Transparency International Zambia TIZ says the conviction of former Finance Minister Katele Kalumba and his co-accused is welcome and was expected.

TIZ president Rueben Lifuka said it is hoped that the conviction of the MMD National Secretary and his co-accused would mark the end of corrupt activities in the country.

He added that the convictions should also serve as a deterrent to would be corruption perpetrators.

Mr. Lifuka noted that the judiciary in the country should be commended for the work it has done on the case.
said the judgment should also send a message to the government workers that corruption has ill effects on the country.
A Lusaka magistrate Court yesterday convicted former Finance Minister Katele Kalumba together with six his co-accused on corruption charges.

Lusaka High Court deputy director of court operations Edward Musona sitting as magistrate sentenced Dr Kalumba,former finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda and former Acess Financial services directors Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe to 5 years imprisonment with hard labour.

He handed former ministry of finance Chief Economist Bede Mpande, former secretary to the treasury professor Benjamin Mweene and former director of Budget Boniface Nonde suspended sentences.

Dr Kalumba has since filed the notice for bail pending appeal to the High Court.
[QFM}

President Rupiah Banda yesterday launched a highly advanced video conferencing system that will enable lecturers from Japan to teach students at the Copperbelt University and the University of Zambia at the same time.

The technology is the first ever to work in any part of the World while universities in the United States of America will be linked to the system next month.

President Banda was delighted that Zambia was pioneering a technology that would keep Zambia at an advanced stage in technology advancement ahead of the launch of the e-learning Africa conference, taking place at the Mulungushi International Conference.

Mr Banda and delegation attended a lecture which was conducted by a lecturer from CBU whose presence appeared too close and intimate to believe it was a distance lecture that was meant for his class in Lusaka and another at CBU.
[pullquote]“Let all our citizens be assured that my Government is striving to ensure that equitable and accessible education is provided to all citizens of Zambia,” President Banda said.[/pullquote]
The president learnt about the classification of copper minerals, derived from a system that was designed by Professor James Dana in 1848 in which eight different metals were listed and there chemical make up explained.

President Banda said he delighted that a project that he had discussed with directors from the World Alliance Forum had finally materialised.

“Let all our citizens be assured that my Government is striving to ensure that equitable and accessible education is provided to all citizens of Zambia,” President Banda said.

He said his Government’s commitment towards education takes from the decision to turn the former Mulakupikwa Police Training College in Chinsali and turn it into a centre that would offer mathematics, science and information and communication technology at a university level.

The president urged Communications and Transport Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa to ensure a speedy implementation of the ICT policy he launched when he was vice-president because information technology was a catalyst for economic development, which helps farmers monitor trends in agriculture.

Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Hideto Matamura said the cost of putting up the technology was offered under the Japanese official development assistance.

He hoped the system would be broadened to allow for teaching agriculture and other matters in the rural areas and this would reduce on the cost of travels to conduct education matters.

Prof Lungwangwa said the innovation was part of President Banda’s success stories and commitment towards education.
[ Times of Zambia ]

First Quantum chairman and CEO Philip Pascall was diplomatic, as always, for the duration of a conference call on Monday to discuss the announcement that two (more) of the group’s interests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have again been the subjects of special mention. “We are extremely concerned with the orchestrated attack on the company’s Frontier and Lonshi operations”, said First Quantum.

More to the point, perhaps, First Quantum appears to be nearing the day when it will “name and shame” the individuals that, under increasingly fragile disguises, are waging a relentless campaign against it in the DRC.

First Quantum, one of the world’s top ten copper miners, has long been insistent that it is compliant with the DRC’s Mining Code, but in a September 2009 announcement, it confirmed suspension of work at the 75%-complete KMT project, after it was shuttered by government agents, cutting 700 jobs loose. Today First Quantum put its investment, so far, in KMT, at USD 750m.

Where will this go? Unlike KMT, no “direct action” has been taken by the DRC authorities (so far) against either Frontier or Lonshi as a result of a Supreme Court “decision”.

Questions put by investment analysts to Pascall on Monday pussyfooted around the background to the attacks on First Quantum in the DRC, which First Quantum solidly alluded to in its statement on Monday, when it referred to: “our refusal to resolve this dispute by agreeing to submit to arrangements with unspecified third parties”.

Proverbial napalm was further poured out, when First Quantum later added: “We will also take all necessary legal measures to protect our mining rights and property and pursue damages against any third party interfering with our legal rights”.

The names of the “third parties” are hardly secret, and could well become public within a month, when arbitration proceedings commence over the KMT debacle. On 1 February 2010 First Quantum announced an international arbitration by First Quantum and its partners in KMT, under the facilities of the International Chamber of Commerce, International Court of Arbitration, in Paris.

So far, courts of law, Congolese style, have been used as the main weapon against First Quantum. On 30 March, First Quantum announced that it “believes” that a DRC appeal court had upheld a USD 12bn “damages” claim against First Quantum, in respect of KMT.

The classic “third party” technique applied in the DRC is simple, starting with placing an entity such as First Quantum under extreme pressure. In the case of mining companies, the target s then approached to buy additional “valuable” mining properties. Whether paid by the victim in cash or shares, or both, the hustlers (diplomatically, “third parties”) cash in on millions and millions of dollars. First Quantum is unyielding, having apparently adopted a stance of “never give an inch, never yield an atom”.

“Orchestrated attack” intensifies on First Quantum, which seems closer to naming and shaming certain “unspecified third parties” as another court-supported potential asset confiscation looms.

Author: Barry Sergeant

[http://www.first-quantum.com/s/NewsReleases.asp]

DARIUS Mukuka, the man who was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour for insulting and defaming the
President, has thanked President Banda for pardoning him, describing the gesture as fatherly.

Mr Mukuka has advised people against insulting President Banda because he holds the highest office in the land and deserves respect. Mr Mukuka, 36, a driver of Ndola’s Chifubu Township, said this in an interview yesterday.

“I would like to thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Rupiah Bwezani Banda, for the fatherly act he has shown and done for me because my conviction has greatly affected my family,” Mr Mukuka said.

He said his family would have suffered if he had served his entire sentence. “I have been praying ever since I went to prison and God has finally answered my prayers, I am grateful that the President has helped me in this matter. I knew that God would answer my prayers, praise be to God.”

Mr Mukuka said it was a joyous moment for him, especially that being a husband and a father of four, his family would have suffered if he had served the entire sentence.

“It is not good to insult the President because he holds the highest office of the land. Whatever political differences you have or if you are bitter with the President, it is better to use the right channels to be heard instead of insulting,” Mr. Mukuka said.

He said people should refrain from insulting leaders because life in jail is not good.

Mr. Mukuka is one of the 350 prisoners President Banda has pardoned by remitting the remainder of their sentences. Mr Banda ordered Minister of Home Affairs Mkhondo Lungu to remit the sentence slapped on Mukuka by Ndola Chief Resident Magistrate Kelvin Limbani on March 17, 2010.

This was in a matter in which Mukuka was charged for defaming the President. Facts of the case were that Mukuka, on March 22, 2009, uttered words with intent to bring the name of the President into ridicule.

ZANIS