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Nkana continued to cause a storm and dominate after three rounds played in the 2016 FAZ Super Division season while their Kitwe foes Power Dynamos early free-fall continued.
Nkana and Power were in action at Arthur Davies Stadium against Mufulira Blackpool and Zesco United respectively where they enjoyed contrasting fortunes.
In the lunchtime kickoff, Nkana came from behind to flatten Blackpool 3-1 after the homesides had taken the lead in the 42nd minute via a Laston Katuta free kick.
However, Jacob Ngulube equalised on the stroke of halftime to score his first of two goals on the day for Nkana.
Fred Tshimenga extended Nkana’s lead in the 47th minute to score his first goal of the season before Ngulube completed his brace in the 59th minute.
Nkana continue to lead the table on maximum 9 points from three games played.
However, Power’s woes continued a week after losing 2-1 away to Nchanga Rangers.
Power lost by the same margin to defending champions Zesco in a match they were second best throughout.
Idris Mbombo and Jesse Were scored in the 49th and 56th minutes respectively.
The result saw Zesco avenge their 2016 Charity Shield semifinal defeat at the hands of Power that the latter won 4-2 on post-match penalties after a 1-1 result in February.
Maize being Smuggled to Malawi
President Edgar Lungu says government will introduce stiff measures to curb escalating levels of smuggling of maize and Mealie Meal in the country
President Lungu says it is unacceptable for people to continue smuggling the commodity for selfish gains.
He says government is currently holding meeting with stakeholders to find a lasting solution to acts of economic sabotage.
The Head of state was speaking to journalist at city airport shortly before departing to Chinsali this morning.
And Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila says police have intensified security patrols on most border posts to reduce the smuggling of maize and mealie meal.
Mr. Mwila says police are working hand in hand with the Zambia National Service to reduce the continuous smuggling of the commodity.
Patriotic Front (PF) Chairman for media and Deputy Spokesman Frank Bwalya has said that United Party for National Development (UPND) Vice President Dr Canisius Banda should not drag the ruling PF into his known problem of failing to pay rentals for his dwelling.
In a statement released to the media, Mr Bwalya said that the predicament Dr Banda is in now is a result of the failure of UPND and its rich leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema to support their Vice President, who works for the party on a full time basis.
Mr Bwalya further said that Dr Banda decided to stay in UPND, while sending an SOS message, because he knows that the party has capacity to pay him a decent allowance for his survival.
Below is the full statement
PATRIOTIC FRONT PRESS STATEMENT APRIL 2, 2016.
Dr Canisius Banda’s Predicament is an indictment on the leadership of Mr Hakainde Hichilema.
The attempt by Dr Canisius Banda to drag the Patriotic Front (PF) into his known problem of failing to pay rentals for his dwelling should be understood as a veiled message to his party the United Party for National Development (UPND) to take care of him.
It is an open secret that since Dr Banda joined UPND for which he is Vice President for Politics he has been struggling financially. We have seen him driving a vehicle with the kind of finished types commonly known as insoka (snake).
The story of his failure to settle rentals is historical and has nothing to do with persecution by the landlady. As such, we don’t believe assertions that some people working with the landlady could be undertaking a plan of persecuting Dr Banda.
The truth of the matter is that the predicament of Dr Banda speaks volumes about the failure of UPND and its rich leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema to support their Vice President who works for the party on a full time basis. Therefore when Dr Banda says that PF has offered him charity and better treatment including financial support he is actually sending a message to his rich leader and brother Mr Hichilema to take care of him.
We believe that Dr Banda has decided to stay in UPND and just send an SOS message to the UPND leader because he knows that the party has capacity to pay him a decent allowance for his survival. Moreover, Br Banda knows what we all know namely that Mr Hichilema is a very rich Zambian businessman and has capacity to support him.
Therefore, the predicament of Dr Banda is an indictment on the leadership of Mr Hichilema. It is appropriate to wonder why a rich man can fail to help his right hand man who has become financially vulnerable for siding with the poor under the banner of the UPND.
We are aware of the suffering of some UPND members who are very close to their rich leader Mr Hichilema. When they fall sick they complain that Mr Hichilema gets journalists at great expense to go and pose for photos with them lying in pain in the hospital bed in University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and leaving them without any meaningful support.
It is this same attitude of Mr Hichilema that has made him refuse to make a personal social responsibility contribution to improve the primary school he went to in his village. The bottom line is that rich people are morally obliged to perform acts of philanthropy not only to their friends and relatives around them but society at large.
Finally, we urge Mr Hichilema to realise that the lamentations of Dr Banda are directed at him and that he should do something about it. The following is part of the lamentation as quoted by the Post Newspapers.
I am being prosecuted, that is all. I am being mocked and ridiculed. The only crime I have committed is to side with the poor people of Zambia. That is all, and I leave this matter in the hands of God. I will find peace in the bosom of my Father.
We know that once President Lungu learns about the predicament of Dr Banda he will assist him from a purely humanitarian perspective should he be willing.
In conclusion what we can say is that Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu has small money but a big heart so he helps those around him whereas Mr Hakainde Hichilema has big money but a small heart so those around him suffer.
A portion of the money Mr Hichilema used to spoil diplomats with choice wines, expensive whiskies and sumptuous food could have gone to Dr Banda’s landlady to allow Dr Banda get back his belongings into the house he was evicted from.
Even a portion of the money that was used to host anti-Lungu clergy such as Bishop John Maambo could have gone a long way to alleviate the suffering of our brother Dr Canisius Banda.
NAPSA headquatres
THE National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) has disclosed that more than 180 Lusaka-based companies have been prosecuted for failing to remit workers’ contributions.
NAPSA acting director of contributions and benefits, Manson Mwiinga said non-remittance of pension contributions threatened the long-term financial sustainability of the scheme.
Mr Mwiinga said NAPSA was mandated to administer and enforce provisions of the National Pensions Scheme Act of ensuring that employers complied with the conditions.
He was speaking when he officiated at a seminar for workers held in Lusaka yesterday.
“Employers have to help the scheme with this situation so that employees who need benefits after their retirement are paid from the pension scheme without any difficulties.
“It is important that workers are safeguarded against contingencies that have been identified to affect them in their old age,” Mr Mwiinga said.
The revised NAPSA Act No. 7 of 2015 provides for the pensionable age of 60 years and should be made known to employers 12 months before attaining that age.
Mr Mwiinga said according to the National Pension Scheme Act No. 40 of 1996, any employee with an income of K15 is eligible to contribute to the Authority.
He said the Authority was formed to provide income security against the risk arising from retirement and death, hence the need for everyone to comply with the contributions.
Mr Mwiinga reiterated NAPSA’s commitment to sensitising the public and ensuring that it delivered services diligently.
NAPSA will soon launch an e-collection system that would enable workers to download their returns and to check statements online.
The ruling Patriotic Front has said that it is ignorance for NGOCC Board Chairperson Sarah Longwe to suggest that President Edgar Lungu is stealing on account of his salary increment.
In a statement issued yesterday, PF Information Committee Member Sunday Chanda has since challenged Ms Longwe to prove the alleged theft and challenged the NGOCC Board Chairperson to tell the Zambian people how much money President Lungu saved the treasury when he refused to be built a presidential retirement house and announced proposed changes to the presidential retirement benefits.
Below is the full statement
NGOCC’S SARA LONGWE BEING A HYPOCRITE – BY SUNDAY CHANDA, PF INFORMATION COMMITTEE
Lusaka, Zambia 1st April 2016 – We are disappointed that the NGOCC through their Board Chairperson and publicists seek to give new meaning to theft as purported by the headline “IT’S THEFT…for Lungu to increase his Salary – Longwe” carried in today’s April 1 2016 Publication of the Post Newspaper. While we are tempted to think that Ms. Longwe and her publicists were trying hard to fit into April 1’s Fool’s Day, we shall endeavour to remind Zambians that even on a day such as this one, the NGOCC Board Chairperson and her publicists still proved that they are bitter hypocrites who must not be taken seriously. It is ignorance for Ms Longwe and her publicists to allege theft and imply that Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu was practicing theft on account of his salary increment. We challenge to tell Zambians if she is ready to prove the alleged theft before she cries political persecution.
The hypocrisy by NGOCC Board Chairperson must confirm what Zambians of goodwill have said about these bitter and angry voices masquerading as representatives of people who never at any time gave them any mandate.
We say so because even when President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s salary has been increased by K2.00 a month, bitter and angry voices such as the NGOCC Board Chairperson want to create an impression that such an amount would build more roads and hospitals, and get more and more civil servants recruited. They fail to comprehend that like any other public servant, this is not the first time a President’s salary is being adjusted. This adjustment has in fact come after unionized civil servants concluded their collective bargaining with Government.
We wish to find out where Ms. Longwe and her publicists were when on 18th September 2015 President Lungu proposed the scrapping of the law that required the Government to build a house for a retired Head of State. This was done in his first address to Parliament as a head of State, and the president said that the process should begin with him.
The President said and we quote: “I do not think that it is fair and equitable that the State must build a house for a retired President and not for others. We have to demonstrate strong commitment to cost-saving measures for now and for the future. I am proposing that this forfeiture takes effect starting with me,” end of quote. Zambians of good judgment heralded President Lungu’s forfeiture of benefits as magnanimous and historical.
This decision confirmed that the President is more concerned about the people of Zambia than for himself. This bold and prudent decision by President Lungu demonstrated great leadership and resonated with what majority of Zambians held that it was unnecessary that former presidents should be built houses at government cost.
We challenge the NGOCC Board Chairperson and her publicists to tell Zambians how much money President Lungu saved the treasury when he refused demonstrated to be built a mansion and directing that things should henceforth change – no building of mansions for former heads of State! Do Mrs. Longwe and her publicists comprehend the cost by Government to build a house befitting a former head of State? We ask the NGOCC Board Chairperson and her publicists to tell Zambians how much Government has already spent to build houses for former presidents.
Is it not hypocrisy of the worst order that the NGOCC Board Chairperson and her publicists see no virtue at all in President Lungu saving the treasury resources starting with himself?
GBM after the court session
LUSAKA High Court Judge Florence Lengalenga has stayed the execution of her judgment in which she declared that Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba is still a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kasama Central.
This means that Mr Mwamba cannot attend National Assembly sessions until the determination of the State’s appeal to the Supreme Court.
Ms Justice Lengalenga said yesterday, when she granted an application for stay of execution by Solicitor General Abraham Mwansa, that Mr Mwamba’s presence in the National Assembly could be a serious predicament because he could not appear as a member of the PF and United Party for National Development (UPND) at the same time.
She agreed with Mr Mwansa’s submission that there would be a serious predicament if Mr Mwamba attended sessions of Parliament as there was no provision for dual membership in the Zambian Constitution.
“For the reasons advanced, I find the grounds or reasons satisfactory and compelling enough to merit the grant of the stay sought,” Ms Justice Lengalenga said.
Mr Mwansa has on behalf of the State appealed to the Supreme Court against Ms Justice Lengalenga’s judgment of March 23, 2016, which declared Mr Mwamba, commonly known as GBM, as an MP under the PF ticket and that the Speaker of the National Assembly acted in excess of his powers.
He in the meantime applied for the stay of execution of Ms Justice Lengalenga’s judgment pending the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment.
When the matter came up for ex parte hearing yesterday, Mr Mwansa told Ms Justice Lengalenga that there was need for a stay of execution because the issue of Mr Mwamba going back to the National Assembly would cause ambiguity since he could not attend as a member of the PF as well as UPND.
Mr Mwansa said the law did not allow dual membership of political parties for the member of the National Assembly.
Maize being Smuggled to Malawi
SIXTEEN more trucks laden with Food Reserve Agency (FRA) maize destined for Mozambique and Malawi have been intercepted in Nyimba and Chipata districts in Eastern Province.
And a truckload of 1,200 bags of mealie-meal hidden inside 70 bags of maize destined for Kasumbalesa border has been seized in Ndola.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo said at a Press briefing yesterday that 14 trucks carrying more than 600 bags of FRA maize were intercepted in Nyimba, while Zambia National Service (ZNS) officers stopped two trucks loaded with maize in Chipata.
Mr Kasolo said 11 trucks destined for Mozambique were impounded in Nyimba on Thursday while the other three were intercepted yesterday.
“The DC for Nyimba Colonel Peter Kunda Kaisa has just told me that 11 trucks were impounded on Thursday and today (yesterday) three more trucks that were on their way to Mozambique have been impounded.
“In Chipata, ZNS intercepted two trucks loaded with maize on their way to Malawi. The DC for Chipata Mr Kalunga Zulu rushed to the scene to see what was happening,” Mr Kasolo said.
He said the 14 trucks seized in Nyimba were believed to belong to Zambians while the two trucks intercepted by ZNS had foreign number plates.
He commended ZNS for showing vigilance after receiving instructions from President Edgar Lungu that they should be checking on smuggling of maize at exit points.
And Patriotic Front (PF) officials in Ndola helped in the interception of a truck carrying 1,200 bags of mealie-meal on the pretext that the truck had maize.
PF Black Delta chairperson Robert Kapakala said the truck was intercepted after a tip-off that it was carrying mealie-meal and not maize and that the commodity was destined for Kasumbalesa.
Mr Kapakala said it was surprising that people could take mealie-meal to the Copperbelt when it had enough millers.
It was discovered that the truck had three brands of mealie-meal despite papers showing that it was carrying maize.
“We were prompted to take action and have been on the ground to monitor the situation. Government has sent warnings for people to desist from smuggling mealie-meal.
“These truck drivers have been offloading the commodity in Chililabombwe and smuggling it through Kasumbalesa,” he said.
When contacted for a comment, Copperbelt commissioner of police Charity Katanga said she was aware of the matter but had not received a report from her officers by Press time.
Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge said there was no shortage of mealie-meal on the Copperbelt contrary to claims by United Party for National Development provincial chairperson Elisha Matambo.
Addressing journalists after checks in various retail outlets, Mr Musenge said that the commodity was readily available in Ndola and that there was no shortage as was reported in some sections of the media.
“Let us not play politics of misleading people. You cannot win elections by telling lies. Politics in the country have evolved and people want to see honest leaders. When things are difficult we will go to the people and tell them we have a challenge.
“There is a lot of mealie-meal and there are no queues, some of the queues are instigated. There is no shortage of mealie-meal on the Copperbelt and milling companies are working day and night to ensure that the commodity is available,” Mr Musenge said.
UNZA library
BRITISH American Tobacco (BAT), University of Zambia (UNZA) and the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide work opportunities for students at UNZA.
The work experience opportunities for students at UNZA would help prepare them for the labour market and facilitate their contribution to the economy.
BAT managing director Godfrey Machanzi said the partnership would prepare the students for working life and professional experience.
Mr Machanzi said during the MoU signing ceremony on Thursday that BAT Zambia believed that final-year students and recent graduates would benefit from the opportunity to engage in practical work environments that would help integrate them into the labour market.
“It is against this background that the partnership between BAT, ZACCI and UNZA will establish the conditions for providing internship for final-year students and recent graduates, both for undergraduate and post-graduate students registered at UNZA,” he said.
He added that the trainee programme was an ideal way in which BAT Zambia could assist graduating and post-graduate students to actively identify employment opportunities.
Mr Machanzi said the MoU would respond to some of the challenges being faced by graduates in pursuit of training, successful employment and a secure future.
Acting UNZA vice-chancellor, Enala Tembo said the learning institution was ready to provide BAT Zambia with the best students in line with the MoU.
Professor Tembo said under the MoU, UNZA would, upon BAT’s request, send a list of final-year students observing the compatibility of the course curriculum with the necessary requirements for inclusion of the internship.
Zambia Police Service spokesperson Charity Munganga Chanda
THE Zambia Police Service has warned motorists against attacking traffic officers on duty, saying it will not hesitate to arrest anyone who attacks the men and women in uniform.
The warning comes in the wake of attacks on traffic police officers in Lusaka, Ndola and Solwezi.
Police spokesperson Charity Chanda said in a statement yesterday that the service was concerned with the attacks on its officers who had been left with injuries.
Recently, four officers were attacked in Lusaka, two on the Copperbelt with the latest one being that of a Solwezi-based officer which happened on Thursday.
Ms Chanda said traffic officers were not on the road to harass or intimidate but to ensure that motorists adhered to road traffic rules and regulations.
“We would like to warn all motorists to desist from attacking officers on duty because police will not hesitate to arrest and take to court anyone who will attack any officer on duty,” she said.
She appealed to members of the public aggrieved with the conduct of any police officer to contact the respective officers’ supervisors so that appropriate action could be taken instead of taking the law into their own hands.
And a 27-year-old taxi driver of Solwezi has been charged with attempted murder after he injured a traffic police officer.
North-Western Province police commissioner Lackson Sakala said the driver, who was arrested on Thursday, appeared in court yesterday.
Mr Sakala said the driver of a Toyota Spacio, registration number ACM 9785, Justin Shuki, sped off at the first checkpoint and tried to escape the second one where he dragged the officer who had one leg in the suspect’s motor vehicle.
Meanwhile, a taxi driver of Matero Township in Lusaka has been murdered and his body was discovered in his car with multiple head injuries.
Ms Chanda confirmed the killing of the unidentified taxi driver aged between 25 and 30 years.
The incident happened around 01:00 hours yesterday after a report that there was a road traffic accident involving a Toyota Chaser, registration number ACL 9331 which had fallen into a drainage.
Ms Chanda said police had since apprehended a 22-year-old man of Lusaka’s Lilanda Township in connection with the death of the taxi driver.
“It was brought to our attention that the suspect was the one driving the vehicle. He is currently in custody while investigations into the matter have been launched,” she said.
Ziwa Ziwa arriving at Livingstone Magistrate Court in Livingstone
TWO suspended councillors and another suspended official at Livingstone City Council yesterday pleaded not guilty to 25 counts of corrupt practices, abuse of office and forgery.
This was after former United Party for National Development (UPND) Livingstone City mayor Milford Maambo, suspended UPND Musiotunya ward ouncillor Ziwa Ziwa and former acting Livingstone town clerk Chabala Chanda yesterday appeared before Livingstone Magistrate Benjamin Mwelwa for plea in the Livingstone Magistrate Court.
The trio, who are being prosecuted by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), are charged with 25 counts related to corrupt practices ,abuse of public office, corrupt acquisition of public property and forgery.
Maambo,46, a businessman of house number 2613 Dambwa Central in Livingstone, Ziwa, 39, old business man of house number 188 of Lusaka road in Highlands Livingstone and Chanda ,41, a Livingstone City Council employee of house number 16 A Makoma road in Livingstone, did abuse their authority as Mayor, Councillor and acting Town Clerk respectively by involving themselves in corrupt practices.
Facts before the courts were that between November 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015, the trio while acting together with unknown persons did involve themselves in corrupt acquisition of public properties ,abuse of public office, corrupt practices , forgery and issuing of offer letters without laid down land alienation procedures contrary to the Anti-Corruption Act of 2012 and the laws of Zambia.
When the matter came up for plea, the trio pleaded not guilty to all the 25 counts slapped on them.
Magistrate Benjamin Mwelwa has since set April 29, 2016 as dates for mention and May 31 and June 1, 2016 as dates for commencement of trial.
Magistrate Mwelwa also extended the police bond for the accused persons.
The three are being represented Adrian Nkausu of AC Nkausu and Philip Mukuka of AMC legal practitioners.
Milford Maambo hides behind his lawyer just after the Court hearing in Livingstone
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has publicly denounced political violence and warned that any member of the Patriotic Front (PF) who perpetrates the vice excommunicates himself or herself from the ruling party.
The Head of State said he was not a violent person and expected his flock in the ruling party to follow suit.
“I wish to denounce violence publicly and assure the nation that I am a peaceful person.
“Anyone who perpetrates violence in the name of PF excommunicates himself or herself from PF,” he said.
He was speaking in Zimba District yesterday when he addressed the public after commissioning four newly-constructed buildings at Zimba Mission Hospital.
Mr Lungu said the ruling party won last year’s election peacefully and that the trend would repeat itself this year.
He urged his fellow political party leaders to ensure that known perpetrators of violence in their parties were restrained.
“As the shepherd of my party, my sheep know my voice and they hear me. Other political leaders are also known by their followers and the leaders know the mischievous people in their parties who should be restrained,” Mr Lungu said.
Recently, 18 political party leaders resolved to eliminate all forms of violence in their parties and public activities.
This was during an indaba with the three Church mother bodies in Lusaka.
The Head of State has since vowed to ‘walk the talk’ in implementing the resolutions of the dialogue.
Meanwhile, Mr Lungu has praised the traditional leadership in Southern Province for helping the Government preach peace to the people in the area.
He said he was elated that with the aid of the traditional leaders, people in the region in particular and the country as a whole were promoting co-existence with one another.
“Thank you for helping us in maintaining peace. Your messages to our people seem to be sinking in now as we are having less incidences of violence,” President Lungu said.
The Head of State was speaking in Zimba yesterday when he met with four chiefs and a senior chief from Southern Province.
The traditional leaders were Senior Chief Mukuni and chiefs Chikanta, Simwatachela, Sipatunyana and Siyachitema.
Mr Lungu was optimistic that Zambians would continue upholding the right for one to choose a political grouping of one’s choice.
He said just like supporters of different football teams co-existed, leaders and disciples of separate political entities could also live in unity.
“Going forward, I think that people will accept that democracy simply means people having the right to choose which party you want to belong to.
“Just like football, you can support this team or that team without fighting. So even the political players, the tendency should be to accept one’s right to choose a political party, not killing one another,” he said.
The President was confident that bad societal elements would be dealt with, while assuring the chiefs that political parties would apply the resolutions of the recent inter-party dialogue between political leaders and the church.
Mr Lungu refuted allegations that he was instigating the arrest and prosecution of prominent opposition political figures in the country.
The President said he had faith in the law enforcement agencies as well as the judiciary, hence the institutions operated independently.
Mr Lungu said law breakers would always be pursued by law enforcement agencies which make their own judgements.
“Whether it’s PF, UPND, MMD, NAREP or any political party, no one is above the law. We just hope that justice will be done at the end of the day.
“Those who will be found guilty will be found guilty and those who will be found innocent will be innocent, I have confidence in our judicial system,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional leaders, Chief Siyachitema said southerners regarded the Head of State as the President for all Zambians.
“There could be one or two people who feel otherwise but we all need to work together,” he said.
CHOMA residents queuing up to obtain National Registration Cards (NRCs) during launch of phase-two NRC mobile registration for Southern Province
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has revealed that the voter registration exercise, which took place from 14th September 2015 to 29th February 2016 recorded 1,695,580 new registrations.
The Commission says a further 1,634,288 updates which means voter transfers, card replacements and amendments were conducted and 51,998 notifications of deceased voters were recorded.
Lusaka is leading the number of new registrations with 306, 265 new registrations closely followed by Southern Province with 244,999 new voters.
The Copperbelt Province is third with 208,023 while Eastern recorded 196,010 new voters with Western Province recording 124,243 closely followed by Luapula with 124, 337 new voters.
Central Province had 164, 612 and Northern recorded 146, 308 with North western Province coming out last with 86, 388 new voters.
In a statement, ECZ Spokesman Chris Akufuna said cautioned that the figures are still provisional as the cleaning up of the voters register is still ongoing.
And Mr Akufuna has revealed that preparations for the holding of the Referendum are ongoing and that the Referendum will be held on the same day as the general elections.
“The public is further informed that the Commission will in the next two weeks commence the distribution of non-security election materials which will include ballot boxes and wire trays to all districts in Zambia in readiness for the August 11th 2016 general elections. This is to ensure that all election materials are delivered on time, given the large volume of materials that need to be delivered before to all the 106 districts,” he said.
Wynter Kabimba and The Post owner Fred M’membe
The case in which Rainbow Party Leader Wynter Kabimba, the Post Newspaper and its Editor in Chief Fred M’membe are facing charges of criminal libel and contempt of court in relation to a published article concerning former President Rupiah Banda failed to take off this morning.
The matter which was scheduled for ruling before Magistrate Kenneth Mulife has been adjourned to 22nd April 2016 as the ruling is not ready.
Magistrate Mulife was supposed to rule on an application made by defence lawyers to dismiss the matter in which former president Rupiah Banda has sued the trio for libel and contempt of court.
The defence has contended that the case should be quashed because Mr. Banda’s immunity has been restored and he cannot appear before any court of law as a witness.
President Edgar Lungu and his entourage inspects the maize field which is critically hit by drought, will effect 2015/2016 harvest season today.
The latest US funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) reports shows that acute food insecurity outcomes are likely to continue in most areas of Zambia from March to September.
The report notes that stressed outcomes are expected in the extreme southern parts of the country which were affected by prolonged dry spells and poorly distributed rains due to the El Niño conditions during the first half of the cropping season.
FEWS NET projects that some localized areas of Zambia will be in crisis for the remainder of the outlook period.
It says factors contributing to acute food insecurity include delayed and reduced access to the green harvest due to the delayed start of season, the extension of the lean period by at least a month, and a typically high market demand for maize.
“With increased market demand for staple food, maize and meal prices have remained very high though relatively stable in most areas in the January to February period with the exception of border towns,” it says.
The report observes that prices are at least 50 percent above the recent five-year average, which is negatively impacting poorer household purchasing power.
“While maize exports have declined due to reduced market supply, informal exports of maize meal have atypically increased to almost all neighbouring countries such as Malawi, DRC, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola and Namibia due to increased regional demand,’ it says.
“This higher than normal demand is expected to keep local prices above average. Malawi and the DRC remain the highest importers of informal maize meal. Rainfall over the past few months has increased. However, the improved moisture is likely too late to improve crops that were permanently damaged by the dryness and high temperatures in the southern parts of the country.”
It added, “The late planted crops in the southern region that are in the early to mid-reproductive stage will greatly benefit from these rains Livestock conditions will improve as well because of increased pastures and water availability.”
“Areas expected to experience significant reductions in production output include Western Province, most of Southern and Lusaka Provinces, as well as southern parts of Eastern Province. Based on the water requirement index (WRSI) and field reports, crops conditions in these areas are mediocre.”
The report says local maize stocks are estimated at 848,000 MT, with 216,000 MT committed to exports.
“These supplies are adequate to meet Zambian demand up to August 2016.
The next harvest expected in May should improve stocks in order to meet national needs through the end of the 2016/17 marketing season,” it says.
President Lungu with President jacob Zuma
Electoral expert McDonald Chipenzi says the Zambian judiciary, especially the newly established Constitutional Court of Zambia, can draw valuable lessons from the South African Constitutional Court’s ruling over President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla case.
In a statement, Mr Chipenzi said the judgement has demonstrated the highest degree of the South African Judiciary’s independence and autonomy from the executive in that country.
He said this is rare in an African set up to have men and women of valour who can agree to preside over a case and make such a classic judgement against a sitting head of state like what the Constitutional Court Judges in South Africa have demonstrated.
Mr Chipenzi said it is good precedence the South African Constitutional Court has set out on the African continent by openly pointing out that President Jacob Zuma violated the constitution which he swore to uphold and protect and should serve as a challenge to other judiciaries and judges on the African continent.
“The Nkandla case judgement is a classic and landmark judgement which any judiciary worth of its salt can emulate,” he said.
“Further, Zambians should also get valuable lessons on how the law in that country has been crafted not to protect sitting presidents and elected leaders but that it has created and promoted an enabling environment for accountability and transparency in the management of national affairs by elected leaders.”
He said unlike Zambian laws which promote insulation of those in leadership while they still hold office and pursue them later after office, the President Zuma case is a clear reference point that presidents can be held responsible for their hideous actions while still serving.
Mr Chipenzi said Zambians are yet to see how the newly created constitutional court of Zambia will dispense justice especially against the powerful and the rich.
