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Revise qualifications for Mps and Councillors NCC told

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A civic leader in Chililabombwe has called on the National Constitution Conference (NCC) delegates to revise the minimum qualifications of Members of Parliament (MPs) and councilors if economic development is to be accelerated in the country.

Kasumbalesa Ward Councillor William Lloyd told ZANIS in an interview today that civic leaders needed to possess academic qualifications that would enable them articulate developmental issues at the grassroots.

Mr. Lloyd said MPs and councilors for City and Municipal Councils needed to have a minimum of form five certificate or its equivalent while qualification for civic leaders in District Councils should be pegged at form three.

He said the current arrangement where every person conversant with English is eligible to stand as a councilor was detrimental to national development as some people’s representatives failed to effectively represent their electorates due to low levels of education.

‘I’m urging the NCC delegates to consider revising the set minimum qualifications for councillors, MPs and even the President. There is need for educated people to run the affairs of the councils in the country,’ he said.

Mr Lloyd said councils were strategic instruments of national development hence the need for people with the necessary education to run the complex local authority responsibilities such as the collection of taxes and other tasks.

On the Presidential candidates, Mr Lloyd said aspirants should have served either as a councilor or an MP for at least one term besides possessing a Diploma or a Degree from a recognized institution.

He said the NCC delegates have an opportunity to set the tone for the country’ s development provided they ensure that leadership is enshrined in people with the necessary qualifications.

Zambians urged to take up yoga

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The Musokotwane Royal Establishment has called on Zambians to take up Yoga as a life-skill sport because of its ability to improve health and increase people’s lifespans.

Royal Establishment spokes person Mungaila Muzandu saying this in Livingstone, on Tuesday.

Prince Muzandu said it was imperative for Zambians to adopt yoga as a sport because of its potential to enhance and sustain good health.

He said yoga helps an individual to lead a disciplined lifestyle and eventual advancement.

Prince Muzandu said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Livingstone today.

He called on government and the civil society to incorporate yoga in their activities related to HIV/AIDS to enable it
play a mitigatory role in fighting the scourge.

Prince Mazandu said yoga was a sport like any other and should be part of the physical education in schools.

He said this was because it also promotes healthy diet habits that need to be encouraged at an early early stage in
one’s life.

Yoga, in general, is a spiritual practice or discipline that helps the individual unify his/her body, mind, and heart.

NCZ getting ready for Production of Fertilizer

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Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) in Kafue says it is set for this year’s production of fertilizer for the 2008/9 farming season.

NCZ Sales and Marketing Manager Munshya Tyetye told ZANIS in an interview today in Kafue that the company has already opened tenders for the supply of raw materials for the production of ‘ compound D’ fertilizer.

He said companies from both within and outside the country had already started bidding for the supply of the raw material that include Ammonium sulphate.

Mr. Tyetye said the company this year is targeting to produce 60,000 metric tonnes of D compound fertilizer which is used as basal dressing.

He said the company has already started sourcing for partners from outside the country to finance the production.

As a way of ensuring the company starts producing the commodity in time, Mr. Tyetye said the company is discussing with some of its major clients of fertilizer to pay towards the commodity in advance so that finances can be secured to start producing the commodity.

He said the company is not however ruling out government’s financial backing which is expected to facilitate the rehabilitation of some of the plants at the company.

He said the company was still in dire need for funds to enable it operate fully adding that the company is still seeking ways to overcome some of the challenges it is facing.

Mr. Tyetye also disclosed that the company is vigorously working hard to ensure it revives its ammonium nitrate explosives making plant so that NCZ can start supplying explosives to the mining companies .

He said currently there is a huge market for explosives in the country following the growth in the mining sector.

Mr. Tyetye said the mining industry is currently importing explosives due to lack of companies that can produce them.

He said the company wants to ensure that it wins the market of supplying the explosives.

Mr. Tyetye said rehabilitation works at the ammonium nitrate plant have reached an advanced stage and it is expected to be ready for operation by mid of this year.

He said the supply of the explosives is a very lucrative business which can see NCZ come out of its doldrums.

Zambia Tourist Board applauds the top cop

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The Zambia Tourist Board (ZTB) has welcomed the dispatching of police officers to Livingstone following increased crime in the tourist capital.

ZTB board chairperson Errol Hickey said increased crime in the tourist capital is threatening the tourism industry hence the need to purge out criminal elements in the area.

Mr. Hickey told ZANIS in Lusaka today that the move by the Inspector general of police Ephraim Mateyo to dispatch a platoon of police officers is commendable as it will restore the peace that the city has enjoyed in the past.

Meanwhile, the ZTB chairperson has urged councils in the country to ensure that guest houses and other hospitality houses are licensed adding that a lot of them are currently operating illegally and promoting prostitution.

Mr. Hickey said his board is not capable of policing hospitality houses regularly as it is the mandate of councils to ensure that hospitality houses have appropriate operating licenses adding that those failing to comply should be closed down.

He explained that ZTB has now a new mandate to market and promote tourism in the country both at home and abroad.

Mr. Hickey added that some of its mandates such as licensing of players in the hospitality industry will now be done by the ministry of tourism.

His comments follow an appeal from the immigration department after a combined team of Zambia Police Service and Immigration Department raided Livingstone guest houses and other hospitality houses and sent back 60 suspected Zimbabwean sex workers to their country of origin.

And Mr. Hickey has announced that ZTB will in partnership with Tourism Council of Zambia (TCZ) be attending an Indaba in Durban South Africa from 8th to 11 May this year for car hire operators, lodges and other tourism industry players.

He said the indaba will be the largest tour exhibition in Africa and will attract tourism stakeholders from across the continent.

Mr. Hickey also disclosed that Zambia is among four countries that have been nominated in Africa for the best operating tourism board category at the forthcoming tour exhibition in Durban.

He said ZTB is proud of the nomination because it is a milestone and indicator of the board’s operations and achievements since it tenure of office.

Other countries in the same category are Malawi, Namibia and South Africa.

And a combined team of Zambia Police Service, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and Immigration Department yesterday conducted a crack down operation and apprehended several suspects for various offenses in Chililabombwe’s PP Zambia compound.

Immigration Department Public Relations Officer Mulako Mbangweta told ZANIS in Lusaka today that the suspects were arrested for offences ranging from drug abuse, illegal possession of fire arms and illegal migration into the country.

Ms. Mbangweta said among those arrested in the same compound are 27 Congolese, two Tanzanians and a Mozambican.

She added that 46 Zambians were later released after they produced legal documentation to prove they were Zambians.

Ms. Mbangweta said 38 others are still in custody as suspected prohibited immigrants as they have not produced legal documentation to explain their presence in the country.

The immigration department spokesperson has since cautioned Zambians and foreign nationals to move with legal documentation to in order to avoid unnecessary detention once they are questioned of their nationality.

She has however commended Zambians for being vigilant and patriotic in reporting suspected illegal immigrants and activities.

Meanwhile, Ms. Mbangweta has also urged councils in the country to regularly patronize guest houses in order to ensure that they are not harboring illegal immigrants and other illicit activities such as prostitution.

She said city and district councils have an important role to play in ensuring that sanity prevails in districts and cities across the country by ensuring that institutions under their patronage operate within the confines of the law.

Foreign farmers get 4,000ha for Afforestation

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Government has reserved 4,000 hectares in Mufulira local forests for afforestation, which would be undertaken by a foreign consortium of agric foresters.

Mufulira District Commissioner (DC), Dyford Muulwa disclosed that the foreign consortium of agric foresters was ready to invest about US$1 million in the afforestation project in the forests.

Mr. Muulwa said another 1,200 hectares of the same forests has been de-gazetted to squatters living in the forest to undertake agricultural activities.

Meanwhile, squatters in Mufulira local forest have hailed Mr. Muulwa for spearheading government developmental programmes in the district.

The squatters, who were represented by Dominic Kayamalo, told the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in the border town that the people living in peri urban areas were happy with government’s efforts of promoting development in rural areas.

Mr. Kayamalo said Mr. Muulwa’s office had been instrumental in ensuring that part of the de-gazetted forest was demarcated and allocated to the squatters.

He said this move has rejuvenated the local people’s desire to work hard and be self reliant.

He also said squatters were pleased with government’s intention to allow a foreign consortium of agric-forest farmers to invest in the local forest.

Mr. Kayamalo, who is also the district land alliance coordinator, noted that the support shown by Mr. Muulwa’s office was a clear testimony that government was willing to alleviate poverty among the people through promoting agricultural activities.

Police Officers are not Enough, says Kabonde

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COMMISSIONER of Police, Francis Kabonde, has reiterated that the number of regular police officers is not enough to contain the crime rate in the country.

Mr Kabonde said this in Kabwe today during the official opening of the Police Reserves’ workshop that is being held at Masiye Motels.

Mr Kabonde observed that as the population expands, it is becoming more difficult for regular police to fight the crime alone.

He said that the Zambia Police attaches great importance to the Reserve Police because of the complimentary work that they render to the service.

The Police Commissioner said that it was a policy of the Zambia Police to train and retrain regular and reserve officers in order to make them more efficient in their work.

Mr Kabonde urged able-bodied men and women to come forward and join the Police Reserve wing so that the Police can cope up with the growing population of the country.

He challenged the reserves to exercise high levels of discipline and good behaviour because whatever they did would reflect on the Zambia Police service.

On promotions, he said that the Zambia Police would only promote officers that were able to deliver and also able to enforce discipline in the reserve wing.

The Police Commissioner said that although he was not promising, something would be done on the reserve officers’ allowances because they had not been updated.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo has dispatched a platoon of paramilitary officers to Livingstone in a bid to fight crime in the tourist capital.

Mr. Mateyo has since directed Southern Province Police Commanding Officer Lemmy Kajoba to personally supervise the operations in the area to ensure that sanity returns to Livingstone.

Mr. Mateyo told ZANIS that the paramilitary officers will report to the provincial commanding officer so that an operational order is prepared in order to create police presence in all residential and crime spot areas.

He said the core function and obligation of the Police Service is to safeguard people’s lives and their property through enhanced contemporary policing which embraces the community as partners in crime prevention and monitoring.

Mr. Mateyo said crime negatively impacts on both the economic and social life of the community and has since pledged to ensure that the Police Service improves the livelihood of the people in the country through a well-coordinated service delivery system.

Perks talks for Public Service Workers Collapse

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Negotiations for improved salaries and conditions of service between government and two public service workers unions have broken down because the two parties failed to strike a compromise.

Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) president, Leonard Hikaumba, and National Union of Public Service workers (NUPSW) General Secretary, Davis Chingoni, announced the development at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

Mr. Hikaumba, who read out the statement, said the unions rejected government’s offer of 15 per cent as salary increment effective January 1st 2008 and increased housing allowance rates for all unionised employees by between K60,000 and K100,000 effective June this year.

ZANIS reports that the two unions argued that this increment in salary and housing allowance was rejected because it did not meet their expectations.

He said the civil servants and other public service workers deserved a better package than what government was offering, especially that they sacrificed a lot during the crusade to meet the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) completion point a few years ago.

“On other conditions of service, the government position is to freeze non-salary related conditions of service at current levels and that there should be no introduction of new conditions of service,” he said.

Mr. Hikaumba, who is also president of the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), explained that the base figures for revising the current housing allowance rates should be in accordance with the 2003 collective agreement of K450, 000 per month for division II officers and K250, 000 for division III officers.

Classified employees were, according to the 2003 collective agreement, getting K150, 000 housing allowance per month.

“As such, the unions have rejected the approach by government to ignore the existing rates of housing allowance as previously agreed,” he told journalists.

He said the breakdown of negotiations for improved salaries and conditions of service meant the matter would now be referred to a body of conciliators which would be constituted within seven days.

Mr. Hikaumba has however appealed to the CSAWUZ and NUPSW members to remain calm as the process of negotiations goes into another phase.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hikaumba has insisted that government should repay workers, who were getting housing allowances at a reduced rate, the difference of what was agreed in the 2003 collective agreement.

“We want to advise our members that government owes them money as far as we are concerned. We expect government to clear the arrears,” he said.

He said the unions were not part to the adjusted housing allowances, adding that no party should make changes without the agreement of other.

Government stopped paying workers their 2003 collective agreement housing allowances in September 2003 and reduced the allowances by over 50 per cent.

State calls for increased monitoring of government projects

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Finance and National Planning Permanent Secretary Mbikusita Lewanika has called for increased monitoring and evaluation of government projects to realize intended goals in line with the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP).

Dr. Lewanika says monitoring and evaluation is a powerful public management tool that can be used by government to achieve intended results.

He was speaking in Kafue today when he officiated at a two-day workshop dubbed, “Results Based Monitoring and Evaluation.”

Dr. Lewanika observed that with globalization, there is need for monitors to be responsive to the demands of internal and external stakeholders in the quest for good governance, accountability and transparency in order to realise tangible results.

He challenged the Monitors and Evaluators to move away from the traditional way of monitoring, to new results-based approaches because government through the FNDP is in a hurry to develop the country by ensuring that projects are completed on time.

Dr. Lewanika hoped that the workshop participants would now be in the position to design and build results-based monitoring and evaluation systems at the end of the workshop.

And passing a vote of thanks, Ministry of Finance and National Planning Finance Manager Mumba Chanda commended Government for organizing the workshop.

Mr. Chanda urged his colleagues to put the gained knowledge into practice because government is spending huge sums of moneys in impacting knowledge to its employees.

The workshop has been organized by the Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Programme (PEMFA) under the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

The two-day workshop has attracted Principal Government Officers from the Ministry of Finance, Zambia National Tender Board, National Assembly of Zambia, Office of the Auditor General and Cabinet Office, among other participants

60 Zimbabwe sex workers deported

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The Immigration Department has sent back 60 suspected Zimbabwean sex workers to their country of origin following a raid on some guest houses in Livingstone.

Immigration public relations officer Mulako Mbagweta told ZANIS in Lusaka today that the her department in conjunction with the Zambia police service apprehended 86 people among them Zambians for allegedly engaging in prostitution in the tourist capital.

Ms. Mbagweta said the operation was aimed at getting rid off alleged sex workers from the tourist capital who are reported to have invaded guest houses and other hospitality houses in the city.

She said the 20 Zambians who were also arrested along with the Zimbabweans have since been charged for public nuisance while the rest were released after being screened.

Ms. Mbagweta has since expressed concern at the increased influx of alleged Zimbabwean sex workers in the tourist capital.

She has further cautioned Zambian men to desist from engaging in illicit sex in order to curb HIV/AIDS in the city.

The Public Relations officer who described the trend as saddening observed that the situation would endanger the lives of many Zambians if left unchecked.

Ms. Mbangweta has also called upon other stakeholders such as the Zambia Tourist Board (ZTB) to help curb prostitution through intensified inspections of guest houses regularly so as to ensure that they adhere to the stipulated guidelines.

She also urged ZTB to closely monitor activities in the mushrooming guest houses and close down those that have been turned into brothels.

And the Immigration Department in Kabwe has arrested 20 Congolese nationals believed to have been trafficked into the country via Kasumba Lesa border post.

The immigration Department public relations officer revealed that 3 suspected ring leaders from the group have since been put in custody pending investigations.

Ms. Mbagweta said her department was concern with the growing trend and increase of human traffic cases in the country.

She said it was not the first time that the department was arresting foreign nationals for human trafficking offences.

She attributed light punishment metted on the perpetrators, which does not act as a deterrent measure to would be offenders as one of the causes for the vice.

Ms. Mbagweta has however thanked Zambians for being alert and reporting suspected illegal immigrants to the department and has since urged them not to relent in their efforts to report any suspected illegal immigrant into the country.

Zanaco Play Down Clifford Mulenga Featuring As Guest Player

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Zanaco have plays down talk of Zambia international Clifford Mulenga featuring as a guest player despite training with them at Sunset Stadium over the last two weeks.

The 2007 Caf Africa Young Player of The Year is on his off-season break from South African top club Bidvest Wits and is currently keeping in shape with Zanaco.

Zanaco say no meeting had been held with Mulenga to play with the 4-time league champions or was the club seeking Wits permission to have the left-wing player feature for them during his holiday.

Meanwhile, Zanaco refused to confirm or deny that three junior internationals striker Yorum Mwila, midfielder Henry Banda and defender Luka Tembo had left on Saturday to attend trials at Wits.

“The players haven’t been training with us and were left out of the team for Sundays game (Away to Green Eagles),” club secretary Stafford Kayame said and referred all queries to Chiparamba Academy who own the players and loaned them to The Bankers at the start of this season.

Mwila and Banda have been featured sparingly by Zanaco while Tembo is a regular first-team starter at left-back for the club.

Zanaco are currently 4th from top on the Faz Premier League table with 12 points, four less than leaders Young Arrows, from 8 games after beating newcomers Green Eagles 2-1 away in Kabwe on Sunday in a Week 8 fixture.

Weekend Scorecard

Faz Premier League

04/05/2008

Young Arrows 1(Kruger Mwansa 8″)-Zesco United 1(Elson Mkandawire 61″)

Nkana 0 -Red Arrows 0

Lusaka Dynamos 0- Power Dynamos 0

Green Eagles 1(Obrey Zulu 15″)- Zanaco 2 (Roger Kola 10″ 26″)

City of Lusaka 1(Brian Lubaba 23″)- Kabwe Warriors 0

Roan United 1(Kelvin Mumba 49″)- Konkola Blades 1(Kabwe Chileshe 68″)

Nchanga Rangers 0- Green Buffaloes 2(Lawrence Phiri 36″, Reube Tembo 54″)Chipili

03/05/2008

Chambishi 3(Chipili Mungule 36″, Bobby Chola 57″, Edward Sinkala 80″) – Nkwazi 1(Keegan Phiri 5″, Obby Mumba 89″)

Top Scorers

After games Played 04/05/2008

LEAGUE, INTL & CUP:

Reuben Tembo (Green Buffaloes):6
Roger Kola (Zanaco): 5
Obrey Zulu (Green Eagles): 5
Mathew Macha (Nchanga Rangers): 4
Emmanuel Mayuka (Kabwe Warriors): 4

Kruger Mwansa (Young Arrows) : 3
Lottie Phiri (Zesco United): 3
William Njobvu (Lusaka Dynamos): 3
Nicholas Zulu (Zesco United): 3
Francis Kombe (Power Dynamos): 3
Morgan Hanjeema (Green Buffalkoes): 3

Division 1

North

Week 8

04/05/2008

Forest Rangers 3- Prison Leopards 0

Lime Hotspurs 1- Zamtel 1

Afrisports 0- Medical 0

Kalewa 2- Muchindu 3

Tazara Express 1- Ndola United 1

Kitwe United 0- Indeni 1

Mufulira Wanderers 3- Mining Rangers 1

Chindwin 2 -Mufulira Blackpool 2

South

Week 10

Lusaka Tigers 3- Livingstone Pirates 1

Nakambala 3- Lusaka Celtic 0

Nampundwe 0- Riflemen 1

Petauke United 0- Profund Warriors 2

Kalomo Jetters 1- Lusaka City Council 1

Young Green Eagles 0- Kambuku 0

National Assembly 1- Builders Brigade 1

Not Played:

Young Buffaloes- Mazabuka

Zamcoal Diggers- Chilanga Heroes

Chiluba case fails to take off

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Trial in the case involving Second Republican president Frederick Chiluba failled to take off in the Lusaka Magistrates Court.

Ndola based High Court Deputy Registra, Jones Chinyama who is handling the matter was not presnt in Court.

Journalists at the court were not given reasons.

The Former president was scheduled to start his defence after he and two others were found with a case to answer on 12 counts of theft and were put on their defence.

Dr. Chiluba who was accompanied by his wife Regina was seen in court as early as 08:30 hrs.

Chiluba and Access Financial Services AFS Directors Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu are charged with theft after for allegedly stole public funds from the ZAMTROP account.

[ZBNC]

Economic Diversification will Achieve Vision 2030 Targets

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Bank of Zambia (BoZ) Governor, Caleb Fundanga, says Zambia should increase its focus on economic diversification in order to achieve the set targets in the Vision 2030.

Dr. Fundanga said government and stakeholders should now concentrate at improving the viability of agriculture and other sectors apart from mining in the development of the national economy.

He said there is need to improve productivity in agriculture so as to increase agriculture products for exports to the international markets.

He said Zambia has the potential to produce cereals and other grains such as rice, wheat and maize for export.

Dr. Fundanga was answering questions from Journalists during a press briefing held at the Pamodzi hotel Lusaka yesterday.

He said irrigation farming is one reliable option for increasing productivity in the agriculture sector adding that it should encouraged in all parts of the country.

He said the Central Bank is working hard to to help improve the microeconomic stability through reduced inflation and interest rates in the financial sector.

Dr. Funadanga advised Zambians to invest in various sectors of the economy in order to effectively contribute to efforts of reducing poverty and securing national economic growth.

Dr. Funadanga cautioned Zambians to desist from entrusting the investment in the economic to foreign investors.

“Let’s do away with this syndrome that funds from abroad will develop Zambia. Then where are our human resources, expertise and knowledge. I call upon Zambians have the spirit to do things for themselves to develop this country. Agriculture is more profitable and it has the potential to replace mining,” Dr. Fundanga said.

Faz Premier League Week 7 Round-up

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Yong Arrows remained top of the Faz Premier League table today for a
third successive match after drawing 1-1 at home against Zesco United
in an exciting match played at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka today.

Young Arrows move on notch up to 16 points, one more than second
placed Green Buffaloes who shift to second and Zesco who slip to third
after drawing away to the leaders.

Zesco found themselves 1-0 down going into the break after striker
Kruger Mwansa tapped in the Ball from close range to put Young Arrows
ahead in a first half the hosts totally dominated the defending league
champions.

Young Arrows could have made It 2-0 in the 56th minute after Ngandwe
Chomba failed to head in a clear sitter from a Judge Mkandawire cross
from the right.

Zesco came to life after the hour mark with the double introduction of
Elson Mkandawire and Enoch Sakala for Liberian Ben Martins and Signs
Chibambo.

And it was Elson Mkandawire who made sure the two sides shared the
points after he headed in the equalizer from a Rainford Kalaba corner
kick in the 61st minute.

Elsewhere, Buffaloes beat hosts Nchanga Rangers 2-0 to move into usurp
Zesco and move into the number two spot joint on 15 points.

4th placed Zanaco made some recovery in their see-saw season and
brought Green Eagles two-match winning streak to an end with a 2-1
away win in Kabwe.

Red Arrows are 7th after a scoreless draw away to Nkana while the
latter’s arch rivals Power Dynamos also played out to a similar
scoreline away at Lusaka Dynamos at Queensmead.

City of Lusaka added more misery to Kabwe Warriors poor form after
defeating the Railwaymen 1-0 at Woodlands where the latter side has
now lost twice in succession.

City’s winning goal at home was scored by Brian Lubaba in the 23rd minute.

In Launshya Roan United and Konkola Blades drew 1-1 while on Saturday
Chambishi beat Nkwazi 3-2 to temporally move out of the table to 12th
place before slipping back in the drop zone after today’s matches to
15th spot.

Chambishi’s second win of the season was secured thanks to goals from
Chipili Mungule, Bobby Chola and Edward Sinkala but they had to rally
from 1-0 down after Keegan Phiri gave Nkwazi the lead 5 minutes into
the first half.

Fundanga calls for speedy resolution of Zim political crisis

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Bank of Zambia, BoZ, Governor Caleb Fundanga, is hopeful that the current political crisis in Zimbabwe is urgently resolved in the interest of securing trade relations between that country and Zambia.

Dr. Fundanga said the political crisis emanating from that country’s controversial March 29 elections has a negative bearing on trade relations between the two countries.

Dr. Fundanga was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, ZEC, announced on Friday the official results that saw opposition Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, leader Morgani Tsvangirai secure a 47.9 per cent vote against incumbent President Robert Mugabe’s 43.2 per cent.

Dr. Fundanga said the Central Bank is determined to ensure the sustenance of measures aimed at maintaining the liberal marketing system for imports and exports between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Dr. Fundanga advised local and foreign businesses to identify areas for investment in the Zambian economy.

He said the country is endowed with abundant natural resources that could be exploited for various investment projects that could significantly contribute to national development.

Meanwhile, The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) says it will soon announce the date for the presidential election run-off.

Commission chairperson Justice Chiweshe was quoted on Sunday saying details would be made available after a full meeting of the ZEC board.

“The commission is going to meet as soon as possible. I cannot state exactly when the run-off will be held, but I can confirm that the poll will be on a date to be announced by the commission,” said Justice Chiweshe.

The deputy minister of Information Bright Matonga was quoted saying the elections could be held in three weeks.

The law allows that the run off be held within a year.

The run off follows failure by candidates in the harmonised elections held on March 29 to win the election with an outright majority.

Movement for Democratic Change candidate Morgan Tsvangirai polled 47, 9 percent of total votes followed by Zanu PF candidate Robert Mugabe with 43,6 percent.

The remainder went to two independent candidates.

Tsvangirai and Mugabe will participate in the run off.

President Mugabe has already registered his willingness to take part in the run off but Tsvangirai’s position is yet to be made clear.

The MDC has said it does not accept the results of the presidential elections announced by ZEC claiming it won the election, making a run-off unnecessary.

Govt urged to increase help for vulnerable farmers

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Government has been urged to consider increasing allocation of agricultural inputs for vulnerable but viable farmers to address the negative effects of the rising poverty levels in affected communities.

The call is from beneficiaries of the Food Security Pack, FSP, under Programme Against Malnutrition, PAM, who strongly feel that the population of vulnerable farmers has increased in recent past.

The concerned beneficiaries were speaking when National Steering Committee, comprising officers from ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare, Women for Change, Program Against Malnutrition and Zambia Council for Social Development visited Kabamba and Chibobo areas in Serenje yesterday.

One of the beneficiaries, Chisala Kayumba, of Kabamba area, who received one bag of fertilizer and maize seed, said the program was well meant for vulnerable but viable farmers to help them improve on the food security levels.

Mr. Kayumba told the committee that included District government officers and leaders of implementing Non Governmental Organizations, Lala Land Mission and Serenje Ecumenical Council that many peasant farmers were failing to adequately care for their families due to increased poverty levels.

He said the assistance of the FSP from government was helping a lot as many beneficiaries were able to send children back to school.

Another farmer, Fridah Chisala, of Chibobo where three groups received chickens and goats for the ‘pass on program’, praised government for the program saying it would help reduce effects of HIV/AIDS on rural people.

About ten goats were given to Chibobo main, while Chikele received 11. Chibobo community Church alsogot 20 hens under the same program.

And addressing the audience at Kabamba basic school, Chief Kabamba of the Lala people of Serenje, urged his subjects to work hard to address poverty.

Chief Kabamba pointed out that laziness and too much beer drinking should be discouraged because they could deter efforts of eradicating poverty in thje area.

Chief Kabamba advised beneficiaries to utilise the programme in line with its objectives iin order for the community to derive maximum benefits from it.

“If you find one stealing maize bring him to my palace will punish him. I will make him eat two gallons of maize raw,” he warned.

”I know there is less food this year, My area is likely to face hunger and therefore do not sell all your maize. Those that have little should not even sell because they may land into terrible hunger,” he said.

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