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FRA to buy less maize this season

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The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will buy as much maize as it bought last farming season.

FRA said this is on account that there has been a reduction in funds given to the agency in this year's national budget.

The agency bought 400,000 metric tonnes of maize last farming season and is expected to buy 50,000 metric tones this season.

FRA Executive Director, Anthony Mwanaumo said buying points will also be reduced from last year's 700 to less than 100 this year.

Dr. Mwanaumo said the reduction in funds allocated to his organisation this year has presented a big challenge to the agency.

He was speaking when he opened an FRA annual planning meeting in Chisamba - Monday.

And Mr. Mwanaumo said most of the farmers have been paid for the maize they supplied to the agency.

[ZNBC]

Sinazongwe people intensify calls for relief food

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Malima People in Sinazongwe district has appealed to government to airlift relief food to the affected disaster areas that were still inaccessible to save them from the alarming hunger situation prevailing in the area.
Malima Area Development Committee (ADCs) Chairperson Judith Mubbonu said in a letter made available to ZANIS that 95 percent of families were in danger of severe hunger and malnutrition.

Ms. Mubbonu said floods destroyed 10 bridges in the Malima making the area to be inaccessible by road.

She said transporters of food stuffs from urban areas to Malima and Chiyabi were failing to deliver it prompting few people that were using ox-carts to sale a 25 kg roller mealie-meal bag at K40, 000.

“This situation is so alarming to Malima people because they are unable to buy the basic commodities we will surely die of hunger here,” Ms. Mubbone said.
The
The Malima ward Councilor Fisher Zimana said people were now feeding on world fruits.
He said the situation has resulted in children failing to go to School because they have no food at their homes.
Mr. Zimana said most people were moving about to look for piece work to enable them to buy food.
Last week Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC) Lavain Apuleni said despite Sinazongwe district being the first to be hit with floods the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unite (DMMU) under the office of the vice president has not yet sent the relief food.
Since the floods started the district has only received 300 bags of 25 kg mealie-meal and 175 blankets from the Anglican Church in Lusaka.
However, Zambia Air Force (ZAF) with officials from the DMMU has set up a base at Choma Airstrip for the relief exercise.
Choma District Commissioner, Mungoni Simulilika who flagged off the exercise on Saturday, said about 700 x 25 kilogramme bags of mealie meal, food supplements and other relief items would be airlifted from Choma to Namwala and Itezhi-Tezhi districts in an exercise that is expected to last about three days.
[ZANIS]

Sata calls for peacefull poll

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Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata has called for peaceful campaigns in the Kanyama parliamentary by-election set for Thursday.
Mr. Sata has asked PF supporters to ignore those who are inciting violence.
The PF leader said fighting among political parties can culminate into another crises like the Kenyan experience.
Mr. Sata was speaking at a public rally to drum up support for the PF candidate, Gerry Chanda in Lusaka’s Linda township.
And PF vice president, Guy Scott said he is hopeful that the taxation of mining companies will enable the country develop its infrastructure.

[ZNBC]

ex-MPs owe State K500m

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TWELVE members of Parliament (MP) who served between December 2001 and July 2006 owe Government over K500 million in unrecovered loans, advances and un-retired imprest, the latest Auditor-General’s Report has revealed.

The report has also revealed that there were irregularities in accounting for funds released to the Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission (CRC).

The report on accounts for the financial year ending December 31, 2006, indicates that eight MPs who served as ministers still owed the Government K331, 930, 970 through unretired imprest and loans obtained from their respective ministries.

“In an effort to recover the money, the Ministry of Finance and Planning requested the National Assembly to recover the money from the members’ gratuity.

However, the members’ gratuity was not adequate to cover the debts and as of March, 2007, the amounts were still outstanding,” the report reads in part.

The report states that in response, a controlling officer at the National Assembly said, whereas the National Assembly simply made efforts to recover the money, the debt was actually owed to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

The report reveals that K210, 778, 902 owed by four MPs had not been recovered as of March, 2007.

It also revealed that the National Assembly failed to follow tender procedures when installing a digital security system.

The report says in January, 2006, the National Assembly signed a contract for the installation of the system at a contract price of K2.6 billion, but the figure was K110.5 million over and above the contract price of K2.582 billion agreed with the contractor in June 2004.

“It was also observed that although the contract price was above the National Assembly’s threshold, there was no competitive bidding and no authority was obtained from the Zambia National Tender Board,” the report reads further.

Meanwhile, the report has revealed that the Treasury over-funded the CRC by K652.8 million between April 2003 and July 2006.

An examination of financial and other records maintained at CRC secretariat carried out in October 2006 revealed irregular payment of sitting allowances.

The report said in 2003, the CRC wrote to the Zambia National Tender Board (ZNTB) requesting for a waiver on tender procedures to facilitate procurement of goods and services when the commission was mobile but the waiver was not granted.

It says instead the ZNTB instructed that all procurements of up to K15, 000,000 were to be authorised by the Ministerial Tender Committee of the Ministry of Justice.

“Contrary to this directive, the CRC formed two committees of which one was the tender committee comprising four members for approving procurements for the commission and a planning and preparatory committee to approve procurements when the commission was on provincial hearings,” the report indicates.

“It was observed that in this regard amounts totalling K91, 790,000 were irregularly paid as sitting allowances.”

The report says the CRC bought store items valued at K85.862 million without obtaining quotations, contrary to procurement guidelines.

In addition, the CRC bought fixed assets worth K104, 865,408 without following tender procedures.

The report said there were no receipt and disposal details in respect of stores items costing K348, 561,767.

It added that out of K260, 000,000 imprest given to nine provincial permanent secretaries for distribution of the draft constitution, K97, 640,000 had not been retired as of December 2007, contrary to Financial Regulation number 96(1).

[Zambia Daily Mail]

CAF CLUB RESULTS

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2008 CAF AFRICA CHAMP LEAGUE PRELIMINARY RND 1ST LEG

16/02/2008

Kampala

URA 0-Zesco Utd 2

CAF CONFED CUP PRELIMINARY RND 1ST LEG

16/02/2008

Pemba

Chipukizi 0- GBFC 5

Matero Church leaders condemn Kanyama violence

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The Matero Family of Ministers (MFOM) in Lusaka has strongly condemned the violence among political parties in the Kanyama pre-election campaigns.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka today, MFOM Chairman David Banda said unity was the only way to continued peace and security in the country.

He has since appealed to all political leaders to ensure that unity is preserved at all times even as they compete for power.

Yesterday, opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) and the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) clashed during their campaigns for the forthcoming Kanyama by-election.

Bishop Banda, who is also the overseer of the Grace Christian Centre (GCC) in Zambia, has meanwhile appealed political leaders to direct their energies in solving problems in Matero constituency.

He has further called upon various leaders to work closely with the area Member of Parliament Faustina Sinyangwe to bring about meaningful development in the area.

“As Church leaders, we shall continue supporting and closely work with the area MP and the local councilors,” he said.

He said that Matero faces a lot of problems, citing some being poor infrastrucre, poor roads, inadequate health, facilities poor sanitation, lack of drinking water and constant power outages as some of the challenges.

He said that MFOM will remain committed to the development of the nation.

Bishop Banda has also urged area MP to support the proposed mineral tax regime adding that other MPS should to ensure that this is implemented.

He has since called upon investors to corporate with the government on the proposal.

Chieftainess Mwenda warns defilers of castration

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Chieftainess Mwenda of Mazabuka in Southern Province has condemned the defilement of a four- year- old minor and has since called for the immediate arrest of the suspects linked to the sexual assault.

The Chieftainess told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that all men found guilty of sexually abusing minors will be castrated instead of handing them to the Police services.

Chieftainess Mwenda said she will work closely with management of Chikankata hospital to ensure people suspected of defiling minors are immediately castrated to reduce the rising cases of defilement in her chiefdom.

She complained that her Chiefdom has of late been turned into a defilement base because most of the culprits were allegedly left scot free due to the absence of Police officers to man Malabo police post.

The Chieftainess said it is disheartening to see minors being defiled and their lives ruined while culprits enjoyed their freedom.

The royal highness said, she has since gone into a partnership with the Law and Development Association (LADA) to help sensitise her subjects.

Last week, Chikankata Mission Hospital Administrator, Richard Bradbury said the hospital administration is concerned with the increased cases of minors defiled and receiving treatment from the hospital.

Mr Bradbury told ZANIS, his administration has since sought the intervention of the Chieftainess to help reduce a wave of defilement cases.

Chief Sinadambwe wants relief food to be airlifted to chiefdom

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Chief Sinadambwe of Siavonga District in Southern Province has appealed to Government to urgently airlift relief food to his area which has continued to be cut
off from the rest of the district due to the destruction of bridges and flooding of rivers and streams.

The Traditional leader disclosed that people in his area are facing serious food shortages because the mealie meal that was sold in the area has run out and that there are no means of
purchasing the commodity from other places.

The chief explained that people of Sinadambwe are unable to buy mealie meal from Siavonga due to lack of access to the Matinagala –Syanyolo road which connects the chiefdom to Siavonga Township.

In a Statement released to ZANIS in Siavonga today, Chief Sinadambwe said the scenerio has resulted in some of his subjects to only afford a meal in a day while others have gone for days without eating.
The Traditional leader suggested that the only way Government through the Office of the Vice President could salvage the prevailing situation was to airlift food to his chiefdom where vehicles had no access to the road and bridges have been washed away and culverts destroyed.

”Even Government workers based in my area should have access to food from Government because they can’t buy food from anywhere. If Government wants its people to survive then it must use helicopters even though expensive,” the chief said

Sinadambwe is the furthest and remotest chiefdom in Siavonga covering a distance of about 90km West of Siavonga Township.

The Chief observed that access to proper health care have been denied to him and his subjects because officials from the district hospital are unable to deliver drug kits to the area
due to the impassable road.

”The destruction has been too heavy to us. Floods have washed away maize fields which were planted near river banks and those crops that were planted on the surface became yellow because of too much rainfall,” he stated.

Chief Sinadambwe further claimed that had it not been for the flash floods experienced in the area, people in his chiefdom anticipated a bumper harvest this year because they had planted their crops in
good time.

And area ward councillor Willard Chabulabwambe disclosed in an interview that school lessons at Kabuyu community and Sinadambwe Basic School have been hampered due to floods forcing pupils to abandon school.

Mr Chabulabwambe revealed that pupils from selected villages have since stopped attending school lessons at the two learning institutions because they were unable to cross the flooded Lusangazi River and other outlying streams.

He appealed to Government to consider putting up a bridge across Lusangazi river which leads to the chiefdom .

Mr Chabulabwambe who is also Siavonga District Council Chairperson further bemoaned the poor sanitation prevailing in his ward where several pit latrines have collapsed saying a serious water borne was looming in the area.

Clergy cautions students against stigma

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A Clergyman in North western Province has implored students at Mwinilunga Trades Institute to refrain from stigmatising people living with HIV/AIDS.

Speaking when he addressed students, Bishop Matabishi said most of the people living with HIV/AIDS have died early due to stigmatisation.

He stressed that people with HIV/AIDS would have lived longer if enough love and support were given to them by the communities they live in.

Bishop Matabishi said stigma should be discouraged at all levels of society because of the negative effects on the people living with the pandemic.

“A lot of people living with HIV/AIDS have died early due to stigmatising from there work place or institution of learning” he said.

He noted that their health will be prolonged once society resolves to treat them with dignity and respect instead of stigmatising them.

Bishop Matabishi urged students at Mwinilunga Trades Institute to champion the cause of speaking against stigmatisation.

He said the fight against HIV/AIDS is a collective responsibility hence the need for students and youths at large to condemn the vice.

And Bishop Matabsihi has called on students at Mwinilunga Trades Institute to desist from engaging in promiscuous activities.

The clergyman cautioned the students to exhibit upright lives and uphold the teachings of the Christian faith.

Floods to affect Zambia’s economic growth-Govt

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Government says floods that have hit the country will affect the country’s economic growth.

Ministry of Finance and National Planning Permanent Secretary in charge of Planning and Economic
Development Division James Mulungushi said the agricultural sector will particularly suffer as a
result of floods.

ZANIS reports that Dr Mulungushi who was accompanied by Southern Province Permanent Secretary Darius Hakayobe was speaking in Kazungula yesterday when he made an on the spot check on the more than 600 displaced Kasaya families.

He said help from Government to the affected families would continue until they find their
own feet.

Dr Mulungushi commended the provincial leadership in Southern Province for acting swiftly to save the affected families.

He further cautioned officers involved in the distribution of relief food to the affected families
to guard against corruption and ensure that relief food reached the intended families.

Dr Mulungushi also donated K250,000 to Kazungula District Commissioner Fred Siansuntwe on behalf of affected families to buy books for 146 displaced school going children.

And Kazungula District Commissioner Fred Siansuntwe appealed to Government to supply more relief food to the area.

Meanwhile, Government has started airlifting relief food to flood victims of Namwala and Itezhi Tezhi districts in Southern Province.

The operation is being undertaken by the Zambia Air Force jointly with officials from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) who have set temporal base at the Choma airstrip for the relief exercise.

Choma District Commissioner Mungoni Simulilika who yesterday flagged off the exercise said about 700 by 25 kilogramme bags of mealie, food supplements and other relief items will be airlifted from Choma to Namwala and Tezhi Tezhi districts in an exercise that is expected to last about three days.

The Zambia Air Force is using a fixed wing cargo plane to transport the relief food to Namwala where it was again being offloaded and dispatched by helicopters to earmarked areas.

Mr Simulilika told ZANIS at the Choma air strip that the humanitarian assistance was testimony of Government’s commitment to alleviating the suffering of flood victims.

The DC said the relief items from the office of the Vice President intended for flood victims in the two districts which have been severely hit by floods are currently stored at the Food Reserve Agency sheds in Choma.

The Choma-Namwala road has become almost impassable still getting stuck in the mud.

The 190- kilometre journey which used to take three hours is now lasting about seven hours of driving due to the bad road.

This has triggered skyrocketing of prices of mealie meal and other basic commodities sourced from Choma.

Govt to strengthen monitoring of projects

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Government says it will this year strengthen monitoring measures to ensure that various projects being undertaken in the country are not abandoned by contractors.

Ministry of Finance and National Planning Permanent Secretary in charge of Planning and Economic
Development Division James Mulungushi said there is need for Government to strictly monitor projects wherever they are being undertaken in the country.

Dr Mulungushi said this in Kazungula today when he made an on the spot check on the progress made in the construction of Kazungula Boarding High School, the first ever high school in the district.

He said Government was in a hurry to ensure that economical growth that is being achieved in the
country trickles down to lower levels.

Dr Mulungushi said the only way poverty would be reduced in the country is to ensure that people in
rural areas have access to good health, education and agriculture.

He said the country can only achieve economic development if it had an educated population.

Dr Mulungushi said education was one of the key sectors in the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) adding that Government was interested in seeing people progress in their education.

He said it would be difficult for uneducated people to move the country forward economically.

And Southern Province Permanent Secretary Darius Hakayobe said the provincial administration had put a committee in place to ensure that all projects in the province were monitored every three months.

Mr Hakayobe said the committee has been put in place to ensure that money is not misappropriated.

He also complained that contractors were being funded directly from the Ministry of Education without involving the local people.

Mr Hakayobe also called on the contractors to employ more local people instead of bringing workforce from Lusaka.

Speaking earlier, Zambia China Construction Company (ZAMCHIN) foreman Edwin Zimba said the first phase of the construction of Kazungula boarding high school commenced in September last year.

Mr Tembo said the project involves the construction of 3 by one by two classroom blocks, four teachers houses, girls dormitories and the administration block.

He said 30 workers have so far been employed on site the majority of them being from Lusaka while the locals had rejected the wage rates which range between K5,000 to K13,000 per day.

Govt releases over K45bn for Great East Road Rehab

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Government has released over K45 billion for rehabilitation works on the Great East Road in Eastern Province.

And Government has warned Controlling Officers who award contracts to contractors that perform shoddy works that they risked being prosecuted.

Eastern Province Minister Charles Shawa disclosed to ZANIS in an interview in Chipata today, that K30.2 billion has been released for the Chipata-Mwami road while K15.5 billion will go towards the Nyimba-Sinda stretch on the Great East Road.

Mr. Shawa said major rehabilitation works on the two roads have since commenced and that the projects were expected to be completed by June this year.

He also disclosed that Government has awarded a contract to Sable Construction Company to carry out works on the two roads.

Mr. Shawa further revealed that works on the Chipata-Lundazi road would commence in September this year and would be completed next year.

He said Government was prompted to release the funds in order to ease the transportation of agricultural produce and other products to other parts of the country.

The Provincial Minister noted that there is need for permanent rehabilitation on major roads in the province to enhance development.

“We need to ensure that these roads have permanent surfaces so that we do not spend monies on rehabilitating them annually, mere patching has been costly,” he said.

Mr. Shawa added that rehabilitation works on the Chipata-Mfuwe road would begin in December this year and be completed next year.

And Mr. Shawa has warned Controlling Officers who award contracts to companies that perform shoddy works that they will face the consequences.

He described the trend as dishonest and a deterrent to the country’s development.

Mr. Shawa stated that Government will not take kindly to erring Controlling Officers frustrating its developmental efforts.

He further warned contractors abrogating their contractual obligations that they will have their operating licences revoked and be liable for prosecution.

Meanwhile, the provincial minister has expressed happiness at the rate at which the Chipata/Muchinji Railway line is progressing.

He expressed confidence that the project would be completed by April this year, according to schedule.

Mr. Shawa said the K10 billion that was released by Government recently would facilitate the quick completion of the project.

Zesco labeled ‘incompetent’ in Kalomo

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Residents of Bwacha compound in Kalomo have accused zesco in the area of being incompetent in their operations.

The residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimization, told ZANIS in Kalomo yesterday that the power utility company has failed to electrify their compound despite assurances from the management.

The residents said it was unfortunate that zesco has failed to honour its promises after it advised the residents to apply for the service in September last year.

A check by ZANIS yesterday revealed that most houses in Bwacha had solar panels mounted on the roofs as the only means for power generation.

And Bwacha compound chairperson, Emmarson Munkombwe, said Zesco advised the residents to apply for power in September last year and over 200 people applied, but up to date nothing tangible has been done by the company despite the residents having paid for the service charges.

Mr. Munkombwe said Zesco’s reluctance in electrifying the compound was a sign that it is not ready to do the electrification exercise as earlier promised, and wondered why the process has taken long when the compound is near the zesco pylon system connection.

Efforts to get a comment from the local Zesco branch proved futile by press time.

Fifa inspector gives Independence stadium a go ahead

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A visiting FIFA inspector has given the go ahead to contructors at Lusaka’s independence stadium to lay the artificial turf.

Marcus Keller said he is happy with the work done on the 43 year old stadium.

Keller however advised that the turf should not be put when the surface is in wet condition.

He told ZNBC Sports after inspecting independence stadium that the date to start laying the turf will be known when he meets FAZ officials.

Edelgrass from Holland has been contracted to spread the artificial grass.

Keller is a Swiss born specialist based in Lyon, France and has helped many other African countries including Ghana to lay artificial turf.

He leaves for Swaziland for another inspection and is expected back in Zambia in a month.

FTJ has a Case to Answer, Trial Date Set

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Former Republican President, Frederick Chiluba has this afternoon been found with a case to answer. This is in a case in which he is accused of stealing public funds amounting to $488,000.He faces a minimum of five years in jail if found guilty.

The Lusaka Magistrate Court has consequently asked Dr. Chiluba and his co accused, to defend themselves. Magistrate Jones Chinyama set the trial date for May 5. Chiluba denies any wrongdoing.

The former president is accused along with former Access Financial Services Chief Executive Officer, Faustine Kabwe and Managing Director, Aaron Chungu.

They all face 12 counts of theft.

Dr. Chiluba and his co-accused are expected to start their defence at the next court hearing scheduled for May.

Principle Resident Magistrate, Jones Chinyama was satisfied that the prosecution has proved its case against Dr. Chiluba and his co accused beyond reasonable doubt.

Mr. Chinyama further said ledgers and other accounting documents admitted as evidence by the prosecution are conclusive and can not be easily dismissed.

The entire case revolves around funds paid to Dr. Chiluba’s children, which were trasmitted from the Zambia Security Intelligence Service account at the ZANACO Bank London branch called the Zambia Transregional Operations Account (ZAMTROP).

According to evidence produced by the prosecution team, funds were diverted from the $9.6 million meant to pay two United States firms Wilban Incorporated and Systems Innovations for upgrading security installations at several strategic government departments.

Mr. Chinyama said in his ruling delivered that Part of the funds were also used to buy houses in Lusaka’s Roma and Kabulonga residential areas for two Lusaka Lawyers, Eric Silwamba and Vincent as renumeration for defending Dr. Chiluba in the 1996 presidential petition.

Mr. Chinyama said his findings are not withstanding Dr. Chiluba’s assertions that funds paid to his children from the ZAMTROOP account were from private sources and had co mingled with the government funds in the ZAMTROP account.

But Chiluba has said some of the funds were his own money, given to him by his friends, while the rest was for national duties taken by the intelligence agency.

He is also fighting in court to block authorities from recovering $58 million that last year a London high court ruled he had to repay, with interest, for allegedly stealing while in office.

Zambia lodged the civil case in British courts in the hope of recovering properties allegedly purchased with stolen funds and owned by Chiluba and 19 other defendants in Britain and other European countries.

Chiluba has not been convicted on criminal charges of stealing the funds and he does not recognise the authority of the London court

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