Transparency International Zambia has welcomed the arrest of the former assistant to the president for press and public relations Amos Chanda by the Drug Enforcement Commission yesterday.

TIZ Executive Director Wesley Chibamba said this is a commendable job by Law enforcement Agencies.

Mr Chibamba said the arrest of a former high ranking official communicates the right message to all those who are in positions of authority that no one is above the law and everyone has to account for their deeds or misdeeds during their tenure of office.

He has encouraged the Drug Enforcement Commission to remain professional, do their job diligently and ensure that they get to the bottom of this case.

Mr Chibamba has condemned any political intimidation that will disrupt the professional handling of this case like the solidarity marched witnessed yesterday.

Over 140 people among them miners and grade 9 and 12 pupils in Chingola have been hospitalized after inhaling Sulphur Dioxide discharged from the Sulphur Burner component of the Acid Plant at Konkola Copper Mines.

This follows an accident that resulted in the abnormal discharge of Sulphur dioxide at the Konkola Copper Mine’s Acid Plant in Chingola.

This is according to preliminary information availed to the Zambia Environmental Management Agency by KCM.

ZEMA Corporate Affairs Manager Irene Chipili said as an immediate action, the Acid Plant has been shutdown to facilitate investigations into the circumstances regarding the discharge.

Mrs Chipili said further regulatory action will be undertaken in line with provisions of the Environmental Management Act No. 12 of 2011.

And reports from Chingola indicate that some pupils have been discharged after being treated at the Hospital.

And parents of the affected grade 9 pupils have requested that examinations for their affected children be rescheduled.

Police have deployed officers to patrol all highway routes across the country following reports that the striking truck drivers intend to harm fellow truckers who would continue operating on Zambian roads.

Zambia Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo said officers have already cleared all trucks which were parked along the road on highways hence there is free flow of traffic on all routes.

She assured the traveling public of their safety and urged all those who may still feel insecure to approach officers at any nearest Police Station for escort.

Mrs Katongo has warned in a statement that the drivers involved in organizing the strike that Police shall not take lightly any conduct that has potential to bring about break down in law and order.

Audio recordings were yesterday trending on social media stating that all trucks whether local or foreign should not be on Zambian Roads today and further threatening that all those found on the roads should have themselves to blame if anything happened to them as truck drivers were planning to go on strike.

Mrs Katongo said Police find such recordings highly unreasonable with potential to incite violence.

She said an inquiry has been instituted to find the author or authors of the said audios and punitive action will be taken against them.

Mrs Katongo said the police have been put on full alert to deal with any eventuality that may arise.

Government has implored the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Committee to visit the lower Zambezi National Park and carry out a thorough study on what is obtaining there and make recommendations to government.

Speaking when the he met the APRM Committee yesterday, Minister of Justice Given Lubinda said this is very important, as the issue of the Lower Zambezi has brought two economic sectors of the country into conflict and there is need for it to be scrutinized.

He said mining and tourism are of great importance in the country and therefore the APRM should make their submissions towards the conflict surrounding operations in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Mr Lubinda assured the delegation that government will look at recommendations as well as look forward to the generation of the report from the Committee by December 15th, 2019.

The Minister also said it is important that the Africa peer review mechanism that is being worked on succeeds, noting that African countries have for a long time allowed others to assess its performance in various sectors.

“There is need to look at it critically to see how it will contribute to improving the lives of the people in the country”, he said.

He added that of all the various Africa peer reviews, the current one is extremely well focused and pointed.

Mr Lubinda, said that Zambia being the second country to participate in the peer review, the country presents itself not only to be reviewed, but also to add to the building process of the structure.

He highlighted that the process itself is being developed and that there is no template that has been proven or used elsewhere, hence the need to revise and perfect it.

The Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by the Member States of the African Union, as a self- monitoring mechanism.

The mandate of the APRM is to encourage conformity with regards to political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards among African countries and the objectives in socio economic development as well as ensure monitoring and evaluation of AU agenda 2063 and SDGs 2030.

King of the Netherlands, His Majesty Willem- Alexander Claus George Ferdinand has called for increased collaboration and strengthening of bilateral relations between the Netherlands and Zambia.

King Willem-Alexander said Zambia and Netherlands have over the years enjoyed cordial relations which have culminated into various business activities at various levels.

The King further said that his government was keen to continue collaborating with the Zambian government on its priority sectors as well as areas of mutual benefit.

He said this during a closed-door meeting at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, shortly after receiving letters of Credence from Zambia’s Ambassador to Belgium and Plenipotentiary to the Netherlands, Prof. Esther Munalula Nkandu.

And Prof. Munalula Nkandu has appealed to King Willem-Alexander and the Netherlands government to consider extending cooperation with Zambia in the Energy, Agricultural and Educational sectors.

The Ambassador explained to the King that Zambia needed cooperating partners in Solar and renewable energy in order to cushion the power deficit that the country is currently facing.

She says that the dependence on hydro power supply was no longer sustainable because of the harsh effects of climate change.

She also implored the king on the need for the two governments to continue collaborating in the education and agricultural sectors.

“We had a wonderful conversation with the King on Zambia’s relations with the Netherlands, specifically on Agriculture, Energy and education. We have a few Dutch organisations present in Zambia, and the encouragement is that as they continue to expand they will engage more Zambians. This will be beneficial to both countries. In relation to Agriculture, our focus is on skills development and value addition with regards to agricultural produce in our quest to penetrate the Dutch market.”

“I also explained to His Majesty about the Seventh National Development Plan which government is using as blueprint towards attaining various goals for the country, and also our Missions strategic plan whose goals and objectives have been derived from the 7th NDP. We also spoke about Tourism, and I later extended an invitation to the King to visit Zambia. It was interesting to note that the King’s grandfather was a close friend to our First President, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda”, The Ambassador explains.

The Ambassador says that she remains optimistic of a good relationship between the two governments as they work together towards achieving goals and objectives of mutual benefit.

This is according to a statement issued by First Secretary – Press and Public Relations
Embassy of the Republic of Zambia Phyllis Chilekwa.