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.
Lucky Msiska has made six changes to his Under-23 team that leaves for Harare tomorrow ahead of Sunday’s crucial All-Africa Games preliminary round, return leg qualifier against Zimbabwe at Rufaro Stadium.
Zambia trail Zimbabwe 3-2 from the first leg and must beat their hosts 2-0 this weekend to advance to the first round qualifying stage.
Msiska has dropped Power Dynamos defender Govenda Simwala who flopped in the first leg and was subsequently substituted in the first leg.
He has also dropped the Nchanga Rangers duo of goalkeeper Fred Silwamba and striker Lewis Macha including Lusaka Dynamos midfielder Stanley Nshimbi.
Zacks United striker Nemon Nyirenda and Zesco United midfielder Innocent Mwaba have also been dropped.
Msiska has brought into the team Kabwe Warriors striker Alex Ngonga, Konkola Blades defender Christopher Munthali and Stohilla Sunzu of TP Mazambe in DR Congo.
Defenders Moses Mulambi and Gift Sakuwaha have been left out due to injury.
Team
Goalkeepers: Allan Chibwe (Konkola Blades), Joshua Titima (Zanaco)
Defenders: Cosmas Kabaza (Choma Eagles),Derrick Mwansa (Nkwazi), Emmanuel Mbola (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Christopher Munthali (Konkola Blades),Stephen Kabamba, Lawrence Chungu (Both Kabwe Warriors)
Midfielders: Evans Kangwa (Nkana), Richard Kasonde (Kabwe Warriors), Chileshe Kangwa, (Zesco United), Henry Banda (Zanaco), Nathan Sinkala (Green Buffaloes), Stophilla Sunzu (TP Mazembe, DR Congo)
Striker: Rodrick Kabwe (Red Arrows), Chakwa Lungu (Zesco United), Alex Ngonga (Kabwe Warriors), Felix Nyaende (Power Dynamos)
Lusaka Dynamos are still hoping to relocate back to the Midlands after a draw today saw them set to play in Division 1 North this season.
Dynamos will for the first time in their history play in Division 1 North following their demotion from the Super Division in 2010.
The luck of the draw will seen Dynamos playing in Division 1 North after four Midlands sides were demoted last season.
Dynamos secretary Madalisto Kamanga said they will engage Faz to try and get a switch back to playing in the southern zone.
“We will engage Faz over the same,” Kamanga said.”Meanwhile, we will be looking for a club that will be willing to swap from Division 1 south and if that fails we will wait until the Faz annual general meeting.”
Dynamos were demoted together with National Assembly and City of Lusaka who will both play in Division 1 South this year.
The fourth team, Choma Eagles were disbanded after their demotion.
Promoted to the Super Division are Kalewa and Lime Hotspurs from the northern zone who will both be making their top-flight debut while from the South, Nakambala Leopards make their Super Division return.
ZNS Green Eagles who incidentally will relocate from Kabwe to Choma to be reborn in place of their disbanded sister club Choma Eagles in Southern Province.
The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit says it has no intentions of evacuating people living in flood prone areas this year.
National Coordinator Dominiciano Mulenga says people living in areas that are experiencing floods were warned to relocate to safer areas last year, but have refused to move.
Mr Mulenga says the temporary camp that was set up last year at the Independence Stadium will not be opened this year.
He has told a media briefing in Lusaka today-Wednesday that even though government is putting in place measures to minimize the impact of floods in all the affected areas, there are limited resources to relocate people.
Mr. Mulenga has however assured members of the public that the DMMU stands ready to deal with any form of disaster that may arise from the anticipated abnormal rainfall pattern.
He has appealed to members of the public especially in Lusaka not to build houses in prohibited areas such as quarries.
And Mr Mulenga says the floods that are being experienced in Lusaka are as a result of the saturated water levels resulting from the last rainy season.
He has dismissed media reports suggesting that floods being experienced in the capital are as a result of the current rainy season.
He has urged the media to be factual in reporting and present facts to avoid misleading the public.
And Lusaka District Commissioner Christah Kalulu has advised affected people to move away from flood prone areas to safer locations.
Ms. Kalulu says people living in flood prone areas should act responsibly at individual level by making rational decisions and move away from such areas.
More than fifty families of Lusaka’s Kuku’s Compound have been displaced by floods in the last few days.
A 27 million US Dollar Organic Liquid Fertilizer plant is set for construction in Kapiri-Mposhi district next month.
The Agri-Bio Tech Fertilizer Plant is a joint venture between the Russian and Zambian private Sector.
Russian Ambassador to Zambia Boris Malakhov says the plant will produce organic fertilizer which will also be exported to neighbouring countries.
Ambassador Malakhov says the Russian Private Sector has pumped in 20 Million US Dollars into the project.
Mr Malakhov says the plant will also provide job opportunities for the local people.
Ambassador Malakhov was speaking in an interview in Lusaka today – Wednesday.
Meanwhile a senior officer in the Ministry of Agriculture says plans are underway for the Zambian Government to import improved Goat and Sheep breed from South Africa.
Principal Livestock Production Research Officer for Southern Province Dr Chibwe Kaoma has disclosed in an interview in Sinazongwe that about 400 improved goats and sheep will be imported.
This is part of efforts to restock the newly built goat breeding Centre in Sinazongwe District in Southern Province.
Dr. Kaoma says Sinazongwe district is ideal for livestock production because it experiences few livestock diseases.
He says the goat breeding centre, which is situated in Senior Chief Mweemba’s area, will be upgraded into a cattle breeding centre.
Dr. Kaoma has thanked Government for funding the goat breeding project.
About K300 million was used to build the first phase of the goat breeding centre.
Technology has created laziness among youths in the country, according to a lecturer at Apex Medical University.
Dr. John Mudenda has told TV2 News in Lusaka today that the introduction of computers and calculators in schools has made pupils to stop using their brain.
He says pupils are only using computers and calculators to solve problems before them a development he says will have a negative impact on the future generation.
Dr. Mudenda who is Director of medical education at Apex Medical University, says although technological advancement is welcome, it is making pupils incapable of using their brain.
He says most youths now depend more on using calculators when solving mathematical questions instead of using their brains.
Dr. Mudenda says this is a departure from the past mode of learning where pupils solved arithmetic problems without using calculators.
He has appealed to the Ministry of education to consider getting rid of calculators during examinations.
Government has increased the minimum wage for protected employees that are engaged in shops and general establishments from K268, 800 to K419, 000 per month effective this month end.
Government has also allocated the retention of housing rate at 30% of the basic pay across the board.
Other allowances such as transport, lunch and subsistence have also been upwardly adjusted from the previous rates of K80,000, K70,000 and K100,000 to K102,400 as well as K120,00 and K195,00 respectively.
Labour Minister Austin Liato announced this when he addressed journalists at a press briefing in Lusaka today.
Mr. Liato noted that the MMD government through his ministry was promoting job creation on the labour market and ensuring that livelihoods of people were improved.
He said the ministry was also committed to ensuring proper management of employment and labour sector in the country in order to effectively reduce poverty among people.
Mr. Liato explained that ensuring proper management of employment and labour sector in the country was important as what happened in the sector impacted on the household, thereby affecting the attainment of basic necessities of life which could not be accessed if parents or guardians were unemployed.
He said the ministry was also aware that decent wages provided in the instruments ought not to be so high that they stifled existing business ventures or scare away new investments that the country needed much to stimulate job creation.
Mr. Liato further observed that domestic workers in the country were the most exploited and abused and his ministry has since developed regulations to administer the determination of wages to cover the domestic service sector.
He said Government was saddened by this state of affairs and would therefore ensure that domestic workers’ welfare was jealously safeguarded through the issuance of a statutory instrument to guarantee protection of their rights.
Mr. Liato said some of the provisions in the statutory instrument include minimum wage of K200, 000 per month, annual leave, separation package and transport allowance.
He said Government through his ministry would continue to ensure that the tenet of Decent Work Programme that was launched in 2007 received maximum attention.
“In addition to the statutory instruments that I have announced today, I wish to inform the nation that the amendments to the Employment Act, Cap 268 of the laws of Zambia are also expected to be passed during the next sitting of Parliament.” Mr. Liato stated.
Mr. Liato noted that his ministry would continue to raise awareness of the Labour market parties with regard to Labour laws in view of the increase in foreign investment in the economy.
Meanwhile, Mr. Liato has dispelled arguments advanced on the labour market that the new minimum wages have been issued this year due to this year being an election period.
“This is not true at all. To the contrary, the delay in publishing the statutory instruments earlier is attributed to the fact that Government had to make a lot of consultations with all key stakeholders to ensure that amicable agreement with employers and employees was reached before releasing the information to the general public.” he said.
FAZ interim Committee secretary General Simataa Simataa
THE Andrew Kamanga executive committee says it will embark on an ambitious plan to revive flagging soccer standards in Zambia if ushered into office at the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) annual general meeting (AGM) in March when a no-confidence vote is passed against the Kalusha Bwalya-led FAZ executive.
General secretary in the Kamanga executive, Simataa Simataa said once allowed by the FAZ Council to run football affairs in Zambia, the committee would strengthen current provincial amateur football associations (PFAs) and make them responsible under the FAZ associations’ sub-committee in superintending soccer affairs in each of the nine provinces.
Simataa said each PFA would then create district football associations (DFAs), which would go on to supervise amateur, women, youth, beach and futsal teams in each of Zambia’s 73 districts.
He said each PFA would be required to pick a senior provincial select side, Under-21, 19, 17, 15, 13 and 11 teams, emphasising on the need to respect age groups by ensuring that players play under the correct age-group.
The Amakumbi Stars proprietor, who as age-group national trainer assembled a talented Zambia Under-17 squad that featured the likes of Rainford Kalaba and Clifford Mulenga, both now professional players outside the country, said ideally all the districts should have similar select sides.
“Inter-provincial tournaments for each age group shall be introduced where national teams for each age level shall be selected – a selector group for Under-11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21 and select side.
“This will require at least 35 people hopefuly with a scouts’ eye for players. Each selector group member shall only work with the age group they are chosen to. So each selector shall serve only in one age group,” he said.
Simataa said ultimately, one member of each selector group from a province would serve on the national selector group for each age group.
He said his executive intended to have a national selector group for each age group and each PFA should appoint a selector group of no less than five people for each age group team.
“Each provincial team must have a male and female team for each age category consisting of 30 persons — 23 players (three goal keepers and 20 field players) plus three coaches, plus two medical staff, one welfare (team) manager and one delegation leader. It is important to note that all female team welfare managers shall be female,” he said.
He said DFAs would be formed and affiliated to their respective PFAs, with Division Two restricted to the district or two or three neighbouring districts as the first league at district level would be called Division Two.
Simataa said promotion to provincial Division One league would be through a play-off between district Division Two league leaders in the provinces.
“Reserve leagues can be created under the district structure. PFAs must encourage of youth leagues in each district. PFAs must encourage the creation of futsal leagues in each district. PFAs must encourage the creation of beach football leagues in each district,” he said.
He said FAZ, like FIFA, would superintend over soccer activities across the country and a full-time secretariat would be opened under each PFA, including the Zambia Professional League (ZPL).
He said the 10 secretaries-cum-registrars under the direct supervision of the FAZ general secretary would be attached to each of the PFA and the ZPL, with an ultimate plan to be based in the respective provincial headquarters.
“PFA, like CAF, shall superintend soccer activities across their provinces. This will include Division One clubs and district football associations. You will notice that if the structure of provincial Division One is agreed, the clubs left over will form Division Two.
“Division One and Two clubs, like FAZ, shall be members of the FAZ Council in addition to their respective PFAs. All Super Division clubs shall be superintended by the Zambia Premier League as well as members of the FAZ Council in addition to their respective PFAs,” he said.
File: Mongu Diocese Bishop Paul Duffy and Western province Minister Richard Mwapela cutting the ribbon during the official handover of the painting of the Mongu Central Prison
THE Barotseland Agreement has generated debate in Zambia with various interested parties expressing their views on the matter. Today we reproduce Lusaka lawyer Christopher Mundia’s statement on the agreement.
I wish to state that as one of those that hail from Western Province better known as Barotseland; I am always disgusted to listen to what comes out of Bishop Duffy’s mouth which is akin to a can of worms.
Bishop Duffy and other Catholic clergy cannot speak for the people of Barotseland and Bishop Duffy may not be a Zambian and therefore his allegiance to the Zambian people is minimal.
It is also strange that the Catholic Church with highly educated clergy has chosen to proclaim dooms day language instead of counselling and telling the people the truth.
It has been strange to find that a clergyman who is educated in theology wants to lecture to this world on legal matters.
Bishop Duffy and other members of the clergy who have motives of their own against President Banda’s Administration should not hide behind their so called religious collars because the current record of Catholic clergy world over is that of misery and total disappointment.
The atrocities committed against innocent people by some Catholic clergy in countries such as the United States of America, where the Catholic Church paid over $600 million arising from sexual abuses and scandals of innocent teenagers, the closure of certain institutions in Ireland, in Germany and recently revealed in the United Kingdom during the papal visit to the country clearly shows that the clergy is no longer living by the book for which the priests and bishops were ordained.
Bishop Duffy and the likes in the Catholic Church cannot fool the people of Western Province because in the past six months, I have been to the province three times.
Yes, I agree that Western Province suffered a lot of injustice in UNIP and Chiluba Administration. The province that was the most highly educated province at independence was rendered the least. But since coming into power of the late president Mwanawasa and continued by President Banda, no sensible person can ever say that Western Province is neglected now.
The projects such as Kalabo-Mongu Road, Senanga-Sesheke Road, the forthcoming rail line from North-Western Province via Kaoma, Mongu and Senanga and Sesheke to Namibia and Livingstone, Mulobezi, Sesheke and Namibia are no mean projects.
If we have to borrow to develop our country, we have to do that. Even in Western countries, big economies such as Greece had to borrow to sustain their economies. Is Bishop Duffy not aware of that?
My plea to all my fellow countrymen and compatriots is that this country is ours individually and severally under our Motto of ‘‘One Zambia One Nation.’’
Foreigners should not be allowed to divide us, as Zambians are one in diversity. We should look back to where we came from and where we are going. At Independence, we allowed Dr Kaunda from Northern Province to rule Zambia for 27 years and United as Zambians we voted for Dr Chiluba into office as the second Republican president. We then voted into power the late president Dr Levy Mwanawasa from Central Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces. Following his untimely death, we elected the current president from Eastern Province.
[pullquote]Yes, I agree that Western Province suffered a lot of injustice in UNIP and Chiluba Administration. The province that was the most highly educated province at independence was rendered the least. But since coming into power of the late president Mwanawasa and continued by President Banda, no sensible person can ever say that Western Province is neglected now.[/pullquote]
Looking at this pattern of presidential elections, it is quite clear that most Zambians would like to have a system of guided democracy where the presidents will be rotating according to regions to avoid certain regions being the masters and the others being the servants.
It was very sad to note that some political parties have been promoting tribal politics and candidates from other regions are not wanted.
For example, the remark attributed to the PF Member of Parliament last year that it was wrong for the people of Luanshya to vote for a Luvale from North-Western Province was highly unfortunate.
It was also unfortunate that last year, we had remarks attributed to the current Member of Parliament for Kasama that a Namwanga could not contest for the Kasama Central Constituency because he was Namwanga!
Those remarks were dangerous to our oneness in diversity.
The likes of Bishop Duffy are saying these things because they want the people of Western Province to feel that they are hated by their brothers, when that was not so.
It is very sad that even Archbishop Mpundu can support the unfortunate statement by Bishop Duffy.
To the people of Western Province, I wish to say and endorse what the Royal Establishment has said, that yes, we can have problems of under-development but they are being tackled by this current administration.
We have a new hospital being built in Shang’ombo Boma, a high school at Kaanja, in Shang’ombo District as well.
We have a new high school at Mwandi. We have a high school in Lukalanya Constituency in Mongu District. We have a new high school in Lukulu to be opened in 2011.
To sum up, I wish to appeal to the people of Western Province not to listen to the prophets of doom because doom begets destruction and misery.
Bishop Duffy and any other Catholic clergy that are loud mouthed have no children to worry about, but we worry for the future of our children as they are the future leaders of our nation.
The Catholic Church was antagonistic against the late president Mwanawasa and today with their political quislings are on the same path of destabilising this country.
It is the same Catholic Church that has opposed and continued to oppose the declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation.
Father Mpundu was in Lukulu and I have information that he is a PF sympathiser just as Archbishop Mpundu is defending the undemocratic party of his brother-in-law which party is run by a purported central committee, which committee has neither centre nor commitment to the Zambian people as they have never been elected but hand picked.
I would therefore urge the Zambians to be united and treat each other with dignity and love.
If we are serious about our oneness in diversity, then President Banda should be given every support because he has done wonders in the shortest possible time he has been President.
After he has completed his second term, Zambians under guided democracy should only vote for a president from any of the three provinces, namely Western, North-Western and Southern provinces.
It is dangerous to ignore other regions of our nation and a a good example of a good and stable nation is that of Tanzania where presidents have come from different regions.
My appeal is that parties with rooted foundation in tribalism should never be voted into power because colonialism cannot be replaced by tribalism.
Those fighting President Banda are either racialist or tribalists.
If they are neither of the two then they are poltitical quislings with their own interest to serve through their well defined megaphones.
What is the justification for these daily attacks on the president when the economy is doing so well and was the second best economy in SADC last year in spite of the worst recession in living memory?
The enemies of this country should be ashamed because they did the same thing to the late president and they contributed to his death as he was insulted on a daily basis as is now happening to President Banda.
If the Catholic clergy in Zambia was to be placed under miscroscope, many of them would be found to have committted atrocities such as sexual abuses, adultery and the likes.
That is why it is uncommon to find Catholic priests in queues waiting to be given ARVS because they have made themsevles scribes and pharisees.
Some of them have now rejected the biblical calling of peace makers to the detriment of the church.
The threat by Father Msipu is baseless, hollow and unjustified .
The clergy have never been good leaders in political life as the example of Father Aristed in Haiti speaks volumes.
Bishop Duffy, leave us alone and if you are tired of being a peace maker, please pack up your robes and go home.
MORE than 100 Non-Ferrous Mining Company Africa (NFCA) miners braved the rain on Monday night to protest an alleged breach of contract which led to the arrest of 12 for blocking Kitwe-Chingola Road.
The miners decided to have a peaceful demonstration starting Monday night because NFCA management did not inform them about the change of ownership of NFC mining department to a company called JCHX, which was operating within the same premises.
NFC mining department is a subsidiary of NFCA.
The irate miners claimed that management had breached the contract signed with NFCA by not informing and paying them terminal benefits since they would belong to another company.
The contracts entered into were both verbal and written depending on how a particular miner got a job and what sort of job.
The workers found at the entrance of NFCA with heavy presence of State police in full riot gear said on condition of anonymity that they did not know the company they were asked to work for and under which conditions they would operate.
They said none of the 2,000 workers had signed a contract with their new employer.
They alleged that most of them had oral contracts and that those on permanent basis were poorly paid compared with those on casual basis.
They also claimed that some of them had worked for NFCA for five years and had not been given their benefits apart from December salaries.
The protesting miners demanded to be paid their benefits ranging from K35 million to K70 million.
They said as miners they were also no longer allowed to seek medical attention at SINOZAM Hospital where miners had a medical scheme.
They accused National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) of not addressing their plight and yet there was a recognition agreement in place.
But NUMAW general secretary Goodwell Kaluba said management was responsible for the protest because it did not inform the union.
He said NFCA management did not inform the union and the miners about the new development at the mining firm.
Mr Kaluba, however, said the union and management had agreed to dialogue over the matter.
Efforts to get a comment from NFCA management failed as the spokesperson was reportedly in a meeting and journalists were kept waiting for a long time.
Copperbelt police chief Martin Malama said the miners conducted a peaceful demonstration apart from the 12 who were picked for blocking the Kitwe-Chingola highway with logs and stones.
Dr Malama said the 12 miners would be charged with obstruction and would appear in court soon because they had broken the law.
He said the protesting miners caused a traffic jam and inconvenienced people that were using the road.
UPND Cadres
A SENIOR United Party for National Development (UPND) official has said the Patriotic Front (PF) has up to the end of next month to decide whether the pact between the two parties should continue or they pursue separate interests.
UPND policy and research director Cholwe Beyani said in Chipata on Monday that UPND had been persuading the PF to agree on certain issues, among them harmonisation of their manifestos, but that the pact partners had responded negatively.
“We have given them up to the month end of February to decide whether the pact should continue or not,” Dr Beyani said during a meeting with Anti-Voter Apathy Project information officer, Moses Phiri.
He said there were a number of problems in the pact because the two political parties had different opinions, directions and level of education.
He, however, assured the public that the pact would work towards resolving the misunderstandings soon.
And Mr Phiri said Zambians should be told whether the pact was still standing or it had collapsed.
He said that was because people had been asking a lot of questions about the future of the UPND/PF pact.
But when contacted, PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba said Dr Beyani did not know what he was talking about.
He said PF had never received any correspondence from UPND asking them either to continue as a pact or go separate ways.
“He doesn’t know what he is talking about and we have not received any correspondence asking us to decide whether we should continue as a pact or not,” Mr Kabimba said.
FIRST Republican president Kenneth Kaunda has called on the people agitating for the separation of Western Province from the rest of Zambia to immediately stop their activities because their calls do not have a place in Zambia.
Dr Kaunda, the man who appended his signature with the Litunga Mwanawina Lewanika to give birth to Zambia described the activities of the Barotseland secession advocates as wrong and hoped they could stop the actions.
He said he was impressed with the position taken by the Litunga, through the spokesperson of the Baroste Royal Establishment (BRE) Oliver Saasa, to reject such activities and stop further confusion in the province.
In an interview at his office in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Kaunda said he was optimistic that the people behind the confusion would come to their senses and withdraw their intentions to concentrate on building unity anchored on the ideals of ‘One Zambia One Nation’.
Dr Kaunda said steps should be summoned to ensure that the confusion was stopped with utmost speed because Zambia had been built over a long time on the principles of love and unity.
“I am very sure they will get out of that feeling very soon and follow the advice of the Litunga who has spoken through Professor Oliver Saasa. He is a key member of the Barotse Royal Establishment, so they must just follow his advice,” Dr Kaunda said.
Dr Kaunda said Zambia should continue enjoying peace and the fruits of a unitary State which helped fight colonial oppression even across borders to demonstrate how peaceful Zambia was.
He said he was available to offer advice, counsel and direction to anyone including the people of Western Province for them to understand how Zambia was born and the need to continue protecting its existence.
The former president said even though the Government had not approached him for such advice, he was certain there was capacity in the Government to handle the matter and rest it.
He said when he was released from jail on January 7, 1960, he selected a white piece of cloth as a symbol of peace for himself and the entire nation, which was the reason he would never abandon it.
Secessionists in Western Province have lately involved themselves in covert meetings and other activities to press for the separation of the region from the rest of Zambia.
Police quelled a meeting called for January 14 this year and violent confusion ensued in which two people died and 131 were arrested and brought to Lusaka for further instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The BRE has said no statement would be issued on the recent fracas over the 1964 Barotseland Agreement in Mongu, but would do so at an appropriate time.
Induna Namuyamba said in a telephone interview from Mongu that at the moment, the Kuta (royal council) was not ready to issue any statement.
“We shall not issue a statement today but at an appropriate time when we are ready,” he said.
The Ngambela (prime minister) refused to comment on the matter, referring all queries to Induna Namuyamba who he said was the chairperson of the sub-committee on what was happening in the province.
Inspector-General of Police Francis Kabonde on Tuesday evening said the police would charge those arrested after consent had been sought from the DPP.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Zesco United and Nchanga Rangers look set for some high profile build-up matches ahead of their respective Caf club cup competitions next week.
Orange Caf Champions League representatives Zesco are set to face the Sudan CHAN team in Lusaka.
Rangers, who be playing in the Orange Caf Confederation Cup, are heading to South Africa shortly where they have reportedly secured training games against three Gauteng giants.
Zesco are set to face Sudan on Saturday at Nkoloma Stadium.
The 2011CHAN host who are expected in the country on Thursday for a five-day training camp and are also scheduled to face the Zambia Under-23 team and a Midlands select side at the start of next week in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, Rangers are said to have secured training games against Orlando Pirates and archrivals Kaizer Chiefs including Mamelodi Sundowns for their pre-season training camp in South Africa.
Zesco take on Liga Muculmana of Mozambique in the Champions League at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe on January 29 while Rangers face Lupopo of DR Congo in the first round away on March 20.
A Government Officer in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries has disclosed that plans are underway for the Zambian government to import improved goat breeds from South Africa to restock the newly built goat breeding centre in Sinazongwe district in Southern Province.
Principal Livestock Production Research Officer for Southern Province Dr Chibwe Kaoma disclosed in an interview with ZANIS in Sinazongwe that about 400 improved goats and sheep would be imported to improve the local goat and sheep breeds.
[pullquote]“I commend Government for taking up the decision as employment will be created and further reduce poverty,” Dr Kaoma said.
[/pullquote]
Dr. Kaoma explained that Sinazongwe district was ideal for livestock production because it experienced few livestock diseases.
He said the goat breeding centre, which was situated in Senior Chief Mweemba’s area, would be upgraded into a cattle breeding centre and Government would send officers to run it.
He said Livestock Officers would conduct demonstrations on improved technology in livestock, improved nutrition, management of livestock, and research input within the centre.
Dr. Kaoma thanked Government for funding the goat breeding project even without donor funds that were supposed to be used initially.
“I commend Government for taking up the decision as employment will be created and further reduce poverty,” Dr Kaoma said.
About K300 million was used to build the first phase of the goat breeding centre.
A 38- year old Livingstone resident yesterday died after shooting himself with a shotgun following a domestic dispute with his wife.
Emmanuel Ngobola of house number 3000, Dambwa North Extension, died around 22:00 hours after shooting himself through the neck.
Southern Province Police Commanding Officer, Lemmy Kajoba, confirmed the death of Ngobola to ZANIS in Livingstone today.
Mr. Kajoba said investigations had been instituted to ascertain circumstances that prompted Ngobola to shoot himself.
However, sources close to the deceased alleged that a few days ago, Ngobola underwent an HIV test and results were positive.
The sources claimed that Ngobola was in denial over his HIV status and picked a quarrel with his wife when she advised him to start taking Anti Retroviral Drugs (ARVs).
Ngobola’s body is currently lying in Batoka Hospital mortuary.
