POLICE in Chililabombwe have impounded two diplomatic minibuses presumed to belong to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which were allegedly being used for smuggling  bags of mealie meal from Zambia via Kasumbalesa border post.

The  Police Officers manning Kasumbalesa border post also intercepted a Zambian truck and a DRC truck after they attempted to smuggle about 70 bags of mealie meal concealed in Cerelac baby food boxes that were being transported from Lusaka to the DRC.

Confirming the development, Chililabombwe District Commissioner, Timothy Musonda told ZANIS that the development was as a result of intensified border patrols aimed at curbing mealie meal smuggling which has become rampant through the boder area.

Mr. Musonda said the drivers of the two diplomatic minibuses allegedly belonging to the DRC government escaped with the keys of the buses, making it impossible for the Police to open them and determine the number of bags of mealie meal that were about to be smuggled.

The two minibuses bearing registration numbers 4CD 62Z and 4CD 44Z respectively, are currently packed at Kasumbalesa Police Post.

And police also impounded two truck at the same border. He said the two trucks were intercepted while the owners were off-loading the bags of mealie meal from the Zambian truck onto the Congolese truck on the pretext that the consignment was cerelac baby food.

The registration number of the Zambian truck is ABJ 7484 while that of the Congolese truck is KT BE 2161. Both trucks are packed at Kasumbalesa border post.

Mr. Musonda said the impounded mealie meal would be sold to the local residents. He hailed the Police for their tireless efforts in curbing smuggling which poses a threat to national food security.

ENDS/VM/PK/ZANIS

NITROGEN Chemicals of Zambia ( NCZ) is seeking for moral support from stakeholders to persuade government to fully fund the fertilizer production industry this year.

Members of the National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers at NCZ, are currently going around the country to talk to traditional leaders, farmer groups and concerned citizens to rally behind the company in persuading government to release funds for the production of fertilizer.

Vice Treasurer of the union  Soka Nyirenda, during a walk-in interview with ZANIS in Chipata today, said government should fully fund NCZ because the company produces quality fertilizer compared to other countries.

Mr. Nyirenda said the general citizenry was concerned with the fertilizer which comes from outside the country because it was not known what effects the fertilizer would cause to soils in future.

Mr. Nyirenda who was flanked by NCZ Shop Steward, Allan Sinyinza, said production of fertilizer locally would ensure reduced prices of the commodity and also enable small scale farmers access it in good time.

He said NCZ was a complex plant in the sense that there were various factories within the same plant. Mr. Nyirenda said NCZ did not only produce fertilizers but also Sulphuric Acid, gases and explosive grades which were used in mines.

He said the equipment in the fertilizer plant only needed minor repairs and if government could fully fund the institution, it would go back on its feet to start full production of fertilizer.

Mr. Nyirenda observed that all along, NCZ had been running on funds borrowed from financial institutions to produce fertilizers, saying, the grants which it received from government was erratic.

He said government had been getting fertilizer from NCZ which it distributed to farmers on a subsidized price under the Fertilizer Support Program ( FSP) but had not paid back to the institution on time, making it fail to meet operational costs.

ENDS/SM/PK/ZANIS

By Wesley Ngwenya
As I type these thoughts to my computer, there are about five Zambia Air Force jets flying over our neighborhood. They have been doing this for the last five days. At first, when I saw these jets flying over the city of Lusaka, I thought well maybe we were practicing in order to rescue our neighbors south or provide military support elsewhere in Africa. Then I was told the jets were getting ready for the opening on the National Assembly. What?

It is an absolute shock for me to see the government burning expensive jet fuel when there is so much poverty going on in the country. Kanyama residents are still stuck with floods in their front yards and cholera claiming their dear ones. Mazyopa residents are still living in tents after the government demolished their houses. Food is still expensive for many families across the country. Farmers have been unable to buy inputs because they are too expensive.

What is it about our leaders’ lack of vision? They are so shortsighted that they are always thinking about the now. What drives them to run for political office in the first place? It is no other than protecting their selfish interests over the interests of the majority of Zambians. These leaders cannot even distinguish between what belongs to the government and what belongs to their political parties let alone to themselves. Unfortunately, to them it is one and the same thing. They change their minds so often on important issues to fit their agenda. They have no morals and their work ethic leaves much to be desired.

What kind of leaders would see sense in spending taxpayers’ money flying jets in the sky for hours? I take it our money that is spent on their expensive SUVs, fuel, allowances, phone bills, girlfriends, and boyfriends is not enough. They are so addicted to abuse that they are always looking for opportunities to mismanage the resources entrusted to them.

In a couple of years let us show them that we have the power to hire and fire. Let us use the power of our vote to hire new and sober minded politicians. There are some good and well meaning politicians that we can count on. Let us take advantage of them. Let us even encourage people we know have exceptional leadership qualities to run for political office next time we have elections. They could save this country from total disaster since the current ones have completely failed.

Chikondi Foundation President Bishop John Mambo has advised government to come up with an economic recovery plan that will help companies such as the Zambian Airways.

Bishop Mambo says there is need for government to come up with economic measures that will help Zambian Airways to recover from its operational problems and ensure that sustainability in the operations of the company.

The Lusaka based clergy told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that it was sad that some companies in the country were suspending operations when the global economic and financial crunch was at its peak.

He said there is an urgent need for government to work out modalities that would help the local airline to recover as it had an important role to play in the country’s economic development agenda.

Bishop Mambo observed that if the local airline was helped to recover from its problems it could play a paramount role in helping the country to mitigate the effects and challenges that may be associated from the economic and financial down turn.

He said that the airlines suspension of its operation would have negative implications on the Zambian economy as it was a growing economy.

Bishop Mambo further said that the suspension of the airlines operation could have been avoided had the government intervened in the matter.

Bishop Mambo, who is also former Church of God Regional Overseer, said that since the airline was a strategic courier, the Zambian government would have emulated other countries in the world that had dealt with the industry and helped the airline find a lasting solution to the problems affecting the airline industry.

He described the suspension of the airline operations as a tragedy in the country’s airline industry adding that there was an urgent need for government to put in place extra remedial measures to sustain the airline operations and protect the jobs of workers in the company.

Bishop Mambo has since appealed to government to ensure that the operations of Zambian airways were sustained as most Zambians depend on its services.

last week , Communications and Transport Minister Dora Siliya had informed the nation that government had not received official report from the airline on the suspension of its operations.

Last week the Airline suspended its operations citing among other issues high fuel costs which has hampered its operations.

ZANIS/TK/MKM/ENDS