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State threatens to repossess Mansa Batteries

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Government has threatened to repossess Mansa Batteries if the new owners, Zamanita, formerly Amanita – Zambia, continues delaying resumption of operations at the factory.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Mansa yesterday, Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Jazzman Chikwakwa said government and the nation were concerned that the factory had remained non-operational following its privatization.

Mr. Chikwakwa said the new owners have not fulfilled their obligations of resuming operations at the battery factory hence it has become a white elephant.

He pointed out that as a result unscrupulous people were looting the raw material, manganese, which they were selling to suspected foreigners.

And on the closed Mununshi Banana Scheme in Nchelenge area, the Permanent Secretary said President Rupiah Banda has issued a directive to his provincial administration to look for a new investor.

Mr. Chikwakwa told ZANIS that the current investor, a named prominent Lusaka-based businessman, had proved incapable of running the factory.

ENDS/MM/AM/ZANIS

Residents intercept truck ladden with illegal coal

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Alert Sinazongwe residents on Monday evening intercepted a truck ladden with coal suspected to have been illegally mined at the shutdown Chinese Collum Coal Mine, CCCM, in the district.

The truck registration number ARB 8898 belong to CCCM was intercepted at Nkanddabwe around 21 hours on Monday evening.

Sinazongwe District Commissioner, Mungoni Simulilika, confirmed receiving the information about the alleged illegal mining at the CCCM.

Mr Mungoni said a truck was intercepted as it attempted to transport the illegally mined coal out of Sinazongwe district to unknown market destinations.

And a check by ZANIS at Sinazeze Police station discovered another truck registration number ABL 3777T also ladden coal belonging to CCCM impounded.

Police sources at Sinazeze, however, told ZANIS that they had been ordered to release the impounded trucks without delay by superiors, the move which has received immense criticism by Sinazongwe residents.

A fortnight ago Sinazongwe Member of Parliament, Raphael Muyanda, appealed to law enforcement agencies to swing into action and stop illegal mining, which was being being perpetuation by management CCCM contrary to regulations governing mining in the country.

On February 6, this year, the Mines Safety Inspectorate closed down CCCM indefinitely following the failure by the Chinese investor to meet the safety conditions and for illegal mining.

ZANIS /TN/ENDS/SJK

Police impound 16 maize trucks

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Police in the Copperbelt mining town of Chingola have impounded 16 trucks with maize destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

District police chief Chibesa Musa has confirmed the development.

Mr. Musa says documents on some of the trucks indicate that maize is in transit from Tanzania to DRC although the trucks did not have proof of having entered Tanzania.

He said the trucks will be handed over to the Zambia Revenue Authority to verify their documents.

Acting District Administrative officer Philip Simbule said security has been stepped up to curb smuggling of the staple food.

The enhanced security measures have since seen an improvement in the availability of mealie meal on the market.

Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo share a long common border

/ZNBC/NEWS

Bailiffs grab vehicles from troubled LCM

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BAILIFFS have pounced on Luanshya Copper Mines(LCM) and seized 15 vehicles in an effort to recover an undisclosed amounts of money owed to, a Lusaka based company, Poweng limited.

Both Luanshya District Commissioner George Kapu and LCM chief operating officer James Bethel confirmed the seizure in an interview with ZANIS.

Kapu said the 15 vehicles which were seized yesterday are  parked at Luanshya central police station.

But LCM chief operating officer James Bethel said he was surprised that the Bailiffs seized the vehicles saying the matter has been taken to courts of Law.

Bethel could not give the amount owed to the company adding that it was just a claim there were making.

He however stated that it would be subjudice to talk about the matter which is in court.

Bethel said LCM has put in place measures to resolve the matter as soon as possible.

ZANIS/OM/MKM/Ends.

No Zambian match officials to referee at the CHAN finals

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Caf has not selected any Zambian match officials to referee at the CHAN finals after naming 18-member panel for the tournament on Monday.

However, Caf has appointed four match officials from Cosafa zone namely referee Verson Lwanja and assistant referee Moffat Champiti both from Malawi.

The other two from the Cosafa zone are referees Jean-Claude Labrosse from the Seychelles and Rajindrasad Seechurn of Mauritius.

And the rest of the match officials have been drawn from Egypt, Morocco, Togo, Gabon, Benin, Tunisia, Nigeria, Niger Mauritania and Sudan including two from the host nation.

Caf has put two officials on the reserve list and they are referee Ibrahim Chaibou from Niger and assistant referee Sadai Mountaga from Mauritania.

Meanwhile other countries that have qualified to the CHAN finals and have not match official representation are DR Congo, Libya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Referees:
Doue Desire(Cote d’Ivoire), Djaoupe Kokou (Togo), Abella el Achiri (Morocco), Rajindraparsad (Mauritius), Verson Lwanja (Malawi), Hamdy Shaaban Ramadan( Egypt), Tidiane Seck Cheick Ahmed (senegal), Jean-Claude Labrosse (Seychelles).
Reserve: Ibrahim Chaibou (Niger).
Assistant Referees:
Yeo Songuifolo (Cote d’Ivoire), Champiti Mofftat (Malawi), Patrick Bimbyo (Gabon), Peter Edibe (Nigeria), Ayuba Haruna (Ghana), Akexis Fassinou (Benin), Chokri Saadallah (Tunisia), Abdel Aziz Khalafalla (Sudan)
Reserve: Sadai Mountaga (Mauritania)

National Team Update

Herve Renard is honestly hoping he is not the king of wishful thinking and has prophesied that defender Elijah Tana will join the Zambia national team tomorrow, Wednesday on the eve of the squads departure for the CHAN tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.

Tana has been officially missing from camp and away in Angola for the last eight days since February 8 after taking two days off to finalize a deal that will see him rejoin Angolan giants Petro Atletico whom he played for from 2003 to 2006.

“He did not communicate to me but to a member of the national team technical bench,” Renard said.

Renard alleges that Tana was in Namibia with Petro where they are on their pre-season training camp.

However, Petro were on Saturday in Swaziland playing hosts Royal Leopards in a Caf Africa Champions League preliminary stage return leg match that the Angolan side won 3-0 to qualify 6-0 on aggregate.

Tana was not in the traveling party.

Meanwhile, Zambia leave for Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday.

Mealie meal price continues to rise

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The Mealie meal shortage that has hit some parts of country has also affected Lusaka with the commodity price being increased by between K5000 and K7000 per 25 kilograms bag.

A random survey conducted by ZANIS in Lusaka has revealed that a 25kg bag of National Milling Corporation breakfast is selling between K55, 000 and K62, 000 from K50,000 and K52, 000 respectively, where as Roller meal is being sold at K47, 000 and K50, 000 from K42, 000.

And a 25kg bag of Simba Milling breakfast is now selling between K53, 000 and K60, 000 and that of Roller meal is pegged between K43, 000 and K45, 000.

Some traders talked said the increase in the prices of the commodity is due to insufficient supply by millers to local depots, while others attributed the increase to also the hike in commodity ordering prices.

According to Chanda Chileshe, a trade at Chilenje market, said traders have decided to hike the prices because they are not getting enough stocks to meet the current mealie meal demand.

Mr. Chileshe explained that most mealie meal depots in the area do not have the commodity, adding that this has raise fear and panic among the traders in the area hence the price increase.

And another trader Mirriam Suwali of Long Acres market said milling agents have also increased the ordering price by K3000,saying this has prompted traders to increase the prices of the mealie meal so that they do not trade at a loss.

James Chipango a salesman at Simba depot in Kalingalinga also explained that the increase in mealie meal prices was because of low grain supply to millers.

Mr. Chipango added that millers have not being producing at full capacity because they are receiving inadequate grain stocks to cushion the increasing demand of mealie meal in the country.

ZANIS/MM/AM/ENDS

Govt spent K247 Bn to hold 2008 presidential elections

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Parliament heard today that government spent K247 billion to hold the 2008 presidential elections.

And parliament heard today that about K179.7 billion was spent on wages for civil servants in the country last year.

Finance and National Planning Deputy Minister, Chileshe Kapwepwe, explained that the Electoral Commission of Zambia, ECZ, was given K215 billion for voter education exercise while the Zambia Police received K17bn.

Ms Kapwepwe sid an additional K8 bn was given to Zambia Air Force, K5 billion to National Registration Office while the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services got K1 billion towards the same objective.

Ms. Kapwepwe disclosed that K98.5 billion for power rehabilitation programme was not financed from the 2008 national budget.

Ms. Kapwepwe, a nominated MP was responding to a question from Lukulu East Member of Parliament Batuke Imenda who wanted to find out how unbudgeted expenditure was spent on salary increment for civil servants, presidential by-elections and power rehabilitation programme.

And contributing, Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmebeko Musokotwane, said due to unforeseen economic indicators, capital projects were also affected adding that supplementary budget allocations increased particularly towards the holding of elections.

Dr. Musokotwane said other running costs affected government operations.

ZANIS/KC/MM/ENDS/SJK

Govt raises US$ 354 million through tourism

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Parliament today heard that Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources earned US$ 354 million through tourist who visited Zambia between 2006 and 2007.

And Government has disclosed that Zambia only managed gobble US$1 million as the lowest marketing and promotion package compared to Tanzania, Bostwana while South Africa tops the list with US$ 180 million.

Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Deputy Minister, Mubita Mwangala, said US$ 176.7 million was realised in 2006 while an additional US$ 188 million was earned from a total number of 6,566, 270 tourists, who entered the country during the two-year period.

The deputy minister told the House today, government is still compiling the data for 2008.

Mr. Mwangala was responding to a question raised by Lukulu East Member of Parliament, Batuke Imenda, who wanted to find out how many tourists visited the country from 2006 to 2008, how much was raised and what factors made Zambia unattractive tourist destination compared to South Africa, Kenya and Botswana.

He explained that undeveloped infrastructure, lack of a national airline and less private participation in the tourism sector disadvantaged Zambia in the Southern region.

He said South Africa released US$ 180 million, while Tanzania managed to raise US$ 18 million with Botswana earning US$ 7 million and Zambia had the least of US$ One million from tourist attractions.

And Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Catherine Namugala, added that government is strengthening the tourism initiative to make it more competitive and favourable with other countries.

Ms. Namugala, who is also Isoka East MP, was responding to a question by Chilubi MP, Obby Chisala who wanted to find out how far government has gone in setting the Lusaka Park in the Capital City, Lusaka.

ZANIS/KC/MM/ENDS/SJK

Supreme Court postpones PF’s petition ruling to March 11th

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The Supreme Court in Zambia has reserved ruling in a case where the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) has applied for a presidential vote recount in last year’s poll.

Acting Chief Justice Irene Mambilima, sitting with other four Supreme Court Judges Marvin Mwanamwambwa, Sandson Silomba and Dennis Chirwa reserved ruling to March 11th, 2009.

This was after the matter came up for hearing before her Tuesday morning.

PF leader Michael Sata’s lawyer Bonaventure Mutale submitted that some of the constituencies and polling stations were allegedly supervised by unauthorized persons who had no legal mandate to do so.

Mutale alleged Chisamba, Mwembeshi, Michinga, Serenje, Milenji, Nakonde, Mbala and Senga Hills as some of the constituencies where returning officers were not legally mandated to supervise the elections.

He also submitted that the affidavit by the respondents stated that some names were merely transposed, saying this was an admission that there was a serious error.

But Solicitor General Dominic Sichinga submitted that the court should dismiss the application for a recount as it had insufficient evidence.

And Christopher Mundia submitted that it was extravagant for the petitioner to apply for a recount in all 150 constituencies when no evidence had been adduced.

There was tight police security at the supreme court grounds as the presidential application for a recount was been heard.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sata urged PF cadres after the hearing to remain calm and peaceful as they proceeded to their respective places.

The Post’s comments are erroneous and politically motivated, Kunda

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Vice President George Kunda has described comments being made in the Post Newspaper on the signing of the Zamtel MOU as information leaked, incomplete, selective, premature and illegally possessed and that the comments do not portray the complete picture of the matter in dispute.

Mr. Kunda said people must not follow the statements being published in the Post Newspaper as they are unfounded, incomplete, erroneous and politically motivated.

He said that people must follow the Ministerial statement that the Minister of Communications and Transport Dora Siliya issued in Parliament as it was reflecting a true status quo based on the documents available to government.

The Vice President further said that it was unfortunate that the Zamtel mater has been heavily politicized by the Post Newspaper and that it appeared to government that the paper had acted as investigator, prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner of the matter.

Mr Kunda said there was nothing irregular in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between government and the RP Capital of Cayman Islands for the evaluation of Zamtel assets as the departments concerned had followed all the necessary legal procedures.

Mr. Kunda was speaking at a press briefing on the clarification of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between government acting through the Ministry of Transport and Communication and Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and the RP Capital Partners Cayman Islands Limited.

He said government did not use illegal means in signing the Zamtel MOU with the RP Capital of Cayman Islands for the evaluation of Zamtel assets as all the necessary legal procedures were carefully followed and referred to the Attorney General’s Chambers for clearance.

Mr. Kunda further said that people must not rush into condemning government as the signing of the Zamtel MOU was clearly dealt with by an Acting Principal Counsel and the Solicitor General before the Attorney General dealt with the matter when he returned back from the African Union Human Rights Duties abroad.

He said people must not just politicize the signing of the Zamtel MOU as the Solicitor General who acted in the Attorney General’s capacity had made further consultations and approved the signing of the Zamtel Memorandum of Understanding between government and RP Capital of Cayman Islands.

Mr. Kunda explained that the MOU has covered the provisions of consultancy services for the valuation of Zamtel assets and the possible sale of the government stake in the Zamtel Company.

The Vice President further said that people should not condemn the tender process which was followed by government and applied to the RP Capital partners as prescribed in the Public Procurement Act as it did not require an advertisement and only required a limited selection or single sourcing.

He also denied reports that a fee of US$2 million had been paid to RP Capital and Partners adding that a fee of five percent of the value of the company within the minimum fee of US$2 million will only be paid upon a successful sale of the company.

Mr. Kunda said the measure will be subjected to Tender Board approval being obtained under the legal requirements of the Zambia Development Agency Act.

ZANIS/TK/AM/ENDS

I never canceled the radars tender, Siliya

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The Minister of Transport and Communications has denied reports that she canceled the tender for the supply of radars at Lusaka and Livingstone international airports.

Dora Siliya explained at a press briefing in Lusaka that the tender procedure to buy radars is still in progress.

Ms. Siliya also said a number of allegations regarding the tender procedure leveled against her office have been forwarded to the Anti Corruption Commission.

Ms. Siliya said SELEX, an Italian Company, was asked to repair radars at the two airports at its own cost, while the tender procedure was still in process.

The Minister said the offer from SELEX will save government K50 billion, that was to be used for the project.

The Transport and Communications Minister said SELEX was given the go ahead because it is the company that manufactured the radars in question

And the Vice president says there is nothing irregular or unusual about the Memorandum of Understanding signed between government and RP Capital on the valuation of ZAMTEL assets.

George Kunda, who is also Justice Minister, described assertions that the Solicitor General’s opinion was disregarded as totally misconceived and misled.

Mr. Kunda explained that government has in the past used the Single sourcing or limited selection in engaging the services of experts for key consultancy work.

He said single sourcing was used in engaging the expertise of lawyers in a number of matters.

And Mr. Kunda has maintained that the MoU signed by Communications and Transport Minister Dora Siliya was cleared and approved by the Solicitor General.

The Solicitor General acted on behalf of the Attorney General who was at the time abroad on national duties.

The Vice president said issues surrounding the MoU has been highly politicised by the Post Newspaper and opposition political parties.

/ZNBC/NEWS

Govt unable to finance important sectors

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The Zambian government may not be able to raise enough revenue to adequately finance important sectors like roads because of the global economic down turn.

Works and Supply Minister, Mike Mulongoti, says funds for the construction of roads in the country will mostly cover on-going projects.

Mr. Mulongoti says this will be done in order to record meaningful progress particularly on government funded projects.

The Minister was speaking in Lusaka during the sensitization workshop for members of parliament.

The workshop, which was organised by the Road Development Agency (RDA), discussed the investments made and required in the road sector.

And RDA Board chairperson, Walusiku Lisulo, also emphasised the need to prioritise on-going projects.

Mr. Lisulo said only few projects will be undertaken this year to allow successful implementation.

[ZNBC]

Zambia to export beef

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Zambia is to start exporting beef this year.

Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Bradford Machila says measures have been set up to scale up livestock production.

He says the K70 billion allocation in this year’s budget will help scale up measures against livestock diseases.

Mr. Machila says the major hindrance in the fight against livestock disease has been insufficient funding.

He added that the Ministry has lined up a number of programmes such rehabilitation and construction of communal dip tanks.

The Livestock and Fisheries Minister says the Zambian government is in the process of setting up a livestock disease free zone.

[ZNBC]

MMD Women caution RB’s critics

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The Lusaka Province MMD Executive Committee Women’s wing is concerned with the malicious attempt by some section of society to sabotage and frustrate positive efforts being made by government to develop the country.

The women’s wing said it is aware that the malicious criticism against President Rupiah Banda and his administration has been waged out of personal rage and vendetta by individuals and some media houses.

The women in the ruling party have, however, indicated their solidarity to President Banda because he has exhibited ability to develop the country.

The women’s wing also expressed concern at the increasing verbal attacks against other MMD government leaders such as Communications and Transport Minister Dora Siliya.

The wing is worried that much as the people had the democratic right to express their views, the blatant criticism from some media institutions as well as some individuals is a product of motives not associated with the love for the country but purely for personal vendettas.

The MMD women said the party and government would not be shaken malicious attempts to frustrate the good intentions of government so as to make the ruling party unpopular.

ZANIS/CMC/ENDS/SJK

ZANAMA opposes LCC’s move to takeover of 18 markets

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ZANIS-The Zambia National Marketers Association (ZANAMA) has described the plans by the Lusaka City Council (LCC) to take over 18 cooperative markets in Lusaka as unfair.

ZANAMA president, Elvis Nkandu, has since urged the local authority to rescind its decision, saying it does not serve the best interest of the marketers in the country.

Mr. Nkandu said marketers have worked so hard to build the markets to the present status, adding that it was not fair the council take possession of the markets.

He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that marketers themselves were in a better position to run the affairs of these markets and not the councils.

He explained that marketers were always on site and were aware of the various problems that need to be addressed.

Mr. Nkandu said most LCC controlled markets were in dilapidated conditions hence the need to let cooperatives to run their own markets.

He cited Soweto Market in Lusaka, Kwacha market in Kabwe and Chamboli market on the Copperbelt as examples of council controlled markets that are in dilapidated conditions.

Mr. Nkandu alleged that markets that have been taken over by councils in the country used to be in very good sanitary conditions but were now in very poor sanitary conditions.

The association chief has since urged the marketers to fight for their rights and resist the council’s bid to take over their markets.

He said poverty levels in the country might increase as a result of the move by LCC, especially that a number of people earn their living through trading in the markets.

Mr. Nkandu has since appealed to government through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to intervene in the matter and come to the aid of the people.

He suggested that government should centralize and empower the marketers for them to contribute meaningfully to the social and economic development of the country.

Meanwhile, the LCC says it is mandated by the new market act that empowers the local authority to repossess the markets.

Council Public Relations Officer, Henry Kapata, said the new market act was passed in order to bring sanity to the markets so that the people are protected from communicable diseases.

He also said that there has being a lot of mismanagement of market funds by the market boards and the council taking over in order to correct the anomalies that are taking place.

And Mr. Kapata said the council is very serious over the matter and has warned people intending to resist the council’s to aware of the consequences.

ZANIS/PM/KSH/ENDS

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