Nevers Mumba Challenges MMD MPs not willing to work with him to resign
MMD President Nevers Mumba has challenged Members of Parliament that are not willing to work with him to resign following a High Court judgment that declared him President of the former ruling party.
Dr. Mumba, however, said that he is willing to work and support MPs including supporters of the losing President Felix Mutati.
He said he will not force anyone to stay in the party if they are not willing to work with him and the party will be willing to go for bye-elections.
Dr. Mumba said divided loyalty is detrimental to the development of the organization hence the need for unity among members.
And Dr. Mumba said he has received overwhelming support from across the country after the ruling by the High Court.
He said leaders and members alike have shown willingness to work with him in rebuilding the party that has suffered a huge setback in the last three years there were legal battles.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mumba has asked Zambians to give the MMD another chance to rule.
He said with the vast experience in governance, the MMD is the only party that has the capacity to resuscitate the economy.
The ever-increasing number of Gender Based Violence cases as recorded by the Zambia Police is a concern-NGO
The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating is concerned with the ever-increasing number of Gender Based Violence cases as recorded by the Zambia Police, Victim Support Unit during the third quarter of 2019.
According to the third quarter statistics released by VSU, 6,788 cases of GBV were reported this year, compared to the 6,114 cases reported in 2018 over the same period. The reported cases show an increase by 674 cases or 9.9%.
A total of 773 child defilement cases were recorded in the third quarter of 2019 representing 11.4% of the reported cases of which three cases 0.4% were against boys while 770 cases or 99.6% were against girls.
Chilufya Siwale, the NGOCC Acting Executive Director says GBV continues to be rampant against girls and women.
Mrs Siwale has since appealed to Zambians from all walks of life to unite and fight GBV in all its forms.
She said the ever increasing cases of GBV point to a deeper societal challenge and a breakdown in family values that will require everyone’s effort to end GBV.
Mrs Siwale said during the recently held national indaba on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, it was clear that every citizen has a role to play in ensuring that we end this vice.
She said while Zambia has enacted the Anti Gender Based Violence Act of 2011, it is clear that this law alone is not enough to end the ever-escalating number of GBV cases. Sexual and Gender-Based Violence is fast becoming a national crisis. And the latest statistics evidence the sad realities.
Mrs Siwale said NGOCC also remain disappointed over the high number of GBV being withdrawn from the courts of law.
She said according to the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit, 3,857 cases were withdrawn from various Police Stations while 2, 272 are still under investigation.
Mrs Siwale has appealed to all survivors of GBV to avoid withdrawing these cases so that they are prosecuted and perpetrators made to account.
Farmers Union Frustrated by the Raging Load Shedding that is targeted at Farmers-Zimba
The Zambia National Farmers’ Union lead the engagement with all levels of Government because of farmers’ good intentions to produce and guarantee grain availability in the country instead of importing.
The Zambia National Farmers Union says all efforts to grow early maize to boost the country’s stocks levels of maize to cover the national requirements before the new rainfed harvest have been mutilated because of load shedding.
Union President Jervis Zimba says not withstanding the assurances made that power supply will be available to ensure productive sectors such as agriculture continue to operate, the situation in the farming areas has turned for the worst as farmers have now been hit by 18 to 21 hours of load shedding every day.
Mr Zimba says sadly, the maize which was planted earlier is now wilting while what was recently planted is stressed at the germination phase.
He said it is disheartening that there are residential areas that are not load shed at all and this is clear evidence of misplaced priorities in determining who should not be load shedded.
Mr Zimba said it is also difficult to determine which door to knock on to get the right answers which are frustrating.
He said the ZNFU has written to both the utility company ZESCO Ltd and the Ministry of Energy and are waiting for feedback.
Mr Zimba said to say that the energy crisis is the final nail in the coffin for the farming sector in Zambia is an understatement because the anticipated losses from the futile efforts to grow irrigated maize are astronomical hence false hopes that power would be made available for maize production should have never been created in the first place.
He said it is also important to realize that the frustrations which early maize farmers are facing is only but a tip of the problems which farmers are going through because sugar out-grower schemes are faced with withering cane plants, tree crop investments such as coffee, avocado, macadamia and citrus fruits which take years of sunk costs are withering, time for curing of tobacco is here and costs are escalating because of diesel-generated power for curing, not to mention the cost of running must have cold chain facilities required for fisheries, livestock products and fruits/vegetables which are highly perishable products.
Mr Zimaba said justification for powering the agricultural sector is so compelling in comparison to other sectors.
“Hence, we need to know by how many hours the Mining, Hotels and other sectors are subjected to load shedding in comparison to primary agriculture for transparency and equity. Truth be said, someone within the Energy Sector (be it at the Ministry of Energy or at the power utility) should be made accountable for failure to take timely measures to counter the energy crisis which has crippled the country”, he said.
Mr Zimba said not only will farmers incur massive losses for getting involved in growing maize under irrigation but within agriculture, there are so many other industries badly affected as stated.
He said what is happening in the highest order of negligence as the country has plenty of pool of skilled manpower which could be properly utilised in planning to avert such crisis.
Mr. Zimba said when all is said and done, the ZNFU can only offer farmers counsel at this stage to exercise great caution before engaging into new ventures as the risks in farming evolve continuously as the current situation attests to the fact that human-induced risks are a difficult catastrophe to predict.
“Can you imagine that the private sector rewards some people who do nothing but frustrate Government efforts by paying them salaries through hard-earned taxpayers’ income? Our verdict is that heads should roll over what is happening in the energy sector because the crisis keeps raging; farmers can only turn to Government for explanations”, Mr Zimba added.
Kambwili urges Journalists to be bold and brave , and ask tough questions
As the journalists go to their get together with president Edgar Lungu today, National Democratic Congress President Chishimba Kambwili has urged them to be bold and brave.
Mr Kambwili says the whole country has so many questions and Journalists have been afforded an opportunity to ask questions relatating to some of the stark policy contradictions his ministers constantly furnish the country with.
He said the whole country would like to know from the president what exactly is going on in the country because everything is falling apart and the buck starts and ends with President Edgar Lungu.
“Today journalists you have a chance to ask on behalf of the bereaved families who have had their children killed by PF cadres, you have a chance to seek answers on behalf of these families on when the known perpetrators will be brought to book. You have a chance to ask why President Lungu has decapitated democracy through police brutality. You have a chance to ask why he keeps quiet over politically exposed persons close to him who are riddled in corruption”, he said.
He said journalists today have a rare chance to get real answers from the head of state among them the ESKOM and Maamba Saga which also needs the head of state to be categorical not these various wild statements coming from his ministers.
Mr Kambwili said Zambians are looking forward to the President’s attempt at addressing the nation.
Kitwe United Promotion Race Cheers Coach
Kitwe United coach Stephen ‘Barnes’ Mwansa want his side to be consistent as they chase for promotion back to the FAZ Super Division.
Chingalika are second in the FAZ National Division One League with 24 points from 11 matches played.
Kitwe, who have lost once in the season, are two points behind leaders Young Green Eagles.
‘If we can carry on like this it will be good. We are fighting hard to win promotion to the Super Division,’ Mwansa said.
Kitwe are seeking a speedy return to the top league after suffering demotion during the transitional season earlier this year.
‘Each team we are playing come prepared because they know we are coming from the Super Division,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Kitwe thumped Mumbwa Medics 3-0 in their last match played on Wednesday in Mumbwa.
Davis Mwila calls on Police to bring Sanity in Markets and Bus Stations
Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davis Mwila has called on the police to help bring sanity in Markets and Bus stations following reports of call boys forcefully collecting money from marketeers and bus drivers.
Mr. Mwila says the party leadership is concerned that some of the call boys have continued collecting money from Marketeers and bus drivers while masquerading as PF members.
He says no one should be allowed to harass innocent citizens.
Mr. Mwila was speaking shortly after visiting Kabwata, New Soweto and Lusaka City Markets this morning.
And Mr. Mwila noted that some unscrupulous call boys collecting money on bus stops should.
Meanwhile Patriotic Front North Western Provincial Chairperson, Jackson Kungo has welcomed PF Secretary General Davies Mwila’s decision to dissolve the Mwinilunga District Executive Committee with immediate effect.
Mr Kungo says people are elected into positions to serve the party, the people and not just to showing off.
He has since advised the incoming interim committee to work hard and make PF a household name in that district.
Mr Kungo said this in a statement to ZNBC News in Lusaka
today.
Yesterday, Mr Mwila said the Mwinilunga District Executive Committee has been dissolved for failure to campaign for the party’s candidate during the Samuteba ward by election which was held on 10 October 2019.
He has since advised the Provincial Executive Committee to inform the structure of the action accordingly.
Mr Mwill further directed the party provincial authority to appoint an interim committee.
Zambia’s continued power outages are an emergency-Dora Siliya
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya has described the country’s continued power outages as an emergency.
Ms. Siliya says Government is mobilizing more money to pay Eskom of South Africa for the importation of power.
The Chief Government spokesperson says Eskom has offered to supply Zambia with power for 6 months but that government as at now can only afford to buy power for two months.
Ms. Siliya said this when she featured on a programme dubbed ‘ Diamond Connection ‘ on Diamond Television.
She explained that from the 690 megawatts of power deficit that the country is facing, there is need to import at least 3 hundred and 50 megawatts.
Ms. Siliya said Government plans to handle the power deficits permanently when Kafue Lower Gorge power station starts producing 7 hundred and 50 megawatts and commencement of power generation at Kalungwishi power station and setting up of a power station in Luapula.
She reiterated the call for ZESCO to have cost reflective tariffs to encourage investments in the sector.
Yesterday, South Africa’s Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan revealed that ZESCO owes that country’s power utility Eskom R89m (around K81 million).
This was revealed in a parliamentary reply by Mr. Gordhan in response to a question posed by the opposition Democrat Alliance.
Mr Gordhan said Mozambique and Zimbabwe are some of the other neighboring countries that owe Eskom bringing the total debt amount to R632m.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa Holdings) owes Eskom R322m, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) owes R221m.
He said the three foreign state-owned power utilities owe Eskom R632m in outstanding payments.
The DA said while Gordhan may be of the view that R632m would have a minimal impact on Eskom’s cash flow, in reality every cent counted when the power utility had debt of about R420bn.
Half a billion rands is an astonishing amount of money and could, in the long term, go a long way in stabilising the financial woes at Eskom,” said DA chief whip Natasha Mazzone.
“As such, the DA has written to minister Gordhan to request that he makes public the payment plans that Eskom has with these foreign governments which owe the utility millions in unpaid debt,” she said.
She said in addition to the R632m owed by these foreign power utilities, Eskom was also owed close to R20bn in outstanding debt by municipalities across South Africa.
“Clearly Eskom is incapable of collecting debts both at home and abroad. This begs the question: does Eskom actually have plans in place to collect debts owed to it?”
“If not, the utility will never be able to stabilise its cash flow, and the taxpayer will continue to pay for bailout after bailout,” Mazzone said.
Government to establish electronic monitoring and tracking system of all its vehicles
The government says it is in the process of establishing an electronic monitoring and tracking system of all its vehicles, for prudent fleet utilization, as directed by President Edgar Lungu.
This follows the launch of the Government Fleet Management Policy by the Minister of Works and Supply Hon. Silvia Chalikosa at Mulungushi International Conference center Thursday morning.
Hon. Chalikosa said this will ensure that information on the utilization of Government vehicles, plant and equipment is obtained in real-time in addition to other management tools.
“Gone are the days when we used to see Government vehicles being driven around in the night, at midnight and early hours of the morning; Government vehicles parked at undesignated places, bars, night clubs, etc.” She stated
She added that the Government will not let anyone use government vehicles for personal errands, be used by unauthorized drivers, carrying unauthorized passengers or being driven without necessary documentation such as logbooks.
And Hon. Chalikosa has stated that the newly launched policy will strive to ensure that all government vehicles are ensured.
Meanwhile Hon. Chalikosa has announced that the government has through ZAMTEL opened a toll-free number 3003 for members of the public to report those seen misusing Government Vehicles.
“Remember that the toll-free number is 3003. The government is you and the Government is all of us. Lets do the right thing. It’s a collective responsibility.” She emphasized.
She observed that the government has been spending a lot on a huge fleet which currently stands at 12,000 thousand in the country.
She reiterated that the vision of the policy is “a world-class value for money of a public service fleet management system by the year 2030,” which resonates with the recently launched public service vision “a smart and value centered public service.”
Government wants Public Passenger Vehicles without seat belts removed from roads
Transport and Communications Minister Hon Mutotwe Kafwaya has directed his Permanent Secretary to speed up the constitution of a committee for the implementation of the instructions given by President Edgar Lungu to remove from the roads public passenger vehicles without seat belts.
President Edgar Lungu late last month directed Hon Kafwaya to remove from the road all public service vehicles without seat belts.
President Lungu further urged the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to ensure the law that bans people from traveling at the back of vans and trucks is enforced.
Speaking in Lusaka when he launched the Road Transport and Safety Agency Strategic Plan running from 2019 – 2021, Hon Kafwaya said President Lungu has also requested his ministry to strengthen legislation on the road traffic offenses.
“I have a very important message from His Excellency President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu that in implementing your strategic plan, you are required to weed off the use of open vans and vehicles without seat belts on our roads as public passenger vehicles,” he said.
“I am pleased to note that RTSA has put in place a plan which will guide its performance from 2019 t0 2021.”
He made it clear that the implementation of this directive will be guided by his ministry.
The Transport and Communications Minister since assured bus owners and drivers that the government will sanitize bus stations and bus stops by ensuring that those elements that extort hard-earned money from drivers are removed permanently.
Speaking at the same event, RTSA Acting Board Chairperson Dr. Cornelius Chipoma said the agency will work with key stakeholders in the transport sector such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Road Development Agency, National Road Fund Agency, local authorities, research institutions, insurance companies, health professionals, CSOs and local communities to ensure ongoing learning and responsive solutions for public safety.
Dr. Chipoma said this will also minimize recourse to punitive measures including fines and litigation.
“Honourable Minister, your endorsement of the new Strategic Plan will allow the Agency to immediately ramp up implementation for the next three years,” said the RTSA Acting Board Chairperson.
The MMD is back and means business-Nevers Mumba
Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) President Dr. Nevers Mumba has said that the MMD is back and it means business.
Dr. Mumba who was today’s guest on the Hot Seat program on Hot FM said that Judge Newa’s MMD Leadership Judgement was a landmark.
“On behalf of the MMD Leadership, we would love to thank High Court Judge Sharon Newa for her landmark judgment on the MMD Leadership Impasse. This Impasse which has lasted for the past 3 years was a fight between the MMD Constitution and those who thought the money could buy power. The ruling which lasted for over 5 hours and had over 600 pages clearly stipulated that parties should be governed by there Constitution. We took the case through our National Secretary not because we wanted to defend our leadership but because we wanted to protect our constitution and the future generations that never again will people with money ever buy power using illegal means. Judge Newa’s judgment was a landmark ruling”, Dr. Mumba said.
Dr. Mumba further said that he had always reached out his hand to Mutati.
“I knew Felix when I was Republican Vice President and he was Deputy Minister of Energy. After I won the MMD Presidency in 2012, I had reached out to all the losing candidates including my brother Felix for dinner. He never showed up. We later managed to meet and have dinner at Acacia Park, where I asked him to support and work with me. Shortly afterward, I received a letter from him where he resigned as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament”, Dr. Mumba said.
“This is not his first expulsion but second expulsion from the MMD. The first was in 2014, where he rebelled against the party leadership and supported the opposition UPND during the Presidential by-election. He afterward approached me and said that Mr. President, what I did was wrong and MMD is a party that I belong to, please forgive. I recommended to the National Executive Committee (NEC), and that’s how he was reinstated back into the party. Again in 2016, the National Executive Committee (NEC) decided to expel him and he even contested the expulsion which he lost in the high court. If Mr. Mutati wants to come back to the MMD, he knows what he should do”, Dr. Mumba said.
Dr. Mumba said that like the Labour party, the MMD will bounce back to Power.
“I have heard some people allege that MMD will never bounce back to power. But let me tell you, when I became MMD President in 2012, no one wanted to do anything with the MMD. RB had resigned as Party President, We had 11 of our MPs serving in the PF government as Ministers and a number of members had left our party. To add to those problems, the Registrar of Societies threatened to deregister our party for a bill of $85,000”, Dr. Mumba said.
“Not only did We raise the $85,000, we managed to beat the PF in a number of by-elections that included Mkaika and Muchinga constituencies. By 2014, our party was so attractive that the same people who left our party earlier started to cause confusion. The labour party of the UK after losing power, was in the opposition for a long period of time, up until Tony Blair took over and called it the New Labour Party and won the elections. So like the New Labour Party, the New Hope MMD will bounce back into power”, Dr. Mumba said.
Zambia owes South Africa’s ESKOM R89milion
ZESCO owes South Africa’s state owned power company -Eskom R89million in outstanding payments.
This was revealed in the South African parliament when Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan responded to a question posed by the Democratic Alliance(DA).
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa Holdings) owes Eskom R322m, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) owes R221m and Zambian state-owned power company Zesco owes R89m.
“Half a billion rands is an astonishing amount of money and could, in the long term, go a long way in stabilising the financial woes at Eskom,” said DA chief whip Natasha Mazzone.
“As such, the DA has written to minister Gordhan to request that he makes public the payment plans that Eskom has with these foreign governments which owe the utility millions in unpaid debt,” she said.
“Clearly Eskom is incapable of collecting debts both at home and abroad. This begs the question: does Eskom actually have plans in place to collect debts owed to it?
A few days ago Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya said the Zambian Government had paid US$ 40 million for electricity importation from South Africa. Unconfirmed reports however, suggest only US$10 million was paid.
Energy Minister Matthew Nkhuwa announced on 23rd October, 2019 that the power imports would be in after 14 days.
Source Timeslive,Lusakatimes
Movie Review : Gemini Man
Henry Brogan is an elite 51-year-old assassin who’s ready to call it quits after completing his 72nd job. His plans get turned upside down when he becomes the target of a mysterious operative who can seemingly predict his every move. To his horror, Brogan soon learns that the man who’s trying to kill him is a younger, faster, version of himself.
Pros
- Nicely choreographed action scenes.
- Good performances by the entire cast.
Cons
- Very interesting , yet somewhat predictable story-line.
- The characters should have had more depth, they felt one dimensional.
Favorite Quotes
Henry: [referring to Junior] “When I saw him, it was like I was seeing a ghost. Like every trigger I’ve ever pulled.”
Danny Zakarweski: “You can tell me now or you can tell me in five minutes without all your teeth.”
Conclusion
After watching the trailer for Gemini Man you would think you have the whole movie figured out, well you would be partially right. The story-line is pretty basic and straight forward. That is not a bad thing,there are some interesting twits and turn that will keep you glued to the screen. There is plenty of action , high speed chases and suspense to keep you entertained.
Will Smith gave a great performances as both ‘Henry Brogan’ and his younger self. The characters had great on screen chemistry and had some emotional moments. The young Brogan did however feel bland , more character depth was required to make viewers get attached to him. Clive Owen’s portrayal of Clayton Varris, the ruthless head of the top secret black ops unit was menacing and believable.
Gemini Man is a good popcorn movie that will entertain you but may not live long in the memory.
Rating
3 out of 5
BY Kapa Kaumba
Decision to remove cadres in markets and bus stations welcome
The Zambia National Marketeers Credit Association (ZANAMACA) commended President Edgar Lungu for his decision to stop political cadres from operating in markets and bus stations.
ZANAMACA President Mupila Kameya says the informal sector has suffered at the hands of political cadres who are bent of ‘milking’ hard-working self-employed Zambians.
Mr Kameya says micro and macro-economic processes have been hindered by acts of political cadres who undermine socio-economic development, hence the decision to remove them from the markets and bus stations is a welcome move.
ZANIS reports that the ZANAMACA leader in a statement said that only local authorities are mandated to manage markets and the bus stations and not any other individual.
He urged Zambians to heed to President Lungu’s directive in transforming the nation for the betterment of the people.
Recently, Minister of Local Government Charles Banda reiterated that President Lungu wants sanity restored at bus stations and markets countrywide, by ensuring that the collection of levies is done in a clear and transparent manner through the local authorities.
Dr Banda said the ministry has embarked on a programme of appointing management boards to manage and control markets and bus stations in line with clause 3(1) of the Markets and Bus Stations Act No. 7 of 2007, in order to cure this malaise.
A few days ago, renowned Lusaka proprietor of Capital Buses Ishmael Kankara threatened to remove his buses from operating on some routes in the city citing ‘harassment by political party cadres who demanded money for selfish gain.’
But yesterday, the Head of State directed Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo and Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja to ‘flush-out’ party cadres or any other grouping from markets and bus stations, in order to restore sanity in the said areas.
President Lungu said his administration attaches great importance to markets and bus stations by constructing, rehabilitating, upgrading and maintaining markets as well as bus stations in the country.
Increased levels of electronic waste worry ZICTA
The Zambia Information Communication Authority (ZICTA) has expressed concern with the growing volumes of electronic waste (e-waste) that do not have a sustainable management and disposal system in the country.
ZICTA Director-General Patrick Mutimushi says the absence of an effective management and disposal system of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) equipment, has an adverse impact on the environment.
Mr Mutimushi has since called for concerted efforts in addressing the emerging threats to the environment which are posed by e-waste.
Speaking in Lusaka today, during the launch of the first-ever e-waste management and recycling company, TCH W-Waste, Mr Mutimushi disclosed that government has realized the need for a robust e-waste management strategy, adding that this is why a number of joint ventures interventions are been put in place to mitigate the effects associated with indiscriminate disposal of e-waste.
He explained that in 2018 ZICTA carried out a national ICT survey aimed at accessing the flaws of e-waste in the country in order to understand the current disposal mechanisms as well as the risks associated with them.
Mr. Mutimushi said the survey revealed that mobile phones contributed to the largest amount of e-waste at about 34.8 percent followed by radio and television sets at 17.4 and 10% respectively while computers and are the lest at 1.5 %.
He added that this is why the coming of TCH E-Waste Company on the Zambian market will go a long way in addressing same of the challenges faced in the management and disposal of e-waste in the country.
Earlier, Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) Principal Inspector Crispin Simwanza explained that by virtual of Zambia not being a producing country, the country cumulates a lot of e-waste which needs sustainable management and disposal.
Mr Simwanza noted that this is because of the e-waste starts at the time of importing the products into the country.
He stated that ZEMA is confident that TCH E-Waste is capable of handling all the e-waste that is generated in the country has complied with all the laid down regulations.
And TCH E-Waste representative Malcom Whitehouse explained that the company will be involved in collecting, sorting, and exporting the recyclable parts of e-waste and shipping for final disposal in an environmentally friendly manner.
Mr Whitehouse said the company will offer its services to consumers at the household level, public and private sector and industries among others, adding that once it starts full operations, the company will also create jobs for the local people.