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Mwanawasa hails Japan for goodwill messages on SADC summit

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President Levy Mwanawasa has hailed  the Government and  the people of Japan for their messages of goodwill on the occasion of the 27th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)  Heads of State and Government which was held in Lusaka recently.

In his message to Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, Mr Mwanawasa who is also
Chairman of the Southern  African Development Community (SADC)  expressed gratitude to  the  government of Japan for the messages of congratulations  sent on the
occasion of the 27th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) Heads of State and Government held in Lusaka starting from August 16 to 17.

This is contained in a statement issued to ZANIS to day by Special Assistant to the
President for Press and Public Relations , John Musukuma.

“I wish on behalf of the Heads of State and Governments of Southern African
Development Community, SADC and on my own behalf to express sincere gratitude to you and the government of Japan  for the messages of congratulations you sent on the
occasion of the 27 th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community, SADC Heads of State and Government held in Lusaka recently,” said Mr Mwanawasa.

President Mwanawasa expressed hope that the existing SADC-Japan and Africa-Japan
relation will be strengthened further for the mutual benefit of both peoples.

FIFA consider mandatory pre-tournament medicals

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World football’s governing body FIFA is ready to consider an expansion of its medical screening programmes to cover all international tournaments.

FIFA announced on Thursday that the matter would be discussed at its next executive committee meeting in October, following recommendations made by the organisation’s medical committee.

“We set a new standard ahead of the 2006 World Cup with state-of-the-art tests for all players including electro- and echocardiograms,” FIFA’s chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak told Reuters following the death of Spain and Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta, 22.

“We are still in the final stages of analysing all the data but I assume the medical committee will recommend making such tests mandatory at all levels, not just for the senior men’s tournaments but for women’s and junior football too.”

While FIFA hope such measures can help minimise the risk of serious injuries or deaths on the soccer pitch, Dvorak said some cases would still get past even the best screening methods.

Puerta’s death would appear to fall into that category.

The Spanish international collapsed during the opening league match of the season on Saturday and died three days later following complications arising from a heart attack.

The hospital he was taken to said the attack had been brought on by a weakness in the right ventricle of the heart either because of a congenital problem or because cells had been replaced by fat or scar tissue.

His club pointed out that the entire squad had undergone exhaustive pre-season fitness and health tests without anything showing up during Puerta’s examinations.

UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES

“I cannot speak about Puerta in particular, but there are always going to be unforeseen circumstances that can only be completely ruled out using more aggressive and invasive procedures,” said Dvorak.

“By having the sort of tests that we carried out before the World Cup as standard, however, we can at least do all that is reasonable to reduce potential risk.”

On Wednesday, one day after Puerta’s death, Zambian striker Chaswe Nsofwa died after collapsing during a training session with his Israeli second division side Hapoel Beer Sheva.

In England, a 16-year-old trainee at third division Walsall died last week after suffering a similar collapse in training and a League Cup tie in England on Tuesday was abandoned after Leicester player Clive Clarke collapsed at half time.

He was expected to make a full recovery.

According to Dvorak there are no global statistics setting out the number of sudden cardiac failures among footballers, although for sport in general there are an estimated 1,000 deaths a year from such cases.

“It’s very difficult to get precise figures for individual sports that you can compare across different time periods because many of these cases are not diagnosed or they are covered by patient confidentiality, all of which means the problem may even be underestimated,” he said.

European soccer’s governing body UEFA told Reuters it was already working hard to minimise player fatalities.

NEW MEASURES

In an emailed response to Reuters enquiries, UEFA’s medical committee said the organisation had brought in a number of new measures to minimise player fatalities including the mandatory provision of resuscitation equipment, oxygen and trained personnel at all UEFA matches.

“UEFA has also broken new ground in recently requiring all clubs involved in European competition to carry out annual medical checks on its players, including cardiology tests,” the statement added.

“It is also planned for the 2008 European Championships that all players will have had to have had an echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound) within the past three years.”

While the new and proposed regulations could help save lives among footballers at the top level of both junior and senior competitions, both FIFA and UEFA acknowledge that gaps will still remain at the lower level.

“We can only regulate the clubs taking part in our competitions, for the others it is down to the national associations to set the standards,” a UEFA spokesman told Reuters on Thursday.

“By organising our own pre-competition tests we are sending out a message to the world, and then it is up to the clubs to follow the recommendations,” added Dvorak.

“We have also set up FIFA medical centres around the world and sent out invitations to leading medical institutions to offer these tests as an independent service to players.

“I think FIFA is very much a leading international federation in this regard but of course it is still up to those responsible for the clubs to take advantage of modern medicine and not look to save money in this area.”

Zambia and China to spend $28 million in power project

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tn_power_plant.jpgZambia and China will invest $28 million to supply power to Chinese firms which set up operations in the African country’s mineral-rich Copper Belt region, a senior industry official said on Friday.

Rhodnie Sisala, managing director of state power utility Zesco, said it would provide electricity to a new copper smelter the Chinese are building in the Chambishi multi-facility economic zone (MFEZ), 420 km north of the capital Lusaka.

“The total cost of providing power supply is about $27.8 million. It is expected that the project will be completed by August 2008 to enable the smelter to commence copper processing,” Sisala said in a statement.

Investors from China will build leach and brick-making plants, and others to treat slag from the mines into finished copper. Expansion of the Chambishi copper mine, owned by China’s NFC Africa, was also in the pipeline.

The government said earlier this year that Chinese companies would also set up manufacturing plants and agricultural processing factories in the Chambishi MFEZ.

Officials say China has pledged to invest $1.2 billion in two economic zones, including one for high-technology manufacturing firms in Lusaka. Of that investment, $900 million is earmarked for Chambishi.

In July, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa said he would fight political opponents trying to limit or frustrate Chinese investments in the mineral-rich southern African nation.

The main opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party won parliamentary polls in the mineral-rich Copper Belt province, after its leader campaigned on an anti-China platform in 2006 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Zambia became the first African country to experience riots over charges against Chinese firms of poor labour relations, poor safety standards and low wages paid to local miners.

In 2005, 50 workers died at BIGRMM Zambia Ltd, a Chinese-run firm after an explosion which experts said was caused by poor safety standards.

The state Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) granted BIGRMM a new licence in June to set up another plant despite resistance from families of the dead workers.

Chambishi is one of five economic zones China plans to set up across Africa as Beijing strengthens its economic partnership with the continent, which has abundant natural resources and cheap labour.

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WFP eyes Zambia, Mozambique as food sources

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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is increasingly turning to countries outside major food producer South Africa in search of cheaper sources of food, a spokesman said on Thursday.

The food agency this year again spent record amounts of money on the staple maize and other crops in Malawi and Mozambique, WFP spokesman Richard Lee said. Spending in Zambia is also nearing record levels.

The WFP buys the bulk of its regional supplies from South Africa, the biggest producer of wheat and maize in southern Africa.

But over the past several years it has tried to support domestic agriculture elsewhere, Lee said. A poor maize crop in South Africa has also made the country’s maize more expensive.

Analysts also say these countries could soon compete with South Africa for a share of its maize market as their governments boost farming support in order to lift agricultural production.

“We’ve already spent more money in Malawi and Mozambique this year than ever before. We’re approaching record levels in Zambia,” Lee said.

In 2002, when a food crisis prompted the WFP to scale up its operations in the region, it bought 6,500 tonnes of maize from Malawi. So far this year, purchases from that country stand at 78,000 tonnes — nearly double last year.

Over the same period, purchases from Zambia have grown to 58,000 from 12,000 tonnes and to 38,000 tonnes from 13,000 in Mozambique.

In the year to date, the U.N. body has bought about 82 percent of the 270,000 tonnes of food required for 2007, Lee said.

“It’s predominantly due to price that we’re not buying in South Africa. But also the WFP is very keen, where possible, to buy locally,” Lee said.

“Obviously, (buying locally) can speed up the process and we want to benefit local industries and small-scale farmers.”

He said this included mostly maize but also other cereals.

For the second year in a row, drought has slashed production of the maize crop in South Africa, pushing up prices of the main harvest. At the same time, the price of wheat, the other widely consumed cereal, has vaulted on global supply fears.

Zambia mourns Chaswe’s passing.

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The nation is in shock as it mourns the passing of Zambia international striker Chaswe Nsofwa who died suddenly on Wednesday in Israel.

Nsofwa, who just two weeks ago joined Israel division 2 club, died after collapsing during a training match against Maccabi Beersheba.

Caf, Fifa, Faz President Teddy Mulonga including Zambia national team coach Patrick Phiri have all passed their condolences over the death of 27 year old Nsofwa.

Nsofwa’s ex-Zanaco team mates Numba Mumamba and Kelvin Kaindu, with whom he formed a lethal attacking force between 1999 and 2003 while in-between won the league title with the club in 2002 and scored 14 competitive goals in all competition that year, were struck by his death.

It (Nsofwa’s death) is a very big blow to Zambian football,” Mumamba said.

“This is the time when we needed him most and all the players are very sad. We are with his family mourning his death both spiritually and physically.

“He was more like a brother to me and we have been good friends since I joined Zanaco (In 1999) and used to come to me for advice often.”

And Kaindu said Nsofwa’s death had left him numb.

“It has come as a great shock and we will greatly miss him. It is even more painful especially that he trained with us before he left for Israel ,” said Kaindu.

The late Nsofwa previous clubs include Green Buffaloes, whom he joined in 2005 after a brief and controversial first professional stint at Russia team Krylya Sovetov.

Nsofwa also had a brief stay with Lusaka Dynamos last year.

Nsofwa, who was capped over a dozen times for Zambia, made his senior national team debut under the late George Mungwa on March 3, 2000 in a 2-0 win over Lesotho in an international friendly in Lusaka.

12 days later, Nsofwa scored his first of 11 international goals for Zambia in a 1-1 draw in a friendly match against Malawi played at Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe.

Nsofwa made a dramatic return to the national team last year after a two-year hiatus to score Zambia’s second goal in the final of the Cosafa Castle Cup final when the team beat Angola 2-0 at Independence stadium in Lusaka.

He was also part of Patrick Phiri’s Under-20 team that reached the semifinals of the 1999 Africa Youth Cup and took part in the FIFA World Youth Cup in Nigeria.

Chaswe was also an integral part of the under-20 team that won the 1999 COSAFA Under-20 Championships in South Africa.

In 2003, Chaswe was amongst World Football Magazine’s top 100 promising young players of the new millennium.

Prior to joining Beersheva had played for Malaysian club Melaka Telekom FC for the last two seasons.

Chaswe Nsofwa dies in training

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National Soccer Team Striker, Chaswe Nsofwa collapsed and died during a training match in Israel, Wednesday night.

Nsofwa 27, is said to have died from heart failure as his Beer Sheva side worked out at Vasermil stadium.

He was part of the Zambia national squad at the African Nations Cup finals in 2002.

Nsofwa joined the Israeli national league team close to the start of the new season.

He scored two goals on his debut against Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan last weekend.

Rescue workers tried to resuscitate Nsofwa’s heart for several minutes befoe taking him to Soroka Hospital in Beecheba, where he was pronunced dead.

Reports say temperatures on the field approached 40 degrees Celsius with low humidity when Nsofwa collapsed.

On Tuesday, Antonio Puerta, a midfielder for the Spanish team Sevilla, died three days after collapsing during a league game.
ZNBC

Wednesday Football Brief

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The Zambia Under-23 go into camp tonight, Wednesday in Kitwe to begin preparations for their 2008 Olympic Games football tournament Group B qualifier against Senegal to be played on September 8 at Nchanga stadium in Chingola.

Included in the team is Kabwe Warriors and Zambia Under 20 star Emmanuel Mayuka who missed his first Under-23 call-up a fortnight ago away to Mali in a game Zambia won 2-1 in Bamako.

The Warriors striker missed the match due to a trial commitment with Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin.

Also included in the team are Zambia Under-20 and Red Arrows attacker Simon Lupiya and Zamtel defender Joe Besa.

Misisng from the team is key striker Felix Nsunzu who is away on trials in Tunisia.

Meanwhile, his young brother and Konkola Blades teammate Stophira Nsunzu returns after the midfielders recent World Under-20 Cup outing in Canada.

The Under-23 team is expected to be in camp in Kitwe up to match day next week.

Peter Kaumba’s team currently lead Group B on maximum 6 points from their two games played so far.

Cote d’Ivoire are second on 2 points after beating Senegal 2-0 in Abidjan a week ago.

Goalkeepers: Kalililo Kakonje (Lamotville Golden Arrows, South Africa), Labson Muchelenganga (Power Dynamos), Jacob Banda (Zesco United).

Defenders: Bronson Chama, Clive Sichondwe (Both Kabwe Warriors), Charles Sinyingwa (Power Dynamos), Hichani Himoonde (Lusaka Dynamos), Davies Nkausu (Pretoria University, South Africa), Maybin Chishimba (Green Buffaloes), Eugene Shamakamba, Joe Lungu (Both Zamtel FC).

Mifielders:Norman Munthali, Francis Kasonde, Joseph Sitali (All Power Dynamos), Timothy Mbewe, Simon Luipya (Both Red Arrows), Chabusha Malumani (Lusaka Dynamos), Stophira Sunzu (Konkola Blades).

Strikers: Signs Chibambo (Nakambala Leopards), Reuben Tembo (Green Buffaloes), Christopher Musonda (Forest Rangers), Given Singuluma (Bay United, South Africa), Emmanuel Mayuka (Kabwe Warriors).

Government commended for bringing health closer to people in Mufulira

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 A Civic leader in Mufulira has commended government for its tireless efforts in ensuring that local people access health services as closer to them as possible.

Kafue Ward Councillor, Kenneth Mubanga, told ZANIS in an interview today that the
donation of a clinic building to the Ministry of Health is a confirmation that
government is committed to fulfilling its mandate to provide quality health services
to the people.

Councillor Mubanga noted that the good relationship that government has maintained
with investors is bearing fruit as evidenced by the donation of the clinic by the
African Explosive Limited company to government.

He said his ward had no clinic for a long time, which forced people to walk long
distances to Kansuswa clinic which is five kilometers from his  ward.

He added that the donation of the clinic to the area will alleviate the risk that
expecting mothers faced when accessing the antenatal services.

The clinic is also expected to service some Kitwe residents who reside across the
Kafue Bridge.

Councillor Mubanda also thanked government for providing staff to the clinic despite
the critical shortage of clinical staff that the health ministry is currently
facing.

The clinic was donated to government by AEL Zambia formally Kafironda Explosives
company in 2005, but could not open to the public due shortage of staff in the
district.

MOE introduces interventions for girl-child education

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An educationist in Kawambwa says the Ministry of Education has introduced some interventions to encourage the girl-child to continue with education.

Kawambwa District Education Board Secretary (DEBS), Ngosa Katoti, said this in
Kawambwa during the dissemination workshop of the Vision 2030 and the
Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP).

Mr. Katati says government has intruduced interventions such as Programme for
advancement of girls’ eduction.

He says government was worried with the girls’ education as their completion levels
are bad compared to the boys’, hence the introduction of some interventions.

Mr. Kakoti pointed out that there are no plans by the Ministry of Education to
reduce the enrolment age from seven years to either five or six.

He explained that at the age of five or six, children are not matured enough in
thinking to enbale them start receiving training .

Mr. Katati noted that, because of this, the enrolment age cannot be reduced from seven.

He was answering a quesiton from a member of the entourage from the Ministry of
Finance, who wanted to know why government cannot reduce the enrolment age to either five or six especially for the girl child that grows faster.

However, some stakeholders also observed that girls grow faster and that it would be
better to enroll them at the age of either five or six before they start involving
themselves into illicit activities that lead to pregnancies.

SADC sugar producers alerted

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Sugar producers in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have been cautioned to protect the interests of people in the region when negotiating economic partnership agreements with the European Union (EU).  

Commerce Minister, Felix Mutati said the sugar producers must take into account the impact of the agreements on rural communities and government revenue.

Mr. Mutati said the sugar industry in Zambia employs over 8-thousand people and failure to negotiate favourable agreements with the EU will affect the industry and government revenue.

The Minister was speaking in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, Wednesday at the Federation of SADC sugar producers conference organized by the Sugar producers association of Zambia.

The objective of the conference is to agree on a common approach on the handling of sugar and promote interaction among sugar producers in the region.

Economic partnership agreement negotiations will be concluded by December this year.

British Prime minister hails Mwanawasa for good relations

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British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has praised President Levy Mwanawasa  for the good relations between the United Kingdom and Zambia.

Mr Brown said United Kingdom values the good relation that exists between his
country and Zambiais.

Mr Brown was responding to a congratulatory message from President Mwanawasa on his appointment as Prime Minister.

”The success Zambia has enjoyed over recent years is testimony to the strong
example you have set on political and economical governance and the foundation you
have laid as well as promoting the governance agenda in region and beyond.’ said Mr
brown

This is contained in a statement issued by  Special Assistant to the President for
Public Relations and Press,John Musukuma and made available to ZANIS this evening.

And President Mwanawasa has sent a message of congratulations to the President of
the Republic of India, Pratibha Pail on her election as first female president.

The President said Zambia and India enjoy warm and cordial relations that is
cemented by a common membership in international organisation such as the United
Nations and the Commonwealth.

“It is with great pleasure that I extend to you my warm and heartfelt
congratulations on your election as India’s female president. Your victory is a
clear testimony of the confidence that people of India have in your leadership
abilities.” Said President Mwanawasa

Meanwhile President Mwanawasa has also sent a message of condolences to the
President of the Republic of Peru, his Excellency Alan Garcia, on the death of more
than 337 people and the injured following the earthquake which hit the coast of Peru
on August 15, this year

President Mwanawasa expressed  sadness and shock at the tragic death of more than
337 people and the injuring of hundreds following the earth quake.

“On behalf of the government, the people of Zambia and indeed on my behalf I wish to
express our heartfelt condolences to and through you to the people of Peru on this
tragic loss.” said the President

Limping Councils have low councilors, poor financial management

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By Tovin Ngombe
Sinazongwe district Commissioner (DC) Laiven Apuleni has said some Southern Province Local Authorities were failing to deliver social services because of the poor financial management and low calibre of the elected councilors.

Apuleni said at the German Technical Support to Zambia (GTZ) sponsored exchange visit for local authorities in southern province to Sinazongwe that the success of any local authority lies in its ability to manage financial resources.

“It is evident that we still have a good number of local authorities that are limping because of mediocre financial and administratively management coupled with low calibre of the elected representatives (councilors).” Apuleni said.

He said performance of local Authorities lies in providing services to community and not using the provision of salaries to their workers as bases for good management
“In our eyes as stakeholders you are judged by your ability to deliver services and not to pay salaries,” the DC said.

He recommended Sinazongwe District Council for exhibiting remarkable and admirable financial management.

GTZ has also ranked Sinazongwe district among the top three council in the Southern Province that have innovative ideas of raising revenue and to providing services to the community.

GTZ Local Government Adviser Kaunda Mapoma said the other councils include kalomo and Mazabuka which were managing to implement their activities based on budgeting and documentation of their revenue data base.

Mapoma said these districts also provide services such grading of the roads, sweeping the streets, providing street lights, and Kalomo have even gone on commercial bases.

He said Sinazongwe district Council has was managing to operate well with the private sector in the grading of the roads; they publish budget, and receipts on how the money was being spent.

“The public are aware of how their money was being used, there is transparent in the use of resources at Sinazongwe District Council,” Mapoma said.

He said the exchange visit was meant for Southern Province councils to know how others were managing their finances well and how others were performing poorly to ensure that they all improve their delivery of social services.

Senior Mweemba appeals to govt for medical assistance

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By Tovin Ngombe

Senior Chief Mweemba has appealed to government to assist him in assessing medication to improve his failing health.

The Senior Chief told ZANIS in an interview through his representative Richwell Ntundulu that from the time the Senior Chief became ill he has not received any support from government.

He said only Sinazongwe District Commissioner Laiven Apuleni provided transport for him to be taken for Medication in Lusaka.

Senior Chief Mweemba said going for medical reviews has posed a financial drain on his resources from the time he became ill.

“You know when a person is ill and he has no time to look for money and the senior chief has been using his own money which has created financial difficulties on him,” Mr Ntundulu said.

Mr. Ntundulu said he could not understand why the senior chief has been neglected even in times of difficulties.

“I do not know if we are in a different government, the senior has not received anything from the time of his ill health,” Mr Ntundulu said

Two months ago the Senior Chief was diagnosed with the liver problem.

A check by ZANIS at his palace found that the chief’s condition was not good though he was able to talk to for a short while.

Hunger looms in Sinazongwe

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By Tovin Ngombe

Senior Chief Mweemba of the Tonga people said the hunger situation in Sinazongwe District would be worse in September if government fails to send relief food to save his subjects from starvation.

The Senior Chief who was speaking through his representative Richwell Ntundulu at his palace said the hunger situation in his areas has continued to haunt his people because of the poor rainfall experienced in the district in the previous farming season.

Senior Chief Mweemba said government should urgently send relief food to save the starving villagers from perishing of hunger.

“The situation is pathetic, it is a dry season and there are no fruits that people can pick up to eat, my people are not being cared for even the local investors are doing nothing to assist them,” Senior Chief Mweemba said.

The chief who was also able to utter a few words because of his poor health said Kafwambila, Siampondo, Muuka, Denganza, and Kanchindu the area around his palace were the most affected.

He said people living in Siameja had no land to cultivate from because the area was too rocky adding that it was not out of there own making that they fail to grow food.

“But displacement has done them more harm because they were growing their own food before they came to this place,” the Senior Chief said.

The number of people requiring relief food in Sinazongwe district has doubled as compared to last year’s Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) estimates.

Sinazongwe District Commissioner (DC) Laiven Apuleni said in March that the number of people in need of relief food has swelled from 5,241 to 10,656.

The DC disclosed that he was receives a lot of calls from people who want to know what was being done to save people from starvation.

Statistics from the District Agriculture office indicates that Sinazongwe has a population of 80,750 and it has 99,300 arable land and only 20,000 is cultivated annually.

Pro’s Hit List

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DENMARK.

Striker Christopher Katongo played the full 90 minutes on Sunday for 2nd from bottom Brondby in their 4-1 away loss to 5th placed Horsen.

FRANCE.

Striker Jacob Mulenga played his final game in Ligue 2 this season on Friday before joining promoted Strasbourg this week in 16th placed Chateauroux’s scoreless home draw against 4th from top Dijon.

Mulenga was substituted in the 52nd minute.

GERMANY.

Paderborn: Midfielder Andrew Sinkala played the full 90 minutes for 2.Bundesliga club Paderborn in the 16th placed club scoreless away draw at 8th from top Osnabruck on Friday.

Kickers Offenbach: Defender Moses Sichone did not play against his old club Alemmania Aachen on Sunday in the 2.Bundesliga clubs 4-0 away loss to the 2nd from top side.

SOUTH AFRICA.

Jomo Cosmos: Striker Davies Mwape played the full 90 minutes for Cosmos in the 12th placed clubs 1-1 away draw on Saturday at 3rd from top Kaizer Chiefs in week 2 of the South African top-flight.

He was not on target.

Moroka Swallows: Striker Songwe Chalwe came on in the 88th minute for Swallows in the 6th placed clubs scoreless home draw against defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

SWEDEN.

Orgryte: Striker Boyd Mwila started for 6th placed Orgryte on Monday and was later subbed in the 66th minute in his teams 2-0 away win against 11th positioned Enkoping in their Swedish 2nd division game.

Mwila was not on target.

Ljungskile: Defender Edwin Phiri came on in the 71st minute for 3rd from top Ljungskile on Sunday who were 3-1 away winners at 7th placed Bunkeflo.

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