Kamwala Ward Five (5) Councillor Mainda Simata says stringent measures are being put in place to ensure safety and security is enhanced in the community.

Mr Simata stated that Kamwala is one of the places with a serious problem of crime, and measures are being put in place to ensure that there’s an upgrade on the levels of security in the Ward.

He noted that one of the things that is being done is the upgrading of Lackson Makushi Police Post into a Police Station as it is located closer to the boundary of Kamwala, Chawama, Nkuku and Misisi compounds and these are areas with a lot of influx of people that are stealing in Kamwala South.

Mr Simata stated that the project to upgrade the Lackson Makushi Police Post has already been submitted to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development awaiting clearance and approval.

“We are hoping that with that we are going to have more facilities at the Police Station such as armed Patrol Police Officers with vehicles,” he stated

He added that neighbourhood watch committee is being constituting to work in close collaboration with the Police who may not have the capacity in terms of man power and even amenities such as vehicles to patrol and police the entire area, hence, the need for the communities to also play their part to ensure that security within the residents and Wards prevails.

He explained that the neighbourhood watch committee will always be in the company of an armed Police Officer as they are conducting their patrols because in case of any incident or encounter with criminals the armed Police will be able to assist and even when they will be a shooting the Police will be answerable by explain what really transpired.

“These are some of the programmes that we are rolling out to ensure that the levels of security are provided in the community,” he said

Mr Simata has since appealed to the Police to work together with the community through the formation of the neighbourhood watch committee as resources will be mobilised and insights will be acknowledged from successful neighbourhood watch committees such as the Makeni neighbourhood watch.

“We are trying to replicate that success in our community so that our community can be safer especially for people who work late and knock off at awkward hours,” Mr Simata noted

And Mr Simata cited that the Police need to take a hard stance on crime, there has to be a very hard-liner approach not the soft approach to criminals who have been repeatedly found wanting.

“I think that was last year where a story was covered where five people were shot and fortunately enough, they didn’t die but this was an attack by some armed criminals who robbed a number of liquor stores and ended up shooting innocent marketeers in the process as they fled,” he said

“So, this really has put us on a spot as civic leaders because the major cry of the residents of Kamwala Ward Five in particular is that something has to be done heighten the security situation, and as civic leaders ours is about service delivery working together with stakeholders such as the Police in the community,” he noted

Mr Simata explained that there are people in Kamwala South that live in unfinished buildings as founded from the investigations where these people who are squatting in unfinished buildings are also suspects over these thefts happening in the area.

Mr Simata added that it’s not just unfinished buildings but there are also mushrooming illegal settlements or camps especially along the Ring Road where they are people dealing in scrap metal and recycling waste by setting up illegal makeshift houses, and bathrooms, and in the evening or night time one can even see spots of lit fires.

He stated that the community has complained to say these are some of the people that turn into criminals at night, when in the afternoon one might think that maybe they are legitimate business people trying to make a living by dealing in scrap metal and recycling.

“In the evenings as early as 20 hours people are being attacked by these people that have illegally settled and those that live in incomplete building, this is a reported case which I had last week when we had a community programme to try and figure out how we can sort out crime,” Mr Simata said

“I have reported this to the Council but no action has been taken to repossess these places or have them demolished, but I will continue to pursue this matter and I will still engage the Town Clerk to know why action hasn’t been taken this far,” he said

Mr Simata cited this when he made an appearance on the CAMNET TV Breakfast Show.

Education Hope Foundation Board Vice Chairperson Aaron Chansa has challenged companies operating in Zambia to help overcome the huge shortage of desks in schools countrywide.

Mr. Chansa said with the re-introduction of free education, local schools need up to about 2 million desks to cushion the deficit.

He observed that many learners in schools countrywide are sitting on the floor owing to increased enrolment.

Mr. Chansa said companies should consider donating desks to schools in their localities to improve the quality of education.

He was speaking when Hope Foundation partnered with Hitachi Construction to donate 32 desks to Insakwe Reformatory School for Female Juvenile Offenders located in Ndola in the Copperbelt Province.

Mr. Chansa saluted Hitachi Construction for facilitating the donation of 32 desks to Insakwe School.

“We are going to go out to mobilise more desks so that we can be second occupant of this school. Insakwe must be our second and Hitachi must be our all weather partner. I am also excited that the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services respects the fact that education is a public good that must be consumed by everyone regardless of their legal status in society. Regardless of whatever offence they have done to society. They have allowed our girls here to continue consuming this public good that we all know as a key to success. You can’t deal without education in this century,” Mr. Chansa said.

“So, the Ministry must be supported, whilst we reform our girls here, we must give them education and from where I come from myself, we don’t just demand education we demand for quality education because poorly educated people are very dangerous to society. So, I will not be happy to come next year and find that there is poor quality here. We want quality education to be provided and this is the reason why I want to thank the management here for opening up the doors.Let me say something about our corporate world. I don’t think that some of our challenges we face today could have been faced if all the companies in Zambia were like Hitachi. Can you imagine if all companies donated 30 desks to schools? Are we going to have learners sitting on the floor? No. By 2019, the education sector in Zambia had a deficit of 1.3 million desks. With the coming in of the free education policy, we are estimating that we need 2 million desks in this country. I have been to all provinces of this country, learners today are sitting on the floor and we have thousands of companies making profits and that is why I took time to thank Hitachi for ploughing back into the community,” he said.

Mr. Chansa has since appealed to the Government to formulate a policy that will make corporate social responsibility among companies mandatory.

“I want to make a call to all companies in this country to emulate Hitachi and identify a school nearby and donate desks, donate computers, donate books and build houses for teachers. I also want to further challenge companies in Ndola to come and build a classroom block at this school. We can’t be struggling with inadequate classrooms when Ndola is dotted with nothing but companies. I also want to appeal to the government to introduce a policy, corporate social responsibility policy that is going to compel companies in Zambia to at least pay back to the community. We need that policy as soon as possible. I found this policy in Malawi. In Zambia it is possible to have this policy. As Education Hope Foundation we call upon the Minister of Justice or the Minister of Community Development to initiate a policy that is going to compel companies to pay back to companies,” Mr. Chansa said.

Young offenders interviewed by reporters said they were pleased with the skills training being offered at Juvenile Reformatory School called Insakwe in Ndola.

Some juvenile offenders said the skills they are acquiring in tailoring, poultry and gardening will help them as they integrate in society after serving their sentences.

Others highlighted some challenges they are facing such as lack of transport when going to access health services from the school.

Ndola District Commissioner Joseph Phiri, who was the guest of honour, said all children deserve to be educated even if they are in conflict with the law.

The Itezhi Tezhi Magistrate Court has convicted and fined two fishermen a K240, 000 each for illegal entry into the Kafue National Park and for unlawful possession of weapons.

Joseph Chinyama,24 and Bernard Kaumba ,17 of Chambondole compound in Itezhi Tezhi were charged in the first count with illegal entry into the national park, in violation of sections 18(1) and 136(a) of Zambia Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015.

Particulars in this count alleged that on August 3rd , 2022, they jointly and whilst acting together entered Kafue National Park in Itezhi Tezhi district, Southern Province, without a park entry permit issued by the Director General of the Department of National Parks.

In count two, they were charged with unlawful possession of weapons in a National park, in violation of sections 20 (1) (b) and 136 (a) of the Zambia Wildlife Act no. 14 of 2015 of Zambian laws.

The particulars of the second offence were that on August 3rd , 2022, in Itezhi Tezhi district, the duo jointly , had in their possession weapons namely dugout canoe, 2 fishing nets, and two paddling sticks.

When the case came up for a plea before magistrates Mugala Chalwe, they all readily admitted the charge and guilty pleas were recorded.

The facts presented in court were that on August 3, 2022, at approximately 15:00 hours, Gorge Sakala, an officer with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, was at Ngoma Camp when he received a report from management that there were activities going on in the Kafue National Park at Mwamalilenje.

The officer went inside the park to investigate with other officers from the anti-poaching team and confronted two guys in a dugout canoe, whom they identified as Joseph Chinyama and Bernard Kaumba.

The suspects were then transferred to Ngoma, where they were charged and arrested for the alleged crime.

They were searched and remanded in lawful custody pending a court appearance, and a seizure from which one dugout canoe, one fishing net, and two paddling poles were found and preserved as exhibits.

The accused had no reason to be in the park with the firearms.

In mitigation, all of them pleaded for leniency saying they were first offenders.

In passing judgment, magistrates Mugala Chalwe said the cases of illegal entry in the national park were too prevalent in Itezhi Tezhi

“In order to deter would be offenders, I impose K120, 000 fine for each count to be paid by each offender forthwith, in default 4 months community service, with the sentences to run concurrently” she ordered.

The Zambia National Marketeers Association (ZANAMACA) has hailed government for the 21.9 million Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission’s (CEEC’s) marketeers loan scheme.

In a statement released to the media yesterday, ZANAMACA President, Mupila Kameya said it was historical that the government under CEEC has recognized the informal sector through the provision of loans.

Mr. Kameya disclosed that the K21.9 million loan to marketers will respond to the call by ZANAMACA members for the recapitalization of their business following the impact of COVID-19 which resulted in low demand for their goods.

He recognized the willingness by government to work and consult with the private sector and also appreciates the consultative relationship that the Association currently enjoys with the Ministry of Small and Medium Entrprise Development.

Mr. Kameya reiterated the importance of marketeers, traders and small scale farmers in the informal economy whose demography is heterogeneous.

“The 21.9 million initial seed capital support to the 3,800,000 marketeers across the country by CEEC will help the marketeers business recover and grow,” Mr Kameya stated.

He noted that ZANAMACA was confident the loan scheme will go a long way to reduce income inequality and alleviate poverty in the country.

He also thanked the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development for the timely initiative.

Mr. Kameya said that ZANAMACA wants to partner with the ministry and CEEC on other programmes that respond to other plights of the informal economy.