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Rugby Games Suspended For Two Months

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The Zambia Rugby Union (ZRU) has postponed all rugby games for 60 days due to the coronavirus pandemic.

ZRU General Secretary Chileshe Bweupe said all clubs are directed to minimize gatherings and reduce the duration of meetings.

‘Zambia Rugby Union will continue monitoring and observing Government’s directives with regards to public gatherings. We encourage everyone to follow the COVID-19 prevention guidelines,’ Bweupe stated.

‘Further clubs need to provide washing stations for hands and ensure all who enter your clubs have washed their hands,’ he added.

Zambia has two confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Adhere to Smoking Ban, Former Minister of Health Boniface Kawimbe Reminds the Public

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Adhere to Smoking Ban, Former Minister of Health Boniface Kawimbe Reminds the Public

Former Minister of Health Boniface Kawimbe has reminded members of the general public to adhere to the smoking ban, by not smoking in public places.

Dr Kawimbe says people who smoke must take responsibility by smoking only in designated places as opposed to smoking in public places, causing danger to other citizens.

Dr Kawimbe, a private medical practitioner and proprietor of Midlands Medical Centre told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, that he has observed with concern that some members of the public have continued to smoke in public, which is a risk to other public users.

“Passive smoking is very bad because it affects other people, such as children, non-smokers as well as those with chest problems,” Dr. Kawimbe said.

The Former Minister of Health said prohibiting smoking in public places should be given special attention due to its hazardous nature to non-smokers, who are forced to be passive smokers.

He has since urged government to strengthen and re-enforce the smoking ban in Zambia.

Dr Kawimbe further urged members of the public to abide by the law and enforce it by reporting any person to the police who will be found smoking in public.

He observed that following the continued smoking in public places by persons that have no regard for the comfort of others, children and women including non-smoking adults are at high risk of contracting diseases.

He implored councils and business houses country-wide to designate and stick posters were people are allowed to smoke.

In May 2008, Government banned smoking in public and in September the same year, it passed a Statutory Instrument Number 39 of Local Government by prohibiting smoking of tobacco in public places and another Statutory Instrument Number 63 under the Ministry of Health regulations of 1992 on tobacco control.

The law stipulates that any person found contravening the regulation will be liable, upon conviction, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

And according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing more than eight million people in the world through direct tobacco use, while an estimated 1.2 million people non-smokers inhale and are exposed to second-hand smoke

MMD Youths to petition the NEC to expel their MPs who will vote for Bill 10

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MMD Youths to petition the NEC to expel their MPs who will vote for Bill 10

New Hope Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Youths have vowed to petition the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to expel its 3 Members of Parliament should they Vote for the bill 10 when Parliament resumes.

MMD National Youth Secretary Mr. Gregory Mofu in a statement this morning said that the position of the MMD was that the Bill 10 was not a priority.

“Our position on the Bill 10 is that it is not a priority and hence should be deferred. We have a number of pressing issues like the Corona Virus, Mealie Meal prices and the unplugged dollar exchange rate which need our full attention” Mr. Mofu said.

Mr. Mofu however said that there was nothing sinister about the three MMD MPs deciding to stay in Parliament when the UPND MPs walked out.

“We have noted how some sections of the media reported that our MPs decided to remain in the house during the bill 10 because they wanted to vote for it. There are a number of ways in which you can show that you are not in agreement with your colleagues’ view. The first was by walking out like what the UPND did and also by remaining and arguing your points like what our MPs did”, Mr. Mofu said.

Mr. Mofu said that should the MPs disobey the Party’s stance by voting for bill 10, MMD Youths will petition the NEC to expel them from the Party.

“All the three MPs who include Howard Kunda, Peter Phiri and Maxwell Kabanda know our Party’s position and should they disobey that, we the Youth Wing will petition our Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to immediately expel our 3 MPs for insubordination”, Our party must be united in both purpose and action, Mr. Mofu warned.

UK High Commission withdraws staff and their families from Zambia due to Coronavirus

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UK High Commission withdraws staff and their families from Zambia due to Coronavirus

Britain has announced that it is temporarily withdrawing a limited number of UK staff and their dependents from its High Commission in Lusaka due to what it calls a rapidly changing situation in the region.

In an advisory note, the High Commission says it will continue to carry out essential work including providing 24/7 consular assistance and support to British people in Zambia.

It said 24 hour support is available by telephone for all routine enquiries and emergencies.

“Please call 0 211 423 200 – Option 2,” it advises.

In another advisory issued earlier in the week, the High Commission announced that access to the British High Commission Lusaka was restricted.

“Due to the current situation concerning COVID-19, the British High Commission in Lusaka will operate at reduced capacity from 20 March until further notice. This may result in slower response time and we apologise for the inconvenience this will cause. Access to the BHC consular section is by appointment only.

And in a message for all British nationals visiting or living in Zambia, the UK High Commission said the current situation is unprecedented.

“We are in an unprecedented situation. The sudden announcement of travel and other restrictions has happened at a pace no one could have predicted, forcing airlines to suspend routes. And the British Government itself now advises British nationals against all but essential international travel, anywhere in the world. We are therefore advising all British nationals in Zambia who wish to return to the UK to speak to their airline or tour operator promptly for further information regarding flights.”

“I know that for many of you this, and the continued uncertainty, is causing stress and concern, exacerbated by a lack of or slow access to public information. At the moment, I cannot provide you with the immediate reassurance on departures some of you are seeking. We do not have capacity to speak to every single one of you. But please rest assured that my consular team, colleagues at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London and all around the world are working hard to resolve the situation and provide you with the information you are seeking.”

“Given the challenges we are facing globally, we are asking only those of you in a vulnerable position (such as special health needs, or those with young children) to contact the British High Commission.”

And a UK resident in Zambia identified as Usman Patel wrote on Facebook asking the High Commission to help him return to the UK.

“I contacted the High Comission 2 days ago to advise that my return flights back to the UK have been cancelled and I cannot find any flights home. I was told to arrange accommodation and wait for an update. Now if you are arranging travel for UK staff and dependents to return to the UK, surely you can arrange travel for a UK resident? At this rate, it seems I could be stranded here for months.”

UPND ready to work with government to fight COVID-19

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UPND ready to work with government to fight COVID-19

The United Party for National Development is ready to work with President Edgar Lungu in order to fight and conquer the coronavirus.

UPND President Mr Hakainde Hichilema says there is need for politicians to put their political differences aside in order to combat COVID-19.

Addressing journalists at the Party Secretariat on Friday, Mr Hichilema stated that this period was not the time to indulge in political battles but to concentrate on ways and means of ending the pandemic that has gripped the world .

”I have no issues with Mr Lungu and his government on the coronavirus, we can work together. We should put our competition aside so that we can fight this disease together! Am inviting my friend now, we can be together on the table and fight the coronavirus. Can we agree that we work together for once?!” Mr Hichilema said.

He said that concerted efforts from the church, the family and the general citizenry were needed in order to combat the virus.

“Coronavirus is not a joke. The whole world is gripped in fear because of the disease. It is actually a disease that justifies defining this country and continent as being at war with the virus. I want to say that all of us as a country must work together to fight this war. Churches, we must work together, we must cooporate,” he said.

Mr Hichilema said that it was imperative for Zambian citizens to adhere to both local and international guidelines on combating the outbreak, adding that there was need to close the borders with other countries.

“We must shut out travellers from other countries. This is not Xenophobia. We have relatives who are in Europe. This is the time to ask them to stay where they are. And, if we can do that to our relatives to make them safer where they are, why should we keep our borders open carelessly. No leader should term our calls as Xenophobic,” he said.

He said there was need to declare the coronavirus as a national emergency so that assistance from well wishers could be invoked.

“Our country must officially declare this virus as an emergency so that we can invoke assistance that will help us fight this war. I must mention that as a nation and as a country, we must do nothing that takes away anything from our fight against the coronavirus,” he said.

He has since called on Zambians to ensure that they adhere to strict hygiene rules that the Ministry of Health and other health care professionals have outlined.

“We should ensure that we adhere to the safety rules and hygienic standards that has been set by the Ministry of Health and other health care professionals. Let’s ensure we sanitize; that we wash our hands and faces regularly,” he said.

Mr. Hichilema also reminded members of the public that if presented with symptoms such as a fever, a cough and difficulty in breathing, they should immediately contact the following emergency numbers: 909(toll free), 0953898941, 0964638726, and 0974493553

FIFA Signals Kamanga To Stay Until COVID 19 Clears

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FIFA has stated that Andrew Kamanga’s FAZ executive will continue to run affairs at Football House despite the postponement of the elective annual general meeting on March 28 in Livingstone due to the COVID19 outbreak.

Zurich said due to the extraordinary circumstances of the prevailing Coronavirus pandemic, Kamanga will continue to officially carry out his FAZ duties until a new poll date is set after bans on events and gatherings is lifted when the outbreak subsides.

“In this respect, we hereby would like to show our full understanding of the situation currently faced by the FAZ and by many others of our member associations. Bearing in mind the present circumstances of an extraordinary nature, we support the postponement of the remaining steps of the electoral process until the health risk be cleared at national level,” FIFA Chief Member Association Officer Véron Mosengo-Omba said in his letter to FAZ general secretary Adrian Kashala.

“We therefore kindly request FAZ to provide us a regular update on the above,” reads the letter in part.

“Finally, for the sake of completeness, we would like to highlight that the aforementioned postponement of FAZ elections is not incidental on the mandate of the incumbent Executive Committee which shall remain in office until elections are held.”

Patriotic Front Stance Following Prime TV’s Refusal To Work With Government Over COVID-19 Virus Sensitisation

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Patriotic Front Stance Following Prime TV’s Refusal To Work With Government Over COVID-19 Virus Sensitisation

By Hon Davies Mwila Patriotic Front Secretary General

1. INTRODUCTION

We refer to the recent announcement by the Chief Government Spokesperson Hon. Dora Siliya; to the effect that the Government of the Republic of Zambia and its agents have ceased to cooperate with Prime Television station with immediate effect.

2. PF DISTINCTIVE RECORD IN PROMOTING A DIVERSE, PLURAL AND INDEPENDENT MEDIA

It is an indisputable fact that since Patriotic Front formed government in 2011 under the leadership of our founding father the late President Michael Chilufya Sata and his successor His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the private media space has expanded exponentially to unprecedented levels that the nation only previously dreamed of.

We are gratified that numerous private broadcast houses including Prime TV have been established, thrived and grown from strength to strength under the enabling environment fostered by the Patriotic Front Government.

The very existence of Prime TV which only came into existence when it was founded, and first broadcast in 2016 – after PF formed Government; and PF Government’s continued tolerance of its often unethically acrimonious anti-government content and routinely partisan programming, is a clear testimony of the practical commitment of the Patriotic Front Government to democracy- with its attendant principles freedom of speech and other virtues associated with pluralism.

3. MEDIA FREEDOM DOES NOT CONOTE DISCARDING MEDIA ETHICS, PATRIOTISMAND UBUNTU

Having said that, we will be the first to acknowledge that in a democratic society like ours, divergent ideas are the norm, and stakeholders are consequently not obliged to always agree with Government.

However, one doesn’t have to be disagreeable to disagree. Even in a pluralistic environment with divergent views, Patriotism, Truth, Decency, Mutual Respect and other core ethics should not be discarded or overlooked in the name of “Media Freedom”. This is especially so especially in circumstances where there are serious threats to Public Health and the overall security of our nation.

4. PF GOVERNMENT IS RESOLVED TO PROTECT CITIZENS FROM PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARDS

The Patriotic Front Government is uncompromising in its resolve to protect its citizens from public health hazards, and to minimize the danger and impact of acute public health events, such as COVID-19, which endanger the collective health of the Zambian population.

The war against COVID-19 is a battle being fought across various fronts using a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach to which the media are pivotal.

We ALL have a role to play-since it is an undertaking that requires a collective effort. It is above partisan interests and self-seeking political agendas driven by a sadistic love of money.

5. WE WILL NOT ENGANGE WITH ANTI-SOCIAL SELF SEEKING PARTISAN ENTITIES WORKING AGAINST PUBLIC INTEREST

In light of the foregoing, we find the refusal by Prime TV Proprietor Mr. Gerald Shawa to cooperate with government in sensitising the Zambian public about the COVID-19 pandemic, to be not just unpatriotic, but inhuman and reprehensible as well.

We wonder whose interests the Station is serving, because his interests and those of the station as well as those of his cronies clearly do not serve the interests of the health and general well-being of the people of Zambia.

His related bragging and the way he boasted that government was only utilising his station because it had “a large audience” and not because government wanted to support his station financially, was similarly loaded with conceit and a misplaced air of self-importance.

It would be untenable for the PF and friends of the Party to continue to cooperate with anti-social entities that purposely act contrary to the best interest of the people of Zambia.

His misplaced belligerence therefore leaves us with no choice but to recommend that government’s cessation of cooperation with Prime TV be extended to friends of the Party. Further we wish to state that Prime TV shall NOT be invited to cover any of the PF events neither shall any of its members and officials feature on the station for programmes whether paid for or not until further notice.

6. A CALL TO MEDIA BODIES AND STAKEHOLDERS TO TAKE OBJECTIVE INTEREST IN PRIME TV’S PARTISAN INTRANSIGENCE ON A MATTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND GENERALLY UNETHICAL DISPOSITION

We further call upon media bodies and relevant stakeholders to take an objective interest in Prime TV’s entrenched unethical partisan position and their unfortunate intransigence to matters of public health. COVID-19 is a global pandemic that knows no political boundary.

 

Bill 10 has not been Stopped or Derailed, it will be back on the First Day of Parliament Resuming Sittings-Lubinda

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Bill 10 has not been Stopped or Derailed, it will be back on the First Day of Parliament Resuming Sittings-Lubinda

Justice Minister Given Lubinda has described as misleading media reports suggesting that the consideration of the Constitutional Amendment Bill number 10 by Parliament has been curtailed by a court process in which former Cabinet Minister in the MMD Government, Dipak Patel, is challenging the legality of Government procuring public debt in contravention of the constitution.

In the petition Mr. Patel is demanding an order compelling the Minister of Finance and Attorney General to present to the National Assembly a complete statement of the state of public debt contracted from 2016 to date including the terms and conditions of the loans; within 14 days or such other time frame that the court may prescribe.

Mr. Lubinda said contrary to reports in some sections of the media, the adjournment of the Second Reading of the Bill was as a result of an announcement by Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya that Zambia had recorded two confirmed cases of Coronavirus.

Speaking at a joint press briefing Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya, Government Parliamentary Chief Whip Brian Mundubile and Chembe Member of Parliament Sebastian Kopulande in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Lubinda said the consideration of the second reading of Bill 10 will still be on the Order Paper on the first day of resumption of sittings.

The explained that there are special circumstances under which proceedings of parliament maybe stopped adding that when the House resumes sittings, people will know if the court action by Mr. Patel is one of those special circumstances.

“No one must have any imaginations that consideration of Bill 10 has been removed from parliament because it has not,” Mr. Lubinda said.

The Minister explained that the process of Bill number 10 cannot be stopped by anyone except Parliament itself.

The Minister appealed to all Zambian citizens to understand that Bill No. 10 is well-intended and not was being peddled by those opposed to it.

And Government Parliamentary Chief Whip Brian Mundubile explained that Parliament operates under the principle of Exclusive Cognisance which implies that the proceedings of Parliament cannot be interfered with by anyone or any institution except Parliament itself.

Mr. Mundubile explained that given the importance of the risk of the Coronavirus, Republican Vice President Inonge Wina sought permission from the Speaker Justice Patrick Matibini to move a motion of adjournment.

He said this was in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 33 (1).

Mr. Mundubile noted that Parliamentarians have one solemn duty to represent the people that they serve.

He said it was unfortunate that some Members of Parliament had chosen to distance themselves from the people by walking out of parliament when the Bill was presented for Second Reading.

Mr. Mundubile explained that prior presentation of the Bill on the floor of the House, Members of Parliament were encouraged to interact with their people and educate them on the importance of Constitutional Amendment Bill number 10 and collect their views and aspirations and present them to Parliament a matter some refused to heed.

He said his office had received petitions from the differently-abled people, trade unions, women groups and students to have the Bill go through.

He said this was an indication of how much people have understood the provisions in the Bill.

Mr. Mundubile assured Zambians that a new constitution which speaks to their aspirations would soon be given to them.

Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya has urged the media to ensure that they churn-out factual information unlike publishing fake and misleading headlines on the Constitutional Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019.

Ms. Siliya said the public relies on the media to interpret issues hence the need for the media to be above board.

Quoting from Warren Buffet, Ms. Siliya said if personnel in the media were some of the most educated society would be better.

She said this is important because the media have a critical role to interpret a lot of information for the people.

She cited Coronavirus and the Constitutional Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019 as some of the issues the Zambian media were expected to interpret for the benefit of members of the general public.

Ms. Siliya said this should, however, be backed with and premised on verified information adding that this is what is expected from a descent media house.

Bars and Nightclubs will be allowed to operate for longer hours.

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Bars and Nightclubs will be allowed to operate for longer hours.

Local Government Minister, Dr. Charles Banda has said that after consultation among line Ministries, bars will operate longer hours. He clarified that it has been decided that bars and nightclubs will reduce their operating time by two hours, and not to open for two hours only per day, meaning that bars that would close at midnight are this time expected to close at 22:00 hours.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health said it has not recorded any Coronavirus cases apart from the two which were recorded on Wednesday. Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya described the situation of those who tested positive as stable.

Meanwhile Dr. Chilufya has indicated that the Ministry has so far screened 29,992 travelers, with 2,258 being persons from high-risk areas.

He said among those from the high risk areas, 460 have been cleared under 14 days quarantine and watch.

“In our routine travel-related disease intelligence, we have screened 29,992 travelers, with 2,258 being persons from high risk areas. Among those from the high risk areas, 460 have been cleared under 14 days quarantine and watch. We continue to investigate alerts as they arise. As of this morning, we do not have any additional cases of COVID-19.” he indicated

The Minister has also stated that the government has restricted mass public gatherings including events conferences and meetings until further notice.

“Restaurants will offer only takeaway services and minimize the time of contact with their clients.

The churches and other religious congregations will reduce the number of persons in each session and meet for a maximum of one hour.” he added.

And further, the minister stated that there will be a suspension of trading activities in all markets this weekend for a cleanup exercise.

“There will be a suspension of trading activities in all markets this weekend to allow for a thorough cleanup.

All persons displaying symptoms to communicate to our health authorities for advice while remaining in self-quarantine.” Dr. Chilufya emphasized.

The Minister was speaking during a multi-sectorial COVID-19 update at the Ministry of Health.

And speaking at the same meeting Home Affairs Minister Hon. Steven Kampyongo said despite the government not closing down the borders in the wake of the pandemic, security wings will ensure that all Preventive measures that have been put in place are adhered to.

He added that he will ensure that Police stations are also equipped with sanitization materials.

The supply of mealie meal in Lusaka has normalised, prices should now be K136-Lusambo

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The supply of mealie meal in Lusaka has normalised, prices should now be K136-Lusambo

Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has announced that the supply of mealie meal in Lusaka has normalised.

Mr Lusambo said millers who are on government tripartite list and are accessing maize from the Food Reserve Agency have flooded the market with mealie meal as agreed in a meeting held earlier this week.

The Lusaka Province Minister said discussions are underway with the millers to find ways of distributing the commodity to far-flung districts among them Luangwa, Chirundu and Rufunsa to ensure that other residents also access the commodity.

Speaking at a media briefing, Mr Lusambo says the government will ensure that the mealie meal is sold to consumers at the recommended price of K136 and has warned some criminal elements who have continued exploiting consumers selling the commodity at an exorbitant price that they risk facing the wrath of the law.

Mr Lusambo has urged Lusaka residents to remain vigilant and report any miller who is accessing maize from the food reserve agency and selling the commodity at exorbitant prices.

Earlier this week, Mr Lusaka gave millers who are accessing maize from the food reserve agency up to Friday to flood the market with mealie meal.

The killing companies included African Milling, Nyimba, National Milling, GBM Milling, Superior Milling, Champion, Shapco and Continental including A1.

Mr Lusambo said his office will work closely with District Commissioners across the Province to monitor the situation to ensure that people have mealie meal readily available at the recommended price of K136.

He said Gove will not allow greedy and unscrupulous individuals wanting to put the name of the government and President Lungu in disrepute to continue exploiting the people.

FIFA backs Kamanga’s Administration Remaining in Office until FAZ Elections are held

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FIFA backs Kamanga’s Administration Remaining in Office until FAZ Elections are held

World governing body FIFA has written to FAZ backing the decision to postponed the remaining four provincial elections and the March 28, 2020 elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) due to the Covid-19 threat.

In a letter to FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala, Chief Member Association Officer Véron Mosengo-Omba says the mandate for the Andrew Kamanga executive committee shall remain until elections are held once the Covid-19 threat subsides.

“In this respect, we hereby would like to show our full understanding of the situation currently faced by the FAZ and by many others of our member associations. Bearing in mind the present circumstances of an extraordinary nature, we support the postponement of the remaining steps of the electoral process until the health risk be cleared at national level. We therefore kindly request FAZ to provide us a regular update on the above,” reads the letter in part.

“Finally, for the sake of completeness, we would like to highlight that the aforementioned postponement of FAZ elections is not incidental on the mandate of the incumbent Executive Committee which shall remain in office until elections are held.”

FAZ was scheduled to hold elections on March 28, 2020 but the global Covid-19 threat has forced the Kamanga executive to postpone the polls until the situation normalizes. The executive committee will remain in office until the elections are concluded.

Zamtel Kwacha Fees Scrapped To Aid Fight Against Covid19

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Zamtel Kwacha Fees Scrapped To Aid Fight Against Covid19

Zamtel has today announced that it has scrapped charges on all mobile money peer to peer transactions in order to promote the use of Mobile Money and therefore help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The waiver of fees is part of the response to ongoing measures meant to promote use of digital payment solutions and discourage the use of physical cash.

The move followed discussions with the Bank of Zambia and other stakeholders and is being undertaken as a precautionary measure in the wake of COVID19 pandemic.

On Wednesday 17th March 2020, The Ministry of Health announced that Zambia had recorded its first two cases of COVID19.

The new policies will come into effect immediately and will be reviewed in consultation with the Bank of Zambia.

Under the new rules, all on-net peer to peer transactions will not carry any charge. The maximum transaction limits and balance levels for all types of customers have also been increased in consultation with the Bank of Zambia.

Zamtel Chief Executive Officer Sydney Mupeta said, “Citizens should take advantage of the removal of all charges on Zamtel Kwacha and use this digital payment platform for all their transactions”.
Mr Mupeta also announced that Zamtel Kwacha and ZamPay will soon be on boarding additional merchants across all sectors to ensure customers have enough points of access to goods and services as they store e-value in their wallets.
“Our customers will notice that from today (Friday) any money sent via Zamtel Kwacha will be sent without being charged. This is because we want to avoid the handling of physical notes that could contribute to the spread of COVID19”, Mr Mupeta said.
Mr Mupeta disclosed that Zamtel has started sending communication to all customers informing them of the waiver in order to encourage them to adopt electronic means of carrying out their transactions.
“We are also soon starting to relay via our SMS channels, messages from the Ministry of Health on how to prevent the spread of coronavirus but also, symptoms to look out for,” Mr. Mupeta added.
“As a responsible corporate citizen, we believe the financial services industry has a key role in the prevention of this health emergency. We will continue to take whatever coordinated actions are necessary to support and adopt other precautionary approaches to enhance both national and global efforts in fighting the pandemic,” Mr. Mupeta stressed.

Zambian author Namwali wins $165,000 Windham-Campbell Prize

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Zambian author Namwali wins $165,000 Windham-Campbell Prize

Namwali Serpell has been awarded one of the world’s richest literary prizes.

She has become the fiction recipient of the Windham-Campbell Prize 2020 which comes with $165,000. Namwali released her debut novel, The Old Drift in 2019.

She is one of eight recipients of the annual prize.

About winning the prize, Namwali stated, “I’m absolutely thrilled to receive this award and honored to join the company of these esteemed writers. The Windham-Campbell Prize has proven unique in celebrating writing in Africa based solely on it’s literary achievement; it’s deeply gratifying to be taken seriously as an artist.”

Namwali is a Zambian writer who lives and teaches in the United States.

Her short story “The Sack” (2015) won the Caine Prize in African Fiction, and her first novel, The Old Drift, was published to global acclaim.

Praised as “dazzling” by Salman Rushdie, short-listed for two Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, and long-listed for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, The Old Drift was also named one of the 100 Notable Books of the Year by the New York Times, one of the 100 Must-Read Books of the Year by Time, and a book of the year by The Atlantic, BuzzFeed, and National Public Radio.

The Old Drift tells the story of three families—with people of African, European, and Indian descent—living in Zambia over the course of two hundred years. Part historical adventure, part psychological realism, part futuristic thriller, and part magical realism, the novel is an audacious, lush, sprawling, and altogether brilliant celebration of the artifice of fiction.

An associate professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley, Serpell is also the author of a book of literary criticism, Seven Modes of Uncertainty (2014), as well as the forthcoming essay collection Stranger Faces (2020).

One Hour Limitation for Church Services Upsets Council of Churches in Zambia

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One Hour Limitation for Church Services Upsets Council of Churches in Zambia

The Council of Churches in Zambia is concerned and alarmed by the directive by the government to allow bars and night clubs to operate for longer hours while the Churches have been restricted to a maximum of one hour.

Yesterday, Local Government Minister said operating hours for bars will be reduced by 2 hours while Church congregations will be required to meet for an hour due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

In a statement, CCZ General Secretary Father Emmanuel Chikoya has since called on government to reconsider its position because it will create unnecessary agitation.

Father Chikoya says it is his organization’s desire to cooperate with the government during these challenging times but that pronouncements of this nature tend to make it difficult to convince their members to comply with government directives.

Father Chikoya says in a Christian nation, one would expect the Church to be regarded as a critical stakeholder which must be given preferential treatment compared to the bars and other places of leisure.

Below is the full Pastoral Letter

PASTORAL LETTER ON THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19)

20 March 2020
Lusaka, Zambia

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord.

We greet you, as we pray together for one another, for our loved ones, and indeed for all God’s humanity in these trying times of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
We wish to begin by affirming the measures put in place by the Government of the Republic of Zambia that are aimed at combating the spread of the Coronavirus disease. As Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), we pledge our total commitment to work with and support the Government in combating this problem through up to the end of the pandemic in Zambia and world at large. And in response to the Government’s Statutory Instrument No. 22 of 2020, we call on all our member Churches to work and comply with the Government in the fight against this disease.

Having stated that, we have written this letter to share our perspective with our member Churches, Affiliates, Partners, other Stakeholders and the general public concerning the outbreak of the Coronavirus, also known as Covid-19 disease.

As a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we understand the effects of this outbreak on the people of Zambia and the world at large. We are in a scenario like that found in the book of Mathew 8:23 where the storms hit the boat on which the disciples were while Jesus Christ was asleep on the same boat. The storms were very strong and almost overpowered the boat. But the disciples knew who was with them in the boat and they cried out to Him; and he woke up and rebuked the storms. We wish to encourage everyone that we will be secure because there is hope in the Lord; we will take our rest in safety, (Job 11:18).

The Council of Churches in Zambia pledges its commitment to collaborate with the Government of the Republic of Zambia in service delivery, especially during outbreaks and pandemics. In-as-much-as we commend government for all the measures put in place in readiness for this pandemic, we propose that going forward let us be proactive enough and stand ready for emergencies such as this.

We, however, note with gratitude the measures put in place and pray as well as hope that all medical personnel and systems will rise to the occasion if and when necessary. Overall, we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to see us through to the end.

In view of the above, we would now like to address the following publics:

1. Government and other Stakeholders

1.1 Government

Working together with the Church and other concerted stakeholders, the Government of the Republic of Zambia must ensure that there is a restriction on unnecessary travel outside the country for all citizens. This is in addition to the closure of all schools in the country. The Government must further consider closing all our borders to non-citizens and allow only a few exceptions to cross into Zambia. We would also like to bring it to the attention of the Government that not all citizens can afford to buy for themselves hand sanitizers and soap for them to wash their hands as a preventive measure. In fact, some homes do not have access to clean and sanitation services which will make them more vulnerable to the Corona virus. We, therefore, appeal to the Government to come up with a mechanism that addresses these challenges.
We further call on the Government to ensure that there is proper stewardship and accountability of all donations and allocated funds for this programme, as well as cost-effective utilisation of the same.

We also advise that Pastoral and Chaplaincy services must be deliberately integrated into the interventions and responses to COVID-19. People who are affected and at risk require not only medical care but also Pastoral care, hence our request.

1.2 Health workers

We wish to assure our health workers in all health institutions across the country that our prayers are with you. During this period, you will be required to be on high alert and subsequently will be expected to work beyond your normal working hours.

Our prayer is that God will give you the strength you need and protect you from contracting the virus in your endeavour to serve lives. We encourage you to trust in the Lord and He will give you strength like that of an eagle.

We also pray that you will be supplied with all the needed resources and equipment to protect you and facilitate your work.

1.3 Political leaders

We wish to guide all our political leaders, both in the ruling and opposition political parties to avoid making political mileage out of prevailing challenges and for once come together and issue joint messages of solidarity for the good of Zambia. It is only by laying aside our selfish interest that we will quickly overcome the COVID-19 challenge.

When we unite victory is assured. As the Church we are, and will continue to pray for God’s intervention. We, therefore, plead with you that while we do our part, do your part as well by uniting as one force determined to overcome this challenge before all of us. We are all affected hence the need to work together as one team.

1.4 Traders and Business Communities

We wish to call on all traders of different merchandise, especially those in the business of supplying products such as hand sanitizers and soap products that this is not the time to overprice your merchandise.

Overpricing your merchandise will mean overburdening the already burdened citizenry due to the hard-economic challenges they are going through. Let us be considerate and avoid at all costs being greedy in our business. Let’s help everyone have access to the basic necessities in the face of the Coronavirus disease.

We, as Council of Churches in Zambia Secretariat, commit ourselves to continuously monitor and give you necessary updates until this pandemic is completely eradicated. We will also promote the interests and rights of Churches in the context of managing the COVID-19 virus.

1.5 The Media

We call upon all media houses and Journalists to carefully exercise their role of educating the masses about the Coronavirus disease by publishing official information.

1.6 Corporate entities and Cooperating Partners

We take this opportunity to thank and commend our Cooperating partners for their commitment and support in this fight against the pandemic.

2. The Christian faith Community

2.1 The Church

To our member Churches and the Church at large we need to practice holistic ministry by not only preaching and praying but join the government and all stakeholders in offering practical and supplementary support in our localities during and beyond this challenging time.

The Church of Jesus Christ must not only focus on preaching the gospel and neglect other areas of humanity. The Church must believe in holistic ministry, ensuring that all aspects of a human being are taken care of, that is, Spiritual, Physical and Emotional. In this case, let’s pray and work on ensuring that we protect and preserve human life. Let’s make the health aspect of Church members a top priority.

In the face of Coronavirus therefore, we call upon the Church to ensure that all instructions and guidelines by the Government are adhered to and announced in all the congregations. The Church commands a huge following, and will significantly contribute to preventing the spread of COVID-19 by sharing very factual and accurate information with courtesy of the Ministry of Health. The Church is one stakeholder Government counts on in the fight against this disease. While we do all we can to protect and preserve human life, let us make it a priority to pray for one another, Government, political and Church leaders and the nation as a whole for God’s intervention. Let’s us also pray for health workers in various health institutions.

2.2 The Clergy

In the Book of 2 Chronicles 12:32 were the men of Issachar who understood the times and what Israel needed to do. We wish to call on all Clergymen and women across the country to understand the times we are in and act accordingly in response to what is going on. This is a time when Science and the Word of God must work together to effectively serve the people of God from this calamity. To our member Churches, and indeed other Churches that would agree with us we recommend and instruct the following:

  • Beginning with Sunday 22nd March 2020 let us pray from an informed and proactive perspective for control and eradication of this pandemic.
  • Encourage people to go for medical attention and avoid contact while we are praying for them. Let us not tell our members to exclusively depend on prayer only. Let them get both prayer and medical attention from health facilities. The roles of the Church and medical facilities are complementary and not competitive.
  • We encourage our member Churches to consider suspending Holy communion during this period until the Coronavirus disease is completely eradicated.
  • Avoid handshakes and physical contact at all costs, including laying of hands on people while praying for them and exchanging greetings during peace.
  • Overnights must be discontinued with immediate effect until this pandemic is contained.
  • That all Church gatherings be shortened to not more than 1 hour in line with Government directive until our engagements with government are fully exhausted.
  • Ensure there is special care for the elderly and the sick in all our member Churches during this period.
  • All member Churches of the Council of Churches in Zambia that run health facilities must make them available in collaboration with the Government until the disease is completely eradicated.
  • Ensure the highest levels of hygiene by sanitising Church premises as well as providing hand washing facilities at strategic and visible locations.

This is wake up call for the Church to seriously consider investing in IT and technologies that could be used during moments like this.

In the meantime, we urge the Church to fully utilise existing social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and saturate the country with messages of Hope. Creative infographics are a must as we weather the storm of COVID-19.

2.3 The Church members and general citizenry

The deadly Coronavirus which we thought was confined only to China and other countries is now a reality. Despite this, however, we want to assure that God is telling us to be still and know that He is God – Psalm 46:10.

Our call is that do not panic or be moved by the increasing number of the Coronavirus disease cases. Trust in God for He is with us.

Instead of panicking, make every effort to follow strict personal hygiene so you prevent the transmission of the disease. Adhere and follow all instructions and guidelines being shared by the Government and other authentic stakeholders and pray for God’s intervention. Let’s be each other’s keeper by loving one another in the same manner we would love ourselves. Let’s do unto others as we would love them to do unto us. This means we must take care in the manner we interact with others in public places and even in our homes in order to ensure we are all safe from contracting the virus.

Kindly take note of the following emergency lines for quick contact in the event you suspect you or another person has COVID-19:
0953898941
0964638726
0974493553

Let us also avoid panic buying of essential goods and food stuffs as this will escalate the cost of the commodities.

3. Our Concern

We are very concerned and alarmed by the directive that allows bars and other places to operate longer hours while the Church has been restricted to a maximum of one hour. We wish to call on the government to reconsider this position because it creates unnecessary speculations and agitation. It is our desire to cooperate with the government during these challenging times but pronouncements of this nature tend to make our work of convincing our member Churches to comply with government directives extremely difficult. We call upon government officials to be very consistent and clear in their pronouncements.

In a Christian nation one would expect the Church to be regarded as a critical stakeholder which must be treated better that the bars and other places of leisure. It must be noted that the Church also contributes directly and indirectly to national development.

4. Conclusion

We affirm the call in a Pastoral letter to World Council of Churches (WCC) member Churches and ecumenical partners by General Secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit and WCC Moderator Dr Agnes Abuom, in which they urge people to give highest priority to doing whatever they can to protect life and that this is the time to touch each other’s hearts, by what we say, what we share, what we do, and what we do not do to protect the life God loves so much.

We also affirm the following prayer:

God of life – lead us to justice and peace as well life! This is the God we believe in together, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is our creator, our Saviour and our life giver.

To pray to the God of life means that we as churches together stand firm on the side of life, together with our lord and shepherd Jesus Christ who did everything to protect life and who gave his life for us. (Adapted from the World Council of Churches-WCC pastoral letter).

COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN ZAMBIA

Rev. Canon Emmanuel Chikoya
GENERAL SECRETARY

The Constitution cannot be amended by any institution apart from Parliament-Prof Lungwangwa

Chief Editor
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23
The Constitution cannot be amended by any institution apart from Parliament-Prof Lungwangwa

Nalikwanda United Party for National Development (UPND) Member of PArliament Profesor Geoffrey Lungwangwa has said that that the fundamental responsibility of all Members of Parliament is to amend the constitution adding that walking away from the House is depriving the electorate a voice.

Speaking at an event of Members of Parliament from the ruling Patriotic Front, UPND, MMD, FDD, and Independent MPs, Prof Lungwangwa said that the Constitution cannot be amended by any institution apart from Parliament.

At the same event, Government Chief Whip Hon Brian Mundubile said that the Government is confident that the new Republican Constitution will speak to the aspirations of the people of Zambia and that was the more reason stakeholders should support the passing of Bill 10 of 2019 in Parliament.

“We in Government are confident that if we amend the current constitution, it will speak to the aspirations of the people of Zambia. This is not a political matter as it has progressive clauses that will help us in the governance system of the country,” he said.

The Members of Parliament took turns in explaining the importance of passing the Bill and strongly condemned other MPs who walked out of Parliament during the Second Reading.

The MPs, who refused to walk out of Parliament when the Constitution Amendment Bill No.10 came up for second reading, contended that they will vote in favour of bill 10 if all the recommendations of the select committee are adopted.

UPND Solwezi West Member of Parliament Teddy Kasonso who was a member of the Select Committee, has explained that he could not walk out of the house when the bill came up for second reading as a member of the select committee.

The MPs in attendance included: Nalikwanda UPND MP Prof. Geoffrey Lungwangwa, Bwana Mkubwa PF MP Hon Jonas Chanda, Kabwe Central PF MP Tutwa Ngulube, Solwezi West UPND MP Teddy Kasonso, Chiengi FDD MP Given Katuta, Sioma Independent MP Nancy Subulwa, Wusakile Independent MP Pavyuma Kalobo, Kasenengwa MP Sensio Banda, Lumezi MP Pilile Here, Lusaka Central MP Margaret Mwanakatwe, Nominated MP Hon Raphael Nakachinda, Serenje MMD MP Maxson Kabanda, Roan NDC MP Joseph Chisala, Muchinga MMD MP Howard Kinda, Sinda MP Masauso Tembo, Chembe MP Hon Sebastian Kopulande and Bangweulu MP Anthony Kasandwe, Muchinga MMD MP Howard Kunda, among other MPs.

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