Tuesday, May 13, 2025
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Warriors Deny Arrows Coronation in Kabwe

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Red Arrows coronation as 2021/2022 FAZ Super League champions will have to wait for at least a game after drawing away at Kabwe Warriors.

Arrows wasted a one-nil lead to draw 1-1 with Warriors in Kabwe on Wednesday.

Alassane Diarra put Arrows ahead in the 31st minute but Warriors hit back eight minutes later through Ocean Mushure to see the sides share the spoils.

The draw sees Arrows lead cut from seven to five points after defending champions Zesco United beat Lusaka Dynamos 1-0 at home in Ndola.

Thabani Kamusoko scored the winner in the 4th minute to take Zesco to 59 points.

Third placed Green Eagles drew 2-2 with Kafue Celtic to move to 56 points while Nkana consolidated fourth spot after a 2-0 home win over Buildcon.

Meanwhile, Konkola Blades are the first team demoted after Prison Leopards beat them 2-1 at Konkola Stadium in Ndola.

Blades were in their first season back in the top flight since 2017.

ACC never sent officers to South Africa to size building allegedly belonging to Bowman Lusambo

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ACC never sent officers to South Africa to size building allegedly belonging to Bowman Lusambo

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has dispelled social media reports alleging that it has sent officers to South Africa in an effort to seize properties there suspected to be linked to former Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo.

The commission however states that possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime case worth $378,000 against Mr. Lusambo and his wife Nancy, for which the duo were recently arrested by the commission, is before the fast track court and is coming up on 17th May 2022 while there are other charges for which the commission is currently seeking to bring Mr. Lusambo for further questioning.

And the commission has disclosed that it received a total of 306 reports of suspected corruption during the 1st quarter of

2022, out of which 132 were authorized for investigations resulting in 11 arrests countrywide and 4 court cases concluded resulting in 2 convictions and 6 cases pending judgment.

During a media briefing in Lusaka this morning, ACC Spokesperson Queen Chibwe said cases before the fast track court include the K37 million worth “48” houses involving a senior accountant at the ministry of finance Mr. Loyana and his wife, an assistant accountant at the ministry of works and supply, possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime amounting to more than US$539,000 against patriotic front acting president given Lubinda, the honeybee case involving Zambia medicines regulatory authority director general Bernice Mwale and principal regulatory officer Brian Kabika and four other high profile cases.

Asanovic Gives His View on 2023 Afcon Draws

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Chipolopolo coach Aljosa Asanonic has cautioned that Zambia should not underrate any team in Group H of the 2023 Africa Cup qualifiers.

Zambia will face AFCON hosts Ivory Coast, Lesotho and Comoros in Group H.

The Chipolopolo will kick-off the qualifiers away to Ivory Coast on May 30.

Speaking to FAZ media, Asanovic said Zambia will do everything possible to qualify for the 2023 AFCON.

“The draw is OK. I am happy but we must be very careful. We must prepare very well to beat Lesotho and the Comoros. This is very important for us especially that we do know yet the exact date when we are playing and which teams will be playing against in the first two games in June. I am still optimistic and I can’t wait to come back to Zambia and to start to prepare for the first two games,” he said.

He urged fans to rally behind Zambia.

“Thanks to the Zambian people for supporting us. It is important for the people to be behind us. The Zambian people love the players so much, your players, my players and we will do everything to go to AFCON but stay together and believe in us. I have talked to my players; they can’t wait to start the qualification,” he said.

Zambia are battling to end three successive AFCON qualification failures.

Full Press Conference on Government’s Response to DPP and Milingo’s Saga

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Full Press Conference on Government’s Response to DPP and Milingo’s Saga

President HIchilema has not issued instructions to grant immunity to any persons facing criminal proceedings

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President HIchilema has not issued instructions to grant immunity to any persons facing criminal proceedings

Justice Minister Mulambo Haimbe says the Presidency has Not issued instructions to grant immunity to any persons facing criminal proceedings in Zambia for the purpose of subverting justice.

Mr Haimbe also the Presidency has not interfered in the Director of Public Prosecution’s functions in any way.

He says doing so will be against the Government’s duty to protect Institutions of governance and the rule of law.

Speaking at a press briefing Mr Haimbe says the Director of Public Prosecutions enjoys discretion in the exercise of her role, contrary to speculations that President Hakainde Hichilema can direct the DPP in the exercise of her functions.

And the Justice Minister has urged the Judicial Complaints Commission to expedite consideration of complaints before it against the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Haimbe said this will not only afford the DPP a platform on which to explain her actions but also to put an end to public speculation.

He said the Justice Complaints Commission’s mandate among other things is to independently investigate and consider such complaints with a view ultimately to redressing them in accordance with the law.

And Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya said Government is working to serve the people of Zambia in the best way and that it is not relenting on its promises.

Mr. Bwalya said there will be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption and that the fight will be done within the confines of the law while respecting the rights of suspects.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha urged the media to enjoy their press freedom responsibly.

VEEP arrives in Kasama, calls for promotion of peace

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VEEP arrives in Kasama, calls for promotion of peace

Vice President Mutale Nalumango has urged Zambians to embrace peace, which is a prerequisite for national development.

Mrs. Nalumango said instability and violence is retrogressive to the country’s socio-economic growth.

Speaking upon arrival at Kasama Airport this morning, Mrs. Nalumango said the United Party for National Development (UPND) administration is committed to promoting peace and good governance.

Mrs. Nalumango noted that the government, under President Hakainde Hichilema, is determined to improve the welfare of Zambians by putting in place development strategies.

She cited the increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the free-education policy and empowerment initiatives as some of the development strides.

Earlier, Northern Province Minister, Leonard Mbao, called for unity of purpose in order for development to be attained in the province.

Mr. Mbao, who is also Mpulungu Member of Parliament, said the region is yearning for the completion of key projects such as the Kasama Airport runway.

Meanwhile, former Patriotic Front (PF) national youth chairperson, Kelvin Sampa, has defected to the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND).

Mr. Sampa announced his defection at Kasama Airport during the arrival of Mrs. Nalumango, who is also UPND vice president.

In welcoming Mr. Sampa, UPND National Chairperson, Stephen Katuka, said the ruling party has continued to attract a lot of people due to its good policies.

ZANIS reports that Mrs. Nalumango is in Northern Province for a five days working visit and will check on various developmental projects in the region.

The plane carrying Mrs. Nalumango touched down at Kasama Airport at 9:38hours this morning.

She was welcomed by Northern Province Minister, Leonard Mbao, Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, Makozo Chikote and Small and Medium Enterprises development Minister, Elias Mubanga among other senior government and UPND officials.

The Vice President is accompanied by Minister of Water Development and Sanitation Mike Mposha, Youth, Sports and Arts Minister Elvis Nkandu and UPND National Chairman Stephen Katuka.

TAZARA workers ask for improved working conditions

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TAZARA workers ask for improved working conditions

The Workers’ Union of the Zambia Tanzania Railway Authority (TAZARA) has implored management at the railway company to actualize the USD 500 million worth Bankable Business Plan recently formulated by the Board of Directors to address various operational challenges currently facing the company.

Union President, Bevis Silumbe explained that the Bankable Business Plan presents an opportunity for the railway company to be self-sustaining to reduce its overdependence on the two shareholding governments of Tanzania and Zambia to perpetually bail it out in meeting operational costs and paying salaries for the workforce.

Mid last year, the TAZARA Board of Directors approved a three year Bankable Business Plan aimed at ensuring that the rail company runs as a viable entity.

Some of Plan’s components include the procurement of locomotives and wagons for the Rail Company as well as consistent payment of salaries for TAZARA workers.

Speaking when he addressed Unionized workers who are agitating a work stoppage to press payment of their five month salary arrears, Mr Silumbe noted that the railway company will continue to experience operational challenges and fail to pay workers unless it implements the Plan which he says proves to be a lasting solution to the challenges the company is currently faced with.

Mr Silumbe noted that TAZARA needs recapitalization in order to ensure that the railway company runs as a self-sustainable and viable entity.

He also called for the placement of TAZARA workers on the government payroll on the Zambian side, as is the case in Tanzania.

“One of the ways to address this perennial delayed payment of salaries for TAZARA workers is to put TAZARA employees on government payroll, like is the case with our colleagues on the Tanzanian side. The other permanent solution for the Zambian government to address the challenges facing TAZARA operations lies in serious recapitalisation of this rail company. And this involves actualising the Bankable Business Plan that was recently formulated by the Board of Directors at TAZARA,” Mr Silumbe said.

And Mr Silumbe has commended the government for releasing funds to pay two months’ salary arrears for the months of December 2021 and January 2022.

Mr. Silumbe further appealed to the government to help the railway company offset the five-month arrears noting that the money released to pay two months salary arrears was not enough to address the challenges the workers were currently going through.

” What the government has released is enough to offset two salary arrears and not five months and it’s not enough because what we are getting paid is only net pay and not gross and workers have accumulated loan obligations meaning they’ll still get nothing,” explained Mr Silumbe.

Meanwhile, TAZARA Head of Human Resources, John Tembo explained that for TAZARA to reach its break-even point to start running as a self-sustainable and viable entity, it has to start hauling over 650,000 metric tonnes of cargo annually.

He disclosed that, the current locomotives and wagons that TAZARA has, if utilized to capacity, can only enable TAZARA transport heavy cargo amounting to a maximum of 250,000 metric tonnes per annum.

“Currently we can only ferry about 200,000 Mt with our current equipment and with this we cannot meet our operations and we will still go back to government to beg so what we need is simply recapitalization,” Mr Tembo said.

Man sentenced to 6 Months in Jail for threatening to bewitch his fellow Zambian

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Man sentenced to 6 Months in Jail for threatening to bewitch his fellow Zambian

A 37-year-old Kapiri Mposhi man has been sentenced to six month imprisonment with hard labour for threatening to bewitch another.

Before Kapiri Mposhi Magistrate Edward Banda was Watson Ndokesha, a farmer of Lukanda resettlement scheme charged with one count of professing knowledge of witchcraft.

The offence is contrary to section 5(a)(b) of the Witchcraft Act chapter 90 of the laws of Zambia.

Ndokesha pleaded guilty as charged.

Facts in this matter are that on 10th March 2022 around 16:20 hours the complainant in this matter Chisambala Bhota was at his farm in Lukanga area when he was approached by the now convicted.

Ndokesha then started telling the complainant that he would teach him a lesson using charms because his father (complainant’s father) had confiscated a kiln of charcoal from him (accused).

Earlier the complainant’s father confiscated a kiln of charcoal from the now convict after he was found cutting trees in his farm without permission.

Ndokesha then threatened the complainant that he was going to use charms by way of making the charcoal permanently stick on the complainant’s head as punishment for his father’s action to confiscate charcoal from him.

The now convict further told the complainant that the charms would be no be reversible so that the complainant suffers for the rest of his life for his father’s action.

This caused fear and annoyed the complainant who was prompted to report the matter to police.

After instituting investigations in this matter police managed to apprehend Ndokesha .

In mitigation the now convict begged the court to exercise leniency on him stressing he would not repeat professing knowledge of witchcraft.

But in passing judgement Magistrate Banda noted that the acts of professing knowledge of witchcraft and naming of persons as witches has become common in Kapiri Mposhi.

Therefore the court needed to mete-out appropriate punishment to warn would be offenders.

He then passed a six month jail term against Ndokesha.

Health facilities faced with shortage of drugs in Mwinilunga

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Health facilities faced with shortage of drugs in Mwinilunga

Health facilities in Mwinilunga district of North-western province are rationing available drugs due to inadequate supply of essential medicines.

Mwinilunga District Commissioner Harrisson Kamuna visited some health facilities to check on the supply of drugs and found that some health centres are sharing doses of certain drugs with other facilities which have completely run out of drugs.

And Mwinilunga district Hospital Head of Pharmacy Brian Kabambi said despite ordering medicines based on quarterly consumption, the hospital only received a supply of only two weeks.

“Whenever we make orders based on consumption, we receive a supply for only two weeks,” he said.

Mr Kabambi explained that the hospital is not sending off in-patients to buy medicines, but that the pharmacy department decided to reserve certain vital essential medicines for in- patients and those who are referred from other health facilities.

And Mwinilunga district Health Director Brian Mwachisowa confirmed the erratic supply of drugs in all the health facilities in the area and appealed to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to step in and normalize the situation.

He however commended the government for being consistent in releasing monthly grants to health facilities, part of which is being used to procure some medicines to cushion the erratic supply.

“We are buying the drugs just to make sure that the people are able to access essential medicines,” he said.

Meanwhile the District Commissioner assured residents in the area that government is doing everything possible to ensure steady and adequate supply of essential medicines in all health facilities in the district.

Milingo’s Case: Immunity Agreement And Nolle Not Irregular

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Milingo’s Case: Immunity Agreement And Nolle Not Irregular

By Isaac Mwanza

Now that the public is aware of what happened in the matter leading to the Nolle Prosequi entered by the Director of Public Prosecutions in favour of former KCM Liquidator Milingo Lungu, the questions the public are asking are: was the Presidency wrong to get involved in negotiations leading to the Nolle being entered? Was the DPP wrong to pay attention to negotiations by the Attorney General, Ministers and State House? My short answer is NO. So let’s look at the law.

Position of Attorney-General, DPP and Ministers in Government Legal and Policy Business

Under Article 180(3) and Article 177(5), the Director of Public Prosecutions is the chief prosecutor for the Government and the Attorney General is the Chief Legal Advisor to the Government. This means they two play a complementary role to each other.

According to the Constitution, both Attorney-General and the DPP, are not subject to the direction or control of a person or an authority in the performance of their functions as seen from Article 175(4) and 180(7), “except that the Director of Public Prosecutions shall have regard to the public interest, administration of justice, the integrity of the judicial system and the need to prevent and avoid abuse of the legal process.”

We all know that Government, to which the Attorney General and DPP belongs, is headed by the Republican President. Government comprises of Ministries headed by Ministers, State institutions and organs, Commissions and Department. All these institutions interact with one another in the running of Government.

Entry of Nolle by DPP

The DPP, who is the Chief Prosecutor for Government, has been given the Constitutional power under Article 180(3)(c) to discontinue, at any stage before judgment is delivered, criminal proceedings instituted or undertaken by the Director of Public Prosecutions or another person or authority. The DPP does that through an entry of a Nolle.

Again, in performance of this duty to discontinue proceedings, the DPP is only required to have regard to the (1) public interest, (2) administration of justice, (3) the integrity of the judicial system and (4) the need to prevent and avoid abuse of the legal process.

So the DPP can discontinue any case whenever any of the 4 conditions exist.

From what we can read from the petition so far filed before the Court, it is clear that the DPP entered a Nolle with regards to public interest and to prevent and avoid the abuse of the legal process. One may wonder as to what “public interests” are since there is lot of noise from the public against the discontinuation of the Milingo case. Public interest does not mean public approval or public noise or public disproval.

The President is the custodian of public interest. The Attorney General and his deputy (Solicitor General), are the protector of public interest. The President too is the custodian of where the Milingo. The Ministers also decide what is public interest. We have a number judgments from our Courts where the issue of public interest has been discussed.

In one case of deportation decided in 1979 involving Barry, the High Court went further to comment on determination of public interest:

“It is not for the courts to decide what is inimical to public interest, but for the Minister,… He (the Minister) is an executive officer bound to act in the public interest, and it is left to his judgment whether upon the facts a non – Zambian may be declared inimical to the public interest.”

Also note that the President can retire people in public interest even when the public disapproves of such persons being retired.

In 2016 after the failed Presidential Petition, I was leading a team of citizens who took a complaint to the Judicial Complaints Commission for the removal of the 5 judges of the Constitutional Court. Despite us having been members of the public who disagreed with the manner the Court handled the petition, the Attorney General joined the proceedings in defence of the Judges.

Although it was clear the Attorney General may have had reservations with some of the conduct by the Court, application for the Attorney-General to join was based on the fact that he was the protector of public interest and he performed his role very well in defending the judges from being removed even though he could have disagreed with some of their rulings before.

Conclusion

There is nothing irregular with Republican President Hakainde Hichilema who is the custodian of public interest to a directly or through his Ministers to negotiate a settlement of a criminal matter, especially that now we know based on facts given albeit one sided that Milingos case had a very good defence, with too many doubts. The President and his Minister, acting through public interest, entered into a settlement leading to the immunity agreement between the State and the accused.

The Attorney General and Solicitor General did not break any law by hosting a meeting which involved members from the DPP office and also in giving advice to the DPP on matters of public interest. That is their job. There is nothing irregular with that. The DPP was right to enter a Nolle based on the settlement done in public interest and the continued prosecution of Milingo Lungu was going to be the abuse of the legal process, having discharged his burden.

What has been the problem in this whole matter is that the N. D Government is failing to take responsibility for their actions because they fear public noise or public pressure or public disapproval. In leading a nation, leaders make tough decisions and good leaders stand by their decisions.

NB: Milingo Lungu is represented by law firms belonging to Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, State Counsel Sakwiba Sikota and Makebi Zulu. The merits or demerits of the case is not subject for this discussion in this article.

Fight against corruption is biased against those not in good terms with the system-Catholic Priest

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Fight against corruption is biased against those not in good terms with the system-Catholic Priest

Lusaka Catholic Priest Rev. Fr. Anthony Kapambwe Salangeta has charged that the fight against corruption is biased against those not in good terms with the system.

In his Easter sermon at Regina Pacis Catholic Church in Chawama, Fr. Salangeta said corruption allegedly exist only in people who are not friends of the system.

The Franciscan Priest observed that there are many Government workers using their positions to enrich themselves and their associates.

Fr. Salangeta said the evils in society such as corruption, unemployment, injustice and poverty represent the tomb in which the risen Jesus Christ was placed after he was crucified.

“The Gospel mentions Mary Magdalene. It says: ‘In the first day of the week which is Sunday, while it was still dark Mary and others went to the tomb. When they reached at the tomb they saw that the stone had been moved away and Jesus was not inside’. What is the meaning of the tomb? A tomb is a representation of evil. All of us fear the cemetery. All of us just go to the graveyard during burial. Because it not just in us to visit a graveyard anyhow. That is why even here the tomb represents something which is evil,” Fr. Salangeta preached during Easter Mass.

“Today a lot of people are suffering in our society. Unemployment levels are very high and our young women are indulging in unchristian acts such as beer drinking, abuse of drugs even some of them going out with sugar daddies. Life is difficulty; this is the representation of the tomb. Corruption is the order of the day. No one seems to seem to care. Government workers use their positions to enrich themselves and cronies. Corruption is only to those who are not friends to the system. If you are a friend to the system there is no corruption. Indeed a representation of the tomb. On the other hand education continues to be for the elite. Those who do not attain education will become destitute and more suffering to them. Medical facilitates are a nightmare.” he said.

“The judicial system does not favour the poor, if you are poor ku kukaka. If you bash into someone’s groundnuts as a poor person, you be detained in police cells. The rich do not stay in police cells. This is the tomb we are talking about. This is the representation of the tomb. Some people are in prison for the crime they did not commit because they do not have anyone to represent them. The poor continue to be poor, the rich continue to be rich. So if we look in the gospel of today, we are going to see that this is the representation of the tomb where there is suffering,” Fr. Salangeta continued.

Fr. Salangeta added:”However at the tomb we find two people, there are two categories of people who represent our society. Mary Magdalene and her fellow women went there because they wanted to see Jesus. Then at the tomb there are also the guards, who were guarding the tomb of Jesus Christ because they had said that he was going to be taken by his own people and then fake resurrection. The women leave the place of death hurriedly to announce that he is alive. The women represent those people who go out, people of good will, people who preach the good news. People who want to take love from others. This is what the women did, they went out to announce that Jesus Christ is resurrected and they were happy.”

“We are also being invited to spread the good news that Jesus Christ has resurrected. The women represent those who believe in victory. Those who celebrate with their friends when good things happen to them. On the other hand they represent those who speak for the voiceless and those who endure in most difficult situations such as women who sweep in the streets just to find something to feed their families. And those women who go early in the morning to buy vegetables for resale,” Fr. Salangeta said.

Fired from Barclays for fraud: Kakubo’s soiled past resurfaces

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Fired from Barclays for fraud: Kakubo’s soiled past resurfaces

Embattled Foreign Affairs Minister Stanley Kakubo was fired from Barclays Bank in 2014 on fraud related charges, it has emerged.

According to an investigation, Mr. Kakubo was is also Kapiri Member of Parliament worked as a Relationship Manager at Barclays Head Office from 2011-2014 when he was unceremoniously fired.

Senior Bank Executives revealed that Mr. Kakubo who worked in the Corporate Banking Unit responsible for SME’s failed to make reconciliations on a number of accounts.

The Kapiri law marker also had a bad reputation of accumulating debts from Shylocks and a variety of money lenders who kept following him to the Bank.

He disappeared for a number of days, abandoning his post leading up the Bank to terminate his contract.

“It would appear that he knew that he was going to be let go, he went missing for a few weeks and that made it easier for HR to sack him because there were already a number of issues like fraud and bouncing of cheques,” source from the Bank said.

Mr. Kakubo is a nephew to Former First Lady Maureen Kakubo Mwanawasa was later adopted to contest the Kapiri seat on the UPND ticket in the 2016 general elections.

“He lost his job towards the end of 2014 and his wife Nomsi had already left him because of GBV and the only option was to campaign for UPND in 2016 together with the Aunty (Maureen Mwanawasa) and he was rewarded with an adoption mostly due to the Aunty’s influence,” the source added.

Mr. Kakubo has been in the news since images of his visit to Sinoma Cement Offices were shared on social media suggesting that he may have received a bribe from the Chinese owners at Sinoma.

“Those issues coming up that he may have gotten something from Sinoma cannot be ruled out, Stanley is a very shady character who left the Bank with a lot of debt some of which he is still hasn’t settled,” the source said.

In justifying delays to appoint his cabinet, President Hakainde Hichilema repeatedly stated how he would give Zambians the best cabinet since his search for cabinet members would be thorough, meticulous and based on meritocracy.

Katima Mulilo One Stop Border Post progressing-Libongani

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Katima Mulilo One Stop Border Post progressing-Libongani

Noteworthy progress has been made between Namibia and Zambia with regard to the establishment of the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Katima Mulilo, according to the High Commissioner of Zambia to Namibia, Stella Libongani.

Libongani shared this at her farewell courtesy call with President Hage Geingob on Wednesday.

She stated that a draft agreement on the establishment of the OSBP is being considered by the legal departments of the two countries and she commended the Namibian government for enacting the legislation to support the establishment of the border post.

The High Commissioner also stated that Zambia intends to continue cooperation with Namibia in the enhancement of trade along the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (WBNLDC) that allows access to the port of Walvis Bay, which is one of the routes that countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) can utilise.

The High Commissioner further stated that she is pleased with the two country’s collective efforts to facilitate bilateral political, social and economic cooperation by putting policy measures and frameworks in place.

In this regard, she referenced the Zambia-Namibia Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC) and the Zambia-Namibia Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security (JPCDS), stating that these JPCs have enhanced cooperation between the two countries in terms of peace and security, agriculture, transport, trade, communication and energy and immigration.

According to Libongani, Namibia remains one of Zambia’s significant strategic partners, which is why the Zambian Government remains committed to enhancing relations for the benefit of both countries.

She added that Intra-African trade is a key focus of the development roadmap that was established by the President of the Republic of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema.

She further noted that the two countries share the aspiration of economic development and in this context, she believes that she has achieved a lot during her term as High Commissioner, which started in 2017.

Nonetheless, she remarked that there is still a lot that needs to be done by both countries to achieve economic and social emancipation.

“We cannot develop in isolation and as such, all collective efforts should be supported for desired outcomes to be achieved,” Libongani said.

Gemfields achieves record revenue for sold out March/April auction

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Gemfields achieves record revenue for sold out March/April auction

Gemfields recorded a record $42.3-million in revenue from the sale of emeralds sourced from its Kagem mine in Lufwanyama.

This was at auctions of its predominantly commercial-quality rough emeralds held in Jaipur, India, from March 15 to April 1.

Of the 32 lots offered – 4.52-million carats in total – all were 100% sold out. Fifty-six companies placed bids and an average price of $9.37/ct was achieved – another record for Kagem’s commercial-quality auctions.

Forty such auctions of Kagem-sourced gemstones (emeralds and beryl) hosted by Gemfields since July 2009 have generated $792-million in revenue.

Gemfields notes that the proceeds of this latest auction will be fully repatriated to Kagem in Zambia, with all royalties due to the Zambian government to be paid on the full sales prices achieved at the auction.

“The emeralds were extracted by Kagem Mining Ltd in Zambia, which is 75 percent owned by Gemfields and 25 percent by the Industrial Development Corporation of Zambia,” the group said.

According to the group, the proceeds of the auction will be fully repatriated to Kagem in Zambia, with all royalties due to the government of Zambia being paid on the full sales prices achieved at the auction.

The company said the auction saw 56 companies placing bids.

The auction also saw 100 percent of the offered carats and several lots being sold.

Gemfields said it had held 40 auctions of emeralds and beryl mined at Kagem since July 2009, which have generated $792m in total revenues.

Gemfields managing director of product and sales, Adrian Banks, said: “Our most recent auction represents one of the most momentous outcomes I’ve experienced in my 23-year career. We’ve witnessed another breakthrough for Kagem emeralds, with an auction of predominantly commercial quality emeralds setting a new all-time revenue record for Kagem and surpassing even our higher-quality auctions.

“When we announced Kagem’s August 2021 auction results, we pointed to a step-change in market demand and in the prices bid by our customers, paving the way for an exhilarating cycle in the coloured gemstone sector. Today’s result underscores just how big that step-change is and we’re delighted to see the coloured gemstone industry firing on all cylinders.”

Last month, the company announced that 2021 was a good year as it was able to allocate $20m, or $0.017 apiece, to be distributed as a special dividend for the year ended December 31, 2021.

After declaring the dividend, the miner said the demand in the coloured gemstone market was buoyant.

The group said 2020 was a challenging year for it as it had to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic which had auctions disrupted and shuttered mines for almost a year.

Concession signed for Kasomeno Mwenda road

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Concession signed for Kasomeno Mwenda road

Project management firm GED Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ministry of Infrastructure and the Agence Congolaise des Grands Travaux (ACGT) have finalised the 25-year concession agreement outlining the infrastructure development requirements of the DRC segment of the GED Africa Route.

The GED Africa Route project is a regional corridor development initiative that includes the upgrade and greenfield road construction from Kasomeno, in the DRC, to Mwenda, in Zambia, and a modern 345 m cable stay bridge across the Luapula river, as well as one-stop border posts in each country.

The project was conceptualised by GED Africa and structured as a 25-year build-operate-transfer project between the subsidiaries GED Congo and GED Zambia, and the governments of the DRC and Zambia under separate concession agreements.

“The signing of this concession agreement marks a critical project milestone, and opens the way for construction of a new road between Kasomeno, in the DRC, and Mwenda, in Zambia,” GED Africa says in a statement.

“The GED Africa Route will have a lasting, positive impact on the local economy via long-term employment opportunities. Benefits for people living along the GED Africa Route will include improved access to healthcare and education, as well as the facilitation of local trade,” the company adds.

The concession agreement includes a commitment to 30% of the contracting work to be awarded to local companies.

The complex information technology systems required to enable the one-stop border posts approach offers additional capacity-building and employment opportunities.

This contract meets the principal needs of the large-scale economic operators, such as miners, the subcontractors and the local communities, which will be positively impacted on through the jobs that will be generated,” says DRC Minister of Infrastructure Gizaro Muvuni Alexis.

The creation of trading links to Zambia and the international Port of Dar es Salaam will support sectoral development in mining and agriculture, and position Kasenga as the DRC’s next major commercial centre.

“[In May], we will sign a parallel agreement with the Republic of Zambia. Together, these two concessions will form a transport corridor providing multiple economic benefits for people across the region, and beyond,” adds GED Africa CEO Klaus Findt.

“The collaboration between all parties in this public-private partnership is a case study that speaks to the opportunities that can be created when a sustainable business model is applied to the needs of the local communities and their economies.

“Significant progress has already been made with early works on the GED Africa Route, and the signing of these concession agreements means that the road ahead is now clear,” says Findt.

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