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Phase One of the construction of low cost houses for law enforcement officers, at a total cost of K6.7 Billion, has been completed in Nakonde district.
Nakonde District Commissioner (DC) Edwin Sinyinza confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Nakonde today.
Mr. Sinyinza said the 28 houses have been successfully completed and that the Chinese contractor JIZAN Company was currently making final touches on the surroundings of all the structures.
The DC said the 28 low cost houses will be allocated to junior officers under the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), Immigration and the Drug Enforcement Commissioner (DEC).
Mr. Sinyinza said construction of high cost houses for the middle managers will commence soon.
He commended government for releasing funds for the construction of houses for the law enforcement officers operating at the border.
Mr. Sinyinza said the construction of houses will ease the problem of accommodation for the officers in Nakonde.
Meanwhile, construction of a one-stop-border at the cost of K31 Billion in Nakonde district is progressing well.
Mr. Sinyinza said the constructor engaged to do the works,China Jiangxi is progressing well with the construction works.
The one-stop-border at the Zambia-Tanzania border is expected to improve efficiency once completed.
Construction works commenced in April this year.
ZANIS
Three more Health ministry officials and one from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security have been arrested for theft involving fraudulent payments amounting to more than K6.8 billion to a consultancy company.
The arrests are related to those made on Saturday involving seven Health ministry officials and two others over the fraudulent payments made to Algonquin Management Consultancy for services which were not rendered.
Police spokesperson, Bonny Kapeso said in Lusaka yesterday that the payments were related to various workshops purported to have been conducted for staff in the Ministry of Health but did not take place.
Mr Kapeso said in a statement issued in Lusaka that the payments ranged from K200 million to K940 million and a total of K6.8 billion was paid to Algonquin Management Consultancy.
“The suspects have been remanded in custody and are expected to appear in court for plea,” Mr Kapeso said.
Health ministry staff, Justin Phiri, 37, an internal auditor of plot 787, Kabwata Site and Service and Luke Makeche, 52, a senior accountant of plot 12951, Chilenje South, have been charged with theft by public servant involving K618,068,850.
The other Ministry of Health member of staff, Christopher Bwalya, 44, an assistant internal auditor of House number 38/24, Emmasdale, has been charged with theft by public servant involving K592,925,150.
Mr Kapeso said Esau Banda, 38, formerly an assistant internal auditor at the Ministry of Health but now at the Ministry of Labour and of plot 575, Avondale, had been charged with two counts of theft involving K886,317,500 and K732,350.000.
“All these are charged contrary to sections 272 and 277 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia,” he said.
Police, Drug-Enforcement Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission discovered the alleged thefts, which took place between October 2007 and December 2008.
[Times of Zambia]
Senior Chief Mwamba of the Bemba speaking people in Kasama has praised Government for providing him with a vehicle.
Chief Mwamba expressed gratitude to the Government saying the vehicle will ease his mobility to monitor projects in his chiefdom.
The Senior Chief said his chiefdom is vast with over 350 villages which could not be easily covered on foot.
He said that it had been difficult in the past to visit his subjects to foster development programmes because he had no transport.
Senior Chief Mwamba added that he was happy that President Rupiah Banda’s Government has fulfilled the promise made by late President Levy Mwanawasa to provide Chiefs with vehicles and electrify to their palaces.
He further appealed to the Government to build palaces for chiefs and also provide vehicles to other chiefs to enable them monitor development project taking place in their areas.
He was speaking at the handing-over of the vehicle by Northern Province Minister Charles Shawa at the Provincial Administration in Kasama today,
And Mr Shawa said Government has bought vehicles for Chiefs to enable them reach their subjects easily.
Mr. Shawa also said that Chiefs play a vital role in national development and that they are key partners in other service delivery to the public.
The provincial Minister added that Government is working hard in partnership with traditional leaders to ensure that education, health and other services were provided to the people in remote areas.
Mr. Shawa pointed out that the Government desires to improve and build infrastructure, rehabilitate roads and bridges for the benefit of the people in the nation.
President Rupiah Banda President Rupiah Banda has said MMD members are free
to challenge him for the position of party president and that he has never requested to be declared the sole MMD candidate.
Mr Banda said he had not barred anybody from vying for the party’s presidential candidature for the 2011 polls and had already indicated that people were free to challenge him for it.
“I have agreed on that and let me answer this question which seems to be worrying people. I have said it so many times and at Livingstone Airport and other places and I want to repeat it using you and hope you will put it clearly so that the nation understands.
‘‘I never stopped anybody from standing. I have never asked that I should be the only candidate. I think that is very clear, so whatever happens you go and ask those that are talking about it,” he said.
Mr Banda was speaking at Livingstone International Airport yesterday morning before departure for Lusaka.
When asked to comment on the resignation of Defence minister, George Mpombo, who was also the MMD’s chairperson for energy and water development, Mr Banda said he had only heard about the resignation and could not react to it before he saw the resignation letter.
Asked further for a comment on the wrangling between Local Government and Housing Minister, Benny Tetamashimba and his predecessor, Sylvia Masebo, over the purchase of 100 hearses from China, Mr Banda said the issue was over and he would not expect any more dirty linen to be washed in public.
“My answer is that it is finished now. Let’s not wash any more dirty linen in public,” the president said.
The president was pleased to see Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people, saying it was good for him to have travelled to come and honour Chief Mukuni of the Toka Leya people in Kazungula by attending the Lwiindi Lo Kuzyola Mukuni Ngombe traditional ceremony, which ended on Tuesday.
Southern Province Minister, Daniel Munkombwe said he was the one who had been talking about the presidential candidacy of Mr Banda as the sole candidate for the party.
“I said we do not know the others, they are still hiding. The only person who is featuring to us is His Excellency the President, he is the one who is featuring. We cannot talk about the unknown. There is no shadow boxing in leadership, you have got to be there boldly.
“The others are still in the shells. Until they emerge, that’s when we will analyse them individually.
‘‘But for now, it is this man (President Banda) here and we will stick to that,” Mr Munkombwe said as President Banda acknowledged in approval.
Mr Munkombwe, Southern Province Permanent Secretary, Darius Hakayobe and several Government and party officials, saw off the president, who was accompanied by First Lady Thandiwe, Cabinet ministers and other Government officials.
He was in Livingstone where he hosted presidents of Tanzania and Zimbabwe, Jakaya Kikwete and Robert Mugabe, who were guests of honour at traditional ceremonies, the Lwiindi Gonde of the Tonga people in Monze and the Lwiindi for the Mukuni Ng’ombe of the Toka Leya in Kazungula, respectively.
While in Livingstone, President Banda and his Tanzanian counterpart, Mr Kikwete held bilateral talks on the shores of the Zambezi River where they discussed the operations of the jointly owned Tanzania, Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) and called on its creditors to cancel the debt.
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) says the resignation of George Mpombo from his positions as Defence Minister and member of MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) should be treated with caution.
FODEP President Stanley Mhango said Mr. Mpombo’s resignation should not have come so suddenly especially that he is a senior MMD party member and cabinet minister in charge of a sensitive ministry.
Mr. Mhango has however said FODEP will await President Rupiah Banda’s reaction to this abrupt resignation.
This is contained in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
Mr. Mpombo announced his move at the weekend citing personal reasons. He also announced that he would not re-contest the Kafulafuta Constituency in the 2011 tripartite elections.
FODEP has since welcomed Mr. Mpombo’s decision to dedicate his time to studies and issues of environment in his constituency saying such a move would help the area and help fight effects of climate change in the country.
Mr. Mhango expressed hope that Mr. Mpombo will not change his words and backpedal as many politicians have done in the past.
He commended Mr. Mpombo for his move saying it will encourage young people to engage in politics.
Mr. Mhango said old and recycled politicians should emulate Mr Mpombo’s resignation as doing so will pave way for young politicians to start taking leadership roles while the old politicians act as advisors.
He also urged Mr. Mpombo to spearhead the formation of a think tank of both retired and active senior political party leaders to help render valuable advice to the governing of the country as this will help resolve some of the political problems being faced.
The Agriculture Technical and Professional staff Union of Zambia (ATPUZ ) Mungwi branch members have demanded an unreserved apology from their Secretary General Joe Kamutumwa for issuing what they termed a divisive statement .
ATPUZ members said they felt betrayed by Mr. Kamutumwa for affirming that public service workers who went on strike should have their salaries forfeited.
They said it was unfortunate that the union leader, instead of protecting the interests of workers, went ahead to discredit the members by taking sides on the matter.
The members have threatened to withdraw membership from ATPUZ if the Union leader fails to apologise within twenty-four hours.
Mr. Kamutumwa has been quoted supporting government’s decision not to pay health workers who had gone on strike for over a month.
He said it would be unfair for government to pay workers who had downed tools as doing so would be encouraging workers to be going on strike when aggrieved.
He said there were other public workers who were equally unhappy with the 15 percent increment but did not down tools.
MMD Spokesperson, Ben Tetamashimba, says the resignation of Defence Minister, George Mpombo, from Cabinet and MMD as chairman for energy will not threaten the ruling party.
Mr Tetamashimba said in an interview with Journalists in Livingstone today that Mr Mpombo allegedly failed to organise the party on the Copperbelt.[quote]
Mr Tetamashimba also expressed doubt that Mr Mpombo would recontest the Kafulafuta parliamentary seat in 2011 elections because in 2006 he was imposed on the people.
And Mr Tetamashimba has reiterated that President, Rupiah Banda, is the only credible candidate to stand on the party ticket in 2011.
He said all those people in the ruling party who were saying that the race for the MMD presidential candidate must be opened were not credible.
Mr Tetamashimba observed that even when the ruling party goes to the convention, no one is going to stand for the party presidency apart from President Banda.
He observed that Patriotic Front, PF, leader Micheal Sata has stood for the presidency for three times as the sole candidate and wondered why no one has questioned his position.
“Mr Sata has stood as President for three times in this country, why haven’t you asked him why he is the only one standing?,” he asked.
Yesterday, Defence Minister, Mr. Mpombo announced his resignation from government and the MMD National Executive Committee, NEC, citing personal reasons.
ZANIS
United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema chating with party vice president Richard Kapita UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says unity can only be
sustained if development is evenly distributed.
Mr. Hichilema noted that there is no need to sloganeer unity without service delivery as unity is an important prerequisite to achieve development.
In an interview with ZANIS yesterday on Unity Day, Mr. Hichilema said the reason why Zambians and fore leaders fought for political independence was to attain peace so that they can unite the country and use that unity to develop the country.
The UPND President pointed out that development has to do with quality of life where people access quality education, health, clean water and have three decent meals a day.
He further pointed out that unity could be eluded if there is unfairness in the distribution of development opportunities.
Mr. Hichilema said there is need to make opportunities available to every individual if peace and unity is to be sustained.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hachilema has challenged parents to teach their children the art of hard work.
He noted that parents should make their children understand that for them to have a better life they must work hard.
He implored parents to also explain the importance of culture to their children saying people without a culture heritage have questionable characters.
ZANIS
The ruling MMD in Southern Province says it is confident of scooping all the seven ward by-elections set for August 13, 2009.
Provincial Secretary, Emmerson Siamwela, told ZANIS in Mazabuka yesterday that the campaign strategy employed by the MMD will render the opposition United Party for National Development unpopular during the by-elections
Mr Siamwela said people of Southern Province have now realised that opposing government will not reduce the high poverty levels.
And Mr Siamwela has disclosed that the pact between the Patriotic Front and UPND has been perceived as a total betrayal to the people of Southern Province by UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema.
He said people have since vowed to support the MMD in protest against Mr Hichilema’s decision to team up with the Patriotic Front.
The by-elections will be held in various wards of Mazabuka, Choma, Sinazongwe, Monze, Livingstone and Kalomo.
The Africa Business Forum closed in London today with a strong message to the G8 to stand and fulfill its official development assistance to the continent.
Chairman of the Africa Business Council (CBC), Dr Mohan Kaul said the economy of Africa will be kept afloat not by donor aid but infrastructure development in key sectors such as roads, energy and agriculture.
Closing the two-day forum and announcing the recommendations of the Forum, which was attended by Vice-president George Kunda, Dr Kaul stressed the need for the developed world to continue supporting the development efforts of the continent.
Dr Kaul announced that British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has agreed to carry the principle recommendations of the Forum to the G8 summit which opens this week in Italy in order to effectively plead Africa’s case.
The Forum, which was attended by over 400 business and government leaders, observed in its message to the G8 that Africa has made huge strides in economic performance and good governance, with growth being steady at 5 per cent amid more economic actors, especially from Asia.
However, the business and government leaders warned that the collapse of international capital markets, falling national incomes and the ever sky-rocketing cost of food and energy is threatening to put Africa’s economic development in reverse gear.
The meeting has since urged the G8 and other major economies to take the lead in tackling the immediate effects of increased costs, stabilising financial flow and regenerating trade.
In that vein, the Forum also called on the G8 to actively support African governments in order to create the best conditions for business and investment.
The Forum observed that enterprises and private sector investments were among the sustainable drivers for growth in Africa and other emerging markets.
African leaders have also been urged to avoid protectionist policies that could damage Africa’s economic achievements .
Post newspaper editor Chansa Kabwela at the Lusaka central policeThe Government has said that the recent questioning of The Post news editor for
alleged possession of obscene material contrary to the laws of Zambia should not be politicised.
Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said it was sad that some political parties were using the recent questioning and recording of warn and caution statement from the newspaper’s editor to gain political mileage.
“The questioning of The Post news editor Chansa Kabwela last week should not be politicised and the police should be left to do the their work based on their evidence,” Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said.
Gen Shikapwasha, who is Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said branding the police action as political was a cheap way of viewing the matter.
Last week, police in Lusaka recorded a warn and caution statement from Ms Kabwela for allegedly being in possession of obscene material contrary to the laws of Zambia.
The statement from Ms Kabwela was recorded after interrogating her for close to three hours in connection with pictures of a woman in childbirth.
The police action followed Ms Kabwela’s sending of the pictures to Vice-President George Kunda and copied to the minister of Health, Secretary to the Cabinet, Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council, Women for Change and the Roman Catholic Church Archbishop of Lusaka.
Ms Kabwela said she had sent the pictures of the woman in the hope that they would move the Government to take quick action and end the strike by health workers.
Patriotic Front president, Michael Sata recently accused the police of being used by the Government and the MMD over the statement recorded from Ms Kabwela.
[Times of Zambia]
Chiengi MP Katele Kalumba chats with his counterpart from Mkushi Lucy ChangweThe Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) has
described as shocking the resignation of Defence Minister, George Mpombo.
Party Secretary General, Katele Kalumba, said the resignation of Mr Mpombo comes as a great shock to the party, especially that he was a senior member of the party and a minister.
He said Mr Mpombo holds a very important position in the country as a Defence Minister, adding that he should have followed a laid down procedure before he could announce his resignation.
Dr Kalumba told ZANIS in an interview yesterday that he expected Mr Mpombo to consult with the party before he could take such a bold decision.
Dr Kalumba said being a NEC member and elected by majority at the party convention, the former minister knows that it is difficulty for a person to relinquish a position unless under difficult circumstances.
He, however, welcomed the resignation of Mr Mpombo, who is also Kafulafuta Member of Parliament and MMD chairman for energy.
Dr Kalumba said Mr Mpombo’s resignation was a big blow to the party as the man stood for democracy.
He further wished the minister good luck in his new endeavors and hoped that he will remain a committed member of the party.
He has, meanwhile, called on all party members in the country not to panic, adding that the party will soon recover from the loss of the minister.
Dr Kalumba said MMD as a party has in the past lost important members but has quickly recovered from such.
He has further urged MMD members to stop politicking on who stands for elections in 2011, but concentrate on developing the country.
PRESIDENT Rupiah and First Lady Thandiwe at Chipata airport during 2008 campaignsTHE MMD has said President Banda’s candidature in the
2011 presidential and parliamentary elections is not negotiable.
MMD chairman for elections Mike Mulongoti said the wisest thing his party can do is to have president Banda stand and win the elections owing to the statesmanship he has demonstrated since he became head of State.[quote]
“The MMD has made its stance that we will endorse President Banda’s candidature in 2011 because he has demonstrated statesmanship since he was elected. It would not be a clever thing to fight an existing president,” Mr Mulongoti said.
He said this yesterday at the Press Freedom Committee of The Post discussion at Lusaka’s Chrismar Hotel.
Mr Mulongoti castigated people intending to stand on the MMD ticket during the 2011 elections, saying such people should have been involved in activities of the party long before their desire to stand.
“To those, I can clearly say they will not find favour with us because they must have shown commitment to the party in the first place,” he said.
Mr Mulongoti said those intending to represent MMD in the 2011 general elections should have waited for the party members’ invitation for them to lead it in the elections.
He described them as insincere people.
“If you think you are presidential material, party members should invite you. Otherwise I will consider you to be a very dishonest character who wants to get what others have worked for,” Mr Mulongoti said.
He said such people must not insinuate that the MMD is undemocratic when it stops them from getting the presidency of the party on what he called a silver plate.
“What is undemocratic about stopping someone from getting something on a silver plate?” Mr Mulongoti asked.
He said the MMD is not against people intending to contest the presidency of the party but that such people should show what they have done for the party.
“We have no intentions of stopping people from contesting the presidency of the MMD but they must come with a track record of their participation in party affairs,” Mr Mulongoti said.
Mr Mulongoti said his party is popular and that people have confidence in its government.
He said President Banda is a great leader who needs the support of people to develop the country.
Mr Mulongoti complained that President Banda is being attacked for mistakes he never made.
“It is unfortunate that President Banda is being attacked for mistakes he did not make,” he said.
And Mr Mulongoti said the MMD is a strong party and that it is not moved by the formation of the Patriotic Front-United Party for National Development pact.
“We are very strong and united as a political party. They are saying we are weak, but how can you team up against a weak party.
“What makes it sweet is that while we are in power, some people are dying to come into power. We cannot be blamed as MMD for keeping them waiting. The people of Zambia have given us the support to be in power for as long as they want,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
The Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) says it is disturbed with the levels of abortions that are being reported among youths in the country.
PPAZ Director of Programmes and Operations, Edford Mutuma, told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the number of abortions in the country is on the increase and called for urgent solutions.
Mr Mutuma said statistics obtained by his association from the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) indicate that the hospital records more than 400 post abortions care cases in a month.
He said the majority of these cases are among the youths and attributed this to lack of information on reproductive health and other vital information.
He also said the latest Zambia Health Demographic Survey has shown that the country is grappling with issues of abortions, hence the need to educate people on its dangers.
Mr Mutuma has emphasized on the need for proper education on reproductive health and related matters among the public.
He said there is need to start educating the public on reproductive health and increase access to relevant services by young women.
Mr Mutuma said people should be educated on family planning and the use of contraceptives to reduce this high number of abortions in the country.
He, however, said people need to properly plan for their future and be responsible before they could engage themselves in sex so as to avoid abortions.
Mr Mutuma noted that under the Zambian laws, abortion is illegal unless it is done under the certification of doctors only in dire circumstances.
He, however, said the recently launched Standard and Guidelines on legal abortion is a step ahead in reducing the high number of illegal abortion in the country.
He has further called for the reinforcement of existing policies against illegal abortion to be strengthened.
