Construction of a district hospital in Mpulungu district of Northern Province is expected to commence soon.

Provincial Medical Officer Dr Fabian Kabulubulu says the construction of the hospital, at a cost of about K15 billion, will begin in the next two weeks.
Speaking During the handover of the hospital site to a Chinese contractor, Jing De Zham enterprises Ltd, Dr Kabulubulu said the completion of the general hospital for Mpulungu is expected in the next three years.
He revealed that about K3.6 billion has been set aside for the first phase of the project and that K1.7 billion of the same amount is already available while the rest of the money is to be released within the course of the year.

Dr Kabulubulu said the project is expected to be implemented in three phases, adding that in the first phase, only the X-ray, theatre, maternity block and minor shelters will be constructed. The first phase is expected to last 38 weeks, meaning construction works in this phase will be completed by January next year.

He expressed happiness that the project, which was supposed to start last year, had finally begun.

Dr Kabulubulu urged district officials to take keen interest in the construction process and undertake regular visits to the project site.
He, however, emphasized that the supervision of the construction works will be solely done by the office of the Provincial Buildings Engineer (PBE).

And Mpulungu District Commissioner, Willie Simfukwe, welcomed the development, saying the people of Mpulungu have been waiting for the general hospital for a long time.

Mr Simfukwe said the district health team had been spending millions of Kwacha on referrals to Mbala General Hospital and that construction of the hospital will drastically cut down on such expenses.
He observed that construction of a general hospital in Mpulungu had been a long overdue development and will also help boost the morale of health staff in the area.

Mr Simfukwe urged the contractor to do a good job and follow the laid down labour laws of Zambia and ensure that the project is completed in record time, saying the project is yet another major development project government is undertaking in Mpulungu.

And managing director of Jing De Zham Enterprises Ltd, Xu Jian Lin said he is committed to completing the project on time as long as electricity and water supply on the site are provided on time.

ZANIS/ENDS/EK/EB

Senior Chief Mujimansovu of the Kaonde people in Solwezi in North-Western Province says he is saddened over the harassement of Provincial Permanent Secretary Eustern Mambwe by MMD cadres. This happened last week when Vice President, George Kunda, visited Solwezi district.

Senior Chief Mujimansovu expressed his saddness when he paid a courtesy call on Dr Mambwe in his office, and observed that those staging protests against the Permanent Secretary were not only dangerous to the province but also to the good reputation of the MMD party in the area.

The visibly annoyed chief said he observed with dismay, some senior government officials’ intentions and attempts to hold North-Western Province to ransom at the expense of development.
He appealed to the President to set up a team to investigate the matter and take stern action against those who will be found guilty.

The Senior Chief alleged that whatever transpired at Solwezi airport when the Vice President visited the province was instigated by some senior government officials and was not the wish of the people of North-Western province.

He further advised people in his chiefdom and the province as a whole to stop embarrassing themselves but instead focus on issues that could bring development to the province during this era of global economic crisis.

Some MMD cadres humiliated North-Western Province Permanent Secretary, Dr Eustern Mambwe, at Solwezi airport by carrying placards and banners denouncing him during the visit of Vice President Kunda last week.

ZANIS/ENDS/EM/EB

Twenty two convicts at Choma Central Prison in Southern Province have been baptized by the Seveth Day Adventist (SDA) church following an evangelism programme held at the prison.

SDA church elder Charles Shindaile said nine of the baptised are convicts while 13 are remandees.

Elder Shindaile said the SDA will continue offering Voice of Prophecy lessons to prisoners at Choma central prison to ensure convicts take a stand for Jesus Christ and reform.
The new Christians sang songs to glorify God as Choma Mission District Pastor Wesley Mwiinga baptized them.

And Pastor Mwiinga called on the baptized inmates to continue believing in the saviour, Jesus Christ.
Pastor Mwiinga, who read the Bible from the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 25 to 34, stressed that Jesus Christ was also baptized before he started his earthly ministry to give an example to his followers.
He assured the inmates that God loved them despite their status as prisoners and that there was no sin that Christ cannot forgive.

Meanwhile, one remandee who has been committed to the High Court for vandalising Zamtel cables in Maamba, Oscar Siamuzovu, expressed gratitude to the SDA for engaging prisoners in the Voice of Prophecy programme.
He said he felt free in the eyes of Jesus Christ after baptism.

And Zambia Prisons Fellowship chairman for Choma district, Pastor Brian Mbao, commended the SDA church for supplementing government’s efforts in reforming prisoners.

Pastor Mbao urged the SDA church in Choma to continue with its prisons ministries programme as the prison always receives new convicts.
He said the word of God can change the convicts, hence the need to help them turn to God.

The SDA church in Choma has also procured two television sets and a decoder worth K2.8m for use by inmates at the Choma Central prison.

ZANIS/NAIS/ENDS/LK/EB

A 19-year old man yesterday drowned after a canoe he was paddling capsized in the Baroste flood plains.

Western Division Police Commanding Officer, Vael Muzwenga, confirmed the incident to ZANIS in Mongu today and identified the deceased as Kebby Kabanda of Kapulanga compound in Mongu district.

Mr Muzwenga said Mr Kabanda was alone in the canoe when it capsized near Nalusa village at around 09:00 hours yesterday.

The Commanding Officer said the accident could have been caused by the high current of the water in the flooded plains.

He further said efforts to retrieve the deceased’s body from the plains have failed as it has not yet resurfaced.

Mr Muzwenga has since urged canoe paddlers in the district to put on life jackets and avoid playing in the plains as the water level is very high during this period.

ZANIS/ENDS/TM/EB