which also caters for Shangombo district whose hospital is under construction.

And Mr Noyoo said its government’s desire to ensure that quality health services are delivered to the people in the province.

Mr Noyoo said government through the ministry of health will ensure that hospitals are equipped with machines to serve lives.

The Permanent Secretary further commended the hospital management for keeping the wards and surroundings clean adding that the environment was good for patients’ quick recovery.

ZANIS

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