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Government has released K3.7 billion for the payment of the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) two month salaries.
Agriculture and Co-operatives Deputy Minister Daniel Kalenga assured the workers that they would be paid their dues in the next two days.
He added that government still has intentions to revive the operations of the plant hence the release of K5 billion.
Mr. Kalenga was speaking when he addressed scores of NCZ workers and their families that held peaceful demonstration over their plight.
The Workers and their families marched from Kafue Mutanda stadium to the civic centre where they presented their petition addressed to the President were also demanding to be paid their February and march salaries .
Mr. Kalenga would have a tough time to calm down the workers said he would present the petition to high offices for consideration.
National Union of Commercial and Allied Workers (NUCAW) Robert Musanje who presented the petition urged government to look into problems that have effected the plant for the past 15 years.
Low-cost housing water supply and sanitation project
The Zambia Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) report for 2007 has revealed that only about 41 percent of the total population has access to clean water.
The report reveals that households in urban areas have access to improved water supply sources compared to those in rural areas.
According to the report 83 % of urban households have access to clean and safe piped water compared to only about 19% of protected dug well of rural households.
It has also explained that more than 56 percent of the total population draws their water from unimproved sources which includes unprotected dug well, rivers and dams among others.
The report further adds that 65 % of households do not treat their water, while only 34% use an appropriate method of treating water.
And launching the report in Lusaka today Health Minster Kapembwa Simbao said the report will assist government in evaluating what is needed in attaining the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) in health related issues and the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP).
Mr. Simbao further added that the report will play a vital role in providing people with information on both human and public heath.
Government has disclosed that plans are underway to broaden and strengthen the capacity of all research and Information institutions in the country.
Health Minster, Kapembwa Simbao says with the increasing demand for information in the country, research institutions can play an important role in providing accurate information on developmental programmes.
Speaking when he officiated at the launch of the 2007 Zambia Demography Health Survey (ZDHS) report in Lusaka today, Mr. Simbao noted that through strengthening of research institutions, national surveys will be concluded in time.
Mr. Simbao explained the ZDHS report is an important document which will assist government in evaluating what is needed to attain the fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
He said ZDHS reports also play a critical role in the understanding of Social and economy indicators for many people.
He said there is need for all stakeholders to partner with government and ensure that national survey projects are well funded if they are to produce good results.
He further reaffirmed government’s commitment to provide support to projects aimed at providing information for national consumption.
Earlier United Nations Resident Coordinator, Macleod Nyirongo, said in view of the global recession there is need for Zambia to have reliable developmental information to re-focus and track progress towards reaching the goals of vision 2030, FNDP and the MDGs.
Mr. Nyirongo explained that with six more years to the attainment of MDGs, the ZDHS report will assist stakeholders in engaging in critical analysis of the findings and understanding the implications of the results.
He called for concerted efforts from partners in coming up with good innovative approaches and interventions to the gaps that still exist in the report.
He has also disclosed that the UN system in Zambia with cooperating partners have engaged in further detailed triangulation of the ZDHS 2007 report with other studies such as the EPI-synthesis.
The UN Envoy further appealed to Zambian to utilize the results of the survey in re-adjusting their strategic and Programme focus for enhancing human development in the country in the remaining two-years of two FNDP 2006-2010.
Central Statistical Office (CSO), Director Efreda Chulu, said ZDHS report provides key indicators that inform the nation on important health programmes.
Mrs. Chulu pointed out that accurate information on both the population and national projects are vital in strengthening of the information generation.
She disclosed that CSO as an organization tasked by the government to carry out the survey, faced a lot of challenges ranging from inadequate resources to ignorance on the part of most citizens due to lack of information.
She also reiterated the importance of having a good census, adding that surveys like the ZDHS draw their samples from the total national census.
Government has revealed that shangombo hospital has not been operational since 2004 because it is not in good condition.
Minister of health, Kapebwa Simbao, told parliament today that government had put aside K14 billion kwacha towards the construction of the hospital but that the contract was terminated in 2008.
Mr. Simbao was responding to a question from roan member of parliament, Chishimba Kabwili who wanted to know if Shangombo hospital has been operational and how much was spent on the construction of the hospital.
He said about K9 billion of the total amount had already been spent for the works that have been done so far.
He added that 70% of the construction of the hospital has been completed.
Mr. Simbao said health workers will only be sent to the hospital once it becomes fully operational.
He said government is doing everything possible to ensure that the construction works at Shangombo hospital are completed within a year.
A Zambian economist has urged the African leaders scheduled to meet UK’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown ahead of next month’s G20 summit on the economic recession to highlight issues that will cushion the impact of economic meltdown on the African continent.
Dr. Francis Chigunta said African leaders should use this opportunity to push for an international regulatory framework that would support the economic growth and development of Africa.
Dr. Chigunta told ZANIS that the current international regulatory framework on economic growth was heavily stuck on the already developed countries thereby disadvantaging the developing world.
Dr. Chigunta said there was need for African leaders to ask the bilateral organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to be lenient on the conditions when giving financial assistance as they continue rendering support.
He said the leaders needed to see to it that the conditions that they would be given would not further burden the African Nations which were already affected by the crunch.
Dr. Chigunta also said it would not be fair for South Africa to be the country that would represent the entire continent at the April 2nd G20 summit to be held in UK.
Dr. Chigunta said South Africa’s economy was more developed hence the impact of the crunch was not as grave as it had been on other developing countries.
He said South Africa was not likely to fully represent all the African Nations but that there was need for the continent to be represented by a country with a developing economy and not an intermediate country.
According to British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Gordon Brown will meet African leaders to discuss their concerns on how their economies have been affected by the global downturn ahead of the G20 summit with South Africa being the only African country to attend the event.
Herve Renard has dropped Isaac Chansa from his final 18-man Zambia team that departs from Johannesburg this evening to Cairo ahead of Sundays 2010 World/Africa Cup Group C qualifier against Egypt.
Chansa of Helsingborg in Sweden will miss a major qualifier for Zambia since serving a one-match suspension in the last round in a Group 11 game away to Swaziland in a 0-0 draw on June 15, 2008.
However, he was later a non-playing member of Zambia’s 1-0 win over Togo at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe on September 11, 2008 in another Group 11 qualifier.
The midfielder from Helsingborg in Sweden is one of three foreign-based left out of the team by Renard.
Others are SuperSport United defender Davies Nkausu who is still looking for his first senior trip to Egypt after being dropped from the final squad for the Africa Cup finals staged there in 2006.
Midfielder Stophira Sunzu of French Ligue 2 club Chateauroux has also been dropped.
Zesco United midfielder Jonas Sakuwaha who was a key player in Zambia’s CHAN bronze medal winning side in Cote d’Ivoire has also been omitted from the squad.
Zambia had set-up a four-day training camp in Johannesburg that came to a close today as they depart for Cairo.
Team:
Goalkeepers: Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, South Africa), Kalililo Kakonje (Amazulu, South Africa).
Defenders: Kampamba Chintu (Amazulu, South Africa), Francis Kasonde (Power Dynamos), Joseph Musonda (Golden Arrows, South Africa), Emmanuel Mbola (Mining Rangers),Nyambe Mulenga (Zesco United), Misheck Lungu (FC Kecskemeti, Hungary), Dennis Banda (Green Buffaloes)
Midfielders: William Njobvu (Lusaka Dynamos), Felix Katongo (Chateauroux, France), Noah Chivuta (SuperSport United, South Africa), Rainford Kalaba (Gil Vicente, Portugal), Fwayo Tembo (Etoile du Sahel, Tunisia)
Strikers: Jacob Mulenga(Chateauroux, France), Chris Katongo (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Emmanuel Mayuka( Macabbi Tel Aviv, Israel), Given Singuluma ( Zanaco)
Government says it recognizes Social Cash transfers as a key intervention to address hunger and poverty in the social protection strategy and in the Fifth National Development Plan.
Kazungula District Commissioner, Fred Siasuntwe, said since the introduction of the social cash transfer pilots, the scheme has rapidly gained support and proven to be a highly effective response to the chronic poverty, food insecurity, vulnerability and risks.
Mr. Siasuntwe said this when he officiated at Kazungula District Social Cash Transfer stakeholders’ meeting held at Fair Mount Hotel in Livingstone today.
He disclosed that Kazungula district now has a total of 735 households benefiting from the scheme.
Mr. Siasuntwe said there are 361 households benefiting from the scheme in Chief Nyawa’s area, 141 from Chief Musokotwane’s area, 83 from Chief Mukuni’s area 63 from Chief Moomba and 87 from Chief Sekute’s area.
He said funding has been provided by government and a group of cooperating partners that include DFID, GTZ, IRISH AID, UNICEF and CARE International.
The Social Cash Transfer Schemes were initiated by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services in 2003 as part of the Ministry’s programming to protect and promote the livelihoods and welfare of people suffering from extreme levels of poverty and deprivation.
Social Cash Transfer Schemes are currently operational in five districts in two provinces namely Monze, Kalomo and Kazungula in Southern Province and Chipata and Katete in Eastern Province.
Earlier, Provincial Social Welfare Officer Morris Moono, said the workshop would provide an opportunity for other stakeholders to understand and support the implementation and scaling up of the social cash transfers to national programming.
Mr. Moono thanked Care International for the support it rendered towards the workshop.
A 26-year old house wife has been brutally murdered by her husband in the early hours of today at the weigh bridge area in Solwezi.
North-Western Province deputy Police Commanding Officer, Luckson Sakala, confirmed the killing and identified the deceased as Mary Mwanaumo of Kayombo village in Chief Kapijimpanga’s area.
Mr. Sakala said that the named husband used a sharp object, suspected to be a knife in the murder by cutting the woman’s throat.
He added that the husband tried to kill himself by also cutting his throat but after feeling the pain he decided to walk to Kifubwa River so that he could drown himself.
Mr. Sakala said when Police ran after him, they found the man gazing into the river with blood oozing from his throat before they apprehended and rushed him to Solwezi General Hospital where he has since been admitted.
Mr. Sakala pointed out that the suspect would be charged with murder as soon as he discharged from the hospital.
This is the second case of murder in the same area this year. The first was at Mutanda where another 26 year old woman, Christine Kapobe of Kabai village, was axed to death by unknown people as she was going to her field.
he Lumwana Mine in Solwezi has given over K136 million to the Ministry of Education for scholarships of some pupils at Mutanda, Solwezi Technical, Maheba and Mwinilunga Secondary Schools.
Presenting the cheque to Provincial Education Officer, Jenipher Malama, Lumwana Managing Director, Harry Michael, said Lumwana has taken education as the most important thing for the pupils who cannot afford to pay their school fees.
Mr Michael said Lumwana would continue to offer scholarships to any pupil or student, including those whose parents do not work for the mine.
He said the 90 scholarship fees of K136, 210, 500 would assist the pupils to continue with their education.
And receiving the cheque, Provincial Education Officer, Jenipher Malama, thanked Lumwana mine for the gesture, which she said has come at the right time considering the poor grade 12 results experienced last year.
Mrs Malama observed that Lumwana has done a lot for the Ministry of Education in the district where it has constructed a library, schools and donated books to schools around Lumwana area.
Mrs Malama compared Lumwana mine as Esther in the Bible who helped the poor and urged them to continue, adding that the sponsorship would go a long way and boost the morale of the pupils.
She called upon other organizations to emmulate Lumwana mine and come on board and help the Ministry of Education.
Kafue acting District Commissioner, Henry Bowa, has expressed disappointment at the manner in which Nangongwe Maternity Clinic has been disposing of the afterbirth in the maternity clinic.
Mr Bowa said it was wrong and unhygienic for the maternity clinic to be disposing of the afterbirth without burning them, leading to a situation where dogs are now eating them.
Mr Bowa said this in Kafue today at the clinic when scores of residents from Nangongwe threatened to lock out clinic staff for failing to dispose of materials used and afterbirth properly after mothers give birth.
Mr Bowa has directed Kafue district health management team to address the problem by ensuring the incinerator was working properly.
He said the community has the right to complain over the problem because the habit was unscientific and unZambian.
Mr Bowa assured the residents that his office will closely supervise the DHMT so that the clinic disposes of the afterbirth in an acceptable manner.
Kafue District Director of Health, Dr Mwila Lembalemba, who was also present at the clinic, explained that the problem of the afterbirth finding themselves in the compound was that of the incinerator which was not properly constructed and fenced.
He said his office would ensure that the incinerator is worked on as soon as possible so that the trend is brought to a halt.
Dr Lembalemba also assured the community that the problem of water, which has persisted for some time at the clinic, was being addressed.
He said erratic water supply by Lusaka Water Sewerage Company had compounded the problem, making it difficult for the clinic to have the commodity at all times.
Residents, who included men and women, said for months now, dogs have resorted to frequenting the clinic where they collect and eat the afterbirth.
He said it is always shocking to find pieces of umbilical cords all over their yards when the clinic is supposed to burn them.
They also complained that mothers are some times discharged from the clinic without cleaning them and only bath when they reach their homes.
The Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources partnered with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have partnered to create awareness for the campaign on climate change.
Tourism , Environment and Natural Resources Minister Catherine Namungala said she is concerned that most African countries including Zambia were still not fully aware of the serious threats that climate change posed to people’s livelihoods and sustainable development.
The Minister stressed the need to create awareness of the social, economic and environmental implications that climate change posed and the urgency for action in terms of implementing, adapting and mitigating measures which should enlist public participation.
She emphasized the need for African countries to speak with one voice in negotiating for favourable interventions like carbon trading that would help address the problem of climate change while supporting development initiatives in developing countries.
She called for the adoption for common stand by developing countries to be used in negotiating for a better deal such as expansion of clean mechanism development [CDM] projects in Africa.
The Minister made the remarks when COMESA Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya paid a courtesy call on her.
This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS by Public Relations Officer Bwalya Nondo.
Mr. Ngwenya applauded the Minister for providing credible leadership on climate change.
He said the choice of Zambia as a pilot country by the Norway for the reduced emission from deforestation project was an indication of the nation’s readiness to shoulder the challenge of combating climate change.
The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has urged Zambians not to consider the proposed hike in electricity tariffs as a move meant to financially disadvantage them but as one aimed at easing their lives in the long run.
ZESCO Managing Director, Rodney Sisala told ZANIS today the electricity utility has not effected any significant tariff increment in the last ten years hence difficulties in expanding its operations and electricity supply.
Mr. Sisala said it was inevitable for ZESCO to increase the tariffs to up to 66 per cent in order for the company to improve electricity supply, whose domestic and industrial demand has increased massively in the last few years.
He explained that for his company to expand its supply, it required to borrow money from financial institutions and pay it back hence the need for electricity consumers to pay for the power.
He said electricity tariffs in Zambia were less than half of what was prevailing in most of the countries in the Southern African region.
Mr. Sisala reiterated that ZESCO requires US$ 400 million to extend the Kariba North bank power generation plant, which would generate an additional 360 mega watts of power.
“We need an additional US$100 million to put up another line because currently, we only have two lines to supply power,” he said.
The Kariba North bank has presently four generators and ZESCO was planning to put up two more generators to increase power generation.
A few weeks ago, President Rupiah Banda launched the construction of the extension project at Kariba north bank.
FINANCE minister Situmbeko Musokotwane Zambia has acquired an Official Development Assistance
(ODA) loan of about K274 billion (5.5 billion Japanese Yen) for the implementation of the Increased Access to Electricity Services Project.
The increased access to electricity services project is part of the Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP) and is targeting distribution intensification and extension packages in Central, Eastern, Luapula, Northern, Southern and Western provinces of Zambia.
It also includes the construction of a mini-hydro project package in North-Western province.
Speaking at the signing of a loan agreement between the governments of Zambia and Japan in Lusaka today, Minister of Finance and National Planning, Situmbeko Musokotwane, said the project was a five year deliberate intervention which government has developed as part of the broader electricity access programme.
Dr. Musokotwane, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Zambia government, said this programme was designed to address weaknesses that inhibit the smooth distribution of electricity in Zambia.
He explained that the project would cover enhanced power supply from new generation capacity, strengthen transmission through regional power integration, grid extension, off-grid electrification and stand-alone renewable energy systems.
“The loan agreement that we have signed with JICA will trigger the flow of financial resources from Japan to finance two components of the Increased Access to Electricity Services Project,” he said.
Dr. Musokotwane said the first project to be financed under this assistance is the grid extension while the second one would be the off-grid electrification which focuses on construction of mini-hydro power plants in selected areas of the country.
He noted that limited access to electricity services has been a major factor that has undermined the pace of rural development and has since hindered the income generating activities in the country.
“As you will agree with me, increased access to electricity services, when combined with other key growth-inducing factors will create new strategic development opportunities that will improve rural and peri-urban productivity and ultimately result in improved quality of life in rural areas,” he said.
And Dr. Musokotwane said government would ensure that all debts contracted were sustainable so that the country did not fall back into the High Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) situation again.
Currently, Zambia’s foreign debt stands at US1.1 billion, from the over US$7 billion before various countries and multilateral financial institutions wrote it off.
Today’s loan agreement is the first ODA provision which Japan was lending Zambia in 17 years following Zambia’s attainment of HIPC completion point in 2005.
President Rupiah Banda has directed Agriculture Minister, Brian Chituwo, to immediately address the issue of illegal importation of wheat.
President Banda says the ministry of Agriculture must collaborate with law enforcement agencies to stop the practice.
Mr. Banda says it is sad that Zambia still imports wheat when there are more than 80,000 metric tonnes of the commodity in the country.
The president was speaking on Wednesday when he addressed commercial farmers in Mkushi farming block.
Mr. Banda commended farmers in Mkushi for increasing annual wheat production from 30,000 thousand metric tonnes in the past five years to 190,000 metric tonnes last year.
He said if the trend continues the country will in the next two years be self sufficient in wheat.
President Banda also said government will soon be consulting commercial banks to see how best they can support farmers in the country.
And Agriculture Minister, Brian Chituwo, said government will continue supporting the agriculture sector because it has the potential to grow the economy.
Earlier Mkushi farmers association chairman, Simon Hunt, appealed to the president to ensure that financial institutions support commercial farmers.
Mr. Hunt said it is unfortunate that wheat farming is considered as high risk business by most commercial banks.
[ZNBC]
A 30 year old man of Kawambwa district has been sentenced to 30 months imprisonment with hard labour for stock theft.
Benson Chama of Mbilima Village in Chief Mushota’s area was sentenced by the Kawambwa magistrates’ court to 2 years 6 months imprisonment for stealing 2 goats belonging to Chiwala Mpundu of the same village valued at K180, 000.
This is contrary to section 275 cap 87 of the laws of Zambia. Particulars of the case were that on 23rd February, 2009 around 01:00 hours, Chama, while acting together with two unknown persons, stole two animals belonging to Chiwala Mpundu.
Chama who denied the charge, was found with a case to answer at the end of the trial.
In mitigation, Chama asked the court for leniency, pleading that if imprisoned, the beans and maize fields he cultivated would go to waste, as there would be no one to harvest his crops.
In passing judgment, Magistrate Felix Kaoma said goats were among the most valued animals in the province, adding that stealing a goat in Luapula was the same as stealing a cow in Southern Province.
He sentenced Chama to 30 months imprisonment with hard labour.
In the same court, a 21 –year-old man of Chibwe Village in Chief Munkanta’s area in Kawambwa district was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for escaping from lawful custody.
Joseph Chola escaped from Police cells on February 22, 2009 around 10:00 hours, contrary to section 119 cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.
