Katete District Commissioner, Malan Zimba says government remains determined to transform the agriculture sector so that it becomes a vehicle for economic development and improved livelihoods.

Mr Zimba says the resolve to make the agriculture sector the driving engine of the country’s economy will be done through enhanced partnerships between government, farmers and the private sector.

He has cited mechanization, digital agriculture and the provision of quality seed as areas where Government will build partnerships with farmers and the private sector to enhance productivity.

“Government in its policy on agriculture has placed emphasis on enhancing production and productivity by improving infrastructure, supporting value addition in order to specifically increase farmers’ income and build their resilience against the adverse impact of climate change,” he said.

ZANIS reports that the District Commissioner was speaking in a speech read for him by Katete District Administrative Officer, Anslow Muchelemba during a World Vision-sponsored agric-marketing and technology fair in Katete.

Mr Zimba further appreciated the efforts by World Vision Zambia for providing a platform that promotes business linkages and partnerships among the private sector.

He was also happy that the agric-marketing fair created a platform for easy access to quality seed, equipment and information for the farming fraternity.

Meanwhile, Induna Gabriel Sakala has appealed to seed companies that are working in various communities of the district not to sell expired seed.

The Induna, who represented the chiefs in the district, said the traditional leadership had received complaints about some seed suppliers distributing expired seed to farmers on loan.

“You, selling seed, please don’t sell us fake seed. Some people are going around our communities giving us loans for seed, however, the seed does not germinate. Sell us good quality seed that will germinate,” he said.

Induna Sakala further appealed to government to deliver the farming inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) on time.

“Chiefs are appealing that what happened in the 2021-2022 farming season was a difficult and challenging thing where the inputs delayed plus the delay in rainfall. So we are asking that the government may look into it this year by supplying the inputs on time,” he said.

He, however, commended the government for creating an enabling environment that supports and encourages private sector participation in the country’s development.

Meanwhile, World Vision Zambia Transforming Households in Vulnerable Environments (THRIVE) Business and Marketing Development Specialist, Francis Kamo said increased agriculture production and productivity is paramount to the institution as it alleviates poverty and provides better nutrition to children.

Mr Kamo said, to achieve this and whole year-round productivity, there was a need for farmers to mechanise their farming which will lead to better yields and productivity.

“Our focus as WVI is to improve child wellbeing. Our core business is to increase household income at the community level so that thereafter our caregivers can look after the children,” he said.

The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) has on behalf of the Litungu, various chiefs and the people of Barotseland expressed its deep condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

BRE Prime Minister, Manyando Mukela, conveyed the message of condolences through the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Kalapa while on a six days special tour of the Litunga of Kalabo and Sikongo districts.

Ngambela Mukela said the BRE has cordial relationship with the great monarch of the British Empire, adding that this will continue.

Ngambela Mukela said the late Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered for having an encounter with the BRE when she accompanied King George VI the sixth in 1947 in Livingstone.

King George VI came to confer the medal of gallant to the Litunga I, the father of the present Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II.

The Ngambela added that Litunga Lewanika attended Queen Elizabeth II coronation ceremony in 1953 as Queen of the Commonwealth.

He says the late Queen will further be remembered for proclaiming Barotesland her British Protectorate in 1953 and in 1959 for conferring a Knighthood on Litunga Mwanawina Lewanika among others.

The Zambia National Educational Coalition (ZANEC) notes with concern how youth and adult literacy education has continued to be the least funded in the education and skills sectors despite the role that literacy plays in a person’s wellbeing.

This is evident from an analysis of the 2022 National Budget to the Education and skills sector by the Zambia National Education Coalition.

Zambia National Education Coalition Executive Director George Hamusunga stated that, in order to ensure that no one is left behind, there’s need to enrich and transform the existing learning spaces through an integrated approach that will enable literacy learning in the perspective of lifelong learning.

Mr Hamusunga added the transformation of literacy learning spaces not only entails the management of physical facilities more sustainably but also comprises changes in the governance structure of education systems and institutions by allowing the outcomes of literacy from informal and non-formal settings to be recognized, validated, and accredited through flexible data-driven monitoring and evaluation processes.

“The characteristics of youth and adult learners, their evolving needs for literacy learning such as flexibility, proximity, ease of access, and link with the labour market are guiding factors for the transformation of literacy learning spaces,” Mr Hamusunga stated

“According to the Cambridge English dictionary, transformation means a complete change in the appearance or character of something, especially for purposes of improvement. A transformation is therefore an extreme radical change, as we can extract from this definition, it is indeed important to transform spaces that we have been using to deliver literacy,” Mr Hamusunga added

He noted that this is because the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a wakeup call not to do things as usual in the Education and Skills Sector, learning should no longer be confined to a classroom or meeting physically, instead, there’s need to embrace blended learning spaces that combine face to face and remote learning modes in order to mitigate against the learning loss that has resulted from the closure of schools because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We need learning spaces that can help us provide continuity of learning even during calamities such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said

Mr Hamusunga said that, it has been observed that although digital learning is key in providing continuity of learning in homes, not everyone has access to digital platforms, hence the need for investment in digital infrastructure especially in rural areas.

“There is need to narrow down or completely reduce the divide between the vulnerable and the privileged people to ensure equitable access to e-learning digital platforms,” he said

He explained that the main challenge that the education system is currently facing is the low literacy levels even among children at primary school level, with only 5% of grade 7 pupils achieving minimum proficiency in literacy according to the 2018 report by the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the education system is experiencing a foundational literacy crisis, and something needs to be done now to reverse this status quo.

“As ZANEC, we are saddened that according to UNESCO, nearly 24 million learners might never return to formal education post COVID-19, out of which, 11 million are projected to be girls and young women,” he cited

Mr Hamusunga further explained that, according to the Zambia Demographic Health Survey of 2018, people living in urban areas are more likely to be literate than those living in rural areas, although the gap in literacy rates between urban and rural populations is higher among women than among men, and 81% of urban women and 91% of urban men are literate, as compared with 54% of rural women and 74% of rural men.

“It is also evident that most people in our communities are unable to access Constituency Development Funds (CDF) because they are unable to read and write,” he noted

Mr Hamusunga has since appealed to the government through the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to allocate more funds to recruit more adult literacy instructors targeting all the provinces in the country and not only one province as it was in the 2022 National Budget.

Mr Hamusunga highlighted this in commemoration of the International Literacy Day which falls on 8th September, with this year’s theme “Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces”.

Three women in Kitwe have been arrested by the Police for enticing a mental patient to drink alcohol before engaging in a sexual act.

And capturing and circulating a video of one of them having sex with a mentally defied man.

The three women are detained in lawful custody and charged with two counts of making and circulation of obscene matter and having carnal knowledge of an imbecile or person with a mental illness.

Copperbelt Province Commanding Officer Sharon Zulu stated that the three (3) suspects have been identified as Thandiwe Phiri 43 years, Kangwa Chembeya and Mary Mugala, all of Mindolo area.

The matter is alleged to have occurred yesterday September 4th, 2022 at 14:00 hours in Mindolo market in which a concerned member of the public reported to the Police.

Ms Zulu cited that according to the law, Making and Circulation of Obscene matter/Material is against Section 59 (1)(a)(b) of Cyber Security and Cyber Crime Act No. 2 of 2021, and having Carnal knowledge of an imbeciles or Person with Mental illness is against Section 139 Cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.

“The three women have since been detained,” Ms Zulu stated

Brief facts of the matter are that, on 4th September, 2022 around 14:00 hours, the three women were drinking beer at the house they share in Mindolo, and as they were drinking, the three called the victim, a mental patient who stays within their area and gave him beers to drink and when he got drunk, they enticed him to have carnal knowledge with Ms Phiri while Ms Chimbeya took a video of the act.

Ms Zulu added that, after the act, Ms Chembeya kept the video in her phone, which she later circulated on social media yesterday.

“Members of the public saw the said video on social media and reported to the police,” she noted

She explained that upon receipt of the report, the Police followed up the matter and managed to apprehend the three women behind the video.

Ms Zulu has since appealed to the Community who may know the relatives to the victim to come forward.

Ms Zulu further explained that arrangements to have the victim examined and ascertain his mental disorder condition are being made.

Lusaka’s Makeni Villa ward 14 councillor Fred Mumba has submitted to the Planning Department of Lusaka City Council-LCC cases of unplanned structures that are blocking roads, water runways and drainages.

Mr Mumba said that the unplanned structures would be demolished as they are a contributing factor to perennial flooding in the area.
Speaking when he officiated at a consultative meeting for community preparedness in floods and Disaster Risk Management organized by Africa Access Water-AFAW, Mr. Mumba says there is need to engage community members in finding solutions to flooding challenges in the area adding that no law breaker would be spared.

The civic leader mentioned that all the solutions to address the perennial flooding in the area would be executed lawfully by involving relevant authorities.

He has indicated that the new dawn government is focused on doing the right thing even if it meant staying in power for 5 years only.
At the same event, AFAW Chief Executive Officer, Paul Kapanda expressed happiness at the new dawn government’s political will in finding a lasting solution to flooding challenges in the area.

Meanwhile, AFAW Director Projects Rodney Katongo says the organization is considering commercial boreholes to save over 100 households, water harvesting as well as water purifiers to have clean and safe drinking water in stressed communities.

The committee appointed by President Hakainde Hichilema to review appeals from former public workers who were retired in national interest by former president Edgar Lungu has recommended the reinstatement of 154 appellants.

The committee settled for the 154 after reviewing 1,868 appeals from the 2,126 it received.

Acting Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa revealed in a statement that the committee received appeals from appellants that cut across a broad spectrum of the civil service.

‘’The total number of appeals received was 2,126 which included 1,246 from the Mainstream Public Service, 167 from Local Authorities and 713 from grant aided institutions and statutory bodies. Arising from the 1,868 cases that were considered and concluded, the Committee has referred 323 to the respective institutions for administrative resolve while cases for 130 appellants are still before the Courts of Law hence were not considered,’’ he said. ‘’In addition, 40 cases are still under the consideration of relevant Service Commissions and 966 were dismissed in accordance with the laid down disciplinary procedures. On 4th November 2021, Government invited former Public Service employees who were retired in national interest or were separated on unfair ground to submit appeal letters for consideration of reinstatement.

The appellants were separated through different modes including including early or normal retirement, retirement in national interest, retirement in public interest and termination of employment or contract.’’

Kangwa said others were separated through non-award of new contracts, dismissal, redundancy or retrenchment and resignation, among other forms of separation.

He said the appeals were considered by an independent committee comprising serving and former senior government officials in order to promote transparency.

‘’Following the consideration and conclusion of the appeal cases, Government has commenced the process of reinstating the 154 successful appellants and is appealing for patience as all responses, irrespective of the outcome, are being prepared,’’ said Kangwa.