GOVERNMENT has directed the Livingstone City Council to immediately reinstate Town Clerk Dras Neves because it does not have the powers to terminate her contract.

Minister of Local Government and Housing Brian Chituwo said in Lusaka on March 11 the dismissal of Ms Neves is illegal and warned of grave consequences if his directive is ignored.

Ms Neves was on March 10 allegedly locked out of her house while her official vehicle was allegedly grabbed by Livingstone Mayor AggreyNjekwa after the council terminated her contract.

Dr Chituwo was quoted by ZNBC as saying Ms Neves should immediately be given back her office, her official vehicle and all the emoluments that go with her position.

He warned the council to desist from activities that could have grave consequences.

But Mr Njekwa has defied Dr Chituwo’s directive saying he does not respond to press statements, but that there is a procedure to be followed between his council and the ministry.

He said in an interview he only received the minutes of the council meeting held on Thursday which passed the resolution to terminate the Town Clerk’s contract at 14:20 hours on March 11.

Mr Njekwa said after receiving the minutes, he has to go through them and hand them over to the provincial local government officer, who in turn is supposed to submit them to the minister’s office in Lusaka.

When asked as to whether the minister’s directive was premature, Mr Njekwa insisted that is the procedure.

He said he was currently going through the minutes together with the lawyers.

Narrating the events of on March 10, Ms Neves said Mr Njekwa, who was in the company of deputy mayor Aggrephrey Brill, allegedly threatened violence against her and forcefully evicted her from her office.

“They came into my office immediately after announcing the termination of my contract and told me: ‘what are you still doing here, can you leave now, termination of contract is with immediate effect’.

“They switched off my computers and did not allow me to clear my desk,” Ms Neves said.

She said K10 million went missing from her official vehicle after it was allegedly confiscated without her knowledge.

“I wanted to convert the K10 million into pounds because I am due to travel to England for a Commonwealth local government conference, but when I asked Mr Njekwa where my car was, he asked me to find my way to Maramba where the council garage is located. That was around 20:00 hours.

“When I opened the vehicle, I realised that my money was missing, and the keys to my house were nowhere to be found. When I queried Mr Njekwa, he rubbished my claims, arguing that the person who took my vehicle to the garage did not come across any of the things I had said were missing. I was also locked out of my house, and as I speak, I still do not have access to my house,” she said.

Ms Neves said she has reported the theft of money to the police.

She said Mr Njekwa and other United Party for National Development (UPND) councillors masterminded the termination of her contract.

Ms Neves said she recently effected staff reshuffles and the move did not please most councillors.

“In fact, the councillors incited workers to rise against me because they are not happy with the staff changes I made to curb misuse of funds.

“The money collected from markets is a lot, but what is submitted to the local authority is little and we made some staff changes as management. But some councillors were not happy with this move as some of them were benefiting from the looting. That is the reason they incited workers to rise against me,” Ms Neves said.

She said the local authority has no right to dismiss her from her position. Ms Neves said she remains town clerk until further notice from Government.

On March 10, Livingstone City Council terminated the contract of Ms Neves and sent acting director of finance KamwataPongo on forced leave in a raging battle that has plagued the local authority in the tourist capital for the larger part of the last 12 months.

But Ms Neves has said the decision announced by Mr Njekwa was illegal because, according to her, the mayor does not have powers to terminate her contract.

Mr Njekwa, who addressed the protesting workers after a full council meeting, said the town clerk’s contract had been cut short and the acting director of finance would proceed on forced leave to pave way for investigations.

The protest by unionised workers had worsened and taken a new twist, with soldiers temporarily taking up the responsibility of cleaning the streets, which were littered with garbage as the workers staged a strike.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

THE Zambian mission to Japan has said all Zambians currently based there are safe following a devastating Tsunami caused by an earthquake which hit the eastern coast of the country on March 11, leaving hundreds of people dead and a trail of destruction.

Zambia’s Ambassador to Japan Wamundila Mbikusita Lewanika said in a telephone interview from Tokyo on March 11 that all the students at various institutions and workers at the mission are safe.

“We have about eight Zambian students studying here under a joint programme between the two countries. All of them and the workers at our mission are safe,” Dr Lewanika said.

“So far, I have no report of any Zambian who has been affected. We are still feeling the aftershocks and the house I occupy is shaking right now but we are fine,” he said.

Dr Lewanika said he had received phone calls from Zambia asking about the safety of Zambians based in Japan in the wake of the disaster.

The earthquake slammed Japan’s eastern coast, killing hundreds of people as it swept away boats, cars and homes while widespread fires blazed out of control.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

UNIVERSITY of Zambia (UNZA) students on March 11 held a march from the university grounds to Manda Hill to denounce violence ahead of this year’s general elections.

UNZA Students Union president Timothy Lumba said in an interview on March 11 that students wanted to remind the Zambian society that there is no better ingredient in national development than peace and stability.

Mr Lumba said the march past was predicated on showing solidarity for peaceful elections following the political violence the country experienced in by-elections in Mufumbwe and Chilanga.

He said it is important for Zambia to maintain its reputation for peace in Southern Africa and the entire world.

“Our country is a model of peace unmatched. It is an example in terms of unity in diversity amid political differences,” Mr Lumba said.

He urged youths not to be lured into political violence by politicians.

“We organised the march to caution youths that they should not be used as tools of violence by politicians,” Mr Lumba said.

He said the students wanted to send a message to their fellow youths ahead of this year’s Youth Day which falls on March 12. Mr Lumba said violence is retrogressive.

He urged politicians to avoid politics of slander and character assassination as the country prepares for the general elections as it does not add value to the pursuit of development.

Mr Lumba said politicians should instead engage in issue-based political campaigns.

He also said losers in the general elections should accept defeat and not resort to violence.

And Mr Lumba has denounced people advocating political violence before, during and after this year’s elections.

He said this at a sensitisation campaign for a bigger peaceful demonstration slated for March 18. The demonstration will be held in partnership with other student organisations and youth groups in Lusaka.

“This year, Zambia celebrates 47 years of independence and holds its tripartite elections.

Since independence in 1964 and the introduction of multi-party politics in 1991, our electoral process has been free of violence.

“That is not to say the process has been without shortcomings. Our people have demonstrated, despite the odds, that the ties that bind us together by far supersede political affiliation,” Mr Lumba said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Bweengwa Member of parliament Highvie Hamududu says there is need for a national qualifications network that will evaluate the type of educational documents that people get in high learning institutions.

He was contributing to the debate on the Zambia qualifications board bill in parliament on Thursday.

Mr. Hamududu observed that the influx of institutions offering degree programmes has contributed to the valueless qualification that some people have in Zambia.

Mr. Hamududu is further surprised to note that a degree programme can be offered in a period of one year.

He wants the ministry of education to inspect the caliber of institutions that are offering worthless degrees to Zambians.

The bill has since been passed to second reading stage.

[ZNBC]

Clerk of the National Assembly, Doris Mwiinga has said the involvement of the cross section of Zambians in Legislative process is an important part of the reforms of the National Assembly.

In a speech read on her behalf by National Assembly Deputy Clerk of Administration Cecilia Mbewe, Ms. Mwiinga says there is therefore need to put in place an appropriate communications process that will ensure a two way flow of information between the National Assembly, parliamentarians and citizens.

She was speaking during the stakeholders workshop for the Formulation of a Communication Strategy for the National Assembly of Zambia in Lusaka on Thursday.

The National Assembly has engaged PANOS Institute of Southern Africa to carry out the task of formulating a Communications Strategy.

Ms. Mwiinga called for the formulation of a strategy that will enhance the two way communication, encouraging increased feedback from a cross section of the Zambian citizens.

And Chairperson of the Reforms and Modernization Committee, Faustina Sinyangwe said the National Assembly has during the past ten (10) years been implementing parliamentary reforms with the prime objective of improving upon the parliamentary overseer activities of the Executive while facilitating increased citizen participation in the affairs of the country.

Ms. Sinyangwe says the Reforms have among other things included the establishment of Parliament Radio and the setting up of offices for Members of Parliament in all the one hundred and fifty (150) Constituencies.

She says an enhanced communications process is now needed to allow citizens to participate more actively in ensuring that their needs are better represented and that their Members of Parliament visit their Constituencies and facilitate development in communities.

Ms. Sinyangwe further says meaningful development could be realized by having a communications strategy that will fill the communication gaps between the Members of Parliament and their Constituents.

Panos Institute of Southern Africa Executive Director Parkie Mbozi said that an effective communications strategy is critical in ensuring enhanced accountability in the governance process.

Mr. Mbozi said, formulating an effective communications strategy should be done at a right time.

He emphasizes the importance of human interaction at all levels.

The formulation of a good communications strategy is among other things expected to enhance the National Assembly’s ability to communicate and relate with key stakeholders, who include the Members of Parliament, civil society organizations, constituents, and the cooperating partners, thereby taking parliament closer to the people.

[ZANIS]