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Satirical Renditions
Buy Coal from us, Collume mine implores Zambian Companies
Chinese Collume Coal Mine (CCCM) Management in Sinazongwe district has appealed to government to assist the mine company in requesting companies that are importing coal from Zimbabwe to start buying its coal .
The two Director from CCCM shaft two and three Xu Zian Rui and Xu Quin said the company has produced abundant coal since it resumed operation in February after it was closed for one month.
The Directors told ZANIS in Sinazongwe in an interview that the mine has no market to sale its coal as most of mining companies in the country are importing the commodity from the neighbouring Zimbabwe.
Mr. Xu said the major customers such as Lafarge Cement Zambia , Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) and other mining companies in Zambia were importing their coal from Zimbabwe.
He said the coal price in Zimbabwe was even higher than the price they were offering.
The two Directors said the scenario was affecting the workers who have been temporarily told to stop working because they have produced coal in abundance.
Mr. Xu noted that the company would be forced to close the mine if the Zambian companies fail to buy the coal they producing as the mining company had no where to sale the commodity.
He said the Zambian companies should be buying the coal from them to protect local jobs and to assist in improving the country’s economy.
“The government should assist us to save the mine from collapsing and save the jobs for employees. At the moment the workers are not motivated because they have no money,” Mr Xu said.
Mayn Nchu the Manager for Shaft One said the failure by the Zambian companies to buy coal from them was affecting the workers and the operation of the company.
“We have too much coal but we have no customers and our coal here has a reasonable price as compared to the imported one,” Mr Nchu said.
A check by ZANIS at the mine found that they were no trucks waiting to buy coal as was the case some three months ago when trucks were queuing for the product.
The workers talked to said the closure of the mine in January affected the business as most of their customers placed orders to buy coal in Zimbabwe for period of six months up to June this year.
ZANIS/TN/MKM/END
RB declares Friday National Mourning for late Chitalu Sampa
President Ruipiah Banda has declared Friday, April 17th, 2009 a day of National Mourning for late Freedom fighter Chitalu Sampa.
President Banda has decided to declare a State funeral for the late Mr Sampa in recognition of his distinguished service to the nation.
Mr Banda has declared Friday, April 17th, 2009 a National Mourning day starting from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours. All flags will fly half mast and activities of an entertainment nature should be postponed or cancelled.
This is contained in a release signed by Acting Secretary to the Cabinet Robert Mataka and received by ZANIS this evening.
The Late Mr Sampa, who served as Mines Minister, Home Affairs Minister and Defence Minister, respectively, passed away yesterday,at the University Teaching Hospital.
Funeral gathering is at House Number 7 Mukonka Close, in Rhodespark off Great East ROAD . Burial will take place at Old Leopards Hill Cemetry and would be preceded by a church service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
ZANIS/MM/ENDS/MM
Paliamentarian should not use own resource to develope constitutuency
Bwanamkubwa member of parliament says a member of parliament should not use own resources to develop a constituency from his personal resources because that was the function of the government.
Mr. Joseph Zulu disclosed this during a meeting with the Clergy in Ndola during a question and answer session.
He said the member of parliament was a representative of the people’s wishes and views from his constituency through advocacy to the executive wing of government which was the implementer of developmental programmes countrywide.
He said it was unfortunate that during elections, many political candidates traded lies to woo votes from the electorates but the situation should change for the better so that the electorates should elect people who would effectively perform their roles once elected.
He said a member of parliament also plays a role in enacting and making laws for the good of the people when in parliament.
He said it was important for the electorates to vote for people who could understand the process of law making for them to make a meaningful contribution after considering the implications of the bill under consideration in parliament.
He said the member of parliament also plays the role or providing an overseeing role of what government was doing and not doing in their respective constituencies so that government was made to respond in go time to issues affecting the people from their sending constituencies.
He advised that it was important for the electorate to send people with the required capacity to lobby for development for their constituencies because the caliber of some members of parliament left much to be desired as they could not articulate issues effectively.
He added that the member of parliament also plays a role in ratifying certain appointments made by the executive wing of government because such appointments needed scrutiny from parliamentarians especially where it involved persons that needed to serve the nation at a higher level in commissions, the judiciary and other bodies that needed parliament to ratify.
Mr. Zulu advised that the member of parliament should be one who understand how government operates and the electorate also should be actively involved with their elected leaders to foster development in their areas.
ZANIS/CN/EML/ENDS/MM
IOM gives Zambia flood relief materials
The International Organization for Migration ( IOM ) has donated to the Vice President’s Office relief materials to address the floods situation in the country.
The donation was made to Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit ( DMMU ) comprising tents, wheel barrows, hoes at a total cost of US$33 million dollars and were received by Vice President George Kunda .
And Mr Kunda said the just ended 2008/09 rain season has caused extensive damage to food crops and infrastructure across the country.
The Vice President said the damage to infrastructure indicates that the cost of repair of roads and bridges will be challenging to the government as the impact of heavy rains and floods on crop yield in some parts of the country is expected to be server.
The vice president thanked IOM for coming to the aid of government to solve some of the problems that resulted from the floods.
He noted that government also appreciates the reliable partnership that exists between IOM and reliable partners in the settlement and resettlement of Zambian citizens who migrate from across the world.
And speaking earlier IOM chief of mission Josiah Ogina said his organization will continue to support government’s efforts in capacity building to strengthen the service delivery to the affected areas.
ZANIS/AH/ENDS/MM
About 2 million Zambians have bilharzia
Government has disclosed that approximately two million people are currently affected with bilharzia in the country.
Minister of Education, Geoffrey Lungwangwa, said bilharzia prevalence rate is currently estimated at 90 per cent in some communities, a situation that has affected the performance of pupils and growth of children.
Professor Lungwangwa disclosed this today when he officially opened a training workshop for teachers on bilharzia and soil transmitted infections in Lusaka..
He said it is important to treat bilharzia and intestinal worms at an early stage because it could affect fertility in women and kidney damage in men.
Professor Lungwangwa noted that bilharzia was found in all the provinces and districts in Zambia, particularly those found near lakes and rivers.
He added that infections such as intestinal worms are very common throughout the country, which might result children and pregnant women having anemia.
Professor Lungwangwa said the training of teachers will go a long way in fighting the prevalence of the disease at the source among communities.
He said at the end of the training workshop, the teachers will have the capacity to assist in fighting the diseases in the country.
And speaking at the same occasion, Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia, Nuri Betel Mal expressed happiness at the turnout of teachers and urged them to ensure that they disseminate information in their communities and schools.
Mr. Mal said that the training has been sponsored by the Arab League Fund, which is aimed at providing technical assistance to African countries in fighting diseases such as bilharzia.
ZANIS/WM/KSH/ENDS
Zesco United Head To Mali
Zesco United on Thursday head to West Africa for the second time in 30 days after earlier disposing Africa Sports of Cote d’Ivoire in the Caf African Champions League 1st round.
This time, Zesco travel north of the border into Mali to face Djoliba in Bamako on Sunday in a Caf African Champions League 2nd round, 1st leg match with kickoff scheduled for 18:00 Zambian time.
This will be Djoliba’s first match against a Zambia club in African club competition since 1982 when they lost to Power Dynamos in the semifinals of the defunct Caf Cup Winners Cup.
Meanwhile, Zesco will be without defender Roger Kamwandi due suspension while fullback Hichani Himoonde is fit after featuring in the sides last two league games following his recovery from a broken metatarsal that he sustained last December.
Winner will qualify to the lucrative group stage of the African Champions League while the loser will be relegated to the last 16 stage of the Confederations Cup that kicks off during the weekend of May 15-17.
Zesco reached the 2nd round stage after beating Africa Sports 2-0 on aggregate on April 4 in their 1st round, return leg match played at the Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola following a scoreless draw in the 1st leg played in Abidjan on March 14.
Meanwhile, Red Arrows left for Egypt on Wednesday ahead of their Caf Confederations Cup 2nd round, 1st leg match against Egyptian club ENPPI in Cairo on Sunday.
Winner will advance to the pre-group stage of the competition that kicks off during there weekend of May 15-17.
Zesco Team:
Goalkeepers: Jacob Banda, Charles Chisha
Defenders: William Chinyama, Chalwe Kabamba, Hichani Himoonde, Nyambe Mulenga, Kunda Mushota
Midfielder: Yona Mwango, Mathews Chikwete, George Phiri, Lotti Phiri, Maybin Mwaba, Josphat Nkhoma, Jonas Sakuwaha
Strikers: Enoch Sakala, Ben Martins, Nicholas Zulu, Clifford Chipalo
RTSA devising new strategy on small buses operations
The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) is devising another strategy that will help it to effectively curb the use of small buses on intercity routes.
RTSA Public Relations Officer, Mukela Mangolwa, told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today, that the use of small buses on intercity routes was against the stipulated traffic rules.
He said RTSA would take stern action against bus operators that were flouting the laid down traffic rules which are meant to promote road safety in the country.
Mr. Mangolwa warned that those found wanting risked being fined and ultimately have their operational licences revoked.
He said the agency had been conducting road patrols to ensure that public transport operators observed traffic rules to guarantee passengers’ safety.
And when asked what the agency was doing to ensure buses operating on the international routes complied with the traffic rules, Mr. Mangolwa said RTSA always ensured that the buses that operate on international routes were of acceptable standards before issuing them licences.
Mr. Mangolwa however, stated that the agency also depended on information from the public for it to enhance its operations.
He has since advised the public to report to RSTA, any bus operator who did not comply with the laid down traffic rules and regulations.
ZANIS/MDP/KSH/ENDS
RB is still popular in Western province, insists Kaingu
province has dispelled reports that President Rupiah
Banda was no longer popular in the territory.
Western Province MMD Treasurer, Michael Kaingu said media reports suggesting that people walked away when President Banda was speaking in the province recently was not true.
Mr. Kaingu, who is also Minister of Community Development, argued that to the contrary, he said President Banda and the MMD were still more popular in the area as compared to opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) and the Patriotic Front (PF).
He explained that people listened to President Banda’s speech attentively and therefore, there was no one who left the arena.
“People should not be denting the name of the President. They should not be attacking the President like that. It is high time we started respecting our President,” he said.
Mr. Kaingu also explained that the Litunga was also happy with the work President Banda was doing in the country and in the province especially in the response to flood victims.
He said government had worked hard to ease the sufferings of the people who have been affected by floods, the development that has earned the MMD government a good name.
ZANIS/TK/KSH/ENDS.
HIV/AIDS affects over 10 million prisoners globally
Zambia Prisons Services Commissioner, Gibbie Nawa, says more than 10 million people in prisons across the world have been seriously affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Mr. Nawa said most countries in the sub-Saharan region have a higher HIV prevalence rate among their prison populations than the general population of the same countries.
He said a decade ago, the Zambia Prison Service carried out an HIV prevalence survey which showed that the prevalence rate of the pandemic in prisons varied from that of the outside population.
He was speaking at the official opening of a three-day training workshop held for prison service officers-in-charge on HIV/AIDS in Kabwe yesterday.
The training workshop is aimed at providing prisons leadership with information on how to reduce stigma and discrimination in order to help both prisoners and officers accept their status.
Mr. Nawa also noted that Zambian prisons officers are at high risk of contracting and spreading HIV due to the nature of their work.
ZANIS/AH/KSH/ENDS
Unstable copper prices will delay Zambia’s economic recovery-Chibamba Kanyama
A local economist has observed that the Zambian economy will not recover quickly from the prevailing global economic meltdown because of the unstable and lower price of copper on international market.
Mr. Chibamba Kanyama said unless Zambia focuses on its internally generated recovery efforts such as local manufacturers, which can exploit the current Kwacha depreciation to compete against foreign imports.
Mr. Kanyama, who is also Zambian Breweries Corporate Affairs Director, told ZANIS in Lusaka today Zambian Breweries is one such company that has targeted the regional market, whose demand is still reasonably high.
He said the other avenues that could help the Zambian economy to recover would be depending on the performance of the motor industry that considerably consumes copper products, which is one of the major earners of foreign money for Zambia.
He predicted that the Zambian economy will recover after government has worked on its own economy with targets that are identified through increased investments which could attract Zambian consumers.
Mr. Kanyama however said companies such as general motors are under-going intensive restructuring programmes owing to challenges of bankruptcy.
He further explained that economic recovery may not be done in one year because the price of copper on the global market is still dampened by speculators believed to be from china.
He said the recovery of the Zambian economy cannot be compared to developed nations because the appearance of marginal economic recovery in countries such as the United States was only a signal that the current global recession will be contained in the near future.
Mr. Kanyama however said the reverse of a turn around takes several years to positively affect poor economies.
He pointed out that the seemingly glimmer of hope of recovery in the US is too minimal to translate into global economic recovery, adding that this is only seen in some price rises for certain stocks.
ZANIS/VP/KSH/ENDS
Overcoming the financial crisis
We are going through tough times. My heart bleeds for the many innocent Zambians who will go without food during this time of financial crisis. It aches
for those who will die from the combination of disease and the lack of food.
I have a feeling that the majority of Zambians are not aware of the crisis because they live in the remotest areas of the country. However, despite their not knowing of the financial crunch, I suspect that through instinct some of these people can now tell that things are not normal. I am positive that some can adequately sense the food crisis in their general surroundings.
With the odds seemingly working against us, my faith assures me that Zambia could come out of this situation safely, but only if we pull together in one direction as Zambians. Everyone should be involved.
Right now, we could suspend most of the programs targeted by the constituency development fund and redirect the funds towards food security for the constituencies by purchasing and stocking maize for a rainy day. The churches can come out in full support of this program by offering their facilities for food storage. We see in the Bible how God used Joseph to create food reserves crucial in a time of crisis. The schools can also chip in by stocking food provided through the diversion of constitutional funds. At this point, we need food security more that buildings.
It is time we Zambians began to deliberately take steps aimed at serving our fellow citizens. We have the ability to plan for a better future. It is time the political parties, the churches, schools, civic organizations, and every honest Zambian came together to build one healthy Zambia, as was tried in the past by our first president, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, as evidenced by his slogan, “One Zambia, One Nation.”
Such an ambitious program can be done.
For the first time, we could see every Zambian church and denomination plough back the funds contributed by their members to provide Sunday meals for its needy people. What would it profit the church to keep a fat bank account while people were dying of hunger? What if, as Zambians, we turned Saturday or Sunday into a day when those who can afford an extra meal (not only the rich) could feed one extra, hungry person? Why can’t we reach a day when those with two coats can resolve to give one coat to another? Wasn’t this the message that Jesus preached? If only Zambians could come together and help each other for the sake of Mother Zambia, this depression would have a lesser effect on our nation.
We cannot wait for the government to provide. It has failed us in the past and is still failing us by allowing drug stores to distribute expired drugs to our sick and by allowing smugglers to sell our much-needed maize at the expense of the voiceless Zambians. The government has failed us by awarding itself huge salaries at the expense of good health care for its own citizenry. It has failed us by spending millions of dollars importing luxury vehicles at the expense of allowing dubious transporters to run defected passenger fleets that are killing our people daily on Zambia’s roads.
It’s time for every ordinary citizen to raise up and help a fellow Zambian. Let’s get back to the real Zambian culture, where young people can help the elderly without expecting anything in return. It’s time we began to value Zambian life more today than ever before.
Govt urged to consult widely on economic issues
The private sector has urged government to consider consulting other stakeholders when implementing decisions concerning the economy of the nation.
Private Sector Development Association (PSDA) chairperson, Yusuf Dodia, has said the private sector could play a vital role in the economic growth of any country if allowed to give its views.
Mr. Dodia told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that there was need for government to work closely with the private sector when implementing measures aimed at strengthening the economy.
Mr. Dodia, who was commenting on the recent directive by the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) to ban non-residents from borrowing kwacha from commercial banks, said there was need to consider involving other partners in ensuring that the economy was protected at all times.
He explained that BoZ was also supposed to include other stakeholders and have an in-depth analysis of the current economic situation in the country before effecting the move.
He noted that with the current global recession, the central bank should be working out modalities that would protect the economy and attract more investment in the country.
Mr. Dodia further explained that banning of non-residents from borrowing the local currency will negatively affect foreign investment in the country because many foreign investors will find it difficult to do business in Zambia.
The PSDA chairperson noted that for any economy to be stable, there must be a combination of both the foreign and local investment.
Mr. Dodia added that this is why the BoZ should have consulted both the local and foreign investors to come up with proper measures that would not only protect but enhance economic development in the country.
Last month, the central bank introduced the monetary policy measure of banning non-residents from borrowing the kwacha in a bid to strengthen and protect the local currency from further depreciation.
The Kwacha has in the recent months depreciated against major foreign currencies by over 60 per cent.
ZANIS/MM/KSH/ENDS.
Local contractor asks for more contracts from Government
A Lusaka based private contractor has appealed to the government to support the growth of the construction industry in the country by giving more contracts to local contractors.
Fabian Watanuka who is managing director of Hadac, a civil engineering construction company, says local construction companies have the potential to make a significant contribution to the growth of the economy if supported by government.
Mr. Watanuka says this can be seen in the high standard of some projects local construction companies have undertaken around the country especially in the education and health sectors.
He made the appeal when the monitoring and evaluation team led by Lusaka province deputy permanent secretary Conrad Tembo visited a clinic being built by Hadac Construction Company in Lusaka’s Chaisa compound.
Mr. Watanuka said the clinic was nearing completion and would be handed over to the government in a few weeks time.
And Lusaka province deputy permanent secretary Conrad Tembo commended the company for completing the project within the stipulated time and standard.
Mr Tembo said government will always support local contractors who deliver quality service.
He said the provincial administration has enhanced the supervision of ongoing development projects in the province to ensure they are completed on time and in accordance with the projected standard.
Earlier, the monitoring team inspected progress on projects at Chelston, Chunga and Chilenje high schools.
The team also visited Chainama College of health sciences, construction of a library at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and a local court in Chilenje.
ZANIS/LN/BMK/MKM/
The Kuomboka Ceremony in Pictures
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