Zambia Association of Manufacturers welcomes the importation of Additional Electricity
The Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) has welcomed the planned importation of electricity from neighboring countries.
ZAM vice president Chipego Zulu says the move will allow industries to continue operating without any disturbances.
Ms. Zulu, however, states that any increase in tariffs as a result of the importation of power should only cover the period of importation and not beyond.
She told ZNBC that ZESCO should not use this period to permanently increase the tariffs without consulting stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Ms. Zulu said that the association is not opposed to ZESCO coming up with cost-reflective tariffs.
She said this should, however, be done upon explaining to stakeholders the actual cost of producing electricity.
Ms. Zulu said it will be difficult for ZESCO to get the support of the people on the possible introduction of cost-reflective tariffs if they do not appreciate and understand the cost of producing electricity.
Reports of Hunger in some Parts of Zambia must not be politicised-President Lungu
PICTURE BY SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE ©2019
President Edgar Lungu has said that his government is addressing pockets of hunger in some parts of the country and the skyrocketing mealie meal prices.
The President said that reports of hunger in some parts of the country must not be politicized while attributing the high prices of mealie-meal to maize shortage.
He has assured the nation that the situation is temporal and hoped that the country will have abundant maize after the next farming season to enhance the supply of meal-meal and subsequently keep the price of the commodity affordable.
President Lungu was speaking in an interview with Journalists after his routine early morning jogging in Lusaka’s State Lodge Area.
PICTURE BY SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE ©2019
Meanwhile, President Lungu appealed to Zambians to adopt physical exercises and good eating habits to be physically fit and to enjoy good health.
He said physical exercises and good eating habits must be the lifestyles of all Zambians.
The President was accompanied by the Church of God in Zambia delegates and the National Institute for Public Administration (NIPA) Students during today’s jogging session.
The President said preventing lifestyle diseases called for lifestyle change, adding that observing basic guidelines like not consuming too much salt in food, taking time to have sufficient rest and avoiding stressful situations among other things, would help greatly in combating the rising incidence of lifestyle diseases.
And Health Minister, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya said Zambia is very lucky to have transformational and visionary leadership in President Edgar Lungu and that his political will on the agenda for health was one that was being benchmarked globally.
He said President Lungu was not only a good Statesman for good health in Zambia but a global leader for Universal Health Coverage.
He said the President had taken pole position in ensuring health for all in the nation, leaving no one behind.
“Today, leading from the frontline, he led the clergy and student’s in a movement for health. This is the political will that is being benchmarked globally. He is a statesman for good health not only in Zambia, but a global leader for Universal Health Coverage, ” said the Minister
And Church of Church of God In Zambia National Overseer Duncan Mboma echoed President Lungu’s sentiments that physical exercise mitigates non-communicable diseases.
And NIPA Student Union president Charles Mbobela said physical exercise is key to mental alertness.
Various senior government officials among them Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya and Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo took part in the jogging.
Government put in place measures to help curb the growing concern of drug resistance among patients
The government says it has put in place measures to help curb the growing concern of drug resistance among patients.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary in charge of technical services Kennedy Malama noted with concern that cases of drug resistance among HIV, TB, and fungal infections are rising, hence the decision by the government to come up with measures to curb the vice.
Dr. Malama cited self-treatment, buying drugs over the counter and quack drugs as some of the leading factors of drug resistance.
He said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Ministry of Health Representative Andrew Siluwesi during the 2019 media awards launch at the Zambia National Public Health Institute offices in Lusaka.
The Permanent Secretary emphasized that the multi-sectorial team that was constituted in 2017, is succeeding in the fight antimicrobial resistance (a drug not working accordingly).
He explained that the government remains keen on ensuring that all essential drugs are made available in all health care facilities countrywide.
Dr. Malama pointed out that his ministry has embarked on massive sensitization of communities on the dangers of self-treatment and the buying of counterfeit drugs.
And Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA –Zambia) Board Member George Lungu Said his organization will continue supporting the government in the fight against communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Mr. Lungu further commended the media for raising the bar in health awareness messages.
Zanaco Host Eagles in Sunday Face-Off
Zanaco and Green Eagles on Sunday faceoff at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka in the only FAZ Super Division match being played this weekend.
The match initially scheduled for September 14 has been brought forward owing to the two teams forthcoming CAF engagements.
The rest of the Week 2 matches will be played on September 14.
Zanaco and Eagles are searching for their first win in the 2019/20 Super Division campaign as they clash.
The Bankers started the season with a 1-0 loss at Zesco United in Ndola while Eagles were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Kabwe Warriors at home in Choma
Eagles will top the league should they beat Zanaco in the capital city.
Nkana and Napsa Stars are joint leaders with three points each after day one matches.
Chambeshi Calculates for Congo Decider
Coach Beston Chambeshi says Zambia are treating cautiously Sunday’s decisive 2019 Under-23 Africa Cup qualifier against Congo Brazzaville in Pointe Noir.
Zambia beat Congo 2-1 in the first leg match on Wednesday night in Lusaka.
Overall winners on Sunday will qualify for the Egypt tournament.
Minutes before departure for Congo on Friday, Chambeshi hinted he will make changes to the starting lineup selected in the first leg.
‘We may have to make one or two changes because we are playing away from home so we cannot play an open game. We also have to look at getting a goal away from home which is important for us,’ he said.
Chambeshi also preached coordination in the team.
‘It wasn’t easy because the team has to stay together for a while but you have seen other players are playing in Europe. We have to work on coordination and improve. We are trying to work on coordination,’ he said.
Chambeshi added: ‘We are not under pressure. We just have to work hard and believe in ourselves so that we protect our lead.’
We are in this Electricity Calamity because PF Government ignored our advice-HH
The United Party for National Development (UPND) Hakainde Hichilema has blamed the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Government of causing the electricity calamity the country is now facing.
In a message posted on his social media account, Mr. Hichilema said that PF Government has been dancing around the issue of Independent Power Producers supplying power to the grid and that UPND would have proactively engaged the private sector with the capacity to construct power plants around the country to immediately, agree on a cost-recovery tariff and then give them grid access to supply power to Zesco.
Below is the full post
Early last year in 2018, we told the PF government to redirect resources towards mitigating the effects of what we knew would be a bad rainy season in some parts of the country.
If we were in Government, we would have:
1. Negotiated with other countries for power importation under the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) arrangement way in advance. As per PF they are now fire-fighting and starting negotiations with South Africa to import the deficit now.
2. PF have been dancing around the issue of Independent Power Producers supplying power to the grid. In our case we would have proactively engaged the private sector with the capacity to construct power plants around the country to immediately, agree on a cost-recovery tariff and then give them grid access to supply power to Zesco.
3. We would have by now devised a net metering system, where citizens with excess power from their home solar units whose duty would have been waived anyway. This would have moved the majority of our citizens to solar systems thereby reducing the load on our hydropower plants as well as feed into our national grid. Further, we would have invested and encouraged alternative energy sources.
4. We would have encouraged and promoted usage of gas for industrial and domestic purposes, where applicable, so as to avoid the ongoing environmental damage through charcoal burning. This measure would equally have reduced the load on our hydropower plants.
5. On the agriculture sector, we would have made sure fertilizer and other inputs were delivered to the farmers on time and at affordable prices so that they grow more, especially in areas that were not affected by the drought. These areas would have supplemented the poor harvest in areas affected by the drought while research is being done for more drought-resistant varieties.
6. We would not have exported any maize grain as they did against our advice.
7. We would have invested in water harvesting mechanisms such as dams and canals and encourage irrigation of crops all year round.
Several other measures would have been put in place including the construction of communal dams to encourage water harvesting for irrigation.
As before, we can bet our last ngwee that PF will not implement any of these measures because none of them gives them personal benefit.
The result of ignoring this advice is the calamity we are witnessing today in all sectors with the potential of negatively affecting the livelihoods of our citizens.
HH
ZESCO loses over 1 million Kwacha as a result of vandalism-Mundende
The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has announced that it has lost over 1 million Kwacha as a result of vandalism on its property in the first quarter of 2019.
And Company Managing Director, Victor Mundende says the theft and vandalism of the company’s property is a serious setback that has hindered the electrification process.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Mundende said this through the company Secretary and director Legal Services, McRobby Chiwale during the official closing of a basic security training course at ZESCO training Centre in Ndola yesterday.
Mr. Mundende lamented that vandalism to the company’s properties has tremendously affected the network expansion agenda which the company has embarked on.
He, however, disclosed that in the same period, 40 arrests were made further warning perpetrators that the company will not relent in ensuring that all criminals are brought to book.
Mr Mundende explained that the vandalism of ZESCO property has a negative impact on the social and economic development of the country.
The ZESCO Chief Executive has since urged the 60 graduates to work closely with the state police and ensure that vandalism to company property is halted.
And speaking earlier, National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union (NESAWU) said ZESCO has taken a lot of interest in training security personnel to ensure company property is protected.
Mr Mbewe urged the graduands to be vigilant in the way they execute their duties.
Zambia Police public complaints commission operations to be decentralised
The Police public complaints commission says it is set to decentralize its operations in provinces and districts once the resource envelope for such undertaking is ready.
Commission chairperson, Frederick Musonda made the remarks in Kalomo yesterday during a public sensitization meeting at the council chamber.
Mr Musonda said the governance Act in which the entity derives its operational mandate still gives its power to the local civic authorities and district administration country-wide to be agents of the commission where aggrieved people can lodge their complaints against Police conduct.
He said the commission has a passion to establish provincial outlets to cut on travel costs incurred by the public to launch their complaints pertaining to the Police conduct.
`This commission was established in order to see to it that the Police is professional and offer a good service to the community they serve, to be transparent in handling criminal issues and be accountable to the people it serves,” Mr Musonda said.
Meanwhile, some members of the public that attended the sensitization meeting submitted to the commission that the local police traffic section was in a habit of using their personal vehicles to mount un-signaled roadblocks without beacons on some feeder roads in the township, which they described as a menace to the traveling public.
The complaint was acknowledged by both Kalomo district commissioner and council chairperson, Cosmas Chiiba and Coy Makala respectively, saying the scenario mostly witnesses itself on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays every week.
Education Minister happy with Progress on School Projects
The government says it is elated with the progress made on projects under the World Bank school projects. Minister of General Education, David Mabumba says he is happy that most projects run by the world bank in the education sector in Muchinga province have made significant progress.
He, however, said all the World Bank school projects in the province have been given a deadline of 31st December in which they should all be completed under phase one.
The minister said this when he paid a courtesy call on Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary (PS), Joyce Nsamba at her office yesterday.
Once the projects under phase one are complete, it will pave way for the commencement of phase two.
The Minister charged that for this to be achieved, there is a need for close supervision by the provincial leaders.
Stressing that the provincial administration must work together with the provincial education office in monitoring these projects, Mr. Mabumba further stated that a sense of urgency should be applied so that contracts can meet the deadline.
And speaking on behalf of Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary, Joyce Nsamba, Assistant Secretary, Sam Mbewe said Muchinga has not been left behind in terms of infrastructure development.
Noting that several schools in the province have been upgraded, the Permanent Secretary said the education sector in the province is doing well despite a number of challenges.
Some of the challenges as lack of established payroll, understaffing levels transport and transfers from rural to urban areas among others.
Meanwhile, the Minister of General Education said his office is alive to the challenges the province is faced with.
He said the government through is his office is doing everything possible to ensure that these challenges are mitigated in the shortest possible time.
Government announce another strategic plan to increase Electricity generation capacity
Government through the Ministry of Energy has developed a strategy for the period 2018-2021 which will culminate into increased investments in the energy sector among many other things.
The plan will further focus on enhancing the expansion of electricity generation capacity by adding at least 1 000 megawatts to the current National installed capacity of 2, 974.7 megawatts.
Minister of Energy Mathew Nkhuwa has announced that the government will scale up access to electricity from 67.7 percent to 80 percent in urban areas and 4.4 percent to 8 percent in rural areas.
“This will also lead to increased electrification rates and propel economic growth and job creation.” Mr. Nkhuwa stated.
He said the strategic plan will also continue to facilitate the development and deployment of renewable energy by adding 5% renewable energy contribution to the total installed capacity from the current 1.2%.
Speaking to journalists yesterday Mr. Nkuwa indicated that this will ensure the diversification of energy mix to support the energy requirements of emerging investments in the country aimed at promoting sustainable development.
“Further, the ministry will focus on increasing private sector participation in the electricity sub-sector as well as promote gender mainstreaming in the energy sector aimed at increasing access to modern energy and reduce poverty among vulnerable groups.” Mr. Nkhuwa reaffirmed.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Energy Hon. Mathew Nkhuwa has also announced that the Petroleum sector is poised to enhance cost-effectiveness and efficiency in the fuel supply through the construction of Petroleum infrastructure and private sector participation.
President Mugabe was maligned because of his crusade to bring social justice and equity to Zimbabwe-KK
First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda has said that it is regrettable that the late President Robert Mugabe was maligned and subjected to mudslinging by some sections of the world who were against his crusade of bringing social justice and equity to Zimbabwe.
In a message of condolences sent to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and availed to media in Lusaka today, Dr Kaunda said that President Mugabe was unfairly slapped with economic sanctions that hurt the people of Zimbabwe.
Dr Kaunda said that he is devastated by the death of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, adding that his death was a moment of heartbreak and sadness for him.
Dr Kaunda recalled that President Mugabe worked hard to fight colonialism, racism, as well as bringing independence to Zimbabwe.
The 95-year-old founding father referred to the late Mugabe as a brother and colleague in the common struggle of liberation for Africa.
Dr Kaunda told President Mnangagwa that he prays that unfriendly forces will not rise and vilify President Mugabe for his governance and development record during his reign in Zimbabwe.
Dr Kaunda prayed that God will comfort Mr Mugabe’s family and the people of Zimbabwe during their time of grief.
President Robert Mugabe died today Friday September 6, 2019 aged 95, in a Singaporean hospital where he has been receiving medical treatment.
The late Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years from 1980 to 2017 when he was deposed by the military in a bloodless transition of power.
Drama at Parliament as NGOCC is chased away and accused of plagiarising TIZ work
There was drama at Parliament this afternoon where the Parliamentary select committee chased the Non-Governmental Gender Organisation Coordinating Council for allegedly plagiarizing the work of Transparency International Zambia.
Midway into their submissions, the Committee chaired by MMD nominated Member of Parliament Raphael Nakachinda noted similarities in the wording of NGOCC submissions to that of TIZ forcing them to send the NGOCC away.
Committee member Tutwa Ngulube who is also Kabwe Central Member of Parliament warned the NGOCC that they risk being jailed for copying other people’s work and demanded that the NGOCC be sent away.
And Chembe Member of Parliament Sebastian Kopulande demanded for an explanation on who copied the other Organisation’s work between NGOCC and TIZ.
It is at this point that Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa asked the committee Chairperson to make a ruling on whether such was allowed before the committee.
But in defence, NGOCC Executive Director Engwase Mwale said the similarity in the content was because the civil society during a meeting organized by NGOCC resolved to have a common position on the constitution.
She is certain that even if Action Aid and other NGO’s that attended that consensus meeting would appear before the Committee, they would equally submit the same word for word.
Mrs Mwale said NGOCC co-facilitated a meeting for CSOs which came up for a common position on the matter.
She said the NGOCC is mot changing anything from its submissions and maintained that all CSOs that attended the meeting will submit the same content.
KK condemns the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa.
Zambia’s first Republican President Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda has condemned the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa.
Dr. Kaunda said the attacks arising from South Africa are horrific, barbaric and inhumane and should come to an end.
Speaking to Journalists at his residence, Dr Kaunda said the situation is a reminder for all Africans to love one another and calls for all Africans to rise and condemn the act.
Dr. Kaunda said he never imagined he would live to witness South Africans who were helped by the continent to gain independence attack other Africans living in their country.
He has urged the African Union, SADC, COMESA and other Organisations to take a keen interest in resolving the ongoing issues in South Africa to protect the lives of innocent immigrants.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kaunda expressed sadness at the death of former President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe.
In his message of condolences, Dr. Kaunda described Mr Mugabe as a gallant son of Africa who passionately defended the continent from foreign invasion.
Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean independence icon has died aged 95.
Mr. Mugabe had been receiving treatment in a hospital in Singapore since April. He was ousted in a military coup in 2017 after 37 years in power.
The former president was praised for broadening access to health and education for the black majority.
But later years were marked by the violent repression of his political opponents and Zimbabwe’s economic ruin.