President Mwanawasa says government will remain focused at implementing policies aimed at boosting further growth in the country’s economy.

President Mwanawasa said government’s determination to implementing policies for economic growth is based on the need to enable Zambia achieve economic independence and improve the overall living standards for the people.

Dr. Mwanawasa said this in his independence message to the nation delivered on the
Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, ZNBC, Television on the eve of the 43rd
Independence Day celebrations.

“We have sustained political independence for the last 43 years and we must continue
to do so. It is now time to docus on a level of eceonomic independence that will
benefit all the citizens for the betterment of theirs lives,” President Mwanawasa
said.

This year’s independence day is being commemorated under the theme, ‘Forging a
common future anchored on national pride and sustainable development through
citizen’s participation’.

Dr. Mwanawasa, however, said government has embarked on various economic empowerment
programmes aimed at enhancing people’s participation in national economic
activities.

He cited the enactment of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Act that established the
Economic Empowerment Fund as among practical measures taken to encourage people’s
participation in the production of goods and services.

“In an effort to empower our people to effectively and fully participate in economic
activities, the New Deal Government has enacted the Citizens Economic Empowerment
Act of 2006, ” he said.

“This Act, among other things, has established the Citizens Economic Empowerment
Fund and promotes the economic empowerment of targeted citizens to participate in
the ownership of production of goods and services,” he added.

He said, in view of this government has appointed the Citizens Economic Empowerment
Commission to facilitate the citizens’ effective participation in economic
activities.

Dr. Mwanawasa also said government has posted a number of economic achievements that
include the improvement of the national Growth Domestic Product, GDP, which
currently stands at 5.8 per cent and the reduction in Statutory Reserve Ration from
14 per cent to Eight per cent.

He said the reduction in statutory reserve ratio is expected to translate into
reduced lending rates in commercial banks and increase citizens’ access to capital
for engagement in various economic activities.

The president also observed that prudent fiscal management and economic stability
have helped reduce inflation, which currently stands at 9.3 per cent and increased
investment inflow in the country, that now stands at US$693 million.

“The maintenance of macro economic stability coupled with prudent fiscal management
has led to the reduction of inflation to a single digit of 9.3 per cent as of
September 2007. There has been a significant increase in investment inflows in the
first six months of this year, totalling US $693 million.

Dr. Mwanawasa also indicated that the ongoing exploration for oil and mineral
deposits in northwestern province is evident of increased developments in the mining
sector that are as a result of the prudent economic policies being implemented by
government.

As regards the impending establishment of the Multi Facility Economic Zones, in
Chambishi and Lusaka, President Mwanawasa is confident that more jobs would be
created for the people.

In the area of agriculture, Dr. Mwanawasa said good policies and strategies have
helped achieve improved performance but he, however, acknowleged the challenges of
livestock diseases that continue to threaten development of the sector.

He nevertheless, said government would not relent in efforts of implementing
measures that will ensiure the realisation of the full potential of the agriculture
sector to national economic development.

And Dr. Mwanawasa called upon Zambians to embrace HIV/AIDS sensitisation programmes
in order to help reduce the spread of the virus and create a healthier environment
for economic growth.

He said government is working out deliberate measures to increase access of people
living with HIV to Antiretroviral treatment in an effort to enhance their
contribution to national economic programmes.

He said the HIV/AIDS disease still remains one of the serious challenges affecting
national economic development. He said government was concerned with the rate of
Mother-to-Child Transmission, MTCT, which currently stands at between 30 to 40 per
cent.

In the area of education, President Mwanawasa reiterated government’s commitment to
sustaining the free primary education policy and improve infrstructure in an effort
to achieve high quality education in the country.

He said government intends to build 125 primary school and 88 high schools and 12
new technical high schools in the next five years.

“In addition, my government has continued to expand and refurbish basic schools to
accommodate more pupils. We intend to build 125 primary schools, 88 new high schools
and 12 new technical high schools in the next five year,” he said.

He said priority has also been placed on the recruitment of teachers and provision
of teaching and learning materials in a bis to improve the quality of tuition in
public schools.

The Task force on Corruption has recovered assets worth over K116 billion which were plundered, stolen or unlawfully obtained during the period 1991 to 2001.

Task Force Public Relations Officer Victor Makayi disclosed to ZANIS today that of
the K116 billion recovered, K85 billion worth of assets have been surrendered to the
state for disposal by Cabinet Office.

Mr. Makayi said so far the surrendered property has already been disposed off by
Cabinet Office through two auction sales conducted last year and this year
respectively.

He explained that several motor vehicles, landed and machinery worth over K20
billion has not yet been disposed off.

He however said a third auction sale would soon be conducted at which the property
which is not yet disposed would be sold off.

“There has also been recorded cash and other asset recoveries at home and abroad,
including the 30 Belgium apartments worth over US$8 million. Cash recovered through
Task Force investigations has normally been surrendered to the Ministry of Finance
Asset Recovery Account kept with Bank of Zambia,” he said.

He further said government would soon decide on what should be done with the
proceeds of the Task force successful asset recovery programme.

Mr. Makayi said the Task Force on Corruption was resolved to continue managing its
civil and criminal cases by its Judicial System.

“Delays experienced in dispensing justice is a matter that is being addressed. And
of late the courts have demonstrated concern that justice be delivered on time,” he
said.

Last week, President Levy Mwanawasa said he had asked cabinet office to decide on
whether to continue with it or not, depending on how much money was available.

Dr. Mwanawasa said cabinet would decide whether to disband the Task force on
Corruption and concentrate on the existing law enforcement agencies such as the
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Zambia has asked Russia’s LUKOIL to procure 90,000 tonnes of emergency crude oil supplies worth $65 million to avert imminent fuel shortages, Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande said on Monday.

Magande said the government had contracted the company’s trading arm, Swiss-based LUKOIL International Trading and Supply Company (Litasco), to purchase the oil following a dispute with France’s Total over fuel pricing.

Total stopped importing crude oil for Zambia owing to the dispute, Magande said, adding that the abrupt halt had been part of the cause of severe fuel shortages experienced in the southern African country early this month.

He said Total, which owns half of the Indeni Oil Refinery, with the balance held by government, has been purchasing oil for Zambia since 2002.

Magande said the government had floated an international tender for a permanent supplier of crude oil to Zambia and that bids would close on Nov. 16 while negotiations with a successful bidder would end by Jan. 1 next year.

“What happened was unexpected… in May Total wanted to increase the price of fuel by 25 percent but we (the government) refused. Then they just told us that they (would) no longer buy crude oil for us and we were in a crisis,” he told a news conference.

“As government, we have gone to the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) to buy foreign currency for the import of 90,000 tonnes of oil and it must be here for processing by 10 November 2007,” Magande said, adding the government would pay Litasco directly.

Magande said Litasco would import the fuel on ad hoc status until Zambia found a permanent supplier.

He said the government was treating oil procurement as an ‘urgent’ matter, to avoid harming economic growth.

“If it means stopping (the building of) some clinics somewhere we will do that to make sure that we have oil,” Magande said.

Total officials were not immediately available for comment.

Zambia’s daily fuel consumption includes 1.5 million litres of diesel, which is used mainly in the copper and cobalt mines, and 500,000 tonnes of petrol.

Magande said Zambia’s fuel shortages this month were compounded by the refusal by an American bank to finance its recent purchase of 60,000 tonnes of crude oil because the source of the oil was Iran, which is facing a U.S. financing embargo.

Magande said Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa had intervened to source funds from a local commercial bank, drawing criticism from the opposition and analysts.

“Foreign-owned commercial banks don’t make decisions here and the only way of dealing with the matter was to speak to our local banks. There is no way we could have left the shortages to continue,” Magande said in response to criticism reported by local newspapers.

THE Church has called on all stakeholders in the constitution-making process to embrace one another and warned that the lack of love and unity that is emerging in the country is a recipe for disaster.

Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation director, Rev Reuben Daka said this at Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka yesterday during an interdenominational thanks-giving prayer service to mark Zambia’s 43rd independence anniversary.

Minister of Home Affairs, Ronnie Shikapwasha was the Government’s chief guest at the prayer meeting that attracted hundreds of worshippers from a cross-section of society.

In a moving sermon anchored on unity, Rev. Daka said he was concerned at the disagreements between the State and the Church on the constitution review process.

The service, dubbed: “forging a common future anchored on national pride and sustainable development through citizens’ participation,” Rev Daka said politicians were now exchanging insults because of envy and pride.

“We are so proud that we don’t want to listen to each other.

We have started keeping records of wrongs…evil is eating us away and we are always suspicious and not trusting each other,” he said.

“When you cannot trust one another that is a recipe for disaster.”

He said love should not be removed from the constitution-making process because doing so would lead the nation into trouble.

“Love must not be removed from whatever political struggles we are going through as a nation.

Love never fails.

There is nothing that can stand in the way of love not even the constitution-making process.

If you don’t have love then you are nothing,” Rev Daka said.

He said love should not be sacrificed despite the misunderstandings the nation was facing.

He called on all Zambians to embrace one another because that was a command from God.

“Let us not be self seeking.

Let us not keep records of wrongs…let us forgive one another and be humble and see where we are going as a nation,” he said.

He said Government was duty-bound to love because it had taken the position as a parent for all the people in the nation.

“You must allow love to dominate you.

The country will develop and take on the challenges if we stand as ‘One Zambia One Nation,” Rev Daka said.

Lieutenant General, Shikapwasha who represented President Mwanawasa took up the first Bible reading from Psalms 133:1-3.

In an interview later, Gen. Shikapwasha said he enjoyed the sermon and agreed there was need for Zambians to love one another.

Chief Justice, Ernest Sakala, Deputy Speaker, Mutale Nalumango, ministers of Labour, Ronald Mukuma, Foreign Affairs, Kabinga Pande, permanent secretaries, diplomats, senior MMD officials among others attended the service.

Opposition leaders were conspicuously absent with only All People’s Congress, president Ken Ngondo in attendance.

Government says tender procedures were followed in the procurement of crude oil and has dismissed media reports implicating the State of corruption as unfounded.

Acting Chief Government Spokesperson George Mpombo also described the media reports as a political move aimed at undermining Government operations.

Mr Mpombo says Government requested Total Outre-mer to supply both the July and
August 2007 crude feedstock cargo to allow the State make procurement arrangements
for the month of September 2007.

He indicated that in August, Total Outre-mer declined to supply the commodity for
Indeni until the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) made an adjustment forcing Government to reject the offer and opted to bring in cargo by itself to avoid a fuel crisis in the country.

Mr. Mpombo, who is also Defence Minister was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka
today.

And Mr. Mpombo says President Levy Mwanawasa enjoys executive Constitutional powers to intervene when need arises to avoid the country being plunged into a serious
disaster.

He announced that Government through the Ministry of Energy and Water Development has requested the Zambia National Tender Board to invite open tenders for the supply of 1,440,000 metric tonnes of crude feedstock. He said the tenders opened on Oct 5 and will close on November 16 to supply on a much longer period of time effective January 2008.

And Mr. Mpombo has lashed out at Transparency International Zambia for undermining Government saying the data it collects is misleading and aimed at wooing support.

MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba has directed the party to commence  party elections with branch Executive Committees .

Dr. Katele’s directive follows instructions he received from Party President Dr. Levy Mwanawasa to begin the process of leadership renewal through internal
democratic process.

He said in a statement to ZANIS  in Lusaka today that he has written to the Chairman
of Elections Mr. Mike Mulongoti who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister to
prepare clear guidelines for the conduct of elections at branch levels which will be
proceeded by constituency and district levels to be held next year.

The party National Secretary  has since lifted all suspensions and has further
directed provincial chairmen to communicate to all lower organs.

He said in an event that specific suspensions already in effect have not been fully
served, that a special case shall be made to his office through appropriate
channels.

Dr. Kalumba said a final decision shall be communicated to the affected organs after
study and consultations on each individual case.

‘In considering which case must be exceptional, executive committee must take into
account that the objective of this blanket lifting of suspension is to facilitate
competitive democracy with in our party,’ he said.

He said any indication that an appeal against lifting a suspension has the effect of
reducing competition for office will result in rejecting such an appeal.