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Mpelembe miners up in arms

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Mpelembe Drilling Company employees today almost stoned their Head Office in Luanshya in protest against management’s failure to pay them salaries.

Mine workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) Mpelembe Branch Chairman, Geofrey Lishika, confirmed the development to ZANIS, adding that he was at pains to restrain the irate workers who carried stones and other missiles with the view of demolishing the offices.

Mr Lishika said the workers, who have not been working, were agitated because they have not been paid their half-salaries for the past five months, adding that most of them were living like destitutes.

He appealed to government to intervene in the matter before the situation becomes volatile.

He said he had to petition government through the District Commissioner’s office over the immediate sale of the company to a strategic partner who would be able to revive its operations.

Mr Lishika said the workers had suffered enough because of the collective agreement which binds them not to look for employment elsewhere for fear of forfeiting their benefits.

He said the District Commissioner, George Kapu, had arranged a tripartite meeting of the union, management and the labour minister next week to chart the way forward.

Some of the workers, who were met by the ZANIS crew, were flanked by their spouses and children demanded that union leaders give them food because they were starving.

ZANIS

Kalaba, Lungu Get Late Call-ups For Ghana Friendly

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Rainford Kalaba and Mischek Lungu have been included in Zambia’s friendly against Ghana tomorrow evening in London at Brisbane Road in the East End.

Faz communications officer Erick Mwanza said today in Lusaka that Kalaba and Lungu who are based in Portugal and Hungary respectively have been drafted in following a spate of withdrawals.

This follows over a dozen potential no-shows for the game due to problems in getting UK visa and injury.

Missing will be most or all of the five South African based contingent after delays in getting their UK visas filed in time at the British high commission in Pretoria including James Chamanga who is based in China.

Three European based players attendance for the game is also in question with midfielder Andrew Sinkala from Augsburg in Germany while defender Emmanuel Mbola from Pyunik Yerevan in Armenia is reportedly injured.

However, coach Herve Renard is also keeping his fingers crossed and hoping that former Under-23 midfielder Chanda Mwaba from RoPS in Finland will make the journey down to the London East end to play.

Mwaba is expected to make his senior debut after a three-year hiatus from the international scene.

Meanwhile, the match will also be Renard’s first meeting against the Black Stars with whom he served as physical trainer two years ago under then coach and his mentor Claude Leroy.

Zesco United Dealt Striking Blow

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Zesco United have been dealt a big blow with the news that they will be without a key player for their Caf African Champions League Group A game against El Merreikh of Sudan this Saturday.

Zesco travel to Sudan tomorrow without their top scorer in the Caf African Champions League.

The Ndola club revealed today that striker Enoch Sakala, with four Caf African Champions League goals this season, will serve an extra one-match ban after Caf extended his suspension for an extra one game.

Sakala missed Zesco’s match day 2 trip to Sudan a fortnight ago where they lost 2-0 away to Al Hilal.

The striker has accumulated four yellow cards in this years Caf African Champions League campaign with the first coming in the preliminary round home and away against Mathare United of Kenya.

That suspension saw him miss Zesco’s 0-0 first round away draw to Africa Sports of Cote d’Ivoire.

Shoprite workers down tools

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Shoprite workers protesting with a mock coffin behind the Manda Hill branch in Lusaka
Shoprite workers protesting with a mock coffin behind the Manda Hill branch in Lusaka
Unionized Shoprite workers country wide have gone on

strike forcing management to close outlets.

The unionized workers are demanding that management expedites the introduction of a local pension scheme.

A check by ZNBC at Shoprite Cairo road and Manda Hill in Lusaka found workers seated outside while security officers manned the gates.

The situation was the same in Kitwe, Luanshya and Livingstone.

In Kitwe, workers gathered outside singing songs denouncing management.

And addressing the workers at Shoprite Manda Hill, Labour Deputy Minister, Simon Kachimba, urged them to be patient as government was addressing their concerns.

Mr. Kachimba said government has summoned a Shoprite executive officer from South Africa to discuss the matter.

National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers General Secretary, John Bwalya, told ZNBC in Kitwe that workers have rejected the pension scheme which was calculated in South Africa.

Mr. Bwalya said that Shoprite Management made pension calculations based on the South African laws which are not in line with the Zambian labour laws.

This is the second time that unionised workers at the chain store have gone on strike this year demanding introduction of a local pension scheme and improved conditions of service.

[ZNBC]

12 people arrested, 36 bars closed

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12, including juveniles, have been arrested by Council police for disorderly conduct in Kasama.

And Kasama Municipal Council has shut down 36 bars for contravening the Liquor Licensing Act.
Acting Council Town Clerk, Francis Nkhoma, confirmed the development to ZANIS in Kasama today.

Mr Nkhoma said the six adults and six juveniles were picked up following their unruly behaviour when the Council police raided the bars and night clubs to enforce the law on liquor licensing, over the weekend.
He expressed concern that under-age children have continued to patronize bars and night clubs contrary to the law.

Mr Nkhoma has threatened to revoke trading licences for bar and night club owners who deliberately violate the law by allowing children to patronize their places.

And Mr Nkhoma revealed that 28 bars were closed in Kasama for failing to observe the stipulated time of 22:00 hours for closing their premises.

He also said eight other bars were shut down for operating without licences.

Mr Nkhoma has since warned bar and night club owners found abrogating the Liquor Licensing Act that they would have their premises shut down indefinitely.

ZANIS

Chinese loan to help construct grain storage sheds in Zambia

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Peasant farmers pondering their next move after the Food Reserve agency failed to buy their maize. This led to the farmers spending nights in the cold in Kasama
Peasant farmers pondering their next move after the Food Reserve agency failed to buy their maize. This led to the farmers spending nights in the cold in Kasama

Government has commenced the construction of grain storage sheds, throughout the country, under the Chinese concession loan facility.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, Dr. Brian Chituwo, who officiated at the ground breaking ceremony in Kapiri Mposhi today, said that the exercise is in line with government’s commitment to agricultural development through improved market infrastructure.

Dr. Chituwo said the construction of the grain storage sheds will help small scale farmers in rural areas to have access to markets for their produce.

He said that government attaches great importance to the agricultural sector because of the critical role it plays in the development of the country’s economy.

Speaking earlier Food Reserve Agency (FRA) Board Chairman, Costain Chilala said that the Agency is pleased to be the recipient of these facilities because of the need for additional storage sheds in the country.

Mr. Chilala said that availability of adequate and good quality storage facilities in the production and consumption areas is vital for national food security.

He said that once completed the sheds will go a long way in minimizing the losses and costs that result from poor storage facilities.

A total of eight districts will benefit from this project, which will result in the addition of 98,000 metric tones of secure storage capacity.

The construction programme of storage sheds will be under taken by CAMCO International at the cost of US $11.6 million.

ZANIS

Chipata Council runs out of receipts

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Chipata Municipal Council has run out of receipts for revenue collection in markets.

The situation has hindered the local authority from collecting enough money to be channeled to various social activities in the district.
Town clerk Golden Banda told ZANIS in an interview that this follows the council’s decision not to have receipt books locally printed.

Mr Banda said the local authority decided not to get the receipts printed within Chipata for security reasons as some Council officers were last month suspended for issuing fake receipts.

The six employees were alleged to have printed double receipt books and were not issuing the original council receipts to clients who paid levies.

A survey conducted by ZANIS yesterday found some public toilets closed due to non-availability of receipts which are issued to people who pay to use the toilets.

“The collection of revenue at markets in Chipata has been derailed because of receipt books which have run out and that information did not reach this office on time,” he said.

However, Mr Banda stated that a Lusaka-based company, which won the tender through the local authority Tender Board, would soon print receipt books for the Council.

ZANIS

RB launches Levy Patrick Mwanawasa centre

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President Rupiah Banda yesterday launched the Levy Patrick Mwanawasa Centre of the Great Lakes Region for promotion of good governance, human rights and civic education.

President Banda, who has taken over the Chairmanship of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, launched the Centre in Lusaka during the third International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Summit, held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

President Banda disclosed that a place has already been found where the Centre would be constructed.

He said at least 58 Chief Executives, who are civil servants, have been attached to the Centre’s Secretariat to implement and domesticate issues in the Great lakes Region pact on security, stability and development.

And speaking at the same function, United Nations Development Programme Country Representative McLeod Nyirongo welcomed the launch of the Centre and pledged to support it in enhancing good governance in Zambia and in the entire Great Lakes Region.

He expressed confidence that the Pact on security, stability and development will be implemented for the benefit of the people in the Great Lakes Region.
ZANIS

Kick out Magande – Ndola MMD

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magande1THE MMD leadership in Ndola has petitioned the party’s national executive committee (NEC) to ensure that presidential hopeful and chairman for finance Ng’andu Magande is removed from his party position for allegedly destabilising the party.

The district leadership petition to NEC says that Mr Magande should be removed from the party for allegedly being the root cause of the destabilisation currently being experienced by the party.

But when contacted for a comment, Mr Magande said he was only aware that some people had been suspended from the party in Ndola for allegedly being linked to him but that he had not received any petition accusing him of destabilising the party.

According to the petition to the NEC signed by disciplinary committee chairman, Victor Chimuka and district secretary, Jeff Chishala, which was also copied to Mr Magande, the Ndola MMD leadership accused Mr Magande of causing instability in the party.

They asked Mr Magande to put himself in the shoes of the incumbent party president, Rupiah Banda and think of what he would do to people undermining his leadership as party president.

“Even if you were president, we are sure you would not condone such levels of indiscipline emanating from such activities and conduct.

“In view of the foregoing, we petition NEC to take strong action against you since we have no jurisdiction to discipline you which we would have done long time ago,” reads the petition.[quote]

“Your visits to the constituencies is no doubt aimed at dividing the party contrary to provisions of article 10 of our party constitution which cannot go without attracting serious disciplinary charges as provided under MMD Disciplinary Regulation of 1993 appendices “B” subsections a , b, f and j,” the petition states .

The petition says that due to Mr Magande’s series of clandestine meetings held on June 14, the party had been forced to get rid of four constituency officials.

The petition among other things alleges that Mr Magande recruited campaign agents in Ndola after hoodwinking that that he had been sent by the NEC to hold a series of meetings.

It says that during all the meetings, Mr Magande targeted possible delegates to the national convention.

According to the petition during meetings, Mr Magande claimed that he was the most preferred successor of the late President Levy Mwanawasa.
It says the decision to hide from the district and provincial was strange and undermining local leadership.

[Times of Zambia]

ZAIN was given 3G test authorisation-CA

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THE Communication Authority (CA) of Zambia has said it legally issued the test authorisation to Zain Zambia to conduct trials for third generation (3G) services in the country two years ago.

And the CA has said Vodacom Zambia chairperson Enoch Kavindele’s interpretation of the injunction against the authority would entail plunging Zambia into confusion because most communication projects would grind to a halt.

Acting director – public relations and consumer affairs Ngabo Nankonde said in Lusaka yesterday the test authorisation was issued on August 13, 2007 before Mr Kavindele obtained any injunction.

Ms Nankonde said the authorisation was for establishing the usability of technology in Zambia among other things.
She said the authorisation of the trial, which would be conducted at no commercial value, was not in contravention of the injunction granted to Mr Kavindele.

Ms Nankonde was reacting to Mr Kavindele’s complaint on Sunday that the CA had issued Zain Zambia the 3G licences when the injunction restrained it from granting any licences relating to telecommunication until the matter was disposed of.

She said that the interpretation would have telling effects on the tele and mobile phone communication, banking, the national security and the aviation industry.

Ms Nankonde said Mr Kavindele seemed to suggest that the injunction granted to him restrained the authority from issuing or renewing licences until the discharge of the injunction.[quote]

“The above interpretation would also among other things, affect telephone communication, internet banking via the mobile phone, etc. leading to stagnation of national development,” she said.

The situation would also affect national security as the security agencies would not have frequency spectrum needed for their communication.

Ms Nankonde said other effects of the interpretation would be that the final migration of Frequent Modulation (FM) broadcasting band re-planning would not take place while aircraft registered in Zambia would not be able to renew their aeronautical licences.

She said the authority failed to understand Mr Kavindele’s motive saying interpretation would re-orient the social and security situations.

“We do not understand the intention of the former vice-president because the matter at hand is the fourth mobile licence and nothing to do with other licences and spectrum that are not fourth mobile related.

“In view of the above, Mr Kavindele’s interpretation would have adverse effect on not only the economy but also the social and security aspect of the nation,” Ms Nankonde said.

[Times of Zambia]

We are not using government vehicles in Chitambo-MMD

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Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) has refuted allegations by the Patriotic Front (PF) that the party is using government vehicles during the on-going campaigns in the Chitambo by-elections.

MMD Deputy National Secretary Jeff Kaande said in an interview in Serenje that the MMD party purchased nine vehicles from China for MMD provincial chair ladies.[quote]

Mr Kaande disclosed that the party had already paid about K430milion duty for the vehicles in question.

He has since advised Mr. Michael Sata, the opposition PF leader, to refrain from spreading inflammatory remarks but instead seek the truth.

Meanwhile, Vice-President George Kunda announced that government has set aside K80 million to construct a 1 by 3 classroom block at Yolamu Primary School in Chitambo constituency.

Mr Kunda said this at a rally held at Yolamu Primary School in Chitambo constituency yesterday.

Mr. Kunda said that plans to construct the classroom block were made before the Chitambo parliamentary seat fell vacant.

Mr. Kunda said that the programme was an going exercise aimed at improving infrastructure in schools.

The Vice President also disclosed that government had embarked on a programme of rehabilitating roads in rural areas and has since purchased equipment from the People’s Republic of China for that purpose.

Mr. Kunda has called upon the people of Serenje to vote wisely in the fourth coming by-elections.

ZANIS

Zambian coal buyers continue importing coal from Zimbabwe

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Coal mining companies have bemoaned the lack of market for their produce as prospective buyers continue importing the commodity.

The two major coal producing companies, Chinese Collume Coal Mine (CCCM) and the Maamba Collieries Limited (MCL), both located in Southern Province, are facing serious challenges of finding market for their produce, a situation that puts the future of their employees at stake.

CCCM Shaft Two Director Xu Zian Rui told ZANIS that washed coal was being stored in its mining area with only a few customers from Lusaka going to buy a bit of it.

He said the state of affairs was affecting the workers who were being told to stop working once their storages were filled.

Mr. Rui said that currently the company has reduced the shifts from three to two to avoid over production since there was no enough space to store the coal.

He disclosed that Largarge PLC (formerly Chilanga Cement PLC) was still buying coal from Zimbabwe.

Mr Rui said that the company had enough coal for sale and urged the Zambian companies to be buying from them rather than going to Zimbabwe were they incurred more costs in transportation.

At Maamba Coal Mine thousands of coal had been heaped and there were no customers to buying it.

The situation has affected the workers as they have not been paid their salaries for two months.

ZANIS

Chief Moyo of the Tonga people lashes out at Chief Nalubamba

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CHIEF Moyo of the Tonga people of Choma says
he is disturbed by what he had described as unwarranted attack and
lack of respect exhibited by chief Nalubamba towards President Rupiah
Banda.

Chief Moyo who has lashed out at chief Nalubamba for bringing the
names of the traditional leadership into ridicule has asked his fellow
chief to publicly apologize for misleading the nation.

He said in a statement in Choma yesterday that traditional
leaders must not only be above partisan politics but must respect
democratically elected leaders.

Chief Moyo said the remarks made by chief Nalubamba border on
political hatred and wondered how traditional leaders could involve
themselves in active politics when they were supposed to be
politically neutral.

“I am very disturbed by insinuations coming from Chief Nalubamba
against President Banda. I wish to categorically state that it is a
personal view not representative of all chiefs in southern province,”
he said.

He said the role of traditional leaders was to support the government
of the day and not show open support for political parties.

Chief Moyo said chief Nalubamba rose to senior positions of government
in the first republic and wondered why he could sink so low as to
issue embarrassing statements.

Chief Moyo now joins Chief Macha of the same district who over the
weekend disassociated himself from a statement made by Chief Nalubamba
of the Ila people of Namwala district on Saturday that President
Rupiah Banda had lost wholesome support of Southern Province Chiefs.

Chief Macha said when Southern Province Permanent Secretary Darius
Hakayobe paid a courtesy call at his palace that Chief
Nalubamba did not consult widely before issuing a sweeping statement
on Saturday.

The traditional leader said he was entitled to his own opinion and
wondered why Chief Nalubamba decided to include other Chiefs in his
own opinion.

ZANIS

Man commits suicide after a domestic quarrel with his wife.

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A 45 year old man of Chalwe Kalima village in Mwense area of Chief Kasoma Bangueulu in Samfya district has committed suicide following a domestic quarrel with his wife.

Luapula Province Police Deputy Commanding Officer Muweswa Wakwinji confirmed the development to ZANIS saying the deceased Tela Mulenga took his life by consuming poison and is believed to have died between midnight and the early hours of yesterday (Sunday).

Mr. Wakwinji said that neighbors reported that Mulenga might have decided to kill himself after an argument around 18:00 hours with his wife on suspicion of her committing adultery.

His body was retrieved by police and was lying in the mortuary.

And Police are investigating suspected arson to the property of Dominic Mutale of Mwamfuli village, following fire that razed down the structure and left 18-year-old Frederick Mwila who was sleeping inside with burns on the ears and part of the head.

Mutale told ZANIS that fire, which started mysteriously, swept through his workshop around 21:00hours on Thursday night destroying ready made furniture and raw materials worth millions of Kwacha.

Mr. Mutale said it was fortunate that Mwila who was sleeping inside the store room managed to break out despite the exit route being fully engulfed in flames and fumes.

He said that Mwila was rushed to Samfya District Hospital where he was being treated and has since been described to be in a stable condition.

Mr. Mutale has appealed to well wishers to assist him with capital to resume his once thriving carpentry business.

An on the spot check by ZANIS found the structure had been reduced to ashes.

ZANIS

The Great Lakes Region Conference Communiqué

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The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) has resolved that the Summit will be held every two years on 15th December and that Uganda takes over the chairmanship of the ICGLR in 2011.

The Presidents attending the ICGLR have also affirmed that the Pact on security, stability and development are frameworks of ensuring sustainable peace, durable political stability, reconstruction and development in the region.

Zambian Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande, who read the Lusaka Communiqué on behalf of the ICGLR advised that a summit be convened by the Democratic Republic of Congo, as soon as possible.

He said that the agenda of the proposed summit would include discussion of a comprehensive report by DRC Facilitators, who are former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and his Tanzanian counterpart Benjamin Mkapa, on the joint military operations against the LRA by the Central African Republic, Sudan and Uganda.

Mr. Pande, who is also ICGLR Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee Chairperson, appreciated the positive role and continued efforts DRC Facilitators were implementing in the peace process in DRC

The Minister further welcomed with satisfaction the positive developments that have taken place to restore political stability in Burundi.
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The Third ICGLR ended in Lusaka yesterday and Zambia has taken over the chairmanship of the GLR from Kenya.
Meanwhile, Republican President Rupiah Banda has assumed the chairmanship of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

President Banda has since paid tribute to his predecessor Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki for his good leadership during his tenure of office.

The President also paid tribute to the Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee and the National Coordinators, for ensuring that all Executive decisions were in line with the pact on security, stability and development.

Mr. Banda said he is confident that the two bodies will be able to continue to provide their services to the peace process during his tenure of office as chairman.

He further urged the Conference to recognize the assistance rendered by the African Union, United Nations and the Group of Friends for the Great Lakes Region, without whose involvement a number of achievements would not have been recorded.

President Banda also reaffirmed government’s continued support to the promotion of peace, security, democracy, good governance and human rights in the Great Lakes region.

The President emphasized the need to consolidate peace and security efforts through the principles laid down in the peace pact, signed on 16th December 2006 and ratified by all member states.

President Banda was speaking at the official opening of the 3rd ordinary summit of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka yesterday.

At the same occasion, President Banda commended presidents Paul Kagami of Rwanda and his Democratic Republic of Congo counterpart Joseph Kabila for having resolved the differences between their two countries through dialogue.

The president said this was a positive move in the attainment of peace in the region which must continue to be pursued with determination by all countries in the region.

And speaking before handing over the chairmanship to President Banda, out-going ICGLR Chairperson, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, noted that there is need to address the real causes of conflicts in the Great Lakes Region in an objective and honesty manner.

Mr. Kibaki noted there is chance to transform the Great Lakes Region into a region of peace, growth, and prosperity for the benefit of the people.

Meanwhile former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has observed that the Great Lakes Region still faces profound security, humanitarian, developmental and environmental challenges.

Mr. Obasanjo urged the ICGLR member sates to quickly find solutions to consolidate peace, which is a key factor of sustainable development.

And Civil Societies Great Lakes Region Representative Mutuku Nguli said the Civil Society would continue to work closely with governments in the Great Lakes Region.

She said the Region Civil Society would strive to continue to keep the vision and objectives of peace, security, democracy and good governance. ZANIS.

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