Communications and Transport Minister, Geoffrey Lungwangwa, says there is need to universalize e-learning to ease learning and increase teachers’ creativity as well as make the learning environment exciting for both teachers and pupils.

Professor Lungwangwa observed that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is transforming the way of doing things all over the world and welcomed the transformation.

The minister said this when he toured Tujatane Tongabezi Trust School in Livingstone yesterday.

He said government was committed to ensuring that ICT was introduced in schools by developing infrastructure in learning institutions.

Prof Lungwangwa said the development of the fibre optic would promote e-learning in rural schools and help narrow the digital divide between urban and rural schools.

The minister, who earlier yesterday donated some computers at Katombora Reformatory, disclosed that government was working towards ensuring a speedy broadband connectivity to ensure cheap communication and to promote e-learning in schools by next.

Prof Lungwangwa observed that e-learning has proved to make learning easier and teachers to become creative, imaginative and increases interaction in class.

“E-learning has made learning very interesting and easy while creating professionalism in the teaching process as well as bridging the digital gap between rural and urban schools,” he said.

He said e-learning would help disadvantaged pupils to overcome learning difficulties and called on the corporate world to help develop infrastructure in schools so as to promote online learning.

Prof Lungwangwa, who is scheduled to open the 4th Annual Commonwealth Telecommunication Forum, whose theme is ‘Rural Connectivity in Africa’, said government will not relent in its efforts to ensure rural schools benefit from e-learning by speeding up the process of infrastructure development.

Meanwhile, Tujatane Tongabezi Trust School ICT teacher, Bond Lichaha, has disclosed that e-learning has been beneficial to both pupils and teachers.

He commended Afri-Connect for providing the e-learning facility at the school and urged other schools to embrace e-learning for quality teaching and learning results.

ZANIS

The Chewa Royal Establishment has maintained its stance of not allowing political attire at this year’s Kulamba Traditional ceremony of the Chewa people in at Mkaika in Eastern Province to be held on September 5, 2009.

And preparations for the ceremony have reached an advanced stage, with Republican President, Rupiah Banda expected to host his Malawian and Mozambican counterparts, Bingu wa Mutharika and Armando Guebuza.

Chewa Royal Establishment spokesperson, Joseph Chikuta, says the establishment would not encourage people at the ceremony to dress in political attire, saying all the people that attend Kulamba are respected equally regardless of their political affiliation.

Mr Chikuta was speaking in an interview with ZANIS at Mkaika headquarters in Katete.

“We are discouraging political dressing because that could fuel some friction between parties as some may boast of popularity with regard to the numbers dressed in their outfit,” he said.

He stated that all the three countries of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique that will attend the ceremony have different political parties , adding that if they were all allowed to dress in their political attire of their choice it would be disastrous.

Mr Chikata said the concept of the ceremony of appreciating Kalonga Gawa Undi would be compromised if people were allowed to show their political affiliation at the arena.

He said the ceremony would not be modernized by modern structures constructed at the arena, adding that the sweetness of the ceremony was as a result of maintaining its originality while attracting people from abroad with its uniqueness.[quote]

Mr Chikuta said a Japanese from Katemula in Japan, who visited the area two weeks ago, bemoaned the loss of culture and tradition in his country but was very impressed with the arrangements.

Mr Chikuta said a lot of companies and well-wishers have responded positively towards the preparations of the traditional ceremony.

“Companies and individuals have supported us financially and materially to make the ceremony a success,” he added.

The Kulamba traditional ceremony is usually held on the last Saturday of the month of August every year, but this year it has been rescheduled for September 5, because all the three invited presidents were committed on August 29, 2009.

“Last year it was rescheduled to September 15,2008 due to the demise of the late President Levy Mwanawasa. It is not that it would be routine to reschedule,” he added.

ZANIS

Police in Nangweshi have arrested a Namibian national for human trafficking.

Raymond Basika Matiti 61 was arrested together with a Zambian national, Likando Likando, after a tip off from alert members of the public.

Basika bundled four children in his Toyota Hilux registration number N50 KM before he was apprehended at a check point mounted along Senanga to Sesheke road.

The rescued children include Memory Kailu 9, Mushe Likando 10, Ndala Sinabu 15 and a Nakushowa Ngodo 20 all of Sinungu village.

Once convicted the accused persons would be imprisoned for a minimum period of 20 years. Human Trafficking is contrary to CAP 87; Section 143 Act 15 of the Laws of Zambia.

And ZANIS confirmed the rescued children and the impounded vehicle which was currently parked at Senanga Police Station.

Effort to reach Western Province Police Chief Vaul Muzwenga proved futile by press time

ZANIS

Veteran politician and Lawyer, John Mwanakatwe, has died.

Mr. Mwanakatwe died on Sunday at the University Teaching Hospital-UTH- in Lusaka where he had been admitted for the last three months.

UTH Managing Director, Dr. Peter Mwaba, has confirmed the death of Mr. Mwanakatwe.

And former Freedom Fighter Isaac Chileshe has described the death of John Mumpanga Mwanakatwe as a great loss to both the nation and his family.

Mr. Chileshe said Mr Mwanakatwe was the first education minister who left office without stealing anything and was also part for those who formulated the system of better education for the underprivileged Zambians at the time.

He was one of the few architects of Zambian politics who worked tirelessly to ensure that Zambia was independent.[quote]

Mr Chileshe said Africa has lost a great son in Mr Mwanakatwe.

He added that Mr Mwanakatwe should be remembered by all Zambians as a hero who made his contribution to the development of Zambia and that history can not complete without mentioning the late politician and academician.

He led the Constitution review commission in the Chiluba led Government which was also a huge contribution to the current constitution making process.

Mr Chileshe described Mr Mwanakatwe as a selfless leader, a beacon of courage and hope in the national life of the country.

Mr. Mwanakatwe who served in various positions during the first Republic was Zambia’s first education Minister.

He also served as chancellor of the University of Zambia.

The Committee of Citizens (CC) says it is disappointed with the manner Task Force Chairman Max Nkole has continued to mislead the nation over second Republican President Fredrick Chiluba’s judgment.

CC Executive Director, Gregory Chifire says the CC is dismayed with a story in one of the tabloids purporting that Mr Nkole has appealed against the judgment in Dr Chiluba’s judgment.

Mr Chifire explained that the Task Force has no legal right to sue on any Government Legal matters and that according to article 56(4)(6), the constitution only mandates the Director of Public Prosecution with such matters.

He said this in a media statement obtained by ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mr Chifire said Mr Nkole cannot attain these duties using whatever methods as that would be illegal and could amount to an attempt to create constitution anarchy.

He said he is disappointed with the manner Mr Nkole has been misleading the nation on many legal matters and has since urged President Rupiah Banda to relieve the Task Force Chairman of his duties before embarrassing himself on matters of law.

Mr Chifire further said calls by Mr Nkole that the Task Force now wants to pursue the Carlington maize saga and the arms deal should not be entertained as it is only meant to justify their existence.[quote]

He wondered why the Task Force on corruption did not want to pursue the above named cases together with the other cases if they were very important.

The CC Executive Director said if the Zambian people wanted to pursue these cases , there were legally mandated institutions such as the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) that could pursue the matter and not the Task Force.

He has advised Mr Nkole against using blackmail in order to justify the existence of the task force.

He said time has come for the Task Force to be disbanded so that the already existing investigating and prosecuting wings of Government can be empowered to enhance their operations.

Mr Chifire further charged that claims by Mr Nkole are only driven by the huge allowances he and his colleagues in the Task Force were getting and not by the desire for service to the Zambian people.

ZANIS

TASKFORCE on Corruption executive chairperson Maxwell Nkole has said his organisation will pursue the case of US $20 million arms deal and the Carlington maize saga for as long as it has the mandate.

A non-governmental organisation has, however, called for the disbandment of the organisation following the acquittal of former president Frederick Chiluba saying it has outlived its usefulness.

Mr Nkole said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that $28 million was a lot of money for Zambians to forego hence the resolve by the Taskforce to pursue the two issues to their logic conclusion.[quote]

Mr Nkole said all those calling for the disbandment of the entity should tell Zambians how they intended to pursue the two scandals saying the Taskforce’s preoccupation was to recover the funds and prosecute whoever benefited from them in any way.

He said that on the Carlington maize deal involving $8 million, the whereabouts of one of the two masterminds, Alexander Legalt, a Canadian, have been discovered while the other one, Arri Ben Menashe, an Arabian, was still on the run.

“These are the two key people whom we have been hunting for since 2003 and it has not been easy because these are trans-national crimes,” he said.

He said that the organisation had received information that Legalt was in jail in one of the states in American and would face another sentence on October 10 this year for brokering other fraudulent deals.

Mr Nkole reiterated that the $8 million was obtained from the Zambian Government for the procurement of the maize but the commodity was never delivered.

On the $20 million arms deals, Mr Nkole said that the Zambian Government paid out $20 million for the purchase of arms but the weapons were never delivered to Zambia.

He said but the Taskforce had now established where the money was deposited in one of the banks in Europe and could not just move in until after their requests were responded to by the relevant wings of the involved country.

On the disbandment, Mr Nkole said that he had no problem with that if the people of Zambia and the appointing authority decided that doing away with the entity was the route to take.

He said he was aware that the Taskforce had been under threat since 2006 but for as long as it remained with the mandate, it would continue discharging its responsibilities by pursuing all the cases lined up.

[Times of Zambia]