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The World Bank has said that Zambia is poised for significant economic development this year if the priorities which President Rupiah Banda outlined in his speech to parliament yesterday are implemented.
World Bank country representative, Kapil Kapoor, said President Banda addressed all the priority areas in his speech, adding that it now remains for government and other stakeholders in the development process of the country to implement what was said.
He told ZANIS in an interview that government and its stakeholders, including the cooperating partners should now put in place effective mechanisms that would drive the country into economic growth.
He said that despite being affected by the global economic crunch, Zambia has no reason to remain poor after all important economic areas were attended to.
Dr. Kapoor was commenting on Mr. Banda’s speech after the ceremonial opening of parliament yesterday
Meanwhile, Finland has described President Banda’s speech as realistic, describing it as one that would help maintain the economic development momentum Zambia is recording.
Finnish ambassador to Zambia, Sinikka Antila said the fact that the President noted that 2009 would not be an easy year for Zambia was reason enough for government to work extra hard, for the country’s economy to remain stable in the facet of the prevailing global economic meltdown.
Ms. Antila said the President pointed out important issues that would enable Zambia counter any negative effects of the global financial difficulties.
She said poverty alleviation, enhanced entrepreneurship and the fight against corruption, are the necessary ingredients for economic and political stability, in the midst of world financial crisis.
She said she was particularly happy that Mr. Banda spoke strongly about the issues relating to climate change, which she said were a major stumbling block to the development of the country.
Yesterday, Mr. Banda disclosed his government’s plans to counter the prevailing global economic challenges and enhance Zambia’s development agenda through improving the priority sectors of the country’s economy.
In his speech, President Banda said Zambia had no reason to remain poor, because she is endowed with abundant natural resources, which if property harnessed, would enable her resist the current global economic challenges.
FIRST Lady Thandiwe Banda following proceedingsVERNON Mwaanga (r) talks to mines minister Maxwell MwaleSPEAKER of the National Assembly Amussa Mwanamwambwa exchange notes with President Rupiah BandaDEPUTY speaker of the national assembly Mutale Nalumango following proceedings outside the national assemblyLUSAKA Mayor Steven Chilatu leads other mayors and town clerks into the national assembly chamberLIKUMBI Lya Mize dancers, including Mimosa Lindahl (c) from Finland entertaining guestsSUPREME and High Court judges making a majestic walk into the chamberPRESIDENT Rupiah Banda drinking water after giving the opening speechKABWATA Member of Parliament Given Lubinda enters Parliament draped in a Musiziba
motocadePRESIDENT Banda arrives for the opening ceremony
PRESIDENT Banda, trailed by First Lady Thandiwe greeting defence chiefs on arrival.ParadePRESIDENT Banda inspects a parade mounted by Zambia Army soldiers.PRESIDENT Banda walking away after inspecting a paradeZambia airforce
National Milling Company has attributed the short-term shortage of mealie meal in Livingstone to local and Zimbabwean traders that are buying the commodity in bulk and transporting it into Zimbabwe for sell at inflated prices.
National Milling Corporation Managing Director Peter Cotton today explained that fifty percent of the people buying mealie meal were retail traders who are purchasing 25 Kilogram bags of maize in bulk without regard for other consumers, adding that this has necessitated the government and the corporation to intervene and put measures in place to restrict sales in all depots.
“We have noticed that local and Zimbabwean traders are buying our mealie meal in bulk and taking it across the border to their country, so we have resolved with government to restrict the sale of mealie meal in all our depots,” he said.
Speaking during a press briefing in Livingstone today, Mr. Cottan said National Milling in collaboration with all District Commissioners, would restrict the sale of mealie meal in all depots to two bags per day per individual customer and 10 bags per day for retail traders respectively.
And the Corporation has commended the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for the efficient delivery of subsidized maize to millers around the country.
He also revealed that there was overwhelming demand for mealie meal despite the Corporation producing the commodity at full capacity of 100 tonnes per day in Livingstone which had never operated at full capacity in the past.
“There is terrific demand for our product and we are operating at full capacity of producing 100 tonnes per day, seven days a week and this is a new record for Livingstone,” he said.
Mr. Cotton cautioned retail traders not to deliberately cause an artificial shortage of the staple food as this would inflate prices and lead to the exploitation of consumers.
Mr. Cotton who is touring the country to assess the availability of mealie meal in National Milling depots, said he was happy to see that the maize in many fields in the country, especially in Southern Province was maturing well and looking healthy.
He however, advised small-scale farmers to adopt modern farming techniques such as those used by commercial farmers, to improve on their crop yields.
“Small-scale farmers should adopt some of the techniques used by commercial farmers like using hybrid variety of seed, early planting and splitting the top dressing to mitigate the effects of leaching in case of floods as this is how commercial farmers improve their crop yields,” he said.
Meanwhile, National Milling MD commended the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for their efficient delivery of subsidized maize to millers around the country.
He said the FRA was currently supplying the Corporation with 15, 600 metric tonnes of subsidized maize per month and hoped that the trend would continue as any shortage of maize grain would result in the shortage of mealie meal.
Phase one and two of the 40 bed space eye hospital being constructed in Kitwe has been completed at a cost of 284, 000 US dollars
The construction of the eye hospital was made possible through the generous financial support of past Council Chairperson Alexis Vincent Gomez.
The Lions Club District 403 Governor Lackson Chiyana disclosed this at the send off ceremony for Mr. Gomez who was in the country to monitor the progress made in construction of the hospital.
Mr. Chiyana announced that Mr. Gomez further pledged to fund the entire construction of phase 3 of the hospital which will include construction of consulting rooms.
He thanked Mr Gomez on behalf of the Zambian people through the Lions Club for his generous donation, saying the hospital will not only benefit Zambians but the entire SADC region in treatment of eye related problems.
Speaking earlier, Lions Past District Governor Hastings Chiti said the Lions Club was overwhelmed by the generosity of Mr Gomez.
Mr. Chiti has since urged the government and the Kitwe City Council to work together in order to enhance and promote the Public Private Partnership that can be seen between the government the Lions Club.
And Mr Gomez said the future of the African continent can be brighter if African people worked together.
North Western Province Minister Joseph Mulyata has been incensed by the roads development department in the province for abandoning earth moving equipment in the bush at the expense of working on roads in the area.
He said it is painful on part of government to see equipment on which government spent a lot of money being abandoned in the bush without any caretaker to look after the equipment.
Mr. Mulyata was speaking when he found the earth moving machines marooned at Kisasa area in Solwezi west constituency along the road leading to senior chief Musele.
Mr. Mulyata, who was heading to pay a courtesy call on Senior Chief Musele accompanied by provincial Administrative officer Kabinga Nondo, Solwezi District Administrative officer, Benson Kapumo and a team of Journalists, said it was sad to find the equipment lying idle in the bush when some areas of the road are being washed by the rains.
PRESIDENT Banda, trailed by First Lady Thandiwe greeting defence chiefs on arrival at parliament
President Rupiah Banda today officially opened the third session of the tenth national assembly at a colorful ceremony that was characterized by a mosaic of activities.
Mr. Banda who was accompanied by First Lady Thandiwe, arrived at parliament grounds around 10:00 hours and was met by Speaker of the National Assembly, Amusa Mwanamwambwa.
The occasion was also attended by First Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Cabinet Ministers and their deputies, some opposition leaders and members of parliament.
The others in attendance were members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Zambia, heads of missions and government institutions.
Before addressing his official address and opening of the national assembly, President Banda inspected a guard of honor mounted by the Zambia Army, followed by a fly-past by the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and a 21 gun salute.
The Speaker of the House later led President Banda and the First Lady into the national assembly, amidst a variety cultural performances staged by a number of cultural groups including the MMD choir, before he officially opened the third session of the national assembly.
After the official opening, Mr. Banda was accorded the fourth Presidential salute by the guard of honor before his motorcade drove away around 12 hours.
SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS
ECONOMY AND POLITICS
President Banda has unveiled an economic vision for 2009 with a call for increased unity among Zambians to achieve the national agenda of combating poverty.
President Banda assured that government will address concerns raised by stakeholders irrespective of political affiliation on issues of national importance.
Mr Banda also reiterated his call for reconciliation among all political parties in the interest of fostering national peace and economic development.
On the economic front, President Banda said his administration would continue to implement prudent fiscal monetary policies to achieve a Gross Domestic Product, GDP, target of 5 per cent and single digit inflation this year.
He said poverty reduction and employment creation as outlined in the Fifth National Development Plan, FNDP, would remain key areas of focus by government.
He observed that the current global economic downturn has resulted in severe job loses in the mining sector following increased operational costs triggered by declining prices of Copper and other metals on the international market.
He said government will channel more efforts towards diversifying the national economy as a measure of cushioning the effects of the global economic crunch on the national economy.
AGRICULTURE
President Rupiah Banda has directed the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to intensify its crop marketing system this year by ensuring that the agency concentrates in buying crops from the remotest parts of the country as the private sector concentrates in districts and urban areas.
President Banda said concerns have been raised that the FRA has not purchased maize in the outlying areas, concentrating instead on the district centres.
Mr. Banda said government understands the concerns and will therefore strengthen the operations of the agency immediately.
He said government is aware that the FRA has not performed well in the its operations hence governments is committed to strengthen agency.
Mr. Banda further said the fertilizer support programme, FSP, will continue to support small scale farmers in the country.
The president however noted that the cyclical price irregularity of fertilizer affects all farmers, small and large.
Mr. Banda said government would like to see the price stabilized, thereby benefiting all farmers adding that efforts would be made to achieve this in time for the 2009/10 season.
He said procurement and countrywide distribution of fertilizer will now be done earlier than in the past.
And Mr. Banda has directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to ensure that from 2009, the Agriculture Extension Service begins to perform.
He said the Agriculture Extension Service has not performed to people’s expectation and this has led to low productivity by farmers despite government’s efforts to subsidize fertilizer and seed.
ENERGY
He assured the nation that government would also ensure that there was more supply of fuel on the market with reduced prices of the commodity this year.
The President said by reducing fuel prices , this would attract a lot of investors in the country
Mr. Banda said in order for the country to achieve its 2030 vision, there was need for the private sector to work closely with the government of the day.
President Rupiah Banda said that he will constitute a Petroleum Committee to spearhead the exploration of gas and oil in the country.
President Banda said his administration has started working out modalities aimed at ensuring that there is constant supply of fuel in the country.
Mr. Banda said the move to constitute a Petroleum Committee was also aimed at addressing the various challenges associated with the high prices of fuel in the country.
He said feasibility studies in the Lake Bangweulu, Lake Mweru Wantipa and Zambezi River had started and that the project would be completed soon to pave way for the exploration of oil and gas exercise.
President Banda further announced that his government has completed working on the Rural Electrification Master Plan which he said would guide the implementation of the rural electrification programme.
He said his administration was also putting in place measures aimed at addressing load shedding in the country.
LOAD SHEDDING
Mr. Banda reiterated government’s commitment to improving the sector by upgrading the existing power stations and investing in new ones in a bid to scale up electricity generation.
Mr. Banda said load shedding had minimized in some areas in the country and government will see to it that load shedding continues to minimize by up grading the energy generators at the Kafue Gorge.
Mr. Banda, who also expressed concern at the high levels of load shedding in some parts of the country, assured the nation that his administration was doing everything possible to address the problem as it was hampering on the economic development agenda of the country.
He cited the rehabilitation of existing energy power stations and the construction of new power plants as some of the measures that his government was implementing in a bid to minimize the effects of load shedding in the country.
Mr. Banda said his government was looking at ways of increasing power supply in the country with a view to ensuring sustainability in the country’s development agendas.
FOREIGN INVESTORS
Mr. Banda said his government has started putting in place interventions aimed at taking further amendments in the Mines and Minerals Act.
He said the move once completed would seek to woo foreign investors in the country’s mining sector and help to increase foreign direct investment portfolios into the country.
Mr. Banda further said that despite the many challenges in the country’s mining sector, his administration was working-out special modalities to introduce new approaches and interventions aimed at safeguarding jobs in the mining sector.
He said although the mining sector had largely been hit from the effects of the global economic and financial crunch and the fall in copper prices at the international market, government would endeavour to implement new programmes that would ensure sustainability in the country’s mining sector.
DEFENCE FORCES
President Banda has directed defence forces in the country to remain royal and dedicated to duty with a view to enhancing security in the country.
He said defence forces in the country has an obligation to maintenance of national peace and security and ensure that foreign policy on defence and security was maintained through the participation in the international peace and security in the world.
MINING
Mr. Banda said the fight against poverty remains a top priority despite the global economic meltdown.
Mr. Banda observed that Zambia was endowed with rich natural and human resources hence the challenge was to harness such resources.
He sounded the warning that the global economic meltdown should not be used as an excuse to lay off workers as a cynical attempt to cut on operational costs.
President Banda said laying off workers should be the last resort after exhausting all other avenues.
Mr. Banda said government has put in place a task force that is handling the problems the mines are facing in a bid to find a lasting solution.
He said mining companies that would be seen to be laying-off of its workers at the expense of the economic down turn risked having its mining operating licence revoked to pave way for other new investors.
He has since advised mining companies to meet the stipulated guidelines when they want pull out of the industry.
He however said the country was now looking to other minerals such as uranium adding that government has taken cautious approach to ensure that the mining of uranium is in line with the international regulation.
He said government has taken international standard with regards to transportation, handling and issuing uranium licenses.
WOMEN
President Rupiah Banda retaliated government’s commitment to increasing the number of women in decision making positions in the country.
President Banda said government will ensure that more women in different sectors of the economy hold important positions and contribute to the economic growth of the nation.
Mr. Banda emphasized that the appointment of women into decision making positions should be done on merit for them to execute their duties at any level with excellency.
President Banda also said that government has made considerable improvements in addressing issues concerning Gender Based Violence(GBV)in the country.
He further said that government is working hard to ensure that appropriate Gender Based Violence legislation is quickly put in place.
He said the quick implementation of the necessary gender related legislation will help the country to put prioritize women issues.
He further added that Zambia, being a signatory to the gender protocol, should start embracing issues concerning women.
EDUCATION
Mr Banda said education is a vital tool in ending poverty in the country and said that his government it is committed to increasing enrollment at all levels of in the nation education..
In his opening speech of the third session of the 10th National Assembly, at Parliament buildings in Lusaka today, the President reiterated government’s commitment to providing quality education by employing more teachers in order reduce the teacher pupil ratio.
Mr. Banda said that, in a bid to improve the standards of education in the country, government last year recruited about 5,000 teachers and increased the number of secondary and basic school classrooms to 1,000 and 2,000 respectively.
He said his administration will this year renovate all the dilapidated infrastructure to increase the enrollment levels in tertiary education institutions.
He cited Mulamupikwa Police College in Chinsali district as one of the institutions earmarked for rehabilitation, which will be turned into a teachers college.
President Banda further said government also intends to turn the Copperbelt Teachers Training College into a university.
He commended the private colleges and universities in the country for supplementing government’s efforts in proving high quality education in the country.
He said private colleges and universities are helping government to deliver high standards of education, which in turn is contributing to sustainable economic development in the nation.
President Banda further said that government is in the process of finalizing the higher education national policy.
ENDS/SJK/AM/ZANIS
Editor’s Note:Parliament Opening Photo Gallery to follow soon
Chikondi Foundation President Bishop John Mambo has urged the National Constitution Conference (NCC) to consider implementing the 50 percent plus one clause in its draft and final constitution with a view to enhancing transparency in the country’s electoral system.
Bishop Mambo says the NCC should not dilute some of the important recommendations that were made by Zambians in the Willa Mung’omba draft constitution if the new constitution is to stand the test of time.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that there is need for the NCC delegates to ensure that the 50 percent plus one is implemented in the new constitution in order to spell out electoral malpractices in the electoral system of the country and enhance confidence in the electorates.
Bishop Mambo, who is also former Church of God Regional Overseer, said that the NCC should work-out modalities that would ensure that the views and recommendations of the people in the Willa Mung’omba Draft constitution were respected and represented in the final constitution.
He said the 50 percent plus one clause should not be ignored in both the draft and final constitution because the majority Zambians had supported the clause.
The Lusaka based clergy further commended the NCC delegates for working tirelessly to ensure that the draft constitution was published in July this year.
Bishop Mambo also called on the NCC delegates to devote most of their time to working on the draft constitution in an effort to complete the process within the stipulated 12-month timeframe.
Meanwhile, Bishop Mambo has supported calls from the cross-section of the society that the appointment of Ambassadors and High Commissioners should go through a process of ratification.
Bishop Mambo, who is also Nyamphande Orphanage Founder Member, said there is need for government to support calls for the ratification of Ambassadors and High Commissioners in order to avoid shortcuts in appointing envoys in foreign embassies.
He further said that the ratification of Ambassadors and High Commissioners would also help in building transparency and accountability in the utilization of public resources in foreign embassies.
President Rupiah Banda has appointed Luanshya member of Parliament, Simon Kachimba as Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security.
President Banda has also retired Drugs Enforcements Commissioner, Acting Commissioner, Peter Chingaipe and appointed Zambia Police Deputy Commissioner Dr. Solomon as the DEC Acting Commissioner.
Mr. Banda said in a letter of appointment to Mr. Kachimba that he expecting the Deputy Minister to have absolute commitment and devotion to duty.
He said the appointment of Mr. Kachimba underscores the confidence that he has in him adding that he hopes he will help in fulfilling the commitments they made during the elections.
In the appointment letter to Dr. Jere, President Banda said the appointment of the Deputy Commissioner is for administrative convenience and is with immediate effect.
This is contained in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today By State House Chief Analyst for Press and Public Relations.
Power outages in mufumbwe district has critically affected operations at the Mufumbwe District Health centre.
District director of health Paul Kambangu said service delivery at the centre has been affected negatively due to no and irregular electricity power supply to the centre.
Mr Kambangu who was speaking during a stakeholders meeting yesterday, said nurses are subjected to conduct deliveries using candles.
He added that other health facilities such as the mortuary are not functional .
Mr. Kambangu said all the services that require laboratory tests and the CD four counts for people living with HIV aids cannot be done due lack of power in the district.
And at least 14 general workers under the Mufumbwe health management team have been retrenched following a government order that all workers not under government pay roll should be retrenched with immediate effect.
District director of health told stakeholders yesterday that the entire district had less than 10 cleaners and other general duty jobs to man 15 rural health centres and the main hospital.
Mr. Kambangu said the retrenchment exercise has serious effects on the delivery of health services in the district.
He said the institution did not have sufficient drivers, cleaners and mortuary attendants.
Mr kambangu has since called on government and stakeholders to come to the rescue of the hospital and clinics in the district.
Meanwhile stakeholders during the meeting agreed to contribute at least K100 000 per month for one year towards cleaning of the hospital.
And the Kikonge community has pledged to support one general worker and care taker at the Kikonge clinic.
District Commissioner confirmed that the local community retained the health worker after government retrenched him.
Mr. Muyutu also confirmed that the money the stakeholders will contribute would be used to pay two general workers to help clean the hospital.
Mr Muyutu thanked the stakeholders for their quick response and urged other people and organisations to come to the aid of the hospital.
The stake holders included contractors, transporters, farmers, marketeers, traders, metal fabricators and millers associations of mufumbwe.
Others were the community based, faith based and non governmental organisations in the district.
President Rupiah Banda talks to Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming when he unveiled a plaque at the launch of the Zambia-China economic and trade sub-zone in LusakaLT readers are appalled that government is not upgrading UTH and govt leaders continue being flown to South Africa for treatmentUNIP president Tilyenji Kaunda with his deputy Njekwa Anamela (r) lauching the partyDefence minister George Mpombo stresses a point to NWP permanent secretary Jeston Mulando when he paid courtesy call at his officeZambia coach Herve Renard briefing the press at Football House in Lusaka on Wednesday on his vision for 2009.Herve Renard at Wednesday press briefing at Football House flanked by FAZ vice president & spokesman Emmanuel Munaile (C) and FAZ committee member & vice spokesman Marcha Chilemena.FORMER Zambia Air Force Commander General Christopher Singogo (r) exchanging notes with his lawyer Kelvin Bwalya at the Lusaka magistrate Court after he was convicted for abusing the authority of his officeZAMBIAN Airways planes grounded at the Lusaka international airport as Zambian Airways suspends operations
Chief Justice Enerst Sakala has been evacuated to South Africa after suffering from a heart problem.
Justice Sakala was flown to South Africa last night after a team of doctors in Zambia recommended that he undergoes a detailed investigations for his heart problems since facilities are not available in the country.
Justice Sakala who fell ill on Monday and was admitted at Lusaka Trust Hospital where he was seen by a team of doctors, who included those from University Teaching Hospital (UTH) , and was found to have a heart problem emanating from a long standing problem of high blood pressure.
The Chief Justice is hospitalized at Milpark hospital were he is receiving treatment.
Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao told ZANIS in a press Statement that Justice Sakala’s condition is described as fairly normal as he is able to talk freely and walk by himself .
Mr. Simabo said Justice Sakala is also able to perform his normal chores without any difficulty or assistance.
The Minister said the nation will be updated on his condition from time to time.
President Rupiah Banda says his government will accelerate the diversification of the Zambian economy as a way of mitigating the effects of the global economic and financial crunch.
And President Banda has called for increased economic corporation between Zambia and China.
Speaking at the launch of the construction works of the Lusaka Sub-Zone of the Chambeshi Multi-facility Economic Zone, Mr. Banda said his government has already started working-out modalities aimed at addressing the various challenges associated with the global and economic meltdown.
President Banda said one such measure of mitigating the financial crunch was to seek for more donor assistance and to woo more foreign investors into the country.
He further said that his administration was also putting in place extra remedial measures aimed at promoting development in all the key sectors of the economy.
Mr. Banda said his government will continue diversifying the economy in order to sustain the country’s economic growth and minimize the negative impact arising from the global economic down turn.
He however said the launch of the Lusaka Sub-Zone of the Chambeshi Multi-facility Economic Zone had come at a right time when the global financial meltdown had started exerting massive pressure on most economies in both developed and developing worlds.
Mr. Banda said the multi-facility economic zone will show that Zambia was still an attractive economic investment destination and give confidence to existing investors to redouble their efforts of increasing investment portfolios in the country.
He said the construction of the Lusaka Sub economic Zone was progressing well and that a total investment infrastructure development had reached US$100 million.
He said by the year 2011 , the economic facility will accommodate fifty to sixty zone enterprises with an out put volume exceeding US$1.5 billion of which more than US$600 million would be exported while employing more than 6, 000 local people.
Mr. Banda is happy that Zambia is the first African country to benefit from the China-Africa economic commitment through the establishment of the Chambeshi multi-facility economic zone in which investment will amount to US$900 million.
President Banda further called on the Chinese and other foreign investors to support local suppliers of materials in order to support the growth of the local industry.
Speaking at the same function, Chinese Minister in Charge of Commerce Chen Deming reaffirmed his government is committed to supporting Zambia’s economic development agenda.
He said his government and the people of China will work hand in hand with the Zambian government in enhancing economic trade between the two sister countries.
Mr. Deming further said his government would continue supporting Zambia in its various development programmes and ensure that the Lusaka Sub-economic zone remained the best facility in Africa after its completion.
And China Nonferrous Metals Mining Company (CNMC) President Luo Tao said the construction of the Lusaka Sub economic zone was a symbolic project for continued economic ties between Zambia and China.
Mr. Tao further assured the Zambian government and the people that despite the economic problems that his company was going through, the company remained determined to ensuring that no worker was laid-off in view of the economic crunch.
Government says it is saddened by suggestions from some sectors of society that it is rejoicing over the suspension of Zambian Airways operations.
Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha said contrary to the suggestions, government is studying various options for assisting companies whose operations are struggling due to the financial global melt down.
Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said government is also waiting for a full report from Zambian Airways on the challenges that resulted into suspending the airlines operations.
Lt. Gen Shikapwasha who is also Chief government spokesperson said this in statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
The Minister said government is discussing with companies that intend to lay off workers as a result of the financial crisis.
He said government is equally saddened by the suspension of Zambian Airways operations because this could affect the jobs of many Zambians.
He said the development does not please government because it is not line with government policies of job and wealth creation.
And Lt. Gen Shikapwasha also said the failure by bus operators to reduce fares following the reduction of fuel should not be blamed on government adding that it was out of defiance because bus operators are paying very little for fuel.
Meanwhile, the Minister has since reiterated government’s commitment to fight Cholera in the country by empowering Local authorities with enough resources.
He has since called upon all Zambians to keep their surroundings clean and observe high standard of hygiene.
Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) Executive Secretary, Muyunda Ililonga is quoted in one of the Tabloids were he advised government not to rejoice over problems affecting the airline.
Sports minister Kenneth Chipingu said The football Association of Zambia (Faz) have been found with a case to answer in Emmanuel Mayuka’s controversial transfer from Kabwe Warriors to Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel that he said was fraught with irregularities.
Chipungu said after studying Elliot Mhende’s commission of inquiry report in the case, the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) should take action against Faz over the matter.
Faz cleared Mayuka to move from Warriors to Maccabi without the Zambian clubs consent for whom he had played for 2 years but instead secured the teenage strikers released from his mother who gave parental content for the players move.
“Having read through the report and recommendations made I wish to state that the report has revealed a lot of irregularities in the manner the transfer was handled by Faz especially that the case at hand involved a minor below the age of 18,” Chipungu said at a press briefing in Lusaka over the matter today.
“In view of what has transpired it is my considered view that NCSZ must take the necessary action to ensure that appropriate procedures are followed in order to regularizes the transfer.
“The NCSZ should also institute some disciplinary measures on those that have been found wanting in executing this transfer. This is in line with NSCZ act no 15 of 1977 sub sec 2 and 3.”
In summary, the NSCZ can within the act punish an association, club or official or affiliate prejudicial to the interests of sports or the public interest generally and the council may order the suspension of activities of an association, club, office bearer or member.
Meanwhile, the contents of the full report have yet to be made public.
The World Bank has said that Zambia is poised for significant economic development this year if the priorities which President Rupiah Banda outlined in his speech to parliament yesterday are implemented.
