President Levy Mwanawasa was taken to hospital with chest pains on the eve of an African Union summit in Egypt on Sunday but was in a stable condition, medical sources said.

Mwanawasa had been due to take part in a meeting of the pan-African bloc’s Peace and Security Council on Sunday evening expected to be dominated by the crisis in his southern African country’s neighbour Zimbabwe.

But he was forced to skip the meeting after suffering acute chest pains which prompted his hospitalisation in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, medics and a delegate to the meeting said.

The Egyptian health source said Mwanawasa appeared to have suffered a heart problem and mentioned high blood pressure. According to the Egypt’s state news agency MENA, President Mwanawasa had a “sudden health problem”.

MENA further reported that Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit was monitoring Mwanawasa’s treatment in Sharm el-Sheikh, and that President Hosni Mubarak had visited him in hospital.

MENA said Mwanawasa had fallen ill during a session of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), aimed at reducing poverty and promoting good governance.

Mwanawasa was expected to be flown to Cairo, where better medical care is available, overnight or on Monday, Egyptian health sources said.

[MENA]

THE Government will not release additional funding unless the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) exhausts the K80 billion allocated in the Budget for this year’s marketing season.

Finance and National Planning Minister, Ng’andu Magande said during the week that the FRA should establish whether there is surplus maize in Zambia to warrant additional funds from the Government.

Mr Magande said discussions were going on between ministries of Finance and Agriculture, but that it was rather too early to discuss supplementary funding when the K80 billion had not been exhausted.

Last week Agriculture Permanent Secretary, Bernard Namachila said that his ministry had engaged the ministry of Finance to seek additional funding for crop purchases.

He said FRA needed more than K500 billion to buy over 400 tonnes of maize this year.

“I can confirm that we are discussing the issue of additional funds but the question is have they (FRA) exhausted the K80 billion that was allocated in the Budget and how long will it take for them to finish that money,” Mr Magande said.

He said the money would not be release at once to avoid a situation where money would lie idle in banks.

The marketing season kicked off early this month on a slow note as the FRA opened only 124 out of 700 satellite depots that were used in the last marketing season.

Meanwhile, farmers in Mwinilunga District have expressed fear of being swindled by shrewd briefcase businessmen and women if the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) does not open up more deports in the district.

Mwinilunga Farmers Cooperative Union Chairman Julus Musesa told ZANIS in an interview that the two existing FRA deports in the district are inadequate to carter for all the farmers in the district.

Mr. Musesa lamented that this scenario exposes many farmers in the district to the exploitative briefcase businessmen and women who lure farmers to sell their farm produce at very low prices.

He said farmers are forced to sell their maize and other farm produce to briefcase businessmen and women due to transport costs borne when transporting their farm produce to the two existing deports in the district.

Mr. Musesa said it would be unfortunate if the FRA does not heed the farmers’ appeal as the district is expected to produce a good harvest.

Mr. Musesa also appealed to government to lift the ban on the export of maize to allow farmers with no access to the FRA to export their maize to neighboring countries for better prices.

He further urged the FRA to revise the 28 000 number of maize bags it has set out to buy from the district because the yield will outstrip the set target.

This follows the FRA pronouncement that it would only purchase 28 000 bags of maize from Mwinilunga District.
ENDS/LM/AM/ZANIS

BY TIYESE SAKALA

WHEN two people exchange lifelong vows and promise to be there for one another providing support in times of bliss and troubles, they promise each other total commitment regardless of the situations that may unfold in the future.

But how ready are they to uphold these vows and just how far can they go to walk the life road with its ups and downs?

For even God in the Bible has clearly said that “What God has put together let no man put asunder” hence by so doing, the two are bound and no one but God himself can separate the two.

To this effect the Catholic Church in particular asks over and over again if the two people standing before the altar are ready for the consequences of their actions bearing in mind that once the vows have been exchanged they cannot be broken, no matter what the circumstances.

“The Catholic Church is highly observant of this verse in the Bible and once a marriage has been ordained in the Catholic Church no one has the authority to break it, not even the courts of law. Just as the wedding band which is exchanged by the two parties is round without a beginning and an end, so should a marriage be once it starts it should have no end and that is our basis,” said one marriage counselor in the Catholic Church.

As the world evolves we see many marriages being ordained in the Church and, as many as are being ordained in the Church, so are many others, which are breaking down and ending in divorce even those involving religious leaders.

Divorce, though it seems the easiest way out of a marriage that is either loveless, or full of mistrust and disrespect is not the solution but a problem in itself as not only the two parties but the children feel its effects as well.

Once a marriage is dissolved, one of the parents is supposed to move out of the matrimonial home and if she takes the children with her they are forced to change schools, friends and all together change their way of living to suit the one parent system.

The woman has to worry about the effect that the divorce would have on her children and also think of how it affects her work performance and social life.

On the other hand the man is also not spared as he has to adjust to tending to all his needs such as preparing meals as well as washing and cleaning up on his own, which is not a normal trend in a traditional Zambian home setup.

He might end up marrying another woman just to fill the void left by his wife and in some cases such marriages crumble as soon as they start as they are more out of convenience than love, thereby continuing the chain of divorces.

Sadly, this chain is creeping into the Church, worse still even the pulpit.

I know of a family which was highly regarded by both their community and their church because of the various activities they involved themselves in such as marriage counseling, both Christian and traditional counseling, organising the community fundraising activities, and their doors were always open to any member of their community even beyond.

Because of their status in their community, word went round quickly that the couple was headed for divorce and this became the main topic in the local gossip corners.

When their two children, who were in their youth, learnt through their friends that their parents were headed for a divorce, they felt cheated and humiliated that their parent’s problems had been hidden from them and only heard from the public.

Resenting their parents, one resorted to coming home late and drinking beer as a way of avoiding any confrontation with his parents while the other just kept to his room and rarely came out to have meals with the other family members.

Without realising that their children were affected by their plans to divorce, the parents went ahead with the proceedings and agreed that the boys stay in the custody of their father but this only deepened the situation as they ended up dropping out of school since their father was rarely home and did not realise that his children were not going to school until it was too late.

After all the African society especially here in Zambia is of the belief that a man’s sexual masquerades can never lead to divorce but an adulterous woman can not go unpunished.

To this effect there is a saying “Ubuchende bwamwaume tabutoba Ng’anda” literally translated “A man’s sexual escapades never break a home,” this is evidenced by the number of extra marital affairs that married men engage in and how much they try to justify them though most of them still lead to divorce.

But when a couple reaches the stage of divorce the children are the victims. Growing up in a troubled home where parents argue and fight whenever they disagree is hard enough on its own but to grow up without one parent is even harder and usually tends to have negative effects on the children of such a marriage.

Other cases are those where marriages just break down due to habits that partners refuse to give up.

One man says he decided to sue his wife for divorce and gave up all the household goods and other investments they had acquired together just to escape the marriage where the wife was a perpetual drunk and used to insult the husband whenever he failed to give her money to sustain her beer drinking sprees.

Mr Muwale as I would prefer to call him, married a woman four years younger than him and envisaged a marriage of unending bliss, without knowing that his wife was a drunkard who would not go to sleep unless she consumed some of the intoxicating liquid.

Once married, Mr Muwale was sure that his wife would settle and change for the better but that was not to be.

The wife due to her excessive drinking started spending nights away from home and the second time she got pregnant decided to hide the pregnancy from the husband as she was not sure if it was his.

“I only came to know of the pregnancy when she was admitted to hospital because she had attempted to terminate it, I wondered why she should do so if it was really mine. Once she came home I demanded an explanation but she continued trying to justify her action so I had no choice but to sue for divorce as I wanted to start a new life without her, I felt betrayed and had just had a lot of issues with her the best was for us to go our separate ways,’ he said.

Mr Muwale also won the custody of the child who is now in grade four and has since married another woman who is also looking after his child.

Divorce is not the best solution to a crisis and no matter what the differences are people should not opt for it as it subjects the partners including the children to mental torture and in many cases result in low self esteem.

Some people have been known to even do better once they get out of loveless marriages while others sink even deeper and the children tend to have negative views about marriage which God ordained to be sacred and unending until death.

So the next time you contemplate walking down the isle it is important to understand the implications of the decision you are about to take for there are even graver consequences than divorce.
[Times of Zambia]

Chikankata Member of Parliament, Munji Habeenzu has called on the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to dispatch auditors to Mazabuka Municipal Council to investigate how the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was being disbursed to beneficiary communities.

And Mr. Habeenzu has urged government not to release more CDF funds to Mazabuka Municipal Council until investigations are completed.

He told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that they are strong suspicions that the money could have been diverted or misappropriated hence the failure to disburse it to the intended beneficiary communities.

Mr. Habeenzu cited the K 25 million cheque approved last year for the completion of repair works for the controversial Malabo Police Post in Chikankata which has not been made available.

He charged that Town Clerk, Ekan Chingangu has been playing hide and seek games over the matter despite the CDF Committee meeting all the set conditions.

Mr. Habeenzu said since the project was approved last, nothing has been done while the security situation in the area has continued to deteriorate.

The lawmaker said crime in Chikankata and other surrounding areas was on the upswing because of the absence of Police as people are free to commit offences such as murder, assault and sexual offences due to the absence of the Police.

And Mr Habeenzu has cautioned Mr. Chingangu to stop protecting what he termed as incompetent Chief Officers at the council to avoid problems with councilors.

” Imagine Chingangu who does not sit in the establishment committee forced his way just to protect a named Chief officer whom councilors wanted to discipline, we shall dig deeper and find out why,” said Mr. Habeenzu

But Mr. Chingangu said there is nothing suspicious about the manner in which CDF is being disbursed.

Mr. Chingangu said the council will not use short cuts in the disbursement of funds but follow the guidelines.

He has since advised the lawmaker to desist from personalizing issues.
ENDS/HC/AM/ZANIS

President Mwanawasa has said that Zambians should not be surprised at his recent reconciliation with Patriotic Front Leader Michael Sata which he described as infamous following the skepticism that has surrounded it among various stakeholders.

He said the reconciliation is not a strange phenomenon as it is the normal historical manner in which Zambians have dealt with conflict amongst themselves.

Dr. Mwanawasa also noted that many Zambian historic bitter tribal quarrels and wars have now resulted into good inter tribal relationships that have united all the country’s different tribes into a nation of common values.

He said the reconciliation between the controversial opposition leader happened because the time had come for it to end in the interests of the nation.

Dr. Mwanawasa said the reconciliation was also in line with his appeal for peace and unity in his inaugural speech after being re-elected October 2006 for his final term in office.

He added that the gesture is also not aimed at gaining reward and praise as he is human and might have contributed to the political differences experienced during his Presidency.

Dr. Mwanawasa said the humility and magnanimity demonstrated by the PF leader is commendable as it shows that political parties in the country remain independent to compete for political office.

He added that the independence will also guarantee accountability in public office through checks and balances as a critical role that is traditionally played by opposition political parties.

Dr. Mwanawasa observed that the plenary assembly theme challenges the Christian world to translate the teachings of Jesus Christ into practical realities adding that reconciliation must be promoted in order to promote love.

He said engagement in dialogue whose out come is peaceful co-existence and socio-economic progress is one way to achieving love and unity.

Dr. Mwanawasa also said there is need to resolve the recent South African xenophobic attacks and the Zimbabwean political crisis.

He said it is a serious contradiction that while Christianity is growing in Africa, Africans have demonstrated passionate hate for each other as demonstrated by the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

The President said Zambia is no exception to the uphill battle that Africa is facing in ensuring justice in governance processes.

He said Zambian cannot claim to entrench justice in governance in the face of high poverty levels especially in rural areas of the country.

Dr. Mwanawasa said although the church and the state may sometimes disagree both institutions are intertwined and should strengthen their partnership in the fight against poverty and the life threatening HIV/AIDS.

He also noted that although the poverty situation in Africa still exists, the situation is slowly improving though it will take time for the current positive economic indicators to translate into the desired results for the people to directly benefit.

Dr. Mwanawasa has since commended the Catholic Church for their contribution in the Education and health sectors and the advocacy for debt cancellation through the Jubilee 200 campaign.

He attributed the current economic growth in the country as being partly as a result of debt cancellation the country received.

Meanwhile, President Mwanawasa has also appealed to the Catholic church and other churches to prioritize the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in their evangelization and implementation of social teachings.

And speaking earlier AMECEA Chairperson Archbishop Paul Bachenga said the assembly is united by ideals aimed at addressing key issues in the region.

Archbishop Bachenga commended President Mwanawasa for strongly standing and advocating for peace in the region.

He said the situation in Zimbabwe has deprived citizens of their human dignity which should not be traded with personal interests.

Archbishop Bachenga however assured the President that AMECEA will continue to play the prophetic role and enhancing peace and justice in the region.

He also said that AMECEA will also continue to pray with and for Zimbabweans as they try to resolve their political crisis and called upon its leaders to resolve the crisis amicably.

And Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) Chairperson Bishop George Lungu said one of the ways the church in Zambia is pursuing peace and justice for the people is through supporting the fight against corruption.

Bishop Lungu said corruption breeds impunity which results in poverty as most of the wealth is owned by a few selfish individuals who go unpunished.

Zambia is hosting the AMECEA plenary assembly for the third time with the first being in 1970 and 1992.

The spectacular event attracts over 200 delegates comprising of Archbishops, Bishops and other catholic church Clergy men and women from the AMECEA region which include Angola, Uganda, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya among others.

Among the notables that attended the official opening of the plenary assembly are Patriotic Front Leader Michael Sata, Cabinet Ministers and other government officials who accompanied President Mwanawasa.

ZANIS/CM/AM/ENDS.

The Parliamentary Committeee on Education has asked the University of Zambia to address their internal problems before asking for external assistance.

Committee Chairperson Ms Faustina Sinyangwe made the remarks and wanted to know how the University of Zambia would maintain the standards of Education and also boost the moral of the staff at the institution.

Ms Sinyangwe said this when UNZA Vice Chancellor Stephen Simukanga presented the institutional ‘annual budget report allocation to the committee at the University of Zambia in Lusaka today.

During the presentation the UNZA Vice Chancellor told the Committee that out of a budget of K50 billion per year, Government only allocated a total of K4 billion to the institution.

The Vice Chancellor said the funds were inadequate to enable the institution meet its budgetary needs among payments of outstanding terminal benefits for retirees and workers’ emoluments.

Prof Simukange said the University also faced a number of problems such as the staffing levels have gone down from 50 % to about 30% in most departments which has in turn put a lot of pressure on the institution, adding that staff development programmes have also suffered.

And UNZA Registrar ,Alvert Ng’andu said there was need for Government to inject more funds towards the operations of the institution.

Mr Ng’andu noted that challenges that the Unversity is facing can not be solved without government involvment and intervention at the highest level which require a review of the polices on funding of Higer Education in Zambia.

He further emphasised the need for a national vision for development as detailed in the development plans which also requires a review of the governance framework in which higher Education operates.

Meanwhile, the Copperbelt University (CBU) owes the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) over K80 billion in unpaid Pay As You Earn (PAYE) statutory contributions.

Bursar, Fanwell Musonda said CBU has not been able to remit workers contributions to ZRA due to limitations in funds from central Government.

Mr. Musonda said this in Kitwe, when the parliamentary Committee on Education toured the university.

He said the institution presented a K212 billion budget to government for the financial year 2008 but only K62 billion was approved.

Mr. Musonda observed that the K150 billion shortfall will make it difficulty for the institution to meet some of its obligation’s.

And parliamentary Committee Chairperson, Faustina SInyangwe called for patriotism from academic staff at the institution if educational standards are to be enhanced.

ZANIS/ENDS/AH/CLM

President Levy Mwanawasa is expected to arrive in Egypt’s tourism resort city of Sharm-el-Sheikh on Sunday to attend the 11th Ordinary African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government Summit which opens on Monday, June 30th, 2008.

And the two-day13th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, comprising Foreign Affairs Ministers opened today in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt with concern raised over the global increase of food and oil prices.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande confirmed that President Mwanawasa, who is also Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairman, would arrive in Egypt on Sunday to ZANIS in Egypt today.

Mr. Pande, who is leading the Presidential advance party, said the Egypt summit would discuss among other things the raising global food prices which were affecting every one on the continent.

The Minister said the summit would also discuss water and sanitation, progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), economic integration of the continent among others.

Mr. Pande said the summit would also discuss the issue of water because in the near future, the commodity might become as expensive as oil was today.

The 11th AU summit, whose theme is “Meeting the Millennium Development Goals on Water and Sanitation”, will take place from June 30 to July 1 this year.

Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande, Tourism Minister Michael Kaingu, Local Government Minister Silvia Masebo, Justice Minister George Kunda and Lusaka Province Minister Lameck Mangani are among the members of the presidential delegation.

And the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has said that the continent faces a lot of challenges from the impact of current developments in the international economic scene.

ECA Executive Secretary, Abdoulie Janneh, said during the opening of the 13th Session of the Executive Council of the AU in Sharm-el-Sheikh that recent positive economic performance of Africa was being threatened by global economic emergencies in food and energy markets.

Mr. Janneh, who is also the United Nations under Secretary General, said the above problems which were closely linked with the negative effects of climate change had potential to undermine political stability and scaling up of efforts aimed at achieving the MDGs.

He called for use of common solutions and benefits of regional and international cooperation to drive and guide national actions aimed at addressing the problems.

Mr. Janneh urged the international community to reduce trade restrictions and distorting agricultural support policies as a way of addressing the escalating food prices in Africa.

He said similar attention should be paid to soaring oil prices and called for solidarity between oil producing and consuming African countries.

ZANIS/MB/KSH/ENDS