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Konkola Copper mine shaft four in Chililabombwe Township
PRESIDENT Banda has maintained that Government will not re-introduce the windfall tax for mining companies operating in Zambia.
Mr Banda said the re-introduction of the windfall tax has the potential to stifle the growth of Zambia’s mining sector.
“The abolition of the windfall tax will remain intact and as Government we shall not listen to those calling for the bringing back of this tax. Let them just watch what Government is doing to attract more investors to the mining sector,” Mr Banda said.
The President was speaking in Chililabombwe yesterday when he officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Konkola North Copper Mine project.
Mr Banda said mining companies are paying a lot of taxes such as mineral royalties, property rates and other taxes.
He said the abolition of the windfall tax was aimed at paving way for a manageable tax system for the mining sector.
“As Government, we have the responsibility of doing what is correct for the country, which is to attract more foreign investors in our mining sector.
So as President I want to reiterate what the Minister of Finance said that windfall tax will not be brought back,” Mr Banda said.
PF leader Michael Sata
Former Patriotic Front General Secretary, Edward Mumbi has charged that PF leader, Michael Sata’s meeting with the diplomatic community are being arranged by a named church which wants Zambia in to be a circular state.
Mr Mumbi said Mr Sata’s meetings with some diplomats accredited to Zambia have the blessing of a named church that wants Zambia to be a circular State.
He said the church that is allegedly behind Mr Sata’s meetings is against the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation and wants to allow same sex marriages to occur in the country.
“Mr Sata cannot even make a good choir leader because he is a dictator and a man who should not be allowed to rule the country,” Mr Mumbi said .
Mr Mumbi has since challenged Mr Sata to deny the allegations.
And Mr Mumbi said people who think the PF leader could make a better republican President as compared to the incumbent, Rupiah Banda are ignorant of his style of leadership.
He told QFM that if Mr Sata was given a chance to leader the country, he would plunge it into anarchy and a serious economic disaster.
“Mr Sata cannot even make a good choir leader because he is a dictator and a man who should not be allowed to rule the country,” Mr Mumbi said .
[ 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.
Chief Government Spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha
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 ]
President Rupiah Banda says the coming into the country of Brazilian Mining giant Vale, will create several jobs and economic opportunities for Zambians.
And President Banda has urged the labour movement to embrace the new investments in the mining sector, as it would create more opportunities for people in Zambia.
President Banda said he is happy with the developments and investments in the mining sector, which he said should be supported by all Zambians.
He was speaking on Thursday at the ground breaking ceremony of the Konkola North Mine in Chililabombwe.
Mr Banda said he is optimistic that Zambia would soon become a middle income country judging by the amount of investments especially in the mining sector.
He said the investment is Chililabombwe would help uplift the living standards of people in the area.
And Chief Executive Officer for Konkola North Mine David Armstrong said the firm will produce in excess of 2.5 million tonnes of copper annually when the company starts full scale copper production in 2013.
And Vale CEO Roger Anglli said his firm would invest over 1 billion US Dollars into the mining operation in the next five years.
He said the money would be spent on infrastructure development and construction of the Konkola North copper Mine.
He said his firm is also interested in contributing to other sectors of the economy other than mining, such as bio Fuel.
Konkola North Copper Project, is a joint venture by Vale Mining Company of Brazil and Rainbow Minerals of South Africa.
Konkola North Mine has been dormant for over 50 years.
[ ZNBC ]
Zanaco today have made their feelings very clearly known about what they think about the Kalusha Bwalya co-opted executive committee.
The defending league champions on Thursday showed in their very own peculiar way what their views were on the co-opted executive committee which has stirred controversy with most Faz affiliates stating that it is constitutionally invalid.
Zanaco today snubbed Faz delegation leader Elijah “Shenko” Chileshe who is one of three new executive committee members co-opted into the executive committee after four former members quit a fortnight ago.
Chileshe who owns Division 1 club Mining Rangers is the official delegation leader for Zanaco’s final Caf Confederation Cup Group B match away to Haras El Hodoud of Egypt this weekend.
A club is obliged to host and foot the delegation leaders’ bill but Zanaco have declined to do so, ultimately a strong no vote show in Faz’s current disposition.
“It is very funny that Faz for the first time paid for a delegation leader,” said a Zanaco insider. “I hear he (Shenko) is now traveling to Egypt as an observer from Faz.”
Zanaco meanwhile left, with “Shenko” on the Ethiopian Airlines flight on Thursday afternoon.
Zanaco’s demonstration on Thursday comes after four other Super Division sides namely Green Buffaloes, Red Arrows, Choma Eagles and Nkwazi openly stated on Tuesday that they believed the co-opted executive was illegal.
The MMD in Ndola has with immediate effect suspended its Vice Secretary for Publicity and Information Alex Mubanga for threatening to beat up Former Vice President Enock Kavindele at the fourth coming national convention.
The suspension has been announced by Ndola District Executive Chairman Cephas Katongo thursday.
Mr Kayongo says the MMD is a responsible party which should not condone irresponsible statements from its members like the one attributed to Mr Mubanga in Thursday’s issue of the Post Newspaper.
Mr Katongo said the MMD has no crack squad and people should ignore such utterances which he said are misplaced.
He said the ruling party will continue to protect everyone in Zambia and will not habour any militia.
Mr Katongo said Mr Kavindele is free to attend the national convention and contest any position of his choice.
He however said no one will vote for him because the district has already resolved to support President Rupiah Banda.
And Mr Mubanga has accepted his suspension saying he is a loyal member of the party and will respect any action taken against him by any organ of the party.
President Rupiah Banda says the coming into the country of Brazilian Mining giant Vale, will create several jobs and economic opportunities for Zambians.
And President Banda has urged the labour movement to embrace the new investments in the mining sector, as it will create more opportunities for people in Zambia.
President Banda said he is happy with the developments and investments in the mining sector, which he said should be supported by all Zambians.
He was speaking Thursday morning, at the ground breaking ceremony of the Konkola North Mine in Chililabombwe.
Mr Banda said he is opptimistic that Zambia will soon become a middle income country judging by the amount of investments especially in the mining sector.
He said the investment is Chililabombwe will help uplift the living standards of people in the area.
And Chief Executive Officer for Konkola North Mine David Armstrong said the firm will produce in excess of 2.5 million tonnes of copper annually when the company starts full scale copper production in 2013.
And Vale CEO Roger Anglli said his firm will invest over 1 billion US Dollars into the mining operation in the next five years.
He said the money will be spent on infrastructure development and construction of the Konkola North copper Mine.
He said his firm is also interested in contributing to other sectors of the economy other than mining, such as bio Fuel.
Konkola North Copper Project, is a joint venture by Vale Mining Company of Brazil and Rainbow Minerals of South Africa.
Konkola North Mine has been dormant for over 50 years.
Many opposition political parties, civil society organizations and particular one daily newspaper detest William Banda, the MMD’s Chairman for Lusaka Province. They accuse him of having a UNIP mentality of caderism and violence. William has been in politics for many years. He was a UNIP stalwart who was under very controversial circumstances stripped of Zambian citizenship by the Chiluba regime. The Supreme Court of Zambia affirmed his deportation to Malawi by Home Affairs Minister Chitalu Sampa. He was only to be brought back to Zambia by President Levy Mwanawasa who quickly recognised William’s political skills and used him extensively in the 2006 election campaigns.[pullquote]As such, only a person who understands grassroots thinking and politics can be a match to Sata. When explaining economic performance he simply says, “Our Coca-Cola in Zambia is more expensive than elsewhere in the region.” The motto for his party is simply, “more money in your pockets .
[/pullquote]
Politically speaking William is a great political asset for the MMD. As much as many of our people would like to see a new kind of politics take center stage in Zambia today, the reality on the ground is that the current politics is indeed centered on the old political ideology of UNIP. In fact, UNIP politicians are still calling the shots: from the MMD’s RB Banda to the PF’s Michael Sata. It still remains to be studied how the MMD became the new UNIP and indeed why the old UNIP political ideology is still prevalent in Zambian politics today—twenty years after the end of UNIP rule. UNIP ideology is seen in the MMD’s “wamuyaya” mentality during Chiluba’s third term bid and is also evident in the PF’s fixation on Sata, the undoubted life president of PF. Further, Sata’s power to hire and fire his Central Committee and the fact that his party has never had a convention since the party’s formation in 2001 shows clear UNIPist propensities.
The MMD’s current greatest challenge for the 2011 election is Michael Sata. Sata is, undoubtedly, a man of the common man. His political mobilization skills are derived from the compounds and from the ordinary people. He speaks a language that they can understand, and he does not hesitate to use old and overused UNIPist strategy of intimidation and sometimes violence to carry his message through. He does not use academic language to explain economics and for him good investment is one which does not “give our market stalls to the Chinese.”” All these are simplistic terms that easily resonate with many of our people. As such, only a person who understands grassroots thinking and politics can be a match to Sata. When explaining economic performance he simply says, “Our Coca-Cola in Zambia is more expensive than elsewhere in the region.” The motto for his party is simply, “more money in your pockets . Unfortunately, RB Banda’s political history lacks a touch with the grassroots. RB Banda is a university educated elitist who spent a good number of years in the Kaunda government as a diplomat. As such, when it comes to grassroots mobilization, which the MMD desperately needs to win confortable votes in Lusaka, they had to look elsewhere to supply that.
The MMD had to look to William Banda, a controversial cadre who nevertheless can match Michael Sata’s grassroots mobilization skills. Of course the PF complain about William because they know what he brings to the political table. The PF knows that as a grassroots mobilizer, William has the potential to dent their popularity in Lusaka. This is William, an old man with grey hair, but nevertheless has the time and energy to meet cadres under mango trees and face them in Mandevu and Chawama. This is William who projects a figure of an ordinary man, a common person who nevertheless commands respect from a myriad of cadres. The MMD did not need a reasonable person to mobilize Lusaka. All they needed was a figure like William who would go to the people, mobilize them for the hour and speak a language that they can understand. The MMD does not need William to help them become a majority in Lusaka; all they need him to do is to turn a few votes against the PF. And those few votes would be very significant when the final tally is prepared in 2011.
The fact that some violent tendencies are seen in William Banda’s politics should be a concern. But equally concerning is the general violent nature that our politics seem to be taking. Be it the UPND violence in Mufumbwe and Mapatizya, or indeed the MMD’s violence in Chawama, violence should be detested. But William’s strengths of grassroots political mobilization far outweigh any of his weaknesses. The message is at least clear, if the PF have Sata, the MMD have their William Banda who is willing to do what Sata does very well in Lusaka. And if the MMD indeed wanted to have a man of the people to mobilize Lusaka for them, they had no better choice than the old William Banda.
The PF leader Michaeal Sata and UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema
President Rupiah Banda says people countrywide have lost confidence in the PF/UPND pact.
Mr Banda said the MMD must,therefore, do everything possible to win all the by-elections as people countrywide had lost confidence in the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) pact.
He has since called on the MMD in the country to go flat out and campaign for their candidates in the fourth coming parliamentary and ward by-elections.
ZANIS Ndola reports that Mr Banda said this on arrival at Ndola International airport ahead of his three day tour of developmental projects in the province.
And MMD Copperbelt Chairperson Joseph Chilambwe informed the head of state that the MMD was rapidly regaining its popularity in the province.
Mr Chilambwe said the people of Copperbelt Province were convinced that the PF/UPND pact had nothing good to offer the country hence their differences on who would be their presidential candidate.
and President Rupiah Banda is tomorrow expected to officially commission the construction of the Konkola North Copper Project.
The President, who is on a three-day working visit to Copperbelt Province, would officiate at the groundbreaking ceremony of the US$380 million Konkola North Copper Project, which is owned as a joint-venture by Vale Mining Company of Brazil and Rainbow Minerals of South Africa.
Once completed, Konkola North Copper Mine is projected to produce 45,000 tonnes of Copper Concentrate per year.
The new mine is expected to create about 1,500 jobs on the Copperbelt Province.
The President will later tour the Ndola Stadium, which is under construction and visit the Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) trade zone site in Ndola.
On Friday, President Banda will visit Ndola Rural in Mpongwe where he will inspect progress on the construction of a High School and later tour the newly tarred Mpongwe-Luansobe Road.
The President and his delegation will return to Lusaka after completing his scheduled visit to the Copperbelt Province.
Zambia’s participation at the nineteenth Commonwealth Games has finally come to a disappointing end after bowler Hilda Luipa failed to qualify to the semi-finals.
This followed two losses at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
This is according to a statement released to ZNBC by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian High Commission in India, Bwalya Nondo.
Luipa was the only Zambian left in the Games after the rest of the 21-member contingent fell out in preliminary rounds in all sporting disciplines.
Luipa lost her first game 2-0 to Australia’s Kelsey Cottrell in an early morning contest.
The Zambian bowler was down 10-0 after four ends and although she recovered to pick four points in the last five ends, the Australian picked just as many to win the set 14-4.
[ ZNBC ]
President Banda has called on the ruling MMD to take every election seriously.
Mr Banda said it is important for the MMD to work towards winning every election that comes along in order for it to continue providing leadership in the country.
He was speaking at Ndola International Aiport Wednesday morning when he arrived for a 3 day working visit to the Copperbelt Province.
Mr Banda also commended the MMD in the Province for being united, a factor which he said has led to the party gaining ground in the province.
Mr Banda further said he would not relax and leave the country in the hands of people who will not continue with the good policies that have been lined up.
And Coperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima paid tribute to President Banda for his commitment to deliver development to Zambians.
Mr Mbulakulima said the good policies put in place by President Banda have transformed Zambia’s economy for the better.
He assured the President that the province would continue rallying behind him as the country gears for the 2011 general elections.
[ ZNBC ]
Chile's President Sebastian Pinera embraces Florencio Antonio Avalos Silva, the first miner to be rescued(Yahoo news)
Sixteen of the 33 men trapped underground the Chilean mine since August 5th have now been rescued. Shortly after 11:00 p.m. eastern time, the first of the trapped Chilean miners miners was pulled out from underground.
The 33 men became marooned when the main access tunnel collapsed at the gold and copper San Jose mine near the northern town of Copiapo.
They were trapped 2,300ft below the surface for the last 69 days. They had managed to make their way to a shelter said to be the size of a small flat and that is equipped with water tanks, ventilation shafts and two wooden benches.[pullquote]Chile President Sebastian Pinera said the faith of the trapped miners has “moved mountains” and made the “miracle” of their rescue possible.[/pullquote]
The sun began rising today as one by one, miners are trading their underground chamber for the arms of their families.
It’s an emotional breakthrough that has captured Chile and the world. Florencio Avalos was the first to be freed. He hugged his tearful 7-year-old son and his wife.
The second miner to emerge couldn’t contain his excitement. He jokingly handed out souvenirs; rocks, of course, to rescuers. He also led cheers and embraced just about everyone he could get his hands on.
63-year-old Mario Gomez is the oldest of the trapped miners and was the 9th miner to be rescued.He dropped to his knees and thanked God when he got out of the rescue capsule.
Chile President Sebastian Pinera said the faith of the trapped miners has “moved mountains” and made the “miracle” of their rescue possible.
Each miner to reach the surface in the specially-designed rescue capsule brought new hope to those waiting.
Officials say it may take 36 hours to rescue all the miners, who range in age from 19 to 63.
Not everybody is as fit as the first few to be winched to freedom. Some of the miners are suffering from hypertension, diabetes and respiratory infections.
All the men will receive medical treatment after spending more than two months 2,000 feet down.Nobody has ever been trapped for that long underground and lived to tell about it.
Psychologists are concerned that the miners may struggle to return to a normal life once their celebrity status fades.
Chilean authorities have offered the men at least six months of psychiatric follow up evaluations.
The rescue efforts started early Wednesday morning and will continue throughout the day.The trapped miners put on green coveralls made of moisture-resisting material and personalized with names.
They will climb into a claustrophobic capsule only a little wider than the span of their shoulders. They will be instructed on the communications equipment and the oxygen supply inside the rescue tube. And they will put on special goggles to protect their eyes from lights up above as their eyes have become accustomed to the vampiric darkness of the caved-in mine.
Then the order to hoist will ring out and each man will begin their journey.
The first miners to come to the surface were deemed the most fit, but also possessed the most technical know-how so that they could advise the rescue teams.
The next five are the physically weakest, a term perhaps not appropriate for anyone who has survived more than two months in the bowels of the earth. But one of the miners has diabetes; another has black lung.
The last to come out will be Luis Alberto Iribarren, 54. Like the captain of a sinking ship, the shift supervisor volunteered to stay behind until all his men were safe.
Like the ten already rescued, all of the men are expected to undergo about two hours of health checks at a field hospital set up at the mine. They will then be flown by helicopter to a hospital in the town of Copiapo approximately a 15-minute flight.
Miners who are healthy enough will be granted quick family reunions before being shuttled to the hospital.
“It’s extremely exciting for us. … It’s a very emotional moment for us,” said Jeff Hart, one of the lead drillers who assisted with the rescue efforts. “We worked real long and hard on that, and to actually see the capsule come through the first time through the hole that we drilled was just unbelievable.”
President Rupiah Banda
Former Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Fackson Shamenda has charged that republican President Rupiah Banda’s attacks on the donor community has cost the country its traditional donor support towards the national budget.
Mr Shamenda said the over 50 percent budget support cut by the donor community in the 2011 national budget is as a result of the arrogance on the part of the currnet leadership.
Mr Shamenda also pointet out that increased corruption in the country is the other reason for the continued reduction in donor support towards the country’s budget.
And the former ZCTU president said government should have used the JCTR basic needs basket as a threshold in arriving at the tax exemption threshold.
He said the K1 million exemption threshold announced in the 2011 budget is not satisfactory and clearly falls short of what was anticipated.
Mr Shamenda saidthe cost of living in the country is way too high for the government to settle for the K1 million tax exemption threshold.
[ QFM ]
National Constitutional Conference chairperson Chifumu Banda (L) and spokesperson Mwangala Zaloumis, during the launch of the draft constitution in LUsaka.
Professor of the Human rights law, at the University of Pretoria, Michelo Hansugule has charged that government’s failure to commit to constitution making in the 2011 budget is testimony that the document will not be ready for the 2011 tripartite elections.
Professor Hansungule said it is finally evident that government has no intention of persuing the constitution making process next year.
He said what the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government has done is to make a public announcement that elections are more important that finalizing the constitution which should be a good democratic premise for development.
The Professor noted that the overall reformation of the constitution will never be done before the 2011 elections and the omission of its commitment in the 2011 national budget only shows that government is giving up on the matter.
Meanwhile Professor Hansungule has observed that the revised electoral code of conduct which empowers the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is a positive stride.
He said what is reassuring about the new code of conduct is that even without the new constitution in place, it can be enforced in totality.
[QFM ]
