The Attorney General has told the Dora Siliya tribunal that the Minister ignored his legal advice on the Memorandum of Understanding with RP Capitals for the evalution of ZAMTEL assets.

Mumba Malila also told the tribunal Chaired by Supreme Court Judge, Dennis Chirwa, that he is not aware that RP Capital Partners has already started evaluating ZAMTEL assets.

Mr. Malila said government will have to meet financial obligations if RP Capital Partners has already started the works.

He said during cross examination by Petitioners’ lawyer, Bornaventure Mutale, that he had suggested that the initial MOU be treated as a nullity following serious concerns from the Zambia Development Agency board.

Mr. Malila said he had delegated Solicitor General, Dominic Sichinga, to deal with the matter but his legal advice was also ignored.

He said he would blame the Ministry of Transport and Communication for ignoring the legal advice and not his officers who had initaily rendered their expert opinion.

And in cross examination by Ms. Siliya’s Lawyer, Eric Silwamba,Mr Malila maintained that legal advice from his chambers was not complied with.

The tribunal has concluded proceedings and Judge Chirwa has asked the two parties to file in their written submissions on Wednesday.

District Chairman, Allan Shawa, has described the
just-ended national Indaba as a pilot to national development.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Livingstone today, Mr Shawa said submissions made by the delegates at the Indaba were valid and that something will come up from the gathering.

He advised his fellow opposition party members to differentiate between politics and national development as the Indaba was for the sake of national development.

Mr Shawa said those who shunned the Indaba are short-minded because the exercise was meant to benefit everyone, not just individuals.He said he does not fully agree with those who say the Indaba was a waste of tax-payers’ money as it was meant to find a lasting solution to the effects of the global recession Zambia is experiencing.

Mr Shawa said he only hopes that every citizen of this country will ensure that what was resolved during the Indaba is operationalised.

“It is my hope and prayer that what was being said in the Indaba will be put into good effect as you heard a lot of suggestions came up and so did the contributions save their purpose and I think the whole process was a success. I do not regret having my party at the Indaba,” he said.

Vice-President George Kunda in his closing remarks at the just ended two-day Indaba conference, assured the Zambian people that Government will put in action all the views that have been recorded before the Indaba conference.

ZANIS/ENDS/AS/EB

A concerned man of Mambova area in Kazungula district says women are given too much attention on issues of human rights.

Charles Nasambala said although he is happy with the Young Women Christian Association’s programmes which advocate for equal rights for both women and men, law should not be favoring women alone.

Mr Nasambala said it is important to advocate for mens rights as well, saying the issue of gender has made many women lose respect for their husbands.

He was speaking in Mambova yesterday during a sensitization programme on gender-based violence against women and children organized by the YWCA.

But YWCA Regional Coordinator for Southern Province, Dorothy Velemu, said law does not favor women alone, adding that anyone can be punished for committing a crime.

Speaking at the same occasion, German Development Service Advisor for civil society, Jan Kottner, said women’s rights need to be protected in order to bring development.

ZANIS/ENDS/NM/EB

On 3rd April 2009, Some Patriotic Front (PF) youths called on the party president Mr Michael Sata to step down.

Mandevu Constituency Chairperson Frank Lombe said the PF youths in the area were demanding that Mr Sata should step down within 30 days.

Mr Lombe went on to say the PF youths were calling for a new president because Mr. Sata is undemocratic and will never lead the party to power.

Below is our cartoonist’s rendition of Mr Sata’s response to the youths.

international community to consider putting in place
mechanisms that will help stop the problem of human trafficking that has placed women at the centre of abuse.

Mrs. Banda said women and girls suffer the most as the perpetrators of the vice use these women as sex slaves.She advised women all over the world and Africa at large to gather courage in order to stand up and strongly speak against such vices.

Mrs. Banda said women hold the answers to their own problems in societies.She stated that the African continent which is the most affected by human trafficking should play a pivotal role in finding solutions to this problem.

The first lady has also described reasons that deprive women from achieving their heart-felt desires as unfortunate.She said women for a long time have been seen as inferior hence have been prevented from enjoying certain privileges of live.She said it is high time women stopped wearing a face of poverty and illiteracy and other work loads that deprive them of their rights to education, physical and spiritual freedom.

She was speaking during the official opening of the All Africa Girls Brigade fellowship organized by the African brigade that is being conducted at the Queens Hotel in Livingstone.

Mrs. Banda has further urged young women in Africa to be prepared to take up decision making positions in order to attain the SADC’s declaration of over 30 per cent women representation in decision making.

She has also advised the girls participating at the fellowship to take advantage of the Government institutions in their countries to fight gender based violence and abuse of women girls’ rights.

International Girls Brigade president, Ruth Chikasa said the girls Brigade aims at empowering the girl child with skills to help themselves in the future.

“Our aim as Girls Brigade is to bring the girls up to be responsible citizens by giving them skills which will enable them to sustain themselves in future,” She said.

The fellowship attracted Girls’ Brigade associations across Africa .

Countries that participated were Nigeria , South Africa , Bostwana , Tanzania , Zimbabwe , and the host Zambia.

ZANIS/AS/MKM/ENDS

President, Rupiah Banda says the high cost of transport in Africa has negatively impacted on Africa’s competitive capacity on the global economic market.

Speaking during the official opening of the North South Corridor Donor Pledging Conference which opened in Lusaka today Mr. Banda said there is need for Africa to adopt an integrated approach for public and private sector partnership in efforts of improving the state of infrastructure.

He acknowledged efforts initiated at national and regional levels in efforts of addressing the challenges confronting the development of the continent.

He expressed hope that the North-South Corridor project, once implemented, would remove infrastructure bottlenecks along the corridor with the objective of contributing to sustained economic growth and development.

He welcomed the initiative by COMESA, SADC and EAC to embark on the infrastructure development effort aimed at reducing the cost of doing business in the region.

The project also focuses at simplifying and harmonization of customs’ procedure and legislation as well as developing the energy sector.

“The project will focus on the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures and legislation. Harmonization of information technology systems and electronic customs managements system, harmonization to axle load and vehicle dimensions of road transit charges regulations and carrier licenses, regulatory issues relating to performance monitoring as well as energy development in the sub region,” Mr. Banda.

President Banda expressed hope that the project could be replicated to other regions on the continent with a view to enhancing the flow of goods for enhanced trade.

President Banda noted that the economic crisis in Africa has been compounded by limited infrastructure and the lack of sufficient energy required for the expansion investment.

Mr Banda observed that increased foreign investment flow in the region has exerted pressure on the existing infrastructure.

“Africa’s situation has further been compounded by limited infrastructure and a lack of sufficient energy to cater for expansion in investment activities that have emerged in the recent past,” he added.

“ In addition, the increase in the flow of foreign investment and the expansion of economic activities in the region, in the recent past, has added pressure on existing infrastructure,” he added.

The Two day high level meeting attended by South African President, Kgalema Motlanthe, Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni which has attracted about 350 participants is aimed at mobilizing resources for infrastructure development in the three regions.

Mr. Banda has assured the COMESA-EAC-SADC community of Zambia’s commitment towards the implementation of the North-South Corridor infrastructure development project.

He said said government is affecting policy measures focusing at infrastructure development through increased resource allocation.

Mr. Banda said Zambia is already making headway in the development of border facilities and streamlining border processes in line with the objectives of the regional infrastructure development project.

He indicated that the Chirundu Border is undergoing redesigning to a One-Border-Stop-Point while the Zimba-Livingstone Road is currently being upgraded.

Mr Banda is also confident that regional efforts to improve infrastructure and trade could help reduce effects of the current global economic recession on the regional economy.

Earlier, African Union Deputy Chairman, Erastus Mwencha, welcomed the collaboration by the three regional bodies as it is in line with the AU’s objective of promoting integration and cooperation in efforts of promoting economic development on the continent.

Mr Mwencha emphasized the need for infrastructure development as it is key to addressing economic challenges on the continent.

And speaking on behalf of EAC Chairman, Paul Kagame, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, attributed the economic problems the continent is facing to the absence of social economic transformation.

Mr. Museveni also criticized the exportation of raw materials from Africa as having deprived the continent of the required value for economic development.

He also emphasized the need for increased partnership on the global scale to effectively tackle the effects of the global economic current.

SADC Chairman Mr Motlanthe said there was abroad consensus on the need to develop infrastructure as it plays a significant in stimulating economic growth and enhancing intra-Africa trade.

The North South Corridor is a combination of two traditional corridors 9 Durban corridor and the Dar-es Salaam Corridor linking the port of Durban and others in Southern Africa to the Eastern Port of Dar-es Salaam .

The Durban corridor and others in Southern Africa to the Eastern Port of Dar – es Salaam .

Improvement to the corridor will implemented sequentially and will lead to transport cost savings and Africa based businesses in the order of US 150 million per year.

World trade Organization Director General Pascal Lammy said Aid for Trade is essential to support Africa’s own economic growth agenda.

He said the corridor is an example of a highly innovative regional aid for trade approach that can transform competitiveness and enhance regional trade flows.

“ The corridor projects will promote development and poverty alleviation in the southern Africa region and promote deeper regional integration, ‘ he said.

ZANIS/ENDS/SJK/MKM/

The conference at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre, has attracted several delegates, including three heads of state.

The presidents who are in the country for the conference are Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki, Kgalema Mothlante of South Africa and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni.

The North-South Corridor Pilot Aid for Trade Programme is a joint COMESA-East African Community -SADC- initiative that aims to reduce the time and the costs of surface transport.

President Rupiah Banda has called on Africa to improve its infrastructure to remain competitive in the world economy.

Mr Banda says studies have shown that high transport costs impact negatively on Africa’s trade.

He was speaking in Lusaka when he opened the North South corridor aid for trade conference.

The conference has been called to mobilise resources from the donor community and the private sector for infrastructure development in East and Southern Africa.

President Banda said the conference will not only focus on infrastructure development but also on the customs procedures in COMESA, SADC and East African Community,EAC.

The North South Corridor is an initiative of COMESA, SADC and EAC.

ZNBC