Government has warned unscrupulous tour operators who are allegedly misleading tourists and the general public that government has exorbitantly hiked visa fees.

Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Michael Kaingu says it is unfortunate that the recent adjustment of visa fees has been deliberately misconstrued to frustrate tourism promotion.

Mr. Kaingu has clarified that visa fees for single entry have been adjusted from US$25 to US$50, while multi-entry visa fees have been hiked from US$40 to US$80.

He said any other figures are incorrect and a misrepresentation of the adjustment announced by government.

Mr Kaingu parried off fears that the upward adjust of visa fees would adversely affect the inflow of tourists into the country.

He said his office has so far not received evidence indicating that the flow of tourists has reduced because of the adjustment in visa fees.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kaingu says the post election violence in Kenya could have impacted negatively on Kenya’s tourism industry and that of neighboring countries.

Mr. Kaingu explained that war and conflicts have a bearing on tourism as tourists are scared to visit countries where they are likely to be caught up in conflicts.

He noted that conflicts should not be encouraged in any country as its consequences on the economy are disastrous.

Mr. Kaingu however said that Zambia’s tourism sector was not affected with the violence in Kenya adding that its likely that some tourists from Kenya may have come to Zambia because of the conflicts in Kenya.

And Government has warned that it will would impound trucks found loaded with charcoal which have not been issued with licenses.

Mr. Kaingu noted that charcoal trading has increased by more than 70 percent due to the power outages which the country has been faced with forcing people to use charcoal adding that this has led to some traders to engage in illegal tree cutting.

He added that the increase in exports of charcoal has also contributed to the vice as people are forced to cut down tree illegally to produce more for exporting.

Mr. Kaingu noted that the vice has caused deforestation in the country as trees are cut down almost on a daily basis.
He explained that people wanting to engage in cutting down tree for domestic use should acquire licenses from the forestry department.

Commotion today reigned at Chipata Main Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) when some members were physically thrown out of the church by some self proclaimed church leadership.

The two opposing sides were accusing each other of not operating in line with the doctrines of the church.

Confusion started when one group which was allegedly recently elected into the leadership of the church accused the out-going office bearers of refusing to step down following the elections.

The faction which claims to have been legally elected by the church threw out some of the out-going office bearers whom they accused of opposing the newly elected office bearers.

Speaking to Zambia News and Information Services crew that rushed to the scene, Communications Secretary Asafu Lungu said some members were thrown out of the church because of being arrogant in following the church constitution.

Mr. Lungu said problems started last year when an opposing faction was formed which conducted church services contrary to the churches doctrine.

He said problems arose because the opposing faction did not recognize the current leadership which was duly elected by the church members.

Mr. Lungu said elected faction manhandled the other group for their arrogance and lack of recognition of dully elected leadership.

He charged that the move was intended to bring sanity to the congregation.

But Stewardship Leader Jim Phiri expressed sadness at what happenings at the church.

First Lady, Maureen Mwanawasa has implored women in the country to remain assertive and be advocates for positive change to the many challenges they face.

Mrs. Mwanawasa said women should be proud of their sex adding that they should not envy to be men in order to succeed in life.

Mrs. Mwanawasa said this at state house in Lusaka today when, Former wife to South Africa’s freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela paid a courtesy call on her.

The First lady said women should work hard to fight for gender equity adding that men should also partner with women in fostering national development.

She observed that the visit to Zambia by Mrs Mandela is an honor as she is a living legend adding that the visit will remain in Zambia’s history book.

Mrs. Mwanawasa hoped that Mrs. Mandela’s visit will further cement the existing relationship between Zambia and South Africa.

And Mrs Mandela noted that women in Zambia who are the majority over the men fork have the potential to bring about positive change.

Mrs Mandela added that African women should be in the forefront in resolving conflicts as they are the ones who bear the sufferings of war.

She also commended Zambia for liberation struggle adding that South Africa could not have got independence without the assistance from the people of Zambia.

In another development Government says there is need for women to access financial resources as well as other resources to enhance their capability in contributing to national development.

Lands minister, who is also Kafue Member of Parliament, Bradford Machila, said government recognizes the role women play in national development.

Mr. Machila said this during the Lusaka Province Administration commemoration of the International Women’s day in Kafue today.

He called on the women to take an active role in developing the society as this will be in line with the Gender policy which the government has put in place.

The minister has challenged the nation and Lusaka province administration in particular to ensure that the aspect of gender equality with special priority to women is well taken care of .

He cited Agriculture, Education, Community development and other programmes under Poverty Reduction Programme (PRP) as some of the programmes which can help can empower the women and make them economic providers in their homes and the nation as a whole.

Meanwhile, Mr. Machila said the HIV/AIDS pandemic has mostly affected women due to high poverty levels among women and violence against women.

He also noted that women are in most cases the providers for the sick or orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

And speaking at the same function, Kafue district women‘s Association chairperson, Patricia Banda, appealed to the government to financially support women’s programmes if they were to be empowered economically.

Ms Banda said the women in Kafue had requested for financial assistance from government through the ministry of community development but no assistance has been forthcoming.

And Ms Banda revealed that some unscrupulous people has been collecting money from the women on pretex of obtaining funds from the donors.

The Zambian government has clarified that delays to deliver the maize purchased by Zimbabwe has been caused by logistical challenges.

Chief Government Spokesperson Michael Mulongoti says fumigation of maize and the Banking payments are some of the logistical challenges that are delaying the Zambian government from delivering maize to Zimbabwe.

Mr. Mulongoti was responding to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe who yesterday at a campaign rally expressed concern about delays by the Zambian government in delivering the commodity to that country.

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that government was actively looking into the matter.

He said the Zambian government would remain committed to meeting its contractual obligations with other countries.

Yesterday at a campaign rally, President Mugabe expressed concern about delays by the Zambian government to export maize to that country.

Mr. Mugabe told about 8,000 party supporters during a campaign rally in Mahusekwa, a rural settlement about 70 kilometres South of the Capital Harare that the country was in dire need of maize as the country was faced with an emergency of food crisis.

The Zimbabwean Leader stated that his government has sought permission from the Zambian government to send people to load the maize into trucks because of the delays by the Zambian government in exporting the commodity to that country.

He said his government has already paid for 150, 000 metric tonnes of maize to the Zambian government.

The Chinese managers of Zambia’s Chambishi Copper Smelter (CCS) agreed on Thursday to reinstate 500 workers who had been sacked, their union said.

“They have assured us that everybody will get back to work and we hope normal operations will resume on Monday,” National Union of Mining and Allied Workers (Numaw) general secretary Albert Mando told Reuters.

“We will then start our salary negotiations again.”

CCS employees went on strike and rioted on Tuesday over pay and work conditions, injuring a Chinese manager and a Zambian.

The incident highlighted tensions between Zambian workers and Chinese managers in the mining industry.

Chambishi Copper Smelter is the first of 50 Chinese companies that plan to invest over $800 million in a tax free zone in Zambia within the next five years, Zambian officials said.

The growing presence of Chinese firms in Zambia has prompted an anti-Chinese backlash in some parts of the country, with the main opposition party accusing Mwanawasa of allowing the Asian newcomers to exploit workers.

Earlier , the Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) asked Chambishi Copper Smelter to reconsider its decision to fire 500 workers, for riotus behaviour.

The FFTUZ also appealed to government to immediately intervene in the matter.

FFTUZ National Executive Secretary, Lyson Mando, said in a statement to ZNBC news that government should help the two parties, resolve the matter amicably.

Mr. Mando also called for the release of seven workers detained by police, in connection with the riot at Chambeshi Smelter – Tuesday.

He said there is an urgent need for the union and management at the smelter to resume negotiations to resolve a number of concerns raised by the workers.

However, Mr. Mando has warned that his union will not condone unruly behavior from its members.

On Tuesday, Zambian workers at Chambeshi Smelter fought with their Chinese colleagues, in an incident sparked by demands for better conditions of service

The International Narcotic Control Board annual report for last year has cited Zambia as one of the largest producer of Cannabis in Southern Africa.

Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Acting Commissioner, Peter Chingaipe has disclosed.

Mr. Chingaipe said South Africa, Botwana and Swaziland are some of the countries found to be producing canabis at a large scale.

The DEC chief was speaking at the launch of international narcotic control board report for 2007 in Lusaka.

United Nations Systems Zambia Information Officer Mikie Mwamba was concerned at the misuse of phamaceutical products which contain Narcotic and psychotropic drug substances.