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Govt. refutes reports of stalled works at the Independence staduim

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Government has refuted media reports that rehabilitation works at the Independence Staduim have stalled.

ZANIS sports reports Sports , Youth and Child Development Deputy Minister Richard Taima saying contrary to media reports, the rehabilitation works at the country’s biggest stadium have continued.

Taima said it was because some contractors at the site had slackened in their works that made the media to conclude that the rehabilitation works had stalled.

He said works aty the staduim had continued the pulling down of the old grand stand.

The minister explained that after the grand stand is brkought down, the next phase would be to engage another contracter to do the general rehabilitation at the stadium.

He said the rehabilitation works are made possible by Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) in-conjunction with the government.

Taima said any slowing down was due to the little problems that the ministry faced with the Ministry of works and Supply as they had to put in place a few measures to make the works easy.

He said he hopes that most of the rehabilitation works would have been completed by the year 2010 just in good time for the world’s soccer show piece to be hosted by South Africa.

Help reduce mealie meal prices, ZACA urges Govt

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The Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) says it is saddened with the recent hike in mealie meal prices in various parts of the country.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kitwe today, ZACA Executive Secretary, Muyunda Ililonga, said government should intervene and halt the hiking of prices of mealie meal.

Mr. Ililonga said the recent hike in mealie prices was an exploitation of the consumers.

He said that maize meal was a staple food in Zambia and therefore, it would be unfortunate to let some milling companies to exploit consumers in the name of a liberalised market.

Mr. Ililonga said consumers in Zambia should not be taken for granted and demanded governments’ action on this matter.

Zambia Caf Club Football Updates

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-Rainford Kalaba has been ruled out of Zesco United’s Caf Africa Champions League clash against Al Hilal to be played this Saturday at the Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola due to injury.

The midfielder has failed to recover from an ankle injury that has plagued him for the last one and a half months.

Kalaba has struggled for fitness since playing for Zesco in the preliminary round of the competition against URA of Uganda in a 2-0 win over the latter on February 16 in Kampala.

The influential midfielder subsequently limped off in Zesco’s next two competitive matches and has been out of action ever since.

Kalaba also failed to make the Under-23 team’s Caf Africa Nations Championship game against Swaziland last weekend due to the same injury.

Meanwhile, Al Hilal arrived in Ndola via charter flight on Tuesday night.

The Sudanese league champions who lead Zesco 2-0 from the first leg played a fortnight ago are training from Wanderers club in Ndola ahead of this weekends crucial clash.

-Green Buffaloes this afternoon left for politically tense Zimbabwe ahead of this Sunday Caf Confederations cup match against Highlanders ion Bulawayo.

Buffaloes have declared they are going to play football and not politics in Zimbabwe that is in the midst of political uncertainty due to a protracted delay in releasing of the full general election results in that country.

Highlanders and Buffaloes are level on 1-1 from the first leg played at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka on March 22 going into this weekends first round, final leg clash.

However, Buffaloes will travel to Bulawayo minus first choice goalkeeper Mike Poto who has a family bereavement.

Taking Poto’s place will be Brian Mulenga while Dave Kaumbwa will be first choice in the Zambia international absence.

Exploitative cellular service providers to be exposed

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The Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ) has warned that it will come up with a ‘shame list’ that will expose the shortcomings of the cellular service providers

Communications Authority Chief Executive Officer Shuller Habeenzu says this is because the three cellular service providers in the country are performing below the required standards.

Mr. Habeenzu said the service providers namely CELTEL, MTN and CELL-Z were exploiting consumers because they are paying for a service which they are not getting.

He said the Authority has since embarked on an exercise to work with other stakeholders to come up with legislation that would empower the Authority to impose stiffer penalties on cellular service providers that provide a poor service.

Mr. Habeenzu was speaking in Lusaka today at a press briefing on the preliminary monitoring programme of the mobile operators in Zambia.

Govt puts border security on alert over Zim elections

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Government said Wednesday it had put its security forces along the border with Zimbabwe on alert as the delayed announcement of results from Zimbabwe’s elections rattled nerves internationally.

The state of alert was a precautionary measure in case tensions caused by the four-day long wait for the election results erupted into violence and an influx of refugees into Zambia, Defence Minister George Mpombo said.

‘I hope our brothers in Zimbabwe will handle the situation without compromising the security of their country,’ he said. ‘We pray that the whole issue will be handled peacefully.’

The alert related to the border towns of Chirundu, Livingstone, Siavonga and other southern border areas, Mpombo said.

Livingstone tourist resort is just across the border from the Zimbabwean resort of Victoria Falls.

Security operations would continue as normal for the moment in those areas but would be strengthened if the situation escalated in order to protect Zambians living in border areas, he said.

Four days after Zimbabwe’s elections, in which President Robert Mugabe is seeking to extend his 28-year grip on power, no official results from the presidential elections have been released.

Partial results from the concomitant parliamentary vote show the opposition with a slight lead in the House of Assembly vote.

State to ban mandatory HIV tests

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LABOUR and Social Security Minister, Ronald Mukuma, has said that the Government is saddened at reports of people being denied employment because of their HIV/AIDS status and it will introduce a law to ban mandatory tests.

Mr Mukuma said yesterday that the Government was changing the Employment Act to stop employers from discriminating against prospective employees perceived to be HIV positive.

“Government wants a just and fair labour market where no employee or prospective employee is discriminated against on account of real or perceived HIV/AIDS positive status in relation to recruitment, remuneration, promotion, performance, job classification transfer or training,” he said.

The minister said yesterday when he launched the York Farm HIV/AIDS work-place policy that the law would ensure that employers did not ask the HIV status of their prospective employees.

He said the proposed legislation was intended to ensure that all employers did not tolerate the practice, adding that such discriminatory behaviour should be fought whenever it showed its ugly face.

“No employer shall require, whether directly or indirectly any person to undergo any form of testing for HIV/AIDS as a precondition for employment or for continuity of employment,” he said.

He said it was good that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was engaged as lead partner in formulating the York Farm policy because HIV/AIDS brought together the Government, employers and the workers.

He said the York Farm policy was commendable and should be emulated by other companies because the Government wanted to have a healthy productive workforce.

York Farm managing director, Nigel Pollard, said the policy showed management’s commitment to HIV/AIDS as it explained the role each stakeholder would undertake in the cause.

Mr Poillard said the policy was encouraging prevention by changing workers’ behaviour and that the farm would work with the Government and co-operating partners in encouraging its workers to go for Voluntary Counseling and Testing.

ILO country director, Gerry Finnegan, said HIV/AIDS was a workplace issue and that his office was working with the ministry of Labour and Social Security to fight the scourge.

Mr Finnegan said that the Italian government funded the formulation of the policy and training of 104 peer educators, saying a survey conducted last year revealed that the farm needed an HIV policy.

He said the ILO ensured that the policy met international standards because it would not only serve employees but customers that dealt with the farm even at international level.

[Times of Zambia]

Govt happy with oil and gas findings in Chavuma

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Government says the discovery of oil and natural gas in Northwestern province will create more job opportunities for people.

Provincial Minister Kenneth Chipungu said this when he addressed a public meeting at Chiyeke basic school, Monday, in Chavuma district during his inspection tour of poverty reduction projects(PRP).

Mr. chipungu explained that once the gas and oil mines were in fully operational, a number of local people would be employed and there by sustain their livelihood.

He has since called upon the people of chavuma to be united and work as a team to develop the district.

Mr. Chipungu, pointed out that days of politicking were over and that people should now concentrate on development of the area.

The minister said rumor mongering, name calling and finger pointing amongst themselves should be discouraged because such vices retard development of the area.

Meanwhile residents at Chingi border post in Chavuma are drinking untreated water because the area lacks piped water.

This came to light when Mr Chipungu and other Provincial heads visited the area.

The officers who took the Minister and his team round showing them the only contaminated water well situated near pit latrines lamented that they felt they were neglected and that they were not in Zambia.

They said since the water pump broke down in 1995 no one has ever thought of replacing a new one there.

The officers also complained that they were living in dilapidated houses which were on the verge of collapse.

And Mr. chipungu has since instructed the department of water affairs to improve the water situation at chingi boarder post where Police, Zambia Revenue Authority, health, Education and Immigration officers are living.

Kafue Steel Plant announces measures to regulate pollution

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The Kafue Integrated Iron and Steel Plant (KIISP) has assured local residents that there will be no pollution contaminating the environment arising from the operations of the plant.

Project Manager Julius Kaoma says communities in Kafue should not be worried about pollution because the firm has put in place measures to detect and control pollution levels at the plant.

Dr. Kaoma was speaking when Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Elijah Chisanga toured the plant in Kafue.

He said the plant would be only emitting less than 15 milligrams of effluents which are harmless.

Dr. Kaoma said the water in the Kafue River would be used to cool the machines arising from the gases and carbon-dioxide during the combustion process.

He said the Plant will immensely contribute to national growth and local people will benefit through jobs opportunities.

The plant is expected to be operational by June this year and it will produce 280,000 Metric Tones of Steel to be supplied to the manufacturing industries in the country.

And Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Elijah Chisanga said government has set a good precedent of conducting manufacturing and fabrication of metal which the private sector should take advantage of.

Mr. Chisanga further advised the Plant Management to abide by the Zambian labour laws.

The Kafue Integrated Iron and Steel Plant was officially launched by President Levy Mwanawasa on November 30 last year.

FRA official swindles farmers

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A named FRA Depot Manager employed by the Copperbelt Co-operative Union (CCU) has been arrested after swindling farmers out of K289 million.

Mpongwe Member of Parliament Gabriel Namulambe who confirmed the development to ZANIS said the suspect is currently in police custody at Mpongwe Police Station.

Mr. Namulambe said the suspect was issuing fake receipts to the farmers in his scheme to swindle farmers.

The lawmaker, who is also Sport, Youth and Child Development Minister said while government is trying to stamp out corruption, the efforts are being frustrated by a few individuals.

He said government is committed to promoting the agriculture sector hence reports of fraud in the sector are not welcome.

Meanwhile, Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has disclosed that it will construct 12 grain storage facilities with the total capacity of 71 metric tonnes throughout the country.

FRA Public Relations Manager Mwamba Siame says works for the construction of new grain facilities countrywide will commence in August 2008.

Mrs. Siame, who has confirmed the development to ZANIS in Lusaka today, said the aim of constructing new grain facilities by the agency is for the proper storing of grain that the agency will be buying from farmers countrywide.

Mrs. Siame said following the US$11.6 million that the Food Reserve Agency signed with the CAMCO company of China, the agency would embark on the construction of 12 storage sheds with the total capacity of 71 metric tonnes across the country.

She cited Kapiri-Mposhi, Chambishi, Chisamba, Serenje, Petauke, Mbala, Mufumbwe and Kalomo districts as some of the districts to benefit from the programme.

Mrs. Siame further said that the lowest grain storage sheds would range from 4,9780 metric tonnes to the highest 19, 370 metric tonnes.

She said the agency would not rest but ensure that frantic efforts are put in place aimed at securing maize from farmers countrywide.

Local publishers welcome the zero rating of books

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A local book publisher says local book publishers have the capacity to supply books to the nation without the aid of imported books.

SOBI Managing Director Gheewala Ismail says government should hence be commended for zero rating taxation on all books.

Mr. Ismail told ZANIS in an interview that the move would protect the local publishers by restricting the entry of imported books into the country.

He said this would help the local publishers make more money from their sales, adding that the public will also benefit from the rich locally produced literature.

Mr. Ismail explained that with the zero taxation on all books, customers would buy the products at a lower price as compared to the previous years.

He observed that book publishers were not getting expected profit before government introduced the zero taxation on books.

Mr. Ismail further added that publishers have since expanded their sales capacity in the last few months.

He has since called upon the public to take advantage of the initiative and buy locally manufactured books.

Govt Acknowledges Corruption in its Public Procurement System

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Government says it acknowledges high level of corruption in its public procurement systems.

Choma District Commissioner Mongoni Simulilika says expenditure on public procurements makes the process vulnerable to corrupt practices.

Mr Simulilika says the vulnerability of public officers to the vice is on suppliers of goods, public services and works.

He says corrupt practices affect public officers who carry out the procurement function on the other.

He said because the large amounts of money used in the process, officers entrusted on procurement of goods and services, are vulnerable to corrupt practices.

Mr Simulilika was speaking in Choma, Tuesday, when he opened a managerial accountability workshop for the Ministry of Education procurement staff and District Education Board Secretaries ( DEBS )from all districts in the province at Riverside Lodge.

He said it is a well known fact that government spends a lot of money in the procurement of goods, services and works annually and that the amounts spent are in trillions of Kwacha.

He said the people of Zambia expected quality services from public institutions like the education ministry as it has received a lion’s share of financial resources from government.

Mr Simulilika commended the Anti Corruption Commission ( ACC ) for conducting the workshop for the ministry to help address corruption in public sector procurement.

The DC said this will enhance the quality of goods, services and works which public officers are required to provide to the people.

He urge the workshop participants to fully take advantage of the workshop and discover points which are weak and open to exploitation for corrupt ends by public officers.

Mr Simulilika noted that prevention of corruption is less costly thatn dealing with deep rooted corruption, urging ACC to extend the workshop to all government ministries and departments.

Speaking earlier, ACC director for prevention and community education Kayobo Ng’andu said it is only through proper utilization of government resources that education quality can be enhanced.

Find yourself and be yourself

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Dear Jelita

Its been quite a long while since I heard from you. I’m much happier now and feel more settled here in Chicago.

As you know when I first came here I was so sad and felt terribly out of place. I tried to act happy and even copied the American accent so I’ld sound like a black American! I sounded so phony! Then one day a chance remark uttered by my mother in law transformed my life. She was talking one day of how she brought up her children and she said ” No matter what happened, I always insisted on their being themselves.”
Something lit up in my brain. Of course, I needed to be myself. Theres never been a Womba like me through out history nor will there be for ages to come. Why should I try to be a 2nd rate American when I can be a first class Zambian, with my beautiful Zambian accent.
I’m so happy. Instead of playing basketball with my husbands family last weekend I taught them netball.We had so much fun and laughter like never before. Laughing with them for the first time made me feel a part of them. I sing my Lunda and Bemba gospel songs proudly and I’ve stopped trying to sound like Yolanda Adams!
I end with a poem I saw in my mother in laws kitchen.

If you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a scrub in the valley- but be the best little scrub by the side of the hill
Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.

If you can’t be a bush,be a bit of the grass
and some highway happier make;

We can’t all be captains, we’ve got to be the crew,
there’s something for all of us here.
Theres big work to do and there’s lesser to do
And the task we must do is the near.

If you can’t be a highway,then just be a trail,
if you can’t be the sun ,be a star

It isn’t by size that you win or fail
Be the best of whatever you are!

love Womba

Zimbabwe Holds Its Breath Over Election Results

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Delays in releasing results of Zimbabwe’s harmonized elections, held on Saturday the
29th of March, are causing speculation and tension, analysts fear.

The announcement on Sunday night that the results would be declared from 06:00 on Monday, came amidst mounting fears that the delay signaled further efforts to rig the polls.

Previous ballots have seen results issued within hours of voting.
In an announcement on state television, ZEC Chairman George Chiweshe said there was nothing
untoward about unveiling the results on Monday.

He defended the delay, noting that, “In other countries, it takes longer than that, at times
up to one week.”

The excuses are, however, being dismissed by opposition members and activists who say some rigging is going on somewhere and they delay the announcement as to perfect it, Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly said.
zanis

Building a new road is a waste of money – Mubika

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Sinjembele Member of Parliament Mubika Mubika has objected to the proposal by the Road Development Agency (RDA) to construct a new road from Senanga to Shangombo.

Mr. Mubika says the new road would be an expensive venture compared to rehabilitating the existing roads.

He pointed out that the venture would entail the construction of two bridges on the Zambezi River and importation of new earth moving machines.

Mr. Mubika explained that the new road is an 80 km stretch while the established road is much shorter.

The lawmaker noted that the proposed new road would disadvantage the welfare of the people in his constituency as transport costs to ferry their goods would be doubled thereby retarding development in the area.

Mr. Mubika , who is also Communications and Transport Deputy Minister said government is in a hurry to accelerate development hence the proposal by the RDA is misplaced.

He said the old Senanga to Shangombo road has enhanced the quick delivery of goods and services and advised the RDA to concentrate on maintaining the same road as opposed to unnecessary capital projects.

The Senanga/Shangombo road connects Sioma, Kalongola, Nagweshi and sub-boma with well established government infrastructures.

The RDA is reported to have approved the construction of the new road to be funded by the Danish government.

Meanwhile, the Mboyiwa feeder road has been washed away by floods experienced in Shangombo district.

Sinjembele Member of Parliament Mubika Mubika confirmed the development to ZANIS in an interview.

Mr. Mubika said culverts have been swept away and the people now using banana boats to ferry their goods across to the other side of the road.

Executive does not Interfere with the Judiciary – Levy

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President Levy Mwanawasa had refuted accusations that the executive was interfering with the operations of the judiciary.

President Mwanawasa said the executive did not comprise judges to pervert justice.

Dr. Mwanawasa said he has never together with his predecessor Dr. Fredrick Chiluba interfered in the operations of the judiciary which has been given autonomy.

President Mwanawasa said Judges both for the Supreme and High court, with the exception of the Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Dr. Mwanawasa said he had no say in what the JSC, which is chaired by the Chief Justice Ernest Sakala, does.

He said the JSC recommends and appoints candidates after it has approved the names that they are submitted to the Chief Justice who later submits the recommended names to the president.

The President said he only appoints names submitted to parliament for ratification of the candidates based on recommendations from the commission.

“The Chief Justice can tell you that at no time have I rejected any appointment by the commission, “he said.

He said candidates are subjected to thorough scrutiny from various organisations that include Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) and the Office of the President in case such a person has ‘cob webs’.

For Subordinate court justices, the president said they are appointed by the commission without names being submitted for his approval.

He added that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) enjoys autonomy together with the state advocates to decide on action to be taken on any case.

He said there are times when he feels that trial should commence on case but was handicap hence cannot interfere.

“ When I was practicing law, I would not handle a case for more than one year, but we have lawyers who handles cases for close to 7 years.

President Mwanawasa reiterated that his government believes in the separation of powers in the operations of the executive, parliament and judiciary.

He said his government would have been dictatorial if whatever cabinet agrees on was law.

“There are times when we had to present and withdraw the bill because we have thought other people were not involved in the process,” he added.

He stated problems of the judiciary are handled by the Chief Justice who also advises government on areas that needs to be addressed to improve the operations of the judiciary.

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