Vice President Inonge Wina has thanked civil servants in North-western province for responding to President Edgar Lungu’s call of explaining developmental projects done by the Patriotic Front (PF) government to the people.

Mrs Wina said Civil servants are supposed to explain and implement government polices to the ordinary citizen.

Mrs Wina appreciated workers in the province for demonstrating their commitment to explaining government policies to the people.

She was speaking when she addressed the Zambia Civil Servants Initiative Association members in Solwezi today.

“I am happy to meet civil servants who have responded to the call of President Edgar Lungu to go out and tell the people what this government has done, I congratulate you,” she said.

She asked civil servants to read the PF manifesto as it will help explain what government will do in the next five years.

“If you read the PF manifesto it will highlight what government is planning to do in the next five years,” Ms. Wina said.

Mrs Wina also highlighted government achievements in Northwestern province which include, creation of new district among them Manyinga, Mushindamo and Kalumbila which she said has translated into creation of employment to the local people.

And North-Western province Civil Servants Task Force Chairperson, Pias Kamasanyi said civil servants are aware that explaining government polices is not political but is in line with the public service guidelines.

“Our position is not political but in line with public service guidelines and etiquette which compel us to support the government of the day,” Mr Kamasanyi said.

Meanwhile Mr. Kamasanyi appealed to government to cancel civil servant loans from lending institutions as well confirm those in acting positions.

Zambia Women Writers Association (ZWWA) have called for the restocking of public libraries with the latest books to rekindle the dwindling culture of reading among the children.

Association National Treasure Lucille Mudenda called for investment in the restocking of libraries with the latest books as most books are outdated and irrelevant to the current situation.

Ms Mudenda was speaking when she handed over books to the Lusaka City Council Chilenje library by United Africa Bank (UBA) working together with the vulnerable Children Advocacy Project (VAP).

She said council libraries are an important asset in academics but have been neglected.

“We have to move with time and we need online libraries to compete with countries which are already using such facilities,” Ms Mudenda said.

She said it is unacceptable for Chilenge library which was officially opened 46 years ago to continue having the same books which were placed in the library in 1975 including furniture.

Ms Mudenda observed that the culture of reading has gone down because parents don’t read and children imitate what they do.

“Libraries have been neglected for a long time yet they are important in people’s education life,” he said

And Ministry of General Education Assistant Director Robinson Bwato noted that if there is nothing interesting to read in the library people cannot read.

Mr Bwato said the ministry is overwhelmed with people who have interest to read but there are no reading materials in public libraries.

“We are a talking culture rather than reading, and reading is alien to Africa but we must have proper books to rekindle it,” he said.

Meanwhile, United Bank of Africa (UBA) Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager, Wezi Njovu said the organization was delighted to assist in restocking Chilenje Library with African Literature books that will benefit school children.

“Our children no longer read, their passion for reading informative and educative books is fast eroding, they are distracted by the presence of electronic social media such as Facebook, Instagram and others,” she said.

And Lusaka Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Pascalina Musokotwane thanked the United Bank of Africa for initiating the programme of restocking the Council libraries with books in Chilenje, Ndola and Kitwe.

Ms Musokotwane appealed to other business houses to emulate the UBA bank and assist public libraries.

Vice President Inonge Wina is disappointed that no church in North-Western province has accessed the COVID-19 church empowerment fund.

Ms Wina said government is aware of the economic hardships brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and that the church has not been spared.

She said this is why the fund was created to help the church sail through the challenges.

“I am disappointed to learn that no church in North-Western province has benefitted from the empowerment fund. I will follow up the matter with the relevant ministry, the ministry of national guidance and religious affairs,” Ms Wina said.

ZANIS reports that the Vice President was reacting to concerns raised by the clergy during a meeting in Solwezi yesterday.

Mrs Wina said government continues to attach importance to the church because it is significant in promoting values that will foster Christian values, peace, stability and socio economic development.

Speaking at the same meeting, Solwezi Pastors Fellowship Chairperson Miselo Musonda said the church in Solwezi is saddened by acts of violence that have characterised the campaigns ahead of the August 12 general elections.

“Your honour the Vice President, the church in Solwezi is saddened by the behaviour of political parties in Zambia which has created untold violence, name calling and lack of respect for Ubuntu, and this has been exhibited by both the ruling and opposition parties,” Rev. Musonda said.

Rev. Musonda called on political players to exhibit maximum tolerance and restrain towards one another and create a conducive environment for peaceful elections.

“We call upon government, political players, police and everyone to rise to the challenge and create a platform that will ensure that campaigns and voting take place in a peaceful environment,” Rev. Musonda said.

Rev. Musonda appealed for support towards the establishment of a K1.6 million farm project which on a 250 hectares piece of land in chief Mulonga’s area in Mushindamo district.

He explained that the project is expected to help the retired clergy, aged and vulnerable people and also create job opportunities.

And Patriotic Front running mate Nkandu Luo called on the church to use the pulpit to denounce violence and all those using young people as tools of violence.

Prof. Luo said there is need for the clergy to remind young people on the importance of upholding peace because a country without peace cannot develop.

Zambia today joined the rest of the world in commemorating the World Day against Child Labour.

Officiating at the Commemoration, Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Chanda Kaziya says ending and eradicating Child Labour, is among government priorities.

Mr Kaziya noted that child labour perpetuates intergenerational poverty, threatens national economies and undercuts rights guaranteed by the convention on the rights of children.

He said government intends to provide broadened resource mobilisation to deal with child labour in the country.

“Government is working towards ensuring improved quality of education for all our children. Our government’s commitment is also evident through the approval of appropriate policies and action plans aimed at broadly at eliminating hazardous child labour and improve the safety and health of young workers,” he explained.

He also called for increased consultations for validation of data on child labour to ensure programs on child labour involve children.

“There is nothing for the children without involving the children in the quest to end child labour,” Mr Kaziya urged.

Also present at the commemorations was Labour Commissioner Givens Muntengwa, who disclosed that the ministry has recorded positive results through initiatives aimed at ending child labour.

He stated that with the help of stakeholders, the ministry has managed to direct child labour policy and implemented programmes that are targeted at ending child labour.

“The Ministry has made considerable progress in the fight against Child Labour through policy direction and implementation of child labour Programmes with various stakeholders,” he said.

And speaking at the same event, International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Director George Akutho called for sustainable solutions, to end all forms of Child Labour.

Dr. Akutho called for actions towards the escalating numbers of children in Labour, which has risen to 92 million in Africa.

“The implementation of comprehensive and holistic policies through sustainability solutions is required, in the fight against Child Labour. In Africa the number has risen to 92 million, meaning that one out of every 5 children on the continent is in Child Labour,” he bemoaned.

Dr. Akutho also commended government for putting in place interventions aimed at the elimination of child labour.

He however implored that the crisis of child labour in its current form, requires doubled action to meet the benchmark to eradicate the vice by 2025.

According to global estimates, the number of children in child labour has risen by 8.4 million, to over 100 million children in child labour.

Government is saddened by increasing reports of political Violence and intolerance, as political players canvass for votes in the forthcoming general elections.

Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Masiye Banda says the country has witnessed the worst form of political violence, in several cases reported around the country.

In a statement released to ZANIS, Mr Banda warned of stern action against political parties involved in violent acts.

“As permanent secretary of the ministry of home affairs, I wish to sternly warn the political parties that have shown a firm belief in political violence that acts intended to destabilize the peace of this great nation shall not be tolerated,” he warned.

Mr Banda also said that there is an opposition political party that conducts violence and dares police to act so that it can claim shrinkage of the political space in the country.

“The ministry has observed that some opposition political party have adopted a plan of daring the police and conducting violent political campaigns so that when their members are arrested by the police, they can claim, locally and to the international community that their political space is shrinked, ” Mr Banda said.

He further warned against abuse of road shows in view of the direction from the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for political parties not to hold public rallies.

“I wish to warn that if road shows shall continue being a recipe of anarchy, then we shall remain with no option but to cancel them. Those that wish to continue with road shows should adhere to provisions of the law and the statutory instruments issued,” he warned.

Incidences of political violence of political violence have been reported in some parts of the country including Mongu District in western province, Nakonde District in Muchinga Province and Chibombo district in central province.

Mr. Banda also issued a strong warning to members of the Patriotic Front Party, who are reported to have attempted to block a roadshow for the opposition United Party for National Development Party.

“In the same vein, I wish to strongly condemn the conduct of the patriotic front cadres who attempted to block the roadshow of the united party for national development (UPND) yesterday during their road show. Violence shall not be entertained regardless of who is involved,” he said.