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Rampant child marriages and sexaul violence worry NGO

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Plan International Zambia has expressed concern over the increasing number of child marriages and sexual violence in Luapula province.

Plan International Zambia programme manager at Mansa office Lizzy Mwindilila said
her organization was worried at that invreasing number of children were dropping out
of school in the provinve due to pregnancies and early marriages.

Ms Mwindilila said a rapid assessment done by her organization revealed that 147
pupils from seven basic schools stopped school due to pregnancies and forced
marriages in Mansa district between 2005 and this year.

Ms Mwindilila was speaking yesterday during the Child Protection Stakeholders’
meeting in Mansa.

Ms Mwindilila said government’s efforts to strengthen the law against sexual
violence were being defeated by the silence surrounding sexual violence at family
level.

She said this situation was making it difficult for law enforcement officers to
prosecute the perpetrators of sexual violence.

The manager said sexual violence against children was now becoming a chronic problem
 which if left unchecked had the potential to thwart developmental efforts and also
affect the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

She said abuse cases involving fellow children were also on the increase in the
province.

Ms. Mwindilila warned that Plan International Zambia had no kind words for the
perpetrators of sexual violence and it condemns the evil act in the strongest
terms.

Ms. Mwindilila also called upon parents, guardians, traditional and other leaders
in the community, the church, NGOs and government to be actively participant in the
fight against sexual abuse.

Voting in some Nchanga polling stations kicks off on low note

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Voting in some parts of Nchanga Constituency on the Copperbelt Province started on a low note with some places like Mpezeni polling station recording 50 people out of 254 that cast their votes by 12:45 hours.

A check by Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) found people trickling in
slowly and some of the people talked to said the elections had come at a time when
they are busy in the fields.

At Chimfinsa polling station, 80 people had cast their votes after 1300 hours out of
the registered 264 voters while at Mbayi polling station, only 44 people cast their
votes by 13:30 hours.

Meanwhile, United Party for National Development (UPND) Copperbelt Province
Chairperson Joe Kalusa and 11 others were last night picked and detained by police
in Chingola.

Mr Kalusa said he was picked up at the civic centre where he was attending a
conflict management meeting where they reported a case of members from the ruling
party who were about to distribute mealie meal, chicken and cooking to the
electorate.

He said that he was at first charged with theft which he said he did not understand
and later it was changed to conduct likely to cause breach of peace adding that the
case will go to court and that he has already engaged a lawyer.

Mr Kalusa said he was worried that the eleven that have been detained are registered
voters who will not vote if they are not released. He said he has been denied an
opportunity to check on what is happening in the polling station.

However, the atmosphere in the constituency is calm as no reports of violence have
been reported.

Growing pains of a superpower

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The 21st century, we are told, will be China’s. Usually this is intended as a warning: if the world’s leading economies fail to respond to the Chinese “threat”, we will face a second-class future trailing in the wake of the People’s Republic.

This blinkered view gets us nowhere. China is a proud nation with a turbulent history, and it makes no secret of its superpower ambitions. It is certainly a fierce competitor for resources – witness the panic in the US about China’s thirst for oil, and what that means for fuel prices. But this vast and diverse country is already much more than a simple adversary. Without China’s supply of cheap manufactured goods, massive overseas investment and talented labour, the world’s economy would be in serious trouble.

In this age of globalisation, China is also a partner – which is why we should all be concerned about the challenges ahead. China faces immense social, political and environmental problems, and whatever is a problem for China is by definition a problem for everyone else too. Today in rich western countries, people worry about poisoned Chinese pet food and imported toys tainted with lead. Tomorrow, it could be a global climate meltdown driven by China’s exploding demand for energy.

China’s leaders are no fools. Most senior members of the central government were trained in that most practical of disciplines, engineering. They know that the nation’s present trajectory is unsustainable, both economically and environmentally. If China is to continue its remarkable development, it must transform itself from an exporter of cheap manufactured goods built to western blueprints into what its leaders call an “innovation nation” – able to sustain its growth through home-grown ingenuity. So they are pouring huge sums into science, particularly at the applied end of hot fields like nanotechnology and renewable energy. China’s spending on research and development has more than doubled in the past five years, and official plans call for a further rise – from 1.34 per cent of GDP in 2005 to 2.5 per cent by 2020.

If the plan bears fruit, some of the innovations that will be needed to solve global problems are likely to come from China. Already, top Chinese researchers and entrepreneurs trained abroad are returning to their homeland in unprecedented numbers. They are emphatic about one thing: wanting China to be able to stand with the US and other leading nations as an equal partner.

Can China really reinvent itself as a lean, green technological superpower? Will the rural poor get left behind as the urban middle class reaps the benefits of rapid economic growth? Or will the economic miracle falter or even collapse? And can the Communist Party maintain its grip on power through it all? Will it ultimately be an engine of reform, or an obstacle to change? Will China eventually embrace democracy as it is practised in the west? Or does conflict lie ahead?

new scientist

Sinazongwe men are still shunning condoms

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By Tovin Ngombe

A concerned citizen in Senior Chief Mweemba area has disclosed that people were shunning from the use of condoms and having unprotected sex.Siangani Chipo said when Sinazongwe Youth Club drama group visited Sulwegondwe, Sinakoba, Simuzila fishing camp on the shores of Lake Kariba  that  people’s refusing to use condoms has contributed to the  spread of HIV/AIDS in the areas. 

“We do not use condoms here, come and help us to make people come out in the open to use them and to feel free to go for Voluntary Counselling and testing (VCT), Chipo said. 

Sinazongwe District HIV/AIDS Coordinator Lester Nambale urged people to know their HIV/AIDS status and to avoid stigmatising people that were infected because they have a future to continue living positively. 

Mr. Nambale advised people to avoid fearing to go for VCT because they were first counselled before disclosing their HIV/AIDS status to them. 

The District HIV/AIDS coordinator urged parents to report the cases of defilement to police which said were rampant in the district. 

“If any one is found having sex with a girl below 16 years that person should be reported because they were destroying the lives of the young girls,” Mr. Nambale said. 

Mr. Nambale disclosed that School authorities at Sinakoba primary School which goes up to grade seven records about four cases of defilement and pregnancies every year. 

While Mr Nambale was addressing the gathering on defilement at Sinakoba primary School some men in the background were murmuring for depriving them of their illicit sex with young girls.  

At Simuzila fishing camp women openly told the Sinazongwe Youth Drama group that there was overwhelming cases of defilement in the area and most men were in the forefront of sleeping with young girls. 

 Most young girls and women in Simuzila village that had gathered to watch the exciting drama on stigma were pregnant or carrying a child on their backs ZANIS/TN/END.

Sinazongwe men are still shunning condoms

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By Tovin Ngombe

A concerned citizen in Senior Chief Mweemba area has disclosed that people are shunning from the use of condoms and having unprotected sex.

Siangani Chipo said when Sinazongwe Youth Club drama group visited Sulwegondwe, Sinakoba, Simuzila fishing camp on the shores of Lake Kariba  that  people’s refusing to use condoms has contributed to the  spread of HIV/AIDS in the areas.

“We do not use condoms here, come and help us to make people come out in the open to use them and to feel free to go for Voluntary Counselling and testing (VCT), Chipo said. 

Sinazongwe District HIV/AIDS Coordinator Lester Nambale urged people to know their HIV/AIDS status and to avoid stigmatising people that were infected because they have a future to continue living positively. 

 Mr. Nambale advised people to avoid fearing to go for VCT because they were first counselled before disclosing their HIV/AIDS status to them. 

The District HIV/AIDS coordinator urged parents to report the cases of defilement to police which said were rampant in the district. “If any one is found having sex with a girl below 16 years that person should be reported because they were destroying the lives of the young girls,” Mr. Nambale said. 

Mr. Nambale disclosed that School authorities at Sinakoba primary School which goes up to grade seven records about four cases of defilement and pregnancies every year.

 While Mr Nambale was addressing the gathering on defilement at Sinakoba primary School some men in the background were murmuring for depriving them of their illicit sex with young girls.

At Simuzila fishing camp women openly told the Sinazongwe Youth Drama group that there was overwhelming cases of defilement in the area and most men were in the forefront of sleeping with young girls.

 Most young girls and women in Simuzila village that had gathered to watch the exciting drama on stigma were pregnant or carrying a child on their backs

Kalomo farmers remain unpaid-MP

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Farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Kalomo district in Southern Province have not been paid their money.

And the FRA has allegedly failed to pay transporters it engaged to transport the
produce to the nearest satellite depots.

Kalomo Central Constituency Member of Parliament Request Mutanga has disclosed.

He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that farmers are disappointed with the
delay in paying them their dues.

Mr. Mutanga said farmers are now wondering as to when they are likely to be paid
their money.

The MP expressed fears that farmers in the area would not be able to plan properly
ahead of the forth-coming planting season.

Mr. Mutanga, however expressed happiness that the Agency managed to get all the
grain in the district.

The law-maker is now appealing to Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and
co-operatives to consider funding the Agency so that farmers in Kalomo could be
paid.

”Farmers in my constituency who supplied maize to the FRA have not been paid their
dues up to now. Also transporters have not been cleared. I’m therefore appealing to
fund the Agency because farmers are crying to me in an effort to be paid,” Mr.
Mutanga said.

Zambia’s petroleum blues to end

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Zambia’s persistent petroleum depressions would become history in future as Government has devised measures that would avert shortages of the feedstock supply in the country.

Minister of Energy and Water Development, Kenneth Konga announced the measures in
Parliament today saying, “with the measures I have outlined, I am confident that the
fuel supply situation will continue to stabilise”.

Mr. Konga said Government, through the Zambia National Tender Board (ZNTB) has
issued a long-term tender for the supply of petroleum feedstock for over two years
to the nation.

The tender for the supply of the petroleum feedstock will close on November 16th,
this year, with the successful bidder expected to supply the Zambian market by the
end of February.

He said the new supplier of fuel would begin supplying the commodity by the end of
February 2008.

“On 5th October 2007, the Zambia National Tender Board advertised an open tender for
the supply and delivery of 1,440,000 metric tonnes of crude feedstock. Financing of
the supply of the feedstock in 2008 will be structured by the successful bidder for
the financing tender,” he said.

In the interim, 150,000 metric tonnes of petroleum feedstock for the months of
January and February 2008 before the new supplier, under the long term tender,
begins to supply the commodity.

Mr. Konga told Parliament in a ministerial statement on petroleum sub-sector that
the new supplier would only start supplying petroleum in February partly because of
the purchase of crude feedstock has to be done six weeks before loading of a
shipment.

“The target of February 2008 will enable us finalise all contractual issues with the
new supplier,” he said.

He said a cargo of 60,000 metric tonnes would arrive in Dar Es Salaam on 24th
November this year addin that the feedstock would last until the first week of
January next year.

He said a further 90,000 metric tonnes cargo would be procured in December, which
would finish in the third week of February 2008, after which the new supplier would
start supplying the Zambian market with fuel.

Mr. Konga said letters of credit for the two cargos would be guaranteed by the Bank
of Zambia to ensure there was no restriction regarding the source of supply.

The Minister also told Parliament that the Energy Regulation Board has proposed a
new pricing formula, which would be submitted to Government for consideration.

“These measures will be part of the long-term national energy strategy that will
cover the period 2008 to 2030 in line with the vision 2030,” he said.

Mr. Konga has meanwhile. said a draft policy on the use of other forms of energy has
been submitted to Cabinet for consideration.

This was after Luapula constituency Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament,
Peter Machungwa asked whether Government had plans to encourage planting crops from
which other fuels such as ethanol could be produced.

And Mr. Konga said Government would not apologise for the diesel shortage that
occurred in the country a month ago because the situation was an emergency.

He said this after Lusaka Central PF MP, Guy Scott asked whether Government would
apologise to the nation for the shortage of supply.

Be proactive over HIV/AIDS fight-stakeholders told

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A clergyman in Kasama in Northern Province has urged all stakeholders involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS to take a more proactive approach towards combating the pandemic.

St. Johns Catholic Parish Priest Rudolf Pikiti said there was need for Non
Governmental Organisations addressing the welfare of people living with HIV to avoid
holding numerous workshops on the HIV/AIDS.

He said over the weekend that donor funds as well as Government resources should be
channeled to efforts aimed at uplifting the welfare of people living with HIV/AIDS
unlike holding workshops.

Fr. Pikiti said fewer people living with HIV either in hospitals or homes were
receiving direct support from organisations involved in fighting the pandemic
despite availability of global funds meant for HIV/AIDS programmes in the country.

He proposed that a huge chunk of the global funds on HIV/AIDS be spent on buying of
drugs, food supplements and care of HIV positive persons in order to prolong their
lives.

Fr. Pikiti also observed that many persons have amassed wealth at the expense of
people living with HIV due to the unfair distribution resources.

He explained that looking after chronically ill people including those with HIV was
in line with the biblical teaching where God encourages Christians to be passionate
with the sick and poor.

Fr. Pikiti further urged Government and stakeholders to encourage people living with
HIV to have a positive mindset and contribute to national development.

Govt to act over Sata ‘s reported passport loss

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Go to fullsize imageGovernment says it will establish the truth on whether Patriotic Front (PF) President Michael Sata did not fake loss of his passport in order to obtain a clean one that did not carry the Prohibited Immigration endorsement.

Chief Government Spokesperson Michael Mulongoti says Government has received reports that the PF leader whose passport was endorsed by the Malawian Immigration as a Prohibited Immigrant must have realised that he would not be allowed to enter the United States of America and decided to fake the loss of the Passport.

Mr Mulongoti said in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today that if found
that Mr Sata faked loss of his passport the law will take its course as it is an
offence under the Passport Act No.22 of 2003 to fake the loss of a passport in order
to get a new one.

Mr Mulongoti, who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister, said government has
received reports that the PF President may not have lost the passport as he claims.

He noted that Government is aware that Mr Sata reported to the Zambian High
Commission in London complaining that he had lost the passport while staying at the
Crown Plaza Hotel in there.

Mr Mulongoti further said that Mr Sata told the Zambian High Commissioner in London,
Mr Anderson Chibwa that he could not as a result of the loss of his passport proceed
to the United States of America (USA) where he was to present a paper on Human
Rights at the Harvard University.

Mr Sata sought the assistance of the Zambian High Commission in London in obtaining
another passport and consequently he was given a travel document to enable him
travel back to Lusaka where he applied for a replacement.

2007 Mosi Cup Round of 16 Update

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The last 16 matches of the 2007 Mosi Cup take place this Sunday, November 11.

10 Faz Premier League teams that include 2008 promotion side Chambishi remain in the race for quarterfinal places going into this weekends matches.

Defending Mosi Cup champions Zesco United will be in Lusaka this weekend when they visit Lusaka City Council.

LCC, whose journey begun in round 6 with a 3-0 win over TP Rangers, made it to this stage after beating top-flight team Roan United 3-1 in Lusaka.

Zesco will be hoping to reach their 4th cup quarterfinal place away to LCC this Sunday.

The big highlight expected in the round of 16 matches will see 5-time Mosi Cup champions Kabwe Warriors hoping to continue on big scoring ways from round 7 when they take on old foes City of Lusaka.

Warriors face 2-time winners City of Lusaka in their Mosi Midlands derby at Woodlands.

In round 7, Warriors beat Lime Hotspurs 3-1 away in Ndola in one of two games from that phase of matches together with LCC’s tie against TP that saw more than three goals scored in relegation time.

2006 losing finalists Red Arrows too are in action after their post-match penalty win over Lusaka Tigers in round 7.

Arrows will be home to face Tazara Express who ejected Zanaco in the last round on post-match penalties.

Young Arrows will be home at Nkoloma too in a Mosi Cup doubleheader where they host Chambishi in a match that will pit the 2006 promoted team and next year’s top-flight entrant.

In the rest of the pre-quarterfinal matches, Konkola Blades travel to Kalomo Jetters and Nchanga Rangers host Lusaka Dynamos.

And in Ndola, 2005 Mosi Cup winners Green Buffaloes travel to Dola Hill where demoted Forest Rangers await while National Assembly host fellow demoted side Zamtel at Woodlands Stadium.

JSPRP stakes over 8m Euros (about K42 bn) for Poverty reduction in Zambia

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A Civil Society Organisation, Justice Solidarity for Poverty Reduction Fund (JSPRP) is disbursing over eight million euros, approximately K42 billion  in Zambia towards poverty reduction activities.

The money was raised from the Jubilee Campaign by the Catholic Church in Italy and
was intended to buy off Zambia’s debt from the Italian government.

But when the Italian government joined other donors in cancelling Zambia’s debt, the
Italian Catholic Episcopal decided to channel the funds to the Catholic Episcopal in
Zambia so that the money can be used for poverty reduction activities.

Ten rural districts among them Mungwi, Samfya, Isoka and Gwembe in Northern, Luapula and Southern Provinces respectively were identified to benefit from the JSPRF fund.

JSPRF Programme Coordinator Patrick Mucheleka disclosed this in Samfya today when he
paid a courtesy call on District Commissioner Sylvester Chimfwembe.

Mr Mucheleka disclosed that 35 projects worth  K2.7 billion have so far been
approved out of the K3 billion that was allocated to Samfya under the JSPRF funding.

The projects funded, he said were are in various fields including education, water
and sanitation, and livestock development.

Under education, JSRPF has approved K172 million for the construction of a dormitory
at Kasaba high school, which was upgraded from basic school last year.

He said a further K166 million has also been approved for the construction of a 1×3
classroom block at Twingi high school.

The school which opened in the 80s still shares infrastructure with a basic school
because Government has not yet started building infrastructure at the institution.

And the organisation has approved a K61 million tree planting project on
Kalimankonde Island in the Bangweulu swamps in Luapula Province.

Mr Mucheleka said Kalimankonde is one of the seriously deforested areas in Samfya
district as a result of unwise tree cuttting.

He said the K61 million grant provided by JSPRF will assist the community through
the department of forestry to plant trees to replenish the lost vegetation.

Youths demand representation on the NCC

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Youths from various political parties in Kitwe have called on political parties to include at least two youths on their list of delegates to sit on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).

The youths charged that they should not be left out as they are key stakeholders in
the constitution making process.

Youths from the Ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) , United Nation
Independence Democracy (UNIP), United Party for National Development (UPND) and
Patriotic Front (PF)  made the recommendation at the end of the Anti Voter Apathy
Project (AVAP) Workshop held in Kitwe today.

Youths have under the NCC composition been given a provision to nominate two
representatives of youth organisation registered under the national youth council
Act.

The youths further called on the political parties not to use youths as tools of
violence in the Nchanga by -elections slatted for Thursday this week.

AVAP Executive Director Bonnie Tembo disclosed to ZANIS that youths further urged
Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to localise the printing of ballot papers to
avoid huge costs.

The ballot papers for the Nchanga by- election are being printed in South Africa.

On the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF), the youths said the guidelines should be
simplified so that many youths can apply for the funds adding that the fund should
be de-politicised.

Speaking at the official closing of the workshop, Kitwe Town Clerk Ali Simwinga 
challenged the youths to be focused and have a vision so as to help in strengthening
their political parties.

He also commended AVAP for contributing to the development of leadership in the
country.

Choma acting DC commend local NGO for its support to children

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Acting Choma district commissioner Mungoni Simulilika has commended the Choma Children Development Project for initiating projects aimed at safeguard the future of children.

Mr Simulilika says government is delighted to learn that children under the project are being encouraged to embrace self-help concept in an effort to prepare them for the future.

The acting DC called for continued support towards women and children as they were the most marginalized due to limited participation in social, economic and other community issues affecting their lives.

Mr Simulilika was speaking when he closed a training programme for self-help groups sponsored by the Choma Children Development project.

He urged the participants to use the project to address issues affecting their full participation in social and economic development.

Mr Simulilika said government will accord the groups comprising women and children the necessary support as they fight social evils in society.

He commended a Germany organization known as Kindernothilfe (KNH) for sponsoring the training programme. And project coordinator Cornwell Hademu said the objective of the training workshop was to integrate children in the self-help groups as well as agree on the modalities of piloting the programme.

SHARe embarks on HIV/AIDS public sensitisatio programmes in L/stone

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The Support to HIV/AIDS Response in Zambia (SHARe) has embarked on sensitization and awareness programmes in Livingstone under the Public Private Partnerships initiative aimed at addressing HIV/AIDS in Zambia.

SHARe Social Mobilization Advisor, Muriel Syacumpi said deliberate
efforts have been made to target Livingstone because of its high risk status as
the country’s tourist capital.

She told ZANIS in interview in Livingstone today that the planned activities under
the PPP initiative would include music and artistic events featuring high profile
personalities as
key vehicles for providing HIV and AIDS prevention messages and
linkages to other HIV services.

Ms Syacumpi said the activities will also incorporate aspects of
social and behavioral change.

She disclosed that the Ministry of Tourism, the Zambia Wildlife
Authority and nine key tourism business houses in Livingstone are involved
in the PPP.

The partnership is aimed at providing an opportunity for partners to
collectively work together and contribute effectively to the fight
against HIV and AIDS.

Ms Syacumpi said all the activities to be undertaken by SHARe have
been funded by the United States Government under the President’s
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the USAID.

Veep arrives on the Copperbelt to drum support for MMD candidate

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Vice President Rupiah Banda arrived this morning in Ndola on his way to Chingola where he is scheduled to hold two public rallies to drum up support for MMD candidate Charles Chimumbwa in Thursday’s Nchanga constituency parliamentary by-election.
.

Mr Banda who touched down at Ndola international airport at 09:00 hours was received
at Copperbelt provincial minister Mwansa Mbulakulima and other senior government
officials.

The vice president who is accompanied by local government minister Sylvia Masebo, is
expected to formally present MMD candidate Charles Chimumbwa at a public rally at
Luano primary school today and also at another rally tomorrow at Buntungwa park.

The Nchanga seat fell vacant after Mr Chimumbwa defected from the Patriotic Front to
the ruling MMD.

Others contesting the seat are Stanley Simukoko of the Forum for Democracy and
Development (FDD), Wylbur Simuusa (PF), Plyson Gondwe (UNIP), Alvin Simwinga United
Party for National Development (UPND) and Christopher Mwape from All Peoples’
Congress Party.

Others are Ginestone Kachamba and Lillian Kaoma as independents.

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