Patriotic Front (PF) Matero Member of Parliament (MP) Faustina Sinyangwe has bemoaned the non-implementation of the National Child Policy (NCP) by government.

Mrs. Sinyangwe says the Policy is just on paper because the Ministry of sport, Youth and Child Development has abandoned it.

The parliamentarian says if the policy was embodied in the republican constitution it would compel government to adhere to it unlike the current situation where children lack necessary values in society.

She said there are still high levels of child related challenges in the country such as child poverty, child health and nutrition, education, child labour and sexual exploitation, child alcohol and drug abuse among others which government needs to address.

Mrs. Sinyangwe, who is also an educationists, was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.

The MP said parents were doing enough to raise their children at the early childhood stage but they are frustrated by government which is not adequately addressing  the challenges faced by children.

Mrs. Sinyangwe  said there is need to invest more in children by implementing what is stipulated in the NCP in order to improve the welfare facing the children.

In 1994, Government formulated and approved the NCP that focuses on improving the living conditions of Zambian children in ensuring that programmes of economic development and social mobilization directly addresses the needs of children.

The various social economic challenges the country has under gone in recent years has seen the average Zambian child  continue to exist under extreme hardships with most of them not accessing health, education and recreation services, which are all dictated by the United Nations Assembly.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Sinyangwe is happy that government has started rehabilitating the Zingalume road . She hoped that Chingwere and Matero-Salima road would also be attended too after the completing the Zingalume M-8 roads.

She disclosed that the road rehabilitation is expected to cost K12 billion.  She commended President Rupiah Banda for hearing her plea to repair the three major roads in Matero Constituency.

And Mrs. Sinyangwe has further hailed the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company for improving the water reticulation system following a K75 million injection pumped by government.

She said people in Madimba area never had proper toilets and piped water but government has since arrested the situation to the delight of Mrs. Sinyangwe.

ZANIS

Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha says those opposing the decision by High Court Judge Evans Hamaundu to dismiss the London Court judgment case involving second republican president Frederick Chiluba (FTJ) to be registered in Zambia are off-side.

Lieutenant General Shikapwasha challenged those who are not happy by the court verdict on Dr. Chiluba to seek legal re-dress than fight in the media.

Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha implored the Zambians to respect the decision of the courts.

The government Chief spokesperson wondered why people do not discredit the Zambian courts acquitted opposition Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata on motor theft charge, Post Newspaper Editor Chansa Kabwela on has been acquitted of the charges of circulating obscene materials but the people are too naïve on Dr. Chiluba’s case.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister , urged the Zambian people to study the Chiluba judgment instead of criticizing from a layman point of view.

He said it is unfair to always lambaste that the judicial system is Zambia is ‘not working’ when instead it is working very hard to handle serious cases brought before the courts.

Judge Hamaundu last week refused to register the London High Court judgment in Zambia. He instead dismissed the applications for the registration of the London High Court which found Dr. Chiluba and his co-accused liable for the theft of US$46 million.

Meanwhile, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha has lashed out at the PF leader Michael Sata’s claims that it has taken over 20 years to construct the Choma-Namwala road.

He challenged Mr. Sata that he is the one who failed to deliver because his was directly in charge as Local government and Housing Minister and Minister Without Portfolio.

He said President Rupiah Banda is on track to taking development not only in Southern Province but the country as a whole.

He said President Banda has managed to open up a lot of developmental projects among them health centers, schools and road infrastructures among others.

On the PF/UPND Pact, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha said UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema is blindly following Mr. Sata in the Pact.

The Chief Government Spokesperson described the PF/UPND as a dead alliance which is bound to crack anytime because the two opposition leaders were selfish and cannot be entrusted with power.

“The Pact is non-existence because Mr. Sata and Hichilema are very selfish to govern the nation,” he said

[ ZANIS ]

The Zambia Police Service says it will soon issue a comprehensive statement on the progress made in investigating Gender Deputy Ministe, Lucy Changwe, over a bounced cheque.

Zambia Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, Dandula Siaman, told QFM in a telephone interview that the Inspector General of Police will soon issue a statement. Mrs. Siamana however says she is yet to get the details of the investigations from the officers handling the investigations.

She explains that once all the details are gathered, she will handle them to Inspector General of Police, Francis Kabonde, for further action. President Rupiah Banda said on Monday that he does not need to tell the police what to do when someone has broken the law.

He said it is up to the police to act on Gender Deputy Minister, Lucy Chanwe, who bounced a K10 million cheque. The Civil Society has been calling for the arrest and prosecution of Ms Changwe for the offence.

QFM

Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata, has challenged President Rupiah Banda to tell the nation how much government spent on the Choma-Namwala road. And Mr. Sata has called for the formation of a ‘Truth Commission’ to reveal how much the MMD government stole over the Choma-Namwala road.

In an interview with QFM, Mr. Sata alleges that the money the MMD government has stolen on the road could have also catered for the Monze-Namwala, the Monze-Siavonga, and the Namwala-Itezhi-Itezhi roads.

He says if the MMD government did not steal any money during the construction of the road, President Rupiah Banda should come out in the open and tell the nation how much was spent for the tarring of the road.

Mr. Sata has also challenged government to explain why it took over 20 years to tar the Choma-Namwala road.

Meanwhile, the United Party for National Development, UPND, says there is nothing for President Banda to celebrate about on the completion of the Choma-Namwala road.

UPND Secretary General, Winstone Chibwe, told QFM in an interview that the tarring of the road was done by the President’s predecessors, and not him.

Mr. Chibwe emphasizes that President Banda has just seen the last drop of the other people’s work.

QFM

Several village headmen from Namwala and Itezhi-tezhi area have hailed President Banda for the various projects he has undertaken in the province.

The headmen also urged Government to consider addressing various social economic issues such as roads and water among others which affect the people of Namwala and Itezhi Tezhi.

This was in Namwala yesterday when President Rupiah Banda addressed about 500 village headmen from Namwala and Itezhi-Tezhi.

Headman Machipi of Mukobela Chiefdom said the United Party for National Development (UPND) and their leader Hakainde Hichilema had taken the people of the province for granted.

“Other previous Zambian presidents neglected us but you (President Banda) has shown us that you don’t hate us,” he said

Headman Lubanda, who was also happy with development projects being undertaken, appealed to the Government to consider drilling more boreholes in his area.

He appealed to Government to consider tarring the Niko–Monze Road.

Senior Headman Simpede said the current Government had recognised and appreciated the people of the province as part of the Zambians.

He, however, appealed to the Government to work on the feeder roads in the area to facilitate for maize haulage.

He said the maize harvested in 2007 was still in holding depots because of the poor state of the roads in the area.

The headmen also appealed to Government to work on improving the road network which links Namwala and Itezhi-Tezhi.

And responding to concerns raised by traditional leaders, President Banda said he had taken note of the requests and that the ministers n charge would submit a report.

“The issues you have raised are very important for our people. We were aware that you were going to raise issues on health, education, agriculture and infrastructure, that is why I asked the ministers in charge of these ministries to accompany me,” he said.

Mr Banda directed the three ministers in his delegation who included Education Minister Dora Siliya, Local Government and Housing Minister Eustackio Kazonga as well as Works and Supply Minister Mike Mulongoti to submit a report on what Government would do to address the issues raised.

And Mr Mulongoti said Government was looking for ways to address the concerns to improve the connection between Namwala and Itezhi-tezhi on Kafue River.

He also said Government would seek various ways of improving the road network in Namwala and Itezhi-Tezhi areas.

Meanwhile, President Banda said his campaigns in 2011 would be based on the work he has done for the people of Southern Province during his tenure as president.

Mr Banda said traditional leaders at the level of headmen are the foundation of the unity and peace of any nation.

He said as a leader, President Banda understood the problems of the people of Zambia and Namwala in particular.

He said he would continue to facilitate for development in Namwala by building more schools, clinics and roads.
[ Times of Zambia ]