The government has expressed concern about the low utilization of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). Acting Secretary to the Treasury Mukuli Chikuba says that leaders spearheading the CDF need to sensitize citizens on how to acquire funds.

Speaking during a capacity building workshop organized for the local authorities, Mr. Chikuba noted that CDF has been characterized by both successes and challenges.

He noted that there is need to develop capacity in local authorities, constituency development fund committee, ward development committees and other stakeholders, to enhance efficiency in the management and utilization of the CDF.

The Acting Secretary to the Treasury noted that adequate capacity in local authorities for CDF projects and programmes, will benefit the community members.

Mr. Chikuba said that the implementation of CDF projects and programmes should be disseminated correctly to avoid misinformation.

“Disseminate correct information on the CDF to the public to avoid misinformation which has resulted into defrauding of citizens in some instances”, he added.

And Mr. Chikuba noted that local authorities and stakeholders should engage in sensitization to ensure that the public is aware.

“The success of the CDF is dependent on many factors and one of the factors is the efficient and effective management and utilization process” he noted.

And Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Wisdom Bwalya said that capacity building on CDF will help spur development agenda of the country.

He noted that there are a lot of challenges surrounding CDF and there was need to address them.

“We have a lot of challenges, such as sensitization which is not doing very well” Mr. Bwalya noted.

He said that it was worrying that money was lying in the accounts and was not been utilized for its intended purpose.

Speaking at the same function, Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary for Special Duties Nicholas Phiri noted that the success of the implementation of CDF will be the success of the country, saying the programmes will help alleviate poverty existing in the communities.

The Energy Regulation Board has approved the new bulk supply agreement to be entered into between CEC and ZESCO.

In a notice issued by CEC, following the initialling of the BSA by CEC and ZESCO on 6 April 2022, an application for regulatory approval was lodged with the ERB in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Electricity Act, 2019.

“The Board advises that the ERB has granted its approval of the BSA, paving way for CEC and ZESCO to proceed to sign the agreement,” the notice read.

The new BSA is a successor to the previous agreement that expired on 31 March 2020.

It anchors the commercial terms for the mutual provision of services between CEC and ZESCO.

Three political parties have successfully filed in their nomination papers for the Lumbo ward by-election in Mongu central constituency slated for June 30, 2022.

United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate Gift Nosiku said that the party has shown commitment towards developing all wards in the district.

Mr Nosiku said President Hakainde Hichilema will honour the people through delivering meaningful development according to the campaign promises.

And Western Province Information and Publicity Secretary, Mubiana Lamaswala said campaign messages will be based on peace and the rule of law.

Mr Lamaswala said no political parties will be intimidated during the campaign trails in the ward as the UPND will not condone any acts of violence.

speaking after filling in his nomination, Economic Front Party candidate, John Chikoti said he will work towards increasing social cash transfer funds.

Meanwhile, the Leadership Movement Party candidate, Mike Naluca promised to develop the Lumpo ward which he said has lacked behind.

Lumbo ward by-election has been necessitated following the demise of the former UPND ward councilor Kekelwa Wakumel

Three people have died after a canoe they were on  capsized on Lake Bangweulu due to bad weather in Chilubi district of Northern Province.

Chilubi District Commissioner Risto Mushembe confirmed the development to ZANIS in Kasama that the  trio all from the same family were travelling from the Island to the fishing camps.

He explained that it is alleged that the victims who are from Kawena village in Chilubi Island were going to collect money that was owed to them by some people in the fishing camps.

Mr. Mushembe explained the canoe could have capsized as a result of  bad weather and that information at hand indicated that only three people were on the canoe.

“These calamities do happen when the lake is hostile or is windy” explained the District Commissioner

He said all the three bodies have since been retrieved adding that the family working with the government is making arrangements to procure coffins to bury the victims.

“There will be no postmortem to be done, we are just making arrangements to bury the victims today as you may be aware we do not have a mortuary here,” he said.

Konkola Copper Mines will appoint an adviser to help it find an equity investor willing to fund the mine’s expansion, its provisional liquidator has said.

Zambia’s previous government put KCM into the hands of a liquidator in May 2019, triggering an ongoing legal dispute with Vedanta Resources, KCM’s parent company.

The government at that time accused Vedanta of failing to honour licence conditions, including promised investment, charges which Vedanta has denied.

The government takeover of KCM goes to an arbitration hearing in January 2023 in London, Zambia’s mines minister Paul Kabuswe said on June 1.

KCM provisional liquidator Celine Nair said in a statement that a strategic equity investor would be required to guarantee the development of the company’s $1.1-billion Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP).

Firms invited to submit a proposal to act as adviser include international banks Citibank Investment Banking Group, Standard Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Rothschild, Rand Merchant Bank and InvestEcon, Ms. Nair said.

“The search for a strategic investor in Konkola Copper Mines has started in earnest,” she said.

Ms. Nair also announced the resumption of mining operations at a KCM open pit mine, saying the move was part of broader plans to improve operations before the government finds a new investor.

KCM plans to spend $17-million on an annual maintenance shutdown of the Nchanga Smelter, which has an annual capacity of 311,000 tonnes of copper, said Ms. Nair said, who also announced other measures to expand output in the Konkola East operation.

“We are looking at various options to improve production at KCM for the benefit of the company and the nation,” Ms. Nair said.

Below is Ms. Nair’s statement

KCM Provisional Liquidator Update on Company Operations

Konkola Copper Mines – KCM Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Provisional Liquidator Celine Nair says mining operations at the COP F&D open pit in Chingola has resumed.

The move is part of broader plans to improve KCM operations before the government finds a new investor.

Ms Nair, who is Administrator General and Official Receiver of the Government of Zambia, unveiled a plan through which KCM also seeks to spend $17 million to carry out an annual maintenance shutdown of the Nchanga Smelter.

She said the amount is also to take up other measures to expand production in the Konkola East operation in order to boost overall KCM total copper production which has a 311,000 tonnes annual production capacity.

Ms Nair said that KCM is working closely with the Government to ensure the sustainability of operations until a new investor take over the running of the Company.

“There are major restoration projects that we are currently initiating in KCM such as the Chingola Open Pits (COP F&D) project,” Ms Nair said in reference to the operations where KCM is currently stripping waste ahead of mining of ore for the first time since 2018. Initial copper ore production at COP F&D is planned at 70,000 tonnes per month by July before ramping up to 120,000 tonnes in August.

She said the company is looking at various options to improve production at KCM for the benefit of the Company and the nation.

The Provisional Liquidator said KCM was also seeking ways to lift production at the Tailings Leach Plant (TLP) at Nchanga in Chingola from the current average of 2,560 tonnes primary copper per month to 3,000 tonnes and eventually 3,500 tonnes through upgrades to the plant.

Ms Nair said KCM will focus on short term mining projects, which require minimal funding to increase copper production, and these include a migration of reclamation from Tailings Dam 3 to Tailings Dam 4, and medium-term projects including Elevated Temperature Leaching at the TLP in Nchanga, the Nchanga Smelter Copper-Cobalt separation, and improvements to Nchanga Underground Block A upper and Chingola B, among others.

She also gave an update on the search for a new investor in KCM, saying: “In line with the New Dawn government’s pledge to ramp up Zambia’s copper production in the long term and find a long-lasting solution to the mining sector’s challenges, the search for a strategic investor in Konkola Copper Mines has started in earnest.”

KCM has invited a selection of local and international firms to respond to a request for proposal for the selection of an investment banker that will source a strategic equity investor that will, amongst others, guarantee the development of the USD $1.1 billion Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP), she said.

The international firms invited include Citibank Investment Banking Group, Standard Bank, Bank of America Merril Lynch, Rothschild, Rand Merchant Bank and InvestEcon, while the local firms invited include Pangaea Securities, Stockbrokers Zambia, E-Ngoma and ZANACO Bank.

The Provisional Liquidator said KCM would not neglect its responsibility as a corporate entity with focus on ensuring employment sustainability for all the employees and assisting communities around its mining areas even in the current circumstances.

Ms Nair said KCM would prioritise future business transactions with local companies in order to help with the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

“Our desire is to fulfill the ‘start with Jerusalem first’ before you look anywhere else business concept,” she said. Of the $300 million annual business transactions between KCM and its vendors, about 82% or $246 million is awarded to Zambian registered companies and the balance to foreign vendors. Currently, 71% of vendors doing business with KCM are local contractors and suppliers.