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UK backs Zambian plan on Mining Wealth

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The British Government says it supports the Zambian Government in its objective of achieving a more equitable distribution of natural resource wealth, whilst at the same time ensuring Zambia remains an attractive destination for mining investment.

A statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by the British High Commission and the Department for International Development (DFID Zambia), states that this is why the British Government is one of the two Co-operating partners who have provided financial assistance to the Zambian Government to obtain its own independent technical and legal advise on renegotiating Zambia’s mining development agreements.

The British Government said it also endorses efforts by the Zambian Government and fellow Co-operating Partners to support the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) in strengthening and enforcing environmental law and regulations.

The UK government however stated that it is better for Zambia to ensure it has the right regime in place for the mining sector rather than rely on changes to legislation in each the countries where mining companies are registered.

Government has since introduced a new mining tax regime aimed benefiting the Zambian citizenry from the country’s endowment of minerals.

Aliens are a danger to national security – Mbangweta

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The Immigration Department has appealed to Zambians to desist from harboring illegal and prohibited immigrants as this is a risk to themselves and to national security.

Immigration Department Public Relations Officer Mulako Mbangweta told ZANIS in an interview that harboring foreigners is a danger because some of the foreigners may have criminal records from their countries of origin.

Ms Mbangweta said it is unfortunate that some Zambians were renting out houses to foreign nationals with no valid permits or any other legal documents permitting their stay in the country.

She said the Department, with the support of other relevant authorities, would soon swing into action to weed out illegal immigrants.

Ms Mbangweta warned that Zambians harboring illegal and prohibited immigrants would not be spared and would face the full wrath of the law.

Meanwhile, the Immigration Department has reiterated its appeal to Foreign Missions in Zambia to assist in the repatriation of their citizens languishing in Zambian prisons.

Ms. Mbangweta however commended the British and American embassies for the help they have been rendering to the department in repatriating their foreign nationals.

Land alienation should be transparent – Machina

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The Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA) says land alienation should be transparent, accountable and timely and decentralized to the district level.

ZLA Executive Director, Henry Machina, in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, further said the size on landholding, a crackdown on discrimination in land administration, and lease term limits of 50 years for Zambians should be enacted.

Mr. Machina also pointed out that vulnerable groups, such as those with disabilities, women and youths, need extra attention in land administration.

He said appropriate registration should be put in place to ensure the 30 percent provision of all land allocations in state land goes to women.

Mr. Machina also said there is need for continued sensitization and awareness raising campaigns as well as encouragement of joint registration of land rights for married couples.

He said ZLA agrees with government’s proposal to lower the contractual age at which an individual qualifies to hold to 18years.

He added that government should also create and enforce a strict inheritance system to ensure the administrator of the estate does not deprive the children or surviving spouse of their inheritance land.

Mr. Machina said non- Zambians requiring land for investment purposes should access land through a partnership with a Zambian and on acceptance of a business plan, including an impact assessment.

He said the lease period should not exceed 30years adding that it would be renewable depending on land utilization over the lease period.

He further said non-Zambian investment should be structured so that Zambians participate in wealth creation and development of the country.

Mr. Machina further said the need for conflict resolution in land is paramount to tenure security adding that viable alternative disputes resolution mechanism beside the courts of law need to be promoted.

He said the lands tribunal needs to revise its operations to allow it to decide state land cases not just involving a person in authority.

He has since called on government to recognize and strengthen local dispute mechanisms that are easily accessible to the majority Zambians.

Half-human-Half-calf in Mazabuka

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A cow in Mazabuka in Southern Province has given birth to a half human being and half calf at Village 7 in Chief Mwanachingwala’s area, sending fears among villagers.

The bizzare development has mystified villagers who have linked this to witchcraft.

The half-human-half -cow has all the features of a human being and part of the chest and the other half is that of a calf although there was a slight difference on eyes as the creature had one eye of a human being and another of a calf.

Chief Mwanachingwala, who confirmed the development to ZANIS in Mazabuka today said, the human-cow has since been buried by the owner, Mr Minister Hakaloma.

SADC summit in Lusaka gobbled K16 billion, parley told

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Parliament heard today that K16. 1 billion was spent on the preparations and hosting of the 27th Southern African Community (SADC) ordinary Summit of Heads of States and government in Lusaka in August, 2007.

Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Fashion Phiri told parliament that the K16.1 billion expenditure was in accordance with the minimal standards of the SADC hosting and preparations requirements.

Mr. Phiri was responding to a question raised by Chipili PF Member of Parliament Davies Mwila who wanted to know how much money government spent on the hosting of the 27th SADC ordinary summit of Heads of State and government in August last year.

He also wanted to know what economic value the SADC summit had to the nation.

Mr. Phiri who is also MP for Kapoche Constituency said the hosting of the summit in Zambia brought in a lot of economic benefits to the country by strengthening the existing political and economic ties among the SADC member states.

He cited the abolition of trade barriers between SADC boarders, deepening of the regional and economic integration, infrastructure development and increase in food production, as some of the measures, which were looked at during the SADC summit with a view to boosting economic development in the southern African region.

And Foreign affairs Minister Kabinga Pande disclosed that all the 14 Heads of States in the regional body attended the 27th SADC ordinary summit of Heads of State and government in Zambia.

He further announced that 12, 096 delegates attended the SADC summit.

Mr. Pande was responding to a supplementary question by Chipili PF MP Davies Mwila who wanted to know how many delegates attended the summit.

Trial in Former Lands minister’s case re-opens

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The Lusaka magistrate court today heard that

former minister of Lands Gladys Nyirongo questioned land officials on the delay in the numbering of subdivisions of farm number 390 A in Kabwe in Central Province.

Ministry of Lands Assistant Surveyor General, Tony Mwanalushi, 48, of 2704 Cedar road in Woodlands in Lusaka, told Magistrate Sharon Newa that, in December 2006, the former minister called him to her office to explain why there was a slight delay in the numbering of some property in Kabwe subdivision 390A.

Mr. Mwanalushi told the court that after going through the file, he discovered that the file was not complete because certain vital documents were missing.

This is in a case in which Nyirongo is charged with abuse of office of authority, offences, which she committed when she was still minister of Lands.

Mr. Mwanalushi told the court that, in acting to the then minister of Lands’ enquiry, he got documents relating to the same property but realized that there were some essential documents missing from the file.

He said he could not act on the directive by the former minister but instead requested that the vital documents be availed before the numbering of the property could go ahead.

He explained that the file did not contain important documents such as a letter from the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) indicating that it had given back the farm in question to government.

“I recall a day in December 2006, I got a call from the Minister’s secretary that I should go to the Minister’s office and I presented myself to the minister’s office. I found two other people in the minister’s office one of them was Samuel Daka whom I knew as an evaluation officer at the ministry of Lands,” he said.

The witness told magistrate Newa that there was suppose to be a stamped letter from the Kabwe Municipal Council in the site plan, but that this was not in the file.

Mr. Mwanalushi further said that he then wrote a memo requesting that the missing vital documents be provided before he could go ahead with the numbering of the said property.

In cross examination, lawyer representing Reverend Nyirongo, asked the witness on whether there was anything wrong with the file he got.

In response, Mr. Mwanalushi said there was nothing critically wrong with the documents in the file except that some of the important documents were missing.

Trial continues.

Kabwe DC worried with increase in ‘Sugar Mummies’

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KABWE District Commissioner (DC), Jane Chileshe has bemoaned the increase in the number of of older women having affairs with young in the district.

Mrs Chileshe told ZANIS in an interview today that it was disheartening to see a woman going out with a male of more than 12 years her junior without feeling embarrassed.

“For a young person to approach an elderly woman then it means he has seen a weakness in the woman. In most instances these women give these boys a lot of money to lure them into having sex with them,” she said.

Mrs Chileshe urged the young men not to be enticed with money to fall in love with ‘suger mummies’ but rather follow the proper African set up were relationships are concerned.

Meanwhile, the DC has noted that there has been no cases of Cholera recorded in the district so far.

She commended the Ministry of Health (MOH) for putting up measures like giving out Chlorine and lime to the residents in order to avoid any cases of the water borne disease.

“The district is faced with problems of water and sanitation but I am happy to say that we have not had any Cholera reports as yet, which is a good sign,” Mrs Chileshe said.

Himoonde Reflects on His Learning Curve

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Zambia and Under-23 defender Hichani Himoonde said he is not taking his two starts at the Africa Cup for granted and working towards the 2010 qualifiers.

“I was shocked when Coach Patrick Phiri told me to warm-up in the match against Cameroon,” Hichani said reflecting on that forgettable 5-1 defeat to Cameroon that he didn’t want to remember so soon after with memories still fresh in the nation’s minds.

The Dynamos defender replaced stuttering Kennedy Nkethani midway through the first half of what was turning out to be a torrid evening against Cameroon for the Zanaco defender who’s place Himoonde made his own thereafter.

“I thought I was going to be part of the “B” or “C” team at the Africa Cup and wasn’t expecting to play any matches,” Himoonde said.

The Lusaka Dynamos defender, who was handed his first three caps by Phiri at the 2006 Cecafa Cup in Ethiopia, said the level of play at the Africa Cup was a quantum leap from what he had previously experienced.

“The Africa Cup is a deferent level of football altogether where you have to think very fast or you are finished,” Hichani said.

He said it was different from spontaneous, physical and cavalier football at Under-23 and Under-20 added that he but got into the groove of things by the game three in Zambia’s 1-1 draw with Egypt in their final Group C match.

“I can’t look back now, you know,” the Dynamos defender said looking very relaxed and happy to be back in Kabwata where he was born, raised and played his street football were the famous Breakpoint Bar now stands when it was previously a public park.

It was quite an experience for the Dynamos players to be part of the grueling three-week pre-Africa Cup tour of Europe and North Africa with the national team.

“It was constant travel and we were almost living on aeroplanes and buses traveling from game to game and training and from one country to another on our way to Ghana,” the 21-year-old giant defender said.

“But I thank Coach Patrick Phiri for giving me an opportunity to play in the team.

“And when someone gives you a chance like that especially at the Africa Cup you take it with two hands.

“But that doesn’t mean you have to relax and am going to work very hard to keep my place in the team now for the 2010 qualifiers.”

Himoonde added that he had no problem with the criticism that he was too raw and inexperienced to have been thrust into the big lights of the Africa Cup.

“One has to leave with criticism and get the good from the bad and work very hard on your weakness because life is like that,” Himoonde said.

“I have been learning a lot since I started playing top-level with Dynamos in 2006 and when I went top Kaizer Chiefs last year for my first trials I also came away with something new,” he said.

“That’s football.”

Himoonde had an unsuccessful two-week trial spell at Chiefs but is optimistic another one would come soon-but with hard work.

However, he refuses to discuss his future at Dynamos and beyond at this time.

Abuse of Public Funds by Govt has Continued, Auditor General’s Report

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THE Office of the Auditor General has released the Audit report for the financial year ended December 31, 2006.

Public Relations Officer in the Office of the Auditor General Ellen Chikale confirmed in a statement made available to ZANIS today that the report, which was tabled before parliament on February 5, 2008, was submitted to the President on December 31, last year as per the constitutional requirement.

Ms Chikale said this years report has revealed that irregularities in the management of public funds has continued, with the worst being that of the misapplication of funds to the tune of K42, 885,707,241, which was followed by unaccounted for funds amounting to K22,053,976,602.

She also said other irregularities included unretired imprest-K18,585,086,881, unaccounted for stores-K14,992,700,535, unsupported payments-K12,647,491,376, delayed banking-K3,976,260,363, over payments-K1,756,258,571 and misappropriation revenue amounting to K85,714,710.

Ms Chikale further said the report also revealed unconstitutional expenditure amounting to K8,642,049,204 in respect of 23 heads of expenditure, which will require approval by parliament as provided for under article 1179(5) of the Republican Constitution.

She said the revenue component of the financial year under review revealed that there was a net deficit of K1,210,536,386,541 in the actual revenue collected at K6,990,018,969,806 against the estimated amount of K8,200,555,356,347.

Ms Chikale said the revenue collection comprised tax revenue and non tax revenue of which tax revenue is revenue from taxes such as income tax, mineral royalty tax, customs and exercise, Value Added Tax, among others, and non tax revenue is revenue from fees and fines such as traffic collections and ground rent.

She further said some irregularities in the collection and accounting of revenue in the audit report included tax arrears of K2,909 billion, tax refer-to drawer cheques K2.5 billion and unaccounted for non tax revenue of K4.5 billion.

Ms Chikale also said out of the tax arrears of K2, 909 billion, a sample of K1, 702 billion was picked for circularistion and 97 percent of this amount was disputed by institutions that owed the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).

Govt looking into the plight of NCZ workers

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Government has appealed to the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) workers who are demanding payment of their four months salary arrears to remain calm as it addresses their plight.

Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Dr Sam Mundia says government through his ministry is working out modalities aimed at paying the NCZ workers their dues.
Dr Mundia told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that government is committed settle the matter in order for the workers return to work.
He said the problems affecting the NCZ workers were been given the utmost attention by his ministry.

Scores of the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) workers in Kafue yesterday continued their demonstration at the office of the District Commissioner for the second day, demanding that government pays them their four months salary arrears.

The workers, who started assembling as early as 08:00 hours in the morning yesterday vowed to continue besieging the district commissioner’s office until government, through the respective ministries, releases funds for their salaries.

They workers expressed disappointment at government’s failure to allocate some funds in this year’s national budget for the recapitalization of the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia.
They wondered how the company will operate in the absence of funds.

Speaking on behalf of workers, Robert Musanje said workers simply want to be paid their four months salary arrears.

Mr. Musanje further said that government should pay for the 4000 metric tones of D-Compound fertilizer that the company had supplied to farmers under the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) amounting to K11 billion.

He said this would allow the company to also pay the workers.

Mr. Musanje charged that workers were dying from depression because of government’s negligence in addressing their problems at the plant.

He observed that if government could have paid K171 billion to RAMCOZ workers last year why can it not do the same to NCZ workers.

Mr. Musanje said workers will continue assembling at the District Commissioners office until government releases money owed to them.

MMD in Mufulira yet to discuss Mwanawasa’s successor

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The ruling MMD in Mufulira district has revealed that the party leadership in the border town has not yet met to discuss issues pertaining to the successor of party president, Levy Mwanawasa.

The party says it would however make a comment on the matter at an appropriate time when and after it was given a go-ahead by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

MMD Mufulira District Chairman, Harrington Mambwe, disclosed this in a walk in interview with ZANIS in the mining town today.

And the MMD in Mufulira says it was closely watching and monitoring the situation in the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) folowing the decision to suspend two PF incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) by the party’s district executive.

Mr. Mambwe added that the party was mobilizing and reorganizing its ranks and files in case by elections were imminent in the event that the two PF MPs were expelled from the opposition grouping.

ZFE attributes increase in Child labour to poverty

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THE Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) says the increase in child labour is due to high poverty levels in the country.
Federation president Dan Musenge said the trend could be reduced if employers took immediate effective action in a bid to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labour.
Mr Musenge said this when he officially opened a two-day employers sensitisation workshop on child labour at Cholwa guest house in Luanshya today.
He said employers had the responsibility to contribute to the fight of the worst forms of child labour by ensuring that children are not employed in harmful work.
He bemoaned the high levels of child labour, which have increased from 600,000 in 1999 to 895,000 in 2005 by 48 percent.
Mr Musenge appealed to employers to have specific interventions to cover vulnerable groups such as orphans and street kids through patronage, financial backing or organisational help.

Demo by NCZ workers enters day two

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Scores of the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) workers in Kafue this morning continued their demonstration at the office of the District Commissioner for the second day demanding that government pays them their four months arrears.

The workers who started assembling as early as 08:00 hours this morning have since vowed to besiege the district commissioner’s office until government through the respective ministries releases funds for their salaries.

Addressing the workers, Kafue District Commissioner Michael Bwalya assured the workers that government was actively looking into their plight and that his office has since contacted the respective ministries responsible for NCZ with a view to addressing the problem.

Mr. Bwalya said the problem of salaries will soon be resolved and that workers should not panic but go back to work.

He, however, pointed out that government has no intentions of selling NCZ and that workers should not fear for their lives.

Mr. Bwalya said it was important that workers should remain calm and give time to government as it addresses their plight.

But the angry workers expressed disappointment at government’s failure to allocate some funds in this year’s national budget for the recapitalization of the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia.

They wondered how the company will operate in the absence of funds.

Speaking on behalf of workers, Robert Musanje said workers simply want to be paid their four months salary arrears.

Mr. Musanje further said that government should pay for the 4000 metric tones of D-Compound fertilizer that the company had supplied to farmers under the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) amounting to K11 billion.

He said this would allow the company to also pay the workers.

Mr. Musanje lamented that workers were dying from depression because of government’s negligence in addressing their problems at the plant.

He observed that if government could have paid K171 billion to RAMCOZ workers last year why can it not do the same to NCZ workers.

Mr. Musanje said workers will continue assembling at the District Commissioners office until government releases money owed to them.

PF will scoop the Kanyama parley seat – Lubinda

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Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) says the continued flooding of Kanyama Constituency will not affect the performance of the party in the forthcoming parliamentary by-election.

Party spokesperson Given Lubinda has said although the floods have affected mobility in the area, the party remains confident of scooping the seat.

He further said it would not matter if the polls were pushed forward as the PF has the backing of the Kanyama residents.

Mr. Lubinda told Journalists in an interview that his party is merely awaiting the Election Day.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lubinda has said that the PF does not subscribe to the Zambia National Service (ZNS) Pulling out of the constituency because of the forthcoming elections in the area.

Mr. Lubinda, who is Kabwata MP, said ZNS should be beefed up with more resources so that the suffering of the people in the area can be alleviated.

He said people deserve to live in a conducive environment which is in line with the fundamental principle of human rights.

The Kanyama Seat fall vacant last year following the death of the area MP Henry Mtonga

And The Lusaka High Court today adjourned to February 13th, 2008, a ruling on preliminary issues raised by opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata and his Secretary General Edward Mumbi.

This is in the matter in which 33 PF Members of Parliament participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) obtained an injunction against their expulsion from the party.

Lawyer representing Mr. Sata, Mumba Kapumpa informed PF members who were waiting for the ruling in the courtroom that the matter had been adjourned to February 13th, because the ruling was not ready.

He said the notice for Judge Gregory Phiri to prepare the ruling was not ready today.

Earlier, PF cadres and some MPs had a hostile exchange of words with those participating in the NCC whom they labelled as betrayers.

Those who turned up at the High Court included Peter Machungwa for Luapula constituency Faustina Sinyangwe for Matero, Marjory Masiye for Mufulira, Lubansenshi’s Lazarus Chota and Barnabas Chela for Wusakile constituency.

Last year, over 25 PF Members of Parliament, led by Kasama Central MP, Saviour Chishimba, applied for an injunction in the High Court against any impending expulsion from the party because of their decision to participate in the NCC.

The preliminary issues which Mr. Sata’s lawyers raised during the last hearing in court were that the endorsement of the writ of summons and statement of claim by the plaintiffs did not disclose any cause of action against defendants.

They submitted that the claims should therefore be dismissed as the actions did not disclose the violation and breach caused by the defendants to warrant this action.

But plaintiffs’ lawyers said their clients’ claims were based on the prouncements that the defendants made in the print and electronic media in which they threatened to and warned to expel those participating in the NCC from the party.

Away from home

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Dear Jelita,

Mwana how are you? Its been along time. I hope you and bashi mpundu are okey.Are you still in Mwinilunga?

Mark and I now live in Chicago.Its the town where Oprah lives though I haven’t seen her yet.I miss our nursing days at Mukinge mission hospital.

I know you all thought I was the luckiet girl alive when Dr.Mark Roberts came to Mukinge mission hospital and fell in love with me, a simple nurse born and bred in Solwezi! Well I also thought I was lucky especially when he asked me to marry him.

Now in retrospect maybe my parents were right when they were concerned about what I’ld have in common with a muzungu.

When we first came to the US it was all a whorl wind romance.We stayed in New York at first and he would take me to central park,hire a horse drawn carriage and we would have the most romantic evenings.
Then reality kicked in when we started meeting his friends and family.Firstly I couldn’t understand a word they where saying.We went to his parents house for a braii once and all his brothers and sisters were there. After lunch they all dived into the heated pool.As I was thinking how lucky I was for not carrying my costume, Marks sister Ashleigh handed me a bikini! Meanwhile I had spent the entire night before retouching my hair and setting it.I said no I don’t want to get my hair wet and the whole family laughed liked I had said something hilarious.
I felt silly and almost broke down in tears. Now there is talk of going to Colarado to go skii-ing.What do I know about skii-ing? I’m just going to embarrass myself like I did on the last camping trip.
Mark thinks I’m making a big deal out of nothing.Anyway, life is not as easy as I thought it would be.I miss Zambia.Anyway,we are going to a Chinese restaurant I have to get ready.Wish me luck with the chop sticks! I’m so miserable mwana. It doesn’t make sense to be in America and be so damm miserable does it?
Reply soon.

your friend,

Womba

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