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The Bus Transport Operators Association has no intention of reducing bus fares for local routes despite a recent reduction in the price of fuel.
Association spokesperson, Ishmail Khanhara, says the operators will maintain the current fares because they have not hiked charges in a long time.
Mr. Khanhara told ZNBC news that a decision not to reduce fares was arrived at during a meeting with officials from the Road Transport and Safety Agency.
He said the bus operators instead negotiated for a three hundred Kwacha increment to enable them sustain their operations.
Mr. Khanhara said most transporters are having difficulties in running their vehicles due to minimal profit margins.
The Office of District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) has cautioned teachers against over-borrowing from financial institutions in Mansa district.
Representative from the office of DEBS, Obious Kalungu, issued the warning during the commemoration of World Teacher’s Day whose theme was “Teachers Matter” in Mansa yesterday.
Mr. Kalungu told the teachers that over-borrowing from financial institutions retarded the development of the nation economically because government was paying huge amounts of money to lending institutions.
He said government was paying credits for those who borrowed more than required and that teachers should be disciplined financially in order to sustain their families.
And Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) National Trustee, Josephine Muyowambuya, appealed to teachers to be non partisan in the October 30, 2008 presidential by- election as most of them would be administering elections.
Mrs. Muyowambuya also implored government to clear all the outstanding arrears for teachers in order to motivate them as the reaction which the teachers may take would not be in the interest of national development.
She said that teachers were vital, adding that the future of the country was dependent on the classroom as education inspired and unlocked the potential of a child to offer new perspectives to help the pupils realize their dreams for the betterment of nation.
Two nurses at Kasama General Hospital were this morning assaulted by an angry mob after word went round that a baby who had its nose bitten off by rats at the hospital last Saturday had died.
And police have since arrested six male adults for allegedly assaulting the two female nurses from the labour ward whom they accused of practicing Satanism.
Both Northern Province Health Director Dr. Fabian Kabulubulu and Northern Division Police Commanding Officer Charles Lungu have confirmed the incidence to Zambia News and Information Service.
Dr. Kabulubulu who dismissed the Satanism allegations said trouble started this morning when the baby who still on a resuscitator stopped breathing and word went round that it had died.
It was then that a group of people mobilized themselves and accused the nurses of being Satanist before pouncing on them and started beating them.
The two helpless nurses, one of them a Catholic nun where then dragged to Kasama Police Station by the irate crowd.
The unruly conduct by the mob prompted other health workers to down tools as a protest and only resumed work after they were assured by management that the matter was being addressed seriously.
Dr. Kabulubulu explained that the baby who was born flat and had to be resuscitated had its nose bitted off and part of the skin on top of the mouth by a big rat shortly after it was delivered as its mother was also unconscious and had to be resuscitated.
He said it was unfortunate that the community was making Satanism allegations out of the incidence when one of the patients in the ward had confessed having seen a big rat on top of the baby before he alerted other people.
The PHD has since appealed to members of the public not to take the law into their own hands saying if they had any complaints, there were channels to follow.
He has also assured the public that the hospital will continue providing services and also addressing their concerns.
He revealed that efforts to rid the health institution of rats have been stepped up to avoid.
Dr. Kabulubulu also revealed that plans were underway to refer the baby to University Teaching hospital (UTH) tio have its nose reconstructed once its condition stabilizes.
Last week, a body of a still born baby had also parts of its body eaten by rats.
And Northern Province police commanding officer Charles Lungu said Police have intensified security at the general hospital to avoid the disruption of services.
Mr. Lungu who confirmed the arrest of the six people who assaulted the two nurses also confirmed that Police last week opened a docket following a complaint of tempering with a dead body.
No Zambian medical personnel who treated the South African woman suffering from a lethal mysterious flu like disease has died.
And neither has any Zambian who came into contact with Cecilia Van Deventer died, from the disease which at present is being considered incurable.
Van Deventer who was being treated at a private hospital in Lusaka died later in South Africa where she had been evacuated for further treatment.
The Paramedic who escorted her and a nurse who attended to her is also reported to have died.
The driver of the ambulance that ferried Van Deventer is said to be dead as well.
Patients with the disease develop a fever, cough and bleed from various parts of their bodies before dying.
The Executive Director at Care for Business Hospital where Van Deventer was treated, Ramesh Panchal, said all the emplyees are safe.
He said Van Deventer was treated at the hospital but later sought attention from two other hospitals before leaving for South Africa.
And Dr. Panchal disclosed that the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in South Africa has sent a team of experts to investigate the disease.
He said Professor, Bob Swanepoel, from the institute visited his hospital on Monday.
And Health Minister, Brian Chituwo says there is no medical evidence to suggest that Van Deventer contracted the lethal flu like mysterious disease from Zambia.
Dr. Chituwo says there is equally no evidence of any Zambian who have contracted the disease.
He told ZNBC news in Lusaka on Tuesday evening that doctors and nurses who attended to her within Zambia are all well.
Dr Chituwo, announced the outbreak of the mysterious disease in a statement released on Monday.
Zhonghui International Mining Industry of China has plans to invest US$200 billion in Zambia to open up copper mines in Kitwe, Solwezi and Luapula province.
The company has already spent US$500 Million on copper mining exploration in Kitwe’s Ichimpe area and Chipupushi in Lufwanyama. Apart from the mine, in North Western province, the company hopes to construct a copper smelter which will produce 300 metric tonnes of copper annually.
Speaking in Ndola today when a team from the company paid a courtesy call on Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima, company president Charles Shi said the company has decided to invest in Zambia because of the prevailing good investment environment and the availability of abundant natural resources.
Mr. Shi said the company will also building a hotel and a shopping mall in Ndola near the Stadium that is to be built with the help of the Chinese government.
He further said the company will also consider diversifying in its investment to include other sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture.
He said it will consider investing in gemstone and timber processing as well as well growing of Virginia tobacco among other investments.
He said for sectors that it cannot take, its will look for other Chinese investors who have the expertise in those sectors.
He however appealed to government for more lands for investment and construction of offices and staff houses.
Mr Shi also called on government to continue supporting the Chinese investors as it has been all along.
And Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulimal implored the Chinese investors to seriously consider investing in other sectors other than the mining sector.
Mr Mbulakulima cited sectors such as tourism, agriculture and manufacturing that has potential to give significant profits.
He commended the Chinese investors for choosing to invest in Zambia and assured them that government will continue supporting them in their investments.
He said Zambia will continue trading with China not because it government is biased towards Chinese investors but because China has showed willingness to partner with African countries in development.
The minister added that the Zambian government has opened its investment opportunities to all countries in the world but China is the one that has responded most favourably.
He further observed that the Chinese aids and investment projects are not attached with complicated and unfair conditions.
And Copperbelt permanent secretary Jennifer Musonda also urged the Chinese company to invest in manufacturing and addition of value to Zambian products that are currently exported in the raw form to enable the country realise significant forex from exports.
Ms Musonda cited products such as timber, gemstones and coffee among others.
Zhonghui International Mining Industry which has been operating in Zambia for about a year now is situated on a stretch of land covering Chingola, Kitwe and Luanshya and has employed 120 Zambians and about a hundred Chinese expatriates.
Kasama Arch Diocese Bishop, James Spaita, has charged that Zambia is lagging behind in education because of the few number of universities in the country.
Archibishop Spaita observed that Zambia has the least higher learning institutions in the Sub-Sahara region compared to the countries in other regions.
The Archbishop said it is against this backyard that his Catholic Diocese has offered to turn the St Mary’s High school in Mbala into a University.
He said this when Education Permanent Secretary, Lillian Kaspulu, paid a courtesy call on him at the Kasama Archdiocese office.
He said as a church, Kasama archdiocese stands ready to assist government in the area of education sector.
In response, Education Permanent Secretary, Lillian Kapulu, commended the church for demonstrating true partnership to improving the education standards in the country.
Mrs. Kapulu said she will appoint a technical team to ascertain the possibility of St. Mary’s High School and that a preliminary report over the school will be presented to the President before the university can open doors to the public next year.
The Permanent Secretary, who earlier toured and inspected the institution, said government is indebted to see the church on board as government alone cannot manage.
St Mary’s High School runs from Grades 10 to 12, but this year’s grade 12 will be the last ones before it becoms a university next January.
ACTING Republican President, Rupiah Banda has assured of continued price reductions in the essential commodities in the country.
Mr Banda was reacting to United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota who commended him at Sesheke Airstrip yesterday for having successfully reduced the price of fuel.
“This Government has managed to bring down the prices of mealie meal and fuel so I call on you the people of Sesheke to vote for Mr Banda,” Mr Sikota had said.
In response, Mr Banda said he was committed to ensuring price reductions of essential commodities in the country.
He cited the recent price reductions for fuel and mealie meal, which would go a long way in assisting the poor in the country.
Mr Banda bemoaned the high poverty levels in Zambia and called on whoever would take up leadership on October 30, to consider the plight of the poor people in Zambia.
“I will continue reducing prices whenever possible. I intend to reduce further the cost of fuel in the country. That was just the beginning,” he said.
He said Zambia was a wealthy country and appealled to the people of Sesheke to vote for him on October 30 so that he could develop the country.
“The duty of the next president will be to fight poverty. I give you my promise that we will uplift the standard of living of Zambians throughout the country. We will ensure that the late Dr Mwanawasa’s programmes are fulfilled,” Mr Banda said.
He thanked Southern Province chiefs and all other Chiefs throughout the country for endorsing his candidature.
Earlier, MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga called on the people of Sesheke to vote for Mr Banda and avoid listening to detractors.
Mr Sikota said Zambians should not waste their votes by voting for UPND president Hakainde Hichilema or Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata as the two had minority seats in Parliament and could therefore not make decisions.
“Africa is currently littered with warring countries so don’t take risks but rather vote for Rupiah Banda and ensure development of this country,” Mr Sikota said.
MMD Sesheke district chairman, Adons Mufalali assured Mr Banda of a 100 per cent support in Western Province.
Western Province chairman, Simasiku Namakando urged the people of Sesheke to vote for Mr Banda for development.
Meanwhile, Mr Banda has assured the people of Southern Province of further development to reduce poverty if elected president, reports Edward Mulenga from Choma.
Addressing a rally at Boma square, Mr Banda said the province was a heartland of Zambian politics and it was his desire to see it return to its political status as opposed to isolation.
Mr Banda said with his vast political and diplomatic experience and commitment to people’s welfare, he would ensure more schools were built in the province, which he said had produced many intellectuals including engineers and doctors.
The acting president said having worked with the late president Levy Mwanawasa who detested poverty, he understood Dr Mwanawasa’s vision better and was the right person to carry on with it.
He also warned the people against voting for a person who would cause confusion in the country especially those whose names were associated with snakes.
Thanking the people of the province for their support and cooperation during the time he had been in charge of the country, Mr Banda said he had no doubt that people would vote for him for peace to continue.
Mr Banda also said many leaders from opposition political parties had endorsed his candidature because they knew MMD was a democratic party whose leadership has been subjected to the transparent selection process.
“I am a candidate of a party that has the most democracy. Most leaders in the party are elected. To become an MMD candidate, we had to go through a rigorous process of electing the candidate from 15 people,” Mr Banda said.
He said the difference between him and other presidential candidates was that he was a team player whose works have been characterised by working for the people in his life, unlike others who had only done something for themselves.
Times of Zambia
Fate brought Racheal Mofya to the U.S. to further her goals — and put her on the commuter train that collided with a freight. She has been hospitalized, unconscious, ever since.
She has not regained consciousness since the deadly Metrolink crash on Sept. 12, which left her with a fractured skull, a broken ankle, a dislocated hip, third-degree burns, and lacerations on her face and one of her legs.
But “we gain little increments of hope,” said Pat Abruzzese. He and his wife, Joanne, have spent hour after hour by Mofya’s side in the intensive care unit at County-USC Medical Center.
Mofya, 27, an exchange student from Zambia, had been living in the Abruzzeses’ Simi Valley home for a year when the crash occurred. That day, she had taken an early train home from her classes downtown. Joanne Abruzzese was at the train station, waiting for her.
Members of Mofya’s adopted Simi Valley family have stood by her bedside and prayed for a miracle ever since, joined in spirit by Mofya’s large family back home in southern Africa.
One of her older sisters, Martha, who is also studying in the United States, flew in from Minneapolis to join the vigil the day after the crash and has rarely left her room. Another older sister, Agnes, who lives in Zambia, is trying to get a visa and raise money for a plane ticket. The Abruzzeses are helping her.
Both families continue to hope that Mofya will one day awaken and resume the extraordinary journey that took her from her impoverished country to California as one of eight students chosen from 200 for a highly competitive Rotary program. Mofya was close to finishing her business studies at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles, the Abruzzeses said. Her plan was to work for a year in the United States to save some money, then return to Zambia to open a cosmetics business.
Right now, those dreams seem a long way off.
Mofya recently got skin grafts to replace flesh burned in the early moments of the crash. Doctors say she also may need a corneal transplant.
If it was fate that led Mofya to Metrolink 111, fate also played a role in bringing her from one of the poorest nations in the world to the Abruzzeses’ upscale home.
Pat Abruzzese, finance officer for a Chatsworth cabling company, said he just happened to be in the office of the local Rotary Club one day when he heard the executive director say that they needed a family to host a student from Zambia for a year. On the spot, he offered.
“We didn’t put much thought into it,” he said. “But I knew we had the room, so I thought, ‘Why not?’ ”
Studious and soft-spoken, Mofya is devoted to her studies, Pat Abruzzese said. She calls the Abruzzeses Mom and Dad and has developed a close bond with their two children, Jaime, 20, and T.J., 16.
“She fit right in with us,” said Pat Abruzzese. “She became part of the family.”
English is the primary language in Zambia, an independent nation in southern Africa that has a small middle class, widespread AIDS and grinding poverty. Mofya, always proper, spoke “the Queen’s English” and corrected her Simi Valley family when they uttered American colloquialisms, Pat Abruzzese said with a laugh.
Mofya is one of six children raised by a grandmother in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, who stepped in after both parents died, one of malaria and the other of a gastrointestinal illness.
Mofya’s family had a small farm on the outskirts of Lusaka, a city of 1.2 million. Mofya is ambitious, viewing her stay in the United States as an opportunity not only to open her own business but to create jobs for other Zambians, Pat Abruzzese said.
She crammed courses that normally take 18 months into one year, and she got straight A’s, he said.
“She was competitive. She knew she had been given a chance and wanted to make the best of it.”
Their life together soon had its routines. Mofya would be up early every morning, waiting for Pat Abruzzese to take her to the Simi Valley Metrolink station. She rode the commuter line to and from her Los Angeles campus every week day, he said.
“She’d be at the bottom of the stairs and say, ‘Dad, I’m ready. Let’s go,’ ” he said.
Mofya also carved out her own territory. After joining a singles group sponsored by the family’s church, she became friends with dozens of local young people, the Abruzzeses said.
On Sept. 12, Mofya phoned home to say she was taking an earlier train because she had plans. Joanne Abruzzese was waiting for her at the Simi Valley station when she got word of the crash.
The Abruzzeses spent the next 12 hours calling hospitals and combing lists of the injured. Eventually, they joined the other frantic families gathered at Chatsworth High School.
At 3:15 a.m., someone called to say that a woman who matched Mofya’s description had been taken, in grave condition, to County-USC Medical Center. Could they come immediately, with a photograph, to identify her?
They found Mofya swollen and covered in bandages. Monitors beeped. A ventilator wheezed over her silent body. Joanne Abruzzese had the grim duty of calling Martha Mofya, 30, who has been in Minneapolis since January studying nursing. Martha sobbed and said she had seen a news report on the crash the night before and “had a sinking feeling.”
Her church friends have organized regular visits to her room. Their prayer chains have grown to include supporters from Canada, Vietnam, Thailand, and England, people who heard about Mofya’s story and were moved.
Friends bring food for the Abruzzeses, Martha Mofya, and whoever else happens to be standing vigil, the family said. They crowd a nearby visitors lounge and exchange news about Mofya’s condition.
Pat Abruzzese’s eyes grow soft as he talks about his daily visits to the young woman who has become like a daughter to him.
“I’m waiting for the day when she opens her eyes, looks at me and says, ‘Hi, Dad,’ ” he said.
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema, has pledged to ensure that the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) completes its work by June next year if he is elected president.
Speaking on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)-sponsored television programme Race to Plot One, Mr Hichilema said that it was important that a timeframe was set for the NCC to complete the work.
He said that the Constitution-making process was cardinal and the UPND attached great importance to the NCC but there was need to stipulate the timeframe of its existence and work.
“The NCC should close by June 2009. It should conclude the work. We have been beating about the bush on the Constitution making,” Mr Hichilema said.
He also said the UPND would offer favourbale investment incentives for investors irrespective of their countries of origin. Mr Hichilema said that it was wrong to denounce some investors on the basis of their countries of origin or race.
What was important, he said, was to offer favourable investment climate to all, including Zambians as well as laws that would protect the local people.
There was need for the Government to deliberately come up with ways to encourage the participation of local people in the economic affairs of their nation.
Mr Hichilema said that the Government should ensure that investors coming in their country forge partnership with the local business people who usually lacked capital to invest.
He said it was the Government’s duty to ensure that the local people with bankable business proposals had access to the capital resources, which was the main hindrance to prosperity of Zambian investors.
Mr Hichilema reiterated his government’s planned investment in education to offer free education from primary to university and underscored the importance of education.
He said Zambia was endowed with a lot of resources, which needed to be tapped for the emancipation of the country from the pangs of poverty.
Describing himself as the economic manager, Mr Hichilema said he was the most suitable person to run Zambia at the moment among the four candidates because of his background.
On his chances to scoop the polls, Mr Hichilema said that he had travelled across the nation and the other candidates might not reach some places he had been to.
Others contesting the October 30 elections are acting president, Rupiah Banda, Patriotic Front president, Michael Sata and Heritage Party (HP) president, Godfrey Miyanda.
Zambia has extended tax waivers to U.S firms seeking to invest in an economic zone initially created for Chinese companies that plan to invest $900 million in manufacturing of copper products, a minister said on Monday.
Felix Mutati, the commerce and trade minister also said South Africa’s property firm HBW Developers has been awarded land to construct a shopping mall and offices opposite the Chambishi multifacility economic zone at a cost of $160 million.
Mutati said firms manufacturing computer software, vehicle spares and other products from the United States would be part of investors in the economic zone and that they would enjoy the same tax benefits as Chinese companies.
“The Chinese have been courting major U.S. firms operating in China to come and invest here and we will offer them tax incentives as well,” he said. “This will also apply to any other foreign companies regardless of where they are coming from.”
Mutati said the Chinese would also construct 3,000 houses in the economic zone.
China Non-Ferrous Metals Corp., (CNMC) is already constructing a $250 million copper smelter in Chambishi, 420 km north of the capital Lusaka, where the government has zero-rated corporate tax for the first five years of operations and deferred payments of 16 percent value added tax.
Mutati said the government had also waived the tax on dividends and customs duty of capital equipment, in a move which has attracted 50 Chinese firms so far.
“We expect that the opening up of the zone to other global players will attract more investments and create more jobs,” he added.
Mutati said an initial 6,000 direct new jobs would be created in the Chambishi zone with an additional 15,000 indirect employment created by local contractors who would be supplying various goods and services to the foreign firms.
He said South Africa’s HBW Developers and a local firm, Phoenix Supplies, would jointly invest a total of $190 million in a shopping mall in Chambishi, including the expansion of a shopping mall in the capital Lusaka at a cost of $30 million.
Zambia has in the last five years liberalised its investment policies awarding tax incentives to foreign companies in a bid to grow the economy, create wealth and employment for its impoverished citizens. Treasury data shows that 64 percent of Zambia’s 12 million people live in abject poverty.
Government says it will soon transform Kwame Nkruma and copper belt secondary teachers college into university colleges to enable teachers upgrade their qualifications and skills for quality education.
Education Minister Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa said the ministry has also decentralized the most of its responsibilities to lower the levels up to school level programmes and other developmental projects are being implemented at these levels.
He said this during the world teachers’ day celebrations dubbed ‘’Teachers matter’’ held at Hubert Young grounds in Lusaka today.
The minister noted that the theme signifies the importance and critical role teacher’s play in building a just and moral society culminating into economic progress of societies.
Professor Lungwanasgwa also noted that government has continued to find ways of improving the conditions of services for teachers in the country.
He however noted that a rention scheme has been introduced for head teachers in hard to reach schools by way of provinding them with vechilesand has also the transformation of NISTICOL into manpwer training skills centre to provide administrative and management skills to schools and colleges mangers to enable the manage financial resources and human resource well.
and spaeking earlier secondary schools teachers Union SESTUZ president Nyambe Sefulo urged government to seriouly come up with a strategy to upgrade all Diploma holders to graduates and all certifficate holders to diplomas.
mr Sefulo further noted the need for government to consider increasing the taechers pay which is currently below the basic basket for the to ensure that teachers are wel cared for to deliver quality education.
And Zanmbia national Union of teachers ZNUT general secretary Roy Mwaba also pointed out that need for for government to recurit more teachers which is according to the UNSECO it is estimatted that about 18million more teachers re needed world wide if Universal primary education is to be archived by 2015.
Meanwhile United Nations Eduuction Sicentific and Cultural organisation UNSECO Hilda Sinywibulula noted that teachers contribute to the social economic development through the provision of education in schools and in formal settings which echoes how important teachers are in society.
he said UNESCO attaches great importance to teachers as key to building peace and culture of tolernce in an effort to enhance proffessional development of teachers through training capacity building in related profession so as to ensure the provision of quality education.
The Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Zambia have launched an investigation into the mysterious disease suspected to have broken out in Zambia.
The unknown disease, which is characterized by fever, coughs and bleeding from any part of the body, is reported to have so far claimed three lives.
Minister of Health, Brian Chituwo, announced in a statement to ZANIS today that his ministry had received reports of the unknown diseases in the country.
Dr. Chituwo said the first person to suffer from the disease was a South African woman who was resident in Zambia.
He said the woman fell sick on September 4th, this year and was subsequently evacuated to Morningside Clinic in South Africa where she died on September 13th.
He further explained that the second victim was a paramedic who accompanied the woman to South Africa while the third one was a nurse who attended to the first victim in that country.
“Unconfirmed reports indicate that the driver of the ambulance that ferried the patient from Linseria airport to Morningside in South Africa is presently in a critical condition,” Dr. Chituwo said.
He said that patients that suffer from this unknown disease develop a fever, cough and bleed from various parts of the body.
Dr. Chituwo said all investigations that have so far been done on the disease did not point to any known illness.
He has however said none of the contacts that have been made so far was in danger.
“Note that none of our health facilities here in Zambia has reported such an illness,” he added.
The Minister has since assured the public that the situation was under control and therefore, all air and road international and local travel, trade and commercial activities within and outside the country should continue as usual.
Dr. Chituwo said Government, through his ministry, was giving the situation special attention and that members of the general public should remain calm.
“Members of the public are also cautioned that any suspicious case presenting with fever, cough and bleeding from any part of the body should be reported to the nearest health facility,” he said.
A fire has burnt some vehicles parked at the Central Police Station in Lusaka.
The fire started at about 09.00 hours and caused damage to seven vehicles, which had earlier been impounded by the police for undisclosed offenses.
The fire also gutted some apartments housing a number of police officers and ammunition within the central police premises.
However, the cause of the fire and extent of the damage has not yet been established.
And Lusaka Police Division Commanding Officer, Mathews Nguni said the fire could have been caused by an electrical fault.
Meanwhile, there was a near punch up between police officers and fire brigade officers as police accused the fire fighters of arriving too late to quench the inferno.
The Zambian delegation led by Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chairperson Judge Florence Mumba currently in South Africa’s Port City, Durban is tomorrow (Tuesday) morning expected to sign off the ballot paper dummies (proofs) for Ndola Central and Mwansabombwe constituencies.
The Zambian delegation comprising ECZ officials, four political parties (MMD, Heritage Party, Patriotic Front and UPND) are expected to verify the dummies after which they will append their signatures at South Africa’s Universal Printing Company (Uniprint) in Durban. Civil Society representatives will also witness the exercise. The company has been contracted by ECZ to print over four million presidential ballot papers and electoral materials for the two constituencies including Kanchibiya which has since been completed at an estimated cost of over US$4 million.
ECZ Senior Public Relations Officer Sylvia Bwalya in an interview with Journalists here today said political parties and ECZ officials will append their signatures on the electoral materials at an event which will also be witnessed by Civil Society representatives. Ms Bwalya said once the constituency ballot paper proofs have been approved by stakeholders, this would enable printing of the electoral materials to be done simultaneously with the presidential ballot papers.Printing of the presidential ballot papers started on Friday last week.
‘The signing off will ensure that all the electoral materials are printed simultaneously’, She said.
All the electoral materials to be used in the presidential election and the three by elections slated for October 30 are expected to be dispatched to Zambia this week on Saturday (October 12). Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has reiterated that results for the presidential poll and three by elections (Ndola Central, Mwansabombwe and Kanchibiya) would be pasted at all polling stations to accord everyone access.The ECZ Senior Public Relations Officer disclosed this in an interview with journalists here today (Monday). Ms Bwalya explained that ECZ adopted this concept from Zimbabwe and the Commission was also responding to calls by various stakeholders requesting the same to be done to consolidate transparency.
‘In the past people did not have access to these results at the polling stations. Polling agents, other electoral agents and observers would carry the results with them after the polling and nothing was left at the stations’’. She said. Besides, Mulungushi Conference Centre as a station for result announcements, Ms Bwalya further disclosed that another result centre will be opened at the ECZ headquarters.
‘’There will be two result centres at the Electoral Commission of Zambia Headquarters and Mulungushi Conference Centre’’. She added. In view of this, she advised that stakeholders wishing to have access to the two centres should get separate accreditation for the two, failure to which they will be denied entry. Meanwhile, Ms Bwalya has advised various political parties participating in the forthcoming presidential election to ensure that they employ polling agents conversant with the electoral process. The ECZ observed that the polling agents were the eyes of political parties hence the need for them to be well versed with the electoral process. She said that ECZ will conduct training for the polling agents and the meeting slated for Friday between the Commission and political parties in Lusaka was expected to address such issues.
‘’The polling agents are supposed to be spread in 6 456 polling agents and it is important for them to be conversant with the electoral process’’. Ms Bwalya said.
Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata, has accused first Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda of failing to develop the Northern Province during his 27 year tenure in office.
Mr. Sata asserts that Chinsali District where Dr. Kaunda hails from has lagged behind in terms of development.
Mr. Sata also wonder’s why Dr. Kaunda chose to have his pension house built in Lusaka instead of Chinsali District.
ZANIS reports that the PF leader said this at a campaign rally in Kasama.
Mr. Sata also said it was unfortunate that Dr. Kaunda has chosen to attack his capability to manage the affairs of the country if elected as republican president.
The PF leader said he has waited for several decades to lead Zambia and that time has now come for him to become president.
On Saturday, Dr. Kaunda was quoted by the media as saying Mr. Sata has no capacity to lead Zambia.
He said the PF leader was only suitable to head a government Ministry, as the position of president required a number of qualities.
The Bus Transport Operators Association has no intention of reducing bus fares for local routes despite a recent reduction in the price of fuel.
