Government says it will remain committed to the ideals of the African Union and fully subscribe to the idea of pan Africanism and the ultimate establishment of the African Union government.

Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande, however, said the points of contention in the whole debate over the union government are the nature of the union government and the time frame for its establishment.

The Ministers remarks follow recent media publications following the firing of Zambia’s Ambassador to Libya Mbita Chitala by President Mwanawasa after he published a controversial article on the formation of a Union Government.

In a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Pande explained that like most member states of the African Union, Zambia subscribes to the gradual and incremental approach as opposed to the immediate establishment of the AU as advocated by some members.

He added that currently there are no established structures or mechanism for the establishment of the Union Government, which have to be worked out and agreed upon by all member states.

Mr. Pande said government is of the view to first attain political and economic regional integration adding that it is also critical to strengthen the regional economic communities as building blocks of the future union government.

He noted that since the union government is people driven, African governments need to consult its people and popularize the concept of the union government in order to carry them along the enterprise.

Mr. Pande also explained that governments stand point does not in any away run counter to the concept of pan Africanism, which, he described as the bed rock of the African Union.

He also pointed out that Ambassador Chitala’s utterances were not only his personal opinion but were also contrary to the terms and conditions of service for public service officers.

Mr. Pande added that the utterances were a breach of foreign service regulations and conditions of service, which regulate the conduct of officers in the Zambian Foreign Service.

He observed that Mr. Chitala’s attack on African states that advocate a gradual approach had obviously caused a dent to the relations of the countries singled out, which Zambia will have to repair.

Mr. Pande added that officials cannot therefore continue to serve in a government position while holding opposing views to those of the government they serve.

The latest Auditor General’s report has revealed that about K28 billion was misapplied on unrelated activities such as fuel, stationery, workshops and seminars, and payment of housing allowances.

The report further reveals that another K5.4 billion meant for repatriation of health workers was unaccounted for in that, although the amount was reflected in financial statement, there were no expenditure records provided for audit scrutiny.

According to the Auditor General’s report for the Financial year ended December 31, 2006 which is due to be presented to Parliament and obtained by ZANIS in Lusaka today, imprest totalling K4, 411, 793, 224 involving 150 transactions issued to 82 officers during the period March to December, 2006 had not been retired as of October, 2007, contrary to Financial Regulation No. 96(1).

The report further reveals that K1, 838,731,252 meant for drugs was unaccounted for from March to December, 2006 as there were no receipts and disposal details in respect of drugs purchased.

Over-payment amounting to K142, 968,000 was made in an unexplained circumstances

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Lusaka magistrate court today heard that

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trial continues.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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