The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has acknowledged that the fight against corruption is far from being won.

ACC Girector General Godfrey kayukwa said the commisiion is committed to ensuring that the levels of the vice are reduced and further called on youths to get on board.

Mr Kayukwa was speaking in Lusaka during the send off ceremony for the schools (ACC) club members.

Mr Kayukwa said youths play an important role in fighting and alleviating corruption and called on them to join in as ambassadors to the community.

He bemoaned the commission’s challenges in receiving funds from government adding that with the coming on board of department of the international development (DFID), more improvements would be made in funding ACC School clubs.
[QFM ]

Police have arrested the two Chinese nationals who shot at 11 miners and one onlooker at the Chinese Collum Coal Mine in Sinazongwe district in Southern Province.

The Police sources informed Lusaka Times that Senior Police Officers from Livingstone town and Choma were sent to the coal mine to arrest the culprits who opened fire at the crowd and wounded the 12 people.

A check at the Maamba Hospital found that two miners who were in critical condition have been referred to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) for specialist medication.

Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC) Oliver Pelete is reported to have confirmed this  development.  He said  that it was unfortunate that the Chinese nationals shot at the Zambians and that they should be arrested.

Police sources said the two Chinese nationals involved in the shooting have been taken to Choma after a statement was recorded from them.

The two miners Vincent Chengele 20 and Simon Simwete 28 who were in critical condition at local Hospital were taken to UTH after they were shot in the chest and  the head.

Madinda Siamubotu, one of the victims, said from his hospital bed that workers from shaft two and shaft three decided to gather in order to reach a consensus with management over their grievance to improve the conditions of service.

The miner explained that the Chinese management urged them to stop going underground because they had produced enough coal for sale.  However,  management decided to cut their salaries for the days they were informed not to go underground.

Mr. Siamubotu said the workers decided to call  their Union President Mr Sifuniso Nyumbu who  promised that he would drive from Lusaka to come and address them.

Mr Siamubotu pointed out that when the two Chinese nationals  from shaft two saw that the workers had gathered outside the gate they came out of their offices armed with  shot guns and decided to open fire at the  crowd.

However, an eye witness,  John Siabana said the Chinese nationals opened fire at the miners after they started throwing objects  at them.

And yesterday, miners protesting against the shooting broke the wall fence, and ripped off the roof at shaft two and carried away the iron sheets. The protesting workers also got away with water pumps and pushed the buckets that ferry coal from the underground into the tunnels.  Sinazongwe police failed to control the angry  protesting workers and  called for reinforcement from Choma and Livingstone. The angry protesters vowed to sort out the Chinese management.

And Mr Mpombo has warned officials in the ruling MMD that they would face severe consequences when they leave office.

Contributing to debate on the Anti Corruption Bill which among other things seeks to repeal the ACC Act of 1996 and implement the National Anti Corruption Policy in Parliament today which went through seconding reading,Mr Mpombo said any government that would come into powr will move amendments to repeal the law.

Mr Mpombo he recalled how the MMD government after coming into power in 1991 repealed the leaders Pension law which UNIP had enacted after realizing that they would lose power to the MMD.

He warned against compromise in making laws because that could backfire.

He also called for the need to curtail presidential powers over the Anti Corruption Commission because this could be used to pursue perceived political enemies.

But Vice President George has dismissed the view advanced by some institutions and individuals that the Anti Corruption Bill of 2010 will weaken the fight against corruption by repealing the section 37 of the ACC Act of 1996.

He said such a view has no basis as on the contrary the Bill enhances the prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution and punishment of corrupt practices and related offences.
[ QFM ]

President Banda is today expected to launch the 2010 national census.Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that the President is scheduled to deliver a launch speech and later on be enumerated.

“Among the issues the President and the first family will be enumerated on are personal details on members of the household, religion, disability and physical challenges, education levels, health services, occupation and employment status,” he said.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said other details which President Banda and his family are expected to give out during the enumeration exercise include the type of housing in which they are staying, utilities available, access to water and sanitation, agricultural activities and industrial production and services.

“In accordance with the 2010 Census Mapping Exercise and the Electoral Commission Polling District Maps, State House is in Standard Enumeration Area 2, Census Supervisory Area 04 of Lubwa Ward in Lusaka Central Constituency,” he said.

The minister said Government is satisfied with the preparations that have gone into the logistical arrangements of the 2010 census and is ready to commence the exercise beginning with today’s launch by the President.

[ Zambia Daily Mail ]

Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has said it is surprising Lusaka Catholic Diocese Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu who boycotted the Constitution-making process is now issuing statements that are misleading the people.

Lieutenan-General Shikapwasha wondered why Archbishop Mpundu was interested in the process now when he had boycotted the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) despite being invited to participate.

He said in Lusaka yesterday that it was clear that many Zambians would not accept to be misled by Archbishop Mpundu because they followed the road map and participated in the process through their representatives and an opportunity was provided for them to make comments.

Gen Shikapwasha, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said he was happy that many Zambians who were members of the Catholic Church had participated in the process.

“On our part, we will continue because we know that it is just the leadership that boycotted the Constitution-making process. Many Catholics participated including the Vice-President George Kunda,” Gen Shikapwasha said.
Gen Shikapwasha advised Archbishop Mpundu to make efforts to consult Government before issuing statements and promote dialogue instead of misleading himself.

He said the Ministry of Justice was in the process of compiling clauses in the Draft Constitution that were referred to the national referendum.

He said the Government drew up a roadmap to guide the enactment of the Constitution and which all stakeholders received.

Gen Shikapwasha said those who accepted to sit in the NCC received the roadmap and were aware that every step had been followed strictly including the receiving of the report from the NCC chairperson Chifumu Banda in August.

He said the Ministry of Finance and National Planning would advise whether Zambia was ready to hold the referendum within the year 2011 when the presidential and general would be held.

Gen Shikapwasha said the referendum would be conducted by ECZ which was mandated to conduct national elections on behalf of the Zambian people.

He said the Government would continue to roll out the Constitution-making process and follow the roadmap, which was already public.
[Times of Zambia ]