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Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde
Mission Press Director Father Drevensek Miha has described as criminal Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde’s request for numbers of reporters from Zain.
Father Miha said such acts are proving that the police service which is supposed to be protecting people has been turned into a militia.
He said the police has become an MMD militia wing instead of serving the interests of the Zambians.
Father Miha observed that the police service has ceased to be a serious and professional service under the leadership of Mr Kabonde.
He added that the directive by Mr Kabonde requesting for numbers of journalists from Zain should be treated as a criminal case because it demands striping the subscribers of Zain their privacy.
He expressed sadness that the relevant authorities have remained quiet over the matter.
Father Miha said this in a telephone interview with Qfm.
Father Miha also said Government has no choice but to release the Valuation report of ZAMTEL by RP Capital.
He said ZAMTEL is a public entity that requires people to know the transactions involved.
He said Zambians have a right to be suspicious of the 75 percent sale of ZAMTEL shares as long as Government continues to refuse to make the Valuation report public.
[ QFM ]
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) yesterday held a meeting with 20 political parties where it was resolved that the political parties should urge their members to avoid all forms of violence during campaigns and abide by the electoral code of conduct.
According to a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday, the ECZ and the political parties agreed during a meeting held at Chrismar Hotel in Lusaka that the political parties would not engage in violent activities in the fourthcoming Luena and Chifubu parliamentary by-elections.
They condemned the violence that characterised the recent by- election in Mufumbwe.
The meeting was called realising that violence was detrimental to the development of Zambia and that it disenfranchised the electorate. Among some political parties that attended the meeting were the MMD, Patriotic Front, UPND, FDD, UNIP, NAREP, Heritage Party, ZADECO, United Liberal Party, APC and New Generation Party.
[ Times of Zambia ]
President Rupiah Banda
President Rupiah Banda has directed police to arrest and prosecute people involved in illegal grabbing and allocation of land regardless of their political affiliation.
President Banda said the police should immediately devise an effective and efficient law enforcement mechanism to arrest and prosecute all those that have acquired land illegally from lawful owners, especially in Lusaka.
Special assistant to the president for Press and public relations Dickson Jere said yesterday in a statement the police should further investigate the people and their ring-leaders involved in land grabbing and bring them to book without fail.
He said the president had received numerous representations from a number of people concerning the conduct of criminals purporting to be political party cadres grabbing land from lawful owners.
The president directed that all those occupying land illegally should be removed forthwith and land should be given back to the rightful owners who had title deeds.
“Police officers should protect all legitimate owners of land from harassment and victimisation from the illegal land grabbers regardless of their political affiliation. The police should ensure those threatening violence are brought to book without fail,” he said.
The president has also directed the minister of Lands, minister of Local Government and Housing and minister of Home Affairs to immediately form a committee to follow up on all complaints concerning land, which has been illegally acquired and allocated.
The president said all unplanned settlements should be stopped.
“The Ministry of Lands through the office of the commissioner of lands should conduct the audit of undeveloped land, especially in Lusaka and appropriate action taken in accordance with the law,” he said.
The president has directed local and other planning authorities to take charge by stopping any illegal construction of buildings.
“All buildings under construction should have legitimate planning permission as prescribed by law. Public officers involved in the illegal acquisition of land should also be dealt with and appropriate action taken against them,” he said.
The president has also directed all public officers entrusted with the responsibility of administering land to be above board and avoid involving themselves in illegal transactions.
“It is the wish of the president to see to it that there is order and tranquility in land acquisition in Zambia. There are laws in Zambia which govern land acquisition, which must be respected at all times,” he said.
A Lawyer representing former president Fredrick Chiluba’s wife Regina has told the Lusaka High Court that the magistrate’s court erred in passing a custodial sentence on his client because the charges she faced were misdemeanours.
This is in a matter in which Regina has appealed against her three- and -half-year imprisonment by Lusaka chief resident magistrate Charles Kafunda who convicted her on five counts of being in possession of property suspected to have been stolen.
Regina’s lawyer Robert Simeza said the court erred to passing a custodial sentence on charges that were misdemeanours and also another custodial sentence of three-and -half years on a felony relating to a television set that was valued at about US$3,700 and was non-functional at the time of the case.
Mr Simeza said although the television set charge fell under section 318 of the Penal Code and was a felony, Regina was a first offender that should not have been handed a custodial sentence.
He also said magistrate Kafunda also erred when he imposed a custodial sentence of two and half years in respect of counts under section 319 (a) relating to three properties.
Mr Simeza said that the question of Regina not being married to Dr Chiluba at the time she received a television set through State House was not sufficient ground to jail her to three and half years.
Regina, whose appeal is being heard by High Court judges, Evans Hamaundu, Eddie Sikazwe and Catherine Makungu, was convicted for failing to account for properties in her possession, which were allegedly stolen or unlawfully obtained.
Regina argued through her lawyer, Simeza, that magistrate Kafunda should not have dismissed her explanation over the Toshiba television set and convicting her for the felony just because she was not married to then president Chiluba at the time she got the television set through State House.
Simeza said he had no contention on the aspect of Regina having possessed the said television set, which she said was personally bought by her using money received as a gift from Chiluba while he was president.
Mr Simeza said magistrate Kafunda’s holding was that Regina was a private person who should not have been in possession of Government property.
He said that since the prosecution wanted to convict Regina at all cost they failed to call evidence from the person who sold her the television set in London.
He said this was highly improper because this information was within the prosecution’s province and that the person who sold Regina the television resided in both England and Zambia. Hearing continues today.
[Times of Zambia ]
The Zambian government has finally reduced its international gateway license fee from US$12 million to $350,000 in a bid to attract international investment in the country’s telecom sector and reduce the high cost of communications.
The new gateway license fee puts Zambia at the same level as other countries in the region including Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, which are experiencing massive investment in the telecom sector. International gateway fees are $214, 000 in Kenya and $50,000 in Uganda.
Private mobile operators in Zambia and other telecom sector stakeholders — including Zain, the World Bank, and the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). — had been expressing concern at the high cost of doing business in Zambia.
The decision to lower gateway fees comes in the wake of the government sale of Zamtel, which controlled the gateway and charged private operators high fees for its satellite system. Zamtel has been sold to Libya’s LAP Green Networks in a bid by the Zambian government to level the playing ground in international call services.
“The move by the Zambian government would enhance the performance of the telecom sector because high tariffs put pressure on customers’ pockets,” said Walter Tapfumanei, communications officer for Africa Agency for ICT Development.
Despite the reduction in international connection fees, the high user tariffs are not expected to decrease anytime soon, since the Zambian government has not come up with a law to govern the use of the gateways. Service providers are still using the old tariffs for international calls as they wait for the enactment of the new law that the Zambian government has drafted to guide service providers on the use of the gateways. The new law is yet to be presented to Parliament for approval, which might take months.
Commerce Minister Hon. Felix Mutati and Philips regional head JJ van Dongen.
Philips today kicked off the Lusaka leg of the Cairo to Cape Town Tour, during which, from May 12 to July 20, 2010, Philips will travel across Africa to raise awareness for the opportunities of new solar powered LED lighting and best in class medical solutions to improve the quality of healthcare in Africa. An estimated 560 million Africans have no effective lighting at night and the demand for effective healthcare solutions that increase access to healthcare in Africa is growing rapidly. As a leading company in health and well-being, Philips will meet with relevant stakeholders in 15 countries to present and discuss its simple and effective lighting and healthcare solutions during this 2-months road show.
Solar lighting to strengthen economy, education and well-being
In Africa, it goes dark all year round at about 6.30-7.00 pm and this darkness holds countries back socially and economically. Philips believes that access to effective, energy efficient and sustainable solar lighting has the potential to strengthen Africa’s economic, social, educational and cultural activities in a life-changing way. Philips new solar lights include a small LED reading light that offers children the chance to do school homework at night or for adults to more easily follow evening classes. These lights are affordable and offer the potential for a major boost in literacy across the continent.
‘It is amazing what solar lighting can change for the lives of the people living in these areas. It can strengthen Africa in many transformational ways’, says Dutch soccer legend Ruud Gullit who is working with Philips to gain attention for the world’s first solar powered LED football field lighting system. This latest innovation will effectively extend the day for communities without access to electricity allowing them to play and watch a game of football in the evening. Gullit: ‘It is important that the African people have access to simple and sustainable solutions to build the future.’
A night-time football match illuminated entirely by the sun
Philips also partners up with The Right to Play foundation, which aims to improve the lives of children in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Matthijs Huizing, director of Right To Play Netherlands: ‘We are pleased to join forces in communicating the power of sport and play for development, health and peace, strengthened by the new opportunities that solar LED lighting offers.’
‘’As the leading company in Health and Well-being, Philips plans to serve Africa’s growth potential in terms of partnerships for innovation, solution supply and knowledge sharing by bringing meaningful lighting and healthcare solutions to the African people”, said Tamer Abolghar, General Manager, Philips Lighting, Egypt and Eastern Africa.
Innovation and partnerships to improve quality of healthcare
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 11 percent of the world’s population, yet bears 24 percent of the global disease burden and commands less than 1 percent of global health expenditures. The average life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa has remained at roughly 50 years since 2002. Philips points out that there are signs of improvement: the quality of hospitals and medical staff increased significantly in the last years and many healthcare projects have boosted the transformation to modern and well-structured healthcare systems in Africa.
‘At Philips, we applaud the fact that governments, public and private hospital sectors increasingly dedicate energy towards making healthcare more accessible and affordable’, JJ van Dongen, Senior Director and General Manager, Philips Healthcare – Africa & Country Manager – Philips South Africa. ‘Demand for new healthcare solutions is growing fast. Our mission is to improve the quality of healthcare in Africa through access to education, sharing of best practices and improved collaboration between public and private stakeholders’.
Philips cooperates in Public Private Partnerships (PPP), supports large-scale projects that are aimed at upgrading hospitals, educating healthcare professionals and supplying medical equipment. Furthermore, Philips takes part in the ORET international development initiative, which is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and seeks to promote economic growth in developing countries in order to promote sustainable development and growth.
Minister of Health Kapembwa Simbao has refuted insinuations that donors have suspended the Global Fund facility to the Ministry of Health. The Minister however said the Global Fund instead delayed disbursements of all grants to pave way for the Global Fund audit. Speaking at a press briefing at Ministry Headquarters in Lusaka today, Dr Simbao assured that the Ministry of Health was still enjoying a cordial relationship with some donors such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as well as World Health Organisation(WHO) among other co-operating partners.
Mr Simbao said Government with the Global Fund partners are currently working on modalities which will enable the Ministry to start accessing funds through UNDP. He added that the Ministry will then be able to access the funding directly after two years.
He said the current position is that, instead of being the principle recipients, the Ministry of Health has now become sub recipients. And Mr Simbao further stated that the Ministry of Health has been invited to apply for Global Fund round 10 since the country has managed to qualify in four rounds namely rounds 1,4,7, and 8.
He said the round four grants for malaria and HIV which were due to expire in October this year have been extended for one year to make up for the delay in disbursement. Mr Simbao further revealed that the Ministry will continue working hand in hand with some co-operating partners to build its capacity especially in procurement and finance as per agreed joint governance action plan.
He added that the Ministry of Health has so far accessed Six million United States Dollars from the Global fund saying out of this money, only three million Dollars has been used and the remaning three million dollars was yet to be accesed. Mr Simbao said the Global Fund allowed the Ministry of Health to continue procuring life saving drugs namely anti malarial, anti retro virals and Tuberculosis (TB) drugs.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported today that Global Fund had suspended disbursements of grants to the Ministry of Health in Zambia
Zambia on Wednesday played down fears of a looming health crisis after the Global Fund suspended more than $300 million in health assistance to the country citing corruption.
The freeze, the latest graft scandal to hit President Rupiah Banda before an election due next year, is likely to affect the southern African country’s fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao said the Global Fund would still continue supporting Zambia but the funding would now be made available through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“It is just that the Ministry of Health will no longer be the principal recipient of the funding but all the programmes will continue under UNDP,” Simbao told Reuters.
“We hope that with the support of the UNDP, the Ministry of Health can build capacity to administer the funding in about one to two years.”
The aid freeze comes a year after Sweden and the Netherlands suspended $33 million in Health Ministry aid due to a missing $5 million. Some officials were later charged with stealing the money.
The European Union has also halted aid earmarked for road construction because of concerns about graft.
University of Zambia economist Oliver Saasa said the latest suspension should serve as another warning to Banda to get serious about graft, a growing concern of donors who pay for 30 percent of the budget in Africa’s largest copper producer. (Reporting By Chris Mfula)
Rev. Maidstone MulengaLast week was one shining moment for journalism in Rochester. When the Democrat and Chronicle published a story about Beverly Anderson, a student whose college future was mired in a paperwork bog, the community sprang into action to help her. Talk about making a difference, the reason some of us went into this profession.
That is why Shakespeare’s “Parting is such sweet sorrow,” makes great oxymoronic sense as I prepare to answer a call to full-time ministry in the United Methodist Church. I find sweet sorrow in leaving Rochester and the Democrat and Chronicle. The sorrow stems from leaving behind friends and colleagues of the last 15 years. The grief emanates from that missed phone call that was never returned, that lunch date that was cancelled, that chance to meet that did not materialize. The sweet oozes from that cherished letter, card or phone call to express gratitude about a story or a column.
For 15 years here, I have tried in different roles to highlight the global nature of today’s world. When Sept. 11, 2001, attacks occurred, we were able to put in the hands of our readers a newspaper at noon, barely three hours after the attack, educating our community about the rest of the world. Through internationalization of local stories and localization of international stories, I strived to help Rochester understand the world better.
Here at the Democrat and Chronicle, I served in various capacities and led several projects, including the revamping the Diversity Committee; leading the creation of the first-ever Ethics Code for the National Association of Black Journalists; founding the Rochester Association of Black Journalists and starting the Multimedia Academy for high school students studying journalism, which was instrumental in helping the Democrat and Chronicle be recognized by Gannett Inc. as the front-runner in reflecting the diversity of the community in staffing, outreach and coverage.
Where do I go from here? Answering God’s call to serve full time would be my humble way of thanking God for the many blessings showered on me and my family. For the last 20 years or so, journalism has been my religion, but now religion becomes my journalism.
Maybe the only word that can capture my gratitude to Rochester is: Natotela. (“Thank you” in Bemba — my language from Zambia.)
Mulenga, a native of Zambia, has been appointed director of communications for the Upper New York Area of the United Methodist Church. He will be based in Syracuse.
Lucy Shirley Changwe, MP: one of her immediate ambitions is to build a girls' high school in her constituency. Photograph: Natalie BennettThere were really two main reasons why I went into politics. The first was that I was struck by the expression “politics is a dirty game”. If it really is, then that is something that has to be addressed, because development will have to come through politics. Secondly, I saw that educated, so-called elite people were not getting into politics. But for me, I thought that if I am going to be educated, I must be able to get into the game and make a difference.
Also, I wondered why it was only men in politics, when it was clear so many of them couldn’t deliver. I wanted to see how I could contribute.
I had studied for a diploma in education at the University of Zambia, then I worked as a teacher. That was in the family; both my father and mother were teachers. Then in 2000 I started a Bachelor of Arts, and I’m now in a full-time Master’s programme in educational administration. Eventually I want to do a PhD on issues related to gender parity.
When I decided to go into politics my father was very supportive. He had attempted to become an MP twice in the Mkoshi North constituency that I now represent, without success. But others were sceptical. It meant that I lost my job in the civil service.
But when you have a will something keeps telling you to move, move, move. And I knew that people were looking for a change. Everbody said: “Let’s try and give a woman a go.”
There are now 22 women and 150 men in parliament. The voice of women in parliament is still a little weak, although the women in the various parties try to lobby their men, and we try to balance out who sits on committees. All of the women MPs in my party [the Movement for Multiparty Democracy] are ministers.
It seems that men want to show that the women are not capable, not chosen on merit. But most of the women have done tremendously well. They do their work, their research, and when they are not able to state the answers they say that they will go away and find out.
You ask me when there will be a woman president of Zambia: well the time is ripe, anything is possible. There will never be bells ringing saying “this is the time”. It is up to women to take up the fight.
I am married to an accountant who works in the ministry of health, but he stays almost 1,000km away in a northern province. My daughter, who is 12, is at a state boarding school. I don’t keep her at home because of the prevalence of rape and defilement. If you have a houseboy you cannot trust him; if you have a garden boy, you cannot trust him. If you have cousin, you cannot trust him; you cannot trust anyone.
Given the position I have, given the nature of breadwinning, I have to be away a lot. Women who are earning the family’s money have to go out. When they are out, who is looking after their girls?
There is a lot of gender-based violence in the world. And in Zambia too. A bill is now being finalised with the law development commission and will soon be brought to parliament. And the government has set up a number of institutions. One is the victim support unit, another is an awareness and sensitisation programme. More violence is being reported and our judges are doing well, with sex offenders getting very long sentences.
But there is a myth in Africa that someone who is HIV-positive can be cured if they sleep with a virgin. This is why we have all the issues of rape and defilement of very young girls. It usually happens in homes. That is why I feel my girl is safe in an all-female environment.
But my sons, aged 10 and seven, live at home. I do all the house chores myself. Every day I wake at 4am and prepare the food, make sure the boys have their baths and take them to school. After that I clean, sweep and dust, and by 7am I am ready for work.
In the evenings the boys can cook their own simple food. I think everybody must do their own work – cooking, washing, cleaning. No part of the work should be reserved for women and girls. Among urban-dwellers this is a concept that is widely spreading, but when you go to rural parts of the country it is almost taboo. It’s a real challenge for developing countries to address such taboos.
The other challenge in rural areas is that literacy levels are low, particularly for girls. The next school might be 10 or 15km away, and much farther for high school. What I really want to do is build a high school for girls in my constituency. At the moment we have just two high schools that are supposed to educate 200,000 pupils. A new school would cost about 10 billion Zambian kwacha and I’m looking very hard for a donor who might be able to support that.
Also, there’s a big problem with HIV and Aids. The burden of caring falls very much to women and girls, and some girls have to stop school as a result. But we have so many terminally ill people, and so many orphans.
It is not an easy road for women, but then nothing is impossible for a woman, and they are in a better position than men to address many of the vices and problems that we see.
Royal Philips Electronics on June 15 signed a five-year multi-million Euro contract with the Ministry of Health in Zambia, covering the upgrade and maintenance of equipment in 71 government hospitals nationwide.
According to Philips, this agreement also includes the training and education of healthcare workers on advanced medical treatments using modern technologies to improve the quality of care. As a leading company in health and well-being, Philips aims to help transform the quality of healthcare in Zambia and other African countries through meaningful solutions, innovations and partnerships.
This renewed collaboration between Philips and the Ministry of Health, Zambia was announced at the kick-off of the Lusaka leg of Philips’ Cairo to Cape Town Tour, in which, from May 12 to July 20, 2010 Philips travels across Africa to raise awareness for the opportunities that new solar powered lighting and best-in-class healthcare solutions can provide in order to improve the quality of healthcare in Africa.
Building sustainable healthcare infrastructure
Philips has had a long term association in modernizing the healthcare infrastructure across the Republic of Zambia. In mid-2008, Philips completed the implementation phase of a seven-year project to modernize the healthcare infrastructure of Zambia. The program, part of the Dutch government’s ORET international development initiative, has seen substantial improvements made to 71 hospitals across the country. It has included the training of over 200 local hospital staff, creating a sustainable skills base to ensure a brighter future for the provision of healthcare in the country.
The €25 million project included the installation and maintenance of diagnostic imaging equipment including mobile X-ray, fluoroscopy, ultrasound scanners, operating theaters and dental treatment systems. Funding was provided by the Dutch and Zambian governments, each contributing 50 percent of the project’s costs.
To ensure sustainability and therefore continuation of the ORET program, Philips and the Zambian Ministry of Health, have signed a comprehensive maintenance and upgrade agreement which covers all the equipment delivered and installed under the original ORET Project.
Structurally training the healthcare skills base
Part of the new agreement signed today is training and education of healthcare workers which is another important focus area for Philips. Technology has little value without sufficiently skilled staff to operate and maintain it. Ten years back, rural hospitals in Zambia had great difficulty in attracting motivated people. Philips has recognized that human resource development was considered the most critical issue for continued sustainability of healthcare projects. The Government of Zambia has invested considerably in the training needs of the local clinical staff, including radiologists and service engineers under the ORET Project.
A major skills enhancement program was carried out in close cooperation with Fontys University of Eindhoven, The Netherlands. A training centre was set-up in Lusaka and over 200 local hospital staff, including radiologists, laboratory technicians, nurses, midwives and other medical personnel have been trained. A train the trainer program was organized to provide a pool of trainers in the country. A special tele-learning site was set-up to allow Zambian course participants to talk to each other and exchange information. Philips continues facilitating in on-going training and skills enhancement.
“From the start of the ORET project in 2002 we have worked closely with Philips to modernize the healthcare infrastructure across Zambia,” said Hon. Kapembwa Simbao Minister of Health, Republic of Zambia. “It is no longer necessary for Zambians in any district to have to be carried long distances to Lusaka or the Copper Belt in order to get X-ray or diagnostic attention. Philips has proved to be a strategic partner making a tangible and valuable impact on the quality and availability of healthcare in Zambia. They have built on existing infrastructure and trained the local people to make healthcare access sustainable. This approach to supporting our efforts is in line with the vision of the Ministry of Health to provide equity of access to affordable, cost-effective and quality health services to the Zambian people as close to their families as possible. We believe that this renewed collaboration with Philips will enhance opportunities and improve the quality of care in our country”.
Bringing quality healthcare closer
“From our early discussions in 1998, followed by the start of the ORET project implementation in 2002, to the signing of an additional five-year healthcare contract today, we have always sought to lay the foundations of a structural improvement in the healthcare delivery system across Zambia”, said JJ van Dongen, Senior Director and General Manager, Philips Healthcare – Africa & Country Manager – Philips South Africa.
“Supplying and maintaining medical technology in 71 key hospitals across the country is and remains a managerial and logistical challenge; it requires long-term commitment and comprehensive project management capabilities. Philips has invested in building on existing infrastructure and training local people to make the project sustainable. We are delighted that the Government of Zambia has decided to extend their collaboration with us. Philips Healthcare’s vision is to improve people’s lives through meaningful solutions designed around the needs of care providers and patients. We will do everything we can to ensure that health services are available and accessible across the country. The benefits of this collaboration will continue to be realized for many years to come”, added Mr JJ van Dongen.
The Philips-ORET collaboration in Zambia is one of a number of projects included in the ORET international development initiative and part-funded by Dutch development aid.
President Rupiah Banda
President Rupiah Banda has assured the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) that his Government will release the K2.2 billion meant for retirement packages for daily classified employees who worked for the association.
President Banda said this money has been outstanding since 1996.
He said Government will also ensure that CHAZ daily classified employees who were still not on the pay roll were put on the roll.
President Banda said this in a speech read for him by Presidential Affairs Minister, Ronald Mukuma at the official opening of the 40th annual general council of CHAZ at Mulungushi International Conference Centre today.
Mr. Banda noted that churches have, since 1964, been Government’s trusted ally in terms of providing health care and other services to people, especially in rural areas hence the need to maintain the relations.
He added that CHAZ was a pioneer of introducing home based care services to people living with HIV/AIDS.
“It has put 31,000 people on anti retro therapy. CHAZ has also supported 50,000 orphans in schools successfully,” he said.
The President further said CHAZ has helped 224,000 people suffering from tuberculosis (TB) and distributed thousands of mosquito nets to needy people in an effort to combat malaria.
President Banda said it was for this reason that Government will continue to provide funds to church supported institutions.
He pointed out that Zambians should not ignore the realities of diseases which were challenging the health sector.
He said his Government was resolved to addressing all the impediments that made Government to fail to provide quality health care delivery to the public.
Mr. Banda expressed confidence that since cooperating partners have resumed funding to the Ministry of Health, most of these challenges will be addressed.
He cited the challenges as inadequate funding to the health sector, inadequate staffing levels to the sector and lack of adequate infrastructure.
The President has meanwhile, urged CHAZ and its members to continue complementing Government efforts by providing quality health care services despite various challenges dogging the health sector.
Earlier, CHAZ Board Chairperson, Joop Jansen, said the association was aiming at serving the underprivileged people in society.
Dr. Jansen said CHAZ will endeavour to continue complementing Government in providing health care services in the country.
And in her vote of thanks, Sister Beatrice Chanshi commended Government for standing firm in providing health care services to Zambians even when donors had withdrawn funding to the Ministry of Health last year.
CHAZ consists of members from various church denominations in the country.
The funeral of Nelson Mandela’s great-granddaughter, Zenani, will take place on Thursday June 17, 2010 at the chapel of her school, St Stithians College in Sandton, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said on Monday.
While the funeral would not be open to the public, South Africans were welcome to send their condolences to the Mandela family via email, said foundation spokesperson Sello Hatang.
“We appreciate that South Africans and visitors to the country would all like to be there, but due to space constraints, we ask that they please send their condolences to [email protected],” he said.
“We will certainly make sure that the family receives them.”
Zenani Zanethemba Nomasonto Mandela, 13, died in a car crash after the World Cup opening concert in Soweto on Thursday night. She is the granddaughter of Zindzi Mandela, who is the daughter of Madiba and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
The driver of the car was Sizwe Mankazana, the 23-year-old son of Zwelakhe Mankazana, who is Zenani Mandela-Dlamini’s partner. Mandela-Dlamini is the late Zenani’s great-aunt.
Mankazana was initially arrested and charged with drunk driving and culpable homicide, but his case was struck off the roll on Friday pending “further investigation”.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said that Mankazana would appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on July 26, two weeks after the World Cup had ended.
NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga declined to comment on claims that Mankazana was getting special treatment because he was part of the Mandela family.
He also denied that Mankazana’s case had been delayed to manage media coverage by letting him appear after the World Cup had ended on July 11, when most foreign journalists had already left the country.
“Whatever decisions we take, they are above board,” said Mhaga.
Sapa
PF leader Michael sata and UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema
United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota has said the leaders of PF/UPND pact Michael Sata and Hakainde Hichilema are allegedly naive and too simplistic by suggesting that they would reverse the sale of 75 per cent shares in Zamtel to Libya’s Lap Green Networks.
Mr Sikota, who is also a lawyer, said the two leaders lack a proper understanding of economic management from a legal perspective because renationalising companies was costly as the new owners would demand several other costs apart from the principal purchase value.
Mr Sikota was reacting to continued statements by Mr Hichilema and Mr Sata that they would revoke the sale of 75 per cent shares in Zamtel sold to Libya’s Lap Green Network.
He said the cost demobilisation, projected profits, the amounts invested, compensation and the actual profits, which would be lost, could rise to un proportional levels that no government would pay.
The country’s rating had already been threatened because of such statements, which do not give hope to the present and would-be investors.
He warned that Zambia’s world credit rating would collapse if Mr Hichilema and Mr Sata continue to threaten renationalisation of the privatised companies like Zamtel.
Mr Sikota said Mr Hichilema and Mr Sata should avoid such thoughts because they were almost legally unrealistic.
Mr Sikota said Government operated on the principle of continuation of sovereignty, which ensures continued economic and political stability.
He said Mr Hichilema and Mr Sata should not become a risk to national economic development by issuing statements that would threaten the country’s increased confidence internationally.
He said whether or not Government changes after next year’s elections, the Government of the Republic of Zambia would remain with the mandate of encouraging foreign direct investment.
And Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Felix Mutati said that Zamtel made losses that amounted to K385 billion in the last three years and that it saved US$200 million which was required to save the company from closure.
Mr Mutati said at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday the company had become technically insolvent with shareholders’ fund collapsing to negative K270 billion in 2009 alone.
Mr Mutati said the company had terminally collapsed with more than 50 per cent of monthly revenues going towards salaries while its competitors, Zain and MTN only spent less than 25 per cent on the payroll and made contributions to the economy through taxes.
[ Times of Zambia ]
The Millers Association of Zambia has described as ridiculous speculations by government that Millers have began forming cartels to unfairly benefit from this year’s bumper harvest.
MAZ vice chairperson Peter Cottan who is also National Milling Corporation Managing Director has since challenged Government to go on and investigate their suspicions of the alleged formation of cartels by Millers.
He says the announcement made by him on behalf of National Milling to reduce prices was in a bid to lead others to follow suit or risk losing their market.
Mr Cottan said it is not possible for millers to start reducing the prices now because they are still buying maize from the 2008 and 2009.
He said that Government should not mislead people that prices of mealie-meal must be low stressing that the decision taken by National Milling may not be possible for other millers to follow suit.
Mr Cottan added that he did not make the announcement for the reduction of mealie-meal prices in his capacity as a representative of MAZ but as managing director for the National Milling.
He expressed shocked about the route of suspicions stressing that the milling business is highly competitive and that millers cannot seat together and set prices as they have to compete against each other owing to the already over capacity in the industry.
Government has said that it is monitoring the millers’ price fixing amidst the bumper harvest that the country has recorded.
[ QFM ]
