Former Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation,(ZESCO) workers in Mongu in Western Province have appealed to President Levy Mwanawasa to intervene in the case in which they are owed about K400 million terminal benefits.

One of the retired employees Katwala Kakulekelo told ZANIS that an organisation called Local Separation Fund (LASAF) that is funded by ZESCO has not paid them their dues since 2005.

He claimed that LASAF receives about K20 billion every month from ZESCO to pay retired workers their termianl benefits saying LASAF has always been giving excuses that ZESCO did not funded them.

Mr. Kakulekelo named the other affected retirees as Peter Fumbelo, Benny Makula and Bargrey Mwanamwalye addig that the other two have not been paid since 2004.

He explained that the matter was reported to Energy Minister Kenneth Konga in August, 2007 who promised to look into the matter.

The retiree also said that Local Government Minister Silvia Masebo was also aware of the matter.

Meanwhile, President Mwanawasa has returned home from Mozambique where he went to witness the official hand over of the Caborabassa hydro electric dam from the Portuguese Government to the Mozambican government

The President who touched down at Lusaka International Airport at 18:00 hours in the evening was received by senior government officials, MMD party officials and service chiefs.

Dr. Mwanawasa, who however could not talk to the press, was accompanied by Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Kalombo Mwansa, Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga, and Deputy Statehouse Minister Richard Taima.

President Mwanawasa joined six other SADC Heads of State to witness the occasion.

President Mwanawasa described the handover of the Cahorabassa Hydro Electric Power Dam from the Portuguese Government to the Mozambican Government as the major economic achievement not only for the people of Mozambique but the entire region.

Dr Mwanawasa said that Mozambique like many other African countries that gained political independence long time ago, it is only now that they are getting true economic emancipation.

This is contained in a statement issued tonight by State House Chief Analyst for Press and Public Relations David Kombe and made available to ZANIS.

The Handover Ceremony follows the payment of US$700 million by the Mozambican Government to the Portuguese Government for the acquisition of 85 precent shares.

The remaining 15 percent shares will remain with the Portuguese Government.

The Cahorabassa Hydro Electric Dam was constructed by the Portuguese Government in 1970 who until 26th November 2007 owned 82 percent of the shares while the Government of Mozambique owned only 18 percent.

A Law maker for Kafue constituency in Lusaka Province has dispelled reports that constituency and youth development funds in his area have already been disbursed.

Bradford Machila said this was not true because all the funds Government sent to the district are still intact in the local Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) account.

Mr. Machila who is also Lands Minister told ZANIS in an intervieew today that it was important communities who want to benefit from the funds understand the guidelines which must be followed for one to access the money.

The MP has also urged community and youth groups in the areea to take keen interest in establishing how they can benefit from Constituency and Youth Development funds.

Bradford Machila implored the groups to play an active role in accessing these loans.

Mr. Machila said a committee was already in place and is currently calling for applications so that youths and community groups start accessing the money.

He said it was wrong for certain sections of the community to start criticising the process of disbursing CDF money.

He disclosed that the district has a total of K260 million Constituency Development Funds and K50 million for the youths in its local account and the money has not been disbursed.

Mr. Machila said youth and constituency funds are public resources and that as area MP, he could not allow a process which is transparent and corrupt to disburse the funds.

The MP pledged to ensure that Government guidelines are followed to benefit all groups in Kafue.

He said people should not blame his office due to their failure to meet requirements under the set guidelines. He said these funds are meant for groups who need assistance and can bring about change in communities they live.

In another development, Mr. Machila has disclosed that Government has released close to K300 million for the construction of a rural health centre in Kabweza area of Mungu ward in Kafue district.

Mr. Machila said the funds have been sourced by Governmebnt through the ministry of health.

Construction of the health facility, he said was expected to start as soon as preliminary preparations are done.

He expressed gratitude at the development saying this would assist the local people who had no health facility.

Mr. Machila disclosed that residents walk for more than 20 kilometers to the nearest health centre in Kafue Estates and Chikupi for medical treatment.

He said once the clinic is constructed communities will no longer have to cover long distances when seeking medical attention

Government has developed a road map to facilitate accelerated domestication of the provisions of the convention on the elimination of discrimination against women into national law.

President Mwanawasa has since directed Justice Minister George Kunda to speed up the process of drafting the bill on gender-based violence to further strengthen the existing law.

Dr. Mwanawasa said this in Lusaka today in a speech read on his behalf by Defence Minister George Mpombo in commemorating 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based violence.
.

Dr. Mwanawasa said government is wary of the negative effects of gender-based violence on women and girls in particular.

He noted that gender-based violence is a threat to national integrity and pride and called for unity in eradicating the scourge.

President Mwanawasa said government will continue to provide an enabling environment to cater for women’s interest who are mostly the victims of gender based violence.

Dr. Mwanawasa further announced that government will soon introduce a bill to parliament which will specifically deal with gender violence.

He added that government has since embarked on a countrywide stakeholder consultation with a view of bringing on board divergent views in the proposed bill.

Dr. Mwanawasa has also commended the media for its continued active role in exposing vices of gender based violence to the public.

And Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) Mirriam Munyinda called on government to ensure that institutions mandated to enforce laws against gender-based violence operate efficiently.

Ms. Munyinda bemoaned the rampant gender based violence cases in the country which are sometimes not reported to law enforcement officers to ensure that culprits are brought to book.

She noted that cases of girls being defilement are so far the highest and called upon Zambians to ensure that the women and girls are protected from all forms of gender based violence.

Meanwhile, President Mwanawasa is tomorow expected to travel to Mozambique to witness the hand over ceremony of the Caborabassa Hydro electric dam in Songa district.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today by State House Chief Analyst for press and public relations David Kombe.

Mr. Kombe said the president will arrive in Mozambique at 08:00 hours to witness the official hand over of the dam from the Portuguese government to the Mozambican gorvernment.

Dr. Mwanawasa will be received by energy and water development minister Kenneth Konga and state house deputy minister Richard Taima.

Mr. Kombe said the president will be accompanied by acting foreign affairs minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa.

Six other heads of state are also expected to grace the occasion.

President Mwanawasa is expected back in the country on the same day after the ceremony.

THE Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) has ended in the Ugandan capital Kampala with a strong call for leaders who have not yet re-affirmed their commitment to combat systematic corruption at both national and international levels to do so.

The Commonwealth member states have also been urged to consider implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Commonwealth Expert Working Group on the Recovery and
Repatriatiation of Assets of Illicit Origin.

The Commonwealth leaders who say they are committed to
the combating of corruption and the tracing of assets
of illicit origin have urged member states who have
not already done so to consider becoming parties to
the United Nations Convention against Corruption
(UNCAC).

This is contained in a communique released at the end
of the two-day CHOGM meeting that was officially
opened by the reigning head of the Commonwealth Queen Elizabeth II on Friday.

”Recognising that extortion, bribery and corruption
undermine good governance, respect for human rights
and economic development, Heads of Government
reaffirmed their commitment to combat systematic
corruption at both national and international
levels,” reads the Communique in part.

The leaders acknowledged the ongoing activities of the
Commonwealth secretariat designed to build institutional capacity
and awareness in member states so as to assist them
with its implementation and enforcement.

And the Heads of Government also recognised the
fundamental contribution of international trade to
global prosperity, sustainable development and the
elimination of poverty.

They acknowledged the core role of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) and emphasised the need to give
priority to fuller participation of all Commonwealth
members in multilateral trade.

According to the Communique, Heads of Government noted
that a strongly development-oriented outcome would
involve elimination of export subsidies and a
substantial reduction in domestic support.

The Heads of Government have called on developed
countries to implement the 2005 WTO Hong Kong
Ministerial Commitment on providing predictable duty
free and quota free market access on a lasting basis
on products from Least Developed Countries (LCDs).

The Communique notes that Heads of Government
acknowledged the contribution that regional trading
arrangements could make to the gradual and beneficial
integration of developing countries into the
multilateral trading system.

The Heads of Government commended the Commonwealth
Business Council (CBC)’s work to increase trade and
investment in partnerships with governments and the
private sector over the past ten years.

They welcomed the contribution of the CBC to the
growth of Commonwealth trade and investment.

The CHOGM meeting that ran from November 23 to 25 was
officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II and was
attended by 48 countries Commonwealth countries out of
the 53.

Vice-President Rupiah Banda represented Zambia at the
meeting.

Other dignatories from Zambia included, Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga
Pande, Commerce deputy minister Dora Siliya, Sports
minister Gabriel Namulambe, Finance Deputy
Minister Jonas Shakafuswa ,State House Press Aide John
Musukuma and other senior government officials

The Zambia Water and Sanitation Alliance, ZWASA, has urged government to speed up the re-introduction of the NGO Bill with a few amendments in the current sitting of parliament for subsequent enactment into law.

Executive Director Derick Mushitu says ZWASA has carefully studied the NGO Bill that was temporarily withdrawn from parliament in the last sitting to allow for further consultation.

He said the organisation has no problem with government having some regulatory function in the operations of NGOs as proposed in the Bill.

In a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mushitu further said the law should regulate the NGOs as they cannot do so in a manner that would make them contribute positively to the living standards of the people.

Mushitu said NGOS are there to complement government efforts in service delivery to the people.

He observed with regret however at the moment only international NGOS were truly adding value
to the lives of the people of Zambia.

Mushitu also appealed to religious organisations registered in the country to work towards the improvement of living standards of the local communities in the areas where they operate.

He also disclosed that ZWASA will soon meet borehle drilling companies operating in Zambia to discuss how they can contribute to the alleviation of water problems especially in Lusaka.

Mushitu said this is one way the companies can plough back something for the benefit of local communities.

The organisation has also appealed to Mps and councillors to ensure that a large percentage of the Constituency Development is devoted to community projects aimed at improving water supply and sanitation in the communities.