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MMD not Opposed to 50% plus one Threshold, Mulongoti

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Government has dismissed claims that the ruling party MMD, was not in favour of the proposed 50 per cent plus one threshold to win a presidential election.

Chief Government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mr. Mulongoti said the MMD was not scared of the proposed provision of the 50 plus one threshold.

He said, in fact, only the MMD has sufficient national support to score a 50 plus one threshold to win presidential elections in Zambia.

Mr. Mulongoti said Government further advises Zambians to read the situation in other countries where this is applicable as it is dangerous to ignore the political developments in those countries.

He said President Mwanawasa would not derive any personal gain from opposing the proposed threshold as he was serving his last term of office.

Mr. Mulongoti also said complaints by some opposition political parties that it had excluded some stakeholders from attending the National Constitution Conference (NCC) were baseless.

He said government has strove to be all-inclusive in constituting the composition of the NCC and therefore insinuations that some key stakeholder have been left out were unjustified.

He said those who chose not to be on the NCC, such as the three church mother bodies and the Non-governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC), have only themselves to blame.

Opposition Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata is quoted to have recently said that it would not do for Zambians to have a constitution without addressing the issue of majority vote for a presidential candidate.

And United Party for National Development (UPND) vice president Richard Kapita is alleged to have stated that President Mwanawasa was instilling fear in the MMD members sitting on the NCC.

Mr. Kapita is said to have alleged that it would be difficult for the conference to come up with a formidable constitution because of the same threats.

Young Arrows Open Five Point Lead

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Young Arrows opened up a 5 point lead at the summit of the FAZ Premier League table today after a 1-0 win over Zanaco at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka.
Although Young Arrows dominated Zanaco throughout, it wasn’t a pretty game and the leaders showed little to suggest they were the real thing despite securing their 4th win over the season and maintain their 1000 per cent record since the season started.
Striker Judge Mkandawire secured Young Arrows 3 points from the spot in the 48th min after Zanaco defender Michael Bwalya handled the ball in the area.

Young Arrows are on 13 points, five ahead of 2nd placed Zesco United whose away game at Kabwe Warriors this afternoon ended in deadlock.

Zesco moved to 2nd after a scoreless draw away at 4th placed Warriors with both teams on 8 points.

Fodson Kabole future at Power is in doubt after Power Dynamos lost their 4th game of the season after going down 3-0 at Arthur Davies to Green Buffaloes.

Brian Chilando scored one in the 66th after Reuben Tembo shipped in a brace with goals in the 2nd and 28th minutes to hand Buffaloes their first league win after three successive defeats.

Buffaloes moved from 14th to 10th on 6 points after today’s win while Power is just above them in 9th position.

Malaria deserves more attention – Maureen

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First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa says Malaria should be given the same attention as HIV and AIDS.

Mrs. Mwanawasa says Malaria like HIV and AIDS requires the concerted efforts of all stakeholders.

Speaking when she unveiled the Billboard on Malaria and HIV and flagging off of the “Race against malaria in commemoration of the World Malaria Day, Mrs. Mwanawasa said people have taken Malaria for granted.

Mrs. Mwanawasa said the prevalence of Malaria has increased the Mother-to-child transmission of HIV and AIDS.

And speaking at the same function, Lusaka Province Minister Lameck Mangani said government will not rest until malaria is completely eradicated in the country.

He observed that Malaria has since reduced because of interventions that the Ministry of Health through National Malaria Control Centre (NMCC) has put in place.

Meanwhile, Special World Health Organisation (WHO) envoy on Malaria Princess Astrid of Belgium has arrived in Zambia.

The Princes on arrival called on Africa to continue investing in awareness programmes on Malaria.

She said there is need to combat Malaria, which is claiming millions of lives in Africa.

Princess Astrid of Belgium was speaking shortly after arriving at Livingstone Airport.

The princess is accompanied by Africa’s Ambassor on Malaria, Yvonne Chaka Chaka of South Africa.

Chaka Chaka said Africa needs to step up the efforts to eradicate Malaria.

The two were received by Southern Province Permanent Secretary, Darius Hakayobe, Livingstone Mayor, Grace Shafik and other senior Government officials.

Roll Back Malaria Executive Director, Awa Marie Coll-Seck said it is important to eradicate malaria as it accounts of 90 percent of the deaths in Africa.

Measles breaks out in Kitwe; 41 cases recorded

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Measles has broken out in Kitwe district of Copperbelt province and 41 cases have already been recorded.

Kitwe District Director of Health, Chikafuna Banda confirmed the outbreak of the disease today and named the most affected areas as Mulenga and Malembeka compounds.

Dr. Banda told the district development coordinating committee meeting in Kitwe today that ministry of Health officials were already on the ground immunizing the affected children.

Dr Banda said the disease has broken out in the district because some people shunned the national measles immunization exercise.

He also blamed the outbreak on some church organisations that were discouraging their members from having their children vaccinated against measles because of their religious beliefs.

He expressed great concern at the poor state of the communal toilets in Wusakili township, which he said were posing a health hazard to the residents.

He said the water in the township was highly contaminated because the water pipes were close to the communal toilets.

And Kitwe District Commissioner Macdonald Mtine said the toilets in this township were pathetic and unhygienic.

Mr. Mtine has since urged council and health workers to ensure that the toilets were disinfected through fumigation and chlorination.

Meanwhile, Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Jennifer Musonda has urged District Commissioners in the province to mobilise and encourage people in the communities to take their children to health centres for vaccinations against various diseases.

ZANIS reports that Mrs. Musonda said government had provided immunisation antigens to clinics and hospitals.

She however said the province had failed to reach the 80% coverage target.

Mrs. Musonda said this in a speech read on her behalf by Assistant Secretary, Elli Mulemwa, during the official opening of the Provincial Epidemic Preparedness Meeting at Savoy Hotel yesterday.

“Government has provided all kinds of immunisation antigens to our hospitals and clinics, we have unfortunately failed to reach 80% coverage,” she said.

She explained that the 80% target was meant to fully protect children from childhood diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, hepatitis B and others.

Mrs. Musonda said it was the duty of leaders in the province to mobilise people in their communities to take their children to health centres for immunisation.

The Permanent Secretary further appealed to district commissioners and Town Clerks to step up sensitisation campaigns on the need for every household in the province to be sprayed against mosquitoes.

Mrs. Musonda, who said that government’s vision was to ensure that malaria was eradicated in the communities, warned that government would not tolerate poor cooperation exhibited by some households who refuse to permit spraying of their houses against mosquitoes.

She stressed that there was need for the sensitisation exercise to start so that people were psychologically prepared for the exercise.

Govt. releases K1bn for infrastructure development in Chongwe

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Government has released K1 billion for the construction of infrastructure in the health, education and local government, works and supply and housing sectors in Chongwe district.

Chongwe District Commissioner Conrad Tembo disclosed this in Chongwe today when the Publicity Sub-Committee of the Lusaka Province Development and Co-coordinating Committee (PDCC) led by Lusaka Province Information Officer Eness Likwabila, paid a courtesy call on him at his Office.

Mr. Tembo commended government for releasing the funds which are aimed at developing the district.

He expressed happiness that the funds are being utilised fully and for the purpose it was budgeted for in this year’s budget.

Mr. Tembo said Chongwe district was facing serious shortage of staff accommodation, dilapidated roads, and shortage of classrooms among other challenges.

He ordered controlling officers to effectively supervise the construction works being undertaken in their respective departments saying failure to implement government projects was a serious offence.

He regretted that some departments delayed in accessing their budgetary allocation until funds were on the verge of being remitted to the national treasury.

Mr. Tembo was however was quick to point out that such a thing would not happen this year.

The Publicity Sub-Committee inspected staff houses at Chongwe clinic, Chongwe district council fire station, rehabilitated the Kanakatapa/Chongwe road, feeder roads and classrooms and teachers’ staff houses that are under construction at Chongwe Basic School among other capital projects.

Mrs. Likwabila was accompanied to Chongwe by Publicity Sub-Committee of the Lusaka Province Development and Co-ordinating Committee Secretary Lorraine Lupupa, Chongwe District Planning Officer Carol Chiyangi and other education and health officials.

And speaking earlier, Lusaka Province Publicity Sub-Committee of the Provincial Development and Co-ordinating Committee Chairperson Eness Likwabila said the committee’s visit was to monitor developmental projects embarked by government.

Mealie Meal shortage on the C/Belt due to smuggling-MMD

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MMD Youths on the Copperbelt have maintained that the shortage of mealie meal on the Copperbelt was being caused by smuggling of the commodity outside the country.

Copperbelt MMD provincial youth chairman Nicolas Nzunda says load shedding by ZESCO cannot affect the production of mealie meal in milling companies on the Copperbelt.

Mr Nzunda told ZANIS in Kitwe today that there was overwhelming evidence that unscrupulous businessmen were smuggling mealie meal to a neighbouring country hence the shortage.

Mr Nzunda was reacting to Millers Association of Zambia, MAZ, Vice President Peter Cottan who is reported to have attributed the shortage of mealie meal on the Copperbelt to Zesco power outages millers were experiencing.

The provincial MMD youth chairman also accused some millers in the province of hoarding the commodity in anticipation for an increase in the price of the staple food, a charge MAZ vice president Peter Cottan dismissed yesterday.

YWCA dismisses calls to legalise commercial sex

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The Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) has dismissed calls by a gender activist in Eastern province that commercial sex should be legalised.

YWCA Copperbelt Regional Coordinator Jurita Mutale says legalising commercial sex would fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.

She said in Kitwe today that Zambia as a christian nation cannot legalise prostitution.

Mrs Mutale was reacting to a statement attributed to a gender activist based in Eastern province Ms Emelda Banda who said legalising commercial sex would empower sex workers to negotiate for safer sex and help slow down the spread of HIV.

Mrs Mutale added that it was disheartening to see young girls, some below 16 years, turning to sex work a situation which ngo’s and government were fighting hard to control.

She strongly urged the law enforcement agencies to continue arresting commercial sex workers as it would deter them from actively being involved in the illegal trade.

Mbula lures South African investors

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Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Leslie Mbula has challenged the South African business community to take advantage of Zambia’s conducive environment and invest in the country.

Mr. Mbula said the recent creation of the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) was testimony that the Zambian government attached great importance to the issue of foreign investment, especially where foreign investors partnered with Zambians to develop the country.

He was speaking when he addressed a Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce (CRCC) business forum at Cape Chamber Conference Hall in Cape Town under the theme ‘Business and Investment Opportunities in Zambia’.

Mr. Mbula said that as part of its effort to lure investors, the Zambian government had put in place many incentives in the various sectors of the economy notably agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing and energy.

“Your investment in Zambia will be protected by Law. We are looking forward to a situation where South African investors will partner with Zambians for the benefit of the two friendly countries,” Mr Mbula noted.

And speaking at the same function, Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce President, Dr Gerald Wolman said his organisation had a lot of confidence in the Zambian economy.

Mr Wolman said the fact that Zambia had managed to bring down the exchange rate to about K3, 500 to a US Dollar and reduce inflation rate to a single digit was a testimony to the fact that the government was determined to strengthen its economy.

Dr Wolman has since urged other countries in the SADC region to learn from Zambia’s experience.

Meanwhile, Mr Mbula has appealed to financial institutions and other stakeholders in Zambia to help retirees’ access funds to enable them engage in serious agriculture so that they do not become destitutes after retirement.

Speaking when a nine member Zambian delegation paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Pretoria, Mr Mbula said there were many retirees’ he knew who had acquired pieces of land in various parts of the country who were just dozing at their houses because they did not have any source of income to develop the land.

He said such retirees included former senior civil servants, military officers an parastatal executives who had been able to manage human resource with distinction during their working lives.

The delegation consisted senior personnel from the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), Madison Investment Company Limited, the Netherlands Embassy and Zambia Chamber of Small and Medium Business Association (ZCMBA).

This is contained in a statement released to ZANIS by Second Secretary for Press Philip Chirwa at the Zambian Embassy in South Africa.

Buy Zambia Campaign should be driven by quality

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Government has challenged manufacturers and producers of goods and services to strive to produce high quality goods and services if the ‘Buy Zambia Campaign’ is to succeed.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Acting Permanent Secretary Siazongo Siakalenge says the campaign can only succeed if complemented by the production of high quality goods.

Mr. Siakalenge was speaking in Lusaka today at the sensitization workshop of the dairy sector.

He said government is concerned about the inability for goods produced locally to compete favorably abroad.

Mr. Siakalenge said goods produced within the country should compete with goods imported from outside Zambia both in terms of pricing, quality and delivery time.

He said there is need for the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and other stakeholders to change the negative perception people have about goods produced in Zambia.

Mr. Siakalenge said locally produced goods should be able to penetrate the international market if high quality is emphasized.

He said it is in this regard that government continues to promote production of quality goods.

Mpulungu council to open public internet cafe

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Mpulungu district council would soon open an internet cafe to offer internet services to the residents in the district.

District planning officer Jonathan Simbeya confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS.

Mr. Simbeya said the council has applied to coppernet solutions of Lusaka to install a satellite dish in a programme that would provide internet services to council staff and the public.

He said installation works on the programme would start in the next two weeks, adding that three computers have so far been acquired for the internet services.

He said the internet service shall be the first of its kind to open to the public in Mpulungu.

He said once fully installed, the members of the public would freely to surf the internet and send e-mail messages.

Mr. Simbeya said the internet service programme was made possible with the Joster Kommune, of Norway.

He said this would ease communication in the district which has faced a lot of communication problems in the past.

Mpulungu district council has partnered with Joster Kommune district of Norway and the two have pledged to assist each other in various fields such as culture, information technology and governance among other areas.

NCC resumes sitting, members urged to work hard

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The National Constitutional Conference (NCC) has resumed sitting in Lusaka today with its chairperson, Chifumu Banda, calling on all members to fully apply themselves during deliberations of this session because they had a ‘heavy’ programme of activities.

And the NCC delegates today observed a minute of silence in honour of three deceased members who died between January 11th and April 21st this year when the conference was on recess.

Mr. Banda informed NCC members that they had all been placed in various committees of the conference that would deliberate specific tasks assigned to them.

He said members have been placed into their committees according to their preferences.

“I must hasten to add that all committees are important and that we should apply ourselves to the tasks before us. Needless to stress that the people are looking forward to us to carryout our functions and duties with necessary speed,” he said.

He also announced that during the recess, executive members and the secretariat of the NCC undertook tours to selected provinces to sensitise members of the general public on the work of the constitution conference.

Mr. Banda said the tours revealed that there was a serious lack of knowledge and information about the NCC by the members of the public.

He has therefore urged members of the NCC to work hard and share their knowledge about the NCC with the organisations, groups and the constituencies they represent.

“These tours, to a large extent revealed a dearth of knowledge and information about the National Constitutional Conference (NCC),” he said.

The NCC chairperson also appealed to the members to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations set to guide the deliberations of the conference.

Meanwhile, the NCC observed a minute of silence for Mr. Sylvester Tembo, Dr. Chosani Njobvu and Dr. Cornelius Matandiko who died on February 26th, March 19th and April 2nd respectively when the conference was on recess.

The conference adjourned on January 11th 2008.

Mr. Tembo was representing the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Dr. Njobvu was Milanzi Member of Parliament in Eastern province while Dr. Matandiko was representing the Seventh Day Adventist Church in NCC.

Mr. Banda also welcomed 12 new members to the NCC and asked them to work hard towards coming up with a constitution that would stand the test of time.

The NCC has been tasked to debate the draft constitution which was prepared by the Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission, render a report and then adopt the final constitution.

The adopted constitution would then be submitted to parliament for enactment.

The NCC would sit up to May 14th during which period the committees would be approved, with chairpersons and their deputies elected and general orientation of the members carried out.

Other activities during the sitting would be orientation of the committee chairpersons and vice chairpersons.

“After these activities, we are proposing to adjourn the conference so that we give chance to the committees to commence their detailed work to consider matters before them,” he said.

DEC officers nabbed for soliciting a bribe

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Two Drug Enforcement Officers on the Copperbelt have been arrested for corrupt activities.

The duo has been nabbed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for corrupt activities involving K10 million.

ACC Public Relations Manager Chiko Halwiindi confirmed the development to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Ms Halwiindi named the duo as Nawa Mabenga and Kelvin Nyumbu who both work in the money laundering unit of the DEC in Kitwe.

She said the two are alleged to have solicited for K10 million from a named staff officer at Mopani Copper Mines as an inducement for the two officers not to arrest the named staff officer for an alleged offence of money laundering.

Ms Halwiindi said Nawa has been charged with one count of corrupt practices by public officer contrary to section 29 (1) and 41 of the ACC Act number 42 of 1996.

He has since been remanded in police custody.

She said his co-accused Kelvin is still being interviewed adding that he is likely to be charged with the same offence.

The duo would appear in court soon.

Are Young Arrows The Real Deal?

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Faz Premier League leaders Young Arrows staying power at the top of the table will be tested further on Wednesday when they host Zanaco in their delayed Week 2 match at Nkoloma Stadium.

This match has been postponed twice already over the last 30 days.

The first time was on March 21 due to Green Buffaloes Caf Confederations Cup commitments and just last Wednesday, called off in unexplained circumstances.

Young Arrows enjoy a 2 point lead at the top of the table with 10 points from 4 games and will be hoping to stretch that to 13 in secure of a prospective win over Zanaco.

The leaders are also unbeaten from 4 league games going into their midweek match against a Zanaco team still trying to find its rhythm after Power Dynamos humiliated them 5-0 at home in Lusaka.

Young Arrows are also hoping to maintain the momentum at the summit in the month-old league season that has seen the lead change hands four times since campaign kicked off on March 15.

A win over Zanaco will be essential for Young Arrows to help keep the chasing pack at arms-length and in particular Zesco United who could join them on 10 points should the latter win away at Kabwe Warriors on the same date in a delayed Week 4 game.

Zesco’s match is one of three delayed midweek matches with the third being the Power Dynamos-Green Buffaloes match-up at Arthur Davies in Kitwe-another unplayed fixture from Week 4.

Warriors and Zesco come into this match bruised after losing 3-0 and 1-0 away to Young Arrows and Power respectively last Saturday.

The pressure is on Warriors who need to reassure their fans at home that their emphatic defeat in Lusaka at the hands of Young Arrows was a minor blip on the radar.

Power on the other hand are looking forward to record another win after ending their 2-match losing streak while their ailing guests Buffaloes know they must find a solution for their 3-match run of defeats.

Buffaloes have played 4 league games but have collected just 3 points after suffering as many successive defeats coming into their match away to Power.

The arm side can trace their last win in the league to March 15 away at Konkola Blades whom they beat 2-1 in Chililabombwe.

Faz Premier League Delayed Fixtures

23/04/08

Week 2

Young Arrows-Zanaco

Week 4

Kabwe Warriors-Zesco Utd

Power Dynamos -Green Buffaloes

MMD suspends Chuumbwe

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The MMD has suspended Lusaka Provincial Chairman Geoffrey Chuumbwe for stating that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe should be removed from leadership by force.

The suspension of Mr. chuumbwe was arrived at after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) met today to consider the matter.

Acting National Secretary Geoffrey Kande announced the suspension of Mr. Chuumbwe in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mr. Kaande said the MMD cannot and will not encourage any change of leadership by force in any country.

He said the MMD found the statement attributed to Mr. Chuumbwe to be highly inimical as it would restrain relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Mr. Kaande said the ruling party regrets the irresponsible statement issued by Mr. Chuumbwe.

He said the statement was not sanctioned by the party and was an act of an undisciplined individual.

Mr. Kaande has since said the statement must not be attributed or viewed as an official position of the MMD.

ENDS/VP/AM/ZANIS

Stray bullet hits girl 14

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A 14-year-old girl from Chipata, Eastern Province is battling for her life in the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) after being hit by a stray bullet.

UTH Public Relations Manager, Pauling Mbangweta said Ruth Kamanga who was referred from Chipata district hospital still has a bullet lodged in her neck.

Ms. Mbangweta said doctors are still ascertaining the extent of the neck injuries before they operate on her.

She said Kamanga was in pain and her condition was critical.

Kamanga's guardian Ruth Mtonga said the girl was plaiting her hair around 15:00 hours when a neighbour only indetified as a Mr. Nyondo fired his gun and a the stray bullet hit her.
[ZNBC]

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