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Government says China has expressed interest in putting up a hotel with a 600 bed capacity.
Southern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Aaron Zulu, disclosed this in Livingstone today when he led a Chinese delegation into the Musi-o-tunya National Park to check on areas of possible investments.
Mr Zulu hoped that Chinese Investors would show interest in the five areas and start developing the area they would choose as soon as possible.
One of the areas is the 47 hectare land where Legacy Hotels had proposed to put up a hotel.
And Manager of Investment Department in China at Non Ferous Metal Corporation, NFMC, Guo Ran said the Chinese delegation was in Livingstone to look at some investment opportunities in the tourist capital.
Mr Ran said Zambia was a very beautiful country that offered beautiful and exciting sites.
He could, however, not disclose how much China was going to invest in the infrastructure development project.
Just four more metres and I’ll be there,” panted Kabwe one cold winters morning in the city of Moscow, October 2008. His heart was pounding madly within his chest. He could virtually feel all four chambers of his heart fighting to force the blood out of his heart. Kabwe’s chest hurt so bad and his breathing felt labored. He wanted to curl in a fetal position and just give up. But he had to get to Zambian Embassy no matter what. This was his only hope.
Kabwe is a 25year old 3rd year medical student on government scholarship in Russia.He was recently diagnosed with a serious heart condition requiring urgent surgery.
The thought of his little sister,his only surviving family member, being all alone in this world kept him moving.”Just one step at a time” he urged himself.
It was freezing in Moscow.How he missed the warm Zambian climate. Its not that he wasn’t grateful for being awarded a scholarship by the Bursaries Committee to come and study medicine in Russia.It really was such a miracle that he was here and his mother would have been so proud of him had she been alive. One day he was going to be a doctor. He looked forward to day he could work at U.T.H and contribute to Zambia’s development.
At least that had been his dream until a few weeks prior when he was diagnosed with a serious heart condition-Rheumatic Heart disease with Mitral valve stenosis and aortic insufficiency stage 2.
Being in the medical profession and knowing what exactly was wrong with you didn’t ease Kabwe’s anxieties. Two of his four heart valves were not working properly making it difficult for his heart and lungs to work properly. He was already in the process of heart failure.To compensate the inability of his heart to pump sufficient blood, his heart was enlarging. He couldn’t even take a few steps without being breathless.
He finally found himself in the office of the woman he had made an appointment to see at the embassy. Kabwe told her how ill he was and how urgently surgery was required. He said his doctors in St Petersburg were confident they could successfully perform the surgery.
” We are just going to Evacuate you to Zambia” the lady said. She spelt out a whole lot of bureaucratic jargon which Kabwe didn’t hear as for the first time he realised he was going to die.
The painful reality of who he was hit him. He was a nobody. He had no rich father or uncle in the government to pull strings and organise money for his Valve replacement surgery which would cost $17000.
He felt like weeping but with whatever dignity he could muster he left the embassy. Whatever hope he ever possessed of seeing tomorrow, left him.
Kabwe’s mind felt like a roller coaster.He remembered rumours he had heard that a Zambian student had died the previous year, after the embassy failed to look into his plight. A rapid repatriation of his body amounting to $50 000, proved to be more expensive than what treatment may have cost.
Fierce heart palpitations roused him from his thoughts.
” No, I may be a nobody but I am not going to leave this world without a fight,” Kabwe encouraged himself.
Kabwe has since shared his story with the students union in St Petersburg, Russia. U.T.H does not have the facilities to handle Kabwe’s case. The students feel the best option is to let Kabwe be operated on in Russia.A number of students from various cities in Russia have since pledged money amounting to up to $5000 from their meager allowances.
Some students approached Lusakatimes to share the plight of this potential Future Zambia doctor with our readers. It is our hope that well wishers shall help raise funds for this 25 year old man, who has so far overcome many odds in his life, to have the Valve replacement surgery, in St Petersburgh Russia.
LT is a place where we have met to discuss various issues, and in a way has become a place that many can call home. Hopefully, it will also be a place where we shall one day say that we united to save our brother and fellow Zambian’s life.
Lusakatimes contacted the Zambian Embassy in Moscow and this is the statement they issued.
For any further information regarding Kabwe,please contact ‘The Secretary Bursaries Committee’ in Lusaka as they are the sponsors of students on Government Scholarships and any other matters related to students abroad .
By press time Lusakatimes were not able to get through to Bursaries Committee.
Please contact Lusakatimes if you wish to donate money towards Kabwe’s surgery or just be put in touch with him. This is beacuse there is no nonrepudiation facility in the messages that are exchanged in the comments system of lusakatimes. Using information exchanged through the comments system has a risk element attached to it and lusakatimes will not be held responsible.
Mr Sata sandwiched by two police officersMr Sata addressing his membersPF cadres jeering police officersPF cadres turned away from entering the Supreme CourtPF cadres mob Kabwata MP Given Lubinda at the entrance to the Supreme CourtPF cadres forcing their way into the Supreme CourtPolice officers asking a PF cadre to back-off from the Supreme Court entrancePF cadres along Independence avenueAn unidentified PF member picking a packet of opeque beer Shake-Shake
Government says it will continue inviting both local and foreign investors with the capacity to invest in the country including Indian and Chinese investors.
And Government has described as an act of sabotage the statements by Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata against Indian and Chinese investors.
Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, says Government will continue looking to the two counties as their fast growing economies requires a lot of materials which Zambia has.
Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said even developed countries are looking to China and India as the two emerging giants for business and investment.
He said the two countries as President Rupiah Banda recently observed are among the few countries with the financial muscle under the current global financial crisis who can invest in the country.
“China and India as President Rupiah Banda recently observed are among the few with financial muscle under the current global financial and are willing to invest in the exploitation of materials they need. And since Zambia has what they need, its only proper that we take advantage of their financial capacity to develop our mines and other industries,” he said.
Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services minister, said this in statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
Meanwhile, Gen Shikapwasha said, it is sabotage for leaders who should be working with government and local business houses in attracting investment from the two countries to instead use derogatory statements against them.
He said Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata, who is discouraging and issuing bad statements against Indian and Chinese investors actually welcomed them during the 2008 presidential elections campaigns.
“It is strange that Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata, who having rejected the Chinese and Indian investors in 2006 presidential but welcomed them during the 2008 campaigns has again rejected their investment without stating what has changed,” he said.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha has charged that Mr. Sata is using the Chinese and Indian investment issue by preying on the gullible believing he can gain political mileage out of it.
He said it is ironical that such sentiments are coming from a national leader at a time when the mine workers who are more closely associated with the mines are in full praise of their investments.
He said Mine Union workers of Zambia (MUZ) General Secretary, Oswell Munyenyembe on Monday said Indian and Chinese investment has proven to be dependable in time of crisis.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha further said it was for this reason that government is hoping for Chinese and Indian investment to take over the operations of Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM).
He said when other investors are laying off workers due to the effects of the global financial crisis; Chinese and Indian investors are restrained from doing the same.
He however said Zambia will continue inviting investors from all over the world adding that Mr. Sata’s preferred investors are the one who are now threatening to lay off workers.
“What is of interest to Zambia is whether these investors have the financial and technical capacity to run the mines or other undertakings and can obey the laws of Zambia” he said.
Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said government is also attracting local entrepreneurship in mines and other sector adding that this is the reason government is vigorously implementing the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).
He said old and new mines will be given to Zambians with financial capacity that will come forward.
Police in Kafue this afternoon used teargas canisters to disperse a protest by Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia, NCZ, workers.
The workers gathered to conduct a protest match to State House following the alleged failure by government to address their plight.
The workers, who defied Zambia Police caution that retrained them from proceeding with the planned protest on the Kafue-Lusaka Highway, were rounded up at Ngwenya Corner this morning.
A battalion of Kafue Police officers, led by Officer-In-charge, John Milambo, were forced to use tear gas canisters to disperse the protesting workers.
Traffic flow from both Lusaka and Kafue was temporarily suspended as police fought running battles with the workers.
At least Five protestors, who were allegedly beaten by Police officers, were apprehended and charged with conduct likely to breach public order and peace.
After Police action to disperse the protesters, the workers later regrouped at Shikoswe Bus Station and blocked the road with stones and logs.
Kafue Police Officer-In-Charge, John Milambo, declined to comment, when contacted by ZANIS, on Police action to use force when dispersing the protesters.
But National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers President, Seth Paradza, condemned Police action saying the protesters did not pose any threat to national peace to sanction the use of force and tear gas canisters by Police.
Mr Paradza said the union regretted the move by Police to allegedly beat up some protesting workers during confusion.
He said the protest was peaceful, hence vowed that the use of force will not kill the spirit of workers, who are demanding for a just cause.
Mr Paradza has since appealed to President Rupiah Banda to intervene and help the workers get their terminal benefits since both minister for agriculture, Brian Chituwo, and area Member of Parliament, Bradford Machila, have failed to resolve NCZ problems.
And MMD Kafue Constituency Information and Publicity Secretary, Isaac Mulenga, condemned police for using force on peaceful protesters.
Communications and Transport Minister, Dora Siliya,
Government has maintained that it will not commit itself to bailing-out Zambian Airways from operational problems because doing so would set a bad precedent to competitors in the local airline industry.
Communications and Transport Minister, Dora Siliya, said bailing-out the privately owned airline would set a costly precedent because there were other competitors in the aviation industry which were experiencing operational problems.
Presenting a Ministerial Statement in Parliament on the suspension of operations by Mines Air Services Trading as Zambian Airways, Ms Siliya maintained that government would not offer any financial commitments to the airline because it had other serious development programmes to implement.
Ms Siliya, further, said that her ministry in collaborations with its sister ministries of Justice, Finance and Home Affairs were holding serious talks to consider taking legal action against the airline over huge sums of money owed to various government institutions.
She cited the Development Bank of Zambia, DBZ, which is owed US$4 million, Zambia Revenue Authority, ZRA, US$2.5 million, National Pensions Scheme Authority, NAPSA, US$2.5 million and National Airports Corporations, NAC, US$2 million among among government institution owed by the company.
The defunct airliner also owes Investrust Bank US$1.5 million, Finance Bank is owed US$6.3 million and US$9.5 million to other trade creditors.
Ms Siliya said government has no plans to bail-out the Zambia Airways which she said was both insolvent and illiquid with its internal management accounts standing at about US$29.4 million.
She further warned that her ministry would not hesitate to revoke the aviation airline operations license in order to protect the country’s aviation industry from further imbalances.
She was responding to a question raised by Chifunabuli Member Parliament, Ernest Mwansa, who wanted to know what stringent measures government would take to protect the country’s aviation industry from companies that will be abrogating their operating licenses.
Ms Siliya, further, said government was working out modalities to protect the aviation industry from unnecessary job loses due unjustified suspension of operations.
She cited increased investment in the sector as one such measures of safeguarding employment in the sector.
She also revealed that government through the Ministry of Energy and Water Development under the Energy Regulation Board has reduced the cost of aviation fuel from US$1.58 per litre to 85 cents per litre as another measures aimed at helping the sector grow.
She further disclosed that government will not welcome proposals to defer Zambian Airways debts as it was more political rather than a business strategy.
Ms Siliya, however, said the suspension of the airline industry was a sad development to the country as the aviation industry was key to the country’s economic agenda.
Zambian Airways suspended operations a fortnight ago, citing high operational costs triggered by high cost of jet fuel.
The move left scores of passengers booked on the airline’s local and international flights stranded.
The Mines Air Services Trading as Zambian Airways is a 100 per cent privately-owned airline with JCN Holdings Zambia holding 57.5 percent shares, Post Newspapers 30 per cent and the Seaboard Overseas of United States holding 12.5 per cent shares.
However, the information obtained from the Patent and Company Registration Office by the Ministry of Transport and Communications has reflected a shareholding of 50 per cent each between Mutembo and Nchima Nchito brothers respectively.
Zambia’s Caf Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) began today with 20 out of 25 players called-up reporting for the first day of training camp in Lusaka.
Coach Herve Renard was not a very happy man with 5 of his key players skipping camp to attend trials in Europe just a month before Zambia’s opening CHAN Group A game against hosts Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan on February 22.
The absentees are defenders Francis Kasonde of Power Dynamos, Emmanuel Mbola from division 1 north side Mining Rangers, Lusaka Dynamos midfielder William Njobvu and Zanaco striker Given Singuluma who have all headed to Finland were joined by the latter’s club mate and attacking partner Roger Kola.
Kola was a shock absentee today after he failed to turn up for training on Wednesday with club sources revealing that he too was headed for Europe, although final destination is still unknown.
“Singuluma, Mbola, Njobvu and Kasonde are absent and maybe now Kola, that is half of my team and it makes my job difficult,” Renard said at the end of Wednesday morning’s training session in Lusaka.
“We have to restart the job again of building a team with exactly one month left before the CHAN.
“I want to win on top of doing my job also.”
Renard however left the door open for the five players should their trials be unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the team leaves for South Africa this weekend ahead of Tuesday’s friendly international to be played in Pretoria at Super Stadium.
Incarcerated former ZANACO boss Samuel Musonda arriving at the Court before he was jailed
The Lusaka High Court today upheld a two-year jail sentence slapped on Samuel Musonda, a former Managing Director of Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO), the country’s biggest bank, on 44 counts of corruption and abuse of office.
Musonda ran ZANACO under the regime of retired President Frederick Chiluba, who left office in 2001.
The banker was arrested and charged for facilitating the irregular release of funds held in an account at one of the bank’s branches.
The bank account in question belonged to Zambia’s Intelligence and Security Services and has been traced as the account that was used for various irregular purchases for Chiluba and many of his associates.
Musonda had been sentenced to two years in prison by the Lusaka Magistrates Court but had appealed against the sentence.
He had argued that as the chief executive of ZANACO, which has since been privatised, he had no choice but to sanction the release of various sums of money because he was acting under the instructions of either Chiluba or the head of the intelligence services.
Lusaka High Court judge Tamula Kakusa, however, dismissed the appeal and upheld the two year jail term.
Musonda’s lawyer indicated that his client would appeal again to the country’s highest court the Supreme Court of Zambia.
The Forum African Women Educationists in Zambia (FAWEZA) has expressed concern at the high number of under-aged girl children being forced into early marriages in the country.
FAWEZA National Coordinator, Daphne Chimuka says the forcing of under-aged children into early marriages was a serious issue that needs to be addressed urgently.
Ms. Chimuka told ZANIS in an interview that there is need for people to respect the girl child’s right to education.
She called on all Zambians to discourage early marriages as this was denying the girl child an opportunity to be educated.
Ms. Chimuka said her organization was doing everything possible to sensitize the public on the impact of early marriages because people need to understand the importance of woman acquiring an educated.
She said parents and guardians should not rush to marry off their daughters.
Ms. said people should consider looking at the long-term benefit of education and not short-term benefits in terms of dowry.
She charged that poverty should not be used as an excuse to break the law by marrying off underage girl children.
Ms Chimuka has since called on members of the public and the underage girl children being forced into marriage to report such actions to relevant authorities in the country.
The National Council for Construction (NCC) has warned that it will deregister construction companies abrogating contractual obligations.
NCC Chairperson Francis Ndilila says the move is aimed at enhancing capacity and sanity in the country’s construction industry.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the National Council for Construction will not relent in its efforts but ensure that there is sanity and accountability in the country’s construction sector.
Dr Ndilila said as this year’s tenders open for road maintenance, there was need for all companies that will be engaged in road maintenance to improve on the quality of workmanship and ensure that contractual obligations were followed.
He said all construction companies should strive to meet the high standards of specifications involved in the construction industry with a view to improving the sector.
Dr Ndilila further said that consultants and engineers should ensure that they do the high standards of workmanship by supervising the construction process and ensure that the construction works meets the high standards of specifications.
He has since called on all construction companies to follow the NCC set-out rules in the construction sector to avoid being deregistered by Council.
Construction work of Lumwana District Hospital and 14 medical staff houses at a cost of over K11 Billion in Solwelzi is progressing well.
North-Western Province Permanent Secretary, Jeston Mulando confirmed the development to ZANIS in an interview today, adding on that the construction of four wards is now at window level.
Mr. Mulando further said the hospital will have an administration block, out-patients department (OPD), a maternity wing, laboratory, and theater and X-ray blocks.
The other structures include the male, female and children’s wards, a service block, mortuary, incinetor, and low and medium cost houses for the medical personnel.
Mr.Mulando said the construction work is being done by Jizan Construction Company and is expected for completion by July this year.
He further said Lumwana area would soon be developed into a modern township, where hundreds of houses will be built to accommodate the large population present in the area.
Government will this year review the employment Act and come up with improved and innovative approaches towards enforcing the labour laws in the country.
Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Ngosa Chisupa disclosed that the labour law reform process will be expected to meet the aspiration of the Zambia decent work programme which was launched in 2007.
Mr. Chisupa noted that these revised law reforms will create a conducive environment for workers and employers in the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE’s) for the development of the country.
He pointed out that the current global financial crisis is likely to reduce employment levels in the formal sector.
He was speaking when he officiated at the “Law –Growth Nexus” workshop in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr. Chisupa cited the mining industry as one of the sector that has recorded massive job cuts following the global economic meltdown, which has also affected Zambia.
He further disclosed that government will continue to come up with statutory instruments on minimum wages in order to guide employers on the minimum wage requirements and protection of employees against exploitation.
And speaking earlier, International Labour Organization (ILO) Director for Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia, Gerry Finnegan said MSE’s play an important role towards the economic growth of the country because they provide employment.
Mr. Finnegan noted that there was need for government to review the law reforms in order to attract more MSE’s in the country.
He explained that an improved employment Act is likely to create a conducive environment for doing business and thereby contribute to the growth of the economy of the nation.
He further urged government to ensure that it promotes a decent working environment for vulnerable groups such as women, men and children in society, adding that this can increase production of workers’ out put.
And Zambia Federation of Employers Executive Director, Harrington Chibanda, called on the government to embrace the informal sector saying it plays a vital role towards job creation in the country.
Mr. Chibanda added that there is also need for the private sector to help government find lasting solutions to the current job losses cause by the global economic crunch.
He added that this can lead to achieving sustainable economic growth for the nation.
He further commended the ILO for the workshop saying this will help stakeholders involved in job creation understand the importance of creating an enabling environment for workers in the country.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) says suggestions to increase parliamentary seats should only be entertain with regard to rural constituencies.
CPD Executive Director Neo Simutanyi has challenged government to consider increasing parliamentary seats for rural constituencies only for effective implementation of developmental projects in rural districts.
Dr. Simutanyi charged that many rural constituencies in the country have been under developed because they are too vast for one Member of Parliaments (MP) to handle compared to those in urban areas.
He was reacting to proposals by the National Constitution making Conference (NCC)’s legislative committee that seats for Members of Parliament should be increased from the current 150 to 250 of which 200 must be elected, 40 from interest groups and 10 should be nominated.
Dr. Simutanyi told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today, people in rural areas need more representation, adding that they face different problems that would need the attention of their area MPs.
He explained that the role of MPs is to effectively represent the electorates and bring development to their constituencies and consequently develop the whole nation therefore increasing parliamentary seats should only apply to rural areas.
Dr. Simutanyi added that government and other political parties in the country should ensure that their elected law makers deliver to the public by establishing close working relationship with people who voted for them.
He noted that it is for this reason that government during the 2011 general elections should consider reducing the number of urban MPs where as those of rural should be increased.
Dr. Simutanyi, who is also a political analyst, has observed that urban constituencies despite been developed has continued to have a large number of MPs.
He cited Lusaka and Copperbelt as some of the provinces which should have the number of parliamentarians reduced.
He further urged MPs to ensure that during parliamentary debates they concentrate more on issues that affect their constituencies and deliver on the promises they made during campaigns.
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has engaged traditional leaders in its efforts to curb cannabis cultivation and trafficking.
DEC Public Relations and Press Liaison Officer Rosten Chulu told ZANIS in an interview that a sensitization drive for chiefs has since been launched.
Mr. Chulu said workshops and other platforms would be employed to urge traditional leaders to encourage farmers in their respective chiefdoms to grow food crops and cash crops instead of cannabis.
Mr. Chulu said the response from Chiefs in various provinces is overwhelming.
He pointed out that the commission has managed to apprehend people who grow cannabis because most chiefs are able to inform the commission of the people in their respective chiefdoms who were growing the illicit drug.
He explained that the commission decided to arrest the situation starting with the rural areas as this was where the cannabis were being grown and letter transported to urban areas for sell.
Mr. Chulu however said there was still a lot that needed to be done for the mindset of the people to change as they have grown cannabis for a long time and considered the act to be normal and legal.
Government has released K100 million for repair of roads and bridges in Lusaka’s Matero township and surrounding areas.
People of Matero and other areas have been concerned especially about the destroyed footbridge culvert on a stream between Lilanda and Chunga compounds.
This culvert has been in a very bad state for a long time and is of great danger especially to school going children who have been facing difficulties crossing the stream during the rain.
Matero Constituency Member of Parliament, Faustina Sinyangwe, confirmed the release of the K100 million for her constituency to carry out repairs and constructions road projects.
“Money has been released but I do not know why Lusaka City Council has taken this long to hire contractors who will commence the work,” she said.
Meanwhile, Lusaka City Council (LCC) spokesperson Chanda Makanta said the council was still looking in this matter.
Ms. Makanta argued that although the money has been released, Matero was not the only constituency which has projects such that those of culverts.
She pointed out that the LCC was lacking adequate manpower hence the delay in carrying out some of the road projects in the city.
She urged the residents of Matero and surrounding areas to stop dumping garbage in the drainages because this blocks the water ways, causing overflowing in the stream hence destroying the footbridges.
She further called upon the people to cooperate with the Lusaka City Council by forming groups which should carry out simple tasks of clearing drainages instead of waiting for LCC to do the work.
Mrs. Makanta attributed the flooding of most areas in the city to the mushrooming of unplanned settlements.
She said some people have built houses on sewer pipes and drainage systems, which is making it difficult for LCC to carry out its functions effectively.
She has however warned the people who have built houses and other structures on undesignated land that such structures will soon be demolished
Mrs. Makanta noted that such structures were dangerous to both owners and the community as a whole.
