President Rupiah Banda has sent an official apology to senior chief Puta of Chiengi for not being able to attend and officiate at this year’s 10th anniversary of the Bwilile ceremony in his personal capacity.

Presidential Affairs minister Ronald Mukuma, who was sent to stand for President Banda, apologised to chief Puta and his subjects for not attending the annual ceremony.

Mr Mukuma explained it was not deliberate that President Banda did not make it for this year’s Bwilile ceremony in Chiengi.

He said President Banda had gladly received the invitation by the senior chief to attend the ceremony that celebrates the food security of the area.

However, Mr Mukuma said President Banda was not able to travel to Chiengi to grace the because he was in South Africa holding bilateral talks with his counterpart Jacob Zuma.

The minister said at the same time President Banda was also due for his medical review in that country.

Mr Mukuma, who said he was only informed late afternoon yesterday that President Banda would not make it for Bwilile, asked senior chief Puta and his subjects to ignore some people who were insinuating that the President was in Lusaka and deliberately stayed away from the ceremony.

He said he was at the ceremony to represent President Banda and deliver the exact message as a that the President intended to deliver.

“Ignore those who are suggesting that President Banda is Lusaka and deliberately stayed away from the ceremony. They are telling lies because the President is in South Africa holding bilateral talks with South African President. He is also having his medical reviews,” Mr Mukuma said.

ZANIS

KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) has assured its suppliers and contractors that no contract will be cancelled for refusing to give a bribe to any of the company’s employees.

KCM Group security manager, Ernest Mubita said suppliers and contractors should not indulge in any corrupt activities with KCM employees and assured them that no one would have his or her contract cancelled for refusing to bribe any employee of the company.

Mr Mubita was speaking yesterday at the KCM security award presentation parade held at the KCM mine club ground in Chingola.

The deserving security officers were given motorbikes, bicycles, fridges and other household goods as rewards for the good work in protecting the mining company’s property.

Mr Mubita said suppliers and contractors should help to curb corruption, thefts and other dubious activities at any division of KCM by ensuring that they reported the matter to the security agencies of the mining company.

“The evil storm called crime has invaded all business organisations with very big waves called theft, fraud, corruption, abuse, misuse, and wastage and this is why, I am urging contractors and suppliers to help us, fight these crimes, especially corruption, which is a very devastative scourge.

“I am assuring the suppliers and contractors that no one will have his or her contract cancelled for refusing to give a bribe to any of the KCM employees. We need concerted efforts to fight vices that are retrogressive to economic revival and national development,” Mr Mubita said.

He said his department would remain steadfast, strong, brave, focused and impartial in fighting crime to save the company from losing its valuable and critical property and time.

He said the good work that his team was doing, had attracted intimidation from the crime perpetrators.

“So far, four houses belonging to some of these officers were targeted and attacked between 2005 and 2009. One of the houses was blasted using petrol bombs, whereas the other was reduced to rubble by a criminal mob, majority of these officers have received both verbal and written threats due to the courageous efforts that they are putting into fighting crime,” Mr Mubita said.

And speaking later, KCM chief executive officer, Kishore Kumar said all KCM employees should ensure that every property and materials purchased by KCM was put to the intended use and should ensure that no KCM property was stolen, abused, misused, vandalised or wasted.

Mr Kumar said he was happy that security officers had always been alert and vigilant in ensuring that property of KCM was well secured and protected.

Mr Kumar said because of their alertness and vigilance, some security officers were being physically attacked or threatened by criminals.

He assured those security officers that were being threatened that the company would support and protect them, saying he had directed the Group Security manager to ensure that protection was given to all deserving officers.

“To you officers, I say congratulations and continue working even harder than before like the Group Security manager had said. The tokens you have received cannot be compared to the value of property that you continue protecting in these difficult conditions, but these are just tokens of appreciation and recognition for your exemplary performance in executing your duties,” he said.-Times of Zambia

Vice President George Kunda says African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) spokesperson Amos Chanda and his colleague Tamara Kambikambi were part of the 17 members of the National Governing Council (NGC) due to pressure of the civil society on government to trim the number of staff.

Mr. Kunda also says government deemed it fit and necessary to cut down costs on African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and that government is merely responding to the civic concerns.

The Vice President told Parliament in Lusaka that 17 members have been removed from being members of the NGC and not only the two.

This was during the Vice President’s oral and answer session in Parliament today.

Vice President Kunda was responding to a question by Livingstone Member of Parliament (MP) Sakwiba Sikota who wanted to find out whether is was just two who were removed from the NGC and what criteria was used to reduce on the NGC membership.

” Amos Chanda and Tamara Kambi-Kambi were among the 17 members that were removed from the NGC to streamline the operations of the NGC and make it more effective,” The Vice President said.

He attributed factors leading to the reduction in NGC membership to attendance of meetings by members, the work done so far and also work relevance.

He disclosed that government will continue to monitor operations of the NGC and vowed that the NGC membership shall be reduced further until satisfactory expectations are met.

“It’s not targeting only two people but several NGC members were removed and as government we shall continue to monitor NGC operations to make it more effective,” Vice President Kunda said.

Meanwhile, Vice President George Kunda says government will in the next sitting present a Bill on Disaster Management to Parliament.

He told Parliament that government recognises that disasters in Zambia comes in partial and impartial natures depending on the weight of the calamity.

Mr. Kunda said the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under his Office will come up with a new legal framework to facilitate the formation of the Bill to be presented in Parliament.

He noted that Kanyama Compound in Lusaka was most hit by disasters during the last rain season hence the coming up with a new legal framework will help address disasters of that nature in that area and from across the nation.

And Vice President George Kunda has said the sale of Zambia Telecommunications (ZAMTEL) is final because government wants to modernise the firm and do away with obsolete equipment.

Mr. Kunda said in Parliament that the optic fibre government has embarked on is the most secure way of controlling connectivity as opposed to the current Band-width which is small.

He said it is in this regard that government is coming up with a legal framework on the operations of International Gate Way currently run by ZAMTEL.

Vice President Kunda was responding to a question by Mbabala MP Emmanuel Hachipuka was wanted to find out why government is not giving out the International Gate Way to private mobile providers; Zain and MTN alleging that ZAMTEL has failed to operate it.

ZANIS

Foundation for Community Action on HIV and AIDS (FOCA) coordinator Charles Kafula has been arrested in Kasama for alleged mis-appropriation of K 155 million meant for HIV and AIDS activities in Mungwi District.

Both health and police sources revealed the arrest of Kafula to ZANIS yesterday.

The sources said Kafula has been charged with theft by servant contrary to the law.

The suspect has since been released on police bond pending completion of investigations into the alleged misuse of the K155 million public funds.

Efforts to get comment from Northern Province police commanding officer Charles Lungu failed.

However, investigations in the matter are reported to have stalled because the police do not have funds to send its officers to Lusaka to apprehend a second suspect in the financial scandal.

Highly placed sources revealed that from the time the first suspect was arrested, police have made little progress in investigating the matter.

The sources warned that if police officers delay in traveling to Lusaka to apprehend the second suspect, the case would be difficult to conclude.

Recently, Northern Province Medical Officer Dr. Fabian Kabulubulu expressed concern at the slow pace of police investigations into the alleged misappropriation of K155million meant for HIV/AIDS activities in Mungwi District by a Lusaka based NGO.

Dr. Kabulubulu said investigations in the matter have dragged on since May, when the matter was first reported by Mungwi District Health Director Grace Nanyinza to the police.-Zanis