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Works on the Zimba-Livingstone road to start soon after the rain season

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Vice President Rupiah Banda has disclosed that construction of the Zimba-Livingstone road will commence immediately after the rain season.

Mr. Banda said government has allocated funds for the undertaking and the contractor is already on site to begin the works.

The Vice President said this when he addressed residents of Kabuyu resettlement scheme.

And Mr. Banda has said resettlement schemes are aimed at empowering unemployed citizens with titled land to enable them engage in agricultural activities.

He added that it is also government’s strategy to achieve development as increased agriculture production is key to achieving household food security.

Mr. Banda assured the residents of government’s support to improving infrastructure at the settlement.

He reiterated that his office is mandated to mitigate the effects of disasters.

The Vice President said he visited the scheme to familiarise himself with the activities and challenges faced by the residents in order to try and address some of them.

Meanwhile, the Vice President has commended civil servants in Livingstone rural areas for their commitment, endurance and dedication despite the hardships.

And speaking at the same occasion Katombora UPND Member of Parliament Regina Musokotwane appealed to government to consider dividing the constituency into two in order to improve service delivery.

Ms. Musokotwane explained that the constituency is one of the biggest in the country because it shares its borders with five districts and three countries.

She said the Vice President’s visit to some parts of her constituency would help government understand the challenges faced in the constituency in order for it to act expeditiously.

And Kabuyu settlement scheme chairperson Amon Samona expressed happiness with government assurance to building infrastructure and sinking of boreholes in the area.

Mr. Samona said there is need for expanded infrastructure and other facilities in view of the growing population in the area.

Zesco, Buffaloes Stutter To Round One

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Zesco United and Green Buffaloes today did enough to both hobble to the first rounds of the Africa Champions League and Confederations Cups respectively.

Zesco drew 0-0 against URA to qualify 2-0 on aggregate to the first round in a poor display of football that should give Wedson Nyirenda some serious food for thought before facing 2007 Africa Champions League semifinalist Al Hilal of Sudan at the end of this month.

The match was so poor that midfielder Rainford Kalaba was substituted in the 40th minute and his replacement Jonah Sakuwaha was equally poor throughout his time on the pitch-an epitome of Zesco’s performance this afternoon at the Trade Fair Ground in Ndola.

Meanwhile, URA enjoyed a good spell for 12 minutes after the hour-mark but some poor shooting let them down.

Zesco only briefly sparked to life after on-loan striker Signs Chibambo from demoited Nakambala Leopards came on in the 72nd minute for misfiring striker Enoch Sakala who was awful throughout.

Only some tight marking prevented Chibambo from getting on the score sheet before also fading in the last four minutes of the match.

And at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka, it took Buffaloes until the last 16 minutes of their match against Chipukizi of Zanzibar to get their two goals of the game.

Midfielder William Njobvu put Buffaloes ahead in the 74th minute before Reuben Tembo made it 2-0 in the 83rd minute.

Buffaloes qualify to the first round of the Confederations Cup 7-0 on aggregate.

They will face either Highlanders of Zimbabwe or Ferrivario Nampula of Mozambique with the former leading 3-0 at home from their first leg.

Collume Coal Miners have gone on strike

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Miners at the Chinese Collume Coal Mine (CCM) have gone on strike demanding an increment of salaries which they said it was too low compared to the work they were being subjected to do.

However, CCM shaft two Director Xu said he would not effect an increment that the workers were demanding because he increased it last year.

One worker kalaluka Nyambe said the workers have decided to go on strike until their Union enters negotiations with the CCM management to have their salaries increased.

Nkandabbwe ward Councilor Patson Mangunje had a turf time to try and talk to workers to go back for work while he assisted them in contacting their Union representatives to resolve the labour disputes with Management.

Mr. Mangunje told the workers that their grievance was genuine but they have to wait for their Union representatives to talk to management before they embarked on a strike.

He told them that it was difficult at the moment to address their situation since the workers belonged to two Unions Mines Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and Gemstone and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (GAWUZ).

He said GAWUZ President Sifuniso Nyumbu has problems with the management as they could not dialogue with him over labour disputes.
On Thursday Confrontation of words erupted between GAWUZ President Nyumbu and the Chinese Collum Coal Mine (CCM) Management in Sinazeze in Sinazongwe district over the workers representation.
The Chinese nationals openly rejected Mr. Nyumbu as the representative of the workers and accused him to have ordered the workers to stone them when one miner died on Monday.
GAWUZ President Nyumbu told CCM Shaft Two Management that he signed an agreement to have the workers salaries increased to K600, 000 across board but they have failed to implement it.

The workers claimed that Mr Nyumbu told them to go on strike if management failed to increase their salaries.
CCM Shaft two Director said Xu Zian Qun the workers have a habit demanding for an increment of salaries each time the company was faced with problem .

“ How can you work like this when each time you a problem you demand for an increament this time I will not increase their salaries,” Mr Zian Said.
Mr. Zian said he was following the Zambian law and the lowest paid gets K104 per day while the highly paid workers get K15,000 per day.

Meanwhile the Senior Inspector of Mines under the Ministry of Mine Mr. Lubinda Kamutumwa has recommended that the portion in the tunnel where an accident occurred on Monday in which one person died should be permanently closed.

Mr. Lubinda said that the rock formation in the tunnel was in a bad state and water was sipping through it as a result of heavy rains that the district has been experiencing.

He said the support that they had put in the tunnel was not adequate to prevent rocks from falling.
[ZANIS]

New road user fees cause havoc

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Scores of bus operators and conductors, converged at the main gate of Parliament to protest against the proposed increase in road user fees.

The irate bus drivers and conductors circulated a petition addressed to Transport and Communication Minister, Dora Siliya, urging her not to implement the proposed fees.

They drove to parliament in a convoy of buses, but were denied entry into the National Assembly grounds by police officers at the gate.

And Speaker, AMusa Mwanamwambwa has directed the chairperson of the committee of Supply to seek clarification on the matter.

This followed a point of order raised by Kantanshi Member of Parliament, Yamfwa Mukanga who wanted to know why the proposed increment in road user fees have been effected by RSTA before parliament approved the 2008 budget.

[ZNBC]

Govt asks mine owners to provide alternative tax rates

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Govt has asked foreign mining companies for alternative proposals following their criticism of planned tax changes, officials said on Friday.

“As a committee, we believe the government has done its research worldwide on which they are basing their proposal,” Godrey Beene, chairman of a Zambian parliamentary committee dealing with mining issues, told the state media.

“We have therefore given mining companies time to go and prepare a counter proposal which they should submit to us any time this week.”

He did not indicate if the proposed rates by the government would be cut.

The head of the Chamber of Mines of Zambia, Frederick Bantubonse, said foreign miners would pay more than the stated 47 percent in effective mining taxes when the new regime comes into force from April, compared to 31.7 percent now.

The government has proposed a windfall profit tax at a minimum of 25 percent and an increase in mineral royalty to 3.0 percent from 0.6 percent.

It also plans a variable profit tax at 15 percent on taxable income above eight percent and to raise corporate tax to 30 percent from 25 percent.

Bantubonse said the mining firms had studied the proposed tax increases and found they would be higher than 47 percent and detrimental to their operations and future investments.

“Mining companies have scrutinized … new mining tax proposals for their own operations and in every case have found that the effective tax rate will be higher than the calculated 47 percent,” he said in a statement.

The government had not called mining firms for a meeting to discuss the tax rates, despite numerous promises.

“To date, no such discussions or consultations have taken place. All mining firms with development agreements are willing to discuss and renegotiate the terms and conditions of their agreements,” Bantubonse said.

Zambia’s biggest copper producer is Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), a unit of London-listed Vedanta Resources .

Others are Mopani Copper Mines, a venture of Swiss firm Glencore International AG , First Quantum Minerals and Chibuluma Mine, a unit of Metorex . Australia’s Equinox Minerals owns Lumwana Mining Plc.

First Round Beths Within Reach of Zesco and Buffaloes

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Zesco United tomorrow take on URA of Uganda in the final leg of the two teams Caf Africa Champions League preliminary round tie.

The Ndola club is hoping to comfortably URA ride to the first round in this their debut campaign in the Africa Champions League.

Zesco lead URA 2-0 from the first leg played in Kampala on February 16 and are hoping for another good result against URA.

The match comes in the wake of Zesco’s morale-denting 3-2 post-match penalty defeat last weekend to Kabwe warriors in the Samuel “Zoom” Ndhlovu Charity Shield semifinals played at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola.

However, Zesco will be without the services of injured striker Elson Mkandawire.

Mkandawire has yet to recover from an injury he sustained in training
a week ago that also saw him miss the Charity Shield semifinal against warriors.

However, Nyirenda still has ample firepower at his disposal with Enoch Sakala and Nicholas Zulu both fit are set to lead in attack.

Midfielder and Captain Rainford Kalaba too is available as he anxiously awaits to open his account for the year including his debut goal in CAF club cup competition.

Meanwhile, Zesco host a URA team in the midst of a mini-crisis after the visitors head coach Frank “Video” Anyau left his post on the eve of the team’s departure for Zambia on Monday.

URA is under the temporal charge of goalkeeper Ibrahim Mugisha while a permanent replacement for Anyau is being sort.

Also missing is key striker Ismail Kigoz who is serving an indefinite suspension for insulting a club official after URA’s loss in Zesco a fortnight ago.

Winner of the two-legged tie will face Sudanese champions Al Hilal in the second round who received a first stage.

Al Hilal enjoys a preliminary round bye after reaching the semifinals of last years CAF Africa Champions League.

And at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka, Green Buffaloes host Chipukizi of Zanzibar in the final leg, preliminary round of the Caf Confederations Cup.

Buffaloes enjoy a 5-0 lead from the first leg played on Pemba Island on February 16 and are expected to reign over Chipukizi again in what is expected to be a formality match.

Buffaloes should face Highlanders of Zimbabwe who enjoy a 3-0 home lead over their hosts this weekend Ferroviário Nampula a fortnight ago in Bulwayo.

Stigma should not be entertained – Maureen

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First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa says stigmatization of HIV and AIDS positive individuals must not be entertained.

Mrs. Mwanawasa says stigma has resulted in depression and the early death of the afflicted.

The First Lady was speaking when she officiated at a meeting for Chief Executives on HIV/AIDS in Lusaka today.

She said this is unfortunate because with the availability of the life-prolonging drugs, people who are HIV/AIDS positive are able to live long and productive lives.

Mrs. Mwanawasa said the HIV/AIDS pandemic needs a multi-sectoral response to halt its spread and mitigate its impact.

She called stakeholder such as the Church and the private sector to offer the necessary support to government in the fight against the pandemic.

Mrs. Mwanawasa pointed out that each and every interest group, and every individual has a role to play in the fight against the pandemic.

She further called for a new and comprehensive approach to the fight against the disease which have continued to rob humanity of its productive human resource.

Mrs. Mwanawasa said the private sector responses to HIV and AIDS need to involve workplace and community-based polices and programmes.

She said the business community should advocate for proactive approaches that include equitably employment polices and work place programmes and support for broader HIV prevention and management in society.

Mrs. Mwanawasa noted that the Executive Directors must ensure that the organizations that they direct put in place comprehensive HIV/AIDS work place polices that will address specific issues brought by the scourge.

And Care Zambia Project Manager Njekwa Lumbwe saluted government for recognizing HIV and AIDS as a cross cutting issue.

Ms Lumbwe noted that partnerships are essential in the fight against the pandemic.

SADC approves a US$49m budget

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The SADC Council of Minister has approved the estimates of revenue and expenditure of over US$49 million for the 2008/2009 financial year.

This is compared to the US$45, 349, 000 which was allocated for the 2007/2008 financial year.

Chairperson for the SADC Council of Minister Kabinga Pande announced this at a press briefing in Lusaka today.

Mr. Pande said member states will contribute US$24, 770, 000 while international cooperating partners will contribute US$24, 434, 000 and US$680,000 will be generated from grants.

Mr. Pande, who is also Zambia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, explained that the slight increase in the budget emanates from the increased activities in the process of regional economic integration activities.

He further revealed that the Council also looked at previous decisions such as the SADC international conference on poverty and development scheduled for mid March this year.

Mr. Pande said the Council also looked at the report on the SADC/EU economic partnership agreement processes and general other social reports.

Under the report, the SADC Council of Ministers Chairperson revealed that long-term projects would be implemented between 2008 and 2025 amounting to power generation of 44,000 megawatts at the cost of US$4.5 billion.

Mr. Pande said the SADC is committed to addressing the power shortages in the region by rehabilitating existing generating units in Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

And on the upcoming elections in the SADC region, Mr. Pande SADC stands with one resolve to ensure that all the electoral processes take place within the auspices of SADC guidelines of democratic, sustained peace, stability and security.

Misappropriation of public funds is on the decline – Noyoo

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Senanga District Commissioner Ikanuke Noyoo says government institutions have exercised prudence in the use of public resources under President Mwanawasa’s administration.

Speaking when Netherlands Ambassador to Zambia Eduard Middeldorp paid a courtesy call on him, Mr. Noyoo said the culture of misappropriating public funds was on the decline in most government spending agencies.

He said people were slowly becoming responsible when dealing with public funds mainly due to President Mwanawasa’s stance on abuse of public resources.

And Netherlands Ambassador to Zambia Edward Middeldorp said the donor community is impressed with government’s developmental agenda.

Mr. Middeldorp said government’s putting up of the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) was consistent with development and that it was only important to ensure resources trickle down to districts.

He is in Senanga to check on some projects and verify whether resources were filtering down to the lowest government functionaries at district level in some priority sectors.

Thursday Zambian Football Round-up

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MUNAILE TO CONTEST FAZ VP POST

Ex-Zanaco, Zambia international winger and former Faz spokesman Emmanuel Munaile has announced his intention to stand for the associations vice presidency.

Munaile declared his candidacy on the final day of filing in of nominations and just 24 hours after incumbent Faz president Teddy Mulonga confirmed he would recontest his position for a third term.

The former Zambia international will vie for the Faz vice presidency along side his fellow former spokesman Joseph Nkole and Simataa Simataa.

Munaile earlier served as a Faz executive committee member from 2000 to 2004 under the administration of Evaristo Kasunga.

And filing in of nominations will close at 17:00 today, Thursday February 28.

Voting for a new Faz executive committee to run Zambian football for the next four years will be held on March 29 at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.

CHIPUKIZI ARRIVE

Chipukizi today completed one of the longest road trips made this year to fulfill a Caf club competition fixture after ending a four-day trip from Zanzibar to Lusaka.

Green Buffaloes opponents in this weekend’s Caf Confederations Cup preliminary round match arrived in Lusaka at 04:00 Thursday after a four-day overland and ferry trip from Pemba Island.

Chipukizi have just a day to prepare themselves after their grueling road trip before facing Buffaloes on Saturday at Nkoloma Stadium in the return leg tie final match.

The visitors trail 5-0 from the first leg played on February 16 in Zanzibar.

Depo-Provera administering still on hold

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GOVERNMENT has not started re-administering Depo-Provera, an injectable contraceptive, in public health institutions until a report from manufacturers is received from the United States.

Women who started flocking to health centres after Health Minister, Brian Chituwo announced in Parliament that the contraceptive was safe, were being turned away.

Health ministry spokesperson, Canisius Banda, said in an interview yesterday that advice would soon be given to the recipients of Depo-Provera immediately a report from the manufacturers was received.

Dr Banda said in the meantime, clients were advised to consult the health care providers on what family planning options were freely available in public health facilities.

He said a thorough research by the ministry of Health found Depo-Provera safe and directives to resume the provision of the contraceptive was awaiting the report by the manufacturers.

The ministry of Health had earlier withdrawn Depo-Provera on suspicion that the drug contained traces of the HIV virus.

But Dr Chituwo had reassured the nation that scientific investigations had not shown any traces of the virus.

He emphasised that Depo-Provera was withdrawn from health institutions and quarantined pending the completion of scientific investigations and a report from the suppliers of the product.

Some women on Depo- Provera contraceptive in Ndola expressed unhappiness that they were being turned away at health care centres due to the unavailability of the contraceptive.

Some women spoken to said the health care providers told them that Depo-Provera was currently unavailable and they were being encouraged to use other contraceptives.

They said they did not understand why the contraceptive was unavailable and wondered whether its unavailability confirmed earlier suspicions that it was not safe.

Most women said they preferred Depo-Provera as a method of family planning because it was an injectible contraceptive as the other available contraceptives were orally taken.

Ndola District Health Management Team director, Kakungo Simpungwe, confirmed that the contraceptive was currently not available at the health care centres.

Dr Simpungwe said the health care providers were not turning the women away but were offering them alternative contraceptives.

She said her office was not aware of any complaints by the public but still urged the clients to take the available contraceptives in order not to disturb their family planning until Depo-Provera was available.
[Times of Zambia]

Chimumbwa has case to answer

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Former Nchanga Member of Parliament, Charles Chimumbwa, who is appearing in court for obtaining money by false pretences has been found with a case to answer.

Mr. Chimumbwa is accused of obtaining $35,000 from a Chinese national by false pretences.

Lusaka Resident Magistrate, Arida Chuulu, ruled in that the prosecution team has adduced sufficient evidence to put Mr. Chimumbwa on his defence.

On unknown dates but between September 2005 and January 2006, Mr. Chimumbwa the money from a named Chinese national by pretending he would supply him with Copper Cathodes.

Defence starts on April 10.

Mr. Chimumbwa was Nchanga Member of Parliament for the Patriotic Front (PF).

He later resigned to join the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) but failed to defend the seat in a by-election.

[ZNBC]

wrangles erupt between Gemstone Union, Chinese Coal mine management

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Confrontation of words erupted between Gemstone and Allied Workers Union President Sifuniso Nyumbu and the Chinese Collum Coal Mine (CCM) Management in Sinazeze in Sinazongwe district over the workers representation.

The Chinese nationals openly rejected Mr. Nyumbu as the representative of the workers and accused him to have ordered the workers to stone them when one miner died on Monday.

“This guy is not good he is not our friend, we will not have allowed him to enter our premises if he had not come with the area Councilor Patson Mangunje, the workers also do not want him,” says CCM Shaft two Director Xu Zian Qun.

Mr. Qun said h e does not want the mine to have two unions representing the workers.

“It has never happened, we can not accept that,” Mr. Qun said while waving his hand in the air and looking at Mr Nyumbu with a wrinkled face.

However, Mr. Nyumbu said there were a lot of wrongs obtaining at the Chinese coal mine were the lowest worker was getting a K104 per day which is below the minimum wage under the Zambian labour laws.
He said despite entering into an agreement with Management to have the lowest worker getting K600, 000 per month by September last year they have failed to honour it.

Mr. Nyumbu accused Management to have hidden the three names of some workers who also injured under ground.
He said through three his investigations and verification at the Maamba Hospital he found that three workers were attended to but their names were not included in their report.
Mr. Nyumbu named the three injured workers in the presence of the Chinese management as Brian Siakalintini, Tano Siamwando, and Lewis Sinamugulu,

He said Mr. Sinamugulu took himself to Maamba Hospital without the help of Management and the xlay showed that he had four broken toes.

Senior Inspector of mines Under the Ministry of Mines Lubinda Kamutumwa told management that it was wrong for them to let the workers to go to the hospital alone after an accident.
Mr. Kamutumwa said the doctor from a hospital should examine the injured workers not their doctor who is not recognized under the Zambian laws.

Mr. Qun said their doctor told Mr Sinamugulu to rest for five days to allow his broken toes to heal.
[ZANIS]

Mining firms still fighting new tax

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Mining firms are still adamant about paying the new taxes proposed by government.

The Chamber of Mines has strongly argued that the new tax regime will undermine operations and sustainability of the mining industry.

Chamber of Mines General Manager, Frederick Bantubonse, made these remarks when his delegation appeared before the parliamentary estimates committee in Lusaka.

The mining investors have proposed an urgent meeting with government to review the levels of taxation before effecting the new tax.

Mr. Bantubonse and his team argued that the tax regime agreed upon through constructive dialogue will serve the interests of Zambians and the mining industry.

However, committee members led by Lusaka Central Patriotic Front Member of Parliament, Guy Scott critised the investors' delegation whom they accused of having returned to the committee in a very aggressive and confrontational manner.

The committee members were concerned that the mining investors had not made any proposals on the levels of taxation on their second return to the committee.

This prompted committee Chairperson, Godfrey Beene to direct the delegation to go back and consolidate their proposals on the tax regime to be resubmitted by Saturday.

The committte is expected to table its report on the proposed tax regime next Tuesday.

The mining firms that were represented include Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), First Quantum Minerals and Chambeshi NFC among others.

[ZNBC]

Chinese mine operates with no safety measures

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Safety Inspectors from the Ministry of mines have found that the Chinese Collum Coal Mine (CCM) which has experienced three accidents within a week is operating without an ambulance, first Aid kit, and stretchers to attend to injured workers.

Senior Inspector of mines Lubinda Kamutumwa has told the Chinese Management to provide an ambulance, the first Aid kit, and stretchers before they resumed operation following the death of one miner under the ground.

Mr. Kamutumwa said when he visited the CCM to ascertain the death of Trywell Siapaka also failed to visit the accident scene owing to the absence of witnesses who were around when it occurred.

The Inspectors, together with, the area councilor Patson Mangunje, and the President for Germstone and Allied Workers Union Sifuniso Nyumbe found all the workers have deserted the mine to go and bury their dead colleague.

Mr. Kamutumwa has given management 10 days to buy a new ambulance for use in case of an accident.
He said safety was first thing to consider before embarking on mining any activity to prevent accidents that could in the long run affect production.

CCM Shaft two Director Xu Zian Qun said he would ensure that the ambulance was provided and in the meantime the mine has turned one of their vehicles into an ambulance.

Mr. Qun said the workers became unruly when their colleague died, they threw stones, broke the windows of vehicle, and threatened violence.

He said Sinazeze Police officers who came to pick up the body failed to control the situation and they were meant to hide the Chinese buildings.

Mr. Qun also complained that he was having problems with the local people who were cultivating within the mining area where they were cracks being formed as a result of underground mining.

He said the villagers were chasing his workers who wanted back fill the cracks to prevent water from the surface sip into the tunnels under ground.

The Senior Inspector said that it was illegal for villagers to have fields within the mining area and he has urged management to ensure that the cracks were filled to prevent further accidents underground.
[ZANIS]

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