Second Republican President Frederick Chiluba has dismissed reports that he received a hostile reception during his recent visit to the Copperbelt.

Dr. Chiluba said contrary to some negative media reports, he was received by a huge, excited and slogan chanting group of residents.

He said the group was much bigger yesterday when he made a stop over at Chifubu market on his way to his residence.

The former President said this in a statement released to ZNBC news by his Spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba in Lusaka.

Dr Chiluba is shocked that his private visits to the Copperbelt are being maliciously misconstrued and reported as political campaigns for the MMD.

He wondered why the Patriotic Front is now panicking over his trips to the Copperbelt when the MMD NEVER made an issue over similar trips when he supported the PF.

He explained that regular trips to the Copperbelt are necessary because his other home, farm and close relatives are there.

ZNBC

The Zambia Government has allowed farmers and traders to export the maize surplus of 1.1 million tonnes mainly in southern African after a good harvest, but farmers have urged more exports.

Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNUF) president Jervis Zimba told Reuters today that farmers also wanted the government to provide tax waivers on maize exports and other incentives to make exports cheaper.

He said they are looking at exporting somewhere around 1.3 million tonnes in order not to have serious carry-overs for the next crop. Zimba said proposals to subsidise exports would also allow excess maize to be removed from the local market and guarantee higher prices in the 2010/11 season, after the government kept this year’s prices flat at K65,000 per 50kg bag.

Zimba said maize output would drop if the government did not facilitate the export of the surplus through an export subsidy.
South Africa said in April that it had secured foreign markets to sell its surplus maize of about 4 million tonnes in the 2009/10 season to safeguard maize prices for local farmers.

[pullquote] Zimba said proposals to subsidise exports would also allow excess maize to be removed from the local market and guarantee higher prices in the 2010/11 season, after the government kept this year’s prices flat at K65,000 per 50kg bag.[/pullquote]

Zambia produced 2.7 million tonnes of white maize in 2009/2010, beating last season’s harvest of 1.9 million tonnes, to leave a surplus of 1.1 million, according to a government crop survey.

Zimba said Zambia’s food balance sheet showed that total maize required for human consumption was 1.3 million tonnes, 230,000 tonnes for industrial use and 200,000 for strategic reserves.

Zambia, Africa’s top copper producer, also relies on copper exports for about 63 percent of foreign exchange earnings.

It has in the previous seasons exported maize to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Angola.

Exporters said they will target exports to Zimbabwe, after it declared 11 percent of its maize a write-off due to a dry spell, and also to other neighboring countries.

Meanwile, Kenya and Sudan have expressed interest in importing maize from Zambia.

Agriculture Minister Peter Daka says ZAMBIA has the capacity to export Maize and other crops to neighbouring countries and the sub region.

Zambia this year has over three million tonnes of maize following a bumper harvest recorded this year and carry over stock from last year.

Mr Daka said this during a consultative workshop on the development of the Zambia National Rice Strategy in Lusaka on today.

The minister said Zambia could treble its rice production if it develops a strategic plan for the sector.

Zambia currently produces 42 thousand metric tones of rice annually.

Reuters/ZNBC

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has urged civil servants in the country to develop efficient ways of accounting for money entrusted in their care.

ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba says systems of financial management, transparency and accountability in the public sector can only work effectively if the civil servants adhere to the regulations and dictates of the systems put in place by government.

Mr Hikaumba said the negligence pertaining to financial management and transparency policies by workers such as the failure to retire imprest has led to unaccounted for colossal sums of money which has been perceived as stolen by the public.

He added that it is through such weaknesses exhibited by workers that some unscrupulous people tend to find loopholes to swindle government of huge sums of money.

Mr Hikaumba further said controlling officers should also ensure that officers entrusted with public funds during official duties avoid over commitment and unnecessary spending of monies.
He said this in an interview with QFM.
[ Q FM]

The Federation for Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) has described the findings in the Auditor General’s reports as stinking.
FFTUZ vice president,Charles Phiri says though the Auditor General’s reports are perfectly done, the fact that government has adamantly shown no willingness to act on them makes them rotten and stinking.
Mr. Phiri says it is not right for government to ignore what the report has highlighted and still claim to be committed to fighting corruption.
He says ordinary Zambians are bearing the brunt of corruption because of lack of political will on the part of government.

He accused the MMD government of abetting corruption and allowing the misappropriation of public funds to continue by failing to take action against erring public officers.

Mr Phiri said culprits named in the Auditor General’s reports have been left to continue roaming the streets and walk around as free men at the expense of the many poor Zambians who are struggling to meet the little basic needs for their families.
He has since challenged government to take keen interest in addressing the issues that were exposed in the Auditor General’s report.
[Q FM]

BUSINESS came to a standstill yesterday when second Republican president Frederick Chiluba visited Chifubu Market in Chifubu Township in Ndola.

Dr Chiluba, who was accompanied by his bodyguards was spotted at Chifubu Market at about 16:45 hours.

Initially, people were not too sure about his presence but later realised who he was after word went round.

While in the market stands, Dr Chiluba talked to an elderly citizen of Chifubu called Lise Bwalya.

Ms Bwalya walked with Dr Chiluba to her house at 38CHD787 just across the main road near the market and at this point the crowd kept on growing bigger.

Dr Chiluba visited the house and Ms Bwalya said she was a widow that was struggling to survive.

“My husband died some time ago and I just work to get some money. So please help me,” she said.

Dr Chiluba left the house in the midst of excited youths up until the market where he was received with mixed emotions.

Some people shouted that he was the cause of their suffering and that they were behind the Patriotic Front while others shouted ‘the hour’ in support of the MMD.

He left the market about 17:30 hours as the mob followed him shouting different slogans.

[Times of Zambia]

MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya yesterday said UPND president Hakainde Hichilema benefited from the privatisation of parastatal companies although he is now condemning the policy.

Ms Siliya said records at the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and the Ministry of Finance show the UPND leader participated and benefited from the privatisation programme.

She urged Mr Hichilema to reconcile his sentiments on Radio Phoenix’s ‘Let the People Talk’ programme with the history of privatisation in the country and confirm that records available indicate that he was an active participant in the sale of companies.

In an interview from Johannesburg, Ms Siliya said Mr Hichilema sat and led some teams that were tasked with the privatisation of companies, including sitting on committees that spearheaded the process.

Ms Siliya, who is minister of education, said the UPND leader must show maturity in his politics rather than pour scorn on a process he knows too well and collected commissions and other fees amounting to US$12 million.

She said the Government had details about the privatisation process at the ZDA and the Ministry of Finance which were available and warned Mr Hichilema to avoid cheap politics.

[pullquote]Ms Siliya, who is minister of education, said the UPND leader must show maturity in his politics rather than pour scorn on a process he knows too well and collected commissions and other fees amounting to US$12 million.[/pullquote]

She described Mr Hichilema as immature and driven by political vindictiveness owing to his crude language against other political actors.

She advised Mr Hichilema to respect court verdicts that cleared her of allegations of impropriety while she was minister of Communications and Transport.

Featuring on Radio Phoenix’s ‘Let the People Talk’ programme, Mr Hichilema said 51 per cent shares in Zamtel should have been sold to Zambians and that Libya’s Lap GreenN should have bought a 49 per cent stake in Zamtel.

Mr Hichilema also denied having participated in the sale of Roan Antelope Mining Corporation as the company was only sold to Binani Group of Companies between 1997 and 1998 and he was never part of the process that led to its sale.

He denied having received the $12 million and challenged Government to check his books of accounts at Barclays Bank where his money has been deposited for 27 years.

Mr Hichilema also called for a system that would allow Zambians access investment licences, which they should use as contributions towards the formation of joint ventures with foreign nationals wishing to invest in Zambia.

[pullquote]He denied having received the $12 million and challenged Government to check his books of accounts at Barclays Bank where his money has been deposited for 27 years.[/pullquote]

But Ms Siliya said Mr Hichilema lacked the political acumen to allow him to lead Zambia and his ideas showed he was merely a comedian who was about to enter a pact without a future.

She dismissed Mr Hichilema’s sentiments that the ruling party was jittery following the launch of the pact and assured Zambians that the MMD would roll to victory in next year’s elections.

Meanwhile, Mr Hichilema has said candidacy for the pact remains an open contest between him and Patriotic Front president Michael Sata because the two leaders hold equal power and chances in the alliance.