Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) says it welcomes government’s decision to realign the borehole application and registration fees for domestic users.

Stating that the gesture is of goodwill to the Zambian People, the Authority says it is obliged to support government’s efforts of improved access to clean, safe drinking water and sanitation services as stipulated in the Water Resources Management Act NO. 21 of 2021.

WARMA Public Relations Officer Mubiana Nalwendo saying in a statement last evening that the Authority has applauded the upward adjustment in the 2022 budgetary allocation to the water and sanitation sector.

Mr Nalwendo stated that the adjustment is another indication of governments devotion to supporting the country’s socio-economic growth for the benefit of all Zambia.

“The budgetary allocation which we describe as significant in actualizing our mandate, comes at the right time when WARMA is in the process of formulating its 2022 to 2026 Strategic Plan.

“ The upward adjusted budgetary allocation to the sector will aid the authority in accelerating the attainment of the National Vision 2030 and targeted Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.

He noted that the increment will re-energize the Authority’s long-term commitment of promoting a dynamic, integrated, participatory and multi-sectoral approach to water resources management and development.

Mr Nalwendo further congratulated President Hakainde Hichilema and his administration for a successful all-inclusive budget preparation and subsequent presentation for the year 2022.

He explained that the 2022 budget clearly indicates governments commitment to embarking on a steady trajectory of economic recovery.

He added that the budget’s theme ‘Growth, jobs and taking Development closer to the people’ gives hope to the agenda of transforming the country’s economy and placing people at the centre of national development.

He further urged domestic water users wishing to drill boreholes must continue applying and registering with WARMA for sustainable management and regulation of water resources.

Mr Nalwendo noted that the Authority will engage and sensitize the public particularly the domestic users on government’s pronouncement, interpretation and expectations.

A case in which three Marshlands Consortium Directors and the company are charged with 15 counts of forgery, obtaining money by false pretenses and uttering false documents, among them Ultimate Insurance Company Limited shareholder resolutions yesterday failed to take off
because one of the accused Directors was not before court.

The matter was scheduled for continued trial and alleged owner of the Insurance company, Felistus Chibamba was supposed to explain how the company was allegedly grabbed from her.

Tobias Milambo, a Chartered Insurer of Woodlands, Nachi Musonda of Chongwe and Richard Lubemba, of Chalala are alleged to have forged documents purporting to show that they had been appointed as Directors at Ultimate when infact not.

It is further alleged that between the same dates, Milambo, Musonda, Lubemba and Marshlands Consortium Limited obtained goods by false
pretenses and stole more than US$41, 000 belonging to Ultimate.

However, when the matter came up yesterday, only two of the accused persons, Milambo and Musonda were before court as Richard Lubemba, the other accused person was indisposed.

Lubemba through his lawyer Osbourne Ngoma filed into court a notice seeking for permission to be excused from attending court as he was writing his mid term exams from November 1, 2021 to November 4, 2021 at ZCAS University.

So far, several witnesses have testified in the matter with Luapula
Member of Parliament (MP) Augustine Katotobwe telling the court that he bought the Insurance company for his wife Felistus from the previous owners through connections with Musonda who is one of the accused persons.

Magistrate Alice Walusiku adjourned the case to December 7, 2021.

The Government of Zambia has launched the Country Structural Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Process (CSVRA).

The strategy is expected to enhance national resilience and responsiveness to various structural vulnerability factors that can impact on Zambia’s stability, security, and development

Supported by the African Union Commission (AUC) and COMESA Secretariat, the CSVRA is designed to facilitate the identification of a country’s structural vulnerability to conflict at an early stage.

Zambia volunteered to undergo the CSVRA process through a Cabinet Memo submitted to both AU and COMESA in October 2020.

It focuses on identifying drivers of violent conflict in diverse areas such as socio-economic development, good governance, rule of law, democracy and human rights and in the security sector.

This is in addition to environment and climate change, gender and youth, post conflict peace-building and transitional justice, and reconciliation.

Zambia’s Acting President. Madam Mutale Nalumango presided over the official launch in Lusaka.

“Let this process take Zambia to higher heights in the quest to making the country a beacon of peace and unity, noting that the new dawn government is a continuation of the benefits of democratic processes arising from peaceful transition of power, a timely reminder to Africa and world that Zambia is making strides that are part of the good governance agenda…” noted Mrs Nalumango who is also the Republican Vice President.

She described the CSVRA as one of the ways of creating stability as a catalyst for sustainable development, anchored on local participation especially in areas that are more prone to disasters such as floods and droughts in the country.

COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe described the launch as historic because Zambia is the first country in the COMESA Region to volunteer to undertake this process and only third in Africa after Ghana and Cote dÍvoire.

“…Zambia has continued to show leadership in adopting key instruments on governance peace and stability…for example, Zambia was the second country in COMESA to ratify the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and among the top ten in Africa to do so,” Ms Kapwepwe point out.

She was represented by COMESA Assistant Secretary General for Programmes Dr Kipyego Cheluget.

African Union Commission (AUC) Senior Political Officer Ahmed Mokhtar described the CSVRA as a unique and home grown Pan African process that seeks to identify and acknowledge structural vulnerabilities, build upon resilience factors and invest in mitigation measures to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts.

It is Member States owned, driven and facilitated. Mr Mokhtar added that the role of the AUC and COMESA is to provide technical support which can be useful in preventing, managing and resolving conflicts.

Meanwhile, COMESA Secretariat and the AUC conducted a half-day consultative workshop, Thursday, 28 October 2021 with Permanent Secretaries and senior government officials in Zambia.

The session received presentations on the Ghana and Ivory Coast experiences as case studies.

The two countries have already launched their national strategies to address and mitigate the structural vulnerabilities identified.

Following the CSVRA launch, teams comprised of Zambian stakeholders supported by AUC and COMESA will proceed to hold wider consultations with stakeholders in the provinces across the country.

Various diplomatic coups accredited to the Republic of Zambia and development partners were invited to the event.

Coming from a celebrated hat-trick, Rangers Football Club striker, Fashion Sakala has said he admired President Hakainde Hichilema because he came from a humble background and rose to the lofty position of Head of State.

Sakala, who paid a courtesy call on President Hichilema in Glasgow, said his life mirrored that of President Hichilema as he also came from the village to play in one of the most competitive premier leagues in the world.

He said he admired the resilience of Mr. Hichilema as despite the numerous electoral losses over the years, he never gave up until he scored electoral victory and won.

Sakala also expressed gratitude to President Edgar Lungu and the previous government for the work they did but said President Hichilema has succeeded them to take the country to higher place.

Sakala also expressed gratitude for the national budget presented to Parliament by Minister of Finance, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane and urged the President to ensure that maximum economic benefits went to the young people that voted for him.

He said young people were hopeful that their welfare will improve under the leadership of President Hichilema.

Sakala also brought gifts of a scarf, jersey and balls from Rangers FC as memorabilia for President Hichilema’s visit to Scotland.

President Hichilema’s delegation is in Glasgow Scotland to attend the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26.

It is the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference being held to promote climate action to halt further green house emissions and continued degradation of the environment.

The construction of Five thousand housing units for civil servants in Kazungula District is expected to commence early next year.

The government has earmarked to construct housing units in Kazungula District of Southern Province aimed at averting the current shortage of accommodation faced by workers in the District.

Leedsfit Holdings a local based company has entered in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with government to construct among other things, five thousand housing units and all amenities.

Leedsfit Holding Director Kelvin Situmbeko disclosed when he paid a courtesy call on Kazungula Deputy Council Secretary that his company is ready to undertake the construction project.

Mr Situmbeko expressed gratitude towards government for having accorded his company an opportunity to undertake the project.

He described the housing project as a commercial opportunity to turn around the face of Kazungula District.

He observed that the proposed development has a wide scope of benefits from both international and local perspective and that local employment will be created as well as skills transfer.

And Kazungula Deputy Council Secretary Rutherford Nduli was excited that the project will ease the accommodation hardships that public workers face.

Mr. Nduli said the lack of decent accommodation has made some workers to commute from Livingstone to Kazungula on a daily basis.

He has since assured management of Leedsfit of government support to the project as evidenced by Cabinet’s approval of the project.

Mr Nduli disclosed that documents at the council indicate land availability as well as a Memorandum of agreement between central government and the local authority with regards the housing project.

Southern Province Minister Cornelius Mweetwa is concerned with some unscrupulous people who have opened fake social media accounts in his name, requesting money from unsuspecting members of the public in exchange for jobs.

He has since urged the Zambia Information and Telecommunications Authority (ZICTA) to partner with law enforcement agencies in order to curb cyber-crime.

Mr. Mweetwa was speaking when a delegation led by the board Chairman from ZICTA paid a courtesy call on him at the Provincial administration in Choma.

ZANIS reports that the delegation is in the province to set up a Provincial office as well as I.C.T facilities at border points as part of its decentralization and expansion project.

“Only last week, I had at my office, a gentleman who traveled from Kitwe coming to my office to say ‘I sent you the money. But after I sent you money, you have stopped communicating with me’. So this is so real and a lot of people who are unsuspecting are being swindled out there,” Mr. Mweetwa narrated.

He has further advised members of the public to be vigilant and not fall prey to fraudsters in Cyberspace.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mweetwa is happy that the decentralization of ZICTA will create employment for the people of Southern Province.

He further noted that the setting up of I.C.T facilities will not only enhance revenue collection but also improve accountability and service delivery.

Earlier, ZICTA board Chairman Frightone Sichone told the Minister that Authority intends to set up type approval posts for inspection of gadgets and I.C.T equipment entering the country at boarder points not only in Province but countrywide for enhanced revenue collection.

He assured that the Choma office will be ready and operational in the next three weeks.

And ZICTA Acting Director-General Mwenya Mutale has disclosed that the agency will partner with the Zambia Revenue Authority and Ministry of Finance for enhanced revenue collection at border points.

Minister of Information and Media Chushi Kasanda has directed media houses to publicise the contents of the proposed 2022 national budget.

Ms Kasanda says the contents of the national budget should be publicised widely in order for the general citizenry to be well informed.

She also urged both the private and public media houses to equally give prominence, in the publicizing of the 2022 national budget.

The Minister further encouraged members of the public to keenly follow the live debates in the national assembly, in order to acquaint themselves with the content of the 2022 national budget.

“I am instructing media houses, to publicise the contents of the 2022 national budget widely.

I further urge all media houses to equally give prominence to the publicity of the 2022 national budget –the people’s budget.” The Minister said.

Ms Kasanda added that the general public will only be able to offer checks and balances, to the government, once they familiarize themselves with the contents of the national budget.

Meanwhile, the Minister says government will not attach any time frame, with regards to when the board of directors, for the dissolved Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Board, will be appointed.

Ms Kasanda says government wants to ensure that it follows the right processes and procedure, when appointing the board of directors.

She re-emphasised on the need to appoint the right board of directors who can deliver in the recent dissolved boards.

Ms Kasanda cited ZNBC as one of the institutions which has failed to generate income, despite having a board of directors.

The Minister says government wants a board that is going to be proactive, innovative and creative adding that it’s the only way ZNBC will thrive.

Muchinga Province Minister Henry Sikazwe has reassured the people of Muchinga that government will implement what was presented in the 2022 national budget. Mr. Sikazwe has called on the Muchinga community to show trust in the effective implementation of the 2022 budget.

He noted that the government is committed to improving the livelihoods of people through agriculture support programs. Mr. Sikazwe said the government announced in the budget presentation that by January 2022 prices of fertilizers will reduce to enable vulnerable but viable farmers to have easy access to the commodity.

Speaking when he featured on a Live Radio Delight programme in Chinsali, Mr Sikazwe reaffirmed the intentions to reduce fertilizer prices so as to increase the crop yields that will guarantee food security.

He said the first 2022 budget under the United Party for Development (UPND) government that was presented on October 29 placed a lot of emphasis on increasing the agriculture output by farmers to ensure that enough food is produced in the country.

“We have prioritized agriculture because we aim to reduce poverty levels through agriculture,” he said.

Mr Sikazwe further stated that the government is also planning to construct fertilizer production industries to ensure easy and faster access to the commodity.

Meanwhile, Mr Sikazwe reaffirmed President Hakainde Hichilema’s pronouncement of supporting entrepreneurial ventures to youths through the creation of the Ministry of Small and Medium enterprises.

He said the government will soon dispatch funds to support youths entrepreneurs with the aim of uplifting their livelihoods. He highlighted that the aim of the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises is to reduce unemployment levels in the country.