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The Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project is progressing after temporary Covid-19 setbacks were overcome when it got essential service status.
To ensure the six-year project is completed on time, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has put in place measures against the coronavirus pandemic.
The US$294 million project involves reshaping the plunge pool at the foot of the 60-year-old Kariba Dam and refurbishment of the spillway.
It is being funded through grants and loans from the European Union, World Bank, African Development Bank, the Swedish government and ZRA on behalf of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In his brief, ZRA chief executive Engineer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said work was progressing well.
“The Zambezi River Authority has taken measures to mitigate against the risks associated with the Covid19 pandemic on its major worksite, the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project site.
“The authority is fully aware of the health risks associated with large projects like the Kariba Dam Rehabilitation Project which requires input from bi-national and international experts. With that in mind, A Covid-19 emergency response team has been set up to mitigate the respective impacts on both well-being and project schedule,” he said.
As a critical project to Zambia and Zimbabwe, said Eng Munodawafa, strict measures in adherence to health guidelines from the World Health Organisation and the Contracting States were being followed.
Work was temporarily affected after local and international workers, contractors and service providers including expatriate staff who had travelled to their respective home countries on leave, were caught up by the international travel ban.
The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishop says the controversial Bill 10 should be withdrawn immediately.
ZCCB President Rt Rev. George Zulu said while Bill 10 may contain some progressive clauses, it also contains some retrogressive and highly contentious clauses.
Rev. Zulu cited clauses such as the provision for Deputy Ministers, proposed changes in the electoral system regarding Mayors, Council Chairpersons, Members of Parliament and the President, and the proposed revision of the composition of Cabinet as some of the most contentious clauses.
“We hereby make our earnest appeal to the conscience of ALL Members of Parliament across the political divide to respect the will of the majority Zambians and immediately withdraw the said Bill 10 from the floor of the House,” he said.
Rev. Lungu who is also Bishop of Chipata Diocese said instead of bringing Zambians together for a common cause, Bill 10 has further polarized them.
“As we have said before, the making of a people-driven constitution that would stand the test of time calls for a spirit of dialogue with all stakeholders.”
Rev. Lungu said the Catholic Church firmly believes that any legitimate process of making, reviewing and amending the supreme law of the land ought to be premised on a process that is widely inclusive, transparent, accountable and anchored on consensus building rather than partisan interests.
“Unfortunately, what we have observed with regard to Bill 10 is that, the process that was undertaken lacked genuine consensus and has become a source of division in the country,” he said.
Rev. Lungu has since urged the people of Zambia not to lose hope.
“We genuinely believe the words of our Lord Jesus Christ that those who hunger and thirst for justice will in the end be satisfied! We further call on all well-meaning and God-fearing Zambians to pray that the Almighty God, not only blesses this nation but also … Zet justice flow like a river and integrity tike an unfailing stream” (Amos 5:24).”
Forestry is a dangerous occupation. It is a so called “3D” job (dirty, difficult and dangerous) sometimes a fourth D is added, for deadly. Unfortunately, there is completely lack of occupational health and safety at ZAFFICO posing a high risk of accidents for casual workers and workers abuse in the field.
Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Company (ZAFFICO) is among the big parastatal industries owned by the Government of the Republic of Zambia through Industrial Development Cooperation until that time when the transition to float almost half of the company shares to the public through the Lusaka Stock Exchange reaches the fruition stage.
ZAFFICO is specialized in large industrial plantations of exotic tree species mainly pine and eucalyptus which are commonly used in the mines as well as in the construction industry. Geographically, ZAFFICO plantations are situated on the Copperbelt Province until recently when the company expanded massively in the last 7 years to Northern, Northwestern and Western provinces to include the growing of tea and Jatropha in Kawambwa and Mongu respectively. Moreover, ZAFFICO started processing poles for various uses in the mines and electric power transmission infrastructure. Also, ZAFFICO is a major supplier of raw logs to large and small scale saw-millers and boasts of little or no competition in that aspect. In addition, ZAFFICO’s motto ‘Timber is our business’ cannot be over emphasized.
As we may all know, ZAFFICO demands a huge workforce to operate. Forestry operations are labour intensive and very risky to field workers. Therefore, there is need to have effective and efficient health and safety system going by International Labor Organization (ILO) guidelines. However, the case is different with ZAFFICO. It completely has zero occupational health and safety system. Worse-off, the company does not have the health and safety department which in fact, is supposed to be the priority and sensitive depart to handle accidents and reduce health hazards of workers.
ZAFFICO’s Forest Management is a cycle of forest operations. Firstly. The operations begin with land preparation which involves cutting down of trees and uprooting the stumps from the ground so to kill the root system of the unwanted trees. Secondly, there is pilling which involves putting together of debris and burn them. Thirdly, there is pitting which is simply the digging of pits where to plant seedlings. Fourthly, there is planting of seedling in the compartments. Fifthly, there is heavy weeding in younglings and pruning. All these operations are labour intensive and demand high levels of safety.
These operations may last weeks and even months to complete. This means that workers need to finish the given tasks within stipulated time in order to see a pay check at the end of the month whilst field supervisors aim to finish tasks with a view of meeting work targets and avoid a warning letter, get promoted and or get a longer 1-year contract in case of supervisor casual workers.
However, at this point, poor casual workers abuse begin to kick in. Field workers are given abnormal tasks and they have no option but to work while being subjected to risky activities and inhuman conditions without protection posing a huge threat to their health and safety.
The fact is that a large number of people who constitute casual workforce in the field are poor and live in the villages near ZAFFICO plantations. So, they are paid below normal rates of K46 per person per day for the abnormal piece work.
Example 1: On average, during uprooting of trees (stumping operations), one person is expected to cut, dig and uproot at least 4 big trees of about 1 meters underground and more than 30 centimeters in diameter which is way too much and tantamount to worker abuse and inhuman activity as shown in the picture below. These people are poor and they aim to complete tasks daily just to make sure they earn K46 per day for a living. If one does not finish the task, the supervisor cannot tick his or her ticket for that particular day and women are mostly the victims. These poor people are also humans who deserve better benefits, health and safety for the hard work they provide to ZAFFICO.
Workers uprooting a tree during stumping (Picture courtesy of Siame, 2019)
Example 2: During weeding, a casual worker is expected to line weed 120 spots of trees of about 3 meters apart which is equivalent to about 0.4 hectares per person per day just to earn K46. One must agree with me that such are inhuman working conditions which qualifies the issue to attain a human right and worker abuse status other than lack of occupational health and safety. I can only urge human rights commission and labour office to take keen interest in this workmanship at ZAFFICO’s casual workers. I wish I can go on and on to give more examples.
I urge labour officers to arrange for regular inspections of field operations at ZAFFICO and confirm these facts at random intervals. I believe working has to be in accordance with relevant regulations, requirements or codes of practice. ZAFFICO management of safety and health should be considered as a high priority management task and must lead by example to other parastatals.
Example 3: During piling, field workers are forced to lift heavy logs which in my view are supposed to be lifted by machines. These logs are so huge and heavy such that they cause accidents to the workers. On many occasions, accidents occur during the operations because workers are forced to do works beyond human capacities and without safety and protection. In some instances, the logs have broken the bones of some workers including backbones leaving them physically incapacitated to earn a living. See the picture below. These people are not machines. They need some dignity, protection and safety.
Casual workers lifting a big log without any protective gear (Picture courtesy of Siame, 2019)
Sadly, cases of accidents often go unreported and unanswered because everybody is scared to report due to fear of being relieved off the piece work. Casual workers are scared of speaking out against the unsafe and unhealthy working environment they are subjected to because they are poor and since they are poor they cannot speak out as they are scared of losing their one-month contractual job at ZAFFICO. It is sad that the company takes advantage of such pro-poor people.
Technically, we should be asking a big question of why a big parastatal company like ZAFFICO does not have a health and safety department? especially that the nature of its operations are so hazardous and risky to the casual workers. We really demand more answers to this effect.
Another big risk is the transportation of field workers to and from the sites which is a risk and unsafe and pose a grave danger to workers. Workers are transported to and from the fields using big trucks which get over-loaded with both workers, handy tools and firewood. Surely, the manner in which these trucks are overloaded is a jaw breaking issue. It is very unsafe and dangerous because these trucks are meant to transport materials and not people. Moreover, working tools such as axes, hoes, picks, etc. are loaded in the same truck as people and pose a danger to them.
What is even more sad is that the Traffic Police on the roads allow overloaded ZAFFICO trucks to pass freely without doing anything to stop them simply because the trucks belong to ZAFFICO. This is uncalled for. These people cannot even sit properly in the trucks. They instead stand and battle with inertia exerted on them by the speed. Everyday body injuries are common in the trucks. Others jump off the truck and get injured due speed and lack of space. This is not normal and must be treated as lack of safety and protection to worker by ZAFFICO.
Overloaded truck ferrying workers from the field (picture courtesy of Siame 2019)
It is very sad also to note that ZAFFICO does not provide protective gear to its workers. Workers go to work in the plantation without any protective clothing which is against health and safety laws. Nevertheless, when there is an accident and needing medical attention, it is surprising how the company is quick to provide the protective gear (work suite) to the victims before reaching the hospital so as to portray a picture that there is safety on the ground yet there is zero safety. I realized that the company is not only obliged to provide safety gear but also safe environment where these poor people can work from. The company lays its interests on workers meeting the daily targets and not the health and safety part of them. there is total zero safety at ZAFFICO. It is heart breaking to learn that once a casual worker gets injured, or have a funeral, that is the end of the contract for that worker.
Moreover, the company has neither a medical team nor accident rescue team on both site and office yet the forestry operations demand that such are prerequisite for health and safety of field workers. The truth of the matter is that accidents occur almost every day in the field and there is little or no action taken by ZAFFICO. Why is there zero safety is the question that needs further probing by all well-meaning foresters and Zambians at large before many field workers become physically disabled.
As I conclude therefore, I propose the following recommends to ZAFFICO management
To put up a serious health and safety department to reduce the occupational accidents in the field among casual workers. This is necessary because the rate of accidents is high and workers do not have freedom and audacity to report accidents to relevant authorities.Since using manual labor is cheaper than machinery, there is need to review the daily rate of field casual workers at ZAFFICO. The K46 is too little and abusive compared to the hard work they do. The company must not take advantage of the poor people. Let the rate be adjusted upward. Moreover, the work targets must be reduced from abnormal to normal sizes of all operations.
ZAFFICO must provide personal protective equipment and protective clothing as stipulated and prescribed by ILO’s safety guidelines, laws and regulations without cost to the workers. Therefore, going by ILO’s guidelines, ZAFFICO must ensure that it provides protective safety clothing such as overalls, safety shoes, respiratory masks and helmets. This must be priority number one and it can be effectively achieved by establishing occupational health and safety department.
ZAFFICO must establish and start to maintain records on occupational accidents which goes unreported as prescribed by labour laws and regulations and ensure that all documents, records and other relevant information of safety which relate to casual worker’s activities are kept readily available for the information of workers or their representatives, labour inspectors, the workers’ compensation authority and other stakeholders concerned.
Also, there is need to put in place emergency procedures and policy. ZAFFICO should ensure that first aid, accident rescue teams and medical care personnel are available and provided for as required in the field. It is funny how the company has an effective emergency policy and procedures for fires and not for accidents. There is need for humility.
As a basis for safety and health management, ZAFFICO should, prepare and maintain a policy which clearly describes the nature of the hazards associated with forestry operations and the steps they intend to take to prevent the effects of such hazards and occupational accidents to the field workers.
The author is a water resources and environmental consultant. For comments email: musyanisiame2ATgmailDOTcom. twitter: musyani.siame
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of a heart attack, according to the government. In a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday, the government announced “with great sorrow to Burundians and the international community” the passing of Nkurunziza, 55.
“The Government of the Republic of Burundi announces with great sadness the unexpected death of His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi… following heart failure on June 8, 2020,” the post said.
An evangelical who believed he was chosen by God to rule the East African nation, Nkurunziza came to power in 2005, when he was selected by parliament. His controversial and ultimately successful bid for a third term in 2015 plunged the country into crisis.
The violence left at least 1,200 people dead, displaced hundreds of thousands and the authorities carried out a sustained crackdown on the opposition and media.
His death comes on the heels of elections on 20 May in which his hand-picked successor, Evariste Ndayishimiye, secured a seven-year term as president – a result confirmed by the constitutional court last Thursday.
Ndayishimiye was due to be sworn in in August.
Nkurunziza had attended a volleyball match on Saturday afternoon and was taken to the hospital that evening after falling ill. Although he appeared to recover on Sunday and spoke to those around him, he suddenly deteriorated on Monday morning. He then suffered a heart attack and despite an immediate resuscitation attempt, doctors were unable to revive him.
Nkurunziza died at a hospital in Karuzi, eastern Burundi.
The government said there would be a period of national mourning for seven days from Tuesday and that flags would be flown at half-mast.
In power since 2005, Nkurunziza was due to be replaced in August by political ally Evariste Ndayishimiye, who was declared earlier this month the winner of a May 20 presidential election.
Nkurunziza’s final years in office were racked by turmoil.
His controversial decision to run for a third term in 2015 was condemned by the opposition as unconstitutional and sparked mass unrest. After a failed military coup and a crackdown by security forces, hundreds of thousands of people fled to neighboring countries to escape the violence.
Ministry of Labour Permanent Secretary Chanda Kazhiya has given the contractor China Jiangsu up to next week Friday to improve working conditions for workers on its site at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
China Jiangsu is the contractor working on the US$60 Million Multi-Facility Conference Center at the Mulungushi International Conference in Lusaka. This is in readiness for Zambia’s hosting of the Africa Union Summit in 2022.
Mr. Kazhiya gave an ultimatum to China Jiangsu when he made an impromptu visit with inspectors from his Ministry. The Permanent Secretary is not happy that workers are not provided with safety shoes at the site.
Mr. Kazhiya while on the tour of the site was told by the workers that they are not allowed to go home by management for fear of spreading Covid-19. He also learnt that the male workers were not provided with mattresses and instead sleep on rubber beds.
And in response to the ultimatum, China Jiangsu Deputy Manager Wang Shulin explained that plans are underway to buy mattresses for workers and safety shoes.
Mr. Wang promised to improve the working conditions of workers as demanded by the government.
The Ministry of National Development Planning says ascertaining and quantifying Zambia’s natural capital wealth in tourism, land, forest, water and other sectors is important in planning for the country’s economic growth and ensuring sustainable development.
Ministry of National Development Planning, Permanent Secretary in charge of Development Planning and Administration, Mr. Chola Chabala, said this when he officiated at the on-going workshop co-organized with the WWF Zambia on development of natural capital accounts for Zambia WAVES Accounts on tourism, forest, water and land at Chaminuka Lodge in Lusaka.
The Permanent Secretary said Zambia heavily relies on natural capital and human capital for income generation, hence it is important to recognise the value of natural capital and appropriately manage it.
“The Ministry of National Development Planning has been coordinating the implementation of the Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) programme with the assistance from the World Bank and in collaboration with relevant ministries and stakeholders,” Mr. Chabala told a multi-sectoral group of participants.
“The programme’s objective is to promote sustainable development by mainstreaming natural capital in development planning and national economic accounting systems.”
Mr. Chabala said it was envisaged that data to be generated from natural capital accounting will enhance policy decision-making on allocation and use of natural resources.
He said the data collected would also be useful to the private sector in making investment decisions, climate change interventions, community resource management and poverty reduction strategies, among other beneficiary sectors.
He said the information from the accounts will greatly contribute to measuring how far Zambia has gone in attaining sustainable development goals.
On tourism account, Mr. Chabala said the global economy had been adversely affected by COVID-19 outbreak which has had negative impact on the tourism sector.
“As tourism progressively raises its profile in national economic planning, there is need to ensure that attention is paid to its long-term development potential to maintain market share and competitive advantage.
“This starts by taking stock of what the country has from wildlife, fauna to heritage sites and how these interact with other sectors in the conomy and the natural environment,” Mr. Chabala said.
“The ecosystem accounts concept will help Zambia, a biodiversity-rich country, to design a management strategy that balances trade-offs among what is obtained from the environment and what remains on the environment to ensure sustainability.”
The Permanent Secretary expressed optimism that the final report of the Tourism Account will improve the management of tourism resources in the country to achieve the aspirations of the Vision 2030 and attainment of SDGs.
WWF Zambia Country Director Ms. Nachilala Nkombo assured of her organisation’s continued close collaboration with the Government in the protection of the environment, tourism and other sectors for the benefit of the people.
Ms. Nkombo said Natural Capital Accounting will reveal the full economic value of natural resources in Zambia, enhance economy-wide and landscape level decisions making by providing rich information on natural capital stocks and ecosystem.
“We appeal to Government to fully utilise the natural capital accounting outputs to guide policy and investments decision to attain our SDGs ambitions while conserving our natural resources that our people and the economy depend on,” said Ms. Nkombo.
Voting in the Bulilo Local Government by-election in Chilubi district, Northern Province is under way. Polling stations opened at 06:00 hours and are expected to close at 18:00 hours in accordance with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) regulation.
At Matipa Day Secondary School, 15 voters had cast their votes by 06:25 while long queues had formed for the two polling streams. Presiding Officer, Justin Mwila told ZANIS that there are 1,721 registered voters at Matipa Polling Station.
At Chinikampunudu Polling Station, where there are 464 registered voters, only seven had cast their votes by 06:30 hours. Presiding Officer, Wellingtone Chipulu, said he expected more people to cast their ballots from 10:00 hours as they usually go for crop harvesting in the morning. The situation was not different at Bulilo Polling Station where Six voters had cast their ballots out of 198 registered voters.
Mr Chipulu said more voters are expected to troop to the polling station in the afternoon as it is cold season and voters prefer doing home chores before going to vote.
Bulilo ward has a total number of 2,959 registered voters. The Bulilo local government seat fell vacant following the resignation of the United Party for National Development (UPND) councillor, Albert Lwanga, on April 1, this year.
The Patriotic Front (PF), Movement for Change and Equity (M4CE) and United Party for National Development (UPND) are contesting the council seat. The PF is fielding Wilson Kunda, while M4CE party is represented by John Mwela with the UPND fielding Evans Ngosa.
Meanwhile, The Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes SACCORD has commended all the political parties participating in the Bulilo ward in Chilubi Town Council in Northern Province and the Nakato and Imalyo wards in Mongu Town Council in Western Province local by-elections for conducting peaceful campaigns.
SACCORD executive director Boniface Chembe observes that from the time that the campaigns started in line with the Covid-19 measures or guidelines and the Presidential directives, there has not been any major incidence of political violence that has been recorded.
He said in a statement that
these ward by-elections have shown again the abilities that the ruling and opposition political parties have in conducting peaceful campaigns bereft of political violence.
“As voting progresses, we urge all the electorates in the wards to turnout enmasse and exercise their right to vote. We appeal to all political parties to ensure that the peace that was witnessed during the campaign period is maintained during the voting and the post-election period” he said.
Mr Chembe has further wished the people of the 3 wards all the best as they exercise their right of choice on who is best to represent them.
TP Mazembe president Mosie Katumbi says he is happy to have cleared the air over Kabaso Chongo’s contract with the DR Congo giants and insists he has never blocked any player from leaving the club.
On Monday, Kabaso apologized to Katumbi for media reports attributed to sources close to him that he wanted out of Mazembe when his contract expired on August 15, 2020.
However, Katumbi revealed in a meeting with Kabaso on June 8 in Lubumbashi that the Chipolopolo captain still had three years left on a five-year deal that expires in 2023.
“I have never had any problems with any Zambian player. Even when Zambia won the 2012AFCON we had a majority of players from the national team. We are both brothers and Africans,” Katumbi said.
“I never stopped anyone, (Emmanuel) Mbola went to Israel, Nathan Sinkala (went to France and Switzerland), Stopilla Sunzu, he was playing in France last year and I think he is going to China. I always wish the best for a player’s career.”
Kabaso has just clocked seven years at Mazembe since joining them from Konkola Mine Police in August, 2013.
“If there is any team looking for you I can’t stop you from going. You, yourself asked us to look for a team for you in Europe,” Katumbi added.
“Mazembe has never had any problem with any player from Zambia or any other player.”
Katumbi cited Ivorian striker Roger Assale, Tanzania international Mbwana Samatta and DR Congo attacker Dieumerci Mbokani as some of the high-profile departures from Mazembe who moved to Europe.
“The Mazembe brand is really a serious brand and it is not brand that we play with left and right,” Katumbi said.
The Church which has been vocal in calling on Government to slow down the process of enacting Bill 10 failed to take steps for generating further consensus through consultation, the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has charged.
In a statement released today, YALI President said the Church failed to formally participate in the Constitution making process started in 2017 which has been inclusive, with dialogue, tolerance of opposing views and consensus building.
“Instead of promoting courteous discussions aimed at moving closer to a much wider consensus than what has already been achieved, we note that institutions such as the Church and civil society organisations kept shooting in the air and took a very antagonistic position,” said Ntewewe.
Mr. Ntewewe said the Church should have utilised the time Parliament had gone on recess to take steps for generating further consensus through consultation and engaging Members of Parliament from both sides, but it failed to do so.
He said Zambians have had sufficient opportunity to listen to different viewpoints on both the content and process of amending this Constitution.
“The measures to make process inclusive were humanly made possible through the National Democratic Summit under the auspices of the ZCID, the Siavonga Meeting of Political Parties, the National Dialogue Forum and more recently the Parliamentary Select Committee Sittings!! All these avenues put in place by government, civil society and Parliament were all aimed at ensuring dialogue, consensus and inclusion of all stakeholders,” he said.
Ntewewe said Parliamentarians should note that the church with other stakeholders deliberately overlooked and endeavored to dilute the consensus arrived at through the Parliamentary Select Committee Report and also wantonly ignored the subsequent Notice of Amendments pushed before Parliament by the Minister of Justice on the floor of the house.
“In the absence of genuine leadership by civil society bodies such as the church and its failure to put in place mechanism for bridging the gap between the two divergent viewpoints, it has only become necessary that the People’s Representative in Parliament must now take the lead and seek to find a common ground,” he said.
YALI said no matter how much time is given for this Bill to undergo further consultations, nothing more would change the opposing minds of the two sides.
“These consultations on the Constitution and the content have been going on since 2017. By and large consensus has been reached. The issue of trust has been dealt with by moving of the motion of Notice of Amendments,” he said.
Mr. Ntewewe said the resumption of Parliament today should be a point where Parliament must exercise its authority to make laws as per mandated given by article 62 and 79 of the Constitution.
“Parliament remains the only body that must find common ground in cleaning the Bill by taking the views of people from both sides into account and enact provisions which are agreeable to both sides,” he said.
Football consultant and columnist Ponga Liwewe says the quality of players over the last thirty years cannot march the standard set pre-1990.
Observations have been made over the last couple of decades about the lack of depth in quality of players especially in the attack and goalkeeping departments.
Ponga said the pre-90’s era benefitted from learning the fundamentals in organized junior community and later reserve league structures that were phased during the denationalization period thirty years ago.
But he added that the biggest gains made since then have been off the field in the commercial and management side of the game.
“If you talk about football on the field, I would have a slightly different opinion. In the 70’s and 80’s, obviously the game has come in a long way since then in terms of fitness etc. But I would say we had a product at that time that could draw thousands of people into the stadium based on the quality of the football,” Ponga told SUN FM.
“But that should also come with the qualification that we didn’t have televised football from Europe to the extent we have today, we had a highlights package (of English football) every Friday and probably in the whole year, the only live game you would watch was the FA Cup final.
“So very much football was rooted in the local product but we had players who had gone through proper development in that era and by proper development I meant from primary school level, starting in the communities where 8-9 year old kids played in structures where you train and played league games.
“But all that happened to fall away at the start of the 90’s with the liberalization of Zambian companies. Those that took over state-owned companies thought running social amenities or running sport weren’t really a priority so we lost something in that window.
“I would say therefore we do not have the quality players we had in the past in terms of the ability to play on the field. We do have players who are good but I would say that players of the earlier era having worked or developed in a structure gave us much more than what we are able to see in the players of today.”
The 4th session of the 12th National Assembly which was abruptly adjourned sine die due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 will resume today.
Clerk of the National Assembly, Mrs Cecilia Mbewe said, in an issued a statement that the Fourth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly, which adjourned Sine die on 18th March, 2020 was due to resume on Tuesday, 9th June, 2020 at 1430 Hours.
Mrs. Mbewe further said, in view of the public health crisis caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the suspension of admittance of visitors to the National Assembly of Zambia Public Galleries will remain in force until further notice.
“This is a precautionary measure aimed at contributing to the national and global efforts to contain the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19),” she said.
During the meeting, several new measures in view of Coronavirus are expected to be introduced.
Constitution Amendment Bill number 10 of 2019 came up at the second reading stage at the time of adjournment is expected to continue at the same stage and is likely to be at the centre of the proceeding this stint.
All Members of Parliament receive about K1,500 per sitting.
Sub-chief Munyambala of the Kaonde speaking people in Mufumbwe district has expressed concern over the K110 price by which the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will be buying a 50 kilogram bag of maize.
Sub-chief Munyambala told ZANIS in an interview yesterday that the K110 crop price for the 2020 marketing season is little compared to the cost the farmers put into their production activities.
The traditional leader appealed to the government to consider increasing the price to at least K130 per 50 kilogram bag of maize.
He explained that this would enable farmers to realize some reasonable benefits from their hard work which would eventually result in poverty reduction at household level.
Meanwhile, sub-chief Munyambala has appealed to the government to work on the access roads in his chiefdom if his subjects are to see meanful development in the area.
He said a good road network will, among other things, enable private buyers who might be interested in buying maize from his people have easy access to his area thereby giving farmers a choice of where to sell their produce.
The traditional leader explained that it is not every farmer who might sell their produce to FRA hence it is important for government to create an enabling environment through a good road network in the area.
He said his subjects have potential of becoming commercial farmers but the poor road network has always made it difficult to the marketplace.
Besides the K110 for 50 kilogramme bag of maize, FRA has fixed the price of a 50 kilogramme bag of soya beans at K150 and paddy rice at K70 for a 40 kilogramme bag.
By Webby Banda CTPD-Senior Researcher (Extractives)
The first step in crafting a formidable Gold game plan should be to depoliticize the sub-sector. It is important to stress that any plan that is going to be advanced will depend on the current political climate. Political involvement at any level of the value chain will overshadow any strategy to transform Gold into a strategic mineral. Gold being strategic should induce macroeconomic stability and alleviate poverty levels. Therefore, there is need for Government to exhibit selflessness in the management process.
The government will need to nature transparency and accountability. Once this is achieved, the Zambian citizens will have confidence in the implemented management systems subsequently granting the government the social license to operate.
The Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) wishes to note that Gold has the potential to spark conflict if not properly managed. Therefore, it is important that Government cautiously manages this resource to prevent civil strife.
CTPD thinks that Government needs to seriously scrutinize foreign applications of mining and exploration licenses to ensure that the proceeds from gold are not fueling conflict in other nations.
Once a national gold plan is formulated, there will be a need for the Government to disclose it to host communities before they can advance any exploration and mining activities in these areas. Failure to do so will result in these community members feeling left out in the exploitation process of this strategic mineral.
The Centre also thinks that the basic idea behind Gold exploitation should not only be centered on channeling this resource to the Bank of Zambia to prop up the national reserves, but it must alleviate poverty levels through the vehicle of artisanal and small-scale mining
The concept of poverty alienation in communities hosting Gold must be centered on the following:
Creation of employment at all levels of the value chain;
Creation of hospitals and schools; and
Creation of linkages to other business sectors.
CTPD has just finalized a study on Gold mining and will be churning out some recommendations to Government that will potentially transform the sector in a tool that will promote macroeconomic stability and alleviate poverty levels. The Centre is willing to support the Government in developing a formidable game plan for Gold mining.
The Judiciary has observed with concern the running commentaries that have been made on a matter that is sub judice.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary and Director of Court Operations Charles Kafunda says running commentaries have been made on the case of Vedanta Resources Holdings Limited versus Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings and Konkola Copper Mines appeal number 181/2019, an interlocutory appeal before the Court of Appeal.
Mr. Kafunda says the commentaries made, tend to undermine the authority of the Court as they express a conclusive view.
He said the Court of Appeal has therefore taken a strong exception to the commentaries.
Mr. Kafunda has reminded Members of the public that discussion of a matter that is sub-judice may amount to contempt of court.
He has warned that should the discussion on the matter at hand continue, contempt proceedings may be invoked against those discussing the matter.
