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File: Solwezi Main Market both young and old, watching a video at a kantemba.
The Solwezi Municipal Council has refuted allegations that Patriotic Front (PF) cadres in Solwezi have taken over the running of bus stations and are levying transporters.
Solwezi Municipal Council Public Relations Officer, Thandiwe Tembo, said the council is still collecting all levies and issuing receipts to public transporters.
Ms Tembo said the council’s revenue is not affected in any way and the local authority is not aware of any political group colleting levy at the bus station.
She said the council does do not have any arrangement or agreement with PF cadres to be collecting levy at the main bus station.
However, UPND Publicity Secretary, Lackson Kawanda, has accused Patriotic Front cadres of taking over the bus station and illegally collecting levies with the full knowledge of Solwezi Municipal Council.
Mr Kawanda has challenged the council to be courageous and remove the cadres from the station.
But Taxis and Buses Association Spokesperson, Lewis Kamondo, denied that PF cadres had taken over the station and collecting levies meant for the council.
Mr Kamondo, however, said the cadres recently came up with an agreement to be collecting K50 from every big bus that leaves the bus terminus of which the council is well aware of.
Mr Kamondo said the money being collected is put in a bank account and used to assist in times of problems especially funerals.
He said each big bus at the station has what they are calling a bus inspector who is in charge of collecting the K50 every day when the bus is about to leave.
He said the allegations of PF members taking over the bus stations is a smear campaign only intended to tarnish the name of the ruling party.
Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a loan agreement with the African Development Bank (ADB) amounting to US$125 million.
The loan is for three projects.
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda signed the MOU on behalf of government while African Development Bank Regional Representative Damoni Kitabire signed on behalf of the bank.
Mr. Chikwanda said at the signing ceremony in Lusaka today that the three loans that have been signed are concessional with an interest rate of less than two percent and maturity of twenty years.
And Mr. Kitabire has appealed to the Ministry of Finance to accelerate the process of meeting conditions for the disbursement of funds for the three loans.
He said the African Development Bank was committed to light up, integrate, feed, industrialise and improve the quality of life for the people of Africa in order to meet the vision 2030 at national level.
Out of the US$125 million, US$50 million is for the implementation of the Lusaka sanitation programme aimed at improving access to public sanitation in the city while US$45 million is for the Cashew infrastructure which will be introduced to all parts of Western Province in order to reduce poverty and improved household incomes.
The remaining US$30 million will go towards the Zambia skills development and entrepreneurship project which is aimed at supporting women and youth.
Energy Minister Dora Siliya has again attacked Former Vice President Guy Scott for his decision to endorse UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema for the August elections.
Mrs Siliya said Dr Scott’s move is influenced by hate and emotions.
She took to Facebook and posted the following message.
“I am in New York and just saw on CBS the New York Times criticising Trump for his wishy washy foreign policy. My mind went straight back home. I hear Scott now says he left PF because EL is bringing in MMD people. Correct me was Scott not MMD once and left with the swine and yellow maize scandal? Even if he holds that argument, should UPND members not use it against him and HH as well. No wonder Gary Nkombo warns of some sheep in wolves skin joining UPND,” she said.
She added, “Many may not be aware how Scott and late Nsanda visited RB to ask for his support in January 2015. RB who became MMD after UNIP. I will forgive Scott as he may have forgotten the facts.”
“I repeat what I said yesterday. Over 90% Of ZAMBIANS ARE 45 YEARS AND BELOW.
In a democracy we all have the right to choose. But choosing is about choosing well BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE FACTS. NOT USING EMOTION, HATE OR TRIBAL INCLINATIONS. How else could late President Sata and I have our meeting after he became President? We both had a political understanding that leadership does not include hate NO MATTER THE PERCEPTION.
I don’t know EL well but I know he is democratic in his leadership, a champion for Women issues, has no pride that HE KNOWS IT ALL, and has such a listening and forgiving heart WHILE BEING Firm. I use this same list to mark off other Party Presidents.
We wish the Clergy God’s favour as they chair the peace talks.”
FILE: INFORMATION and Broadcasting Minister Chishimba Kambwili (r) and Choma Central Member of Parliament Conelius Mweetwa laugh and applause the dance by St. Mark’s Secondary School culture group (not in picture). This was during the Youth Day celebration at Choma stadium
Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs Chairperson Cornelius Mweetwa says the confusion on a number of clauses in the amended Constitution have arisen because the document was not validated by his committee.
Speaking when he featured on Muvi TV’s the assignment program Mr Mweetwa said his committee rejected the document and advised Justice Minister to work on some of the lacunas in the document after stakeholders made submissions but that Mr Simbyakula did not heed to the recommendation.
He said what the Minister presented to parliament was a document which was not validated by the legal committee hence the confusion that the country is seeing today.
He said as chair of the committee he can only report to the house on issues that stakeholders had made submissions on and that MPs were suppose to deliberate on specific issues that the PF had proposed to be added the current Constitution.
“When you report to the house as chair of the committee you report on matters that you receive submissions from yet when it come to amending the Constitution, when the committee was done with its work, the Minister brought the whole document unlike those specific items which stakeholders made submissions on. They brought the whole document which had not been validated and said that this whole document is what should be become into law that is why there are issues of people who were voting for the Grade 12 certificate clause when they don’t have one,” he said.
Mr Mweetwa further said the MPs addressed their minds to what was earlier proposed as amendments to the Constitution as opposed to the whole document.
And when asked on the growing lose of confidence in politicians Mr Mweetwa who is UPND Choma Central MP said the public can not be faulted in losing confidence in politicians because recent history indicate that they cannot be trusted.
“First of all Costa I wouldn’t blame you and you are not the the only one to feel that politicians of these days can not be trusted because the recent history and there are available facts pointing to the fact that politicians can not be trusted. I have given you the list of promises that PF made and immediately they got to power they did a U-turn on many of them including stating to the public that the 90 day promise for the Constitution was just a joke,”
And Mr Mweetwa accused the PF of shooting down the motion to amend the Public Order Act because it came from the opposition.
“I glade to be reminded that we can discuss this issue of the POA and that we cannot continue to give hot air statements that contains no substance in them, what we say as leaders must have meaning to the people who vote for us to take as something that could change Zambia for better. I think Zambia can be a better place under the leadership of people who respect the vote that took them to where they are.
I’m the one who moved the motion in the house to cause the POA to be amended and the debate was quite intriguing and interesting because the colleagues on the other side, the PF agreed that the act needed amendments but they said even if we agree the person who has brought the motion is from the opposition so will not vote for it,” he said.
President Edgar Lungu and opposition leaders are meeting at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka to discuss ways to ensure peace in the run up to August’s general election.
President Lungu told Journalists on arrival at the Cathedral that the talks were important as they would discuss measures against rising political violence in the conduct of political and civic matters.
All the key political leaders including UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, FDD’s Nevers Mumba and MMD’s Nevers Mumba are present.
The talks have been convened by the Catholic Bishops under the auspices of the Zambia Episcopal Conference while the Council of Churches of Zambia and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia have been invited to attend as mediators.
President Lungu flashes the PF party symbol after the memorial service of Late President Michael Sata at St Ignatius Catholic Church in Lusaka on Wednesday, October 28,2015 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has implored all political parties and their members to prioritise and embrace peace rather than causing chaos across the country.
TIZ Information Officer Charles Chulu appealed to all political parties and their members to take the first step in stopping violent activities in the run-up to elections.
Mr. Chulu urged the police to realise that they have a huge task of helping to root out the scourge of violence perpetrated by politicians and their cadres especially this year of general elections.
“Zambia police as the body legally mandated to enforce the law should do so sternly but impartially because there have been worrying reports insinuating that the police are selectively applying law on cadres from different camps,” he said.
Mr. Chulu has since called on all stakeholders in charge of discharging security services to uphold the highest standards of professionalism as they maintain law, peace and order in the country.
Recently, Zambia recorded increased cases of political violence being caused by supporters of various political parties.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Church Prelates are meeting various political party leaders to find lasting solutions to partisan violence.
Mumbwa District Commissioner Felix Ndopu has assured Mumbwa residents of more jobs when a Gold Mine is commissioned in the district next year.
Mr Ndopu said the opening of the gold mine to be run by South African based Dan Reuben Goldmine company will create employment for local people especially youths and women.
He said the gold mine will be opened once construction of a substation in the district is completed to tap power from Itezhi Tezhi hydro power station and power the mining industry in the district.
Mr Ndopu was speaking when he addressed Journalism students from the Zambia Institute of Mass Communication (ZAMCOM) on an education tour of the district.
The District Commissioner said in addition to the Copper and Cobalt Mine, the Gold mine will increase the number of investments coming into Mumbwa.
Mr Ndopu said increased large scale investments in Mumbwa will spur the much needed development in the district.
Ndola city council public relation manager Roy Kuseka says Ndola has recorded one cholera case and the patient has been admitted, since Wednesday 23 March,at Masala clinic which is designated cholera centre.
Mr Kuseka said Ndola City Council Health Department is working closely with the Ministry of Health to ensure that the disease does not spread and that measures have been put in place to ensure that the outbreak is contained.
He said the council has Since banned the sell of opaque beer in Masala, mainly ‘Gabon’ and surrounding areas and compliance by the affected trader is encouraging so far as well as banned the sell of foodstuffs on the streets as directed by the Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.
He appealed to members of the general public to desist at all costs from buying and consuming foodstuffs sold on the streets adding that the public should observe highest personal and public health standards as cholera is an infectious disease.
He explained that Ndola has been cholera free in as many as 10 years hence the need for the public and other stakeholders to help authorities with their maximum support so as to contain the disease.
MILES Sampa had a long meeting with Orange Alliance leaders Eric Chanda and Elias Chipimo in an attempt to auction the alliance to the United Party for National Development (UPND) but his scheme was strongly rejected by the alliance members, it has been revealed.
Mr Sampa has since signed a memorandum of understanding with the UPND in which the two political parties have agreed to work together to fight the PF and President Edgar Lungu.
Mr Chanda who is president of 4TH Revolution and a vice-president of the Orange Alliance said it was not going to make political sense for the alliance to abandon its values and beliefs and forge yet another alliance with the UPND.
He said as an astute politician, he did not believe in what he termed the Daniel Munkombwe formula of participating in the political affairs of the country and had therefore differed with Mr Sampa.
Mr Chanda said he could not be coerced into leaving the Orange Alliance and form another alliance with the UPND because the act was politically perilous and was going to defeat the essence of having formed the alliance between NAREP, DF (deregistered) and 4R.
He explained that he was not in politics for survival and that he was not going to accept to move to the UPND and endorse Mr Hichilema because Zambians were going to lose the trust and respect they had for him as a political leader.
“Zambians must know that Mr Sampa met with me and Elias Chipimo with the view to convince us to endorse the candidature of the UPND president Hakainde Hichilema. But we realized that it was going to defeat the essence of having formed the Orange Alliance. I am one who does not believe in the Daniel Munkombwe formula who has served in each and every government except the Edgar Lungu administration. I am in politics to serve and not for survival and I refused to move to the UPND because I do not want to practice politics of the belly, ”Mr Chanda said.
He said rejecting to endorse Mr Hichilema was not an easy decision but was happy that he remained in the Orange Alliance which he said would soon be announcing its presidential candidate as well as its running mate for the August general elections.
Mr Chanda said the departure of Mr Sampa from the Orange Alliance had not changed the complexion of the alliance and that the leadership had since embarked on identifying its presidential candidate and the running mate.
“Just yesterday, Mr Sampa was receiving defectors from the UPND and today he defects to the same UPND; you cannot fool people who helped you build your structures like that, nobody will trust him anymore,” he said.
He said the Orange Alliance was now feeling betrayed by Mr Sampa’s move to the UPND and that Zambians would have to judge the Matero MP for who he was.
“We are asking all aspiring candidates who would want to contest all the elective political positions from councillors, mayors, members of Parliament to bring their applications. The aspiring candidates should take their application to the Orange Alliance secretariat housed at the NAREP offices,” Mr Chanda said.
Meanwhile, MILES Sampa is an embarrassment to all the people who supported him and those who helped create structures in the deregistered Democratic Front party, says Orange Alliance Lusaka province chairman Longe Mulenga.
Mr Mulenga said Mr Sampa’s defection to the UPND was long overdue as it had been exposed by UPND vice president for administration Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba.
He said the Orange Alliance remains strong and intact with all its structures in place as Mr Sampa only took with him some of his supporters from Matero, his former constituency. “DF is a registered party, it is not there, and when he says he has defected with DF, who has he gone with?
“We are very disappointed with the character of (Mr Miles) Sampa who has exhibited his immaturity in politics. He is an embarrassment to all those who have supported him since he left the PF, and all of whom have remained in the Orange Alliance,” he said.
He said as the former DF provincial chairman, they were all now members of the Orange Alliance and were working to build structures under the Orange label.
Mr Mulenga said the Orange Alliance would from now throw its weight behind incoming president and National Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo Jnr for the August 2016 presidential and general elections.
Mr Mulenga accused the former DF leader of promoting divisions within the alliance and said the defection was good riddance as it would now be easier to organize its structures.
And former DF information and publicity secretary Mubanga Chileshe said Mr Sampa lacked necessary credentials to win him people’s support as he was not consistent with his actions and plans.
“Just yesterday, Mr Sampa was receiving defectors from the UPND and today he defects to the same UPND; you cannot fool people who helped you build your structures like that, nobody will trust him anymore,” he said.
MUSIC fans have come out loud and clear in their enthusiasm for this year’s Mosi Lager Zambian Music Awards, with record numbers of nominations for the prestigious event.
The highlight of the music industry calendar had attracted 101,741 nominations from the public by the time submissions closed last week – more than double the number received last year.
“We are overwhelmed by the response of the public to this year’s Mosi Zambian Music Awards. The number of nominations exemplifies the passion and love people have for Zambian music and it brings us great joy to facilitate, in partnership with the National Arts Council, the expression of this passion,” said Mosi Lager Marketing Manager Nomonde Donsa.
Final nominees will be announced at a media event in Kitwe on March 31, from when public voting starts to select the winners who will ultimately perform at Mosi Day of Thunder in Livingstone.
Last year, the ZMAs had a total of 34 categories divided into the populist and technical industry clusters and they received more than 39,000 nominations. While all genres are music are still eligible for nomination the awards have been simplified to 18 broader categories this year.
Winners of the fifth Mosi Lager Zambian Music Awards will be announced at a glittering ceremony on April 28, 2016 in Lusaka that will bring together the nation’s best performers, producers and artistes for a celebration of all genres from Kalindula to hip-hop, and from RnB to rap.
For the first time ever the awards will also be followed by the Mosi Day of Thunder music festival in Livingstone on April 30, where Mosi Lager Zambian Music Awards wll be booked to perform, in a move that aims to widen audience participation of the annual celebration of music, arts and culture.
The awards are sponsored by Zambian Breweries in a partnership with the National Arts Council of Zambia and with support from the Zambia Adjudicators Panel and Zambia Association of Musicians.
This year’s awards will focus on 18 categories, culminating the in Mosi Lager Song of the Year accolade. Other categories will honour the best lifetime achievement, live recording – album, lead guitarists, bass guitarist, keyboard player, drummer, song writer, studio music producer, RnB/dance hall, hip-hop / rap, traditional/Kalindula album, female radio DJ, male radio DJ, new/upcoming artist, female artist, male artist and best album
POLICE in Ndola have arrested a 47 year old man of Old Twapia in Ndola for allegedly stabbing his wife with a knife to death following a marital dispute.
Copperbelt province commissioner of police Charity Katanga confirmed the incident which occurred on Friday around 20.00 hours at house number 5 in Ndola’s old Twapia.
Ms Katanga identified the deceased as Mercy Bwalya,35, while the suspect is Augustine Chisenga.
She said Ms Bwalya sustained deep cuts on her back and chest and that her body is currently lying in the Ndola Central hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.
“There is an incident of murder in Twapia where a woman was allegedly stabbed with a knife to death by her husband after they quarreled over an unknown reasons.The suspect is currently in custody,” Ms Katanga said.
Ms Katanga said Chisenga has been charged with murder and he will appear in court soon
Young African Leaders Initiative YALI President Andrew Ntewewe says political leaders should take today’s meeting called by the Catholic Bishops for political parties to discuss solutions to political violence as an opportunity for them to start engaging on national issues.
And Mr Ntewewe says there is no grantee that the indaba called by the Catholic Bishops will have positive results as there is a possibility of some people walking out of the meeting hence the need for people to be consciously optimistic.
Speaking when he featured on Hot FM’s Talk on Monday radio program Mr Ntewewe said political leaders must understand that the essence of a democratic system of governance is to differ on political ideologies but that there should be tolerance of divergent views and ideas.
He said one of the reasons why the country is experiencing high levels of political violence is because leaders are not seen to engage openly on national issues.
“We think that the opening of this dialogue should be a long term process. Political party leaders must begin to understand that yes we have different political ideologies, yes they have different policies, yes they have a different way of looking at things and resolving issues but that is the essence of having a democratic system of governance and that is why there is need for tolerance and accepting diversity.
“It is very relevant that our leaders find this as an opportunity to begin to discuss because from the YALI point of view we believe that democracy is a process, democracy is about dailogue, democracy is about constantly persuasion, democracy is about engagement and what we have seen to be the biggest problem is that our leaders have not been able to engage one another, our leaders have not been discussing issues in an open manner, they have not been discussing issues in a way that we are suppose to be helping each other in finding solutions,
” he said.
And Mr Ntewewe said people should not be too optimistic as the meeting may end in disappointment adding that Leaders should not go to the meeting with preconceived ideas.
He said leaders who will attend the meeting should be respectful to the Zambian people and ensure that they do not give in to negative temptations of slandering one another as that is a recipe for failure.
“There is no grantee that you can go to a round table and believe that definitely a solution is going to be found. What could actually happen is that some people may even walk out of the meeting. So as we look to the meeting, we must be very consciously optimistic, we must be consciously optimistic that ultimately civility at the column is going to take the lead, that ultimately our leaders are going to be respectful of the citizens of this country and ensure that they work very hard because the temptation is going to be huge were they would even say this is not what I would like to sit down and talk about,” he said.
He added “One of the key things that we expect to come out is the fact that they are suppose to discuss this culture of political insults but most importantly we don’t expect that any leader should go there and take a swipe another leader, that is not the essence of the dailogue that we are going to have. The essence of the dialogue is that everyone is coming with an open heart and not finger pointing because that will be a recipe for failure.”
File:Forum for Democracy and Development spokesperson Antonio Mwanza stresses a point during the meeting to demand for the release of the draft Zambian constitution
The opposition FDD says there is need to deal with key fundamental issues which cause political violence among youths in the country if the scourge is to be fought successfully.
Speaking in an interview Party Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza said the key issues that has lead to young people being used as tools of political violence are both social and economical hence the need to deal with the two key fundamental issues.
He explained that the youths who are used in political violence are those with nothing productive to do in society hence the need to invest in the two sectors.
“To end political violence in a long term there are fundamental things that we need to do. Let us invest in education, let us invest in job creation, let us invest in giving entrepreneurial opportunities to young people because it is clear that the young people that are involved in political violence are ignorant, poor and uneducated illiterate youths who are destitutes, these are the youths that we use so as long as issues of unemployment, issues of education, issues of health, issues of access to capital to start business are not dealt with youths will continue to be vulnerable. We need to deal with the fundamental issues and the fundamental issues that cause political violence are social and economical and we need to deal with them if we are to end the scourge,” Mr Mwanza said.
Mr Mwanza further noted that the continued political violence being perpetrated by the PF is a sign of failed leadership.
“It is important to note that political violence is a symptomatic to failed leadership, when you see political violence you have to know that there is a failed leadership and if we continue to have a leadership that cannot provide opportunities for young people then it simply means that we will continue to have this political violence,” he said.
He also reiterated that his Party will only attend the indaba called by the Catholic Bishops on political violence so that Party leader Edith Nawakwi can have an opportunity to educate President Lungu on how to curb political violence in the country.
He said President Lungu had the powers at his disposal to end political violence as he is not only the leader of the ruling Party but is in charge of necessary institutions that can curb the violence by him making clear pronouncements that he will not protect perpetrators of the scourge.
