Mongu District Commissioner, Akabeswa Imasiku has disapproved the recruitment process of 142 health personnel by the human resource committee in the district.

Mr Imasiku said this during the media briefing at his office, saying the recruitment process has to be redone citing a lot of irregularities in the process.

The District Commissioner said the human resource committee has not followed the decentralization policy of considering the local applicants including those who were doing voluntary services with the clinics in the district.

Mr Imasiku said the human resource committee tasked to do the recruitment has disadvantaged the local residents adding that the province has been used on several times as an entry and exit points of civil servants.

He said currently the district has 41 positions in the education sector with people on payroll who are not working in the district but they are elsewhere.

And Mr Imasiku has, however, expressed happiness with the teacher recruitment as his office was fully engaged.

The government has completed the construction of two health posts and a market shelter all valued at K600,000 in Kaoma Central Constituency under the 2020/2021 Constituency Development Fund(CDF).

The health posts and market shelter have since been handed over to the community for use.

One health post was constructed in Namaloba Ward at Namimbwe, while the other and market shelter is in Chilombo Ward at Chilombo.

Due to the absence of a health facility, People of Chilombo and Namimbwe were traveling over 10 kilometers in the night to access health services at the District Hospital.

The health posts will cater for over 1500 people in both Chilombo and Namimbwe wards.

At Chilombo, Marketeers sold their merchandise in an open space without toilets causing a health hazard on both the buyer and the seller.

The market shelter will cater for over 40 Marketeers around Chilombo and surrounding areas.

Speaking during the handover ceremony Kaoma Central Member of Parliament, Morgan Sitwala stated that the construction of the health post was clear testimony of President Hakainde Hichilema to prioritize the right to provide basic health services to all citizens.

Brigadier General Sitwala said there is an assurance of a better service as there should be no excuse from health workers not to offer the much needed service to the community.

“The increment of CDF will eradicate health facilities backlog and the financial hardships the people of Namimbwe and Chilombo to hire vehicles because of the distances they were covering to access medical services and we don’t expect any excuse from health personnel but to provide the service to our people, everything needed is in place,”General Sitwala said.

General Sitwala commended the council for ensuring that the projects were delivered within the stipulated timeframe.

And Kaoma Town Council Secretary, Raphael Kamanga said the health posts were constructed in areas where people demanded for the service.

Mr Kamanga disclosed that a total of K203,000 was spent on the Namimbwe health post while Chilombo gobbled K208,000 and the market shelter was built at K187,000.

He disclosed that staff houses were yet to be constructed at the two facilities.

And representing the user department Ministry of Health Acting Health Director, Lawrence Shabalala commended government for the construction of health posts as they will help his ministry bring the health services closer to the people.

Mr Shabalala said the construction of the health posts will help in the evacuation of patients to the District hospital because of the good communication facilities put in place.

He appealed to the community to jealously guard the facilities against vandalism before they are fully operational.

One of the beneficiaries, Anna Ngombo narrated how she lost a child who was very ill at home as she could not afford to hire a vehicle to the hospital.

Mrs Ngombo said the construction of the health posts will save life and further commended government for the gesture.

The Mambwe- Lungu Cultural Association (MALUCA) has appealed to investors to take advantage of this year’s Mutomolo traditional ceremony to explore the rich tourism potential found in the area.

MALUCA National Chairperson, Felix Mulwanda also announced that this year’s Mutomolo traditional ceremony is scheduled to take place from 24th to 25th of June at the shores of Lake Chila in Mbala district.

Mr. Mulwanda told ZANIS in an interview in Kasama today that this year’s ceremony will be very unique.

He explained that the ceremony will have various stands to showcase some of the rich cultural practices synonymous with the Mambwe- Lungu people.

Mr. Mulwanda urged Zambians including those living in the diaspora to turn up in number so they can come and appreciate the way of life of the Mambwe- Lungu speaking people.

He said people coming for the event should also take advantage of their visit to sample the various tourism sites found in Mbala, Senga and Mpulungu districts.

He explained that the three districts have historical places and natural wanders such as the Lake Tanganyika which is the second deepest rift valley in the world and Lake Chila which is linked to the 1st world war.

Mr Mulwanda added that the areas are also blessed with Kalambo Falls, Nzunzu Mountain which has a highest pick for mountain climbing and the Moto-moto museum.

And National Treasurer, Lawrence Sinyangwe disclosed that the organising committee is in need of over K800,000 to successfully host the Mutomolo ceremony.

Mr Sinyangwe said the committee has so far managed to raise K90,000 out of K800,000 needed.

He has since appealed to all the stakeholders including business houses to come on board and support the event.

Mr. Sinyangwe also challenged youths in the country to take keen interest in learning the traditional ceremonies of different ethnic groups in order to have deeper knowledge and understand the country’s heritage

The Mutomolo traditional ceremony is celebrated annually by the Mambwe- Lungu speaking people to thank God and taste the first harvest.

Itezhi Tezhi Member of Parliament Twaambo Mutinta has called upon Mukamambo Secondary school administration to rescind the decision to expel the 14 and 16 year old girls pupils who are alleged to have been defiled by students from Chalimbana University.

Mr Mutinta said the school should instead provide counseling to the victims who are teenagers.

“It is unfair to blame the victim and subject them to expulsion when as a country we are at a time of consolidating efforts to enhance the re-entry policy,” he said.

Mr Mutinta who is also Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Education Science and Technology said the school should also be held accountable for not providing adequate child protection systems that safeguard learners against any harm that include exposure to sexual abuse.

Five Grade Nine and 10 pupils at Mukamambo Girls Boarding Secondary Schoo aged between 14 and 16 have since been expelled for spending nights away with their boyfriends from Chalimbana University.

Police have since arrested two students from the university aged 17 and 28 and charged them for defilement.

Police Spokesman Rae Hamoonga said a 17-year-old juvenile and a 28-year-old man, Chimuka Mweemba, were charged for defilement after two of the girls identified the students as the ones they spent nights with at their hostels.

“It is alleged that the suspects did have carnal knowledge of 14 and 16-year-old girls, respectively. Brief facts of the matter are that the girls were sneaking out of Mukamambo Secondary School and met with the suspects, who are students at Chalimbana University.”