Thursday, October 10, 2024
Subscribe
Home Blog Page 1169

Ex-Miners Demand Benefits from HH who is neither a Shareholder nor a Trustee of Saturnia Fund

Chief Editor
-
35
Ex-Miners Demand Benefits from HH who is neither a Shareholder nor a Trustee of Saturnia Fund

Over 700 Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) ex-miners are demanding their pension benefits from UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s Saturnia Pensions Trust Fund.

However, both the UPND leader and Saturnia Pensions Trust Fund are on record that Mr. Hichilema is neither a shareholder nor a Trustee of the Trust Fund when in 2016, 236 former BP workers had given UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema a 7 days ultimatum to pay back the K457 million owed to them by Saturnia Regna Pension Trust where he was accused of being a shareholder.

HH Does not Own Saturnia Regna Pension Fund-UPND

The ex-miners have complained that the Saturnia Pensions Trust Fund is abusing people rights and has induced so much suffering on the miners who worked so hard to create wealth for the country.

Speaking Sunday morning during a press briefing,KCM ex-miners Chairman Mr Ilunga Kasompe demanded that companies owned by Mr Hichilema releases the title deeds for the all properties belonging to KCM pension scheme and that all pensions for serving miners be transferred from Saturnia to NAPSA with immediate effect.

He explained that the pension scheme which was originally being run by Mukuba pension was however moved to Saturnia with new developments now indicating that the scheme is now being run by Benefits Consulting Services Limited Trustees, a company that happens to be Mr. Hichilema’s.

He further explained that the company decided to only give retired miners 50% of their pension contributions and then forced miners to later buy annuities from Mr. Hichilema’s company Sanlam, a move he has described as “a criminal form of insider trading”.

Mr. Kasompe stated that the problem they are in is the offshoot of the failures of the mismanaged privatization process and said the miners have since joined other stakeholders who have launched a campaign to look into the matter which unscrupulous businessmen took advantage of.

“We demand an immediate account of the offshore investments that were made for KCM pensions scheme from 2000 up to 2018 as well as an immediate investigation into the conduct of the KCM pensions scheme board of trustees, the trade union and the KCM management,” he said.

Mr. Kasompe who called on Mr. Hichilema to fix the pension issues before talking about state matters said there is enough evidence that Mr. Hichilema’s Saturnia pensions trust fund has abused the rights of miners and is a scandal schemed and planned by these businessmen, politicians, and foreign multinational companies to trap and embarrass the PF government.

“We have information to confirm that money was moved out of the KCM pension scheme to Sanlam properties.No Zambian will ever benefit from such investments and that is why we cannot accept any money to go to Sanlam.Time has come to correct the situation as this impunity should not be tolerated” Mr Kasompe said and questioned why Saturnia should be allowed to change the rules as it wishes as if there is no government in the country.

He further stated that Saturnia is destroying a lot of lives including in the courts of law as records are there those fellow pensioners who have been struggling in court for 20 years and cannot get their money because of Saturnia.

In 2016, Saturnia Pension Fund clarified that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema was neither a shareholder nor a Trustee of the Trust Fund after media reports that Saturnia Pension Trust Fund has failed to pay the BP Zambia ex-employees their retirement benefits and that Mr. Hichilema was a major stakeholder in the Trust Fund.

At the time Board of Trustees Chairperson Doreen Kabunda said that the reports were false, explaining that the Trust Fund has never been sued by any ex-employees of Puma Energy Plc which is formerly BP Plc, although they are aware of the ongoing action in the Courts of law between a group of ex-employees of BP Plc and their former employer over Pension Benefits.

Ms. Kabunda stated the Trust Fund is not and has never been a party of this court action, adding that Saturnia Trust Fund is a distinctively separate and independent Trust Fund and should not be confused with any private entities or companies that may bear a similar name or address.

Mrs. Kabunda further said at the time that Saturnia had no share capital because it is a registered multi-employer Trust Fund.

HH’s allegations are just Hallucinations and Selfish Political Tantrums, Nobody wants to Kill him -Sunday Chanda

Chief Editor
-
20
HH’s allegations are just Hallucinations and Selfish Political Tantrums, Nobody wants to Kill him -Sunday Chanda

NOBODY wants to kill UPND president Hakainde Hichilema and he should stop hallucinating that President Edgar Lungu wants him dead because he has nothing to gain from killing a perpetual election loser, the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) has said.

PF media director Sunday Chanda said Mr Hichilema was just scared of his own shadow because President Lungu has no intention of killing him, apart from bringing to book public assets plunderers.

He was reacting to an allegations by the UPND leader that President Lungu wanted him dead by 2021.

Mr Hichilema was quoted in one of the daily tabloids as saying if anything happened to him, the Head of State should be answerable since he had declared that he plans to go after him.

This follows President Lungu’s remarks during a public rally in Mbereshi that individuals who sold public properties would be followed.

But Mr Chanda said the nation should dismiss the allegations as hallucinations and selfish political tantrums.
Mr Chanda reminded Zambians that it was not the first time that Mr Hichilema was making such wild allegations as he had done that before when he refused to give way to the Presidential motorcade in Mongu. Featuring on BBC’s Hard Talk Programme with host Stephen Sackur, he said, Mr Hichilema had claimed that President Lungu wanted to kill him, but Stephen Sackur laughed at him while reminding him about his violent party.

Debate Bill 10 with sober minds, MPs advised

Chief Editor
-
15
Debate Bill 10 with sober minds, MPs advised

Government Parliamentary Chief Whip Brian Mundubile has advised members of parliament to be objective and allow for sober debate on Constitution Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019 which has been restored to the order paper.

Mr Mundubile, who is also Mporokoso MP and PF chairperson for legal affairs, said opposition lawmakers should clearly state their reservations in the bill as opposed to walk-outs.

“When a Bill transitions two sessions of the sitting it automatically lapses and it can only be reintroduced by way of moving a motion. So, Bill 10 is back and we expect parliamentarians to debate on the floor of the house, those walk-outs we have been seeing are not necessary.” said Mr Mundubile

Speaking to media in Kasama, Mr Mundubile noted that issues such as the mixed member proportion representation, delimitation and changing the Electoral system to do away with by-elections are some of aspirations of the general citizenry which Bill 10 will address once passed into law.

He added that the just ended Lukashya Parliamentary By-election serves as an eye opener to political players on the urgent need for the delimitation process and in turn enhance development in vast constituencies.

“The people of Zambia have said they are tired of by-elections and called for a change in the Electoral system so that we do away with by-elections. They have also said they want delimitation for consistencies such Lukashya. This is can only be done through constitutional amendment and what we want to achieve it through bill 10,” He said.

Mr Mundubile has since appealed to opposition members of parliament to stop politicizing the bill and debate with sobriety.

Yesterday, the National Assembly passed a motion to restore to the order paper eight Bills which were being considered in the previous session of the 12th National Assembly.

The eight bills include the Constitution of Zambia Amendment bill number 10 of 2019, National Planning and Budgeting Bill number 22 of 2019, National Forensic Bill and the Food number 1 of 2020 and the Food and Nutrition Bill number 2 of 2020, among other.

President Lungu shouldn’t think that he has the right to kill HH, says Mutale Nalumango

Chief Editor
-
34
President Lungu shouldn’t think that he has the right to kill HH, says Mutale Nalumango

United Party for National Development (UPND) National Chairperson, Mutale Nalumango has said that President Edgar Lungu shouldn’t think that he has the right to kill president Hakainde Hichilema and those that he deems to be political threats, at will.

In an apparent response to President Lungu’s recent statement that he would have eliminated Mr. Hichilema at will if he had wanted, Ms. Nalumango stated that being at the helm of the country’s leadership didn’t give him a leeway to kill those that he wished dead.

The former Deputy Speaker of National Assembly also wondered why President Lungu has been insisting that Mr. Hichilema will not appear on the 2021 presidential ballot, adding that such reckless statements must not come from political leaders holding the highest office in the land.

“We hear President Lungu himself says that if he had wanted, he would have killed president Hakainde Hichilema a long time. Has he got the right to kill? To say, ‘if I wanted?’ Is it about you wanting…to kill a person? Is it about you having authority to kill?” wondered Ms. Nalumango.

Ms. Nalumango stated that such irresponsible statements weren’t expected to come from those who hold sensitive positions of leadership in the country, especially the Head of State.

“Such statements should never come from leaders of the nation. People are listening; you don’t say that! This is the tragedy of our nation, that the very top leadership of our country can declare such things. One death is one too many. We have lost Lawrence Banda; we have lost Mapenzi Chibulo, Frank Mugala, and many more. It’s not about what you want as ECL. It is God’s will and your time is up,” she charged.

And Chirundu Member of Parliament, Douglas Syakalima said that President Lungu must take a leaf from the most brutal of dictators in Africa whose tenure came to an abrupt end when the people chose to elect new leaders.

He wondered where the PF got the impetus to wish people dead at will, stating that the PF must start negotiating and making friemds as they prepared for their way out of power soon.

“Who tells them that they have powers to just tell anyone that, ‘today, you are dying’? Who tells them that? We had worse dictators in this world. Where are they today? Dictators move out badly! Start making friends; start negotiating for you are on your way out. You will hear that people’s power is real. You can bring your military, you can bring your police when people have decided, they have decided. You will go!” he said.

United Party for National Development (UPND) National Chairperson, Mutale Nalumango
United Party for National Development (UPND) National Chairperson, Mutale Nalumango

Meanwhile, Ms. Nalumango said that the UPND would not be congratulating the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) for its victory in the 9 of the 14 by elections that were held across the country yesterday because they were not conducted in a free and fair manner.

Asked to comment on the elections results margins between the PF and the UPND in the just-ended local and Parliamentary by-elections, Ms. Nalumango stated that people shouldn’t expect her to congratulate the ruling party because the political playing field was not leveled enough to allow the opposition to campaign freely.

“We are in a situation where the ground [political] is marred with a lot of irregularities. Don’t ask me, media guys to congratulate PF. I could have done so ’cause they have won many…in blackets. But did they really win…when many of our people are in incarceration on trumped up charges and you expect me to be here and say, ‘well done to PF’? No! We could have congratulated them if they won properly,” she said.

Nalumango has since congratulated the UPND members who campaigned in the 14 by-elections, stating that they tried their best to convince electorates that the party was the solution to the economic malaise that the country was grappling with.

“Allow me to congratulate our gallant men and women that went into the campaigns for the elections that were held yesterday. They worked very hard to try and convince our people that the way out of our economic malaise is UPND,” she said.

UPND National Trustee, Andrew Banda reiterated that the political gains that the UPND made in 2016 when she and the PF shared 98 percent of the political spoils between them after UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema got 1, 760, 347 votes against the PF’s Edgar Lungu who got 1, 860, 877 was a sign that the party had acquired a national character.

And President Hichilema’s political advisor, Douglas Siakalima observed that the party had made tremendous political gains in the Northern circuit considering that in 2011 the party got 2,000 from the entire Muchinga and Northen Provinces combined, but today the 2, 600 against the PF’s 13, 000 votes in the just one constituency (Lukashya) was the testimony of continued growth and strength of the party.

Let the best among us win next year’s elections – Fred M’membe

Chief Editor
-
18
Let the best among us win next year’s elections – Fred M’membe

By Socialist Party Reporter

LET the best among us win next year’s elections, says Socialist Party president Fred M’membe. Dr M’membe also tells Zambians that choice of quality political leadership is paramount.

Meanwhile, Dr M’membe says a pact between the UPND and the PF is possible, because: “they are all pro-capitalist parties.” Speaking on ‘Let the people talk’ programme on Phoenix FM radio on September 15, 2020, Dr M’membe said each political party in Zambia had the right to exist.

“Let the best among us win next year’s elections. We may not like the PF but if the PF emerges to be the most supported, the most trusted, next year, let them continue to rule,” Dr M’membe said, in response to some callers who proposed for political mergers ahead of the August 2021 elections.

“If the UPND next year emerges to be the most supported, let them rule. If any other party, including the Socialist Party, next year emerges to be the winners, let them rule.” He said the expediency of trying to undermine the country’s multiple political dispensation led nowhere. Dr M’membe referred to abortive past political alliances.

“We have seen these alliances before; the UPND that you (a caller) are saying we should join because it’s your party, in 2006 it had an alliance called UDA (United Democratic Alliance)…” Dr M’membe recalled.

“In 2009, there was a pact that was initiated by the UPND with PF. [But] that alliance collapsed on who should become president and who should get how many seats in Parliament….”

He indicated that the Socialist Party was not there to win power for the sake of it.

Dr M’membe said the Socialist Party did not exist because of the PF being in government.

“With or without PF, the Socialist Party will exist in this country,” he said, adding that political pacts have been seen before in Zambia and that people knew what those arrangements were about. “Definitely, there will be a winner next year. If UPND is strong, why do they need a pact? Sata and the PF won the elections in 2011 without a pact.”

Dr M’membe underscored that next year, the strongest party would win the polls.

“If it’s UPND that will win, let it win. And we should win not because of the political schemes we come up with but because of what we believe in. We want to win because of what we believe in – not because of the formations or the pacts we get into,” he explained.

“Alliances are not forced on people. Why force us to get into an election pact? It’s like forcing somebody into a marriage…. It must be a voluntary union. Let alliances be voluntary.”

Dr M’membe said those with common aims – “whose agenda is to remove the PF at any cost – let them band together.”
“We are not against them! [But] our agenda goes beyond that; it’s to build socialism in Zambia…. We are not out to replace one group of bandits with another,” he clarified. “We have seen it before; we all ganged up against UNIP. Who did we replace UNIP with? Let’s be a bit more serious.”

He noted that those in the Socialist Party were very clear on who they were and that: “we have a very fair understanding of who others are.” “Actually, there is more similarity between UPND and PF – they are all pro-capitalist parties. A pact between UPND and PF is possible, after all, they were in a pact before in 2009,” Dr M’membe said.

“How did they manage to get in a pact in 2009? They were similar! So, there are more similarities between UPND and PF than there are more similarities between us and them.”

Meanwhile, one caller told Dr M’membe that his promises of a just and peaceful Zambia amounted to him being a liar.The caller praised the PF government’s ‘second-none’ delivery of developmental projects across Zambia. In response, Dr M’membe said: “cawama tata muleikala bwino (it’s good that you are living well).”

“Mulesekelamo (you are happy) but te bonse abalesekelamo yama (it’s not everyone who is happy about the status quo, uncle). Imwe muleikala bwino (you are living well), namutemwa ifyo muleikala (you are happy with the way you are living). Cilifye (it’s okay),” Dr M’membe said.

“We are living in a multiparty political dispensation which allows many political parties to be formed and to give our people a choice, both in terms of which political party they support or join and in terms of the policies that they want to choose from. So, if you choose to be with PF, cilifye (it’s okay). It’s your constitutional right! If others choose other political parties, it’s also their entitlement.”

He added that: “choice of leadership is a very important thing.”
“Those you want to represent you must be people you trust [and] if not, mukalabepwa fye cila mwaka (you’ll be lied to every year),” he cautioned.

Earlier on in the programme, Dr M’membe reiterated that today Zambia had got one of the highest social inequalities. He asked how possible it was for a Christian country like Zambia to have such glaring inequalities.

“The gap between the haves and the have-nots is huge. If are one Zambia, One Nation, we should live similar lives; our conditions should not be so different,” Dr M’membe said.

“[But] we have left other people behind and [yet] they are telling you there will be nobody left behind. No! The [capitalist] system leaves people behind. It’s designed to leave people behind, wherever it is in the world.”

Dr M’membe argued that capitalism could not carry everybody along at the same pace and level. “We have people in front [and] we have people behind. Socialism, under the Socialist Party, will make sure we all travel at the same rate, we are all at the same spot, going to the same destination [and] as one country and one people,” explained Dr M’membe.

“You can’t be one people [when] others are eating, others are not eating, others are living well [while] others are not living well…. Can you have peace under such conditions? No! The Zambia we grew up under had no walls. [But] today to have the security you have to have big wall fences around your house.”

Bowman Lusambo’s Mammoth Mobilisation Mufilira Rally in Pictures

Chief Editor
-
22
Bowman Lusambo’s Mammoth Mobilisation Mufilira Rally in Pictures

Armed thieves rob Chinese firm in Luano

Chief Editor
-
10
Armed thieves rob Chinese firm in Luano

Armed robbers have stolen money amounting to 40,000 kwacha, a Samsung cell phone and an Acer laptop at Shi and Yan Mining Development Company inLuano District.

Central Province Police Commissioner, Chola Katanga, confirmed to ZANIS that the suspected criminals further assaulted three Chinese Nationals and two Zambians at the company.

Mr Katanga disclosed that victims include Shi and Yan Mining Development Company Production Manager, Li Wen Jun aged 40 years; Mechanical Engineer, Ru Yingguo aged 46 years; Stores Officer, Chen Shun Jiang aged 35 years; Machine Operator, Shepherd Mulenga aged 28 years of Lubuto area in Kapiri Mposhi District and Security Guard, Bernard Phiri aged 45 years of Copper Mine area.

He said the incident occurred on September 16, 2020, around 00: 30 hours.

“We received the report from Saidi Mtonga aged 33, who is the human resource officer at Shi and Yan Mining Development Company, that over 10 suspected criminals armed with two unknown type of guns and sticks went at the Chinese hostels within the company premises and attacked three Chinese Nationals as well as two Zambian citizens,” he said.

The Central Province Police Commissioner explained that police officers visited the scene to check the situation.

“The victims were rushed to Mkushi at Tusekelemo Private Hospital where they have been admitted on observation and their conditions are stable,” he said.

Mr Katanga further noted that no arrest has been made in the matter, but investigations are underway.

Fire sweeps through micro-biology lab at Chipata Central Hospital

Chief Editor
-
2
Fire sweeps through micro-biology lab at Chipata Central Hospital

Fire yesterday swept through the micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital completely destroying a room housing a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.

And Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Administration Kakulubelwa Mulalelo yesterday rushed to Chipata to inspect the damage caused to the laboratory, which is housed on the third floor of the maternity ward.

Ms Mulalelo said President Edgar Lungu was concerned when he was informed of the fire and instructed for immediate assessment of the damage caused by the fire.

“This visit has been prompted following a directive from His Excellence the President that the technical team quickly moves in to assess the extent of the damage,” said the health PS who was accompanied by her Eastern Province counterpart Veronica Mwiche.

Ms Mulalelo assured that her ministry will quickly work with the Ministry of Works and supply to restore the laboratory.

“The technical team will come and do an assessment, so that going forward remedial measures can be done and ensure that a plan is put in place for maintenance and void the recurrence of the fire,” Ms Mulalelo said.

Earlier, Provincial Director of Health Gideon Zulu told the PS that the fire started around 17 hours.

Dr Zulu said quick action was taken to evacuate the patients from the wards on the third floor where the gutted laboratory is located, while the Fire Service was also alerted and helped to contain the fire before it spread to other parts of the building.

He explained that the full extent of the damage and the cause of the fire are yet to be established.

“The cost of the damage is yet to be assessed and ZESCO and the Fire Service are yet to give their reports in the course of next week,” Dr Zulu assured.

And the Micro-biology scientist Moses Sinkala who was working in the adjacent room to where the fire started said he and other laboratory staff were working on a mock assessment when they sensed smoke from the next room of the power-bank.

“What happened yesterday is that between 16 and 17 hours we had power interruption from Zesco. The full team was running as we were preparing for the mock assessments for our accreditation. As we were going through the work, we sensed the smoke from the micro-biology laboratory,” he said.

He explained that after realising there was fire in the power room, they attempted to use fire extinguishers to quench the fire and also raised alarm to evacuate the patients.

Mr Sinkala told the PS for administration that it took about the fire fighters from Chipata City Council about an hour to put off the fire, but the computer and power bank batteries were all completely gutted.

He lamented that with the laboratory gutted, the micro-biology team will not be able to complete their mock assessments, which is a requirement for them to be accredited.

“It is unfortunate because for as we are preparing for the accreditation which is supposed to take place within the next few months but that will not happen,” he said.

He further noted that the gutting of the laboratory is also a drawback which means that the work of the microbiology wing at the hospital will be hampered as it is used to test specimens before commencing treatment on patients.

Meanwhile the Provincial Medical Director assured Ms Mulalelo that operations for microbiology will be transferred to another room that will be worked on starting this week so that the services are not completely interrupted.

The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The micro-biology laboratory at Chipata Central Hospital that was completely destroyed including a power-bank and a specialist computer and printer.
The Government officials who went to the scene, led by Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Administration Kakulubelwa Mulalelo to inspect the scene
The Government officials who went to the scene, led by Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Administration Kakulubelwa Mulalelo to inspect the scene

Controlling stake in Mining Companies will Guarantee more Jobs-Lusambo

Chief Editor
-
11
Controlling stake in Mining Companies will Guarantee more Jobs-Lusambo

Copperbelt PF Mobilisation Chairman Bowman Lusambo says the decision by government through ZCCM-IH to increase its stakes in mining companies will benefit more miners.

Mr Lusambo said the decision will guarantee and secure the mining jobs as government will have a final say on the mining industry.

He predicted that the mining industry will start to strive again like during the ZCCM days when government starts controlling the decision making in the industry.

Mr Lusambo who is also Kabushi Member of Parliament and Lusaka Province Minister was speaking on Saturday when he addressed a mammoth rally at Shinde stadium in Mufulira.

Mr. Lusambo also pledged to immediately address the plight of ex miners who had worked for ZCCM and Mopani who are now languishing.

He stated that President Edgar Lungu has now sanctioned the release of over K500,000 to be used by the DMMU to work on access road leading to the farm land where the miners will be resettled.

Mr. Lusambo said the former miners will soon be repatriated to the land as soon as access road are worked on.

He also promised to get to the bottom of the issues surrounding the non payment of ex-gratia allowances to ex miners by Mopani.l

Mr Lusambo said he will together with some Committee members travel to Mopani offices on Monday to follow up the payment of ex-gracia allowances.

He also told the huge crowd that the future of the Copperbelt depended on a strong agriculture sector.

Mr Lusambo urged results of the Copperbelt to venture into agriculture as a way of diversifying their income streams.

At the same rally, Mr Lusambo announced a K200,000 empowerment scheme for Marketeers across the three Constituencies.

He said the funds donated by President Edgar Lungu will be used as a revolving fund in order to benefit more people.

Meanwhile, Mr Lusambo had earlier toured Ronald Ross Hospital and donated 75 hospital mattress and K150,000 towards the completion of building works at the hospital.

He also donated various COVID-19 prevention items to the hospital authorities.

PF Copperbelt Mobilisation Committee Chairman Bowman Lusambo addressing a rally at Shinde Stadium on Saturday.
PF Copperbelt Mobilisation Committee Chairman Bowman Lusambo addressing a rally at Shinde Stadium on Saturday.

HH Opts Out of ZNBC’s Sunday Interview with Grevazio Zulu

Chief Editor
-
64
HH Opts Out of ZNBC’s Sunday Interview with Grevazio Zulu

United party for National Development (UPNP) President Hakainde Hichilema has informed management at ZNBC that he is not available to be interviewed on ZNBC Sunday Interview.

In a letter dated 10th September 2020 and signed by Secretary General Stephen Katuka, the party had demanded an appearance by Mr. Hichilema to rebut allegations raised by FDD President Edith Nawakwi and others.

But on the day the interview was to be recorded on Saturday, the party changed its positions in a letter to ZNBC Management.

They said Mr. Hichilema was unable to present himself to the ZNBC Interview as the matters he intended to discuss were now in a Court of law.

The UPND team led Party Chairperson, Mutale Nalumango, Charles Kakoma, journalist Clayton Hamasaka and two lawyers, instead said the party should be given a choice of a person to represent the party.

And lawyer Mulambo Haimbe told ZNBC Management that Mr. Hichilema could not be interviewed on any matters related to his role in the privatisation process as this would be contemptuous to the court process.

Chipolopolo U15 Face Zamalek Youth in Junior International Friendly

sports
-
0

Chipolopolo U15 are heading to Egypt today to face Zamalek Youth Team in a junior international friendly this Sunday.

Zambia, who left Lusaka on Saturday afternoon, will make a brief stop-over in Cairo in transit to Croatia where they will be taking part in an Eight-Nation Invitational Tournament that will run from September 21-28.

The Zamalek friendly will mark coach Chisi Mbewe’s U15 debut following a diet of friendlies against Lusaka-based clubs during the last fortnight of team selection.

“Another important friendly before we go into the actual tournament so that these guys should have a feel of what they should expect in Croatia,” Mbewe said.

“It is really important for us because of late, we have just been having local friendly’s but now we have this privilege to have an international friendly before we kick off this tournament.

“I think it will set up the mood for us before we go into this tournament.”

Zambia are in Group B where they are drawn against Romania, Bosnia & Herzegovina and North Macedonia.

Group A has hosts Croatia, Qatar, Montenegro and Bulgaria.

Zambia will open its account on September 23, 2020 against North Macedonia before facing Bosnia & Herzegovina on Match Day Two of the tournament and Romania on September 25.

High rates of contraceptives uptake among school girls worry Education Ministry

Chief Editor
-
12
High rates of contraceptives uptake among school girls worry Education Ministry

The Ministry of General Education (MoGE) in Chienge District has expressed sadness at the high number of school pupils accessing family planning services in the area.

Chienge District Education Board Secretary, (DEBS) James Chibuye says the policy of the Ministry of General Education is to enforce total sexual abstinence by pupils so that they concentrate on their education.

ZANIS Reports that the DEBS expressed the concern during a meeting of the District Technical Working Group on Adolescent Health held in the Chienge Town Council Chambers recently.

Responding to the concern by the Chienge DEBS, District Adolescent Health Coordinator, Christopher Mbewe called for a coordinated and balanced approach to resolving the matter.

Mr Mbewe, who is also at the Chienge District Health Office (DHO) Nursing Officer admitted that health facilities in the area provide family planning services to female pupils, adding that whoever goes to a Health Facility to seek a service is treated as a “client”.

“As Ministry of Health, the issue is that we do not just dish out contraceptive to everyone but we carry out a vigorous process that involves counselling, explaining the side effects of the contraceptives, checking the marital status of a client, as well as the number of Children the woman has,” the Chienge District Adolescent Health Coordinator said.

The Technical Working Group also expressed concern at the high number of adolescents engaging in early marriage and unplanned pregnancies.

The concern comes after a report that in the Second Quarter of 2020 a total of 36 Adolescents had delivered from the Chienge District Hospital while more other cases were recorded from the other 12 Health Facilities located around the District.

And speaking in a separate interview, Chienge District Administrative Officer, Abraham Kachipansi called for more concerted efforts by organisations in fighting vices facing adolescents through teamwork and being alert to issues happening in the district.

Mr Kachipans who is also the District Technical Working Group on Adolescent Health Chairperson, commended government for opening up a One-Stop Centre at Chienge District Hospital to deal with the high Sexual and Gender Based Violence cases in the area.

He said the One-Stop Centre will go a long way in ending the high Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGVB) cases that are recorded in the District.

The District Administrative Officer said reassured that his Committee will engage the Ministries of Health and General Education to seek clarity on the issue of school girls accessing Family Planning Services from health facilities when the policy by the education sector is abstinence.

The meeting drew attendance from district administration, the local authority, the district health office and the district education board secretary’s office.

Ministry of Health Concerned at the relaxed attitude towards the fight of COVID 19

Chief Editor
-
6
Ministry of Health Concerned at the relaxed attitude towards the fight of COVID 19

The Ministry of Health in Mufulira District has expressed concern at the relaxed attitude by members of the public towards the fight of COVID 19.

Mufulira District Health Director, Kambole Mpande said misconceptions about the reality of Covid 19 in society could be dangerous, saying there is need for members of the public to know that Covid 19 is real.

Dr.Mpande was speaking during a Covid 19 trainer of trainers sensitisation workshop organized by Advocacy for Human Development in Mufulira District.

He stated that community engagement in the dissemination of correct information about the prevention of Covid 19 was key to fighting the disease.

“A training of this nature is very important because this will impact knowledge in members of the public the correct information about the disease,” he said.

And Advocacy for Human Development Director, Chris Mweemba said the training was meant to defeat misconceptions about the Corona Virus.

“We have included councillors, Ward Development Committee Members, Teachers, Pastor’s, and Civil society organisations because these are the people who are entrusted by the community at various levels and if they are empowered with the correct information, then we can see a change of attitude in our society,” he said.

“We decided to do this because we have noticed a certain relaxation whereby people think Covid is gone and they are no longer taking prevention measures seriously,” he said.

Mr Mweemba hoped that the training would result in members of the public taking personal responsibility in fighting the disease.

Kitwe youths empowered with Higer bus worth US$270,000

Chief Editor
-
14
Kitwe youths empowered with Higer bus worth US$270,000

Kwacha Member of Parliament Joseph Malanji has handed over a Higer bus worth US$270,000 to youths in his constituency for them to engage in an entrepreneurship venture.

And Mr. Malanji who is also Foreign Affairs Minister urged the youths to work hard to ensure that that they multiply the investment that has been given to them.

The bus has been handed over under the Youth Empowerment Fund, an initiative of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development and Mr Malanji helped the youths to pay K100, 000 commitment fee to the Government for them to access the bus.

Speaking during the handover of the bus in Kitwe today, Mr Malanji urged the youths to take empowerment programmes seriously as Government was spending colossal sums of money to implement them.

“This Higer bus I am handing over to you was bought using a lot of money, we bought it at US$270,000, so there is need for you to work hard and multiply the investments,” the Minister urged the youths.

He said Government is empowering the youths with various incentives because it has confidence in them that they are able to utilise the proceeds to better their lives.

The Kwacha MP urged the beneficiaries of the bus to increase the fleet of vehicles as they progress in their business.

Meanwhile, Umunthu Musepela Cooperative chairperson Regan Musuba thanked Government for donating the bus to the youths in Kwacha.

Mr Musuba also commended Mr Malanji for helping the youths acquire the bus through his generous donation of K100, 000.

“We are about 30 youths in our group and this bus will greatly help to improve our livelihoods,” he said.

Mr Musuba said the youths also plan to venture into poultry business to generate more resources for the business.

He said the youths will heed to Mr Malanji’s calls to multiply the investment by buying more fleet of buses.

Suspected illegal gold dealers plead not guilty

Chief Editor
-
2
Suspected illegal gold dealers plead not guilty

16 miners from Kanshanshi mine who were arrested for illegal possession of 1,701.6 grams of suspected gold concentrate have pleaded not guilty when they appeared in a Solwezi magistrates court for plea yesterday.

The 16 who are among the 20 suspects arrested in connection with the gold scandal appeared for plea before Principal Resident Magisrate, Davis Chibwili.

They include Mpundu Mazimba, 39, a filter, Croford Kampompo, 35, an artisan filter, Aaron Mbambala, 29, artisan filter, Chanda Mulenga, 40, artisan filter, Medri Kalubangwa, 30, artisan filter, Chainda Max, 42, plant filter, Mumba Dennis, 30, artisan filter, Kennedy Musanka, 30, miner and Shadrick Zulu, a plant filter.

Others who appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate, Tamara Kakusa were Emmanuel Samakayi, 39, a farmer, Musonda Chitandala, 34, mechanical aligner and Sichula Mayembe, 33, a sampler.

Before Magistrate Muyambango Miyato were Mubika Kahale, 34, Kelvin Tongeka, 36 and Belly Samilengo, all mechanical aligners at Kansanshi mine.

All the suspects have been granted bail in their own cognizant with two working sureties.

Trial for the case will take place on 2nd, 7th, 12th and 13th October, 2020.

On11th September, 2020, police received a tip-off from members of the public that, at a certain house belonging to Valeta Ramon suspected illegal business was taking place.

16 miners were apprehended at different times with respective grams of suspected gold concentrate.

Additionally, three other people were caught in the act, smelting the suspected gold concentrate.

Furthermore, 15 gas cylinders, 13 killograms of gold concentrate, 48 pieces of suspected pure gold weighing 242.12 grams, cash money amounting to K413, 520. 00, two scales and 3×20 litres of acid were found.

The suspects have been charged with an offence of being in possession of property believed to have been stolen contrary to section 319 paragraph 3 of the penal code.

1...1,1681,1691,170...5,564Page 1,169 of 5,564

Company

Trending

Categories

© Lusaka Times