Operations at Nampundwe Mine in Mumbwa District will come to a halt on Monday 4th May due to restructuring in the KCM group of companies.

This has been announced by KCM Group Human Resources manager Susan Ziko who said the pyrite producing mine will remain closed for at least nine months before re-opening.

Ms Ziko said this when her team briefed Mwembeshi Member of Parliament Edward Kasoko at the constituency office on the future of Nampundwe Mine.

She however said none of the 321 miners will lose their jobs as KCM management has taken necessary measures to ensure the future of the miners.

The KCM human resource manager said in a bid to come out of the current global economic crunch, KCM has found it fit to transfer the Namundwe Mine Larox Filter machine to Nchanga Mine to help in the production of cobalt.

Ms Ziko however said KCM has already placed an order for a new Larox Filter from Sweden which will be installed at Nampundwe.

The KCM official said the Nampundwe miners will be asked to stay at home from Monday with options to choose which KCM mine on the Copperbelt they would like to be transferred to while a skeleton staff will be chosen to keep Nampundwe Mine afloat.

Ms Ziko said there is also an option for those who want to be separated from KCM operations.

But Mwembeshi Member of Parliament Edward Kasoko said the Larox Filter from Nampundwe can only be taken to Nchanga after a memorandum of understanding has been signed between his office, the Minister of Mines, Mine workers unions and KCM management to ensure the promise by KCM to re-open Nampundwe after nine months is adhered to.

He said this will be done in order that if KCM does not stick to the promise of re-opening Nampundwe after nine months, the Nampundwe community will be free to pursue the case in the court of law adding that no matter how long the case will take, the community will eventually win.

Mr Kasoko said this has been done because the community does not trust KCM which keeps changing its goal posts.
ENDS/MM/AM/ZANIS

A chief officer at Kafue district council has expressed disappointment with residents in Kafue estates who have turned refuse bins distributed to them under the Keep Kafue Clean Campaign programme for garbage collection into storage facilities for water and mealie meal .

Acting Council Secretary, Albert Hamayanda, told ZANIS in an interview today that some residents in Kafue estates were using the refuse bins to store water and mealie meal, which he said was wrong.

Mr Hamayanda said the council last year embarked on a programme to purchase refuse bins under the campaign so as to encourage residents to safely dispose of their garbage instead of using pits behind the back yards.

He said a total of 250 bins were bought and distributed to commercial outlets in the main town, markets and households in the estates.

He said a survey the local authority to monitor how the bins were being used revealed that many of the bins in the households were storage facilities for water and mealie meal.

The acting Council Secretary appealed to residents to immediately stop the practice as it was defeating the whole purpose of the Keep Kafue Clean campaign.

Mr Hamayanda noted that use of pits is being discouraged by the council as it had environmental effects.

Mr Hamayanda said his office was happy that the two trucks given to the council by government last year were being utilized well in Chilanga and Kafue townships for garbage collection.

He said his office will continue striving to ensure that cleanliness is maintained in public areas.

Mr Hamayanda also disclosed that the council will purchase more refuse bins so that each and every households can have bins in both Chilanga and Kafue townships.

ZANIS/ENDS/BS/EB

Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha, says he did not send Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Director General, Joseph Salasini, on forced leave.

Lt Gen Shikaphwasha says it is not correct that he sent the ZNBC Director Genral on leave, but Mr Salasini offered to stay away and apply for formal leave.

This is contained in a press statement by the Minister on the alleged forced leave of the ZNBC Director General released to in Lusaka this evening.

Lt Gen Shikapwashya, however, confirmed that he had held several meetings with the leaders of the workers’ representatives at ZNBC following their petition to remove the Board of Directors and senior managers.

He said the workers’ representatives presented him with a number of issues that they had raised with management and about which there had been no agreement, adding that they also alleged financial mismanagement.

The minister said, in response to their petition and request for his intervention, he has asked the Auditor Generals office to move in quickly to undertake a financial and performance audit.

As for the other demands concerning the removal of the board and management, the Minister said there was an agreement that those matters could follow a thorough study of the issues raised and in accordance with the existing ZNBC Act.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha also confirmed that he discussed the concerns of the workers and his decision to invite the Auditor Generals office with ZNBC Director General.

“In order of the Auditor General to undertake this audit, the Director General offered to stay away and apply for leave,” Lt Gen Shikapwasha said.

ZANIS/ENDS/EB

President Rupiah Banda has called for deeper relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe in developing the economies of the two countries.

And President Banda, who arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday for a four-day state visit, is this afternoon scheduled to officially open Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.

Speaking at a State Banquet hosted in his honour by President Mugabe at state house in Harare last night, President Banda said Zambia and Zimbabwe face the same challenges of underdevelopment characterized by high levels of poverty.

It is for this reason that the two countries need to work together in order to enhance economic growth, food security, peace and good governance.

The President said the two countries should continue at regional, continental and international fora in ensuring regional development in the sectors of infrastructure, trade and agriculture.

President Banda noted with satisfaction that under the Joint Commission of Cooperation (JPC) established over 20 years ago, Zambia and Zimbabwe have been able to implement various projects aimed enhancing economic interaction between the two sister republics.

He noted that through the JPC, Zambia and Zimbabwe are implementing the infrastructure development projects such as the One-Stop border post at Chirundu that will go a long way at reducing the cost of doing business.

The two countries are also working together in developing energy generating capacities, which is a critical input in increasing trade and investment.[quote]

“We need to officially launch the Chirundu One Stop border post as soon as possible. The two countries should continue to cooperate and fully exploit their economic potentials. In this regard it is a good thing that we increase trade and investment and participate in each others trade fairs,” Mr Banda said.

On the challenge of overlapping membership of COMESA and SADC to which both countries belong, President Banda noted with happiness that Zambia and Zimbabwe are supporting the efforts being made through the tripartite framework to coordinate the programmes of COMESA, East Africa Economic Community, EAC, and SADC regional groupings which will contribute to the realisation of the African Economic Community.
President Rupiah Banda has called for deeper relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe in developing the economies of the two countries.

And President Banda, who arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday for a four-day state visit, is this afternoon scheduled to officially open Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.

Speaking at a State Banquet hosted in his honour by President Mugabe at state housein Harare last night, President Banda said Zambia and Zimbabwe face the same challenges of underdevelopment characterised by high levels of poverty.

It is for this reason that the two countries need to work together in order to enhance economic growth, food security, peace and good governance.

The President said the two countries should continue at regional, continental and international fora in ensuring regional development in the sectors of infrastructure, trade and agriculture.

President Banda noted with satisfaction that under the Joint Commission of Cooperation (JPC) established over 20 years ago, Zambia and Zimbabwe have been able to implement various projects aimed enhacing economic interaction between the two sister republics.

He noted that through the JPC Zambia and Zimbabwe are implementing the infrastructure development projects such as the One-Stop border post at Chirundu that will go a long way at reducing the cost of doing business.

The two countries are also working together in developing energy generating capacities, which is a critical input in increasing trade and investment.

“We need to officially launch the Chirundu One Stop border post as soon as possible. The two countries should continue to cooperate and fully exploit their economic potentials. In this regard it is a good thing that we increase trade and investment and participate in each other’s trade fairs,” Mr Banda said.

On the challenge of overlapping membership of COMESA and SADC to which both countries belong, President Banda noted with happiness that Zambia and Zimbabwe are supporting the efforts being made through the tripartite framework to coordinate the programmes of COMESA, East Africa Economic Community, EAC, and SADC regional groupings which will contribute to the realisation of the African Economic Community.

Zambia recently hosted a high level tripartite resource mobilisation conference on the North-South corridor aimed at reducing the cost of doing business by improving infrastructure and border facilities.

President Banda noted that Zambia and Zimbabwe as critical links to the Southern and Eastern Ports, should therefore closely collaborate in making the North-South Corridor a success.

He added that Zambia and Zimbabwe have similar interests in the Zambezi Water Course Commission (ZAMCOM) agreement and should lobby SADC member states to sort out contentious issues in the agreement before it comes into force.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe hailed the strong bonds that have tied Zambia and Zimbabwe together over a long time which he said can best be described in the context of Siamese twins.

He said Zimbabwe will remain grateful to the sacrifice and support Zambia rendered during the liberation struggle of her southern neighbour in spite of her limited resources.

“Today when we in Zimbabwe celebrate the lives of those heroes who paid the ultimate price for the liberation of the country, we cannot do so without remembering those on the Zambian side who lost their lives for our cause in Zimbabwe. For these sacrifices for your country support under very difficult circumstances, Zimbabweans will remain always grateful,” Mr Mugabe said.