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Zambia has returned to bumper Maize harvest this year after it recorded an estimated 3,387,469 metric tonnes in the 2019/2020 agriculture season.
This is an increase from the 2,004,389 metric tonnes produced last season and represents an increase of 69 percent.
Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo announced this when he released the 2019/2020 Crop Forecast Survey in Lusaka on Wednesday.
Mr Katambo said since the country had a maize carry-over stock amounting to 179,247 metric tonnes as at 1st May, 2020, the total supply of Maize available for the 2020/2021 marketing season is now 3,566,716 metric tonnes.
“If you take into account that traditionally, the Food Reserve Agency’s buying target has been 500,000 metric tonnes, the surplus this year would be more than 710,000 metric tonnes. However, as a Ministry, this year, we have factored in a purchase target of 1,000,000 metric tonnes for the Agency in our cereals balance sheet. Despite factoring in the higher FRA maize purchase target of 1,000,000 metric tonnes, the country has still managed to record a maize surplus of over 210,000 metric tonnes in 2020. What this now implies, is that the country is food secure and will remain as such for the next year to come, provided smuggling is controlled,” Mr Katambo stated.
He added, “Our small and medium scale farmers are expected to contribute up to 93 percent or 3,160,185 metric tonnes of the total Maize production, while the large scale farmers are expected to produce 227,284 metric tonnes of Maize or 7 percent of the total maize production.”
Mr Katambo attributed the increase in maize production can be largely attributed to favorable weather, the early delivery of inputs under the farmer input support programme, and the renewed confidence in growing maize.
Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has tested positive for COVID-19. Dr Chilufya becomes the second Cabinet Minister to test positive for the pandemic after Chief Government spokesperson Dora Siliya last week.
Updating the nation on COVID-19 in Lusaka today, Secretary to Cabinet Dr Simon Miti said the Minister took a test for the Coronavirus and the results have come out positive.
Dr Miti said Dr Chilufya has gone into self-isolation and will remain there until he is discharged by health authorities.
He said health officials have commenced contact tracing to ensure that his contacts do not transmit the virus.
Meanwhile, Dr Miti has announced that the country has in the last five days recorded 137 COVID-19 cases bringing the cumulative number of Coronavirus cases to 1,057.
He said this is out of the 4, 264 tests conducted in the last five days and that the cases were detected through Community screening, contact tracing, point of entry screening, contact tracing, point of entry screening and health facility surveillance.
Dr Miti said 56 cases are from routine screening with Lusaka recording 19, Nakonde with 27, Chilanga 5, Ndola 3, Chinsali 1 and Kitwe 1.
He said 33 were Truck Drivers 24 of them from Nakonde, 2 in Ndola, 2 in Chipata and 1 in Chirundu while 26 are health workers all from Lusaka, 16 contacts to known cases, 7 from Nakonde 6 in Lusaka, 1 in Kabwe and 2 in Mansa.
Dr Miti said 4 cases were from Hospital Surveillance all from UTH, 2 from points of entry at Nakonde.
And Dr Miti said 443 patients were discharged in the last five days 392 of them from Muchinga, 39 from Levy Isolation centre in Lusaka, 6 from Copperbelt, 5 from Kabwe and 2 in Lusaka.
All peoples Congress Leader Nason Msoni has urged the PF government to clean up the corruption tag and the thieving image haunting government.
Mr Msoni says Zambians are sick and tired of PF unending graft in government.
He said the emerging portrait of PF government is absolutely shameful and troubling.
Mr Msoni says undoubtedly ethics and ethos are absolutely important in the management of government.
He said those whose credibility and conduct in public service has been questioned and whose behaviour is contrary and inimical to public interest must now step aside to allow the law enforcement agencies to carry out thorough investigations.
“It certainly beats the course of justice for individuals accused of impropriety to be seen at the centre of government continuing to function normally and receiving donations undeterred”, he added.
Mr Msoni says this is lawlessness of the highest order and cannot reasonably be expected to continue.
He said in the circumstances this conduct similarly questions the judgment and the competence of the appointing authority for tolerating wrongdoing in government.
He said criminality in the PF government has escalated to unacceptable level and is undoubtedly jeopardising the broader public interest of Zambians in accessing international humanitarian assistance.
Mr Msoni has insisted that President Edgar Lungu must now act in the overwhelming interest of the people and ask those whose conduct in public service is contrary to public interest to resign on moral grounds and also to give law enforcement agencies a free hand to carry out thorough investigations.
“We think that it is prudent to ask the corruption ridden government to spare the country from any further international embarrassment by undergoing an internal self cleansing process to weed out bad elements taking advantage of the weak financial controls in the system to siphon public resources for personal aggrandisement”, Mr Msoni added.
The Opposition New Hope Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) in Eastern Province has dispelled information coming from the UPND that the MMD Executive in Lundazi has defected to them as wishful thinking.
Eastern Province New Hope MMD Chairperson Mr. Yoram Jere said that the MMD Leadership and membership in Lundazi district are intact.
“We have seen on Social Media where our colleagues the UPND are celebrating that the MMD Executive in Lundazi district has defected to them. For your information, non of those are neither our members nor our leaders in Lundazi. Our leadership there is led by Mr. James Lungu and am just from calling him and has confirmed that the leadership and membership there are intact”, Mr. Here said.
Mr. Jere said that those who have alleged to have defected are part of the disbanded Felix Mutati group.
” When we were in Court. Expelled members led by Felix Mutati and Raphael Nakachinda started picking people from the unknown and started making illegal structures especially here in Eastern. Those who have defected belong to those illegal structures that Mutati had made. If you remember, there was a by-election in Mkomba ward in Lundazi last year and Mutati’s Chairperson there Godfrey Mapili who is the same person who has defected decided to support the UPND and not the PF as per Mutati’s directives”, Mr. Jere said.
Mr. Jere said that the group became tired of waiting for Mutati to form a new party.
“That group actually approached us 2 weeks ago where they told us that they were tired of waiting for Mr. Felix Mutati to form a new party and they asked us if they could join the New Hope MMD and We could give them the positions that Mutati gave them. However, We told them that we already had an intact structure in Lundazi and if they wanted to join, they should have joined as mere members. I think the mere members idea didn’t sink well with them that is why they went to the UPND”, Mr. Jere said.
The Centre for Trade Policy and Development agrees with Former Finance Minister, Honorable Ng’andu Magande’s remarks on the unlikeliness of Zambia’s debt cancellation. CTPD also thinks that the lack of transparency on the terms and conditions under which some of the loans were acquired makes it even more difficult to provide policy suggestions on how to progressively solve the debt challenge.
Indeed, the growing public debt has caused worry among many stakeholders among which includes the Civil Society Organizations with others beginning to make a call for debt forgiveness as the potential solution to the looming debt crisis.
As Zambia’s stock of public debt continues to rise with recent figures reporting it at USD 11.2 billion of external debt and K80.2 billion on domestic debt, the Government has not demonstrated the much-needed proactive response and commitment to respond to the growing challenge.
While it might be out of growing desperation to find solutions to the growing public debt problem, CTPD equally holds the view that it is highly unlikely that Zambia may receive forgiveness on its debt as the circumstances under which the country benefited from debt forgiveness programs such the Highly Indebted Poor Countries-HIPC Initiative are different from the prevailing conditions, especially when we break down the characteristics and composition of Zambia’s debt.
Firstly, there is a need to understand that about 55 % of Zambia’s external debt is in commercial loans. Commercial loans, which are debt advanced by financial institutions has interest rates determined by prevailing market conditions. Unlike concessional loans, these loans have high-interest rates and are highly profit motive thus making debt forgiveness a farfetched expectation.
Zambia also has bilateral and multilateral debt which by 2019 accounted for 22% of external debt. You may want to know that these are loans owed to bilateral creditors in other countries such as export credit agencies and big national banks or multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. These are the types of loans that were easily forgiven during the HIPC initiative era to which Zambia benefited when bilateral and multilateral lenders provided their share of relief to Zambia under the enhanced HIPC initiative. All said we must remember that debt relief is voluntary in nature and nothing binds the creditors to forgive debtors.
Secondly, about 30% of all Zambia’s External Debt by 2018 was owed to China. In a recent study that focused on Chinese debt, CTPD established that the loans were obtained from various sources in China and largely from the Export- import bank of China. It is CTPDs considered view that the loans owed to China by Zambia are unlikely to be forgiven at least not significantly for two reasons. First, China is now the leading global lender and would in this case risk setting precedence such that other countries equally start approaching china to seek forgiveness for their debt. Secondly, China itself is currently facing lower economic growth following the devastating effects of COVID- 19 and these resources may prove vital in revamping its economy.
We also raised concerns about the opaqueness of the Chinese loans- there is lack of publicly available information around the terms and conditions of the loans, this makes it difficult to know even when some of them are due. This is a harsh reality we need to accept and face.
Going forward, the Zambian Government needs to do the following. Firstly, Government should review its borrowing policies and strengthen its debt management systems. Secondly, Government should take seriously recommendations from the Bank of Zambia and comprehensively revise its fiscal policies in line with prudent public financial management practices. In addition, Zambia needs to decisively deal with the scourge of inflated project costs and corruption in public procurement. More importantly, Government should halt non-viable economic infrastructure projects.
Furthermore, Zambia needs to urgently engage its lenders and review some of the loan terms. Key among the things to look at will include; the terms of payment, the interest rates as well as the duration of payment.
Finally, Government will need to support the local private sector to take up the leading role when it comes to undertaking development initiatives including those on infrastructure. This debt challenge requires sober minds and clear decisive actions by the Government to mitigate a socio-economic crisis that may come if Zambia defaults on its debt obligations. CTPD stands ready to work with stakeholders to develop and implement appropriate policies that will forestall such a crisis.
President Edgar Lungu has observed the urgent need to further tighten controls in the application and management of public service resources.
The Head of State has emphasized the need for those in key positions to work extremely hard to help government reduce incidences of audit queries.
President Lungu said this at State House when he sworn in Mr. Chibwe Mulonda as Controller Internal Audit at Ministry of Finance and Ms Clare Mwamba Mubanga Mazimba as Deputy Auditor General in Charge of Corporate Services.
“As you may already be aware, the outbreak of the global pandemic, the Coronavirus, coupled with severe droughts and floods that have ravaged some parts of our country, have negatively impacted the smooth implementation of the 2020 national budget. This is in terms of both revenue and expenditure,” said the President.
“It is at this critical time that you should upscale your dedication to duty by ensuring prudent utilization of the meager government resources and strict compliance to public finance management guidelines of which auditing plays a significant role.”
President Lungu was confident that with the their vast individual experiences and skills in public service financial management, they will rise to the occasion and help identify control weaknesses that might exacerbate misapplication and mismanagement of resources.
“May I congratulate both of you on your individual promotions. I am glad that both of you were previously holding positions of directors of finance at the ministry of finance. Let me now address you individually. Mr Chibwe Nobert Mulonda, controller of internal audit, ministry of finance; until this appointment, you were director of finance at the ministry of finance. you joined government as an accountant and has served for 18 years rising through ranks,” he added.
“You have now been sworn-in as controller of internal audit in the ministry of finance. Your promotion is well deserved. Mrs. Clare Mwamba Mazimba deputy auditor general in charge of corporate services-office of Auditor Generaleneral: You were director of finance at the ministry of housing and infrastructure development. You have 24 years of experience in public service. You were first appointed to the government as an accountants assistant.”
He said Mrs. Mazimba’s individual accomplishments in public service finance management deserves commendation.
“Your promotion to the position of deputy auditor general in charge of corporate services in the office of the auditor general is in recognition of your hard work,” he stated.
The Swearing Ceremony of Mr. Chibwe Mulonda as Controller Internal Audit at Ministry of Finance and Ms Clare Mwamba Mubanga Mazimba as Deputy Auditor General in Charge of Corporate Services at State HouseThe Swearing Ceremony of Mr. Chibwe Mulonda as Controller Internal Audit at Ministry of Finance and Ms Clare Mwamba Mubanga Mazimba as Deputy Auditor General in Charge of Corporate Services at State HouseThe Swearing Ceremony of Mr. Chibwe Mulonda as Controller Internal Audit at Ministry of Finance and Ms Clare Mwamba Mubanga Mazimba as Deputy Auditor General in Charge of Corporate Services at State HouseThe Swearing Ceremony of Mr. Chibwe Mulonda as Controller Internal Audit at Ministry of Finance and Ms Clare Mwamba Mubanga Mazimba as Deputy Auditor General in Charge of Corporate Services at State HouseThe Swearing Ceremony of Mr. Chibwe Mulonda as Controller Internal Audit at Ministry of Finance and Ms Clare Mwamba Mubanga Mazimba as Deputy Auditor General in Charge of Corporate Services at State House
Chipolopolo striker Evans Kangwa is itching for action as the Russian Premier League resumes on June 21 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Kangwa’s Russian side Arsenal Tula started group training last week to prepare for the league.
In a phone interview with LT Sport from Russia, Kangwa also revealed that he endured a pay cut during the Covid-19 pandemic without giving details.
“It is pity that this virus came. It has affected us a lot especially teams financially. After covid-19 the salary was cut so it was difficult for us as players,” he said.
The remaining eight rounds of fixtures will be played behind closed doors until July 22, with four midweek dates scheduled.
“The fitness levels are down so we need to push more. And we don’t have much time, we just have one month to train and to be fit for the game,” Kangwa said.
“We look forward to the league. I know it will be boring without fans but that is our job we need to work. We need to work without fans,” he added.
Kangwa has scored three goals in 16 league appearances in the 2019/20 campaign.
Chief government spokesperson Hon Dora Siliya has expressed disappointment over comments attributed to Former Commerce minister Bob Sichinga about her COVID-19 Test.
Ms. Siliya who on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19 and currently in quarantine said that it was shocking that a person that visited the inside of a classroom can accuse her of faking COVID 19 results.
Expressing her views through her recent posting, Ms. Siliya said that she is in her room trying to focus on reading her research material which hasn’t been easy. She adds that she is shocked by the accusations of faking Corona Virus results.
“By implication, I connived with trained lab officials who did my test just to humour some very aneroxic minds there such as that of Bob Sichinga” she questioned.
“Point of education; common sense is not to just count and read, it must lead to behavioral change.” she advised Sichinga
She further adviced Mr Sichinga not to share pedestrian opinions and wait until he has something important to say to help mother Zambia.
She has since wished and prayed for a quick recovery for herself and many others in her situation.
Mr Sichinga recently said that there was a need for an independent evaluation of Information Minister Dora Siliya’s claims that she has tested positive for Covid-19.
Speaking with Daily Revelation on the announcement by Siliya that she had tested positive to Covid-19, Sichinga said he had difficulty trusting anything that came from President Edgar Lungu’s government.
Sichinga said this is the same government that recently received a Chinese delegation into the country, through the VIP section without conducting any checkups on them, including quarantining them, despite the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic started from that same country.
He said he, therefore, did not know what to make of Siliya’s announcement, whether it was true or was just merely attention-seeking, and showing to the donor community that the pandemic in Zambia was serious and therefore warranting them to continue with their support.
“I have no idea whether she has COVID or not, whether she has contracted the virus or just attention-seeking…whether this is an avenue they are using to get donor support, I don’t know,” Sichinga said.
He said he also did not know whether Siliya was using this to draw attention away from Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, whom she has been holding the briefings with on the virus after it was recently reported that he had been summoned by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on corruption allegations.
Sichinga, therefore, said there was a need for an independent medical inquiry into Siliya’s claim, although he doubted whether the same inquiry would be independent
Opposition New Hope Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) National Secretary Hon Elizabeth Chitika has dismissed an online story that alleged that the MMD had been evicted from their Kabulonga Secretariat for failure to pay rentals as fake.
Hon. Chitika who was found getting an update from the Lusaka MMD Provincial leadership in light of the COVID 19 at the MMD Secretariat this afternoon said that the story was false.
“Thank You for coming through. This is the only National Secretariat that we as the MMD have. And as you can see, business is going on as usual and our office is open. If we were evicted, we wouldn’t have been here. Those are lies and they should be treated as a pinch of salt”, Hon. Chitika said.
Hon Chitika further alleged that those lies were being done by well-known enemies of the Party.
“We as the party have intelligence reports that that cheap propaganda was done by our Colleagues who lost the MMD leadership case last year. We are not surprised by their behavior. They are still nursing their court defeat. They have failed to believe that they are no longer MMD as the courts ruled that they remain expelled members. They are so bitter that they can create anything to embarrass the party”, Hon. Chitika said.
Hon. Chitika said that the landlord is looking for Mr. Felix Mutati and Raphael Nakachinda to pay a water bill of K25,000.
“To the Contrary, We found that the Secretariat had no running water for almost a year when we regot it back last November as our colleagues were not paying monthly water bills resulting in water bills accumulating to K25,000. The Secretariat had a stench like a toilet at a busy bus stop. The landlord is pursuing Nakachinda and Mutati for this bill”, Hon. Chitika said.
Hon. Chitika then said that No amount of lies will derail the MMD from forming Government next year.
President of the opposition Patriots for Economic Progress Sean Tembo has challenged President Edgar Lungu to apologise to former US Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote for the victimisation and humiliation he suffered for condemning the imprisonment of a gay couple.
Mr Tembo said the pardoning of the gay couple by the President has vindicated Mr Foote who said the 15 years imprisonment of the couple was hilarious.
Speaking on Hot FM, Mr Tembo said President Lungu has no option but to apologise to the recalled Ambassador for the I’ll treatment by both his party the Patriotic Front and Government Officials.
Mr Tembo said the pardoning of the gay couple has also vindicated various stakeholders in Zambia who condemned the imprisonment as severe.
He added that the pardoning of the gay couple by the President also contradicts his government’s stance on homosexuality.
President Lungu has pardoned two men who were jailed last year for having sex with each other.
Their 15-year sentence triggered a diplomatic row, which ended in the recalling of the US ambassador Daniel Foote.
The two men, Japhet Chataba and Steven Samba, were listed among the names of nearly 3,000 prisoners to be pardoned to mark Africa Freedom Day, which fell on Monday.
Zambia is a deeply conservative society where homosexual acts are illegal.
In December 2019, the US recalled Mr Foote who a month earlier said he was “horrified” that a judge had sentenced the men to 15 years in prison after they were caught having sex in 2017.
The government accused him of trying to dictate policy, and President Edgar Lungu declared him persona non grata.
In his usual style of contradicting other government officials on matters of national interest, Local Government Minister Charles Banda has come out strong threatening Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa for closing down abusive Chinese owned businesses.
Mr Sampa has in the recent few days been busy dealing with Chinese nationals who are in their businesses discriminating against Zambians.
The Lusaka Mayor closed down Lanthian restaurant in Lusaka’s Longacres area recently before shutting down a Chinese run barbershop for similar reasons.
However, Dr Banda who has in the past contradicted his Permanent Secretary Bishop Edward Chomba over the construction of the Longacres bridge and Dr. Chitalu Chilufya over the payment of fees to the Council for churches to acquire permits said government regrets Mr. Sampa’s actions.
He has taken a swipe at the elected Lusaka Mayor for unilaterally closing down business houses in Lusaka saying the Government regrets that such actions were taken without following the due process of the law.
He said it is unacceptable for some officials to unilaterally to cancel licenses because Local authorities follow laid down procedures when awarding trading licenses.
Dr Banda said that revoking of trading licenses should not be done anyhow, saying officers designated by Town Clerks are the ones mandated to take such actions.
He said appropriate action will, therefore, be taken against all council officials that have acted outside their mandate by revoking restaurant and barbershop business licenses awarded to Chinese investors.
Democratic Party President Harry Kalaba has written to President Edgar Lungu on the ongoing debate regarding the alliance between ZCCM-IH and Karma Limited that culminated into the formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle in Consolidated Gold Company.
In his letter dated 26th May 2020, Mr Kakala has reminded the Head of State that Zambia is going through various challenges that should have been avoided or better prepared for as a country.
Mr Kalaba has pointed out that Zambia’s currency has depreciated by more than 300% since January 2015 while unemployment in the general population is a staggering 42% with youth unemployment at 50%.
He said the country’s sovereignty is threatened by the unrestrained contraction of debt without due regard to the lines of the contracts nor properly done business and repayment plans.
Mr Kalaba said not only is most of the debt unnecessary and ending up in pockets of those walking the corridors of power, but the contraction of loans is also free for all for President Lungu’s administration making it difficult for Ministry of Finance to know the actual agreements of the loans and the total amounts as anyone can contract loans and commit the people of Zambia to a lifetime of bondage to liquidating the loans which hardly benefited them.
He said while God has heard the cries of the Zambian people with the discovery of gold deposits, the government has gone ahead to start mining the gold despite not having a well-structured strategic and implementation plan as a government that protects the interest of Zambians and safeguards this important national asset.
“While all Zambians are expecting the gold industry to be a game-changer your office goes ahead and partners with a firm which is foreign on face value for a paltry $3.5 million, ransoming the future of the youth and the Zambian people”, he added.
Mr. Kalaba has urged the President to have a heart for the people of Zambia not only in words but in action too.
He said the people of Zambia including himself voted for him as they trusted that he was in a better position to administer their resources responsibly on their behalf.
“We voted for you believing you were going to reduce inequalities unlike what we have seen where those in leadership and their friends have amassed wealth which does not correlate with their incomes, while the rest of the people have been made poorer than they were in January 2012”, added Mr. Kalaba.
He advised the PF administration to deliver the resources back to the people of Zambia saying they owe it to the Zambian voters and the people who gave him the decorum and authority over them to cancel and reverse the rampant theft of the resources by revoking the gold processing contract.
Mr. Kalaba said the Democratic Party is watching the development with interest and are ready for any possible action adding that Zambians deserve a chance to own their economy.
“The hardworking Zambians deserve a chance to take ownership of the private sector economy. In the same manner that you have been destroying Zambian companies, we expect you to build the Zambian companies as well. We expect that government will facilitate US $3.5 million dollars for Zambian equity partners”, he said.
“Your office has already set precedence as you went to China to borrow money for Top Star a Chinese company to be operational in Zambia on our debt. If Government cannot source those funds then at least allow the Zambian people to raise the funds and become the partners”, he added.
He expressed hope President Lungu can create a last-minute legacy by doing the right thing this time around.
Former University of Zambia Vice Chancellor Prof. Mutale Chanda has died. He died in Lusaka on May 25th 2020 after a short illness. He served the University as Vice-Chancellor from 1998 to 2002.
Prof. Chanda’s death was confirmed by the Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) where he served as a Board Member.
According to a statement from Board Chairman of the Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) Board of Governors Margaret Mwanakatwe, Prof Chanda was an accomplished academician and a valued member of the team whose immense contributions to the growth of PMRC and the country at large will be remembered.
Management and Staff wish to announce with great sadness the passing of Professor Mutale Chanda.
He passed away on the 25th of May, 2020.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends during this difficult time,” Mrs Mwanakatwe said.
Biography for the late Prof Mutale Chanda
Former University of Zambia Vice Chancellor Prof. Mutale Chanda
Academic Qualifications
B.Eng. 1974 in Mining Engineering
M.Sc. 1979 in Mining Engineering
PhD. 1981 in Mining Engineering
Professor Mutale Chanda: (B.Eng, 1974.) University of Zambia; (M.Sc. 1979) Mining Engineering, Queen’s University at Kingston in Ontario, Canada; ( PhD. 1981) Mining Engineering, University of Wales Cardiff, UK.
Teaching interests including courses in Rock Mechanics and Time Dependent rock Deformation; Advanced Rock Mechanics, Mine Mechanisation, Drilling and Blasting, Geotechnical Engineering, Rock Strength and Failure, Soil Mechanics, Rock Fragmentation, Shaft Sinking, Mine Planning and Management.
Teaching has been conducted at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Research interests are in the areas of Drilling and Blasting, Material Characterisation, Mining Technology and Ground stability studies. This research, culminating in more than 30 and 20 refereed article publications in journals and technical reports respectively.
He has also supervised many students at undergraduate and post graduate levels of study.
He has been active in consultancy, generally in the area of rock mass classification and strength.
He was currently working on an advanced manuscript of a book in the area of technological use of explosives and blasting techniques in mining.
Professor Chanda had diligently served the University in many capacities.
He served the University as Vice – Chancellor (1998-2002). Acted as Dean School of Mines on numerous occasions; Head of the Department of Mining Engineering (1985-1995), Assistant Dean General (1994-1996) Member of the University Senate (1993 – 1997);. Assistant Dean Post Graduate (1994 – 1996) and (2013).
He has served on numerous other committees at University and School level.
He was the first and founding Coordinator of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa, Mineral Resources Unit, (UNU/INRA/MRU)( 1993-1998); Served on many Disciplinary Committees of the University and the School of Mines.
National committees include the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) (2003 – 2008), appointed by the Republican President; Salaries Review Commission (SRC) (2008-2012) appointed by the Republican President.
Task force member on Feasibility study for the establishment of the Zambia Catholic University (ZCU) (2003-2005); Council member ZCU (2006 – 2012), both appointments by the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC).
He has during his 40 years of service at UNZA, served on over 50 university and public life committees.
He was until his death serving as Governor, on the Board of Governors of the Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) (2012-to Date);
Board Chairman of the Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business Management (LIUTEBM).
He is also a Member, of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), Task Force on Sustainable Mining Practices.
Professional memberships include Membership to the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) (1985-1997) (Now Under renewal); Member, International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) (2008 to Date).
The Anti Corruption Commission has confirmed that it is investigating Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya for corruption.
ACC Corporate Affairs Officer Jonathan Siame confirmed this on a brief statement Monday afternoon.
“Following media inquiries on the above subject matter, the Anti-Corruption Commission wishes to confirm that it has been conducting investigations against Minister of Health Hon. Chitalu Chilufya on alleged possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime,” Mr Siame said.
The Commission has since conducted interviews with Dr. Chilufya and a warn and caution statement has been recorded. Investigations in this matter are still on- going, however, further details cannot be divulged as this may jeopardise the investigations.”
The Opposition New Hope Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has said that they will fight and defend it’s Party Assets from being looted.
MMD Spokesperson Dr. Cephas Mukuka has acknowledged that the party received a letter from former Republican President Rupiah Banda’s office asking the Party to surrender about 300 vehicles that were bought during his reign as Party President in 2011.
“After We lost Power in 2011, the PF led Government impounded hundreds of motor vehicles on suspicion that they were procured using public funds. As a Party through our Party President Dr. Nevers Mumba, We fought tooth and nail using the Courts to have these vehicles back. In 2016, after a lengthy Court process, the DPP authorised release of these vehicles. The Party collected about 88 vehicles in the first batch. Immediately thereafter some expelled and suspended members led by Felix Mutati organized an illegal Convention sponsored by Rupiah Banda where Mr Mutati emerged as Party President and Raphael Nakachinda as National Secretary. Soon after that illegal Convention, they collected all the MMD vehicles that were still parked at Police stations throughout the country. After a 3 year Court battle, the Courts declared that Convention illegal and declared Dr. Mumba as MMD President”, Dr. Mukuka said.
“When we took over the Secretariat after the Judgement in November 2019. We found a letter from Mr. Rupiah Banda’s office to Raphael Nakachinda, where he was asking him to handover about 26 MMD vehicles as per agreement. With the respect that we have for him, We decided to write to him to ask him if indeed he had written that letter and if Nakachinda had handed those 26 MMD vehicles to him. This was due to the fact that the Courts ruled that whatever Felix Mutati and his group did when they illegally held office was null and void. Instead we were shocked to receive a reply from his office where he demanded for the immediate return of about 300 vehicles that were used during the 2011 general elections, Dr. Mukuka said.
Dr. Mukuka further stated that Chiluba and Mwanawasa bought vehicles for the party and never claimed for them.
“For your information, Our first Party President Dr. Frederick Chiluba with the help of well wishes managed to procure for the party over 350 vehicles during his tour of duty. When he left Government and was in court, he never demanded for any of those vehicles. Same with Levy Mwanawasa, he managed to help the party buy over 200 vehicles. When he died neither Mama Maureen nor his children ever came for a day to demand for the return of those vehicles or a single Tyre. It was infact the vehicles that Mwanawasa left that we used to campaign for RB during the 2008 by election”, Dr. Mukuka said.
Dr. Mukuka said that the MMD will fight for it’s assets.
“The public would like to know that our Current Party President Dr. Nevers Mumba had bought a number of Party Vehicles before the Mutati-Nakachinda confusion in 2016. Even the Toyota Hillux Double Cab that Nakachinda was using when he was impersonating to be the National Secretary was brought by Dr. Mumba. When they illegally occupied the Secretariat, never during that period did he tell them to handover the vehicles he had brought for the Party. As a Party, Our Position is that We will fight to protect our assets from being looted by well known enemies of the Party”, Dr. Mukuka said.
However, according to person’s close to Former Republican President Mr. Rupiah Banda, they have alleged that he is trying to get the motor vehicles so that he can use them when he runs for the top job next year.
“We can confirm that the Old Man wants to run for the top job next year. You remember that when Sata died in 2015, he attempted to run. Had it not been for Nevers fight over his unconstitutional way to get back MMD, he would have stood. He has confided in us that he now knows that he can’t fight Nevers again, so his plan is to use a proxy to register a party and appear as it’s Presidential Candidate next year. That is why he wants the vehicles back so that he can use them next year. We however, doubt if he will be able to get back the vehicles because these are party vehicles and they are registered in the MMD at Ratsa”, the Source said.
