23/06/2007
Red Arrows VS Kabwe warriors
Zesco United VS Young Arrows
Nchanga RangersVS Zamtel
Roan United VS Konkola Blades
Power Dynamos VS Forest Rangers
Nakambala Leopards VS Green Buffaloes
Lusaka Dynamos VS Zanaco
National Assembly VS City of Lusaka
Esther Phiri’s Global Boxing Union (GBU) Super featherweight title fight scheduled for June 30 at Woodlands stadium is going ahead with Bulgarian Radostina Valcheva brought in as a late replaced for the injured her compatriot Galena Ivanova.
Ivanova suffered an ankle injury in training ahead of next weekends bout ruling her out of contention forcing the organizers to bring in Valcheva as last minute replacement.
“Esther’s opponent Galena Ivanova twisted her ankle in training,” The fights main sponsors National Milling Corporation’s managing director Peter Cottan said at a emergency press briefing this morning.
“But am glad to announce that the fight is still on schedule after the Boxing Board of Control in Nairobi Kenya named another Bulgaria to face Esther with another Bulgarian Radostina Valcheva.”
Valcheva is expected in Zambia on Tuesday June 26 from Sofia via Johannesburg and land in Lusaka at 12:30 Hrs.
Esther and Valcheva are later expected to attend a press briefing 24 hours later on Wednesday morning at the Holiday Inn.
Valcheva is 22 years old and her professional record of seven fights currently stands at four wins and three defeats.
She previously boxed as a Super bantamweight and is also under the same trainer and stable as the injured Ivanova.
The two boxers weigh-in will be held on Friday at Holiday Inn at 12:00 hrs.
Tickets for the fight will be on sale on the fight day with sales starting at Woodlands at 08:00 Hrs till the start of the main bout.
ZNBC TV will carry the match live starting at 19:30.
Youth, Sport and Child Development minister, Gabriel Namulambe has challenged youths in the country to desist from politicking.
Mr. Namulambe has since advised the youths to unite and concentrate on issues that
centre on development.
Speaking at a meeting organized for youths in Mansa today the minister said
government would only grant the Youth Development Funds to groups that registered
with the National Youth Development Committee as had been set by law.
He said time was up for cheap politicking over important issues of national interest
and urged the youths to work together in sports activities to reduce poverty in
their communities.
And the minister said there was need to decentralize the concentration of sports
from Copperbelt and Lusaka as there was abundant untapped talent in other
provinces.
Mr. Namulambe observed that teams of various sport disciplines were concetrated to
provinces along the line of rail only.
He called for strong sports advisory committees at provincial levels so as to tap
and nurture the potential adding that his ministry would facilitate programmes to
foster sport in the country.
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the fifth as well as the sixth and final review of Zambia’s economic performance under a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement.
And the baord has since approved a further disbursement of about US$33.4 million
quivalent to Speacial Drawing Rights (SDR) 22 million .
In statement issued by the fund on its web site obtained by ZANIS in Lusaka this
evening, the executive board has also approved the request for waivers of the
nonobservance of performance criteria in view of the corrective actions taken.
These include the end-June 2006 and end-December 2006 quantitative performance
criteria on net domestic financing of the central government; the end-June 2006
quantitative performance criterion on gross international reserves of the Bank of
Zambia; and the end-September 2006 and end-March 2007 structural performance
criteria on the initiation of the piloting of the Integrated Financial Management
and Information System (IFMIS).
The decision was made during the June 8 , board discussion held over Zambia’s
report on the sixth and final review of Zambia’s economic performance under a
Poverty Reduction.
The PRGF arrangement was approved on June 16, 2004 in the amount of US$333.6
million and the bank in May this year approbved Zambia’s request to extend the
original three-year arrangement to September 30, 2007 .
And Fund Deputy Managing Director Mr. Takatoshi Kato has commended the Zambian
government for pursuing sound macroeconomic policies that have sustained robust economic growth and achieved a marked reduction in inflation.
Mr Kato said High copper prices and extensive debt relief have helped to strengthen
Zambia’s external position and allow a build up of international reserves.
“Going forward, the challenge for the authorities is to consolidate macroeconomic
stability and implement structural reforms to raise productivity and diversify the
economy,’ he added.
He said prudent fiscal policy is needed to restrain the growth of government domestic debt, while monetary policy will need to remain firm in the months ahead to keep inflation on a downward path adding that better coordination between fiscal and
monetary policy will help improve liquidity management.
“It will be important to press ahead with tax reform to broaden the tax base while
making the tax system simpler, more efficient, and equitable,’ he said..
The fund Managing Director stated that higher levels of tax revenue will be required
over the medium term to accommodate spending on infrastructure, agriculture and the
social sectors as envisaged in the Fifth National Development Plan.
”
He said the public expenditure management and accountability reforms being
implemented are essential for the successful implementation of the government’s
poverty-reducing programs and the effective use of public resources more generally.
He added that budget execution and reporting, which are key elements of the reform,
will be greatly enhanced by planned establishment of a treasury single account and implementation of the integrated financial management and information system.
He observed that strengthened debt management will help ensure that new borrowing
does not undermine debt sustainability.
“To foster diversification of the economy and boost economic growth and employment,
it will be important to implement vigorously the economic reform agenda set out in
the Fifth National Development Plan, particularly the measures to stimulate the
private sector development,” Mr. Kato said.
The PRGF is the IMF’s concessional facility for low-income countries. PRGF-supported
programs are based on country-owned poverty reduction strategies adopted in a
participatory process involving civil society and development partners and
articulated in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).
This is intended to ensure that PRGF-supported programs are consistent with a
comprehensive framework for macroeconomic, structural, and social
policies to foster growth and reduce poverty.
PRGF loans carry an annual interest rate of 0.5 percent and are repayable over 10
years with a 5½-year grace period on principal payments.
Meanwhile IMF Executive Director for Zambia, Dieudonne Nintunze, and his Senior
Advisor, Peter Gakunu said the Zambian government remained steadfast in pursuing
prudent economic and financial policies that are fostering macroeconomic stability
despite the difficulties and challenges of an election year.
The duo said the ongoing deepening of structural reforms under the three broad
initiatives, namely, the public sector reform, whose important component is the
public expenditure management and financial accountability (PEFMA) program; the
financial sector development plan; and the private sector development initiative; is
translating into the broadening of the sources of growth and employment creation,
with marked recovery and expansion in the mining, construction, agriculture, and services sectors.
They said the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) launched recently offers
credible policies and reforms necessary to tackle the remaining challenges as it aims at consolidating macroeconomic stability, improving economic productivity and competitiveness.
They added the FNDP includes ambitious social programs which will help curb the
widespread poverty, improve quality and delivery of social services, increase ob
creation and help reach the MDGs.
‘ Real GDP is projected to grow at an average rate of 6-7 percent annually over the
medium-term, and could even grow higher if the expected scaling up of donor support materializes,’ they stated.
They further stated that the implementation of sound macroeconomic policies and a
strong structural reform agenda has started to produce positive results, as reflected in the robust economic performance over the last six years, which has reversed episodes of stagnation of the pastdecades.
Sports Minister Gabriel Namulambe has maintained governments position on the constitution making process saying there will be no shortcuts.
Mr. Namulambe said there are procedures to be followed in the way issues are handled
and that adopting the constitution through the constituent assembly (CA) would be
costly.
He explained that members of the CA committee that would be sitting on the
constitution making process would be paid about K500,000 each per day and that the
process would take some time to complete.
He noted that due to the exorbitant allowances, the process would be too costly and
at the expense of national development.
Mr. Namulambe said this in Mansa today when he met youths to discuss the policies of
sports and youths across the country.
Mr. Namulambe who is on a tour of Luapula province to meet youths is accompanied by
sports, Youths and Child Development permanent secretary Ambassador, Bob Samakai and director of sports, Bernard Nakachinda.
Irene Solo ate soil from tree bark and anthills when she was pregnant in the belief among some Zambians that it makes babies strong.
It’s a tradition that could prove fatal for her young son and thousands of other children in Kabwe, where a once-thriving mining industry has left deadly concentrations of lead in soil and water in what activists say is a sign of Africa’s environmental degradation.
“Doctors have told me that Lasford was poisoned with lead while he was in my womb because I used to eat a lot of soil,” said Solo.
“I have been told that lead poisoning kills or leaves children with disabilities, but I hope and pray that my son will live to become a medical doctor.”
Mining is Zambia’s economic lifeblood, but Kabwe’s mineral riches dried up in 1994, when heavy financial losses forced the state-run Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) company to shut down operations.
Once one of Africa’s largest and richest mining towns, Kabwe was left with a legacy of toxic waste.
Blacksmith Institute, a New York-based environmental group which works with the United Nations and World Bank, ranks Kabwe among the world’s top 10 most polluted cities.
Environmental groups have accused Zambia’s government of ignoring environmental hazards in Kabwe. State authorities say they only became aware of the problem in 2000.
“There were a few things the ZCCM could not do at the time the mine was closed which are being done now,” Zambia’s mining minister, Kalombo Mwansa, told Reuters.
Companies who have expressed an interest in reviving the mining industry in Kabwe will not win contracts unless they commit to waste management in the future, he added.
The government has resettled families and provided them with clean drinking water. Parks have been created in townships to keep children from playing in soil. And a public education programme has been launched.
THOUSANDS POISONED
But it may be too late to save Kabwe residents from decades of lead contamination, which can stunt growth and cause brain damage and infertility.
Up to 5,000 people have been affected by poisoning and the lives of about 60,000 children and adults are at risk, government officials say. Levels of lead poisoning above 120 micrograms per decilitre can kill.
In Kabwe, 117.6 micrograms per decilitre have been found in both adults and children, said Mark Radin, research assistant at Blacksmith, which is financed through donations from other environmental groups and individuals.
“ZCCM conducted studies in Chowa Township and Kasanda Township in 1996-1997. They found a wide range of blood levels in the 7,736 residents they tested in the Chowa Township, the range was 27.7-117.6,” he told Reuters.
An unspecified number of children were found with an alarming level of 300 micrograms per decilitre, according to reports cited on Blacksmith’s Web site.
Gauging the extent of the damage may take years.
“We are yet to discover what lead poisoning has caused in our children and mothers because the problem was only identified in 2004,” said Nancy Zyongwe, a doctor with a state-run company created to clean up the environment in mining towns.
“It is a major surprise that even children with higher lead content look very fit. We are investigating all these issues as we treat the children but good (conclusive) results may take up to seven years.”
Zambia’s economic growth has been accelerating thanks to an increase in copper production. The southern African country has also won praise from Western governments for prudent economic policies.
But poverty remains widespread and critics say Zambia should be reaping bigger benefits from its vast mining resources.
Zambia has turned to the World Bank and international funds to clean up Kabwe, a central town of thatched and mud brick houses which lacks basic infrastructure and modern schools.
So far $50 million in loans and grants have been secured but $40 million more is needed, Zambian officials say.
Life hasn’t always been so hard in Kabwe: it was once the symbol of the independence struggle against the British. Liberation hero Kenneth Kaunda used to announce his landmark economic policies in the former industrial hub.
These days, Kabwe’s people have little time for nostalgia. They are busy scratching out a living, despite the dangers.
Rhoda Mwape was diagnosed with high lead content in her blood in 2005. She still scavenges for scraps of metal to support her children. She may never see them grow up.
“I know the dangers of lead to my health but I have no choice,” said the mother of eight.
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema has denied defaming second Republican president, Frederick Chiluba. He said his comments comparing the former Head of State with a monkey in a maize field, constituted a fair comment on a matter of public interest.
Dr Chiluba has sued Mr Hichilema for libel and is demanding K20 billion as exemplary damages with interest and costs.
The words were extensively quoted in the POST newspapers between May 10 and 18, which likened Dr Chiluba’s term of office to having a monkey in charge of a maize field.
The former Head of State had further asked the court to grant him an injunction restraining Mr Hichilema whether by himself, servants or agents from publishing defamatory words.
But in an affidavit in defence, Mr Hichilema denied publishing any article that was defamatory and stated that he was not in the business of publishing.
Mr Hichilema, through his lawyers, Mwiimbu and Company said the High Court chancery division of the United Kingdom, found Dr Chiluba liable for misappropriation of funds belonging to the Government of Zambia.
He added that Dr Chiluba used public funds to purchase house number 12/2B on Serval road, in Kabulonga.
He claimed that Dr Chiluba received US$308,255 from the ZAMTROP account, an account owned by the Government of Zambia between December 8 1995 and July 2001.
He said Dr Chiluba unlawfully paid churches in America $ 179,000 from the same account and utilised Government funds in the sum of $1,299,400 to pay for his personal clothes to Basile Boutique owned and managed by Antonia Basile.
The UPND leader noted that it was a matter of public notoriety that Dr Chiluba and several of his subordinates were appearing before the courts of law for alleged financial misappropriations.
He denied defaming Dr Chiluba, as the words claimed to have been defamatory did not represent the natural and ordinary meaning of the words set.
Mr Hichilema said that Dr Chiluba was not entitled to any damages whatsoever arising from the statement of claim.
POLICE in Lusaka yesterday arrested and charged 52 University of Zambia (UNZA) Great East road campus students with riotous behaviour.
The students were rounded up on Nangwenya road where they had gathered with a view to matching to the ministry of Education.
Lusaka Province police chief, Wasakaza Ng’uni, confirmed the arrests and that the students had been charged for riotous behaviour and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
A Times team that went to Lusaka Central police station found students being taken to the police station in open vans. Those arrested were 37 males and 15 females. They would appear in court soon.
Quick action by Police officers in full riot gear in the early hours of yesterday stopped the students from blocking motorists on the Great East road as they protested over a decision by management asking them to pay 50 per cent per semester before commencing lectures.
UNZA management has also issued a memorandum directing students to pay the other 50 per cent in the middle of the semester to reduce on cases of students failing to complete their payments before completing their programmes.
Yesterday morning students blocked the road leading to the campus with rocks and tree branches and also wrote abusive grafiti on the road.
The students also blocked the entrance leading to the campus with huge stones to stop motorists driving in and out of the institution while police in riot gear kept vigil.
Police officers led by Mr Ng’uni who were deployed in some locations near the campus quickly moved in to seal off the campus.
Police later relocated to UNZA entrance as the protesting students set up bonfires and continued chanting anti-management slogans.
Mr Ng’uni said police action was in the interest of the motorists and other road users and that police would continue to monitor the situation.
He also warned that police would not hesitate to move into the campus if the situation deteriorated.
Last week students chanting anti- management slogans set fire at the ‘monk square’ symbolising the sign of mourning following a decision by University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) to down tools pressing for better conditions of service.
Students also boycotted classes yesterday while a number of others were seen loitering within the campus.
UNZA spokesperson, Mulenga Musepa said it was saddening that the students reacted in such a manner and appealed for better ways of airing their grievances.
Mr Musepa said during the meeting which was called by management after issuing a memorandum, it was decided that cleaning of some areas at the campus would not be done on a daily basis except for ablution blocks.
But some students said that they were saddened with the decision by management to allow students to only use the library from 08:00 hours to 17:00 hours.
They said in most cases, students were busy with assignments in the morning and afternoon and wondered what time would be there for studying. They appealed to management to rescind the decision.
But sources said the decision to close the library at 17:00 hours was aimed at reducing payment of overtime for workers.
People in Chipangali constituency in Chipata have been urged to turn up in large numbers for the Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) day which falls on June 30 this year.
Great Commission for People’s Development and Orphans (GCPDO) Health Coordinator, Belita Phiri, said people needed to know their HIV status as that was the only way organizations involved in HIV/AIDS activities could help them if found with the virus.
Ms. Phiri said people should go for VCT early despite their being healthy because
Antiretroviral drugs worked well in a person with a body which is still looking
health.
She was speaking when she addressed a GCPDO group at Nkalekale Basic school in
Chipangali constituency yesterday to prepare for the VCT day.
” I can tell you that Antiretroviral drugs work well in a body which is still
healthy and you should encourage people to go for VCT despite them looking
healthy,”Ms. Phiri said.
She said most of the people died from HIV/AIDS because of stigma.
Meanwhile, GCDPO in the area expressed concern that people that may want to be
tested for HIV had no hope that they would find help if they are found to be HIV
positive.
GCDPO Nkalekale group secretary, Euvet Mwale, said most people worried about how
they would travel to Chipata which is about 100 kilometers away to access the ARV
services if found with the virus.
But Ms. Phiri said it was the reason why her organization was encouraging people to
go for VCT because it would come in and help the infected with transport to go for
their CD4 count tests and give food to those that were already on medication.
And most married women in the area said they had been going for VCT alone because
their husbands refused to accompany them.
Ms. Phiri encouraged the women to talk to their spouses about the importance of
going for VCT.
The Devolution Trust Fund (DTF) has approved a K299 million sanitation project for the Chipata Water and Sewerage Company(CWSC).
The money is for the enhancement of water supply and sanitation in Magazine
compound in the district.
Speaking to ZANIS in an interview yesterday, CWSC managing director Bernard Mwewa said the joint agreement was signed yesterday and DTF was ready to fund the project immediately after the approval of procurement plans.
He stated that the Magazine project would provide the people in the compound access
to water which is currently a problem as the area only has three water kiosks to
cater for a population of twelve thousand.
Mr. Mwewa said water installation works will be completed in four months as most of
the required materials will be accessed locally.
He disclosed that CWSC had lined up a number of projects on both short and long term
basis to improve water supply to residents in Chipata.
Mr. Mwewa expressed confidence that his company was on course to provide the
residents good water and sanitation services.
And a representative from DTF, Jackson Mulenga said DTF was quick to approve the
project because CWSC had proved to be efficient in its performance.
ZANIS
The Zambia Voluntary Soccer Fans Association (ZAVBOSOFA) in Luapula Province has urged soccer fans to continue supporting the Senior National Football Team.
In an interview with ZANIS sports in Kawambwa today , Provincial ZAVOSOFA
chairperson, Godfrey Chikumbi said fans should pray for the national team in a do or
die crucial match against South Africa.
Chikumbi said the team is still in the race to qualify hence the appeal for all fans
to be optimistic.
He said that football is a game of chances adding that anything can happen for
Zambia to carry the day.
This follows Zambia’s one all draw with Chad in a game played at Konkola stadium in
Chililabombwe at the weekend.
After last Saturday’s results, Zambia is still second of the group 11 Africa
qualifying group with 8 points while South Africa leads the group with 10 points
after being held one all by Congo Brazzaville.
Chad, who gained a point from their last match and Congo Brazzaville are out of
contention for qualifying to the 2008 Ghana continental football.
Zambia would have defeat the ‘Bafana Bafana’ at the their turf by a convincing win
to sail to the finals. ÂÂ
Asked whether Zambia can beat South Africa at their home ground Chikumbi said he was optimistic Zambia will win despite football being is a game of win. or loss.
Other fans however expressed displeasure at the poor performance of the Chipolopolo
boys in their recent encounter against Chad.
However, they said they are in full support of the senior national team. They urged
the team to put up a spirited fight in their last game in Johannesburg.
ZANIS
Nine SADC countries in collaboration with the Commonwealth today launched a new local democracy enhancement programme aimed at promoting local democracy and good governance in the region.
The nine countries include Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Commonwealth Secretary General Carl Wright disclosed this at the closure of a
two-day Commonwealth Local Governance Forum (CLGF) meeting held in Lusaka.
Mr. Wright pointed out that the core feature of the new programme is the development
and application of local indicators to measure good governance at the local level
including the accountability of local councils and the effectiveness of the of their
delivery to key services to the community.
Other central elements have been the use of the International Peer Review (IPR) to
assess local authority performance conducted by partner cities and extensive
consultation of the civil society and local stakeholders.
Mr. Wright said it was agreed during the meeting that the next new programme should
be undertaken in Zambia.
He said the Zambian cities chosen for the programme are Kitwe, Livingstone, Lusaka,
Mufulira and Ndola and that upon completion, the programme will be rolled out
through out the country.
And Local Government and Housing Minister Syvia Masebo said Zambia was committed to implementing the new programme as it provides the key to ensuring governance and
effective service delivery by local government.
Ms. Masebo said the International Peer Review also ensures an objective assessment
of performance to the existing African Peer Review Mechanism.
She hoped that the innovative methodology developed under the programme will see
widespread adoption throughout the SADC region, Africa and the Commonwealth.
In this regard, the minister stressed that she would firmely act on weakness that
will be identified in the local government system in the country.
And Dr. James David, the minister of Local Goverment in Mauritius, said the local
government enhancement process is ideally suited to Africa as governments have taken
the initiative to undertake the African Peer Review Mechanism.
He said the Peer Review will assist local authorities in walking the extra-mile and
enhance performance with a view to attaining total quality in the long-term.
Dr. David said that now is the time to move from rhetorics to facts, from statements
to concrete realisation if the programme is to be successful.
The Local Government Enhancement Programme builds on successful work undertaken by the workshop, organisers, the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, and the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) since 2003 in five cities in Zimbabwe and their counterparts in other Commonwealth countries such as Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland.
Senior local government practitioners including ministers, mayors and officials from
the nine countries met in Lusaka from 18 to 20 June 2007 and agreed to move forward
an innovative programme to promote local democracy and good governance in the SADC
region.
The World Bank has advised government to build on the positive economic gains that the country has recorded in the recent past so as to accelerate poverty reduction.
Out-going World Bank Country Manager Dr. Ohene Nyanin observed that the country has in the past four years registered economic growth which should now be translated to
poverty reduction.
He said the country should continue with its diversification programmes in other
sectors such as Agriculture and Tourism which can be vital in reducing poverty among
the rural people.
Dr. Nyanin told ZANIS in an interview that although the poverty levels have gone
down to 68 percent, the figures are still high.
Dr. Nyanin, who has been in the country for the past four and half years said the
country has managed to attain marco-economic stability which has resulted in a
fall in inflation and interest rates despite the many challenges it faced.
He futher added that the prudent financial management the country embarked on
enabled Zambia to get back on track on the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Poverty Reduction Growth Facility (PRGF).
” Due to prudent financial management , we saw the country reach the HIPC and
receive debt relief from both bilateral and multilateral cooperating partners,’ he
said.
He however stated that it was cardinal that the country continue to maintain macro-
economic stability and pursue reforms that will accelerate growth to above 7
percent.
Dr. Nyanin, who leaves the country in August, stated that economic growth should
translate to reduction in poverty levels are people.
A case in which a South African national is alleged to have defamed President Levy Mwanawasa failed to take off this morning because of the on going strike by judicial workers.  ÂÂ
Brandon Childs 22, an employee for RJ Southerly Contractors, contracted by Mopani
Copper Mines, Mufulira Division is alleged to have insulted and passed disparaging remarks against Mr. Mwanawasa in April this year.
Childs, a Kitwe resident was arrested by police and charged with defaming the head
of state contrary to provision 65 of the penal code.
He was later released on police bond but Police withheld his passport, work permit
and national identity documents.
The foreign national has not appeared in court since his arrest in April.
Mufulira Resident Magistrate, Edison Tembo assured ZANIS in his chamber that the
cases was coming up in court today but workers talked to said they have not prepared
the court for the case due to the strike.
District Prosecutors Officers were this morning found adjourning the cases to later
dates while local magistrates were working from their chambers.  ÂÂ
Mr. Tembo said the situation is normal and all the workers have reported for work.
ZANIS
Green Buffaloes this afternoon drew 1-1away at Young Arrows in a delayed Faz Premier League week 15 game played at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka this afternoon.
The draw does little for Buffaloes position on the table who stay in 5th place going from 28 to 29 points, one behind 4th placed Kabwe Warriors whom they have failed to supplant due to the draw.
Buffaloes however, have now gone four games without a defeat but had to come from 1-0 goal down after Kruger Mwansa gave Young Arrows the lead in the 13th minute with a rebounding shot.
Lawrence Milanzi restored parity in the 41st minute in a game that faded after the break.
Young Arrows stay 6th on 25 points after the draw.
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© Lusaka Times
