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SADC sugar producers alerted

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Sugar producers in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have been cautioned to protect the interests of people in the region when negotiating economic partnership agreements with the European Union (EU).  

Commerce Minister, Felix Mutati said the sugar producers must take into account the impact of the agreements on rural communities and government revenue.

Mr. Mutati said the sugar industry in Zambia employs over 8-thousand people and failure to negotiate favourable agreements with the EU will affect the industry and government revenue.

The Minister was speaking in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, Wednesday at the Federation of SADC sugar producers conference organized by the Sugar producers association of Zambia.

The objective of the conference is to agree on a common approach on the handling of sugar and promote interaction among sugar producers in the region.

Economic partnership agreement negotiations will be concluded by December this year.

British Prime minister hails Mwanawasa for good relations

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British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has praised President Levy Mwanawasa  for the good relations between the United Kingdom and Zambia.

Mr Brown said United Kingdom values the good relation that exists between his
country and Zambiais.

Mr Brown was responding to a congratulatory message from President Mwanawasa on his appointment as Prime Minister.

”The success Zambia has enjoyed over recent years is testimony to the strong
example you have set on political and economical governance and the foundation you
have laid as well as promoting the governance agenda in region and beyond.’ said Mr
brown

This is contained in a statement issued by  Special Assistant to the President for
Public Relations and Press,John Musukuma and made available to ZANIS this evening.

And President Mwanawasa has sent a message of congratulations to the President of
the Republic of India, Pratibha Pail on her election as first female president.

The President said Zambia and India enjoy warm and cordial relations that is
cemented by a common membership in international organisation such as the United
Nations and the Commonwealth.

“It is with great pleasure that I extend to you my warm and heartfelt
congratulations on your election as India’s female president. Your victory is a
clear testimony of the confidence that people of India have in your leadership
abilities.” Said President Mwanawasa

Meanwhile President Mwanawasa has also sent a message of condolences to the
President of the Republic of Peru, his Excellency Alan Garcia, on the death of more
than 337 people and the injured following the earthquake which hit the coast of Peru
on August 15, this year

President Mwanawasa expressed  sadness and shock at the tragic death of more than
337 people and the injuring of hundreds following the earth quake.

“On behalf of the government, the people of Zambia and indeed on my behalf I wish to
express our heartfelt condolences to and through you to the people of Peru on this
tragic loss.” said the President

Limping Councils have low councilors, poor financial management

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By Tovin Ngombe
Sinazongwe district Commissioner (DC) Laiven Apuleni has said some Southern Province Local Authorities were failing to deliver social services because of the poor financial management and low calibre of the elected councilors.

Apuleni said at the German Technical Support to Zambia (GTZ) sponsored exchange visit for local authorities in southern province to Sinazongwe that the success of any local authority lies in its ability to manage financial resources.

“It is evident that we still have a good number of local authorities that are limping because of mediocre financial and administratively management coupled with low calibre of the elected representatives (councilors).” Apuleni said.

He said performance of local Authorities lies in providing services to community and not using the provision of salaries to their workers as bases for good management
“In our eyes as stakeholders you are judged by your ability to deliver services and not to pay salaries,” the DC said.

He recommended Sinazongwe District Council for exhibiting remarkable and admirable financial management.

GTZ has also ranked Sinazongwe district among the top three council in the Southern Province that have innovative ideas of raising revenue and to providing services to the community.

GTZ Local Government Adviser Kaunda Mapoma said the other councils include kalomo and Mazabuka which were managing to implement their activities based on budgeting and documentation of their revenue data base.

Mapoma said these districts also provide services such grading of the roads, sweeping the streets, providing street lights, and Kalomo have even gone on commercial bases.

He said Sinazongwe district Council has was managing to operate well with the private sector in the grading of the roads; they publish budget, and receipts on how the money was being spent.

“The public are aware of how their money was being used, there is transparent in the use of resources at Sinazongwe District Council,” Mapoma said.

He said the exchange visit was meant for Southern Province councils to know how others were managing their finances well and how others were performing poorly to ensure that they all improve their delivery of social services.

Senior Mweemba appeals to govt for medical assistance

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By Tovin Ngombe

Senior Chief Mweemba has appealed to government to assist him in assessing medication to improve his failing health.

The Senior Chief told ZANIS in an interview through his representative Richwell Ntundulu that from the time the Senior Chief became ill he has not received any support from government.

He said only Sinazongwe District Commissioner Laiven Apuleni provided transport for him to be taken for Medication in Lusaka.

Senior Chief Mweemba said going for medical reviews has posed a financial drain on his resources from the time he became ill.

“You know when a person is ill and he has no time to look for money and the senior chief has been using his own money which has created financial difficulties on him,” Mr Ntundulu said.

Mr. Ntundulu said he could not understand why the senior chief has been neglected even in times of difficulties.

“I do not know if we are in a different government, the senior has not received anything from the time of his ill health,” Mr Ntundulu said

Two months ago the Senior Chief was diagnosed with the liver problem.

A check by ZANIS at his palace found that the chief’s condition was not good though he was able to talk to for a short while.

Hunger looms in Sinazongwe

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By Tovin Ngombe

Senior Chief Mweemba of the Tonga people said the hunger situation in Sinazongwe District would be worse in September if government fails to send relief food to save his subjects from starvation.

The Senior Chief who was speaking through his representative Richwell Ntundulu at his palace said the hunger situation in his areas has continued to haunt his people because of the poor rainfall experienced in the district in the previous farming season.

Senior Chief Mweemba said government should urgently send relief food to save the starving villagers from perishing of hunger.

“The situation is pathetic, it is a dry season and there are no fruits that people can pick up to eat, my people are not being cared for even the local investors are doing nothing to assist them,” Senior Chief Mweemba said.

The chief who was also able to utter a few words because of his poor health said Kafwambila, Siampondo, Muuka, Denganza, and Kanchindu the area around his palace were the most affected.

He said people living in Siameja had no land to cultivate from because the area was too rocky adding that it was not out of there own making that they fail to grow food.

“But displacement has done them more harm because they were growing their own food before they came to this place,” the Senior Chief said.

The number of people requiring relief food in Sinazongwe district has doubled as compared to last year’s Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) estimates.

Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC) Laiven Apuleni said in March that the number of people in need of relief food has swelled from 5,241 to 10,656.

The DC disclosed that he was receives a lot of calls from people who want to know what was being done to save people from starvation.

Statistics from the District Agriculture office indicates that Sinazongwe has a population of 80,750 and it has 99,300 arable land and only 20,000 is cultivated annually.

Pro’s Hit List

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DENMARK.

Striker Christopher Katongo played the full 90 minutes on Sunday for 2nd from bottom Brondby in their 4-1 away loss to 5th placed Horsen.

FRANCE.

Striker Jacob Mulenga played his final game in Ligue 2 this season on Friday before joining promoted Strasbourg this week in 16th placed Chateauroux’s scoreless home draw against 4th from top Dijon.

Mulenga was substituted in the 52nd minute.

GERMANY.

Paderborn: Midfielder Andrew Sinkala played the full 90 minutes for 2.Bundesliga club Paderborn in the 16th placed club scoreless away draw at 8th from top Osnabruck on Friday.

Kickers Offenbach: Defender Moses Sichone did not play against his old club Alemmania Aachen on Sunday in the 2.Bundesliga clubs 4-0 away loss to the 2nd from top side.

SOUTH AFRICA.

Jomo Cosmos: Striker Davies Mwape played the full 90 minutes for Cosmos in the 12th placed clubs 1-1 away draw on Saturday at 3rd from top Kaizer Chiefs in week 2 of the South African top-flight.

He was not on target.

Moroka Swallows: Striker Songwe Chalwe came on in the 88th minute for Swallows in the 6th placed clubs scoreless home draw against defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

SWEDEN.

Orgryte: Striker Boyd Mwila started for 6th placed Orgryte on Monday and was later subbed in the 66th minute in his teams 2-0 away win against 11th positioned Enkoping in their Swedish 2nd division game.

Mwila was not on target.

Ljungskile: Defender Edwin Phiri came on in the 71st minute for 3rd from top Ljungskile on Sunday who were 3-1 away winners at 7th placed Bunkeflo.

Warriors, Buffaloes wait for their fate

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Kabwe Warriors and Green Buffaloes will have to wait a little while longer before they know the outcome of their abandoned Coca Cola Cup semifinal match played at Independence stadium in Lusaka on Saturday at halftime.

Referee Cornelius Mwanza called off the match before retuning from the break following crowd trouble after his assistant referee Jacob Mwiya was accosted by fans as the safety of the match officials looked like it wasn’t guaranteed.

The disturbances came after Buffaloes midfielder Dears Kakunta saw his 8th minute goal disallowed for offside before Warriors took the lead in the 44th minute through Emmanuel Mayuka.

Faz general secretary Fedelis Banda said Football House will meet this week to study the referees and match commissioner’s reports before deciding the final outcome of the match.

And in the other three semifinal matches played on Saturday, Zesco United and Nkana went through via similar 1-0 wins over Riflemen and Green Eagles away and at home through goals from Donwell Yobe and William Chinse respectively.

Meanwhile, Nkwazi also made it through to the semifinals after a 3-2 post match penalty win over division 2 club Young Green Eagles in their Coca Cola Cup Sunday kickoff.

GRZ, UNHCR start major registration of Angolan and other refugees in Zambia

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Government in conjunction with the United Nations High Commissioner (UNHCR) has announced plans to embark on a major exercise of registering all “self-settled” Angolan refugees residing outside refugee camps and settlements.

UNHCR Country Representative James Lynch who confirmed this to ZANIS in Lusaka
today, said the exercise will also seek to register refugees from other
nationalities who have been granted permission by Government to remain in urban
areas, notably Lusaka.

Mr. Lynch explained that the registration exercise will allow Government and the
UNHCR to update statistics on the specific characteristics of the refugee
population, including age, gender, place of origin, marital status and other
details.

“The registration exercise for Angolan and other refugees outside camps is important
for the Government and UNHCR to enable us know their profile, and to plan better for
their assistance, protection needs and possible durable solutions”, said Mr. Lynch

And Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Peter Mumba said the registration would be
conducted in a phased manner, starting with refugees in urban areas, such as Lusaka,
commencing on August 30, 2007.

Mr. Mumba has since directed that all authorized urban refugees in Lusaka should
register at the Commissioner for Refugees Office, where they will be provided with a
new refugee identity document.

He said as of September 10, 2007, the registration exercise will move on to the
Copperbelt, Central, Western and North western Provinces.

The registration exercise is being undertaken under the Strengthening of Protection
Capacity Project (SPCP), a Danish funded programme.

Zambia hosts about 114,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),
Angola, Rwanda, Burundi and Somalia in camps and settlements, including those who
are self-settled.

Levy’s development promises yielding fruits

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Go to fullsize imageSolwezi Central Member of Parliament, Benny Tetamashimba says President Levy Mwanawasa’s developmental promises have now started yielding results in Solwezi.
       
Mr Tetamashimba said in 2003 President Mwanawasa promised the people in the district that he was going to bring them what they have never seen before in the district.
       
He said construction of the only hotel in the province, Royal Solwezi Hotel, is one
of the new things that have come to the district due to the good leadership of
President Mwanawasa.
       
Mr Tetamashimba, who was speaking at the official opening of Royal Solwezi Hotel by
Vice President, Rupiah Banda in Solwezi yesterday, said the opening of Kansanshi
Mine has been a blessing to the district and the province as a whole.
        
He said all along people never wanted to be transferred to North-Western province
but today people would not want to be transferred out of the province.
        
He also commended government that for the road rehabilitation work currently going
on on all township roads in the area.
        
Mr Tetamashimba assured that the Kaonde people of Solwezi district were a peace
loving people who would carefully look after whatever investment was being put up in
the district.
        
Speaking at the same accession, North-Western Province Minister, Kenneth Chipungu
said the hotel has not only added value and beauty to the face of Solwezi but has
also brought about employment and market opportunities to people in the area.
       
He said the province has a lot of potential in tourism and other developmental
sectors and therefore, appealed to other business sectors to invest in the
hospitality and other industries.
       
Mr Chipungu paid tribute to the Vice-President for taking his time looking at
economic activities taking place in the province especially in the five districts he
has visited during his tour that commenced on Friday last week up to yesterday.

Levy takes a swipe at Ministers

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Go to fullsize imagePresident Mwanawasa says there is too much ignorance about the constitution and its provisions on the constitutional making process.

Mr. Mwanawasa said he is concerned that his ministers are the major culprits over the ignorance about the constitution.

The President said the ignorance could be due to the fact that most of them have not taken time to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the constitution.

The president advised all cabinet and deputy ministers to fully acquaint themselves with the constitution and the Government’s position on the on-going reforms.

He said ministers who hold different views should discuss with the government and defend their positions, or resign if their position completely departs from that of government.

The President said it will not do for ministers to support the constitutional conference bill and later on change their position and denounce it.

He said them ministers should clearly come out, to avoid confusing the people.

The president said this when he swore in newly appointed Tourism Minister, Micheal Kaingu and Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister, Fashion Phiri.

ZNBC

Catholic Church to link HIV AIDS infected people to ART

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The Catholic Church has embarked on a campaign to link over 9 000 people living with HIV AIDS on the Copperbelt to organisations that would provide them with free Antiretral Viral Drugs (ART).

Catholic Diocese of Ndola Integrated HIV AIDS Programme Officer Gabriel Zulu said
the Catholic Church on the Copperbelt was currently looking after 12 000 people
infected with HIV AIDS, 3 500 of whom were on ART.

Mr. Zulu said the organisation wants to link as many HIV AIDS infected people to ART
to ensure that even the poor who could not access the life pro-longing drugs
obtained free HIV AIDS drugs. 

Mr. Zulu said this at the Copperbelt Health Education Project (CHEP) in Kitwe today
during the official launch the 2007-2009 National Volunteering Partnership and
Strategic Plan for CHEP and the Catholic Diocese of Ndola.

He said the Church had over 20 000 Orphans due to HIV AIDS some of whom were HIV AIDS infected and needed a lot of help.

Mr. Zulu said the Church was running integrated HIV AIDS Programmes in Ndola, Kitwe, Luanshya, Mufurila  and Chingola on the Copperbelt.

He added that the number of clients that the Church was looking after in its HIV
AIDS Centres on the Copperbelt was huge compared to the  number  of trained  medical
staff needed to  administer medical care to those that were infected.

Mr. Zulu said the Church had since trained over 745 health community workers to
address the impact of the HIV AIDS pandemic through established community structures that were providing free care and support to those living with the disease at
community level.

He said the Catholic Diocese wanted to build a community system to harness,
strengthen and build sustainable HIV AIDS Community Care support Programme which was fully based on volunteerism.

He said there was need for people to adopt the spirit of volunteerism if the impact
of the HIV AIDS pandemic was to be reduced at community level.

And speaking earlier, Kitwe district Commissioner Macdonald Mtine said Government
attaches great importance to Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that play a
pivotal role in mitigating the impact of HIV AIDS at Community Level.

Mr. Mtine said Government was aware of the numerous problems people were facing in
the Fight against HIV AIDS due to inadequate trained health staff hence the need to
train people at community level to administer care and support to people living with
the disease.

He said there was need to strengthen and empower structures at community level with
adequate skills to ensure that they effectively dealt with challenges arising from
the impact of the pandemic at community level.

And CHEP Executive Director Alick Nyirenda commended VSO Zambia for supporting the Catholic Church and his organisation with resources and skill to promote
volunteerism in Zambia to help mitigate the impact of the disease at community
level.

Mr. Nyirenda said the two institutions have entered into an agreement with VSO
Zambia to promote volunteerism at community level as a way of enhancing service
delivery.

Lusaka City Council loses K 60 billion in unpaid rates.

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Lusaka City Council (LCC) is losing an estimated cost of K60 billion in unpaid rates annually.

This is according to a Valuation Roll listing register which shows that commercial
properties are topping the list.

This came to light during a Strategic Planning Workshop which ended yesterday at
Siavonga’s Manchinchi Bay lodge in Siavonga.

Valuation and Real Estate Management Department Assistant Director Mwansa Sambo said the LCC has not been able to update its Valuation Roll since 1995 resulting in the
loss of revenue.

Mr Sambo disclosed that about 30 000 stocks are currently rated in the city while
about 70 000 are not taxed due to the outdated Valuation Roll.

In 2001, a budget estimate was done on the implementation of the Valuation Roll and
money committed by Government towards the exercise but it did not take off due to
unexplained circumstances.

However, Mr Mwansa noted that the local authority was currently in discussions with
cooperating partners to ensure that the Valuation Roll is updated.

The Assistasnt Director  also called for a legal framework that will clearly
stipulate what direction the Council is supposed to take in Public Private
Partnerships to enhance infrastructure development.

”We do not have an adequate legal framework for PPPs, nothing has been formalized
and the Council has been on the receiving end”, Mr Sambo said.

Lusaka City Council which has been operating without a Strategic Plan since the
expiry of the 1999-2004 Plan called a one- week long workshop to craft a new one to
run from 2008 to 2013.

The Strategic Plan once completed is aimed at developing a strategic direction for
Lusaka City to mark the beginning of consultations with key stakeholders and
partners.

Former Police chief Francis Musonda to head the re-launched crime prevention

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Former Inspector General of Police Francis Musonda has been elected as new chairperson of the Crime Prevention Foundation of Zambia (CPFZ).

In a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, CPFZ vice National Chairman
Martine Mtonga said Mr. Musonda was elected after an extra ordinary national
executive council member general meeting held last week.

Mr. Mtonga said the election of Mr. Musonda follows the recent registration and
re-launch of the foundation with the registrar of societies.

He said the foundation will among other operations organise, co-ordinate, promote
activities and assist organisations for the purpose of crime prevention.

Mr. Mtonga added that the foundation will also assist activities of organisations
working for the rehabilitation of victims, offenders and former offenders in Zambia.

Mr. Mtonga said the foundation is for the benefit of Zambians irrespective of their
race, creed or religion as it aims to curb the rising crime activities in the
country.

Mwinilunga West MP threatens to spill the beans of his council

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Mwinilunga West Member of Parliament (MP), Elijah Muchima, has threatened to spill the beans if council officials at Mwinilnga District Council continue to defraud government of huge sums of money at the expense of development.

The visibly annoyed Muchima intercepted a K1.5 million cheque from the council as
inducement to a named auditor from the Ministry of Local Government and Housing
Headquarters in Lusaka.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Muchima called for a
complete overhaul for council personnel if there could be sanity at the local
authrity.

Mr. Muchima, who is also Community Develoment and Social services Deputy Minister,
said, due to rampant finacial scandals, Mwinilunga District Council is owing its
workers a 23-month non-payment of salary.

Mr. Muchima, who himself is a Councillor as Local Government Act stipulates, pointed
out that he should be invited and to attend any Full Council Meetings.

He aleged that the council  has a tendancy of avoiding to invite other councillors
from far flung areas.

He warned that officials at the council should strive to engage in viable income
generating ventures and desist from eyeing Constutuency Development Fund (CDF) among
other funds released by government.

“Yes, Mwinilunga council needs to be cleaned because there are serious financial
scandals. There is no transparency there. It needs to be cleaned up so soon as
possible.

“On August 21,  I incepted a K1.5 million cheque to be paid to an auditor because I
could not clearly understand the payment, therefore, as I am concerned the payment
remains blocked,” Mr. Muchima lamented.

Health workers abandon Moobe clinic due to witchcraft

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All health workers at Moobe Rural Health Centre in Mazabuka have abandoned the clinic due to alleged  witchcraft.

Musaya ward councillor, Timothy Chipolyonga disclosed this to ZANIS in Mazabuka.

Mr Chipolyonga said the clinical officer and nurses fled the health institution a
week ago because of bizzare and mysterious happenings in their homes at night.

The councillor, who has condemned villagers for intimidating health workers using
black magic, said Chief Naluama has since been informed and has called for an urgent
meeting to resolve the problem.

He said currently the staff have relocated to Turn Pike where they have found
temporary accomodation but have to commute for work in the morning and knock off at
15 hours from Monday to Friday.

Mr Chipolyonga observed that the delivery of health services has been affected as a
result of harassment of workers especially over the weekend when the centre is
closed until Monday.

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