PANA Seed Company has donated 4.9 metric tones of Maize Seed, 700 Kilogrammes of Soya beans and vegetable seeds to the Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative (MMCI).

The Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative (MMCI) is also a recipient of a mini Tractor from Transport –AID Japan.

PANA Seed Managing Director William Rulher-Ford Smith said the donation is aimed at ensuring food security for the vulnerable in society.

Mr. Smith said the MMCI was the best vehicle to reach the needy in society because the organization has striven to reach all corners of the country

Speaking at the same function, Transport-Aid Japan Director Leigh Berg noted that Zambia has great potential in farming.

Mr. Berg noted that improved farming techniques can ensure both household and national food security.

Receiving the donation MMCI Executive Director Miriam Nkunika said the donation would help uplift the living standards of the vulnerable in the country, particularly women.
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Ms Nkunika said the farming inputs would be given to vulnerable women across the country.

And giving a vote of thanks on behalf of the beneficiaries, Chisamba Member of Parliament Moses Muteteka thanked PANA Seed and Transport –AID Japan for the gesture.

ENDS/AH/AM/ZANIS

Three teachers at St Charles Lwanga Secondary School in Mansa have been arrested in connection with grade 12 examination paper leakages in Luapula province.

The named teachers who are also Catholic Priests were arrested over the weekend.

The teachers and some four pupils who were picked for being in possession of original copies of pre-written grade 12 examination papers would appear in court on 5th December after they pleaded not guilty at Mansa Magistrates court today.

They have been charged for an offence of unauthorized possession of examination papers or information contrary to Section 19 Sub-section 1 Chapter 137 of the laws of Zambia.

Over the past two weeks over 40 grade twelve pupils from different secondary schools in Luapula province have been arrested for being in possession of pre-written 2008 examination papers.

The pupils were arrested at St Charles Lwanga, St Clements, Kabunda Girls, Mansa High and Mansa Skills Secondary Schools while others were caught in Mwense and Kawambwa Districts.

The pupils were in possession of originals and photocopies of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Religious Education, Biology, Literature in English and Geography papers.

Meanwhile, all the arrested pupils have been banished from writing the examination for two years in accordance with the Guidelines for the Administration and Management of Examinations in Zambia.

Provincial Education Officer Florence Kanchebele said if found guilty the teachers would be dismissed from the teaching service indefinitely.

And Police in Mpika have arrested three Grade 12 pupils of Chitulika High School for alleged examination malpractices.

Northern Province police commanding officer Charles Lungu confirmed the arrests of the pupils to ZANIS in Kasama today.

Mr. Lungu said the three pupils, who are all males, were picked up last Friday, after they were caught with a leaked Chemistry examination paper.

He said police were still investigating the matter in order to establish the source of the leakage.

Mr. Lungu further said the pupils would appear in court soon for being in possession of foreign materials in an examination room.

Recently, five pupils from Kasama Boys’ High School were picked by police for possessing leaked examination materials.

The pupils were found with multiple choice answers during a Geography paper two (2) examination, which does not have multiple choice questions.

Provincial Education Officer Selisho Chanda, who had confirmed the incident, also said disciplinary action was taken against the investigators of the same examination.

Meanwhile, concerned Kasama residents have appealed to Ministry of Education to dismiss teachers who are involved in examination malpractices because they were compromising the standard of education in the country.

ZANIS/CB/AM/ENDS

Management at C.K Mable, the company tasked to legalize land behind Garden House Motel on the Lusaka– Mumbwa road, has appealed to all its clients to continue serving their financial obligations to the firm.

C.K Mable Chairman Elijah Kasonso  said the need for money has been necessitated by a robust exercise by the firm to put in place social amenities such as roads and security.

He said his firm is working on feeder roads for easy accessibility to the area so that those with vehicles can easily go and come out of Marble Village without facing any difficulties.

The C. K Marble Chairman said the police post being built at the site is almost finished and the company is currently exerting its efforts to erect houses for police officers in a bid to ensure security for the benefit of the residents.

He explained that the company spent huge sums of money for the Site Plan and satellite photograph of the 72 hectares piece of land both of which have been done.

Mr. Kasonso said all these undertakings are costly and is therefore surprised that some sections of society are misleading people that they will offer them land free of charge.

He said more than 2000 people have already committed themselves to follow the laid down procedure of legalizing the land in the area.

Mr. Kasonso has since appealed to all concerned residents not to be swayed by such elements promising free land but to follow the laid down procedure and secure their investments.

He has called on all the people with land at Marble Village to make his office, their office so that the people themselves know the truth by frequenting his office.

Mr. Kasonso said money is urgently needed to undertake the numbering of the site plan failure to which the process of legalising the plots will take long.

He said his company is working hard to complete the project but this can only be achieved with financial support from the people themselves who are the beneficiaries.

Mr. Kasonso encouraged all those who have not yet met their financial obligations to the company to do so in earnest as it is their contributions to the noble project that will give his administration the impetus and will to complete the job at hand in record time.

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Taskforce on Corruption have jointly opened a docket to investigate suspected corruption in the award of a contract to a French company engaged by Zesco.

The docket is in connection with a media report that the company contracted to rehabilitate Kafue Gorge and Kariba North Bank power plants bribed some Zambian officials to be awarded the job.

Taskforce on Corruption spokesperson, Victor Makai, confirmed in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the ACC and the Taskforce heads had been discussing the matter resulting in the opening of the docket.

Mr Makai said the two institutions would make their position known this week on how they would proceed in terms of investigations, stating whether the two would jointly pursue the matter.

The opening of the docket followed Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary, Peter Mumba ‘s letter urging the two law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter after the media report.

The media report says that Swiss prosecutors were investigating the company in connection with corruption and money laundering activities.

The report said the prosecutors stated that there was evidence that some money was paid, as bribes, to foreign officials, including for projects in Italy, Zambia and Mexico.

Times of Zambia

The Zambian government will not sent troops to the war torn Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo because its defence wing is already over stretched.

Defence Minister, George Mpombo says government’s priority remains its own internal peace.

Mr. Mpombo told ZNBC news in the capital, Lusaka, Sunday that the Zambian defence forces are on alert for any possible spill overs from the conflicts in the northern neighbouring country.

The United Nations has requested member countries to help in mobilising 3000 troops for peace keeping mission in the DRC.
[ZNBC]

About 600 police officers have been deployed in Kitwe and a further 900 could be called in to prevent riots in the city.

Acting Inspector General of police Francis Kabonde said at a press briefing in Kitwe yesterday that the police was capable of handling any riotous behaviour.

He said this in the wake of last Thursday’s riots that were triggered by the arrest of Radio Icengelo station manager Fr. Frank Bwalya in Kitwe. Police arrested 38 people for being riotous

“We were planning to bring about 1,500 police officers. This is a warning that we are capable of handling any situation. We therefore appeal to Zambians to continue being peaceful,” he said.

Mr Kabonde said calm had returned to the Copperbelt Province, especially Kitwe, where police are keeping vigil.

A check by the Sunday Mail yesterday found armed police officers patrolling streets in the central business districts.

Mr Kabonde also condemned bus drivers in Kitwe who allegedly ignited the riot.

He said that bus operators should sensitise their bus drivers on the need for proper behaviour in public.

“The riot was caused by bus drivers who were honking and skidding. They were really not political parties involved; they were criminals and thugs who took advantage of the situation and looted things and damaged property,” Mr Kabonde said.

The Patriotic Front (PF) was today due to stage a demonstration to protest the outcome of the October 30 Presidential election won by Mr Rupiah Banda of the MMD, but their police permit was withdrawn because of the tension caused by the riots.

“We would like to commend the PF leadership for bearing with us. Had the demonstration gone ahead maybe we could have experienced some problems,” Mr Kabonde said.

He also commended Fr. Bwalya for broadcasting messages of peace on Radio Icengelo in the aftermath of riots.

Meanwhile, some of the 38 people that were arrested on Thursday for riotous behaviour, have been released after paying an admission of guilt fine of K50,000.

Mr Kabonde said that those that would fail to pay the fine or contend that they are innocent, would appear in court tomorrow or on Tuesday on charges of conduct likely to cause the breach of peace in society.

On Friday, President Banda directed security wings to ensure that peace was maintained in the country.
Mr Banda warned that his Government would not condone people taking the law into their hands.

[Daily-Mail]