President Rupiah Banda has urged the new cabinet to ensure they work towards delivering promises made during the campaign for the October 30th poll.

President Banda expressed confidence that the new team will work to move the country forward adding that cabinet should also remain united in order to achieve its developmental objectives.

Mr. Banda said this when he swore in newly appointed republican vice president George Kunda, who is also Justice minister, ministers and deputy ministers.

Those sworn in included finance and economic planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane and his deputy Chileshe Kapwepwe, minister of local government and housing Benny Tetamashimba, mines minister Maxwell Mwale and sport, youth and child development minister Kenneth Chipungu.

Others are labour and social security minister Austine Liato, tourism deputy minister Moses Mwangala, sports, youth and child development deputy minister Christopher Kalila, Eastern province minister Isaac Banda, Northwestern province minister Joseph Mulyata.

And speaking to ZANIS after being sworn in Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane described his appointment as a challenge.

Mr. Musokotwane said his appointment has come at a time when Zambia is trying to find a solution in order to cushion itself from the global economic crisis.

He said his ministry is also currently preparing the 2009 budget which is aimed at addressing many challenges the country is faced with including sanitation.

And Mr. Musokotwane has said government will devise measures to attract three to four billion US dollars worth of investments into the country annually.

He said the government will continue to provide a favorable environment for investments in order to woo more investors into country adding that there are currently other measures to stimulate economic growth.

The finance minister said government will further continue approaching investors across the globe to bring money into the country for investment in various sectors including infrastructure development.

And Mines Minster Maxwell Mwale disclosed that he had a meeting with chief executive officers of all mining companies in the country to discuss the falling world copper prices.

Mr. Mwale said government will ensure that all the mining continue to operate by dialoguing with the mining companies and considering high cost elements in the industry.

Mr. Mwale has said that government will also actively pursue oil explorations in North Western Province adding that it will also re advertise 16 blocks available for exploration as indicated in the mining act that was recently passed in parliament.

Meanwhile Communications and Transport Minster Dora Siliya has called for measures to overhaul business strategies in Zambia Telecommunications Company (ZAMTEL).

She noted that Zambia’s telecommunication growth has continued to lag behind adding that the recent strikes that rocked the country’s parastatal has led to loss of money.

Ms. Siliya also disclosed that Zamtel is currently owed over 620 US dollars in debts by its clients adding that there is need to revamp the company in order for it to generate wealth for social services.

A 17-year-old boy in Chavuma has had his leg amputated after stepping on a grenade in neighbouring Angola.

Steven Nguvulu, a Grade Nine pupil at Lingele-ngende Basic School in Ching’i area in Chavuma district allegedly stepped on the grenade as he was hunting.

Chavuma District Commissioner, Frobisher Fulayi, confirmed the development to ZANIS saying the incident happened on Friday last week.

“Yes, I can confirm that the a Grade 9 pupil by the name of Steven of Chavuma district has been amputated following a hunting spree where he accidentally stepped on a grenade that later exploded affecting his left leg,” Mr Fulayi said.

Mr Fulayi explained that Steven had his leg amputated at Chavuma Mission Mission hospital where he was rushed to after the explosion.

He appealed to Chavuma residents to desist from straying into the neighbouring country even when faced with serious hunger situation.

The district commissioner attributed the accident to the lack of clear boundary demarcation between the two countries in the area.

“My appeal to the Chavuma residents is for the people to desist from entering neighboring countries because they do not have any business to do there” He said.

” Zambia has got plenty of food so people should stay in villages,” Mr. Fulayi said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fulayi has disclosed that Steven is ready to write his final Grade 9 examination from his hospital bed.

Grade nine final examinations are scheduled to commerce today, Monday November, 17, 2008.

The ruling MMD has urged its general members and citizens at large to support the newly constituted cabinet.

MMD Spokesperson Ben Tetamashimba says the new cabinet deserves the necessary support to deliver to peoples’ expectations.

Mr. Tetamashimba told ZNBC news in Lusaka, Sunday that President Rupiah Banda has ushered in a cabinet of hard working and dedicated men and women.

He also called on Zambians to support both President Banda and Vice President George Kunda as they lead the nation.

Mr. Tetamashimba has no doubt President Banda will diligently serve the nation.

[ZNBC]

NEWLY-APPOINTED Vice-President George Kunda has said that he is ready for the challenges of the office as President Banda’s second-in-command.

Mr Kunda, who is also Minister of Justice, has also said that he will soon be presenting to Cabinet proposals on how to strengthen the fight against corruption.

Mr Kunda said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that his appointment as Vice-President entailed that he assisted in realising the President’s vision on improving the standards of living for Zambians.

“I am ready for the challenge and will provide the necessary assistance to the Government. I believe I am qualified to take up such a responsibility,” he said.

On the fight against corruption, Mr Kunda said that Government would have to put in place measures that would make the fight against corruption more effective.
He said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in consultation with other stakeholders has developed the proposed policy.

He said a decision has to be made on whether or not to continue with the Task Force On Corruption. He said that a final decision would only be made after consultations with cooperating partners.

Mr Kunda said he also had the challenge of continuing to attract investors and helping to improve the economy as emphasised by President Banda during Friday’s Pres conference.

On his role in Parliament, Mr Kunda said that he has been an advisor to Government on how to conduct business in Parliament, adding that he would continue his role but this time as leader of the House.

He said having two portfolios was nothing strange to him as he has done it before when he was the Attorney-General as well as Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs.

Mr Kunda said, however, that he would this time be more of an advisor at the Ministry of Justice considering that President Banda has decided to appoint a competent senior lawyer in Mr Todd Chilembo as Deputy Minister.

“Having two portfolios is nothing new. I have done it before. I was minister of Justice and Attorney-General. The Ministry of Justice is a professional Ministry. Normally I do not have a deputy Minister,” he said.

Mr Kunda said the Solicitor-General and Attorney-General would also work with people at his Ministry and that he had no doubt that the Ministry would remain unshaken.

On the National Constitutional Conference (NCC), Mr Kunda said he would want the constitution-making process expedited.

He said he wanted Zambia to have a new constitution before the next elections in 2011.

“This entails that I continue and accelerate the constitutional review process under the National Constitutional Conference.

There is need for us to complete that process so that we have a new constitution this time before the Presidential and parliamentary elections,” Mr Kunda said.

He said he wanted to continue with the Africa Peer Review mechanism and work as delegated.

[Daily-Mail]

Let the wise read these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 4:7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do.Whatever else you do develop good judgment.

Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

Proverbs 19:11 Sensible people control their temper;they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.

Proverbs 13:16 Wise people think before they act;fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.

Proverbs 19:8 To acquire wisdom is to love oneself;people who cherish understanding will prosper.

Proverbs 13:11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;wealth from hard work grows over time.

Proverbs 20 : 4 Those too lazy to plant in the right season will have no food at the harvest

Proverbs13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

By Mingeli Palata

Nursing my green bottle while in that Zambia Institute of Marketing award giving ceremony at Sandy’s Creations a few kilometres south of Lusaka and seeing the former first lady in public after the funeral of our most beloved late President Mwanawasa was such a good thing for my Friday. I counted myself luckier when I heard that the guest of honour would be the ‘new’ minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Honourable Felix Mutati because then I could have firsthand insight into what this new cabinet has on offer. One thing though was for sure; Uncle Felix is a funny guy and nice guy so I knew we weren’t going to be bored.

He began by congratulating himself over his appointment (With a few cheers in the audience) and also for being the first minister to speak after the ‘rebranding’- in his own words. I am glad he spent some time

telling us all about his new job. He called himself the Chief Executive Officer in charge of marketing at a company called Zambia Plc. I thought that was a nice one. Yet I am not too sure about what followed then.
A point of emphasis in his speech was that his job is

to sell Zambia to the outside world, to attract investment in our country Zambia. He went on talking about how in the last few years the Government had done well in coming up with attractive packages to woo foreign investment.

My dearest Minister didn’t say much about local industry contrary to my expectations. He didn’t say how is his ministry would provide an enabling environment (Marketing) for local investors to have successful businesses. He did not talk much about incentives for the local lodge, carpenter, musician, farmer or the kantemba in chilenje. He did not talk about how is ministry should collaborate with the ministry of labour to ensure that foreign investors do not abuse Zambian workers or see to it that they adhere to our labour laws.

Nothing has changed, the new cabinet hasn’t heard the cries of the locals, they have not understood why they lost the urban vote but more importantly it just confirmed my fears of having the same old people who have failed us over the years run the affairs of beloved our country. Alas, the very composition of cabinet tells you that we are in for nothing but the same old politics and the same old policies that have failed us in the last 44 years. We are faced with new challenges which require new ideas and fresh minds. I expected better than that from the ‘new’ President. I was expecting a female vice President from civil society or from the business world for instance.

The likes of Situmbeko Musokotwane, Chileshe Kapwepwe and Vernon Mwanga are the same old people who tried and have failed this country.A walk in the main streets of Lusaka makes you think it was once a war

zone area or is some historical site. More than 60% of Zambia is living in abject poverty. No proper roads in the city, no good schools for our children and our medical facilities are nothing to write home about.  All this in a country that has 40% of Southern Africa’s water, a lot of fertile land, a good weather pattern, 8 neighbouring countries, peace and stability, available labour/manpower and what more could we be asking for than fresh brains with fresh ideas. Come on friends, Zambia is too rich to be poor.

Comrades, sometimes life is too busy and perhaps too comfortable that we barely notice the suffering that those who don’t have the luxury of an online newspaper are going through. Do you ever take time to think about that mother with three children living in a two

roomed house in Chibolya compound selling tomatoes at City Market and making just enough to buy a Pamela for her house hold. Think about her children’s education; a government school in Kanyama were kids sit on bricks and will be lucky if the underpaid teacher actually shows up that day. Think about her children who when sick probably won’t find drugs at Kanyama clinic and whose prospects of being attended to by a doctor are illusive.

God Help Zambia

Veteran politician, Vernon Mwaanga, has thanked President Rupiah Banda for nominating him Member of Parliament and appointing him Chief Whip in parliament.

Mr Mwaanga is confident that the new cabinet will work tirelessly towards improving the economic welfare for the people of Zambia.

He said despite the country experiencing diverse challenges in various sectors of the economy, President Banda’s administration would find sustainable solutions for improved economic welfare of the people in all sections of the Zambian society.

Mr. Mwaanga said this in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mr. Mwaanga, who is also former Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, pledged to work hard in his diligent service to the Zambian people.

He further promised to work with Parliamentarians of both the ruling and opposition parties in an effort to to promote democracy.

President Banda yesterday announced the new Cabinet in which he appointed Justice Minister as new Vice President and former economic advisor to late President Mwanawasa Situmbeko Musokotwane as Finance Minister.

“I would like to thank President Banda for nominating and appointing me as Chief Whip of the Zambian Parliament in his new administration. I also thank the Head of State for appointing a sober and balanced cabinet.

“There are many diverse challenges ahead, but I am convinced that this team of Ministers and their Deputies, Senior Government officials appointed will be able to handle the challenges through hardwork to improve the conditions of the Zambian people,” Mr. Mwaanga said.

ZANIS/MM/KC/ENDS/SJK