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 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.
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.
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.
Some editorial staff from the Post Newspaper arrive at the Lusaka magistrate Court where they were summoned to appearLusaka 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
