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First Lady to address OAFLA meeting in Addis

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First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa is today expected to address the Organisation of African First Ladies on HIV and AIDS (OAFLA) after the official opening ceremony of the 10th African Union heads of state and government summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The Zambian First Lady who is OAFLA Chairperson is expected to be among 41 First Ladies who will attend the OAFLA meeting on Violence against Women and Children.

This is according to the latest programme released by the AU Communications Centre and obtained by ZANIS at the AU Conference media centre in Addis Ababa.

The programme shows that Mrs Mwanawasa First Lady will address the meeting at 13:00 hours Zambian time.

During the meeting, survivors and victims are expected to share experiences on Female Genital Mutilation which is commonly practised in West Africa, early marriage and rape.

Others to make presentations will include the African Union senior representatives who will address the meeting on the continental body’s perspective on HIV/AIDS, gender equality and human rights.

At the same gathering which will be opened by Ethiopian First Lady Azeb Mesfin, local religious and community leaders will also share their experiences on violence against women and children and efforts being devised to prevent, respond and support these vulnerable groups from all forms of violence.

The gathering will be punctuated by a musical performance by designated performers known as Mela Belu.

South Africa’s medical practitioner Dr Biki Samuel Minyuku will also make a presentation on prevention, response and support regarding that country’s experience.

The meeting is aimed at promoting 365 days of ‘No Violence Against Women and Children.’

The African First Ladies will also pledge to act as champions and advocates to prevent violence against women and children.

Meanwhile, President Mwanawasa was yesterday afternoon among heads of state and government who attended the closed door session of the African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM, under the framework of the African Union 10th Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa.

The meeting started about 13:00 hours Zambian time and went on late into the afternoon.

Ethiopian Prime minister Meles Zenawi opened the meeting. Summit.

National Housing Bonds Trust to issue bonds on LUSE

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The National Housing Bonds Trust (NHBT) will soon issue the first bond on the Lusaka Stock Exchange (LUSE) to raise funds for the construction of houses countrywide.

Local Government and Housing Minister Silvia Masebo disclosed this when she officiated at the NHBT stakeholders meeting held in Lusaka today.

Ms. Masebo said the local authorities that are supposed to address the country’s backlog of over one million housing units are unable to provide housing due to the inadequate revenue base.

She said government decided to approve the issuance of housing bonds by local authorities through the Lusaka Stock Exchange to raise cheap and long-term finance for the construction of houses nationwide.

She said the first phase in the exercise will cover Solwezi, Livingstone, Kitwe, Chipata and Lusaka.

She the exercise will be rolled out to other districts after the pilot project in the first five towns in completed.

And speaking earlier, NHBT Board Chairman Abel Mkandawire said the board constituted under the Ministry of Local Government is mandated to serve all Zambians with housing and has members from both the private and public sectors.

Mr. Mkandawire said the board is not wholly government but a partnership among various stakeholders in providing decent housing to citizens.

Notable among the stakeholders present at the meeting were Ministers of Education Geoffrey Lungwagwa, Finance and National Planning Ng’andu Magande, Lands Bradford Machila and United Liberal Party President Sakwiba Sikota.

Weak housing struactures worsening the effects of floods – Hakayobe

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Southern Province Permanent Secretary,
Darius Hakayobe has said weak house structures are contributing
to the increasing number of collapsing houses.

Mr. Hakayobe said this when he toured the flooded areas in Livingstone district.

He said most houses could not withstand the water due to their poor
structural standards.

He called on councillors to work with Rural Development Committees and
engineers to ensure that people construct strong structures to
avoid disasters.

And Mr. Hakayobe has said very little attention was paid to the
meteorological department’s weather predictions.

“We did not heed the meteorological department. Some of these
situations could have been avoided,” he said.

Mr. Hakayobe however has assured all affected families of tents,
drugs, treated bed nets and food stuffs to help mitigate their
sufferings.

And Mr Hakayobe has ordered the Livingstone City Council
to ensure a speedy re-design and improvement of the drainage system
that he said are causing flooding in most parts of the city.

Mr. Hakayobe said all drainages should be re-dug to minimize flooding
that is caused by blocked drainages.

He also said the council should repair culverts and bridges that
are posing danger to the community.

Mr. Hakayobe who feared for the lives of people especially grade one
pupils who have to cross flooded streams when going to school, said
efforts to manage natural calamities should continue.

“More rains are expected in the coming months therefore we should get
down to work and improve the road network in affected areas,” he said.

The PS was speaking yesterday during a tour of the flood affected
areas in Dambwa Site and Service and other affected wards.

Mr. Hakayobe called for a strengthened Disaster Management and
Mitigation Unit and the cooperation of the private sector in order to
contain the situation.

He further called for the sensitization of the community in order to
ensure no more lives are lost.

And Livingstone councillors have commended government for responding to
disaster situations speedily.

Simonga ward councillor Joram Mwiinda who is also Livingstone City
Deputy Mayor said the exhibited government’s quick response to
natural calamities should be commended.

Mr. Mwiinda said there is need to conduct thorough works after the
rains and to plan ahead in order to avoid flooding in future.

He said more resources need to be mobilized and called on the
business community to plough back into the community in order to
assist flood victims.

And Zambezi ward councilor, Philemon Musonda said government’s quick
response is a sign that it has the interest of the people at heart.

He commended Sun International Hotel for coming on board to assist
the disaster victims.

And Mr. Musonda has appealed to the parents to ensure the safety of
young ones who risk being swept by run off water and being attacked
by crocodiles.

Crocodiles believed to been swimming up stream from the Zambezi River
have been sighted in flooded dwellings on the Dambwa river bed.

The councilors were speaking during the tour of affected areas and
families.
……………..
And a disabled person whose house has been surrounded by flood waters
for over two months has called for the council to pump out water from
his premise and urged the council to improve the drainage system in
townships.

Leonard Kashimba of Zambezi Sawmills who has stacked bags of sand at
his door step to prevent water from entering his house said poor
drainage system is contributing to the flood situation in his area.

And Brandina Kambwa whose house has been completely surrounded by
water since November said the situation is a health hazard.

Ms Brandina said the flood waters are a breeding ground for
mosquitoes.

More than 400 houses have been affected and bridges washed away
following heavy and continuous rains that Livingstone has been
receiving.

Bids for Fourth Modile Operator Open

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The Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ) has issued invitations for eligible persons, to bid for the fourth National Mobile Cellular Licence.

To this effect, adverts have started running in both the electronic and print media.

CAZ International and Public Relations Officer Ngabo Nankonde, in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, said interested persons and firms can submit written applications and a non-refundable payment of K300 million at Bank of Zambia.

Ms. Nankonde said the closing date for bidders is 14:00 hours on February 27, 2008.

He advised members of the general public to look out for adverts in both electronic and print media.

Wednesday Zambian Football Round-up

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City of Lusaka have signed a major sponsorship deal with National Milling Corporation (NMC).

The deal is initially for one year and for undisclosed sum.

NMC managing director Peter Cottan said today that the sponsorship deal was financial and would include branding the team jerseys and balls with his company’s imagines.

His company would also undertake rehabilitation works at City’s iconic homeground of Woodlands stadium.

This will be NMC’s second major in-road into sports in Zambia after their association with intercontinental women’s super bantamweight boxing champion Esther Phiri.

This is the second major corporate partnership City have undertaking over the last 10 years.

In 1999, City partnered with Cavmont Bank for four years.

City finished 12th in the Premier Division last season in their first year back in the top-flight since 2003.

In other news, Nkana are set to prize Emmanuel Siwale from division one north club Kitwe United to the promoted 11-time top-flight champions over the next 24 hours.

Siwale is set to be offered a long-term deal to leave Garden Park and move across Kitwe after meeting with Nkana club officials shortly.

The former Chambishi FC and Lusaka Celtic coach is set to take over from Beston Chambeshi who quit Nkana suddenly two weeks ago to take up a coaching job in Botswana.

Siwale leaves United after a season in charge at Garden Park starting last May after taking over from Francis Mutembo.

United last season finished in sixth place on the table in division one north.

Incidentally, Siwale will take over at Nkana who were promoted back to the Premier Division at the end of last year together his former club Chambishi.

Meanwhile, demoted National Assembly have appointed Dean Mwiinde as head coach.

Mwiinde, who is also Zambia Under-23 assistant coach, takes over from Chris Chibuye who was fired last October.

Assembly has been under the temporal care of ex-Power Dynamos and Zambia midfielder Alex Namazaba since the latter part of the 2007 season.

Assembly were demoted last season after four years in the top-flight.

Mwiinde is hoping his magic will work this coming season for Assembly in division one south after guiding Konkola Blades to promotion at the end of the 2005 campaign.

He led Konkola Blades back to promotion in 2005 when he replaced Fodson Kabole that same year after they were demoted from the Premier Division in 2004.

And in international football, Zambia Under-17 women’s team opponents Ghana Under-17 arrive tomorrow.

The two teams will be in action at Woodlands Stadium this Saturday in a preliminary round FIFA 2008 World Under-17 Women’s Cup first leg qualifier.

1000 Sinazongwe flood victims need relief food

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Sinazongwe District Commissioner Laiven Apuleni has said the number of people in need of relief food has swelled to about more than 1000.

Mr. Apuleni has urged people to prepare themselves for a worse scenario than anticipated as the flood continues to cause havoc in the district.

He said the district management team has managed to assess the SIX areas while the rest of the other places were still inaccessible owing to impassable roads.

The DC noted that the places visited included Nkandabbwe, Malima, Sinazongwe, Mweezhya, Sinazongwe, and Maamba.

Mr. Apuleni revealed that 1091 people would be in need of relief food because their fields were washed away and their houses have collapsed while 85 percent of people were living in makeshift structures.

He said the District disaster management team was still trying to find ways reaching inaccessible places either through water and when the rains reduces.

The places that still inaccessible include, kafwambila, Siapondo, Muuka, Dengeza, Siameja, Sulwegonde, Sinankumbi, Chimini, Lubwelubwe, and Chiyabi.

The district has continued to receive heavy rains and most people’s maize fields have turned yellow, submerged in water, washed away, and has stopped growing owing to nutrients that have been washed away.

The District Commissioner said the district has received sympathy from many organisations apart from the rapid assessments that the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under the office of the vice president had done.

He said ZAMBEEF has pledged to donate 200 bags of Maize and the Anglican Church has pledged 320 bags of maize and undisclosed number of blankets to give to people whose houses collapsed.

Chief Sinazongwe’s representative Louis Manje said the rains in the district has caused more to the people as even cotton was failing to grow well.

[ZANIS]

Floods cut off Sinazongwe district

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By Tovin Ngombe

Sinazongwe District has been cut off from the rest of the country in Southern Province for the third time following the floods that have washed away the exposed culvert.

The culvert exposed along the Maamba/Batooka road at Sinazeze has collapsed owing to the excessive rainfall that the district has continued to receive.

Sinenge Ward Councilor Joe Siabula said several motorists from Choma and Lusaka are stranded.
In December and January this year three culverts collapsed and paralysed the transport system in the district a situation that lead to the hiking of prices on all essential basic food stuffs.

Today the highest price of a roller meal bag is fetching at K60, 000 and K50, 000 in Kafwambila where the area is still inaccessible.

The Sinazeze culvert is the fourth culvert to be cut off while several culverts are in the process of being washed away.

Sinazongwe District Commissioner warned people to prepare for a worse situation than anticipated in the district.

In January Road Development Agency (RDA) Head of Public Relations Officer Royce Saili said 11 eleven dangerous spots have been identified and they would be worked on for a month.
[ZANIS]

Witchcraft plagued school reopens

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Mweemba primary school which was prematurely closed in the third term last year in Sinazongwe district following rampant witchcraft that led to all the teachers fleeing the school, has been reopened.

Mweemba Ward councillor Aaron Mweemba told ZANIS that the district education office has sent six new teachers to the school.

Mr Mweemba said the community was happy with the development.

The civic leader has since urged them to desist from using witchcraft on innocent teachers.

He said the school reopened last week and a grade eight class has been introduced for the first time.

Last year female teachers at the school had bizzare experiences such as nightmares of having sex with unknown people.

Their male counterparts would also wake up in morning feeling tired and backache a situation which resulted in most teachers getting sick.

Government uncovers Visa fees scam

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Government has uncovered a scam in which some Tourism operators are allegedly misinforming foreign tourists that the Zambian government has increased Visa fees from US$ 40 to US$ 150.

Addressing the Press in Lusaka today, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Kaingu said his ministry has received disturbing reports of some tour operators that are misinforming foreign tourists that the Zambian government has exorbitantly hiked tourism visa fees.

Mr. Kaingu said his ministry will not take kindly the tour operators that are distorting information with regard to the increment of the tourism visa fees as they are frustrating government efforts towards of taking the Zambian tourism sector to greater heights.

He clarified that government has only increased tourism visa fees from US$ 25 per single entry to US$ 50 adding that for multiple entry the tourism visa fees has been slightly increased from US$ 40 to US$ 80.

Mr. Kaingu said that government is concerned with the false information that some tour operators were spreading to some foreign tourists saying false information on the Visa fees could adversely affect tourist inflows.

And government has instituted a Committee on Tourism aimed at spearheading the tourism marketing strategies in readiness for the coming 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup tournament slated for South Africa and for the 2011 All African Games to be held in Zambia.

Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Kaingu said the Committee on Tourism which comes into effect on February 1, 2008 and chaired by Deputy Minister of Tourism will to take advantage of the forthcoming 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup and the 2011 All African Games to be held in Zambia and seriously market Zambia’s tourism potential to the rest of the world.

Mr. Kaingu further disclosed that his ministry is working out modalities aimed at increasing tourism levy fees with a view to spearheading tourism development.

He said his ministry has since started making consultations with the tour operators and other stakeholders.

Exploration and Production Act under scrutiny

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Government is in the process of repealing and replacing the Exploration and Production Act of 1985.

Mines and Mineral Development Minister Kalombo Mwansa has announced that the Bill to repeal and replace the current Act will be tabled in parliament in the first quarter of 2008.

Dr. Mwansa said the Bill will provide two separate licenses for prospecting and production of oil and gas as well as make it stronger in the areas of legal provisions on environmental protection.

He was speaking in Lusaka today when he opened a three-day seminar on National Petroleum Development.

Dr. Mwansa said repealing of the Act involves strengthening institutional framework for regulating the oil and gas industry before inviting tenders from the private petroleum exploration companies.

He said government is now promoting capacity building in geological survey department while rehabilitating and equipping the laboratories in the Ministry of Mines to enable it carry out analysis of the petroleum explorations because government is determined to ensure that the country benefits fully from the petroleum and gas industry.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mwansa has announced that government has made significant progress on exploration of oil and gas in Eastern, North-Western and Western Provinces as evidenced by results of microbial analysis of samples collected in these provinces.

The Minister said samples showed positive signs for both oil and gas adding that government will in this year’s exploration programme extend the microbial survey to the Kafue Basin in Southern Province and Bangweulu in Luapula Province.

And speaking earlier, Norwegian Ambassador to Zambia Tore Gjos said Zambia stands to gain tremendously from her petroleum and gas industry

Mr. Tore said Zambia should however approach the industry with a measure of prudence.

The three-day seminar seeks to look at the petroleum policy and relevant legislation involved in exploring oil and gas.

Possible postponement of the Kanyama parley polls welcomed

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The Centre for Elections and Governance (CEG) Zambia has welcomed the pronouncement by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) that it might postpone the February 21 by-election in Kanyama constituency if floods worsened.

CEG Zambia Trustee Gershom Musonda told ZANIS in an interview that continued monitoring of the floods situation in Kanyama constituency by the ECZ is good for all stakeholders.

Mr. Musonda observed that the floods in the area would have discouraged voters from turning up to cast their votes.

He further observed that organizations such as the ECZ, election monitoring groups, political parties and other stakeholders would be hindered in their work if floods worsened in the constituency.

Mr. Musonda said political parties should be particularly cheered by the possible postponement of the polls in Kanyama as this would afford them time to prepare adequately.

He observed that some candidates chosen by some political parties are not resident in Kanyama and therefore need time to criss-cross the constituency in a bid to sell themselves to the electorate in the area.

Mr. Musonda further said the draining of flood water in Kanyama ahead of the February 21 by-election should not be politicized because the exercise is in good faith as residents in the area have been worst hit by floods.

He said the forthcoming by-election should not hamper efforts aimed easing the plight of the residents.

And Mr. Musonda said the adoption of its party president, Kenny Ngondo, by the All People’s Congress party is a welcome development because it would make the Kanyama parliamentary by-election competitive.

Mr. Musonda said Mr. Ngondo is a combative competitor and his entry into the Kanyama parliamentary race is a plus to Zambia’s growing democracy.

The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Patriotic Front (PF), United Party for National Development (UPND), United National Independence Party (UNIP), United Liberal Party (ULP), and All People’s Congress Party (APC) have so far confirmed their participation in the Kanyama parliamentary by-election set for February 21.

The candidates are tomorrow expected to file their nomination papers for the seat left vacant last December after the death of Mr. Henry Mtonga.

Serenje district starts flooding

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Floods have devastated Katonga and surrounding areas in Chief Chitambo in Serenje where hosues have collapsed and crops submerged.

The affected areas include Nawaya, Inkunko, Spaita, Katonga, Chilambe, Gibson and Luombwa where people have vacated the areas to higher land where they have pitched temporal shelters.

Some people from Katonga, Nawaya have relocated to Mangala, a higher area leaving their houses, some standing in water while others have collapsed

Chief Chitambo appealed to the Disaster Management and Mitigation (DMMU) to prepare tents, blankets and chlorine including drugs and food to be supplied to his affected subjects in the area.

He told Chitambo Member of Parliament, Nasim Hamir, who was in the area to assess the floods that cassava fields were once against submerged and the tubers were rotting.

MMD constituency treasurer Fumpa Chiwila of Ikunko area said many people were drinking contaminated water because they have either relocated leaving boreholes or their wells have collapsed.

He explained that Mukuku community school had closed because buildings are standing in water while pupils from the surrounding areas who go to Katonga school, wad through water to and from school.

‘’Four shops and close to 30 houses have collapsed in Katonga area alone and I believe many more have collapsed elsewhere because there is too much water compared to the previous years. We are looking forward for assistance from government,’’ he said.

And Luombwa MMD councilor Jonathan Mwewa told Mr. Nasim that Luombwa River banks burst, causing terrible floods that have submerged sorghum, maize and cassava fields at Reuben and Kamaka.

Meanwhile, Chitambo Member of Parliament, Nasim Hamir, who is also Lands Deputy Minister, has also appealed to the DMMU for relief food supplies to the affected people.

Embrace IFMIS

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North-Western Province Permanent Secretary, Jeston Mulando has implored government officers in the province to embrace the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) aimed at strengthening financial transparency and accountability in the management of public financial resources.

Mr Mulando observed that for some time now government has run into difficulties in trying to fully overcome financial accountability problems among other governance concerns confronting the country.

He said it was time to change in resolving the country’s financial management and maintain the goodwill that the international community has extended to the country as may be evidenced by the country’s ascendance to the HIPC Completion Point.

Mr Mulando said government has identified problems with the current Financial Management Information Systems used for both managing financial resources and decision making, that have affected government performance in economic growth and poverty reduction.

“The main problems identified were that the systems were inadequate; they failed to sufficiently support controls and transparency in financial management processes and reporting; and they also had a negative impact on accountability”, he said.

Mr Mulando said it was for that reason that government and cooperating partners have designed the IFMIS because the problems identified had undermined government’s ability to strategically manage public financial resources.

The Permanent Secretary said this when he officially opened a two-day IFMIS workshop organised by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning in Solwezi today.

He said the implementation of the IFMIS project would assist government achieve the expected benefits since it would permit the optimization of current business process across multiple units/departments or ministries and reduce business cycle time from weeks to hours.

Mr Mulando said all those improvements would translate to increased controls, accountability, transparency and cost reduction in the operations of government.

North-Western Province is among the eight identified pilot sites to start implementing the IFMIS project before it is spread to other ministries, provinces and other Spending Agencies.

Others include Office of the Auditor General, Ministries of Works and Supply, Education, Foreign Affairs, Communication and Transport, Finance and National Planning and Eastern Province.

Government to spend K16 bn on floods in Lusaka

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Vice President, Rupiah Banda, has disclosed that government has estimated to spend at least K16 billion to mitigate effects of floods in Lusaka city.

Mr. Banda said the problem of floods was bigger than earlier estimated, hence government’s decision to look for contigent funds from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

The K16 billion is not part of the money allocated to be spent by the new Task Force set to address problems of floods in the country.

He said President Levy Mwanawasa left specific instructions that the Ministry of Finance should provide contigent funds to respond to the problem of floods in the country.

Mr. Banda was speaking at Chibolya Basic School today after touring New Kanyama Basic School, Kanyama Clinic and Chibolya today.

Mr. Banda also called on all Zambians to put aside political issues and concentrate on how best the problem of floods could be addressed in the country.

He was accompanied by Lusaka Province Minister, Lameck Mangani, and Lusaka City Council Town clerk, Timoth Hakuyu.

Funjika pays back over K111m

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Former Zambia National Service (ZNS) Commandant, Wilford Funjika has paid back over K111 million, equivalent to 15,000 British Pounds, to the state following a court order in October last year.

Lieutenant General Funjika was on October 31st, 2007, convicted of two counts of corrupt practices and abuse of authority of office respectively, and sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour but suspended for two years.

In the first count, Funjika was accused of corrupt practices when 15,000 British pounds was corruptly paid to his children as a reward for awarding contracts to Semyon Holdings without following laid down procedures.

In the second cound, he was charged with abuse of authority of office for allegedly engaging Semyon Holdings to supply raincoats to ZNS at a value of 72,000 Pounds.

After his conviction, Funjika was ordered to pay back the 15,000 Pounds paid to his two children for their school in the United Kingdom by Semyon Holdings as a reward from the company engaged by their father.

Task Force on Corruption Public Relations Officer Victor Makai disclosed in a statement to ZANIS today that Funjika has since paid in court, K111,176,756.00 (15,000 pounds).

“The money was paid back to the state within 90 days failure to which a warrant of distress was to be issued,” Mr. Makai said.

The payment was made on January 18th, 2008 in court.

He said the case was yet another success scored by the Task Force on Corruption in he quest to recover whatever was stolen for the people of Zambia by people in public office.

“It is also a timely warning to all those entrusted with the responsibility of managing public resources that, you should be accountable, failure to which the law will come knocking,” he said.

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