The Kazungula District Council has directed marketeers trading around the Kazungula border post makeshift market to vacate the premises with immediate effect.

The council has given the traders up to Friday May 29, 2009 to vacate the premises or have their makeshift stalls demolished.

This is contained in a public notice made available to ZANIS by Acting Council Secretary Namukolo Kalufyanya.
The Acting Council Secretary stated in the notice that trading in the makeshift market is illegal and a breach of the Markets and Bus Station Act N0. 7 of 2007 as read together with the Public Health Act, Local Government Act and the Town and Country Planning Act.

Mrs. Kalufyanya reminded the traders about the previous notices to vacate the border post area given to them on December 27, 2007 and on January 8, 2008 respectively.

She said all traders are advised to move to the new designated market and other commercial areas where they have been allocated trading space, without fail.

The District Council, together with other departments in the district is striving to maintain hygiene and order in the border area in line with the Keep Zambia Clean Campaign.
ZANIS

A Kawambwa Magistrates court has denied bail to a 36-year-old man accused of stealing over K900 million from the Food Reserve Agency( FRA.)

The money was meant for purchase of 15, 000 x 50 kilogrammes of White maize from farmers by the Agency.

This is in a matter where John Mwape 36 of Kawambwa district in Chief Munkanta’s area is jointly charged with Martin Sichone 29 and Mary Chikotwe 23 of the same area.
The trio is charged with theft by agent contrary to section 272 and 280 (b) chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars before the court are that Mwape and his co–accused while acting together on unknown date but between June 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009 allegedly diverted K949, 620, 000.00 to their personal use.

The money was given to them by FRA and was meant to purchase 15, 000 x 50 Kg of white maize.
But Mwape, Sichone and Chikotwe while working as FRA depot manager, Supervisor and clerk respectively allegedly misappropriated the funds.

However, when they appealed for plea before Kawambwa Magistrate, Felix Kaoma, the trio denied the charge.

Meanwhile, Sichone and Chikotwe, who are reportedly on the run have been charged with another count of false accounting contrary to section 326 (a) chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
The duo allegedly fraudulently forged documents purporting that 13,000 x 50 Kg bags of white maize were transported to a FRA depot in Mwembeshi from the Kawambwa depot.

But in their submissions the trio appealed for bail, which was denied by Magistrate Kaoma.

When passing the ruling, Magistrate Kaoma said the court would not grant them bail citing possible jumping as all were apprehended whilst on the run.

The three will appear in court for mention and trial on June 10 and June 15, 2009 respectively.

Government is to rehabilitate roads leading to shrines and the main arena of the Umutomboko traditional ceremony to help encourage more people attend this year’s ceremony.

Luapula Province Minister, Bornface Kawimbe, disclosed that government, through the provincial administration, has set aside funds from the Tourism Development Fund in this year’s budget, to facilitate the road rehabilitation works ahead of this year’s ceremony slated for July 25.

President Rupiah Banda, is expected to be among several people to attend the ceremony.

The roads to be worked on are those leading to the two shrines along the Ng’ona River where Mwatakazembe, the traditional ruler of the Lunda people, performs rituals and pays homage to Chiefdom gods during the annual traditional ceremony.

Dr Kawimbe disclosed the plan when he inspected the road network and main arena for the Umutomboko ceremony in Mwansabombwe yesterday.

The minister said the umutomboko ceremony is a major tourist attraction in the province, hence government would render necessary support in efforts of marketing the vast tourism endowment of the province.

He said government through the Buildings Department would reconstruct the main arena by putting up a permanent structure.

The minister also said the department would also put up VIP toilets and a borehole to improve hygiene standards during for ceremony.

Dr. Kawimbe said the Rural Roads Unit, RRU, would soon move on site to work on the roads adding that the scope of works would include grading and gravelling of the roads.

“Government has realized that it cannot promote tourism in Luapula without highlighting the most important package which is the Umutomboko Traditional Ceremony.. so we are just doing the right thing that this year’s ceremony is supported as such so that we open up other attractions,” Dr. Kawimbe said.

He emphasised the need to intensify efforts of promoting the tourism industry in the province as it has the potential to help reduce poverty in the area.

Dr. Kawimbe said the province is endowed with an array of tourist attractions, which still remain unexploited due to lack of both domestic and foreign investment.

The minister also said plans are underway to improve access to all tourist sites.

“We realize that provision of access roads to these sites is important before we embark on advertising them to tourists and investors… our splendid tourist attractions are inaccessible by road even by air… so the approach is we need to provide access and then market,” Dr. Kawimbe said.

Luapula Province hosts seven waterfalls and is home to a rare black Letchwe species and the shoe bill stock bird which are only endemic to the Bangweulu plains.

ZANIS

Itezhi-tezhi district’s Lubanda ward councilor Harry Namaluba has been jailed for three years for participating in an unlawful assembly with intent to dethrone chief Shimbizhi of Itezhi-tezhi district.

This is a case in which the six, Harry Namaluba, 46, Harrison Shimbizhi, 70, Ford Kamano 40, Dyna Pilili, 78, Abraham Chella, 62 and Evans Kamano, 42, were jointly charged with the offence of participating in an unlawful assembly contrary to section 75 cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offense were that the six while acting together on 28 May 2008 in the district of Itezhi-tezhi took part in ununlawful assembly in Buunga area of Itezhi-tezhi district at which councilor Harry Namaluba being the master minder of the unlawful assembly incited chief Shimbizhi’ subjects to dethrone him on account that he was not respecting himself in manner befitting a chief in the Shimbizhi chiefdom.

The court also heard that Councilor Namaluba did not take the advice given to him by the headman of Shimbuwambombo village not to convene the assembly without the blessings of the chief but he went ahead and bragged that he was the area councilor and could hold meeting without a permit.

After considering evidence from six witnesses ,Magistrates Munalula convicted four of the accused, Harry Namaluba, 46, Harrison Shilupizhi, 70, Dyna Pilili, 78 and acquitted Ford Kamano, 40, Evans Kamano,42 on account that evidence has proved beyond reasonable doubt that they did not participate in the unlawful assembly.

In mitigation Harry Namaluba pleaded for the court’s leniency in deciding his punishment that he was married and had children.

And passing sentence Magistrates Munalula Mubita of the Namwala Mobile Court said that it is a serious crime to try to dethrone a chief without a court order and in order to deter other people with intent to dethrone chiefs he was going to punish them.

“I want to emphasize that no subject has power to overthrow a chief once he/she has been installed, the chief can only be removed by a court order. It is also a very serious offence to try to dethrone a chief for this, I am sending you to jail” he said.

Mr. Munalula also said that one is allowed to conduct a meeting without obtaining police permit except the President, Vice President, Ministers and Speaker of the National Assembly.

Magistrates Munalula Mubita sentenced Namaluba to three years imprisonment for being the master minder of the crime with effect from May 26, 2009, while Dyna Pilili,78 and Harrison Shilupizhi,70 were sentenced to 18 months simple imprisonment while Abraham Chella was slapped with an 18 month imprisonment with hard labour.

ZANIS