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DEC Chief Intelligence officer wanted for Drug dealing

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The Lusaka Magistrates Court has ordered the arrest of Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Chief Intelligence officer, Michael Musonda.

He is wanted is for supplying cocaine to jailed Portuguese national, Alpine Julies.

Resident Magistrate, Joshua Banda has however, ordered that Lawyers representing Mr. Julies make a formal and appropriate charge against Musonda before he is arrested.

Magistrate Banda said the warrant of arrest should be executed by the officer in Charge at the Lusaka Central Prisons.

The Magistrate delivered the ruling, Wednesday after complaints by Julies that Musonda had betrayed him after supplying him with the drugs that landed him in jail.

Zambia to audit AU and SADC

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The Office of the Auditor General in Zambia has been appointed by the World Bank to audit the African Union (AU) and SADC.

Auditor General, Anne Chifungula announced this at a strategic plan review workshop for the Office of the Auditor General.

Ms. Chifungula said her Office has sent two Officers to war-torn Liberia to help audit that country under the hospice of the African Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions.

And government has challenged the Office of the Auditor General to be proactive and initiate new strategies in its mandate to enhance accountability and performance.

Permanent Secretary Management Development Division at Cabinet Office, George Kawatu said government has put priority in promotion of prudent financial management in the fight against abuse of public resources.

Mr. Kawatu notes that the Office of the Auditor General plays a critical role in ensuring that public resources are used for the benefit of the citizenry.

Grade 12 results out, 19,500 fail

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Over 30,600 out of a total of 50,200 pupils who sat for the grade 12 examinations last year have passed and obtained full school certificates.

This represents a decrease from 61.25 per cent of candidates who obtained full certificates in 2006 to 60.98 per cent in 2007.

Minister of Education Geoffrey Lungwangwa announced the grade 12 results at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

Professor Lungwangwa said out of the 21,613 girls who sat for the examination, 12,409 have obtained full certificates while 18,201 out of 28,587 boys, have obtained full certificates.

He said 9,886 boys and 8,831 girls only managed to obtain the General Certificate of Education (GCE), giving a total number of 18,717 candidates.

“These results show that 60.98 per cent of the candidates obtained full certificates in 2007, compared to 61.25 per cent in 2006. 37.28 per cent of the candidates obtained General Certificate of Education in 2007 compared to 36.75 per cent in 2006,” he said.

He told journalists that 873 pupils failed, representing a 1.74 per cent in 2007 as compared to the 1.98 per cent in 2006.

Professor Lungwangwa said out of the 51,518 who entered for the examination, 1,318 were absent, representing an increase of absenteeism from 2.44 per cent in 2006 to 2.56 per cent in 2007.

He said 17 schools countrywide recorded a 100 per cent pass rate in the 2007 examinations with Southern province having the best results at 73.3 per cent while the lowest pass rate was recorded in North-Western province at 33.5 per cent.

The minister added that 115 candidates were involved in examinations malpractices in 2007 compared to 25 candidates in 2006.

“The natures of malpractices were largely that of candidates smuggling of materials into the examination rooms. Schools were closely monitored during the whole examination period by Standards Officers at all levels and other interested key stakeholders in quality education delivery in the country,” he said.

Professor Lungwangwa has urged candidates to collect their statements of results from schools and examination centres, stressing that no results would be issued from the Ministry of Education Headquarters or the Examination Council of Zambia.

Meanwhile, the minister has said Nkrumah Teachers College in Kabwe and the Copperbelt Teachers College will be turned into university colleges to train High School teachers.

He said this is in order to increase High School teachers output for better performance of pupils.

Professor Lungwangwa also said that K90 billion has been allocated for the construction of 1,527 new classrooms across the country

He said 233 classrooms would be for new basic schools while 799 would be for additional classrooms in existing schools.

Zambia Under 23 Head to Swaziland On A High

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Zambia Under-23 wrap-up their Group B Olympic Games qualifiers with an easy 4-1 win over visiting Mali this afternoon at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka.

The win was a good build-up in this mare formality match ahead of Sundays Africa Nations Championship preliminary round first leg tie away to Swaziland after Peter Kaumba’s team drew 1-1 on Monday against Zanaco in a training game at Sunset stadium.

Kaumba’s team strolled to victory without Zesco United midfielder Rainford Kalaba who has been ruled out due to a long-term nagging ankle injury.

However, they didn’t miss Kalaba after an impressive authoritative display from Lusaka Dynamos playmaker William Njobvu during the opening 61 minutes he was on the

Field before being replaced by Green Buffaloes’ Sebastian Mwansa.

Njobvu was at the centre of Zambia’s opening goal scored by striker Emmanuel Mayuka in the 4th minute.

The Dynamos player chipped the ball down from midfield to Mayuka lurking on the left flank before the deregistered Kabwe Warriors player raced passed Mali defender Mamdou Niang to shoot from a tight angle beating goalkeeper Monkoro Bonebacar.

The goal was Mayuka’s first at Under-23 in four games since making his debut against the same team last August in a 2-1 away win in Bamako.

Mayuka turned provider 24 minutes later for Green Buffaloes striker Reuben Tembo who finished off with a simple tap-in.

Three minutes after the half hour-mark, Under-23 Power Dynamos winger Kennedy Mudenda scored on his debut after finishing off a Tembo rebound after Bonekacar parried the Buffaloes strikers earlier effort.

Zambia wrapped up the win on 74 minutes with Mwansa guiding the ball across the line after Young Arrows Timothy Mbewe’s high long shot caught Bonekacar off his line.

Mali’s consolation came three minutes later through Abubakar Fawbaolou who beat Zanaco defender Charles Siyingwa and goalkeeper Dan Munyao to slot in the ball after a powerful run inside the box.

Zambia now depart for Swaziland tomorrow, Thursday via Johannesburg ahead of Sundays opening first leg encounter to be played at Simhlolo National Stadium in Manzini

The team does not include any of the Zesco United Under-23 call-ups players who arrived in two groups over the last 24 hour from their Caf Africa Champions League match against Al Hilal of Sudan on Sunday.

Team:

Goalkeepers: Kelvin Musonda (Zanaco), Dan Munyau (Red Arrows) and Mike Poto (Green Buffaloes)

Defenders: Clive Sichondwe, Bronson Chama (Both Kabwe Warriors), Hichani Himoonde (Lusaka Dynamos), Charles Siyingwa (Zanaco) Joseph Zimba (Red Arrows)

Midfielders: Francis Kasonde, Kennedy Mudenda, Simon Bwalya (Both Power), Sebastian Mwansa (Green Buffaloes), Timothy Mbewe (Young Arrows), William Njovu (Lusaka Dynamos).

Strikers Emmanuel Mayuka (Kabwe Warriors), Simon Lupiya (Young Arrows), Reuben Tembo, Christopher Musonda (Forest Rangers).

Dropped: (Zanaco) Nyambe Mulenga (Zesco), George Chilufya (Nchanga Rangers), Maybin Chshimba, Robert Gondwe (Green Buffaloes), Norman Munthali (Power Dynamos), Rainford Kalaba (Zesco United), Signs Chibambo (Zesco United)

Football has brought acrimony in Zambia – Kalusha

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Soccer icon Kalusha Bwalya says football has brought acrimony in Zambia.

ZANIS sports reports Kalusha telling Southern Province based football clubs in Livingstone, Wednesday, that it was agonising to note that the impending FAZ elections on Saturday March 29 are threatening to divide the country.

He explained that this was because aspiring candidates for various positions are de-campaigning each other.

Kalusha who is the out going FAZ Vice President but would be vying for the organisation’s top seat on Saturday,said soccer had the potential to influence attitudes and lifestyles of people in society.

” Soccer had to be used for the benefit of the nation and not to bring about divisions, ” said the former African footballer of the year.

He told the clubs and their officials at Fairmount hotel in the tourist capital in what apparently appears to be his last lap of campaigns for FAZ presidency.

And Kalusha says there was need to invest in the country’s human resource to build capacity to improve soccer standards in the country.

He said lack of capacity has dogged the country’s soccer and has been stagnant for a long time in the country that has great passion for the sport.

The soccer icon also called for commercialization of the sport and more creativity in securing sponsorship from the corporate world.

” Time for loud words and little action typical of most Zambian administrators has to end because deliberate efforts have to be undertaken to ensure that Zambia regains her lost glory in the soccer fraternity, ” he said.

Kalusha said Zambia had a rich tradition in football which had to be brought back at all costs because a country without a past to be proud of had no soul.

And Linah Mukuwa, who was part of the Kalusha’s entourage, said the forth coming elections would provide an opportunity for the realization of gender balance and equity in FAZ.

Linah said it was imperative to promote women’s soccer and extend it from being just Lusaka based to other provinces in the country because FIFA provides funds for that and it requires a minimum of 30 percent women in decision making positions.

She said women who had a good background of soccer had to be given a chance to participate in soccer issues because their clearly understood the problems that were hindering the development of soccer and how they could be resolved.

FAZ distances itself from Mayukwa saga

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The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) disassociated itself from the Green Buffaloes Football Club (GBFC) and Kabwe Warriors Football club(KWFC saga over Emmanuel Mayuka.

ZANIS Sports reports FAZ Secretary General Fedelis Banda saying this at a press briefing at the football house in Lusaka, Wednesday.

Band said the local football governing body has no business over the Kasbwe Warriors striker’s loan transfer.

Banda said there exists a valid contract between the two clubs which they signed in a memorandum of understanding, over the player.

He said that GBFC paid for Mayukwa’s transfer fee, adding that Kabwe Warriors should for this reason keep its side of the bargain.

The Secretary General however advised Warriors to renegotiate Mayuka’s transfer with the Zambia Army sponsored side over the player’s return to Kabwe.

The two premier league sides have been entangled over Mayukwa in recent months with Warriors saying no proper proceedures was followed over Mayukwa’s transfer.

The player has sine then gone back to the Kabwe out fit.

The player has been declared clubless by FAZ following his withdrawal from GBFC by his club without following the normal procedure.

We are geared for elections – FAZ

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Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) says it is geared to hold its elections at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for March 29 in Lusaka.

ZANIS Sports reports FAZ Secretary General (SG) Fidelis Banda saying the local football governming body was geared for elections at which a new executive committee wiould be assured into office.

Outgoing FAZ president Teddy Mulonga his Vice Kalusha Bwalya and Lusaka Dynamoes proprietor Anif Adams are some of the candidates who are vying for the organisation’ top seat.

The the crucial AGM is scheduled to be held Mulungushi International Conference Center. Hundreds of delegates and councillors from the cross section of the country and other invited guests are expected to attend.

Briefing journalists at Football House, Wednesday, Banda said the election will be under the supervision of the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ).

Banda said NSCZ will conduct elections based on the rules set by FAZ, adding that a presiding officer has been appointed and other officers who will ensure that the elections are free and fair.

He dismissed assertions that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) were to oversee the FAZ elections, saying the ECZ will only be asked to provide electoral equipment such as transparent ballot boxes and indelible ink.

The SG explained that voting will be by secret ballot and no cadres will be allowed at the AGM to diginfy the elections.

He said in view of the important event , all league matches will be played on Sunday.

Meanwhile FAZ will host the FIFA FUTURO 111 Football Medicine instructor’s course in Livingstone from April 1 to 5, 2008.

Banda told journalists during the briefing that the course will see 40 participants from 13 African countries.

East African countries, Sudan, Malawi,and Lesotho are some of the countries expected to attend. Others expected include Eriteria, Nambia, Somalia, Zimbabwe,Swaziland and the host, Zambia.

He said the objective of the course would be to train instructors in Football Medicine courses who would in turn train other intructors in their respective countries.

Zambia’s audit system rated best in SADC

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Zambia’s audit performance system has been rated the best in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, Auditor General, Anna Chifungula has disclosed.

Ms. Chifungula disclosed that Zambia has been consisted and prompt in submitting her annual audit reports.

Ms. Chifungula said a number of countries in the region have been delaying in tabling their Annual Audit Reports (AAR), hence having a poor audit systems.

Ms. Chifungula, who recently attended the African Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions – English Speaking (AFROSAI-E) held in Botswana, was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.

She said her office has been able to simultaneously submit the AAR to parliament and to the President.

The core business of AFROSAI – E meeting was to deliberate on how best to improve audit methodology practices and value for money for public institutions.

She said delaying the release of the AAR often affected the utilisation of public resources by controlling officers in government institutions.

She said six countries in the region present their reports within a period of one year while 17 other members of the AFROSAI – E submit their AAR after one year.

Ms. Chifungula further disclosed that it was prudent that delays in submitting such reports were avoided at all costs.

The Auditor General since commended her personnel for working tirelessly, saying their commitment to duty has led to her office’s subsequent appointment by the World Bank to audit the African Union (AU) and SADC.

She said her office has since developed new strategies in its mandate to enhance accountability and performance in the quest to promote the fight against abuse of public resources.

Ms. Chifungula said this will be achieved during the 2008-2012 five-year Strategic Plan dubbed ‘Institutional Assessment and Organization Development (IAOD)’ for her Office.

The plan is designed to focus on restructuring, installing performance management packages, improving work culture and procedures.

Ms. Chifungula further said her office has sent two officers to ‘war torn’ Liberia to help in macro-financial management audit.

PACRO declares a K700m dividend

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The Patents and Companies Registration Office (PACRO), an executive agency of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry has given government the first dividend cheque worth K700, 000,000.

Registrar of Patents and Companies Registration Office, Anessie Michael Banda- Bobo made the presentation in Lusaka today.

Mrs. Bobo said PACRO has since embarked on a five year strategic plan running from 2005 to 2009.

He said the plan is meant among other things, to facilitate the total transformation of PACRO.

Mrs. Bobo said that PACRO is evolving into an institution that is capable of meeting the challenges of the liberalized market economy.

She said PACRO provides the tools and instruments for legalizing businesses thorough which the majority of Zambians are participating in national economic development.

And Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati said the presentation of the cheque was testimony that Government’s policy was paying off.

In a speech read on his behalf by Commerce Permanent Secretary Davison Chilipamushi, Mr. Mutati commended the staff and management of PACRO for their hard work and discipline which has enabled the institution to make the dividend possible.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande said the dividend cheque will go a long way in enhancing domestic resource mobilization to meet the budget needs.

In a speech read on his behalf by Ministry of Finance and National Planning Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Ngulube, Mr. Magande implored other institutions to take a leaf from PACRO.

Alleged Illicit sex by some MPs is Disgraceful-Levy

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President Levy Mwanawasa has described reports on alleged rampant illicit sex by some Members of Parliament at the National Assembly motel as disgraceful.

President Mwanawasa said news that the motel has been turned into a brothel is extremely bad and unacceptable.

The President pointed out that the institution was specifically built to accommodate Members of Parliament when Parliament is sitting and that he does not expect such behaviour from Members of Parliament.

Addressing Journalist at the Lusaka International Airport shortly before departure for Botswana, President Mwanawasa said he will keep watch on the progress of the investigations by the National Assembly on the issue.

The President’s comment follows last week’s incident in which Finance and National Planning Deputy Minister Jonas Shakafuswa who is MMD Katuba Area Member of Parliament threatened to beat up United Party for National Development-UPND Chikankata Member Parliament Munji Habeenzu for revealing that some MPs had turned the motel into a brothel and that they were involved in extramarital affairs despite the high prevalence of HIV and AIDS in the country.

On Thursday night when Parliament was on break, Mr. Shakafuswa hauled insults at Mr. Habeenzu and nearly punched him inside the Motel bar for revealing the illicit behaviours of some MPs.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mwanawasa says it is necessary for him to say farewell to outgoing Botswana President Festus Mogae because he has been the pillar of developmental and integration activities in the region.

President Mwanawasa said apart from him going to that country as SADC Chairman to see and inspect the Secretariat, it was vital that he bid farewell to Mr. Mogae who leaves office on 31st March.

Dr. Mwanawasa said bidding farewell and meeting the incoming President for Botswana was also a mark of interaction between the two countries.

He noted that Zambia appreciates Mr. Mogae’s contribution to the region during his two terms.

He said his visit to the SADC Secretariat will enable him meet members of staff at the secretariat saying this will also enable him discuss on what needs to be done to improve the secretariat’s attention to the needs of the region.

He further said he was going there to discuss the problems and recommendations from the SADC Council of Ministers’ on the energy shortage that has hit the region.

On the forth coming elections in Zimbabwe, President Mwanawasa said it was the hope of SADC and Zambia that elections in that country be free and fair.

He said all candidates worked hard during campaigns and it was his hope that the people of Zimbabwe are going to be given their rights to vote in a leader and party of their preference.

Dr. Mwanawasa who left the country aboard the Presidential Challenger is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande and Finance Minister Ngandu Magande.

I Still Believe in Healing, Says Milingo

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ROMAN Catholic Church (RCC) excommunicated Zambian prelate archbishop, Emmanuel Milingo, has said he is still committed to his ministry of healing and demon-exorcism.

Archbishop Milingo said yesterday that he was yearning for a platform on which to preach, cast out demons and pray for the sick.

In response to a Press query, through an e-mail from South Korea where he is currently based, the 77-year-old Zambian cleric said the last renewal of the Church was definitely coming.

He said people with a narrow perception of the Church could not understand the mission he was currently carrying out but it would unfold with time.

At the age of 39, in 1969, Pope Paul VI, as the bishop of Zambia’s Lusaka Archdiocese consecrated Archbishop Milingo.

” What I am doing is not completely understood by those whose understanding and vision of the Church is narrow.

“More is coming in the Church, not as it is, but as it will be and ought to be. It is the era of the last renewal of the Church,” Archbishop Milingo said.

Promising to come to Zambia in a few months’ time, the controversial faith healer said he was, however, not interested to come and generate what: “religious quarrels”.

“I am not interested to come to Zambia to fill the newspapers with religious quarrels. I have no time for that.

“I need a platform to preach, to cast out devils and to heal the sick. No time for quibbles.I am coming in few months,” he said.

In 1983, Archbishop Milingo was asked to step down as Lusaka Archbishop because of his exorcism and faith healing performances.

He was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church in 2006 after he ordained four married men as bishops, without the mandate from higher church authorities.

Archbishop Milingo has since founded the “Married Priest Now” an organisation calling for the reconciliation of the Church with married members of the clergy.

Authorities appalled by filth at St. Francis hospital

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Katete District Commissioner Elemani Mwanza has bemoaned the dirty condition of the maternity wards and the other surrounding shelters at St. Francis hospital in Katete.

Speaking when he toured the hospital, Mr. Mwanza observed that the hospital shelters which accommodate pregnant women and people looking after patients are extremely dirty.

He noted that the maternity wards and the other surrounding shelters at the hospital had no toilets and that the roofs were leaking.

Mr. Mwanza pointed out that a disease outbreak was imminent if urgent actions were not taken to rectify the situation.

He said the situation was compounded by the fact that it was in the same shelters where food for the patients was being prepared.

Mr. Mwanza has since directed the council, who are the owners of the shelters, to immediately build toilets and start cleaning the shelters or alternatively hand over the structures to St. Francis Hospital.

And Katete District Health Board director Akafwilangache Mkandawire said the prevailing situation at the hospital should not be allowed to continue.

St. Francis Hospital is the largest referral hospital in Eastern Province.

Value of properties in Livingstone skyrockets

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The value of properties in Livingstone has risen from K400 billion
last years to K1.3 trillion this year.

Livingstone Town Clerk George Kalenga says this follows the approval of the new
valuation roll in January this year.

He told ZANIS in Livingstone today that the properties in Livingstone have also steadily increased from 4000 to 10,000.

Mr. Kalenga said the approval of the new valuation roll would give the council an opportunity to raise a reasonable income adding that the council’s income would rise from K10 billion last year to approximately K14 billion this year.

He said the council would devote 40 percent of its budget towards improved service delivery in the city.

Mr. Kalenga assured residents that they would see a cleaner town after the budget is approved.

He said the council would allocate K240 million for the development of wards.

Mr. Kalenga however noted that the budget has not yet been approved.

And Mr. Kalenga has expressed happiness at the pace the street lighting project under the World Bank was moving in the city.

Mr. Kalenga said the contractors are on schedule and noted that Nakatindi road has already been lit.

He said the rehabilitation of roads in the city was also on schedule despite the fact that they were held back by rains.

Mr. Kalenga said he was happy with the developments currently taking place in the tourist capital.

He noted that new hotels that would significantly add value to the economy of Livingstone are about to be opened.

Mr. Kalenga named the hotels that are about to be opened as David Livingstone and Protea hotels adding that the construction of Courtyard hotel was also progressing well.

SADC’s Salomao extols Levy

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Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Tomaz Salomao, has commended President Levy Mwanawasa for providing good leadership that would help accelerate the implementation of the regional body’s development agenda.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Gaborone today ahead of President Mwanawasa’s visit to the SADC secretariat on Thursday this week, Dr Salomao said since assuming the chairmanship of SADC in August last year, Dr. Mwanawasa has been working hard to provide the necessary guidance to the secretariat in meeting the set objectives of the regional economic body.

He said Dr. Mwanawasa has particularly been concerned with the need to launch the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA) by August this year as agreed by the heads of state at their summit in Lusaka last year.

Dr. Salomao said during his visit, Dr. Mwanawasa would assess how ready the SADC secretariat was in implementing the FTA and other development programmes, which include the master plan on infrastructure development as well as issues of human and social development.

He said the president would meet the secretariat staff to encourage them to work hard in implementing the decisions of the SADC heads of state, which are aimed at enhancing regional integration.

He cited the establishment of the FTA by August 2008, the establishment of the common market by 2015, monetary union by 2016 and a regional single currency by 2018 as some of the key programmes.

“It is an ambitious programme and President Mwanawasa is constantly reminding us that time is not on our side. We need to fast track the implementation process if we are to be part of the global economy,” said Dr Salomao.

Dr. Salomao added that an audit carried out by an independent consultant recently showed that all the 14 SADC member states are ready for the launch of the FTA which is the first step to the envisaged objective of regional integration.

He called upon all member states to quickly ratify the protocol on free movement of people which he said was cardinal in the implementation of the FTA.

On the construction of the new SADC secretariat which President Mwanawasa is expected to inspect during his visit here, Dr. Salomao said the US$30 million project was on schedule.

He said once completed in May 2009, the new office complex would alleviate the current shortage of office accommodation the secretariat was experiencing.

“As you may be aware, the building that houses the SADC secretariat now belongs to the government of the Republic of Botswana and is not adequate to accommodate all our operatives who are scattered all over the city of Gaborone at the moment. It is for this reason that the SADC heads of state took a decision in 2004 to build a new office complex whose construction is now underway,” he explained.

Meanwhile,Government says the launch of the Customs Union by COMESA in August this year and the Free Trade Area by SADC will boost Zambia’s trade with member countries of both regional groupings.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Davison Chilimpamushi told ZANIS that the development will scale up mutually beneficial trade among member countries of both regional bodies.

Mr. Chilimpamushi pointed out that currently there are no problems Zambia is experiencing over her affiliation to both regional bodies.

He said Zambia remains a committed member of both COMESA and SADC.

Mr. Chilimpamushi explained that Cabinet is the only body that can decide on whether Zambia should continue with her dual membership or select one of the two regional bodies.

Mr. Chilimpamushi, however, maintained that there are more benefits of belonging to both regional bodies.

SADC has 14 member countries while COMESA is composed of 19 member States and Zambia is a member of both regional groupings.

Heritage Commission records increased visitations

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The National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) in Northwestern Province has recorded a 45 per cent increase in the number of people visiting heritage sites in the province since 2006.

Northwestern NHCC Regional Director Simon Musonda disclosed this in an interview with ZANIS in Solwezi today.

Mr. Musonda has attributed the increase in the number of people visiting heritage sites to population growth in the area and to the number of sites that have been opened to the public.

He said some of the heritage sites have been provided with basic infrastructure, a development that has provided an additional attraction to people.

Mr. Musonda cited Kifubwa National Monument, Zambezi river source and Mutanda falls as some of the heritage sites which attract a lot of people.

He said these sites were liked by many people because of the educative materials for research and leisure activities found there.

He however said although the commission was currently taking care of 400 heritage sites in Northwestern and Copperbelt provinces, only four were being manned by personnel and were open to the public.

Mr. Musonda said only K16 million was last year raised from the four sites that were currently open to the public.

He however disclosed that plans were underway to soon open up Nyambezu falls in Mwinilunga.

He further said his office was facing challenges in that some people visiting the sites were vandalizing basic infrastructure at the sites.

Mr. Musonda has since advised people visiting the sites to observe rules of the commission by not damaging infrastructure for it to continue providing the social services to the public.