THE MMD has welcomed the declaration by former Works and Supply minister Ludwig Sondashi to contest the ruling party’s presidency.

The party has advised Dr Sondashi that it is up to him to win the confidence of members to vote for him at the convention.

Publicity chairperson, Benny Tetamashimba, said Dr Sondashi was the only person from North-Western Province who had declared his intention to contest the MMD presidency.
He said he was hopeful that others with similar intentions would soon come out in the open.
Mr Tetamashimba, who is Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister, was speaking in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.

He said it was his belief that the stronger candidates would come from Northern, Eastern, and Southern provinces followed by Central and Lusaka provinces.

He, however, said he could not downplay Dr Sondashi’s strength. “Whether he is a factor in the process is known by himself. I have personally not supported candidates from North-Western Province, but that is not to say others should not support him. Dr Sondashi is free to contest any position in the MMD,” Mr Tetamashimba said.

On Thursday, Dr Sondashi announced that he would contest the MMD top-most seat and would have a go at the Republican presidency.

ZIMBABWE is yet to receive 114 000 tonnes of maize it ordered from Zambia despite paying US$28 million in December. This forced government to pay another US$18 million to South Africa for the importation of a consignment of maize estimated to be between 100 000 and 130 000 tonnes for the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to boost the country’s low maize stocks.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono told President Robert Mugabe at a function last Saturday that the country would not have imported maize from South Africa had Zambia delivered the consignment on time.

“We paid US$28 million for the importation of 150 000 tonnes of additional maize from Zambia. Only 36 000 tonnes were delivered. We paid US$3 million for additional maize being delivered from South Africa. Last month we paid US$15 million to South Africa,” said Gono during the handover ceremony for farm equipment last week.

Reliable sources said Zambia had delayed in delivering the maize because of a misunderstanding with the GMB on the labour needed to load an estimated 200 trucks carrying the maize to Zimbabwe.

“Zambia insisted that Zimbabwe raise the foreign currency to pay for the labour that would load the trucks. GMB has been finding it difficult to raise the foreign currency and Zambia has been doing it at its own pace,” said one RBZ source.

GMB reportedly attempted to send some of its workers to Zambia to load the maize but they were turned back as they did not have the necessary travel documents. GMB general manager Isaac Mandizha was not available for comment but Mashonaland West GMB provincial manager, John Mafa, confirmed the developments.

Mafa said GMB was hoping that Zambia would soon finish loading the maize and send the trucks to Zimbabwe by weekend.

“Our guys were turned back as they had no work permits. We are desperately trying to fix that and as we speak, Zambia is loading that maize for us. However, they can only do it at their own pace since we were supposed to send the labour,” Mafa said.

Mafa said GMB was also finding it difficult to convince their labour force to volunteer to go to Zambia.

“They are not willing to go there. We are looking at other strategies including the use of uniformed forces with passports. We are hopeful that if we do, we can get the maize at the latest by Sunday,” he said.

Asked to confirm whether workers were reluctant to go to Zambia because GMB had failed to guarantee an allowance for them, Mafa referred businessdigest to Mandizha.

“I would not know about that. Please phone head office, they can tell you more,” Mafa said.

Gono would not be drawn into elaborating the reasons behind the failure by Zambia to deliver the maize on time.

Zimbabwe’s maize stocks are at a critical level. Mugabe told a rally in Inyathi that government had also imported another 300 000 tonnes of maize from Malawi.

Mugabe said the maize from Malawi would complement deliveries from Zambia.

Government is in the process of introducing degree courses at Nkrumah and Copper belt Teacher Training Colleges in order to raise the quality of training standards at the two institutions.

Speaking when he officiated at the Chengelo School fundraising dinner dance in Lusaka last night, President Levy Mwanawasa said more teachers are also being trained and upgraded in various training institutions around the country..

Dr. Mwanawasa noted that the growing population of young people poses a huge challenge for government to provide quality education hence the need for partnerships with the private sector in meeting the national educational needs.

He stated that excellence in the education of children in Zambia is the foundation of the country’s future saying the best should be provided to accelerate the development of the country.

Dr. Mwanawasa added that academic excellence, character development and good experience are not enough without true wisdom which enables children stand for what is right.

Dr. Mwanawasa who is also patron of the Zambia International Youth Award Programme at Chengelo’s outdoor center, commended the school for developing into a fine education institute incorporating a primary school, secondary school, sixth form and an exciting outdoor education center.

He further commended the school for scoring a number of successes in academics, sports, cultural and leadership training activities.

Speaking earlier Education Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa said the traditional belief that government will always provide all the resources for education is a misconception that needs to be removed from the minds of the students, teachers and lecturers.

Professor Lungwangwa said his ministry’s policy supports the idea of self sustaining, generating sufficient income to meet the needs in the country’s educational institutions.

He noted that government has established and empowered education boards in institutions to raise funds for self sustenance.

Professor Lungwangwa said the education system that government aspires for includes the practice of teaching, assessment for learning, curriculum development, use of information communication technologies and involvement of parents and communities in nurturing the unique talents of every pupil.

Speaking at the same occasion, Chengelo school Parents Teacher Association Chairperson William Nyirenda said the funds raised during the dinner would go towards acquiring more computers for the newly established computer laboratory and musical equipment to aid the learning process of the pupils.

And Chengelo School Board of Governors Chairperson Russel Wyatt said the school’s vision is to develop children to take up their place in society as leaders in all spheres of life.

Mr. Wyatt said Chengelo Schoolwhich is located in Mkushi in Central province, remains committed to building ethics of excellence to develop possibilities for success in the children.

Community Development and Social Services Minister, Catherine Namugala today launched the first ever Eco-Village model project in Zambia, an initiative of the Network for Environmental Concerns and Solutions (NECOS).

The initiative aims at transforming Madiba compound of Matero, from a peri-urban settlement into an Eco-Village Model.

Speaking at the launch at Diana Kaimba Basic School in Lusaka, Ms Namugala said every nation aspires to have socio-economic development saying Zambians should strive to pursue developmental activities that will have minimum negative impact on the environment.

She said studies and experiences have shown that where the community improves its water and sanitation, the quality of health also improves.

Ms Namugala said the upgrading of informal settlements in peri-urban areas will play an important role in improving living standards for the residents.

She further said sustainable development can only be guaranteed when community involvement is encouraged and supported by all.

Speaking at the same function, Finish Ambassador to Zambia Sinikka Antila said the project was founded by Finish Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) and other NGOs from other co-operating partners.

She said Finland and Zambia have been collaborating in areas like environment, health and private sector development.

Ms Antila said Finland will to continue increase its aid to the Zambian government in order to improve the living standards for its citizens.

And NECOS President Obed Kawanga said NECOS is a community based non governmental organization which was founded in 2004 to address community problems of Madiba compound like the cholera outbreak which claimed many lives.

He said environmental and social-economic concerns should be handled together with all concerned residents and stakeholders.

Meanwhile the Global Dry Toilet Association Project says sanitation is a big problem that kills about 1.5 million children every year globally.

Project Coordinator,Sari Huuhtanen said most children die from simple diarrhoea diseases, a problem which she said can easily be prevented with proper toilets and hygiene.

The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has called on government to speed up the process of disbursing the Youth Empowerment Fund introduced in 2006.

AVAP Executive Director, Bonnie Tembo says his organisation is concerned with the lack of political will on the part of the government to have the funds disbursed despite political pronouncements during the youth day celebrations.

Mr Tembo has however Commended President Levy Mwanawasa for calling on the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to ensure that the funds meant for the youths are disbursed according the law.

He claimed that although the youths are majority voters, they are both politically and economically marginalised.

Mr Tembo has pledged to partner with other Youth Organizations in lobbing government over the disbursement of the youth Empowerment Fund saying youth are the majority voters.

The AVAP leader however, advised all the youth organisations in the country to unite and strategise on how best they can play a critical role in ensuring that the youth in the country benefit from the youth Empowerment Fund.

Mr. Tembo said there is need to liberate the youth from the yoke of unemployment and poverty.

He has also called upon Members of Parliament in all the 150 Constituencies to spearhead the disbursement of the Youth Empowerment Fund to the youth by engaging the CEEC.

He noted that the elected representatives who enacted Citizen Economic Empowerment Act should take a lead to ensure the implementation of the CEEC.

Mr. Tembo has further appealed to government through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development to publish and disseminate youth empowerment Fund guidelines to enable youths have the information on how to access, utilise and account for the Fund.