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Malawian High Commissioner to Zambia Chris Mugogo and two others were last evening involved in a road traffic accident on the Great East Road in Chipata.
Eastern Province Commanding officer Mary Chikwanda who confirmed the incident to ZANIS in Chipata today, said the accident happened on Thursday evening near Madzi Moyo.
Ms. Chikwanda named the two others as Rodgers Phiri 27 who is the driver and Banda Baudqa 31 a passenger, both of Lusaka.
She said it is believed that Mrs. Mugogo and two others met their fate when their car Registration number 28 DC 52Z failed to negotiate a corner near Madzi Moyo.
Ms. Chikwanda said the victims were rushed to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) yesterday for treatment.
She said the condition of the High Commissioner is stable and that she is responding well to treatment.
Ms. Chikwanda however said the condition of Mr. Phiri and Mr. Banda is bad due to the injuries they sustained.
She added that the accident was caused due to over speeding.
The Malawian High Commissioner was traveling to Chipata for the Kulamba traditional ceremony of the Chewa people of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has labeled Post Newspaper Editor In-chief Fred M’membe a ‘coward’.
Lt. Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting minister, has challenged Mr. M’membe to surrender and avail himself to the Police or law enforcement agencies like Post News Editor Chansa Kabwela has done, rather than hiding.
He hailed Ms Kabwela ,who is facing pornographic charges, as a brave woman for her co-operation with law enforcement agencies.
“M’membe is a coward. Why hide instead of facing the judiciary. His News Editor Chansa Kabwela is therefore brave…..I challenge him to avail himself to the police than to frustrate and waste time for judiciary,” he said.
Lt-Gen Shikapwasha, who was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, said police and other law enforcement agencies are on high alert to arrest Mr M’membe.
On September 2 2009, Lusaka Chief resident Magistrate Charles Kafunda issued a bench a warrant for the arrest of Mr. M’membe who was by press time still at large.
Zambia have arrived in Algiers ahead of Sundays 2010 World/African Cup Group A qualifier against host Algeria in Blida.
The team left France just before midday on Friday and took a 1 hour 30 minute flight from Marseille to Algiers where they landed in the Algerian capital at 12:30 Zambian time.
And two players joined up with the team in Algeria today.
Goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene of South African club Free State Stars and the Chinese -based attacking midfielder James Chamanga linked up with the rest of their Zambia team mates in Algeria today.
MONDO LEAVES LUSAKA DYNAMOS
Wesley Mondo has left Lusaka Dynamos less than a season in charge to take up an appointment in Botswana.
Mondo, who joined Dynamos at the start of this season, is said to be replacing another Zambian-born coach at Mochudi Centre Chiefs.
He is set to replace Beston Chambeshi who guided Centre Chiefs to 2nd place in the Botswana league last season and maiden league title in 2008.
Chambeshi has since returned home and this week joined Power Dynamos as assistant to Fodson Kabole.
Dynamos long-time assistant Luka Siame will take charge of the Queensmead side for the foreseeable future.
And their will be only one Faz Premier League game this weekend that will see City of Lusaka host Zesco United in a rescheduled Week 17 game at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka.
EVICTED: 61 monkeys removed from State House to the Munda Wanga Botanical Gardens in Chilanga under an operation code named ‘Shining Example.’ The mokeys are captured at Munda Wanga adapting to the new environment. Picture courtesy of Munda Wanga Botenical gardensPresident Rupiah Banda being welcomed by Libyan Secretary(Minister) of higher Education and scientific research Abdolkabir Alfalikry on arrival at Metiga Military Airport in Tripoli,Libya for the Special session of the African Union(AU) assembly on the consideration and resolution of conflicts in AfricaPresident Rupiah Banda walks abreast Libyan Secretary(Minister) of higher Education and scientific research Abdolkabir Alfalikry on arrival at Metiga Military Airport in Tripoli,Libya for the Special session of the African Union(AU) assembly on the consideration and resolution of conflicts in AfricaPresident Rupiah Banda shares a light moment with his Zimbabwean counterpart President Robert Mugabe during the official opening of the Special session of the African Union(AU) assembly on the consideration and resolution of conflicts in Africa held at shahabport in Tripoli, Libya.looking on is the Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi(centre)Some delegate following proceedings during the SADCOPAC meeting in LusakaA peasant farmer waiting for buyers to buy his maize crop in PetaukeA truck is stuck because of over heating along the Great East RoadA view of a place called Luangwa along the Great East Road where many businesses occurA wide view of the roadside at Katete in Eastern ProvinceA woman selling wild fruits called Masau at Luangwa along the Great East RoadAn artists selling woven artifacts at Luangwa along the Great East RoadAn unidentified pedestrian walks along the Great East Road reading writings at the welcome billboard in SindaBoutique...A clothes shop at Nyimba district along the Great East RoadPresident Rupiah Banda's 2008 campaign billboard still hanging at Luangwa along the Great East RoadOops! ...Another billboard from President Banda's 2008 campaign still hanging in KateteRoad works along the Great East Road have are up beat such as this stretch near NyimbaTransport by bicycle is common in Nyimba. Here a husband ferrying his wife on two wheelsEastern Province Minister Isaac Banda ( l) inspects culverts in Katete made by Hua Chang construction which has been engaged to repair feeder roads in Katete and Chipata districtsWelcome to ChipataEastern Province Minister Isaac Banda amd other officials inspect VIP arena in the shelter where the Kulamba ceremony will held this weekendSome people dancing during the Cell Zee Amabondi promotion draw in Lusaka
Chief Matanda has urged government and traditional leaders in the country to discourage traditional practices that accelerate the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Chief Matanda said as long as people do not give up certain beliefs and attitudes such as sexual cleansing the HIV/AIDS pandemic will still remain a problem in society.
The traditional leader said this when Mansa District Commissioner Chibwe Nsakasha who is on a familiarization tour of the district paid a courtesy call on him at his palace yesterday.
Chief Matanda urged his subjects and village headmen to refrain from acts that raised the HIV/AIDS infection and transmission rates.
He challenged all village headmen to take a leading role and get tested for HIV/AIDS to know their status as this will encourage their subjects to do the same.
Chief Matanda is an ardent HIV/AIDS activist in his chiefdom and was recently presented with a certificate for bravery and willingness to test for HIV/AIDS at a mobile Counseling and Testing (CT) activity conducted by the Peace Corps in his chiefdom.
He has also played a leading role in ending stigma and discrimination against HIV infected people in the area.
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.
