augustine

LAZ says police not doing enough to stop political violence

2015-03-03T10:20:00.001-08:00

The law association of Zambia (LAZ) has observed that police are not doing enough to stop political violence in the country.

laz president George chisanga says it is the duty of police to arrest perpetrators of crimes regardless of their political affiliation.

Mr Chisanga says police can do better than they are doing now.

Turkey-Zambia Business Council to be formed

2015-02-27T02:07:00.003-08:00

the Zambian Mission in Turkey has initiated discussions with the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK) for the establishment of the Turkey-Zambia Business Council.

Once established, the Turkey-Zambia Business Council will enhance economic relations between the two countries.

Zambia’s Ambassador to Turkey Miriam Mulenga and DEIK President Omer Cihad Vardan have both stressed urgent need for the two countries to work out modalities of setting up the Turkey-Zambia Business Council to give impetus to the growth of economic relations.

Speaking during a consultative meeting with Mr Vardan in Istanbul yesterday, Ambassador Mulenga pointed out that Zambia is eager to see the Turkey-Zambia Business Council established as this would strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

Ambassador Mulenga says Zambia want to tap into Turkey’s economic prowess in the various sectors of the economy and is therefore keen to have the Turkey-Zambia Business Council functional, to serve as a catalyst of leveraging investment and trade opportunities in which the private sector would play a leading role.

Establishment of the Turkey-Zambia Business Council is in line with Turkey’s Foreign Policy towards Africa, based on improving and developing political, economic, commercial, and cultural interaction with African countries.

JCTR not happy with continued wastage of national resources.

2015-02-27T00:29:00.001-08:00

Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections JCTR has expressed sadness that resource wastage has continued in public service.

In commending the Zambian government for increasing the number of audits from 138 in 2012 to 143 in 2013, JCTR says it is unfortunate that in a nation where poverty is rife resources are squandered.

" The Auditor General’s Report shows that there is an increase in misapplication of funds, irregular payments, and undelivered materials, over payments, unaccounted for funds and unaccounted for stores" says the centre.

"the total funds mismanaged as a result of above mentioned issues amount to K177, 084,735 as compared to 2012, were it was K88,303,735 that was mismanaged as a result of misapplication of funds, irregular payments, and undelivered materials, over payments, unaccounted for funds and unaccounted for stores", notes jctr.

It says there seems to be a reduction in terms of funds lost due to Unaccounted for Revenue, Wasteful expenditure in the 2013 report as compared to the 2012 report.

JCTR says it is depressing to notice that every year the
AGR report continue to record huge sums lost due to poor management of public funds.

Zambia -Tanzania agree to work on TAZARA's detriorated balance sheet.

2015-02-26T04:26:00.002-08:00

Zambia and Tanzania have agreed to continue working on the balance sheet of tazara whose asset base has deteriorated and made it less attractive to private investors.

In a communique the two countries have also re-affirmed their commitment to meeting their respective government's financial obligation to tazara after noting that the company has suffered from lack of investment and re-capitalisation.
The two countries noting the poor performance of tazara due to under-utilisation of the railway infrastructure and monopolisation of the railway services have resolved to engage other operators on the need for to have the infrastructure utilised.

those earmarked for engagement are zambia railways, SNCC of congo DR and tanzania railways.

They have also resolved that the managing director and his deputy should be appointed on merit, competence, qualification and experience basis within a month.

Two countries have also agreed to restructure the railway line and expedite the review of the tazara act in order to put in place an optimal structure
zambia's foreign affairs minister harry kalaba who disclosed this during a media briefing in Lusaka today says the resolutions were made during a visit of Tanzanian president jakaya kikwete.

Mr kalaba further says president kikwete has since invited president edgar lungu to visit his country

$300million expected to be invested in nansanga farm block

2015-02-26T01:17:00.000-08:00

the zambia development agency expects about $300million worthy of investment in the 110,000 hectares nansanga farming block.

zda acting director general henry sakala said nansanga in central, luena in luapula and lusuwashi farm blocks on the copperbelt province are part of government diversification programme.
mr sakala said government expects that once the farm block is developed, local people will benefit through employment and access to various out-grower scheme companies among other things.

‘’so far over 350 zambians have offered land and are likely to benefit from the outgrowers scheme which government has set up in the area” said mr sakala

Nansanga farm block is a 110,000 ha land located in Serenje District.

The majority of the people currently settled in the Nansanga Farm Block area are small scale producers who will be resettled and allocated between 30-50 hectares of land.
The Core Venture will be the centre for industrial development of the area as it will provide the marketing thrust by purchasing the major products in the farm block and adding value for local and export markets.

Lusaka High Court adjourns an inter parte appeal hearing of Zambezi Resources 100% owned Kangaluwi Copper Project in the Lower Zambezi National Park until 5 March 2014.

2014-02-19T01:54:00.000-08:00

The Lusaka High Court has adjourned an inter parte appeal hearing of Zambezi Resources 100% owned Kangaluwi Copper Project in the Lower Zambezi National Park until 5 March 2014.

The appeal was lodged on 6 February 2014, at which time a stay of execution was granted on an ex parte basis that temporarily prevented Mwembeshi Resources Limited (MRL), a subsidiary of Zambezi, from commencing operations on the site.

The appeal was listed for hearing on 18 February 2014, having been lodged by an applicant group representing various organisations associated with the environmental movement.

The group is appealing against the Zambian Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection's decision to allow the Kangaluwi Copper Project to proceed in the upper escarpment area of the Lower Zambezi National Park.

The Zambian Government is the first respondent, with Mwembeshi Resources Limited (MRL) as second respondent in this matter.

The adjournment was granted at the request of the Attorney General on behalf of the Government on the basis that the appellants had failed to serve the court papers on him, as they were obliged to do .

The appellants' legal representative also sought an adjournment. Accordingly, the stay of execution was also extended until the adjourned hearing on 5 March 2014.

PPAZ to spend 1million kwacha in training 250 safe motherhood personnels to carry out a 3years project

2014-02-12T00:50:00.003-08:00

Planned Parenthood association of Zambia (PPAZ) plans to spend 1million kwacha to train 250health personnel’s in the country that will carry out a three years health project under the organization.

PPAZ executive director edfold mutuma says his organization and the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) have been running a three years safe motherhood programme which came to an end last year.

Mr. mutuma says the three years project which PPAZ will embark on is a continuation from the previous programme whose aims was to provide safe mother hood to communities in various parts of the country.

He says PPAZ together with JOICFP will restart the project and will continue to construct three more safe motherhood maternity houses and train safe motherhood groups in Mpongwe, lufwanya and solwezi.

Mr. mutuma says PPAZ has however not concluded its action plan and is still to expand to other areas where safe motherhood services are needed in collaboration with the communities.

Standard Chartered Private Equity the Investment Division Of Standard Chartered Bank Commits A Further $15million To Existing Portfolio Company And Bank Client, Afri-Fresh Group Limited.

2014-02-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

Standard Chartered Private Equity The Investment Division Of Standard Chartered Bank Has Committed A Further $15million Equivalent To 150 Million Kwacha To Existing Portfolio Company And Bank Client, Afri-Fresh Group Limited.

The Capital Injection Follows Standard Chartered Private Equity (Scpe)’S Initial $20 Million Equity Investment Made In February 2011 To Fund The Company’s Expansion Program.

The Bank Says Afri-Fresh Is A Leading Southern African Agricultural Company With Operations Spread Across South Africa And Zimbabwe, And A Global Reach Spanning 54 Export Markets.

The 250 Million Kwacha Project Currently Employs Over 200 Members Of The Local Community, And Is A Unique Partnership Between Afri-Fresh, The Industrial Development Corporation And The Community.

PPAZ calls for the dissolution of NAC

2014-02-11T23:57:00.001-08:00

^{PLANNED PARENTHOOD ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA (PPAZ) HAS
CALLED FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL AIDS COUNCIL (NAC) FOR FAILING TO
ADDRESS VARIOUS HEALTH ISSUES WHICH COULD HAVE MADE THE COUNTRY ATTAIN THE
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS NUMBER 4, 5 AND 6 BY 2015.}

^{IN 2012, AN ESTIMATED 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE WERE NEWLY
INFECTED WITH HIV REPRESENTING ABOUT 33PERCENT LESS THAN THE 3.4 MILLION PEOPLE
NEWLY INFECTED IN 2001.}

^{SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ACCOUNTED FOR 70PERCENT OF ALL THE
PEOPLE WHO ACQUIRED HIV INFECTION GLOBALLY.}

^{PPAZ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EDFORD MUTUMA SAYS TERMINATING
THE CONTRACT OF THE NAC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DR CLEMENT CHELLAH IS NOT THE ONLY
THING GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO,BUT CAN ALSO CONSTITUTE A BOARD WHICH WOULD BE
ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED.}

^{LAST WEEK THE NATIONAL AIDS COUNCIL (NAC) BOARD
TERMINATED THE CONTRACT OF SUSPENDED DIRECTOR GENERAL, CLEMENT CHELLAH.}

^{AND DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PLANNING, ELIZABETH
CHOSENI, HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO ACT AS DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL AIDS
COUNCIL UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.}

Tourism and Arts minister sylvia masebo and Council Churches in Zambia reject lands minister Harry kalaba'S decision to mining in the lower zambezi.

2014-02-11T23:52:00.002-08:00

The ministry of tourism and arts is against the decision by the ministry of lands, environment and natural resources to issue a mining license to an Australian investor, mwembeshi resources under the parent name of Zambezi resources in the lower Zambezi.

According to the submission made to the parliamentary Committee on tourism and arts minister Sylvia masebo the ministry feels that the mine project should not go ahead because it will put the existence of the lower Zambezi national nation park at risk.

MS masebo says the mine which will occupy about 25percent will also reduce the tourism revenue earnings which benefit government and the local people in the area adding that government risks losing safari fees amounting to over 84million kwacha and photographic revenue amounting to over 9million kwacha.

She says the ministry of tourism and arts follows a policy of sustainable tourism and granting of mining sights to Zambezi resources limited goes against the principle of sustainable tourism.

MS masebo says the ministry’s considered view is that the ministry of lands, natural resources and environmental protection reconsiders its decision to allow mining activities in the lower Zambezi national park.

She further says the important steps were ignored in that the basis for the issuance of the 25years mining license is not clearly known and the license was issued before the environmental impact assessment process was completed.

And ms masebo says plans to declare the lower Zambezi as a world heritage site may not materialize and this mighty lead to an unprecedented campaign against Zambia’s tourism which is a key sector in diversifying the economy.

Last week the media was turned away from covering ms masebo’s presentation to the parliamentary committee on lands’ tourism and environment of her ministry’s position over the matter.

And the council of churches in Zambia (CCZ) has advised government to stop making the environmental management agency (ZEMA) irreverent on environment issues.

CCZ general secretary reverend Suzanne matale says ZEMA has professionals who are capable preserving the environment hence government should learn to listen to the professional advice given on environmental issues.

Reverend matale has also called on the government to put into consideration displacement issues in the kangaluwe mine project which it has given to an Australian investor mwembeshi resources under the parent name of Zambezi river.

reverand matale has advised government use the kalubila mine case as a reference point on which to deal with displacement issues

3 guinean nabbed by the zambian immigration department for illegal entry

2014-01-08T00:16:00.003-08:00

The Department of Immigration in Chinsali on Saturday, 4^th January, 2014 arrested 3 Guinean nationals for entering the country illegally.

The trio was intercepted at an immigration check point after it was discovered there were no entry or exit endorsements in their Guinean passports.

They are currently in detention at Chinsali State Prison pending prosecution.

Meanwhile, A Zimbabwean at Chirundu border control has been arrested for illegal entry. In Luapula Province 3 Congolese men and a Rwandese were arrested at Nchelenge and Kaputa Immigration controls respectively for illegal entry and illegal stay.

A further 2 Congolese men were also arrested at Matanda Immigration Control for the same offence.

In other developments, in Isoka 2 Congolese nationals were arrested for illegal entry.

The Kasama Regional Immigration Office also removed 2 Burundese nationals via Nsumbu border control for illegal stay. Meanwhile, in Chingola 2 Congolese women were arrested for illegal entry.

In Nakonde, 8 Congolese nationals were refused entry into Zambia when they attempted to enter using inappropriate travel documents.

An Egyptian was also refused entry into Zambia by immigration officers at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport when he failed to satisfy entry requirements.

Tanzanian airline fast jet comes to zambia

2014-01-08T00:13:00.004-08:00

Tanzanian airline, fast jet airlines, plans to establish its airline base in Zambia after it concludes its discussions with the Zambian government.

Meanwhile fast jet airlines will start a twice-a-week flight into Lusaka from dare-es-salaam in Tanzania from the 1^st of February 2014.

The airline which was established on the 29^th of November 2012 in Tanzania and flies 3-times a week to Johannesburg from dare-es-salaam is also planning to start flying to Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe apart from Zambia.

And fast jet chief commercial officer Richard bodin has observed that Zambia is a strong commercially driven economy and the airline plans to grow its flight services as it continues to operate in the country.

Mr. bodin says the move to establish an airline base in Zambia was prompted at the fact that there is a heavy traffic and trade between Zambia and Tanzania and this is seen as a good business opportunity.

He says close to 100people in Zambia will be employed when the base is established.

$4Billion needed by 2030 to improve water and sanitation sector-NWASCO

2013-12-20T23:24:00.002-08:00

the national water supply and sanitation council says the total investment needed for the sector for 2011 to 2030 stands at 4 billion united states dollars in order to attain a universal coverage of water supply and 90 percent coverage of sanitation.

according to nwasco communications and public relations manager rose tembo, currently 75 million euros from the european investment bank meant for chingola, chililabombwe and mufulira, $63 million from african development bank meant for kitwe and kalulushi and $25 million from japanese international corporation agency meant for ndola has already been invested.

ms tembo says 11 million dollars from the germany bank kfw is meant for eastern province ,85 million dollars from danida is meant for kafubu, 355 million dollars from mcc is meant for lusaka and the rest from government funds has already been invested.

she says further at the current level of investment in the sector of about 2 percent of the national budget to the water sector, the country is only likely to have a metering ratio of 100percent after 2022.

ms tembo says by addressing non revenue water and ensuring universal metering, other efficiency gains will accrue to the commercial utilities such as increase in hours of water supply and may also result in extra funds that can be used on other demands.

Mutati demands for the budget act to be sent to parley for further review

2013-12-20T23:19:00.004-08:00

former commerce minister felix mutati has called on the patriotic front government to take the budget act to parliament in the next sitting for further review.

Mr. mutati says reviewing the act will allow adequate participation of law makers on issues such as internal and external borrowing.

mr. mutati who is also mmd lunte member of parliament says at the moment the budget has loopholes which does not allow zambians through their members of parliament to criticize when government is making certain decision such as borrowing.

he says parliament must be given an opportunity to question government as to why it is borrowing adding that this will also bring about accountability and transparency in the manner government borrows.

and Mr. mutati has described the year 2013 as difficult one in terms of economic governance for the ruling patriotic front.

he says the pf has made a number of blunders and this has made it difficult to reach targeted economic performance and improvement

lukanga water and sewerage company needs a total investment of about $218 million by 2030

2013-12-20T23:15:00.002-08:00

lukanga water and sewerage company needs a total investment of about $218 million for it to start providing adequate services by 2030.

lukanga water and sewerage company board chairperson vernon chinene says the company has however broken it down into a five year business plan from 2013 to 2017 which amounts to $26.6 million comprising both development investment and operational investments.

mr. chinene says while the company waits for the fruition of some of the business proposals to materialize, it has purchased four thousand meters using internal resources.

he says the company is embarking on 100percent metering of all its customers in an effort to reduce non revenue water which currently is at 48percent and also carrying out pipe location activities and mapping of its entire network, starting with kabwe.

mr. chinene says lukanga water has realized the need to integrate investment and business planning into operations and this has resulted in the company to categorize investments into development investment and operational investment dealing with capital or infrastructure investment and efficiency improvement interventions respectively.

he says the investments are intended to meet immediate needs towards achieving a high level of customer satisfaction, service quality, and efficiency and enhanced access to water supply and sanitation services.

meanwhile mr. chinene says among the successes recorded in 2013 is the sector ranking improvement from the 6th position in the sector report for 2011/2012 to fifth position in the 2012/2013 reporting period even though the improvement might be slight, but it is proof that the company is moving in the right direction.

the lukanga water and sewerage company board chairperson made these remarks during the official makululu water supply project commissioning held yesterday in kabwe.

and central province minister obvious mwaliteta has applauded the devolution trust fund (dtf) for having provided the funds amounting to one million and fifty three thousand kwacha for the project to succeed.

mr. mwaliteta says government appreciates such concerted efforts from cooperating partners and other stakeholders who are helping it to work towards the attainment of the millennium development goals in terms of reducing the number of people without access to water and sanitation.

he says government is not just ending at water supply provision, but is going further in ensuring that people also access proper sanitation as the old adage says, “water is life, sanitation is dignity.

mr. mwaliteta has further warned individuals who are retrogressive or may have intentions of perpetrating vandalism, the pf government does not condon such vices and anyone who will be found guilty of having stolen or vandalized any of the water infrastructures will be brought to book.

the makululu water project which is in bwacha constituency in kabwe of central province has constructed 20 water kiosks in 5 different wards of chililalila, makanda nyama, makululu, moomba and zambezi wards replacing the 23 stands taps which were operational before the project translates into 80 taps.

before the project, there were only 20 yard connections, but with the project, an additional 100 yard connections have been made for those along the service lines.

a total of 7.26 kilometres of pipe network has been rehabilitated reducing water leakages and water loss in the area.

26 tanzania men nabbed for unlawful stay

2013-12-16T05:43:00.002-08:00

The Department of Immigration in Lusaka on Sunday, 15^th December, 2013 arrested 26 Tanzanian men for unlawful stay.

This was in an operation which targeted Chilenje, Kabwata, COMESA and North-Mead Markets.

immigration department public relation officer namti nshinka says The 26 hairdressers who usually operate from saloons and from customers’ homes on request did not have any permits or travel documents at the time of arrest.

Mr nshinka says the Department intends to prosecute them.

He says A Congolese pastor was also arrested during the same operation. Mr nshinka says Pastor Ilunga Tshibanda, 42 is believed to have been working as a Pastor at Grace Deliverance Church in Garden Compound without an Employment permit contrary to the Immigration and Deportation Act number 18 of 2010

Meanwhile, mr nshinka has disclosed that the Magistrate Court in Solwezi has convicted and sentenced a Namibian truck driver to a fine of 4,000kwacha or in default 6 months simple imprisonment for failing to appear before an Immigration Officer.

He says the Magistrate Court in Mwinilunga has also convicted and sentenced a Congolese national to a fine of 800 plus 1 year prison sentence suspended for 1 year for forging a Zambian National Registration Card number 293438/53/1 bearing the names ‘Andrew Banda’.

In other developments, mr nshinka says the Magistrate Court in Lusaka has convicted and sentenced a Ugandan traditional doctor to a fine of K 500 for unlawful stay.

He says Nakiwu Allen, 31 who was arrested on 24^th November, 2013 at her home in Libala near Katungu was removed from Zambia on Saturday, 14^th December, 2013 after paying the fine.

The Department through Mr. nshinka has warned hair salon owners who employ foreign hairdressers who do not have the necessary permits to desist from doing so as it is illegal.

He has also warned members of the public who invite the illegal Immigrants to plait their hair from their homes to immediately stop because this is a serious immigration offence which is punishable under the Immigration and Deportation Act.

The department through mr nshinka has also appealed to the public to continue reporting the presence of suspected illegal immigrants as this will assist the Department to rid the Country of illegal immigrants.

Zambian Gov't spent 4billion kwacha on road accidents in 2012 ---Mukanga

2013-12-16T05:33:00.002-08:00

Government has disclosed that last year it spent about 4billion kwacha on road accidents.

And government has applauded the road and safety agency for enforcing section 160 of the road traffic act number 11 of 2002 which provides for weekend imprisonment relating to drinking and drinking by taking about 500cases to the fast track court.
Transport, works, supply and communications minister yamfwa mukanga says 89percent of accidents are caused by human errors and drinking and driving.
Mr. Mukanga says the country records about 1200 deaths per month due to drank and driving.
He says impaired judgement due to drink and driving resulted in most road fatalities.
Mr. Mukanga says there is need for motorists to reflect on drinking and driving during this festival season to avoid any fatalities.
He also says on average one pedestrian is knocked down on Kafue road due to carelessness or being drunk.
Mr. Mukanga says government is concerned with road accidents and would like this situation to be addressed urgently.

And road and safety agency chief executive director zindaba soko says the agency is demanding road discipline during the festival period.
Mr. soko says the Agency will not hesitate to punish those flaunting the road laws.
The agency through Mr. soko has also applauded parliament for throwing out the motion which wanted to reverse the decision on weekend imprisonment from the opposition.
He has also called on the corporate entities to take matter of road carnages seriously to avoid fatal accidents.
Mr. soko says the agency will be on the lookout for this period and ensure that they enforce the law adequately

TAZARA board approves budget

2013-12-16T05:30:00.002-08:00

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) Board of Directors has approved TAZARA’s new five-year strategic plan for 2013 – 2018, with an indicative budget outlay of $211.0 million from which $177.0 million will be applied on the enhancement of capacity in critical areas of operations.

As directed by the shareholding governments of Tanzania and Zambia, the Strategic Plan has for the first time underpinned private sector participation in the Authority’s operations, with at least 15% of investment funds initially expected to be sourced through strategic partnerships with willing customers and other stakeholders.

Other funds are to be sourced from internally generated revenues and shareholder support, including loans obtained by the two shareholding governments from the government of the People’s Republic of China through the Protocols of Economic and Technical Co-operation.

At meetings held in Lusaka, Zambia, on 5^th and 6^th December 2013, chaired by Mrs. Charity Kaande Ngoma, who is the Permanent Secretary responsible for Transport in Zambia, the Board of Directors endorsed management’s strategic intent to actively engage stakeholders in order to meet TAZARA’s critical requirements for both re-capitalisation and working capital.

“Now that the framework has been approved, we shall immediately embark on discussions with strategic partners in order to quickly secure sufficient investment funding for key needy areas of operations,” said the Acting Managing Director of TAZARA, Eng. Ronald Phiri.

From the US$211.0 million budget outlay, US$90.0 million is to be spent on rehabilitation, repairs and purchase of rolling stock, including locomotives, wagons and coaches, whilst US$64.0 million will go towards infrastructure development, US$22.0 million towards human resource development and US$1.0 million towards the upgrade of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) profile.

Given the addition of the already acquired six new locomotives to the fleet in 2013 and the other four new locomotives expected in 2014 under the 15^th Protocol of Economic and Technical Co-operation, the plan envisages a wide traffic growth path from the annual tonnage of 480,000 tonnes in 2013, gradually rising up to 1.5 million tonnes by 2018.

With such an increase in traffic volumes, the annual revenue is projected to proportionately grow from US$48.0 million in 2013 to US$122.0 million in 2018.

At the Lusaka meeting, the Acting Managing Director informed the Board of Directors, who included members from both Tanzania and Zambia, that due to many years of insufficient recapitalization, TAZARA was suffering from serious capacity constraints, which made it difficult to develop business to sustainable levels despite the abundant availability of large volumes of imports, exports as well as local traffic throughout the year.

Eng. Phiri said the Strategic Plan had reviewed issues and challenges the Authority encountered in the last five years and prescribed what needed to be done to increase capacity and, therefore, improve performance over the next five years.

“Having considered the important issues that need addressing in the next five years, we firmly believe that great prospects are in sight,” said Eng. Phiri, who noted that funding for investment in the development and maintenance of the railway infrastructure had been the least prioritized area in the past.

On 13^th November 2013 in Dar es Salaam, the TAZARA Council of Ministers, which is the highest policy organ of TAZARA, directed the Board of Directors and Management to work out a framework for incorporating private sector participation in the Authority’s operations and future investment plans.

The Council of Ministers had observed that both the Tanzanian and Zambian Governments were increasingly finding it difficult to justify the continued putting of tax-payers’ money into TAZARA, when infact the Authority had the potential to not only be self-sustaining but declaring dividends as well.

279 186 grade 7pupils pass to grade 8 with luapula recording 100percent pass rate

2013-12-13T05:29:00.001-08:00

A total number of 279 186 grade seven pupils who sat for the exams have been selected to proceed to grade 8 with luapula province recording a hundred percent pass rate.

However 2013 has recorded a high rate of absenteeism of about 11.30percent compared to 2012 which stood at 9.85percent with western province and central continuing to record the highest at 14.80percent and 15.23percent respectively.

According to education minister Dr John Phiri the 279 186 pupils who have passed where selected from a total number of 312 443candidates who sat for exams and 161 276 were boys and 151 167 being girls.

Dr Phiri says all the girls who sat for the exams in western province and eastern provinces were selected into grade 8, while luapula province was the only one with a 100percent progression rate for both boys and girls.

He has also disclosed that 2013 recorded only 1malpratice and the case is under investigation and the results for the pupil from eastern province have been withheld.

Dr Phiri who disclosed this during the official announcement of grade seven results in Lusaka today at his office says the year 2013 recorded a 4.31 percent increment in the number of candidates entering for the grade 7examinations as compared to 2012 with girls standing at 6percent.

Meanwhile Dr Phiri has directed all provincial education officers to inform and ensure that all head teachers desist from enrolling under-age children for examinations, failure to which their schools risk losing examinations centre status.

He says the directive is a result of the fact that certain schools are enrolling under age children and allowing children to skip some of the grades to sit the grade 7 examinations earlier than they are supposed to.

cheap imported products have killed the manufacturing industry-siamunene

2013-12-13T02:02:00.000-08:00

Deputy Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Richwell Siamunene has observed that cheap imported products, mostly from European countries, were responsible for the collapse of the manufacturing industry in Zambia.

Mr. Siamunene noted that the Zambian market has been flooded with cheap and poor quality imported products that were affordable to the consumers.

He said this has however led to the collapse of the local manufacturing factories.

The Deputy Minister was speaking in Ndola in the Copperbelt province yesterday shortly after he toured Excel Textile Zambia Limited that recently shut down production due to lack of market for its products.

Excel Textile Zambia Limited of Ndola, which has been operating in Zambia since1994, shut down production this year leaving approximately 350 people without jobs.

The textile company has all the state of the art machinery to make tents for all occasion, bed sheets and mutton clothes but has been crippled because all its clients have opted to import similar products
from outside Zambia.

Mr. Siamunene charged that the tendency by Zambian consumers to prefer foreign products over the locally produced goods has contributed greatly to the demise of not only Excel Textile but even other manufacturing companies in Zambia.

He expressed dismay that machinery worth millions of Kwacha at Excel Textile Zambia limited was not being used to benefit the country.

He stated that government will seek measures to ensure that local manufacturing industries were promoted as they play a critical role in the creation of decent and permanent jobs for local people.

The deputy minister also appealed to the public to consider buying local products as a way of empowering local companies and help create jobs for their fellow Zambians.

Mr. Siamunene said government will direct ministries and government departments to be procuring local products and not foreign products so that local manufacturing companies can have market from within the company.

He has since pledged that he would direct the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) to thoroughly inspect and certify all goods entering the country so that Zambia is not used as a dumping ground.

He said although ZBS has of late been in action, it needed to step up its efforts so that all imported poor quality products on the Zambian market are wiped out.

And Excel Textile Zambia Limited Manager Ravi Patel disclosed that over US$5 million has been invested into the machinery which is just laying idle in the factory.

Mr. Patel said his company has the capacity to make tents that could be used for all occasions but cheap imported products that enter the Zambian market have disadvantage Excel Textile as the consumers have preferred cheap poor quality tents.

At the time of the tour yesterday, the company premises had no workers except for the security personnel who are guarding the equipment.

Earlier, the Deputy Minister of Commerce and his team toured Pick ‘N’ Pay at Jacaranda Mall in Ndola and met management there.

Mr. Siamunene and the team from the Zambia Weights and Measures Agency conducted an inspection and weighed some products to see if their weights were accurate.

And the team also inspected Kobil Filling Station where it was discovered that one machine was under filling by about 20mls and immediately closed the machine awaiting calibration so that it could fill correct measures of fuel to customers.

pope francis expresses deep concern over human trafficking

2013-12-13T01:00:00.000-08:00

Pope Francis the sixteenth says he is deeply troubled by the scourge of human trafficking because it threatens the very dignity of humanity.

Pope Francis says Human trafficking is a true form of slavery and it is a reality that affects the most vulnerable in society such as women of all ages, children, the handicapped, the poorest and all those who come from broken families and from difficult situations.

The pontiff has stated that there is need for everybody to employ their energies so that these women, men and children can be freed, thus putting an end to this horrible trade.

He has regretted that in this age, the world still had millions of people who are victims of forced labour and human trafficking for purposes of manual work and sexual exploitation adding that this cannot continue because it constitutes a grave violation of human rights of those victimized.

Pope Francis says human trafficking is an offence against their dignity as a well as a defeat for the worldwide community and a crime against humanity.

He has called on the world over to unite with a shared responsibility and firmer political will to gain victory on this front

Pope Francis said this when he received credentials to the newly appointed Zambia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Paul lumbi to the Holy and 16 other diplomats at the Vatican.

And In his audience with Ambassador Lumbi, Pope Francis appealed to Zambia to continue its constructive role in the international community and specifically singled out human trafficking as a prevalent scourge the country must help to combat.

Meanwhile Ambassador Lumbi informed the Pope that President Michael Chilufya Sata, is exceedingly appreciative of the role the Catholic Church was playing in promoting human dignity in the world.

Ambassador Lumbi, who is also Zambia High Commissioner to United Kingdom and Ireland, was accompanied to the Vatican by his wife Hilda, Second Secretary Beatrice Mukuka

Gov't calls for Munali constituency, foxdale area land audit

2013-11-26T02:36:00.001-08:00

Government through the ministry of lands in collaboration with the ministry of chiefs and traditional affairs has ordered a quick land audit to be carried on fox dale area in Lusaka’s munali constituency immediately.

Lands minister harry Kalaba and his counterpart at the ministry of chiefs and traditional affairs professor nkandu luo called for the audit today when they toured the area which has been embroiled in land wrangles due to displacement and illegal land allocation.

Mr. Kalaba says government will not let the situation get out of hand but will ensure that all people involved in illegal land allocation are brought to book.

He says it is unbecoming for indeginious people to get displaced each and every day from their land by a few selfish individuals and this situation needs urgent attention especially in traditional lands.

Mr. Kalaba says there is need to take a quick audit of the land in fox dale area of Lusaka and the number of indeginious people so that a solution can be found quickly.

And professor luo says there is need for people living on the various lands to turn their natural resources into viable economic resources legally instead of engaging themselves in illegal allocation.

Professor Luo who is also munali constituency PF Member of Parliament says it due to illegal land allocation which has resulted in her ministry to start engaging various traditional leaders so that the best solution to the problem can be found.

Meanwhile some of the displaced people in the area have complained of over the situation and called on their area member of parliament to sort out people in the area who are selling land illegally.

western province permanent secretary suspends four civil servants for get involved in barotse protest.

2013-08-18T06:09:00.002-07:00

Western Province Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Mwamba has with immediate effect suspended four civil servants that were involved in last week’s Barotse Protest.

The four involved a Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), public prosecutor Muleta Kalaluka from Mongu, Community Development Officer, Mutaba Mutaba and District Works Supervisor, Lawrence Mukena.

The Permanent Secretary has also suspended a teacher from Sioma Secondary School; Masialeti Masiye in whose house the so called Administrator General Afumba Mombotwa made a video of the swearing ceremony and address.

On August 14^th 2013, Linyungandambo Chairperson, Afumba Mombotwa who is currently on the run together with his co-conspirators is alleged to have circulated a video depicting him to be sworn in as Administrator General of Barotseland.

The so called swearing-in video of Mombotwa which was shot in Sioma was made available on the internet blog sites, the Barotse Post and Barotse Radio on 15^th August 2013.

The four suspended officials are among the 45 protestors that were arrested on the 15^th August 2013, following the circulation of the so called swearing-in-ceremony.

Of the forty five (45), nine (9) were arrested from Mongu and another nine (9) were arrested in Senanga while the twenty seven (27) were arrested in Kalabo following a synchronised public demonstration.

The 45 are members are mostly members of the Linyungandambo association.

Police confiscated banners, Linyungandambo Identity Cards, fliers, CDS and other documentation.

Mr. Mwamba has warned that Linyungandambo with its associated groupings are illegal with no formal government registration adding that any activity being conducted by the group was illegal.

He has also warned local radio stations not to publish or aide in the production of illegal and subversive material.

Mr. Mwamba says it was clear that after Afumba Mombotwa shot his video at Sioma Secondary School, the seditious video was processed and uploaded in a studio in Mongu.

He says these activities undermined the security and peace of the province, and that government would not hesitate to shut down any entity promoting and circulating the material.

And Mr. Mwamba has stated that government was aware that the financiers and architects of the protests were using innocent young men and sponsoring the protests.

He has warned that government will track down and prosecute whoever was involved in the inimical activities.

Mr mwamba has however stated that the province was calm and the conduct of ordinary business was going on without disruption or incidences adding that the isolated but planned seditious and subversive activities will not deter government’s commitment to Western Province.

He says Western Province was enjoying unprecedented government attention with the area benefitting from some of the largest infrastructure development in the country.

The western province controlling officer has also stated that government was enjoying warm and cordial relations with the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) and all other ethnic groupings. He said that Western Province consists of 38 ethnic groupings most of them enjoying distinct culture and language.

Mr Mwamba has stated that it was government’s determination to promote the co existence and unity among all groups in the province.

Those arrested are held at Mongu Remand Prison and are expected to appear in Court on Monday 19^th August 2013.

They include, Siisi Simasiku a retired police officer.

Also arrested is the oldest man Mubita Mubita aged 80 years.Others are Kalaluka Muleta, Mubiana Mubita.

Police also arrested Linyungandambo Secretary, Etambuyu Akapelwa.

standard chartered bank zambia appoints andrew okai as new chief executive officer

2013-08-13T00:45:00.000-07:00

Standard Chartered has appointed Mr. Andrew Okai as CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in Zambia.

Mr okai is currently Head of Consumer Banking at Standard Chartered Bank in Ghana, where he led a significant improvement in business performance, doubling the consumer bank’s operating profit and winning the Bank’s Global Consumer Banking Award for Best Business Performance in 2012.

Mr okai brings valuable expertise from both wholesale and consumer banking, having worked in Ghana, South Africa and Hong Kong.

Prior to running consumer banking in Ghana, Andrew was Regional Head of Banks for Transaction Banking, Africa, based in Johannesburg, where he oversaw the successful integration of Standard Chartered’s acquisition of American Express Bank.

Before this, mr okai was in Hong Kong, where he coordinated the Bank’s “Out serve” Programme, which led to significant improvements in service delivery and secured the Hong Kong Industry Awards for Service Excellence.

Mr okai’s outstanding talent was identified early on in his banking career, when he was appointed a member of the ‘Emerging Leaders’ campaign sponsored by Standard Chartered’s Group Chief Executive.

he also chairs the Board of the Donewell Life Company Limited, a life insurance company in Ghana.

Mr okai holds Masters degrees in Business Administration and Food Processing Technology and is also a Full Member of The Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland.

Mr. Okai will take up his new role on 1 September and will only be permanently based in Zambia once the work permit has been issued.

Commenting on the appointment, Michael Mundashi SC, Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank Zambia said: “I am delighted to announce Mr. Andrew Okai’s appointment as the new CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Zambia.

Mr okai is a very talented individual with extensive experience in the banking sector.

Having worked for Standard Chartered Bank for over 15 years, Andrew brings a vast amount of knowledge to our great local team - we are looking forward to him leading the Bank to even greater heights”.

ZAMTEL completes USD4million livingstone investment

2013-08-13T00:27:00.000-07:00

Zamtel has completed its USD 4 million Livingstone investment and is on schedule to hand over free internet hotspots to all official UNWTO venues and hotels ahead of the conference.

Livingstone has effectively become the first city in the country to benefit from Zamtel’s latest high speed internet services using the optic fibre network technology.

As an official UNWTO communications partner, Zamtel is providing free internet access to delegates through virtual hotspots set up at all approved hotels and other strategic institutions such as the airport and conference secretariat.

The free internet access offer is limited to the duration of the UNWTO general assembly and beneficiary institutions includes David Livingstone, Sun International, Courtyard, Falls way Lodge, Chrismar and Protea Hotels.

Others are Harry Mwanga Nkumbula Airport and the One Stop Shop (UNWTO Secretariat).

In February, Zamtel prioritized the upgrade of telecommunication infrastructure in Livingstone in order to provide reliable and high quality services during and after the UNWTO general assembly taking place this August.

The company focused on two major capital projects namely: Expansion of the 3G Mobile Network Coverage using Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G ready Mobile Baste Stations and installation of the Fiber to the home, office, cabinet and business.

Under the 2G/3G/LTE Mobile Network coverage and expansion project, Zamtel has deployed 22 new coverage and expansion sites in and around Livingstone, increasing capacity in the tourist capital by more than twofold.

As a consequence of these two projects in Livingstone, Zamtel has managed to connect 2G, 3G and LTE ready cell sites through fiber which has greatly increased internet access speeds for broadband services such as video streaming, mobile television and other value added services.

Additionally all passive copper cabinets have been replaced by active cabinets (MSAGs) which are fed by fiber under the FTTx project.

This has reduced the copper distance to clients by over 60 percent in most cases resulting in great improvement in ADSL internet throughput and quality.

At national level, Zamtel is currently running a fiber backbone network from Sesheke through Lusaka and Copperbelt to Solwezi.

Additionally, there are three branches running from Kapiri to Serenje, Lusaka to Mwembeshi and Lusaka to Rufunsa.

Besides the Fiber Backbone, Microwave (Radio) Backbones run to all provincial centres in the country.

To meet the increasing high capacity (bandwidth) demands for ICT services in Zambia, Zamtel plans to extend the current fiber backbone network to all provincial centers and districts across the country.

This project will largely benefit clients who require wide area network (WAN) interconnectivity across the country.

Projects such as E-Government aimed at interconnecting ministries and government agencies are expected to benefit from the countrywide National Fiber Backbone.

Zamtel shall have the largest fiber backbone network in the country once the National Backbone is deployed to all districts.

With this level of investment, Zamtel is hoping to turn Zambia into a virtual hotspot providing fast internet connectivity that is likely to spur rapid economic development through reliability internet connectivity.