Minister of Health, Brian Chituwo today told parliament that President Levy Mwanawasa, felt some sharp chest pains before he collapsed on June 29th, this year while on duty in Egypt.

Dr. Chituwo said in a ministerial statement presented in parliament today that at the time he suffered a stroke, Dr. Mwanawasa was having a meeting with a senior Angolan government official in that Egypt.

He said although the President collapsed and suffered a stroke, he maintained his cautiousness and was taken to Sharma El Sheik hospital where he was operated upon.

The Doctors at Sharma El Sheik hospital described the stroke as severe. Dr. Mwanawasa was then evacuated to Percy Military hospital in Paris, France where he was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICT).

“To date, President Mwanawasa remains admitted to Percy Military hospital in the ICU and he is receiving the best medical care. He is improving gradually,” he said.

He said physicians attending to the President in France were happy with the recovery progress.

Dr. Chituwo however said that the recovery process for conditions of stroke was slow.

He has since appealed to Zambians to remain patient, strong, prayerful and optimistic that the President would fully recover and return home.

“The healing process may be long due to the nature of the illness,” he said.

Dr. Chituwo told Members of Parliament (MPs) that the Doctors in France would make a comprehensive brief on the illness of Dr. Mwanawasa after the current treatment and medical plan was completed.

And the Minister of Health paid tribute to Egyptian President, Hussein Mubarak for calling on specialized doctors and staying with the first family at Sharma El Sheik hospital when President Mwanawasa was taken ill.

He also thanked French President, Nicholas Sarkozy for his support when Dr. Mwanawasa was flown to France.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chituwo said during questions for clarifications from MPs that the decision to evacuate Dr. Mwanawasa to France instead of London where he was taken when he suffered his first stroke in April 2006, was arrived at after consultations with doctors in London.

This was after Kabwata Patriotic Front MP, Given Lubinda asked why the President was flown to France instead of London where he was treated in 2006.

In April 2006, Dr. Mwanawasa suffered his first stroke and was evacuated to London where he was treated and fully recovered. The stroke was a mild one, meaning it was not life threatening.

Dr. Chituwo further explained that Percy Military hospital was renowned for treating health conditions related to strokes.

He explained that the minor operation that was carried on Dr. Mwanawasa to improve his breathing was a tracheotomy which is  an incision through the neck into the trachea to assist breathing when the upper airways are blocked and a craniotomy which is meant to facilitate brain surgery.

He was answering to Mandevu MP, Jean Kapata and Chingola MP, Joseph Katema who wanted to know what type of operations were done on the President respectively.

Dr. Chituwo said government was putting in place measures to ensure that the President continued to receive proper care when he returns from Paris.

The minister paid special tribute to Zambians for their unity and prayers during Dr. Mwanawasa’s absence from Zambia.

ENDS/KSH/AM/ZANIS

The Minister for Finance is worried that resources released by his ministry are not achieving their intended goals because of certain loopholes.

Ng’andu Magande has urged accountants to detect these loopholes for Government to make improvements in all social economic sectors.

The minister said this in Livingstone in a speech read by Acting Secretary to the Treasury, James Mulungushi.

This was at the Zambia Institute of chartered Accountants ZICA-CIMA Annual Business Conference.

Mr. Magande said Government appreciates the role accountants play in ensuring that resources are channeled to the intended developmental projects.

And ZICA president, Chintu Mulendema said the European Union has given the Institution a 250 thousand Euros grant to establish a monitoring department.

He said the department will be able to monitor professional accountants in the industry.
[ZNBC]

The United Party for National Development (UPND) has received the proposed salary increments for cabinet ministers and top government officials with a deep sense of shock and dismay.

Party President Hakainde Hichilema said at a press briefing today that the proposed increments are a disgrace on the part of government in as far as the management of public resources is concerned.

Mr. Hichilema said the correct thing for government would have been to increase the salaries of the lowly paid civil servants such as teachers, nurses and police officers.

He explained that increasing the salary of a lowly paid civil servant by 15 percent does not justify increasing the salary of an already well paid Minister by the same 15 percent saying the move is an indication of not understanding the principle of fairness and equity in the distribution the country’s income.

He wondered why cabinet has decided to approve hefty salary increments for themselves when they have not implemented various developmental projects under the pretext of not having adequate funds.

Mr. Hichilema noted that government’s statement that parliament will make the final decision on the proposed increments is unacceptable saying under the current parliamentary procedure MPs are not allowed to debate matters which affect them.

He cited government’s refusal to increase the meal allowances and Salaries for University of Zambia students and lecturers respectively as an example of government’s unfair approach to the distribution of Zambia’s resources.

He described the proposed increments which include Ministers’ fuel allowance, vehicle sale, President and Speakers’ pension and gratuity as unacceptable and unjustifiable.

Mr. Hichilema alleged that government did not spend almost K1 trillion from last year’s budget in order to award themselves huge amounts of allowances at the expense of developing the country’s education, health and agricultures sectors among others.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hichilema says government should recapitalize the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) at a commercially viable level.

Mr. Hichilema told journalists at a press briefing today that the current National Agricultural policy is dismal hence the problems being faced at NCZ.

He said there is need for a more explicit and viable policy to improve agriculture in the country.

ZANIS/BK/AM/ENDS

The proposed salary and allowance increments for ministers and constitutional office holders is in line with public service workers collective bargaining.

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says when public service workers get a salary increment, ministers and constitutional office holders also benefit.

ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba told ZNBC news that this practice is old.

He said there is no problem if ministers and constitutional office holders are awarded a 15 percent increment, as this is what public service workers got this year.

However Mr. Hikaumba said people should only worry if what ministers and constitutional office holders got, is more than 15 percent.

And the Anti Voter Apathy (AVAP) has strongly condemned Cabinet’s approval of salary and allowance increments for constitutional office holders.

AVAP Executive Director Bonnie Tembo said that it was sad that cabinet took advantage of President Mwanawasa’s absence who was strongly opposed to the increment.

He urged the ministers to focus on praying for president Mwanawasa’s speedy recovery and studying the national economy rather than awarding themselves hefty salaries at the expense of national development.

Mr. Tembo said the ministers should also consider the high poverty levels in the country before awarding themselves more money which should be channeled to addressing poverty.

Mr. Tembo has since called on the Vice President, Rupiah Banda, to reconsider and withdraw the cabinet’s approval of salary and allowance increment.

“We condemn cabinet for awarding itself the increments especially that we should not be celebrating over the wealth which has come before us but it’s the time that we should be praying and fasting for the recovery of the President who was instrumental to the creation of this wealth,” Mr. Tembo said.

He said that if there were extra funds government needed to first consider increasing salaries for civil servants or take it to poverty reduction initiatives to improve the general welfare of the people.

Mr. Tembo said this during the AVAP Advocacy Session on Constituency Development Funds (ASCDF) in Mansa yesterday.

ZANIS/CB/CMM/ENDS/EB

The law does not bar an acting President from approving salary increments to ministers and holders of constitutional offices.

Chief government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti said this is why there should be no uproar, just because President Mwanawasa did not approve the salary increment for ministers.

He told ZNBC news that the approval of the 15 percent pay rise corresponds with the percentage that has been offered to civil servants.

Meanwhile MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba believes the recently reported pay rise has come after a long process of consultations.

Dr. Kalumba urged government and the treasury to collectively explain to the people details culminating into the reported pay rise

VICE-President Rupiah Banda says parliament is yet to approve the proposed salary increaments for cabinet and senior government officers.

Speaking to journalists at Livingstone International Airport before departure for Lusaka on Tuesday, Mr Banda said the matter had to be tabled before parliament first adding that no one had so far received the proposed salary adjustments.

”No salary adjustment has been effected. I have not received that money yet. The matter has to go to parliament and we have not announced anything yet,” he said.

And Mr Banda has said government will find a lasting solution to problems that have continued to rock the University of Zambia Great East Road Campus.

Meanwhile Mr Banda has urged the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) in Livingstone to remain united and focussed.

”You must remain united. We have talked about this many times but the moment I go, people turn their backs and do something else. We have lost elections in this province before. Please work together and organise our party,” he said.

The Vice-President who was addressing the new executive committee of the party at Livingstone International Airport said party work was voluntary adding that it was not a job where members should expect to be paid.

He said the party had the huge responsibility of looking after the country in the absence of Dr Levy Mwanawasa so that when he comes he should find the party intact to move the country’s development agenda forward.

The Vice President was in Livingstone to officiate at the Lwiindi traditional ceremony of the Toka-Leya people of Kazungula district.

He was accompanied by his wife,Thandiwe, Presidential Affairs Minister Cecil Homes, Community Development Minister Catherine Namugala, Finance deputy minister Jonas Shakafuswa and othet senior government officials.

ZANIS/ENDS/FM/MM