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Ng’uni’s death was an accident

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An Inquest into the death of former Lusaka Police Commanding Officer, Wazakaza Nguni, has concluded that there was no foul play in the car accident that led to his death.

The Inquest has concluded that Mr. Ng'uni was over speeding and died in circumstances that only he was able to control.

This is according to a verdict delivered Tuesday in Lusaka by Principle Resident Magistrate, Charles Kafunda.

Magistrate Kafunda said according to evidence before the court no one can be charged for the death of Mr. Ng'uni.

He said evidence from the eight witnesses that testified indicate that Mr. Ng'uni was over speeding and his vehicle overturned four times.

The inquest was started at the request of Mr. Ng'uni's widow Hilda and son Keli who suspected foul play.

Mr. Ng'uni died at aged 65, on July 5 last year.

Commenting on the Court's finding, Mrs. Ng'uni and her son, Keli said they have accepted the verdict.

However, they still believed there was foul play in the death of Mr. Ng'uni.

[ZNBC]

Lions invade Sinazongwe

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Lions invade Sinazongwe
Sinazongwe District Council Vice Chairperson has disclosed that Five Lions have invaded Sinazongwe district in Chiyabi area killing seven cattle.

Mr. Fisher Zimana told ZANIS that people in the area feared for their lives.

He has appealed to Zambia Wild Life Authority (ZAWA) to come and shoot the lions before life was lost.
Mr. Zimana said pupils were afraid to go to School because they fear to be attacked on the way.
He said if ZAWA failed to respond to people’s request to shoot the animals or chase them the community would be severely affected and the Chiyabi Basic School would be closed.

In another development Gamela Village Community Development Health Worker Ackson Siankandi in Senior Chief Mweemba area said people were sharing drinking water with the pigs.
Mr.Siankandi said the pigs have become too many and the owners were failing to enclose them.

He said the situation has become a health hazard because they were living their faeces anywhere.

The Community Development Health Worker narrated that pigs were even grabbing food from children if they dared to feed from outside.

“All efforts to have meetings to ensure that the owners enclose have failed and we fear that cholera my strike the Gamela people, the mess they are living is so unbearable,” Mr Siankanda said.
[ZANIS]

Fidel Castro announces retirement

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Cuba's ailing leader Fidel Castro has said he will not accept another term as president, ending 49 years in power.
"I neither will aspire to, nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," he told the newspaper, Granma.

The 81-year-old handed over power temporarily to his brother, Raul, in July 2006 when he underwent surgery.

US President George W Bush said the news should mark the beginning of a transition towards democracy for Cuba.

"The international community should work with the Cuban people to begin to build institutions that are necessary for a democracy, and eventually this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections," he told reporters in Rwanda.

"And we're going to help. The United States will help the people of Cuba realise the blessings of liberty."

This should be a period of democratic transition for the people of Cuba

US President George W Bush

The European Union meanwhile said it was ready to seek ways to relaunch ties with Cuba that have been almost completely frozen under Mr Castro.

Mr Castro has ruled Cuba since leading a communist revolution in 1959.

In December, Mr Castro indicated that he might possibly step down in favour of younger leaders, saying "my primary duty is not to cling to any position".

Soon afterwards, Raul Castro appeared to suggest that his older brother still had an important political role to play, saying the president still had full use of his mental faculties and was being consulted on all important policy issues.

'Not saying farewell'

In the letter, published on Granma's website during the middle of the night in Cuba, Mr Castro said he would not accept another five-year term as president when the National Assembly meets on Sunday, because of the health problems.

"It would betray my conscience to take up a responsibility that requires mobility and total devotion, that I am not in a physical condition to offer," he wrote.

I just want to carry on fighting like a soldier of ideas

Fidel Castro
Letter published in Granma

Mr Castro said he had declined to step down after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in 2006 to avoid dealing a blow to his government before "the people" were ready for change "in the middle of the battle" with the US.

"To prepare the people for my absence, psychologically and politically, was my first obligation after so many years of struggle," he added.

Despite the announcement of his impending retirement, the Cuban leader insisted he was "not saying farewell".

"I just want to carry on fighting like a soldier of ideas," he added. "I will continue writing under the title, Reflections of Comrade Fidel."

"I will be one more weapon in the arsenal that you can count on. Perhaps my voice will be heard. I will be careful."

The National Assembly is widely expected to elect 76-year-old Raul Castro as his successor, although analysts say there is speculation about a possible generational jump with Vice-President Carlos Lage Davila, 56, a leading contender.

"There is also the intermediate generation which learned together with us the basics of the complex and almost unattainable art of organising and leading a revolution," Mr Castro wrote in Tuesday's letter.

If elected, Raul Castro has indicated that major economic reforms and "structural changes" could be on the way.

FIDEL CASTRO

Born in 1926 to a wealthy, landowning family
Took up arms in 1953, six years before coming to power
Brother Raul (pictured) was deputy and Che Guevara third in command
Has outlasted nine American presidents
Target of many CIA assassination plots
Daughter is a dissident exile in Miami

Fidel Castro did not say whether he would continue to be involved in government affairs as a member of the Council of State or retain his post of secretary of the ruling Communist Party.

The Cuban ambassador to the Netherlands, Oscar de los Reyes, told the BBC that Mr Castro "embodies to a very large extent what Cuba is today" and would always remain Cuba's "elder statesman".

"Fidel will always preside over our revolution... In our minds and hearts he will always be the leader," he said.

There was very little reaction to Mr Castro's decision in Havana on Tuesday morning, and it was not until 0500 (1000 GMT) that official radio reported the news.

The BBC's Michael Voss in the capital says nobody knows whether Mr Castro's decision not to seek another five-year term has been prompted by a further decline in his health - it has been an official secret since the moment he was taken ill.

The president has not been seen in public for 19 months, although the government occasionally releases photographs and pre-edited video of him meeting visiting leaders from around the world.

Last month, Mr Castro was shown talking to his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who described him as being lucid and in good health.

Mixed legacy

In power since he led a communist revolution which ousted the regime of President Fulgencio Batista in 1959, Mr Castro has been a dominant force in Latin American politics and a thorn in the side of the United States.

Under his leadership, Cuba underwent an economic and social transformation.

Most foreign and local businesses were nationalised, land reform was introduced, and education and health care for the poor improved. At the same time, Mr Castro was criticised for not restoring democracy and ruling with absolute power.

Mr Castro created the western hemisphere's first communist state

His government saw off an early threat from Cuban exiles, backed by the US, who launched an abortive invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

The following year saw the Cuban missile crisis, when the US and the Soviet Union came to the brink of war over the presence of Soviet nuclear warheads in Cuba.

Mr Castro also backed a string of left-wing leaders in South America and Africa and, in 1975, sent thousands of troops to fight in Angola.

It is said that Mr Castro has been the target of many CIA-sponsored assassination plots as a result of such policies - in 1999 a Cuban interior ministry official put the figure at 637.

Washington has also imposed an economic embargo on Cuba for more than four decades, which helped cripple the Cuban economy in the 1980s after the Soviet Union withdrew financial aid and subsequently broke up.

A tourism boom along with a rapprochement with oil-rich Venezuela, run by Mr Castro's great friend, Hugo Chavez, has allowed the economy recover slowly in recent years.

Our correspondent says the news of his retirement will take some digesting by Cubans, 70% of whom have known no other leader.

Mr Castro will leave a mixed legacy, he adds, with both friend and foe recognising him as an iconic leader and major figure in the post-war era.

[BBC]

Campaigns for Moomba ward by-election heat up

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CAMPAIGNS in the local govwrnment by-election in Moomba Ward in Kabwe district have heated up.

The seat fell vacant after councillor Charles Manda died last year.

The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), who are fielding Given Sikazwe as their candidate, has expressed confidence in retaining the seat.

District Youth Chairperson Richard Bango and his vice Webster Chulu said they were confident because Moomba ward has been held by MMD candidates since its inception.

“The campaigns are going on well and we are very sure that we are retaining the seat, even our candidate is the best we have,” Mr Bango said.

He said MMD National Chairman Micheal Mabenga is in the area to boost support for the candidate.

And opposition Patriotic Front (PF) in the district has also expressed confidence of scooping the Moomba Ward seat.

PF District Chairperson Kasongo Chabwe said they had put everything in place to make sure they win the election.

“As PF we are very concerned with the well-being of people and will continue to fight for our people,” he said.

He said that their candidate Cephas Mutale was a resident of Makululu and as such knew what the people were going through and would articulate issues.

The By-election takes place on Thursday, February 21, 2008.

Govt releases K2 billion for rehabilitation works at Kabwe Trades

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MINISTRY of Science, Trade and Vocational Training Permanent Secretary Dr Buleti Nsemukila has said that government has set aside more than K2 billion for construction and rehabilitation of hostels at Kabwe Trades Training Institute (KTTI).

Mr. Nsemukila disclosed this in Kabwe today after a tour of the institute.

He however expressed worry at the failure by the contractor to finish the works in time.

“These hostels have been left for a long time without rehabilitation and as government we are concerned about the situation and making very effort to build more hostels for the students,” he said.

Dr Nsemukila said he was particularly happy that female participation in vocational courses at the institution had increased and also encouraged more women to enroll at the institute.
He challenged KTTI board to come up with a strategy to open up a shop in town where they would be able to market their products to the people as well as small-scale farmers such as hammer mills, which the institute was making.

Dr Nsemukila further encouraged the management to develop entrepreneurship skills to help students to come up with their own companies, which will contribute, to the growth of the economy.
He also challenged KTTI not to be dependent on government but to utilise skills of the students and lecturers to make money for the institute.

And KTTI Principal Mr Sayila also said he was not happy with the pace the contractor, Sokontwe Construction Company, was taking in completing the rehabilitation works of hostels at the institution.

He said this has forced management to look for alternative accommodation for the students.

Mr Sayila said the contract that is running from October 2007 to May 2008 to construct ten, two story hostels, may not be completed in the stipulated time frame.

He said the situation has forced the management board to come up with makeshift arrangements for the students.

Clergyman confident NCC will produce good constitition

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A clergyman in Samfya
has expressed confidence that the National Constitution Conference (NCC)
will produce a constitution that is desired by the majority of
Zambians.

Samfya consistory United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Rev.
Friday Longa said over-the-weekend that he has no doubt
the NCC will come up with a constitution that will stand the taste of time.

Rev Longa made the observation during a public
discussion forum organised by Anti-Voter Apathy to
discuss the way forward of the NCC and constitution
making process way forward.

He said the mistrust some people had expressed
individually and collectively over the NCC were not
founded.

He said his conviction is based on the reason that
government has entrusted the refining of the
constitution in a body that has wide representation
and protected by an Act of parliament.

He said another reason is the fact
that in the past, sitting presidents manipulated the
constitution to stifle their political opponents and
protect their interests while in office.

However, Rev Longa said he does not see President Levy
Mwanawasa seeking to use the constitution to stifle
the opposition or serve personal interests because his
term of office expires in 2011.

Meanwhile, a Catholic priest Fr Frank Chibale said the
Catholic Church cannot reconsider its position not to
sit on the NCC.

Fr Chibale said, though he was speaking at the public
forum in his personal capacity, the position of the
Catholic Church will remain unchanged because concerns
raised by the Episcopal over the NCC Act and its
composition have not been addressed.

He appealed to people to respect the position of the
Catholic Church instead of attacking and accusing it
of engaging in politics of antagonism with government.

Farmers protest over non payment of their money

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Scores of Kalomo farmers today matched in protest to the District Commissioner’s office over the non payment of their money for the maize they sold to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) last year.

Speaking on behalf of other cooperative societies, Festus Siboli said it was humiliating that the agency had failed to pay peasant farmers for the produce they sold in August last year.

The farmers claimed that they were unable to provide basics for their school going children because of lack of money.

The farmers from Mabombo, Chilala, Katambo, Kasukwe, Bulyambeba and Katanda satellite depots accused the FRA buying agent, the Kalomo District Cooperative and Marketing Union (KDCMU) of favouring some farmers.

But KDCMU general manager, Mwananyambe Mwananyambe told ZANIS in an interview that his organisation was in the process of paying off the remaining farmers .

He added that the cooperative union would deposit K1.5 billion in a local Finance bank this week.

Mr. Mwananyambe said the remaining K5 million is expected to be cleared next week and urged the farmers to be patient and wait for bank transactions to end.

Wrangles erupt over fomer ZCCM houses in Kalulushi

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Sitting tenants in former Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) houses in Kalulushi have called on government to intervene in the wrangles involving them and those with title deeds.

Speaking on behalf of the sitting tenants, Peter Mwanza said government should help those that were being evicted to avoid displacement.

Mr Mwanza said that seating tenants that have been ordered out of the houses should be compensated for taking care of the houses before they can move out.

He said the houses were left in a deplorable state at the time ZCCM was privatised.

Mr Mwanza was speaking in an interview with ZANIS following the eviction of Mr Maco Mwansa of house number 8 Ipumbu Lane, Kalulushi by a named person possessing title deeds.

Mr Mwanza said the named man wants to sell the house following wrangles of ownership of the house.

He disclosed that Mr Mwansa was allegedly attacked by the man who was accompanied by eighteen other people armed with pangas in an Isuzu pick up, registration number AAT 3931.

Mr Mwanza added that Mr Mwansa was evicted but later returned to his house.

He said the sitting tenant, who has been living in the house for fifteen years, is now living in fear following last night’s incident.

Mr Mwanza, however, said that the matter was reported to police.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwanza has said that his organisation will defend the seating tenants from being evicted until the matter is determined by the court.

Pro’s Hit List & Weekend Scorecard

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FRANCE

Striker Jacob Mulenga and Felix Katongo both sat-out as Strasbourg and Rennes both lost 1-0 and 3-1 away on Saturday to Lorient and Lille respectively.

Rennes and Strasbourg are 17th and 11th respectively on the 20-team French Ligue One table.

GERMANY

Defender Moses Sichone played the full 90 minutes in his Two.Bundesliga teams Kickers Offenbach’s 1-1 home draw against his old club Alemannia Aachen on Sunday.

Offenbach are fifth from bottom following that home draw against ninth positioned Aachen.

2008 CAF AFRICA CHAMPions LEAGUE PRELIMINARY RND 1ST LEG

16/02/2008

Kampala

Uganda Revenue Authority FC 0-Zesco Utd 2(Elson Mkandawire 22″ Nicholas Zulu 54″)

CAF CONFEDERATIONS CUP PRELIMINARY RND 1ST LEG

16/02/2008

Pemba

Chipukizi 0- GBFC 5( Emmanuel Mayuka 13″, Reuben Tembo 21″, Sebastian Mwansa ?”, Newa Mwea 62″, Morgan Hanjeema “?)

17/02/2008

Ferroviario Nampula(Moz) 0- Highlanders (Zim) 3(Jacob Muzokomba 18″, Richard Choruma 75″, Eric Mudzingwa 90″)

2008 WORLD UNDER-17 WOMENS CUP PREMLIMINARY ROUND, 2ND LEG QUALIFIER

17/02/2008

Accra

Ghana U17 4(Elizabeth Addo 2″ 76″,Deborah Afriyie 21″, Mary Essiful 89″- Zambia U17 0

03/02/2008

Woodlands Stadium, Lusaka

Zambia 0- Ghana 2 (Elizabeth Addo 31″ 70″)

TOP SCORERS

After games Played 17/02/2008

LEAGUE & CUP:

Nicholas Zulu (Zesco United): 1

Elson Mkandawire (Zesco United): 1

Emmaneul Mayuka (Kabwe Warriors): 1

Reuben Tembo (Green Buffaloes):1

Morgan Hanjeema (Green Buffalkoes): 1

Newa Mwewa (Green Buffaloes): 1

Sebastian Mwansa (Green Buffaloes): 1

INTERNATIONALS

(30/01/2008):

Felix Katongo 3(Stade Rennes,France): 3

Christopher Katongo 2(Brondby, Denmark): 2

James Chamanga 1(Moroka Swallows, South Africa): 1

Jacob Mulenga (Racing Strasbourg, France): 1

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.

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