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File picture for Finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane
Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane says Chinese Investment in the country has helped the country attract other investors from bigger economies.
Dr. Musokotwane said most investors have decided to take an interest to invest in Zambia because of the Chinese investment.
He urged politicians to avoid politicizing Chinese investment because it is helping the country in bringing in more investment into the country.
Dr Musokotwane said in an interview that Zambians should concentrate more on the benefits that come with Chinese investment other than the negatives.
He said China has continued to be the major financial lender to bigger economies adding that Zambia should be grateful for being part of the development.
The minister said Chinese investment has contributed to the growth of the Zambian economy which is highly commendable.
Dr Musokotwane added that what is even better is that China has shown interest in investing in many sectors of the Zambian economy.
[ QFM ]
A dormitory at Lukalanya boarding school in Nalikwanda area of Mongu taken in 2009
Zain Zambia has donated 200 bunk beds,mattresses,blankets and pillows to Lukalanya High School in Mongu, and in addition is providing glazed windows and refurbishment of the schools water bore-hole.
Donating the materials, Zain Zambia Managing Director David Holiday said the items valued at nearly K100 million were donated as part of the company’s Build Our Nation initiative.
He said the initiative was started in 2005 to improve education standards in Zambia.
“Today, I can humbly state that through the Build Our Nation initiative we have been to all the 72 districts in Zambia and helped uplift education standards in 126 schools. In this endeavor we have spent over K6 billion and am pleased to inform you that this is an on going programme as we are now in the second phase, going back into the districts we have already been”, Holiday went on to say “We at Zain are proud to be making a very real difference to this school in Mongu. We at Zain want to see these children have a positive impression of schooling from the outset and this means a more conducive and safe environment.What we are providing are proper comfortable beds and bedding, window glazing to keep out the elements and a reliable water supply.These are things which any parent and teacher wants as not a privilege, but a right for children – this is something we at Zain work tirelessly at and have done so now for a number of years.We will continue investing and playing our part in this for many years to come. This is a program that is close to our hearts in Zain” Mr. Holiday said.
And Mr. Holiday has revealed that his company has set aside over three-quarters of a billion (K750,000,000) to benefit 10 schools in Zambia. He said the money will be used for infrastructure renovation, purchase of literacy materials, desks and other materials to needy schools.
He stated that the commitment underscores Zain’s dedication to supporting education in Zambia…
Meanwhile Mr. Holiday has called for the empowerment of youths through education adding that there are many challenges being faced by youths in communities.
“We have noted that there are many issues affecting today’s youth that can potentially lead them into various vices or ill-advised activities. At Zain we believe that there is need to redirect attention and focus on youth empowerment through education”, said Mr. Holiday.
He commended the Zambian government for providing free basic education to all children which is responsive to girls, rural children, children with special educational needs, orphans, and other vulnerable groups.He added that the challenge is retaining enrolled pupils in school to complete their courses.
An Economist, Dambisa Moyo has challenged African countries including Zambia to ensure that they acquire credit ratings and enhance the ease of doing business to enable them attract more investors.
Dr Moyo, who is author of the world renowned book ‘Dead Aid’, said it is sad that only 19 African countries are currently rated and that many African countries are doing badly on the International Transparency corruption perception index.
She said this when she addressed the 3rd Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Investment Forum during a formal discussion hosted by Bloomberg Anchor Maryam Namazee.
Dr Moyo said investors usually ask firstly whether a country is rated or not. She said credit ratings are not expensive and it is important for countries to consider acquiring them if they want to attract more investors.
Zambia is in the process of resuming its efforts to acquire a sovereign rating after earlier efforts were abandoned in the wake of the global financial crisis. Bank of Zambia governor Caleb Fundanga said Zambia has resumed the process of acquiring a sovereign rating.
Dr Moyo told the gathering that many African countries are also doing badly on the World Bank’s doing business index.
Dr Moyo, a Zambian, previously worked at the World Bank in Washington, DC. She is currently a member of the Boards of Lundin Petroleum and SAB Miller. She said that despite going through a genocide 15 years ago, Rwanda is now ranked as the most improved in the 2009 World Bank’s doing business report.
She said if African countries want to attract investments, they should be mindful that they are competing with other regions worldwide and should ensure they perform well on the corruption perception index as well as reduce the cost of doing business.
Dr Moyo said that whether African countries are really corrupt or are just perceived to be, the perception on the Transparency International Index matters to investors.
The forum, which ended on Tuesday, was attended by over 500 people, including businesspersons and policy-makers such as ministers, from 19 COMESA member states. The forum discussed investment opportunities in the region.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
The Bank of Zambia (BOZ) has with immediate effect taken possession of Commercial Capital Corporation Limited in accordance with section 81 of the banking and financial services Act, chapter 387 of the laws of Zambia.
In a statement released yesterday, Bank of Zambia Head of Public Relations Kanguya Mayondi said the Bank of Zambia has for some time now engaged shareholders and the board of directors of Commercial Capital Corporation Limited in order to resolve the deteriorating financial performance and condition of the institution.
He said that Commercial Capital Corporation had however, regrettably remained under-capitalized. He said the institution would continue conducting its business operations, but on a restricted basis under a manager appointed by the Bank of Zambia.
Mr Mayondi explained that during the period that the institution will be under possession, the central bank will cause to be prepared a statement of affairs and take any other action it deems fit.
He further stated that the decision by the Bank of Zambia to take possession of Commercial Capital Corporation Limited has been taken in order to provide for its orderly exit from the financial system.
[Q FM]
President Banda says he will not use his executive powers to degazzete Senior Chief Bright Nalubamba of Namwala in Southern Province for his continued attacks and name-calling against him.
Mr Banda said he will allow Senior Chief Nalubamba to continue being on the throne so that people can judge the kind of a traditional leader he is.
Addressing a mammoth campaign rally at Kagoro Basic School in Milanzi yesterday for MMD candidate Whiteson Banda in the April 29 parliamentary by-election, Mr Banda said Senior Chief Nalubamba has been calling him a liar and all sorts of names and MMD supporters have been asking him to use his powers to degazzete the traditional leader.
“Chief Nalubamba has called me all sorts of names. He has called me a liar and my supporters were furious and wanted me to degazzete him. I will not degazzete him. I will leave him to be chief so that the people can see who he really is,” he said.
Mr Banda said he has great respect for traditional leaders and people will never hear him using derogatory language against them even if some of them have been calling him names.
He said Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata and his United Party for National Development (UPND) counterpart Hakainde Hichilema have been attacking chiefs in newspapers.
The President said Mr Sata has been using unacceptable language against Paramount Chief Chitimukulu, who is his own traditional leader.
He said Mr Hichilema has also been calling Chief Mwanachingwala derogatory names and announced that the people of Mazabuka have dethroned him when the UPND leader has no powers to degazzete a traditional ruler.
Mr Banda wondered what would happen if either of the two opposition leaders became President.
The President said Mr Sata and Mr Hichilema cannot take any form of criticism and as such they are not suitable to become heads of State.
And Mr Banda said Mr Hichilema has confused the feelings of people of Southern Province by forming a pact with Mr Sata whom the province has always rejected as observed in past elections in which the PF leader has always come out the least preferred candidate.
The President said he came out second in all the constituencies of Southern Province during the 2008 presidential elections expect in Livingstone, where he won.
He said in the 2008 elections, Mr Hichilema came out first, he second, Heritage Party president Godfrey Miyanda third and Mr Sata last in Southern Province.
Mr Banda said this was a clear sign that the people of Southern Province do not want the PF leader to be President but preferred him to be head of State if Mr Hichilema was not available.
“It is a very bad decision for Hakainde to join Sata just for one reason of getting into power. They have always got zero power and they will continue getting zero. All of you here know very well that zero plus zero is equal to zero,” he said.
And Mr Banda said he has been in politics all his life and that he is the most suitable person to say true loyalty to one’s political party is good politics.
The President said this is the reason why Milanzi residents should vote for the MMD candidate in this monthend’s parliamentary by-election so that he can continue serving them.
He said voting for a candidate from the opposition will be a waste of time and votes because the person will have no direct contacts with Government.
Mr Banda also said his daily task is to ensure that every Zambian lives in peace and unity in line with the country’s ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ motto.
He said for many years, Zambia has not seen development because infrastructure like roads, schools, clinics and chiefs’ palaces have been destroyed by time.
The President assured that Government will always work towards rebuilding dilapidated social infrastructure as long as it remains in power.
Earlier, Zebron Banda and Armed Landela, who applied for adoption but were not picked, urged the people of Milanzi to vote for the MMD candidate because the party is associated with development.
UNITED Liberal Party (ULP) President Sakwiba Sikota has commended Government for revoking the decision to increase land rates by 1,000 per cent.
Mr Sikota said in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday that land was a vital component in the development of the country which needed to be handled in collaboration with other stakeholders such as farmers.
He commended the Government for responding to concerns raised by farmers on rates and for revoking its decision to increase land rates by 1,000 percent.
“Currently, most of our farmers cannot afford to pay huge land rates because of limited use of land.
“While we appreciate that Government needs resources to administer land matters, there is a need to develop a system that will help to increase food production and meet the cost of land administration,” the statement reads in part.
Mr Sikota said the ULP hoped the decision not to increase land rates would lead to a system that could benefit both the farmers and institutions that administer land.
He said Government should reform the valuation of land Act to allow for some exemptions to community organisations such as charities involved in farming.
Some of the concessions on land rates could be provided to pensioners who decide to get into farming.
Mr Sikota suggested that peasant farmers that intended to get into commercial farming with land size from 50,000 hectares could be allowed to apply for exemption from paying land rates for two years.
He said Government could also put in measures to ensure there was no abuse of the exemption facility.
Mr Sikota said if land which had been subjected to exemption was alienated within six years of such exemption, the new owners would have to pay the exempted rates.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Zambia under-17 coach Aggrey Chiyangi has expressed satisfaction with his charges performance despite losing 4-2 to Super Division club Red Arrows in a training game today at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka today.
“What was important was not the result because we knew we were playing a Super Division side and that we see how the young boys can handle that pressure,” Chiyangi said.
Chiyangi said another training game was planned for next week to get the team in frame for the crucial must-win match against Uganda under-17 next Saturday.
Uganda under-17 lead Zambia Under-17, 2-0 from the first leg of their Caf Under-17 Cup preliminary round qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Arrows goals in the training match came from a Dube Phiri brace while Agrippa Mbewe and Goodson Kachinga scored one goal each.
Martin Chakulya and Emmanuel Mwaba scored for the Under-17.
Zanaco today had a twofold training programme with day and evening sessions.
Zambia Caf Champions League envoys on Thursday evening trained at Woodlands stadium under flood flights.
However, the technical bench was not fully satisfied with the lighting at Woodlands and it is now likely the evening workout at the iconic venue was the teams last before the teams expected departure for Algeria on Monday.
The evening training session was held ahead of next week’s Caf Champions League second round, first leg match away to Entente Setif of Algeria to be played on Saturday evening in Setif.
Zanaco have also switch training to artificial turf this week and used the Independence stadium pitch to practice on as they will face Setif on a plastic surface next weekend on April 24.
President Rupiah Banda will this Saturday grace the annual Kuomboka Ceremony of the Lozi People of Western Province.
President Banda has been invited to be guest of honour at the event by the Barotse Royal Establishment.
Special assistant to the President for press and public relations Dickson Jere in a statement released to QFM today says the president’s and his delegation will arrive in Western Province town of Mongu on Saturday to grace the Kuomboka ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on the same day.
President Banda will be accompanied to Western Province by Community and Social Services minister Michael Kaingu,tourism minister Catherine Namugala, Local government and housing minister Eustako Kazonga, health deputy minister Solomon Musonda and other Senior Government Officials.
The President and his delegation will return to Lusaka on Sunday.
UPND Spokesperson Charles Kakoma (R) and Patriotic Front Secretary General Wynter Kabimba (l)
The opposition United Party for National Development has accused government of deliberately poorly planning the Milanzi and Mufumbwe Parliamentary by-elections in order to manipulate the electoral process.
Party spokesperson, Charles Kakoma said preparations ahead of the forthcoming elections have been recklessly handled and that government is to blame.
Mr. Kakoma cited the controversy surrounding the printing of the ballot papers as one such indication of poor planning.
He said the ballot papers would have been printed within the country but government has deliberately decided to print them abroad so that it can easily manipulate the process.
Mr Kakoma said his party seriously suspects manipulation in the entire process leading to the by-elections. But AVAP executive director, Bonnie Tembo has defended the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s preparations ahead of the by-elections describing them as satisfactory and up to standard
He however says there are lessons to be learnt from every election process and that as the nation looks forward to the 2011 elections,it is imperative that everyone is open minded.
He also calls on stakeholders to play their part and not just leave it to government if the election process is to develop to the quality standards required.
Vice-President George Kunda has said the Government has resolved to once and for all solve long standing issues of roads and electricity infrastructure in North-Western Province.
Mr. Kunda said in Mufumbwe yesterday during two campaign rallies that Government wanted to improve the infrastructure as the province was key to Zambia’s economic future.
The vice-president, who was rallying support for MMD candidate Mulondwe Muzungu in the April 29 by-election, said to accelerate the tarring of Mutanda-Chavuma Road, more contractors would move on site while bush clearing had started from Kasempa to connect Mufumbwe to the national power grid.
“President Banda and his Government decided the North-Western Province requires roads and electricity, we want to solve this once and for all,” he said.
Mr. Kunda said it was a pity that while the MMD was discussing development, the United Party for National Development (UPND)/Patriotic Front (PF) co-leaders Hakainde Hichilema and Michael Sata, respectively, were preoccupied with insults.
He said because of the enhanced economic activities in North-Western Province, all the districts needed to be connected to the national power grid and open up the M8 Road.
“As a temporary measure, Government has brought new generators for districts which are not connected to the grid,” he said.
The MMD campaign received a boost after a hugely popular MMD aspirant Stephen Masumba, who was allegedly being courted by the opposition, threw his weight behind Mr Muzungu.
Mr. Muzungu said the people of Mufumbwe should reject leaders seeking to get into power on the platform of hatred, lies and vulgar language.
And Southern Province Minister Daniel Munkombwe charged that UPND was a tribal party and people from outside the province in the party were only ‘visitors’.
Earlier on arrival at Chamwina School grounds, Mr Kunda urged the people to reject political parties fanning violence by importing cadres from outside the province to campaign in Mufumbwe.
[ Times of Zambia ]
Chief Sinazongwe has charged that government gazetted Nchete and Sikula islands in Sinazongwe district on Lake Kariba into wildlife sanctuaries with out his consent.
The chief said at the workshop on finalisaation of the general management for Nchete and Sikula Wildlife sanctuaries in Maamba that he was happy that the Zambia wildlife Authority (ZAWA) has remembered to improve the status of the two islands.
Chief Sinazongwe disclosed that poaching has been taking place at the two islands without arresting the cuprites because the Local ZAWA officers have no land transport and water transport to carry out patrols.
He said government had neglected the development of the two islands and wondered why it has taken long to protect and to take care of the wildlife.
‘No one is serious to check on people putting snares to kill animals on the islands. It has taken time 10 years since officers from ZAWA visited the islands so that they can be developed. Government just gazetted the island and left it.” Chief Sinazongwe said.
The chief urged ZAWA to involve the community in the management of wildlife on the islands.
He said the islands were still under his chiefdom because they were only created when Lake Kariba was built in 1959.
He said a lot of animals have been wiped away from the valley because ZAWA has not been monitoring and controlling poaching from Gwembe to Sinazongwe district.
The chief urged ZAWA to ensure that some other areas in the valley were identified where wild animals could be kept for game viewing and to ensure that the up coming generation know the animal species that the district has.
He disclosed that animals at Chibumba islands on Lake Kariba in Senior Chief Mweemba area have been wiped away because of ZAWA’s failure to control poaching.
The chief noted that wildlife officers in Sinazongwe should have a boat for patrols on the lake and land transport to control poaching to protect animals for future generation.
“Our ZAWA officers are walking they have no transport for use on land and on water. They need an effective boat and land transport because the area is too big. They walk to petrol game management areas. But there is nothing being done I thought ZAWA had money,” the chief said.
Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC) Oliver Pelete said the Nchete and Sikula island management plan should address the concerns of the communities for them to assist ZAWA in managing the two sanctuaries.
Mr Pelete said government has taken tourism as an important venture for economic development.
Nchete and sikula islands were formed when Lake kariba was built in 1959 and they are part of Chief Sinazongwe’s area.
The two islands have large number of wildlife and different species of birds.
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has said the escalating violence in Mufumbwe by-election between UPND and MMD cadres has left nine people injured and hospitalized in various clinics.
Fodep Information Officer Macdonald Chipenzi said in a statement today that such acts were barbaric, uncalled for, should be curtailed immediately, and the perpetrators should punished.
Chipenzi said the violence has exposed the weaknesses and ineffective of the electoral code of conduct, which he describes as an affront to holding free and fair elections.
He disclosed that FODEP monitors on the ground in Mufumbwe have observed that violence was being instigated by MMD and UPND supporters have left nine people hospitalized.
Mr Chipenzi alleged that some traditional leaders are also instigating some of their subjects to beat up opposition supporters.
He said FODEP is displeased at the involvement of traditional leaders, whether indirect or direct, in intimidating their subjects into supporting certain political parties.
The Information officer urged the traditional leaders that they are supposed to be neutral and allow their subjects a chance to make their own independent choices.
He stated that it is unfortunate that political parties seeking votes from people are at the forefront of exerting pressure in terms of medical bills to families and on some health centres in Mufumbwe to treat increased casualties a result of political violence.
Mr. Chipenzi says FODEP calls on the police in the area to consider stepping up their efforts in maintaining law and order before lives are lost.
He appealed to participating political parties in Mufumbwe to employ non-violent campaign strategies, to preach unity, peace, and to coexist.
[ QFM ]
UPND-PF pact Parliamentary candidate for Milanzi Albert Banda after he was introduced to the public.
United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson Charles Kakoma has observed that the country is currently in a crisis because the ruling MMD has failed to provide the Zambian people with a satisfactory political leadership.
Mr. Kakoma said in an interview that everything in the country is falling apart owing to the fact that the current government has not invested the desired will to make things right and offer the required guidance.
He said this is the very reason that Zambians have decided to give the UPND/PF pact the support because it is a clear fact that there is very little they are getting from the MMD government.
Mr. Kakoma observed that the pact has continued to give the party sleepless nights due to its impact on the political front because of its power to set the political tone.
He accused the MMD of resorting to political violence and threats after realizing that the pact is finally taking its toll on the ruling party.
[Q FM]
Inspector-general of Police Francis Kabonde has sent reinforcement of paramilitary police officers to both Milanzi and Mufumbwe constituencies to ensure security ahead of by-elections on April 29.
Mr Kabonde has also directed the officers to arrest those engaging in violent activities, regardless of their political affiliation.
He said in Lusaka yesterday that the reinforcement of officers has been done following complaints of violence in the two constituencies.
“We have decided to send more officers to these areas so that we can reduce on violence that has been reported,” Mr Kabonde said.
He said more police officers have also been dispatched to Western Province to maintain law and order during this year’s Kuomboka ceremony of the Lozi people.
Mr Kabonde said officers from Kamfinsa Mobile Unit have been dispatched to Mufumbwe.
He said the officers are expected to be in the districts today.
[ Zambia Daily Mail ]
