THE cash strapped Choma Museum and Crafts Centre has received a financial boost from the Czech Republic under the development cooperation to help revamp its ailing operations.

The Czech Republic will, among other things, provide financial assistance for the upgrading of the museum and offer technical support.

Speaking during the handover of a donation of equipment to the museum in Choma today by the Czech Republic, project coordinator, Chibwe Kaoma, said the foreign assistance will be done in two phases.

District Commissioner, Laiven Apuleni, received the equipment on behalf of the institution which included a desk top computer, grass trimmers and other assorted equipment worth millions of Kwacha during a ceremony held at the museum.

Dr Kaoma said the government of the Czech Republic under the small scale development assistance has agreed to assist Choma museum and has initially made available US $ 13,500.

He said the first phase of the project will address the rehabilitation of the museum infrastructure.

Under the second phase, the project will focus mainly on scaling up advertisement of the museum to local and foreign tourists as well as procurement of new crafts products and artefacts for sale and preservation.

Dr Kaoma said the government of the Czech Republic is preparing a bilateral agreement between Charles University of that country and Choma Museum and also Limulunga museum in Mongu.

He disclosed that the agreement will involve sending Czech museum experts to Zambia to organize courses for employees of the two museums, giving professional help to the two museums in research and collection of items of museological value and organizing study stays of Zambian museologists in the Czech Republic.

And speaking earlier, Museum board vice chairperson, Thom Kampamba, thanked the Czech Republic for coming to the rescue of the museum which has been struggling to survive.

Mr Kampamba said museums all over the world are supported by the central government due to the nature of their obligations.

He, however, said the K 12 million monthly release from government fell short of funds needed to enable the institution function normally, adding that the government grant which had remained static over the years is only sufficient to cater for staff salaries, leaving no money for other operational costs.

Mr Kampamba said the major source of the museum income has in the past been from the sale of craft products but this suffered setbacks because there are few tourists visiting the institution coupled with lack of funds to finance purchase of new products.

He said the board is currently facing problems to do with clearance of debts for staff gratuities and obligatory payments to the Zambia Revenue Authority, National Pension Scheme Authority and the Workmen’s Compensation Fund.

Mr Kapamba said Choma museum is an important institution that plays a role in the development of the country through the cultural heritage preservation.

Meanwhile, museum executive director, Mwimanji Chellah, bemoaned the lack of cooperation between the institution and secondary schools.

Mr Chellah said the museum was not there to compete with school but supplement provision of knowledge to pupils.

He called for close collaboration between schools and the museum.

ZANIS

A 33–year-old customs clearing agent of Nakonde district in Northern Province has committed suicide by shooting himself in the head after a domestic quarrel.

Northern division police commanding officer, Charles Lungu, has confirmed the incident in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services [ZANIS] in Nakonde today.

Mr Lungu said Isaac Mwanza of Mukoma Site and Service plots shot himself in the head last night and died instantly.

Mr Lungu said Mwanza shot himself inside his newly acquired Mitsubishi Pajero near TAZARA-Nakonde railway station around 23:00 hours.

Mr Lungu said the body of Mwanza is lying in Nakonde health centre mortuary awaiting a postmortem.

Police sources said of late Mwanza had been threatening to shoot himself and was once summoned to the police station where he was counseled.

Police sources added that according to initial investigations, Mwanza yesterday openly moved with his pistol throughout the day as he continued to drink beer from one point to another.

He sneaked from his friends after he allegedly quarreled with his spouse who allegedly followed him to a drinking place.

Later in the night he drove towards TAZARA railway station where he shot himself and died instantly.

Members of the public who heard the gun shot immediately informed the police who arrived at the scene and found him already dead.

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institution that contributes to the development of the nation through spiritual guidance to citizens.

Speaking in a speech read for her by Vice President George Kunda’s wife, Ireen, Mrs. Banda said the church needs to be supported as it contributes to the national development and promotes the unity and well-being of citizens.

She noted that the church also provides community services through the construction of basic facilities such as schools and clinics.

She said this at a fund raising luncheon for the Reformed Church of Zambia (RCZ) at Petauke’s Chimwemwe lodge.

Mrs. Banda observed that the increase in the membership of church members is a testimony that that more people were becoming sober minded, adding that this would focus peoples’ minds on developing the country.

Earlier, RCZ Reverend Francis Zulu said the church requires K20 million to expand the church building and the house of the Reverend.

Reverend Zulu said other requirements were benches, vestry chairs and building materials for major renovations.

ZANIS

Lundazi District Commissioner (DC), Masauso Banda on Thursday took a swipe at Wamwabi General Dealers for supplying sub standard materials used to construct Mkomba Health Post in Chief Kapichila’s area in Lundazi District.

Mr. Banda said the building materials used were of a sub standard and this has resulted into the entire project being shoddy.

The DC was speaking when he inspected construction works on newly constructed Mkomba Health Post in chief Kapichila’s area.

The construction work is being done by a local contractor at a total cost of K100million, sourced from Community Development Funds (CDF).

Mr. Banda said it was vital for the local suppliers to prove to the general community that they supplied high quality materials to woe the market.
The sub standard materials observed by the inspectorate team were poor door frames and door shutters, window frames, cornice and cover strips.

And Lundazi District Director of Health, Godfrey Lingenda and the inspectorate team revealed that Mkomba Project was one of the most highly funded community projects in Lundazi district.

Dr. Lingenda lamented that it is unfortunate that the community decided to hand over an uncompleted Project done in a shoddy way to the ministry.

He revealed that the clinic will only be handed over when the works are in accordance with government’s laid down specifications.

ZANIS

A 46 year old man of Nyela village in Nakonde district of Northern province has been shot dead by unknown people while a school teacher of the same area has been found dead in a nearby stream.

Northern division police commanding officer Charles Lungu has confirmed the shooting to death of the man but said he had not yet received a report on the mysterious death of the teacher.
Mr. Lungu identified the man who was shot dead as Green Singoyi of Nyela village in Musele ward, east of Nakonde district.

He said Singoyi was shot dead around 19:00 hours at his home and no arrests have been made so far.
The body of Singoyi is lying in Nakonde district health centre mortuary awaiting a postmortem.

And Nakonde District Commissioner, Edwin Sinyinza said Nyela basic school deputy head teacher, who went missing last Friday, has been found dead in a nearby stream.

Mr. Sinyinza said Billings Siame was found dead yesterday in Nachisenga stream, 15 km from Nyela basic school.

Mr. Sinyinza, who described the late Siame, as a hard working teacher said he went missing on Friday around 21:00 hours. The deceased went missing shortly after handing over a football kit he bought for the school from Nakonde boma.

“The school administration sent Siame to buy school jerseys and a ball and disappeared shortly after handing over the items,” said Mr. Sinyinza.

Mr. Sinyinza said police suspect foul play in the death of Siame, adding that initial investigations indicated that Siame could have been killed before being thrown into the stream. He said Siame’s mutilated body has since been buried.

And Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) Northern province chairperson, Nondo Kasanda has appealed to the police in the area not to rest until they find the people who killed Siame.
ZANIS

Namwala magistrate Munalula Mubita has sentenced a villager to 22 months imprisonment for threatening violence to an aged woman.

Before magistrate Mubita was Barot Shambala 31, of Basanaga village in chief Musungwa’s chiefdom in Itezhi-tezhi district who stood charged with three counts of the of threatening violence contrary to section 90 CAP 87 of the laws of Zambia.

Facts before the court were that Shambala on unknown date of February this year in Basanga village did threaten, Lukacha Mupizyo, 70, on three occasions that he was going to kill her with an ax because she was a wizard who had finished people in the village of Basanga.

The court also heard from one of the witnesses, Lukacha Mupizyo in her testimony that early this year Shambala went to her home and threw an axe at her but fortunately the axe missed her.

Mupizyo told the court that despite this Shambala threatened to kill Mupizyo wherever he would meet her because she was allegedly a ‘‘despicable ruthless witch’’ who had killed so many people in the village.

After considering all the evidence from witnesses, Magistrates Munalula found Shambala guilty of the offence and convicted him accordingly.

Shambala asked for the court’s leniency in meting out his punishment as he had one wife and six children.

In passing the sentence, Magistrates Mubita said that he took in consideration that Shambala showed cruelty to the old woman and his gestures towards the old lady would have harmed the defenseless old woman if there was no one near by to grab the axe that Shambala threw at her.

“ You showed cruelty to the old woman, by saying that she was a wizard you also put her life in danger because people in the village would have risen against her and beat her up therefore you are hereby being sentences to six months for count one, eight months for count two and three to be served consecutively,” he said.

Meanwhile two men of Chibolya compound in Itezhi-tezhi district have been jailed for two years for stealing goods from a shop worth K674, 000.

Before the court were Ian Mushoke ,31 and Lubena Kandyata ,28 of Chibolya compound in Itezhi-tezhi district who were charged with one count of breaking into a building and committing a felony contrary to the penal code of the laws of Zambia.

Facts of the matter were that on 23 April 2009 a Mr. Muzyandu discovered his shop had been broken into with good worth K674, 000 plus a bicycle and cell phone missing, he later reported Theft to Itezhi-tezhi police station who instituted investigations that led to the arrest of the duo.

The duo pleaded guilty to the charge and Magistrates Munalula convicted them.

In mitigation Ian Mushoke asked the court to exercise maximum leniency considering that he did not waste the court‘s time by pleading guilty to the charge while Nalube Kandyata asked the court to consider that he was married with two children.

In sentencing them Magistrates Munalula Mubita said that he took into account the duo were very honest by pleading guilty thereby saving the time of the time-pressed court officials and slapped two years jail terms for each with effect from February 26,2009.
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