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Government says informal cross border traders should be recognized as a measure of promoting economic growth in the country.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Felix Mutati, said cross border traders must be given recognition because they play an important role in the development of regional trade.
Mr. Mutati said this when he officially opened the second Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, COMESA, forum dubbed trading for peace in Lusaka today.
He said government will this year construct new border infrastructure at Kasumbalesa border post to accommodate informal cross border traders.
Mr. Mutati noted that informal cross border traders help propel economic growth in the region as they account for over 30 per cent of the total annual trade earnings.
Earlier, COMESA Secretary General, Sindiso Ngwenya, said the trading for peace project will continue aiming at harnessing trade potential in the region.
Mr. Ngwenya said this will contribute to peace building and poverty reduction in the region.
MMD Mpulungu constituency chairman George Tembo has resigned from his position with immediate effect citing frustrations within the ruling party.
In an interview with ZANIS today, Mr. Tembo said he has decided to step down as constituency chairman due to what he called frustrations perpetrated by a named district official which he had encountered in the recent past.
Mr. Tembo who recently declared interest to contest on the MMD ticket, if the speaker of the National Assembly declared the Mpulungu seat vacant, added that he will however remain a member and staunch supporter of MMD as well as being councilor for Mpulungu central ward.
He said his ambitions to contest the elections on the MMD ticket will still hold regardless of what has happened.
Mr. Tembo accused some MMD district officials of playing petty politics and manufacturing baseless accusations against him aimed at denting his image in the party.
He complained that there is no separation of power in the party in Mpulungu because some district officials have allegedly hijacked the running of the party by taking over the functions both at district and constituency levels.
“This is totally unacceptable in a democratic party like MMD,’’ Tembo complained.
And when reached to comment over Tembo’s resignation and how it will affect the MMD in Mpulungu, district chairman Edward Chelleh said he had received and accepted the decision of the constituency chairman.
” You see, as far as we are concerned George resigned from his position a long time ago though he was not coming out in the open,’’ Chelleh revealed.
He urged party member to be focused and remain united saying the party will still survive without Tembo as constituency chairman.
The ruling MMD on the Copperbelt has challenging the Post Newspaper to tell the country the truth about the Zambian Airways saga.
MMD Cadres, who presented a petition to President Rupiah Banda through Copperbelt Provincial Minister, Mwansa Mbulakulima, said the Post Newspaper should tell Zambians the truth about problems surrounding the Zambia airways.
The cadres, who assembled at the provincial administration office yesterday while singing songs of solidarity for Mr. Banda, were led by Copperbelt Province MMD chairman Joseph Chilambwe and Ndola district chairman Cephas Katongo.
Mr. Chilambwe said the MMD on the Copperbelt was totally behind the President and was congratulating him for having fired Energy Deputy Minister Lameck Chibombamilimo and Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Jonas Shakafuswa.
He alleged that the two members had no respect for President Banda and the MMD party, adding that they should never rejoin to the party.
“We want to say bravo to President Banda for chasing Shakafuswa and Chibombamilimo. They have no respect for the President and the party. We don’t want them back in our party. They should join political parties that insult,” he said.
He said the MMD in the province was challenging the Post Newspaper to explain to the nation what their role in society was.
“The MMD on the Copperbelt is petitioning the Post Newspaper to tell the nation what their role in society is? They should also tell the truth about the K29 billion that the Zambian Airways owes the people of Zambia,” he said.
The provincial chairman said time had come for the law to visit the Post Newspapers because they were not sacred.
Mr. Chilambwe also called upon opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata to stop ridiculing former heads of state like Dr. Fredrick Chiluba.
Meanwhile Mr. Chilambwe has appealed to MMD supports to fight and defend their party.
“This is our time, we must fight and enjoy ourselves because we are the ones that are ruling. And even in 2011 we will continue to rule this country,” he said.
And speaking earlier, Ndola MMD district chairman Cephas Katongo called upon Zambians to rally behind President Banda as he endeavours to recover the money owed by Zambian Airways.
Mr. Katongo said the money in question was tax payer’s money which needed to be channeled to developmental projects and not a few selfish people.
And Mr. Mbulakulima assured the petitioners that he would pass on their message to President Banda.
The minister, who said he was deeply touched by the conduct and words of the petitioners, said there was no way all people in the MMD could be wrong.
He said there was no way President Banda could sit and watch indiscipline creep into the MMD and not say a word.
The Anti Corruption Commission, ACC, has welcomed government’s approval of the National Anti-Corruption Policy, NACP, for Zambia.
ACC Public Relations Manager, Timothy Monoo, said ACC is delighted with the announcement by Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha, that cabinet had approved the NACP.
Mr. Moono told ZANIS in Lusaka today that ACC is happy with government for the achievement.
And ACC Acting Director, Rosewin Wandi, said is determined to help government fulfill the vision of zero tolerance to corruption in the nation.
She also observed that the aim of developing the NACP was to match the current legal and institutional framework with the aspirations for a corrupt free society.
Mrs. Wandi said the policy will create harmonized and coordinated efforts against corruption adding that the objectives are defined in the legal, institutional and social levels of the NACP.
She said the NACP will also enhance transparency and accountability in the exercise of public authority and streamline bureaucratic procedures in public service delivery at institutional level.
Mrs. Wandi has since appealed to stakeholders including the private sector and cooperating partners to support the implementation of the policy through financial assistance although government remains committed to funding the policy.
The private sector has advised government not to take over the operations of the mines in the country as it has no capacity to run them.
Private Sector Development Association, PSDA, Chairperson, Yusuf Dodia, has hinted that taking over the operations of mines can just result in over spending on the side of government.
Mr. Dodia was reacting to calls by a cross section of society that government should intervene in the affairs of the mines which are closing by taking charge of them.
He explained to ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today, that government alone can not manage to operate the mines as it has other needy areas that require its attention.
He noted that if government goes aheard to take over operations of the mines in the country, other developmental projects would suffer as money would be expected to be channeled to the management od the mines.
He added that with this global economic meltdown other sectors are also likely to be affected and will therefore need government’s assistance.
He, further, added that government can only intervene by putting the mines on care and maintenance to protect the interest of local miners and cushion impact of the recent job cuts.
Mr. Dodia said there is need for government to ensure that the interest of miners are protected by ensuring that mines do not completely close while it is looking for another investor to take over the operations.
He also cautioned government to find equity partners that will not only take over the operations of mines but that will also ensure that miners that have lost their jobs are returned.
He also stressed that nationalizing the mines can have a negative effect on Tax payers as they can be subjected to high taxes as way of raising more money for effective operations of the mines.
Zambia is one of the country’s that has been hit hard with the global economic meltdown which has led to the failing of metal prices on the international market resulting in mine closures and hundred of miners losing their jobs.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation, MCC, has disclosed that Zambia has successfully been selected for a five-year United States foreign aid agency compact large scale funding for poverty reduction.
And MCC has since pledged to work with various stakeholders to find lasting solutions, through the compact fund, to the current economic challenges that the country is facing.
MCC Deputy vice President, Darius Teter, explained that the compact fund is a five year project grant, aimed at reducing poverty in developing countries through sustainable economic growth.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka today, Mr. Teter said MCC in Zambia would implement the compact fund through stakeholders’ participation because they play a vital role in identifying needy investment areas for the country.
He explained that enhancing stakeholders’ participation would help achieve broad based understanding on sectors that require immediate developmental attention in the country.
He noted that his organization would ensure that local people also participate in economic growth through the creation of more employment opportunities.
He, further, called on civil society groups to help identify development projects that could impact positive on efforts of promoting investments in key sectors of the economy.
He cited the education, transport, agriculture and health as sectors earmarked to benefit from the fund.
And MCC Senior Director in the Department of Compact Development, Kyeh Kim, explained that there is need for Zambia to come up with a target approach if the fund is to benefit many people.
Ms Kim said MCC will ensure that it assists government to reduce poverty through the policies of good governance and economic growth.
Zambia is among the 18 countries that have qualified to the Compact global United States Government funding through the Millennium Challenge Account, MCA, after being on a threshold programme since 2004.
A man in Lusaka shows off his Barack Obama placard
By Mingeli Palata I remember being at the 2008 Miss.
NIPA function at Smugglers in Ridgeway, hosting a couple of American friends from California talking about Barack Obama and the US election.
Through out the world, the 2008 elections of Barack Obama and John Mccain brought American politics in a whole different light. For the first time in history, a black was this close to becoming the most powerful man on earth.
Think about it, the man went against all odds and truly changed the course of history and every black man, Obama’s election was an endorsement on the Black race. It meant recognition that Black people are able to do it and in no other place than a place best known for committing the worst known atrocities to the black race.
Besides which if you have read Obama’s books, he introduces his political philosophy that of compromise, appreciating and working with difference.You will grasp why Joe Biden, Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton and others who opposed his Presidential bid all in his cabinet, including why he has a habit of putting arm around George Bush when ever the two meet.
For many Zambians, Obama is the best President they would never have. Imagine having all those Obama attributes in a Zambian man or woman running for the highest office in the mother land? How about that? Let me tell you how? It would mean having a Presidential candidate who believe in tolerance; accommodating opposing views, a President who believes that simply having views different from his makes you an enemy- Michael Sata playing golf with Rupiah Banda kind of thing, how about that for a change?
For once dear Zambian, we wouldn’t have anything like Southern province voting in the same fashion or a Presidential candidate telling people to vote for him because he or she comes from the same province as them. No tribalism- one Zambia and truly one Nation. We would have a President whose economic policies are only influenced by the voters and not those who funded his or her election, so no funny salary increments when the teachers are not paid. I like your smile.
If Obama was a Zambian then the dignity and relevance that UTH and other public health institutions would be restored and all rich people would not be rushing to Morningside Clinic in South Africa every time they had a heart attack or their CD4 count went low. Its all because Obama would make it a point that the money spend on buying party chitenge materials and buying cadres chibuku is channeled to buying drugs for the clinic in Kalinglinga and the chalk for the students in chamboli. Come guys, isn’t that the change we need?
Maybe the economy would be regulated to the benefit of everybody, tax exemptions for companies that create a lot of jobs for Zambians and more funds for the emerging small scale business persons.
Hey stop dreaming, like I said, Obama is the best Zambian President we will never have!
Solwezi Municipal Council and Zambia Police in Solwezi have intensified security control measures aimed at curbing smuggling of mealie meal into neighboring countries.
Solwezi district Commissioner Albert Chifita confirmed to ZANIS that Zambia Police would tighten the security at all check points.
Mr. Chifita said, if Police Service impounds vehicles carrying Mealie meal to neighboring countries, that mealie meal would be sold at a cheap price to discourage the sale of the commodity to other countries.
He said the District resolved with the millers that mealie meal would be sold at Mushindamo boarder post at agreed dates and designated places.
He also said Millers were told to regulate the number of bags supplied to their agents adding that a maximum of 50 bags should be released at a price not exceeding K57,000.00 per 25 kg bag.
Mr. Chifita warned that agents who would be found selling a 25 kg bag of mealie meal at more than K57, 000.00 would be cut off from receiving the commodity.
The District Commissioner added that the frequency at which Millers were supplying mealie meal to their depots should be improved due to the increasing population of the district.
Police in Solwezi have of late intercepted trucks carrying mealie meal with the intention of trading it in a neighboring country where the commodity is alleged to be selling at K120, 000.00 per 25 kg bag or even more depending on the availability of the commodity at that time.
However, the mealie meal situation in Solwezi has remained critical causing almost stampede when it arrives at any of the selling shops. These include Antelope milling, national Milling, Superior milling, Solwezi milling and Olympic milling shops that are always swept out immediately.
NAKONDE district in Northern Province has been hit by a critical shortage of fuel.
The fuel shortage that has entered the fourth day today has paralyzed business in the border town.
A snap survey carried out by the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) revealed that some motorists have even packed their vehicles after the only two filling stations ran out of the commodity.
Some motorists talked to said they cannot get fuel from alternative sources in Tanzania because the commodity is expensive in that country.
A resident, Christine Malama who regretted the shortage of the service, said the short supply of the commodity has made business to come to a standstill.
A fuel attendant at Chaula filling station said they were expecting to receive the commodity any time.
Collins Mbeusma is one of three high-profile foreign-based players dropped on the revised list for Zambia’s 2010 World/Africa Cup Group C away qualifier against Egypt in Cairo on March 29.
The Mamelodi Sundowns striker was part of the earlier 29-member list unveiled on March 3 by Faz.
Others from that original list but omitted from the new 23-member team announced during Wednesday’s Faz press briefing in Lusaka include striker James Chamanga of Dalian Hai Chang in China.
Also dropped is livewire winger Clifford Mulenga who is currently on-loan from South African side Bidvest Wit to fellow PSL club Thanda Royal Zulu.
Renard has also dropped four key players from his Bronze-medal winning CHAN team.
The quartet is Green Buffaloes goalkeeper Davy Kaumbwa, Power Dynamos defensive midfielder Francis Kasonde including the Zanaco midfield duo of Henry Banda and Ignatius Lwipa.
Back in the team is Zesco United defender Nyambe Mulenga who was orginally left out of the list released earlier this month despite a good outing at CHAN.
Leading the local contingent of call-ups is Zanaco striker Given Singuluma who scored a record setting 5 goals at the CHAN tournament.
However, Power midfielder Kennedy Mudenda who had an eye-catching outing at the CHAN despite playing as a substitute in the group stage matches and semifinal has been ignored.
The team will go into camp in Johannesburg this weekend with part of the list of eight home-based players flying out to South Africa on Sunday.
The team will be trimmed from 23 to 20 prior to departure for Cairo.
Goalkeepers: Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, South Africa), Kalililo Kakonje (Amazulu, South Africa).
Defenders: Davies Nkausu (SuperSport United, South Africa), Kampamba Chintu (Amazulu, South Africa), Joseph Musonda (Golden Arrows, South Africa), Elijah Tana(Nchanga Rangers) Emmanuel Mbola (Mining Rangers), Hichani Himoonde, Nyambe Mulenga (Both Zesco United), Misheck Lungu (FC Kecskemeti, Hungary), Dennis Banda (Green Buffaloes)
Midfielders: William Njobvu (Lusaka Dynamos), Isaac Chansa (IFK Helsingborg, Sweden), Stopilla Sunzu, Felix Katongo (Both Chateauroux, France), Noah Chivuta (SuperSport United, South Africa), Rainford Kalaba(Gil Vicente, Portugal), Fwayo Tembo (Etoile du Sahel, Tunisia), Jonas Sakuwaha (Zesco United)
Strikers: Jacob Mulenga(Chateauroux, France), Chris Katongo (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany), Emmanuel Mayuka( Macabbi Tel Aviv, Israel), Given Singuluma ( Zanaco).
The Action National Group for Emerging Leaders (ANGEL) has called on the Zambian Government to be cautious with the way it handled the proposed 66 percent electricity tariff increase by the Zambia Electricity and Supply Corporation (ZESCO).
Mr.Kawana said the tariff increase proposed by ZESCO and endorsed by the Government is a decision taken at a wrong time bearing in mind the effects of the global economic crisis and the reduction in copper prices which has seen a number of mines retrenching hundreds of workers.
Mr. Kawana said the tariff would also be unaffordable by poor Zambians and urged Government to consider maintaining the current tariff or adjust it by a minimal rate.
Mr. Kawana also has challenged the media in Zambia to desist from printing materials aimed at insulting and destroying the character of Republican President Rupiah Banda.
Speaking when he addressed members of the Press at Edinburgh Hotel in Kitwe today Mr. Kawama advised a named media house to respect the President as he was the duly elected leader of the country.
He said the President Banda should be criticised with respect and regarded as the republican President.
He added that it is wrong for the media to be showering praise on those insulting and speaking ill of the President and considering them to be heroes, a situation he described as shameful.
He further said Zambians must adopt the culture of respecting national leaders when they were still alive and not when they die.
Mr. Kawama said there can only be one President at any given time in any country hence the need for the opposition Political Party’s and the aggrieved media to rally behind the leadership of President Banda to help him contribute to the development of the country.
He called upon the opposition, the media and all stakeholders to work with the Government of the day and the republican President Rupiah Banda in view of the current global economic crisis.
Information and broadcasting minister Ronnie Shikapwasha Government has adopted the first ever comprehensive
national anti corruption policy which will provide a frame work for developing ways of preventing and combating corruption in a sustainable manner in the country.
Chief government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha said the policy will provide for the development and implementation of mechanisms that will enhance transparency and accountability in the execution of public activities.
Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said the policy is also aimed at realizing the vision of government and the people of Zambia to have a corruption free society, which will enhance accessibility to cost effective public services, thereby promoting “zero tolerance to corruption” vision.
Gen. Shikapwasha further stated that the policy will be implemented over a period of five years, which will require concerted efforts and commitment of every Zambian at every level.
He said that under the policy, corruption prevention will also be mainstreamed in the routine business of government agencies and the private sector.
The minister noted that government will ensure that the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are put in place and are committed to finding the implementation of the policy from both internal and external sources.
Gen. Shikapwasha stressed that every government agency is expected to institute an integrity committee, which will be responsible for the internal corruption prevention which will ensure that individual organizations are responsible for corruption prevention.
He noted that the guiding principles for the anti corruption policy, will be constitutionalism and rule of law, leadership to fight against corruption.
He said the policy has since put in place appropriate legal and institutional frame works, among which should be legislation and measures to protect whistle blowers from victimization for exposing corrupt practices.
Local government minister Ben Tetamashimba (l), Finance deputy minister Chileshe Kapwepwe (c) and Germany envoy to Zambia Irene Hinrichsen (r) at the launch of the German support to decentralization policyGovernment, in collaboration with the Germany
government, has launched the Decentralization and
Implementation Programme (DIP).
Local Government and Housing Minister, Benny Tetamashimba said the launch was in line with government’s vision to achieve a fully decentralized system of government.
Mr. Tetamashimba said the overall goal of the DIP was to implement and operationalise the National Decentralisation Policy (NDP), which government adopted in 2002 in order to improve service delivery.
He said government, through the NDP, is working to help local authorities to increase their levels of accountability and transparency in the use of local resources.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensure that decentralisation implementation is approved this year because it would expedite the process of decentralisation.
Mr. Tetamashimba said decentralization was very beneficial to the community, adding that his ministry has been carrying out sensitization workshops on the same programme.
He said there was need to engage Permanent Secretaries (PS) of all sector ministries in sensitization meetings for them to support their ministers in the decentralization implementation.
Mr. Tetamashimba said his ministry was also in the process of developing capacity building programmes to prepare the councils for the full devolution of the functions from the local government.
He also said the Ministry of Local Government was working out a strategy in order to achieve fiscal decentralization and revenue mobilisation.
Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane said the long term vision of government is to achieve a fully decentralized and democratically elected system of governance.
Dr. Musokotwane said in a speech read on his behalf by his Deputy, Chileshe Kapwepwe, that for government to have a fully fledged decentralisation system, there must be an open, predictable and transparent decision making and implementation processes at all levels of the public service.
He said there was need to empower the local communities by devolving decision making authority, functions and resources from the central government to lower levels.
He said this would improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of services.
Mr. Tetamashimba said this was a key prerequisite for initiating the devolution process aimed at enhancing financial management and accountability in the local authority.
The minister said devolution could only succeed when the local authorities have been empowered with human, financial and technical resources to enable them provide responsible public service.
He added that government’s ability to deliver essential public services to citizens across the country can be increased by fully utilising the local implementation capacities.
Meanwhile, Germany Technical Zambia (GTZ) Country Director, Robert Kressirer said the aim of the programme is to improve service delivery at sub-national levels.
Mr. Kressirer said the launch of the programme was very timely adding that it would go very long way in moving the decentralization agenda forward.
He said the focus of the programme would be to work with the councils in several thematic areas.
He said the Germany government would work closely with the two ministries in assisting the central government to develop and implement a comprehensive capacity building programme for local authorities.
The Immigration Department says the country has recorded an increase in the number of foreign immigrants.
Immigration Department Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mulako Mbangweta, attributed the influx of what she described as economic migrants to the prevailing global economic recession.
Ms. Mbangweta told ZANIS in Lusaka today that more foreign nationals have continued to express interest to settle and work in Zambia following job cuts in various countries due to the world economic recession.
She however said the department is not keen to allow foreign nationals to seek jobs in the country because Zambia has enough human resource that flooded the job market.
Ms. Mbangweta further disclosed that the country has also recorded a reduction in business visitors and added that the department is still studying trends on the influx of other categories of visitors into the country.
Ms Mbangweta also said her department has scaled up patrols to ensure that foreign nationals do not cross the country illegally.
She said this is despite the manpower shortage that the department is currently facing adding that most border areas in the country are porous.
Ms. Mbangweta has also commended Zambians for being vigilant and reporting suspected illegal immigrants to the department.
She said members of the public should continue being patriotic and vigilant against illegal immigrants to enhance national security.
Ms. Mbangweta has however cautioned Zambians against assisting foreign nationals obtain national documents such as green National Registration Cards and passports.
She warned that those involved in the practice will be dealt with sternly if found wanting as the illegal practice is a danger to national security.
MTN Zambia Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Freddie Mokoena, says his Company has no intention of laying off any workers following the global economic meltdown.
Mr. Mokoena said the company was doing its best to ensure that it maintains its credibility and retains all its workers who have contributed greatly to the development of the Country.
He said despite the company being affected by the economic meltdown, normal operations would continue and that the Company is developing new ideas to maintain its workers.
Mr. Mokoena told ZANIS in an interview during the Launch of the Talk-4-Mahala tarriff at Sherbourne Guest House in Kitwe yesterday. He mentioned that MTN is grateful to its customers who continue to use the network despite the economic hardships that Zambia is currently facing.
He said over 1 million MTN customers have continued to use the network from the initial 48,000 recorded when the company was launched in 2004. Mr. Mokoena said that the MTN network is affordable and caters for each and every person despite their status in society.
Mr. Mokoena also said that the newly launched Talk-4-Mahala tariff will run up to the end of June to enable customers talk freely for 15 minutes after being charged for the first 90 seconds.
He further said that this will not only attract more customers to use the MTN network but will also help them save on costs by paying less for talktime that could last a life time.
