The African Development Bank (ADB) has given Zambia a US$24 million concessional loan for budgetary support for next year and 2010.
The loan, whose agreement was signed by ADB and the Government in Lusaka yesterday, was awarded to Zambia under the Second Poverty Reduction Budget Support Programme.
Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane signed for Zambia while ADB resident representative, Vivienne Apopo signed for the bank.
The duo also signed the financing agreement for the Africa Legal Facility.
Dr Musokotwane said the $24 million which would be disbursed in two equal tranches would go towards supporting some of the on-going projects.
“The specific goal of these funds is to contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction through the provision of an enabling environment for private sector development.
“The funds will be disbursed in two tranches of equal amounts. One tranche will come in 2009 and the other will come through in 2010,” Dr Musokotwane said.
He said the Government had been implementing a number of development programmes in the last few years under the Fifth National Development Programme using finances from domestic sources and cooperating partners.
On the African Legal Facility, Dr Musokotwane said the facility was born following the declaration of African finance ministers in 2003 on aid, debt, the International Monetary Fund and HIV/AIDS.
The objective of the facility, he said, was to help heavily indebted poor countries in Africa to address the problem of creditors and enhance negotiation capacity for complex commercial, investment and other transactions.
“The Africa Legal Facility to be established shall be an international institution with full judicial personality under the law of the states who sign the agreement, Zambia inclusive,” he said.
Ms Apopo said the loan signed yesterday would help create a conducive and cost-effective business environment for the private sector, and accountable management and use of public resources.
She said the ADB had made financing commitment to Zambia amounting to $980 million and an additional $387 million was provided as debt relief since the 1970s.
For the Africa Legal Facility, Ms Apopo said the facility would provide legal advice to African countries faced with litigation and noted that countries through suits instituted by vulture funds had paid out about $700 million.
“A case in point in Zambia is the recent case of Donegal Vs Zambia in which judgment was awarded to Zambia,” she said.
Times of Zambia

President, Rupiah Banda, today held a closed door meeting with a delegation from the International Finance Corporation, a World Bank Group, at State House.

The meeting was also attended by World Bank country representative Kapil Kapor, Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokwane, and Presidential Affairs Minister, Gabriel Namulambe.

The closed door meeting, which lasted about half an hour, was called to discuss ways that IFC could employ in working with government to make the Zambian business environment more attractive to investors.

IFC Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Lars Thunell, said  the IFC delegation is in the country to discuss possibilities for World Bank support to the Zambian economy.He described as fruitful the private discussions held with President Banda and Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane.

Mr Thunell disclosed that IFC was very much likely to expand its presence in Zambia especially in the mining and agriculture sector.

He, further, stated that IFC was discussing with government on effective strategies of making the business environment more attractive.

And Finance Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, said government would continue working with IFC in order to attract more foreign investment in the economy.

Mr Musokotwane said government is determined to promote both local and foreign investment to spur national economic growth.

IFC is one of the wings of the World Bank whose focus is to promote private sector investments in any given economy.

It also provides advice to certain sectors of the economy.

President Banda also held another closed door meeting with a group of investors from Korea.

The Korean investors are in the country to explore investment opportunities in various sectors of the economy.

Korea Youth Entrepreneur Association Chairman, Jang Jae Wan, is leading the delegation.The International Finance Corporation, IFC, of the World Bank has indicated that it would expand its presence in Zambia and help government grow the economy.

The MMD in Mwansabombwe Constituency in Kawambwa District has advised Luapula Province Publicity Information Secretary, a Mr. Kapambwe to stop attacking party Spokesperson Ben Tetamashimba.

Constituency Youth Chairman, James Kapota told ZANIS in Mwansabombwe that his members are not happy with the recent attacks on Mr. Tetamanshimba by Mr. Kapambwe in one of the tabloids.

He said insinuating that Mr. Tetamashimba is junior compared to the party’s National Secretary, Katele Kalumba is not welcome.

Mr. Kapota said that Mr. Tetamashimba is capable of advising Dr. Kalumba and that the unfortunate attacks should not be entertained.

He added that Mr. Tetamashimba was among the prominent party members building the MMD and he cautioned all MMD cadres to stick to the party’s constitution Article 9A and 9C.

Public drivers operating on Lusaka’s town centre-Chilenje route yesterday parked their minibuses and damaged others in protest against a traffic police officer whom they alleged has been demanding money from them for any road regulation contravention.
A driver who sought anonymity said the officer was recently transferred from Central Police station to Chilenje and since his relocation, he had been demanding money from them and whoever refused was allegedly threatened with stiff charges.

But acting Inspector General of Police, Francis Kabonde refuted the allegations and warned that the police would not allow anarchy among the drivers because they were risking lives of members of the public.

The drivers, who abandoned the route as early as 04:00 hours, started gathering at selected bus stops where they ambushed any minibus seen carrying passengers as a way of picketing.

Several residents of Chilenje South township and other areas serviced by the route were stranded at various points and some of them could not make it to work while others resorted to walking.

Those at town centre could not reach the township and other areas on the route because no minibus was allowed to operate.

A number of minibuses, mainly belonging to Flash, were damaged and by 08:00 hours about five of them were found parked at Kabwata Police Station with shattered window panes.

A driver talked to said that the drivers operating on the route were angered by a traffic police officer who allegedly demanded a lot of money from them whenever they were found contravening the laws.

On why they were targeting Flash minibuses, the driver alleged the police treated the buses and drivers from the company like “sacred cows.”

Mr Kabonde and Road Transport and Safety Agency (RSTA) director Fredrick Mwalusaka are planning to introduce a law in which road contraveners will be taken to court instead of paying admission of guilt fees to the police.
Mr Kabonde and Mr Mwalusaka said the decision follows the continued complaints over charges, especially among bus operators, which in some cases has brought about
protests.
Mr Kabonde who was speaking to journalists was reacting to yesterday’s protests among bus drivers in Lusaka over the alleged impounding of buses, charging and claims of not being given receipts.
He said so far, police had not received any report of any traffic officer who was alleged to have been over charging minibus drivers and challenged those with evidence to report to his office.
He said following confusions yesterday, he summoned the officer to his office. He produced a receipt book and a number of people who have paid after admitting the charge.
He said the receipts also showed that out of 18 minibuses which were impounded, 15 had paid admission of guilty fees while the other three had not.
He said police officers would not sit and watch such lawlessness. He said police would soon be meeting the owners of the minibuses with a view of finding a lasting solution to what he termed as “life threatening ” behaviour.
And Mr Mwalusaka described the confusion, which erupted yesterday morning as sad because his organisation and drivers representatives had been holding talks over various concerns raised so far.
He said that allowing the courts to rule over the situation would address the matters of payments.
He further said the agency had no plans to increase the users fees and that it would soon be holding a public hearing on the conduct of the minibus drivers.

Opposition United party for National Development (UPND) Namwala Member of Parliament Robbie Chizhyuka has called for the establishment of a Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to over-see maize marketing in the country.

Speaking at a joint press briefing in Lusaka today,Major Chizhyuka said the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) should instead be the over-seer of storage facility for strategic food emergencies for the country

Major Chizhyuka said that the FRA should remain as it is not to be disbanded or restructured.

He cited the GMB has proved to be workable in neigbouring Malawi adding that Zambia could learn from her neighbour.

He accused the FRA of subjecting small scale farmers to untold suffering in delayed payments.

And acute hunger is threatening over 8,500 people in Sichifulo area in Kazungula district in Southern province.

Major Chizhyuka who disclosed this at the same function, said the villagers were feeding on boiled mangoes and other local poisonous wild roots for survival.

He said that this was because the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) had allegedly displaced the villagers from the game management area.

Major Chizhyuka said the people are eating indya and caama toxicated wild roots and accused government of neglecting the people in preference to conversing wild animals.

He wondered how the productive settlers who located to the area in 1985 could vacate at the expense of foreign investor who intend to set up a game ranch in the same area.

The MP appealed to government to direct ZAWA to stop ‘vicitimising’ the settlers and allow them to continue their traditional pastoral farming he said contributed to the country’s food basket.

And Monze Central MP Jack Mwiimbu urged government to declare the hunger situation in the country a national disaster to allow the donor community to intervene in the situation.

“Let us think so low and bury our heads in the sand over this hunger situation obtaining in the country. We call on government to declare the hunger situation in the country a national disaster so that donor community can can to our aid as a country,” Captain Mwiimbu said.

Captain Mwiimbu’s sentiments follows the hunger situation experienced in some parts of the country when he had visited.
ZANIS/KC/ENDS/MM