Kafue District Commissioner Winford Ngoma has called on the public and the private sectors to ensure that they allow their employees to actively participate in this year’s Labour Day celebrations on May 1st.

In an interview with ZANIS today, Mr. Ngoma said whilst the country was facing economic problems as a result of the world recession, there was still need for workers to be allowed to participate in the celebrations so that they express their views on what they are going through.

He said companies in the district should not use the world recession as an excuse for failing to allow their workers’ participation in the celebrations.
He explained that most companies in the district were operating fairly well and budgeting for their workers should not be a problem.

Mr. Ngoma said his office will do a roll call then take action against companies that will fail to participate in the celebrations.
He also called on companies fond of participating in the Lusaka celebrations to this year join their colleagues in Kafue district.

He said it was prudent that workers rights and job security are assured by them participating in the celebrations.

Mr Ngoma noted that preparations for this year’s celebrations in Kafue have reached an advanced stage and that these are being spearheaded by the labour movement in the district.
He said, so far, his office is happy with the relationship it has developed with the unions.

Meanwhile, the District Commissioner has urged the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia management to fully utilize funds government has released for rehabilitation, transparently and accountably.
He said it was important that NCZ shows government it is responsible and can account for the money even though it is not much.

Mr. Ngoma has urged management to also ensure workers at the plant participate in the celebrations for Labour Day.

ENDS/ZANIS/BS/KAFUE

The Patriotic Front (PF) says the much awaited victory of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa is a true sign of the people’s will.

In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday, PF spokesperson Given Lubinda said the South African election had an impact on everyone living in the sub-Saharan region .

Mr. Lubinda observed that the aspect of shortage of ballot papers at most polling stations is not a good thing considering the fact that South Africa has one of the heaviest investments in terms of human and economic resources in Southern Africa.

He, however, said the incident should not be seen as a plan by the ruling party to rig elections as such things do happen.

He said the win by the ANC is a welcome thing considering the fact that the elections were free and fair and that the will of the people must be respected by all peace loving south Africans despite their different races.

Mr. Lubinda said the people of South Africa have expressed their will and decided that Jacob Zuma should govern the country. He said the region should, therefore, respect the election of Jacob Zuma as new South African President.

He expressed happiness at the manner in which the general election was conducted and that South African’s still have confidence in the ruling ANC. He added that it is a good thing that the National Prosecuting Authority has cleared Zuma of all his charges.

ENDS/ISS/PK/ZANIS

Suspected armed robbers have stolen a Suzuki Motor Cycle TF 125 valued at K 19.5 million belonging to the department of Agriculture in Chongwe district.

District Agriculture Coordinator (DACO) Charles Simulunda disclosed the theft of the motor cycle to ZANIS yesterday.

Mr. Simulunda said the motor cycle was snatched at gun point last Thursday from one of his officers in Kanakantapa area. He said the matter has been reported to police in the district to hunt for the suspected robbers.

The motor cycle was bought for the department by Japan International Agency (JICA) for use under the Food Crop Diversification Support Project (FoDiS) and is the third motor cycle the department has lost in similar circumstances.

ENDS/MN/CMM/PK/ZANIS

Former intelligence Chief, Xavier Chungu, has been denied bail in the case where he is charged with forgery and altering false documents.

Lusaka magistrate,Joshua Banda, ruled on Friday that Mr Chungu cannot be granted bail because he breached trust by jumping the previous one.

Magistrate Banda however granted Mr. Chungu leave to appeal against the ruling.

The case has been adjourned to April 30 for continued trial.

Chungu is alleged to have altered details on his passport, the document he used to travel back home from where he was hiding abroad.

He is also facing other charges related to plunder of national resources.
[ZNBC]

Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Eularia Siyamujaye says the decentralization of Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF) will reduce congestion of people awaiting pension’s benefits at Pension House in Lusaka.

Mrs. Siyamujaye said the decentralization of the program would reduce the distances that pensioners had to travel to access their benefits.

She was speaking at the launch of the PSPF decentralization in Chipata this morning.

Mrs. Siyamujaye commended PSPF for demonstrating commitment in maintaining standards of service delivery and accessibility to pension services in rural districts.

She also noted that queries on how to obtain house loans would be addressed at the new district office in Chipata.

“Civil servants who are members of the fund will be able to enquire and access the facility,” she said.

She further said the formation of a partnership among the Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT), the Civil Service and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ), and the Zambia National Pensioners Association and the PSPF would assist the delivery of pension’s services to districts.

Meanwhile, a representative from the Public Service Pensions Fund, Muchimba Kamu said the decentralization pilot project will determine the success of the decentralization project to be conducted in the rest of the provinces.

Mr. Kamu said it was imperative for officers entrusted to run the PSPF offices in the district to be efficient in their work to win people’s confidence.

ENDS/HN/PK/ZANIS

A named police officer from Magoye police post, who was found drunk on duty, has been detained at Mazabuka Police station. This follows orders by Magoye Member of Parliament, Bennie Mweemba, to have the officer punished.

Both police and Mr Mweemba confirmed the detention of the officer to ZANIS in Mazabuka today.

Mr Mweemba said he ordered the detention of the officer because he found him drunk and unable to perform his duties while complainants waited for a long time without being attended to.

He said he will not tolerate indiscipline among police officers especially those that drink beer on duty.
Mr Mweemba said the officer will only be released from custody tomorrow.

“This chap ran away from me as I attempted to bundle him in my car. So what I did was to phone the Officer in charge who complained of fuel but I had to provide them with fuel in order for them to pick him. He will only be discharged tomorrow,’’ said Mweemba.

He also urged the Inspector General of Police to ensure that police officers reporting for work while drunk are fired because they are denting the good image of the police service.

Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba, also confirmed the development and said he would only issue a detailed report after receiving a police report.

Mazabula police station is another station where some police officers report for work drunk.

ZANIS/ENDS/HC/EB