Vice President, George Kunda, has called for the speedy implementation of the Comprehensive Lusaka Urban Development Plan to create a platform for increased local and foreign investments in the country.

Mr Kunda is of the view that once fully implemented the Plan would enable Lusaka compete favorably with other developed cities in the Southern African region and the world at large.

The Vice President said this when he opened the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, Ministers sensitization workshop in Lusaka today.

Mr Kunda said there is need to expedite the implementation of the plan in order for Lusaka city to address the development challenges it is faced with.

He said the city is confronted with challenges of traffic congestion, poor drainage system, poor sanitation, illegal settlements, environmental degradation and inadequate land for housing and infrastructure development.

He said the Comprehensive Lusaka Urban Development Plan once implemented will focus on a number of priority projects for public investments that help boost investment in the city.

The Vice President said the plan would also play an important role in the development process of the Country as it will guide the development of provinces up to the year 2030 in line with the National Vision of Zambia achieving a middle income status by 2030.

Mr Kunda has since called for the proper planning of towns and cities with a view to facilitating economic development in the country.

At the same function, Local Government and Housing Minister, Benny Tetamashimba, said there is an urgent need to implement the plan as it will facilitate the smooth distribution of land for development.

He called on other ministries to budget for the projects contained in the development plan in a bid to foster development in the country.

And Japanese Ambassador to Zambia ,Hidto Mitamura, pledged his country’s continued support to the implementation of the development plan.

ZANIS/TK/CMC/ENDS/SJK

ERB Executive Director, Silvestre Hibajene said ZESCO failed to achieve the eight KPI as outlined in the multiyear tariffs and agreed upon by both ZESCO and the ERB in 2007.

He said ZESCO scored 42% in the first quarter and 51% in the third quarter in the implementation of the KPI last year.

Mr. Hibajene said the eight KPI are intended to address areas of concern which includes quality service, institutional efficiency, metering, and staff productivity among others.

Mr. Hibajene said this at a media briefing during the assessment of ZESCO’s performance against set Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in Lusaka yesterday.

The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has urged Zambia Electricity Supply corporation (ZESCO) is expected to meter its unmetered customers by 2010.

And Mr  Hibajene, said ZESCO must meter all its customers since metering was important as it affects the cash flow of the utility company in cases where consumers use more power than they are paying for.

Mr. Hibajene said out of the targeted 31,680 un-metred new customers, from January to September last year , ZESCO only managed to clear 16420 customers.

He said ZESCO is working hard to meter its customers by 2010 as unmetered consumers sometimes pay more than they consume adding that metering also helps promotes efficiency practices among consumers who might not see the benefits of conserving power.

ZANIS/GP/ENDS/MM.

Yesterday, 3 February, the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) presented to the Human Rights Committee of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) more than 12 thousand (12,481) signatures from Zambians across the nation demanding that these rights be included in the new Bill of Rights of the new Constitution.

The JCTR says in a release signed by a Chilufya Chileshe obtained by ZANIS in Lusaka, today,that the move was aimed ensuring that the NCC rights Committee takes consideration on the strong need of making Economic, Social and Cultural Rights justiciable and legally enforceable through inclusion in the new Bill of Rights.

The JCTR adds that this is a strong voice from many Zambians that strengthens the wishes of many Zambians expressed in the last three Constitutional Review Commissions (Mvunga, Mwanakatwe, and Mung’omba Commissions).”

It says that the Zambians’ wishes must be taken seriously by members of the NCC and government.

“We should not take for granted the voices and aspirations of Zambians that made such demands. The realization of ESCR through inclusion in the new Bill of Rights is mandatory in promoting human dignity and also in according these rights their proper place,” says Dominic Liche of the Church Social Teaching Programme at the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection.

It notes that this it is encouraging that the NCC through the Human Rights Commission is seriously considering inclusion of ESCR in the new Constitution in its review of the proposed Mung’omba Draft Constitution.

According to Mr Liche, however, “ We have noticed some distracting voices that are trying to sway support of NCC members towards non-inclusion. These voices have mainly argued that provision of ESCR will bankrupt Zambia and that Zambia cannot afford a Referendum.

” Such voices are merely misleading for we have stressed that these rights will be progressively realized and prioritisation and maximisation in utilisation of available resources can ensure that more and more Zambians access their needs.”

JCTR is not necessarily arguing for distribution of “free” social services, but “access” to these basic necessities. Those against the Referendum seem to be saying that people’s choices and aspirations do not matter in making a Constitution that is claimed to be a “People’s Constitution”.

Mr. Liche stressed that “Zambia should adopt the new Constitution through a Referendum because the Constitution begins with “We, the people…” and people must be involved in the adoption process Otherwise, there is a danger that the next President and Party in power will simply call for a new Constitution.”

It is the duty of Zambians especially policy makers (such as members of the NCC) and the legal professionals to make clear in policy and legislation how these rights can be implemented. To continue hiding under the cover of “Zambia has no money and ESCR will make us bankrupt” is inadequate to answering the demands of the many Zambians who want these rights to be enshrined in the new Bill of Rights of the new Constitution.

According to the JCTR ESCR, constitutionally guaranteed , are necessary for the fulfillment of the Millennium Developments Goals (MDGs), the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and the Vision 2030.
ZANIS/MM/ENDS

Government says the inclusion of opposition members and MMD cadres in the Presidential delegation during foreign tours is not a new phenomenon.

Chief government spokesman Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha said this has been done before by the three past presidents in order to add value to the processes and proceedings of the Zambian delegation.

Lt. General Shikapwasha , who is also Information and Broadcasting minister, said the choice of the delegation member is the prerogative of the president.

He said the inclusion of opposition members goes to show how committed President Banda has to the principle of inclusiveness so that they add value and also be better informed about the goings in government.

Mr Shikapwasha said embracing the principle of national inclusiveness is one sure way of narrowing people’s political differences in national issues in the country.

He said the president cannot discriminate against Zambians on the basis of party membership or the jobs held in any given political party,adding that party cadres are also Zambians and using public funds on them when they add value to the Zambian delegation when attending important government businesses is justifiable.

” The inclusion of Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President Edith Nawakwi in the presidential delegation to the 12th session of the African Union in Addis Ababa is not an anomaly,” he said.

He said Ms Nawakwi was expected to contribute in whatever area the president wanted her to do so.

Mr Shikapwasha further said giving exposure to Zambians from different walks of life is useful for the country as Zambians will become knowledgeable on different issues.

He adviced some named opposition and labour movement leaders not to pretend that this is a new phenomenon and that it does not benefit Zambians.

Mr Shikapwasha reminded the aggrieved leaders not to forget that this was same practice during first Republican President Dr Kenneth Kaunda and second President Dr Fredrick Chiluba’s administration.

Mr Shikapwasha said even late President Dr Mwanawasa’s administration did the same when need arose.

ZANIS/PM/IS/ENDS/MM

African leaders meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last night failed to reach a consensus on modalities for the transformation of the African Union Commission, AUC, to the African Union Authority, AUA, as a first step towards the establishment of a Union Government.

On the last day of their 12th summit, African leaders met until the early hours of Wednesday to work out the final details of the Union Government, but could not agree on modalities for transforming the AUC into an Authority.

At an earlier sitting, the African leaders had agreed to create the African Union Authority to coordinate African efforts towards the emergence of a United States of Africa. The deal was struck after a day-long meeting on Sunday.

The African Union Authority, which was to be established, would have a President, a Vice President and Commissioners, who would e secretaries while other organs of the AUC among Assembly of the Union, Executive Council and Permanent Representative Committees would have remained unaltered.

But the seeming breakthrough was reversed at the full official sitting on Tuesday, which lasted until early Wednesday, leading to the postponement of the summit’s closing ceremony.

Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi, who has been in the forefront of those pushing for the formation of a Union Government, stormed out of the meeting minutes before it ended.

Zambia is a prominent voice among those calling for a gradual approach in the formation of the Union Government.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who chaired the special session on the Union Government on Sunday, said the breakthrough on the creation of the Authority was reached to guide the steps towards a United States of Africa.

AUC President Jean Ping confirmed the hitch, saying that the African leaders agreed on the creation of the AU Authorities but could not agree on the modalities of transforming the AUC into an authority.

“We agreed on the creation of the African Union Authority, but we faced difficulties on the modalities of creating the Authority,” said Mr. Ping.

ZANIS/ENDS/SJK/MKM