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Chief Kanongesha throws weight behind Maureen for presidency

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Senior Chief Kanongesha of the Lunda people in Mwinilunga district in North Western province says he is ready to support the candidature of the First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa if she is adopted as a presidential candidate.

Speaking to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in an interview today Senior Chief Kanongesha said the First Lady has all the qualities to lead the nation.

“I am ready to support the First Lady if she is going to be floated as the presidential candidate because of the qualities she possess,” Chief Kanongesha said.

The traditional ruler noted that the First Lady had proved to the nation that she was capable of leading the nation from the manner she has handled local and international matters.

“She has proved to the nation that she is a capable leader to lead this nation from the manner she has handled International matters pertaining to the welfare of the Zambian people,” he said.

Senior Chief Kanongesha said Mrs Mwanawasa has always put the nation first each time she travels abroad by ensuring that investment is attracted into the country.

“Truly she needs to be given a chance to lead this nation from the qualities and personality that she has displayed,” Senior Chief Kanongesha said.

The traditional leader told ZANIS that Mrs Mwanawasa was not just a First Lady but a leader who has proved herself in the manner she has managed the Maureen Mwanawasa community Initiative.

Meanwhile, senior Chief Kanongesha has called on government to consider looking into the plight of the chief returners countrywide.

Senior Chief Kanongesha said he has made an observation on the condition of the chief returners adding that there is need to improve their welfare and condition of living.

He noted that most of the government workers have their condition of services improved while forgetting the chief returners.

Senior Chief Kanongesha suggested that an office should be created at national level which while address the plight of the chief returners countrywide.

Challenges faced by youths to come to an end, Cifir

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Government has assured youths in the country that all challenges that hinder their progress would soon come to an end through the establishment of the National Youth Framework Policy.

Sport, Youth and Child Development Deputy Minister Angela Chifire says the Policy outlines objectives and strategies intended to guide young people.

The Deputy Minister said this when she officiated at the launch of that Youth Partnership in Development (NPD) in Lusaka today.

Ms. Chifire noted that Zambia’s population comprises of youths representing a 29.5 percent but assured that challenges of unemployment, poverty and HIV/AIDS would be the thing of the past.

She said government cannot swallow all the young people into employment but that the private public partnership is addressing that aspect.

And speaking at the same function, Swedish Charge’d Affairs Ms. Charlotta Norrby reiterated her government’s commitment to supplementing efforts in the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development in terms of providing more recreation activities aimed at empowering the young people in Zambia.

Ms. Norrby further disclosed that Sweden has assisted Zambia in the health, agriculture and energy sectors.

Stakeholders’ expectations on 2008 National Budget

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Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has urged Government to increase funding towards the fight against corruption in this year’s budget.

TIZ President Goodwell Lungu said in an interview with ZANIS today that the Anti Corruption Commission should be adequately funded to effectively fight corruption.

Mr. Lungu said the ACC is an important institution that needs enough resources to implement its programmes and activities to curb corruption at all levels in the country.

Mr. Lungu said last year huge amounts of money were misappropriated and lost through contracts that did not yield the desired results as indicated by the Auditor General’s reports.

He said as Government presents this year’s budget measures should be put in place to ensure that public funds are utilised for the intended purpose to avoid misappropriation and wastage.

And the Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) says Government should provide more funds for infrastructure development this year.

EAZ President Mwilola Imakando said increased funding would help ensure that works on projects are well done and completed on time.

And the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says Government should consider revising income tax for workers.

ZCTU second Vice President Davies Chingoni said tax has always been a burden for the workers hence the need to revise it in this year’s budget.

Mr. Chingoni added that incentives such as housing allowances should be seriously considered as workers have not been receiving their allowances regularly.

Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande is expected to present this year’s national Budget to Parliament this Friday.

Generator: UTH sends SOS

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The University Teaching Hospital (UTH) has sent a passionate appeal to both Government and corporate organisations to assist the institution with generators to cushion the constant power outages that have beset the country.

UTH Public Relations Manager Pauline Mbangweta who made the appeal said nurses are using candles to light the wards in the absence of electricity except for sensitive wards where generators are connected.

In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Ms. Mbangweta identified the sensitive wards as Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the theatre, Neo-natal, the Malnutrition ward as well as the mortuary where electricity automatically switches on, if hydro-electricity by ZESCO abruptly goes off.

She named the general wards which are not connected to a generator and where the medical personnel use candles as paediatrics, maternity, the eye and cancer clinics.

‘’We are appealing for more generators because we do not have enough of generators. We only supply to sensitive wards in case ZESCO disappoints us this is when we use our few generators to supply electricity to sensitive wards while the rest of the general wards our health personnel use candles to light the wards,’’ Ms. Mbangweta narrated.

On Saturday, Zambia was plunged into total darkness due to a disturbance on ZESCO’s major system.

On Sunday, ZESCO Managing Director Rodney Sisala told Journalists at a media briefing that a major system distance occurred on the Zambian high voltage resulting in extensive loss of electricity in the entire country as well as the neighbouring Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Zambia Police ready to deal with possible demos over power failures

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The Zambia Police Service says it is prepared to deal with any possible demonstrations by members of the public over the continued ZESCO power outages the country has been experiencing.

Police Spokesperson Bonny Kapeso told ZANIS in an interview today that Police officers are on alert and taking all necessary measures to ensure that peace is maintained.

He appealed to members of the public to be patient and allow necessary authorities to amicably solve the problem of power failures.

Mr. Kapeso added that resorting to violence would not be in the best interest of public security saying riotous behaviour would compel police officers to react in a way that befits the situation.

And Mr. Kapeso said no arrests were made when Lusaka’s John Laing residents staged a demonstration at ZESCO headquarters this morning to register their anger over continued power failures.

The country has for the past three days been beset with prolonged blackouts raising fears of imminent demonstrations in some parts of the country.

And in Chongwe residents have expressed disappointment at the continued power outage in the district and the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) failure to rectify the problem.

A check by ZANIS in some parts of Chongwe revealed that the district has continued experiencing a power black out and frequent electricity disruptions in the past few days.

Some residents talked to accused ZESCO management of being adamant about their situation.

One of the residents and local business man Albert Simukwaya said the power disruption has resulted in loss of business saying fresh foods like milk and meat products have gone stale.

He said the district has since yesterday experienced a shortage of fresh milk compelling a number of residents to be buying powdered and long life sterilised milk.

Mr. Simukwaya said residents in Chongwe were unable to watch the on going Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations due to the power crisis that has hit the country over the past few days.

He charged that ZESCO should stop giving what he described as cheap and lame explanations but instead quickly rectify the fault.

Mr Simukwaya has since appealed to Government to quickly intervene in the matter before huge business losses are incurred.

In Mazabuka, residents have called for the resignation of ZESCO top management for plunging the country into total darkness for two days.

The residents who stormed ZANIS offices in Mazabuka today charged that the current ZESCO management has proved to the nation that it is incapable of running the company.

Spokesperson for the group, James Zulu told ZANIS that the darkness that plunged the district last night from 19:28 to 01:00 is a threat to national security.

Mr Zulu said the situation at the district hospital and town centre clinic was threatening because operations were completely paralysed.

The residents have also called on government to seriously intervene and protect people’s lives.

In Mufulira, the standby generator at Ronald Ross General Hospital last night malfunctioned and failed to work after supply to the institution was disrupted following a Zesco power outage that lasted for hours.

Mufulira District Commissioner (DC) Dyford Muulwa has disclosed that this put the lives of 6 newly born babies at risk who were at the time of the black out in incubators.

Mr. Muulwa told ZANIS in an interview at his office today that technicians at the hospital worked through the night until they managed to repair the generator.

He said fortunately enough, no lives were lost at the institution despite the hospital not having power.

Electricity to the border area was only restored this morning at around 03:00am.

In Luanshya residents are up in arms against Zambia Electricity Supply Cooperation (ZESCO) over power outages with some residents calling for the resignation of ZESCO managing director Rhodine Sisala.

In a random survey conducted by ZANIS in most of townships in Luanshya, residents expressed sadness with the current situation were electricity supply goes for over 12 hours without any warning.
A resident of roan township, James N’gwandwe said the power outages were too much adding that people have not experienced this before.

N’gwandwe said ZESCO management should be taken to task for alleged incompetence because the situation is getting out of hand.
Joseph Ponde of Mikomfwa complained that the power outage in the area went around 15:00hours and was only restored this morning after 03 00hours.

He said this resulted in missing the MTN Africa cup of nations that started on Sunday in Ghana.
He said this is also becoming a security risk as theives take advantage of the darkness to break in other people’s homes.
And a Kamirenda township resident, Tobias Mwanza said most of the electrical appliances were at risk with the continuous power outages.

Mwanza appealed to ZESCO management to find a lasting solution to the problem immediately.
Luanshya was also affected on Sunday and yesterday’s black outs when most parts of the country plunged into darkness.

Two miners injured in blast

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Two Miners from Mopani Copper Mines Mufulira Division have been seriously injured in an underground blast.
The miners who sustained multiple injuries are admitted to Malcolm Watson Hospital intensive care unit and are still unconcious.

The accident happened when the transformer the duo was working on underground, exploded.
The cause of the explosion is not yet known.

Mufulira District Commissioner, Dyford Muulwa, named the injured as John Banda, 58, of Francis Mukuka compound and Joe Panalo, 40 of Butondo compound.
And Mr. Muulwa said the explosion had nothing to do with the power outage which affected the country.
Mr. Muulwa said he is still waiting for a detailed report from Mopani Copper Mines management on the accident.
[ZNBC]

Malaysians to set up mobile phone assembly plant

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A Malaysian cellular phone manufacturing firm ‘M’ mobile is to establish a mobile phone assembly plant in Lusaka at a total investment out lay of US$3 million.
Commerce Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati said in an interview yesterday that M mobile, which is to establish the plant in partnership with a local company Melcome, is expected to start operations later this year.
The company would have capacity to assemble about 500,000 units annually.
The minister said the assembly plant would be able to assemble cellular phones for both the local and export markets within the Southern Africa Development community (SADC) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) regions.
“Zambia will become the hub for exports of cell phones in the region,” Mr Mutati said.
Additional jobs would be created as a result of the establishment of ther plant in Zambia.
“The country needs investors who will contribute to the growth of the country’s economy and not investors who would only maximise profits for their personal gain,” he said.
The minister also reiterated the need for local investors to partner with foreign investors which he said would go a long way to contribute to the realisation of the vision 2030.
Mr Mutati challenged local investors to take advantage of the conducive economic policies in Zambia to engage in activities which would add value to various products.
“Government has created an enabling environment for everyone so it is up to investors to utilise such opportunities which would not only benefit investors but stimulate growth.” he said.
The assembly will be located off Lumumba in the industrial area.
[Times of Zambia]

Floods submerge crops in Gwembe

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By Tovin Ngombe
Gwembe District Commissioner Dorothy Hanvula (DC) has disclosed that floods have washed away and submerged crops for the people that planted along the river and the lake Kariba shore.

Ms. Hanvula said she has received reports of houses that have collapsed though an assessment has not been done owing to impassable roads.

She said the number of people who would require relief food would increase since most of them have lost their crops.

“The continuous rains have affected people, they could not weed, those who applied fertilizer it was washed away and some crops have been submerged, and Gwembe district have been affected as any other district,” Ms Hanvula said.

The DC said the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under the office of the Vice President has delivered 100 metric tones of relief food and an additional 200 metric tones would also be sent to the district.

Ms. Hanvula said the World Food Programme (WWFP) would be sending 75 metric tones of relief food per month to the district.

She said the food was meant to caution the food deficit that was projected in 20007.

The DC said the impact of the lost of crops would be felt during the harvest season adding that government would have a heavy burden to address the needs of the affected people.

[ZANIS ]

Zambia Hit by Another Nationwide Power Blackout

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Zambia was plunged into darkness Monday night in what appeared to be the second nationwide power outage in three days.

The electricity network went down at about 7:30 p.m. and was restored about four hours later. There was no immediate explanation for the blackout.

On Saturday, Zambia was without electricity for about eight hours, leaving more than 300 miners temporarily trapped underground in the country’s Copperbelt province. It was not immediately known if any miners had been trapped underground Monday night.

The ZESCO said there had been a “high voltage” occurrence on the network, but was still investigating. It also was unclear if the second blackout was caused by the same problem or if the outages were connected to regional problems with electricity supply.

And ZNBC said about 300 miners on night shifts at units of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) were trapped in shafts for hours after power went off.

The power outage also caused partial flooding at Chililabombwe copper mine, a unit of KCM, as water could not be pumped out, officials said.

Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM) Chief Executive Officer Derek Webbstock said operations at the mine were suspended after power went off while equipment was damaged.

“We lost a day’s production and that is 75 tonnes of copper and 89 tonnes of cobalt. Our net loss is $2 million because the switch and associated electrical equipment were damaged at the mine,” Webbstock told Reuters.

Miners at KCM’s Chililabombwe and Mopani Nkana mines were trapped for several hours after the power disruption.

“The good thing is it happened on a weekend when our production is not very much. We also responded quickly and there were no fatalities,” said Passmore Hamukoma, Mopani’s spokesman.

Chililabombwe mine suffered some flooding after water could not be pumped out due to the power failure, while KCM, Zambia’s largest copper producer, was still assessing the amount of loss.

Bwana Mkubwa Mine, a unit of Canada’s First Quantum Minerals said it stopped copper production for 16 hours due to the power failure, but gave no details of the loss in output.

The mines re-started after Copperbelt Energy (CEC) imported emergency power from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia’s Daily Mail said.

Officials say water utilities switched off pumps to protect them from damage as the capital Lusaka and most urban areas experienced water shortages into Sunday.

Help ZNBC with funds to broadcast 2008 Ghana CAF tourney-Mulongoti

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Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Mike Mulongoti has called on the corporate world to partner with Government in order to help Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) air the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mr. Mulongoti, who is also Chief government spokesperson, said the K5.7 billion that the vendor has requested is too much for ZNBC.

He said the national broadcaster has no capacity to raise the amount being requested for by the vendor.

Mr. Mulongoti told ZANIS sports that such an amount can alternatively be used to open a new channel on the national television broadcaster to further enhance the station.

ZNBC Acting Director General Edward Mwanza in a separate interview stated that the corporation was still making last minute arrangements with the vendor to have the matches televised.

Mr. Mwanza said the corporation Director General Joseph Salasini had before flying out of the country last evening written to the vendor to consider broadcasting Zambia’s matches only on television and radio.

The vendor’s response to the ZNBC request was not yet received by press time.

He regretted concerns in certain quarters of the general public that the corporation had failed to pay the vendor the money despite the TV levy collection exercise was unfortunate.

The acting Director General said in the past, the corporation had televised a number of international football matches for the benefit of the general public.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mulongoti, who is also has described the power disruption that the country experienced over the weekend as unfortunate.

He said the power outage adversely affected everyone adding that ZESCO should further explain the cause of the power failure.

The minister said he has so far not received a comprehensive statement on the matter and urged the power supply company to issue a detailed statement to the nation in order to avoid further speculation.

And Opposition United Liberal Party (ULP) has advised the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) to handle the power supply to the nation with a high sense of seriousness.

ULP president Sakwiba Sikota notes that power failure such as the one that was witnessed in Lusaka and other parts of the country on Saturday has far reaching consequences.

Mr. Sikota told ZANIS in an interview that a large-scale power outage raises national security concerns.

He pointed out that when the country is in darkness, it is vulnerable to forces that can destabilise the nation.

The ULP leader further said power failures have adverse effects on the economy.

Mr. Sikota said economic activities such as mining, manufacturing and agro-exports are undermined by power outages.

He cautioned that investors could loose confidence in Zambia as a favourable investment destination, if the availability of power is unreliable.

Mr. Sikota said Zambia needs a steady and reliable electricity supply, if the country is to attract investors.

ZESCO has explained that countrywide electricity power failure on Saturday around 19 30 hours was caused by a major system disturbance on Zambia’s high voltage network.

ZESCO Managing Director, Rhodnie Sisala said at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the system disturbance was extensive in nature and affected the system of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana

Editor’s note:

There is another power blackout in zambia at the time of this posting

ECZ lifts suspension on Mopani leach project

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The Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) has lifted the suspension slapped on the operations of the Insitu leach project at Mopani Copper Mines Plc in Mufuria.

ECZ Public Relations Officer Justin Mukosa told ZANIS that this is in view of the fact that the company has put in place adequate measures to prevent the recurrence of the events that lead to the suspension of operations.

Mr. Mukosa said ECZ is satisfied with the measures that the company has put in place as they are adequate to prevent recurrence of the events that lead to the suspension of operations at the mining firm.

He however noted that ECZ has continued to monitor progress that the mining firm has made through a number of inspections.

Operations of stage Two Insitu leach project of Mopani Copper Mines Plc in Mufuria were Wednesday, January 2 , 2008 suspended following a spillage of Pregnant Liquor Solution from the insitu leach project.

The ECZ directed Mopani Copper Mines plc to immediately suspend operations of the project through an enforcement letter issued on the 7th January 2008.

Africa Cup Preview: Phiri’s Business Sense Battles Reputations

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Zambia’s 13th Africa Cup finals outing starts on Tuesday when they face Sudan for the first time ever at the tournament during the two sides opening Group C match in Kumasi, Ghana.

The three Group C games in Ghana will make or break some reputations on the field, on the sidelines and at home.

Firstly, striker James Chamanga of Moroka Swallows in South Africa will have to justify the faith the Zambian public have put in him.

This is after an emotional nationwide campaign that saw him receive a last-minute Christmas present in form of a late call-up after scoring 8 goals in two competitive matches for his club towards the end of the year.

However, Chamanga has failed to score in three friendly internationals firstly in two matches against Tunisia wining 2-1 and losing 1-0 in Rades on January 6 and 8 respectively.

The other match is a 2-0 way defeat to Morocco on January 12 including a post-Christmas warm-up match against the Andalusia regional select team in Jerez, Spain on December 27.

With Christopher Katongo suspended for the match against Sudan, the first 90 minutes have come for Chamanga to put his money where his mouth is to satisfy his supporters or face an embarrassing mood swing from them.

Then there is the case of Chamanga’s striking partner Jacob Mulenga of French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg.

Mulenga will make his long-waited Africa Cup debut after missing on the 2006 Africa cup finals held in Egypt due to injury.

However, like Chamanga, he too failed to find the target in those high-profile friendly games although both players scored hat tricks in a training match against a Jerez select in an unnecessarily hyped game Zambia won 11-1.

Should either one bomb during the course of match day one against Sudan in the absence of the inspirational Katongo, Patrick Phiri might be forced to gamble on Kabwe Warriors and Zambia Under-20 striker Emmanuel Mayuka some during the match.

Moreover, Mayuka could be him in the deep end against the subsequent matches against Cameroon and Egypt with third choice striker Felix Sunzu’s struck by a sudden bout of Malaria upon arriving in Kumasi on Friday.

Ironically, the Konkola Blades striker was a late replacement for another invalid in the form of the once-upon-a-time talismanic Collins Mbesuma of Bursaspor in Turkey who was dropped due to bad form.

It turns political in defence where the absence of the vastly experienced defender Elijah Tana has left a nation divided with rumors and speculation swirling after the player from El Merreikh of Sudan failed to join the team on its pre-tournament training camp.

Fitness and susceptibility to injury looks like a more plausible reason for Tana’s omission than a cooked-up petty case of falling out of favor with Phiri.

Tana’s dropping, although his supporters would rather euphemistically call it stand-by, has opened the door for his Lusaka Dynamos understudy Hichani Himoonde to stand up and be counted.

However, the forgotten Himoonde will battle for the left side slot in central defence with Zanaco’s Kennedy Nkethani whose Africa Cup experience should see him get the nod ahead of the promising giant fullback from Dynamos.

And is this the tournament when we finally see Rainford Kalaba come to the fore after a forgettable outing in Egypt?

Without the industry of the ailing midfielder Andrew Sinkala from 2.Bundesliga club Paderborn, the ball has been rolled into the middle of the park for Zambia’s 2007 footballer of the year to further enhance his reputation as why he was voted top-dog last season.

Phiri too is in the spotlight or is it the hot seat as he returns to Ghana for the first time as coach after making his debut as a player there 30 years ago.

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After making the brave decision to drop Mbseuma and Tana, the vastly experience but reluctant and soft-spoken Phiri hopes his decision to see business sense to prevail over reputations will leave a legacy before he steps down in March at the end of his extended contract.

Meanwhile, how Zambia will perform at these finals will have a big impact on Faz president Teddy Mulonga’s future at Football House.

Some good results will certainly to be his sales pitch for re-election and the opposite leaving him in a precarious situation to hang on the post come the March 29 Faz elections.

It has been 12 years since Zambia made the semifinals, another 14 since reaching the finals and a further 16 years since winning an opening group game.

Sudan beckons before Zambia face Group C favorites Cameroon and Egypt on January 26 and 30 respectively as Phiri’s dreams of the minimum 5 points needed to see Chipolopolo make a dramatic shock quarterfinal appearance.

Zambians being cheated like children

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Solwezi District Commissioner Albert Chifita has condemned the engagement of foreign contractors by Kansanshi Mine and has challenged the management to prove how they have improved the economic landscape in the province.

Mr. Chifita said in Solwezi that the economic development, the Kansanshi management were claiming, was actually inadequate even for Solwezi District alone.He said the ordinary villagers in Solwezi do not even feel the economic impact being talked about.

Mr. Chifita said the district does not need foreign contractors to come and do the cleaning service in Solwezi when Zambian Companies were there to do such jobs.

He said that his findings revealed that Kansanshi management did not advertise the tender nationally, but sent E-Mails to few selected companies without the knowledge of Zambian bidders.

The District Commissioner charged that there was no accountability and transparency as claimed by Kansanshi management, adding that the people of Zambia should not be cheated like children.

Mr. Chifita said the former Zambian contractors were paying their employees between K1.2 million to K2 million but the new foreign investors are paying the same workers K400,000 net.

He said when Zambian contractors are engaged there is what he called spillover effects in the economy of Solwezi because they purchase local products from local suppliers and the workers are adequately paid and spend the money locally.

Mr. Chifita observed that the foreign investors would be purchasing products from South Africa and Ghana depriving the local suppliers and they have their own offices in these countries and not in Solwezi.

ZESCO yet to establish cause of power failure

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Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has launched investigations to establish the cause of the power failure experienced in Lusaka and other parts of the country last night.

Briefing the media in Lusaka today, ZESCO managing Director Rodney Sisala said the investigations would look into the technical aspect and other areas of operation to determine what could have caused the power outage.

Mr. Sisala said it is difficult for the power utility firm to put in place preventive measures if the cause of the power outage is not established.

He said, through the investigation, the firm will draw lessons so as to prepare for future similar occurrences.

Lusaka and other parts of the country last night experienced a pro-longed power failure.

The University Teaching Hospital (UTH) was forced to use candles to lit some wards due to the power blackout that left Lusaka and other parts of the country in the dark.

UTH Public Relations Officer Pauline Mbangweta however told ZANIS in an interview that the power failure did not have adverse effects on the operations of the hospital.

Ms Mbangweta explained that the hospital’s sensitive areas such as the incubator for the premature babies and the theater were not affected by the power failure because the hospital has back up generators.

She said the institution managed to run smoothly despite the power failure.

Electricity has since been restored in Lusaka following the power failure that affected the capital city and other parts of the country.

And the Copperbelt Energy Cooperation (CEC) had to import power from neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the electricity power failure experienced in the area and other parts of the country.

CEC Chief Executive Officer Neil Crouteher says the move was prompted by the realization that the firm mainly supplies power to mines whose work schedule is in shifts and hence at the time of the power failure they could have been miners underground.

Mr. Crouteher said the abrupt power outage had far reaching consequences on the operations of the mines.

And in a related development, several parts of Mufulira District were also adversely affected by the ZESCO Power failure.

Malconlm Watson Hospital which is owned by the mining giant Mopani Copper Mine was not spared by the power failure.

Electricity was only restored to the border town at about 11:30 hours this morning.

Mopani Copper Mines wins kudos

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Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) Kankoyo Member of
Parliament (MP) Percy Chanda has commended the local mining giant Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) for supporting the Keep Zambia Clean Campaign Initiative.

Mr. Chanda says the gesture shown by MCM to support the clean up exercise in Mufulira district
should be commended and has since appealed to other business houses in the border town to
support the gesture.

The lawmaker was speaking in Kankoyo today shortly after he launched the cleaning exercise in his
constituency.

MCM has been providing logistical support towards the cleaning exercise and today provided a
grader, tipper truck and front end loader for a similar exercise in Kankoyo.

Mr. Chanda noted that the support towards the cleaning drive by MCM clearly demonstrated that the
mining firm had taken into consideration the view of residents and was thereby revisiting its cooperate social responsibility pact.

Mr. Chanda added that the Keep Zambia Clean Campaign should be supported by all well-meaning
citizens as it was above partisan lines.

He said with the own set of the rains, there was every need for residents to keep their surroundings
clean to prevent and avoid the out break of diseases such as cholera.

Mr. Chanda added that today’s clean up exercise will further be extended to other areas of the
constituency and tomorrow, the parliamentarian is expected to be in Chibolya compound for a similar exercise.

Meanwhile, Mufulira Town Clerk TC Charles Mwandila also visited Kankoyo constituency to have an
on the spot check of the clean up which also included the regarding of impassable roads in
surrounding areas.

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