Former Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba has said that the removal of subsidies on electricity connection and meter separation fees as announced by ZESCO Limited is a clear indication that the New Dawn government is trying to please the IMF and not Zambians who voted them into office.

Speaking when he featured on Radio Christian Voice’s Chat back program, Amb. Mwamba charged that the government has found itself in a difficult position in view of the pending IMF Staff Level Agreement which will go to the IMF board in June this year.

Amb. Mwamba explained that the failure to remove direct or indirect subsidies on both electricity and fuel will jeopardize its approval.

“Government is sitting on a hard place on one side and a rock on the other. If they increase the cost of fuel and electricity, Zambians will be adversely affected and If they don’t, IMF Board may not be pleased as the government will be viewed as failing to raise domestic resources and continuing with funding poorly targeted subsidies,” Amb. Mwamba said.

He stated that Finance Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane is therefore not concerned with the interest of Zambians but wants to please the IMF.

Following the removal of subsidies by ZESCO, electricity connection fees will now cost K6,930 from the previous K1,500 while meter separation will cost K6,000 from the previous K750.

Amb. Mwamba who also served as Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, however, admitted that the cost of connections fees cost higher than what was previously charged but the previous government treated electricity as an economic right hence its decision to subsidize the connection fees.

He stated that the New Dawn government should have gradually adjusted the cost of electricity connection fees and not in the manner they have done it.

And Amb. Mwamba has also noted with regret that the normalization of electricity connection fees will further increase the cutting down of trees as those that cannot afford power will resort to other means such as Charcoal for their energy and cooking sources.

He charged that this will ultimately defeat the purpose of the creation of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment because the UPND administration is not looking at ways of preserving the environment.

Amb. Mwamba has since called for the abolishment of the Ministry of Green Economy saying that allowing mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park has also proved that the New Dawn government is not concerned about climate change and the state of the country’s environment.

Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) Executive Director George Hamusunga feels the new dawn administration has paid more attention to primary and secondary education while neglecting tertiary education.

Mr Hamusunga has since urged the New Dawn administration to treat every level of education with equal importance.

Mr Hamusunga told a local radio station that tertiary education is very cardinal because it is responsible for molding citizens into various specialists that harness natural resources for the socio-economic development of the country.

Mr. Hamusunga has cited the delay in reinstating student meal allowance and the inadequate number of students granted students loans as some of the indicators that higher education is not been given the attention it deserves, yet there is a Free Education Policy for Primary Education.

He has urged the government to find ways of tackling the pressing issues that have been affecting higher education within the 2022 budget and not wait for next year.

The Non-Governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has called for increased advocacy in a bid to ensure that more women have access and control to land.

NGOCC Executive Director Engwase Mwale said women’s access and control to land and other productive property is central to their economic empowerment.

Ms. Mwale observed that research has shown that women’s land rights reduce domestic violence, that women who own land are more capable of exiting violent relationships and negotiating safe sex.

When officially opening the four-day media engagement and training on women’s access and control to land in Kabwe, Ms. Mwale said NGOCC and the women’s movement in Zambia value the role of the media in advocacy work towards greater gender equality.

“As NGOCC and indeed the women’s movement we value the role of the media in our advocacy work towards greater gender equality in Zambia. Women’s access and control to land and other productive property is central to their economic empowerment. Land can serve as a base for food production and income generation, as collateral for credit and as a means of holding savings for the future. Land is also a social asset that is crucial for cultural identity, political power and participation in decision making,” Ms. Mwale said.

“Women’s equal access and control to land is a human rights issue. Women’s access and control to land and other productive resources are essential to ensuring the right to equality and to an adequate standard of living. Further, these resources help to ensure that women are able to provide for their day to day needs and those of their families and to cope with some of life’s challenges,” she said.

“Evidence shows that women’s land rights reduce domestic violence, that women who own land are more capable of exiting violent relationships and negotiating safe sex. Agricultural production and food security also increase when women are granted tenure security .Globally, gender inequality around access to productive resources, especially land, is ultimately related to women’s poverty and exclusion,” Ms. Mwale said.

She cited inadequate legal standards and cultural practices as some of the hindrances to women’s access to land and other productive resources.

“The obstacles that prevent women’s access to land and other productive resources include inadequate legal standards and or ineffective implementation at national and local levels, discriminatory cultural practices and practices at the institutional and community level. In many societies, Zambia included gender disparities with regard to land and other productive resources are linked to assumptions that men, as heads of households, control and manage land,” Ms. Mwale said.

“This implicitly reflects ideas that women are incapable of managing productive resources such as land effectively; that productive resources given to women are lost to another family in the event of marriage, divorce or male death and that men will provide for women’s financial security. Other impediments to women’s access to land and security are illiteracy, inaccessibility to information, lack of necessary capital to develop land, labour shortage above all the patriarchal tendencies and attitudes that encourages deprivation of women of all stated above,” she said.

Ms. Mwale said:”There has been found to be a positive correlation between ensuring women’s access to land and other productive resources and improved household welfare and enhanced enjoyment of a broad range of rights for women in both urban and rural areas. When women have access and control to land, they acquire power and autonomy in their families and communities as well as in their economic and political relationships. Additionally, it has been found that women’s access and control to land, especially for the rural women, tends to increase their social and political status and improve their sense of confidence and security.”

“Based on the foregoing, NGOCC is of the considered view that challenging the discriminatory practices around women’s access to land is critical to the empowerment of women and enjoyment of their right to equality. It is against this background that this media training and engagement is being held with you. The media plays an important role in changing attitudes and agenda setting,” she said.

Ms. Mwale urged the media to help in raising awareness around the need for the empowerment of women with land.

“Through the media, we need to advocate that more women have access and control of both customary and statutory land. I am informed that the objectives of the meeting are as follows; To capacitate media on land tenure systems in Zambia so as to enhance their reporting on women’s access and control to land To debunk some of the challenges and opportunities in land administration that negatively affects women’s access and control to land,” she said.

Green Party Leader Peter Sinkamba has challenged the government to explain the shareholding of the Nkana Slag Dump commonly known as the black mountain in Kitwe on the Copperbelt.

Commenting on this development, Mr. Sinkamba said that it is important for the new dawn government to come out clear and explain what percentage of the slag dump has been given to Zambians, more so that the other part is owned by a Chinese firm.

Mr. Sinkamba told Phoenix News that in as much as this intention may be good, he has cautioned the government not to make the mistake of allotting shares of the slag dump to appease political cadres as that may not be sustainable.

Further, Mr. Sinkamba has wondered why there has been no environmental impact assessment made available ascertaining the safety of the slag dump in question.

President Hakainde Hichilema on Sunday night announced on Facebook that following consultation and due diligence, the government has officially handed over part of the slag dump to a Consortium of cooperatives representing all the 10 districts of the Copperbelt province, the Women in mining group, and the Community hosting the black mountain.

The Black Mountain located between Wusakile and Nkana West is owned by Nkana Alloy, who are the major shareholders with the Government having a minor stake.

Meanwhile, Mufulira’s Kantanshi Constituency Lawmaker Anthony Mumba has said that he will collaborate with the other two lawmakers from the two constituencies in the district to initiate talks with the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe so that the people of Mufulira can start conducting mining at the slug Dumpsite.

Dr. Mumba said that Mufulira residents need to benefit from the mining dumpsite which is even bigger than the one in Kitwe.

Speaking in an interview with Mafken FM radio yesterday, Dr. Mumba said that there is a need for government to see how they can give access to residents of Mufulira to mine at the dumpsite with a view of bringing wealth to the district

The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) is concerned that the allegations of torture of former President Edgar Lungu`s barber Shabby Chilekwa by state agents will quickly put an ugly stain on the new government’s human rights record.

CiSCA Chairperson Judith Mulenga is of the view that this government is bound to be viewed in the same negative light as the PF government in terms of respecting and protecting human rights, both at national and international levels.

Ms. Mulenga further noted that despite article 15 of the bill of rights protecting every person from being subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, or punishment, it is apparent that the provision has not been enough to protect persons.

Ms. Mulenga said that Zambia acceded to the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment on 7th October 1998, and through that accession, Zambia has an obligation to put in place various legislative, administrative, judicial, and other measures to not only criminalize acts of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment but to also prevent such occurrences.

Ms. Mulenga is therefore suggesting that Zambia quickly ratify the optional protocol to the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment for the primary purpose of preventing torture among other measures.

Two deceased victims of the Kapiri Mposhi road accident have been identified by their employer Zambia Railways Limited.

Mr. Munyau Bafana and Mr. Kenani Silwamba were killed after a goods train they were operating collided with a fuel tanker truck in Kapiri Mposhi, Central Province on Monday morning.

The accident occurred around 10:00 hours when the driver of the fuel tanker truck failed to give way to the train carrying coal near the former Kapiri Glass Factory junction.

Mr. Bafana and Mr. Silwamba were burned to death in a blaze resulting from a collision between the tanker which was moving from Lusaka to Ndola and the Zambia Railways Limited owned train.

Zambia Railways Limited acting Managing Director Fred Mwila has described the death of two crew members in the accident as a big loss to the company.

Mr. Mwila says the Level Crossing accident, which took place at Lukanda Level Crossing near the former Kapiri Glass Factory has robbed the company of two highly skilled train men who had a promising future in the company.

He said Mr. Bafana and Mr. Silwamba were both young and energetic employees who carried out their assignments with passion and diligence.

‘’At this point our thoughts and prayers are with the two grieving families and relatives. We pray that God will give them strength and comfort as they navigate this painful loss. As Zambia Railways, we shall endeavour to do everything within our means, to give the departed workmates a befitting funeral,” Mr. Mwila said in a statement

Mr. Mwila further bemoaned the continued disregard of Rail and Road Safety by motorists which has led to a number of fatal accidents, most of which are avoidable.

“Time and time again, we have implored road users and members of the general public to exercise maximum caution and patience at Level Crossings, but our appeals seem to have fallen on deaf ears. With just a little patience, those lives could have been spared. We cannot continue like this,” Mr. Mwila said.

Mr. Mwila saluted all stakeholders who worked with Zambia Railways to clear the blockage of the road caused by the accident.

A Zambia Railways Cargo train (No.524) carrying coal to Ndola was hit by a Fuel tanker (Registration No: BBA 2400) belonging to Kalahari Transport of Lusaka.

Meanwhile, the road traffic accident investigations conducted by the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) have established that the crash was caused by driver negligence.

The accident investigations have established that Timothy Shawa, the driver of the fuel tanker truck, did drive without reasonable due care by failing to stop as he vehicle collided with the train causing an explosion that resulted in the loss of two lives.

RTSA Head of Public Relations Fredrick Mubanga said the investigations have further indicated that despite the warning signage placed before the railway crossing and warning sound from the locomotive, the driver of the truck could not stop to allow the train to pass in line with rule number 255 of the Zambian Highway Code which grants the train the right of way.

“The report further reveals that the locomotive, which had 19 wagons of coal, dragged the fuel tanker for about 150 meters from the point of impact where the fuel tanker and part of the locomotive exploded into flames. The RTSA is of the view that the driver of the fuel tanker truck, acted negligently, violated the driver’s duty of reasonable care considering that he was carrying dangerous goods and demonstrated to be a danger to other road users,” Mr. Mubanga said.

“Therefore, the RTSA will proceed to write to the driver to show cause why his Driving License should not be revoked for disregarding the provisions of the Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002, with impunity. To compel motorists to stop at railway crossings, the RTSA recommends the installation of automated gates and warning lights at all railway crossings on the Zambian road network,” he said.

Justice Minister Mulambo Haimbe has said that his ministry will expedite remaining internal legislative processes so as to have the penal code and the criminal procedure code repealed and replaced at the earliest possible time.

Speaking at the Zambia Law Development Commission’s handover ceremony of the project report and draft bills on the review of the penal code act, Mr Haimbe observed that over the years numerous laws containing criminal offences and penalties have been enacted however they were not harmonized with the penal code act.

He said that the status quo was seen not to be desirable in a criminal justice system that aspires to promote uniformity and certainty of laws as it resulted in duplicity of offences, contradictory provisions and procedures as well as conflicting penalties.

The justice minister said that the government wants to ensure the nation has an appropriate legislative framework saying the review of the two pieces of legislation and allied legislation was a great necessity to the government and the country at large.

And the Technical Committee on the review of the penal code act and the Zambia law development commission have recommended the repeal and replacement of the penal code and criminal procedure act.

Committee Chairperson Justice Chalwe Muchenga said once the two statutes are repealed and replaced with the draft bills and other progressive provisions, the dispensation of justice for the person’s within the criminal justice will improve.

The review of the penal code and criminal procedure code was prompted by concerns from various stakeholders in the criminal justice system who observed that offences had been duplicated in different acts with conflicting penalties among others.