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Zesco United failed to make significant gains in their second league match of the season after drawing at home against Konkola Blades on Wednesday afternoon.
Zesco drew 0-0 with Blades in a rescheduled Week 4 match played at Musa Kasonka stadium in Ndola.
The draw sees Zesco rise up slightly from 14th to 13th on the Super Division log on two points from as many games played since the start of the league season.
Zesco have yet to win a league game after drawing 1-1 away to leaders Power Dynamos in a week 3 match played on March 28 at Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe.
Government says the politics of insults being exhibited by the opposition Patriotic Front if not checked have the potential to spark anarchy in the country.
Speaking in an interview with QFM, Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha says having PF President Michael Sata and his Secretary General Winter Kabimba in leadership is the worst thing that can ever happen to Zambia.
[pullquote]He says it is a tragedy for some leaders who claim to be Christians to refer to other respectable leaders as Dogs.[/pullquote]
He says it is the politics of name calling that caused the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda. He narrates that the leaders in Rwanda caused the genocide after calling each other cockroaches.
Lt General Shikapwasha has since requested Zambians especially those in the opposition to take a leaf from what happened in Rwanda and desist from engaging in politics with the potential of causing chaos in the nation.
He says it is a tragedy for some leaders who claim to be Christians to refer to other respectable leaders as Dogs.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha further states that if Mr Sata can insult Mr Mangani, Zambians should be aware that he is also capable of insulting them when elected into office.
Faz have said they are open to look at options for a local coach in the wake of Herve Renard’s departure as Zambia coach.
Faz communications officer Erick Mwanza said on Wednesday at the weekly press briefing at Football House in Lusaka that the possibility of a local trainer taking over will be considered by the executive committee.
“It is one of the considerations,” Mwanza said. “Les us look at numerous options that we have and look at the merits. We will take into considerations all the permutations.”
And asked as to whether Renard’s former assistant George Lwandamina will be in charge in an interim capacity, Mwanza was non-committal.
“We will make a statement to that effect,” Mwanza said.
Renard resigned as Zambia coach this week after three years at the helm since 2008 and quit two month short of the expiry of his contract.
His assistants and fellow Frenchman Patrice Beaumelle also stepped down.
By Lusakatimes staffer
President Rupiah Banda has retired all the top defense force commanders and their deputies from the Zambia Army, Zambia Air force, and the Zambia National Service (ZNS) and replaced them with other officers with immediate effect.
Those retired include Zambia Army commander General Isaac Chisuzi,Zambia Air force commander Lieutenant General Samuel Mapala, and Zambia National Service commandant Major General Raphael Chisheta.
Speaking at the press briefing at State House today President Banda retired the Zambia Army Commander Isaac Chisuzi and replaced him with Brigadier General Lopa who he has promoted to the rank of Major General and was until his appointment Defence Attaché at the Zambian Mission in Ethiopia Addis Ababa.
At Zambia Air Force (ZAF), President Banda retired Lieutenant General Samuel Mapala and replaced with him with retired Brigadier General Andrew Sakala who he has recalled and promoted to the rank of Major General.
Zambia National Service (ZNS), Commandant Major General Chisheta has been retired and replaced with Brig Gen Yeta, who has since been elevated to the rank of Maj General.
President Banda retired ZNS deputy commandant Brig Gen J.M Miti and replaced him with Brig Gen Nathan Mulenga who was until his new appointment ZNS secretary at the Ministry of Defence headquarters.
The President told the gathering that he made the changes to ensure that young officers were given chance to hold decision making position and to boost their moral.
He said the men chosen merit their positions because they were experienced officers and had performed well in their previous positions.
The President noted that his appointment of the defense force represent all the regions in the country to ensure that every one contribute to the national duties.
All the appointed defense force commanders and their deputies would be sworn in today.
Mr. Banda thanked the retired officers for working well with him and for the support they gave him at the crucial time he was elected as republican President.
However, President Banda has disclosed that the campaign to destablise his government by some Non-governmental organizations and some political parties has failed.
The President warned that he would not allow any person to destablise the peace that Zambians have continued to enjoy during the presidential elections next year in 2011.
He charged that some political parties have failed to win past elections because they use tribe to climb the ladder adding that his ruling Movement for Mult-party Democracy (MMD) was a national party that articulates the issues of all Zambians.
Editors note:We sincerely appologize for the errors in the previous article
The government has charged that the United Party for National Development (UPND) vice-president Richard Kapita is ignorant of the activities at Lilayi Police Training College, hence his baseless allegation that cadres are being trained there.
Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani said it was wrong for Mr Kapita to mislead the nation by accusing the MMD of training cadres to cause confusion during the forthcoming by-elections in Mufumbwe and Milanzi constituencies.
In an interview yesterday, Mr Mangani said it was not true that the MMD was using the college to train cadres and appealed to politicians to avoid misleading the public.
Mr Mangani said politicians should avoid raising unnecessary alarm on important institutions like police colleges and called on them to stop involving police in politics.
“I think Mr Kapita is ignorant because how can he say that cadres are being trained at Lilayi? This just shows how desperate he is, he lacks information on what goes on at Lilayi,” he said.
Meanwhile, the UPND/Patriotic Front Pact has dismissed reports that the opposition is plotting violence during the forthcoming elections but instead accused the ruling party of being behind the act.
UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the pact was aware that the people planning to cause confusion belonged to the ruling party and wondered why the MMD was accusing the opposition parties.
He said the pact had information about several people some of whom were already in Mufumbwe with a view of causing confusion.
And PF secretary-general Wynter Kabimba said it was saddening that the MMD was allegedly witchhunting as it had failed to provide details on the people planning to cause confusion.
Recently, MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya disclosed that the ruling party had uncovered a scam in which some opposition parties taking part in the Milanzi and Mufumbwe by-elections were recruiting cadres from Lusaka and Copperbelt to cause confusion.
Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba (l) and Upnd Spokesperson Charles Kakoma at the press briefing in Lusaka
Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Winter Kabimba has challenged government to commence investigations over how he acquired his house when he served as Lusaka Town Clerk.
Responding to Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani ‘s threats to have him investigated on how he purchased a big house at K500, 000 on Independence Avenue during his tenure as Town Clerk, Kabimba said he has got relevant records under his ministry, he should prove his cases against him if he is man enough.
Mr. Kabimba said he has no time to worst on the cheap political tactics being exhibited by government through the Home Affairs Minister to blackmail him because he is not guilty.
He noted that government attempts to blackmail PF leader Micheal Sata and FDD leader Edith Nawakwi by threatening with nonexistent cases is what they are trying to do with him.
Mr.Kabimba explained that the conditions under which he purchased the said house in 1998 were strict for any illegal activities to be employed.
He said he would remain a law abiding citizen adding that as long as Mr Mangani does not perform his duties of which he gets paid using tax payers’ money he will not stop castigating him.
Mr. Kabimba urged Mangani to devote his energies on improving the lives of police officers under his Ministry who were wallowing in abject poverty instead of spending time fabricating cases.
QFM
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has assured the electorate it will deliver credible elections in the coming Milanzi and Mufumbwe parliamentary by elections.
Speaking in Lusaka yesterday, ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said the commission would conduct a briefing for candidates that had already filed in the names in readiness for the elections.
Mr Akufuna said a briefing for monitors would also be conducted to enlighten them on their role and that copies relating to codes of conduct would be distributed to remind and correct them about their duties.
“Cadres and police officers who go beyond their duties do not mean the commission has failed to perform, the codes of conduct will alert them on the do’s and don’ts so that we have peaceful by-elections,” Mr Akufuna said.
Mr Akufuna said the commission would also conduct a briefing for conflict management committee and that voter educators would be on the ground to sensitise voters on the dangers of conflicts during elections.
He said some observers during election come with hidden agenda to blemish the good image of the commission and that it was not easy to deal with them because they added credibility to their work.
“Observers are like our witnesses, we cannot do away with them.
Mr Akufuna said accusations of the commission being partisan were mere perceptions and that the commission had performed its duties effectively and independently despite criticism from stakeholders like some political parties.
“As a commission, we involve political parties during our discussions, they are aware of the mandate of the commission which was stated by the Zambian law to propose names of candidates, appointment of members of the commission by the president. I am very sure that criticism comes as a result of those laws,” he said.
And Mr Akufuna said the continuous voters registration (CVR) exercise would start in June this year, and that the commission had met with members of Parliament including other stakeholders like the media and civil society to brief them on the exercise.
The commission would sensitise voters on the CVR a month before and that the communication techniques would be through radio stations in all districts, music, drama, and that voters education facilitators would conduct door to door campaign.
CHINA Nonferrous Metal Mining Group Company (CNMC) president Luo Tao has said his company wants to work with the Zambian people to bring sustainable development to the country.
Mr Luo said when he paid a courtesy call on the Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima that his company wanted to work along side the Zambian people in contribute to the economic development of the country.
He said his management at the CNMC Luanshya Copper Mine(LCM), Chambishi mine, Chambishi smelter and Chambishi leaching plant adhered to the Zambian labour laws and the other laws that governed the country.
Mr Luo said his firm was committed to having a good relationship with the Zambian workers and that was why the top management at LCM consisted of two Zambians while 60 per cent of the departmental heads at the mine were Zambians.
“We have employed alot of Zambians at LCM and two managers are Zambians, while 60 per cent of those managing the different departments are also Zambians,” he said.
Mr Luo said his company had so far spent USD 42million on modernising the equipment at LCM and would continue doing so until the equipment is modernised.
He said the former owners of LCM did not invest a lot in modernising the equipment at the mine saying that CNMC was a good investor that ensured that its investments had modern equipment.
Mr Luo also said President Rupiah Banda’s visit to China on the invitation of the Chinese President Hu Jintao was successful.
He said President Banda signed some treaties, while he was there and that the President called for Chinese investors.
Mr Luo said President Hu then instructed those that had invested in Zambia to expand their investment and CNMC, therefore, approved a further USD 500 million in its subsidiaries in Zambia.
CNMC LCM would receive US$300 million, while Chambeshi mine, smelter and leaching plant would receive US$200 million this year.
Mr Luo said he was impressed with President Banda’s leadership and that of Mr Mbulakulima.
He said President Banda was committed to bringing investment to Zambia that would improve the economy.
Mr Luo said Mr Mbulakulima was also working hard to upgrade the Copperbelt which has resulted in the development that he had observed over his seven visitations.
It was because of this, he said, that CNMC felt supported by the Government and triggered the company to invest further in the Copperbelt.
Mr Luo said the company had recorded progress in the Baluba mine development and that he was happy with the work that was so far done in all its subsidiaries.
And Mr Mbulakulima said the Chinese group had expressed resilience and endurance and was, therefore, Zambia’s partner in development.
He said he was happy that CNMC was willing to invest USD 500 million this year in its Copperbelt subsidiaries.
Mr Mbulakulima said he was also happy that the company observed the Zambian laws as that was how it should be.
He said Zambia had world class economic policies that more Chinese investors should take advantage of and invest in Zambia.
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has seized property belonging to GBM Trucking Limited in Lusaka to recover more than K2 billion owed to the agency by the company.
The seizure of the building in the capital city comes in the wake of the company’s failure to settle about K522 million with interest, which the company had borrowed from the Government’s crop marketing agency in 1998.
GBM Trucking and GBM Milling had in 1998 deposited title deeds for the building as collateral for a K522 million loan from the FRA but failed to settle the debt when it was due.
A Times reporter who toured the premises, which are also used as Patriotic Front (PF) secretariat in Vila Elizabetha, found the gates locked with security officers manning the building.
FRA legal counsel, Chola Kafwabulula said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the company had failed to settle the K522 million with interest, which made the agency seek legal redress.
Mr Kafwabulula said the agency then took the company to the High Court where GMB Milling lost before appealing to the Supreme Court where the lower court’s ruling was upheld.
“This is purely a commercial transaction without any political inclination to it. This is as a result of the failure by the company to settle the loan even after losing in the courts and we now want to recover our money,” he said.
Mr Kafwabulula said the money would be recovered with interest and now amounts to more than K2 billion.
He said the agency would start evaluating the property before advertising the sale of the building.
“If we find that there is any change after evaluation, then they will get it but soon you will see the adverts in the Press on the sale of the seized property,” he said.
Efforts to get GBM proprietor, Geoffrey Mwamba failed by Press time as his mobile was switched off.
And PF spokesperson, Given Lubinda said he could not comment on the matter as he had not been to the seized building.
The Zambia Under-17 team leaves for Uganda on April 7 to face their hosts in a Rwanda 2011 Orange CAF Under-17 Cup preliminary round, first leg qualifier.
Aggrey Chiyangi is expected to leave the country at midday on a Kenya Airways flight to Kampala via Nairobi.
The match will be played on Friday afternoon at Nakivubo stadium.
Winner of the two-legged match will face Ghana in the first round qualifying stage in September.
Goalkeepers: John Banda (Libala Basic), Davie Banda (Amakumbi).
Defenders: Musesha Phiri (Damiano Academy), Alex Sichone (K-Stars), Chishimba Changala (Livingstone Pirates), Kachola Banda(Lutanda Academy), Peter Mulenga, White Kaande (Both Lusaka Youth Academy).
Midfielders: Salulani Phiri (Winford Academy), Bruce Musakanya (Livingstone Pirates), Simon Nkoma (K-Stars), Patrick Sakala (Lutanda), Masauso Tembo (Nchanga Rangers), Kennedy Mwambazi (Telesport).
Strikers: Moses Phiri (Young Zanaco), Martin Chakulya (K-Stars), Constantinos Ioanndu (Tuks Academy, South Africa) and Emmanuel Phiri (Nchanga Rangers).
Former Zambia national soccer team coach Herve Renard talks to reporters
The BBC online reports that Frenchman Herve Renard has ended his stay as the coach of Zambia. The 41-year-old ended his contract with the Chipolopolo on Tuesday with two months remaining on the deal.
The Frenchman quit despite leading the team into their first Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final in 14 years.
“Renard handed in his letter of intent to be excused as he stated his desire to pursue other professional interests elsewhere,” Zambia FA (FAZ) spokesman Eric Mwanza said in a statement.
“FAZ and Renard therefore amicably agreed on the way forward.
“In view of this development, FAZ’s consultations and efforts to have him extend his contract have since been suspended.
“Physical trainer Patrice Beaumelle will also not be staying in the job.”
Herve had been linked with several national teams in Africa since leading the Chipolopolo to the last eight of the Cup of Nations in Angola in January.
The Frenchman joined the Chipopolo in 2008 after serving as an assistant to the then Ghana coach Claude Leroy.
He guided the Zambians to an third place finish in the maiden African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Ivory Coast last year.
Herve coached in France, Vietnam, China and England, before teaming up with Le Roy in Ghana.
A police officer looks over Matero residents who are queuing up to obtain national registration cards.
Lusaka residents trying to acquire Green National Registration cards under the third phase of mobile registration exercise have expressed their frustrations over the slow pace at which the exercise is moving.
The mobile issuance of NRCs under the third phase started on the 1st April 2010 covering Lusaka, Luapula and Copperbelt provinces.
A check by QFM News both at Matero Hall and the Boma found long queues of people trying to acquire the NRC’s.
Some revealed that they have been forced to spending more than one night at the centers in order to obtain to obtain their NRCs.
Those spoken to, mostly secondary school going pupils, said that the exercise has forced them to abscond classes for more than a day.
Others wondered why the Government did not opt to open mobile registration centers at almost every school to deal the congestion and enable as many people as possible to acquire the NRCs.
Some parents who escorted their children also complained of having the details such as the age of their children rejected fearing that some of their children may end up without NRCs.
The Lusaka residents have since called on Government to assign more people to the mobile issuance exercise of NRCs and create more centers to decongest the existing centre.
People struggling to cross the flooded Sikalamba stream in Sinazongwe district to go either to Choma or Lusaka
By Patrick Hatontola
As 2011 dawns, the MMD government must realize that it marks the new era when people’s wish for a forward government will transcend over any manner of political manipulation, Lumpenism and hooliganism. These vices have characterized the political landscape for the past 20 years but 2011 will be the last nail on the coffin. It is a year when the weaker will speak louder to the powerful.
Below are 20 reasons why electorates will not give the MMD another mandate in preference to the UPND-PF PACT.
(A) Urban Development
1. MMD’s failure to maintain infrastructure left by UNIP. This includes institutions of learning such as: UNZA; dilapidation of Health Care centers like UTH and turning tarred roads turned into gravel roads in across the country.
2. MMD’s failure to run Health care centers. These centers cannot dispense basic medication such as panado thereby causing avoidable deaths
3. MMD’s failure to maintain affordable transport by abandoning the railway transport left by UNIP hence increasing the cost of production.
4. MMD’s failure to plan for the city by building new infrastructure and system in major towns thereby causing unnecessary traffic jams. Rather, MMD has promoted mushrooming of shanty compounds like MISISI where no reticulated piped water and electricity are provided.
5. MMD’s failure to timely handle disaster management cases such as floods in Lusaka and collapsed bridges in Southern Province shows that it lacks priorities.
6. MMD’s failure to create employment. Rather, Job loss has been on a raise in MMD’s reign.
7. MMD’s paralyzing of citizens by closing local companies such as Mansa batteries on the copper belt, Eagle cycles in Eastern Province, Mwinilunga Pineaples in Northern Province
8. MMD’s grievous Taxing policy burdens majority Zambians in favor of few foreigners. MMD has failed to create other sources of revenue opposed to strangling citizens with exorbitant Taxes. Rather, they abolished the windfall TAX to the detriment of the country.
(B) Rural Development
1. MMD under RB’s administration has reduced the Fertilizer support Program from 2 hectors to 1 Acre per farmer thereby disempowering farmers.
2. MMD’s late delivery of farm inputs across the country has further crippled the agriculture sector.
3. MMD has killed agriculture viability by abolishing NAMBOARDS through which farmers sold their produce easily.
4. MMD destroyed the agro system by abolishing the agriculture extension services. Consequently, livestock is diminishing in places like Southern and Western Provinces. The collapse of farming in central province was also a direct result of closing the Tobacco Board of Zambia
5. MMD’s failure to fulfill the ever promised rural electrification. ZESCO is now on auto pilot.
6. MMD’s failure to tar major feeder roads has eroded any possibilities of creating an enabling environment for rural development
(C) Generally-Cross functional Developments
1. MMD has disrespected citizens by rejecting their recommendations such as 50+1 through the biased NCC.
2. MMD’s failure to provide free education up to university level left by UNIP is retrogressive.
3. MMD’s sale of ZAMTEL against the wish of the people has compromised the country’s security
4. MMD’s failure to preserve women’s dignity. MMD shows no remorse on the tragedy of women giving birth on streets. Refer to Chance Kabwela’s case. The Health Minister must confirm if the incinerator is now operational at Chipata Clinic.Worst still MMD youth who want to gang rape Nawakwi have not been suspended from MMD.
5. MMD has refused to fight corruption. They seem to have embraced real suspects. Refer to the dillydallying of the registration of the London Judgment against Chiluba; The IG of police not suspended to pave way for investigations; the ruling party being headed by Katele –a man defending himself against serious corruption charges in court? The Auditor General’s revelations are not acted upon to mention a few.
6. MMD’s attempt to abolish freedom of the media through the failed media regulation attempts
In view of the above short comings one can easily establish a case of gross incompetence; gross inefficiency and gross negligence from MMD to warrant a vote of no confidence in next years polls. The UPND-PF PACT therefore stands a better alternative.
The United Party for National Development (UPND) has dared the Zambia Police to arrest the PF/UPND Pact leaders Michael Sate and Hakainde Hichilema.
Responding to MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya’s call on the police to visit the two pact leaders on allegations of accusing President Rupiah Banda of planning to eliminate them,UPND Secretary General Winstone Chibwe saidc that the police could go ahead and arrest the two leaders.
He said there was nothing wrong for what the two pact leaders said by stating that president Banda has intentions to eliminate them as his political opponents.
Mr Chibwe accused the MMD of desperate and capable of doing anything that would keep them in power.
He said the UPND/PF pact is not scared of the calls by Ms Siliya to arrest the two pact leaders because such threats are expected in the political arena.
Mr. Chibwe reiterated that UPND was ready to defend itself from any form of provocation in the forth coming Mufumbwe and Milanzi Parliamentary by elections.
QFM
