Sunday, May 18, 2025
Subscribe
Home Blog Page 750

RTSA applauds the significant drop in road traffic crashes and fatalities during the Holiday Season

Chief Editor
-
6
RTSA applauds the significant drop in road traffic crashes and fatalities during the Holiday Season

The reduction in road traffic crashes and fatalities during the New Year and Christmas holidays is a key milestone in improving Zambia’s road safety prospects, according to the Road Transport Safety Agency.

According to the 2022 New Year holiday accidents statistics, the country recorded 64 percent reduction in traffic deaths, were 10 people died compared to 28 during the 2021 New Year holiday.

Statistics also indicate a reduction of 48 percent in road traffic crashes, with a total of 117 accidents recorded compared to 225 during the 2021 New Year holiday.

Similarly, the 2021 Christmas holiday accidents statistics indicates that the country recorded 39 percent reduction in traffic fatalities were 17 people died compared to 28 in 2020.In the same way, road traffic accidents dropped by 35 percent with a total 152 accidents recorded compared to 234 during the same period in 2020.

And Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) Chief Executive Officer, Gladwell Banda, has stated that the Agency will continue working with other stakeholders including the Zambia Police to safeguarded the lives of all road users on the Zambian roads.

Mr. Banda has stated that going forward, the RTSA continues to provide structured traffic law enforcement interventions and road safety education with communication and awareness programmes that positively influence all road users.

This is according to a statement issued by RTSA Head Of Public Relations Fredrick Mubanga.

Privatization Part II Underway: ZESCO on the immediate Cards

Chief Editor
-
37
Privatization Part II Underway: ZESCO on the immediate Cards

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

Minister of Finance and National Planning Hon.Situmbeko Musokotwane accompanied by Energy Minister, Hon. Peter Kapala and Minister of Information and Media, Hon. Chushi Kasanda was in Ndola City to deliver the somber news to the 327 Indeni Petroleum Refinery workers.

They will be declared redundant but will be promptly paid. After the separation package is paid, some workers may be redeployed.

INDENI is being placed on the market for sale ( the term being used, like in the 1990s is; “to be restructured). INDENI Petroleum Refinery is a national strategic industry constructed in 1973.

Crude oil or feedstock for the Refinery comes through Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and is delivered to the refinery through another national strategic asset, the 1,704 kilometers Tazama Pipeline.

Over the years, the Refinery has been modernized and expanded with five plants which comprise five main processing units: Topping, Hydrotreater, Reforming, Vacuum, and Asphalt.

However, the refinery requires about $500million investment to make it into a fully-fledged refinery.

INDENI has not been operational since 2019 for various reasons including intricate forces of the cartel in the fuel sub-sector that benefit from the importation of finished products.

Zesco Limited

The Industrial Development Corporation( IDC) has announced plans to restructure one of Africa’s biggest utility power companies- ZESCO.

The IDC has published a tender in newspapers including the Daily Mail of Tuesday, January 4th 2022.

In the advert, the IDC wants to engage a Consultant who will undertake financial and operational restructuring of ZESCO.

The IDC says the Consultant should also assess the proposal to unbundle ZESCO’s main divisions such as Generation, Transmission, distribution, and Retail into separate units.

ZESCO Limited is an $11 billion company and has recently scaled up its power generation capacity after investments in new power plants that have come online including Kafue Lower Gorge and Itezhi Itezhi.

It is a vertically integrated electricity utility, which generates, transmits, distributes, and supplies electricity.

ZESCO Troubles

ZESCO Limited has been plagued by poor management and regular political interference. The Utility’s debts have reached $3.5bn ( Kafue Gorge Lower alone is $2.1billion) due to a combination of rising liabilities to Independent Power Producers (IPPs), long-running disputes with mining firms, and the exchange rate fluctuations.

Of deep concern is the poorly structured contracts with Independent Power Producers which costs the company about $40million a month.

The private investments in the energy sector are shouldered by ZESCO which underpins long-term commitments, some lasting decades, to buy fixed amounts of power at dollar-denominated prices set via power purchase agreements (PPAs) with it.

This is because power is bought at a high price while sold to consumers at far lower costs. To meet the rising debt from IPP, Government has announced that it will increase the price of electricity to be cost-reflective.

IMF/WORLD BANK The Puppeteer

The World Bank has called for the corporatization and commercialization of utilities such as ZESCO. In the case of ZESCO, the World Bank recommends the unbundling of the elements of the different services (generation, transmission, distribution, and retail supply) and the introduction of energy sector reforms that invite the entry of the private sector, alongside the creation of independent regulators.

Zambia has done some of these reforms including the creation of the Energy Regulation Board and has allowed Independent Power Producers.

IMF Deal and Economic Reforms

On 3rd December 2021, the IMF announced that it had reached a staff-level agreement with the Zambian authorities on a new arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) for 2022-2025 in the amount of about $1.4 billion. Before the IMF Board approval, Zambia committed to implementing “bold and ambitious economic reforms” to address the severe economic and social challenges facing the country.

The terms and conditions of the “bold and ambitious economic reforms” have not been disclosed or made public to Zambians.
As in the 1990s, the IMF would not tolerate loss-making state-owned entities subsisting from the Treasury. Further as seen in the past, the IMF pushes liberal and free-market principles and reforms that they are determined to see an economy run by the private sector.

There are no sacred cows, whether the industries are deemed strategic national assets or key to the energy security of the country. Although sovereign states may not implement the textbook economic recommendations, the UPND Government being a social liberal party may find nothing sinister about this direction.

Conclusion

Although the Government of President Hakainde Hichilema has been given a five-year mandate, that mandate didn’t include the privatization policy. Privatization is the transfer of a business, industry, or service from public to private ownership and control.

It is imperative that a National Indaba gathering of key stakeholders are held to at least obtain consensus on these key national decisions that are being made for the lifetime of the country.

I have always argued that if our long-term national documents such as development and vision plans were done in a broad consultative manner, our country would enjoy policy stability as there would be no need to shift or make radical policy changes every time we have a new government.

Anti-Corruption Commission forced their way into my private residence-Lusambo

Chief Editor
-
33
Anti-Corruption Commission forced their way into my private residence-Lusambo

By Hon Bowman Chilosha Lusambo

I wish to confirm that a team of officers from the Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday forced their way into my private residence in Chamba Valley on the pretext of conducting a search for undisclosed items.

They arrived just after 09 Hours in the morning and conducted their operation until 14:30 Hours. They arrived at my property with Journalists to create drama about the so called search.

At the time of the purported search, I was not present as I was away in Ndola visiting my Constituency.

Without identifying themselves and uttering any search warrant, the officers forcibly proceeded to access my property including the master bedroom where my wife was dressing up as she prepared to go and attend a funeral. The officers did not explain what they were searching for and presented a rude demeanor to my wife, my children and House Staff. They even searched my wife’s handbag and grabbed money for relish. The officers also ended up grabbing my wife’s mobile phones and another one which is nonfunctional, a licensed gun and some drawings of a building for a proposed police post we intend to construct for the people of Kabushi. Infact the said drawings which the officers confiscated were submitted to our Building Committee by the Police High Command.

As stated before, I am a law abiding citizen and I have never at any point failed to cooperate with any legally instituted investigation, be it criminal or civil. What I will not succumb to is intimidation and harassment using state institutions. The officers being used in such operations should realise that Zambia does not belong to any one individual who is giving them illegal orders. Time will surely come when they will answer for their actions individually. The unprofessionalism and incompetency by the ACC can be seen in its very low conviction rates. What is ACC’s interest in a licensed gun? If there was any problem with my gun, Zambia Police would have been the appropriate agency to come and question me about its possession and use.

In a functional society where rules of natural justice apply, the ACC should have written to my lawyers stating why they needed to search my property, obtain a search warrant and present it to me in the presence of my lawyers who should be present for the entire duration of the search. If they find anything incriminating, they should then summon us for questioning and if at all they feel they have enough to form a prosecutable case, present us before a Magistrate and then meet us in court.

Now ACC officers want to act as if they are a law unto themselves. We will not allow the UPND to misconduct themselves using state institutions. To President Hichilema, the five year mandate you received from Zambians does not give you a license to wantonly abuse state institutions.

Zambia is for us all and we are not running away to any other place. We are still here and even if you eliminate us today, our children will come and inherit our resolve to create a better Zambia, for all.

Delaying the recruitment of 30,000 teachers by three months gets condemnation

Chief Editor
-
17
Delaying the recruitment of 30,000 teachers by three months gets condemnation

The opposition Leadership Movement led by President Dr. Richard Silumbe has expressed disappointment with the Government’s pronouncement that the pending recruitment of 30,000 teachers will be done after three months.

In the 2022 National Budget speech, Finance and National Planning Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane revealed that the Government will recruit 30,000 teachers this year.

Last Monday, Minister of Education Douglas Siakalima hinted that the recruitment of the 30,000 teachers will wait an extra three months for the process to commence and allow the new Teaching Service Commissioners to settle and commence advertising.

Mr. Siakalima has since asked the prospective teachers to be patient with the Government and allow due process to take effect.

But Leadership Movement Media Director Tatila Tatila said it is disturbing to hear the Government announce the delay to recruit teachers.

Mr. Tatila said the Government should honour its promise without any further delays.

He said the UPND Government was voted into power on the basis of job creation and President Hakainde Hichilema told unemployed teachers to dust their diplomas and degrees in readiness for 30,000 recruitment exercises.

Mr. Tatila said the Leadership Movement wants the new Teaching Service Commissioners to settle down quickly and not to become another political problem for professional teachers.

“Stop fooling teachers. You promised to recruit 30, 000 teachers so commence the exercise without any delay. It is very disturbing to hear that the Government is using new Teaching Service Commissioners as an excuse for failure to commence the recruitment exercise,” he stated.

“Many qualified teachers are roaming the streets hoping to get Government jobs through the Ministry of Education. What could be the problem, is it with the Teaching Service Commission, Teachers themselves or the Government, probably it is the lack of commitment by the Government to offer better and quality education,” Mr. Tatila said.

“Leadership movement is saying enough is enough to recruit teachers now. The UPND Government was voted on the basis of job creation and President Hichilema told unemployed teachers to dust their diploma and degree certificates in readiness for 30,000 recruitment exercises,” he said.

“Why should unemployed teachers wait for TSC to settle, this is unfortunate, anyway from the beginning, the Leadership Movement has always doubted the 30,000 recruitment in this administration. We can only hope that as New Teaching Service Commissioners settle down, it will not become another political problem for our professional teachers.” Mr. Tatila said.

Meanwhile, Mr Tatila has proposed that the new Teaching Service Commissioners should sort out issues affecting teachers in the country.

He said the new Teaching Service Commissioners should resolve the issue of Teachers in Service but not on payroll and teacher accommodation among others.

“TSC should be able to quickly deal with the following: Teachers in Service not on payroll, Teachers accommodation especially in rural areas and unemployed teachers between 2010 and 2021 among other challenges,” he said.

“Moreover the 30,000 recruitment it is just a drop in the ocean as it cannot take or accommodate all unemployed teachers on board hence for the Leadership movement we want to recruit in millions as opposed to thousands,” Mr. Tatila added.

UN Secretary-General Appoints Zambian national Amanda Khozi Mukwashi UN Resident Coordinator in Lesotho

Chief Editor
-
4
UN Secretary-General Appoints Zambian national Amanda Khozi Mukwashi UN Resident Coordinator in Lesotho

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Amanda Khozi Mukwashi of Zambia as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Lesotho, with the host Government’s approval.

Ms. Mukwashi has devoted more than 25 years to public service, working on poverty alleviation, tackling injustice and inequalities at the intergovernmental and non-governmental level while holding leadership positions at the United Nations and externally.

Within the Organization, she served with the United Nations Volunteers programme in Germany as Chief of Volunteer Knowledge and Innovation, as well as Chief of Advisory Services.

She has also worked on country support programmes on gender, population and development with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Zambia.

Outside the United Nations, she most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Christian Aid, an international development and humanitarian non-governmental organization working in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

Prior to that, she held senior positions within global non-profit Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO International), as well as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa in Zambia.

A published author and an award-winning Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Mukwashi is also a trustee of United Kingdom-based think tank Demos and is a Thursdays in Black ambassador raising awareness of gender-based violence for the World Council of Churches.

She has also served in non-executive capacities as a trustee for the British International Development Network (BOND), as a president of Akina Mama wa Afrika, a pan-African feminist organization, and as a trustee of the United Kingdom Disaster Emergency Committee.

She holds a master’s degree in international economic law from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Zambia.

Movie Review: The Matrix Resurrections

Entertainment Editor
-
1
Movie Review: The Matrix Resurrections

To find out if his reality is a physical or mental construct, Mr. Anderson, aka Neo, will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more. If he’s learned anything, it’s that choice, while an illusion, is still the only way out of — or into — the Matrix. Neo already knows what he has to do, but what he doesn’t yet know is that the Matrix is stronger, more secure, and far more dangerous than ever before.

Pros

  • Great to see Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss reprising their iconic roles as Neo and Trinity respectively.

Cons

  • If you have not watched the original Matrix trilogy you will not fully appreciate the film as it calls back a lot from the previous movies.
  • The movie plays too much into nostalgia, relying on our emotions from the past movies to largely care about the main characters. 
  • Unnecessary, cringe attempts at comedy added nothing to the story.
  • Some of the casting choices were questionable, such as Neil Patrick Harris, he just did not suit the role as the Analyst.
  • The action scenes were brilliantly done but lacked the splendor and originality of the trilogy.

Favorite Quotes

‘Trinity: How do you know if you want something yourself or if your upbringing programmed you to want it?’

‘Smith: MR. ANDERSON!’

‘Smith: I’ve been thinking about us, Tom. Look how binary is the form, the nature of things. Ones and zeros. Light and dark. Choice and its absence. Anderson and Smith.’

‘Smith: You tell me, Mr. Anderson, is it free will, or destiny?’

Conclusion

Almost two decades after what we thought was the third and final installment of the revolutionary mega-hit movie franchise, The Matrix Revolutions, Lana Wachowski has directed a fourth: The Matrix Ressurection.

Unfortunately, Ressurection does not live up to the original Matrix trilogy, at times it felt like a parody. Not enough was done to elevate the story, it is basically just a way to pay homage to the classic original movie.

The movie does have its strong points, the fast-paced action that marries kung fu with acrobatic gunplay was awesome.

Ressurection will definitely does not have the impact the first movies had. It is a good movie to watch, but if you are looking for a real experience you are better off watching the original Matrix.

Rating

3 out of 5

 

BY KAPA KAUMBA

Kansanshi Sign Baba Basile

sports
-
0
Kansanshi Sign Baba Basile

Kansanshi Dynamos have signed Cameroonian striker Baba Basile as a free agent.

Basile was offloaded by Zanaco last week with six months left on his two year contract at Sunset Stadium.

Kansanshi have confirmed that Basile has signed an 18-months contract with the Solwezi side.

“Baba Basile has joined us on a Year and Half Long Contract,” Kansanshi announced on Tuesday.

Basile launched his football life in Zambia at Division One side FC Muza.

He later made a big move to Lusaka Dynamos around 2019 before switching to Zanaco in July 2020.

Brian Mwila Joins Power Dynamos

sports
-
3

Power Dynamos have completed the signing of striker Brian Mwila from Buildcon.

Mwila joins Power on a two-year deal.

Power Chief Executive Officer Happie Munkondya said Mwila will add value to the Arthur Davies side.

“Zambian International, Brian Mwila has penned a 2 year deal with Power Dynamos Football Club. He beefed up Coach Mwenya Chipepo’s attacking options,” Power announced in a statement on Tuesday.

Mwila has played for Lime Hotspurs, Kabwe Warriors and Green Buffaloes.

He had a stint at South Africa club Platinum Stars and later joined SCR Altach of Austria around 2018.

Meanwhile, Power has disclosed that forward Kennedy Musonda has extended his stay with the club until April 2024.

Midfielders, George Chisala and Mukuka Mulenga have also extended their respective contracts until April 2023.

Jack Mwiimbu gives 7 days to former Government officials to return Government Vehicles

Chief Editor
-
9
Jack Mwiimbu gives 7 days to former Government officials to return Government Vehicles

The government has given a Seven-day amnesty to all individuals holding on to government vehicles to surrender them.

Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu said that the amnesty starts, Tuesday, January 4th, 2022 and that government is aware of former Government officials, Parastatal organization leaders, political cadres, and members of the public who are illegally holding on to government motor vehicles.

Mr. Mwiimbu said that if they do not return the vehicles, security wings will institute investigations to recover all concealed motor vehicles and individuals, who will be found wanting will be arrested and charged for theft of motor vehicles.

Mr. Mwiimbu said that the new dawn administration is committed to the rule of law and will endeavour to recover all misappropriated properties of government and the people without abusing the law.

Mr Mwiimbu was speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka.

The Minister has also directed Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba to ensure that foot and motorized patrols are intensified in Kabwata Constituency.

He said the political violence that characterized Kabwata constituency is regretted and police are advised to enforce instructions without discrimination.

Mr. Mwiimbu said the increase of police presence in the constituency is not meant to threaten any political party participating in the by election but to allow the police to react to incidences of violence on the spot.

He said political parties are advised to use mobile public address systems, distribution of flyers and any other political materials with minimal or NO contact with crowds in order to avert the escalating COVID-19 cases.

The people of Kabwata will go to the poll on January 20th 2022 to elect their Member of Parliament.

This follows the death of the Member of Parliament, Levy Mkandawire on 18th November, 2021.

Abandoning works at the Kafulafuta dam would mean wastage of resources, Finance Minister told

Chief Editor
-
12
Abandoning works at the Kafulafuta dam would mean wastage of resources, Finance Minister told

Kafubu Water and Sanitation Company Managing Director, Athanasius Mwaba has said that abandoning works at the Kafulafuta Dam project would mean wastage of resources and denying people a clean water supply.

Speaking when a ministerial delegation led by Minister of Finance and National Planning, Situmbeko Musokotwane, Mr. Mwaba said with funds available, the project will take 12 months to be completed adding that over One million people will benefit from the project.

Mr. Mwaba said the Kafulafuta Dam will also have floating solar panels for the generation of renewable energy.

In response, Dr. Musokotwane said that government will give its position on the continuation of works at the Kafulafuta Water supply Improvement project in Masaiti district.

Dr. Musokotwane has assured Kafubu Water and Sanitation Company management that within two weeks, the government will communicate on the way forward regarding the $450m water supply project.

Dr. Musokotwane said Tuesday when he led a team of Ministers that visited the multi-million water project to appreciate what is on the ground.

Ministers on Dr. Musokotwane’s delegation included Ministers of Energy Peter Kapala, Information and Media and Chief Government spokesperson, Chushi Kasanda, and Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo.

And, Mr. Matambo said the project once complete will become a game-changer in as far as the provision of clean and quality water is concerned on the Copperbelt

He said the project will enhance the provision of water in the Mpongwe, Masaiti, Luanshya, and Ndola districts.

ACC conduct search at the residence of Bowman Lusambo

Chief Editor
-
17
ACC conduct search at the residence of Bowman Lusambo

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has conducted a search at the residence of former Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo in Lusaka’s Chamba valley.

Speaking in a telephone interview, ACC Spokesperson Queen Chibwe said that investigators conducted the search between 10 and 14 hours yesterday.

Ms Chibwe, who could not disclose any information on the investigation, says the search at Mr Lusambo’s residence is part of the ongoing investigations the commission has been conducting.

And, when the ZNBC News arrived at the residence, Mr. Lusambo’s security could not allow the crew access.

And Mr. Lusambo said the security wings in the presence of his lawyers, Makebi Zulu and Company, collected two cellphones for his wife, One cell phone for his worker and assorted documents.

He said they also picked One laptop for the National Assembly and a brand new phone which is non-operational.

Lessons from Obama; Ministers must develop their own strategic plans

Chief Editor
-
7
Lessons from Obama; Ministers must develop their own strategic plans

By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst

Part 1

The other day, one of our foremost bloggers, Simon Mwewa, opined that being President is not an easy task because everything is blamed on them. He asserted that Bally’s resolve to see a better Zambia is self-evident; even his distractors know that his goal is to steer this country to prosperity and stability! The article was accompanied by a photo depicting President Hichilema in deep thoughts.

We concur with Simon. We’ve no doubt HH means well for this nation. Of course, UPND has a manifesto that demonstrates how the party intends to utilize available resources not only to improve the general welfare of the people but develop the nation as well.

However, for this to be realized requires a team of enthusiastic and dedicated individuals (cabinet ministers) who are able to easily understand and interpret the manifesto for them to individually help achieve what is set out in the manifesto or indeed record any milestones!

This is what constitutes the thrust of this article….. We expect cabinet ministers to share the same vision and resolve as HH to help extricate our nation from its quagmire. In order to avoid seeing cabinet ministers entangling themselves in embarrassing situations commissioning car parks or toilets; they ought to be guided by strategic plans of some sort constituting detailed plans highlighting specific solutions for each and every problem bedeviling our beloved nation!

According to Wikipedia, “Strategic planning is a process in which organizational leaders determine their vision for the future as well as identify their goals and objectives for the organization. The process also includes establishing the sequence in which those goals should fall so that the organization is enabled to reach its stated vision.”

In his interesting autobiography, A Promised Land, Barrack Obama reveals that when he was President, he used to have regular meetings with individual members of his cabinet to interrogate teething issues in their departments and prod them on their specific visions for their departments and egg them on to develop their specific strategic plans.

Why is this important and relevant to our situation as a nation? Ministers would be compelled to work towards achieving specific targets to help create jobs for our youth, ensure that farming inputs are delivered in real-time and infrastructure is being worked on timeously, and not whenever there’s a by-election coming up as was usually the case in the past.

In our next article, we take a look at letters that ordinary people write to the President from time to time.

Given Lubinda demands Government pay all farmers owed money by FRA

Chief Editor
-
14
Given Lubinda demands Government pay all farmers owed money by FRA

Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) vice President Given Lubinda has demanded that the Government pay all farmers owed money for supplying maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

During a media briefing in Lusaka on Tuesday, Mr. Lubinda charged that the money released by the Treasury to pay farmers on Monday was insufficient to dismantle the entire debt.

The Treasury on Monday released K1.284 billion of which K960 million is meant for outstanding payments to farmers under the 2020/2021 farming season, and K324 million is the 2022 first-quarter operational support fund for public schools.

Outstanding payments to farmers for the 2020/2021 season have now been reduced by 59% from K1.63 billion to K670 million after the release of the K960 million.

Mr. Lubinda said the late release of funds to farmers will negatively affect crop production in 2022 and result in maize shortages.

He said the PF Government used to give farmers input early as evidenced by the bumper harvests Zambia used to record.

Mr. Lubinda predicted that Zambians will face misery in 2022 plus social, political and governance hardships.

“Yesterday Government announced the release of K960 Million for farmers who supplied maize under the 2020/2021 farming season which was supplied to the Food Reserve Agency. We are disappointed to note that this money is coming so late in the season that our poor faces will not be able to utilize and invest in the 2021, 2022 farming season. Today, 4th of January, is two weeks after the closing date in which farmers can plant maize viably and the farmers to date have not received their payments,” he said.

“What awaits Zambia in 2022 is shortage of maize and this will be largely because of the recklessness of the UPND Government that failed to pay farmers on time. The UPND have always compared themselves to the performance of the PF and I want to report to you that the PF always ensured that the farmer had inputs before the onset of the farming season. What is worse is that this amount of K960 million falls greatly short of paying all the farmers who have waited so long for their money,” Mr. Lubinda said.

“Since we are now in the long awaited and much publicized New Dawn budget, we in the Patriotic Front urge the Government to release all the money to all the farmers immediately. There is no excuse whatsoever. They told us to wait for their 2022 budget. Can they release all the money owed to the farmers so that the farmers can go about their farming activities so that the farmers can support their livelihoods,” he said.

Mr. Lubinda further asked the Government to pay suppliers of goods and services.

“We are aware that another category of self-employed people in Zambia are also equally suffering. Suppliers of goods and services to the Government have not been paid their dues since August 2021, thereby subjecting them to numerous financial hardships such as payment of salaries, rentals, insurance e.t.c. This is having a spiral effect on households and indeed on the economy generally. Now that the New Dawn budget has kicked in, we implore the Government to settle the local debt speedily so as to inject liquidity into the economy and to give relief to those suffering people who depend on suppliers of goods and services to the Government,” he said.

Mr. Lubinda said the reason the Government was giving over the delayed payment of suppliers was vague.

“We are aware that there are two reasons they advanced for paying suppliers. One was that they are conducting an audit; surely Government machinery must not take four months to audit suppliers of goods and services,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lubinda said the PF will continue pointing out wrongs of UPND Government and provide alternatives.

“Let’s prepare for a much better leadership and for a much better future,” he said.

Workers at Indeni left fuming after Energy Minister fails to give specific details of their retrenchment

Chief Editor
-
28
Workers at Indeni left fuming after Energy Minister fails to give specific details of their retrenchment

Workers at Indeni Petroleum Refinery Plant in Ndola were on Tuesday left fuming after Energy Minister Peter Kapala failed to state a specific period in which the firm will be restructured after the Government placed it on care and maintenance late last year.

All workers at Indeni who include 327 permanent ones will be declared redundant and asked to reapply when the petroleum firm is restructured by the Government with the aim of making it more viable.

Mr. Kapala, who was accompanied by Finance Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, Information Minister Chushi Kasanda and Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo, on Tuesday, addressed Indeni workers at the plant to officially inform them over the planned restructuring.

During the question and answer session of the meeting, Indeni workers continuously interjected Mr. Kapala when he said it is not possible to predict how long the transition of Indeni will last.

“We want to know what is going to happen to us during the transition period because we know that Indeni has no money at the moment. We also want to know when the transformation process will end. We are anxious as Indeni workers,” one employee said.

“They have come all the way from Lusaka with this huge delegation to come and tell us nothing. We are actually more confused than before because the ministers have not said anything new regarding Indeni. The other issue is that when they declare the 327 permanent workers redundant, how many from the 327 will be retained under the new structure,” a worker was heard passing comments after the meeting.

In his remarks, Mr. Kapala confirmed that at Indeni workers who include 327 permanent ones will be declared redundant and asked to reapply when the firm is restructured.

He said under the proposed new structure Indeni will stop petroleum refinery business and start operating like an oil marketing company.

Mr. Kapala said the Government has come up with a plan of making Indeni Petroleum Refinery in Ndola more viable after placing it on care and maintenance.

The Energy Minister said the transformation of Indeni will start with the appointment of a new board in the next two weeks.

“Our mission is to come and formally propose what the Government wants to do with Indeni as a way forward. Also come to learn from Indeni if they can get some tangible proposals to make Indeni viable once again. The Government’s position is that Indeni will take a difference mode from what it is,” Mr. Kapala said.

“I have been accompanied by the Minister of Finance because there is this issue of redundancy money; whether people will be paid off immediately or whether people will stay on and things like that. Because it will be a new mode so people will be.. I don’t want to use the word declared redundant, there will be a transition from where they are to what we are going to do and this should happen quite soon so people should not be very concerned that the Government is not taking their interest. We are very much concerned that’s why we came and I hope today’s visit will iron out all the doubts that are hanging over Indeni,” he said.

Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane says the Government will pay all the 327 workers at Indeni Petroleum Refinery in Ndola when they are declared redundant.

Dr. Musokotwane said money is available to give Indeni workers during the transition period as the Government transforms the refinery into a more viable entity.

The Finance Minister assured Indeni workers that no one will be sent home without pay.

“We will settle all the financial obligations to you before we change to the new institute so you will be paid. No one is going to be pushed on the street without any payment that does not arise. The rest are technical issues which the Ministry of Energy and the management will work out. I have come to give you an assurance with my own mouth that you will be paid,” Dr Musokotwane said.

Mr. Matambo said he is hopeful that the visit by the three ministers will resolve the uncertainty surrounding Indeni Petroleum Refinery which has not been operational since August, 2021.

“If we see Honourable Ministers coming to the Copperbelt we know that issues which are hanging will be sorted out,” Mr. Matambo said.

BEMBA chiefs call on the state to consider giving back Chiluba’s assets to his family

Chief Editor
-
39
BEMBA chiefs call on the state to consider giving back Chiluba’s assets to his family

BEMBA chiefs have called on the state to consider giving back second republican President Frederick Chiluba’s assets to his family because he was entitled and the grounds for forfeiture were not valid.

Chiefs Kaputa and Mpepo in separate interviews urged the government to consider the matter because the manner in which the state had dealt with the Chiluba issue was unfortunate and there was need to reconsider.
Chief Kaputa appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema to look into the matter because the Chiluba family were left with nothing and are suffering yet their father led this country and deserved to be recognised.

He said from the look of things there were some people in the system who had vested interest in the matter and properties hence they wanted to play tricks.
“I feel there is a hand that is pushing for this because they waited for the former head of State to die before they re-appealed in the Supreme Court just to get his properties,” Chief Kaputa said.

He said there was need to practice what people preached because what was happening was very wrong and the state needed to come clean and inform the public on what the status quo was.
He said it was for this reason that the matter should be dealt with quickly because the family had continued to suffer.

And Chief Mpepo said the whole thing smacked of malice and that the former head of State was painted black in the eyes of the public.

He said there was prejudice in the manner the law enforcement agencies conducted themselves because they waited for Dr Chiluba to die before going back to court.

“For me I feel mwali ulufyengo (unfairness) in the manner Dr Chiluba and his family were treated because the issue of the assets was clear that they were not acquired through corrupt activities,” he said.
Chief Mpepo called on the family members to appeal and use all the necessary legal channels to get justice.

And Zambia Republican Party president Wright Musoma said Government must do the right thing in the name of justice and hand back the forfeited properties belonging to Dr Chiluba to his family.

Mr Musoma said in an interview in Lusaka that it was a well-known fact that the property belonged to the late President, thus it was unfair for the State to allege that he did not claim it.

“The nation is aware that those forfeited properties belonged to Dr Chiluba and as such they were supposed to be handed to his family. We are appealing to President Hichilema and his government to relook into the issue and give back the property to the family,” Mr Musoma said.
He said that justice was delayed until Dr Chiluba died and it should not be delayed further as the family had endured enough.

1...749750751...5,629Page 750 of 5,629

Company

Trending

Categories

© Lusaka Times