A Combined team of the Zambia Police Service Intellectual Property [IP] Unit and other security agencies have unearthed a multi million Kwacha scam of counterfeit drinks manufactured in Lusaka’s Zingalume area.

This is the second largest successful operation that security agencies have made in Lusaka in the recent past, the first being an illegal manufacturing plant in Chinika area discovered early last year.

One suspect has since been arrested in connection with the Zingalume scam which is believed to have been going on since the year 2006.

The combined team of security personnel that stormed the area following a tip off from members of the public also impounded a truck loaded with fake carbonated drinks destined for Southern Province.

The drinks seized are under the brand of Ziee and Taico lemonade drinks.

Intellectual Property (IP) Specialist, Kingsley Nkonde who led the team, has confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mr. Nkonde said the combined team of security officers raided three separate houses in Zingalume and seized large consignments of drinks.

The team that went into the operation area shortly after mid night also seized huge consignments of empty bottles and other packaging materials.

“We have impounded one Fuso truck loaded with fake drinks destined for Southern Province,” said Mr. Nkonde.

Mr. Nkonde said the government has lost millions of Kwacha through unpaid tax.

The IP specialist also said other than the government losing millions of Kwacha through unpaid tax, the dealers were also risking the lives of the unsuspecting customers by manufacturing such products in unhealthy conditions.

He warned that security agencies will not rest to ensure that the country is rid of counterfeit products.

Large consignments of chemicals used in the manufacturing of drinks which are added to the drinks without following any specifications have also been seized.

The team further discovered that a total of 300 drinks are made daily with the market being mainly outside Lusaka.

Police service spokesperson Bonny Kapeso when contacted for a comment said he had not yet reached the office.

Mr. Kapeso promised to issue a statement later.

ZANIS/ENDS/JM/EB.

Mazabuka Town Clerk, Ekan Chingangu, has ordered villagers in Mugoto area not to resort to vandalism of mine equipment at Albidon Mine following the suspension of operations at the only Nickel mine in the country.

He said any destruction to equipment would impact negatively on the district and national economy and later on scare away potential investors.

Mr. Chingangu said the mine is likely to resume full scale operations once government finalises negotiations for an equity partner to help revive operations.

“Don’t lose hope, I know your children have lost jobs and some of you have not yet been relocated to your new homes but please let’s keep our fingers crossed and pray that government quickly finds an equity partner to run the mine soon so that the economy of this area can again improve but safe guard this equipment,” pleaded Mr. Chingangu.

He said villagers must ensure they protect the mine equipment especially when the skeleton management staff stops working on March 27, 2009 next week.

Mr. Chingangu, who said this when he addressed displaced families who have not yet been relocated to a new farmland, observed that only security personnel will remain at the mine to protect the property.

He told the displaced families that the suspension of operations at the mine also meant, the relocation of villagers had been suspended until further notice.

Mr. Chingangu said, while he appreciates the hardships the affected families were going through such as failure to be relocated, cultivate fields and withdraw of transport provisions for school going children, they should not resort to the destruction of mine equipment.

He observed that, there is need for the villagers to sympathise with the mine management because of the global financial crunch which has affected nearly all sections of economies not only in Zambia but world over.

Mr. Chingangu said the Council will ensure displaced people, who have not yet been relocated received a better deal just like their counterparts, who have been given modern houses and big portions of fields for cultivation of crops once full scale operations start.

The villagers expressed worry that the new Chinese investor may not complete the implementation of the relocation programme initiated by Albidon management.

ZANIS/ENDS/HC/SJK.

Government plans to increase safe water coverage in rural areas from the current 37 per cent to 75 per cent by 2015.

Ministry of Energy and Water Development, Permanent Secretary, Peter Mumba, said once the goal is achieved, it would help address the spread of diarrhea diseases and Malaria, which are a drain on budgetary expenditure in the health sector.

Mr. Mumba said improving the supply of safe water would also help achieve positive outcome in the fight against poverty and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGS.

He was speaking when he commissioned a borehole donated to the Women of Kabweza Community, installed at the newly constructed health centre in Kafue’s Shibamala area yesterday.

He also said government, through the ministry of energy and water development is undertaking programmes to increase equitable access to clean, safe water at all levels of society.

Mr. Mumba said in view of this, government is encouraging communities to adopt the use of boreholes and protected wells fitted with hand pumps as they were appropriate in reducing water shortages.

He urged the people of Shimabala to take good care of the borehole and ensure it is utilised for the intended purpose of contributing to the provision of safe water in the area.

Kafue’s Shimabala Mungu ward Councillor, Obvious Mwaliteta, appealed to government to consider electrifying Kabweza health centre to facilitate the quick opening of the institution.

ZANIS/AJN/ENDS/SJK.

Government says it is impressed with the comprehensive assessment done by the Technical Committee on Floods to ascertain the extent of damage caused to crops and infrastructure by floods in Western Province.

Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Guston Sichilima, says the kind of ground work done so far by the Committee will enable government to effectively come up with stringent measures to address the humanitarian crisis caused by floods.

Mr Sichilima was speaking in Mongu today during a briefing by the Local Technical Committee on Floods.

The deputy minister, who arrived in Mongu today to conduct an on the spot check of the flood situation in the province, said government was in a hurry to respond to the desperate situation caused by floods in the Western Province.

Mr. Sichilima said government would like to quickly and effectively respond to the havoc caused by floods in a bid to reduce human suffering.

The floods which have been considered to be the worst since 1969 in Western Province has left 49 schools submerged in water destroyed about 85 per cent rice fields and 45 per cent of maize fields with a total of 1,500 households affected.

Among those on Mr. Sichilima’s entourage include, his Communications and Transport counterpart, Mubika Mubika, Works and Supply Deputy Minister, Mundia Ndalamei, Office of the Vice President Permanent Secretary, Davies Sampa, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, DMMU, National Coordinator, Dominiciano Mulenga and other senior government officials.

Meanwhile, Western Province Minister, Adons Mufalali, said the province was still expecting the worst flooding crisis as the water levels were still rising.

Mr. Mufalali said with the continued rainfall pattern in the province, the humanitarian situation could worsen.

He cited Lukulu, Kalabo, Shang’ombo, Senanga and Mongu districts as among the worst hit by floods.

ZANIS/TK/WM/ENDS/SJK.