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Only 3% of the farmers in Gwembe will benefit from Fertiliser programme

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Only three percent of the farming community in Gwembe will benefit from the 240 packs of farming inputs received under the 2008-2009 Fertilizer Support Program (FSP) because of insufficient number.

Speaking at the flagging-off ceremony in Gwembe, District commissioner Dorothy Hamvula said Government was aware that the inputs allocated to the District were insufficient, adding that efforts were being made to source for more inputs.

“My office is aware that the inputs allocated to Gwembe will only cater for three percent of the farming community, and my office will support all efforts to source more inputs,” she said.

She observed that it was unfortunate that some co-operatives were only seen to be active at the time of input distribution.

“Unfortunately, for some co-operatives this becomes their only active , they do nothing to promote growth of their co-operatives, some of them even fail to hold Annual General Meetings” Mrs Hamvula said.

She advised the Co-operatives to develop enterprises that can provide services to the community, in order to generate more money for themselves.

She also called on the beneficiaries of the inputs to utilize the packs for the production of the staple food (maize), saying that her office would not take kindly to anyone found selling the inputs, as the program was aimed at enhancing household and subsequently national food security.

And speaking at the same occasion, District Agriculture Community Chairman Simeon Mungazi said the 240 packs of FSP inputs received in Gwembe would benefit 29 farmer co-operatives groups.

“Last year only 21 co-operatives benefited, this year 29 will benefit, but the amount of inputs received is not enough, we need at least 600 packs,” he noted.

Mr. Mungazi appealed to Government to consider scaling up the program to cover not less than 1,000 beneficiaries in the District.

He implored the farmer co-operatives to utilize the inputs to ensure increased production of maize from the current two tones per hectare, to at least five tones per hectare.

And District Co-operatives Officer Emmanuel Mulenga said it was regrettable to note that 97 percent of the farmer co-operatives would go without inputs this year.

He appealed to Government to consider scaling up the exercise to benefit at least 10 percent of households in the District, as a measure aimed at reducing the dependency on relief food.

ZANIS/MZ/ENDS/MM

Solwezi district makes K 800 million from fertiliser sells

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Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Solwezi district has received more than K800,000,000 from sales of fertilizer and seed under the Fertilizer Support Programme to farmers in the district.

Acting District Marketing and Cooperatives officer Francis Mwansa said in an interview, Friday, that his office has collected K872,908,572 from farmers through maize seed and fertilizer sales in less than two weeks but due erratic supply of fertilizer all stocks has since been exhausted in the shed.

Mr Mwansa said that his office only received 15,352 x 50kg bags (1919 packs) instead of 19,200 x 50 kg bags (2400 packs) resulting in a serious shortage of both urea and basal fertilizer in the district.

He nevertheless, advised the farmers to only deposit money for maize seed so that they are able to plant as they wait for more fertilizer expected to be delivered soon.

He appealed to farmers not to panic as the situation was being handled by higher authorities to ensure that the remaining fertilizer is sent to the district.

By Tuesday this week about 136 registered cooperatives had collected their consignment of fertilizer from Nyiombo depot.

Meanwhile 15 registered cooperatives from Mushindamo block may not benefit from this years fertilizer support programme due to the late submission of the farmers applications forms.

Chairperson for Lwambanga cooperative, Abel Kafwimbi said that he was not happy that his block had been left out in this year’s fertilizer support programme.

Mr Kafwimbi, who is also Vice Chairperson for Mushindamo block, said that the fertilizer got finished and the entire Mushindamo block only managed to get 240 x 50 bags (30 packs) which have not been collected yet.

The cooperatives that submitted late include, Kafifolo, Lubinga, Lifesaver, Lunga source, Kan’gamo, Kyamato, Mushindamo, Masaka, Milembe, Kashiba, Kyafulabunga, Lwamibanga, Kasanfu, Kapako and Minkonk.

However, District Agriculture Committee Chairperson (DAC), Paul Chipoya said the distribution of the fertilizer has been okay.

He said that the number of bags of fertilizer was too low as compared to the number of applicants, adding that farmers bought off all the stocks in the shed resulting to some cooperatives not benefiting.

Mr Chipoya said that Mushindamo block should not blame DAC for not participating due their late submission of applications, but told the 15 cooperatives that in case of any additional fertilizer the DAC may considered them.

Namwala DC wakes up to a rude shock

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Namwala District Commissioner Eunice Nawa and Office of the President Staff today woke up to a rude shock when they found a coffin and a cross at the doors of the respective offices.

The coffin was placed against the door to the District Commissioner’s Office while the cross was found at the door of the Office of the President.

Police with the help of a security guard at the District Administration offices have since arrested a suspect.

Webby Mukonda, the security guard who was on duty at the time of the bizarre incident, narrated to ZANIS that he saw the suspect place the coffin and the cross at the office of the District Commissioner and Office of the President respectively at about 05:00 hours.

The suspect has been charged with conduct likely to breach the peace.

Under the Zambian laws, the Witchcraft Act in particular, the practice of witchcraft is forbidden. The Act makes it an offence to do anything which would entail having recourse to non-natural means to effect certain purposes. Further to accuse anyone of witchcraft, sorcery or some similar metaphysical enterprise is also an offence.
ENDS/FM/AM/ZANIS

Zambia Senior And Junior Teams Chase Wins on Saturday

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Both Zambia senior and junior teams are in action today away in important matches.

Herve Renard’s side are in Luanda where they face hosts Angola in a Caf Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier 2nd round, 1st leg game.

Zambia will host Angola in the final return leg on December 13 at Konkola Stadium with the winner over the two legs qualifying to the inaugural CHAN tournament to be hosted by Cote d’Ivoire next March.

CHAN is a new Caf nations tournament exclusively for home-based national team players.

And the Zambia Under-20 team open their 2008 Cosafa Under-20 Cup campaign against Seychelles in a Group A game in Kimberly.

Meanwhile, Zambia’s Cosafa Under-20 Group A opponents and hosts South Africa set the standard on the opening day of this years event yesterday after outclassing Lesotho 4-0 at Absa Stadium in Kimberly.

Lesotho were toothless against a vibrant South Africa who face their biggest test on Monday when they take on old foe Zambia in the two sides big penultimate Group A match at the same venue.

South Africa took the lead in the 10th minute through Thulane Serero who finished off a cross from Mandla Masango.

The 2007 Cosafa Under-20 Cup runner-up were 2-0 on 41 minutes through rising star Phumelele Bhengu who scored the first of his two goals in the match.

Bhengu completed his brace in the 49th minute before Serero joined in on the act 16 minutes from time with a sublime strike from a tight angle inside the 6-yard to the far post.

Zambia this afternoon face Seychelles in match one and in a game they must win to give them some confidence ahead of their big derby showdown against Amajita at the start of the week.

RB delivers UNZA meal allowance promise

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Students at the University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East road campus in Lusaka have started getting their increased meal allowances which have been back-dated to last month.

UNZASU president Solomon Ngambi has commended President Rupiah Banda for increasing student allowances by 50 percent and ensuring that the students receive the money.

Mr. Ngambi told ZNBC news that students are grateful to the President for fulfilling his promise.

He said students are particularly happy at the fact that meal allowances have been stagnant for the last four years.

President Banda recently directed the Minister of Education to increase monthly meal allowances for students from K3-hundred thousand to K4-hundred and 50 thousand.

[ZNBC]

CAZ buys kit to track mobile phnes’ quality of service

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The Communications Authority of Zambia has bought equipment to be used in monitoring standards of services offered by mobile phone service providers.

The Authority spent K2.9 billion to buy Quality of Service standards equipment launched by Communication Deputy Minister, Mubika Mubika.

Mr. Mubika said the equipment will not only help follow up complaints from subscribers but also improve service provision.

Communications Authority Acting Director General, Richard Mwanza said the equipment will be based in Livingstone and Kitwe while Lusaka will have a mobile monitoring equipment.

Mr. Mwanza said the equipment will be able to detect network failures and publish quarterly reports to both subscribers and mobile phone companies.

He said the authority hopes that with this new equipment, service providers will improve their operations.
[ZNBC]

Mufulira teachers demand housing allowance arrears

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Secondary School Teachers Union of Zambia, SESTUZ in Mufulira have asked government to pay teachers fixed band housing allowances arrears before paying new salaries and allowances to constitutional office holders.

SESTUZ district Chairperson, Charles Mapili, said the fixed band housing allowance has been outstanding for five years and it will not be fair for government to pay the new salaries to cabinet ministers and other constitutional office holders before clearing the arrears.

Mr Mapili stated in a statement to ZANIS that government should apply the first-come first-serve method to pay because teachers have patiently waited to be paid the arrears for five.

He said teachers are demanding to be paid their fixed band housing allowance before paying ministers, deputy minister, members of parliament and other constitutional office holders.

The union representative was reacting to the the decision by President Rupiah Banda to assent to the Bills that would effect the increments for Constitutional office holders.

President Banda assented to the three bills to increase salaries and allowances for the President, ministers, deputy ministers parliament and other constitutional office holders.

Government signed a Collective Agreement in 2003 with the union, in which it committed itself to paying teachers K450, 000.00 monthly housing allowances, which however, has not been effected.

And Kabwe Municipal Council (KMC), retirees have called upon President Rupiah Banda to help with the payment of their retirement packages.

Retirees spokesperson Dennis Shitima said that the Council owes them K3 billion adding that they had been tipped that the Council had received funds for paying retirees from the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.

Mr. Shitima who was flanked by scores of retirees told ZANIS in Kabwe that the retirees were disappointed with the manner in which KMC Management has handled the retirement packages for retired workers.

The visibly annoyed Shitima further called for the dissolution of the council management for their failure to contribute positively towards the empowerment of its former workers.

“The council should be dissolved as they have failed the people of Kabwe by failing to pay its former workers,” Shitima said.

However Acting Town Clerk, Daniel Mapulanga when contacted for comment disputed the allegation that the council had received funds for paying retirees.

Mr. Mapulanga said only a correspondence from the ministry has been written to his council assuring them they will assist them in paying off the former workers.

He however, said that the council had put in place measures that were tailored to be paying off one or two retired officers per month.

The Acting Town Clerk observed that the council is aware of the hardships the former workers are going through and has since introduced a scheme with K4 million every month to cater for retired workers who have serious problems.

ZANIS/SNK/ENDS/MM

CB Teacher unions not happy with government

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The three mother teacher unions in Ndola have expressed displeasure over governments’ plan to increase salaries for constitutional office bearers at the expense of lowly paid civil servants.

Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT), Secondary School Teachers Union (SESTUZ) and Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ), said in a joint statement received by ZANIS, Thursday, that the plan by government is a let down to the lowly paid civil servants.

ZNUT, SESTUZ and BETUZ District leaders Nibbu Nyasulu, Wisdom Mfuzi and Richard Mweetwa respectively, said teachers in Ndola are questioning why government could opt to pay one official K75, 117, 124 as salary, K26, 382, 673 as special allowance and K 26, 680, 000 as utility allowance back dated to January, 2008 and fail to pay K2, 250, 000. as fixed band arrears for 5 months that it owes the teachers.

The Unions have said that they have noted with dismay that one senior government official is able to pay more than 70 teachers in terms of salaries, a development they said was not fair.

They complained that for along time teachers had understood government position on the economy of the country but that it was dismaying to realize that government has never understood the problems teachers are facing.

The Unions have since demanded that government should immediately release the remaining fixed band arrears plus the 10% owner occupier housing allowance with delay.

Meanwhile, the teachers have also implored government to seriously address the escalating prices of mealie meal.
ZANIS/PC/ENDS/MM

RB unhappy with the MMD over the presidency

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President, Rupiah Banda, said he is not happy that some MMD members have chosen to discuss the issue of party presidency in public.

“To be honest , Iam not happy that the issue of the MMD presidency is being handled publicly,” President Banda said.

He said the issue of identifying a party leader should be handled internally.

President Banda was responding to questions from journalists on arrival at the Lusaka Internation Aiport from Abuja Nigeria, where he had gone for an official visit.

The plane carrying President Banda touched down at Lusaka International Airport at exactly 21:30 hours.

Vice President, George Kunda, Cabinet ministers and other senior government and MMD officials were on hand to receive the President.

During his visit to Nigeria, President Banda encouraged Nigerian and other west African investors to consider setting up businesses in Zambia.

Following a closed door meeting with his Nigerian counterpart, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua , President Banda disclosed earlier today that a number of financial institutions in Nigerian have already declared interest to invest in Zambia.

On the economic front, President Banda, said government is working hard to address the many problems affecting the country’s economy for the benefit of the people.

President Banda said government is aware of the effects that the slumping price of Copper on the international market would have on Zambia’s economy, hence is already implementing remedial measures among them, that of broadening the tax base.

“I am aware that the price of Copper on the international market has been reducing,” President Banda said.

He said the falling price of Copper on the global market, was just one of the many economic challenges Zambia was faced with, hence assured that government is working hard to address the problems.

ZANIS/ENDS/CM/SJK

Zanaco lists shares on Lusaka Stock Exchange

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Zambia National Commercial Bank Plc has today officially listed over 25 per cent of its shares on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LuSE) making the end to the privatization process of the country’s biggest commercial bank.

Speaking during the official listing ceremony at LuSE Finance and Economic Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane noted that Initial Public Offer (IPO) and the listing of Zanaco shares has reduced government’s shareholding in the bank.

Dr. Musokotwane added that the reduction of government shares from 51.8 per cent to 25 per cent was done in order to empower Zambian citizens by giving them an opportunity to own shares in the bank.

He said the ZANACO IPO is the largest transaction under the Zambia Privatisation Trust Fund (ZPTF) and the first ever IPO that combined the sale of existing shares and the offer for subscription of new shares which will further raise the bank’s capital.

Dr. Musokotwane said government is pleased with the overwhelming response from both institutional and private investors despite the prevailing global financial crisis which has been described as the worst in over eight decades.

He said the listing of the bank on the country’s stock exchange market is also a testimony of the sound economic policies that government has instituted over the recent years to ensure economic growth and citizen empowerment.

Dr. Musokotwane said it is government’s vision to ensure that citizens participate directly in the growth of the economy adding that government will remain committed to providing an enabling environment for growth.

He further observed that the share listing is also a significant milestone to achieving good corporate governance and sustainable growth.

Dr. Musokotwane said the increased capital for ZANACO through buying of shares by the public in the bank has also proved that the bank has remained sustainable contrary to fears by some stakeholders that the bank would not achieve growth after selling 49 percent of its shares to Dutch owned Rabo Bank.

He said government is happy that after privatization the bank was able to open two more branches namely Senanga and Chirundu and further maintained its workforce without retrenching any.

Dr. Situmbeko has since commended ZANACO and Rabobank management for supporting their employees and other members of the public to own shares in the largest commercial bank in the country.

And ZANACO Managing Director Mark Wiessing said the listing of the bank’s shares has marked the final stage of the privatization process of ZANACO which the Zambian government embarked on nine years ago.

Mr. Wiessing noted that the bank is now owned to the extent of 54.01 percent by Zambian nationals, institutions and a significant number Zambian employee’s in the bank.

He said the privatization can be considered as a benchmark for successful privatization and empowerment of Zambian citizens in line with government’s policies of citizen economic empowerment.

Mr. Wiessing said the bank will continue to strive to exceed stakeholder expectation by  designing, selling and competitively priced  financial solutions for both rural and urban Zambians.

Meanwhile Zambia Privatization Trust Fund (ZPTF) Trustee Charles Maate said the ZANACO share offer was the largest Initial Public Offer (IPO) the fund has ever transacted which was worth over 120 billion kwacha.

He disclosed that the offer had attracted over 20 billion kwacha worth of shares despite the prevailing global financial crisis.

Government last year sold 49 percent shares to Dutch owned Rabobank as part of the privatization process of the bank which has a total of 55 branches across the country.

The listing of 25 percent out of 51 percent of government’s shares on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LuSE) marks the end of the privatization process of the countries largest commercial bank which also widely services the rural areas.

ZANIS/CM/AM/ENDS

Sun International hotels puts back $200 000

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Sun International Hotels in Livingstone has set aside US $ 200,000 for corporate social investments.

Corporate Social Investments Practioner Stan Musungaila said the hotel has invested in agriculture, women, fish farming and HIV/AIDS programmes.

Mr Musungaila was speaking in Livingstone, Thursday,  during a press briefing held at Zambezi Sun.

And Mr Musungaila said Sun International – Zambia has won the category of Best Social Involvement programme at the 2008 Imvelo Responsible Tourism Awards programme organised by the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa.

The awards were held in South Africa, Wednesday.
ZANIS/ENDS/FM/MM.

Zambia hosts AU Retreat next week

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Zambia will next week on December 4 and 5, 2008 expected to host the fourth African Union Peace and Security Council Retreat, AUPSCR.

The Retreat under the theme “Interection between Peace and Security Council and Civil Society Organisation in the Promotion of Peace, Security and Stability in Africa, would be held at the Sun hotel in Livingstone.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Tens Kapoma, confirmed to ZANIS that the African Union Deputy Chairperson, Erastus Mwencha ,and other notable members of the AUPSCR will be among the keynote speakers at the Retreat.

The First and Second African Union Peace and Security Council Retreats were held three years ago in 2005 and 2006 in South Africa .

The third Retreat was held last year in Dakar in Senegal.

Ambassador Kapoma said top on the agenda of the Retreat is the discussion on peace and security council’s effectiveness in the African region.

“Zambia is privileged to host the 4th African Union Peace and Security Council Retreat to be hold at the Sun hotel, Livingstone next week on December 4 and 5, 2008. As you are aware, the First and Second African Union Peace and Security Council Retreats were held a few years ago in 2005 and 2006 in South Africa. The third Retreat was held in Dakar in Senegal in 2007,” Mr. Kapoma said.

ZANIS/KC/ENDS/SJK

Zambia bemoans increased streetism in Kasama

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Africare-Zambia has bemoaned the increased number of street children in Kasama district which it attributes to break down in families ties.

Africare District facilitator for Kasama and Mbala George Mumbi said it was saddening to see that most families, where children are supposed to seek comfort and shelter, have abandoned their responsibilities.

Mr. Mumbi said the rising number of streetism in Kasama should not be allowed to continue as it would have a negative impact on the country’s future generation.

He said there was need to encourage and strengthen the extended family system to reduce on streetism in communities adding that it was un-African to allow children to roam the streets when they have relatives to look after them.

Mr. Mumbi was speaking in Kasama, Thursday, during the presentation of awards to 52 care-givers who underwent specialized training in looking after orphaned and vulnerable children in communities.

He urged the participants to continue offering their selfless service to orphans due to HIV/AIDS so that they could lead normal lives.

Mr. Mumbi further thanked government for providing an enabling environment for non governmental organizations to operate and offer support to under-privileged people in society.

And officiating at the same function, Kasama Mayor Sebastian Chipope urged families and communities not abandon their responsibility of looking after vulnerable children as they needed much more support in order to grow up into responsible adults.

In a speech read for him by Councillor Clement Chileshe, Mr. Chipope said children affected by HIV/AIDS should not be discriminate against but instead should be encouraged to be productive in communities they live in.

He further commended Africare-Zambia through its RAPIDS programme for imparting skills to 52 caregivers from various communities on the best methods of caring for orphaned and vulnerable children in society.

ZANIS/WS/ENDS/MM

RB woos Nigerian investors

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Zambia and Nigeria have agreed to strengthen bilateral relations in order to accelerate economic growth of the two countries.

Briefing the press soon after a closed door meeting held in Abuja this afternoon, President, Rupiah Banda, and his Nigerian counterpart, Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua acknowledged the need to coexist in the face of eminent global economic meltdown.

President Banda said a delegation of Nigerian business experts would, hence, visit Zambia to discuss agreements in various sectors of the Zambian economy, a development that could help reduce the country’s dependence on mining, which was yielding low profits due to declining Copper prices on the global market.

Mr Banda said he was proud that Nigeria was one of the few African countries that have invested in Zambia.

He expressed happiness that Access Bank of Nigeria has declared interest to open a branch in Zambia, a development that would significantly contribute to the growth of a viable financial sector in the country.

He was confident that more financial institutions from Nigeria would penetrate the Zambian financial market.

Mr. Banda also revealed that a major Nigerian cement manufacturing company had agreed to open a plant in Zambia.

Mr Banda also told journalists that Nigeria has agreed to help Zambia achieve crop diversification in agriculture by encouraging production cocoa and palm oil among other crops..

President Banda said he opted to commence his tour of duty with Nigeria because the west African country was among frontline states that immensely contributed to rhe liberation struggle of the African continent.

Mr Banda said Zambia was fortunate to have Nigeria as a partner in economic development.

“We have seen that your financial sector has established itself as one of the best financial sectors in Africa and your banks are recognised world-wide as some of those properly regulated and with the capacity to grow and help us. That’s one other reason we chose to come here first,” he said.

And Nigeria’s President, Umaru Musa Yar Adua, said the visit of President Banda, came at a time when more efforts were need by world leaders to discuss economic challenges that currently threaten the welfare of the peoples.

Mr Yar’Adua added that apart from economic development, he and president Banda discussed the socio-political situation in Africa, particularly that of Zimbabwe.

Mr Yar’Adua regretted the deteriorating humanitarian crisis that has led to a seemingly breakdown of negotiations in terms of implementation of the agreement in Zimbabwe.

He, however, said he was optimistic that one day the problems in Zimbabwe would be a thing of the past, adding that the Southern African Community, SADC, which was mandated by the African Union, AU, has made tremendous progress in trying to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe.

He said SADC and AU should still be commended for having managed to broker the deal that resulted in the signing of a power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, which brought peace to that country.

President Yar’Adua, regretted that failure by the two parties to implement the agreement, adding that the issue stands on the disagreement on who should control sensitive ministries.

President Banda is this afternoon expected to return home.

ZANIS/ENDS/EB/SJK

Government introduces Code of Conduct for Civil Servants

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Government will tomorrow launch the inaugural Code of Ethics for the Zambian public service.

Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja says the Code of Ethics for the public service will enable public service employees execute their duties with efficiency and effectiveness whilst exhibiting high moral values through exemplary conduct both on and off duty.

Dr. Kanganja, who announced this in Lusaka today, said it is government’s commitment to inculcate a sense of values and to have an efficient, loyal and hardworking civil service.

He explained that the Code of Ethics outlines broad principles of basic values and behavioral standards that call for a high level of ethical conduct by public service employees.

Dr. Kanganja the Code of Ethics is further designed to enhance public confidence in the public service and urged the public service employees to comply with the Code in order to renew their commitment towards enhancing public confidence.

He explained that by doing so the public service employees will contribute to the delivery of quality services to the people of Zambia.

Dr. Kanganja pointed out that unlike in the early 70s, government now has immense challenges hence the need for public service employees to change their attitude towards work.

The Secretary to the Cabinet however noted that both the public service employees and members of the public have a duty towards national building.

He pointed out that there can not be an efficient and effective public service if members of the public condone corrupt practices.

Dr. Kanganja said after the launch of the Code of ethics, government will embark on sensitization period of the contents of the document.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kanganja has said entry into the Public Service should be competitive and transparency.

He said those qualified should be given chance to serve the people of Zambia in the public service and warned that there should be no manipulation of things by those in influential positions to employ relatives and friends who are not qualified.

The Secretary to the Cabinet advised that employing wrong people has implications such as difficulties in removing them.

He assured that as the economy grows, government will give public service employees competitive packages saying it is sad that government spends huge sums of money educating and training people in the public service who later leave the service for other countries.

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