Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Home Blog Page 5509

Cholera breaks out in Kitwe

5

SUSPECTED cholera has broken out in Kitwe’s Ipusukilo township where residents have been drinking water from shallow wells following the closure of water kiosks by Nkana Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC) for non-payment.

And 64 houses in various townships in Kitwe have collapsed following torrential rains in the district.

The two-developments came to light yesterday during a district disaster management meeting held at the district commissioner’s office.

District director of health, Chikafuna Banda, said three people were currently admitted and were under observation at the District Health Management (DHM) cholera centre while three others had been discharged.

Dr Banda said during a district disaster management meeting, chaired by district commissioner, McDonald Mtine and attended by Town Clerk, Ali Simwinga that the report on the outcome of the tests to determine whether it is actual cholera or not was still being awaited.

He said the possibility of the cases being cholera could not be ruled out as people in the township were drinking contaminated water from shallow wells.

Dr Banda said NWSC closed down water kiosks in the township after residents refused to be paying a fee of K50 per 20-litre container.

“People in Ipusukilo are drinking contaminated water after NWSC closed down water kiosks and the water table level has risen. We are currently treating three people from the same township for suspected cholera,” he said.

Mr Mtine said it was regrettable that people should be refusing to pay K50 for water when they were spending more money on beer.

NWSC, however, agreed to immediately re-open the kiosks after Mr Mtine and Mr Simwinga pleaded with the company to do so on the assurance that a formidable committee would be tasked to sensitise residents to start paying for water.

And Mr Simwinga said as at yesterday, a total of 64 houses had collapsed in the district.

He, however, said that most of the collapsed houses were unapproved structures built in illegal settlements.

“Most of these houses which have collapsed are in fact, not approved structures under the country and planning Act,” Mr Simwinga said

Mr Simwinga said so far only a 15-year-old child of Kamatipa township was injured when the house collapsed.

The affected townships include Ipusukilo, Racecourse, Kamatipa, Kawama and Zamtan.
Meanwhile, the cholera situation in Mwense has been normalised following intensive sensitisation in the area.

Mwense District Commissioner Moses Kasumpa confirmed in an interview yesterday saying all the 12 people that were admitted had been discharged.

“At the moment, there have been no reports of cholera. The situation has normalised,” he said.

{Times of Zambia]

Married, pregnant girls on increase in Sinazongwe

5

Sinazongwe district education office has expressed sadness at the high number of School girls getting married and being pregnant.

Sinazongwe District Acting Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Sitwiinda Sikabanga revealed stunning results at a workshop held for headmen at Sinazeze that 128 girls were married in 2007 from January to December while 87 girls were pregnant.

Mrs. Sikabanga told the gathering that included village headmen from Chief Sinazongwe area and Senior Chief Mweemba that 99 married girls were recorded from the 43 government Schools in the district and 83 three pregnancies.
[ZANIS]
She said out of the 36 Community Schools in the district 29 girls got married while four had pregnancies.

“Where is the problem? What is causing the girl child to stop Schooling, it is all our duty to address this difficulty of girls failing to go to School because parents give them extra jobs at home while teachers continue teaching,” She said.

Mrs. Sikabanga said some parents stop their girls from going to School to look after their ailing mothers and helping them to cultivate.

She noted that long distance to Schools was another factor that was hindering girls to go to School because they fear men to attack them on the way and they lack role models.

Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC) Laiven Apuleni said government does not take pleasure in seeing girls failing to complete School because the scenario was outdated and retrogressive.
Mr. Apuleni said it was painful to observe that girls were failing to go to School when the parents had a duty to ensure that they encourage them to get educated.

He said it was unfortunate that they were parents in the district who still think a educating a girl child was waste of time.
“Those beliefs are outdated, disturbing, and retrogressive, we will never bring development to the district as there is no country that has attained development without educated people,” Mr Apuleni said.

Headman Wilyson Chiyanika said there was a tendencies of men enticing girls when their breasts starts growing and it was resulting in the high number of girls getting pregnant and married.

Headman Victory Mwiinde of Mutambo village in Senior Chief Mweemba said there should be continuous education for parents to be encouraging their girl child on the importance of going to School.

Sinazongwe District Standards Officer Dyason Syabwanta said parents should take advantage of the government policy of retaining back girls who get pregnant while at School to avoid disturbing their future.
Sinazongwe District Standards Officer Benson Zemba said parents should also help in maintaining the standards of Schools to provide a safe learning environment for pupils.

RDA strengthens monitoring of contractors

1

The Road Development Agency (RDA) has strengthened the supervision of contractors who are awarded contracts to rehabilitate roads in the country.

RDA Head of Public Relations Loyce Saili said all contractors who do shoddy works risk losing their contracts.

Ms. Saili was reacting to concerns by Chiawa residents’ that Agente Contractors who are working on the 134 kilometer stretch of the Chiawa central road have done shoddy works.

She said the contractor has a four year contract, which commenced in June last year, and will have to replace the culverts that have been washed away following heavy rains that the country has continued to experience.

Ms. Saili also called on Chiawa residents to understand the scope of work that the contractors are doing on the road before they condemn them.

She explained that Chiawa central road is under the Output Performance Based Roads Contracts, which runs for four years, with the first six months set aside for light rehabilitation works on the road.

Ms. Saili added that the contractor is expected to continue carrying out maintenance works on the road until the four years elapses.

She said the RDA will only pay contractors who perform according to the Agency’s expectations.

Workers at Nitrogen Chemicals stage peaceful demonstration

2

Workers at Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia today staged a peaceful demonstation and stormed the office of the Kafue District Commissioner Mr. Michael Bwalya demanding to be paid their four months salary arrears.

The workers also demanded that government should makes its stance known on the future of the company.

Hundreds of workers, who gathered at the DC’s office and were accompanied by Zambia police officers, wondered why government has not released money to the plant so that workers salaries are cleared.

They said it was surprising that the ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, which they fall under, is not telling them the truth as to what is happening to their money.

One of the workers, Mr. Robert Musanje said life for workers in Kafue Estates has becaome deplorable and families are facing hardships because of the non payment of salaries for the last four months.

He said it was not right for government to use a company to produce fertilizer and fail to pay for the commodity.

The workers also expressed shock that government did not provide any funds for the company in this year’s national budget.

They said government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives last year promised the company that it would budget K58 billion for recapitalization but that this is not the case.

The workers have vowed to continue assembling at the district commissioner’s office until government pays them their four months unpaid salaries.

They said it would be even better if government can privatise NCZ and pay the workers their terminal benefits instead making them suffer.

But Kafue District Commissioner Michael Bwalya appealed to the workers not to use violent means of expressing their grievances to government.

He commended the workers for staging a peaceful demonstration instead of wrecking havoc in the community.

He said government is aware of the problems at the plant and is doing everything possible to sustain NCZ and its operations.

Mr. Bwalya said it was unfortunate that the ministry of Agriculture has failed to handle matters at the plant properly and appealed to the ministry to find a solution to the problems th company was facing.

Mr. Bwalya assured the workers that he will personally see to it that worker’s problems are addressed and salaries are paid soon.

Judge concerned with defilement cases

4

Justice Ernest Mwanamwambwa has expressed concern over the increased cases of defilement.

Justice Mwanamwambwa said despite the amendment which was made on September 28, 2005, on defilement, some men have continued to engage in the act that involved children under the age 16.

Justice Mwanamwambwa said that for the past eight to 10 years there has been an increase in reported cases of defilement, which prompted the judiciary to make amendments to the Law dealing with defilement.

He was speaking at the opening of criminal sessions of the High Court in Chipata today.

“The changes were made on September 28, 2005, which amended the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia, but before the amendment there was no minimum sentence for defilement”, he said.

Justice Mwanamwambwa said before the amendment there was no minimum sentence for defilement as sentences ranged from One day to a minimum of life improsonment.

He said the 2005 amendments set the minimum sentence for defilement at 15 years improsonment adding that the same minimum sentence was set for rape and indecent assault.

“In my view Courts should impose sentences far above the minimum of 15 years, such long sentences that are meant to achieve three main objectives. One is to keep the culprits away from society so that they do not repeat the offence,” he said.

The second was to aim at warning people with similar intentions, to desist from indulging in defilement of children while the third was to register societies disapproval towards defilement.

Justice Mwanamwambwa noted that before the amendments, defilement was only confined to men who had canal knowledge with girls below the age of 16 years adding that it now also covers women who indulge in the same act with boys below the age of 16 years.

Justice Mwanamwambwa disclosed that the second major change that was brought about by the September 2005 amendment was child trafficking.

Before the amendment child trafficking was not an offence, which on conviction, attracts a minimum of life improsonment for ordinary child trafficking but that when a child is trafficked for sexual purposes, it attracts the minimum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.

He said the amendment also introduced a new criminal offence in relation to the girl children and women known as sexual harassment under Section 137A (1) of the Penal Code.

He has also advised women to leave within their limits at wouk places and institutions of learning.

And Eastern Province Prisons Commanding officer Aaron Katota said a total number of 1,124 cases would be dealt with.

Senior superintendent Katoka said a total number of 534 cases were from Chipata, while Petauke and Katete had 177 and 134 respectively.

He said other cases to be dealt with from Lundazi and Nyimba district were 136 and 143 respectively.

Health department in Mufulira receives four vehicle

2

The ministry of Health in Mufulira district has received four vehicles from the recently procured vehicles by government.

Mufulira District Commissioner Dyford Muulwa told ZANIS in interview today that the district is grateful to government for allocating the vehicles to the department of health in the district because transport has been a challenge in health service delivery in the district.

He said the four vehicles will service the two government hospitals, Kamuchanga District hospital and Ronald Ross General Hospital.

Two of the vehicles will be used as ambulances for the hospitals while the other two will be utility vehicles for Ronald Ross Nursing School and the district health office.

Mufulira district government hospitals have been operating without reliable ambulances for the last five years and this raised a lot of concern from both the district development coordinating committee and the general public, who complained over the use of a staff minibus at an ambulance.

Schools closed in Shangombo due to floods

1

About seven schools have been closed in Shangombo district and about 6,500 households require emergency food due to floods that have hit the district.

This was disclosed by Shangombo district council chairman Mr. Mathew Mabuku during a district disaster management meeting held at Nangweshi farm training centre over the weekend.

Mr. Mabuku named the closed schools as Kaungamashi, Beshe, Nalushulu, Mwanzi Lisilu, Kashukwa, Shilukoma and Kapoola basic schools.

He said that most areas are not accessible and the Matebele-Shangombo road was in a terrible state adding that it will soon be cut off again at Mboiwa.

Mr. Mabuku has since urged villagers living on Sitoti and Mbeta Islands to quickly shift to the upper land before the islands are submerged by floods.

On food security, he appealed to the Provincial Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (PDMMU) to quickly assist the displaced people and the affected schools.

The chairman ruled out any harvests in agricultural fields along the Matebele and Silowana plains as most of them were totally submerged and destroyed by floods caused by heavy rains.

Shangombo is cut off from Mongu by road and the pontoon at Kalongola ferry point has since been closed until the end of the rainy season.

Most teachers are in debt, SESTUZ

1

The Secondary Schools Teachers Union of Zambia (SESTUZ) has observed that most teachers are borrowing from micro finance institutions in order to supplement their meagre salaries.

SESTUZ Secretary General Emmanuel Zulu said this in an interview with ZANIS in Kabwe today adding that government needed to look into the issue seriously.

“If you look at most of the teachers payslips you see deductions from institutions like Bayport, Microfin, Natsave and all these other banks, which is an indication that what they are getting is not enough,” he said.

He hoped that more resources would be allocated to teachers salaries after negotiations, which are still going on.

He, however, commended the government on the efforts it is putting through to improve old structures of schools and the building of new ones.

Mr Zulu said that schools in rural areas were the most hard hit as they were mostly built in the 60’s and had old furniture or none at all.

“Another area of concern is teachers accommodation in rural areas, most of the schools have no accommodation and some houses are even dilapidated,” he said.

He said that good structures of schools would not improve teachers morale if the conditions were not improved because even as they are teaching they should be motivated.

CEG welcomes sacking of Mr. Chitala

30

The Centre for Elections and Governance (CEG) has welcomed the decision by President Mwanawasa to recall Zambia’s Ambassador to Libya, Mbita Chilata.

CEG Trustee Gershom Musonda said in a statement today that Mr Chitala was appointed to nurture relations between the two countries and be supportive of ways the Zambian government was working with the rest of the continent and not to behave in an unprofessional manner.

Mr. Musonda said Mr. Chitala’s role was to do things in line with government policy and consult at all times when doing things, either official or private, but hinging on relations between Libya or the rest of Africa.

“We think his statement was aimed at making Libya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa appear to be more progressive in moving the African Union agenda. There was also an impression created that the rest of the leaders on the continent were either slow to move or were mere laggards who should be left behind for now,” he said.

He said if Mr. Chitala had consulted on the matter, he could have been advised to be diplomatic because he was an appointed agent by the Zambian people through the Head of State.

He reminded Mr. Chitala that achieving a United Africa cannot take four nations only as he proposes but that the process needs rigorous consultation and active involvement of stakeholders, because Zambia is a multi-party democracy.

“We do not want our country to be tied to international agreements anyhow because one person feels so. The idea of One Africa should be supported by all of us citizens and consider interests of our future children who will be there long after we are gone,” he added.

Mr. Musonda said the President was in order to recall Mr. Chitala and that this should be a warning to other diplomats who want to champion causes when they have no authority to do so.

He urged President Mwanawasa to continue screening the diplomatic service where some diplomats have taken it as an opportunity to do personal businesses.

He said Dr. Mwanawasa should also consider sending more younger officers in the diplomatic service who are energetic and eager to serve Zambia diligently.

Drug trafficking can destroy the country’s economy, says Shakafuswa

3

Finance deputy minister Jonas Shakafuswa says drug trafficking has potential to destroy the country’s economy if left uchecked.

Mr Shakafuswa has since challenged the Zambia Revenue Authority, ZRA, the Drug Enforcement Commission, DEC, and other stakeholders to work together in combating drug trafficking.

Mr Shakafusha said this in Lusaka last night during a cocktail party to commemorate World Customs Day under the theme ‘Combating Illicit Trafficking in Drugs and Psychotropic substances.’

At the same function, ZRA, Commissioner General Chriticles Mwansa said ZRA has put in place measures to combat drug trafficking in border areas and other entry points.

Mr. Mwansa said customs officers will be working hand in hand with DEC and other security enforcement agencies in combating illicit drug dealing.

He added that ZRA will be sending customs officers for training in drug trafficking.

Mr Mwansa said scanning equipment will be installed at airports and other border areas to track down drug trafficking.

And DEC commissioner Peter Chingaipe said drug trafficking has remained a major risk factor in spreading HIV/AIDS.

Mr Chingaipe said this in a speech read on his behalf by DEC spokesperson Rosten Chulu.

President Mwanawasa leaves Addis for London

58

President Mwanawasa this morning left Addis Ababa for London where he is scheduled to undergo a routine medical check up.

Dr Mwanawasa was in Ethiopia to attend the African Union, AU, Heads of State and Government summit which officially closed yesteday.

ZANIS reports from Addis Ababa that President Mwanawasa who was accompanied by First Lady, departed Addis Ababa’s Bole international airport at 03:30 hours Zambian time for London.

He returns home this Saturday.

And Briefing Zambian journalists last night at Addis Ababa’s Sheraton hotel, President Mwanawasa said the Zambian people should not be apprehensive about his visit to London because he was merely going there for a routine medical check which he undergoes every after three months.

The President said he was in good health.

Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande and his counterpart for Commerce, Trade and Industry Felix Mutati saw off the President to London.

Others at the airport were Local Government Deputy Minister Ben Tetamashimba, Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima, Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and the AU Patrick Sinyinza, embassy officials and other senior Ethiopian and Zambian government officials.

While in Ethiopia, Dr Mwanawasa attended among other engagements the African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM, under the auspices of NEPAD and the Committee of 10 on the United Nations Reforms.

The President also held bilateral talks with India’s External Affairs Minister Anand Sharma who extended an invitation to him to attend that country’s summit on India-Africa coming up in April this year.

He also held bilateral talks with World Bank President Robert Zoellick and Food and Agriculture Organisation Director General Dr Jacques Diouf who pledged assistance towards Zambia’s economic development.

The President also conferred with Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe on issues of common interest.

On the outcome of the summit in relation to this year’s theme ’Industrial Development in Africa,’ Dr Mwanawasa observed that Africa had vast resources which needed value addition to make them competitive on the global market.

Dr Mwanawasa who was flanked by foreign affairs minister kabinga Pande and Commerce minister Felix Mutati during the briefing, observed that without adding value to her natural resources, Africa was exporting both jobs and its natural resources to industrialised countries.

The President said to enhance her competitiveness on the global market, African countries should enhance their production base so that they export finished products at a higher value.

On Zambia’s benefits from the summit, Dr Mwanawasa said the country was provided with an opportunity to exchange ideas with its peers on the continent and that it had a chance to meet with Indian, World Bank, the Food Agriculture Organisation officials whom he asked for assistance towards the effects of the floods afflicting the country for which they pledged support.

The President described the bilateral talks with these partners as fruitful and that they were willing to assist Zambia.
The President also touched on the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) meeting which he attended along with other heads of state and government last Wednesday ahead of the official opening of the main AU summit.

Dr Mwanawasa disclosed that Zambia was currently working on her APRM report and that the country mission was led by former Mozambican First Lady Gracia Machel.

The President said Zambia was awaiting assessment by the Committee on its APRM progress.

Dr Mwanawasa said while such institutions were doing well, there was also need to sensitise the people on such institutions.

He attributed the delay to review Zambia’s APRM record to the fact that the country was dealing with the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).

In addition, the president said government had acceeded to the APRM at a time when the component was not budgeted for but that there was now provision in this year’s budget for it.

Dr Mwanawasa disclosed that during the APRM meeting, Benin was reviewed while Rwanda and Uganda presented their annual APRM reports whose quality he said was encouraging.

On the proposed Union Government, President Mwanawasa said the matter was discussed during the summit which officially closed yesterday although the heads of state and government did not go into details.

A committee comprising two representatives from each region would report back on the matter in July at an extraordinary session billed for Egypt.

The President who is also the SADC chairperson, said the Zambian government and the southern African region has accepted that the concept of a union government was desirable but that it was necessary to consult the people on the matter saying it was not an issue where a President could single handedly make a decision.

The Third Ministerial Committee that took place from 27 to 28 November last year here underlined the need to reinforce and revitalise the structures of the African Union while putting in place a mechanism as well as appropriate structures to expedite the process for the establishment of the Union Government.

The audit report compiled by a high level panel of the continental body has brought out several factors crippling the AU including lack of better qualified staff at African Union missions.

On the UN reforms, President Mwanawasa said the AU had maintained its stance of having two representatives on the UN Security Council with the right of veto.

And on Zambia’s unsuccessful bid to head the AU Commission through its candidate Dr Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika, Dr Mwanawasa stated that the loss did not reflect Zambia’s inadequacies of the campaign or candidate.

‘’We accept the loss because in a democracy you win or lose. She came second to the winner Gabonese foreign affairs minister Jean Ping but we wished she had won’’, the President said.

The President also expressed happiness at COMESA Secretary General Erastus Mwencha’s victory as AU Commission Deputy Chairperson.
Dr Mwanawasa hoped that Dr Mwencha who hails from Kenya, will make significant contribution to the continental body.

Government to withhold grants to FAZ to recover monies on Tana’s fruitless journey to Ghana

59

Government says it will withhold all grants meant for the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), this year to recover the money spent on Elijah Tana’s fruitless trip to Ghana where he was not included in the Zambia National soccer team that has since been ejected from the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in that country.

Sports Minister Gabriel Namulambe said he felt fooled and cheated that he went out of his way to facilitate for Tana’s trip, when some officials at FAZ had already submitted a list of players to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that would represent Zambia, but deliberately chose to mislead him.

Namulambe said this when he met Provincial and District Sports Advisory Committees in Livingstone today to sensitize them on the importance of developing sports in their respective areas and preparing adequately for Zambia’s hosting of the All Africa games in 2011.

The Sports minister said FAZ will have to find money elsewhere this year because government will withhold all the grants to make up for the money that was wasted to take Tana to Ghana when those in FAZ knew he was not going to play.

He said it was unfortunate for the national soccer team technical committee to be ignorant about which players were selected to play because this meant that someone at FAZ was making personal decisions at the expense of the Zambian taxpayer.

“Spending taxpayers’ money should be done in public and not in personal interest.” he said.

Namulambe said he did not condemn the performance of those who played but added that deliberate efforts should have been made to ensure experienced players like Tana were included in the team.

Meanwhile, the sports minister has given a go-ahead to African Impact, a non- governmental organization to construct a K2 billion sports community complex at the Livingstone Villa grounds.

Namulambe said government was ready to partner with organizations that were interested in promoting and developing sports in the country.

“We are ready as government to partner with organizations such as yours but all we ask for in return is for you to make genuine investments which will be beneficial to our people.” Namulambe said.

He was impressed with the plans forwarded by the NGO to put up football grounds, tennis, basketball, netball and volleyball courts, a borehole, library, kiosk and other facilities for minority sports disciplines like badminton, squash, judo and karate.

He urged the organisation to work in collaboration with the District Sports Advisory Committee to avoid duplication of programmes and to ensure the project was a success.

And African Impact Programme manager, Richard Leach said the sports complex will provide a safe haven for all communities in Livingstone because sport brought people together.

Leach said the international coaches that will come to the tourist capital to train youths in various sports disciplines will generate favourable publicity for Livingstone in particular and the country at large.

Leach said Zambia has a lot of talent waiting to be developed to perfection.

He said construction of the sports complex will begin in earnest since the minister has now given a greenlight.

OAFLA mobilises USD300,000 – Maureen

5

he Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) has mobilised financial resources amounting to US$300,000 from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Addressing the Extra-ordinary Annual General Meeting at the African Union headquarters on the theme “Curbing The Spread of HIV/AIDS’’One Mother at a Time,” in Addis Ababa yesterday, First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa who is OAFLA Chairperson hoped the funds would soon be transferred to the OAFLA account to enable the organisation to put the money to use quickly.

The gathering included United Nations Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa Elizabeth Mataka, UNAIDS Deputy Director Deborah Landey and other distinguished representatives.

Mrs Mwanawasa expressed gratitude to the First Ladies on the continent for their continued support towards the attianment of OAFLA’s goals.

Mrs Mwanawasa however said the organisation has been unable to implement many of its planned activities under the Strategic Plan because of financial constraints.

On HIV/AIDS, the First Lady said in order to stem the tide of the pandemic, there was need to put African women at the centre of HIV/AIDS interventions.

She noted that this is especially relevant as women comprise 51 per cent of the population and gave birth to the remaining 49 per cent.

Mrs Mwanawasa said it was common knowledge that in Africa, HIV/AIDS carries the face of a woman adding that women all over the continent are dedicating their lives to caring for the sick.

She stressed the importance of developing a holistic approach for the African woman that covers broadening access to financial resources, improving health and education, reducing the amount of time that women spend on domestic errands such as fetching water.

At the same meeting, Mrs Mataka urged the African First Ladies to continue uniting Africa through the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Mrs Mataka advised OAFLA to ensure the establishment of more income generating activities for women.

And in her welcoming remarks, Ethiopian First Lady who is also OAFLA’s Vice Chairperson Azeb Mesfin, said African First Ladies had a big task in the fight against HIV/AIDS on the continent.

She said there was need to create awareness on the impact of HIV/AIDS on the African women and observed that women and children were mostly hit by the pandemic.

OAFLA had its last annual General meeting in Accra, Ghana in July 2007 and some of the issues contained in the organisation’s action plan include prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT), promotion of use of microbicides and female condom, initiation of programmes to provide nutritional food for People Living with HIV/AIDS

Levy to go to London for Medical Check up

33

President Levy Mwanawasa will leave Ethiopia on Sunday, February 3, and proceed to London where he is to undergo a scheduled medical check up after the closure of the African Union Summit.

Chief Analyst for Press and Public Relations David Kombe disclosed this to ZANIS here in Addis Ababa today.

Mr Kombe said while in London, the President will have no other engagements, as he will specifically be there for the medical check up and will return home on February 9, 2008.
President Mwanawasa will be accompanied by the First Lady, who is also here attending the Organisation of First Ladies on HIV/AIDS (OFLA) meeting on gender violence against women and children.

Kabwe DC worried with increased illegal brew of illicit beer

6

Kabwe District Commissioner Jennipher Chileshe has expressed grave concern at the rampant brewing of illicit beer in the area and called for stringent measures to end the trend.

Ms Chileshe observed today that the brewing of Kachasu and other illicit beer in compounds in the area was on the increase and singled out Makwati compound as one of the worst hit areas.

Ms Chileshe was speaking during a tour of shanty compounds to assess the number of houses that had collapsed as a result of continuous heavy rains in the district.

She said it was unfortunate that a great number of unemployed youths and adults were involved in heavy drinking.

Ms Chileshe called on Kabwe Municipal Council to work out immediate measures including patrols by council police officers to curb the illicit trade and end excessive beer drinking especially among youths.

Meanwhile, over 30 houses have collapsed in Kabwe over the past few days and the number was likely to swell as the heavy rains continued.

Ms Chileshe, who led members of the district disaster management committee on an on the spot check of destroyed homes in Katondo, Makwati, Nakoli and Makululu compounds, said her office would release comprehensive figures after the committee compiled all data including figures from the various ward councillors.

She attributed the increasing number of fallen houses to poor structures and lack of drainages.

Ms Chileshe said there was urgent need to improve storm water drainages in the district to avoid further loss of property.

The District Commissioner was accompanied by Kabwe deputy Mayor Teddy Sinkala and affected ward councillors.