Advertisement
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Subscribe
Advertisement Banner
Home Blog Page 644

Software firm to set up 10m EURO company to transform ZAMPOST

Support Editor
-
6
Software firm to set up 10m EURO company to transform ZAMPOST

Government has signed an MoU with ASSECO, Europe’s sixth biggest software company to set up a 10-million Euros joint venture company aimed at improving the operations of ZAMPOST.

Minister of Science and Technology Felix Mutati  says the MoU will see the digitizing of ZAMPOST operations.

He adds that the MoU is the beginning of transforming ZAMPOST which will have an opportunity of having e-Banking and Ecommerce.

Mr. Mutati who signed  on behalf of Zambia said the agreement is basically bringing to life President Hakainde HichilemaA’s call for partnerships with European companies during the official opening of the EU Zambia Economic Forum yesterday.

The Minister said government has set signing of the transactional contract by July as the MoU signed today outlines the roadmap for the completion of the transaction.

He said his Ministry is responding to the President’s call for partnerships and attraction of more investments from the EU.

And ASSECO Senior Director International Business Pawet Hansdorfer  said his company with an annual net profit of over 300 million euros is happy to support the digitization of ZAMPOST.

He said the move will enhance ZAMPOST’s revenue streams and communication.

Mr. Hansdorfersaid ASSECO which has presence in 61 countries looks forward to start work during the course of this year.

And EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski who witnessed the signing stated that improving operations of postal services is key to development.

He expressed happiness that Zambia has signed a partnership with ASSECO a Polish company and one of the major tech companies in Europe.

And Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Elias Mubanga said his Ministry is looking forward to seeing the projects taking off soon as government is in a hurry to develop.

He expressed optimism of many SMEs set to benefit.

Meanwhile Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga   expressed happiness that key transactions are already being secured barely 24 hours after President HICHILEMA’s call for partnerships with European companies.

Mr. Mulenga said technology has evolved hence Zambia cannot keep transacting in old ways.

He said the 10million Euros investments will not just improve the economy but will be key in job creation.

Mulyata calls for more investment in Lusaka

Support Editor
-
1
Mulyata calls for more investment in Lusaka

Lusaka Province Minister Sheal Mulyata has called for increased investment in Lusaka Province.

She said this will create more jobs opportunities for Lusaka residents.

She said that government is focusing on creating an investment climate that benefits both investors and the country.

Speaking during the official opening of the 50th Hungry Lion store in the country, Mrs Mulyata noted that the new store is worth K 7 million.

She said that the store has been supporting the economy by sourcing most of its products locally.

The Provincial Minister commended the company for creating more than 1000 jobs to Zambians around the country.

Mrs. Mulyata added that Hungry Lion has created jobs for the youths for the past 20 years of existence in the country.

And Hungry Lion Board Chairperson, Charles Bota says the company has 1,250 workers dotted around the country.

 

Jay Rox and T-Sean are in “Sin City”

Entertainment Editor
-
0
Jay Rox and T-Sean are in “Sin City”

Jay Rox collaborates with T-Sean on the song ‘Sin City‘.

Music Video Directed by Jay Rox and OG Beejay.

Fashion’s Europa Cup Dreams Dashed

sports
-
2

Chipolopolo striker Fashion Sakala’s dream for debut European honours ended in disappointment on Wednesday evening after settling for second best in the 2021/2022 UEFA Europa League final in Spain.

Fashions club Glasgow Rangers lost 5-4 on post-math penalties after extra-time to Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt following a 1-1 draw in Sevilla.

Fashion barely played 27 minutes of the match after coming on in the 74th minute before doing an in-out in the first period of extra-time.

It was a huge disappointment for Fashion after Rangers failed to defend their domestic title that they relinquished to arch-foes Celtic with a game to spare and were left to also settle for a second place finish there too.

But Fashion has one more shot at silverware this season when Rangers play Hearts this Saturday in the Scottish FA Cup final.

Concourt stops Milingo Lungu’s court cases

Chief Editor
-
23
Concourt stops Milingo Lungu’s court cases

The Constitutional Court has stopped all criminal prosecution proceedings involving former Konkola Copper Mines provisional liquidator Milingo Lungu.

In a landmark ruling, the Concourt ruled to stay all criminal proceedings currently before the Subordinate Courts until constitutional matters raised are addressed.

Constitutional Court Judge Martin Musaluke said the provision of the law and the Constitution were clear in matters of this nature and therefore, the Constitutional issues raised should be addressed by the Constitutional Court before any matter could be dealt with by the subordinate court.

Judge Musaluke refered matters in Uganda where Constitutional matters were raised in a case of Charles Onyongo Obbo vs the Attorney General.

“This issue was equally addressed in the Ugandan case of Charles Onyongo Obbo v the Attorney General where the Supreme Court opined as follows, where a court refers a questions that arises in proceedings before it, it must await the decision of the question of the Constitutional Court, and “disose of the case in accordance with the decision.”

“Premised on the foregoing, I hereby grant the Petitioner’s application for stay of criminal proceedings before the subordinate court so as to preserve the integrity of the proceedings in this court were allegations of the breach of the Constitution have been raised,” reads in part Judge Musaluke’s ruling.

Govt determined to attract meaningful investment in Zambia – Mulenga

Chief Editor
-
11
Govt determined to attract meaningful investment in Zambia – Mulenga

The government says it will not relent in its quest to promote and attract trade and meaningful investment in the country.

Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga said his ministry is targeting to ensure that meaningful investments are realized in all sectors of the economy by creating a conducive business environment.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the inaugural EU Zambia Economic Forum in Lusaka, Mr Mulenga said government is focused on implementing policies that will transform the economic landscape of the country.

“Today we see and witness another milestone being achieved in the quest to increase trade and investment in our country,” said Mr Mulenga.

He said the forum should signify the beginning of times that the EU and Zambia began doing business in a different manner.

Mr Mulenga said Zambia should not only focus on trade and investment but value addition that will give birth to industrialization in the country.

The minister said after the end of the summit, his ministry will engage the EU Delegation to Zambia to build on the gains of the forum.

Speaking at the same forum, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining, Albert Muchanga urged Zambian businesses not to restrict themselves to the Zambian market that has only 18 million consumers but look at the African market that has 1.6 billion people.

Ambassador Muchanga said Zambia needs to mobilise resources and increase its share of global trade.

He said this can be attained through moving away from production and export of commodities to value addition.

Mr Muchanga said Zambia should take advantage of the Intra African Trade Fair as a vehicle for marketing Zambian products and creating business linkages.

He said the AU created the African Trade Observatory that shows market opportunities of all exports, imports and investments.

Ambassador Muchanga wondered why African countries only access about US$48 billion out of US$279 trillion dollars global investment funds and challenged the continent to change the narrative and access the funds to invest in their economies.

And EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski said there is need to strengthen the longstanding trade and investment relations.

Ambassador Wojciechowski said the EU is keen to support Zambia’s agriculture sector so that it can tap into the food gap created by the Russia –Ukraine war.

He said there is need to support small scale farmers in Zambia and the world to ensure food security in the country and the globe.

Ambassador Wojciechowski pointed out that according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) small scale farmers use about 12 percent of land to produce 35 per cent of the world’s food.

Mr Wojciechowski said there is need for Zambia to transform its economy to the global green model as it has sustainable benefits to the country and people.

The EU Zambia Economic Forum which runs from May 17 to 19 2022, is being held under the theme Economic Transformation through Green Growth.

ZAM appeals to EU to support local manufacturers

Chief Editor
-
28
ZAM appeals to EU to support local manufacturers

The Zambia Association of Manufacturers(ZAM) has appealed to the European Union to support Zambian manufacturers to access the European Market by removing all non-tariff barriers that are blocking access to the European Market.

The Association President, Ashu Sagar said the conflict in Ukraine has provided an opportunity for businesses to look for alternative sources in the supply chain, including the local market and has called on the EU delegation to assist the Zambian manufacturers to leverage on this opportunity.

“While we know that the recent changes in Europe regarding the crisis with war has woken us up to look for alternative supply chains from our region as well,” he said

Mr. Sagar said the European Banking Authority EBA provides an opportunity for free trade in the European market and has called on the EU to ensure that the provisions of the EBA are emphasized in all platforms and help the manufacturers add value to their products and resources as they go back to Europe.

He has further appealed to the EU to help build knowledge and skills capacity by Zambian businesses to help them produce quality that meets the standards of the European market.

“Let us look towards building capacity in knowledge of developing the products and the quality that is required in the European Union. If we look to trade with that kind of incentive when we build our economies, when we build from this forum we definitely must look at the low hanging fruit,” he added

Mr. Sagar said this during the Zambia Association of Manufacturers presentation at the on-going Zambia-EU economic forum in Lusaka yesterday.

Meanwhile, Bankers Association of Zambia President, Mizinga Melu said the financial sector is ready to provide financial support to the business community in the various sectors to enable them succeed and contribute to economic growth.

Mrs. Melu has thanked the president for facilitating the forum as it sets to build strong relationships between Zambia and the European Union, which she said is important for the growth of the economy.

“As you rightly said Mr. President, Zambia is open for business and indeed may I say the Zambia financial sector which I represent this morning is open for business to facilitate economic growth.

She says Zambia’s investor confidence has grown over time as evidenced by the positive engagements with International Monetary Fund IMF and other positive economic changes such as the stabilized foreign exchange rates and the reduced inflation rates.

Mrs. Melu pointed out five key areas of access including; access to affordable finance, long term financing, access to local and international market, access to skills and business development and access to Business to Business and Business to the Government as the critical access areas necessary to facilitate growth of the private sector and pledged support to the government on their economic transformation plan.

She was speaking when she gave a vote of thanks during the on-going Zambia-EU Economic forum in Lusaka yesterday.

Public urged to take advantage of Public Protector office

Chief Editor
-
5
Public urged to take advantage of Public Protector office

The Office of the Public Protector (OPP), has expressed happiness with the political will exhibited by government to address maladministration in the public sector.

OPP Public Relations Officer, Smart Kalaluka said this is a positive move considering the alleged rampant maladministration in the previous regime, which was not being addressed.

Speaking during a sensitization meeting for Heads of Government Departments in Mazabuka, Mr. Kalaluka said most people who were allegedly subjected to maladministration during the previous regime, were coming forward to register their complaints.

“People who claim to have been abused while seeking public services especially during the reign of the previous Government are now coming forward to register their complaints with us,” he said.

Mr. Kalaluka further said the Office of the Public Protector handled a total of 622 maladministration cases during the first quarter of 2022.

He explained that the OPP had intensified sensitization meetings and activities for people in both the formal and informal sector for them to know where to report potential cases, and which procedures to follow.

“A lot of resources are being channeled to address maladministration in public institutions. We are now going into communities to sensitise members of the public that they cannot just die in silence due to practices that subject them to injustice,” he said.

And Mr. Kalaluka called on officers in public institutions to operate within the confines of the law.

In accordance with the Public Protector Act Number 15 of 2016, the Public Protector’s Mandate is to investigate and redress grievances of maladministration in the public sector in order to improve administrative practices, good governance and enhance service delivery.

Unreliable energy supplies to affect COMESA region development

Chief Editor
-
7
Unreliable energy supplies to affect COMESA region development

COMESA Assistant General, Kipyego Cheluget says without adequate, reliable and affordable energy supplies, it is unlikely that desired social-economic transformation will be attained in the COMESA region.

Dr Cheluget has charged that in order to avert that, member States must therefore capitalize on regional integration which is one of the strong options that will facilitate countries to generate adequate economic growth, which in turn contribute to poverty reduction and wealth creation.

Speaking during the official opening of the session of the 8th meeting of the Programme Technical Steering Committee (PTSC) of the Project on enhancement of a sustainable energy market in Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Region in Livingstone, Dr Cheluget said that energy was an enabler for economic development.

He said that trade in energy is just as critical and beneficial as trade in goods and other services.

The COMESA assistant secretary general said that energy trade allows all nations to benefit from comparative and competitive advantages and from the advantages of the economies of scale and scope.

“It is, therefore, critical for is to promote the development of our regional infrastructure projects such as energy. In this regard the power sector should be open for the private sector investment and ownership,” he said.

He said that the region is beginning to see significant improvements in the generation capacity in line with the expected coming on stream of major power generation projects in many countries of Eastern Africa-Southern Africa Indian Ocean region.

Dr Cheluget said that the main challenge for many Eastern Africa-Southern Africa-Indian Ocean countries is that generation capacity is not enough to cover bthe nations own needs and allow bfor cross border trade.

“Even though there are plans underway to improve bthe transmission capacity across borders, there is not yet enough capacity to secure an unimpeded trade across the countries and regions.

And Regional Association of Energy Regulators for Eastern and Southern Africa Chief Executive Officer Mohamedian Serif Elnasr said that the Eastern Africa- Southern Africa and Indian Ocean energy situation still shows how much work needs to be done to improve the situation.

Dr Elnasr said the improving the energy situation will ensure energy becomes a key enabler and game changer to doing business and increase the productivity of the industries.

Refusal by parents to allow children get Covid-19 vaccine worrying – Mulusa

Chief Editor
-
4
Refusal by parents to allow children get Covid-19 vaccine worrying – Mulusa

Solwezi Central Member of Parliament, Stafford Mulusa is worried with the low number of parents consenting to have their children vaccinated against Covid-19.

Mr Mulusa said it is sad that parents are refusing to have their children vaccinated despite having information on the benefits of the vaccine.

He said there is need to redouble efforts especially with the fifth wave eminent as the cold season approaches.

“I went around some schools just to check the situation, I must say it is worrying that some parents are refusing to have their children vaccinated despite having all the information,” Mr Mulusa said.

Mr Mulusa who is also government Chief Whip was speaking in Solwezi yesterday when he opened a Covid-19 vaccination campaign stakeholders meeting.

He said there is need for traditional and civic leaders as influencers and mobilisers to play their role in the campaign by creating demand for the vaccine.

“We need to create demand for the vaccination in our areas as traditional leaders and councillors and ensure that all eligible people get vaccinated, ”Mr Mulusa said.

He said since the re-launch of the vaccination campaign four days ago, over 4,900 people have been vaccinated bringing the total number of vaccinated people to 42,657 in the district.

Meanwhile, Solwezi District Maternal and Child Health Coordinator, Florence Mukoma said there is little ownership of the programme by traditional leaders.

Ms Mukoma said this is making it difficult to penetrate some areas and ensure people get vaccinated.

“One of the challenges we are facing is that there is little or no ownership of the programme by our traditional leaders,” she said.

Ms Mukoma said the fight against Covid-19 should not only be left to the ministry of health alone but that all stakeholders need to come on board.

And traditional leaders have pledged to use their influence to mobilize their subjects and ensure they are vaccinated.

According to Ministry of Health presentation during the meeting, since the roll out of the vaccination campaign in April 2021, 42,657 have so far been vaccinated in Solwezi district which translates into 40 percent of the eligible population.

Meanwhile, Kabompo District Health Promotions Officer, Florence Tembo says myths and misconception over Covid-19 vaccines have remained a challenge among community members during the vaccination campaign period.

Ms. Tembo said most community members believe that one would eventually die once vaccinated after a period of time.

She said the 10 days vaccination campaign has however given stakeholders an opportunity to correct the narrative.

Ms Tembo said this in an interview with ZANIS in Kabompo yesterday during a Covid-19 road show sensitization and mobilisation at Musamba market organised by the health office and its partners.

“The vaccination campaign which has reached day six is going on well as we pursue to reach the 70 percent target of vaccinated people aged 12 years and above.

“However the biggest challenge we have discovered is the myths and misconception that exist around the communities surrounding the Covid-19 vaccines,” she said.

Ms Tembo urged all eligible individuals to get vaccinated as the vaccines are readily available and safe saying vaccination is the only way to protect themselves and families.

She further appealed for all parents and guardians to work with community health assistants who have been sent out in the various wards of the district and quickly give consent for the vaccination of their children.

Meanwhile, speaking in a separate interview, Kabompo District Stakeholders Association Chairperson, Rodgers Chinyemba said that he and other community leaders have equally embarked on sensitization meetings which have so far proved to work.

Mr. Chinyemba said that stakeholders committee members have teamed up with different area ward councillors to deliver the Covid-19 vaccination campaign messages.

“We have equally teamed up with our civic leaders and been moving around their wards to deliver the Covid-19 vaccination campaign messages for children aged 12 years and above,” he said.

Copperbelt Province tops GBV Case

Chief Editor
-
2
Copperbelt Province tops GBV Case

Copperbelt Province recorded the highest number of Gender Based violence GBV cases last year, Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer, Sharon Zulu has said.

Mrs Zulu said the province recorded 3,715 cases representing 21.1 percent, followed by Lusaka province which recorded 3,623 cases representing 20.6 percent.

This came to light in a speech read on her behalf by Division Intelligence Officer, Geoffrey Nyundu during the launched of the Zambia Police Service Operation BASADI “translated women in TSwana “in Luanshya yesterday.

Operation BASADI, a three day GBV sensitization campaign commemorated from 18th, May to 20th May annually, is aimed at creating awareness against GBV through the Police Women Network.

Police officers in Luanshya led by Mr Nyundu visited the GBV one stop center, Twashuka compound and Luanshya main market where they conducted public sensitization to kick start the campaign.

And Luanshya One stop center Coordinator, Pamela Mutambo said the district had recorded 289 GBV criminal cases during the last quarter.

Mrs Mutambo further said the district recorded 40 cases of GBV in April, 2022.

Non registration of mine workers worry NAPSA

Chief Editor
-
4
Non registration of mine workers worry NAPSA

The National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) has bemoaned the non-registration of workers by some contractors engaged by mining companies.

NAPSA Manager North, Mushoke Namiluko said mine contractors have a tendency of evading contributions through non- registration of their workers with NAPSA

Speaking to journalists in Kitwe yesterday on the sidelines of a stakeholders meeting between NAPSA and Mining Companies from Copperbelt and North-Western Province, Mr. Namiluko said his organization decided to hold an interactive meeting with Mining companies so that they can help it capture unregistered workers that are employed by mine contractors.

“We have target mining companies for this meeting because we have a challenge with contractors engaged by mining companies, some of them do not make contributions while others register some of their workers leaving out some, so we want the mining companies to help us sensitise their contractors on the need to register all the workers with NAPSA,” He said.

Mr. Namiluko also noted that most mining companies were compliant with NAPSA contributions standing at 80 per cent compliance level.

And Mr. Namiluko has commended government for consistently paying its NAPSA contributions on time.

He stated that government is the leading contributor followed by mining companies which he said is making the operations of NAPSA effective.

Earlier NAPSA Head Benefits Nobby Simutenda warned mining companies against employing people that have been discharged by other organizations on medical grounds.

Mr. Simutenda said it was not right to employ such people regardless of their expertise because it is a health risky for the employees.

He explained that NAPSA has since signed a memorandum of Understanding with 12 government hospitals that will be examining employees discharged on medical grounds before they can be deemed eligible for NAPSA benefits.

He said Kitwe Teaching Hospital has been picked on the Copperbelt to be examining medically discharged employees on behalf of NAPSA.

And Mr. Simutenda cited challenges such as non-payment of contributions, underpayment of contributions, incomplete member registration and posthumous registration among others.

He appealed to mining companies and contractors to ensure that they improve on their contributions to enable NAPSA meet its obligations to workers.

What a Wasted Presidency Indeed : A Case of the New Dawn

Chief Editor
-
36
What a Wasted Presidency Indeed : A Case of the New Dawn

By Sean Tembo – PeP President

1. Over the past couple of decades, management gurus have tried to distinguish between a leader and a manager. But l see the distinction as pure semantics. I mean, how can you manage the people if you can’t lead them? Similarly, how can you lead the people if you can’t manage them? Others try to argue that leading is strategic whereas managing is operational, but l see it as splitting hairs.

2. Anyway, it has been almost 9 months now since the new dawn ascended to power arising from the 12th August 2021 general elections, amidst much pomp and fare. To say that President Hakainde Hichilema’s momentum for reforms has stalled like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, would be an underestimation. The education grant is released on television and yet on the ground, there is no money. CDF is released on TV and yet on the ground, there is nothing. Political cadres are said to be eradicated on television and yet in the markets and bus stations across the country, they are thriving collecting illegal taxes. The much talked about IMF loan is said to be on the way, and yet it is nowhere to be seen. The rule of law is said to have been restored and yet the President calls press conferences to discuss cases which are activated before the courts and convicts the accused even before the trial begins. His legal advisers cut deals with the allegedly corrupt and then make a u-turn thereby losing credibility in the eyes of the Zambian people. Key production inputs such as fuel and electricity are increased at unprecedented rates thereby driving the cost of living through the roof, and yet the Zambian people voted them into office on the ticket or a lower cost of living.

3. The natural question which arises is why Hakainde Hichilema’s presidency is unravelling at such a fast pace? Everything seems to crumble. Even the general mood of the people out there in the streets is extremely negative, especially given the fact that HH won the last election with such a huge landslide. There is no debate that every presidency eventually unravels and runs afoul to the expectations of the people, but it is supposed to take time before people get fatigued. But in the case of President Hichilema however, it has barely been a year. So again the question is why?

4. Different people will attribute President Hichilema’s fast-dwindling political fortunes to different factors. Others say it is because he over-promised during his campaigns and is now failing to keep his promises. Others say it is because he decided to lean toward the western powers at the expense of China, which has been a major driver of Zambia’s economy in the past few decades. Others say it is because he was not ready to govern and was instead prepared for an election petition. Others say he accumulated a huge amount of liabilities from the people that funded his prolonged stay in opposition and that now he needs to prioritize paying them back before he can think of delivering anything to the Zambian people. Yet still, others say he is not as brilliant a leader as he falsely portrayed himself during his days in opposition.

5. I think all the above factors have contributed to President Hichilema’s dismal performance in the past 9 months, but still cannot explain why he is missing the goal by so wide a margin. On the contrary, l think the President’s biggest undoing is the team that he chose to surround himself with. The travesty of life is that those who have the brawl usually don’t have the brains, and those who have the brains usually don’t have the brawl. Loosely translated in the context of opposition politics, this means that those who have the courage to stand with you throughout your trials and tribulations as an opposition leader will rarely have the brains necessary to constitute your mission-critical team that is needed if you are going to deliver to the expectations of the people, once you ascend to power.

6. But of course morality demands that you repay the debt to those who stood by you when no one else could. And l believe that it is this moral burden that compelled President Hichilema to surround himself with nincompoops, all in the name of repaying their debt of loyalty. These nincompoops shape the President’s policy and approach to the economy, governance, politics, etcetera, despite the fact that the majority lack any ounce of competence in them, let alone statecraft. For instance, the President ended up with a political advisor who speaks about squeezing a political opponent on an unsecured line and even refers to and implicates the President and his Vice by name. Surely, what kind of sound political advice can such a novice offer the President?

7. The President’s legal team is another total disaster, starting from the Minister of Justice all the way to the Attorney General, Solicitor General and legal advisor. The majority of these people were personal lawyers to the President and ate off his palm. What sound objective advice can such a team give to the President apart from tilted opinions and shallow schemes that will make the President happy. Lately they decided to soak the President in the Milingo sewer, leaving him very smelly. And the President cannot see all this because he is blinded by past glory of a dream team of lawyers that managed to keep him out of prison. But is that the team that he really needs if he is going to successfully deliver on his presidency?

8. The President’s economic team is another disaster. But on this front, unlike the legal front, it is a well documented fact that the current shambolic economic policies are the President’s idea and not that of his economic team. Therefore, his economic team is only guilty of failing to advise the President against his grandiose ideas of how to turn around the Zambian economy. For instance, the President has been fixated on an IMF bailout loan as the key to turning around the Zambian economy for almost half a decade now, since the days of the Opposition Alliance when l used to interact with him. Firstly he used to argue that the almost zero-interest IMF loan money will be used to replace the expensive commercial debt that the country has, such as the Eurobond. Then when we told him that such refinancing is not possible due to IMF guidelines, he changed his argument and started saying that getting an IMF bailout loan will give confidence to our creditors that we are fiscally disciplined and therefore make the creditors develop an appetite to restructure our loans.

But of late, however, the President has changed his argument and is now saying that the creditors need to agree to restructure our debt before the IMF can give us a bailout loan. Clearly, President Hichilema is fixated on an IMF bailout loan, despite the hardship that IMF conditionalities will bring on the masses such as the removal of subsidies on fuel and electricity, despite the fact that our major export earner; copper is selling at record high prices on the world market, despite all the available evidence that we do not need an IMF bailout loan. And of course, his economic team is unable to advise their all-knowing boss. Much to the detriment of the Zambian people. What a wasted presidency indeed.

Asanovic Hopeful About Mwepu’s Availability For AFCON Qualifiers

sports
-
2
Asanovic Hopeful About Mwepu’s Availability For AFCON Qualifiers

Chipolopolo coach Aljosa Asanovic is upbeat about Zambia captain Enock Mwepu’s availability for the June’s 2023 AFCON Group H qualifying matches against Cote d’Ivoire and Comoros.

The Brighton midfielder has just returned to training following a fortnight out with a groin injury he sustained on April 30 in a 3-0 away win over Wolves that saw his EPL season come to can end with two games left to play.

“Enock has started normal training with his team and I am sure everything will be OK with him,” Asanovic said.

Mwepu has another fortnight to be recover for Zambia’s opening Group H match on June 3 away in Abidjan and the home date against Comoros on June 7 in Lusaka.

Meanwhile, Asanovic said he is also optimistic the Zambian passports for defenders Aime Mabika of USA MSL side Inter Miami and Frankie Musonda of Scottish second tier club Raith Rovers would be issued in time by Home Affairs.

The duo made their Chipolopolo debuts in March friendlies against Congo Brazzaville and Benin but can only feature in qualifiers and tournaments with Zambian passports.

Meanwhile, 22 home-based Chipolopolo players entered camp in Lusaka on Tuesday evening and held their first training session on Wednesday morning at Edwin Emboela Stadium.

The team will leave for Ghana on May 25 where Chipolopolo will hold a training camp n e route to Cote d’Ivoire.

All the foreign-based call-ups that Asanovic has yet to unveil are expected to join the team in Ghana.

Changala opposed to calls for the abolishment of the Constitutional Court

Chief Editor
-
7
Changala opposed to calls for the abolishment of the Constitutional Court

Human rights defender Brebner Changala has opposed calls for the abolishment of the Constitutional Court as suggested by UPND youths in North-Western province.

UPND youths in North-Western province are calling for the abolishment of the constitutional court questioning the capacity of its judges whom they are accusing of being patriotic front sympathizers.

But in an interview, Mr Changala noted that what Zambia needs are judicial reforms that will also address concerns that people may have regarding the concourt.

Mr Changala has since advised the UPND supporters not to be emotional as their reasons do not justify calls to abolish the concourt, an organ of government which is important for the interpretation of the constitution.

He is further appealing to the ruling leadership not to allow its supporters to attack individual judges of the concourt, saying the party in power now has the mandate to correct the situation using legal means.

1...643644645...5,641Page 644 of 5,641

Company

Trending

Categories

© Lusaka Times