UNZA improves its continental ranking, now ranked 18th best in Africa. The University of Zambia is now ranked 18th best university in Africa, according to the UniRank 2020 African University Ranking.

This was revealed by Higher Education Minister Brian Mushimba who is elated by the development. Dr Mushimba says UNZA has been improving its ranking since 2016.

“In 2016, The University of Zambia (UNZA) was ranked 55 among African Universities. In 2018, it marginally improved its ranking to 45. In the last year, we have just seen its ranking leap frog other universities and now is ranked 18,” Dr Mushimba said.

He declared that the target is to ensure UNZA is a top 10 African university. Dr. Mushimba has since congratulated UNZA for the achievement.

The top ten bracket is dominated by South African universities with the University of Cape Town ranked the best university in Africa from a list of 200 institutions.

Below is the link to the full rankings.

https://www.4icu.org/top-universities-africa/?fbclid=IwAR27_1Vjg-OtdYU6K8q2vThJWq5PJbSOA2ZddjL71WyDwdbE5slY8qIQrPY

Labour Commissioner Givens Muntengwa says government has made progress in developing a minimum wage for the transport sector through the Labour Advisory Committee.

Mr. Muntengwa says the minimum wage will, going forward, act as a basis for unions in the transport sector to negotiate for conditions of service for their members.

He reiterated government’s commitment to developing a Statutory Instrument that regulates conditions of service for protected workers.

And Mr. Muntengwa has advised drivers in the transport sector against going on strike over the minimum wage because they do not fall under protected workers.

He says the planned strike is illegal because drivers in the transport sector have no sector minimum wage.

Addressing leaders of four transport sector unions at his office in Lusaka today, Mr. Muntengwa said the unions are instead supposed to negotiate for better conditions of service for their members.

He said striking before any dispute has been declared is illegal and drivers found wanting risk being fired by their employers.

The transport sector unions that attended the meeting are National Union of Transport and Allied Workers, United Truck Drivers and Allied workers Union of Zambia, Zambia Bus and Taxi Union of Zambia and Zambia Union of Tanker Drivers and Allied workers.

By Musyani Siame

Many feeder roads in Lusaka have been stripped off of the trees and left naked due to road constructions. From independence avenue to Haile Selassie to Great East Road, to Lake Road, to Kabulonga Road and to many more, the view of the roads has turned into a sorry site and the pain of deforestation is unbearable to the people who value trees.

Take for instance, Haile Selassie Street in Long Acres was not so long ago one of the prettiest road to drive on because of its beautiful array of trees alongside. These trees did not only provide the beautiful scenery in the manner they were arranged but also a nice shade with colorful flowers during summer and fresh air to the environment making Long Acres more attractive including the business complex.

(Long acres Business Complex along Haile Selassie Road: Picture Courtesy of Project Environment 2020)

Moreover, these trees have been in existence since the colonial era and one mighty say they have really been standing for many years. However, the trees and their goodness along the roads have continued to be cut down in just a short a period of time to pave way for the rise of the new monster in town ‘’road constructions’’ under government’s Lusaka decongestion project. The sacrifice of trees on most roads has come at a cost when the construction of roads become priority by the government.

Nevertheless, the expansion of roads in Lusaka is triggering mega questions to the general populace. Firstly, are road constructions a necessary evil to the surrounding trees and people? Secondly, should we keep seeing our nice feeder roads being stripped-off of the beautiful trees and leave them naked and exposed to the effects of climate change? Thirdly, are there ways in which government can expand roads without cutting down trees? Fourthly, are there ways also we can replace the already cut down trees and restore all the functions and benefits fallen trees used to provide?

While such questions remain unanswered, I am tempted to believe that solutions lie within ourselves as people and all stakeholders to begin to undertake both intensive and extensive tree planting projects along the affected roads and help the city to cope with the effects of climate change such as floods and drought and increase the longevity of our roads as well as people.

The citizens of Lusaka and the government, working together alongside civil society organizations can see to it that trees are replanted back along the roads after the completion of the road constructions. It is also the mandate of the contractors working on various roads to conform to the terms of references of their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs) which explicitly exemplify vegetation cover replacement projects at the completion of a project before the trees risk being wiped out in the city. Monitors and regulator of road projects must up their game and help replant the fallen trees. The truth of the matter is that; many more streets are about to be undressed as they lineup for road expansions.

I cry for these trees because they exist to give us hope for life. Hope to a better future. The trees along the roads function together and are connected in one way or another to the roots and to the branches. This is a symbol of unit, peace, love and togetherness. So, as a people we need to emulate this ecological life of trees which we can only do when they are standing and we can only see them standing when we replant.

When we are united with love to one another and spirit of togetherness, we can conquer and achieve the common good just like the way trees do. Just to give a little more latitude to this fact, this can be lesson to the various political groupings ahead of 2021 general elections. Let’s emulate the nature of trees because to a higher degree, trees can teach us how to replace political violence with love. From trees we can learn how to replace political vengeance with forgiveness. And from trees we can learn how to replace political hate speech with good speech. From trees we can learn how to replace tribalism with the spirit of togetherness and oneness. Therefore, we cry for these fallen trees along the streets at the realm of road constructions because they are our hope and the future.

As a people of good will, we urge the government, the public, the NGOs, road contractors, environmental regulators etc. to come together and find ways of restoring trees along the streets especially that urban forestry has dwindled in Lusaka mainly due to deforestation.

I feel government must deliberately set up a fund to support urban tree planting projects. Although there are few channels of funding to tree planting projects such as the one under Ministry of National Development Planning, many stakeholders in environmental sector do not know about them because of lack of awareness by the government on availability of such funds and how to access them.

On the other side, NGOs dealing with environmental issues such as deforestation have become too reluctant in pioneering tree planting projects in the face of road infrastructure development. Nevertheless, a few are exceptional and I can take this opportunity to recognize the relentless efforts made by Earth Alive Group organization for advancing urban tree planting awareness programs.

As I conclude, I would like to remind you that trees provide hope and life. Let’s plant trees and help combat effects associated with climate change. If you indeed want to leave legacy plant a tree. I am not in any way implying that road development projects are bad, but they need to be implemented in a sustainable manner which does not pose a threat to the environment.

The Author is an Environmental Consultant

Vice President Inonge Wina says there is no witch hunt regarding the proposed Commission of Inquiry into the Privatization process.

Mrs Wina noted that setting up the Commission of Inquiry into the Privatization process would help expose a lot of issues that were done unjustly, illegally and subjected many Zambians to suffering and poverty.

Speaking during the Vice president’s session in Parliament today, Mrs Wina said there is need to bring the matter of Zambia’s privatization to conclusion once and for all. The Vice president noted that the privatization exercise took place about 30 years ago and there is need for the case to be put to rest.

Mrs Wina was responding to a query on why government has not set up a Commission of Inquiry on gassing as pledged instead of the proposed inquiry on the privatization process.

She explained that government has been unable to set up a commission of inquiry on gassing because the matter is before the courts of law.

Mrs Wina stated that one gasser has been convicted while others suspected to have been behind the gassing incidents are still before the court.

Meanwhile, the Vice president has urged Zambians to take the voter registration seriously to ensure that they get registered as voters.

“ECZ didn’t just wake up to demand a new voter’s register,” said Mrs Wina.

Ms Wina said several factors have necessitated the compilation of a new voters register in line with the audit of the 2016 general elections as well as electoral observer mission’s views.

Mrs Wina stressed that it is also paramount that deceased voters are removed from the voters register.

And the Vice president has dispelled reports that civil servants in certain areas around the country have abandoned their work and are busy campaigning for Patriotic Front(PF).

Mrs Wina said anyone with evidence pointing to civil servants participating in partisan politics should report to relevant authorities.