Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
The British Council and Junior Achievement Zambia (JA) has launched an education programme in six selected districts across Zambia dubbed; the 2011 Enterprise Challenge for Schools.
Chingola, Kabwe, Kitwe, Lusaka, Ndola and Siavonga are some of the districts that will benefit from the Enterprise Challenge programme.
This is according to a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday and signed by British Council Country Director Donna McGovwan.
Mr. McGovwan said the programme was aimed at promoting skills development and innovation by encouraging closer links between education, employers and policy makers.
He explained that it was imperative that young people in the country use their skills in enterprising and innovative ways to ultimately increase their employment opportunities.
The Enterprise Challenge is a programme that encourages skills development and innovation among high school pupils to ignite their entrepreneurial aspirations and improve their future employability.
Under this programme, selected schools are expected to participate in district competitions culminating in the finals to be held in Lusaka in March this year.
And Junior Achievement Zambia Executive Director Teddy Nyansulu expressed happiness that Zambia has joined the countries that are implementing the Enterprise Challenge after Europe.
Mr. Nyansulu said the project was a noble one especially for formal sector jobs as well as increasing the scope of self reliance.
“I would like to thank the British Council for involving us in this project. JA has partnered with the British Council in similar projects in most European countries. I am glad that Zambia has joined the countries that are implementing the Enterprise Challenge,” he said.
JA world-wide is a world class organisation committed to providing business education programmes for young people of all ages and is currently operating in 123 countries world-wide.
In Africa, JA operates in 21 countries among them Angola, Botswana, Bukina-Fasso, Congo DR, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Namibia and Nigeria, South Africa including Zambia.
Government has put in place minimum standards for child care facilities in the country in line with the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child.
Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Sherry Thole says the standards are meant to guide service providers on what facilities and programmes to devise for children while protecting and acknowledging their rights.
Ms. Thole said this in a speech read for her by Community Development Director of Human Resource Lameck Kanyuka at the Trauma management training graduation ceremony in Lusaka today.
Ms. Thole said the minimum standards of care were developed in order to enhance child protection.
She commended the Zambia Association of Child Workers for their commitment to collaborative efforts in providing training through the Chicago School of Psychology and Save Africa’s Children of the United States of America.
And Associate Professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in the United States of America, Dr. Tiffany Masson noted that the training assists child and youth care workers in assessing, recognising and effectively handling children who have experienced trauma.
Meanwhile, Zambia Association of Child Trauma Management Director Felix Mwale said the main focus of the training programme was to provide effective counselling and healing opportunities for most children affected by traumatic situations.
Zesco United’s friendly match against Sudan scheduled for today has been cancelled.
The friendly match was due to be played at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka but was called-off on the eve of the game just 24 hours after Sudan arrived in the country for a week-long training camp.
Zesco secretary Justin Mumba confirmed the games cancellation but could not give any further details as to when or whether the match will be played.
The possibility of the game being played on Sunday is out due to the national day of mourning for former UNIP minister Amok Phiri who passed away last week.
Meanwhile, Sudan are holding their training camp in Zambia ahead of hosting the 2011 CHAN tournament from February 4 t0 25.
The CHAN is a biannual CAF tournament for home-based player’s that enters its second edition after Cote d’Ivoire staged the first event in 2009 that was won by DR Congo.
And Sudan coach Mohamed Abdella Ahmed said on Friday that he was looking forward to a good training camp.
Sudan are also scheduled to face the Zambia Under-23 team when the side comes back from Harare after their All-Africa Games qualifier against Zimbabwe on Sunday.
Ndola residents have expressed happiness over the pace at which construction works were progressing at the 40, 000 seat capacity stadium in Ndola on the Copperbelt.
ZANIS Ndola reports that the residents are happy that the stadium had taken shape and was promising to be a show piece in the city.
Caleb Matafwali noted that once completed the stadium would not only add beauty to the city but would also act as a motivational factor to would be soccer stars.
He explained that the Chinese company constructing the stadium had exhibited professionalism and credibility hence must be supported by all Zambian people who wanted to see development in the country.
Matafwali castigated critics of Chinese investment in the country saying that developmental projects should not be subjected to political criticism.
He said President Banda should be praised for continuing on with Chinese developmental projects initiated by the late President Levy Mwanawasa adding that he should snub cheap political interference from opposition political parties that criticised Chinese investment.
Another resident, Mutale Chilufya observed that the construction of the state of the art stadium in Ndola would help revamp failing soccer standards in the province.
Recently, the Chinese company constructing the new Stadium in Ndola, Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company (AFECC), Vice- President Cheng Ju revealed that construction works for the stadium would be completed in July this year.
Construction works on the Ndola Stadium began in August 2009.
And the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) funded rehabilitation works on roads in Ndola has reached an advanced stage with a number of roads already done. Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Villie Lombabya has disclosed.
Mr Lombanya told ZANIS Ndola in an interview that the contractor, Konike Construction Company was on course with road rehabilitation being carried out in Ndola and Kitwe at a total cost of K133.4 billion.
He explained that the contractor had left some portions unattended to because they had to seek advice from concerned utility companies due to the presence of underground cables on those portions.
[pullquote]And the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) funded rehabilitation works on roads in Ndola has reached an advanced stage with a number of roads already done. Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Villie Lombabya has disclosed.[/pullquote]
“Yes for those patches that the contractor has not done, they are meant to give an opportunity to utility companies to liaise with the contractor on how best to progress on areas where there are underground pies, cables and sewer pipes,” he said.
Ndola residents had earlier expressed concern over the pattern in which the contractor was carrying out the works.
The residents complained that instead of carrying out continuous works from point A to Point B the contractor was busy leaving some portions of the roads unattended to, especially corner points.
And in a separate interview, Ndola City Council Public Relations Officer Ester Banda, said the contractor had started working on roads with good drainage systems while for those that did not have good drainages, the company would start with drainages first and subsequently roads.
Ms Banda named the roads under rehabilitation as Makoli, Kaunda, Livingstone, Matero, Zambia, Bukasu and Independence way
Government has challenged the Zambia Daily Mail Newspapers to increase circulation of its paper and improve on news packaging.
Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Sam Phiri said the company should deepen its reporting techniques and effectively analyse issues happening in society.
Dr. Phiri said the paper should also reflect diversity of opinion in its reporting but stick to its mandate as a public media.
He advised the paper to equally help publicise Government programmes and agendas.
He stated that there should be a clear distinction between Government and political parties adding that the mandate of the paper should be in line with policy of Government of the day.
He further called on the company to work in line with their motto “Without Fear or Favour” in their daily reporting of news.
Dr. Phiri said this when he conducted a familiarisation tour of the Zambia Daily Mail in Lusaka yesterday.
And speaking earlier, Zambia Daily Mail Managing Director, Evans Milimo said there had been a decline in circulation figures because of tense competition from other media including newspapers, Television and Community radio stations.
Mr. Milimo nevertheless, explained that the acquisition of a new printing press which was launched last year would help improve sales as the paper would be reaching the market on time.
He disclosed that the Zambia Daily Mail Newspapers had also undertaken a rural subscription market survey which revealed that there was market.
He also disclosed that the company was facing serious financial challenges which are affecting its liquidity position.
Mr. Milimo further asked Government to consider giving the company about K10 billion for recapitalisation.
He also appealed to Government to consider writing off the statutory debt which the company owes the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA), and the Workers Compensation Fund.
Labour minister Austin Liato (l) and his counterpart from Energy kenneth Konga
Government is constructing a new high school in Kaoma district in the Western Province.
And Government has embarked on a rehabilitation exercise of dilapidated feeder roads and several other developmental projects in the district.
MMD Kaoma Central Member of Parliament (MP) Austin Liato who confirmed this to ZANIS in an interview thanked Government for releasing the funds towards the new school and road infrastructure development.
Mr. Liato named the new school as Kehema High school. This brings the number of high schools in the area to two. He named the other school as Kaoma High school which was the first to be built in the 1950s.
The MP said the two learning institutions would help reduce illiteracy levels in Kaoma district and urged parents in his area to take advantage of the schools by sending their children there.
Mr. Liato, who is also Labour and Social Security Services Minister, expressed happiness that Zambia is on track to attaining the United Nations (UN) 2015 Millennium Development Goal number two in the education sector.
He commended the Ministry of Education for bringing education closer to the people as evidenced by the number of new schools being constructed alongside rehabilitation of old ones to improve the learning environment especially in rural areas.
The Minister said Government is in a hurry to develop and improve the education sector to make it more conducive for learners.
Mr. Liato named feeder roads being rehabilitated as Kangolongolo, Kashamu Kaolombe and Mipongo.
He said a good road network is vital to accelerating development.
File: Education minister Dora Siliya visits the poor in her constituency in Petauke
ALL is in place for today’s MMD Lusaka Province conference, the ninth and last to usher a new provincial executive committee into office and set the tone for the national convention.
And MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya said January 22’s provincial conference will be free of violence, in the same way the other eight conferences have been conducted.
She said the MMD is pleased that the provincial conferences have been successful and this is what has continued to separate the MMD from other political parties.
“We feel galvanised, and we are ready to continue telling the people what we have done… The MMD government is a working government and we have a track record on that,” she said.
Ms Siliya said the MMD does not want to be associated with violence because its principle is to take development and good governance to the people.
The conference is scheduled to take place in Lusaka at Garden House Motel on Mumbwa road and not Kafue as earlier announced.
MMD acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu, who released the conference programme on January 21, said since the Lusaka conference will be the last one, it will determine the electoral college for the national convention whose traditional venue has been the Mulungushi Rock of Authority in Kabwe.
Mr Nyangu said after january 22’s provincial conference, members will now start thinking about the positions they would want to contest for which they will be able to campaign when the date for the convention is set.
He said the Lusaka conference will also have to determine the date for the national convention which will be announced in due course.
According to the conference programme, delegates are supposed to arrive at the MMD secretariat at 07:00 hours for accreditation before they assemble in the conference hall at 08:30 hours.
The roll call will be conducted at 09:00 hours prior to the arrival of President Banda and his entourage. At about 10:15 hours, provincial chairman William Banda will welcome the President and all the delegates.
National chairman, Michael Mabenga, will then make brief remarks before inviting President Banda to officially open the conference.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Brian Chituwo
THE Lusaka City Council (LCC) has been suspended with immediate effect.
The council will remain suspended for 90 days and Government has appointed Solomon Finandi Sakala, the Copperbelt Provincial Local Government officer as the administrator.
Minister of Local Government and Housing, Brian Chituwo announced the suspension of the council yesterday following reports that the local authority has been involved in some land allocation scams.
Dr Chituwo said at a media briefing that Government has decided to suspend LCC to pave way for investigations into the alleged illegal land allocation.
The Lusaka City Council has been accused of illegally allocating land to itself without following the law governing the allocation of land.
Out of 102 plots, the councillors got 45 plots, 10 plots were given to the Mayor while the deputy Mayor got five plots and members of the public were only allocated 11 plots.
[pullquote]“In order to understand the matter, my office requested for a written report from the local authority. The report forwarded to my office by the council does not give much detail on who allocated the plots and how the beneficiaries were picked,” Dr Chituwo said.[/pullquote]
Dr Chituwo said he would soon appoint a committee to audit the allocation of land in Lilayi.
He said the piece of land in Lilayi that is alleged to have been shared among the Mayor, his deputy and councillors is titled and should have been advertised. Dr Chituwo said the council did not even bother to seek authority from the ministry as stipulated by law.
“Therefore, it has become necessary for the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to suspend the Lusaka City Council in accordance with the Local Government Act, Cap 281 of the laws of Zambia to pave way for investigations into the Lilayi land allocation,” he said.
Dr Chituwo said the council should have realised the importance of seeking authority from his office to allocate plots on the piece of land in question. He said his office should have authorised the council to deal with the piece of land in terms of transfer, disposal or even in the mode of exchange or swapping.
Dr Chituwo said it is the understanding of the Ministry of Local Government and Housing that any proposed allocation of land should be done through the Plans, Works and Development Committee.
“In order to understand the matter, my office requested for a written report from the local authority. The report forwarded to my office by the council does not give much detail on who allocated the plots and how the beneficiaries were picked,” Dr Chituwo said.
He said the council failed to explicitly state how it decided to allocate councilors one plot each.
The Minister wondered whether it has been the trend that the Mayor and his councillors should have a lion’s share of plots each time there was a piece of land earmarked for allocation.
“I as Minister of Local Government and Housing hereby announce the suspension of the council for 90 days through the statutory instrument number 11 of 2011and appoint Mr Solomon Finandi Sakala, who is Copperbelt Provincial Local Government Officer as administrator,” Dr Chituwo said.
[pullquote]
“As a council, we presented our report and we maintain that whatever was done, we followed the law. The general public will judge us after the investigations,” Mr Chisenga said.[/pullquote]
But Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga has maintained that the allocation of land in Lilayi was done in accordance with the law.
Mr Chisenga said the public will have to judge the council after all the investigations have been done and the report on the investigations released.
He said the council welcomes the investigations as it has encountered investigations in the past and all officers found wanting had been dealt with according to the law.
“As a council, we presented our report and we maintain that whatever was done, we followed the law. The general public will judge us after the investigations,” Mr Chisenga said.
I am impressed by the clarity of Dr. Emmanuel Ngulube’s article on the issue relating to the taxation of mining operations in Zambia entitled “The Rationale of the Current Mining Fiscal Regime in Zambia,” which was published recently in the January-March 2011 issue of the ZIPPA Journal. Among other things, Dr. Ngulube, who is currently Permanent Secretary (Budget and Economic Affairs) in the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, has provided the following information:
“The current mining tax regime [in Zambia] gives an effective tax rate of 47 percent and compares very well with other resource-endowed countries, such as Angola (52.7 percent), Mozambique (52.1 percent), Botswana (50.6 percent), Namibia (47.9 percent), Tanzania (45 percent), South Africa (42.9 percent), and Chile (42.6 percent).”
Currently, mining companies operating in Zambia are taxed as follows:
(a) 3% mineral royalty on income (that is, earnings) from copper sales;
(b) 30% corporate profit tax on profits declared after deducting costs and mineral royalties;
(c) 15% variable profit tax on all taxable income (that is, profits) earned that exceed 8% of copper sales;
(d) Deduction of 25% of expenditures on machinery and equipment from taxable income per year once a mining project starts operating;
(e) 15% income tax on foreign companies and expatriate consultants providing services to locally based mining companies; and
(f) Mining companies cannot deduct from taxable income on a profitable mining site its capital expenditure on another mining site.
The on-going contentious debate concerning the taxation regime for mining companies would have been concluded by now if the highlights provided in Dr. Ngulube’s article were widely disseminated through private and public media institutions for open public debate. In fact, the government should have gauged the views of the general public before committing the nation to the terms of the contract.
Anyway, what would one expect from government leaders who apparently believe that Zambians are incapable of comprehending such matters? Expecting the government to solicit for views from the general public is, therefore, an illusion in a country where government leaders’ preoccupation is being on the campaign trail demonizing and castigating their political opponents, preaching about the superiority of their political party, and seeking recognition for their “remarkable accomplishments.”
Meanwhile, Zambians have continued to be hopeful that their government will open up the Zambia Daily Mail, Times of Zambia, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), and the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in order to make it possible for all segments of Zambian society to articulate their needs, demands and expectations through them. Their desire in this regard is eloquently captured by the following excerpt from The Post Online of January 14, 2011 in an article entitled “Why ban phone-in programs on the Barotse Agreement?”:
“Citizens of a democracy live with the conviction that through the open exchange of ideas and opinions, truth will eventually win out over falsehood, the values of others will be better understood, areas of compromise more clearly defined, and the path of progress opened.”
Whither my beloved country?
Postscript:
Winning elections seems to be the ruling party’s primary objective, as evidenced by President Rupiah Banda’s commitment of the country to a US$53 million loan from EX-IM Bank of China to purchase mobile clinics, which have just started arriving in the country. It has now become clear that President Banda is not only stubborn and arrogant; he also lacks good judgment. For how can a leader who has good judgment completely ignore the voices of so many citizens who were against the purchase of the mobile hospitals?
Clearly, the mobile clinics or hospitals are likely to last only a few years, given the poor state of roads in rural areas. Also, there are a lot of rural communities today where there are no motorable roads. Moreover, it is hard to imagine how the mobile clinics will be used – would they be driven around in rural communities on a regular basis in the hope of finding a sick person? Besides, the recurrent costs of maintaining the mobile hospitals will be prohibitive after the expiration of the 2-year contract with the supplier, that is, China National Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation. And how will the government prevent pilferage, and the potential for cohabitation and/or marriage breakdowns among nurses and doctors who will be assigned to work away from their families for lengthy periods of time?
It would have been acceptable if the loan was intended to be used on the following: (a) provision of free healthcare for all Zambians; (b) construction of more permanent healthcare facilities nationwide and housing units for health personnel; (c) provision of adequate medicines, ambulatory services and medical equipment; (d) financing of research designed to find cures for HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, and other deadly diseases; and (e) hiring, retention and training of health personnel.
Cholera has broken out in Sinazongwe district in Southern Province and one woman is reported to have died while 31 people have been admitted to Sinamalima clinic.
Both Sinazongwe acting Commissioner (DC) Sokoloku Daka and Malima ward Councillor confirmed the development to ZANIS.
Mr. Daka said the woman died last night and among the samples that were taken to the laboratory four were confirmed to have cholera.
He said Sinazongwe District Medical Officer Dr Elias Chipandwe and his team have since rushed to the area to contain the outbreak.
The Acting District Commissioner said an emergency meeting would be convened to address the situation before cases spread to Sinazeze area.
Mr. Daka however, said it was a challenge to access areas where cholera had broken out because of Sikalamba stream and Nangombe which had no bridges.
Malima ward Councillor Fisher Zimana disclosed that cases were coming from Bbune village, Sinalulungwe, and Manyonga village in Malima area.
Mr. Zimana said the dead woman hailed from Manyonga village in Malima area.
He said some people were carrying their cholera patients on their backs owing to the impassable roads, a situation he feared would increase the number of cases.
Over 2000 farmers belonging to 38 cooperatives in Mansa in Luapula Province have not yet received Urea and D compound fertiliser.
Mansa District Agriculture Coordinator (DACO) David Kandanla told ZANIS that farmers who have not received Urea and D compound fertiliser are from 38 cooperatives in the district.
Mr. Kandanla said 1,988 farmers in 34 cooperatives, and 131 in other four cooperatives, have not yet received Urea and D compound fertiliser respectively.
He attributed the late distribution of fertiliser to a Mpika based supplier whom he said had been delaying loading of the commodity.
Mr. Kandanla said contracted transporters equally complained that the named supplier did not attend to them urgently leading to the delay in loading and delivering the fertiliser.
He said the delay to attend to transporters in time slowed down the delivery process.
The DACO further said the delay in fertiliser distribution had also been caused by a shortage of transporters adding that the same transporters who were supposed to collect fertiliser from Mpika have been contracted by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
He said transporters in most cases load maize from Mansa, go to Chambishi and then later travel to Mpika via Kapiri Mposhi.
The DACO said it was regrettable that there was a delay in fertilizer distribution adding that this could impact negatively on crop yield.
He explained that the initial target for the agriculture authorities in the district was to finish distributing farm inputs by November 29 last year.
Mr. Kandanla said although more than 300 agriculture cooperatives have received fertiliser, it was still undesirable that 34 have not received top dressing fertiliser while four cooperatives have also not received D compound fertiliser.
Meanwhile, panic has gripped affected farmers from 38 cooperatives which have not received fertiliser.
The farmers said they have started panicking because the crops were already showing signs of poor growth because of lack of urea fertiliser.
They said Government had repeatedly challenged farmers to work hard but said their efforts were being frustrated by delayed fertiliser distribution.
One of the farmers Fredson Mwiinga complained that the Officers from the Department of Agriculture in the district have not explained to the farmers why they were not distributing the fertiliser.
They said most of them came from far flung farming areas situated in Chembe, Matanda, Kundamfumu, Kalyongo, Malama, and Luo, among many others.
Pascal Kunda, another farmer complained that farmers from these rural areas have been travelling to the fertiliser shed hoping to be given fertiliser but to no avail.
Mr. Kunda said some farmers have been in Mansa for three days now adding that there was still no sign that fertiliser would be distributed.
The farmers appealed to Government to intervene and ensure that the 2,000 affected farmers got their fertiliser and participated in the production of another maize bumper harvest.
Lucky Msiska has said his Zambia Under-23 team have a big hurdle to negotiate in Harare on Sunday but nothing was impossible.
Zambia trail Zimbabwe 3-2 from the first leg of their All-Africa Games preliminary round first leg qualifier played on January 8 at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Msiska’s team needs to score two unanswered goals against Zimbabwe to mount a dramatic rally to see them advance to the first round qualifying stage.
“We are going to try and overcome that hurdle we just have to take our chances,” Msiska said.
The team traveled by roasd on Thursday ahead of Sundays clash at Rufaro Stadium in Harare.
Meanwhile, the Israeli-based duo of Justin Zulu and Roger Kola are expected to join the team in Harare today.
Mandevu MP Jean Kapata placing a red ribbon on Guy Scott during a PF rally over the weekend
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) members of Parliament Jean Kapata and Gerry Chanda have been named as beneficiaries in a scandal in which Lusaka City Council (LCC) officials, councillors and parliamentarians have irregularly shared 102 plots at the Lilayi Housing Project.
This is according to minutes of a special committee for public works held on December 23, 2010 that passed initial recommendations on the sale of the controversial plots that were not advertised in which Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga’s office was allocated 10 plots.
The meeting attended by Ms Kapata, who is Mandevu MP, and Colonel Chanda, the Kanyama parliamentarian made the allocations of plots to councillors, council officials the office of the mayor and his deputy while five were allocated to the office of the town clerk.
All the 45 councillors who included the MPs were allocated 45 plots while the mayor had 10 and five were allocated to his deputy.
The minutes state that 16 plots were allocated to members of staff while the area councillor for Lilayi Ward 4, where the plots are located, was allocated two plots and only 11 remained for members of the public.
Asked whether the council would go ahead to process the final allocation of the plots following the outcry from members of the public.
LCC director of administration Peter Kashiwa said the matter would be considered after further consultations.
Mr Kashiwa could not explain whether there were any guidelines on how the mayor and his deputy would distribute the plots in the absence of a transparent process such as advertising for people to apply.
“I think what we will do instead, is to publish the names of people who will be allocated the plots,” he said.
And a report drawn by Lusaka residents has revealed that the PF-run council was facing more scandals.
The other alleged wrong-doing involves plot number PWD/133/07/06 that had been used to implement the single numbering of a single industrial plot number 36376 on Mumbwa Road during a meeting on July 18, 2006.
The plots were fraudulently numbered as 36981 and 36982.
Land alienation procedures are outlined in the Land Act of 1985 and circular number 1 of 1985, which provide the guidelines.
Among the guidelines is that land should be advertised to the general public, created through council procedure and that there should be clear applicants.
The report states that it was irregular for Lusaka council to allocate land prior to approval of the layout and that it was also illegal to allocate land based on temporary numbers.
“Land at Lilayi Housing project is State land to which only the office of the commissioner of Lands has authority under the current Land Act of 1995,” the report reads in part.
The report also states that Lusaka City Council has 33 councillors, seven MPs and two representatives of the traditional leadership, bringing the total number to 42 and wondered where the other three councillors came from for the number to jump to 45.
[pullquote]Col Chanda said he did not regret having claimed what he was entitled to. When asked whether it was in order to allocate plots without advertising them, he only said it was important that councillors got what belonged to them.[/pullquote]
Meanwhile, LCC public relations manager Chanda Makanta said councillors were entitled to plots and that the office of the mayor and town clerk were allocated 10 and five plots, respectively, for re-distribution to citizens and the corporate world because they played ceremonial duties.
This is contrary to the standing orders which only allow councillors to be given one residential, industrial or commercial plot.
Ms Makanta called on the public to understand that the council was facing challenges due to non-availability of land.
But when contacted, Col Chanda said he was entitled to a plot as a member of the council and confirmed having participated in passing resolutions to share plots.
He said he had been allocated plot number 26 but had failed to go to the site because of the dust that had been raised from the allocation of the plots.
Col Chanda said he did not regret having claimed what he was entitled to. When asked whether it was in order to allocate plots without advertising them, he only said it was important that councillors got what belonged to them.
Ms Kapata complained that the Times of Zambia was not available when she needed coverage but wondered whether the people raising concerns believed that she was not entitled to a plot.
“Ask the chairperson of the committee. You people at the Times of Zambia do not come when I need you but because there are issues at the council you want to get a comment from me. Am I not entitled to a plot?” Ms Kapata asked
And Zambia Daily Mail, reports that more malpractices involving illegal land allocations by the Lusaka City Council have been exposed.
A source said in Lusaka on January 20 that the malpractices are at seven sites in the city.
The source said the approved creation of 36 residential plots on stand 76 and 77 of 397a in Makeni and the properties were numbered 180 to 215 of farm 397a.
[pullquote]“Ask the chairperson of the committee. You people at the Times of Zambia do not come when I need you but because there are issues at the council you want to get a comment from me. Am I not entitled to a plot?” Ms Kapata asked[/pullquote]
“Without any trace of applications, the Lusaka City Council made recommendations to the office of the commissioner of lands for the allocations. Offers have been generated and most of the plots allocated have been sold for personal gain and political expediency,” the source said.
The source revealed that on April 16, 2010, council officers, under political pressure, created eight residential plots at Chawama Police Station premises and the councillors shared the plots without any formal procedure.
“Most if not all the plots have been exchanged for money for personal gain and political expediency,” the source said.
The source said Kalingalinga councillor Dapson Chansa allegedly put pressure on council officers to create four temporary trading sites for himself and his colleagues and that the land was allocated by a known councillor without any council resolution.
The source said the LCC has also created two commercial properties in Chelstone through minute number PWD/31/08/09-B. The properties have since been numbered 37547 and 37548 and efforts to have them in LCC’s name and title for leasing purposes, have failed.
The source said this is because some councillors want to alter the council resolution and allocate to individual names.
It is alleged that some councillors may have received some money as advances from a Copperbelt-based oil company for plot 37548.
According to the source, the council created five plots in Parliament Compound in Olympia residential area on November 17, 2010 at a site reserved for the expansion of Zesco infrastructure.
[pullquote]The source alleged that on May 17, 2010 Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga instructed the director of city planning to create plots for him, including two residential plots in Emmasdale, a commercial plot along Kafue Road next to Carousel Shopping Centre, seven residential plots in Matero and five residential plots over Ngwerere stream in Roma township.[/pullquote]
On the same date, the council is alleged to have approved subdivision of plot 16511/1080 in Kamwala South at a site reserved for a police post, which will yield five residential plots intended for sharing and sale.
The source said the police project is already underway using the Constituency Development Fund, which is a government grant to LCC for the benefit of the people of Kamwala. The land proposed for residential plots was meant for the construction of houses for police officers.
The source alleged that on May 17, 2010 Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga instructed the director of city planning to create plots for him, including two residential plots in Emmasdale, a commercial plot along Kafue Road next to Carousel Shopping Centre, seven residential plots in Matero and five residential plots over Ngwerere stream in Roma township.
Mr Chisenga is also alleged to have issued more instructions to the director of city planning in May 2010 to create a commercial plot near the Intercity Bus Terminus.
The source added that on June 21, 2010 a temporary trading site was created under intense pressure from councillor John Njebe of Chazanga.
“Information coming through is that the councillor may have sold the space illegally to a company called Golis Trading Centre of PO Box 37421 at a price of K100 million,” the source said.
GOVERNMENT has assured Copperbelt residents that it will this year upgrade the Kitwe-Chingola road into a dual carriageway.
Minister of Works and Supply Mike Mulongoti said on January 20 that Government will this year also rehabilitate the Chibuluma and Kalulushi-Lufwanyama roads.
“We are committed to ensuring that the road network improves in the country. In fact, all the infrastructure development projects are on course. We are going to expand the Kitwe-Chingola road into a dual carriageway; the Chibuluma road and the Kalulushi-Lufwanyama road will also be worked on this year,” Mr Mulongoti said in an interview.
Mr Mulongoti said Government is in a hurry to develop all parts of the country.
He said Government has appointed a transaction advisor to supervise road projects under the public private partnership (PPP) initiative.
Mr Mulongoti said the council of ministers made the appointment in November last year.
“The appointment of the transaction advisor that will work on the rehabilitation of road projects under the private public partnership (PPP) programme throughout the country has been done,” Mr Mulongoti said.
He said Government is committed to improving the road infrastructure in all parts of the country.
Mr Mulongoti called on Zambians to continue supporting Government in its quest to develop the country.
He called on individuals unnecessarily criticising Government to appreciate its efforts to develop the country.
Mr Mulongoti said it is unfortunate that some people have refused to appreciate the development projects Government is undertaking.
He said some opposition leaders have failed to initiate meaningful development in their constituencies and wards since they were elected as members of Parliament and councillors.
He said Government will not be detracted by critics who want to derail its development agenda.
“We are working very hard to develop this country, but it is sad that some people in the opposition have decided to politicise everything that we are doing. They must be told that as Government, we will not be detracted in taking development to our people throughout the country,” Mr Mulongoti said.
Structures along Solwezi Main StreetKANSANSHI Mining Plc has paid K1.8 billion in rates to Solwezi Municipal Council.
Solwezi Mayor Jameson Kapumba confirmed this in an interview on January 20, saying the council received the money from the mining company this week.
“Kansanshi Copper Mines pays K3.6 billion every year to Solwezi Municipal Council in land rates,” he said.
Mr Kapumba said the money realised from the mine is usually used for service provision and opening up new plots for housing and businesses.
He, however, complained that service provision will suffer this year as funds meant for the exercise have been diverted to pay workers their seven months salary arrears.
Mr Kapumba said workers staged a sit-in protest after they heard that the council has received the money from Kansanshi mine.
They demanded to be paid all their salary arrears. He said the workers refused to be paid for two months only.
A check at the council found offices locked and workers loitering around the Civic Centre demanding to be paid their arrears in full.
The workers are owed over K2 billion in salary arrears. Mr Kapumba observed that the money realised from the mine should ordinarily be used for service provision.
He said it was regrettable that council workers were demanding to be paid their arrears from money paid by the mines as land rates instead of raising the money themselves. The mayor stated that workers must follow procedure before resorting to strike actions.
Mr Kapumba said the mine will pay a similar amount in June this year.
