Southern Province Minister Edify Hamukale says upgrading of the basic school at Katombora Reformatory, to a secondary school will help enhance security at the institution, as lads will no longer need to go outside Kazungula District for their secondary education.

Dr Hamukale said having a secondary school would also help to curb discrimination of juveniles by teachers and pupils which was prevalent in the past, when they had to go to other schools for their secondary education.

The Provincial Minister commended the Ministry of General Education for supplementing the efforts of the Zambia Correctional Service by upgrading the school from basic to secondary level.

Dr Hamukale said this in a speech read for him by Southern Province Permanent Secretary, Joyce Nsamba in Kazungula , at the conversion ceremony of Katombora Reformatory Basic to a secondary school.

He further said, as indicated in the Patriotic Front Manifesto, human capital development through education and skills training was instrumental for the transformation of the country.

“This is particularly so, given the global competitiveness, rapid advancements in technology and sustained demands for high productivity and performance. This does not leave lads behind as they are also part of our society,” he said.

Dr Hamukale reiterated that upgrade of the school would address the security and distance situation.

“It is therefore, our desire to ensure that you receive the best education whilst serving your sentences. It is my hope that you will use your time in this school with a lot of productivity,” he said.

And Zambia Correctional Service (ZCS), Commissioner General Chisela Chileshe called on the traditional leadership to support government as it delivered development to the area.

Dr . Chileshe said the support of the traditional leadership was needed if government projects in the area were to be actualized.

He said government had provided a lot of support to Katombora Reformatory School to ease their transport and other challenges.

Mr. Chileshe further said plans were underway to build specialized rooms at the school such as science laboratories and to turn the school into a boarding school in the near future.

And Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Masiye Banda said government was committed to reform the juveniles at the institution.

Mr. Banda said government also intended to decentralize reformatory schools so as to make the reform process of the lads more effective.

He said moving young people, who committed crimes to places that were far from their homes, had a negative impact on them as they were separated from their families for long periods.

Mr. Banda said it was in the interest of the juveniles to serve their sentences in places that were near their homes, so they did not get detached from their families.

And Southern Province Acting Provincial Education Officer Peggy Chilema said the school would not just benefit the lads, but the community as well.

Ms Chilema said specialised rooms such as science laboratories, home economics unit would soon be constructed at the school and teachers would be deployed to enhance manpower.

The International Federation of people living with Albinism and Blindness IFPAB President Pastor John Ngoma has refuted claims suggesting that about thirteen thousand people have been swindled money by the Federation.

Pastor Ngoma was reacting to a story that was aired on Znbc TV channel both on the main news at 19:00hrs and on its 20:00hrs news bulletins on 18 February 2021 alleging that the about thirteen thousand out of over thirty thousand members registered by the federation were swindled by the federation.

He said this in a statement made available to Zanis in Lusaka today.

“we have 30,000 members registered and no one has come forth with a complaint to the federation that they were swindled ,hence the allegations are not true and unfounded,” Pastor Ngoma said.

He wondered why ZNBC could not communicate with the federation to verify the issue before airing the story on television .

The organization has since given the national broadcaster ZNBC four days to apologies as failure to not doing so will attract legal action.

Pastor Ngoma claimed that that a crew entered the premises without permission and filmed the documents of the organization without seeking authority to the organization.

In a related development, the organization will provide educational support from primary to tertiary to children who do not have financial support in order to enhance equal access to education among

“ we have registered a number of students on the bursary program that we have given commitment letters and memorandum of understanding with various institutions of learning.

IFPAB is present in all the 10 provinces across the country with support from persons living with disabilities, old aged including able bodied men and women empowerment.

The Zambia Police Service in Rufunsa district have detained some suspects for unlawful possession of firearms, prohibited articles and suspected stolen motor vehicle.

Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo said police intercepted and apprehended Bright Machona aged 39 of Mabvuto close in parklands Kitwe who was driving a Toyota corolla, registration number ABE 1000 which appeared to have a folded number plate.

Ms Katonga said the suspect was apprehended on Friday 18, 2021 around 05:00 hours near fresh air area in Rufunsa.

“when we searched, the suspect was found with a shotgun, an air gun, two Kenwood radios, two Motorola radios of which one is mounted on the same vehicle, a blue police coat, one black police helmet, one police bullet vest, a teargas canister and a green military vest,” she said.

She said it was discovered that the engine number on the vehicle he was driving did not match with particulars on the motor vehicle documents.

Ms Kaongo said that the suspect is further reported to have failed to produce documents pertaining to the firearms, motor vehicle and an Identity Card to substantiate his claims that he is a police reserve and that he runs a security company.

In another development Police in Mafinga District of Muchinga Province, are looking for three suspects identified as Jailos Kafunda, James Mutambo and one other unknown person in connection with the murder of Feckson Mutambo aged 59 of Kakusa Village who is also village headman Kakusa.

Ms Katongo alleged that the murder occurred on February 19, 2021 around 18:00 hours in Kakusa Village, Chief Chifungwe of Mafinga District.

“According to the wife of the victim, Feedless Nangogo aged 46, her husband was hacked to death by his two Young brothers Jailos Kafunda, and James Mutambo and one unknown person all of Kakusa village and he sustained three deep cuts in the head as an axe is alleged to have been used in the act,” She said.

Ms Katongo further said on February 19, 2021 around 18:00 hours, the victim was home with his wife Feedless Nangogo who was preparing a meal while their Son Maybin Mutambo aged 22 was in the house.

She said the wife narrated that when she went in the house to get mealie meal leaving the now victim alone and later the victim’s suspects begun beating him then hacked him in the head using an axe.

Ms Katonga said the wife and son who went to his rescue were overpowered and in the process the wife was assaulted and sustained a swollen left hand and the suspects later fled and left the victim in a pool of blood in unconscious state.

She said the victim died on the way to the local clinic and arrangements are being made to transport body to Isoka District Hospital for postmortem.

Ms Katongo said the reason behind the murder is that the victim was being suspected to be behind the death of a family member who died in June 2020.

All the suspects are currently on the run and a manhunt has been launched.

Minister of Gender, Elizabeth Phiri, says government has embarked on empowerment programmes to enable both men and women to become economically independent as a way of fighting gender-based violence (GBV).

Ms. Phiri said empowerment programmes are aimed at ensuring that women and men are involved in productive activities that are going to sustain their lives.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS, Ms. Phiri said being independent will help reduce GBV cases in the country as women and men will be busy engaging in various productive activities.

“Our aim is to ensure that we empower especially the women so that they become independent and this will make them start reporting GBV cases and not shield the perpetrators,” she said.

She said both women and men should promote zero tolerance to all forms of violence in the country and work towards the eradication of traditional practices that are harmful to women and girls.

“That is why as government, we have come up with all sorts of empowerment programmes to benefit the vulnerable people in society because GBV cases are more rampant in rural areas,” she said.

The Minister of Gender further encouraging the women to participate in the empowerment programmes so that they can be productive and innovative.

She added that government is working hard to address the escalating number of GBV cases in the country.

“The increase in cases of GBV is an indication that people are lacking morals because if one is morally upright, he or she cannot kill another person,” she said.

Ms. Phiri observed that government cannot win the fight against GBV alone but needs the support of all stakeholders.

She said there is also need for spiritual intervention to act in the fight against GBV.

Ms. Phiri has since urged the church to pray and take an active role in the fight against GBV.

Luangwa District Commissioner Julius Sikasote has expressed worry that increased demand for timber for construction purposes may deplete the local forest reserves.

Mr. Sikasote said this demand has led to the increase in illegal cutting down of trees for timber production.

He has since cautioned Luangwa residents against engaging in illegal cutting down of trees and urged the Forestry department to enhance surveillance activities to curb the scourge.

Mr. Sikasote also said there was need to promote sensitization on the importance of preserving trees in the district.

The District Commissioner said the district can only sustain infrastructure development if the cutting down of trees is controlled and well managed.

And Luangwa District Forestry Officer Evans Simwanza said his department was working in collaboration with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to curb the illegal cutting down of trees for timber.

Mr. Simwanza said the department has been carrying out patrols in the forest areas to control the cutting down of trees.

“We have seen people cut down trees for timber while others are doing it for charcoal,” he said.

He has meanwhile disclosed that the department of forestry collected revenue amounting to K47, 983.23 in the fourth quarter of the year 2020 from the production timber, charcoal and reed-mats.

“We also confiscated timber worth K12, 042.17 in the last quarter of 2020,” he said.

Mr. Simwanza explained that the confiscated timber was auctioned by the local court in the district.

He further revealed that the forestry department planted 1,700 Eucalyptus seedlings to extend the plantations in the areas by two hectares.