The Traditional Health Practitioners Association of Zambia (THPAZ) has joined the long list of organisations and stakeholders that have declared their willingness to participate in the National Constitutional Conference, NCC.

THPAZ president Rodwell Vongo says his organisatiuon has chosen representatives to
sit on the NCC.

Dr Vongo said this during a public health awareness meeting held at Nchelenge high
school on preventing and mitigating HI/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections in the
 community.

He said THPAZ has decided to participate in the NCC to ensure that issues of
interest to the organisation are taken care of in the supreme law of the land.

Meanwhile, THPAZ has called for close working relations between conventional and
traditional health practitioners.

Dr Vongo says the two modes of medicines are complimenatry in the provision of
quality health care to the people.

And Nchelenge District THPAZ chairman Joseph Mutwaleni appealed to THPAZ national
leadership to intervene in numerous problems that have rocked the organisation in
the district.

The meeting which was attended by 50 traditional healers, 15 headmen and some heads
of government departments, also looked at safety and HIV/AIDS in traditional
medicine.

Government has called on Business houses to supplement its efforts in the rehabilitation of police stations in various parts of the country.

Vice President Rupiah Banda made the call in Luanshya when he toured the Luanshya
Central police station on Friday last week.

Mr Banda said police stations were doing a lot in providing security in their
respective locations and needed the support of the business community.

He said companies should respond to the challenge of helping in the rehabilitation
of police infrastructure because the presence of police in their respective
locations provided a favourable environment for them to conduct their business
without fear.

The vice president commended the police service for the good it was doing work
under difficult conditions.

He said the police service have exhibited a lot of professionalism in carrying out
their duties.

Mr Banda added that a good working environment would boost the morale of the police
officers to work even harder.

nspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo has reiterated his commitment to fighting crime in the country.

Mr mateyo says crime was a hindrance to development and should be fought by all
means in order to have a stable environment for investment.

The police chief said the police service was prepared to deal with any form of
crime to make Zambia the prime destination for investment.

He said statistics in the past 18 months have shown that the crime rate in the
country has greatly reduced.

Mr. Mateyo commended Luanshya Mines Plc for helping Luanshya police station with
resources to rehabilitate the station through painting and other works.

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) spokesperson, Given Lubinda, says the party has already identified six of its members to sit on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC), in the hope that consensus on the outstanding issues in the NCC Act will be reached before participants start sitting.

Early this month, the PF held a central committee meeting in Lusaka at which it resolved to boycott the NCC and did not nominate any members for appointment to sit on the NCC.

Mr Lubinda said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the party had also allowed its councillors to identify potential representatives to the conference.

He said PF attached great importance to the Constitution-making process and that it was therefore still willing to dialogue.

“The party has already identified the six representatives at national party level to sit on the NCC.

We have also allowed our councillors to identify potential representatives because we believe, and we have high expectation that our views will be heard and addressed before the conference,” Mr Lubinda said.

He said the party believed that the Constitution-making process was a serious matter and that in the name of building consensus, Government would sooner rather than later agree to sit down with those who oppose some sections of the NCC Act.

Mr Lubinda said it was important for stakeholders to agree on the NCC Act as they all hoped to reap benefits from the gathering by coming up with a constitution that would stand the test of time.

He said the party would not lose hope even after the statement by acting Chief Government Spokesperson, George Mpombo, last week in which Government ruled out any amendments to the NCC Act.

Mr Lubinda said in the name of building consensus, President Mwanawasa should consider the concerns being raised on the contents of the NCC Act.

Government has refuted claims by opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president, Michael Sata that 80,000 Chinese nationals in Zambia have been issued with permits.

Minister of Home Affairs Ronnie Shikapwasha parried Mr. Sata’s assertions today
saying only 2,340 Chinese nationals have been given permits since 2004.

Lieutenant General Shikapwasha explained that of the 2,340 permits issued to Chinese
nationals, 2,057 were for employment, 176 for self-employment while 107 were entry
permits.

Lt. General Shikapwasha said in a statement availed to ZANIS in Lusaka today that
Government had issued permits to 80,000 Chinese was an overstatement by Mr. Sata.

“There have been some employment permit applications for some Chinese nationals that
have been turned down for failure to meet the required academic and professional
requirements,” he said.

He further said some investors that have failed to put up meaningful investment have
had their permits revoked and consequently removed from Zambia.

“Even if permit holders are allowed to reside in the country with their spouses and
children, this would bring the total to less than ten thousand Chinese nationals on
permits,” he explained.

Lt. General Shikapwasha explained that Zambia would not ignore China because her
economic development plans could not exclude other international players.

He said Chinese investments and projects in Zambia were helping improve the
standards of living of Zambian people.

The minister said the Immigration Department under his ministry did not discriminate
in awarding employment permits and visas.

“Everything is done strictly on merit, in a transparent and professional manner and
in the best interest of the people of Zambia and the nation as a whole,” he said.

THE Lusaka Magistrates Court yesterday heard that there is allegedly no evidence suggesting that former President Frederick Chiluba’s wife, Regina, received stolen State funds in her personal account.

Standing witness, Bank of Zambia manager for security, Moola Nayoto, told Principal Resident Magistrate, Charles Kafunda, that he did not have any evidence showing that Regina received stolen money through her personal account.

Mr Nayoto said although Regina’s account was active, he could not state that some of the money received was stolen.

This is in the case in which Regina is charged with six counts of failing to account for property believed to have been stolen or obtained unlawfully.

In the first count, she is alleged to have, between January 1997 and September 30, 2002, in Ndola, failed to account for possession of property on stand number NDO/14 purchased at US$80,000.

In the second count she faces a charge of failing to account for stand number KIT/643 bought at US$48,000 cash, using money suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.

In the third count, she faces a charge of failing to account for stand number KIT/645 purchased at US$60,000 cash.

In the fourth count, she is alleged to have failed to account for a motor vehicle, an Isuzu KB registration number AAT 2603 suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.

In the fifth count, she is alleged to have received from Dr Chiluba, a 61-inch Toshiba colour television set, serial number 69140018 model number PJ 98 B with knowledge that the same had been stolen.

In the sixth count, she faces a charge of failing to account for possession of K474 million cash suspected to have been stolen.

Mr Nayoto, who was being cross-examined by defence lawyer Robert Simeza, told the court that Regina did not personally own Lilo Investment Limited on stand number NDO 14 on President Avenue in Ndola.

He told the court that the title deed was in the company’s name and not Regina even if she was a director and shareholder in the same company.

Mr Nayoto said his investigations revealed that Lilo Investment bought the property from ADDO House through Barclays Bank.

He told the court that he was satisfied with the transactions of the property by the bank.

“I am aware of her involvement in Lilo Investment under which there was also Mimi’s Boutique and Beauty Parlour,” Mr Nayoto said.

He told the court that Regina had catering contracts with the Bank of Zambia, Zamtel, Zampost, Indeni, Contract Haulage and TAZAMA Pipeline, among other companies.

Mr Nayoto said several deposit slips revealed that Lilo Investment received payments for the catering services it offered to such companies.

“When I was investigating, I did not go to Contract Haulage because it was closed at the time. For TAZAMA, I did not go there because it was not in the period we were looking at,” he said.

Mr Nayoto said he had no idea how much Regina earned from TAZAMA Pipeline between 1994 and 1999 when she had the contract.

He told the court that Regina was free to use the money she earned from the services she offered in any way she wanted.

Mr Nayoto also told the court that he was aware of numerous importations of goods Regina made for her boutique and salon.

He, however, said he did not know how much turnover she was making from the boutique and salon because he had no records at the time of his investigations.

Mr Nayoto, however, told the court that he was not satisfied that the money Regina used to buy her properties came from her businesses because there were no financial statements to support the transactions.

He said he was only able to get one statement for 2000 without a list of buildings and that Regina told him that she only engaged the auditors for that year.

Mr Nayoto told the court that he wanted the financial statements for the entire years that Lilo Investment Limited was in business.

On the allegation that National Democratic Focus (NDF) president Ben Mwila gave Regina a loan to buy one of her properties, Mr Nayoto said to date he had never spoken to Mr Mwila to verify the claim.Trial Continues.

President Levy Mwanawasa says he is happy that his administration has revamped the mining industry which had collapsed during the previous Government.

Dr Mwanawasa however said government still faces challenges to fully revamp the
mining sector so that it contributes to improved economy of the country.

Dr Mwanawasa said this in a speech read for him by Vice President Rupiah Banda
during the Ground Breaking ceremony of Mulianshi open pit copper mine in Luanshya
today.

The President revealed that  his government has so far paid 33 Million us dollars to
former mine workers who were retrenched during privatization by the previous
government.

He added that a lot of jobs have been created for following revamping of old mines
and opening up of new ones on the copperbelt and in North-western provinces.

However Dr Mwanawasa said the government still has a lot of challenges to satisfy
the demands of the mining sector and citizen.

He said apart from more jobs to be created the sector needs to empower Citizens of
Luanshya and Zambia at large economically.

The President thanked Luanshya Copper mine PLC for empowering former Miners by
leasing out the stone crusher to them which they are using to crush stones for
commercial sale to the mine and general public.

Dr Mwanawasa vowed that his government will always encourage a risk-free investment
policy and legal frame work that allows exploitation of Zambia’s mineral resources.

Speaking earlier, Mines and Minerals Minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa said the copperbelt
province has become an attraction of investment due to increased mining activities.

Dr Mwansa attributed the resurgence of the mining sector to good government
policies, increased market prices of minerals and discoveries of more minerals
through prospecting of other mine areas.

Tourism and Environment Minister Michael Kaingu has requested councils to secure copies of the National Constitution Conference (NCC) Act for circulation to all councillors and management for them to fully understand its contents.

The Minister said this at the installation ceremoney of Lukulu District Council
Chairman and his deputy last Tuesday.

Mr. Kaingu urged the council to send a suitable councillor to represent Lukulu
council on matters of local government to be enshrined in the constitution.

And Mr. Kaingu has called on local authorities to impose penalties on citizens who
perpetrate acts of uncleanliness in communities and towns.

He urged Lukulu District Council to speahead the implementation of Keep Zambia Clean
and Healthy programme in order to promote general cleanliness and protection of the
environment.

The minister, who also paid a courtesy call on the District Commissioner, Edwin
Kasempa, promised that government will soon send relief food to Lukulu East and West
constituencies and that people should not panic as there was plenty of maize stocks
in the country.