Vice President George Kunda is tomorrow expected to travel to Solwezi in North-Western Province where he would meet visiting King Mwata Yamvwa of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who is in the country for a visit with four other chiefs.

While in Solwezi, the Vice President is also expected to meet senior Government officials.

This is according to a media statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Senior Private Secretary to the Vice President, Kenneth Ngosa.

Mr. Kunda will be accompanied to the province by Presidential Affairs Minister Ronald Mukuma, Energy Minister, Kenneth Konga, Local Government and Housing Minister Eustarkio Kazonga, Gender Minister Sarah Sayifwanda and Southern Province Minister Elijah Muchima and some senior Government officials.

“The Vice President is tomorrow expected to travel to Solwezi in the North-Western province. Mr. Kunda will meet His Majesty Mwanta Yanvwa, other Royal highness and senior government officials in the province. He will be accompanied by some cabinet ministers including senior government officials,” Mr. Ngosa said.

The Vice President is expected back to Lusaka the same day.

ZANIS

Zambia’s Ambassador to Belgium Inonge Mbikutsita Lewanika has called on King Albert II of Belgium to use his royal influence to encourage Belgian investors to invest in Zambia.

Speaking shortly after presenting her credentials to the King at the royal palace just outside Brussels, Dr. Mbikutsita Lewanika also told the monarch that Zambia would further appreciate Belgian support for the education of women and children.

Dr Mbikusita Lewanika’s day with the monarch was characterised by equal pomp, an elaborate ceremony where she was escorted from her residence by a royal motorcade.

The Ambassador who was clad in an authentic Lozi royal ‘’Musisi’’ was received at the palace by trumpet sounds with 30 horsemen around the motorcade.

And King Albert thanked Zambia for her hospitality to refugees and its role in the Congo peace process.

The King called on the Ambassador to explain to the Belgians Zambia’s potential.

He said she should share the African experience on women involvement in development and peace process.

He has further called on Zambia not to relent in its pursuit of peace in the Great Lakes Region.

And at her residence in Brussels, the Zambian embassy expressed delight at the ambassador.

Embassy Minister Counsellor, Henry Mbushi said the presentation of credentials would enable Dr. Mbikutsita Lewanika work tirelessly for the Zambian embassy.

ZANIS

Government will spend K5 billion towards the installation of 52 transmitters country-wide under the Rural Television Project.

And Government has said the Rural Television (TV) project which is in phase 4 and allocated to the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) would enable 13 stations to be earmarked for Digital Migration project.

Information Deputy Minister Angela Chifire disclosed in Parliament today that ZNBC would soon start the procurement processes and that the funds include the purchase of television transmitters under the Rural Tv project.

ZANIS reports that Ms Chifire said in accordance with the ZNBC planning provision of TV service, the Musonda falls which also comprises of the 13 TV relay stations had been planned for.

She said the average cost of each of the phase 4 rural TV sites is U$$25,000, an equivalent of about K125 million.

The Deputy Minister was responding to a question by Chipili PF MP Davies Mwila who wanted to know when ZNBC will extend its television coverage to the Musonda falls in Luapula Province and what caused the delay in introducing TV coverage to the area.

Ms Chifire, however, bemoaned lack of funds to expedite the installation process but reiterated Government’s commitment to providing quality television programming to the people in the nation.

And Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Deputy Minister Vera Tembo today told Parliament that Government approved a K6.050 billion budget for the Forestry Development Credit Facility (FDCF) Programmes between 2006 and 2007.

Ms Tembo said of the funds, K3.333 billion was released to her ministry adding that in 2008, the FDCF was discontinued after the establishment of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC)

Ms Tembo, however, said there were no successful applicants who accessed the funds from 2006 to 2008 because the Credit facility was transferred to the Commission.

She was responding to a question by Katanshi Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament (MP) Yamfwa Mukanga who wanted to find out the total funding to the facility programme from 2006 to 2008 and the number of successful applicants who accessed the fund during the same period.

Commerce Deputy Minister Lwipa Puma told Parliament that the Commission has utilised K111.5 billion so far.

Dr Puma said his ministry was now working on easing modalities to the form which required people to fill in when accessing the funds from the Commission in adherence to President Rupiah Banda when he recently opened the Fifth Session of the Tenth National Assembly.

And Vice President George Kunda emphasised that the CEEC encompasses all areas of economic development in its quest to improve the livelihood of the Zambian people.

Mr Kunda said the Commission was a clear testimony of one of the long term measures by Government in alleviating poverty among the people.

[ ZANIS ]

President Rupiah Banda has made changes to his Government by transferring three Cabinet ministers.

And President Banda has appointed Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General Chriticles Mwansa as new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The President has transferred Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Peter Daka to the Ministry of Science Technology and Vocational Training where he has taken over from Dr Brian Chituwo.

Dr Chituwo has been transferred to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing taking over from Dr Eustarcio Kazonga who has also been moved to the Ministry of Agriculture.

This is contained in statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relation Dickson Jere.

Mr Banda has appointed Chriticles Mwansa as Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Science and Technology.

He has also transferred Science, Technology and Vocational PS Sherry Thole to the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.

Ms Thole takes over from Tiens Kapoma who was until now the PS while Mr. Kapoma will be redeployed within the Public Service.

The transfers are with immediate effect.
[ ZANIS ]

Lusaka lawyer Christopher Mundia has described remarks by Bishop of Mongu Diocese Paul Duffy that there is lack of development in Western Province as disgusting, considering the massive investment by the Government in the area.

Mr Mundia, who is a State counsel, said Bishop Duffy and other Catholic clergy did not have the right to speak for the people of Western Province especially the Mongu-based bishop whose allegiance to the Zambian people was minimal since he was a foreigner.

“I wish to state that as one of those that hail from Western Province better known as Barotseland, I am disgusted to listen to what comes out of Bishop Duffy’s mouth which is akin to a can of worms,” he said.

Mr Mundia said Bishop Duffy and other members of the Catholic clergy who have their own motives against President Banda’s administration should avoid hiding behind their religious collars because the current record of the Catholic clergy world over was that of misery and total disappointment.
[pullquote]“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,” Mr Mundia said.[/pullquote]
He said he had been to Western Province three times lately and agreed that the province suffered injustice during the Chiluba and UNIP eras and the province, which was the most highly educated was rendered the least.

“But since coming to power of the late President Levy Mwanawasa and continued by President Banda, no sensible person can say that Western Province is neglected now,” Mr Mundia said.

He cited development projects such as the Mongu/Kalabo Road, Senanga/Sesheke Road, the forthcoming rail line from North-Western Province via Kaoma, Mongu, Senanga and Sesheke to Namibia and Livingstone, Mulobezi, Sesheke and Namibia as big projects for the province.

“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,” Mr Mundia said.

He said there were atrocities committed against the innocent people by the Catholic clergy in countries such as United States of America where the Church had paid more than US$600 million arising from sexual abuses and scandals on innocent teenagers.

Mr Mundia reminded Bishop Duffy that some institutions in Ireland and German had been closed as announced during the recent papal visit to the United Kingdom.

He said Zambians had accepted to work as united entities, which had been, demonstrated when Zambians allowed leaders from various provinces to rule them without consideration for origins. He said Dr Kenneth Kaunda, who hails from Northern Province ruled for 27 years and later Zambians voted for Dr Fredrick Chiluba from Luapula, who was followed by late Dr Levy Mwanawasa from Central Province and we are now led by a head of State from the Eastern Province.

Mr Mundia described as unfortunate a decision by Father Paul Mpundu to support Bishop Duffy’s remarks.

“To the people of Western Province, I wish to say and endorse what the royal establishment has said that, yes, we have problems of under-development but they are being tackled by this current administration,” Mr Mundia said.
[ Times of Zambia ]

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda will tomorrow leave for Nigeria where he has been invited as a special guest of Nigerian President Jonathan Goodluck at that country’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations Dickson Jere said Mr Banda would join other African heads of State and Government at the events marking the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations from September 30 to October 2.

Mr Jere said in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday that President Banda would also use the occasion to showcase Zambia’s investment opportunities to Nigerian investors at the Zambia-Nigeria Business Forum to be held in Abuja.

Mr Jere said President Banda was happy the Zambian investors responded positively to the invitation to join him on his historic visit to Nigeria.

“Zambia draws strength from Nigeria’s progress in the various fields of development in the last fifty years,” President Banda said ahead of his trip to Nigeria.

More than 50 Zambian business executives who would also attend the Investment Forum in Nigeria would accompany President Banda.

The Zambian business executives have financed their trip and chartered an aircraft, which left for Nigeria yesterday.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Ronnie Shikapwashya and other senior Government Officials would accompany the president.

The presidential delegation would return as soon as they complete the scheduled business in Nigeria.

[Times of Zambia]