Nkwazi School Teachers have downed tools demanding for improved conditions of service.
The school provides education to most of influential people’s children among them politicians.
The school has since been closed indefinitely.
School authorities declined to comment on the teachers’ sit in protest.
[ MUVI TV ]
Expelled Movement for Multiparty Democracy Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo has described president Rupiah Banda’s address to parliament yesterday as flat.
Mr Mpombo said he found the president’s speech to parliament yesterday more of a political campaign than issue based.
He said it is the first time in Zambia’s history that the president has chosen to use his official opening speech to parliament to campaign.
He says such is a departure from the true tradition of addressing the people of Zambia through parliament.
Meanwhile Mr Mpombo said much as the uniform pricing of fuel announced by the president in his speech is commendabl but he failed to outline how the government is going to do it.
Mr Mpombo noted that the president has not announced whether the fuel stabilization fund will be set up.
He said president Banda was supposed to explain how the government was going to address costs encountered in the transportation of fuel.
[ QFM ]
President Rupiah Banda says he has hired a physical trainer and intends to be fighting fit for the campaigns next year.
Speaking when he officially opened the fifth session of the tenth national assembly today President Banda said the 2011 election campaigns would not be for people who are faint hearted.
President Banda has since promised to fight for the 2011 presidential elections.
He has urged Zambians to look at what his government has achieved since coming to power in 2008 as they decide who to vote for in the 2011 elections.
Mr Banda said the Zambians should judge the politicians as they go to cast their votes next year based on their deeds and not words.
He added that his government is proud of the achievements it has scored since coming to power in 2008.
President Banda said his government has set the foundation and that it is the time to build a stronger country, hence he would fight to win the 2011 elections.
And President Rupiah Banda said he has not confided in anyone not even Patriotic Front (PFleader Michael Sata on the 2011 elections date.
He says the 2011 elections date has not yet been decided.
And president Banda says Zambia cannot fashion laws to fight corruption to suite foreign powers, but will use Zambian laws to hunt down corrupt individuals.
He says corrupt elements will be dealt with severely if caught and if convicted they should expect no leniency.
Mr Banda says the fight against corruption is his government’s top priority.
Sinazongwe district women have expressed happiness that civic education have removed them from ‘slavery’ that they encountered at the hands of men for they were using them as labourers and denied them the chance to belong to any association.
Sinazongwe district Women for Change Association Chairperson Jeresi Siamakoli said at the training for trainers in human rights and democracy in Malima that men in the district have started involving them in budgeting and planning.
She said the gender lesson have educated men to start treating them as equal partners in development.
Ms Siamakoli said the woman have started accessing land a thing that was a taboo among the valley tonga men.
She said men have also stopped the habit of using women as labourers and only resurface when it was time for selling the harvest.
“The men used to make women work the whole day at the end of the harvest they pocket all the money realized from the sale of the harvest and we were not allowed to complain because it was a taboo,” Ms Siamakoli said.
Sinazongwe District Women for Change Association former Chairperson Rebecca Siamapibi said the endangered girls have now been saved from the early marriages that they were being subjected to go through.
[pullquote]“The men used to make women work the whole day at the end of the harvest they pocket all the money realized from the sale of the harvest and we were not allowed to complain because it was a taboo,” Ms Siamakoli said. [/pullquote]
Ms Siamapibi noted that girls that were being treated as the source of wealth to be given out into marriage were now being encouraged to go back to School.
She noted that once a girl gets pregnant they were sent directly given out into marriage instead of taking them back to School.
Ms Siampibi also noted that villagers would no longer be cheated in electing their leaders because they have been enlightened on the basic need of democracy and elections.
Women for Change Trainer Patricia Chambisha said she was overwhelmed that people were appreciating the information that they were being taught.
Ms Chambisha disclosed that woman for change that has a centre in Malima area have been conducting lesson on gender, democracy and civic education.
She said it was encouraging to note that most women and men have accepted that they were supposed to live as partners in addressing their developmental activities unlike the situation where men were in control of all things.
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Republican President Rupiah Banda this morning officially opened the fifth session of the tenth National Assembly outlining his government’s programme for 2011, including an ambitious road construction and rehabilitation programme.
This is the second time President Banda graced the ceremonial opening of the National Assembly after coming assuming office in 2008.
Outlining his government’s programme for the coming year, president Banda said government would this year embark on the construction of the Mongu/Kalabo road among many other major road projects to be undertaken.
Mr Banda said good transport and communications are vital for commerce, and that his government would, construct, rehabiliat, and repair the country’s physical infrastructure.
He said in view of the high cost of these developments,public/private partnerships will be key in achieving the developmental plans.
President Banda revealed that progress has been made in designing the Kazungula Bridge across the Zambezi river, and that construction is expected to commence by the end of 2011.
He said the Kazungula Bridge would make regional trade with other countries in the southern part easier.
President Banda also mentioned the many road projects which his government is working on which he said are expected to be completed in 2011.
And President Banda has announced that government has procured nine mobile hospitals.
Mr Banda said government is committed to provide the Zambians with equity of access to cost-effective quality health care as close to the family as possible.
He said it is for this reason that his government is constructing district hospitals across the country and commission of these hospitals has since begun.
President Banda pointed out that in addition to the construction of health posts government procured nine mobile hospitals to increase access to health services in rural areas.
He said his goal is a health nation in which no one dies unnecessarily.
[ QFM ]
The Zambia Information Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has said it is committed to ensuring that communication was accessible throughout the country.
ZICTA Director General Margret Chalwe said accessibility to information was vital for the smooth flow of information which allowed members of the public to make informed decisions for national development.
Ms Chalwe said it was against this backdrop that the authority had been providing funding under its universal access programme for connectivity of rural and unserved areas, including underserved areas.
ZANIS reports that she said this would allow the erection of communication towers in deficit areas where service operators have not started providing communication services.
Ms Chalwe stated that service operators would be expected to install transmitters in the areas to enable them have access to communication once the task of erecting communication towers was completed.
The Director General said this in Lusaka today during a press briefing to announce their determination of interconnection rates for mobile and fixed network providers.
Ms Chalwe,however, pointed out that multipurpose telecentres funded by the authority have been established in various parts of the country to enable the public have access to internet and provide a source of income to co-operatives and other entrepreneurs.
[ ZANIS ]
Here are the Super Division fixtures and standings of Week 24 games to be played 19/09/2010 including division 1 games to be played 19-20/09/2010.
FAZ Super Division
WEEK 24
18/09/2010
Roan United-Nkwazi
Nkana-Choma Eagles
City of Lusaka-Konkola Blades
Green Buffaloes-National Assembly
Lusaka Dynamos-Kabwe warriors
Postponed:
Red Arrows-Zesco United
Nchanga Rangers-Power Dynamos
Forest Rangers-Zanaco
[standings league_id=15 template=extend logo=false]
Division 1 Week 29
North
Konkola Mine Police-Medical Stars
Kalulushi Modern Stars-Kalewa
Lime Hotspurs-Prison Leopards
Chindwin Sentries-Indeni
Ndola United-Zamtel
Mansa Health Stars-Mining Rangers
Kitwe United-Chingola Leopards
Chambishi-Mufulira Blackpool
Mufulira Wanderers-Mufulira Police
South
Zesco Shockers- Paramilitary
Lusaka City Council-Riflemen
Profund Warriors-Lusaka Tigers
TP Rangers-Kumawa
Green Eagles-Kalomo Jetters
Nampundwe- Nakambala Leopards
Mazabuka United-Luena Buffaloes
Kafue Celtic-Livingstone Pirates
Communite-Young Green Eagles
Calls for Education Minister Dora Siliya to apologize over her remarks she passed recently have continued heating up with some visually impaired individuals saying the people with disability feel threatened by the MMD government’s stance on the blind.
Recently Ms. Siliya was quoted by the media as saying only a blind person can fail to tell or explain what Government is doing in the country.
She was referring to remarks by Mongu Catholic Diocese Bishop Paul Duffy, suggesting that the people of Western province wanted a change of government due to lack of development in the province.
The latest call comes from the Zambia Federation of Disability Organizations (ZAFOD) which claims that the statement by Ms Siliya is agitating, annoying and discomforting.
Organization Human Rights Manager Wamundila Waliuya said the statement by the Education Minister was demeaning and derogative to the blind.
Mr Waliuya noted that Ms Siliya’s statement has sent a wrong signal to the Zambians saying it meant that the blind do not appreciate development.
[MUVTV ]
President Rupiah Banda is today expected to officially open the National Assembly following the adjournment of Parliament, which adjourned sine die, on August 14, 2009.
Through his key note speech, President Banda is expected to give direction on both the economic, social and political fronts of the country.
On the economic sphere, President Banda is expected to explain the modalities that would enable Zambia attain a growth of 6.6 per cent this year as projected by secretary to the Treasury Likolo Ndalamei.
In his 2011 to 2013 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Mr Ndalamei said the Government decided to revise upwards the country’s growth rate to 6.6 per cent owing to the bumper harvest the nation recorded in the previous season as well as the booming mining sector.
Zambia, for the first time in many years recorded the largest maize harvest of 2.7 million tonnes compared to the 1.8 million of the previous farming season.
With such a bumper harvest, growth in the agriculture sector was projected at 7.7 per cent which was 5.7 percentage points higher than the initial forecasts.
Additionally, the mining sector has recorded an improvement following the reopening of some mines particularly in the North-Western Province.
When President Banda assumed office in 2008,because of the death of president Levy Mwanawasa, many mining firms were on their knees and it had to take bold decisions to ensure they remained afloat.
The situation in Zambia was exacerbated by the global economic recessions which threatened job security for many Zambians but with the bold decisions President Banda made, 2000 jobs were projected to be created in the mining sector.
With the flourishing agriculture sector as well as the booming mining industry, President Banda should highlight the measures he would put in place to ensure Zambia’s economy was not to be at risk.
On the political front, the president is expected to talk about next year’s elections as well as the Constitution making process.
The National Constitution Conference (NCC) last month presented its Draft Constitution to Justice Minister George Kunda and President Banda is today expected to chart the way forward over the NCC.
The president is also expected to shed some light on the preparations for next year’s elections. Zambians would be going to the polls next year and as such preparations ought to start now.
He might also talk about the impending by-elections in Mpulungu, Chilanga and Kafulafuta if the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) George Mpombo does not contest his expulsion from the MMD like his counterpart Ng’andu Magande has done.
Mr Magande and Mr Mpombo have been expelled from the MMD following their attacks on the ruling party and its leadership. The Mpulungu by-election has been occasioned by the death of Lameck Chibombamilimo who was an MMD MP.
New entrant to House would be Chifubu MP Susan Kawandami of the PF. Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi would return to the House after recapturing his Luena seat.
Mr Milupi resigned as an independent MP to form the ADD and recontested the seat on its ticket and won the polls.
Debates in this session shall be centred on the thanks motion to the President’s speech thereby laying a ground for Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane to present the 2011 national Budget.
Following the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No 22 of 2009, it is now a requirement that the Budget is presented during the last quarter of the year so that its implementation takes effect from January 1st to December 31st.
[ Times of Zambia ]
THE Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has said assertions by United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema that Zambia lacks economic and social development are mere political statements meant to mislead the people.
And economist Oliver Saasa has said the assertions by Mr Hichilema are a political statement because the country has recorded substantial improvement in economic and social sectors.
ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba said in an interview yesterday that it was misleading for anybody to suggest there was no development when infrastructure in sectors such as roads, education and health were being developed countrywide.
Mr Hikaumba said blanket statements that condemned everything the Government was doing were not healthy for the development of the country.
“It is not true there is no development, that is an understatement because there is development in almost all the sectors of the economy,” he said.
Mr Hikaumba said politicians, in spite of their party affiliations, should provide practical solutions to the problems the country was facing because citizens needed improved living standards regardless of who was in power.
And Professor Saasa said there was need to appreciate what was being done to develop the country unlike condemning every effort being made.
“We have seen a number of schools and health institutions being constructed countrywide,” he said.
Prof Saasa said the private sector should rise to the occasion and respond to the economic development taking place.
“The Sixth National Development Plan is under way, therefore economic players should take advantage of it,” he said.
He said the private sector and individuals should also make use of the development programmes such as the Citizens Economic Empowerment Fund to venture into businesses and improve living standards.
Prof Saasa said the Government had continued to provide a platform which the private sector should take advantage of, adding there was need for the people of Zambia to make use of the conducive environment so far created to generate business activities.
Meanwhile, the MMD has said the International Monetory Fund (IMF) has shamed Government critics by acknowledging the economic growth that the country has achieved.
MMD acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu said this in reaction to IMF’s statement that Zambia’s economy was performing well, with the Gross Domestic Product projected at 6.6 per cent this year.
Mr Nyangu said it was surprising it had to take outsiders to acknowledge the economic growth when some Zambians were criticising the Government that it was not doing anything.
He said some critics, especially opposition leaders, had deliberately chosen to ignore what the Government had achieved because it was an open secret that a lot of things had been achieved.
President Banda this week commissioned a K10.8 billion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerised Tomography (CT) scans at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka.
And last week, secretary to the Treasury Likolo Ndalamei revealed that the country’s economy was expected to grow by 6.6 per cent a revision from the earlier projection of five per cent.
[Times of Zambia]
The strike by Sun International Hotel workers in Livingstone has entered day two forcing management at the institution to transfer some of their clients to other hotels.
A Sun Hotel tour operator bus was also yesterday seen carrying food from the David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spar.
Some management workers spoken to said there was currently only one chef operating at Sun hotel hence the move to transfer clients and order food from David Livingstone Safari lodge and spar.
A check at the hotel by a Times crew found most of the work had been taken over by management staff as the workers sat outside the hotel near Squires restaurant.
Hotel Catering and Allied workers Union of Zambia president Mubiana Sitwala said the workers had refused to return to work and the union had requested them to continue being peaceful.
“We have warned the workers that if they become violent, the police would take charge of the situation,” he said.
On Wednesday the workers rejected appeals from their union officials for them to return to work and demanded that they be addressed by their General Manager Joan Selby who was currently out of the country.
The workers are demanding for improved conditions of service which includes a K700,000 salary increase across the board as opposed to the 8 per cent being offered by management.
The workers stated that the eight per cent increment only amounted to K24,000 considering that some of their salaries were just slightly above K300,000.
Long service bonus for the workers that had worked for five years was K212,000 while those that had worked for 10years was K414,000.
Some of the placards carried by some workers read “Abash Contracts” while some read “8 per cent ni masese”.
[Times of Zambia ]
Speaker of National Assembly Amusa Mwanamwambwa has declared Chilanga parliamentary seat, which was under former minister of Finance and National Planning Ng’andu Magande vacant after his expulsion from the ruling party for indiscipline.
The speaker has also written the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) informing them he had not declared Kafulafuta seat vacant following the decision by former minister of Defence George Mpombo to contest the expulsion in court.
Parliamentary media liaison officer Chikomeni Banda said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Chilanga Constituency was now vacant and the ECZ had been informed to conduct elections and fill the seat in line with the law.
Mr Banda said the speaker received a notice from the ruling party that it had expelled Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande but that his duty was to follow the law and declare vacant the seats that were not in dispute such as Chilanga.
On complaints from opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata that the speaker had declined to declare the seats of the 22 rebel MPs, Mr Banda said the cases were all in court and the speaker would not touch such seats.
“That is mere politicking, those seats are in court just like Mr Mpombo’s seat. If the matter is in court, the speaker waits until the due process of the law takes its course,” Mr Banda said.
He said the same would apply to Mr Mpombo’s seat, which would not be declared vacant because his lawyers had informed Mr Mwanamwambwa’s office they intended to take legal action against the MMD.
At the beginning of this month, the ruling MMD expelled Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande who was chairperson for finance in the party after a national executive committee meeting that found them liable for constitutional breaches.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Government has demanded an apology from Roman Catholic Church priest Godfrey Mpundu for comparing frogs with human beings and urged him to stop sowing seeds of hatred for political gain.
And a non-governmental organisation has called on Father Mpundu and Mongu Diocese Bishop Paul Duffy to stop campaigning for the opposition in view of the many developments taking place in Western Province and the rest of the country.
Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said in Lusaka yesterday that it was disappointing for a priest to compare human beings to frogs and the clergyman’s statement was against the will of God.
Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said clerics should respect God’s creation and build peace in society instead of sowing seeds of hate.
He said some members of the MMD were also Catholics and Fr Mpundu’s job was to offer counsel to the Government and not to insult anybody.
“Government wishes to register its utmost disgust at allegations by Fr Godfrey Mpundu that Government has neglected the people of Lukulu District in Western Province,” Gen Shikapwasha said.
He said allegations of underdevelopment by Fr Mpundu were unfounded and calculated to incite public hate against the Government.
Gen Shikapwasha said Fr Mpundu’s statement showed how ignorant he was on developments which had taken place in Lukulu.
[pullquote]“Government wishes to register its utmost disgust at allegations by Fr Godfrey Mpundu that Government has neglected the people of Lukulu District in Western Province,” Gen Shikapwasha said.[/pullquote]
He said contrary to the clergyman’s views, the Government had continued to take development to Lukulu and Western Province as a whole to improve people’s living standards.
Various development projects in health, education, agriculture and road sectors were being implemented in both Lukulu East and Lukulu West constituencies at a cost of more than K30 billion.
“The Government has a programme to take development to all parts of the country and the people of Lukulu are witnesses to what Government is doing in their area,” Gen Shikapwasha said.
Fr Mpundu was quoted in yesterday’s edition of The Post newspaper as saying the people of Western Province were better off voting for a frog than the MMD while Bishop Duffy had said earlier that the people in the province wanted change of Government.
And Centre for Elections and Governance chairperson, Gershom Musonda said in Lusaka yesterday that his team had just arrived from Western Province where the Government was constructing high schools in Lukulu, Mongu, Nangweshi, and Shang’ombo.
[pullquote]Fr Mpundu was quoted in yesterday’s edition of The Post newspaper as saying the people of Western Province were better off voting for a frog than the MMD while Bishop Duffy had said earlier that the people in the province wanted change of Government.[/pullquote]
Mr Musonda said the open campaigns for the opposition by the two priests would reduce the Catholic Church to an extension of the political parties and the respect they command would collapse.
He said the Catholic Church had many problems which had increased the exodus of priests to other churches.
He said the decision by the diocese to paint a prison building in Mongu was merely meant to issue a political statement because people who work for the companies owned by the Catholic Church were underpaid.
And the MMD women and youth wings have condemned the disparaging remarks issued by Fr Mpundu against the MMD Government.
Speaking at a joint media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, MMD Lusaka Province chairperson Jane Mkalipi described the remarks as regrettable especially that they were made by a clergyman from a church founded on principles of love.
Ms Mkalipi said the clergyman should be in the forefront of uniting Zambians instead of issuing demeaning statements against Government leaders.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Zanaco coach Wedson Nyirenda has said he is hoping for the same improved form from his charges as they face CS Sfaxien in their fourth game in the Caf Confederation Cup mini-league stage.
Zanaco and Sfaxien play on Friday evening in Sfax at 20:00 Zambia time just seven days after the Zambia club beat the two-time winners in their third Group B game in the Confederation Cup.
The two teams are tied on four points with Zanaco third and Sfaxien second and two points behind leaders FUS Rabat of Morocco while Haras El Hodoud of Egypt are bottom on two points.
Nyirenda said playing three Arab teams and collecting four points from three games has been challenging considering they were the only sub-Saharan country in Group B.
Zanaco started off with a 1-0 away loss to FUS and later drew 1-1 against Haras in Lusaka before their debut mini-league win at home over Sfaxien last weekend.
Nyirenda described the experience as a learning curve and that he was delighted with the rising graph with each game Zanaco played.
“It has been so challenging. I think we have not won the first two games because the players were not sure of the teams they were playing,” Nyirenda said.
Nyirenda added that it was critical that his team stay focused in Tunisia on Friday with two games to go thereafter in Zanaco’s quest to finish in the top two places in Group B that guarantees qualification to next month’s semifinals.
“Now that we know who we are facing and what to expect I think it is much easy,” Nyirenda said.
“We know what to do now than our previous games we will do better in our next matches.”
© Lusaka Times
