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Government has urged youths to start tackling real issues that will help develop the country as they aspire for leadership .
Deputy Minister of Sports, Youths, and Child Development, Angela Cifire said the country needs effective leadership from the youths to overcome the current challenges the country is facing.
Ms. Cifire said the country has lagged behind in development because the youths who make up more than 60% of the population are failing to tackle real issues that can contribute to the development of the country.
She said this when she officiated at the leadership training workshop for Young Women Leadership Academy which was organised by Youth Vision Zambia in Lusaka today.
Ms. Cifire said her ministry has designed strategies to enhance effective youth leadership and development by supporting the youths to become positive agents of change.
Ms. Cifire said Government has embarked on courses at King George National Youth College in Kabwe aimed at grooming the youths in different sectors of leadership for good future leaders.
And a participant from the Youth Alliance for Development of Solwezi, Jacqueline Kafwimbi has challenged fellow youths to take up the challenge and start contributing to the development of the country.
Ms. Kafwimbi said youths should rise above parties and politics
Child Fund Zambia (CFZ) has spent over K 91 million on the construction of Mkopeka Maternal Child Health (MCH) Unit and Msima Health Post in Nyimba district.
And Child Fund Zambia National Director, Victor Koyi, said the risk of women dying from pregnancies and child births in Zambia were high because of shortage of emergency equipment in rural health centers.
Mr Koyi was speaking at the handover ceremony of the maternity facility at Mkopeka rural health centre in Nyimba district last over the weekend.
He noted that high poverty levels among the Zambian people, long distances to health centers and common illness, such as malaria, are the major factors contributing to the high death rate of children and pregnant women at delivery time.
Mr Koyi said his organization will continue investing in the health sector to supplement government’s effort in ensuring safe mother hood.
He said Child Fund Zambia will also extend its continued support to the training of community based health care providers and health care workers so that deliveries are attended to by skilled people.
Speaking at the same function, Nyimba District Commissioner, Alexander Miti, said government will continue to work closely with partners such as Child Funds Zambia to ensure that women and children in the country are accorded the best health services as close to their home as possible.
Mr Miti has since appealed to the beneficiaries of the health facilities to look after them properly so that they provide the essential services for which they were constructed.
Council workers in Mufumbwe have not been paid their salaries and wages for 30 months and have appealed to government to look into their plight to avert suffering.
Mufumbwe Council Secretary, Aaron Kamalondo, comfirmed in an interview that the council was finding it difficult to raise funds since its revenue base is very low.
Mr Kamalondo said the council collects K12 million per month from its revenue against K50 million monthly wage bills for the workers.
He said the council has no capacity to settle the arrears which were disrupting its operations and the K1.7 billion debt it owes many organizations such as NAPSA with K55 million unremitted contribution funds.
Mr Kamalondo said the council was struggling to pay the workers and has since appealed to government to bail the local authority out of the financial crisis it is facing.
Meanwhile, Mr Kamalondo has said that campaign activities in Kikonge ward by elections in Mufumbwe were going on smoothly with two candidates from MMD and UPND/PF pact being fielded.
Kikonge ward fell vaccan after the UPND councillor Moses Mangisha resigned from his party and joined MMD adding that the UPND/PF pact has fielded Bruce Kanema as its candidate while the MMD has retained Moses Mangisha as its candidate.
And a check by ZANIS at Kikonge and Nyasonso polling stations found campaign activities have heightened with the two parties anticipating victory.
The local government by election is scheduled to take place on August 13, 2009.
CorrectedThe National Revolution Party (NRP) has declared its support for the Patriotic Front and United Party for National Development PF/UPND pact candidate for the forthcoming Chitambo by-election slated for next month.
Party President Cosmo Mumba said the NRP has decided to rally behind the PF/UPND as it was unable to field a candidate of its own at the moment.
Mr Mumba said the NRP failed to field a candidate in the by-elections because the party was busy preparing for the 2011 tripartite elections.
He said his party has supported the PF/UPND pact because the adopted candidate was a young man who looks promising enough to deliver quality services for the people of Chitambo constituency.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that his party’s declared support for the PF/UPND pact candidate does not however mean that the NRP was joining the PF/UPND pact.
The Chitambo by-election which has been slated for August 13 was necessitated following the death of area member of parliament Nasim Hamir who died on May 1.
Four candidates that include Dr Solomon Musonda from the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), Chanda Mutale from the PF/UPND pact, [quote] Evans Chola from the Forum for Democracy and Development(FDD), and Timoyhy Kapolo from the United Independence Party (UNIP) are vying for the sit.
Meanwhile, Mr Mumba has called on the republican President Mr. Rupiah Banda to fire Local Government and Housing Minister Benny Tetamashimba.
The NRP President said Mr. Tetamashimba’s call for the suspension of Livingstone Mayor Joram Mwinda based on allegations of raping a Livingstone woman is uncalled for, selfish and very childish.
He said the Livingstone Mayor should not be suspended based on allegations, adding that everyone is innocent until proven guilty by the courts of law.
Mr Mumba urged the President to quickly fire Mr. Tetamashimba saying the minister’s utterances are likely to divide the ruling MMD.
This comes in the wake of local government minister Benny Tetamashimba’s directive to his ministry’s permanent secretary Coillard Chibbonta to suspend Livingstone mayor Joram Mwinda over the alleged rape case.
THE Zambia Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) has commended government for its decision to partially privatize Zambia Telecommunications Company (ZAMTEL).
Speaking in an interview in Ndola today, ZACCI Chief Executive Officer, Justin Chisulo, said the privatization of the company will improve service delivery which will in turn benefit the business community in the country by enhancing effective communication in business transactions.
Mr Chisulo, however, urged government to be cautious on the selection of the equity partner to ensure that it sells the company shares to a strong and credible investor who will ensure high quality service provision and efficiency in the running of Zamtel in order to improve the performance of the private sector producers through improved service delivery in communication services.
He further advised government to consider an equity partner comprising of a consortium between foreigners and Zambians so that there will be transfer of business and technical expertise from the foreigners while Zambians contribute through their knowledge of the local market.
He said the association had been advocating for the privatizations of ZAMTEL and was glad that government has finally agreed to privatize the company.
And Mr Chisulo has urged government to quickly revise the fees for accessing the International Communication Gateway to enable more private business entrepreneurs access the service.
He said currently the fees are too high for some entrepreneurs to access thereby becoming a hindrance to their profitability and growth.
Last week on Friday, President Rupiah Banda announced that government has decided to sell 75 per cent shares of Zamtel to an equity partner and will retain the other 25 per cent on behalf of the Zambian people.
Mungwi MMD Constituency Chairman, John Kansema, has been suspended with immediate effect for issuing statements contrary to the rules of the party.
This is contained in a statement by MMD Provincial Vice Secretary,
Jailas Simunyola, in Mungwi today.
Mr Simunyola says Mr Kansema has acted against the party’s will by
issuing statements to the media concerning adoption of prospective
candidates for 2011 elections.
He charged that Mr Kansema is fully aware of the National Executive Committee’s (NEC) directive not to discuss issues concerning the adoption of candidates for 2011,adding that he had instead gone ahead and breached the order.
Mr Simunyola said the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) has equally
warned all party cadres and officials to refrain from issuing
statements which undermine the leadership or give advantage to the
opposition.
He said as far as the party in the province was concerned, the
statement was ill-conceived and was tantamount to cause confusion in the party.
But when contacted for comment, Mr Kansema said the suspension lacks basis because as far as he was concerned he was speaking the truth when he accused the party officials of being corrupt in the way they chose leaders.
Mr Kasama said he had not received any directive from NEC inhibiting
him to discuss issues concerning the 2011 elections.
He said the PEC has no mandate to suspend him and stressed that it is only the district which has the capacity to institute disciplinary measures against a constituency official since he falls under the arm pit of the district.
Mr Kansema has warned that if Mr Simunyola continues to disregard the
party structure and mandates, he would cause despondency and divisions in the party.
Meanwhile, the Citizens’ Forum in the Northern Province has embarked
on a wide ranging exercise to examine various political party
manifestos with a view to find out what political players have in
common ahead of the 2011 elections.
Citizens’ Forum Provincial Coordinator, Robert Bwalya, says the forum
wants to bring political parties together.
Mr Bwalya says in a nation with some 12 million people floating many
presidential candidates does not go well for the strengthening of democracy.
He says the forum would like to have an ideal situation where not more
than 3 credible presidential aspirants contest for the office of
president.
The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has refuted speculations that the power utility wants to do away with the prepaid metering system.
Zesco Public Relations Officer Lucy Zimba said there was no truth in the speculation, saying at no time did the company ever hint on going back on its new metering system.
Mrs. Zimba said the prepaid metering system is a national programme that the company embarked on and would ensure it completes the project in all the nine provinces of the country.
She told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the utility firm will not do away with the prepaid metering system.
“There is no truth in that speculation as this is a system we had embarked on and will not stop it until we complete the programme countrywide,” she said.
And Mrs. Zimba said the current load-shedding being experienced in most parts of Lusaka city is as a result of the transformer which was gutted at Leopards sub station a couple of months ago.
She said the accident has resulted in an overload on the Zesco electricity system making the load-shedding at peak hours necessary.
Mrs. Zimba said the situation will normalize once the sub station is back on its full operation capacity.
1.President Rupiah Banda with First Lady Thandiwe (r) and Luapula Province Minister Boniface Kawimbe after his arrival at Mansa Airport for the Umutomboko ceremony
2.President Rupiah Banda talks to foreign journalists on arrival at Mansa Airport on Friday before going to the Umutomboko ceremony
3.Professor Nkandu Luo (l) squats to talk to First Lady Thandiwe Banda during the Umutomboko ceremony.
4.President Banda with DRC Katanga Governor Moses Katumbi at the Umutomboko ceremony in Mwansabombwe.
5.Chief Mwata Kazembe hoisted on a traditional harmock leaves his palace to grace theUmutomboko ceremony
6.Chief Mwata Kazembe showcasing a dance during the Umutomboko ceremony in Mwansabombwe during the weekend
7.Senior Chief Mwansakombe of Abena Ngumbo of Samfya District has been evacuated to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka for treatment. Here he is being placed into an aircraft
8.Customers stuck at the Shoprite Manda Hill store because workers downed tools last Friday
9.A traditional dancer showcasing her skills at a cocktail at Pamodzi hotel in Lusaka
10.The Ugandan Vice President Professor Gilbert Bukenya meets President Rupiah Banda at Entebbe International airport when he arrived for the Global 2009 Smart Partnership Dialogue on sunday
11.First Lady Thandiwe Banda having a badge pinned to her chest by Ugandan Betty Gikonyo at Entebbe International Airport soon after her arrival
12.First Lady Thandiwe Banda (l) with her predecessor Maureen Mwanawasa in Uganda at the peripheries of the Global Smart Partnership conference.
13.President Rupiah Banda (second from left front row) joins other African leaders for a photo after the Smart Partnerships session in Kampala on Sunday.
14.Joachim lay group members going to present gifts such as goats during the blousing ceremony of their Saint Anna counterparts
15.Father Mubanga looking at Saint Anna lay group members before their blousing ceremony
16.Business as usual... two youths loading an old military Ifa truck with sand for sale along Mumbwa road in Lusaka.
17.An unidentified youth pushing a wheelborrow loaded with empty drums for sale. Pushing wheelborrows is a major source of income for many youths in Lusaka
18.Zambian Defender Berndette Nkhoma making a tackle.Picture taken by Chanda Mwenya
Bilharzia has broken out in Kanephara village of Siavonga district with close to hundred cases so far recorded in the area.
The disease outbreak has been confirmed by Mtendere Mission hospital staff in Chirundu where the patients are currently accessing treatment.
The water borne disease broke out about two weeks ago and has affected nearly all households in the village that falls under Chief Sikoongo.
And MMD Chirundu Ward councilor Gift Chanda who toured the village on Sunday, described the water supply situation in Kanephara and other surrounding villages as a big source of worry.
Chanda attributed the outbreak of the disease in Kanephara to the sharing of drinking water between human beings and domestic animals, at a nearby shallow dam.
“The situation in Kanephara is quite serious and my appeal is that government should intervene by providing a borehole in the area so that the disease can be contained,” he appealed.
Chanda further stated that apart from Kanephara village, most villages in the ward were also affected with a similar water problem forcing them to walk long distances to the lower Zambezi River in search of the commodity.
The Civic leader named some of the villages were people are seriously affected with lack of clean drinking water as Choonga, Nakakuyu, Kadunga, Manaba and Mandenga.
“People in these villages are forced to walk about 2 to 3 km to go and fetch water from the Zambezi River. Apart from walking a long distance, they also risk their lives because of the presence of hippos and crocodiles in the river, “Chanda observed.
Meanwhile, the Siavonga District Development Coordinating Committee has tasked management at Southern Water and Sewerage Company to ensure that it improves water supply in Chirundu Township.
The Committee’s meeting chaired by District Commissioner Emily Striedl on Friday, urged the water utility company to provide safe drinking water to its customers in Chirundu area.
THE International Ministers Fellowship and Affiliated Churches (IMFAC) has said the church in Zambia is losing respect because of bad behavior by some clergy.
IMFAC Executive President, Paul Mulenga, said some men and women of God were an embarrassment to society because they allegedly got involved in promiscuous behavior which were not in line with the Word of God.[quote]
Dr Mulenga said some clergymen were womanizing and marrying more than one wife, which led to confusion in certain areas of preaching.
He was speaking during the presentation of certificates to newly ordained reverends and church overseers held at Christian Heirs Church in Chipata yesterday.
‘’ Members of the clergy should ensure that they contribute to the reduction of HIV infections through preaching but some are in the forefront promoting immorality,’’ Dr Mulenga said, with reference to the clergy from a neighboring country he named.
He said his organization would soon start recommending for the closure of such churches which do not follow the rules of Zambia.
Dr Mulenga encouraged the newly ordained clergy to preach the word of God and avoid the love for money, adding that, they should not divert funds meant for church constructions.
He also called on them not to concentrate on preaching alone but engage in developmental projects as well to contribute to national development.
‘’ Where there is a strong church, crime reduces and the world is going to appreciate us because we will be able to do things which the nation can see,’’ Dr. Mulenga said.
He further urged churches that were not registered with the Registrar of Societies to do so, so that they took annual returns to the registrar and contribute to the revenue base of the country.
SOME members of Parliament have welcomed President Banda’s announcement that there is nothing wrong in paying mid-term gratuity to them.
The MPs said the move taken by the President over the payment of gratuity is in line with the provisions of the constitution.
Patriotic Front Matero MP Faustina Sinyangwe said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that MPs are entitled to gratuity.
She said members of the public should desist from politicising the gratuity for MPs as legislators fall almost in the same category as classified daily employees.
Mrs Sinyangwe said MPs are entitled to gratuity like any other civil servant on contract.
“People should understand that MPs are not the only people who are entitled to gratuity because there are many other civil servants who are on contract and at the end of their service, they are given gratuity.
“So let them not rush to engage in unnecessary talk over the gratuity because if it means scrapping it off, even other civil servants on contract should forego their gratuity,” Mrs Sinyangwe said.
Luena MP Charles Milupi (independent) said MPs are elected to Parliament not for the sole purpose of getting gratuity but to serve their various constituencies.
Mr Milupi, however, said it is unfair for members of the public to call for the deferment of mid-term gratuity for MPs when there are many other civil servants who are entitled to the same conditions of service.
He said some individuals calling for the suspension of the payment of gratuity have been MPs before but never suggested the suspension of the allowance during their tenure.
“The problem is that some people think MP’s are only interested in gratuity. We carry out various duties in our various constituencies and it’s only right that we are given our entitlement.
“If some sections of society insist on condemning the gratuity of MPs, then there should be a reform of the payment structure of all civil servants so that the playing ground is levelled,” Mr Milupi said.
He wondered which sectors of the economy would receive the MPs’ gratuity if it was not paid to law makers.[quote]
“It is not practical for people to suggest that we need to direct the money to other needy sectors of the economy because there is no clear road map for those plans,” Mr Milupi said.
He said opposition political party leaders who are against the payment of gratuity should instruct their MPs not to accept the money once released.
Solwezi Central MP Benny Tetamashimba (MMD) said the decision taken by President Banda should be commended by all well meaning Zambians because Government would have found it difficult to pay MPs the gratuity in full at the end of their term.
“We are grateful to the President for allowing the payment of the gratuity because had he not allowed it, he would have gone against the law.
“One thing people should understand is that if the mid-term gratuity is not paid, where do they think Government would have sourced K140 billion to pay the MPs the gratuity in full?” he asked.
Mr Tetamashimba said it is not right for PF leader Michael Sata to ask his MPs to forego the gratuity because they have financial obligations to fulfil.
“Most members of parliament have borrowed monies and they used the mid-term gratuity as security at commercial Banks.
“I’m actually surprised that Mr Sata is asking his members to forego the gratuity when they have borrowed monies from parliament for use in their campaigns. They need to pay back to enable National Assembly to direct the resources to other needy areas,” Mr Tetamashimba said.
President Banda has said there is nothing wrong in paying the mid-term gratuity to MPs.
Mr Banda said the mid term gratuity was a condition of service or entitlement that was provided for in the law for public servants.
Zambian midfielder Mary MwakakapilaBy Chanda Mwenya
The Jubilant and seemingly tactful Under 14 girls team and
the only Zambian envoy at the 37th edition of the Norway Cup which runs from 26th July- 1 August, 2009 in the Norwegian capital Oslo, has lost their opening game in a 2-0 defeat to Tertnes a Norwegian team from Bergen, which secured their goals in the 21st and 36th minute through Cecilie Rediseh.
Although ‘Team Zambia ’ a select of under than 14 girls from community football teams from Lusaka played well they did not score any needed goal. Their next match with is scheduled tomorrow at 19.30 hrs. Matilda Mwaba the delegation leader for ‘Team Zambia ’ has promised that the girls will give us good results tomorrow as they face another Norwegian team in their group.
The Norway Cup is one of the world’s largest football tournaments for youths. This year the tournament has attracted 48 nations and is hosting some 1400 teams, including teams from Brazil , the Philippine, USA , Palestine and Iraq . Other African nations participating are Namibia , Zimbabwe, Mali, South Africa and Kenya which white washed their Norwegian Counterparts a 15-0 in their opening boys under 13 category.
GOVERNMENT has challenged United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema to acquire the 75 per cent equity partner shares in Zamtel if he thinks the 25 per cent shares which will be reserved for Zambians after privatisation are not enough.
Cabinet Committee member on Zamtel, Kenneth Konga said it is wrong for Mr Hichilema to criticise Government for allocating 75 per cent of the telecommunication company’s shares to an equity partner before finding out the reason.
Mr Konga was part of the five-member cabinet committee constituted by President Banda to find a lasting solution to the financial and technical problems of Zamtel.
He said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that a number of factors were taken into consideration before arriving at the decision.
Mr Konga who is Minister of Energy and Water Development said Zamtel has a huge debt and requires a capital injection of not less than US$200 million to survive.
He said there is no Zambian with such kind of money to invest in the company.
“If Mr Hichilema has a lot of money, let him buy those shares because, after all, we have not yet found an equity partner for Zamtel and so he is very much welcome to invest US$200 million in the company.
“As a committee, we took a number of factors into consideration before allocating the 75 per cent shares to an equity partner because we believe no Zambian has that kind of capital to invest in the company,” Mr Konga said.
He said Government decided on offloading the remaining 25 per cent shares on the Zambian market because some Zambians can afford to buy some shares.
Mr Konga said opposition political parties and Zambians in general should desist from developing a tendency of always criticising Government on its decisions even when they are taken in good faith.
He was reacting to Mr Hichilema’s sentiments that the 25 per cent shares in Zamtel to be sold to Zambians are insignificant and that the UPND would have preferred that more shares are sold to the public.
Mr Hichilema accused President Banda of trying to benefit from the privatisation of Zamtel.
He said although he is not against making Zamtel viable, he wanted transparency in the manner in which RP Capital Partners of Caymen Islands was engaged to undertake an evaluation of the company’s assets.
Mr Hichilema said it is unfortunate that former Minister of Communications and Transport, Dora Siliya, was allowed to engage RP Capital Partners without announcing the tender.
“We want to see a better Zamtel but the manner in which it is being done is to serve a few individuals where there was no tender. There are better ways of making Zamtel flourish and that 25 per cent that will be sold to Zambians is nothing,” he said.
Mr Hichilema said the UPND is speaking for the majority Zambians who are suffering and advised the unions to consider the interests of the workers most of whom are underpaid
But the National Union of Communication Workers (NUCW) is confident that Zamtel will be viable after the 75 per cent shares in the company are sold to an equity partner.
NUCW president Patrick Kaonga advised people claiming corruption in the privatisation of Zamtel to report to law enforcement agencies.
Mr Kaonga said this in an interview from Samfya yesterday.
“Our interest is to save the company from collapse. If there are issues of corruption, there are law enforcement agencies to deal with them,” Mr Kaonga said.
He said NUCW is confident that Zamtel will be viable after it is privatised. Mr Kaonga said his union’s interest is to ensure that jobs are saved.
He warned that the company will go into liquidation if nothing is done about it because it is failing to operate viably. Mr Kaonga said Zamtel’s problems started a long time ago and that nothing was done about it.
“At the time the telecommunications sector was liberalised, Zamtel was not ready to take that route. Mass employment was part of Government’s agenda before liberalisation and now we need to restructure the company to make it viable,” Mr Kaonga said.
And the National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union (NESAWU) has challenged Mr Hichilema to prove allegations that President Banda wants to personally benefit from the privatisation of Zamtel.
NESAWU general secretary Yotam Mtayachalo made the challenge in an interview in Ndola yesterday. “It is not fair for Mr Hichilema to accuse President Banda of wanting to benefit from the sale of Zamtel shares. As a modern politician, he should learn not to be personal and to politicise issues.
“If we continue throwing mud at each other, we are eroding donor confidence. It is not fair to accuse President Banda of wanting to benefit from the sale of 75 per cent shares in Zamtel,” Mr Mtayachalo said.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Charles Milupi has urged Government to ensure Zambians benefit from the sale of 75 per cent Zamtel shares.
Mr Milupi said government should ensure that the privatisation of Zamtel is done according to the laid down tendering procedures.
He said in an interview yesterday that the country should get the value in monetary terms out of the sale of 75 per cent shares of Zamtel to an equity partner.
“All Zambians must benefit from the sale of the company because we do not want to experience the same thing that happened after the sale of ZCCM. Most Zambians did not benefit from the sale of that company,” he said.
The Ugandan Vice President Professor Gilbert Bukenya meets President Rupiah Banda at Entebbe International airport when he arrived for the Global 2009 Smart Partnership Dialogue on sundayPresident Rupiah Banda yesterday afternoon participated in
a ‘think-tank’ discussion with other Heads of States and Government officials attending the Smart Partnership Movement Dialogue currently underway in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.
The dialogue that lasted several hours was held behind closed doors at the prestigious Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort situated on the shores of Lake Victoria.
President Banda who is accompanied by first lady Thandiwe Banda, Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane and other Senior Government officials proceeded into a discussion forum with other Heads of State soon after arrival in Uganda.
This year’s conference is being held under the theme ‘Towards smarter globe-The Smart Partnership Way for realizing socio-economic transformation through regional integration
Other heads of state and government participating at the dialogue include the host President Yoweri Museveni,President Yahya AJJ Jammeh of Gambia,President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, King Mswati III of Swaziland. Others are Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib.
The First Lady, Thandiwe Banda also joined other first ladies on the sidelines of the conference and participated in a dialogue dubbed “Transformation-The vital role of First Ladies and Spouses.”
Former First lady Maureen Mwanawasa is also in attendance.
President Banda is was later expected to handover the Chairmanship of the Smart Partnership Movement.
He also delivered a key note speech during a cocktail party, detailing Zambia’s accomplishments for the movement during its tenure as chair.
Zambia has dropped by three places on the ranking of the Global Peace Index from the 53rd most peaceful country in the world recorded in 2007 and 2008 to the 58th most peaceful country in the world.
And Zambia has also fallen from the 5th most peaceful country in Africa in 2007 and 2008 to the 6th most peaceful country in Africa 2009.
Africa Internally Displaced Persons Voices Africa IDP Voice Executive Director Joseph Chilengi disclosed the development when he releases the Global Peace Index 2009 in Accra, Ghana
Mr. Chilengi, who is also the Chairperson for Political Affairs Cluster of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural (AU ECOSOCC) disclosed that Botswana has assumed the top position as the most peaceful place in Africa in the 2009 Global Peace Index with Malawi into second position, while New Zealand is ranked number one as the most peaceful country in the world.
He told ZANIS in a statement that the results of the Global Peace Index for 2009 suggest that the world has become slightly less peaceful in the past year, which appears to reflect the intensification of violent conflict in some countries.
He added rapidly rising unemployment, pay freezes and falls in the value of house prices, savings and pensions is causing popular resentment in many countries, with political repercussions that have been registered by the GPI through various indicators measuring safety and security in society.
“Global challenges call for global solutions and these solutions require cooperation on a scale unprecedented in human history.
Peace is an essential prerequisite because without peace we will be unable to achieve the levels of cooperation, inclusiveness and social equity necessary to solve these challenges, let alone empower the international institutions necessary to address them.” he said
The Global Peace Index is a first step in the a measurement of peace as the “absence of violence”, that seeks to determine what cultural attributes and institutions are associated with states of peace
