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ZIMBABWE is negotiating with Zambia to import maize to meet that country’s 500,000 tonnes grain deficit, Zambia’s High Commissioner to Zimbabwe, Sipula Kabanje has said.
In an interview in Harare, Dr Kabanje said the two governments were negotiating through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) so that the once bread basket of the region, which has suffered economic turmoil in the last decade, could import maize from Zambia.
“Zambia today has a surplus but Zimbabwe has a deficit of 500,000 tonnes. We are coordinating with the FRA because they need to import maize to cover the deficit, and FRA is keen to export the surplus,” he said.
Dr Kabanje said Zimbabwe would not only need maize but was also looking to import other food products like cooking oil, wheat, meat and dairy products from Zambia.
He said Zambia should take advantage of the prevailing situation in Zimbabwe, where economic activities were recovering from years of economic downturn, and produce a lot of commodities for that market.
“Zimbabwe used to be Zambia’s biggest import source but now the situation is that Zimbabwe has to import a lot of commodities from Zambia.
“There are a lot of companies in Zimbabwe that want to import our wheat, rice, beans and other agricultural products for processing here while others want copper cathodes and other products from all sectors,” he said.
He said the Government, through the Zambia Development Agency, was trying to link more small and medium enterprises to the Zimbabwean market to supply the food requirements for the southern African country.
Zambia and Zimbabwe would also continue collaborating on infrastructure development, as was already demonstrated with the development of the Chirundu one-stop-shop border post.
SUPERDEAL Investment Limited, a Chinese firm, is set to establish a large-scale kiln in Kabwe at a cost of more than US$2 million.
Company chief executive officer, Luobin Bin Luo said in an interview in Kabwe that the furnace in the Central Province town would enable them process raw manganese ore in Zambia unlike exporting it in its raw form.
Mr Luobin, who was speaking through an interpreter Belinda Jiang, said the development would contribute to the growth of the economy by adding value to manganese.
He said the development of the kiln would create about 400 employment opportunities for the local people.
“We have a huge investment in Zambia and our plans are to put up a large furnace besides the plant we have,” he said.
Mr Luobin said many people would learn techniques that they could not acquire from school.
“This investment will not only create employment opportunities but also
contribute to the revenue base of this country,” he said.
Mr Luobin was optimistic that once the furnace was set up, it would raise the profile of Kabwe due to increased investment.
“We have already presented our investment plans to the Zambia Development Agency and our intention to construct a furnace right here in Kabwe which will boost our production.
“Right now there is little activity at our plant because of non availability of the raw materials,” he said.
Transparency International Zambia TIZ has charged that it is an insult for Commerce Minister, Felix Mutati to state that Zambians will not be able to understand the partial privatization of Zamtel even if the valuation report is released.
TIZ president, Rueben Lifuka said government has a responsibility to account for every action it takes on behalf of the Zambians.
Mr Lifuka said it is only right that government avails the valuation report of Zamtel to the Zambians because RP Capital was engaged to value Zamtel assets using public funds.
He has since called on government to exhibit transparency and allow the people to know the truth about the whole process leading to the sale of 75% shares in Zamtel to Libyan firm LAP Green Networks.
Mr Lifuka challenged Government to come out clean and release the valuation report.
He said government would not lose anything by making public the valuation report especially that the sale of Zamtel has already been concluded.
Mr Lifuka pointed out that Zambians will not stop demanding for the valuation report to be made public for as long government wants to hide it.
[ QFM ]
The Ministry of Defence has discovered that some opposition political parties have embarked on a propaganda campaign aimed at discrediting the leadership of President Rupiah Banda’s Government through music being distributed on CDs in some military cantonments.
Defence Minister Kalombo Mwansa said all political parties must not extend their political activities and campaign to any military cantonment.
Dr Mwansa said in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday that it was not only a matter of grave concern but also unfortunate.
“It is an act of extreme desperation and not in line with public opinion. Military cantonments house officers – men and women, who have dedicated their lives to provision of security in our country,” he said.
He said the men and women in uniform must be allowed free room to execute the provision of security undisturbed by political propaganda and campaigns.
“[pullquote]It is an act of extreme desperation and not in line with public opinion. Military cantonments house officers – men and women, who have dedicated their lives to provision of security in our country,” he said.[/pullquote]
Dr Mwansa said their loyalty was to the Government of the day and the people of Zambia.
“We appeal to all political parties to respect the non-partisan position of the military personnel and encourage our officers to pursue their calling undisturbed,” Dr Mwansa said.
Dr Mwansa said the military personnel shoulder heavy responsibilities in order for them to keep peace, stability, unity and territorial integrity of the country.
“In this regard, partisan campaigns may detract them from this noble cause and create a situation that may compromise our nation’s
MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba has applied for leave of absence from his duties as national secretary of the party until his corruption cases are concluded in the courts of law.
The former minister of Finance was found guilty of corrupt activities and sentenced to five years imprisonment alongside former directors at Access Financial Services – Faustin Kabwe and Aaron Chungu and former Finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda.
They have all appealed against conviction in the Lusaka High Court.
Dr Kalumba said in Lusaka yesterday he would not be available for duties but would maintain the highest levels of loyalty to President Rupiah Banda and the ruling party to which he remains staunchly attached.
When asked if the decision had been influenced by media reports following a guilty verdict by High Court Judge Edward Musona who was sitting as magistrate last month, Dr Kalumba said the traditional establishment in Chiengi had directed him not to issue comments to the media and handed over his phone to his wife Lumba to take over the interview.
Mrs Kalumba said her husband had not received a response from President Banda on his request and declined to comment on what he would say should the president respond that the party still needed his services.
MMD Chilanga Member of Parliament (MP) Ng’andu Magande has said no one will force him to resign and that he would remain a member of the ruling party.
And Mr Magande said no one had powers to block him from attending any national executive committee (NEC) meeting because he was duly elected by the party convention.
Mr Magande was reacting to MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya’s challenge for him and his Kafulafuta counterpart George Mpombo to resign from the ruling party.
The former Finance minister said yesterday in an interview that he would not be forced to resign from the party because the people of Chilanga elected him.
“I am not a nominated MP, the people of Chilanga elected me to represent them and am doing just that,” he said.
When asked as to why he consistently attacked Government, Mr Magande denied ever attacking President Rupiah Banda and the Government.
“Where have I attacked the Government?” he said.
He said was representing the people of Chilanga well.
“I go to Kafue to attend council meetings and when I am given an allocation I am putting up boreholes in the constituency. I am also building high schools in the constituency,” he said.
[pullquote]“I am not a nominated MP, the people of Chilanga elected me to represent them and am doing just that,” he said.
When asked as to why he consistently attacked Government, Mr Magande denied ever attacking President Rupiah Banda and the Government.
“Where have I attacked the Government?” he said.[/pullquote]
And reacting to Copperbelt MMD Chairperson Joseph Chilambwe who threatened to block him from attending the party’s next NEC meeting, Mr Magande said no one would block him.
“Where are they going to hold the NEC meeting? Are they going to hold it at State House? State House is a public place and no one will block me from entering.
“Even now if I want I can go to State House because it is a public place. If Chilambwe wants to stand in my way I will run him over,” he said.
He said Mr Chilambwe had no powers to block him from attending the NEC meetings because he was elected.
Ms Siliya at the weekend asked Mr Magande and Mr Mpombo to resign from the party and avoid unjustified attacks against the Government.
Mr Mpombo could not be reached for comment.
And Mr Chilambwe has invited Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande to vistit the province and prove their popularity.
Mr Chilambwe said in an interview yesterday he was inviting Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande to vist the province to prove to MMD on the Copperbelt that they were popular following their continued attacks on Mr Banda and second Republican president Frederick Chiluba.
He said the duo were unprincipled and bitter people who were made popular by the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) Pact and some sections of the media which wanted to make headlines from their comments.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Government has given a go ahead for the setting up of tax free zones in Nakonde and Mpulungu districts in the Northern Province.
Provincial Permanent Secretary Mwalimu Simfukwe disclosed the development during a conducted tour of Kalungwishi Sugar Estate in Kasama recently.
And the PS further said that Zambia has the potential to export to most of Africa adding tat this can only be realized if production or enhancing of available resources is improved.
And speaking during the same occasion, Director for Kalungwishi Sugar Estate, Navit Patel appealed to Government to help stabilize electricity in the province.
Mr. Patel said the intermittent power supply was negatively affecting the operations of the only sugar industry in the province.
He however thanked the government for its continued support which has enabled the company to expand its production.
Kalungwishi Sugar Estate which has been in existence for the past 10 years has increased its production capacity to 300,000 tons of sugar per annum.
Lusaka district police commanding officer Greenwell Nguni wears recovered mask and a rifle recovered from criminals during a public display of the goods at Lusaka central police station. The Picture is NOT related to the robbery Story
Three bandits yesterday staged a dramatic daylight robbery during which they stole an undisclosed amount of money from Lusaka’s Hussein Wholesalers on Freedom Way.
The robbers, two of them armed with AK47 semi-automatic rifles, raided the shop just before it closed at 12:30 hours.
The criminals started their operation by firing gunshots in the air, instinctively forcing customers and shop owners to take cover. Passers-by hid behind cars while others scampered.
In the confusion, some of the robbers forced their way into the shop. A security guard was ‘neutralised’ at the sight of the armed robbers who ordered everyone in the vicinity to lie down.
Within minutes, the robbers had grabbed a carton box containing cash from the shop, jumped into a Toyota Corolla car and sped off after firing more gun shots in the air.
The robbers emptied the box of the money and threw the container out of the car as they sped away.
The car turned off Freedom Way and onto Katondo Street. Some witnesses said they saw the car turn onto Cha Cha Cha Road and vanished in the traffic.
It was not immediately clear if the driver was also a robber or was hijacked as some witnesses said he seemed to be driving under duress.
And a check at the shop after the incident found armed officers from the flying squad patrolling the city centre.
The flying squad arrested a taxi driver whom they suspected to have assisted the bandits to escape.
One of the workers at the shop, Ronald Sinkala, said in an interview that the robbers shot three warning shots to force the owner of the shop to release the money.
“We were actually about to close the shop when one of the bandits walked in calmly with a pistol and his colleagues followed and fired three shots just to ensure our boss releases the money,” Mr Sinkala said.
He said it is still uncertain how much money the bandits got away with as the day’s cashing was yet to be counted.
And one of the customers who was caught up in the incident described the ordeal as traumatising.
Evelyn Lingililani, who was visibly shaken, said she was the only lady in the shop at the time of the incident.
The owner of the shop was unavailable for a comment by press time as he was reported to be at the police station.
A three member High Court Judge Panel has begun hearing an appeal case for former republican President Dr Fredrick Chiluba’s Wife Regina following her conviction last year by a magistrate court for receiving property believed to have been stolen.
Mrs Chiluba was convicted on 3rd March 2009 on four counts and acquitted on one charge and sentenced to three years six months simple imprisonment by Magistrate Charles Kafunda.
In the first count Mrs Chiluba on dates unknown but between 16th of December 2002 and 3rd September 2007 had failed to account for property on stand number NDO/14 worth 80,000 thousand US dollars.
In the second and third counts Mrs Chiluba is alleged to have failed to account for property stand number KIT/ 643 worth 48, 000 US dollars and KIT/645 worth 60,000 US dollars in Kitwe respectively.
The property was suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully acquired contrary to section 319 of subsection A of the penal code.
In her appeal lawyer Robert Simeza of Simeza and Sangwa Associates said that the magistrate court ought to have had in place evidence that Mrs Chiluba had possessed the property in question.
He also argued that the court did not act in proportionate with the appellant’s station in life before having suspected her of having acquired the property in question illegally.
The defence also argued that the Magistrate did not prove that Mrs Chiluba had failed to account for the property.
The judges hearing the appeal are Judge Evans Hamaundu,Catherine ,Makungu and Eddie Sikazwe.
President Fredrick Chiluba and close relatives were present in court.
George Mpombo
MMD Kafulafuta Member of Parliament (MP) George Mpombo says it is cheap political hallucination for party spokesperson, Dora Siliya who he describes as a newcomer to ask him to leave the party.
Mr Mpombo said if there is anyone who should leave the party it is Ms. Siliya, republican president, Rupiah Banda and all newcomers who have contributed to the destruction of the party.
Mpombo said the MMD has become too loose because it hosts a number of newcomers in its National Executive Committee who have destroyed the party’s constitution.
Mr Mpombo has since challenged Ms siliya to be the first to leave the party before she could begin to harness the audacity of telling founder members to leave.
He pointed out that Ms Siliya has no capacity to send anyone out of the party simply because they have some antagonistic views.
He added that he is a member of the ruling party owing to his right of association and no one will make him change his decision simply because they are not happy with his deeds.
Mr Mpombo was reacting to MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya’s challenge to him and his Chilanga Constituency counterpart, Ng’andu Magande to resign from the ruling party and avoid unjustified attacks against the Government.
[ QFM ]
THE MMD says it will not adopt Kafulafuta member of Parliament (MP) George Mpombo and his Chilanga counterpart Ng’andu Magande to stand on the party ticket in the 2011 general elections.
MMD national chairman Michael Mabenga said the two have been a disgrace to the party.
“Whatever the two MPs have been issuing in the media to discredit the MMD is uncalled for and senseless,” Mr Mabenga said.
He said in an interview yesterday that the MMD is in the process of finding ideal candidates to field in the Kafulafuta and Chilanga constituencies because the current MPs have their own agenda.
“We are looking for candidates who will replace Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande,” Mr Mabenga said.
He said the two do not deserve to stand on the MMD ticket because they are not loyal to the party.
“Because of their retrogressive remarks against the ruling party, they have lost popularity in their constituencies…people in their constituencies are fed up of them,” he said.
[pullquote]
“Mr Mabenga cannot stop me from standing in Chilanga Constituency…he cannot compete with me even if he was to stand in my constituency,” he said.[/pullquote]
And Mr Mabenga said the MMD leadership will soon deal with erring members of the party, including Mr Mpombo and Mr Magande.
“We are not scared of anyone. It is just that we are following the laid down procedures before disciplining erring members,” Mr Mabenga said.
He said the MMD is a party that believes in its constitution and that it cannot rush things.
“Very soon, all erring members will be dealt with,” Mr Mabenga said.
When contacted for comment, Mr Magande said Mr Mabenga is not the person who adopts members to stand on the party ticket.
“Mr Mabenga cannot stop me from standing in Chilanga Constituency…he cannot compete with me even if he was to stand in my constituency,” he said.
Meanwhile, Copperbelt MMD chairman Joseph Chilambwe has threatened to block Chilanga MMD member of Parliament Ng’andu Magande from attending the party’s next national executive committee (NEC) meeting.
“I will personally block Mr Magande from attending the next NEC meeting. We cannot allow him and Mr George Mpombo to continue attacking the MMD, the party that they represent in Parliament. We are tired of their insults,” Mr Chilambwe said.
He said in an interview in Luanshya yesterday that the MMD on the Copperbelt will demand that Mr Magande be suspended from the party for his continued outbursts.
[pullquote]“I will personally block Mr Magande from attending the next NEC meeting. We cannot allow him and Mr George Mpombo to continue attacking the MMD, the party that they represent in Parliament. We are tired of their insults,” Mr Chilambwe said.[/pullquote]
“We are wondering why Mr Magande should say Zambians will change Government in 2011 when he is part of the ruling party. If he is not careful, he will be forced out of the party…he is a member of NEC who should protect the party instead of insulting it,” he said.
Mr Chilambwe said there is need to discipline party members who disrespect the top leadership.
He said the MMD on the Copperbelt is united and warned that the party will take action against undisciplined members.
Former church of god overseer Bishop John Mambo has called on government to avoid being lenient on calls to legalize homosexuality in Zambia.
Bishop Mambo said that Zambia is a Christian nation stating that Christianity does not tolerate same sex relations.
He said that in the church there is no human rights because when one commits sin is sin.
Bishop Mambo said the calls to legalize homosexuality are not new and that government should not be seen to accept such taboo.
He told QFM that it is also not a Zambian culture to allow Zambians to engage in same sex relations.
The Bishop noted that if that is allowed, Zambia might be destroyed in its cultural beliefs.
He added that it was unfortunate that some people were championing gay activities but expressed confidence that no one would openly support homosexual activities.
Last month, some political parties have said they cannot support and champion the legalization of homosexuality in Zambia because the practice is unChristian and alien to the nation.
The MMD and United Party for National Development (UPND) said separately that Zambia was declared a Christian nation and the issue of homosexuality had no room in this society.
But the Patriotic Front (PF) said it had not dealt with the matter because it was concentrating on more important issues.
[ QFM ]
Luapula Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Machungwa has accused Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata of diverting public attention from the failure of his party’s pact with the United Party for National Development (UPND) by continuously cricising the sale of Zamtel.
Dr Machungwa said in an interview that Mr Sata should desist from gaining political mileage by using the part-privatisation of the telecommunications firm.
He said Mr Sata was attempting to deflect public attention from the failed PF-UPND Pact and was now spending his time attacking the Government over the sale of Zamtel.
He said it was wrong for Mr Sata to continue attacking President Rupiah Banda and the Government over the sale of Zamtel and Zanaco.
Government recently announced the sale of 75 per cent shareholding in Zamtel to Lap Green Networks of Libya.
[pullquote]“Government embarked on the privatisation process in order to save some of these parastatals like Zamtel and Zanaco from total collapse and ensuring that they remained viable.
“Their sale was inevitable looking at the circumstances and their performance. The two parastatals were not making profits, and so it is wrong for Mr Sata to come and make negative statements about the whole process and threaten that he would re-nationalise the companies if he came into office,” he said.[/pullquote]
Dr Machungwa said the PF leader should not pretend not to be aware of conditions that necessitated the sale of parastatal companies in the country.
He said the sale of Zamtel was important in ensuring that it remained viable and able to contribute to the well-being of the Zambian people through job creation.
He said the Government decided to sell the company in the best interest of the country to save Zamtel from collapsing.
Dr Machungwa cautioned opposition parties against constantly attacking investment
initiatives, saying such actions would scare away would-be investors.
“Government embarked on the privatisation process in order to save some of these parastatals like Zamtel and Zanaco from total collapse and ensuring that they remained viable.
“Their sale was inevitable looking at the circumstances and their performance. The two parastatals were not making profits, and so it is wrong for Mr Sata to come and make negative statements about the whole process and threaten that he would re-nationalise the companies if he came into office,” he said.
He urged Mr Sata to concentrate on the pact and avoid unreasonable attacks on Government policies.
Dr Machungwa also said the launch of the UPND-PF Pact last week did not bring anything different to the Zambian people and only exposed the fact that the two leaders had failed to agree on who should stand for the position of president in next year’s general elections.
Meanwhile, the Committee of Citizens has condemned former vice-president Enoch Kavindele and PF spokesperson Given Lubinda for their criticism of the part-privatisation of Zamtel.
In a statement in Lusaka yesterday, Committee of Citizens executive director Gregory Chifire said the privatisation of Zamtel was the most successful deal in the history of the privatisation process in Zambia.
“We are therefore surprised by the petty and childish attacks made by Mr Enoch Kavindele and Mr Given Lubinda against Ms Dora Siliya merely designed to embarrass and not to build the country and its progressive policies and programmes,” Mr Chifire said.
He said that in 2002, Mr Kavindele was vice-president when Konkola Copper Mines was sold for a ‘scandalous’ US$25 million, the money he said the mines was able to generate in a week.
With the rise of copper prices on the international market, the $25 million was made in few days.
MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has challenged Kafulafuta Member of Parliament, George Mpombo and his Chilanga Constituency counterpart, Ng’andu Magande to resign from the ruling party and avoid unjustified attacks against the Government.
Ms Siliya also said former vice-president Enoch Kavindele is bitter after Government rejected his application for a mobile telecommunication licence.
She reminded Mr Kavindele that he was awarded a licence to operate North-Western Railway Systems without tender procedure and had not been cleared by any competent court of law.
Mr Kavindele accused Ms Siliya in a tabloid at the weekend of wrongdoing while she served as minister of Communications and Transport, an allegation for which she was cleared by a tribunal.
Mr Kavindele also alleged that Ms Siliya flew directly from Petauke to Johannesburg in South Africa but the minister said she had travel schedules about her flight connections.
Ms Siliya said Mr Kavindele’s licence to open North-Western Railway Systems was done outside the tender processes and had been fighting for the deal which he knew was irregular.
She explained that the Government withdrew Mr Kavindele’s licence due to non-performance in line with terms of his licence.
She said late president Levy Mwanawasa held a meeting with Mr Kavindele and Chief Mumena to explain the matter and wondered why he had continued fighting her in the Press.
Ms Siliya, who is minister of Education, said she was in Johannesburg for a Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministerial conference on education and never flew directly from Petauke in breach of the law.
She explained that she arrived from Petauke on June 6, 2010 and left for the conference the following day.
She said Mr Kavindele should avoid cheap politics as a man who occupied the second highest political office in the land.
She said Mr Kavindele was bitter over Government’s decision to reject Vodacom on whose platform he had applied to operate a fourth mobile phone service.
On Mr Magande and Mr Mpombo, Ms Siliya said the two would do well to leave the MMD because they had been campaigning that their own party should lose the elections next year.
She said there was lack of seriousness in the two politicians and was certain Zambians were getting fed up with them.
But Mr Kavindele said there was a tender by the Communications Authority for a fourth mobile telephone operator, which he won.
He, however, said the issue of North-Western Railway Systems was his idea and admitted that there was no tender on that account.
Meanwhile, MMD Deputy National Secretary Chembe Nyangu has said the ruling party is confident of scooping the forthcoming Chifubu and Luena parliamentary by-elections and advised all parties participating in the polls to desist from acts of violence.
And United Party for National Development (UPND) Copperbelt Province chairperson, Elisha Matambo has said the UPND-Patriotic Front (PF) Pact will not ferry any cadres from other constituencies to Chifubu during campaigns to avoid violence.
Mr Nyangu said in interview yesterday that the ruling party had found a winning formula, which would see it capture the Chifubu seat from the PF.
“We are doing our best as we prepare for the by-elections. As at now what I can say is that we are set to win the election because the MMD will field the best candidate capable of delivering the much-needed development to the people,” he said.
The Luena seat fell vacant after the resignation of Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Milupi while in Chifubu area MP Benson Bwalya died.
Meanwhile, Mr Matambo said in Ndola yesterday that it was important that all parties fielding candidates in future by-elections did not import cadres from other areas because they were the main cause of violence.
“As UPND and other partners in the electoral pact, the Patriotic Front, we have pledged to see to it that the forthcoming by-elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
[Times of Zambia ]
City of Lusaka have parted ways with coach Alfred Lupiya following a poor run of results.
According to club sources at Woodlands stadium, the decision to part ways with Lupiya was decided on Friday.
Lupiya has been replaced by his assistant Chris “Gazza” Tembo who has also been given the freedom to pick his assistant coach.
Meanwhile, Lupiya has only managed one win from his 10 games since taking charge of his first game on April 10 when City drew 0-0 with Nchanga Rangers at Woodlands.
Lupiya leaves City with one win, four draws and as many defeats with the team second from bottom of the Faz Super Division table with 10 points from 13 games played.
Lupiya was at Green Buffaloes last season after taking over from George Lwandamina in August 2009 before leaving at the end of last years campaign.
