Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
The Ministry of Local and Housing has disclosed that this year’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has not yet been released by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.
Local Government Deputy Minister Moses Muteteka said his ministry was waiting for the release of the funds from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning for developmental projects in all the constituencies in the country.
Mr. Muteteka told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that Ministry of Finance was making every effort to release the funds to local authorities countrywide.
“Parliament approved the CDF for various constituencies when the budget for this year was passed in October last year. So now it is only a matter of time before the funds are released,” Mr. Muteteka said.
And on the opening of the new Soweto market, Mr. Muteteka disclosed that his ministry has received an evaluation report on the status of the market from the Lusaka City Council (LCC).
The deputy minister said what remained was the official opening of the market by President Rupiah Banda.
He noted that the official opening of the new market would enable government show its appreciation to its cooperating partners like the EU for their continued support.
Christopher Katongo has left Germany side Arminia Bielefeld to join Greek Greek A Ethniki side Xanthi.
Bielefeld official website confirmed Katongo’s departure to Xanthi today day but did not disclose the transfer fee.
The Zambia national team captains new deal The contract is reportedly for one year with Xanthi who survived demotion the 2009/2011 campaign when they finished 13th in the 16-team Greek A Ethniki.
Katongo had been at Bielefeld after two seasons with the 2.Bundeslioga side whom he joined from Brondby of Denmark in 2008 who signed him from South African club Jomo Cosmos.
Zambia plans to boost its exports to the Democratic Republic of Congo to more than $2 billion this year from $1.2 billion in 2009, taking advantage of the flexible trade terms, Trade Minister Felix Mutati said on Thursday.
Mutati said exports to the DRC, Zambia’s largest trading partner in the African trading bloc COMESA, had continued to increase because there were no restrictions on goods it could export to its neighbour.
“The advantage of the DR Congo is that the range of exports is from agricultural products through to processed items, machinery and literally anything we can produce in Zambia,” Mutati said at a media briefing.
“All those complicated things which make it difficult to trade, particularly with Europe, do not apply with our neighbours and you could literally take live chickens across borders and they will buy,” Mutati said.
Mutati said Zambia had started building a one-stop border at Kasumbalesa on the border with DRC to facilitate trade and speed up clearance procedures.
[pullquote]”All those complicated things which make it difficult to trade, particularly with Europe, do not apply with our neighbours and you could literally take live chickens across borders and they will buy,” Mutati said.[/pullquote]
“We expect the buildings and related infrastructure to be completed by the end of this year because our colleagues in the DRC have already completed their structures,” he said.
A report by the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa in November showed service costs were high in sub-Saharan Africa due to poor roads, water and power networks and the region needed to double its infrastructure spending to $93 billion a year to effect improvements.
United Nations special envoy on AIDS Elizabeth Mataka cools off after making a presenting on AIDS in Lusaka
The Zambia National AIDS Network (ZNAN) has since January 2010 to June 2010 disbursed about K20.4 billion to 140 Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), support groups of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and to private sector health facilities.
ZNAN Executive Director, Elizabeth Mataka announced the development in a Press Statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka on Wednesday.
Mrs. Mataka said the disbursed funds were from rounds 4,7 and 8 of the Global Funds meant to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Mrs. Mataka stated that out of the total amount disbursed, about K17.7 billion was from the Joint Financing Arrangement (JFA) while K2.6 billion was received from the bilateral donors.
She explained that her organization has also disbursed about K979 million of global fund round 7 to 29 organisations implementing TB programmes.
She added that following the signing of the Global Fund Round 8 phase 1 which she said runs from October 2009 to November 2011, ZNAN has disbursed about K9.2 billion to six Lead Agencies for further disbursement to smaller NGOs, CBOs, support groups of PLWHA and private sector organisations for implementation, prevention, care and support programmes and to strengthen the health system.
Zambian President Rupiah Bwezani Banda (C) addresses the participants at a Turkey-Zambia Trade and Investment Forum in ?stanbul.-Picture by Today's ZAMNA
President Rupiah Banda has ended his three-day official visit to Turkey where he held meetings with Government officials and wooed some key investors, including Turkish Airlines, which will soon launch a flight into Lusaka.
President Banda who was in Turkey at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, said the visit was successful and hoped that Turkish businessmen that have shown interest in Zambia would soon start investing in the country.
Mr. Banda said Turkey was a strategic country as one of the emerging market economies, which was rated among the top 15 in the world and the sixth largest in Europe .
This according to a media statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today, by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Dickson Jere.
During the three-day visit, President Banda held official talks with Mr. Gul in Ankara before flying to Istanbul where meetings with the Turkish Business forum were held.
The focus of the visit was to capitalise on the warm relations between Zambia and Turkey in order to establish conditions for development of economic ties through bilateral cooperation and the promotion of trade and investment in the two countries.
President Banda said he was happy that during his visit to Turkey , the two governments signed key agreements which will be followed up by others in areas of mutual interest in the near future.
A bilateral agreement on Air Services was signed, followed by two Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of Foreign Service Training and on Political Consultation between the two governments.
Mr. Banda said “The Air Services Agreement” would among other things; provide for Turkish Airline flights into Zambia and similarly Zambian airline companies will fly to Turkey . The MoU on Political Consultation provided for consultation between the Governments (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) on bilateral and international issues.
And the one on Diplomatic Training provided for cooperation between Zambia and Turkey in the field of diplomatic training as well as for cooperation between the respective diplomatic training institutions.
President Banda said he was also happy to have officiated at the first-ever Turkey-Zambia Trade and Investment Forum, which was held in Istanbul on 14th July 14, 2010 at which 11 Zambian business executives were present. The Forum resulted in the establishment of business contacts for future collaboration and was also attended by several Turkish businessmen and women who showed interest in investing in Zambia .
Mr. Banda assured the investors that their investment would be protected in Zambia and announced immigration measures, which would allow Turkish investors and tourists to obtain visas at the point of entry in Zambia as opposed to applying through Zambian embassies which he said was cumbersome.
The President said he would like to see more Turkish tourists coming to Zambia following the soon-to–be launched direct flight from Istanbul to Lusaka .
Turkey has the World’s 15th largest Gross Domestic Product (GDP)- Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) and 17th largest Nominal GDP.The World Bank classifies Turkey as an upper-middle-income country in terms of the country’s per capital GDP in 2007 and is a founding member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G20 major economies.
President Banda said his focus was to attract investors from country’s like Turkey and Brazil as leading emerging market economies in the World.
The President was accompanied to Turkey by Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande, Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Peter Daka and Deputy Minister in the office of the Vice-President Guston Sichilima.
President Banda who left Turkey this morning is expected back in the country today.
Ester Phiri takes to the weighing machine during the weigh in ceremony before fighting USA's Terri Blair in LusakaZambia’s female boxer Esther Phiri has started training in readiness for the World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight fight against Colombia’s Lely Luz slated for Lusaka in November this year.
Her trainer, Anthony Mwamba told ZANIS sports in an interview that the boxer has commenced training at the Independence stadium gym saying preparations were progressing well.
Mwamba, who is also Exodus Stables Manager, said his stables was however awaiting the finalization terms of contract with the Lely’s camp.
“WIBA and WBC have approved to sanction the fight. And we are sure of that fight though am still hoping to finalize the terms and conditions with the other part and hopefully this will be done before the end of this month” he said.
Mwamba said he will conclude the deal by this month end.
Once the agreement is done with the opponents’ camp, Mwamba says he will sit down with other prospective sponsors for a budget and draw up a comprehensive plan for the fights.
He also indicated his Stables’s plans to take Esther for another training stint in Florida, US to further expose her and give her intensive training ahead of the November fight.
Lely who lost to featherweight queen Ina Menzer back in 2006 made history recently by defeating beautiful Uruguayan Chris Namús to become the Latin American nation’s first female boxing champion ever.
The fight which took place at Montevideo’s Palacio Peñarol in August last year, took Lely only a single round to destroy previously unbeaten Namús, who came to the fight as the top dog.
Mwamba also disclosed that he is planning a merger fight where two other renowned international boxers, Kennedy Kanyanta and United States based Zambian boxer, Hastings Bwalya, respectively, will fight at the same venue in November this year.
He said he wants to give the boxing fans a good treat for their money as they will be able to watch all the three boxers at the same venue.
“That is my plan as a promoter to bring the top Zambian boxers at the same venue. As you know Hastings is doing fine in US, Esther is our Zambian champion and Kanyanta the African Boxing Union (ABU) Champion and will fight at the same venue”Mwamba said.
He has thanked the sponsors for their unwavering support to the boxer saying he was hopeful that they will continue supporting the boxer.
United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema
United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema says UPND-PF pact members who want to break-up the alliance over the Kaoma and Chadiza anomaly are only confirming that they never meant well in the beginning.
“No one should try to break up the pact over the Chadiza and Kaoma anomaly unless they are telling us that they never meant well for the pact and were just looking for a chance to split the pact.
Mr Hichilema said the working group is the right platform to resolve this problem.
He urged pact members to refrain from making conflicting statements on the matter, and let the working group resolve the issue.
“So, let the working group do the job without any weight hovering over them, as they meet.I chose to ignore Wynter Kabimba’s reaction to my comments.
My comments on the matter were meant to explain what transpired, and how best the issue should have been handled. Mr Kabimba is even a member of the working group and he knows that they never met to select candidates for the wards in question.
I heard that one of the pact member saying that candidates for Kaoma and Chadiza wards were agreed upon, this is not true,” he said.
Mr Hichilema said there is need for the pact to be procedural if they are to run this country.
“We must start projecting these principles of following procedure. We have read of differences in the MMD government but they always meet and resolve these issues,” he said.
Mr Hichilema however said he cannot call the anomalies as divisions in the pact.
[pullquote]“We must start projecting these principles of following procedure. We have read of differences in the MMD government but they always meet and resolve these issues,” he said.[/pullquote]
“I am sure that we will find solutions to this challenge,” he said.
And asked about calls for the pact to choose a candidate, Mr Hichilema responded “We need to resolve this issue first. If we rush to choosing a Presidential candidate, when we are having issues with wards, you can imagine what will happen,” he said.
Mr Hichilema was reacting to questions by journalists at the French national day.
LUSAKA High Court Judge-in-Charge Philip Musonda has ordered the arrest of businessman Aristogerasimos Vangelatos for disregarding a court order that required him to attend contempt proceedings.
Mr Justice Musonda issued the bench warrant after Vangelatos failed to attend contempt proceedings on two occasions.
The judge cited Vangelatos for summary contempt after he scandalised the court by alleging that Mr Justice Musonda, Judge Nigel Mutuna and lawyer Eric Silwamba have conspired to inflict injustice on him.
He made the allegations when he went to see Mr Justice Musonda in chambers, after which the court ordered him to go and collect his lawyer Rodger Chongwe whom he alleged had sent him to make the allegations.
[pullquote]“You are therefore commanded in the President’s name to arrest the said Aristogerasimos Vangelatos forthwith and lodge him in prison.”-Warrant Except to Greenwell Ng’uni [/pullquote]
Vangelatos went to Mr Justice Musonda’s chambers on June 14, 2010 and after making the allegations around 12:30 hours, the judge ordered him to go and collect Dr Chongwe.
He promised to go back to Mr Justice Musonda with Dr Chongwe around 14:00 hours the same day but the duo never turned up for summary trial until the court summoned him.
Later Mr Justice Musonda set July 2, 2010 as date of hearing summons for contempt of court but Vangelatos again failed to show up.
“This continuous disregard of court orders can’t be condoned. A bench warrant for his arrest is hereby issued,” Mr Justice Musonda said.
His warrant addressed to Lusaka Division Commanding Officer Greenwell Ng’uni reads: “By an order of this court dated 2nd July 2010 it was ordered that Aristogerasimos Vangelatos of flat number 5 Acropolis Flats Chila Road Kabulonga, be committed to prison for contempt of this court.
“You are therefore commanded in the President’s name to arrest the said Aristogerasimos Vangelatos forthwith and lodge him in prison.”
When contacted, Lusaka Division commanding officer Greenwell Ng’uni said he does not know anything about the bench warrant against Vangelatos.
“I was out in Solwezi when it was issued. Maybe other officers attended to it,” Mr Ng’uni said.
Particulars of the summary contempt are that Vangelatos accused Mr Justice Musonda, Mr Justice Mutuna and Mr Silwamba of having conspired to decide cases against him.
He went on to state that Mr Justice Mutuna had decided his case against a Supreme Court judgment.
Vangelatos added that he had been to State House and to Chief Justice Ernest Sakala to report the alleged conspiracy.
When asked as to who advised him to make the allegations, he said it was Dr Chongwe.
Mr Justice Musonda said Vangelatos’ allegations were false, malicious and intended to undermine the court’s integrity.
He said by unleashing the malicious and twisted smear, Vangelatos intended to intimidate the court before hearing of his case
Vangelatos has over the years been embroiled in incessant legal battles with his brother Demetre over management and ownership of Dar Farms International Transport Company, King Quality Meat Products, and Metro Investments.
Press Association of Zambia vice president Amos Chanda (left) is flanked by president Andrew Sakala at a press briefing in Lusaka
The Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) and Media Institute of Zambia (MISA) Zambia advised QFM Radio to make amends over its report that President Banda stopped over in South Africa to watch the World Cup finals on his way to Turkey.
PAZA vice-president Amos Chanda said in Lusaka yesterday that it was clear that the president was not at the World Cup, and that the radio station should correct the story that quoted Mr Mpombo.
“Clearly, President Banda was not at the World Cup. Their source of information was incorrect, they needed to verify before they published the story,” he said.
MISA Zambia chairperson Henry Kabwe said currently, there was no body to regulate the conduct of the media in Zambia.
And The Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has advised journalists to always verify facts before publishing stories.
ZUJ president Melody Mwala said in a statement that it was always advisable for journalists to be ethical by verifying stories before publishing or airing them to the public to avoid conflicts, especially at this time when the country is headed for elections next year.
Meanwhile, Independent Churches of Zambia (ICOZ) president David Masupa has advised Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo to reflect on issues before making public statements.
And Rev Masupa has asked Mr Mpombo to apologise for trying to mislead the nation that President Rupiah Banda made a stop-over in South Africa to watch the just-ended World Cup final match on his way to Turkey.
He said it was wrong for the MP to base his statements on assumptions because that was dangerous.
[pullquote]Mr Chitwa said in Kitwe that it was regrettable to have leaders of Mr Mpombo’s calibre to represent people in Parliament.[/pullquote]
State House yesterday advised the media in Zambia to be cautious with stories they sourced from disgruntled politicians, which are totally wrong and bent on tarnishing the name of President Banda.
Rev Masupa said Mr Mpombo’s negative comments were bound to scare aware investors and it was unfortunate he had become so desperate that he had joined in misleading the nation on many important issues.
He challenged Zambians to scrutinise some leaders they were voting into office. It was disappointing for Mr Mpombo to resort to telling lies in order to gain cheap popularity.
Copperbelt Ba Ushi Cultural Traditional and Development Association chairperson, Stephen Chitwa said Mr Mpombo was a danger to the Zambian society because of his careless statements.
Mr Chitwa said in Kitwe that it was regrettable to have leaders of Mr Mpombo’s calibre to represent people in Parliament.
TANZANIA’S main airline, Precision Air plans to launch flights into Zambia, as part of its ambitious and rational expansion into the regional markets.
Chairperson Michael Shirima has said the airline intends to strengthen its presence in the region, and has named Zambia as one of the markets that Precision Air was eager to penetrate.
According to Reuters news agency, the airline wants to sell a third of its shares in an initial public offering (IPO) through the stock exchange in that country by the end of the year to fund the expansion programme.
Partly owned by Kenya Airways, with a 49 percent stake, Precision Air is the main carrier in Tanzania, operating ATR 72-500 and ATR 42 planes and a Boeing 737 to 13 destinations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
But Mr Shirima told the news agency on Tuesday that the airline would now be looking more to markets in the Southern African region, ruling out launching of overseas international routes because of associated risks.
He said on Tuesday the IPO would fund new aircraft and more services in the regional economic blocs to which Tanzania belonged such as the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community (EAC).
“International routes are a bit risky. We will focus on expansion of regional routes to countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and EAC member states,” Mr Shirima said.
However, he said it was not clear how much will be raised through the offer.
Precision Air has already sought regulatory approval for the sale of the shares, which will result in Kenya Airways cutting its stake to 34 per cent.
“We envisage achieving this goal by October, but have been delayed by legal requirements. The target is to offer the IPO before year end,” he said.
Mr Shirima started the company in 1993, offering charter services with a five-seat Piper Aztec plane. Kenya Airways, which bought its stake in 2003, was not immediately available for comment.
Precision Air said late last year it planned to invest about US$300 million within three years to expand its fleet.
NAMWALA Member of Parliament Robbie Chizhyuka has advised the United Party for National Development (UPND) leaders to reconsider their pact with the Patriotic Front (PF) in view of the confusion that has characterised the agreement.
But UPND secretary general, Winstone Chibwe has said the opposition party made wide consultations and has resolved to remain in the pact with the PF.
Major Chizhyuka said yesterday that UPND should reconsider its alignment for the party to have any value in the political process and leadership of the country.
He said had UPND president Hakainde Hichilema consulted before forging the pact with the PF, he would have got tangible and meaningful advice based on the political philosophy of the majority grassroots.
He was commenting on the recent confusion that has arisen in the pact over the adoption of candidates for the Chadiza and Kaoma local government by-elections.
Major Chizhyuka said the decision by the UPND to enter into a pact with the PF was a sole idea of Mr Hichilema that was anchored purely on his personal business interest and profit motive.
[pullquote]Mr Hichilema told the UPND top officials that the party would participate in Western, Southern, North-Western and Central provinces where the party was stronger than the PF, and that the PF would contest on the Copperbelt, Luapula, Lusaka and Northern provinces that were stronghold areas for the PF.[/pullquote]
“They should realign their tactics and strategies for 2011 and 2016. The pact arrangement with the PF will only hurt the UPND from what has surfaced now.
“What is happening is testimony that Mr Hichilema rushed into this pact arrangement for his personal benefits and never widely consulted ,” he said.
Maj Chizhyuka said the UPND leader had learnt a lesson too soon “that lies in politics can come round and haunt the propagators of such lies.”
Mr Hichilema told the UPND top officials that the party would participate in Western, Southern, North-Western and Central provinces where the party was stronger than the PF, and that the PF would contest on the Copperbelt, Luapula, Lusaka and Northern provinces that were stronghold areas for the PF.
“The only province subject to discussion was Eastern Province at the time,” he said.
It was a slap in Mr Hichilema’s face for the PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba to say that it had never been the understanding of the PF that getting into the pact with the UPND would mean dividing the country on regional basis.
“Further, for him (PF secretary general Kabimba) to suggest that it has never been their understanding that their participation in the pact will be limited to certain areas in the country to the exclusion of other areas is a hard slap on Mr Hichilema’s immature political face,” he said.
Major Chizhyuka said it was clear from Mr Kabimba’s statement that PF would field in any constituency and ward, including the strongholds of UPND, in areas like Livingstone, Mazabuka and Choma.
[pullquote]He said the PF was right to field in Kaoma because according to the 208 presidential results, it got more votes than the UPND.[/pullquote]
Mr Hichilema should not cry foul now because he asked for what was now happening, and that the Electoral Commission of Zambia had no hand in the problems that had beset the PF/UPND Pact.
He said the PF was right to field in Kaoma because according to the 208 presidential results, it got more votes than the UPND.
Maj Chizhyuka said Mr Hichilema entered into the pact for his personal interest.
In a separate interview yesterday, Mr Chibwe parried the allegations by the Namwala MP, saying the party had consulted widely before entering into the pact with the PF. He said the party had made a decision to continue in the pact.
A prosposed friendly match between Zambia and Namibia in Windhoek set for August 11 has fallen through.
This is after the Namibian’s declined to play a junior Zambia team in the form of the Under-23 under Lucky Msiska after Faz decided not to send the senior team to face The Brave Warriors.
“Zambia has backed off the friendly, they now want to send an Under-23 team and Namibia has said no,” a reliable source said on Wednesday evening.
Namibia declined because they felt they deserved to face a stronger and seasoned Zambian team to measure their team as they prepare for the Africa Cup qualifier against away to Gambia in Banjul this coming September.
Zambia in its case face Comoros in their opening Africa Cup qualifiers in Group C match whom they are scheduled to host on September 4.
August 11 is an official Fifa August date for international friendly matches.
Last year during the same August friendly window date, Zambia played Ghana in a controversial friendly game hosted in London that the former lost 4-1 at Brisbane Road in the East End.
Lucky Msiska is expected to be local assistant to favorite for the Zambia job Italian Dario Bonneti who is expected to be officially unveiled any day soon.
Msiska is current Zambia Under-23 coach and will maintain his position with the All-Africa and Olympic Games qualifiers team.
According to reliable sources, long-serving team manager Solly Pandor could be on his way out and replaced by Lusekelo Kamwambi who recently served in the same capacity with the CHAN team and was from 2001 to 2008 at the under-23.
Pandor has been team manager since 2004 after taking over from Patrick Nkhata of Nchanga Rangers.
And Bonneti is expected to bring with him a backroom staff from Italy to complement Msiska and Kamwambi.
Meanwhile, in a related development Faz today said they had made rapid progress in recruiting the next Zambian coach without mentioning the Italian by name following an executive meeting today at Football House.
A man who calls himself "Dr. Rev. Prince" Nathaniel Tumbwe is accused of having unprotected sex with women in Dallas County without telling them he was HIV positive.
Carolyn Hudson barely knew Nathaniel Tumbwe so she repeatedly spurned his advances and marriage proposals that seemed to her more like a plea for sex than real commitment. But Tumbwe, 47, stopped taking no for an answer in October 2008, Hudson testified Tuesday. She said he raped her on the black futon in the TV room of her Cedar Hill home.
It wasn’t until weeks later that Hudson, who had already reported the assault to police, learned that Tumbwe had advanced AIDS and had exposed her to the virus because he did not wear a condom.
Hudson said that when police told her about Tumbwe’s AIDS status and medical condition, including that he had herpes and genital warts, she began to worry about other women he could have exposed to the deadly disease.
“I couldn’t do anything about it,” Hudson said about her own exposure, clutching a tissue as she testified during Tumbwe’s trial. “I had to put my faith in God.”
Tumbwe is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors allege the deadly weapon was his penis and bodily fluids that contained the HIV virus. He faces up to 20 years in prison, if convicted.
Prosecutors Josh Healy and Kate Pfeifle say there is no doubt about the guilt of Tumbwe, whose body visibly shook throughout Tuesday’s testimony. But his defense attorneys, Michael Levine and Omar Nawaz, contend that prosecutors “concocted” the charge against their client because Hudson now regrets having a relationship with him.
The Dallas Morning News does not typically identify possible victims of sex crimes but Hudson, a 60-year-old receptionist, wanted her name to appear.
So far, Hudson has not tested positive for HIV, but she must be tested once a year for 10 years. According to testimony, there is up to a 10 percent chance of passing HIV during unprotected vaginal sex between a man and woman.
Two women who did contract the virus after having sex with Tumbwe would likely testify against him during the punishment phase of the trial, if he is convicted.
Tumbwe was diagnosed with HIV in 1996 in Dallas. According to testimony, he did not take his medication and frequently missed doctor’s appointments.
Hudson met Tumbwe because both were elders at the Potter’s House, the megachurch in southwestern Dallas. Hudson is still an elder there, and she and Tumbwe would sometimes get together to discuss and debate religion at a bookstore.
Tumbwe, who calls himself a reverend, prince and a doctor, is from Zambia. Hudson said he told her he was going to run for “king or president” of the country and wanted her to return there with him.
She said she twice invited him to her home for discussions about religion and a ministry Tumbwe said he wanted to begin. Hudson testified that Tumbwe raped her on the second visit.
Hudson testified that on that same night Tumbwe tried to use the Bible to justify premarital sex. Hudson said she had been celibate in the 12 years since her divorce and repeatedly refused his requests to sleep with him.
Hudson said that although Tumbwe repeatedly told her: “give it to me, give it to me,” she said she told him no as many as 40 times.
Hudson said that Tumbwe told her that, “We both sinned in our hearts.” But she responded, ” ‘You sinned; I did not.’ ”
Hudson said that when he began to force her to have intercourse, she did not fight him. She was worried about her health because she has had multiple strokes and has a congenital heart defect that required open heart surgery when she was 12.
“He basically ripped me open,” Hudson said. “I just wanted it over.”
The trial is scheduled to resume this morning with Hudson on the witness stand.
The International Finance Corporation IFC has signed a Memorandum of Understating MOU with ZANACO worth 25 million United States dollars aimed at increase access to finance for smaller entrepreneurs and agricultural business companies in Zambia.
According to the MoU signed today, Zanaco will use the 25 million United States dollars senior loan from IFC, a member of the Word Bank, to increase products and services that target small and medium enterprises, especially in the agriculture sector.
It will also expand its lending in less developed and rural regions of Zambia were many entrepreneurs and businesses face difficulties in accessing finance, and raise its environmental and social standards.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Zanaco, Managing Director Mark Wiessing says the loan facility will assist the bank in supporting the SME sector in Zambia.
And IFC vice president for Business Advisory Services Rachel Kyte said her organization is committed to helping build an inclusive financial sector in Zambia by increasing access to finance for smaller businesses including the agribusiness sector.
She says the International Finance Corporation hopes to build on the strong relationship with Zanaco to increase financing to other important sectors of the Zambian economy.
