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Ben Bamfuchile is dead

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Bamfuchile, 47, died in Kitwe last night after a long illness at 22:15 at Poly Clinic in Nkana West Township where he had been admitted for over a fortnight.

Bamfuchile is one of Zambia’s highly respected coaches having coached Zambia, Namibia, Power Dynamos and Nkana FC.

Bamfuchile had until the time of his death just resigned as head coach of Namibia national soccer team whom he had just guided to their second ever qualification to the Africa Cup finals since 1998.

The late Bamfuchile started his football career as a player at 11-time league champions Nkana in 1977 and was assistant-coach and player from the late 1980’s to 1993 when he took over fulltime at the time.

Later in his career, Bamfuchile oversaw the development at Power of midfielder Isaac Chansa, former Under-23 defender Steven Kunda and striker and Francis Kombe.

While Bamfuchile did not win the league with Power, he brought the team two Mosi cup titles in 2001 and 2003 and the Arthur Davies club was runners up in the same tournament in 2002.

Bamfuchile also won the BP Top 8 crown in 2001 including the clubs only ever Coca Cola Cup triumph in 2003.

His other coaching adventures after an initial turbulent two seasons at Nkana starting from 1993 when he took over from the late legendary trainer Moses Simwala saw him take up coaching stints in Swaziland and South Africa.

Bamfuchile was also assistant Zambia coach to the late Ian Porterfield at the 1994 Africa Cup finals in Tunisia where the team won silver after losing 2-1 to Nigeria in the finals.

He also won the Swaziland league and cup titles with 11-Men in 1996 and after a couple of season a period he describes as unforgettable.

Bamfuchile then briefly spent six months South Africa top-flight club Amazulu before returning home for his first of two spells at Power.

He also guided the Zambia Under-23 national team to a silver medal in the football tournament behind winners Cameroon at the 1999 ALL Africa Games held in South Africa.

Then the Zambia job became available in the run-up to the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations after the departure of German-born coach Bukhard Ziese.

With Zambia, Bamfuchile oversaw one of the squads most successfully qualifying run ever.
Zambia were undefeated in all their six Group Six qualifying games under Bamfuchile before it all came unstuck at 2000 Nigeria/Ghana Africa Cup 2000.

Zambia crushed out losing 2-0 to Egypt, finishing 1-1 with Burkina Faso after taking the early lead.

In their final match against Senegal, Kalusha Bwalya saved the sides blushes with a rebounding header from a late penalty to draw 2-2.

Bamfuchile leaves behind a wife Tina and six children.

His funeral is being held at his Nkana East home and burial arrangements will be announced later.

Benazir Bhutto killed in attack

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Pakistan former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has died after a suicide bombing that killed at least 14 of her supporters, ex-government spokesman Tariq Azim Khan and Pakistan’s primary television networks said.

art.bhutto.jpg

Bhutto is helped from her vehicle following the October 18 suicide attack on her motorcade.

 Bhutto suffered bullet wounds in the aftermath of the bomb attack, TV networks report.

Video of the scene just moments before the explosion showed Bhutto stepping into a heavily-guarded vehicle to leave the rally.

Khan said while it appeared Bhutto was shot, it was unclear if her bullet wounds were caused by a shooting or shrapnel from the bomb.

The suicide attack left at least 14 dead and 40 injured, Khan told CNN in a telephone interview.

The attacker is said to have detonated a bomb as he tried to enter the rally where thousands of people gathered to hear Bhutto speak, police said.

Video from the scene of the blast broadcast from Geo TV showed wounded people being loaded into ambulances.

Up to 20 people are dead, the report said.

Earlier, four supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif died when members of another political party opened fire on them at a rally near the Islamabad airport Friday, local police said.

Several other members of Sharif’s party were wounded, police added.

While President Pervez Musharraf has promised free and fair parliamentary elections next month, continued instability in the tribal areas and the threat of attack on large crowds has kept people from attending political rallies and dampened the country’s political process.

Campaigners from various political groups say fewer people are coming out to show their support due to government crackdowns and the threat of violence.

At least 136 people were killed and more than 387 wounded on October 18 when a suicide bomber attacked Bhutto’s slow-moving motorcade. The former PM returned to the country after eight years of self-imposed exile to a massive show of support in the southern port city of Karachi.

Bhutto called it “an attack on democracy” and vowed it would not deter her political campaign.

Thursday’s violence come less than two weeks ahead of January parliamentary elections and as many days after President Pervez Musharraf lifted a six-week-old state of emergency he said was necessary to ensure the country’s stability.

Critics said Musharraf’s political maneuvering was meant to stifle the country’s judiciary as well as curb the media and opposition groups to secure more power.

CNN’s Mohsin Naqvi contributes to this report

Video from the scene of the blast broadcast from Geo TV showed wounded people being loaded into ambulances.

Up to 20 people are dead, the report said.

Earlier, four supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif died when members of another political party opened fire on them at a rally near the Islamabad airport Friday, local police said.

Several other members of Sharif’s party were wounded, police added.

While President Pervez Musharraf has promised free and fair parliamentary elections next month, continued instability in the tribal areas and the threat of attack on large crowds has kept people from attending political rallies and dampened the country’s political process.

Campaigners from various political groups say fewer people are coming out to show their support due to government crackdowns and the threat of violence.

At least 136 people were killed and more than 387 wounded on October 18 when a suicide bomber attacked Bhutto’s slow-moving motorcade. The former PM returned to the country after eight years of self-imposed exile to a massive show of support in the southern port city of Karachi.

Bhutto called it “an attack on democracy” and vowed it would not deter her political campaign.

Today’s violence come less than two weeks ahead of January parliamentary elections and as many days after President Pervez Musharraf lifted a six-week-old state of emergency he said was necessary to ensure the country’s stability.

Critics said Musharraf’s political maneuvering was meant to stifle the country’s judiciary as well as curb the media and opposition groups to secure more power

[CNN]

Zesco hikes tariffs

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 THE Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has approved new Zesco electricity tariff increases on condition that the power utility meets set performance benchmarks.
Announcing the new tariffs to be effected on January 1, 2008, ERB board chairman, Sikota Wina, said the increase in tariffs, fees, penalties and other charges in 2009 and 2010 was on condition that the power utility improves its operations.
Mr Wina said for residential charges the increment would be 26.8 per cent in 2008, 16.6 per cent in 2009, 11.9 per cent in 2010 while for commercial consumers the increment would be 1.3 per cent in 2008, 0.3 per cent in 2009 and 0.3 per cent in 2010.
For power consumers under class MD1 and MD2 the increment would be 16.2 per cent in 2008, 5.5 per cent in 2009, 4.5 per cent in 2010 while large power consumers under class MD3 and MD4 would be 27.5 per cent in 2008, 16.6 per cent in 2009 and 2.2 per cent in 2010.
Charges for other services would rise to 6.8 per cent in 2008, 1.9 per cent in 2009 and 1.9 per cent in 2010.
“Zesco will only access or enjoy indicative tariffs for the years 2009 and 2010 if it meets or exceeds the performance benchmarks. The tariff awards for the years 2009 and 2010 are therefore conditional,” he said.
He said because of the need to protect consumers the approval was on condition that Zesco directed adequate resources to the maintenance of plant and equipment to improve quality of power supply.
The company should monitor and comply with performance benchmarks such as metering customers, reducing system losses, reduce staff costs and reduce waiting time for applicants of new service connection.
“Zesco should furnish ERB within 60 days with a comprehensive plan of how it intends to contain staff costs from the current 49 per cent on the operating budget to 30 per cent by 2010,” he said.
The board also asked Zesco to provide the public with timely notice on its load shedding plans and also abolish staff tariff and apply approved residential tariffs for its members of staff effective January 1, 2008.
On other charges, fees and penalties residential security deposit would increase from K20,000 to K150,000 while for commercial consumers it would be K450,000 from K50,000.
Reconnection fee for residential consumers would now attract a K60,000 fee, commercial clients K150,000 while penalties for illegal re-connection would be K500,000 and K1.5 million for residential and commercial clients respectively.
He said this year’s tariff review had been unique because it was the first multi-year system and had come at a time when there was a looming power deficit in Zambia and the region as whole.
“This year’s review has attracted more stakeholder interest than any other in the past. A total of 60 submissions were presented to the ERB,” he said.
Mr Wina said Zesco stated in its application that for the year 2007/2008 it would require a revenue of K1.6 trillion of which K695 billion would be used for capital investment.
He said although consumers conceded that there was a genuine need for Zesco to vary its tariffs they were alarmed by the proposed increase which in most cases was over 200 per cent.
Consumers further argued that the bulk of the new demand for electricity was being driven by mines and therefore they should meet the envisaged new generating plants while large power users lamented that an upward variation of the tariffs would increase their production costs.
He said ERB was following with keen interest the renegotiations between Zesco and Copperbelt Energy Corporation because 70 per cent of electricity was sold to the mines although they paid low tariffs.
He added that the national energy policy provided that there should be no cross-subsidisation between different consumer groups and each group should pay the actual cost incurred by the supplier.
Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said the ERB should justify its approval by ensuring that Zesco adhered to all the conditions set unlike in the past when these were over-looked. [Times of Zambia]

Drug reactions ‘kill thousands’

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pills

Some reactions are avoidable

Almost 3,000 people have died in the past three years after suffering serious side-effects or allergies to their medicines, say official figures.More than 13,000 others in the same period had an “adverse drug reaction”, but survived with hospital treatment.

The statistics, obtained by the Liberal Democrats, include damage caused by “over the counter” drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

Experts said that medicines could not be blamed for all the reported cases.

This is a dangerously escalating problem, which is putting lives at risk and placing a big cost burden on the NHS

Norman Lamb MP
Liberal Democrats

The figures are drawn from “yellow card” scheme, run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) to gather reports of all adverse reactions from both clinicians and patients.

Last year, there were reports of 964 patients in the UK who died as a result of an adverse reaction, compared with more than 1,000 the previous year, and 861 in 2004.

However, there is evidence that the vast majority of adverse drug reactions are never reported to the MHRA.

Bigger problem

A study published last year suggested that 6.5% of all patients admitted to hospital had experienced a reaction, and that in four out of five cases, the medicines they were taking were to blame.

This adds up to as much as 250,000 cases a year – and an annual cost of £466 million to the NHS.

The MHRA has urged patients to join doctors in reporting drug reactions to them via the NHS Direct phone line.

While in some cases a deadly side-effect or allergy could not have been predicted, Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson has conceded that some cases should have been avoided.

“We have to become better at learning from these mistakes,” he told a conference last month.

However, the Liberal Democrats are calling for a “full investigation” into the issue.

MP Norman Lamb said: “This is a dangerously escalating problem, which is putting lives at risk and placing a big cost burden on the NHS.”

It is important to note that a report of an adverse drug reaction does not necessarily prove that it was caused by the drug

Dr June Raine
MHRA

While many of the cases involve drugs commonly prescribed by GPs and in hospitals, such as the blood-thinning drug warfarin and diuretics, a list of common culprits includes some which can be bought without prescription in any high street chemist.

These include aspirin, and the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen, both of which can cause gastric bleeding if taken in high doses over longer periods.

Dr June Raine, the Director of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines at the MHRA said that every medicine carried some risk of side-effects.

“Our role is to ensure that the benefits of medication outweigh the risks. “It is important to note that a report of an adverse drug reaction does not necessarily prove that it was caused by the drug.

“Other factors such as underlying disease or other medicines may contribute to suspected adverse reactions.”


[BBC]

Calm down, Chieftainess Mweenda advised

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Mazabuka town clerk, Ekan Chingangu has advised chieftainess Mwenda to calm down and rescind her decision to expel seven village headmen from chief Hanjalika believed to have encroached in her chiefdom because the disputed Mabwetuba ward belongs to her.

Mr Chingangu told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that claims by chief Hanjalika that Mabwetuba area belongs to him should not be taken serious.

He said this is because chief Hanjalika only visits the when he is sensitising people on the dangers of contracting the deadly HIV/AIDS.

Mr Chingangu said records at both Mazabuka municipal council and ministry of Lands indicate that Mabwetuba belongs to chieftainess Mwenda and not Hanjalika.

But chief Hanjalika has warned the town clerk to stop inciting chiefs to fight over land.

Chief Hanjalika said Mr Chingangu is not competent to comment on chiefs’ boundaries.

He also denied claims that he has been visiting Mabwetuba to sensitise people on HIV/AIDS.

Chief Hanjanlika said contrary to the town clerks assertions, he has been visiting the area as part of his chiefdom.

Three weeks ago, chieftainess Mwenda banned her counterpart from addressing meetings in Mabwetuba area.

The chieftainess complained to ZANIS in Mazabuka, donors and other non governmental organisations implementing developmental projects in the area ended up paying courtesy calls and consulting chief Hanjalika instead of herself whose land in question is in her chiefdom.

The traditional ruler also asked donors and non governmental organisations funding projects in Mabwetuba not to consult chief Hanjalika but herself because she is better placed to advise the problems her subjects were facing.

Schools, health centres benefit from CDF in Mazabuka

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Several schools and rural health centres in Mazabuka’s Magoye constituency have benefitted from the K200 million constituency development fund (CDF) released by government to the district recently.

Magoye UPND member of parliament, Ben Mweemba told ZANIS in Mazabuka that priority has been given to schools and rural health centres because of the poor state of infrastructure.

Mr Mweemba said time was long gone when the CDF was abused by party cadres.

He said while he is aware that the move he has taken may make him unpopular especially among Women clubs and youth organisations, it is important to improve the status of schools and clinics to enhance service provision.

Mr Mweemba said Nkonkola high school has been given K20 million while the controversial Itebe Basic school has been given K30 Million.

Magoye and St. Michael Basic schools received K20 million.

The rural health centres that have received the CDF are Mweemba K3.5 million and Itebe K1.9 million.

Munjile rural health centre got K 1.3 million for the purchase of a solar panel.

And commenting on the disbursements of the funds, Mazabuka District Commissioner, Misheck Chiinda, commended Magoye constituency leadership for allocating huge resources to the schools and clinics.

The DC said he will scrutinise how CDF funds have been utilised by all the three constituencies.

National Milling spends K500 million on social responsibility programme

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National Milling Company has disclosed that it has spent about K500 million on its Social Corporate Responsibility (SCR) programme on various interventions.

National Milling Managing Director Peter Cottan said the interventions include the feeding programmes for the vulnerable children at SOS village in Lusaka and Kitwe, World Life preservation and sports activities sch as boxing and football.

He said his company has this year ploughed more in society as compared to previous years because of the value it attaches to communities it serves.

Mr. Cottan made the remarks when his organization donated 43 by 10 kg bags of breakfast mealie meal valued over K700, 000 to KAZA Children home of Lusaka.

Former Miss Zambia Precious Mumbi commended organisations that are looking after the vulnerable in society.

Centre President Jessy Bwalya said her organization does not force children that are constantly sick to go for Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) without their consent.

She said her organization through intensive counseling has managed to rehabilitate children that are abused .

The centre that is supporting about 43 children, was opened about 10 months ago.

PF won’t punish anyone over NCC but…’

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By REBECCA CHILESHEPATRIOTIC Front (PF) president, Michael Sata, says the party will not punish any of its 27 members of Parliament for participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) but those who have committed other offences will face penalties.

Mr Sata said in an interview on Monday that the PF was not worried about members who had defied instructions to shun the NCC because the party had more important issues than the NCC.

“As far as the PF is concerned, the NCC is a dead issue.

The party is not worried about our colleagues who are defying their own decisions by taking part in the conference,” Mr Sata said.

He said only those MPs who knew they had gone against the PF constitution should be worried about what would happen to them.

He said the MPs should not panic but just go ahead and “enjoy” the allowances from the NCC.

He said the MPs should not even have bothered to go to court over the NCC because the court was not a disciplinary committee of the PF.

He said by taking part in the conference, the MPs were merely giving the party a chance to re-organise itself and to bring in more competent people.

Mr Sata said he regretted having embraced Luapula MP, Peter Machungwa and Bangweulu MP, Joseph Kasongo, who he said had brought confusion in the party.

He alleged that Dr Machungwa, who came from the Party for Unity Democracy and Development (PUDD), was instrumental in destabilising the PF, even before he joined it.

“We are actually reaping where we sowed.

We did not listen when people warned us about the characters of some of these people,” Mr Sata said.

We knew that some of the people who were joining us from PUDD and Forum for Democracy and Development such as Elizabeth Chitika-Mulobeka and Major Celestino Chibamba did not mean well.”

He said the party had difficulties selling Mrs Chitika-Mulobeka, Major Chibamba and Ernest Mwansa to the people in their respective constituencies during last year’s general elections.

Mr Sata said he had to plead with chiefs and the people to accept some of the candidates the PF fielded.

He said the party’s NEC would soon meet to find a new chairperson for elections to replace Mr Mwansa who was removed from his position last week.

Mr Sata said once a replacement for Mr Mwansa was found, that person would draw up a programme for elections to usher in new leaders.

The PF president said he was pleased that the party was now going to get better leaders because it had “more intelligent and loyal leaders” than the 27 MPs combined.

He said it was just as well the PF did not form government because some of the MPs who had “betrayed” the party would have been ministers.

He said people in the provinces had already started campaigning for new leaders to take over the various positions that have fallen vacant.

But Dr Machungwa, the spokesperson for the 27 MPs, said he would not comment on the allegations made against him by his party president.

Dr Machungwa also advised PF spokesperson, Given Lubinda, not to be personal when dealing with party issues.

He said Mr Lubinda was behaving as though he was “more PF” than other members yet he was also just appointed by Mr Sata.

He was reacting to a statement by Mr Lubinda that Dr Machungwa must produce minutes of the meeting where party leaders resolved to incite party cadres to rise against the 27 MPs.
[Zambia Daily Mail]

Zambia depart …as Elijah Tana misses flight

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A CONFIDENT Zambia soccer team yesterday left for Spain to begin the last leg of preparations for the 2008 MTN Africa Cup of Nations without defence kingpin, Elijah Tana, who missed the flight.
Speaking shortly before departure at the Lusaka International airport yesterday, coach, Patrick Phiri, said Tana who left camp on Saturday travelled to the Copperbelt and did not return on Monday as scheduled but assured that he would be in before the team’s departure for Spain.
“We don’t know what’s happening to Tana,” Phiri said.
Phiri who could not state whether the defence kingpin would join the squad or not said all the other players were okay and that the Europe-based quartet of Collins Mbesuma, Jacob Mulenga, Andrew Sinkala and Moses Sichone were also doubtful for the Spain friendly.
He said Mbesuma of Turkish side Bursaspor and Mulenga of French Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg were scheduled to join the squad later this week while the Germany-based duo of Sichone and Sinkala were still recovering and would go for review next week before joining their colleagues.
Skipper, Chris Katongo, called on his teammates to work hard and repay the faith 12 million Zambians had bestowed on the 23 men that will represent Zambia in Ghana and stressed that team spirit would be cardinal.
Katongo said football had shown in the past that it was a game of surprises some of which come when giants like England falter and fail to qualify for Euro 2008 from a group they were tipped as favourites.
South Africa-based defender, Billy Mwanza, said he could not wait to frustrate Cameroun star striker, Samuel Eto’o, as football was not about names but commitment and determination on the day.
Ian Bakala, Felix Katongo and Adubelo Phiri all of whom ply their trade in the Angolan Gira Bola league want to show Zambians who are not privy to their league games that there was still a lot of football in them
Zanaco defender, Kennedy Nketani, is optimistic the Chipolopolo would perform well despite being grouped alongside champions Egypt, former holders Cameroon and the resurgent Sudan, recently crowned CECAFA champions.
Nketani said all the players needed to put in above 100 per cent commitment in order to overcome the giants of the continent, saying treating Zambia as an underdog would prove costly for her opponents at the tournament.
Debutant, William Njobvu, 20, said for him it was an honour to make the squad for such an important tournament like the Africa Cup and that his aim was to prove that he is worthy of his place in the team.
The Lusaka Dynamos midfielder, who together with Emmanuel Mayuka have been elevated from the under-20 squad, said the coaching staff had seen the importance of blending young talent and the experienced old guards for continuity.
Another first timer William Chinyama is hoping to help the squad win games adding that the biennial championship would be the best stage for him to net his first goal for both club and country.
Chinyama who plays for FAZ/KCM league champions, Zesco United said every player in the squad was aware of the task that lay ahead and the reaction the players expected from the fans should Zambia fair badly in Ghana.
His defence partner Hichani Himoonde said the defence that has been selected was rock solid enough to stop even the top strikers in the business and that the fact that all the players were the most instrumental at their respective clubs was an added bonus.  [Times of Zambia]

Splinter Catholic Church launched

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 A SPLINTER Catholic Church called the Catholic Apostolic National Church of Zambia has been launched with Archbishop-elect, Luciano Mbewe, calling for more priests to join the church and fulfill their God-given role by marrying.
Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) spokesperson, Paul Samasumo, said in reaction that he did not have much information about the newly formed church but was aware that the Catholic bishops in Zambia would preside over the matter next month.
Father Samasumo said in an interview in Lusaka that the newly formed church had created parallel structures in the Roman Catholic Church and could not claim to be part of the Church.
Archbishop Mbewe said during the launch of the new church which has strong links with excommunicated prelate Emmanuel Milingo that the hour had come for priests in the Roman Catholic Church to start marrying and taking care of their forsaken children.
Archbishop Mbewe who is also the apostolic administrator of the new church said over the years most priests had laboured quietly and prudently to advocate for the restoration of married priests in the Roman Catholic Church.
Archbishop Mbewe said during the ceremony held at Peace Embassy that there were moments that the priests hoped the restoration of married priests would be made
possible.
Other church leaders who had since been co-opted in the church attended the lunch.
“We feel duty bound now to found our own Catholic church, an independent Catholic church where we can truly enjoy the freedom enjoyed by children of God. It should surprise no one to hear of yet another Catholic church,” he said.
Archbishop Mbewe said there were other independent churches that came into existence especially in the 1870 AD when some bishops broke away from Rome over the issue of Papal infallibility.
He said freedom of worship as enshrined in the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) charters stipulated that it was an inalienable right to found churches and worship God without any interference from any quarter.
Archbishop Mbewe who served as a Roman Catholic priest for over 17 years said the problem of mandatory and compulsory celibacy for priests in the Roman Catholic Church was crucial.
He said profound pain and suffering had been caused to priests as a result of celibacy and that most of this pain and suffering was uncalled for.
He said the celibacy found in the Bible was not compulsory but optional. Archbishop Mbewe said Jesus Christ refused to make celibacy compulsory but left it optional.
“The majority of these priests and bishops do not have this gift, they are like the majority of humanity and they deserve to marry and still continue to minister to God’s people,” he said.
Archbishop Mbewe said it was a known fact that nearly all the apostles to Jesus and the first Pope, Peter were married and so were the other 28 Popes as the Holy Bible stated that being accompanied by a wife in the ministry was not a minus but a great asset.
He said celibacy was made compulsory in the 12th Century for dubious reasons but it was never accepted in practice.
He said the priests and bishops resisted the man-made law and they appeared celibate in public yet privately they were going out with women, a scenario, which he said even prevailed today.
Archbishop Mbewe said the celibacy issue had led to some priests contracting HIV/AIDs.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Mbewe said the church should work with the Government of the day. He said days are gone when the Church was the enemy of the State.

[Times of Zambia]

Catholic Church to sue over name

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The Catholic Church in Zambia says it will take legal action against a break away church which is using its name. Zambia Episcopal Conference, ZEC, Spokesperson, Father Paul Samasumo said the new religious group has no right to use the name of Catholic church. Fr. Samasuno said ZEC is currently consulting its lawyers with a view of taking action to restrain the new group from using the name of the Catholic Church. He told ZNBC news, that the Catholic Church respects the law which allows formation of churches but cannot allow its name to be used by other groups. Tuesday, a break away group from the catholic church, launched a church in Zambia – called the Catholic Apostolic National Church of Zambia. Archbishop elect and apostolic administrator Reverend, Luciano Mbewe announced the launch of the church. Meanwhile Chief Government Spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti said the launch of the Catholic Apostolic National Church of Zambia is retrogressive.[ZNBC]

Don’t be lonely at Christmas time

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Social networking sites could eventually eliminate entirely the need for the offline socialising that has become the cornerstone of the festive season.Most people have heard of Facebook but there are plenty of rivals vying for its crown. The BBC News website dips into some of the more interesting alternatives in a bid to make sure that no-one need be lonely this Christmas.

HABBO

Habbo hotel

Users create avatars and collect furniture

A good one for the teenagers as this virtual environment was created specifically for that age group.

The community was launched back in 2000 and combined the idea of a chatroom with an online game. It has recently had a makeover to improve access to personal pages, friends and groups and bring it more up to date for the generation most at home on social networking sites.

It allows users to create their own personalised Habbo character and dress it with accessories, including hats, belts, jewellery and facial hair, as well as gas masks, paper bags and hairstyles.

Users can also buy furniture to put in the various rooms it creates within the virtual hotel using credits bought with real-life currency

Earlier this month it teamed up with Greenpeace to see what its members thought about global warming.

Some 50,000 teenagers filled in the survey and 74% rated global warming as their biggest concern, ahead of drugs, war or violence.

The site now has, of July this year, more than 82m registered characters. According to Nielsen/NetRatings Habbo attracted an audience of 292,000 from the UK during the month of October.

PERFSPOT

Screen grab of Perfspot

Perfspot is aimed at university students and young professionals

Perfspot is a social networking site geared toward university students and young professionals, and its ethos is based on the desire to obtain a “perf” life.

It offers most of the usual features of social networking, including newsfeeds, customisable profile options and the option of linking photos to other users’ profiles plus unlimited space to upload images and videos.

It hit the headlines in the late summer, becoming the fastest growing social networking site. In the months April to August 2007 it grew a massive 756%, compared to Facebook’s 541% growth.

As the UK’s fastest growing brand this year it is a good illustration of how social networks can come out of nowhere if they hit the right note with users.

FREECYCLE

Freecycle logo

Freecycle aims to reduce rubbish in landfill

If you have an interest in the environment and like the idea of reusing other people’s junk, or have unwanted Christmas presents that you want to recycle then Freecycle could be for you.

The non-profit network is based on the premise that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” and is about harnessing the power of the internet to connect communities and ‘gift’ each other everyday objects that they no longer want.

It is a global network made up of over 4,000 groups. It now has in excess of four million members, and is adding 25,000 new members each week.

Each group is moderated by a local volunteer and the main thrust of it is to “reuse and keep good stuff out of landfills”.

Each city has a unique e-mail group and anyone living in the area is welcome to post items to be given away or seek

[BBC]

PF schemes against NCC delegates

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PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Members of Parliament participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) have accused the party’s leadership of inciting cadres to rise against them for taking part in the meetings.
But PF chairman for information and publicity, Given Lubinda challenged those making the allegations to report the said leaders to the police as inciting cadres to rise against them was a criminal offence.
Spokesperson for the MPs participating in the NCC deliberations, Peter Machungwa said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that PF cadres were being asked to raise complaints and charges against the MPs to justify the imposition of disciplinary measures against them.
Dr Machungwa said the rising against the MPs had already started in Bwana Mkubwa Constituency in Ndola, Kasama Central and Lukashya Constituencies.
He said such stage-managed activities would create a rift within the party and weaken the PF. He said the activities were also contemptuous in the light of the injunction granted to MPs taking part in the NCC.
“Under the circumstances we appeal to our colleagues masterminding these activities to be mindful of the greater interest of our party and the Zambian people in general. We have not instructed our lawyers to begin contempt proceedings because we are hoping that they would reason. We are taking a reconciliatory path,” Dr Machungwa said.
Mr Lubinda said for leaders to be accused of inciting cadres, Dr Machungwa and others were in a way branding the PF leadership of being anarchists and should therefore be reported to police.
“Let them furnish the police with evidence so that the police can investigate which leaders are inciting cadres. Every Zambian has the right to complain when their MP is not doing the right thing. If people are unsatisfied with the MP what has that got to do with the party leadership?” Mr Lubinda asked.

Chief Sinazongwe upset with Fisheries department’s failure to buy boats

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By Tovin Ngombe

Chief Sinazongwe has expressed concern that the Fisheries department in the district has no single boat to monitor bad fishing methods on lake Kariba..Speaking at the first ever graduation ceremony for coxswains in Sinazongwe District since it was conducted about 10 years ago the Chief said it was unfortunate that the fisheries department was borrowing boats to conduct its training. He said the Fisheries Training Institute which was in full operational in 1960s was in a dilapidated state.“Where are the boats for fisheries? They have no single boat, the infrastructure to the institution is  in shambles, but we have people calling themselves, Director of what, Director Fisheries, and Director of Marine when things are bad here,” Chief said.  He bemoaned that it was wrong for money to return back to the government treasury when the Fisheries Institute in the District was in a dilapidated state.

 “The money meant for fisheries was returned back instead of being used to improve the Training institute I urge you directors to give room to your officers to apply for this money,” The chief said. The chief also expressed happiness that government has released the need to improve the Fisheries Training Institute in the district because it was ‘dead.’ Fisheries Department Director Charles Maguswi said the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has started the process of acquiring materials to improve the institution. Mr. Maguswi said the training was conducted to improve the safety owing to numerous reports of accidents on water. He said Sinazongwe Fisheries training centre was meant to benefit even the private sector but the dilapidated infrastructure made them to fail to release their targets. The 15 graduating Coxwains under Fisheries who underwent a three months training course were awarded with certificates and they were from from Southern, Lusaka, Western, Central, North-Western, Luapula, and Northern Province.

FJT spills beans

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FORMER Republican President Frederick Chiluba has said he has no personal differences with businessman Rajan Mathani but decided to terminate their relationship because the latter became greedy after being helped in his business deals. Dr Chiluba insisted that the Government was still giving Finance Bank preferential treatment against other banks, which he said were better and well established.

He said the claims by Dr Mathani that his companies won bids fairly without Government collusion were not true.

But Chief Government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti denied the Government giving Finance Bank or Dr Mathani preferential treatment and urged the two parties to sort out their personal differences instead of involving the Government.

Dr Chiluba, who was speaking during the Press briefing at his Kabulonga residence in Lusaka yesterday, said deals like the supply of desks by Furncoz to the Ministry of Education and the opening of Finance Bank in Malawi as some in which Dr Mathani let him down.

Dr Chiluba said the contract awarded to Furncoz, one of Dr Mathani’s companies by the Ministry of Education for the supply of substantial desks worth billions of Kwacha, but even when the ministry paid the money upfront, the desks were not delivered until
after the inspector of schools raised concern.

He said the matter was later brought to his attention and he summoned Dr Mathani to State House where he gave various unconvincing answers.

He said the other frightening experience was when Dr Mathani asked him to be introduced to former Malawian President Bakili Muluzi in order for him to open Finance Bank in that country.

He said in due course, the Bank of Malawi was infuriated by the unorthodox behaviour of Finance Bank and ordered it closed for alleged illegal externalisation of foreign exchange from Malawi.

“It was one of the saddest days of my presidency in which I regretted having brought my country and leadership in disrepute.

“There are many such instances and sad chapters in my relations with Dr Mathani which only helped me distance myself because he progressively became the epitome of greed, insatiable greed.

Each time I saw him I feared I was looking neo-colonialism or imperialism itself in the face,” he said.

Dr Chiluba also said the remarks by his Former Vice Republican president Christon Tembo suggesting that there was something personal between the two and that he knew the source of the difference were unfounded and far from the truth.

On the incarceration of Dr Mathani , Dr Chiluba said this was a matter for the intelligence to explain. He said what he knew was that there was a military coup in 1997 and some of the people arrested and charged were convicted.

Mr Mulongoti when contacted for a comment said Dr Chiluba during his tenure was the one who was dealing with Dr Mathani and even incarcerated him.

Mr Mulongoti said Dr Chiluba had still failed to tell the people of Zambia why he arrested Dr Mathani.

Mr Mulongoti said if at the time he was President he felt that there was something wrong between the two, he should have sorted out the problems there and then.

“Dr Chiluba and Dr Mathani knew each other from Ndola a long time ago. They should not start accusing each other in the Press. Dr Chiluba is a former head of State and the people of Zambia are looking to him. He has to attract some dignity,” he said.

Mr Mulongoti who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister said the Government of President Mwanawasa was a government of Laws.

Dr Mathani could not be reached for a comment as he was reported to be out of the country but Finance Bank spokesperson Noel Nkhoma denied Dr Chiluba’s accusations and explained that the Government had several accounts with other banks, the majority of them being held at Zambia National Commercial Bank.

Meanwhile, Dr Chiluba has supported the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) saying it is a noble cause that must be embraced.

Answering questions from Journalists during the Press briefing, Dr Chiluba said the NCC must be embraced and allowed to go on.

He said the allowances given to the NCC members were not too bad considering the nature of the work.

“The payments are not too bad for such a noble cause.

I am not condemning those who are saying so (that the allowances are hefty) but I am in support of those who
are saying let’s go. This is something we must embrace and should go on,” he said.

[Times of Zambia]

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